TRAINING PROGRAMME ON

ENGINEERING DESIGNS-CANAL STRUCTURES

GENERAL DESIGN PRINCIPLES

Meters

BY
ROUTHU SATYANARAYANA
CHIEF ENGINEER (Retired.)
FORMER ADVISOR, GOVERNMENT OF A.P

Communications-Bridges
Definition:
Bridge: A Structure having a total length above 6m between the

inner faces of the dirt walls for carrying traffic or other moving
loads over a depression, a obstruction such as a channel, road or
a railway.
Minor Bridges: A bridge having a total length of 60m.
Major bridges: A bridge having a total length more than 60m.

Culvert:
A structure having a total length less than 6m between
the inner faces of the dirt walls.

Foot bridge:
A bridge exclusively used to carry pedestrians,
cycles and animals. width shall not be less than 1500mm.

High Level Bridge:

the HFL of a channel.

A bridge which carries the road way above

Submersible bridge:
A submersible bridge or vented causeway is
a bridge designed to be overtopping during floods.

Communications-Bridges

Width of carriage way:

The minimum clear width measured at right angles to the

longitudinal centre line of the bridge between the inside faces of
roadway kerbs of wheel guards.

Width of footway:
The minimum clear width any where within a height
of 225mm above the surface the footway or safety kerb. Normally 1.5 m
from outer rounding of kerb to inner fce of the parapet/railing.

Safety Kerb:
A road way for usage of pedestrians. High Level Bridge: A
bridge which carries the road way above the HFL of a channel.

Super elevation:
Transverse inclination given to the cross section of a
carriageway on a horizontal curve in order to reduce the effect of
centrifugal force on a moving vehicle.

Crust level of the bridge:

It shall be the highest of the following:

Road crust level

TBL of the canal
Ground level

Communications-Bridges
Submersible bridges and vented Causeways:
collapsible or removable.

Railing shall be either

Crash Barriers:
Suitable designed crash barriers provided to safe
guard against errant vehicles. Metal or RCC.
Multilane bridges and bridges on a urban area
Flyover and interchanges
ROBs across railway line
Open sea, breakwaters, deep valleys

Types:
Vehicle cross barriers.
Combination Railway/Vehicle Pedestrian Crash Barriers
High Containment Barriers

Communications-Bridges
Approaches to bridge
Minimum straight length of 15m on either side and width equal to
the carriage width.

Bearings:
Expansion Joints
Foundations:

Communications-Bridges
Basic Data:

Site plan with contours showing the flow direction of the canal, road
way angle (direction of skew if any), and the approach of the road for
200m on either side.

Names of the village/town connected on either side.

Hydraulic particulars of the canal both upstream and downstream.

LS of the canal and the road for at least 250 m on either side of
crossing.

Cross sections of the canal and the road duly marking, Levels, such
as BL, FSL, TBL, GL, road crust level etc.,

TPs Particulars, taken up to hard strata or to a minimum depth of 2m

below CBL or ground level which ever deeper with soil classification.

Bearing capacity of the foundation strata.

Communications-Bridges
Design Criteria:

Hydrology of the drain or stream.

Hydraulic design of
i.

The stream or drain

ii.

The hydraulic deign of the canal

Structural Design.
i.

Super structure

ii.

Sub structure

References: IRC: 5-1998, 6-2000, 21-2000,78-2000, 83 (Part-1)-1987,

Communications-Bridges
Design Criteria:
Hydraulic design of
Design of vent way
Bridge crust level
Afflux by Molesworths formula (max.50mm).
Check for Scour
Structural Design:
Super structure
Substructure.

References: IRC: 5-1998, 6-2000, 21-2000,78-2000, 83 (Part-1)-1987,

Bridges-Hydrology
Hydrology of the stream or drain:
Table-1
Category
Canal Discharge
Flood Frequency
in cumecs

Stream Discharge
in cumecs

A 0.0 - 0.5
All discharges
B 0.5 15
0 150 1 in 50 years
Above 150 1 in 100 years
C 15 30 0 100 1 in 50 years
Above 150 1 in 100 yeas
D Above 30
0 - 150
Above 150 Detailed study

IS: 7784 (part-1)-1973.

