Building Stone Arch Bridges: Arch Thickness

There is still a great urge to build stone arch bridges. Not, perhaps, on the massive scale of old, but as attractive, durable footbridges over small streams. When done right, the results are quite rewarding, and the building process itself can be enjoyable. Furthermore, a stone arch bridge should need but little maintenance, especially compared […]

Stone Arch Bridges: Foundations

The foundations of a stone arch bridge are the single most important factor in determining the life of the bridge. If the foundations are good, the bridge can last for centuries — or even a millennium! If the foundations are bad, the bridge may last but a few years, or even a few months. Failure […]

How Arch Bridges Are Built

Possibly one of the more mystifying elements of stone arch bridges is the manner by which they are constructed. While it may be easy enough to see that the arch stands because of every stone pushing against its neighbor, the obvious question is, “How do the stones stay in place before they are all stacked […]