Author Topic: Skid road bridge building? (Read 2495 times)

David_c · « **on:** October 13, 2005, 10:09:40 pm »

I am going to be starting a job in about a month or so. where i am going to need to build a temporary bridge over a brook about 8' wide with about 2' high walls. Comming out with hitch i will be comming down a hill. I have never built a bridge before so could really use some help. Thank you in advance!

GregS · « **Reply #1 on:** October 13, 2005, 10:24:30 pm »

David,
I was looking at a pretty cool pdf document on this subject.

http://www.umass.edu/nrec/pdf_files/skidder_bridge.pdf

Greg S

David_c · « **Reply #2 on:** October 13, 2005, 10:48:25 pm »

Thanks i will look. I thought i would thank you before looking becuase pdf take a few to load on my slow computer.

beenthere · « **Reply #3 on:** October 13, 2005, 10:55:20 pm »

David_c
What are the " 2' high walls " ??

Here is a pic of a temporary bridge idea shown at a recent Forestry Field Days. It is just in a ditch to show the construction, of 4" plastic tubing with 3" planking chained together on top of the tubing. Holes were drilled through the width of the planks and log chain threaded through and tightened with a chain binder.

David_c · « **Reply #4 on:** October 13, 2005, 10:56:33 pm »

Thanks again Greg. But that seems a bit more involved than i was looking to do. Not that i wouldn't if there isn't a quicker less expensive way of doing it.

David_c · « **Reply #5 on:** October 13, 2005, 10:58:57 pm »

Walls are where water has eat away at the granite.

Max sawdust · « **Reply #6 on:** October 14, 2005, 04:53:00 am »

Hi,
What is the distance to span? I am no engineer

but I recently cut 5"x6" oak timbers for a bridge that was being built to span a 3' culvert. The bridge will be 15' wide.
max

David_c · « **Reply #7 on:** October 14, 2005, 10:19:40 am »

Brook is about 6-8' wide. Going back in this weekend when this rain stops. only saw it for a few minutes on walk through with forester. So kinda going by memory which (what was i saying) Oh yea fading

Ron Scott · « **Reply #8 on:** October 14, 2005, 11:11:04 am »

See the Forum Thread on Bridge Building,

http://www.forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=9855.0

Also contact your State DNR or Extension Service to see if they have a manual on Best Management Practices for timber harvesting. They often show approved methods for doing water crossings, both temporary and permanent.

David_c · « **Reply #9 on:** October 14, 2005, 12:15:25 pm »

Thanks Ron for the link and now you mention it i know i have something around here from a BMP class i took.

Bill H · « **Reply #10 on:** October 14, 2005, 02:57:27 pm »

In Kentucky's BMP's on page 19-20 they have a simple bridge that has worked for me and simple to build on site:
Link to Kentucky BMP's

Bill

David_c · « **Reply #11 on:** October 14, 2005, 06:15:58 pm »

Thank you for link Bill.

Ed_K · « **Reply #12 on:** October 14, 2005, 08:49:35 pm »

I have one to build this next week. Going to use some crooked w/pine logs 15' long and put into the brook running the same way as the water. Then I'll use the tops cut 12' and lay in like planking. May use some of the junk hemlock too. This bridge will have to be removed next spring before high water.

David_c · « **Reply #13 on:** October 14, 2005, 10:48:27 pm »

I gotta say i hate trying to post pics. This is a pain. Maybe third time is a charm. Anyway here is the description of brook crossings i found from the class i took. Man do i hope this works this time.

David_c · « **Reply #14 on:** October 14, 2005, 10:50:32 pm »

I would really like to know why i couldn't post when attatchments where there but as soon as there gone no problm? If they aren't to big to upload then i really don't see why i am having the problm.

