A commercial bridge contains three main structural members - Substructure (foundation), Superstructure and Deck. The foundation is used to transmit the full weight of the bridge to the earth. It is made up of two components - abutments and columns. An abutment is the link between the end of the bridge and the ground offering support to the end segments of the bridge. The superstructure is the horizontal platform that extends over the distance between columns. The deck of the bridge is the traffic-carrying exterior plane added to the superstructure.
The bridge design involves number of factors, including the live/dead loads, wind patterns, local geography, water streams, soil conditions, seismic potential, estimated traffic and cost constraints.
The basic type of bridge is the beam or girder bridge having concrete beam as its main component. The design of pre-stressed concrete beams is perhaps one of the most complex jobs for the structural engineer. With most materials, the designer has to select the shape of the cross section and web & flange thicknesses. In pre-stressed concrete, there are many variables. Not only the shape is variable, but the position and quantity of the pre-stress can be changed to suit the specific application.
The structural engineer firm needs to prepare and submit various construction drawings to local authorities and Engineer of Records (EOR) for approval. AutoCAD drawings related to concrete beam design contain beam reinforcement details, design notes, precast slab reinforcements details, bridge cross section, pier pile cap details, abutment pile reinforcement details and various detail drawings for the concrete bridge.
Remember, to ensure effective bridge beam design and its successful implementation you should hire a professional design team to deliver drawings as per your specifications & standards. You can also think over outsourcing concrete beam design related needs to developing countries like India for better utilization of your resources & get significant cost advantages!
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Thank you for your posting stating the importance of the drawings for bridge engineering. I work for McGraw Hill. CAD drawings and details for thousands of building products are available on The McGraw-Hill Construction Sweets Network. cad drawings
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