1 in 25 years

1 in 100 years

Communications-Bridges
Hydrology of the Drain/Stream: Detailed study in the case of drain
discharge > 150 cumecs and canal discharge > 30 cumecs.
S.No.
Type of Canal
M in Sq. Miles
Up land Areas

Catchment Area (CA) in

Deltaic Tracts

1. Main Canal
Dickenss formula,
Rye's formula
Q = CM 3/4 Q = CM 2/3
C=1400 for CA<1.00
C=1000
C=1200 for CA=1 to 30
Velocity shall not exceed 10 ft/sec
C=1060 for CA=30 to 500
Q=7000 M1/2 for CA>500
Velocity in the barrel up to
12 to13 ft/sec
2. Branch Canal
Q=CM 2/3
Q > 500 c/s
C=1000 and Velocity<10/sec
same as upland
area
3. Distributaries
Q < 500 c/s

Q = CM 2/3
same as upland area
C=750 and Velocity< 10/sec

Lr. No. CDO/EE-C1/1084/83-3 dated 23.08.1983.

Bridges-Hydrology

Hydrology of the stream or drain:

Table-1

Category

A
years
B
years

Canal Discharge
Flood Frequency
in cumecs
in cumecs

Stream Discharge

0.0 - 0.5

All discharges

1 in 25

0.5 15

0 150

1 in 50

15 30

D
years

Above 30

IS: 7784 (part-1)-1973.

Above 150
0 100
Above 150
0 - 150

1 in 100 years
1 in 50 years
1 in 100 yeas
1 in 100

Above 150

Detailed study

Bridges-Hydraulic design

Linear Waterway:
Width of the water way between the extreme edges
of water surface at the highest flood level measured at right angle
to the abutment faces.
Layces wetted perimeter (Pw) in meters using the formula
Pw = C(Q)1/2
Where C = a coefficient, a value 4.8 (4.5-6.3)and
Q is the flood discharge in cumecs

Effective linear waterway:

Total width of the waterway at HFL minus the
effective width of the obstruction.

Length of the bridge:

Over all length measured along the centre lline of the
bridge between inner faces of dirt walls.

Bridges-Hydraulic design
Vertical Clearance:

It is the vertical distance measured from HFL or FSL

including the afflux o the underside of deck of the structure..

S. No.
Designed flood in Cumecs
Clearance in mm
1.
2
3.
4.
5.
6.

< 0.3
150
Between 0. 3 and 3.0
Between 3.0 and 30
Between 30 and 300
Between 300 and 3000
> 3000 1500

Minimum Vertical

450
600
900
1200

Bridges-Hydraulic design

Vertical Clearance:
No part of the bearings shall be at a height less than 500mm
Vertical clearance above the roadway in any traffic lane up to
the lowest point 5.5

Free board:
It shall not be less than 750mm for approaches to high level
bridges.

Scour Depth:
Mean scour depth is the depth (dm) below HFL or FSL in m
d = 1.34[q2 /f]1/3
Where, q = Discharge per meter width with or without
concentration of flow in cumecs,
f = Layces silt factor expressed as f = 1.76 (d m )1/2
dm = average grain size

Bridges-Hydraulic design
Bed material
Value of silt

Weighted mean diameter

of particle in mm-dm

Coarse silt
Fine silt
Fine silt
Fine silt
Medium silt
Standard silt
Medium sand
Coarse sand
Fine bajira & sand
Heavy sand

0.040
0.081
0.120
0.158

factor- f
0.350
0.500
0.600
0.700

0.233
0.323
0.505
0.725
0.988
1.290 -2.00

0.850
1.000
1.250
1.500
1.750
2.000 2.42

Bridges-Hydraulic design

Maximum Scour depth or Designed Scour Depth 9dorR) in m:

Straight reaches for individual foundations without floor protection
In the vicinity of pier 2.00 d
Near abutments
1.27 d approaches retained
2.00 d scour all round
Floods with seismic combinations the values may be reduced by 0.9
For floor protection works, for raft foundations and shallow
foundations
In straight reaches
1.27 d
At moderate bends
1.50 d
At sever bends
1.75 d m
At right angle bends
2.00 d
Depth of Foundation:
In Soils Up to safe bearing capacity or a minimum of 2.0m below
the scour level or the protected bed level.
Hard rock with crushing strength 10 MPA: 600mm
All others
: 1500mm

Bridges-Hydraulic design

Well foundation:
Maximum scour depth plus a 1/3 grip length
In rock a minimum shear key:

