Stone Arch Bridges

Author: StoneArchBridges

  • Cabin John Bridge

    Multi-Ringed Arches

    While the typical stone arch bridge consists of an arch built with one ring of thick stones, it is possible to build a stone arch bridge with multiple arch rings to create a thick arch with relatively small stones.

  • Fairview/Towand Township Line Culvert

    A Fairview Township Culvert

    We recently found a small stone arch culvert on the Fairview/Towanda township line in Butler County, Kansas. This culvert was built in 1899 and is the only Fairview Township culvert known to remain.

  • Stalter Bridge

    Cowley’s Stalter Bridge

    The Stalter Bridge in Cowley County, Kansas, is a small stone arch bridge located near Rock. Though clear historic references for this bridge are not forthcoming, there is strong evidence suggesting that this was an Abe Matheney bridge.

  • Damage to Clements Bridge

    Retaining Walls: Failure and Repairs

    The retaining walls (spandrels and approaches) in a stone arch bridge are prone to failure thanks to their relatively thin width. However, there are several things that can be done to repair and prevent these failures.

  • Pawhuska Stone Bridge

    Retaining Walls: A Weak Point of Stone Bridges

    Stone bridges use retaining walls as part of the structure to hold the roadway. These walls are a decided weakness, due to their relatively thin width. In this post we investigate these walls and related design possibilities.

  • Neer Bridge

    The Beauty of the Rubble Arch Bridge

    Rubble masonry can be aesthetically more appealing than ashlar. While ashlar masonry consists of stone bricks, the variability of rubble masonry tends to reflect the properties of the local stone and hence blends with nature.

  • Front Circle Crack

    The Key to Successful Repair: Understanding Failures

    When repairing a stone arch bridge it is important to understand what caused the original failure. Merely patching or rebuilding failed components does not necessarily take care of underlying problems, which can in turn cause further maintenance issues.

  • Railroad Bridge

    Why Were Stone Bridges Built?

    Stone arch bridges were usually built historically for their proven durability, which made these structures desirable. In the early 1900s, stone bridges made a resurgence in the United States.

  • Peter Johnson's Bridge

    The History of Peter Johnson’s Bridge

    In this post we record the unique history of the double-arched Peter Johnson’s Bridge recently found built into a road embankment near Leon, Butler County, Kansas.