Substructure Analysis and

Design
 Syllabus
• Abutments,
• Piers,
• Wing walls and other structures

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Type of Abutment-Gravity Abutment

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Type of Abutment –U Abutment

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Type of Abutment – Stub Abutment

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Type of Abutment- Counterfort Abutment

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 General Features of Abutment

Abutments are end supports to the superstructure of

a bridge and they retain earth on their back side
which serves as an approach to the bridge.

In case of river bridges the abutment also protects

the embankment from scour of the stream.
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 General Features of Abutment

Abutment are generally built using solid stone, brick

masonry or concrete. An abutment comprises three
distinct structural components;
• breast wall which directly supports the dead and
live loads of the superstructure and retains the
earth filling on the rear side

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 General Features of Abutment

• Wing walls which act as extensions of the breast

wall, retains the earth fill without resisting any loads
from the superstructure.
• Back/Dirt wall is a small retaining wall located just
behind the bridge seat and it prevents the earth fill
from flowing into the bridge seat and bearing

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Various Forces Acting on the Abutment

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 Stability Analysis of Abutment

An abutment must be safe against the following;

• Overturning

• Sliding

• Eccentricity of the resultant with respect to

centre of the base
• Maximum base pressure
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Stability Analysis of Abutment –Overturning and
Sliding

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Stability Analysis of Abutment- Maximum &
Minimum Base Pressure

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 Design of Abutment

• Height – The height of the abutment is kept equal

to that of the piers
• Abutment Batter- The water face is kept vertical or
a small batter of 1 in 24 to 1 in 12 is given. The
earth face is provided with a batter of 1 in 3 to 1 in
6 or it may be stepped down

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 Design of Abutment
Abutment Width – The top width should provide
enough space for bridge bearing and bottom width is
dimensioned as per the required forces.

Length of Abutment – The length of abutment must

be at least equal to the width of the bridge

Abutment Cap – The bed block over the abutment is

similar to the pier cap with thickness of 450 – 600 mm
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Piers

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 Loads for Piers
• Dead Load from super structure and self weight
• Live load from traffic
• Impact effect
• Buoyancy effect
• Wind force
• Wave force
• Longitudinal force owing to breaking of vehicle
• Seismic effect
• Forcing owing to collision, for pier in navigable waterways

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Analysis of Piers

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 Design of Pier
• Height

Top level of pier is fixed above the high flood level. Sufficient
gap between the high flood level and top of pier is essential
to protect the bearing from the flood.
• Pier width

Top width should accommodate the two bearings. Minimum

of 600 mm more than the outer to outer dimension of the
bearing places. 19
 Design of Pier
• Pier Batter

• Cut and Ease Waters

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 Numerical on Abutment

width of Girder – 300mm

Kerb on either side – 600 mm

Fig. 12.6 – Section of the abutment

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Numerical on Abutment

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Numerical on Abutment

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Numerical on Abutment

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Numerical on Abutment

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Numerical on Abutment

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Numerical on Abutment

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Numerical on Abutment

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 Numerical on Abutment
• Fig. shows the section of a
stone masonry abutment used
for a highway bridge together
with the forces acting per unit
length of abutment.
• Safe bearing capacity of soil =
150 kN/m2
• Coefficient of friction b/w
masonry and soil = 0.5
• Density of stone masonry = 25
kN/m3
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 Numerical on Abutment
• Compute the stresses developed at the base and check
for the Stability of the abutment

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Numerical on Abutment

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 Numerical on Abutment

The maximum Stresses is less than the safe bearing capacity of the
soil. Hence the stresses are within safe permissible limits

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Numerical on Abutment

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Numerical on Piers

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Numerical on Piers
0.8
1.6

3.27
3.27
9.50
9.50

0.8
1.6

Top Bottom

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Numerical on Piers

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Numerical on Piers

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 Numerical on Piers

Area of semi circle on both side

should be multiplied by 2

0.8 m 1.6 Top Pier

9.50 m
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 Numerical on Piers
Act at 0.5 m from the centre of the pier

Section modulus 0.8 m Top Pier

of pier at base 3.27 m

9.50 m

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Numerical on Piers

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Numerical on Piers

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 Two Types of Wing Wall;
Approaches to the bridges are in
cutting or small embankment.
Return wall length depend upon the
slope of the embankment and side
slope of the stream

Heavy road embankment. Thickness is

maximum at the junction of the
abutment and gradually decreases to
300-500mm at the bottom. The wing
wall dimensions are general fixed as
follows;

Return or Box Type Return Wall Splayed Type Wing Wall

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 Approaches

• As per IRC specifications, the approach road

should have a minimum straight length of 15
meter on either side of the bridge. In no case
approach should be curved at the entrance and
the exit of the bridge structure.
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Thank You

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