This exclusive civil engineering articles briefly highlights the basic variations among bridge and flyover.

A bridge stands for a structure that arranges passage over a barrier devoid of ceasing the way underneath. The necessary passage is intended for a road, a railway, pedestrians, a canal or pipeline. The barrier that has to pass may come in the form of a river, a road, railway or a valley.

Given below, the major parts of a bridge:-

Decking that includes slab, girders, trusses etc.

Bearing for the decking

Abutments and piers

Foundations for the abutments and piers

River training works, like revetment for slopes at abutment, aprons at bed level etc.

Approaches to the bridge to attach the bridge firmly to the roads on either side.

Handrails, guard stones etc

Because the traffic on the road getting increased and there is no space abandoned in both the dimensions, then it is necessary to opt for the third dimension and it is provided via flyover construction.

Flyover stands for a bridge that holds one road or railway line over another either containing or not containing subsidiary roads for making transition among the two.

The following types of flyover are generally found:-

Road Crossing

Railway Crossing

Simple Flyover

Cloverleaf Junction

Road Crossing (Simple Flyover) - Here, the main road is utilized for rapid traffic that is formed to move at a high level with a bridge arranging ramps on both the approaches; and the sluggish traffic is formed to move below. So, the traffics move at two different levels and as a result no accident occurs.

Railway Crossing - High traffic crowding occurs at railway crossing with regard to the frequency of trains passing through or the traffic on the road, in both the situations the flyover should be arranged along the road.

Cloverleaf Junction - An extensive area of land is needed for this. All contrasting flows of traffic are bypassed and consequently traffic can pass at its own pace. It is more effective as compared to roundabout since there is no requirement for zigzagging and slowing down.