January 12, 2026
In the 60s and 70s of the 20th century, due to the limitations of materials and technology, our country chose a large number of arch bridges when choosing bridge types for bridge construction, including hyperbolic arch bridges. Today, the number of service operations is still huge and heavy traffic volume, but due to its age, inspections and repairs need to be carried out regularly and frequently. This article mainly explains the common causes of hyperbolic arch bridges and related practical prevention and control measures.
Qianhe Bridge (completed in 1969)
What is an arch bridge?
Arch bridge is a common form of bridge structure, under the action of vertical load, the two ends of the arch will also produce inward thrust in addition to the vertical force, under the action of horizontal thrust, the internal bending moment of the arch is greatly reduced; When the arch axis design is reasonable, the arch can mainly bear pressure, shear force and bending moment less, so as to improve the bearing capacity and spanning capacity of the arch bridge.
Causes of hyperbolic arch bridge diseases
Design reasons
Most of these hyperbolic arch bridges built more than 30 years ago did not meet the design requirements of the "Highway Engineering Technical Standards" (JTJ B01-2003) issued by the Ministry of Communications in 2003. In today's increasing traffic volume, the strength, stiffness and stability of a large number of old bridges cannot meet the requirements.
Construction and maintenance reasons
Due to the characteristics of hyperbolic arch bridges "breaking into zero" and "setting zero into whole", coupled with the deviation of the arch axis and the error of splicing during the construction process, the integrity of some bridges is weak. In addition, during the operation process, a large number of diseases occurred in hyperbolic arch bridges due to aging materials, improper maintenance, and improper overload restrictions.
Hyperbolic arch bridges are common diseases
The hyperbolic arch bridge is named because the cross-section and longitudinal section of the main arch circle are curved. The hyperbolic arch bridge is mainly made ofArch ribs、Arch wave, arch plate,Horizontal connection(Tie beam,Diaphragm), arched buildings.
Arch ribs vertically facing cracks
There are vertical cracks in the arch ribs, and the number on both sides of the vault is relatively large, and there are usually three forms of vertical cracks in the arch ribs: vertical cracking of the web; the left/right web plate and the bottom plate are penetrated and cracked (L-shaped); The web and bottom plates on both sides are cracked through (U-shaped). The arch rib is prone to vertical cracks below the connection with the transverse tie. The sides are susceptible to rainwater erosion, causing surface weathering, peeling, and steel bar rust.
Vertical crack in the arch seat
Although the bottom is constrained by the foundation, the middle still produces a large negative bending moment, and the front wall is prone to vertical cracks, which extend to the upper and lower ends.
The arch seat of the rib arch bridge is cracked vertically
Transverse cracks in the ventral arch circle
The abdominal arch circle is mostly a small-span slab arch structure, the sagittal span ratio is relatively small, and it is a low-rib structure, and under the action of over-limit load, there is a transverse bridge crack on the bottom of the arch ring, and it gradually breaks with the development of the crack.
The arch wave longitudinal bridge towards the crack
Low concrete strength, small thickness and excessive load limit are the main reasons for longitudinal bridge cracks or even fractures in arch waves. Due to the presence of arch filler in the solid belly section, the bridge deck load is transmitted to the arch wave through the packing, and the arch wave is subjected to excessive cross-bridge bending moment, resulting in longitudinal cracking along the arch wave top.
Example diagram of arch wave cracks
The longitudinal bridge cracking of the arch wave in the fasting section is mainly due to the uneven load on the arch ribs, which cannot be coordinated with the arch wave as a whole, and the radial force is generated between the rib waves, and the tensile resistance of the arch wave is weak, resulting in the longitudinal bridge crack at the bottom of the arch wave. When the lateral connection between the arch ribs is insufficient or the strength is insufficient, the lateral stability of the arch bridge will be reduced, and longitudinal cracks will appear in the arch wave vault.
Example diagram of arch wave cracks
Cracks in the standing wall
Affected by the construction age, the arch walls of the hyperbolic arch bridges built in the early days are all low-ribbed structures, which are prone to cracking and other diseases under the action of over-limit loads. The stress mode of the manhole part of the vertical wall is similar to that of the beam, the two ends are constrained by the column, and the lower edge is less reinforced.
