21st Century Model Railroading Prototype Data Basic Bridge Concepts Bridge Components Bearings Piers Abutments Mechanics Foundations Footings Culvert Structures Shapes - Ringbound Author:U.S. Government This ringbound book provides a superb introduction to basic bridge concepts, fully illustrated with over 90 color photographs and over 45 detailed line drawings. It provides information on bridge components and elements, bearings, piers, abutments, bridge mechanics, foundations, footings, culvert structures, shapes and arches, and more. Detailed... more » information about the construction of real bridges is very useful to scale modelers, particularly model railroaders. This authoritative reference on bridge design is excerpted from the Federal Highway Administration "Bridge Inspector's Reference Manual" (BIRM), published in December 2006. Contents include: Bridge Components and Elements - This topic presents the terminology needed by inspectors to properly identify and describe the individual elements that comprise a bridge. First the major components of a bridge are introduced. Then the basic member shapes and connections of the bridge are presented. Finally, the purpose and function of the major bridge components are described in detail... Most bridges can be divided into three basic parts or components, deck, superstructure, and substructure. The ability to recognize and identify basic member shapes requires an understanding of the timber, concrete, and steel shapes used in the construction of bridges. Every bridge member is designed to carry a unique combination of tension, compression, and shear. These are considered the three basic kinds of member stresses. Timber Shapes. Planks. Beams. Concrete Shapes. Cast-in-place Flexural Shapes. Pre-cast shapes. Iron Shapes. Compression Members - columns, arches, piles. Steel shapes, rolled shapes. I-beam, box shapes. Cable-supported bridges. Pin, riveted, bolted, welded connections. Splice connections. Decks, deck materials. Deck joints, drainage, appurtenances, signing, lighting. Superstructure, elements. Arch bridges, cable-supported bridges. Movable bridges. Bascule bridge, swing bridge. Lift bridge. Floating bridges. Culverts. Bearings, sole plate, masonry plate. Bearing types - sliding plate, roller, rocker, pin and link, elastomeric, pot, restraining, isolation bearings. Substructure, abutments, piers and bents. A bridge is designed to carry or resist design loadings in a safe and economical manner. Loads may be concentrated or distributed depending on the way in which they are applied to the structure. A concentrated load, or point load, is applied at a single location or over a very small area. Vehicle loads are considered concentrated loads. A distributed load is applied to all or part of the member, and the amount of load per unit of length is generally constant. The weight of superstructures, bridge decks, wearing surfaces, and bridge parapets produce distributed loads. Secondary loads, such as wind, stream flow, earth cover and ice, are also usually distributed loads. Bridge-roadway interaction, non-composite, composite. Foundations - shallow foundations commonly referred to as spread footings, deep foundations. Culvert characteristics - A culvert is a structure designed hydraulically to take advantage of submergence to increase water carrying capacity. Culverts, as distinguished from bridges, are usually covered with embankment and are composed of structural material around the entire perimeter, although some are supported on spread footings with the streambed serving as the bottom of the culvert. Culverts may qualify to be considered "bridge" length. Rigid, flexible. Compaction and side support. Culvert shapes - circular, pipe arch and elliptical, arches. Box sections, multiple barrels. Frame culverts. Culvert materials. Precast concrete. Cast-in-place concrete. Metal culverts. Masonry. Timber. Culvert end treatments. Wingwalls.« less
