Chapter-2

Parts of Steel Bridge

 contents
 Bearings
 Horizontal and transversal wind bracing
 Classification of bridges
 Bearings
They are made from cast iron for small roadway bridges or cast
steel; they distribute the reaction over a sufficient area of the
abutment.
We have:-
a - Boll bearing.
Free rotation and free expansion in all direction except
vertical movement
b- Movable or expansion bearing.
One rotation and one horizontal movement
M c- Hinged bearing.
One rotation only
 Horizontal and transversal
wind bracing
There will be:-
a- Lateral bracing.(9.3.2.1(p146))
Whenever possible, two system of lateral bracing (upper
wind bracing and lower wind bracing) may be used.
b- transverse bracing (9.3.2.2( p146))
End and intermediate portal frames (for through bridge) .
End and intermediate cross frames (for deck bridge).
To transmit the horizontal reactions (of upper lateral
bracing) to the bearing
 c- Stringer bracing (for Railway Bridge). (9.3.2.4(p147))
To carry the lateral shock of the train
D-Braking force bracing (for Railway Bridge).
(9.3.2.4(p147))
To carry the braking force of the train
They transmit the wind pressure, the centrifugal forces and
other horizontal forces to the abutments. They reduce the
buckling length of the compression chord
 1 Sec(1-1)
stringer sleeper Upper bracing
web sysetem upper chord
Trasverse
Bracing
h=L/10

Movable bearig 1 Hinged bearing

lower chord
Lower bracing
L=Bridge span =10*S

Truss Bridge
 stringer sleeper intermediate end stiff
upper flange
h=L/10

web plate

Movable bearig Hinged bearing

lower flange Lower bracing

Plate Girder Bridge

 M.G

X.G X.G X.G X.G X.G

X.G X.G X,G
B=Bridge width

M.G
Lower Bracing

Back
 M.G

B=Bridgewidth

M.G
Upper Bracing

Back
2.2 Types of Bridges
2.2.1 Introduction
In designing the different parts of a bridge we must
investigate carefully how the loads are transmitted from
one member to the next. We must follow the loads from the
point of application up to the abutment. All members and
all connections should have the same factor of safety. The
strength of the whole structure depends on the weak part.
The design of the details is just as important as the design
of the main members; failure is generally caused by a weak
or wrong detail. For the computation and design of the
different parts of a steel bridge, the same method is used as
for the corresponding members of steel buildings
But on account of the bigger spans and greater loads, much
bigger cross section is required. Bridges can be classified
according to many factors like purpose of the bridge,
system of main girders, considering the position of the
bridge floor, square or skew bridge, and fixed or movable
bridges. In the following section we can see these different
classifications.
 Classification of bridges
1. Classification according to purpose of the bridge
 
a.   Railway Bridge.
b.    Roadway Bridge.
c.     Foot bridge.
d.     Combined bridge as Embaba Bridge.
2. Classification according to system of Main Girder
a-Simple Bridge.
The main girders are resting on two supports only. They
may be: - beams, plate
girders or trusses. One of the supports is hinged while the
other is movable and thus these bridges are externally
statically determinate. But internally they may be either
determinate or indeterminate.
b-Continuous Bridge.
The main girders are continuous trusses or plate girders on
three or more supports. One bearing only of each girder is
hinged, while all the other must be movable to avoid
temperature stresses. Vertical loads acting on a continuous
girder give also vertical reactions, but the bridge is statically
indeterminate. A settlement of one of the piers produces
additional stresses; therefore continuous bridges should be
built in places where we have firm soils.
c- Cantilever Bridge.
The main girders extended over several spans but they have
many intermediate hinges that the reactions are statically
determine. For n supports we have to odd n-2 hinges. In a
cantilever bridge the settlement of support does not affect
the stresses. When foundation is not firm enough, either
simple bridges or cantilever bridges should be used.
    
