Bridge Vocab

Abutment

Abutment

a concrete wall that supports the end of a bridge and holds back the soil that is filled in behind it

Aesthetic Requirement

a design requirement that describes the desired appearance of a completed structure

analysis

an examination of a complex system, usually conducted by breaking the system down into its component parts

Approach

A roadway leading up to the end of a bridge

Bid

An estimate of the construction cost, submitted by a construction contractor as part of the design-___-build project delivery method

Bid Opening

A public meeting at which all bids submitted for a construction project are opened and read aloud

Bottom Chord

A type of structural member used in a truss

Brittle

A characteristic of a material that fails by rupturing suddenly and without warning, when loaded in tension. The opposite of ______ is ductile.

Buckling

A failure that occurs when compression causes a member to suddenly bend sideways, perpendicular to the direction of the applied load

Carbon Steel

A common type of steel, composed of iron and a very small amount of carbon

Compression

An internal force that tends to make a structural member shorter

Compressive Strength

The maximum compression force a structural member can carry before it fails

Conceptual Design

A preliminary design that describes the appearance and general configuration of a structure

Concrete

A structural material made by mixing Portland cement, sand, gravel, and water. When ___ cures, it becomes a solid, rock-like substance that is very strong in compression, but relatively weak in tension

Connection

An assembly of structural components (plates, angles, bolts, welds, etc.) that join two or ore structural members together

Cosine

A trigonometric function of an angle. The ___ of an angle in a right triangle is calculated by dividing the length of the adjacent side by the length of the hypotenuse.

Construction Contractor

A company that performs the role of the Constructor, under the terms of a formal contract with the owner.

Constraint

a design requirement that limits some aspects of the design. An example of a ___ is a requirement for a bridge to be built above some minimum specified height so that boats on the waterway below can pass beneath the structure unhindered

Constructor

One of the four key players in the Project Team, the ___ is responsible for planning, managing, and performing the construction of a facility.

Cross Section

The two-dimensional shape you see when you look at the end of a structural member

Deck

The flat surface that forms the floor of a bridge and supports the roadway

Deck Truss

A truss configuration for which the deck is located at the level at the top chord

Deflection

The distance a structure moves when it is loaded.

Deformation

A change in the size or shape of a structural member that occurs when the member is loaded

Design

To devise or create something that meets a need

Design Professional

One of the four key players in the Project Team. The ___ ___ is responsible for conceiving, planning, and providing a high-quality design solution to the Owner.

Design-Bid-Build Project Delivery

A method of project delivery, in which the Constructor is selected by a competitive bidding process

Design-Build Project Delivery

A method of project delivery, in which a single firm is responsible for both design and construction

Design Review

A technique used by the Owner to monitor the conduct of the design process. The Design Professional submits a complete draft of the design for review, at specified levels of completion

Diagonal

A type of structural members used in a truss

Ductility

The capacity of a material to undergo very large plastic deformation before rupturing. A ____ material provides ample warning of failure. The opposite of ____ is brittle

Elastic

Behavior characterized by the capability of a structural member to return to its original size and shape after its load is removed

Elevation View

A drawing showing an object viewed fro the side

End Post

The diagonal member at each end of a through truss

Engineering Design

The application of math, science and technology to create something that meets a human need

Equations of Equilibrium

Equations describing the condition that the total force acting on an object in ___ is equal to zero

Equilibrium

The condition occurs when the total force acting on an object is zero. If an object is not moving, then it is in ___

Factor of Safety

A number representing the margin of safety in a structural design, It is used to allow for uncertainty in loads, member strengths, and structural analysis results

Failure

The conditions that occurs when the internal force in a structural member becomes larger than the strength of that member

Floor Beam

A structural member that supports the deck of a bridge. On a truss bridge, it also helps to connect the two main trusses together.

Free Body Diagram

A sketch of a "body" (a structure or a portion of a structure) showing all of the forces acting on it

Force

A push or a pull is applied to an object. It always has both magnitude and direction.

Foundation

A component of a structure that distributes the weight of the structure to the soil or rock below it

Fulcrum

The pivot about which a lever rotates

Functional Requirement

A design requirement that describes how the completed structure will do its job. An example of it is for a bridge is the required number of traffic lanes

Geotechnical Engineer

A civil engineer with special expertise in soils and foundations

Gusset Plate

A metal plate used to connect structural members together in a truss

Gusset Plate Connection

A type of connection that uses gusset plates to join two or more members of a truss together

Hip Vertical

The outermost vertical member at each end of a Pratt-through truss. It carries tension, while all of the remaining verticals in a Pratt through Russ carry compression

Hypotenuse

The longest of the three sides of a right triangle. It is always the side opposite the 90 degree angle

Internal Force

The tension or compression force developed in a structural member when loads are applied to the structure

Isometric View

A drawing showing a three-dimensional view of an object

Iteration

A cycle of analysis and design performed as part of the engineering design process

Joint

The point at which two or more members are joined together in a structure

Lateral Bracing

A series of diagonal structural members that help a bridge resist lateral loads, like the wind. Its members and struts also help to prevent the top chords of a truss bridge form buckling sideways