300mm in hard rock

600mm in soft rock

Sump (Shear Key) diameter 1.5m to 2.0m less than inner
hole, anchored 1.5m below with six dowel bars of
diameter 25mm places in 65mm grout hole and projected
1.5m above

Bridges Structural design

Loading Classification

IRC Class AA Loading or Class 70-R Loading

IRC Class A Loading
IRC Class B Loading adopted for temporary structures only

Loads, Forces and Stresses:

1. Dead Loads
2. Live Loads
3. Snow loads
4. Impact and Dynamic Loads
5. Vehicle collusion load
6. wind load
7.Impact due to floating bodies
8. Water currents
9. Breaking force
10. Centrifugal forces
11. Buoyancy
12. Temperature effects
13. Deformation effects
14. Secondary effects
15.Errection effects
16. Seismic force
17. Wave pressure
19. Grade effects
19. Earth Pressure & LL surcharge

Bridges Loads, Forces,&

Stresses

Loads, Forces and Stresses:

For Class A or Class B Loading for spans (L) in m between 3m and 45m
For RCC bridges = 4.5/(6+L)
For Steel bridges + 9.00/(13.5+L)
For Class AA Loading and Class 70R Loading
Spans < 9m
Tracked Vehicle: 25% for spans up to 5m linearly reducing to 10% for spans 9m
Wheeled vehicles: 25%

Spans of 9m and more

Tracked vehicles: 10% up to spans 40m and in accordance with curves for span >
40m
Wheeled vehicles: 25% for spans up to 12m and in accordance with curves for span
>12m
Steel bridges:
Tracked vehicles: 10% for all sans
Wheeled vehicles: 25% for spans up to 23m and in accordance with curves for
span > 23m

Bridges Structural design

Loads, Forces and Stresses:

Impact:
No impact allowance is added for footway bridges
If the earth filling is > 600mm including the road crust the impact shall be reduced to 50%.
For Pressure on Bearings and top of Bed Blocks it shall be 100%
Pressure at Bottom surface of the Bed Block- 50%
Pressure on the top 3m of the structure below the bed block 50% decrease to Zero at

bottom
Pressure on the portion of the structure > 3m below bed block - Zero

Bridges Structural design

i.

Loads, Forces and Stresses:

Wind Load:
Horizontal force:
For deck- area as seen in elevation including floor and railing, less area of perforation in
the hand railing
For through or half trough structures- The area of elevation of the wind ward truss as
specified as above plus half the area of elevation above he deck level of all other trusses
or girders.
The intensity of wind force based on wind pressure and wind velocity.
It shall be doubled for Guntur, Krihna, Godavri, Visakha, Vijayanagaram and Srikakulam
districts along the coast line

Bridges Structural design

Wind Pressure and Wind Velocity
H
0
2
4
6
8
10
15
20
25

V
80
91
100
107
113
118
128
136
142

P
40
52
63
73
82
91
107
119
130

H
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
110

P
147
155
162
168
173
177
180
183
186

V
141
157
171
183
193
202
210
217
224

Where W=Average height in m of the exposed suface above

ground, bed level or water level
V= Horizontal velocity f wind in Km per our at height H
P= Horizontal wing pressure in Kg/Sq.m at height H
(con.)

Bridges Structural Design

Wind Load:

The lateral wind force against any exposed moving live load as acting 1.5m above road way and shall be
assumed to have the following value.
a. Highway bridges , ordinary : 300 Kgs/linear meter
b. Highway bridge carrying tramway: 450 Kgs/linear meter

The bridge no carrying any live load when the wind velocity at deck level exceeds 130 Kms per hour.

The total assumed wind forces as calculated in accordance above cl.1 to 4, shall however , not less than 450
Kg per linear meter in plane of the load chord and 225 Kg per liner meter in the plane of unloaded chord on
through or half through truss, lattice or other similar spans, and not les than 450 Kg per linear meter on
deck slab.

