Any ideas on how to build a bridge?

[miniman]

GliderRider said:

My dad had to put in a bridge across a stream between a couple of meadows he owned, some years back. He went for the bed off an old Army lorry. The steelwork was fairly substantial, and the wooden bed was, as I recall, some Australian hardwood so hard it made woodworm look elsewhere for their lunch.

A quick look on ebay suggests you should get something for around the £500 mark for a civvy one and £1000 for an Army one. Search for 'flat bed body' or 'lorry bed'.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/22ft-x-8ft-FLAT-BED-BOD...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lorry-flat-bed-body/292...

Edited by GliderRider on Friday 1st June 16:14

I was going to say flatbed from a recovery truck.

[brycheiniog1]

This would solve the problem nicely

http://www.bridgesforsale.co.uk/bridge-for-sale/ac...

[Steve H]

Three pages of answers but nobody that's actually done this, what is PH coming to .


I've done it on a stream running through ditch/cutting about 2-3m wide and 1-2m deep. Normally not much water going through it but occasionally floods heavily so needed a fairly big capacity.

I went for concrete footings either side and built up with block/brick to form two walls running parallel to the stream.

We then used wooden formers to make an arch over the stream on each side and built over it with brickwork to for the side walls then used structured steel sheet across the main platform, supported it from underneath and poured a concrete slab with steel grid reinforcement.

It's had everything over it including an artic so I'm happy that it takes load ok



I do have photos (no custard, sorry, but probably could be arranged ), I used to use photobucket before they went tits up for free hosting what's the best way of doing this now?

[snake_oil]

Photobucket have backtracked so it works again now. Fill yer boots!

[Elysium]

The cheapest option by far will be to build a culvert. You will need permission from the relevant authorities.

[marky1]

Try these guys?

http://www.beaverbridges.co.uk/

[Steve H]

snake_oil said:

Photobucket have backtracked so it works again now. Fill yer boots!

Nice one thanks, avoidance of inevitable bankruptcy changed their mind I guess .

I'll fire some photos up later.

[lear]

Wow Steve, that sounds like some serious bridge building! I fear my intended effort will pale in comparison! What is structured steel sheet?

I still like the idea of a truck bed - was thinking a bale trailer would be ideal as they're a bit shorter and have less road gear attached to them. However I'm leaning towards steel I beams on screw piles with sleepers as I do want something permanent and reasonably aesthetic.

I just saw the most amazing suggestion on another site (which I am not proposing!!):

"Somebody round here rolled round bales into dried up stream
Bit of cheap shuttering
Then ready mix concrete
Instant bridge with arch
Cut bale up with chainsaw"

Culvert a good option but will definitely need consent and I think the water will occasionally get too high in flood season. Will post some pics of the intended site later today...

[lear]

marky1 said:

Try these guys?

http://www.beaverbridges.co.uk/

Thanks - actually got an email in to them asking if they have any of the short span bridges they rent available to buy.

[Elysium]

lear said:

Culvert a good option but will definitely need consent and I think the water will occasionally get too high in flood season. Will post some pics of the intended site later today...

You will need a head wall (eg sandbags) to take the impact of water driving against the culvert and potentially a wider attenuation basin upstream to act as storage peak flow.

It’s normal practice and not complex engineering. A civil and structural engineer can do the design and the structure itself will be a standard size concrete or corrugated steel pipe. Backfilled with stone then done.

Edited by Elysium on Saturday 2nd June 11:20

[DonkeyApple]

The two most common solutions for a stream like that would be to either dump an old trailer or ladder chassis across it if a farmer or lay a culvert. A fun as an actual bridge would be I’m really not sure one is needed for a stream.

[Steve H]

lear said:

Wow Steve, that sounds like some serious bridge building! I fear my intended effort will pale in comparison! What is structured steel sheet?

So this is the earliest stage I've got a photo of -




two walls built on a concrete foundation running parallel to the stream and small returns running at right angles. Plenty of steel reinforcement and concrete gets poured into the cavity for strength.





I don't have any of the slab being poured but this shows the result -



You can see the shuttering at the end holding the concrete in and the former for the brickwork arch.



The steel leaning against the wall in this one is the structured stuff we used, it's a lot like corrugated iron but has better strength and is designed to have concrete poured on to it although it still needs supporting from underneath while it sets -




Build up the driveway to match the height -



and it's a bridge!







hope this gives some ideas for your bridge!

[CoolHands]

[g3org3y]

Thread delivers!

(PH HG&DIY forum never disappoints!).

[Steve H]

Thanks fellas. When we did this I really couldn't find any info on how to do it, sizes, designs or structuctural stuff so I worked on the basis of not building anything 12" thick when 18" will do .

[oilydan]

Steve H said:

So this is the earliest stage I've got a photo of -

...Snip...

Sorry for going off topic OP, but I have a question for Steve H....

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

Your drive looks very similar to what I'm planning, what depth of Hardcore did you use, and are those scalpings/road planings on top? To what depth?

[Ziplobb]

Just get some of that double skinned pipe say 600mm and then bridge with some telepgraph poles - I reckon that will do it

[snake_oil]

Steve H said:

So this is the earliest stage I've got a photo of -




two walls built on a concrete foundation running parallel to the stream and small returns running at right angles. Plenty of steel reinforcement and concrete gets poured into the cavity for strength.





I don't have any of the slab being poured but this shows the result -



You can see the shuttering at the end holding the concrete in and the former for the brickwork arch.



The steel leaning against the wall in this one is the structured stuff we used, it's a lot like corrugated iron but has better strength and is designed to have concrete poured on to it although it still needs supporting from underneath while it sets -




Build up the driveway to match the height -



and it's a bridge!







hope this gives some ideas for your bridge!

Over engineered to fk. Love it.

[Steve H]

snake_oil said:

Over engineered to fk. Love it.

What does a lot does a little .

oilydan said:

Your drive looks very similar to what I'm planning, what depth of Hardcore did you use, and are those scalpings/road planings on top? To what depth?

Yep, we used road planings straight onto the ground, no hardcore underneath. We went reasonably deep, probably about a foot on average. It all felt pretty spongy at first but after a while it reforms into a pretty hard base although it does pothole as well which requires ongoing tweaking.

[pidsy]

As others have said Steve - that’s bloody impressive!

Do love these threads.