Lattice

A structure consisting of strips of wood or metal crossed and fastened together

Load

A force applied to a structure

Load-Deformation Curve

A graph that shows how a member deforms when a load is applied to it

Lever

A simple machine consisting of a bar or rod that rotates on a pivot

Mechanics of Materials

The scientific study of structural members and materials

Member

A load carrying component of a structure

Notice to Proceed

An official authorization for the Constructor to start work on a project

Optimize

To maximize the efficiency of a design. Generally, a structural design is ___ by minimizing its cost without promising its safety

Owner

One of the four key players in the Project Team. the ___ identifies the need for the project, provides funding, puts together the Protect Team, and establishes the product requirements

Pier

A foundation element that supports a bridge in the middle of the gap

Pile

A component of a structural foundation, consisting of a long steel or concrete shaft that is driven downward through weak soil into stronger soil or rock

Pinned Connection

A type of connection that uses a single large metal pin to join two or more structural members together

Plans and Specifications

The products of the design process, are created by the Design Professional. ___ are drawings, and ___ are highly detailed written descriptions of every aspect of the project

Plastic Deformation

The permanent elongation of a material under load. It occurs after a material has yielded.

Pony Truss

A truss configuration for which the deck is located (or lightly above) the level of the bottom chord. It looks very similar to athrough truss, except it is not as high and has no struts or lateral bracing between the top chords.

Portal Bracing

An assembly of struts and diagonal bracing members that connects the end posts of a through truss bridge together. It prevents the two main trusses from falling over sideways.

Procurement

A phase of the design process in which a Constructor is selected and construction materials are purchased for the project

Project Manager

One of the four key players in the Project Team. They have overall responsibility for managing both the design and construction of the facility. They represent the Owner and look after the Owner's interests in all aspects of the project, including scheduling, financial management, and construction quality.

Project Team

A team of specialists who are brought together to design and build a facility. The principal members of the ___ ___ are the Owner, the Design Professional, the Constructor, and the Project Manager

Pythagorean Theorem

A mathematical relationship between the lengths of the sides of a right triangle and the length of the hypotenuse

Quality Control

The process of routinely inspecting and testing materials and workmanship on a project and taking corrective action when problems are found

Reaction

A force developed at a support, to keep the structure in equilibrium

Required Strength

The actual strength a member must be, in order to carry a load safely. In structural design, it can be calculated by multiplying the factor of safety by the internal member force

Reinforced Concrete

Concrete that has been strengthened for structural applications by embedding steel reinforcing bars inside it, before the concrete cures. The steel reinforcement compensates for the low tensile strength and low ductility of plain concrete.

Right Triangle

A triangle with one of its three angles measuring exactly 90 degrees

Rupture

A failure mode that occurs when a member subjected to a tension force physically breaks into two pieces

Schedule

tabular listing of members, connections, or other components of structural design, normally provided as part of the plans and specifications for a project

Shop Drawings

Detailed drawings of every component that will be part of a completed structure. It is normally prepared by the Constructor and approved by the Design Professional

Sine

A trigonometric function of an angle. The ___ of an angle in a right triangle is calculated by dividing the length of the opposite side by the length of the hypotenuse.

Spread Footing

A type of foundation consisting of a flat slab of concrete placed directly on firm soil or rock

Stable

A rigid structural configuration in which no member or members can move or rotate freely. A structure must be ___ to carry a load. A truss is generally stable when it is composed entirely of interconnected triangles

Statically Determine

A structural configuration that can be analyzed using the equations of equilibrium alone. Only ___ ___ trusses can be analyzed with the Method of Joints

Statically Indeterminate

A structural configuration that cannot be analyzed using the equations of equilibrium alone. ___ ___ trusses cannot be analyzed with the Method of Joints

Steel Fabricator

A company that specializes in prefabricating steel structural members and connections before they are delivered to the construction site. It cuts all structural components to size, drills or punches holes for bolts, and bolts or welds some of the components together to from sub-assemblies. It is a member of the Construction Team

Strength

The largest internal force that a structural component can experience before it fails

Structural Analysis

A mathematical examination of a structure to determine its reactions, internal member forces, and deflections

Structural Engineer

A civil engineer with a special expertise in structural analysis and design.

Structural Model

A mathematical idealization of a structure including a series of simplifying assumptions about the structure's configuration and loading that allow us to predict its behavior mathematically

Strut

A structural member that connects the two main trusses together on a truss bridge. It works together with the lateral bracing to resist lateral loads, like wind, and to prevent the top chords of a truss bridge from buckling sideways

Subcontractor

A company hired by a construction contractor to perform a specialized part of a construction project

Subsystem

A part of a larger system. If a truss bridge is considered to be a system, then its ___ includes the deck, the main trusses, the lateral bracing, the foundation, the approaches, and the others

Support

A point at which a structure is physically in contact with its surroundings

Tensile Strength

The maximum tension force a member can carry before it fails

Tension

An internal force that tends to make a structural member longer

Through Truss

A truss configuration for which the deck is located at the level of the bottom chord It looks very similar to a pony truss, except it is higher and has struts and lateral bracing connecting the top chords together