Challenges Faced In Design of Most Unbalanced Cantilever Continuous P.S.C. Bridge Over River Munawar at Beripattan, in J&K, India

The paper highlights the challenges faced in planning & design of an unique bridge in Jammu & Kashmir, which has been completed recently. This highly unbalanced two lane bridge with footpath is having a total length of 124m between face to face of dirt wall with span arrangement of 14m+96m+14m. The span arrangement was dictated by the site constraints. The central span of this variable depth PSC box girder Superstructure is constructed by cast-in-situ cantilever method of construction. 14m end Spans are anchored firmly with the abutment at both the ends by using prestressed vertical cables. 18 cables with 288 strands of 12.7mm diameter have been used to anchor the superstructure with each abutment. The reaction from Superstructure to the Abutment is ‘upward’ unlike the conventional bridges, where the load transferred is ‘downward’. The upward load transfer from Superstructure to the abutment is achieved by using a portal frame with inverted free bearing. Overall stability of the system is achieved by provising adequate counter weight on the box type abutment. Foundation for both the piers and abutments are on open foundation, resting on hard rocky strata.