Stone Arch Bridges

Tag: Quality of Construction

  • stone bridge

    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.

  • Independence Road Culvert

    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.

  • Cedar Township 337th Road Culvert (4)

    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.

  • Partially Collapsed Culvert

    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.

  • DIY stone arch culvert

    Pros and Cons of Mortarless Masonry

    Mortarless masonry has several construction advantages over its mortared counterparts. However, with these advantages come a greater precision and skill required for long-term durability.

  • Model Roman arch

    The Middle-Third Rule

    The middle-third rule is a classic rule in masonry design. In this post we explain what this rule is, why it is associated with stability, and how it is derived, as well as its limitations.

  • Drystack Wall

    Masonry: Always Moving

    Gravity, aided by natural forces like freeze/thaw cycles, is always at work on a masonry structure either pushing it more firmly in place or pulling it apart. By working with these forces, better structures can be built.

  • Stone Bridge Under Construction

    Stepped Foundations

    Building a good foundation is critical for long-term stability of a masonry structure. That said, it is often beneficial to change the depth of the foundation to accommodate sloping ground. In this post we investigate the topic.

  • 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.