CIV3222

Bridge Design And

Assessment
Preliminary Design of a
Bridge
Suvin Sithga
Adeesha Bandara
Dylan Khoo
Lim Jon Zhen

Project Scope
Come up with two alternative schemes
Give a final recommendation for the

preliminary design of a highway bridge

crossing a creek

Design Criteria

Single Span no skew

Cost
Method Of Construction
Durability and ease of maintenance
Traffic disruptions
Aesthetics

Two Designs

Super T Girder Bridge

Rigid Frame Bridge

Conceptual
Design One
RIGID FRAME BRIDGE

CROSS SECTION

Method of Construction
Precast full span erection
Made of composite material
Post-tensioning over pre-stressing

Site
investigati
on
Foundation
&
Abutments

Formwork

Method of Constructio
Process

Transportatio
n of
prefabricate
d members

Installatio
n

Durability & Ease of

Maintenance
Very durable high load capacity
Resists weathering & corrosion
Regular monitoring
Cracks
Drainage system

Disruption of traffic
Marine traffic formwork
No piers
Road traffic

Costs

22m span * 10.25m width

Assuming $1000/m^2
~$250,000 including contingency costs
Maintenance

Aesthetics

Symmetry form/proportion
Lighting colour
Surroundings

Superstructure
Concrete rigid frame
Deck composite deck
Wearing surface bituminous material
Diaphragms helps distribute vertical loads &

stiffen

Substructure
Abutment -

gravity
abutment
Piers not

required

Conceptual
Design Two

Super-T
Girder
Bridge

Super T-Bridge
Design
Superstructure: Section of the

structure above the supports.

The

wearing surface
Deck
primary and secondary members

Design Components
Superstructure
Pre-cast Super-T beams
Span/depth ratio = (span-3)/20
Beam depth = 1000mm
4 super-T beams: 2200mm width
Concrete deck on top: 200mm

Substructure
Abutments:
substructureat the ends of a bridgespanwhere
the structure'ssuperstructurerests.

Columns attached to superstructure via

COLUMN CAP and BEARINGS

Substructure
- Bearings used to:
- Control movement
- Reduce stress involved

- Movement caused by:

- Thermal expansion/contraction
- Seismic activity

- Columns supported by concrete FOOTING

blocks
- PILES may be required based on soil
properties
- No piers required for 22m single span

Design Considerations
Method of Construction
Durability and ease of maintenance
Disruption of traffic
Aesthetics
Cost

METHOD OF
CONSTRUCTION
Soil Investigations
Construction of Foundation and Abutments
Preparing the Column cap and Bearings
Pre-cast & pre-stressed
Transportation
Erection by crane lifting
Preparation of deck

DURABILITY &
MAINTENANCE
Minimal maintenance - Low Cost
Majority material used concrete - Durable
Cheap and simple - Maintenance
Accessible for future maintenance
Drainage system of the bridge

DISRUPTION TO TRAFFIC

Main components cast off site

Transportation of precast components

may cause traffic delays

Can halt if required
No piers - allows marine traffic (if

required)

AESTHETICS
Simplicity
Fits in with simple highway design
Does not obstruct

by creek

natural views provided

COST
Cheaper because of:
Reduced false work
Reduced formwork
Less skilled personal
Simple and less complex

Our Design
Consisting of 4 open T-girders with a flange

width of 2200 mm
10.35 m width bridge with 4 girders with

spacing of 200mm from each other.

Dimensions of the TGirder

Super T Girder Bridge

Deck
Composite Deck: steel reinforcements or stirrups

from the super T girders extend into the deck

Non-Composite: Steel reinforcements or stirrups

does not extend into the deck

When the concrete is poured on top of the
composite super T girders, the deck binds with the
super T girders and achieves composite action.

Primary members
carried the loads from the deck and help it

distribute it longitudinally so that it can be

transferred into the bearings.

In our design the primary members are the

four super T girders with spans of 22m.

Secondary members
Resists lateral deformation due to

horizontal loads imposed on the structure.

Installed at the ends of the girders to
Increase the torsional rigidity of the

superstructure.

Types of abutments
1. CAP-TYPE ABUTMENTS
2. SPILL-THROUGH ABUTMENTS
3. SILL-TYPE ABUTMENTS
4. FULL RETAINING ABUTMENTS

Abutment used:
Full retaining abutment used
Best for shorter structure, but the

abutment cost will be dramatically

higher.

Piers
Apier - upright support for a structure
orsuperstructuresuch as anarchorbridge
Piers are NOT required since spans for 22 metres

without supports in the middle of the structure

Final Selection of the

design
Road Geometry
Bridge Length
Method of Construction
Economics
Durability
Aesthetics
Possible Future Widening
Type of Crossing
Site and Foundation Conditions
Clearances
Environmental impact

Road Geometry
Road geometry have an impact on both

alignment and the width of the bridge

the bridge geometry is horizontal in both the

designs which does not differentiate them

much

Bridge Length
Generally there are 3 types of crossings

encountered,
Road over river or stream
Road over rail
Road over road (grade separation)
Less time of construction in super T,higher

safety

COMPARISO
N

Method of
Construction
Super T
Girder

Rigid Frame

Due to flash flooding

recommended to use precast
and pre-stressed concrete
girders

insitu structures falsework is

usually supported off the
columns and piles

save the construction times

Economics and
Costing
Super T
Girder

Rigid Frame

Installation is done directly-

High labour and skilled

saves money
Ordered in bulk from factory

personnel are needed in

rigid frame design it will cost
more money.

Durability and
Maintenance
Super T
Girder

Rigid Frame

Designed under strict,

Depending on the labour skill

factory controlled
conditions
withstand dynamic and
earthquake loading

Minimal maintenance- Low

Cost

and experience

Aesthetics
Shape and symmetrical nature provides
more beauty to the overall design

Environmental Impact
Insitu construction will lead to noise pollution

Conclusion
Super T girder

Rigid Frame Structure

QUESTIONS?