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The Collapse of Jahu Bridge (Himachal Pradesh) A Case Study

Conference Paper · January 2018

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Pankaj Sharma Jala Sudheer Kumar

Jaypee University of Information Technology Dav Institute of Engineering and Technology
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The Collapse of Jahu Bridge (Himachal Pradesh)
A Case Study
Pankaj Sharma, J. Sudheer Kumar

Post Graduation Student, Assistant Professor,

Department of Civil Engineering, DAV Institute of Engineering and Technology,Jalandhar,India

___________________________________________________________________________________

Abstract
Engineering is usually about avoiding failures and investigating why failures occur and ways to fix the
problem. There is a need to understand the conditions giving rise to past failures and ways to avoid such
failures so that loss of life can be minimized. Let’s have a case study over Jahubridge (Himachal
Pradesh).The major part of concrete bridge on Seer Khadd and Jabothi khadd had got damages and
washed away due to heavy rain on dated August 11, 2007 & August 12, 2007. Now, a new Bailey bridge
was constructed over the site within two years. Again the bailey bridge over Seer Khadd was collapsed in
the morning on 14th August, 2014 due to heavy rains.

This paper investigates the behavior and the failure mechanism of the bridge both of the time.Scouring of
foundation was major cause for bridge failure. To understand the characteristics of bridge failures under
scour conditions and provide useful information for scour countermeasure. This paper describes the
failure causes and suggests engineering lessons to be learned.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Introduction

Bridge is structure that provides passage over obstacles such as river, valleys or rough terrain. Bridges are
of various types like arch bridge, beam bridge, cable-stayed bridge, cantilever bridge, continuous span
bridge, movable bridge, truss arch bridge etc. The case study is over bridge failure, which is at Jahu,
Himachal Pradesh. The Seer Khadd and Jabothi Khadd is located in the northern region of India. The
bridge was located at distance of 460 km from New Delhi and 30 km from District Hamirpur .This is
important link road which serves and connect three districts Mandi, Bilaspur and Hamirpur. This Point is
considered as the center of Himachal Pradesh. On August 11, 2007 & August 12, 2007 due to heavy rain
the concrete bridge got collapsed. Then with in two year government constructed a new bridge over the
site. But on August 14th, 2014 the steel bridge also got collapsed due to soil erosion from foundation. This
study is important because bridge collapsed two times due to same reason i.e. scouring of foundation.
Local scour around the bridge abutment is one of the most critical causes of bridge failure.
Figure 1 Site Map of Seer Khadd and Jabothi Khadd

Site Description and Geology

The site of bridge is at very critical point where two rivers i.e. Seerkhadd and Jabothi khadd meets each
other. During summer these rivers have very low water level. The main source of water is only rain,
which fed these rivers during Monsoon. The mean annual precipitation of Jahu (Himachal Pradesh, India)
is 1411mm and the mean annual temperature is 21.9°𝐶. The site includes clay and loose rocky strata with
boulder deposits.

Bridge description
Bridge type Concrete bridge (arch bridge)
Span 56.30m
Damaged Portion of bridge 30.72m
Total damaged portion with surrounding 92m
Construction era 1961-1966
Foundation Shallow foundation
The construction of Jahu bridge was during third five year plan (1961-1966).The span of bridge was
56.30m and damaged portion of bridge due to vented causeway was= 30.72m.The bridge was resting over
two abutment and pier was located at the center. Load is transferring between pier and abutment is by
mean of arch. As shown in fig.2.

Figure 2 section of arch bridge

Failure cause of arch bridge-

Scouring of foundation is considered primary causes of failure as it occupies around 60% of total bridge
failure together with other hydraulic causes. This bridge collapsed mainly due to scouring of soil below
the foundation. Scouring of foundation can occur all over the year, it reaches peak when flood comes in
water body over which a bridge is spanning. History of bridge failure indicates scouring of streambed
around abutments and piers of bridge, led to maximum bridge failures.

Scour at bridges is a very complex process. Scour and channel instability processes, including local scour
at the piers and abutments, contraction scour, channel bed degradation, channel widening, and lateral
migration, can occur simultaneously.

