Concrete Bridges

THE BENEFITS OF CONCRETE IN BRIDGE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION

2 Concrete Bridges

Contents
3 Introduction
4 Function and elegance
5 Built to last
6 Versatility
8 Fast construction
10 Sustainable bridge design
12 High performance concrete
14 Case studies
15 Conclusion
15 References
 Concrete Bridges 3

Introduction
Bridge design and construction is a challenging and exciting field, calling for creativity and ingenuity to
deliver beautiful, robust and durable structures that will stand the test of time, allowing people, vehicles and
trains and sometimes even boats to cross streets, roads, railways, rivers, valleys and estuaries.

More bridges are built using concrete than any other material Universally applicable, in-situ concrete is readily obtainable and
worldwide. Indeed, following its introduction as a widespread easily incorporated into all bridge components from foundation piles
construction material, and the pioneering work by the French to feature finishes. Additionally, many bridge components can be
bridge engineer Freyssinet during the early years of the last precast in factory conditions, ensuring that they are both precision
century, concrete has been an increasingly popular choice for engineered and quick to erect when delivered to site.
bridge construction. Today, concrete continues to be used in mass,
reinforced and prestressed applications to deliver a wide range of Concrete can easily meet society’s demands for improved
different substructure and superstructure bridge forms. The growing sustainability, with a production process that can use recycled
number of concrete bridges in use on every continent demonstrates aggregates and blended cements containing industrial by-products.
continued confidence in the material’s performance and durability. Additionally, many owning and maintaining authorities are becoming
Concrete bridges worldwide have a clear track record of flexibility increasingly conscious of the significant costs and disruption
and versatility in terms both of final forms and methods of caused by routine maintenance over the life-cycle of bridges. The
construction that is hard to match. considerable advances made in concrete technology and structural
detailing provide enhanced durability, attractively reducing
As the material science develops, so does the potential for maintenance burdens.
concrete bridges. Recent advances in both concrete and bridge
construction technologies afford the bridge owner, designer and This guide explores the reasons why concrete is the material of
constructor better value, reliability and safety than ever before. New choice for bridge construction. It is aimed at all members of the
developments in high strength concrete offer engineers the ability to bridge design team from clients to bridge designers and constructors.
span longer distances and to produce ever more economic designs. The information included encapsulates current best practice
guidance on concrete design for bridges, and concrete bridge
Concrete brings many construction advantages to any project. Its construction methods. Bridge case studies also demonstrate some
intrinsic durability, versatility, mouldability and economy coupled innovative uses of concrete and explain the benefits brought to
with its availability as a locally sourced material (there is generally the projects.
a concrete ready-mix concrete plant within six radial miles of every
construction site in the country) means that concrete is the natural
material of choice for bridge structures.

Benefits of concrete for bridge construction

Aesthetics Dynamic, graceful, long-span concrete bridges often Buildability Precasting in conjunction with sliding, launching
become landmarks in their own right. and other fast methods make construction in concrete ever
quicker.
Durability Concrete bridges have a service life of 120 years or
more. They can be designed to withstand extreme temperature Sustainability Socially responsible construction is possible
changes and corrosive chemicals in a variety of conditions. through the use of both local and recycled constituent materials.

Versatility The forms that concrete structures can take are Economy Competitive initial construction costs, coupled with
limited only by the imagination. reduced inspection and maintenance, means concrete’s cost-
efficiency is very attractive in the long-term.

Cover images:
Main picture: A1 Tyne bridge, Scotland. Courtesy of Scott Wilson.
Inset image, top: Kildare bridge, Ireland.
Inset image, bottom: Sunniberg bridge, Switzerland.
4 ConcreteBridges
Concrete Bridges

Function and elegance

The structural forms that can be achieved with concrete are only limited by the imagination of the designer.
This potential, that comes from designing in concrete, gives enormous scope to the architect and engineer to
create elegant bridge structures that blend seamlessly with the surroundings, durably performing over long
periods of time with minimum maintenance. Concrete unites both function and elegance in a safe, robust
bridge, whatever the scale of the project.

