How far out can I extend a structure supported on one end?

[dragoneggs]

What you need is a 60' bridge set 29' out over the water so you'd have 31' behind the main pier. It'll balance itself. Make sense? Then a counterweight on the far land side to account for the up to 10 people, with some fudge factor increase for safety.

There's another easy way to figure this out.... buy an engineer some dinner.

The suspension bridge design will definitely work... maybe a bit more of an 'eye sore' if one is looking for a low profile pier design. I would entertain a dinner invitation but it would also need to include first class airline ticket and a nice hotel, oh yeah a signed waiver of liability. :laughing:

Great project though! BTW... This thread is in the wrong forum.

 

[MossRoad]

The suspension bridge design will definitely work... maybe a bit more of an 'eye sore' if one is looking for a low profile pier design. I would entertain a dinner invitation but it would also need to include first class airline ticket and a nice hotel, oh yeah a signed waiver of liability. :laughing:

Great project though! BTW... This thread is in the wrong forum.

Well, if he goes with all steel construction, it might be in the correct forum... but that's after he determines what materials he wants to build it with. If he want's it moved to another forum, we can certainly do that. :thumbsup:

 

[dragoneggs]

Well, if he goes with all steel construction, it might be in the correct forum... but that's after he determines what materials he wants to build it with. If he want's it moved to another forum, we can certainly do that. :thumbsup:

True enough, but I'm not sure I want welders doing the design work!

 

[MossRoad]

A couple years ago we watched them build this bridge in Delphi, Indiana. They built it all on the right side of this picture, put in one center pier, and wheeled it out over the right lanes, onto the center pier, then across the left lanes to the far pier. Then removed the center pier. So the thing was constructed to take the weight of about half the bridge hanging in space until it got to the center pier.

Google Maps


For a fishing pier, I'd imagine some sort of thick in the middle, thin at the ends tapered beam structure under the flat deck could support it rather than suspension from above.

 

[Shield Arc]

I built structures like this majority of my life. But off engineered stamped drawings. Without an engineered stamped drawing to work from, I think you're setting your self up for a law suit.

 

[Egon]

The stamped drawings. considering the cost of materials design should be a must.

Design would involve a little more than just cantilever beam tables.

 

[Egon]

True enough, but I'm not sure I want welders doing the design work!

A well qualified Welder might surprise you! ( certified, tested, work experience )

 

[BLSXJ]

You can go as far out as you want, you just need big beams and more foundation. 10 people at 250lbs each, is only 2500 lbs.

your best bet is to get a engineer. your only limit will be your wallet

 

[Deere Dude]

How deep is the pond where the end of the platform needs to be? I put in a dock by using 3" galvanized pipe with car wheels welded to the end for the base that worked well for my application. But, I don't know how frost in Indiana would work on that.

 

[JerryK]

How about pilings and a walkway all the way across... or at least out to the middle. Nice ' S ' shaped walkway meandering across the pond surface..... Some types of fish like to stay near a dock structure. You could build a covered structure out in the middle....