Associated Problems
Bridge drainage is important for structural loads, end user satisfaction and stain control. An accumulation of water in a certain area of the bridge can add to the dead loads and could put the foundations and supports under a great amount of pressure.
Pools of water can accumulate and may make it difficult for the end user to cross. Stains and water damage to materials can also be a problem here. Therefore it is essential both by regulation and by good design that the drainage strategy for the bridge is
Solution
The idea for an ‘in-built’ drainage strategy came from the use of a drain pipe as part of the formwork for our model. The idea that the ‘undercarriage’ of the bridge could hold and channel water as part of its structure rather than a disapproving piped structure fixed underneath.
At the Mithras House side, the topography is such that a water spout could be used to drain down the existing road and into the gulley. However, the Preston Barracks side is far higher up off the ground to the point where a spout could cause water to fall rapidly and splash around lifting dirt and mud and producing a poor aesthetic.
In turn, this system will need to be piped and this can easily be achieved using a branch over to the supports for the ramp. This will then drain into either an existing system or otherwise the new drainage system within the Preston Barracks development.
Image Reference: http://www.secpinc.com/products/fiberglass-frp-drainage-systems