土木工程英语建筑初级水平Unitiersandabutments.docVIP

Unit 7 Piers and abutments According to the usage，a pier is the support，usually of concrete or masonry，for the superstructure of a bridge．The pier usually rises above the ground surface，and commonly also extends through a body of water to a level above maximum high water．According to this definition，a pier may be regarded as a structure in itself，which must in turn be supported on an adequate foundation．To avoid confusion．the term“pier shaft” will be used with reference to the part above the foundation．The base of a pier shaft may rest directly on a firm stratum，or it may be supported on piles． A pier shaft located at the end of a bridge and subjected to lateral earth pressure is known as an“abutment”． In concrete bridges，greater savings may often be expected from optimization of pier and abutment design than from the superstructure itself． The dimensions of the top of a pier shaft for a bridge are determined by practical considerations such as the magnitude of the bridge shoe reactions，the distance required to provide for expansion of the superstructure，and the distance between trusses or girders．Frequently，the top of the shaft is provided with a coping or overhang．If the shaft extends through a body of water，its shape may be streamlined below high water to prevent eddy currents and scour． In northern latitudes the upstream edge may be provided with an inclined cutting edge to lift and break cakes of ice．For the sake of appearance，a slight batter is sometimes given to the shaft as a whole. Solid shafts are commonly used for railroad bridges．The double shaft is often adopted for highway bridges．The hammer-headed pier is one of several types often used to avoid skew spans in passing over existing railroad tracks or highways. Most modern bridge piers are of reinforced concrete．Although pier shafts ale commonly regarded as part of the substructure of a bridge，they are not part of the foundation in the sense that their design requires consideration of