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Meaning & use

abutment bridge

noun·Advancedtechnical

Last updated

UK/əˈbʌtmənt brɪdʒ/
US/əˈbʌtmənt brɪdʒ/

Meanings

  1. nouncountabletechnical

    A bridge whose end supports rest on abutments, the solid structures that take the weight and push of the span.

    Grammar: Countable: you can say 'an abutment bridge' or 'abutment bridges'.

    Patterns

    • an abutment bridge over something
    • build an abutment bridge

    The old abutment bridge across the river has stood for over a century.

    Engineers chose an abutment bridge because the banks were firm enough to carry the load.

    A narrow abutment bridge connects the two sides of the valley.

  2. nouncountabletechnical

    The end support structure of a bridge, especially the part that holds back the earth behind it.

    Grammar: Often used in the plural when talking about both ends: 'the abutment bridges were reinforced'.

    Patterns

    • reinforce the abutment bridge
    • the abutment bridge at each end

    Workers strengthened the abutment bridge before the new road opened.

    The abutment bridge on the north side had shifted slightly after the flood.

    Inspectors found cracks in the abutment bridge and closed the crossing.

Word forms

pluralabutment bridges

Common combinations

abutment bridge design
The course covers abutment bridge design and soil pressure.
build an abutment bridge
They plan to build an abutment bridge where the ferry used to run.
abutment bridge over a river
An abutment bridge over a river must resist strong currents.
concrete abutment bridge
The concrete abutment bridge was cheaper than a steel one.

Synonyms and how they differ

bridge
The general word; 'abutment bridge' is more specific and mainly used by engineers.
viaduct
A long bridge with many arches or spans, often across a valley; an abutment bridge may be shorter and simpler.

Word family

abutment noun
The solid support at the end of a bridge or arch.
abut verb
To touch or lean against something at the edge.

Commonly confused: abutment bridge or abutment?

abutment bridge vs abutment

'Abutment' is the support structure itself, while 'abutment bridge' refers to the whole bridge that uses such supports.

Practice

The engineers decided to build an abutment bridge because the riverbanks were ___.

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