Striking features
Concrete can be moulded into any shape by using appropriate to blend with structural integrity. Concrete surface finishes add to
formwork. This capability can be used to provide bespoke design the overall visual impact of any bridge project, while at the same
solutions to resolve specific constraints and deliver visual impact. time eliminating the need for cladding or painting thereby reducing
Alongside design potential, the architectural surface finishes that ongoing maintenance requirements.
can be created provide the opportunity for architectural expression

Concrete bridges consistently win awards.

The Supreme Award Winner of the Structural Awards 2006,
presented by the Institution of Structural Engineers, went to Sungai Prai Bridge, Malaysia.
 Concrete Bridges 5

Built to last
Records can trace early use of concrete to as long ago as 7000BC. Concrete mixes for high durability
It was regularly used by the ancient Egyptians, with current research put A number of national and European design standards and
forward by the Department of Materials Science at the Massachusetts specifications(e.g. BS 5400, BD57/01, BS 8500 and BS EN 206)
Institute of Technology arguing that the top levels at least of the great [3, 1, 4, 5] set out the requirements for concrete construction,
Pyramids at Giza were formed from cast in situ concrete. Moving forward identifying the required cover to reinforcement, cement
within the ancient world, the Roman Emperor Hadrian used concrete to content, water/cement ratio and cement type. Following these
build the famous wide span concrete domed roof over the Pantheon in recommendations will ensure that the concrete is resistant to
Rome in around 118 to 126 AD. The physical evidence is there for all to carbonation and chloride ingress, providing an extended working life.
see, handed down to us throughout history to confirm that concrete has
proved itself to be a very durable construction material. Concrete is a very appropriate construction material to use on
projects where the structure is to be subjected to unusually
aggressive ground conditions. High quality, low permeability mix
designs are available that will provide a resilient performance within
Detailing for durability the most challenging environments. UK and European standards for
concrete, BS 8500 and BS EN 206, recognise concrete’s potential
The durability of concrete bridges is dependent on both the concrete in difficult environments, setting out minimum cement content,
itself and the attention that is paid to detailing. Guidance on detailing maximum water/cement ratios and cement types to protect against
concrete is provided in a number of best practice documents, the two sulfates and acids in the ground.
most notable of which are BD 57: Design for Durability [1] published by
the Highways Agency in the UK and C543: Bridge Detailing Guide [2] The partial substitution of Portland cement with fly ash (fa) or
published by CIRIA (www.ciria.org.uk). These documents now form ground granulated blast furnace slag (ggbs) in the mix results in
mandatory requirements on some projects. concretes with high resistance to the ingress of chlorides from
de-icing salts or sea water.
Modern innovations
Modern concrete technology has opened the way for ever more Innovation has led to development of modern forms of concrete that
imaginative structures. The innovation of high performance is free from any risk of alkali-silica reaction (ASR). ASR was a rare
concrete incorporated integrated properties that make it denser occurrence found in a few early concrete bridges. In modern concrete,
when compacted, a viable option for engineers looking for robust ASR is prevented at the outset through the proper use of materials at
construction solutions. The dense nature of high performance the concrete mix design stage.
concrete is made even more attractive by its greater resistance to
physical or chemical attack, as well as its proven durability when Minimising maintenance
exposed to aggressive environments such as those created by Well designed and constructed concrete bridges require only
chemicals such as de-icing salt. As a result, properly constructed minimum maintenance to keep them in good working condition.
modern concrete structures should stand the test of time as
successfully as their celebrated ancient forebers. CIRIA Guide C543 [2] contains good practice recommendations
for designing concrete bridges to minimise maintenance and
The success of any application of concrete comes with a thorough ensure longevity.
understanding of how concrete works in its constituent parts, as
well as when all the elements are brought together in a structure. Particular attention should be paid to detailing the secondary
Structural reinforcement, usually steel bars, is placed within concrete elements of bridge structures, such as bearings and expansion joints.
to add tensile strength. The reinforcement in the concrete is Integral construction, where the substructure is built monolithically
protected by the passive layer that forms on its surface due to the with the bridge deck, should be adopted where possible to ensure
naturally high pH environment of the cement matrix. The properties maximum resilience and robust performance. An alternative option
of the concrete and the thickness of the cover to the reinforcement to integral construction is to design inspection galleries into the
are designed so that aggressive substances, such as chlorides from structure, to permit checking and maintenance of bearings and
de-icing salts, do not penetrate the concrete and break down the expansion joints throughout the life of the bridge.
passive layer, leading to corrosion of the steel reinforcement during
the life of the bridge.
6 Concrete Bridges

Versatility
Concrete bridges come in all shapes and sizes. Designs can meet whatever functional, aesthetic and economic
criteria are appropriate to the site location and needs of the client.

