CHAPTER LIST

Section Overview

The substructure of a high-way bridge consists of those components designed to support the superstructure and highway overpass. This section deals with the three major components in a highway bridge substructure: abutments, piers, and bearings. Along with the design of these components, the section will also touch on some of the key maintenance and rehabilitation issues which affect their performance.

OVERVIEW

Of all the elements which make up a highway bridge, substructure elements present some of the most visibly striking features. A towering column or hammerhead pier can provide a certain sense of majesty which leaves a lasting image upon the traveler passing under a bridge. To be sure, for larger bridges, the superstructure elicits much, if not more, of the same feeling. For the majority of highway bridges, however, the only striking aspect of the design is found in the substructure. Even a row of reinforced earth modular units, snaking out along an abutment side slope, can be quite aesthetically pleasing.

If it can be said that the design of superstructure components varies greatly depending on geographic location and transportation department preferences, the same would be equally true for substructure components. In this section, we will cover the basic principles behind the design, rehabilitation, and maintenance of substructure components. Specifically the three major components which will be discussed are: abutments, piers, and bearings.

As with the presentation of superstructures provided in Section 3, the focus of the discussion will...