Lecture12 Abutments ( Highway Engineering )

1. Lecture 17
Sub-structure:
Design of the Abutments

6. A counter-fort retaining wall.

15. The next step is to calculate the dead weight value w(x) from the superstructure and part of the sub-
structure. It can also include some live load if the bridge is in a heavily traveled urban area. From these
two values, vs and w(x), we can find the fundamental period T of the bridge and the seismic force pe(x).

21. 12'-0"
5'-6"12"12"3'-0"
2'-6" 12" 3'-6"
1'-6"
7'-0"
4'-0"
6'-0"
9"
12"
A
5
7
2
8
4
1
3
6
3.88'
L =5.26 k
L =0.24 k
v
h

22. e
P
Backfill
Girder
aa
Abutment
Approach slab
Normal pavement
Bridge slab
Wheel load

23. 3
1
12"
16'-6"
2'1'-6"
3' 1'-6" 5'-6"
Vert.bars,Vert.bars,backface
backface
#6@5"
#6@10"
Provide 3" clear to
all bars except 11
2 "
clear to bars in
front face of stem
#4 @ 2'-0"
6" drains
@ 10'-0"
#6 @ 6" 2"x6" key
#6 @ 6"
#4 @ 12"
#4@ 9" front face
#4@18" back face

24. Preparing the foundations of an abutment for a high-speed rail overpass (AVE, St, Sadurniu,
Barcelona. The AVE is the high-speed rail connection between Paris-Barcelona).

25. The almost finished abutment for a high-speed rail overpass (AVE, St, Sadurniu, Barcelona. The AVE is the
high-speed rail connection between Paris-Barcelona).

26. Abutments damaged by seismic forces

27. San Fernando Earthquake, on February 9, 1971. Settlement of the abutment fill.

28. Wing-wall damage at abutment
Interchange 210 – Roxford
Street Undercrossing at Foothill
Boulevard.
Single-span, variable depth,
prestressed box girder, slightly
skewed and supported on pile
diaphragm abutments. The
structure was supported entirely
on fill. All eight wingwall-to-
diaphragm connections were
badly damaged.

30. Failure in Shear of
Superstructure and End
Diaphragm at Soffit.
Balboa Boulevard Over-crossing –
South Abutment
Seven-span, reinforced concrete box
girder with Class II piles and spread
footings. Abutments were diaphragm
type.
The south abutment was in original
ground and soil supported, while the
north abutment was upon fill and
supported on concrete piles.

31. Abutment Fill Settlement

32. Eureka Earthquake –
November 8, 1980.
Epicenter – 30 miles
northwest of
Eureka, CA
Magnitude – 6.6 to 7.1 on the
Richter Scale
Damage – Collapse of
Fields Landing
Overhead
located on
Highway 101

33. Aerial View of Fields Landing showing Collapse of Two Spans. Failure caused by earthquake factors which
can be attributed to the failure caused by severe skew, rocker bearings at the abutments, hinges at each bent,
narrow hinge seats, simply-supported median slab between tan not connected to left and right bridge.

34. Abutment 1.
All of the pedestals were
severely shattered, and most
of the steel bearings were
ripped from their
anchorages.

35. Steel rocker bearings were torn out of their anchors.

36. Damage to abutment and to the wingwall.

37. Route 14/5 Separation & OverheadRoute 14/5 Separation & Overhead –– Collapsed Spans at South AbutmentCollapsed Spans at South Abutment

38. Higashi-Kobe Bridge – Vertical Movement of 0.5 Meter at the Top Roadway.

39. Failure of Reinforcing Concrete Pier Wall

40. Hanshin Expressway – Failure of single-column bents