BRIDGE DESIGN

GENERAL PROVISIONS
Vertical Clearances
1. Navigable river
· At least 3.75 meters from the design flood
level (DFL)

2. Hydraulic
· At least 1.50 meters for streams carrying
debris
· At least 1.00 meters for others

3. Highway/Underpass/Tunnel
· At least 4.88 meters
GEOMETRICS
A. Bridge Alignment

1. Normal bridge – A transverse structure

perpendicular to the bank of the river or
creek.
2. Skew bridge – A transverse structure having
an angle of less than 900 from the bank of
the river creek.
3. Curved bridge – When the structure or
portion of the structure is within and
following the horizontal curve alignment
of the road.
B. Span of Bridges
Odd number of spans shall be preferably used to
avoid a pier at the center of river or creek.

NUMBER OF GIRDERS IN RELATION TO NUMBER OF LANES

No. of Lanes Min. Roadway Width Min. No. of Girders

1 Lane 4.00 meters 3 girders

2 Lanes 6.70 meters 4 girder (rural)
2 Lanes 7.30 meters 4 girders (urban)
More than 2 variable Not less than 6
lanes girders
C. Determination of Length of Bridge
1. Sketch the proposed slopes of the grouted
riprap following the slope of the banks as
close as possible (1:1 for cut, 1-1/2:1 for fill).
2. Determine the top of roadway elevation
based on the maximum flood water level,
freeboard and depth of girders.
3. The intersections of the slopes of grouted
riprap and the top of the roadway elevation
represent the length of bridge
required.
D. Types/Classification of Superstructure
According to Materials Used
1. Timber Bridge
2. Concrete Bridge
a. Reinforced Concrete
b. Prestressed Concrete
3. Steel Bridge
a. Steel Plate Girder
b. Steel I-Beam
c. Steel Truss
d. Steel Box Girder
According to Usage
1. Temporary – a bridge designed for a short life
span
2. Permanent – a bridge with a designed life span
of at least fifty (50) years before it is completely
replaced

According to System of Design

1. Simple Spans
2. Continuous Spans
3. Cantilever Span
4. Suspension Bridge
5. Cabled Stayed
E. Recommended Limits of Span of Different
Superstructure in the Philippines
1. Timber Trestle Bridge – For span not more
than 6.00 meters
2. Concrete Bridge
a) Reinforced Concrete Precast Slab or
Reinforced Flat Slab Span from 6.00m to
12.00m.
b) Reinforced Concrete Deck Girder (RCDG)
– span from 8.00m to 24.00m.
c) Reinforced Concrete Box Girder – span
from 22.00m to 30.00m.
d) Reinforced Concrete Hollow Slab Bridge –
span from 10.0m to 20.0m.

e) Prestressed Concrete Bridge

- Channel Beams – span from 11.00m to
14.0m.
- Tee Beams – span from 15.00m to
18.00m.
- I-Beams – span from 15.00m to 45.00m.
- Box Girders – span over 30.00m.
3. Steel Bridges

a) Steel I-Beam – span from 15.00 to 30.00m.

b) Steel Plate Girder – span from 20.00m to
50.00m.
c) Steel Box Girder – span from 30.0m to 100m.
d) Bailey Bridge – span from 9.00m. to 30.00m.
e) Steel Truss – span from 40.00m to130.00m.
4. Suspension Bridge – span from 70.00m and
over.

5. Cable Stayed Bridge – For span from 70.00m

and over.
SUBSTRUCTURE
A. Factors in Selecting the Type of
Substructure

1. Abutment

a) Height of fill at the approaches.

b) Kinds of superstructure to be used.
c) Scouring character of river bank.
d) Soil encountered at the abutment
foundation.
2. Pier

a) Velocity of current and nature of drift.

b) Kinds of superstructure to be used.
c) Soil encountered at the pier foundation.
d) Direction of flow of the river with respect
to the longitudinal axis of the bridge.
e) Profile along the centerline of the bridge.
B. Substructure Elements

1. Abutment

Two Basic Categories:

a. Open End Abutments
- Diaphragm or integral type
- Seat type
- Spill through type
b. Closed Type Abutments
- Cantilever type
- Restrained type.
- Rigid frame type
- Cellular or vaulted type
- Gravity or semi-gravity type
- Reinforced earth type

Types of Abutment Commonly Used:

- Abutments on pile bent
- Abutments on two columns
- Cantilever type
 2. Piers
Types of Piers Commonly Used
- Piers with solid shaft
- Piers with two columns
- Piers with single column
- Piers on pile bent
C. Foundation
Factors in Selecting the Type of Foundation
a. The height of the substructure
b. Characteristics of the foundation soil at
bridge site.
 Classification of Pier