Cracks in the standing wall
Affected by the linear shape of the bridge deck (longitudinal and transverse slopes), under the action of live load, the upper end of the vertical wall is subjected to the uneven thrust of the belly arch along the bridge direction, and the bottom is bent due to the constraints of the bottom beam, and transverse or U-shaped cracks appear at the joint with the bottom beam.
Water seepage in the main arch circle
The water seepage of the main arch circle in the fasting section is mainly due to the cracking and damage of the bridge deck, poor waterproof function, poor drainage, and rainwater on the bridge deck through the ventral arch circle and the arch wall, which eventually leads to water seepage traces in the main arch circle.
Local water seepage in the main arch circle
Water seepage in the ventral arch circle, water erosion on the vertical wall and abutment
The lack of prevention and drainage functions of the bridge deck is the main reason for water seepage in the ventral arch circle, water erosion of the wall and abutment. There are longitudinal cracks in the bridge deck, and some drainage holes are blocked, and rainwater seeps into the arch filler through the damaged and cracked parts of the bridge deck, coupled with the poor drainage of the arch filler, resulting in water seepage in the gray joints of the ventral arch circle, water erosion of the standing wall and abutment.
Water seepage erosion and weathering of the abutment
Prevention and reinforcement measures for hyperbolic arch bridges
Due to the low stiffness and poor integrity of the hyperbolic arch bridge, the reinforcement and maintenance mainly focus on improving the overall rigidity, and take targeted measures for the damage degree of different components. The reinforcement content of hyperbolic arch bridges includes strengthening the main arch structure, strengthening the lateral connection, transforming the arch building, reinforcing piers and foundations, replacing the bridge deck paving, and changing the structural system.
The construction site of the Tea City Bridge in Hengnan County
Arch ribs reinforced
The arch rib is the skeleton of the main arch circle of the hyperbolic arch bridge, and it is also an important part of the combined section, and it is the most important stressed member. The common disease of hyperbolic arch bridges is the reduced bearing capacity caused by insufficient arch rib strength, and the reinforcement of arch ribs is crucial. Since the arch ribs usually have radial cracks at the vault and arch feet, they can usually be used according to their stress characteristicsPaste the steel plateorCarbon fiber clothor the method of enlarging the section and adding steel bars for reinforcement.
Paste the steel plate. Pasting steel plate is the joint force of steel plate and concrete through the combination of adhesive into a whole, which gives full play to the strength of the steel plate while basically not increasing its own weight, restricts the deformation of concrete, limits the development of cracks, and improves the bearing capacity of the arch ring.
Stick the carbon fiber cloth. The effect of pasting carbon fiber is similar to that of pasting steel plates, but carbon fiber reinforcement has many advantages that cannot be compared with other traditional reinforcement methods, such as light weight and high strength, no need for lapping, can adapt to the pasting requirements of curved components, corrosion resistance, moisture resistance, convenient construction, and good fatigue resistance. In addition to ordinary external adhesive reinforcement, carbon fiber composite materials can also be used to apply prestress, so that the strength of carbon fiber can be fully utilized, so it is suitable for the reinforcement and repair of bridge structures, mainly used for the reinforcement of insufficient bearing capacity of bent and sheared components (beams, plates, columns, etc.), and can also be used to use its winding restraint effect for the reinforcement of compressed columns and can effectively enhance the ductility of the reinforced components, which is conducive to structural seismic resistance. Under the reinforcement effect of carbon fiber, it can improve the bending capacity, increase the bearing capacity of the bending members, and curb the development of cracks and reduce cracking.
（3）Extended section method。 By outsourcing reinforced concrete, the cross-sectional size of the entire arch rib is enlarged, and the reinforcement ratio of the arch rib section is increased to improve the bending rigidity of the arch rib and improve the bearing capacity of the section. It is also possible to use the method of only increasing the cross-section of the arch foot, which is conducive to improving and adjusting the stress state of the two control sections of the arch foot and the vault, and plays the role of unloading to improve the bearing capacity of the arch bridge. The usual practice is to increase the arch ribs in the cross-sectional range at the arch foot, plant reinforcement on the arch base, fill it with newly poured concrete, and turn the arch foot into a solid reinforced concrete component to facilitate the overall stress of the structure.
