STRUCTURAL BEHAVIOR COMPARISON OF RCC, PRESTRESSED CONCRETE, AND STEEL GIRDER BRIDGES FOR URBAN TRAFFIC LOADS

Urban flyovers are important parts of the transportation system, and choosing the right bridge superstructure system has a big effect on how well the structure works, how safe it is, and how well it can handle more traffic. This study offers a comparative analysis of the structural performance of Reinforced Cement Concrete (RCC), Prestressed Concrete (PSC), and Steel Girder bridges under urban traffic loads. A standard urban flyover span is examined, and each bridge type is evaluated under uniform geometric configurations, material characteristics, and loading conditions, in compliance with applicable Indian Roads Congress (IRC) standards. To see how well each system can carry loads and how well it works, we look at important structural response metrics like bending moment, shear force, deflection, and stress distribution. The results show that prestressed concrete bridges function better because they have less deflection and use stress more efficiently. This makes them good for medium to long spans in cities. Steel girder bridges are very strong for their weight and can be built faster, while RCC bridges work well for shorter spans but have higher deflections. The comparative results give us useful information about how to choose the best type of bridge for urban flyover use based on how it behaves structurally and how much traffic it can handle. Keywords: Bridges made of RCC, prestressed concrete, steel girders, and flyovers; urban traffic loads; and structural behaviour