The sum and interaction of all of these river processes create a very complex phenomenon that has, so far,
eluded mathematical modeling. To further complicate a mathematical solution,
mitigation measures, such as riprap, grout bags, and gabions, may be in place at the abutments and piers.
Any mathematical model would have to account for these structures as well.
The interactions of the processes of local scour, contractionscour, channel bed degradation, channel
widening, and lateralmigration are unknown. The total vertical erosion at the bridge is then simply the
sum of the scour and bed degradation. Because no other formation is available, this assumption
provides a conservative estimate. Lateral channel instabilities are typically considered separately from
scour and bed degradation, and the estimate of their effect on bridgefoundations is often based on
judgment and experience. Theinteractions of scour and channel instabilities are very difficult to predict.
Certainly the processes may not be independent butrather related to each other and the resulting impact on
the bridge.
Figure 3 Collapse of arch bridge

Figure 4 Plan of Seer Khadd Showing Damaged Portion

Bridge description (second time)
Due to heavy rain in the catchment of Seer Khadd on the night of 13th August, 2014 and in early
morning of 14th August, 2014 bailey bridge over Seer Khadd at Jahu washed away at about 7:00 am.
During second time of construction, the setup was totally changed.

The salient features of the bridge are as under

1) Type of bridge - Bailey type (deck bridge)

2) Span - 51.80 m
3) Carriage way - 4.25m
4) Loading - IRC Class 24R

Figure 3 Bailey bridge over Seer Khadd

The bridge was resting over loose rocky strata. The bridge was resting over the pile foundation of 4m
deep. Two piles were provided on each side. Over the piles, a wall type bridge abutment similar to a
cantilever retaining wall was there. It is clear from fig.3

This time bridge did not have any center support, whereas span was 51 m long.

Failure reasons of bridge during second time

(1) Poor communication between the various design professionals involved, e.g. engineers involved in
conceptual design and those involved in the supervision of execution of works.

(2) Poor communication between the fabricators and erectors.

(3) Bad workmanship, which is often the result of failure to communicate the design decisions to the
persons, involved in executing them.

(4) Compromises in professional ethics and failure to appreciate the responsibility of the profession to the
community at large could also result in catastrophic failures.

Other common causes of structural failure are summarised below:

 The bridge is totally rest over lose rocky strata with mountainous soil.

 The foundation is lie over 4.5 m longpile, piles are square and only two in number on each side
according to design consideration, but according to location it may require more pile.

 This type of bridge require proper repair andmaintenance, so if there is any crack then it has to
apply grouting operation. But there should not be such operation was made.

 The bridge should require some central support as in case first, but poor workmanship avoid the
central support of bridge. As shown in fig 4.

Figure 4 showing how bridge fails during its second time

Loss of lives

In 2007, two people lost their lives and in 2014, three people lost their lives during the collapse of Jahu
bridge.
Figure 5 Sketch of collapsed bailley bridge second time at site Jahu, H.P.P.W.D DIVISION
BARSAR

Expenditure With Respect To Time

Bridge Sr.No. Time Period Expenditure Span
First time 1961-66 ___ 56m
Second Time 2007-2010 Rs 13,50,000 51.80m
Now expected cost for 2015- Present Rs 68,43,800 153.3488m (now on
third Time progress)
Figure 6 Showing total loss of bridge during second time

Proposal for Third Time Construction

Bridge span =153.5m (5 span of 30.00 m C/C of bearing Rcc box Girder)
Abutment height of 8 m

Conclusion
It became important to under water inspection or instrumentation as a bridge management tool i.e. visual
monitoring followed by flood watch and follow-up monitoring of scour for critical bridges.
Use of modern techniques:- The use of wireless and remote sensors enables the movements of bridges to
be monitored around the clock. This is most desirable in flood situations. Modern sensors, when installed
on scour critical bridges, minimize the possibility of sudden collapse and serve as a warning for a bridge
to be closed.
Depth of foundation is not only preferred according to design some time according to location it may
vary. The way of river should be properly cleaned such that to avoid meandering of river. A proactive
approach must be made in order to limit any of the effects from concrete spalling. Investigation through
non-destructive methods can provide information early on so a preemptive response can be conducted.
Examples of non-destructive methods include ground penetrating radar (GPR) and infrared analysis.
Ultimately, a regular inspection schedule is crucial for proper care of any bridge structure.

REFERENCES

Streamlining of Bridge Pier as a Scour Countermeasure: A Feasibility Study

Junhong Li1, Junliang Tao2*, A.M. ASCE and Xiong (Bill) Yu3, M. ASCE

HEC-18 (2012). Hydraulic Engineering Circular No. 18, Evaluating Scour at Bridges:
Fifth Edition.
 HEC-23 (2009). Bridge Scour and Stream Instability Countermeasures: Experience,
Selection and Design Guidance, Third Edition.

Landers, M. N. (1992)."Bridge Scour Data Management." Hydraulic Engineering:

Saving a Threatened Resourse, published by American Society of Civil
Engineering.

Briaud, Jean-Louis, “Failure of Bridges,” American Society of Civil Engineers, 2003.

Brauer, Roger L., Safety and Health for Engineers, 2nd Edition, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, NJ,
2006.

“Collapse of Jahu Bridge,” Himachal Pradesh Public works department, 2007 & 2014. Barsar

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