Abutment

This article is about physical structures. For the mathematical concept, see spectral sequence. For property law, see abutter. For dental structures, see abutment (dentistry).

Cream-colored concrete abutment gives vertical support to the small red rail bridge, and to the earthen fill of the bridge approach embankment

Kurobe Dam rests on artificial concrete abutments

Abutment for a large steel arch bridge

In engineering, abutment refers to the substructure at the ends of a bridge span or dam whereon the structure's superstructure rests or contacts.^[1] Single-span bridges have abutments at each end which provide vertical and lateral support for the bridge, as well as acting as retaining walls to resist lateral movement of the earthen fill of the bridge approach. Multi-span bridges require piers to support ends of spans unsupported by abutments.^[2] Dam abutments are generally the natural valley walls but may be artificial in order to support arch dams such as Kurobe Dam in Japan.^[1]^[3]

The term may also refer to the structure supporting one side of an arch,^[4] or masonry used to resist the lateral forces of a vault.^[5] The word derives from the verb "abut", meaning to "touch by means of a mutual border".

Use of abutments in engineering

An abutment may be used for the following:

To transfer loads from a superstructure to its foundation elements.
To resist and/or transfer self weight, lateral loads (such as the earth pressure) and wind loads.
To support one end of an approach slab.

Types of abutments

There are different types of abutments including:

Gravity Abutment, resists horizontal earth pressure with its own dead weight
U Abutment, U shaped gravity abutment
Cantilever Abutment, Cantilever retaining wall designed for large vertical loads
Full Height Abutment, Cantilever abutment that extends from the underpass grade line to the grade line of the overpass roadway
Stub Abutment, Short abutments at the top of an embankment or slope. Usually supported on piles
Semi-Stub Abutment, Size between full height and stub abutment
Counterfort Abutment, Similar to counterfort retaining walls
Spill-through Abutment, Vertical buttresses with open spaces between them
MSE systems,“Reinforced earth” system: modular units with metallic reinforcement
Pile Bent abutment, Similar to Spill-through Abutment

References

↑ 1.0 1.1 "Glossary - "Abutment"". U.S. Bureu of Reclamation. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
↑ Abbett, Robert W. (1957). American Civil Engineering Practice III. New York: John Wiley & Sons. pp. 26–22&26–32.
↑ "関西電力　黒部川第四発電所 (Kurobe Kansaidenryoku Fourth plant)" (in Japanese). Suiryoku.com. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
↑ Beall, Christine (1987). Masonry Design and Detailing for Architects, Engineers and Builders. McGraw-Hill. p. 449. ISBN 0-07-004223-3.
↑ Pevsner, N. (1970) Cornwall; 2nd ed. Harmondsworth: Penguin; p. 245

External links

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