Different types of Components of a Bridge or Parts of a Bridge such as a superstructure, substructure, foundations, bridge bearings, expansion joints, railing, approach slab, etc. are described here along with their importance, and functions.

Figure-1: Balance cantilever box girder bridge.

What is a Bridge:

 Bridge structure can be defined as in a simple way that Bridge is a structure which is overcome any type of obstructions like Nallah, river, valley, railway track and Highway any other obstruction without closing the vent way and allowing to move the vehicles, pedestrians without any hazard till it’s service life.

Components Of Bridge | Basic Parts of A Bridge | Bridge Elements:

Basic Components and Parts of Bridge Structures are-

1. Superstructure: Slab, Girders, Diaphragms, Deck, Slab, Trusses, Crash Barrier, Bearings, Expansion Joints, Crash Barrier, Parapet Wall, and railing, etc.

2. Substructure:   Abutment, Pier, Wing Wall, Return wall

3. Foundation:  A. Open or Shallow foundation (Spread Foundation, raft foundation, grillage foundation.  B. Deep foundation (Pile foundation, Well foundation, and Caisson foundation) 

4.   Approaches:  Approach Slab, guard Stone

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Superstructure Components of Bridges

         This is the main component of a bridge or basic part of a bridge that supports the bridge span into which all loads feed, and upon which all other structural members rest. You can also think of it as the minimum structure required to support the span. The main components of the superstructure are Slab/Deck, Slab, Girders, Diaphragms, Trusses, Crash barriers, Bearings, Expansion Joints, Crash barriers, and Parapet walls.

The different types of superstructural members are following

A. RCC Solid Slab      

        

                                   

 B. Void Slab           

      

  C. Frame Type                             

    

         

    D. Box Cell Type                                                                              

   

        

      E. Multi-Beam Type

                         
  

     F. T-Beam Type

                        

     G. RCC/PSC Girders With Deck Slab

                                   Anchorage zone of PSC girder

     H. PSC Box Girder 

     I. Arch Deck

 J. Steel Plate girders With RCC deck 

K. Balanced Cantilever With Suspended Span

L. Balance Cantilever Box girder

M. Balance cantilever Segmental Box Girder

N. Cable-Stayed (Extradosed bridge)

O. Suspension Bridge

P. Truss deck Bridge

Q. Truss Through Bridge

   

-------------------------x-----------------------------

Bridge Bearing:  

                     Bearing is the main component of a bridge Which transmits the load coming from superstructure to substructure and allows transition movement and rotational movement due to dead loads, live load, wind load and seismic loads, etc.

Type Of Bridge Bearing | Function Of Bridge Bearing

Different types of bridge bearings have been described in another post. please visit and read more.

 

Keep Continue to read  Type Of Bridge Bearing | Function Of Bridge Bearing

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Substructure Components of Bridge

        Substructure is the main component of a bridge that supports the superstructure and transfers the load coming from the superstructure to the foundation and also retains the earth's pressure. The parts of the substructure are abutment, pier, and return wall/ wing wall. 

i. Abutment:

Abutments provide at the end and starting of a bridge, which transfers the superimposed load from the foundation and resists earth pressure along with preventing horizontal movement.

      Different types of abutment are below-

A. Wall Type Abutment

B. Wall Type with a cantilever pier cap

C. Hammer-Head Type

D. Column-bent Abutment

E. Spill-Through Abutment 

F. Counter fort Type Abutment

ii. Pier:

Pier is the part of the substructure which provides intermediate abutments in a bridge (where the number of spans is more than one). It is provided to support the superstructure and transfer the superimposed load to the substructure.

 Different types of piers are below- 

A. Wall type 

B. Hammerhead Pier

C. Trestle Type Pier

       D. Pylon type pier

       E. Column Bent Pier

    F. Hollow bridge pier 

G. Twin walls pier

iii. Return wall:

Return wall is a part of the substructure in the bridge that retains the earth behind the abutment and releases hydraulic pressure through weep holes. Return wall is a wall that is provided behind the abutment, parallel to the bridge direction It is the wall that is constructed to retain the sides of the approaches to the bridge. Since the Construction direction of the wall is the return of bridge direction, it is called a return wall. 

figure: Return wall

iv. Wing Wall: 

Wing wall is a part of the substructure in a bridge that retains the earth behind the abutment. The wing is provided adjacent to the abutment and always runs perpendicularly or nearly so, in the bridge direction.

Picture: Wing Wall
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bridge Foundation: Parts Of Bridge

                      Foundation is the lower component of the bridge and bridge foundation is the base of a bridge that transmits the load from substructure (Abutments, piers, retaining walls, etc.) to the soil strata without any failure or not affected by scouring. Depending on the nature and depth, the bridge foundation can be classified into the following types:

Type of bridge foundation:

1. Open or Shallow foundation

1. Deep foundation.

 Keep continue to read-- Type Of Bridge Foundation

Approaches components: Components of Bridge-

   i. Approach slab: 

Approach Slab which is provided at the starting and ending of bridges, and approach the vehicles from embankment roadway to bridge. The main purpose of the approach slab is to reduce local settlement in the embankment backfill and to reduce dynamic vehicle loads on a bridge by providing a gradual transition between the embankment roadway and the bridge deck.

ii. Guard Stone: 

Guard stones are provided before and after some distances of the bridge. The main purpose of guard stones is to guide the moving vehicles.

Read More          Classification of Bridges | Type of bridges