There are a number of different types of bridge decks (the top guidelines, as the codes of practice adopted for loading and structural
surface of a bridge which carries the traffic) for designers to choose design in conjunction with material availability will alter the upper
from. The range of options means that there will always be a few bound span ranges. The advance of material, design and construction
deck options to consider for any one site. technologies are also likely to further increase these ranges over time.

Bridges can be categorised in terms of span range. The current

limits to span ranges, shown in Figure 1, should only be treated as

Figure 1: Types of concrete bridge construction with span ranges

CONSTRUCTION DECK TYPE SPAN RANGES/M

TYPE

IN SITU RC solid slab

RC voided slab

Prestressed voided slab

(Internal bonded)

Incremental launching

Span by Span
(Supported on launching truss)

Span by Span
(Supported on scaffolding)

Segmental balanced cantilever

Arches

PRECAST Inverted T beams cast into slab

M,U and Y beams with deck slab

Segmental balanced cantilever

(Erected by crane)

Segmental balanced cantilever

(Erected by lifting gantry)

Cable stayed bridges by

balanced cantilever
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400

Definite range Possible range extension

Arches are perhaps the oldest form of bridge

construction. They can be adopted over a large
range of spans.

ARCHES Esplanade arch bridge, Singapore.

Slab bridge decks are useful for short spans.

Designed with either solid or voided slabs, they
are usually constructed with insitu concrete using
traditional formwork and falsework systems.

SLAB BRIDGE DECKS Typical two span slab deck overbridge.

 Concrete Bridges 7

Beam bridges can be quick to erect over

existing roads, railways or rivers. Standard
precast beam types can cater for spans of
up to 50m.

BEAM BRIDGES A typical single span precast beam bridge.

Box girders are used for spans from 40m up to

300m using either in-situ or precast concrete
segmental construction. Box girders produce
elegant and robust solutions.

BOX GIRDERS Medway box girder viaduct, Kent.

Extrados bridges are a hybrid between a

conventional box girder deck and a cable stayed
bridge. A stiff deck is supported by cables at a
shallow inclination from short pylons.

EXTRADOS BRIDGES MENN SUN extrados bridge.

Cable stayed bridges are appropriate for longer

spans. They can be designed for a huge range of
span and cable configurations.

CABLE STAYED BRIDGES River Dee cable stayed bridge, Wales.

The stressed ribbon, a form of suspension bridge,

encases suspension cables within the concrete
deck. They are only suitable for use as
pedestrian bridges.

THE STRESSED RIBBON Stressed ribbon bridge, Ireland.

Inclined frame bridges are constructed with the

supporting piers integral with the deck and at an
inclination to the vertical. They are ideally suited
across valleys or steep sided cuttings.

INCLINED FRAME BRIDGES A1 Tyne bridge, Scotland.

8 Concrete Bridges

Fast construction
The demands of clients and the very nature of the fast moving construction industry continually mean
project targets are set for bridges where speed of construction is of the essence. Adequate pre-planning,
precasting of elements and the use of appropriate technology in design and construction can make concrete
the cheapest and fastest material for constructing durable, quality bridges. A number of techniques are
commonly used to achieve fast construction.

Chartist Bridge, Sirhowy Enterprise Way, Wales.

Courtesy of The Concrete Society.

