In
engineering,
abutment refers to the substructure at the ends of a bridge
span or
dam whereon the structure's superstructure rests or contacts. Single-span
bridges have abutments at each end which provide vertical and lateral support for the bridge, as well as acting as retaining walls to resist lateral movement of the earthen
fill of the bridge approach. Multi-span bridges require
piers to support ends of spans unsupported by abutments. Dam abutments are generally either side of a valley or gorge but may be artificial in order to support arch dams such as
Kurobe Dam in Japan.