Civil Engineering Bridge Report
Srinidhi 12ESTZ 24/11/2023
Civil Engineering: Bridge Report Srinidhi
Civil Engineering: Bridge Report Srinidhi
Abstract
This comprehensive report provides a detailed insight into the primary designs of modern bridge
construction, including their sizes, materials, and purposes. It also discusses the principles governing
the succession of each bridge design, more specifically the tension and compression forces that
coexist with each once a load is placed on the bridge. Moreover, the report highlights the construction
and design of a balsa wood bridge through truss analysis, design analysis, and presentation of a CAD
diagram of the chosen design. By exploring the complexities of bridge construction, this report aims
to enhance understanding and appreciation for these vital structures that shape our daily experiences.
Civil Engineering: Bridge Report Srinidhi
Table of Contents
Abstract...............................................................................................................................................................2
Introduction........................................................................................................................................................4
Description of Bridge Types..............................................................................................................................5
Timeline of Bridges..........................................................................................................................................11
CAD drawing....................................................................................................................................................13
Reaction at Supports.......................................................................................................................................14
Shear Force and Bending Moments Diagram...............................................................................................15
Discussion of Design.........................................................................................................................................17
Discussion of Impact on Society and Environment......................................................................................18
Conclusion........................................................................................................................................................19
Civil Engineering: Bridge Report Srinidhi
Introduction
Bridges are an integral part of society, that connect people and facilitate transportation serving as
links between different terrains and bodies of water. They come in various designs, sizes, and
materials, depending on the purpose and location. This report understands the various types of
bridges, that make up the main designs of bridge construction across the world in this modern age.
Additionally, the forces that dictate the succession of each bridge design are briefly discussed to
understand the basics of each type of design. The construction and design of a balsa wood bridge is
demonstrated through truss analysis, design analysis and diagrams of the chosen design.
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Civil Engineering: Bridge Report Srinidhi
Description of Bridge Types
1. Arch Bridge
An Arch bridge is a type of bridge commonly known for its curved structure, which is
designed to distribute the load of the bridge towards the vertical pillars of the structure. The
curved design is constructed using various materials such as stone, brick, concrete, and steel.
Force distribution: The Arch bridge uses compression forces to push the force outward along
the curve of the arch towards the supports of the bridge. This is demonstrated in Figure 1.1
Advantages Disadvantages
Strength: Arch bridges are known to be stable and Cost: Due to the complexity of the
strong structures due to their curved design, which design and construction, the arch
helps distribute the load effectively bridge can be more expensive when
Aesthetic Appeal: The curve of the bridge acts as compared to other bridge types.
a visual appeal to the surrounding landscape, as Construction: Due to the complexity
depicted in Figure 1.2 of design, building an arch bridge
Long Lifespan: This design is known to have long requires expertise and skilled
lifespans, making it a durable choice for engineering
infrastructure.
Figure 1.1: Pont-Saint-Martin Bridge, Italy Figure 1.2: Forces in an Arch bridge.
Aosta Valley.
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Civil Engineering: Bridge Report Srinidhi
2. Beam Bridge
A Beam bridge is a type of bridge characterised by its simplicity and functionality. It consists
of a horizontal beam, which is supported by vertical pillars or abutments at each end. The
bridge is usually constructed using steel, concrete, or wood.
Force Distribution: The bridge uses compression and tension forces to support the load.
When a load is placed on the beam, the vertical pillars and top portion are placed in
compression, whilst the lower portion of the horizontal beam is in tension. This is
demonstrated in Figure 2.2.
Advantages Disadvantages
Simplicity: beam bridges are simple in both Limited Span Length: The beam bridge is
design and construction making them cost- not suitable for long spans without
effective and time-efficient additional supports. Refer to Figure 2.1
Low Maintenance: It can be easily Adaptability: Beam bridges can be impacted
maintained and repaired due to the by weather conditions and may not be
simplicity of the design suitable for certain environments. i.e.,
Environmental Impact: Have a lower Marine, as they can be vulnerable to
environmental impact than other bridge corrosion and deterioration over time.
types because they use less materials and
can be made with sustainable materials
Figure 2.1: Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, US Figure 2.2: Forces in an Beam bridge.
Louisiana
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Civil Engineering: Bridge Report Srinidhi
3. Cantilever Bridge
The Cantilever bridge is characterised by its design, which consists of two arms extending
from opposite sides and meeting together at the centre to form a suspended span. Using
metal, steel, concrete and iron, this design uses tension and compression to balance the loads.