Broadmeadow Estuary Bridge, Ireland. The designers were able to take full River Dee Viaduct, Wrexham.
advantage of the good early strength properties of concrete.
 Concrete Bridges 9

Off-site manufacture then pushed into the embankment using suitable jacking points. A
Construction time on-site can be reduced by precasting the concrete steel or concrete shield is used to support the advancing front face
elements either in a factory or alongside the bridge site. Examples beneath the embankment, while anti-drag systems reduce friction
of this include precasting of complete structural elements or between the box and the soil.
prefabrication of reinforcement cages. When working on rail lines
where access times are restricted, complete deck elements can be Modular bridges
manufactured and slid, lifted or rolled into place. The designer will The modular bridge system combines features of steel-concrete
play an important role in the development of such methods. composite, precast concrete beam, in-situ and segmental schemes
into a solution that can deliver the highest value for the majority of
Sliding, launching and transporting bridge locations of medium-span bridges, usually in the span range
Bridges can be launched, slid or moved into place using of 15m to 50m.
multi-wheeled transporters. This is a technique often used to
minimise disruption to road and rail networks during bridge The modular system consists of relatively light, 2.5m long, precast
replacement or installation. The forward launching of concrete bridge concrete shell units that can be easily transported to site for
decks can be especially economic when the total deck length is more assembly. Permanent prestressing cables are then placed within the
than about 200m. The process lends itself to any construction that is precast elements and covered by in-situ concrete to provide the
high, or over difficult or obstructed ground, such as roads, railways or protection required. The construction methodology can be varied
rivers. An alternative construction option for challenging locations is to suit specific bridge sites and demands of the project programme.
a cast in situ concrete bridge formed using an appropriate falsework.
Varying span lengths, carriageway widths, horizontal and vertical
Jacked boxes curvatures and skew can be readily accommodated by the
Precast concrete box culverts and pipes can be jacked beneath match-cast shell units to provide an elegant solution for medium
existing embankments, removing the need to close the road or span bridges.
railway above to construct a traditional bridge. Larger concrete box
structures, suitable for vehicular traffic, can also be jacked through
embankments. The boxes are formed in adjacent casting areas and
10 Concrete Bridges

Sustainable bridge design

The design of a bridge, as in any built environment project, has to take a long-term and strategic view.
The responsibility of the design team lies not just in terms of the visual impact and functional performance
of a road, rail or pedestrian bridge as a transportation structure. It is now essential that design teams develop
crossing solutions that impact the earth as lightly as possible in terms of environmental footprint and
sustainability, both during construction, and over the whole life of the bridge.

The sustainability credentials of bridge construction materials are Blended cements

becoming increasingly important as the environmental limits Concrete is made with cement. Cement production involves the
to economic growth become apparent. Specifically, the need for heating of blended and ground raw materials such as limestone or
sustainable bridge construction relates to two main issues: chalk, clay or shale, sand, iron oxide and gypsum. Portland cement
is the most common cement manufactured in the world but the
• F inite natural resources are being used and discarded at a rate cement industry is moving towards blended products that increase
that the UK (and the world in general) cannot sustain. the use of recycled materials. Blended cements suitable for bridge
• The emissions caused by the consumption of these resources construction are now widely available that contain a proportion of
are causing environmental degradation and are contributing industrial by-products, such as fly ash (fa) and ground granulated
to global warming. blast furnace slag (ggbs).