Schematic diagram of the main arch rib enlarged section and the reinforcement structure of the additional base plate
Strengthen horizontal connections
Due to the structural characteristics of hyperbolic arch bridges, their cross-sectional integrity is poor, the lateral connection is weak, and the insufficient lateral connection will cause the instability of the transverse bridge. When there is no lateral connection or weak lateral connection between the arch ribs, under the action of concentrated load, the force and deformation of each arch rib after long-term operation are uneven in the direction of the cross bridge, and the relative deformation is large. By strengthening horizontal connections, wholeness can be enhanced.
Added horizontal connection diagram
Two methods are usually adopted: one is to enhance the transverse connection, which can change the original transverse tie beam to a diaphragm to increase the bonding area with the arch rib; The second is to increase the number of horizontal connections, and increase the horizontal connections according to different spans. When adding a horizontal tie rod reinforcement, the horizontal tie rod can be set in the middle of the span, near the 1/8 span and 1/4 span depending on the span size. When strengthening the reinforcement of the transverse tie beam, its position should be selected at the joint of the vault and arch ribs, as well as under the ventral arch pier (or column) and near the arch foot.
Renovation of arched buildings
Diseases such as damage and cracking of components of arched buildings can generally be repaired by gluing steel or pasting carbon fiber cloth, such as insufficient strength or stability of column components, which can be treated by winding carbon fiber and circumferential bundles. The concrete on the top of the column is crushed, and it can be treated by using the method of enclosing the steel mesh to increase the cross-section of the column to form the role of a hoop.
There are usually three ways to reduce the weight of arched buildings: first, the arched belly arch can be changed to a lighter bridge deck such as a lighter T-beam or hollow core plate; the second is to completely remove the original arch filler and replace it with lightweight materials for refilling; and the third is to change the wall pier to a column pier. The above three methods can effectively reduce the weight of the arch building to reduce the bending moment of the vault.
The belly arch of the arch bridge is reinforced
Reinforce the pier
Diseases in piers will lead to diseases in the superstructure of hyperbolic arch bridges, and pressure injection can be used for the treatment of pier diseasesEpoxy slurryClose cracks, or stick steel plates. If the disease is serious, reinforced concrete hoops can be used and external prestress is applied to reinforce the pier body. When the displacement of the pier is too large, it is necessary to use methods such as jacking to make the pier reset stable.
Schematic diagram of adding circle beams to reinforce the pier body
Replace the bridge deck paving
Due to the generally low strength of the bridge deck and pavement in the early stage, the bridge deck and pavement with high strength and good waterproof performance can be used for re-paving, and steel fiber or chemical polymer fiber can also be added to the bridge deck pavement to increase strength and crack resistance.
The asphalt layer of the bridge deck is paved
Change the structural system
If the reinforcement cannot meet the needs, according to the actual situation of the bridge, the method of changing the structural system can be used to demolish the original arch building and convert it into a truss arch or rigid frame arch. Before demolition, a demolition plan should be made to ensure the balance of force on the arch during demolition to avoid collapse accidents.
Cross-sectional view of the structure after reinforcement and renovation (unit: cm)
These hyperbolic arch bridges that have gone through wind and rain are not only the crystallization of engineering wisdom in a special historical period, but also the key objects of current traffic maintenance. Just as the old horse still needs to be carefully cared for, the scientific maintenance of these "bridge heroes" is not only related to road safety, but also to protect the history of infrastructure. Click to bookmark this article and prepare a practical guide for the "bridge physical examination" around you!
What do you want to know more about testing technology/career development/industry trends? Welcome to leave a message below the article, we will select typical questions and answer them one by one.
*Disclaimer
The pictures in this article are all from the Internet, if there is any infringement, please contact to delete
PS: Undertake various inspection services such as bridge inspection, power inspection, wind power inspection, etc. Provide customers with one-click systematic testing solutions, and can be privately edited (mainbeam) if necessary.
Westcoast New Area, Qingdao City ,Shandong Province ,China
