About 15 years ago, the first author, A. J. Reis, was invited by Wiley to write a book on Bridge Design that could be adopted as textbook for bridge courses and as a guideline for bridge engineers. The author's bridge course notes from the University of Lisbon, updated over almost 30 years, were the basis for this book. For different reasons, the completion of the book was successively postponed until a final joint effort with the second author, J. J. Oliveira Pedro, made this long project a reality. The book mainly reflects the long design experience of the authors and their academic lecturing and research activities.

Bridge design is a multidisciplinary activity. It requires a good knowledge and understanding of a variety of aspects well beyond structural engineering. Road and railway design, geotechnical and hydraulic engineering, urban planning or environmental impact and landscape integration are key aspects. Architectural, aesthetic and environmental aspects are nowadays recognized as main engineering issues for bridge designers. However, these subjects cannot be studied independently of structural and construction aspects, such as the bridge erection method. On the other hand, what differentiates bridge design from building design, for example, is generally the role of the bridge engineer as a leader of the design process. Hence, the first aim of this book is to present an overview on all these aspects, discussing from the first bridge concepts to analysis in a unified approach to bridge design.

The choice of structural materials and the options for a specific bridge type are part of the design process. Therefore, the second aim of the book is to discuss concepts and principles of bridge design for the most common cases – steel, concrete or composite bridges. Good bridge concepts should be based on simple models, reflecting the structural behaviour and justifying design options. Sophisticated modelling nowadays adopts available software, most useful at advanced stages of the design process. However, it should be borne in mind that complex modelling does not make necessarily a good bridge concept.

The methodology to select the appropriate bridge typology and structural material is discussed in the first four chapters of this book. Examples, mainly from the authors’ design experiences, are included. General aspects and bridge design data are presented in Chapter 2. Actions on bridges are included in Chapter 3 with reference to the Eurocodes. Structural safety concepts for bridge structures and limit state design criteria are also outlined in this chapter. Chapter 4 includes the conceptual design of bridge super‐ and substructures. Basic concepts for prestressed concrete, steel or steel concrete composite bridges, with slab, slab‐girder and box girder decks are dealt with. These topics are discussed in relation to superstructures and execution methods such as classical falsework, formwork launching girders, incremental launching and balanced cantilevering. Bridge substructures are referred to in Chapter 4 as well, namely for the basic typologies of bridge piers, abutments and foundations.

Architectural, environmental, and aesthetic aspects that could be adopted as primary guidelines when developing a bridge concept are addressed in Chapter 5. Principles are explained on the basis of design cases from the authors’ design practices. Of course, this could have been done on the basis of many other bridges. However, it is sometimes difficult to comment on bridge aesthetics while not being aware of design, cost or execution constraints faced by other designers.

Specific aspects of structural analysis and design are dealt with in Chapters 6 and 7. Particular reference is made in Chapter 6 to simplified approaches to the preliminary superstructure design. These approaches can also be adopted to check results from sophisticated numerical models at the detailed design stages. The influence of the erection method on structural analysis and design of prestressed concrete, steel and composite bridge superstructures is considered in Chapter 6. Particular reference is made to safety during construction stages and redistribution of internal forces due to time dependent effects. Chapter 6 ends with some design concepts and analysis for bowstring arch bridges and cable‐stayed bridges. Of course, due to the scope of the book, the aspects dealt with for these specific bridge types are introductory in nature.

The substructure structural analysis and design is presented in Chapter 7. The distribution of horizontal forces between piers and abutments due to thermal, wind and earthquake actions is discussed. Stability of bridge piers and reinforced concrete design aspects are dealt with. Bridge bearing typologies and specifications are introduced. Particular reference is made to bridge seismic isolation and different types of seismic isolation devices are presented.

The book ends with Chapter 8, which presents a simple design case with two different superstructure solutions – a prestressed concrete deck and a steel‐concrete composite deck. The application of design principles presented throughout the book is outlined.

The authors expect readers may find this book useful and in some way it will contribute to bridges reflecting the ‘art of structural engineering’.