Can a partially collapsed stone arch be repaired? While presenting a somewhat of a challenge, this sort of damage to a stone bridge is, nevertheless, reparable, as proved by the case of Ireland’s Avoca Village Bridge.1 The Avoca Village Bridge consists of several true semi-elliptical arches built … [Read more...] about Repair of Partially Collapsed Arches
Stone Arch Bridge Maintenance
Part of the historical appeal of stone arch bridges was the fact that they needed but little maintenance. After all, stone does not rot out or need painted. Stone bridges also are substantially heavier than iron or wooden bridges, which meant that, whereas in major floods wooden bridges would set … [Read more...] about Stone Arch Bridge Maintenance
Andes Bridge
The Andes Bridge, which is listed on the National Register of Historical Places, is one of four double-arch bridges in Cowley County, Kansas. (The others include the Neer, Rock Creek, and the Fromm bridges—the smaller west arch of the Fromm Bridge was buried by the county to prevent collapse.) In … [Read more...] about Andes Bridge
Segmental Arches
Segmental arches are arches with an arc less than a 180-degree Roman arch. They seem to have been popular primarily in the 1700s and 1800s, although they were occasionally built in medieval times — rarely even by the Romans. What is a Segmental Arch Bridge? The term "segmental arch" is … [Read more...] about Segmental Arches
On Roman Arches
The Roman arch, consisting of one half of a circle, is the typical rounded arch often seen with stone bridges. The Roman arch need not have a thick abutment to resist a horizontal thrust; rather, they start (“spring”) on a flat, horizontal plane. This makes them very easy to build, which is always … [Read more...] about On Roman Arches
Another Lesser-Known Stone Arch Bridge: Whitewater River Bridge
A bridge to add to our lesser-known stone arch bridge list is found in Butler County, Kansas. In Plum Grove Township, about 3 ½ miles north of Potwin, there is a peculiar little stone arch bridge over the Whitewater River on NW 155th Street. Located about ½ mile west of the 115th–Buffalo Road … [Read more...] about Another Lesser-Known Stone Arch Bridge: Whitewater River Bridge