CHAPTER LIST

Section Overview

In this section we will present a short history of bridge design and construction with an emphasis on the bridge as part of the modern highway network. The reader will also be given an overview of the various bridge structure components. This overview of bridge components will be presented in the form of a guide to bridge nomenclature and terminology to be used throughout the course of the text.

OVERVIEW

When the average individual is asked to think of a bridge, some pretty impressive images usually come to mind. The Golden Gate and Brooklyn bridges might strike you if you are an American. Perhaps one would think of the Firth of Forth Bridge if you hailed from the United Kingdom. For the historically minded, Pont du Gard is almost always a favorite choice.

Without a doubt, these are magnificent structures and volumes have been written on their history and the engineering behind them; but what of the common highway bridge structure? Although you probably feel a bump every time your automobile hits an expansion joint, most people and even many engineers take these average highway bridges for granted. The common highway bridge structure, however, is one of the most integral components in any transportation network. It is also one of the most exciting design projects a civil engineer can be engaged in.

Figure 1.1: The type of bridge we won't be talking about in this text

By common highway...