ABSTRACT
All types of bridge structures-highway, railroad, and pedestrian-consist of two basic structural parts: superstructure and substructure. The superstructures provide ameans to cross space between two points; the substructure supports the superstructure and transfers all forces acting on it to the ground. Short-span bridges, which are typically single-span structures, consist of asuperstructure and asubstructure; the latter consists of abutments with bearing pads on top, which supports the superstructure, and the wingwalls (on its both sides), which retain the embankments of the connectingroadway. Multispan bridges may consist of several single-span bridges, which are supported by additional supports such as column bents and piers.
