“Good day everyone. In our presentation, we will highlight two critical aspects of the Sta.
Maria
to Asingan Bridge project: load analysis and project funding.
In bridge engineering, load analysis serves as the foundation of structural safety and reliability.
By studying these loads carefully, engineers ensure that the structure can resist failure, maintain
stability, and provide long-term serviceability. Without accurate load analysis, the risk of
collapse, costly maintenance, or even catastrophic failure becomes much higher.
On the other hand, project funding is what turns design into reality. Large-scale infrastructure
requires not only technical precision but also financial viability, drawing support from
government, partnerships, or international aid.
Dead Load
“First, we have the Dead Load. This refers to the permanent, unchanging weight of the structure
itself—like the self-weight of the deck, the girders, piers, and abutments. Basically, ito yung
fixed load na laging present, even without traffic or external factors. It’s important kasi it sets the
baseline for the total forces acting on the bridge.”
Live Load
“Next is the Live Load. These are the moving or changing loads, like vehicles, pedestrians, and
also dynamic effects when vehicles brake, accelerate, or change lanes. Unlike dead load, live
load is not constant—it depends on how much traffic passes over the bridge at a given time.
Kaya this is super critical for design kasi bridges must carry varying traffic conditions safely.”
Wind Load
“Lastly, we have the Wind Load. This is the horizontal pressure exerted by wind on the deck and
piers. For long-span bridges, wind load can really affect stability and even cause vibrations.
That’s why engineers have to carefully calculate and check it, to make sure the structure can
withstand strong winds or typhoons, lalo na since our country is prone to them.”
Closing Transition
“So in summary, dead load is permanent, live load is variable, and wind load is external. These
three major loads are the foundation of our analysis for the Sta. Maria to Asingan Bridge.”
LOAD ANALYSIS
Slide 1 – Title
“Good day everyone. Today, I will be presenting the Load Analysis of Narciso Ramos Bridge.
Specifically, we will cover the computations for the dead load, live load, shear, and moment.
This is a simplified analysis using basic assumptions, so parang overview lang siya of how
structural engineers approach bridge load design.
Slide 2 – Given Data & Assumptions
The total bridge length is 1,448 meters, divided into 48 spans. Each span is about 30.17 meters
long. For our analysis, we assume the bridge has an 8-meter width, which is typical for a two-
lane bridge. The deck thickness is 0.25 meters, and we used 24 kilonewtons per cubic meter as
the unit weight of reinforced concrete. We also assumed a 5 kN per meter superimposed dead
load and a live load intensity of 5 kN per square meter.
Slide 3 – Dead Load
“Now for the dead load. The deck self-weight per meter is computed as gamma times the area, or
24 times 8 times 0.25, giving us 48 kN per meter. Then, adding the superimposed dead load of 5
kN per meter, the total dead load per meter is 53 kN. Multiplying this by the span length of 30.17
meters, we get a total dead load per span of around 1,598.8 kilonewtons.”
Slide 4 – Live Load
“For the live load, we assumed 5 kN per square meter, multiplied by the width of 8 meters, so
that gives us 40 kN per meter. When we multiply that by the span length of 30.17, we get a total
live load per span of 1,206.7 kilonewtons.”
Slide 5 – Shear Computations
“Let’s move on to shear. The formula we used is V equals wL over 2. For the dead load, the
maximum shear is 799.4 kN. For the live load, it’s 603.3 kN. When we consider ultimate load
combinations, V becomes approximately 1,924.6 kN for 1.2DL plus 1.6LL.
Slide 6 – Moment Computations
“For the moment, the formula is M equals wL squared over 8. The dead load produces a
maximum moment of 6,028.9 kN·m, while the live load produces 4,550.1 kN·m. Using the
ultimate combinations, the maximum moment reaches about 14,515
Slide 7 – Summary
in conclusion, even though our analysis is simplified, it clearly shows how live loads and
ultimate load combinations greatly increase the demands on the bridge structure. These
computations are essential for ensuring safety, serviceability, and reliability of the bridge.”
Project FUNDING
So here in our funding requirement overview, makikita natin na the total project cost for the
redesign of Narciso Ramos Bridge is ₱4.5 Billion.
As you can see in the table, the biggest chunk is for the bridge superstructure and deck, which is
about ₱3.2 Billion or 71% of the total cost. Siyempre, kasi yun yung pinaka-core ng project.
We also have allocations for river protection, road approaches, and syempre seismic and wind
resistance enhancements, since we are designing according to NSCP 2015 provisions. Lastly, we
included contingencies for unexpected costs.”
Slide: Potential Funding Sources
“Now, saan manggagaling ang pera for this ₱4.5 Billion project?
Number one is the National Government through DPWH and DOF, syempre under the General
Appropriations Act.
Number two, we can also consider a Public-Private Partnership or PPP, where a private partner
can finance a portion in exchange for toll collection or government payment schemes.
Third option is ODA or Official Development Assistance from agencies like JICA, ADB, or
World Bank — they provide low-interest loans for big infrastructure projects.
And finally, LGU support. The local government can help with things like right-of-way
acquisition and minor approach roads.”
Slide: Recommended Funding Mix
“So for our recommended mix, ang plan natin is multi-source.
The National Government will shoulder the majority at ₱2.5 Billion or 55%, kasi this is a
national priority project.
Then, PPP contribution can cover around 27%, which is ₱1.2 Billion.
From ODA loans, we recommend ₱700 Million or 16%.
And finally, LGU support at ₱100 Million.
In total, we get the ₱4.5 Billion needed for the project.”
Slide: Funding Timeline
“Next is the funding timeline. We divided it into four years:
Year 1, around ₱1 Billion from DPWH and LGU for detailed engineering design and
right-of-way.
Year 2, the biggest disbursement at ₱2 Billion, coming from PPP and ODA, for the start
of superstructure construction.
Year 3, another ₱1 Billion from DPWH and PPP for hydraulic works and deck
installation.
And Year 4, ₱500 Million from all sources for finishing works, testing, and opening.
So parang phased siya, making sure na hindi sabay-sabay yung gastos but still continuous ang
progress.”
Slide: Conclusion on Funding
“So in conclusion, the ₱4.5 Billion funding for the redesign of Narciso Ramos Bridge is
achievable through a mix of government, PPP, ODA, and LGU participation.
With this strategy, we ensure na the project is not just financially feasible, but also sustainable.
At the same time, we’re following NSCP standards to guarantee na the new bridge will be
strong, resilient, and safe for the community for the next 50 years or more.”