carriageway perimeter strip (Brückenkappe)

[Torsten]

Hi everybody,

Can you please tell me the difference between a "carriageway perimeter strip" and "bridge coping". As I understand it, both terms describe the edge of bridge. In German this is called "Brückenkappe" and it looks like this.

Thanks a lot,
Torsten
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[Jamie (K)]

Are you talking about the guard rails?

[Torsten]

Hi Jamie,

Thank you very much for your help.

Well, I think the "Brückenkappe" is simply the upper part of the bridge and the guard rails are attached to it. Here are some more pictures.

This one shows a the formwork of a "Brückenkappe".

This one was taken shorty after the concrete was filled into the ""Brückenkappe".

What do you call these in English?
Regards,
Torsten
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[Jamie (K)]

This is an engineering or architecture question. I have no idea what to call this.

[NinaZara]

I'd call it edging, which gives a proper end to the bridge; and this is usually what follows the sidewalk (for pedestrian), if you do a cross section to the bridge, you'd get this:

carriageway-> kerbs-> sidewalk-> edging (coping).

But now that I think about it, I think I've heard people say "bridge coping". And I think the "carriageway perimeter strip" is the kerbs, that follows the carriageway. And you are right, it provides space to build railings (for pedestrians) but I also think the purpose is architectural.

[Torsten]

Hi Nina,

Many thanks for your interesting thoughts. What you are saying makes perfect sense. I've found a German definition of "Brückenkappe" and it basically says that a "Brückenkappe" is the area between the curb/kerb and the outer edge of the bridge. Its purpose is to hold the guard rails and crash barriers. (Die Brückenkappe ist der Bereich zwischen Bordstein und Außenkante der Brücke; er dient der Aufnahme von Schutzplanken und Geländer.)

So, "bridge coping" seems like a good equivalent to "Brückenkappe".

Regards,
Torsten
PS: What does bridge coping mean in Malay and Japanese?
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[NinaZara]

Yes, I think bridge coping is the best way to describe it.

And I don't know what it means in Malay or Japanese. But I guess it's the same thing. Imagine a bridge without the finishing, it'll look like it's hanging in the air, almost primitive.

I am not a civil engineer. It was just an observation. I only studied structural dynamics of bridges, how to design bridges safely, studying cases of failed bridges and the properties that contributed to the failure. But I bet even Malaysian civil engineers would have a hard time explaining it in Malay because they also learn in English (it's hard to find engineering/medicine books in Malay, close to non).