VESSEL COLLISION DESIGN OF BRIDGES. IN: BRIDGE ENGINEERING: SUBSTRUCTURE DESIGN

Experience has shown that the use of vessel impact and bridge protection requirements for planning and design of new bridges has resulted in a significant change in proposed structure types over navigable waterways. Incorporation of the risk of vessel collision and cost of protection in the total bridge cost has almost always resulted in longer span bridges being more economical than traditional shorter span structures, since the design goal for developing the bridge pier and span layout is the least cost of the total structure. It is recognized that vessel collision is but one of a multitude of factors involved in the planning process for a new bridge. The designer must balance a variety of needs including political, social, and economic in arriving at an optimal bridge solution for a proposed highway crossing.