Any ideas on how to build a bridge?
Discussion
Sorry for lack of update; going to be a slow build this! Taken three days to come to terms with the fact my bridge will be pathetic compared to Steve's magnificent engineering. Though I think mine needs to take a bit less traffic as well as being built so my wife doesn't find out. So have been looking into screw piles as suggested earlier. Having spoken to a couple of installers, they seem to be the perfect solution for the footings. Though the one quote I've had so far is for £5k for 5 screws which seems a lot doesn't it?! Not sure what comparable concrete pilings would work out at but vastly prefer not dropping a load of concrete into the ground given the siting. However there are a couple of places you can buy the screws and rent the low speed/high torque driver - either hand held or to attach to an excavator. Can easily get excavator on site so looking at that route... A few pictures of the site:
Firstly, my Massey which needs to cross the bridge as everyone loves an old tractor right?
This is the stream. Which is very gentle in summer:
But is a bit bigger when the rain comes:
This is where the bridgehead (like saying that) will be as it's narrow at about 1.9m across with firm ground on each bank
And this is what awaits the other side...mowing!
Firstly, my Massey which needs to cross the bridge as everyone loves an old tractor right?
This is the stream. Which is very gentle in summer:
But is a bit bigger when the rain comes:
This is where the bridgehead (like saying that) will be as it's narrow at about 1.9m across with firm ground on each bank
And this is what awaits the other side...mowing!
lear said:
Having spoken to a couple of installers, they seem to be the perfect solution for the footings. Though the one quote I've had so far is for £5k for 5 screws which seems a lot doesn't it?!
YES!My entire bridge didn't cost £5k and with all my self-building I'm more of a project manager than a skilled tradesman so I had guys in for the digging and bricklaying etc.
Looking at your photos and the kind of use you're aiming for I've got to wonder if you could just get away with a compacted crushed stone base on either side on the top of the banks (inset slightly) to form pads and then just lay preformed concrete beams on there. They'd have steel reinforcement and would probably take the work you're looking at with ease.
Im seriously impressed you managed to have all that work done for less than 5k! I had thought about the pad route - and indeed creating a ford. The problem is that the ground on both sides of the stream gets seriously wet and unstable with rain - its basically a small valley on heavy clay with numerous springs running into it. So I think anything on the surface will just sink over time. Similarly with a ford there is just no where you could get the grip going in and driving out - those tractor tyres become big roller skate wheels once they fill with clay...
Though it has given me a thought; I wonder if I could sink telegraph poles as piles in combination with the compacted crushed stone? The guys I use have a big auger that would be perfect and can go deep - they used it to put up my pole barn.
Though it has given me a thought; I wonder if I could sink telegraph poles as piles in combination with the compacted crushed stone? The guys I use have a big auger that would be perfect and can go deep - they used it to put up my pole barn.
lear said:
Though it has given me a thought; I wonder if I could sink telegraph poles as piles in combination with the compacted crushed stone? The guys I use have a big auger that would be perfect and can go deep - they used it to put up my pole barn.
I wonder if there is any risk of them leaching nasties out when sat in water logged ground?Could you sink ] [ beams, in the same manner? Bolt together, could even bolt horizontals to create bridge? Use some boards on top to soften the look?
Edited by Andehh on Wednesday 6th June 21:20
lear said:
Im seriously impressed you managed to have all that work done for less than 5k!
I thought £5k was expensive!There's no more than £1500 in bricks/blocks/mortar there. A grand for concrete and structural steel plus £500 for the steel sheets. Say £500 for digging and a grand for the brickies.
£4.5k.
I would think that on the idea of using any kind of piling you would want a concrete slab on top, not stone, so that the entire weight is placed on the piles rather than round them.
Alternatively you can do a concrete pad on stone but make it wide/flat rather than deep so it "floats" on top of the soft ground. We've done this for a steel frame building on soft/wet ground and the building regs guys were happy with it.
I think a lot of piling and over-expensive over-engineering is more to do with structural engineers wanting to use cool techniques or avoid having to calculate the most cost effective route and it's all at the expense of the client.
For what you're doing here I'd be keeping it simple.
How about some Hesco Gabions filled with stone as the base each side? Hesco Gabions
The seller, with an ebay name 'bridgesupplycompany' does sound like the one who should know. They also do proper military bridging sections plus the ramps for each side.
The seller, with an ebay name 'bridgesupplycompany' does sound like the one who should know. They also do proper military bridging sections plus the ramps for each side.
vanvan said:
If your not keen on concrete, and screws are too expensive, have you considered vibo piling for the substructure?
Likely to be more expensive than the screw piles, less flexible and won't work if its clay soils. Simple concrete footing and steel span would be very easy, gabions would probably be easiest.
I've had a word with my engineers and they say you build a bridge with a good strong arch like this - https://i.imgur.com/RraYzIq.gifv
Steve H said:
I thought £5k was expensive!
There's no more than £1500 in bricks/blocks/mortar there. A grand for concrete and structural steel plus £500 for the steel sheets. Say £500 for digging and a grand for the brickies.
£4.5k
In a similar way that cake is made from flour, salt, sugar, butter etc.....the ingredients cost f all. It's knowing how to assemble them all together that take knowledge. And you have to pay for that if you have none!!!There's no more than £1500 in bricks/blocks/mortar there. A grand for concrete and structural steel plus £500 for the steel sheets. Say £500 for digging and a grand for the brickies.
£4.5k
Hope nobody minds a bit of a thread resurrection? Just as I was about to start bridge building this time last year, we ran into a planning permission issue with our house. Resolving it dictated whether or not we wished to stay or sell and so we put further works on hold. Over a year and much banging of heads against walls later, planning permission is finally in...which means I get to start building my bridge! Groundworks chaps kicked off yesterday:
So, this is where it is crossing
First step, pulling that tree and a few others (not actually sure how they got the excavator to the other side):
And preparing the ground both sides:
And a pile of nice heavy reclaimed sleepers ready for the deck:
More to follow as we progress!
So, this is where it is crossing
First step, pulling that tree and a few others (not actually sure how they got the excavator to the other side):
And preparing the ground both sides:
And a pile of nice heavy reclaimed sleepers ready for the deck:
More to follow as we progress!
Edited by lear on Tuesday 16th July 21:59
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