BRIDGE ENGINEERING

CHAPTER TWO

CLASSIFICATION AND TYPES OF BRIDGES

AMOUD UNIVERSITY
Civil Engineering department
Borama/Awdal/Somaliland

LECTURE #2
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 CLASSIFICATION AND TYPES OF BRIDGES

• There are many types of bridges and they can be

classified in many different ways:

 By the type of structural elements used,

 By what they carry,

 Whether they are fixed or movable,

 By the materials used.

 Etc

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 CLASSIFICATION BASED ON TYPE OF SUPER
STRUCTURE
1. Beam bridge

• Beam bridges are the oldest known bridges and tend to

be the simplest to design and build.

• They consist of vertical piers and horizontal beams.

• A beam bridge’s strength depends on the strength of the

roadway and can be increased by adding additional
piers.

• While beam bridges can be quite long, the span, or

distance between adjacent piers, is usually small.
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• Beams spanning between only two supports is known as
simply supported Beam Bridge.

• If two or more beams are joined rigidly together over

supports, the bridge becomes continuous

• As live loads, such as cars and trucks, travel across the

bridge, the force of compression acts on the top of the
roadway and passes down into the piers.

• The force of tension acts on the underside of the

roadway, which is pulled apart by the live loads pressing
down on the top of the roadway.
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 ARCH BRIDGE
• Arch bridges were built by the Romans and have been in
use ever since.

• They are often chosen for their strength and

appearance.

• It is the shape of the arch that gives the bridge its

strength, which is reinforced by placing supports, or
abutments, at its base. Arch bridges can be built from
various materials, including wood, stone, concrete, and
steel.

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• The force of compression is greatest at the top of the
arch. The abutments press against the bottom of the
arch, preventing the bases of the arch from being
pushed outward.

• The force of tension is strongest at the bottom of the

arch and pulls the sides outward. In general, the larger
and shallower the arch, the greater the effects of tension
and need for abutment support.

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 TRUSS BRIDGE
• Wooden truss bridges were used as early as the 1500s,
but the first metal one was completed in 1841.

• They are very strong and have been used for railroad
bridges mainly because of the heavy loads that they can
support.

• A truss, a rigid support structure that is made up of

interlocking triangles, holds up the roadbed and is set
between two piers. The triangle is used because it is the
only shape that is inherently rigid.

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• As traffic pushes down on the roadway, compression
acts on the upper horizontal members of the truss
structure.

• Tension acts on the bottom horizontal members of the

truss structure. The forces of tension and compression
are shared among the angled members.

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 SUSPENSION BRIDGE
• Suspension bridges are strong and can span long
distances. One early bridge was designed and built in
1801 in Pennsylvania.

• They are expensive because they take a long time to

build and require a large amount of material.

• They are commonly found across harbors with a lot of

boat traffic.

• The primary elements of a suspension bridge are a pair

of main cables stretching over two towers and attached
at each end to an anchor. Smaller cables attached to the
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• Traffic pushes down on the roadway, but because it is
suspended from the cables, the weight is carried by the
cables, which transfer the force of compression to the
two towers.

• The force of tension is constantly acting on the cables,

which are stretched because the roadway is suspended
from them

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 CLASSIFICATION BASED ON THE SPAN LENGTH
OF THE BRIDGE
1. Culvert bridge

• When the bridge span length is below 6meters then it is

called as Culvert Bridge. A culvert is primarily a
hydraulic structure, and its main purpose is to transport
water flow efficiently.

• Culverts are often viewed as small bridges, being

constructed entirely below and independent of the
roadway surface. However, culverts do not have a deck,
superstructure, or substructure
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2. Minor bridge :

• If the bridge span length is in between 8 to 30 meters,

then it is called minor bridge

3. Major bridge

• For major bridge, the span is generally about 30 to 120

meters.