Force Distribution: The bridge carries loads, by tension in the upper members of the bridge
and compression in the lower members of the bridge. Additionally, the centre span carries the
load through tension in the lower chords and compression in the upper chords respectively.
This is demonstrated in Figure 3.2.
Advantages Disadvantages
Long Spans: This design is suitable for wide Cost: Cantilever Bridges are relatively large
bodies of water or valleys, without the need and complex structures that require a high
for additional supports cost of construction and maintenance
Weather resistance: The tension members Wind Loading: due to the structure of the
and cables, reinforce the bridge, which bridge, cantilever bridges are more prone to
allows the bridge to absorb shock and resist loads placed by the wind, which results in
vibration from seismic activity, as structural damage
demonstrated in figure 3.1
`
Figure 3.1: McCullough Memorial Bridge, US Oregon Figure 3.2: Forces in a Cantilever Bridge
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Civil Engineering: Bridge Report Srinidhi
4. Suspension Bridge
A Suspension bridge consists of a deck or a roadway that is suspended from vertical cables
that are anchored to vertical towers at each span increment. Additional suspender cables are
utilised to keep the deck supported and connected to the main cables, that are connected to
the vertical supports. Steel is used primarily in the construction of this design.
Force Distribution: Loads placed on this design, are transferred to the vertical towers, which
put them in compression. The cables attached to the deck and curved towards the pillar are in
tension. Refer to Figure 4.2
Advantages Disadvantages
Long Spans: This design is suitable for wide Cost: Suspension bridges are expensive
bodies of water or valleys, without the need considering the quantity and type of
for additional supports material required to support the load and
Aesthetic Appeal: this design is considered maintain stability
to add visual appeal to the landscape, Maintenance: Require regular inspection
making them iconic landmarks in cities. and maintenance due to the complex design.
Refer to Figure 4.1 Need to be monitored for corrosion and any
Flexibility: Suspension bridges can signs of damage
withstand wind and seismic forces, Construction: A complex design such as the
additionally it typically has a high clearance suspension bridge is a time-consuming
above the water, allowing for ships to pass process. Additionally, expertise and
by, without the need for a movable span specialised equipment is required to build
such structures.
Figure 4.1: Golden Gate Bridge, US San Francisco Figure 4.2: Forces in a Suspension Bridge
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Civil Engineering: Bridge Report Srinidhi
5. Truss Bridge
A Truss bridge consists of a series of several interconnected triangular members. While they
were initially built of wood, this structure can be made using iron, steel and using a
combination of materials. This can be seen in Figure 5.1
Force Distribution: As depicted in Figure 5.2, compression forces and tension forces are held
in the upper and lower chords respectively. This occurs when a load placed on the bridge
bends the bridge structure.
Advantages Disadvantages
Strength and Stability: the use of triangular Maintenance: More challenging to maintain
members makes the bridge suitable for as it consists of many components that
spanning long distances and carrying heavy require regular inspection
loads. Visual Appeal: truss bridges are less
Versatility: Truss bridges can be used in a visually appealing compared to modern
variety of applications such as roads, bridges. The exposed structural components
railroads, and walkways may have an aesthetic appeal.
Cost: relatively lightweight compared to
other bridge types. This makes them less
expensive to build and allows for easier
transportation and installation.
Figure 5.1: Cottonwood River Pratt Truss Bridge, Figure 5.2: Forces in a Truss bridge
US Kansas
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Civil Engineering: Bridge Report Srinidhi
6. Cable-Stayed Bridge
Cable-stayed bridges have a very similar design to suspension bridges as it consist of a deck
supported by cables attached to towers. In comparison to Suspension bridges, the deck is
supported by cables that are directly connected to the vertical pillar, rather than a major cable.
Force Distribution: The deck and vertical pillars are in compression, while the cables have
tension forces to support loads. Refer to Figure 6.2
Advantages Disadvantages
Aesthetics: considered visually appealing as Construction: A complex design such as this
they are modern and elegant. Refer to design requires expertise and specialised
Figure 6.1 equipment
Span length: suited for long spans, making Maintenance: vulnerable to corrosion and
it ideal designs for crossing wide bodies of damage from extreme weather conditions
water and valleys Flexibility: Unlike the Suspension bridge,
Stiffness: provides excellent stiffness and this design has limited flexibility in the
stability, particularly in windy conditions elevation of the deck.