With a typical design life of at least 100 years, concrete is the most Blended cements contribute towards sustainable bridge construction
durable material commonly used to build bridges of any form or size. through the use of waste products, while also producing a more
In environmental terms, it is useful to think of concrete as having durable concrete that will make the bridge structure less susceptible
three phases of life – starting with its creation, its ongoing use in to chloride ingress.
bridge structures, and ending with the recycling of up to 95 per cent
of the concrete and steel reinforcement once the bridge has reached Embodied energy
the end of its viable use. Engineers consider embodied energy and carbon dioxide emissions
from the use of all construction materials when planning, designing
Production efficiency improvements and constructing a bridge.
The environmental impacts of cement and concrete production have
been rigorously reduced and are is set to decrease further as the Studies have been carried out on different forms of bridge structures
industry continues on a £400m investment programme of energy to assess both the energy consumed and the CO2 emissions
efficiency improvements and greater use of alternative fuels such generated in their construction and use. The embodied energy
as scrap tyres to replace finite fossil fuels such as coal. Based on comparison shown in Table 1 (see page 11) demonstrates that across
1990 data, by 2010 the sector is on target to achieve a 25.6 per cent the range of bridge forms concrete construction consumes the
energy efficiency improvement [6]. least energy. The same conclusion is reached when comparing CO2
emissions.
The local material
A key principle of sustainable bridge design and construction is that Sustainability is a complex area encompassing environmental,
a product should be consumed as near to the place of its production economic and social aspects that are intrinsically woven. With its
as possible in order to: long life and minimum maintenance, concrete is a construction
material that brings these credentials to any bridge construction
• Minimise the need for transport to site and the associated project. Looking to the future, improvements are being explored
environmental, economic and social impacts. that will further enhance the sustainability agenda in favour of
• Support the local economy and community. concrete bridges when compared to other materials. The cement
• Prevent the export of associated environmental impacts of and concrete industry is taking the lead in evolving ever more
production to another location. sustainable approaches to concrete construction.

The UK is highly self-sufficient in the materials needed for concrete

and there is generally a ready-mix plant within six radial miles of
every construction site in the country.
 Concrete Bridges 11

Marine Way Bridge, Southport.

Table 1: Embodied energy (Gj/m2) for various structural forms and materials [7]

Energy Type Steel Concrete Composite

Minimum Viaduct 17.8 15.7 / 16.6 16.6

Girder 30.9 23.6 29.1
Arch 49.8 38.8 48.8
Cable stay 40.3 34.3 37.7
Average Viaduct 23.5 21.1 / 22.1 22.1
Girder 39.3 30.6 37.0
Arch 61.9 49.1 60.8
Cable stay 50.6 43.9 47.7
Maximum Viaduct 30.8 28.1 / 28.6 29.2
Girder 49.3 39.1 46.6
Arch 75.6 60.9 74.4
Cable stay 62.6 54.8 59.3
 12 Concrete Bridges

The Medway Viaduct, Kent, utilised lightweight concrete.

High performance concrete

The ongoing development of high performance concrete provides opportunities for greater artistic expression
in bridge design, as well as more durable and economic structures.

High performance concrete meets special criteria which cannot More information on fibre reinforced concretes can be found in
always be achieved through conventional materials and normal several technical reports [8,9].
mixing, placing, and curing practices. The bridge design or specific
construction challenges may dictate enhancements to the Foamed concrete
characteristics of the concrete, such as placement and compaction Foamed concrete is a highly workable, low-density material that
without segregation, long-term mechanical properties, early-age can incorporate up to 50 per cent entrained air. It is generally self-
strength, toughness, volume stability, or service life in severe levelling, self-compacting and may be pumped. As a result, foamed
environments. concrete is ideal for filling voids in bridges where access is difficult.
In most cases, higher density and strength mix (1400kg/m3 and
Fibre reinforced concrete 7N/mm2 respectively) is used in the layers near the road surface
Steel or synthetic fibres can be added to concrete to enhance the when filling bridge arches, while lower density mixes (600kg/m3)
toughness, ductility and energy absorption capacity under impact are employed at greater depths.
of the bridge structure. Fibres in concrete can reduce the formation
and development of cracks in the bridge form due to early-age Major projects have been carried out using foamed concrete including
plastic settlement and drying shrinkage. In addition steel and the repair of the 25 year old bridge deck of the Llandudno junction
macro-synthetic fibres can provide a degree of post-cracking and Deganwy flyover, in North Wales. The voids between the arches
load-carrying capacity and thus reduced crack widths. and final road surface of the new Kingston Bridge over the River
Thames were also filled with foamed concrete.
The application of fibre reinforced concrete to bridgeworks is usually
as a supplement to traditional reinforcement, in order to limit
shrinkage cracking or to provide enhanced impact resistance.
 Concrete Bridges 13

The Confederation Bridge in Canada used high-performance concrete to The Flintshire (Dee Estuary) Bridge utilised concrete with strengths up to 70N.
resist the corrosive action of salt water.