 D- Arch Bridges.
An arch is a structure which under vertical loads produces
inclined reactions at both supports.
We have 3-hinged, 2-hinged and fixed arches.
1-Three-hinged arches are statically determinate; hence,
horizontal displacement of the abutments does not produce
any additional stresses on the structural system.
2- Two-hinged arches and the fixed arches are statically
indeterminate; hence, displacement of the abutments
produces additional stresses in the structural system.
Furthermore, foundations of such arches should be on rock
or on very solid gravel.
 e- Suspension Bridges.
Cables of suspension bridges are made from very high
tensile steel. The allowable deflection is about 10 cm.
The floor is hung by vertical suspenders from cables. These
cables are carried by vertical steel towers A-Q, B-V over
which it posses and are anchored at P and V.
A saddle top of each tower is provided to relieve the tower
from B.M. The reaction at top of tower is nearly vertical.
Stiffening, girders must be used to reduce the deflection
and vibration of the bridge due to the moving loads.
Suspension bridges are of good appearance but they are
economical only for long spans (> 300 m).
 f- Three Chord System Bridges.
The arch trusses with a tie bow-string are simply
supported. They are externally statically determinate, and
once internally statically indeterminate. They are good
appearance but rather expansive than trusses with two
chords.
3. Classification according to position of bridge floor
Fig(2-7)
 
a- Deck Bridge.
In which the floor is or near the top chord or flange of the
main girders.
 b- Through Bridge.
In which the floor is or near the bottom chord or flange of
the main girders. The distance (h) is called the height of
construction, it is the height between the top of rails or road
way and the lowest line of the bracing.
If there is a sufficient height of construction a deck bridge
should always be arranged as it is more economical stiffer,
and of better appearance than through bridge.
In a railway deck bridge the distance between the two main
girders can be made less than in a through bridge therefore
the weight of the cross-girder and wind bracing would be
less.In Roadway bridge, the reinforced concrete floor may
rest on several main girders.
4-Classification according to the layout of the bridge
(square or skew bridges)
The centerline of the square bridge is perpendicular to
centerline of the canal, while in skew bridge they are at
oblique angle. Fig(2-8)
5-Fixed bridges and Movable bridges.
 
Movable spans are required in bridges crossing navigable
streams if the height below the bridge is not sufficient for
the passage of ships.
Three major types of movable bridges are in common use:-
a- The vertical lift bridge.
b- The bascule bridge.
c-The swing bridge.
 A

End
bracket

SEC (A-A) Scale=(1:50)

X.G
L.W.B

M.G M.G
X.G Stringer bracing
X.G

wind
Lower
bracing

End
bracket

Fig 2-1 Back

 Systems of Main Girder
.End Stiff
Upper Flange
Web Plate

Lower Flange
L1 = (0.6 - 0.75) L2 L2 L1

Cantilever Plate Girder Bridge

L1 C1 L2 C1 L1

Structural System

.End Stiff
Upper Flange
Web Plate

Lower Flange
L1 C1 L2 C1 L1

Cantilever Plate Girder Bridge

L1 C1 L2 C1 L1

Structural System

Fig 2-2 Back

 Systems of Main Girder

Transverse
Web system
Upper Chord Bracing

Lower Chord
L1 = 0.8 L2 L2 L1

ContinuousTruss Bridge

.End Stiff
Upper Flange

Web Plate

Lower Flange
L1 = (0.6 - 0.75) L2 L2 L1

ContinuousTruss Bridge

Structural System

Fig 2-3 Back

 Systems of Main Girder

Hinged Arch Bridge-3

Hinged Arch Bridge-2

L

Fixed Arch Bridge

Figure 2.4 Back

 Systems of Main Girder
Saddle Saddle

Cable Steel
Tower

Stiffening Girder
L

Suspension Bridge

Figure 2.5 Back

 Systems of Main Girder

Three Chord Truss Girder Bridge

Bow-String Truss Girder Bridge

Bow-String Plate Girder Bridge

Fig 2-6 Back

 Upper Chord

h = L/ 10

m 1.5
Sleeper

Lower Chord
B = Bridge Width

Back
h = L/ 10 B = Bridge Width

Railway Through Bridge

h = L/ 10

B = Bridge Width
Railway Deck Bridge

Figure 2.7 Back

B = Bridge Width

.M.G

.M.G
Square Bridge
B = Bridge Width

.M.G

.M.G
SkewBridge

Fig 2-8 Back