ABSTRACT
The bridge picks up and transfers vertical loads and horizontal forces by means of its structural form, which is conceived to be durable in resisting these actions, providing adequate structural safety, and meeting the service requirements (Chap. 9). The load carrying structure of a bridge, normally just referred to as its structure, comprises all the elements (Fig. 5.1) that fulfil a function in transferring the vertical loads and horizontal forces to the foundations. A bridge’s structure is spatial; therefore, under loading it behaves in a three dimensional way. However, during the design process, from conceptual design right through to detailed design, an engineer will generally break down the three dimensional structure into a number of planar systems. This simplification is justified for many structural forms used for bridges.
