Tractor over trail Bridge?

[ovrszd]

In his posting, the OP suggests that he would like his bridge to fit in with the "scenic nature" of his trail.
Wood is really the better way to accomplish that.

Yep. And a culvert with a properly built, hand laid, rock headwall would do that very well.

 

[RalphVa]

I just laid down about a half dozen (think they're 2 1/2" PVC pipes) and built earth and concrete over them. Mine could not be very high for the little stream I have to ford. Otherwise, a culvert is better. Still, I wish I'd gone to maybe 4 to 6" piping with heavy wall because we have to keep digging out silt before and after the pipes. I've also a steel pipe with an air connection on it that I occasionally have to use to blow stuff out of the pipes using a portable tank.

This setup fits in with a "scenic" nature of our trails, even after putting some tiles down on top. The tiles have gotten covered with dirt and moss, etc. and fit right in now. Didn't for a while.

Ralph

 

[MotorSeven]

Here ya go..........:

Hard to see, but this bridge sits on one concrete 'pig' as abutments at each end. They are heavy, so you will need a backhoe or a large front end loader to move and set them.

 

[ovrszd]

Is that an old truck bed of some kind?

 

[CincyFlyer]

Can't you just bury a corrugated culvert pipe?

 

[Garandman]

A beam’s stiffness is the cube of the depth, hence the suggestion of sistered 2x12’s versus 4x4’s.

Personally I’d use I beams and put a beauty strip down each side to help fit in.

 

[MotorSeven]

Is that an old truck bed of some kind?

Yep, a 20 footer.

 

[EddieWalker]

Hello,

Does anyone have any experience building a trail bridge to drive their sub-compact across?

I need to build a 5-6' wide bridge about 8-10' long over a 4' ditch. I was going to try 4 - 6"x6" timers on 18" centers. I am open to putting a vertical support in the middle if necessary.

The other option is a pipe, but I think a pipe will detract more from the scenic nature of my trail.

The tractor is a Deere 2305. In the TLB configuration I believe it weighs about 3,000 pounds. I figure another 1,000 pounds for operator and whatever I have in the bucket.

Thoughts?

Thank you in advance!

Bill

2 tons isn't a lot of weight, and your span isn't very far, so the trick will be in not spending way more then you need to. I won't tell you what to do, just what I would do if this was something that I wanted to do. Ideally I would dig out footings on either side and pour concrete. I'd want to be at least three feet in the ground because of frost heave and stability. If I couldn't do that, or just didn't want to, then laying treated 6x6's on the ground might work. I would drill through them and anchor them in place with half inch rebar every foot, driven 5 or six feet into the ground just like a ground rod. On top of the concrete, or 6x6's, I would run double treated 2x12's where the tires will be directly above them. Then another one in the center for a total of five. Then deck it with 2x6's and call it a day. Adding a railing would be a nice touch, but that would require additional beams to anchor it, and probably not worth the effort for such a small span.

 

[Egon]

Look at precast concrete floor panels.

 

[ovrszd]

I kinda lost track of the original goal of this project, so went back and read post #1.

He needs a 6ft wide, 10ft long bridge, 4ft off the ground at the center.

We have wayyyyyy overthought this project. But it's interesting to hear everyone's input.