Construction Guidelines

Suspension Bridges
 BRIDGE
Bridges are built to cross dry and wet obstacles in a valley,
having more than 6.00-meter span. Smaller span gaps can be
decked by culverts and causeways. Bridges are of many
types, RCC, steel frame, cantilever or suspension bridge.
Except for short span suspension bridges, all others are costly
and don’t fall within the budgetary purview of CDLD. Being
mountainous terrain of deep gorges, small suspension bridges
are most suited crossing structures for beneficiaries.

Hence, this brochure is being developed for the guidance of

the CBO, who are desirous of constructing a suspension
bridge.

1. Design of Suspension Bridge:

Suspension bridges are subjected three types of loads, its own
dead load, live load and wind load. All three are very
important in the designing process. Tower height and number
of steel wire ropes (SWR) depend upon the span of the bridge.
Transoms, the lateral dimension of towers and anchor blocks
are designed after calculating the total load on the bridge.
Abutments are designed by calculating stability analysis due
to the active pressure of backfill material. Wind wires are
calculated considering the maximum wind load. Figure 1: Elevation of Suspension Bridge

2. Instructions for Suspension Bridge Construction:

Followings are the salient steps for construction of suspension bridges:
a. Aligment of Bridge:
Suitable site selection for a suspension bridge is very important factors,
which depends upon the following parameters. Figure 2: Providing
 Bridge approaches should be smooth and easy. Vehicles should smooth and
approach the bridge conveniently. convenient
approach to the
 Sharp bends and curves at both ends should be avoided as possible.
bridge.
 Both abutments should be equi-levelled.
 Towers at either side should perfectly be aligned in the same direction,
maintaining the same levels.
 Bridge center line should be aligned with the approach roads on
either side, and bridge deck should be at a right angle with the
abutments.

b. Abutments:
 Abutments are built on solid rock foundations, which support the entire
bridge deck structures and its all load at both ends.
 The abutments give support both to the dead and the live load on the
bridge. Figure 5: Gabion Abutment

 These supports are provided at both ends of the bridge.

 Abutments can be built in dry stone masonry, mass concrete, CR
masonry, RCC and also with the gabions.
 Type of abutment construction depends upon a variety of parameters,
site situation, the direction of water flow under the bridge and many
more.
 In valleys having non-perennial water flow, dry stone masonry could
also be considered an adequate structure.
 It also acts as retaining structure to the backfill soil of the approach
road to the bridge.
 It may be of trapezoidal, stepped or straight, depending on the
stability analysis.
Figure 3: Dry Stone Masonry Abutment
 Piled abutments are also constructed in river beds of loose sand strata, Figure 4: Stepped CR Masonry Abutment
but as these are very costly, therefore they shouldn’t be brought under
discussion.
 The abutment is first structure to be built in a bridge. Both abutments
should be aligned by the surveyor and the center of the bridge should
be determined with precision and accuracy.
 The abutment seats for resting the deck must be equi-levelled for
balanced load distribution upon the entire bridge structure and the
foundations.
 Abutment site is leveled by cutting, blasting and excavating the
ground, as per the given design dimensions.
 Foundations at either side are excavated up to the required depth.
 The foundation concrete is laid to maintain the level of the wall
constructed above.
 After laying the concrete, masonry work will be started as per the
design specification of the drawings.
 Large size stones should be used in the bottom course of foundation to
make a firm and strong base for load distribution.
 Use of small size stones must be discarded, as the same may
settlement under heavy load.
 Masonry work should be done with care and diligence, employing
skilled and experienced masons.
 If foundations are immersed in water, an impermeable enclosure has
to be created and water has to be pumped out.
 At such places, it will be advisable to use quick-set and rapid
hardening cement.
 The abutment should rest on the solid and hard ground, the rocky bed
being the most preferred.
 Masonry walls must have weep-holes for discharging the hydrostatic
pressures. Figure 5: GI wire meshed abutment
 The backfill of the abutments must be of sandy soils, which ensures
quick water discharge thereby reducing the hydrostatic pressures.

