NISTRUCTE TECHNICAL TRAINING ON INTRODUCTION TO BRIDGE DESIGN
Module 1
Parapet
Deck
Girder
Abutment Pier Pier Abutment
Water Level
By
Engr. Vitus Ihejirika
MSc (Bridges), MNSE, MIABSE, MNIStructE
Introduction & Conceptual Bridge Design
Consideration
Outline
Introduction
General Planning and Design Considerations
Choice of Bridge Site
Hydraulic Considerations
Factors affecting Design
Objective
To identify the planning process requires during bridge design
stage.
A look at some factors affecting the decision for bridge site
and considerations requires for obtaining and configuring
suitable bridge structural form.
1.0 Introduction
Bridges sometimes offer the only solution for a transportation
system to cross rivers, difficult ground conditions, or reducing
conflict points in transportation system by carrying one
mode/traffic over the other (flyovers) etc.
Bridge Engineering is an exciting field of Engineering.
Bridge allows traffic and water to flow pass one another on different
levels at the same geographical point
Bridge allows for crossing over traffic flow in the cases of flyovers,
interchange structures and foot bridges
Bridge allows for crossing over deep valleys and wide ravines in the
case of viaducts
Bridge can allow for the traffic to go around the obstacle
Aesthetically pleasing bridge will serves as monumental (landmark)
edifice that will attract tourism
Bridge design goes beyond mere design of the physical structure
(superstructure & substructure)
It is therefore important that adequate planning and conceptual
design considerations are implemented during design stage of a
bridge.
2.0 General Planning and Design
Considerations
Choice of bridge site
The stream/river hydrology and hydraulics.
Environmental Impact
The environmental factors
Bridge traffic and general loadings.
Navigational restraints
Bridge design data and available construction techniques
3.0 Choice of Bridge Site
The environment (i.e. bridge site) imposes a great importance in
selecting suitable bridge form.
Choice of the right location is crucial for the designing and planning
of a bridge.
Choice of Bridge Site Cont.
It is essential that bridges with their components are safe,
durable, reliable, and stable
The choice of site for a bridge must begin with desk study
The bridge site is not chosen in isolation, it is chosen to
harmonize with the transportation‐desired alignment.
Considerations inYour Choice of Bridge Site
1. The river channel regime, that is, whether it has a wide flood plain
or whether it is incised with little or no flood plain.
2. The stability of channel, It is necessary to determine whether the
river is statically stable, dynamically stable or unstable. A
meandering river may during.
3. The river flow pattern, it is necessary to find out whether the
channel migration is active.
4. Range of water levels: low and high‐water levels and frequency of
occurrence.
5. Range of discharges, particularly flood discharges and their
frequency of occurrence.
6. Width of waterways, width of flood plain, meander length and
width.
7. Type and grade of river bed material.
8. Type of material composing the river bands.
9. Location of any rock outcrops or other hard points in the channel
boundaries that may act like bridge substructures to cause a form
of local scour.
4.0 Hydraulic Considerations
A suitable bridge location and alignment from the perspective
of the river characteristic, traffic and the environment.
The capability of the bridge opening and embankments to
pass the design discharge, and to withstand severe flood with
debris conditions without compromising the serviceability and
structural integrity of the bridge or adversely affecting the
environment.
Bridge Location (Hydraulic/Environmental Aspects)
1. The choice of bridge location is generally determined by economics
balanced with environmental considerations.
2. Environmental factors cannot be ignored in the selection of bridge
location.
3. Location of existing utilities must not be ignored especially in the oil
producing areas.
4. Stream characteristics and geomorphology sometimes vary within
the river under consideration for crossing sites.
5. The alignment of the bridge and the location of the waterway
opening should fit so far as possible the existing river alignment and
the location of the principal channel.
6. Bridges are usually located on straight reaches of the river avoiding
sharp bends. However where the bends provide stable channels,
there is no reason why the bridge should not be located there.
7. The hydraulic effects of existing nearby bridges and other
infrastructure should be carefully considered especially the effect on
the proposed bridge hydraulics.
8. When planning a major new bridge, overall watershed‐planning
issues should be addressed through consultation with all
stakeholders involved in the basin.
Design Discharge and High Water Levels
The fixing of the design discharge and design high water ideally
should be based on the cycle cost of the project
The design discharge and design high water levels depend on the
flood return period T.
Various countries fixed the flood return period for estimating design
discharge and design high water levels.
100‐year flood return period considered by Britain
500‐year return period is being considered by USA for super‐flood
Design Discharge
The design discharge corresponding to the return period T is
computed based on statistical frequency analysis of stream flow
data.
It is sometimes advisable to review or adjust T‐year value as derive
from frequency analysis, or use other methods of analysis, in order
to take account of the following factors:
Climate change
Land‐use changes in the catchment area (past and potential future)
Possible changes to the operating rules for existing reservoir.
Possible influences on other riparian water users
Criteria used for existing nearby bridges
Past occurrence of catastrophic flood.
Design High Water Level
Your high water level may be estimated from documented stage‐
discharge relationships or from open channel hydraulics
computations.
In some cases, discharge data may be scarce but a record of annual
maximum water levels (stages) may be available.
In such a case, design high water level may be derived from
frequency analysis of the stage data.
If the data are for open‐water floods only, the corresponding design
discharge may be estimated from hydraulic computations.
Height of Bridge
the elevation of the underside of the superstructure is
normally determined by the design high water level plus
appropriate freeboard or clearance.
The maximum expected height of waves
Wind set up and storm surge in coastal waters, lakes and reservoirs
Elevation of the water at light bends in high velocity streams
Projection of logs and other floating debris
Statutory navigational requirements
Consideration should also be given to the susceptibility of the
superstructure to the impact by debris and to the hydraulic forces
that would be generated
Hydraulic Design Procedures
Before sealing the preliminary design and estimate for a new
bridge and approach roads, it is advisable to go through a
systematic process for checking the various items of hydraulic
design.
Initial Conception of Project
Basic Data Collection
Selection of Design Values
Selection of Bridge Location and waterway opening
Procedure for Bridge Hydraulic
5.0 Factors Affecting Design
Economical aspects in fixing spans of a bridge:
Let a = length of one span
n = total number of spans
L = total length of bridge
L = na
Let F = cost of one pier
P = cost of superstructure per metre of span
(is proportional to length of span)
P = ka (k = cost coefficient)
Factors Affecting Design Cont.
Let Q = cost of superstructure per span
Q = Pa = ka x a
Q = ka²
Let C = total cost of bridge excluding
abutments
C = nQ+F (n‐1)
Substituting for n
C = L/a [Q + F (L/a‐1)]
Substituting for Q = ka²
Factors Affecting Design Cont.
C = L/a [ka² + F (L/a ‐1)]
= kLa + F (L/a‐1)
C is minimum when dc/da = 0
Differentiating dc/da = kL‐ FL/a² =0
= KLa² – FL = 0
∴ F = ka²
F = Q
The span is economical when the cost of pier equals the cost of
one span of the superstructure
Loading Consideration
Bridges unlike buildings are designed to carry moving loads
and are sometime overloaded. Bridges are designed to
interact with the environment, with the river which they cross,
the soil which carries them, their self‐weight, imposed dead
weights and the moving live loads.
Bridge loads and load distribution (from BS5400)
ThankYou