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

[farmer2009]

You said the dozer can get to the other side but requires a semi. Can you get your tractor over there. Even if it takes some chain saw and loader work. As you could drive it around the road. Then grease some logs and chain bridge to loader do most of the work with the dozer pushing and let the tractor keep the nose of the bridge up.
I like the idea of useing two trailers. A 16 foot bridge will have a lot less pucker factor than an 8 foot one.

 

[vpracer]

Well I know this is an old post I started but hadn't done anything on the bridge yet. Except I got it delivered this weekend. Take a look at this baby......

 

[Rustyiron]

Look's like a "sea container" that's not a container. :laughing: That's a beauty and should get the job done! I've never seen an open sided unit like that before, must be for real odd ball loads and maybe large machinery. Keep the ends out of the dirt (moisture) and I'd think that would be trouble free for years. They use some real heavy duty paint on those containers that'll hold up for years with exposure to salt water spray on the container ships. Same go's for the wood deck, just keep an eye on it and maybe oil it eventually. I've used those large (2X2X6) concrete blocks that are usually available at the local concrete batch plant for the support of a bridge that I built. They are usually made from concrete left over on returning trucks. They inter-lock and make a nice foundation when bedded in a good gravel "footing".:thumbsup:

 

[s219]

Well I know this is an old post I started but hadn't done anything on the bridge yet. Except I got it delivered this weekend. Take a look at this baby......

Wow, where did you find that beast?? Looks great!

 

[farmer2009]

That looks like it should do the trick. Is it a surplus military bridge? Cost? (if you don't mind). Did you ever figure out how you would set it?

 

[vpracer]

Its called a flat shipping rack. The ends fold up and they can place odd size freight inside it (like dozers, tractors) that won't fit inside a normal shipping container. I got it down at the ship yard in the port of houston. The ends fold up and make basically an open shipping container. It has the feet on the corners that will accept a container on top of it so they can stack normal shipping containers on it. Its pretty cool. It weight 11,400 lbs and is rated to handle 1115,000lbs. Way more than I'll ever use. My dozer weighs in at 33k lbs so I have plenty of capacity. Its a tad narrow but a truck can drive across it, just don't look down. Plenty long at 40'. My creek span is 32 ft, so I'll have 4ft on either side. I paid $2,500 for it. Seems a little high but when I started figuring out the cost of heavy wood or steel to build something, this didn't look all that out of line. It won't require any type of support in the middle of the creek. It'll span just fine with no supports. Its got treated wood and its already painted. Plus its stout, way stouter that anything I would have built.

Long story on setting the bridge, but as the bridge sits on the ground, my plan is to hold up the far end with winch cable running from the back of the dozer over the top of the dozer and attached to the far end of the bridge. The winch handles 50k lbs and the dozer weighs 33k lbs. The near side of the bridge will be in the dozer blade. So when I tighten the winch cable it'll pull the bridge into the blade. I just need the far end of the bridge up in the air a couple feet and then I'll push the whole thing out over the water and let out the winch so the far end sits down on the pilings. I haven't tested this yet.....only a million ways to go wrong.....ha. I'm worried the weight of the bridge will tip up the dozer so I'll test the whole process on land prior to hanging it out over the creek.

 

[Xfaxman]

I will be surprised if the dozer can do it, that is a long lever.

Your pictures are appreciated! :thumbsup:

This is why I think the dozer will tip: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/bobcat-construction-equipment/275747-v417-max-lift.html

 

[zing]

Its called a flat shipping rack. The ends fold up and they can place odd size freight inside it (like dozers, tractors) that won't fit inside a normal shipping container. I got it down at the ship yard in the port of houston. The ends fold up and make basically an open shipping container. It has the feet on the corners that will accept a container on top of it so they can stack normal shipping containers on it. Its pretty cool. It weight 11,400 lbs and is rated to handle 1115,000lbs. Way more than I'll ever use. My dozer weighs in at 33k lbs so I have plenty of capacity. Its a tad narrow but a truck can drive across it, just don't look down. Plenty long at 40'. My creek span is 32 ft, so I'll have 4ft on either side. I paid $2,500 for it. Seems a little high but when I started figuring out the cost of heavy wood or steel to build something, this didn't look all that out of line. It won't require any type of support in the middle of the creek. It'll span just fine with no supports. Its got treated wood and its already painted. Plus its stout, way stouter that anything I would have built.

Long story on setting the bridge, but as the bridge sits on the ground, my plan is to hold up the far end with winch cable running from the back of the dozer over the top of the dozer and attached to the far end of the bridge. The winch handles 50k lbs and the dozer weighs 33k lbs. The near side of the bridge will be in the dozer blade. So when I tighten the winch cable it'll pull the bridge into the blade. I just need the far end of the bridge up in the air a couple feet and then I'll push the whole thing out over the water and let out the winch so the far end sits down on the pilings. I haven't tested this yet.....only a million ways to go wrong.....ha. I'm worried the weight of the bridge will tip up the dozer so I'll test the whole process on land prior to hanging it out over the creek.

Better be careful that you have a hard, level, straight path to the creek bank. If one side of the dozer sinks you might find the raised end of that bridge pivoting to the side really quickly.

 

[zing]

I found this picture of a WWII bridge laying tank called a Churchill Bridgelayer, doing basicly what you have described. Thought you might be interested.

 

[Depmandog]

Long story on setting the bridge, but as the bridge sits on the ground, my plan is to hold up the far end with winch cable running from the back of the dozer over the top of the dozer and attached to the far end of the bridge. The winch handles 50k lbs and the dozer weighs 33k lbs. The near side of the bridge will be in the dozer blade. So when I tighten the winch cable it'll pull the bridge into the blade. I just need the far end of the bridge up in the air a couple feet and then I'll push the whole thing out over the water and let out the winch so the far end sits down on the pilings. I haven't tested this yet.....only a million ways to go wrong.....ha. I'm worried the weight of the bridge will tip up the dozer so I'll test the whole process on land prior to hanging it out over the creek.

When you run the cable up and over the open station - ROPS - cab (?), how do you plan on supporting the pulley? There will be a tremendous downward force right above your head. Too light of rigging and it with bend like a pretzel...right on top of you (?)

Please do some measuring and provide us a sketch so we can calculate the force and tipping points of your plan. Will need the overall length of your dozer from the winch to the blade. Will also need to know where your pulley support will be located - how far forward of the winch and at what angle the support will be pitched either towards the front or rear.

Also, tell us what type of material you plan to use to build the support. With those basic measurements and added info, we might save you from disaster.