Furby · « **Reply #15 on:** October 15, 2005, 12:00:00 am »

Take a look at this thread for your pic posting problem.

http://www.forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=12416.0

Timburr · « **Reply #16 on:** October 15, 2005, 07:39:41 am »

The forwarder drivers who operate in our Crown forests are issued with a multiple pipe type structure, that is placed in a brook or ditch in a matter of moments.
The 'pipes' are flat sheets (about ½" thick, tough, neopropylene type plastic) rolled into seamless 'spirals'. The idea of being seamless allows flexing rather than splitting when a heavy load is run over them. I think they are about 6" in diam. and 20 or 40 are used depending on the width of the crossing. I can't remember if bundles are strapped together or not.
Drivers simply load them out of their bunks, like logs, into the stream and drive over them.

I don't know what they would be like skidding over, but I guess something could be put on top to prevent them getting ripped out.

Sorry, no info. on manufacturers or suppliers and if you folks haven't got them over there, then it's a good opportunity for a manufacturer. They are a

product

David_c · « **Reply #17 on:** October 15, 2005, 06:03:26 pm »

I'll try this again. We'll see

David_c · « **Reply #18 on:** October 15, 2005, 06:05:15 pm »

WOW that worked great. That isn't how i had to do it before. At least i don't remember doing it that way. Thank you for the link Furby.

Furby · « **Reply #19 on:** October 15, 2005, 11:00:06 pm »

sawguy21 · « **Reply #20 on:** October 16, 2005, 11:53:23 am »

Can't do anything like that here. Moving water is a Riparian Management Area and that is sacred ground. One company got a hefty fine for accidently dropping a concrete block which, btw, was recovered, during bridge reconstruction. Bridges have to be properly cribbed without silting the water or disturbing the aquatic life, even on private land.

Minnesota_boy · « **Reply #21 on:** October 16, 2005, 12:10:36 pm »

I find that disturbing and amusing that you have such tight controls on what a person can do to avoid all silting and disturbance of aquatic life after seeing the rolling brown water caused by the heavy rainfall in the mountains to your west and south. The flooding and near flooding near Calgary and Drumheller were certain to do more damage than a bridge or two being constructed or a concrete block being dropped into the river.

David_c · « **Reply #22 on:** October 16, 2005, 06:49:21 pm »

After all the rain we have had this past 10 days here there isn't a brook, stream, river or any body of water that isn't silted up big time. Not to mention the houses and roads that are also now part of same. We (family) were driving by this brook yesterday and for a good mile or more kept seeing what looked like ice chunks that are left after spring break up. Only it wasn't it was styrafoam or some such thing. Must have been instalation or something from the trailer park that was washed away.

Ed_K · « **Reply #23 on:** October 17, 2005, 08:29:35 am »

Alstead N.H. got hit real bad, I thake my bulk syrup to Bascomb's up there. We ended up with 18" of rain here in Leyden Ma. I looked at one job, where I have a cordaroy road 50 yds long and it held up real well. The water is filtering thru and hasn't floated it away

. It'll be a week before we get back to logging around here tho

.

David_c · « **Reply #24 on:** October 17, 2005, 10:10:18 am »

Ya Ed I am between you and allstead. Don't know exact amount. But i figuire somewhere around 15-19" of rain. All i know is it was to much.

Bill Johnson · « **Reply #25 on:** December 07, 2007, 01:01:26 pm »

I did not want to start a new thread, so thought I would revive this one.

These photos are of the typical type of portable bridge structure most operations are now using on all weather

After either building cribs or setting down sill logs (preferred) the bridge is moved into place.

Both halves are lined up and joined together and the center gap is covered with a steel strip to prevent mud and gravel from falling into the watercourse.

The bridge is finished off when curb logs and/or guardrails are in place and delineators are placed on the end of the bridge.

These bridges are designed to handled at least 80 ton loads and come a variety of lengths, with 30, 40, and 60 foot being most common around here.

ely · « **Reply #26 on:** December 07, 2007, 03:07:18 pm »

i used an old army truck bed for a bridge. it was 12 feet long or so and all i did was fold down the tail gate, then torch the sides down in the front of the bed and fold that end down with the bobcat. i just left the 8 inch tall sides up on the bed rails. they are hinged if a person wants a wider bridge you could fold them out and weld them in place.

anyway it was fast and it holds my skidsteer up with a load of logs on the forks.

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Author Topic: Skid road bridge building? (Read 2495 times)