Classification of Bridges:

Different types of bridges are constructed in forests, depends on the internal structure of the
forest area and why the bridges will be used for. Here we have classified bridges in broader
sense, which may not use in forestry more frequently and any junior forester cannot give better
construction ideas. So that for the deeper and better result, we may need professional bridge
engineer's consultation for designing any bridge for any forest area. And there are some factors
which should be considered when a bridge will be constructed. These factors will help to choose
the perfect type of bridge according to our need:
1. Channel section and sub soil condition
2. Grades and alignment
3. Weather and hydraulic data
4. Economic and strategic consideration
5. Availability of construction materials
6. Time allotted for construction
7. Type of loading will be done on the structure
8. Width of the channel to be crossed
9. Availability of mechanical erection facilities
Classification by depending on the materials of construction:
Bridges are made of various materials like steel, concrete, timber, bricks, stone, cables or
combination of them. The materials we will going to use depends on which type of bridge will be
required, availability of building material in the site, budget are made for construction and
whether the unit will be temporary or permanent, carrying capacity of load and speed. Regarding
all of these facts, bridges can be classified depending on materials are described below:
1. Timber bridge or log bridge: these type of bridges are classified as temporary bridges.
These are made of timber and their life span is 15 to 20 years. These are commonly
suitable for hilly areas.
Advantage:
 These are easy to construct, materials for this type are generally can be found in the
adjacent forest area.
 No need of so many heavy construction tools and vehicles.
 Easiar to remove without harming so much to the adjacent area as these are made of
timber, their debrises will be more nature friendly for their deterioration process.
Disadvantage:
 They get deteriorated easily due to atmospheric affect. Abiotic factors like precipitation
advanced the deterioration process. Biotic factors like insect attack or fungal attack and
other decomposer can attack in the logs of the bridge and results of these attack turn into
deterioration.
 These bridges easily catch fire and they need continuous care and maintenance.
 Wrong wood selection can be hazardous for both forest, waterbody and worker vehicles.
If we do not select enough strong woods, the bridge will not take the weight of vehicles
and accident will be occurred.
2. Steel bridge: Standardized structural members produced by the metallurgical industry
are used in most of the steel bridge construction. Cast iron (C: 1.7 to 4.5%) is used for
compression members and wrought iron (99.5% Fe) is used for tension members.
Advantages:
 Steel bridges are lighter in weight, cost effective and more sustainable.
  They have long life span, long durability and more fatigue strength.
 They are also environment friendly and recycling also possible.
 The time duration of construction of steel bridge is much faster than other bridges.
Disadvantages:
 Though steel bridges are cost effective but the cost of construction is very high.
 Due to forest fire and other fire hazard, the strength quality of steel can be effected.
Bridges are exposed in atmosphere. So that they go through between weathering and
corrosion process. So that frequent maintenance application need to arranged.
 Due to high strength or weight ratio, steel compression members are in general slender
and consequently more susceptible to buckling than other bridges.
3. Concrete and masonry bridge: These are bit older bridges. They are made of natural
stones, bricks or concrete blocks. These bridges are always arched with massive supports.
Advantages:
 Concrete and masonry bridges have high durability and higher level of resistance.
 They have architectural attractiveness.
 They have very long life span and sometimes the span expanded through time and for
other environmental factors.
 They can be constructed from any materials.
 Load carrying capacity is so high.
 It can adapt the local environmental condition better so that deterioration level is low.
 These bridges have least distortion.
Disadvantages:
 Although they have very long life span but when the distance between the start points and
the end points is long, by passing time the bridge will became vulnerable for weathering
process of the site.
 It a very time consuming process and require very careful maintenance.
 This type of bridges specially need a very advance site selection.
 Their structures must be situated along abutments or banks that are sound for the span to
work. Artificial supports can be used to reinforce weak areas if all the other elements
required for the design will work, but this need is typically one of the greatest
disadvantages
4. Concrete bridge: These kind of bridges are become popular in the early 20th century. So
we can say these are bit modern type of bridge. Their substructures are constructed with
stone or brick masonry and superstructures are constructed with R.C.C.
Advantages:
 High adaptivity with environment and flexible with construction process for long span or
short span.
 High resilience against all type of load and impacts.
 The structural redundancy is good enough and it has long durability with less
maintenance.
 Construction process is very rapid and local labor can be included in the construction
work.