Figure 6.1: Sunshine Skyway Bridge, Florida Figure 6.2: Forces in a Cable-stayed Bridge
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Civil Engineering: Bridge Report Srinidhi
Timeline of Bridges
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Civil Engineering: Bridge Report Srinidhi
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Civil Engineering: Bridge Report Srinidhi
CAD drawing
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Civil Engineering: Bridge Report Srinidhi
Reaction at Supports
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Civil Engineering: Bridge Report Srinidhi
Shear Force and Bending Moments Diagram
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Civil Engineering: Bridge Report Srinidhi
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Civil Engineering: Bridge Report Srinidhi
Discussion of Design
I had chosen an arch bridge, as they are known for its load-bearing capacity. The
curved shape of the bridge allows it to distribute weight along it’s span. More
specifically in the chosen design, the arch bridge distributed the load onto the tension
rod fixated in between the 2 arches. Additionally, through researching the best
performing bridges of balsa wood competitions, the chosen design had held 220 kg.
I had decided to laminate thin sheets of balsa wood and clamp the pieces together into
an arch shape, to maximise strength integrity. Through further research, I had
identified that the optimal ratio of span to rise, was 5:1. Therefore my dimensions were
400mm: 80mm. Moreover, I had the 2 arches at an angle, with the edges glued together,
and the ends parted away, in order for the arch not to fall over.
Although much research and complexity had gone into the design of the bridge, due to
the lack of support in the legs of the bridge, the structure had merely held 30kg. While
this is a substantially successful attempt, the specific strength was 438.3. While other
attempts such as balsa wood competitions had shown to hold much weight, the bridge
did not show it’s max potential.
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Civil Engineering: Bridge Report Srinidhi
Discussion of Impact on Society and Environment
Bridges have played a key role in human history since then, allowing people to cross rivers, valleys,
and other of terrain. However, the importance of bridges goes beyond transportation. Bridges have
significantly impacted society and the environment, proving that they are not just structures but an
integral part of how we live and interact with the world around us.
Bridges improve transportation and connectivity, by providing
more accessible travel routes through difficult terrain. The Golden
Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California is an excellent example
of this. The bridge spans the Golden Gate Strait, connecting the
city to Marin County, this allows easy travel between the two
destinations, which would otherwise be difficult due to the
troublesome landscape and dangerous waters, as depicted in the
diagram to the right.
Bridges facilitate trade, services, and the exchange of goods, which all directly impact the economy of
a society. For example, the Tower Bridge in London is an important infrastructure as it connects the
northern and southern parts of the city. This supports the expansion of the urban landscape, attracting
businesses and residents, and resulting in a boost of economic growth. Moreover, the bridge provides
access to vital institutions like hospitals and educational establishments, ensuring that society has
access to healthcare and education. In addition to these societal benefits, bridges can become iconic
landmarks. For instance, the Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia acts as a functional transport route
and as a symbol of the city. The magnificent structure draws tourists from across the globe, which
results in a contribution to the local economy through tourism.
Whilst Bridge construction has a positive impact on society, it
often results in the disruption of ecosystems, which leads to a loss
of biodiversity. For instance, the construction of Chittagong-Cox's
Bazar Link Road in Bangladesh involved many bridges and roads
established through the terrain, resulting in the displacement of
numerous animal species and deforestation. This disruption of the
natural landscape leads to the loss of biodiversity and disturbs the
balance of ecosystems. Moreover, the type of material used in
bridge construction have their environmental disadvantages. The construction of the Millau Viaduct in
France is an excellent example of this. The bridge, made of steel and concrete, emitted a significant
amount of carbon dioxide during construction. In addition, the construction of bridges can result in
visual pollution, which is distasteful to the visual landscape. For example, the Verrazano-Narrows
Bridge in New York City can be considered visual pollution due to the clashing presence of the
surrounding skyline. Refer to the figure on the right.
In response to these environmental impacts, many methods such as the use of recycled materials have
been recently incorporated. The Leonardo da Vinci Bridge in Norway is a remarkable example of this.
The use of recycled steel, reduces the demand for steel production, additionally minimising an
environmental footprint. Supporting this, by incorporating sustainable practices, individuals can enjoy
the social benefits without increasing their environmental footprint.
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Civil Engineering: Bridge Report Srinidhi
Conclusion
In conclusion, this report provides an overview of bridge construction, focusing primarily on the
design and construction of a balsa bridge. The report also focuses on the analysis of truss structures
through the concept of reaction supports, bending moments and shear force. Additionally, the report
explores various types of bridges, advancements in bridge construction, and the materials used
throughout history. Furthermore, the report discusses the social and environmental impact of bridges
in the modern world, with briefly mentioning the steps taken to address adverse environmental
impacts.
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