Introduction to Bridge Engineering - CIVL3811

The upper part of a bridge, supporting the roadway or deck.

The lower part of a bridge, including foundations. Supports the superstructure.

The distance between two bridge supports (piers or abutments).

The overall measurement of the bridge, including spans and approach roads.

A device that allows movement between a bridge's superstructure and substructure to compensate for changes in temperature, settling, etc.

Transfer loads from the superstructure to the substructure and allow for movement.

Forces acting on a bridge, such as the weight of the bridge, traffic, wind, and earthquakes.

Part that connects to the support/foundation and transfers the force from the superstructure to the substructure.

A bridge construction technique where segments are built outward from each pier, with each segment acting as a counterweight to the previous one, creating a balanced structure.

The final segment placed in the middle of a balanced cantilever bridge, connecting the two outward cantilevers.

Concrete sections made off-site, usually in factories, and then transported to the bridge construction site.

A precast concrete segment production method where segments are cast horizontally in a shorter, controlled environment.

A precast concrete segment production method where segments are cast horizontally in a longer, continuous environment.

A bridge where the deck is a solid, flat slab of concrete, often used for shorter spans or pedestrian bridges.

A bridge with a deck made of a reinforced concrete slab, capable of supporting heavier loads.

A bridge with a deck made of a hollow box-shaped structure for added strength and stiffness.

A movable platform used in balanced cantilever construction to support formwork and new concrete segments.

A technique where steel cables are tensioned after concrete has hardened to increase strength and reduce cracking.

Building a bridge by adding precast or cast-in-place concrete segments to the structure.

Placing segments slightly out of alignment to reduce out-of-balance moments in balanced cantilever construction.

Vertical structural elements that support the bridge deck, often designed as columns due to the vertical and horizontal forces they experience.

Precast, prestressed box girder sections with top flanges used in bridge construction. They come in open and closed flange configurations and are used with a deck slab to create a composite structure.

Pier columns with a large height-to-width ratio, requiring careful design to prevent buckling under load.

A Super T beam with an open top flange, creating a hollow space between the flanges. This design allows for easier access for inspection and maintenance.

A Super T beam with a closed top flange, creating a solid, continuous top surface. This offers increased structural strength and a smooth, uniform appearance.

Concrete slabs that distribute the load from the bridge deck to the piles, often designed using the strut and tie method.

The way the deck slab and Super T beams work together to distribute loads and increase the overall strength of the bridge structure.

Wide, flat foundations that distribute the load from the bridge deck over a larger area.

A structural design method for concrete structures, where forces are transferred through a network of compression struts and tension ties.

Forces acting on the lower part of a bridge, including the weight of the superstructure, traffic, wind, earthquakes, and water pressure.

Vertical supports in a bridge that transfer loads from the superstructure to the foundation and resist lateral forces like wind or seismic activity.

Piles that are hammered into the ground to transfer the load to deeper, stronger soil layers.

Devices placed between the superstructure and substructure to allow for movement, accommodating thermal expansion, settling, and seismic forces.

Piles that are created by drilling a hole and filling it with concrete, providing a strong foundation.

An Australian standard that defines the criteria for designing structural walls that are subject to both vertical and horizontal forces.

Forces experienced by piers due to sudden impacts from vehicles, such as trucks or trains.