 Economically flexible and versatile in uses.
Disadvantages:
 The life span is limited and they get saggy as they age.
 They have less aesthetic value.
Classification according to construction:
Construction process goes through various type of factors. Regarding this factors, we can
classify the bridges depending on construction. According to construction methods, the
classification of bridges is:
1. Girder bridge: They also known as "Longitudinal beam bridge". Any girder bridge is
consist of one or more spans bridges over by beams. Beams can be simple for span of
5m and arched for span between 6-8m.
Different types of girder bridges:
1. Steel bridges which include beam, plate girder and open web girder bridges such as truss
bridges for spans of 6-8 m.
2. R.C.C. bridges which can either be the beam and slab and the allular construction type
3. Pre-stressed concrete girder bridges.
Advantages:
 Girder bridges can provide more space for lateral expansion. This can be
achieved by displaying one girder on thr side of the widenend bridge and
providing a new stronger in the middle.
 It has so much variation which gives a good chance for choosing the suitable one.
 For exceeding the practicing limits of both the trestle and composite timber-
concrete slabs, they recommended for medium-length spans.
 They are satisfactory for the spans of lengths less than those economical for truss
construction.
Disadvantagesn:
 It requires skilled labor.
 The construction process is costly.
 The maintenance cost is higher than other types.
2. Suspension bridge: Suspension bridges are constructed when the obstruction is a
deep and wide ravine. For every average spans, they are normally single bridges but if
spans are long, these bridges can be multi span. The floor of the bridge is supported by
cables or chains. The floor is often made of wooden planks placed crosswise. According
to the relation to the support of the roadway, small suspension bridges are three types:
a) Sling suspension bridge: In the case of sling suspension bridges, the roadway is
supported by rope slings, wires or chains from two sets of one or more cables or wire
ropes running along the sides of the structure.
b) Ramp bridges: The roadway of these types of bridges mostly supported directly by
thr cables and the decking or flooring is wooden planks.
c) A trestle suspension bridges: This one in which thrle roadway is carried on or rests
on trestles which are in turn supported by cables and chains.
Advantage:
 These are normally single span bridges.
 In their construction, only require cables and material in small light pieces rather other
bridges need more materials.
 Although these are made for long spna but if needed it can be use for long term while
difficult situation came over.
 They are cheapest type of construction.
 By providing additional suspending cables with fasteners, re-strengthening can be done
easily.
Disadvantages:
 If bridge is not stiffened, it can only load in limited amount and the amount is minimal.
 Suspension bridges are very damage prone because of high winds which cause the
structure move sideways.
3. Cantilever bridge: These are also known as "Balanced" bridges. They may havr a
continuous adjacent span or spans. They are constructed in sites where the gorge is deep
but relatively narrow and traffic is medium in load.
Advantages:
 Their structure and construction process relatively simpler than other types.
 Their process does not demand skilled labors.
 These bridges afford a much longer waterway so that it will protect from the danger of
being washed away in the period of high flow.
 A balanced cantilever types of construction provides better flexibility and it is
recommendation for sites prone to bedding down.
 These bridges are constructed over deep gorges where the use of centering is not
possible.
Disadvantages:
 It needs long time for construction.
 Construction needs large number materials and timbers as strouts, beams and rocks.
 It needed much labor force although it not demands skilled labors.
 These disadvantages make the process more expensive.
 Because of the long spans, cantilever bridges are adapted for the erection of girders
presents many difficulties.
4. Arched bridge: Arched bridges have arches between abutments, between piers, or
between abutments and piers. Depending on the materials are used, arch bridges are
classified in four types:
a) Masonry arch bridges: The bridges of stone or brick are the most genuine
of arch bridges.
b) R.C.C. arch bridges: Reinforced concrete arch bridges are adopted when girder
bridges are proved to be uneconomic with larger span.
c) Pre-stressed concrete arch bridges: Its main load bearing members are steel
arch ribs that are prestressed with high tensile rock anchors embedded in the
banks.
d) Steel arch bridges: These are may be solid or the open web type bridges.
Advantages:
 Masonry and brick worked bridges give a permanent and stable structure. And for this
reason, it needs a little
 e maintenance.
 Arches have a better and desirable appearance.
 Arches are more suitable for the embankments with hard rocks and deep gorges areas.
 If arch bridges are made of steel then its span will be 120 to 240 m.
 They are simple in construction.
