Building a bridge

[soarkrebel1]

In a way, this thread points up the reason why I don't post much on internet BBs that much anymore..

If the poster was a friend, and he asked us all to come over and see the new bridge he had constructed, I doubt that many would show up with their engineering library, sliderule, calculator and tape measure to measure it up, calculate the loads, pick it apart and deem it to be safe or unsafe.. We'd just take a look, give a pat on the back and tell our friend how good it looks and what a great job he did!
One the internet however, it seems that folks think it is their God given right to pick things apart and criticize, but maybe it's just a mirror of life in general... It seems that there is always someone to show up at the party with the intention of urinating in the punchbowl..

I wonder why life has not spawned as many experts on any subject as the internet has!

You took my thoughts and feelings and posted them for me.

 

[soarkrebel1]

My gosh Transit, please don't take this the wrong way, but have you ever built something and personally observed it over the years?

I made a walkover bridge over 20 years ago with treated wood and galvanized bolts. I was just looking at it the other day, and the bolts have a little surface rust but are as good as when installed (or close to it). Just for the heck of it I pulled one out and what was buried in the wood was cleaner than what was exposed!

A stout piece of steel used for a fastener will take a long time to fail. It may fail, but it will take a long time. That is why you over build to account for things like this.

You may have good intentions (chicken little did too) but my Dad used to say "If you don't have anything good to say, don't say it"

Sorry for the rant.

You also spoke my thoughts!!

I wonder if some of these know it all internet engineers have ever built anything in their lives!!

But like anything else it will have to be maintained. Do the skeptic "engineers" take that into consideration?

 

[SpringHollow]

I have to disagree with the sentiment that people are being critical in a negative way and that they should not make these posts. Many of us have posted how much we like the bridge. But even the most critical person is trying to help the original poster and people who decide to do this in the future. This is how we learn and improve. I certainly appreciate when people do that on any of my project posts and other peoples' project posts - we can learn a lot from other peoples' points of view/ideas and one always has the option to ignore them. If no one did anything different than what they saw and offered no suggestions, we would all be sleeping in the rain with just large leaves pulled over our heads.

In my opinion, it all comes down to intent. If they are trying to be helpful, great. It is the inconsiderate, attacking posts that are inappropriate. But all of this is just how i feel and maybe I am wrong.

Ken

 

[TomPenny]

thats really nice work. I built a bridge a long time ago in the back of my property to cross with my 7500 kubota. I layed two telephone poles across the creek. About 18ft I guess. Then cross tied with boards and finally ran board long ways for the tire paths. 9 years I haven't fell in yet.

Yours will be fine.

 

[Ford850]

My gosh Transit, please don't take this the wrong way, but have you ever built something and personally observed it over the years?

I made a walkover bridge over 20 years ago with treated wood and galvanized bolts. I was just looking at it the other day, and the bolts have a little surface rust but are as good as when installed (or close to it). Just for the heck of it I pulled one out and what was buried in the wood was cleaner than what was exposed!

A stout piece of steel used for a fastener will take a long time to fail. It may fail, but it will take a long time. That is why you over build to account for things like this.

You may have good intentions (chicken little did too) but my Dad used to say "If you don't have anything good to say, don't say it"

Sorry for the rant.

SLD,
My point about the hardware was due to some of my own experience. I have a shooting bench I made out of treated lumber and galvanized bolts that's over 20 years old and in very good condition. the problem is they don't treat wood the same way, and the new teatment is VERY corrosive. I thought the new warnings were just a bunch of BS to get us to buy stainless steel fasteners, until I built a deck with it 4 years ago. Last year I noticed many of the deck boards were pulling off the joists. I had used the best special coated fasteners (other than SS) that were available when I built it. When I started to remove (or attempt to remove) the planks, I found over 50% of the screws were rusted off, even though the screw heads looked like new. As I said, I like the bridge. I only offered a simple idea to add some cleats below the cross beam pieces. A bridge is only as strong as it's weakest link, and in my opinion it is built very well other than that area.

 

[dangerdoc]

I made a walkover bridge over 20 years ago with treated wood and galvanized bolts.

The federal government has stepped in to help you, they changed the formulation for treated wood. They deemed the arsenic to be too hazardous so the metal salt content has been greatly increased.

I built a deck about 5 years ago, two years ago, I dismantled it to reuse the lumber in another location, in a span of three years, the 1/2 bolts became 1/3inch bolts where it was exposed the the treated wood.

I knew the deck was only temporary so I ignored the recommendation for stainless fasteners, but after seening that, I was shocked, the zinc was completely gone and the steel was going fast.

This is not a knock on you, just a reminder that treated wood from 20 years ago is not the same product as treated wood purchased in the last few years.

 

[sld]

DangerDoc and Ford850,

Thanks for helping me understand what has changed. I will definitely remember this on future projects when choosing hardware.

The thing that bothers me is the tone of some of the criticism. What do some people expect the OP to do? Should he tear down his masterpiece and redo it based on some guy's opinion on the internet? The thing is built, it looks good and common sense says it will be fine for many years.

I do agree though, that constructive criticism will benefit us all. Too much of it or using the wrong tone and people will hesitate to post any project related stuff. Then we will learn nothing.

 

[cowboy357]

DangerDoc and Ford850,

Thanks for helping me understand what has changed. I will definitely remember this on future projects when choosing hardware.

The thing that bothers me is the tone of some of the criticism. What do some people expect the OP to do? Should he tear down his masterpiece and redo it based on some guy's opinion on the internet? The thing is built, it looks good and common sense says it will be fine for many years.

