Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 7.10
Types of pier
columns or other such fantasies is legion. Also, for some reason, there is a fashion for
inclining piers, usually for no engineering reason.
Despite their simplicity, there is an engineering and functional logic that should act
as a starting point for the aesthetic design of piers.
Concrete is at its most economical when it is in direct compression, needing only
the bare minimum of reinforcement. When it is subjected to signifi cant bending,
heavier steel reinforcement is needed which increases its cost, and slows construction.
Consequently, the simplest and cheapest way to carry loads from the deck to the
foundations is to place a vertical column between the bearing and the foundation.
If the foundation then consists of a single pile beneath each column, the vertical
