Stone Arch Bridges

Category: Construction

  • Detail of Rubble Arch

    Natural Bedding

    The natural bed of a stone is the direction in which it was resting before it was quarried. A stone placed on its natural bed will tend to outlast one laid on end.

  • Camp Quaker Haven Stone Bridge

    The Camp Quaker Haven Bridge: A New Cowley Stone Bridge Built the Old Way (Part 4)

    We recently built a stone arch bridge at Camp Quaker Haven, a Christian retreat in Cowley County, Kansas. In this final post on this bridge, we describe how it was completed.

  • Keystones in the CQH SAB

    The Camp Quaker Haven Bridge: A New Cowley Stone Bridge Built the Old Way (Part 3)

    We recently built a stone arch bridge for Camp Quaker Haven in Cowley County, Kansas. In this third article describing the building of this bridge, we tell of how the arch was built.

  • CQH SAB with scour barrier and second course started

    The Camp Quaker Haven Bridge: A New Cowley Stone Bridge Built the Old Way (Part 2)

    In this second post of the series we wrote about a stone arch bridge we built at Camp Quaker Haven, in Cowley County, Kansas, we describe how the abutments for the arch were built.

  • Camp Quaker Haven Stone Bridge

    The Camp Quaker Haven Bridge: A New Cowley Stone Bridge Built the Old Way

    We recently built a stone arch bridge for Camp Quaker Haven in Cowley County, Kansas. In this post, the first of a four-part series, we describe the stone tradition of the camp and the beginning of the new bridge.

  • Neer Bridge

    The Problem With Piers

    Piers are a weak point in any bridge, but are often quite vulnerable in a stone bridge. In this post we investigate what makes stone bridge piers a weak point and how to better design the bridges.

  • 1905 Rock Creek Bridge

    Placing the Keystones

    Preparing and inserting the keystone into an arch composed of rubble masonry works best with some planning. In this post we investigate some tips on how to place the final stones of the arch.

  • Inside Towanda/Augusta Culvert

    Laying Rubble Masonry

    Rubble masonry can be built for longevity. The key is how the stones are laid. Understanding the role of mortar and the importance of contact between stones is the key to success.

  • Fox Creek Bridge Roadway

    Stone Bridge Railings

    Adding a traffic or pedestrian barrier to a stone bridge is probably a good idea for any bridge that is reasonably sizable. In this post, we explore several options and how to apply them.