Crossing a unknown bridge with equipment

[Builder]

Good luck. I hope it works out for you and stay safe.

Definatally keep us posted.

Thanks, bud! :thumbsup:

 

[woodsmith]

One other option that heavy haulage guys do with getting a load over a weak bridge is to take a trailer over the bridge by winch with the tractors on either side. That leaves teh bridge to take only the weight of the load and the trailer, no motive unit.

You could just load a trailer on one side and then haul it across either on a long rope, winch it over, or use a long drawbar so that only the load and the trailer is on the bridge after the tractor has reached the other side.

 

[beenthere]

They have decided to go ahead and have me do another "phase" of the job, which is spreading about 100 yards of wood chips around the bases of several groups of trees. I will haul them in myself on MY IH dump. The loads will be relatively light (~24K) so I will be testing the bridge with light 10 yard loads of wood chips.

The stone for the driveway is on hold for a little while till we sort out the bridge issues. My guess is I'll finally relent and get the stone over the bridge somehow. Gotta keep the guys working and there ain't a lot of work....

I'll be hauling the Kubota up there on Monday to get set up & started & I'll let you know what happens.....

So if the chips cross fine, how do you judge that the stone will not be the straw that broke the camels back? I'm at a loss how you test a bridge that way.
Are you going to measure flex as you vary the load weight? Or just get comfy crossing with a lighter load and then be brave with the heavy loads?

Anxious for it to work for you in the end.

 

[Builder]

So if the chips cross fine, how do you judge that the stone will not be the straw that broke the camels back? I'm at a loss how you test a bridge that way.
Are you going to measure flex as you vary the load weight? Or just get comfy crossing with a lighter load and then be brave with the heavy loads?

Anxious for it to work for you in the end.

Just going to go by seat of the pants. First, a load of wood chips. According to my calculations, I should be lighter than the propane truck that crosses the bridge to fill their propane tank.

Then I'll try a 5 or 6 ton load of stone. That'll put me at ~26,000, then keep adding a ton.

I wish I knew if the propane delivery truck was at a full 33K when it crosses, but I'd have to think it crosses partially loaded most of the time.

 

[aczlan]

Just going to go by seat of the pants. First, a load of wood chips. According to my calculations, I should be lighter than the propane truck that crosses the bridge to fill their propane tank.

Then I'll try a 5 or 6 ton load of stone. That'll put me at ~26,000, then keep adding a ton.

I wish I knew if the propane delivery truck was at a full 33K when it crosses, but I'd have to think it crosses partially loaded most of the time.

Perhaps you could put in a marker stick (piece of pipe with a yardstick taped to it) to see if it is deflecting when you cross it.

Aaron Z

 

[Builder]

Yes, I was planning on having an employee watch carefully as I cross for deflection.

Just informed we may have another solution: Owner just informed me that there is a right of way available through another property, so maybe the whole bridge issue may go away......

 

[aczlan]

Yes, I was planning on having an employee watch carefully as I cross for deflection.

Just informed we may have another solution: Owner just informed me that there is a right of way available through another property, so maybe the whole bridge issue may go away......

That is good to hear, less risk of a spectacular bridge failure is better.

Although, if you go over the bridge, have your employee take a video just in case

Aaron Z

 

[LD1]

Yes a video would be cool.

Is it next week sometime when you said you would be doing this??

 

[Builder]

I'll be starting with 100-150 yards of wood chips after 4th July weekend and the 100 tons stone thereafter.

Hopefully the stone can go through the right of way instead of over the bridge. I have a 4WD dumptruck perfectly suited for the task.

 

[radman1]

I'll be starting with 100-150 yards of wood chips after 4th July weekend and the 100 tons stone thereafter.

Hopefully the stone can go through the right of way instead of over the bridge. I have a 4WD dumptruck perfectly suited for the task.

Now that is something I don't see every day. OK, I have never seen a 4wd dump truck like that. That is cool.