 Cost of the construction is moderate.
 Because of the action of the horizontal thrust at the abutment or the pier, the bending
moments are either minimized or eliminated. Thus the arch section can be designed for
normal thrust and radial shear.
Disadvantages:
 If bridges are made of masonry or brick so that their span length will be limited.
 In cases of very low approach levels, the construction is virtually impossible.
 With exception of the three hinged arches, any settlement in any support will
considerably alter the designed stress of the entire structure.
5. Rigid-frame bridge: Rigid frame bridges are usually not included in forestry
approaches, because these are very expensive and difficult to made. This type of bridge
includes:
a) R.C.C. rigid frame bridge.
b) Steel rigid frame bridge.
6. Floating bridge: These bridges are made when construction is costly for any site.
Otherwise sometime during the construction period of main bridges, these bridges are
made temporarily. There three types of floating bridges:
a) Boat bridge.
b) Pontoon bridge.
c) Raft bridge.
Advantages:
 These are cheap and easy to make.
 More environment friendly.
Disadvantages:
 They can not be a permanent roadway.
 They are not safe for heavy loading.
7. Ford Irish bridge: A ford is a much cheaper form of river crossing than a bridge, but
it may ... or watersplash had been known as "Irish bridge" in reference to the Anglo–
Irish war. It raised way over wet ground or as paved way in flat ground and takes
drainage water across the road.
There some factors always stand between the construction of the bridges.
Factors effecting the selection of the site are:
1. At bridge site, the stream should be straight.
2. The site should be geologically sound i.e., it should be away from fault zone and
should have non-erodible foundation.
3. At the site, the stream should be narrow.
4. At the site, the river flow should be without whirls & cross currents.
5. At the site, there should be suitable high banks & above high flood level.
6. The approach roads should be economical.
7. The site should be at reasonable proximity to a direct alignment of the road to be
connected.
8. There should be no sharp curves in the approaches.
9. Avoidance of excessive under water construction work.
10. Large portion of bridge construction should be in dry as far as possible.
Factors effecting the bridge design selection:
1. Expected life of the bridge.
2. Type of traffic.
3. Type and size of the stream.
4. Construction costs.
Therefore, bridges are important in the management of the forest especially if the forest area is
artificially planted or it is a commercial plantation. From planting seedlings to harvest and after
the harvesting, extraction of the forest product must demand a roadway. If the forest is
surrounded mostly by gorges and streams then bridges are needed to construct. A good and
suitable structural construction and environment friendly process can be more beneficial to our
forest management. Although in our country, there are lack of forest engineers. But it is
important that foresters have well knowledge over forest engineering. So that we can do this
engineering project into the forest in more sustainable way.
 References:
1. Course related materials
2. http://www.fao.org/3/x0622e0q.htm
3. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/315662977_Bridges_and_their_Types
4. https://homesteady.com/12153296/how-does-polyurethane-protect-wood
5. https://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Steel+Bridge#:~:text=The%20principal
%20designs%20of%20steel,steel%2Dreinforced%2Dconcrete%20bridge.
. https://usbridge.com/bridge-building-advantages-steel/
. https://www.aisc.org/globalassets/nsba/technical-documents/advantages-of-steel-over-
concrete-for-bridge-design-and-construction.pdf
. https://krishnakumar31.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/steel-vs-concrete.pdf
. https://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Masonry+Bridge#:~:text=a%20bridge
%20whose%20main%20load,%2C%20brick%2C%20or%20concrete%20blocks.&text=The
%20spandrel%20is%20made%20from,small%20arches%20resting%20on%20crosswalk.
. https://greengarageblog.org/15-arch-bridges-advantages-and-disadvantages-tied-through-
and-truss
. http://www.nationalconcretebridge.org/index.cfm/advantages
. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_longest_masonry_arch_bridge_spans#:~:text=The
%20masonry%20arch%20bridges%20of,some%20lasting%20a%20thousand
%20years.&text=Such%20an%20arch%20would%20not,305%20metres%20(1000%20ft).
. https://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/bridge-construction/arch-bridges-types-components-
and-shape/94039
. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/262840499_Prestressed_Steel_Arch_Bridge
. https://www.rentafloat.eu/en/pontoon-systems/pontoon-bridges
. https://familypedia.wikia.org/wiki/Ford_(crossing)
. https://youtu.be/QMfZ5-ynMSU