Some vital components of pre-stressed bridge

Pile foundation and pile cap

Pile foundations are the inherent part of a structure that is utilized to bear and transmit the load of the structure to the bearing ground situated at some depth underneath ground surface. The major elements of the foundation are the pile cap and the piles.

The piles belong to long and slender members which transmit the load to deeper soil or rock with extreme bearing strength to get rid of shallow soil of low bearing strength. The prime materials applied for piles are wood, steel and concrete.

Piers of bridge

If possible, slender piers should be applied in order that there is adequate flexibility to facilitate temperature, shrinkage and creep effects to be transferred to the abutment devoid of requiring for bearings at the piers or intermediate joints in the deck.

Deck slab of bridge

Deck slab belongs to the top most section of the bridge structure. It is the vital component of the super structure to bear load directly and transmit into column.

Joints

The purpose is to circumvent the application of joints over abutment and piers. Expansion joints are likely to leak and facilitate the penetration of de-icing salts into the bridge deck and substructure. Normally, all bridges are formed continuous over intermediate supports and decks below 60 metres long containing skews not surpassing 30 degree are made integrated with their abutments.

Parapet and drainage

Parapet acts as a safety barrier that is set up on the edge of a bridge or on a retaining wall or equivalent structure where there exist a vertical drop and which may include extra protection and control for pedestrians and other road users.