HAMMER HEAD COLUMN BENT

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 Classification of Pier

PILE BENT SOLID WALL SINGLE COLUMN

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 Requirements for the Use of the Different
Types of Piles

• Piling shall be considered when footings

cannot be founded on rock or other solid
foundation material.
• Penetration for any pile shall be not less than
3.00m in hard cohesive or dense granular
material nor less than 6.00m in soft cohesive
or loose granular material.
Type of Piles

1. Timber Pile – used for temporary construction,

revetments, fender and similar work.
2. Reinforced Concrete Piles – used as foundation
piles (Precast or Cast-in-Place) for bridges.
3. Steel Piles – used where hard driving is expected.
4. Composite Steel/Concrete Piles – used if the
portion of the pile is exposed to corrosive
environment and hard driving is expected
5. Prestressed Concrete Piles – used as foundation
piles for bridges where larger bearing capacity
and longer piles are required.
FIG. 2A ILLUSTRATING THE PROVISIONS OF DPWH D.O. No. 75
for SEISMIC DESIGN OF BRIDGES
MONOLITHIC CONTINUITY MINIMUM JOINTS GENEROUS
ABUTMENT SEAT WIDTH

RESTRAINERS

PLASTIC HINGES

• MULTI-COLUMN BENT IS PREFERRED OVER SINGLE COLUMN PIERS

• THE STIFFNESS OF THE WHOLE BRIDGE SHOULD BE COSIDERED IN THE ANALYSIS
• TRANVERSE REINFORCEMENT AT REGIONS OF YIELDING (PLASTIC HINGES)
 TOTAL BRIDGE LENGTH
BASED ON WATERWAY WIDTH & MIN. VERT. CLEARANCE
MINIMUM CLEARANCE :
1.0 m (no debris) TOP OF ROADWAY ELEV.
1.5 m
or as required for navigation
BOTTOM OF SLOPE
MFL GIRDER EL.
SLOPE
OWL

(PROFILE ALONG THE CENTERLINE OF BRIDGE)

Fig. 4 PRELIMINARY LAYOUT OF A PROPOSED BRIDGE
B. LOADING SPECIFICATIONS

1) DEAD LOAD

• Selfweight plus allowance for future

superimposed dead loads such as wearing
surface and weight of public utilities.

2) LIVE LOAD
FOUR CLASSES OF HIGHWAY LOADINGS :
• M 13.5 equivalent to H 15-44
• M 18 equivalent to H 20-44
FOUR CLASSES OF HIGHWAY LOADINGS :

• M 22.5 equivalent to H 25
• MS 13.5 equivalent to HS 15-44
• MS 18 equivalent to HS 20-44
• MS 22.5 equivalent to HS 25

STANDARD TRUCK LOADING

4.27 m

M 13.5 27 kN 108 kN
M 18 36 kN 144 kN
M 22.5 45 kN 180 kN
STANDARD TRUCK LOADING
4.27 m 4.27 to 9.14 m

MS 13.5 27 kN 108 kN 108 kN

MS 18 36 kN 144 kN 144 kN
MS 22.5 45 kN 180 kN 180 kN

LANE LOADING
M 13.5 and MS 13.5 Loading
Concentrated Load = 60 kN for Moment
= 87 kN for Shear
Uniform Load = 7.10 kN per meter of
load lane
LANE LOADING
M 18 and MS 18 Loading
Concentrated Load = 80 kN for Moment
= 116 kN for Shear
Uniform Load = 9.40 kN per meter of
load lane

M 22.5 and MS 22.5 Loading

Concentrated Load = 100 kN for Moment
= 145 kN for Shear
Uniform Load = 11.75 kN per meter of
load lane
3) IMPACT

Impact , I = 15.24 / ( L + 38)

where: I = impact fraction (max. of 30%)
L = span length in meters

4) SIDEWALK LOADING

For spans up to 7.92m ……….4070 Pa

For spans 7.92 to 30.5m…..….2870 Pa
For spans > 30.5m ..…p = [ 1435 + 43800/L ]
[(1.67 - W)/15.2 ]
L = span length, m W = sidewalk width, m
 BRIDGE MAINTENANCE

OBJECTIVES:
1. To keep structures in a serviceable condition.
2. To avoid damage or injury to third parities.
3. To ensure the best possible conditions for traffic
4. To preserve bridges as effectively as possible.

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 BRIDGE REHABILITATION AND STRENGTHENING

OBJECTIVES:
1. To preserve serviceability and loading capacity
2. To achieve economy as regards present and future costs
3. To assure the safety of road users
4. To minimize interference with traffic
5. To provide adequate ride ability and travel comfort

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