High strength concrete No-fines concrete

High strength concrete is continually innovating. In the 1950s 34N/mm2 No-fines concrete is used behind bridge abutments and in verges. It is
was considered high strength, building up to compressive strengths of up obtained by eliminating material from the normal concrete mix.
to 52N/mm2 being used commercially in the 1960s. More recently, it has The single sized coarse aggregates are instead surrounded and held
become standard practice for precast beam manufacturers to adopt together by a thin layer of cement paste to give the concrete its strength.
70N/mm2 concretes – an industry development welcomed by bridge The advantages of no-fines concrete include lower density, lower cost
designers because of the permitted increased spans. A number of bridges due to lower cement content, lower thermal conductivity, lower drying
have now been constructed with ultra high strength concrete which can shrinkage, no segregation and capillary movement of water. No-fines
achieve compressive strengths of up to 225N/mm2. concrete also gives better insulating characteristics than conventional
concrete because of the presence of large voids.
High workability concrete
The concrete used in bridgeworks will frequently be specified to have Self-compacting concrete
high workability. This flexibility enables placing in the complex shapes and Self-compacting concrete (SCC) usually contains superplasticisers and
congested details that may be encountered in a bridge of any size. The stabilisers in order to significantly increase the ease and rate of flow. By
workability of fresh concrete should be suitable for each specific application its very nature, SCC does not require vibration. It achieves compaction
to ensure that the operations of handling, placing and compaction can be into every part of the mould or formwork simply by means of its own
undertaken efficiently. European and UK standards for concrete, BS 8500 and weight without any segregation of the coarse aggregate. This construction
BS EN 206, give guidance on workability for different uses. benefit makes it an ideal material for bridge construction.

The handling and placing of concrete mixes can be considerably improved Developed in Japan and continental Europe, SCC is now being increasingly
by the use of cement replacement materials such as fly ash or ground used in the UK where it offers faster bridge construction times, giving
granulated blast-furnace slag. Admixtures such as water reducers and increased workability and ease of flow around heavy reinforcement. It
superplasticisers also have beneficial effects on workability without also provides health and safety benefits as there is no need for vibrating
compromising the concrete’s other properties. equipment which spares workers from exposure to vibration, and also
results in quieter bridge construction sites.
Lightweight concrete
Lightweight concrete can be produced using a variety of lightweight Water resistant concrete
aggregates, originating from the thermal treatment of natural raw Water resistant concrete repels the water and other fluids either above
materials, such as clay, slate or shale, and manufacture from industrial or below ground. It is a high density concrete that incorporates fine
by-products such as fly ash. particle cement replacements, hydrophobic pore blocking ingredients or
waterproofing admixtures.
The benefits of using lightweight concrete in bridge design and
construction include a reduction in dead loads (which generates savings
in foundations and reinforcement), a saving in transporting and handling
precast units on site and a reduction in formwork and propping [10].
14 Concrete Bridges

Case studies
Upper Forth Crossing at Kincardine, Scotland
Launched bridge

This 26-span bridge, weighing over 32,000 tonnes and measuring 1.2 kilometres in length, is the second
longest incrementally launched concrete bridge in the world. The design and construct contractor constructed
the bridge deck on line in a construction yard established on the northern shore of the Forth at Kincardine.
The completed bridge was jacked forward incrementally span by span over the river, using two 600 tonne
hydraulic jacks.

The contractor incorporated many innovative solutions in the design and construction, including the use of
large steel cased reinforced concrete monopiles for the marine piers and partial prestressing of the concrete
deck with external tendons to share the loading between the prestressing and longitudinal reinforcement.

The availability of a disused power station site lent itself to the deployment of the incremental bridge
launching methodology, enabling the new crossing to be constructed with minimal impact on the
internationally important wildlife reserves around the Upper Forth.

Kingston Bridge widening, Kingston-upon-Thames, London

High performance concrete

The project to widen the historic Grade II listed arch bridge over the River Thames utilised precast arch units
with brick and stone bonded to the face. This project demonstrates the quality of finish that can be achieved
by adopting precast concrete construction and the use of advanced concrete.

The project pioneered the use of foamed concrete as a fill material over arch structures. Its use in conjunction
with lightweight structural concrete (Lytag) minimised the piling required for the widened structure.

