Rigid-frame bridge

Emílio Henrique Baumgart and Arthur G. Hayden, in particular, gained notoriety for their use of concrete rigid frames in the early 1920s.

Single span rigid-frame bridges are typically made of reinforced concrete and are commonly used on parkways and other roadways.

[4] This design is an efficient use of material as the cross section at mid-span is relatively narrow and the amount of concrete needed at the abutments is reduced.

[4] The narrow section at mid-span gives the bridge profile a slight arch shape making this design particularly useful when large headroom is required.

[citation needed] Batter-post rigid frame bridges are defined by their supports that run from the deck to the abutments at an angle.

In the past few years, most research on rigid frame bridges is related to retrofitting existing structures to meet new seismic specifications.

[9] This research often finds that the amount of reinforcing required at beam-to-column joints needs to be increased in concrete structures.

[9] Tests have shown that by using steel fiber reinforced concrete, the anchorage length of rebar can be reduced while improving shear and flexural capacities.