IJSRD - International Journal for Scientific Research & Development| Vol.

5, Issue 09, 2017 | ISSN (online): 2321-0613

Cost Comparison of RCC Girder and PSC Girder

Ayush Tiwari1 Dr. Sudhir S Bhadouria2
1
M.Tech Scholar 2Professor and Head of Dept.
1,2
Department of Civil Engineering
1,2
U.I.T. Bhopal, M.P., India
Abstract— This work includes cost comparison between two i.e.. the RCC Girder is replaced by PSC- Girder. Prestressed
Bridge forms RCC girder and PSC girder. A range in which concrete girder that facilitates rapid construction of a bridge
these bridge forms are usually used. The bridge forms are using girders that are fabricated off-site and then transported
designed in prepared Excel sheet and thereafter analyzed in and erected into place at the job site. Once the deck is poured,
Staadpro and this process is repeated for all the span length the structural section becomes composite, minimizing
considered in the comparison. The detailed cost estimation of deflections. PSC girders employ high performance concrete
all these structures have been prepared and presented and thus for strength, durability, and/or constructability To achieve
suitability of the better bridge type have been scrutinized on this, PC girders employ prestressing strands that are stressed
the ground of economy. before the concrete hardens. In the figure below it would be
Key words: RCC Girder, PSC Girder quite clear as the PSC and RCC girder have almost similar
cross-section but the pre-stressed girder consist of
I. INTRODUCTION prestressing cables which are arranged horizontally in the end
portion of girder and by reaching the mid portion the become
A. RCC girder Type Bridge: concentrated as shown in cable profile figure below.
In this type of structure the solid slab is replaced by
Reinforced cement concrete girder. The RCC Girder type
bridge consist of RCC precast I girders, bearings, abutments
or piers, cast in situ deck slab and crash barrier. The girders
are provided between the deck slab and abutments. Bearings
are provided at the junction of slabs and the top of pier and
abutment to transmit the load coming from super structure to
the sub structure. The girder arrangement drawing of this type
of bridge has been shown below which shows us the RCC
girder superstructure resting on the pedestal-bearing and a
solid slab on girders also the girders in detail are shown. For
a better understanding elevation and plan of girder has been
also shown in below figures. Fig 3: Typical view of slab bridge form

Fig. 1: Typical view of RCC Girder

Fig. 4: Detailed view of RCC Girder
Different spans have been taken to analysis the two
bridge forms for their suitability 30 meter , 35 meter , 40
meter. The Detailed designs for RCC Girder type Bridge type
Bridge and PSC Girder type Bridge have been carried out.

II. CONCEPT OF BRIDGE DESIGN

Design standards and loading to be considered are generally
based on the requirements laid down in the latest editions of
IRC and IS Codes of practices & standards specifications, and
Fig. 2: Detailed view of RCC Girder guidelines of Ministry of Road Transport & Highways.
Additional technical references would be used wherever the
B. PSC girder Type Bridge:
provisions of IRC/IS codes are found inadequate. All the
In a PSC Girder type bridge the foundation and sub-structural bridge forms have been designed and after which analyzed on
features remains the same as RCC Girder, the superstructure Staadpro. Here for a simplified understanding of the design

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 Cost Comparison of RCC Girder and PSC Girder
(IJSRD/Vol. 5/Issue 09/2017/020)

concept and a broader overview of all forms a stepwise III. COST ANALYSIS
approach has been described In the cost analysis part of the study we work out the detailed
A. Geometry and specification: cost analysis of both bridge forms for span lengths taken into
considerations to come to a conclusion as of which bridge
Firstly a suitable section is taken including slab thickness,
forum would be most economically efficient for the span
Girder depth and other size and cross sections. The clear
ranges. The following considerations have been taken into
cover as For all the reinforcement the clear covers to be
account for the estimation purpose:
adopted as per clause. 14.3.2.1 of IRC: 112-2011. Back fill
properties , Density and other such specification taken as per – The Dimensions are taken in meter and millimeter for the
standards structures.
– The quantities of the Structures have been worked out.
B. Material: – The rates have been taken in accordance with
Material used basically includes the Reinforcement and GOVERNMENT OF MADHYA PRADESH PUBLIC
Concrete grade. HYSD (TMT) bar of Grade Fe-500 is used WORKS DEPARTMENT SOR for Road & Bridge work
in all RCC components as reinforcing steel. grade of concrete (2016).
in different elements are listed below – The product of quantities and rates gives us the cost
– RCC Girder M30, M35 estimation.
– PSC Girder M40, M45 – All other specification and details like SBC, Seismic
– RCC Pedestal M35, M40 zone, wind considerations etc have been taken same for
– RCC Approach Slab M30 both the bridge forms which are compared so as to
– PCC Leveling Course M15 compare the quantity and therefore the final cost for the
– PCC substructure & foundation M25 both bridge forms.
– RCC substructure & Open foundation M30, M35 – The Concrete grade and steel grade have been mentioned
– RCC Abutment cap/Pier cap M30, M35 in the format for each bridge forum and have been taken
– RCC Crash Barrier M40 as per specifications of codal provision and that used in
– Retaining Wall M30 the construction practices.

