Parts Of A Bridge

There are five major components that make up a typical bridge. They include:

• Pile - A concrete post that is driven into the ground to act as a leg or support for the new bridge. It is driven into the ground using a pile-driver. The pile-driver is a machine that acts similar to a hammer hitting a nail and drives the pile into the ground.
• Cap - The cap sits on top of a group of piles and will help disperse pressure to the piles below.
• Bent - This is the combination of the cap and the pile. Together, with other bents, act as supports for the entire bridge.
• Girders - Girders are like the arms of the bridge. They extend from bent to bent and support the bridge decking. They also help disperse pressure to the bents.
• Decking - The decking is what we would consider the road surface of the bridge. It rests on the girders, which are supported by the bents that are made up of caps and piles.

Click here to view a graphic showing what each component looks like.​​