A wind pressure f 240 Kg/Sqm on the unloaded structure, applied as specified in cl1, 2, shall be used if it
produces greater stresses than those produced by the combined wind forces as peer cl. 1, 2,4 or by the wind
force as per cl.5

Bridges Loads, Forces,&

Stresses

Horizontal Forces Due to Water Currents:

On piers parallel to the direction of the water current, the intensity of pressure shall
be as follows:
P = 52 KV2

Where
P= Intensity of pressure due to water currents in kg/m
V= Velocity of the current at the point in m/s (Maximum velocity)
K= a constant depending on shapes of pier as under
Square ended ; 1.5
circular pier or with semi circular ends:0.66
Triangular cut and ease waters:0.50
The value of V2 assumed to vary linearly from zero at the point of deepest scour to the
square of the maximum velocity at the free surface of water.
Maximum velocity = 1.414 times he maximum mean velocity

Bridges Loads, Forces,&

Stresses
When the current strikes the pier at an angel it resolved in to
two components.
1.Presur parallel to pier- as above
2. Normal to the pier, acting on the area of the side elevation
of the pier- as with K as 1.5, except for circular piers
which shall be 0.66.
Possible variation of water current direction inclined at (20)
to length of pier
Bridge having pucca floor static force due to difference in head
of 250mm between the two faces of the pier.

Bridges Loads, Forces,&

Stresses

Longitudinal Forces:

Force arising from any one or more of the flowing:

a. Tractate force due to acceleration
b. Breaking effect (invariably greater than tractate force)
c. Frictional resistance offered by the free bearings due to temperature change.

The Breaking effect:

i. In the case of single lane or two lane bridges:
a. 20% of first train load plus 10% of the succeeding train or part thereof on one lane only
b. If the entire train is not on the full span, breaking force shall be 20% of the loads actually on
the span,
ii
In the case of more than two lanes:
As in A above for the first two lanes plus 5% of the loads on the lane in excess of two.
The force due to breaking effect acting at 1.2 m above parallel to road way.

Bridges Loads, Forces,&

Stresses

The change in vertical reaction at the bearings to be accounted for.

Simply supported spans on unyielding supports:

For spans of fixed and fee bearing other than Elastomeric bearings, longitudinal forces
Fixed bearing Free bearing
(i). Fh-(Rq+Rg) (Rq+Rg)
Or (ii). Fh/2 + (Rg+Rq)
(Rg+Rq)
Where Fh= Applied horizontal force
Rg= Reaction due to dead load at free end
Rq= Reaction due to live load at fee end
= a coefficient
For steel roller bearings
0.03
concrete roller bearings
0.05
sliding bearings
0.30 to 0.50
Teflon on stainless steel
0.03 to 0.05

Plate bearings up to 15m span for RCC or Pre stressed super structure. :

Bridges Loads, Forces,&

Stresses

Simply supported spans on unyielding supports:

For spans up to 10 m where no bearings are provided , the
longiudilnal forces at bearing level shall be
Fh/2 or Rg
Elastomeric bearings:
Longitudinal force= Fh/2+Vr Lu
Where Vr= shear rating of the Elastomeric bearing
Lu= movement of deck above bearing
The sub structure and foundation shall also be designed for 10%
variation in movement of the span on either side.

Bridges Loads, Forces,&

Stresses

Centrifugal Forces:

Determined from the following formula:

C = W V2/ 127 R
Where C= Centrifugal force in tonnes
W= live load in tonnes in case of wheel loads and tonnes per linear meter
in
case of UDL
V= Designed seed in km per hour
R= Radius of curvature in meters

Consider to act at a height of 1.2 m above the level of the carriageway :

No increase for impact effect.

Bridges Loads, Forces,&

Stresses

Buoyancy:

For full Buoyancy a reduction is made in the gross weight of the member:
Member displaces water only in shallow foundations, the reduction in weight
equal to the volume of displaced water.
Member under consideration displaces water and also silt and sand (deep
piers and abutment), the upward pressure causing the reduction in weight
shall be
a. Full hydrostatic pressure due to a depth of water equal to the difference
in level between the free surface and the foundation
b. Upward pressure due to the submerged weight of the silt or sand in
accordance with Rankin's theory.
In design of submerged masonry or concrete , the buoyancy through pore
pressure may be limited to 15% of full buoyancy.
In case of submerged bridgeless, the full buoyancy of super structure be
considered.

Bridges Structural Design

Earth Pressure:

Approach slab:

In accordance with any rational theory. Coulombs theory is accepted.

All abutments and return walls shall be designed for a live load
surcharge equivalent to 1.2m earth fill.
RCC approach slab with 12mm dia. 150mm c/c in each direction both
at top and bottom as reinforcement in concrete grade in M30 for the
entire width of road way for a length not less than 3.5m.

Temperature:
Seismic Forces:

Both the horizontal and vertical forces acting simultaneously.

