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In this article, we will discuss the Differences Between Bridge And Culvert.
Bridges and culverts are essential elements of the infrastructure of engineering structures. Both deliver passage for transportation, generally over running water, so problematizing them with each other is normal.
Bridges and culverts can be differentiated by different elements, including their length, purpose, design complexity, building components, and structure.
a. Bridge
The bridge is a structure that spreads horizontally between two or more supports, whose work is to carry vertical loads.
A bridge is a structure that carries a roadway or railway over a physical obstacle, such as a river, lake, or even another road or railway.
The parts of the bridge structure generally contain:
a. Superstructure or decking part
b. Bearings
c. Substructure parts
b. Culvert
A culvert is a closed conduit placed under the embankment to carry water across the roadway.
Culverts are preferred to minor bridges since culverts are always beneath the carriageway, whereas bridge surfaces form a part of the carriageway. Culverts are designed to flow ultimately under m conditions, and bridges are designed to pass floating debris or vessels.
A culvert is a tunnel structure that permits flowing water to move under a roadway or railway. Culvert is also helpful for water drainage or bridging the opening over a physical obstruction.
1. Differences Between Bridge and Culvert
The purpose of both bridges and culverts is to provide a transportation route over obstructions, which is why they may occur the same. Still, the span length differentiates explicitly between the two structures. Other elements also placed culverts and bridges apart, like terrain and design.
Here are the differences between bridges and culverts are mentioned below:
| Bridge | Culvert | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | A bridge is a transportation passage (for people or vehicles) over a massive body of water or physical obstruction. | A culvert is a tunnel-like structure that permits water to flow under a roadway or railway. |
| 2 | The critical elements of a bridge are the superstructure (holds load), substructure (share load to foundation soil), and deck (share surface load to other elements). | The elements of a culvert are relatively more straightforward and possess concrete boxes or cells (single or multiple), pipes, a top deck or slab, and holding parts. |
| 3 | Bridges are made at a height of more than 20 feet. | Culverts are made less than 20 feet high over the obstacles. |
| 4 | A bridge length varies from 6 meters (minor bridges) to more than 120 meters. | The length of the culverts mostly doesn’t exceed more than 6 meters. |
| 5 | Piers and abutments are the holding structures of a bridge. | Culverts are implanted in the soil, which holds the central portion of the culvert load. |
| 6 | A bridge possesses no floor. | A culvert is an enveloping structure with two sides: a roof and a floor. |
| 7 | Building a solid and deep foundation is essential in building a bridge. The foundation along the whole breadth holds the bridge. | No deep foundation is needed for a culvert. |
| 8 | A bridge is majorly a linear and straight passage. | Culverts are enclosed structures that can be semi-circular, rectangular, elliptical, or pear-shaped. |
| 9 | The structure and design of a bridge are complicated and hard. Hence its construction requires a considerable budget. | The construction of a ditch can be done with a low budget. |
| 10 | Bridges are majorly made at the site or pre-constructed in smaller parts. | Culverts can be pre-constructed or made at the construction site (in situ culverts). |
| 11 | The construction of bridges usually needs a lot of time and manpower. | Culverts are more straightforward in structure and design, so that they can be made with less time and labor. |
| 12 | Bridges offer a more Easily reached path of transportation that saves time and decreases distance. | Culverts are structures that control water logging, flooding, and erosion. They permit water to flow naturally under a roadway or railway, ensuring that the surrounding areas remain safe and stable. Roadway or railway, ensuring that the surrounding areas stay safe and stable. |
| 13 | A bridge is built over a massive body of water with variable flow. | A trench is made when water requires to be carried through tunnels or channels under a roadway. |
| 14 | Bridges can resist heavy and speeding vehicles. | Some culverts, like box culverts, own sharp corners inappropriate for high-velocity vehicles. |
| 15 | The only means of transportation available is by crossing the bridge’s deck. | A culvert can facilitate the passage of roadways over and under its deck. For example, it can be constructed over another road or railway. |
This was for the Differences Between Bridge And Culverts.
2. References1. Content Filter & Authenticity Checking Team, Dream Civil International (Our team checks every content & detail to maintain quality.) |
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