Answer to Question #236460 in Civil and Environmental Engineering for Viktoriya

Question

5. What are the advantages of assigning the central pier and the abutment as fixed piers?

Answer 1

1. For better aesthetic appearance, especially when the longitudinal loads due to earthquake are quite large. It becomes easier to accommodate the large size and massiveness of piers if there is a better aesthetic appearance, with a good selection of abutment as fixed piers.
2. For the central pier to be selected as the fixed pier, the bridge deck is allowed to move starting from the central pier to the end of the bridge. However, if the fixed pier is located at the abutment, the amount of movement to be incorporated in each bearing due to temperature variation, shrinkage, among others, is more than that when the fixed pier is located at central pier. In turn, the size of movement joints can be reduced significantly.