c. Wing Walls: Fig 6: Wing

 Wing walls are inclined masonry attachments to either side of the abutments. Walls
 These walls deflect water to make a direct hit to the abutments and give a
direction to the water from the sides to flow through the bridge.
 Upstream wing wall prevents abutment from a direct hit. Whereas, the
downstream wing wall saves the abutment from eddy currents.
 Construction of wing wall is not so complicated, and it is the second step in the
construction of abutments.
 Once abutments and wing walls are constructed then it is filled with backfill
materials.
 Filling material should contain some boulders and stones mixed with well-graded
sandy soils to make it a firm, stable and resistant to the settlement.
 Once it is filled it must be water saturated and compacted so that the backfill
become strong enough against the settlement.
 Construction of wing walls must be monolithic with the abutments.
d. Towers:
 Bridge towers are invariably built atop abutments.
 Towers could be built from RCC, mass concrete, CR
masonry or even steel.
 In case of mass concrete and CR masonry, for better
stability, the bottom of the tower should be greater than
the top.
 While RCC and steel towers could be built in the same
dimensions.
 A balance of height, alignment and levels amongst the
tower has to be maintained. Otherwise, the imbalance
can cause structural failure of the entire bridge.
Figure 7: RCC Towers
 The tower tops should be affixed with pulleys, steel Figure 8: CR Masonry Towers
brackets, or saddles for passing over the main SWRs.
 This arrangement will ensure the least frictional damages
to SWRs, thereby ensuring bridge safety and long life.
e. Anchor Blocks:
 Anchor blocks provide stability to the entire structure.
 When natural anchors in the shape of stable rocks and
boulders are not available, RCC anchor blocks are also
cast.
Figure 10: Rolled Steel Joist
 Concrete / RCC blocks are either cast stepped or
trapezoidal shape, containing a rolled-steel-joist (RSJ)
assembly fixed for holding embedded anchor rods.
 RSJ is steel “I” beams with holes in it.Long bolted and
threaded anchor rods along with hook on the other end are
affixed in RSJs.
 The anchorage rods are fixed in the hole of RSJ at the hook
end.The threaded end is exposed outside the anchor block, Figure 9: Anchorage Block
Figure 11: Anchorage Rod
where steel wire ropes (SWRs) are tied with bulldog grips.
f. Main Suspension Cable.
 SWRs are the major structural members of a suspension
bridge, supporting bridge deck through suspenders,
which are connected through load bearers and
transoms.
 SWR is tied to the anchor block behind the towers, runs
over the towers and gets tied to the next anchor at the
opposite bank.
 SWR is connected with anchors by “bull-dog” grips, and
“U” clamps connect SWR to the suspenders.
 SWR is tied around the semi-circular RCC beam at the Figure 12: Uncoiling Procedure of SWR
anchor block and then it is fastened with each other by
bull-dog grips.
 The diameter of SWR and its strength depend upon a Figure 13: Main Suspension Cable and Suspenders.
number of variables, such as bridge span, vehicular
load and the wind load etc.
 For longer, the bridge span, stronger and larger
diameter SWR will be required.
 SWR should be galvanized to avoid rusting, as it
produces corrosion leading to its short lifespan and
structural failures.
 Bull-dog grips should be tied in such a way that the
saddle containing nuts faces the live (long) end and
the bolt may face the dead (short) end.
Figure 14: How to tie SWR.
 In case of long spans, the bridge may sway right and
left due to the wind in the valley. Hence, provision of
wind wire to hold the bridge tightly will become
mandatory.
 Carrying and handling SWR is a very important activity.
 SWRs are in the rolled form on a large spool which
should be carefully unwound.
 Incorrect unwinding may cause kinks in the cable
which result in weak points in the set cable and thus
producing potential failure points.
 Transportation of SWR spools from drop point up to the
bridge site is also important, which needs careful
handling.
g. Deck.
 The deck is the finished smooth surface of the bridge, which is used for mobility of vehicles
and/or for the passage of pedestrians.
 In suspension and cantilever bridges, ordinarily, the deck is built from timber or aluminum
alloy plankings.
 The deck is comprised of many parts, i.e. longitudinal beams (load bearers), cross beams
(transoms), flooring and railing.
 First of all, main SWRs are anchored, suspenders are run on SWRs and connected with cross
beams. Now the main load bearers are laid and connected to the cross beams either with
nails or nut & bolts.
 After having fixed the load bearers and connecting them with the transoms, desk structure
is completed.
 At this stage, cross planks are fixed, which completes the deck flooring. It is the deck
flooring where vehicles ply over it. Figure 15: Different Parts of Deck
 The cross planks are not provided in the middle of roadway.
 After flooring is finished, the side rails are provided for safety.
 Side rails are connected to the beams through gusset plates.
 MS gusset plates are fixed to join the rails to the beams and transoms, which makes it a
solid and rigid joint, withstanding the vibrations.
 Figure 18: Bracket Pulley Figure 19: SWR over Saddle
Figure 16: RSJ & Anchorage Rod Assembly Figure 17: Bulldog Grip

3. Operation and Maintenance (O&M).

 Bridges need constant maintenance, more so the wooden deck. Due to weathering effects, wood fiber gets deteriorated, following its decay.
Regular application of paint to the rails of the bridge should be ensured. Bridge flooring is applied creosote or linseed oil, which will save it from
weathering effects and prolong its life.
 Damaged wooden parts should immediately be replaced. Any delay may expand the damage.
 SWRs, suspenders and other metallic parts are exposed, which may get rusted. Care should be taken to prevent them from corrosion by applying
grease or thick oil, especially in the joints and its connection with a saddle on the tower. The same treatment should be provided for all metallic
parts, which are not galvanized.
 The gusset plate should also be protected from rusting by painting it regularly.
 All hooks, joints, and nut-bolts should regularly be checked. Due to constant vibrations, the same may get loose and slack. It should be tightened
or replaced, as the case may be.
 Soil erosion in rains is an on-going process, particularly in the abutments beds, embankments, and wing walls. If it is not checked in time, it may
pose a serious threat to the entire bridge structure. It can be controlled through vegetative cover and stone pitching on the slopes.
 Collection of stones, sand, and gravel must not be allowed from the river bed. It accelerates the bed erosion and may damage the abutments.
 Due to flash floods, water torrents and boulders hit abutments and wings walls, causing cracks and fissures. It must be repaired forthwith.
 Figure 21: Winding of suspension cable around snap hook, along
with thimble.

Figure 20: painting of railing and applying of creosote oil on

flooring.

Figure 23: Dry pitching of boulders

Figure22: Dry pitching of rocks