Stone arch bridges must have substantial and properly designed abutments in order to resist the enormous thrust of the arch without yielding.
Tag Archives: Design
C. C. Jamison’s Masterpiece: The Minos West Ford Bridge
The beautiful Minos West Ford Bridge built by C. C. Jamison in southern Butler County, Kansas was considered a masterpiece even in its own time.
Widening a Stone Arch Bridge
While many historic stone arch bridges are too narrow by modern traffic standards, there are several viable ways to non-destructively widen them.
Kansas’s Stone Arch Bridge Tradition — Part 1
Using the state’s abundant native stone, Kansas built many stone arch bridges as an enduring and affordable means of bridging the streams.
Advantages of Solid Backing for Arches
Using solid backing material behind the arch of a stone arch bridge is a sure way to increase the structure’s durability.
Waterline Deterioration: The Achilles Heel of Limestone Bridges
The weakest point of a stone arch bridge of limestone is the waterline masonry, for it is prone to disintegrating in water.
Basket-Handle Arches: Strengths and Weaknesses
Basket-handle arches have some unique, beneficial characteristics as well as some serious weaknesses as a result of their unusual shape.
Basket-handle Arches: The Elliptical and the Pseudo-elliptical Arches
Essentially a cross between Roman and segmental arches, the basket-handle arches form a unique group of intriguing arch designs.
A Cowley County Stone Arch Bridge Before Its Time: The Island Park Bridge
Before Cowley County, Kansas began building its famous stone arch bridges in earnest, the city of Winfield built one at the entrance of Island Park.
Building Mortarless Bridges
Building mortarless stonework can be a challenge, but a simple look at how things move and what keeps them in place can bring rewarding results.