What is Bridge Abutment and what are its types?
The abutment is essential substituent information of a bridge. It is a vertical structure whose function is to distribute the weight and load of the bridge. The duration and life span of a bridge directly depend on the bridge abutment.
This is the area on a bridge connecting the ground surface with its deck. The load-bearing ability is directly connected with the formation of the bridge abutment. When a bridge is sanctioned to be built, the abutment is constructed placing vertically within the water or ground surface.
The abutment provides the vertical support from starting to the end, provides the path to build the roadways horizontally on these abutments.
The required number of abutments is determined by the length of the bridge. Usually, for small bridges two abutments are installed but according to the bridge’s length, the additional abutment can also be installed.
There are a few necessary structural components for the construction of an abutment:-
Bridge Seat: Top surface f the abutment, where the deck or horizontal surface is to be seated, is called bridge seat.
Wing Wall: This component can only be seen in an abutment when a bridge is connected with an embankment. Wing wall is a short wall additional component which is created to prevent the structure from soil erosion.
Pile of the Abutment: Pile is an attachment of the abutment that connects the ground soil to the bridge seat abutment. The length of the pile can be according to the height of the bridge structure.