C. Loading: IV. RESULT & INFERENCES

There are various loads acting on the structure and they have From the deduction made as per the cost analysis as shown in
to be taken into account while designing, all such loads and the Graph-I it is very clear that the pre stressed concrete
stresses which have a impact on the structure are stated as bridge curve is always on the lower side of the graph and
codal provision to us in IRC 6-2014. The loads and stresses hence it can be clearly inferred from the calculation that cost
which are to be considered for design of Bridges are as of pre stressed concrete bridge is much less than the cost of
follows: reinforced cement concrete bridge. Therefore PSC girder type
– Dead Load bridges are the clear choice from the 2 bridge forms. This
– Live Load bridge form is not used in the smaller span structure as the
– Impact factor due to vehicular live load same requires skill labour and pre stressing material which
– Vehicle Collision Load makes the cost high.
– Wind Load SPAN(in m) 30 35 40
– Longitudinal forces due to braking
Cost of RCC Type 196.2 238.75 280.95
– Earth Pressure (including live load surcharge)
– Temperature Effect Cost of PSC Type 188.58 202.25 231.51
– Seismic Forces
D. Design check:
For stability and safety of structure the checks have to applied
i.e.., Check for Moment capacity, Check for stresses, Check
for crack width , Deflection check, Distribution
reinforcement , Check for Reinforcement percentage. For a
section failing in any of the stated check either extra
reinforcement has been provided else the section i.e... the slab
thickness have to be revised.
E. StaadPro analysis :
The structure designed is then been analyzed in the software
(Staadpro) for its structural behavior and to check failed
members if any. On the basis of these the design the drawing
Graph I:
are pre-paired and further the cost estimation has been done.

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 Cost Comparison of RCC Girder and PSC Girder
(IJSRD/Vol. 5/Issue 09/2017/020)

V. CONCLUSIONS
Hence it is evident that the PSC girder type bridge is
economical as compared to RCC girder type bridge over a
span length more than 25 meter for which the present study
has been performed.

REFERENCES
[1] IRC 6-2010, “Standard Specifications and Code of
Practice for Road Bridges”, Section II, loads and stresses,
The Indian Roads Congress, New Delhi, India, 2010.
[2] Natraj Singh, N.P. Devgan, A.M. Kalra, Surinder Pal,
“Effect on Economy on Successive Increase in the Span
of Bridges” Proceedings of the 2nd International
Conference on Civil, Structural and Transportation
Engineering (ICCSTE’16) Ottawa, Canada – May 5 – 6,
2016
[3] N. Krishna Raju, 2013. “Prestressed Concrete”, Fifth
Edition, McGraw- Hill Education (India) Pvt. Ltd., New
Delhi.
[4] Dr. B.C. Punamia, “R.C.C. Design (Reinforced Concrete
Structure)”, Laxmi Publisher, 2006.
[5] Ramamurtham & R.P.Sharma., “RCC Box Bridge form
Methodology and Designs including Computer method”
Journal of the Indian Roads Congress, October-
December 2009.
[6] Shaheenjaham, Akshata C Sureban, Megha
Chappalagaon, Mudassar Sharif. Studied “Comparative
Study on Design of RCC and PSC Beams” International
Journal of Advanced Research in Science, Engineering
and Technology Vol. 3, Issue 6 , June 2016.
[7] Anupam Sharma, suresh singh kushwah “Comparative
Analysis Of Reinforcement And Pre-stressed Concrete
Beam” International Journal of Current Engineering and
Technology Volume 5, No 4, July 2015
[8] Natraj Singh, N.P. Devgan, A.M. Kalra, Surinder Pal,
“Effect on Economy on Successive Increase in the Span
of Bridges” Proceedings of the 2nd International
Conference on Civil, Structural and Transportation
Engineering (ICCSTE’16) Ottawa, Canada – May 5 – 6,
2016

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