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An abutment is the substructure at the ends of a bridge span or dam supporting its superstructure. [1] Single-span bridges have abutments at each end that provide vertical and lateral support for the span, as well as acting as retaining walls to resist lateral movement of the earthen fill of the bridge approach.
Highways England recognises four types of integral bridge, defined by the construction of their abutments: Frame abutments where the abutment acts as a retaining wall to the surrounding fill, connecting to the deck in a manner that allows for transfer of bending moments, shear forces and axial loads.
In a bridge, the wing walls are adjacent to the abutments and act as retaining walls. They are generally constructed of the same material as those of abutments. The wing walls can either be attached to the abutment or be independent of it. Wing walls are provided at both ends of the abutments to retain the earth filling of the approaches.
An arch bridge is a bridge with abutments at each end shaped as a curved arch. Arch bridges work by transferring the weight of the bridge and its loads partially into a horizontal thrust restrained by the abutments at either side, and partially into a vertical load on the arch supports.
The advantage of the fixed arches is in their lower construction and maintenance costs. [2] In a two-hinged arch bridge no bending moments are transferred to the abutments, due to the presence of the hinge. A change in the relative position of the abutments may cause a change in the thrust load exerted by the arch on the abutments.
Colorado Street Bridge, an example of a false skew arch. The strength of a regular arch (also known as a "square" or "right" arch) comes from the fact that the mass of the structure and its superincumbent load cause lines of force that are carried by the stones into the ground and the abutments without producing any tendency for the stones to slide with respect to one another.
Single span rigid-frame bridges are typically made of reinforced concrete and are commonly used on parkways and other roadways. [4] This design is an efficient use of material as the cross section at mid-span is relatively narrow and the amount of concrete needed at the abutments is reduced. [4]
Beam bridges are the simplest structural forms for bridge spans supported by an abutment or pier at each end. [1] No moments are transferred throughout the support, hence their structural type is known as simply supported. The simplest beam bridge could be a log (see log bridge), a wood plank, or a stone slab (see clapper bridge) laid