Help with a bridge! Need some good ideas on how to get a bridge in place.

[vpracer]

I'm about to buy a new piece of property that will have about 5 acres stranded due to a large creek crossing. The creek is about 28ft wide and about 8 or so feet deep. I've been looking at old 40' flat bed trailers, old 45' semi trailers and the 40' flat shipping rack as options for the crossing. I'll be driving 4wheelers and my 7040 tractor across the bridge and I believe all those bridge options will support the weight. I've ruled out culverts because the creek does flow pretty good if we have a big rain and I think it'll wash out or plug up the culvert.

So, my issues is this, I only have access to one side of the creek at this point. It makes getting the bridge in place very difficult. I have an old D6C dozer that I can use to drag the trailer down to the creek but the part I can't figure out is how to get the trailer to lay across the creek, given I can only be on one side. If I push the trailer out over the creek, then the end will fall down into the creek. I thought about trying to stand it up on end somehow and let it fall across the creek. Somehow I suspect there a million things that could go wrong with that idea, like how to stand up a 40' trailer on end. I thought about laying two telephone poles down, letting them fall across the creek, then sliding the trailer over on top of those so that the end of the trailer will be support as it goes across the creek. But then would the trailer have enough support for me to get a tractor to the other side and lift the trailer off the poles.

I sure would appreciate some brainstorming thoughts?

 

[s219]

Crane!

If the water weren't so deep, two track hoes could do it, one on each end.

If you can't get a crane or track hoes in there, might have to stick-build the bridge in sections/pieces, with supports in the middle of the creek.

The only other idea crossing my mind is to float the bridge across with some sort of inflatable rig, boats, or water-tight tanks.

 

[dave1949]

If you want a permanent bridge, concrete anchors with cables to two uprights near the bank would give you the abilities of a crane. The uprights would ideally be taller than the bridge deck is long. It would work like a draw bridge.

 

[bcp]

Many temporary bridges are pushed across by making a front extension that will reach across the opening before the balance point is reached, then the bridge is pushed the rest of the way across and the extension removed. You might be able to use a couple of poles fastened to the trailer.



Watch these videos to see the idea in use.

Acrow bridge build animation - YouTube

Compact 200 Modular Bridge Construction - YouTube

Regak Bridge - YouTube

 

[jimpen]

Do you have any decent trees on the other side? If so then how about hooking some pulleys with long cables in them. Set the pulleys so they will pull at upward angles on that end. Set the bridge down on the near side, hook the cables to the bridge then pull it across with your tractor. I would also put a cable on the side you're pulling from so you don't pull it too far.

 

[SPIKER]

got any high large trees near the area? use one as a stanchion that pulls and supports the free end onto the far bank, then drag it left right to point you need. OR a couple poles like a pole vault that sets in middle and stands mostly vertically as they rotate up & over taking the free end with it.

Mark

 

[Jstpssng]

That's a good sized bridge; doing it right will cost a few dollars. ((A rough estimate here is $1000/foot... but that covers all labor and would handle a 100K truck. ) Anything you put down will need solid abutments. You will need to get a piece of equipment across anyhow, to do it right... You say it's 8 feet deep, but how steep are the banks and how deep is the water? I believe that a good operator with an excavator could be what you're looking for. When the water is down he can walk through the stream, prepare the bank, and set the steel in place.
I would ask a pro to visit the site and find out what he suggests.

 

[Pete Judd]

Old rail cars have been the way around here, they are the only bridges that the fire dept will drive a pumper truck across.

 

[square1]

I've seen this done on a small scale. I have no idea what size/rating of chain would be necessary though for a 40' semi trailer. My sketch is obviously not to scale.

 

[farmer2009]

You have a d6 and are wanting to add a bridge. Use d6 build a low water crossing it will dig its way into and out of the creek. Now you can get what ever you need across the creek to install the bridge. But you don't need the bridge. Now unless you have high water.

 

[drajj5]

I think that Pic's are worth their weight in gold..... Please post up several so we can see what you are dealing with. My mind can't envision your particular scenario. Thanks

 

[vpracer]

Thanks for all the awesome ideas. I think I might end up pushing it across the span with my dozer while keeping weight on the end with my tractor? Maybe that will keep it from tipping into the water.

Sorry I cant find any pictures but when I'm back up there. The span across is 28 to 30ft or so. The creek walls are straight down and are about 8' high while the water in the creek is about 5' deep. So it's too deep for any equipment to cross it. I might could push in some bank wall into the creek for a temporary crossing and then work on the other side but that would mean the start of erosion on the banks. I think it would take a whole lot of dirt too. I'd rather avoid that, plus I would lose all that dirt downstream.

I do have trees on the other side but it's very very thick to get thru over there. Of course if I had the dozer on the other side, I could clear it out real quick. Its only 7 miles by road to the other side but it would cost me a $1,000 semi ride to get the dozer over there.

I'm trying to do this on the cheap obviously. That's why I'm hoping to do it with the equipment I have. I know an excavator or crane would make quick work of it. I may end up having to try that option.

 

[Deere Dude]

You have a d6 and are wanting to add a bridge. Use d6 build a low water crossing it will dig its way into and out of the creek. Now you can get what ever you need across the creek to install the bridge. But you don't need the bridge. Now unless you have high water.

X2
Does the creek go dry in the summer or fall? That would be a good time to do the bridge or whatever is decided.
My friend just built a logging road over a creek bed with his D6 right next to a 4 ton low capacity bridge. He dug down on both sides and graded it and graveled it so he could drive logging trucks over the creek bed. Water right now goes over it but only 6" or so. In the spring rains there is 4' of water or so, but by then the logging has to be done until the water stops flowing again.

 

[vpracer]

The fella I'm buying from says he's seen the water level get to about 3' or so. That is almost a doable level for a low water crossing. But then the rains come and viola....my crossing is gone. Maybe that's a temporary answer to get equipment over there to fix a bridge in place. I'll watch the water level as the summer progresses. It's one of those days that "feels like 104" down here.

 

[randy41]

you could winch it across since you can get to the other side.

 

[CobyRupert]

Are you going to have an abutment to fasten the span to on the far side? Or just rest the span on the bank? Those 50 year floods seem to come more often and might wash it away.
Or will you temporarily rest it on the bank, so that you can then get equipment over to make an abutment?

 

[vpracer]

Yes I will have an abutment on the other side. I was thinking about using one of those concrete barriers that they use during highway construction. Dig down a little then set that in place and put the trailer on top. Not ideal but it's 8 to 10 ft long and will help carry the weight.

 

[jaotguy]

weight of "trailer "? ... possibly put "floatation devices " under the opposite bank end of trailer ( or several as you push it across the stream ...) till it finally reaches the other side and jams into the bank ... then drive across, hook on the new end and position in place ... drive back to original side and repeat ...

remove floatation devices ...

 

[oosik]

Square1 had the same idea I had. I still see a situation that may be a problem. So you are able to get the flatbed across and span the creek. Can you trust the flatbed on the bear earth banks of the creek until you are able to put an abutment on each side. Maybe you can do what Square1 suggests, then go across with something smaller than your dozer to build the abutment on the other side and lift that side onto the new abutment.

 

[boggen]

be careful of them bank sides. they can give way rather quickly and suddenly.