Stone Arch Bridges

Category: Construction

  • stone bridge

    The Spandrel Wall and the Arch

    Stone arch bridges feature spandrel walls in order to create a reasonably level roadway. These walls, however, are also an important structural part of the bridge, allowing it to carry heavier loads.

  • Chautauqua Springs Culvert

    The Stone Bridge: A Continuation of the Ground Itself

    Stone bridges provide a seamless transition between the road causeway and the bridge, by virtue of their construction. The typical stone bridge is essentially a retaining system for road fill.

  • Bushing Hammer

    A Novel Tool: The Bushing Hammer

    The bushing hammer is a specialized masonry tool that is especially useful if working with limestone. Due to its unique design, the bushing hammer is used to smooth surfaces.

  • Independence Road Culvert

    Ashlar-Faced Rubble

    One type of construction often seen in high-end stonework is ashlar-faced rubble masonry. In this type of work, a strong facing of tight-fitting ashlar protects a core made of looser rubble masonry, allowing cost savings.

  • Wolf Creek Bridge

    The Timeless Stone Arch Bridge

    The stone arch bridge remains a form of construction that has never been equaled. Here are some considerations in favor of stone bridges even with modern advances in structures and materials.

  • Cedar Township 337th Road Culvert (1)

    Structural Considerations of Low-Rise Arches

    Low-rise arches make for daring designs with minimal “humps” in the road. However, there are certain structural considerations that need to be seriously taken into account when designing a low-rise arch.

  • DIY stone arch culvert

    Pros and Cons of Mortarless Masonry

    Mortarless masonry has several construction advantages over its mortared counterparts. However, with these advantages come a greater precision and skill required for long-term durability.

  • Model Roman arch

    The Middle-Third Rule

    The middle-third rule is a classic rule in masonry design. In this post we explain what this rule is, why it is associated with stability, and how it is derived, as well as its limitations.

  • Drystack Wall

    Masonry: Always Moving

    Gravity, aided by natural forces like freeze/thaw cycles, is always at work on a masonry structure either pushing it more firmly in place or pulling it apart. By working with these forces, better structures can be built.