I do agree though, that constructive criticism will benefit us all. Too much of it or using the wrong tone and people will hesitate to post any project related stuff. Then we will learn nothing.

Very true . What gets Me is the OP even thanked the ones that gave the criticism & Pretty much asked this thread to die .

But here I am posting My thoughts as well . Just not about the safety of the bridge . . Bob

 

[buggyman1]

Well said, I agree.

I have to disagree with the sentiment that people are being critical in a negative way and that they should not make these posts. Many of us have posted how much we like the bridge. But even the most critical person is trying to help the original poster and people who decide to do this in the future. This is how we learn and improve. I certainly appreciate when people do that on any of my project posts and other peoples' project posts - we can learn a lot from other peoples' points of view/ideas and one always has the option to ignore them. If no one did anything different than what they saw and offered no suggestions, we would all be sleeping in the rain with just large leaves pulled over our heads.

In my opinion, it all comes down to intent. If they are trying to be helpful, great. It is the inconsiderate, attacking posts that are inappropriate. But all of this is just how i feel and maybe I am wrong.

Ken

 

[buggyman1]

buggyman1 ,

Nice job, would you come over and build a bridge across my creek? Just kidding, it would never stand up to the flood I get after 3 days of rain. My creek , normally about 12 to 15 ft, grows to about 400 ft wide, and cleans out everything in it's path. I am guessing that water from about 800 to a 1000 acres drain through my creek, and sometimes, the church by the creek gets flooded if it rains for about a week. I have some pictures somewhere that shows the water level at 400 ft wide. The bottom 4 acres is almost unusable because of that .

Thanks, I would love to see the pics of the flood.

 

[buggyman1]

Instead of starting a new thread, i'm just going to post the new bridge here. Bridge# 2: I bought a new mixer for the concrete, it saves a lot of time and a lot of back-breaking work. This is the concrete for the footer, for the wall I plan to build to support the middle of the bridge.

 

[buggyman1]

I borrowed a friends generator to run the mixer.

 

[Lil_FarmerJim]

Those portable mixers are definitely a back saver. I got one from my grandfather years ago, the thing is ancient, but it gets the job done!

Bridge looks great and I think you are on the right path for building a stronger one with that much concrete.


On a side note, Sweet looking buggy you got sitting behind the mixer. (From what I can see of it) I assume you built it yourself?

 

[JohnDeere4300]

Thanks...I'm in Mt.Sterling,, about 18 miles from Lexington, and yes, I'll have a new thread on the other bridge and I welcome everyone's input.

I have been through there 1000s of times in a TMC tractor trailer delivering to lumber yards, and construction sites...and many other places.

We also go shopping at Lexington and go to Louisville a lot....We go camping at cave run in Morehead, KY during the summer & fall, and go to natural bridge in the spring to trout fish, hike, ride the sky-lift up to the bridge, and many other things.

I remember in this thread where you was talking about the "Red River Gorge" and I'm sure you was talking about the one in Kentucky ?

I always liked taking my family up on top of the mountain, and walking across the bridge.


Transit,

This bridge is for you....But take note that God made this bridge

 

[buggyman1]

I did manage to get the backhoe in there to dig the footer, and I used the FEL to transport the concrete. Here's some pics of the site, and the poured footer. Its a lot steeper than it looks, the pics really don't do it justice. I used the zero-turn and my sprayer for the water supply (it holds 30 gallons). It took us all day to pour the footer (my girlfriend and me) in 90 degree heat.

 

[J_J]

buggyman1

I have pictures, but the water edge is 300 ft from the creek, and 100 ft to the opposite side. About all you can see is the water at the 300 ft mark. If I was in the middle of the creek, the water would be over my head. I had big trees across the creek so I could walk across, but the water took them away.

 

[JohnDeere4300]

Instead of starting a new thread, i'm just going to post the new bridge here. Bridge# 2: I bought a new mixer for the concrete, it saves a lot of time and a lot of back-breaking work. This is the concrete for the footer, for the wall I plan to build to support the middle of the bridge.

buggyman,

For everyone to read about your two bridges, it might be best to start a new thread and name it like you said "bridge# 2.....Because the pages are so long on your first bridge, and members could find "bridge#1 and bridge# 2 a lot easier if they have to do a search during the years.

 

[buggyman1]

Those portable mixers are definitely a back saver. I got one from my grandfather years ago, the thing is ancient, but it gets the job done!

Bridge looks great and I think you are on the right path for building a stronger one with that much concrete.


On a side note, Sweet looking buggy you got sitting behind the mixer. (From what I can see of it) I assume you built it yourself?

Thanks, I built most of the buggy but its far from being finnished.

 

[buggyman1]

I have been through there 1000s of times in a TMC tractor trailer delivering to lumber yards, and construction sites...and many other places.

We also go shopping at Lexington and go to Louisville a lot....We go camping at cave run in Morehead, KY during the summer & fall, and go to natural bridge in the spring to trout fish, hike, ride the sky-lift up to the bridge, and many other things.

I remember in this thread where you was talking about the "Red River Gorge" and I'm sure you was talking about the one in Kentucky ?

I always liked taking my family up on top of the mountain, and walking across the bridge.


Transit,

This bridge is for you....But take note that God made this bridge

I work in Lexington, went to U.K. (not for engineering), I have been to all those places. Yes thats the gorge I was talking about. What part of ky are you in?