4. Long span bridge

• When the span of bridge is more than 120 meters then it

is termed as long span bridge.
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CLASSIFICATION BASED ON THE MATERIAL USED

1. Timber bridge

• A timber bridge or wooden bridge is a bridge that uses

timber or wood as its principal structural material. One
of the first forms of bridge, those of timber have been
used since ancient times.

• These are generally constructed for short spans or as

temporary bridges. They are not useful for heavy loads.

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2. Masonry bridge

• A bridge whose main load-bearing structures are made

of natural stone, brick, or concrete blocks is known as
Masonry Bridge. Such a bridge is always arched, with
massive supports. The advantages of a masonry bridge
are its architectural attractiveness. Masonry bridges are
known that have been in use for more than 1,000 years

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3. Steel bridge

• Steel bridges are constructed using steel bars or trusses

or steel cables. These are more durable and bear heavy
loads.

4. RCC bridge

• R.C.C bridges are constructed using reinforced cement

concrete. These are more stable and durable. They can
bear heavy loads and are widely using nowadays

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5. Pre-stressed concrete bridge

• If concrete material is placed under compression before

applying the loads, then it is called as pre stressed
concrete. To construct pre stressed concrete bridge,
pre-stressed concrete blocks are arranged as deck slab
with the help of girders. These blocks are suitable for
shorter span to longer span bridges

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 CLASSIFICATION BASED ON THE FUNCTION OF
THE BRIDGE
1. Foot bridge

• Foot Bridge is generally constructed for humans to cross

the roads or rail route or any canal by foot. Vehicles are
not allowed in this bridge.

2. Highway bridge

• High way or road Way Bridge is used for road

transportation. These are constructed over rivers or
another routes to allow road way traffic. Girder type
bridges are used as highway bridges over rivers or
canals. 28
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3. Railway bridge

• Rail bridges are constructed for rail transportation. Truss

type bridges are preferred for railways but however RCC
bridges are also used.

4. Aqueduct bridges

• Aqueduct bridges are nothing but water carrying bridges

which are constructed to transport water from source to
system.

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 CLASSIFICATION BASED ON THE INTER SPAN
RELATION
• Beams and bridges are classified into three span
classifications that are based on the nature of the
supports and the interrelationship between spans. These
classifications are:

1. Simple bridge

• Simple bridge is like simply supported beam type which

consist two supports at its ends. For shorter spans,
simple bridges are suitable

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 SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF SIMPLE SPAN
BRIDGES ARE
• When loaded, the span deflects downward and rotates
at the supports (i.e., the abutments)

• The sum of the reactions provided by the two supports

equals the entire load

• Shear forces are maximum at the supports and zero at

or near the middle of the spans

• Bending moment throughout the span is positive and

maximum at or near the middle of the span (the same
location at which shear is zero); bending moment is zero
at the supports 35
• A simple span bridge is easily analyzed using equilibrium
equations. However, it does not always provide the most
economical design solution.

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2. Continuous bridge

• If the bridge span is very long, then we have to build

one or more intermediate supports in between end
supports and the behavior of each individual span is
dependent on its adjacent spans. This type of bridge is
termed as continuous bridge

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3. Cantilever bridge

• Cantilever type of bridge has only supported at one end

and another end is free to space. Generally, two
cantilever portions are joined to make way to the
vehicles or humans.

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 SELECTION OF BRIDGE TYPE

• In selection of a bridge type, there is no unique answer.

For each span length range there is more than one
bridge type that will satisfy the design criteria.

• The major consideration for bridge type selection for

bridges is initial cost. Future maintenance costs,
construction time, and location are considered when
there is little or no increase in initial cost. However,
selecting an appropriate superstructure type is a critical
factor in the planning and design process

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• Generally the following factors should be considered
when selecting the type of the bridge

 Geometric Condition of the Site

 Subsurface Conditions of the Site

 Functional Requirements

 Aesthetics

 Economics and ease of maintenance

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