Tag: Design
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The Design Flow of a Stone Bridge
When designing a stone arch bridge, the arch is the key factor around which the rest of the bridge is proportioned. In this post, we describe how the size of various elements of the bridge relate to each other.
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The Stone Slab Bridge
Stone slab culverts represent an early and simple way to bridge a gap with stone. However, due to the inherent structural weakness of this design, only small spans are practical, demonstrating the advantages of the arch.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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A Newer Generation of Stone Culverts
Over the course of our research, it came to our attention that there were in several places multiple eras of stone bridge construction: the stereotypical early 1900s work, and then a later style that relied heavily on cement mortars.
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The Low-Cost Stone Bridges of the Early 1900s
A hallmark of US stone bridges and culverts built for the public roads during the early 1900s is their low-cost design. As a result, these structures tend to feature several shortcuts leading to maintenance issues.
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Announcing a New Book of Walter Sharp’s Writings
We have released a new book composed of Walter Sharp’s writing. In this book, learn about the history of the Good Roads Movement, the story of Cowley’s stone bridges, and more in the words of Sharp himself.
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The Width Problem
A narrow stone arch bridge need not be replaced for functional reasons. There are numerous options for widening whereby the historic original is preserved and the road improved for less cost than a full-fledged replacement would be.
Stone Arch Bridges 