Horizontal seismic force:
Feq = G
Where = Horizontal seismic coefficient.
= Coefficient depending on the soil foundation
= coefficient - important bridges 1.5 and other bridges..1.0
Horizontal Seismic coefficient ;

Bridges Structural Design

Zone

I
0.01

II
0.02

0.04

III
0.05

IV

0.08

Seismic forces shall not be considered in the direction of live

load but in the direction perpendicular to the traffic.

Bridges Structural Design

Super structure:

Design of Deck slab or girder

As per MOST drawings
IRC:6-2000, IRC: 21-2000

Sub structure:
Piers:
Minimum thickness 1000mm
All abutments and return walls shall be designed adopting
coulombs/Rankins theory, with top width 500mm.
All abutments and return walls shall be designed for a live load
surcharge equivalent to 1.2m earth fill.

Approach slab:
RCC approach slab with 12mm dia. 150mm c/c in each direction
both at top and bottom as reinforcement in concrete grade in
M30 for the entire width of road way for a length not less than
3.5m.

Bridges Structural Design

Miscellaneous Items:

RCC Kerbs
Railing:
Expansion, contraction, construction Joints
Drainage spouts
Wearing coat
Pedestals & Drainage arrangements
Bearings
Dirt Walls
Guide posts
Weep holes

Minimum Concrete grade:

RCC : M20
RCC for Deck slab and Girders: M25
CC: M15
Leveling course: M10

Bridges Foundations

Factor of safety:

2.5.
6 to8

Not exceeding 1 in400 of the distance between two foundations.

Permissible Tension:

Allowable Settlement (differential settlement)

Factor of safety on Soils

Factor of safety on Rock

No tension on soils
In rock the base area to be reduced to a size where no tension will occur such reduced area not < 67%

Factor of safety for stability:

For open foundations:

With out Seismic
2
1.5
1.25

i.
ii.
iii.

Against overturning
Against sliding
Against deep-seated failure

Frictional coefficient Tan , being angle friction:

with Seismic
1.5
1.25
1.15

Between soil and concrete 0.5

Between rock and concrete0.8 for good rock and 0.7 for fissured rock.

Bridges Foundations

Well Foundations:

Minimum dimension
: 2m
Circular well exceeds 12m Twin D- shaped may be adopted.

Steining Thickness:

Minimum thickness (h in m) not < 500mm and

h = K d l1/2 where d is external diameter of well in m, l is depth of well in m

k= a constant 0.03 for CC and 0.039 for twin D well.

If depth of well is >30m the thickness may be reduced above scour level in slope 1H: 3V.

Concrete Grade:

Tilt and Shifts:

Well shall sunk plumb without any tilt or shift.

A tilt of 1 in 80 and a shift of 150mm due to translation (both additive) shall be considered in design.

Cutting edge: In mild steel not < 40 Kg. per cum.

Well Curb:

Plain cc wells M15 and in sever exposed conditions no < M20, cement not<310 Kg/cum and w/c not >0.45
Plain cc wells, vertical reinforcement not <0.12% of gross sectional area and tied up with hoop steel not < 0.04%
In case of RCC, Vertical steel not < 0.2%. On the inner face not < 0.06% and transverse reinforcement < 0.04% of the volume per unit
length of the seining.

In variably in RCC grade not < M25 with minimum steel 72 Kg. per cum.
The internal angle 300 to 370
In case of blasting anticipated steel plate of thickness not < 10mm up to top of well curb.

Bottom Plug:

Bridges Foundations

Well Foundations:
Cutting edge: In mild steel not < 40 Kg. per cum.
Well Curb:

In variably in RCC grade not < M25 with minimum steel 72 Kg. per cum.
The internal angle 300 to 370
In case of blasting anticipated steel plate of thickness not < 10mm up to top of well curb.

Bottom Plug:

Top shall be 300mm above top of kerb with suitable sump (shear Key) below the level of cutting
edge.
CC with minimum cement 330 Kg. per cum. Increase cement for Tremie concrete.

Filling of well:

Refill with excavated earth or sand

Plug over fill:
300mm thick in CC M15.

Well Cap:

Bottom of well cap be below LWL

Reinforcement from steining shall be anchored in well cap
Design on any acceptable rational method.
Sinking of well:
Sinking of well can not be started till the cured for at least 48 hours.

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