Holmethorpe Underpass, Redhill

Fast construction

When a new road was required to open up an area behind an existing railway embankment, and only 92 hours
was allowed for closure of the railway line, a concrete portal constructed off-site provided the ideal solution.

Cast between September and November 2004, the underpass structure was stored at the side of the
embankment for the rail possession to start on Christmas Eve. After moving into position the embankment
was rebuilt behind the abutments and the ballast and rails re-instated to allow the trains to run again.

The portal structure was lifted by a multi-wheel transporter unit and moved into position in line of the
embankment.

Byker Viaduct, Newcastle

Mature structure

Completed in 1978, the Byker Viaduct won The Concrete Society award for Historical Civil Structures in 2006.

The first use in the UK of match-cast joints for precast segmental construction, the viaduct incorporated many
innovative techniques in its construction. The use of precast segments minimised disruption within the urban
environment by reducing the site works and speeding up the viaduct’s construction.

Segments were cast in a precast yard located adjacent to the site, and then segments stored until they were
required. Erection of the first segments was by crane, with a lifting frame then installed on top of the deck to
erect the remaining segments.
 Concrete Bridges 15

Conclusion
With over 100 years of history, concrete bridges are an established part of the UK’s rural and urban landscape.
Looking ahead, concrete bridge construction should continue to lead the way in the future, enabling
aspirations embraced by the construction industry and society to create a more sustainable environment.

Using local resources sourced from within the immediate local best construction material for any bridge project, whatever the size,
environment helps bridge designers and contractors to deliver form or intended use. Greater construction flexibility can be realised
sustainable concrete solutions for a wide range of bridge applications. through the many forms of concrete easily available nationwide,
Durability, aesthetics, economic solutions, simplified construction and making concrete an adaptable resource suitable for deployment for
rapid deployment techniques all contribute to making concrete the even the most challenging of bridge types or construction sites.

References
1. Highways Agency: BD 57/01 Departmental Standard, Design for Durability, Design Manual for Roads and Bridges, Vol. 1, Section 3, Part 74,
Department of Transport, 2001
2. Report C543 - Bridge Detailing Guide, Construction Industry Research and Information Association, 2001
3. BS EN 206-1:2000: Concrete. Specification, performance, production and conformity, British Standards Institute, 2006
4. BS 5400: Steel, concrete and composite bridges — Part 4: Code of practice for design of concrete bridges, British Standards Institute,1990
5. BS 8500: Concrete — Complementary British Standard to BS EN 206-1, British Standards Institute, 2006
6. Key Issue: Climate Change, British Cement Association, 2006
7. Collings, D., An environmental comparison of bridge forms, Proc. ICE, Bridge Engineering, Vol 159, Issue BE4, 2006
8. TR63 – Guidance for the Design of Steel-Fibre-Reinforced Concrete, CCIP-017, The Concrete Society, 2007
9. TR65 – Guidance on the use of Macro-synthetic Fibre Reinforced Concrete, CCIP-021, The Concrete Society, 2007
10. Guide to the use of Lightweight Concrete in Bridges, CCIP-015, The Concrete Bridge Development Group, 2006

Further reading
The following Cement and Concrete Industry Publications (CCIPs) are available to provide further information on the use of concrete in bridge
construction. For more information on these and other publications, visit The Concrete Centre’s website at www.concretecentre.com/publications

• Fast Construction of Concrete Bridges, CBDG/014 TG5, The Concrete Bridge Development Group, 2005
• Guide to the use of Self-Compacting Concrete in Bridges, CCIP-003, The Concrete Bridge Development Group, 2005
• High Strength Concrete in Bridge Construction, CCIP-002, The Concrete Bridge Development Group, 2005
• Guidance on the Assessment of Concrete Bridges, CCIP-024, The Concrete Bridge Development Group, 2007
• Modular Precast Concrete Bridges, CCIP-028, The Concrete Bridge Development Group, due 2009
• Guidance on the use of Precast Concrete Arch Structures, CCIP 035, The Concrete Bridge Development Group, due 2009
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