Hooligan
Xtreme wheeler of the web
The house has a creek that splits the house from the field, when going to the field, we always said “I’m going to the other side” so that is the name of the thread.
there is drive-in access from the road to the field so this bridge is just for walking. When we moved in there was a wooden bridge, but the bank has washed away so it’s too short. It was the first or second year here the entire thing floated down stream a few hundred yards.
This bridge is purely for people, no cars or vehicles. Was thinking to make it wide enough for the riding mower, but then it needs to be wider and have ramp, I’ll just drive down the street like 300 feet. Anyways, might take a wheelbarrow over it, point is it won’t see heavyweight.
It will cross a 30 foot span, bridge will be 40’ total. When water is at low point, which is 350 days of the year, it will be about 10’ feet off the water. Water is about 8-12 inches deep and maybe 10’ wide. The rest of the distance is the bank.
A few years back I bought some steel. Four sections of 20’ c-channel. Flanges are 4” wide by 3/4”, beam is 18” tall by 1/2”.
Going to butt weld 2 of them with a bevel, weld each side. Use a 6011, then cap with 7018. The inner side will have a 15” by 3/16” square welded in a triangle configuration as a fishplate. This gives me two 40’ sections.
Will put an x-brace at each end to prevent rotation. This will be with angle iron.
The walking treads will be 48” x 2”x 6”. On the flange of the beams I’m going to weld a 2” x 3/16” strap the length of the beam, this won’t be load bearing it’s getting drill through just to mount the treads. Treads will rest on the main beam. Hoping the treads don’t flex much, they will unsupported 40”span. I’ll probably space them out at 1/2” so leaves and stuff fall through.
If the treads flex, I’ll make some sort of center beam and brace that to the side beams.
I’m wanting to put the beams at the full 48” wide as I plan to weld on to the outside of the channel some stake pockets that will hold the handrails. C-channel will have the c facing inward. So every 4’ was going to put stake pocket, one top and one bottom to hold 2x4, which will then support the handrail. Hoping the 18” tall span will provide enough space to reduce flex on the uprights. Handrail will be around 30-36” from the top of the tread.
Beams will temporarily be permanently rested on railroad ties on the bank.
This is all napkin engineering. I’m sure the beams are strong enough…but are they?
Getting to it this weekend , beams have been here for probably 6-7 years ….its time.
This is the view from the other side looking towards the house. Not sure if I will land the bridge between the trees above the t-post, or to the right of the big tree. I wanted to do between just in case the water gets crazy, but not sure if there is enough space now or will be in 20 years as the tree grow.
This is the beams.
there is drive-in access from the road to the field so this bridge is just for walking. When we moved in there was a wooden bridge, but the bank has washed away so it’s too short. It was the first or second year here the entire thing floated down stream a few hundred yards.
This bridge is purely for people, no cars or vehicles. Was thinking to make it wide enough for the riding mower, but then it needs to be wider and have ramp, I’ll just drive down the street like 300 feet. Anyways, might take a wheelbarrow over it, point is it won’t see heavyweight.
It will cross a 30 foot span, bridge will be 40’ total. When water is at low point, which is 350 days of the year, it will be about 10’ feet off the water. Water is about 8-12 inches deep and maybe 10’ wide. The rest of the distance is the bank.
A few years back I bought some steel. Four sections of 20’ c-channel. Flanges are 4” wide by 3/4”, beam is 18” tall by 1/2”.
Going to butt weld 2 of them with a bevel, weld each side. Use a 6011, then cap with 7018. The inner side will have a 15” by 3/16” square welded in a triangle configuration as a fishplate. This gives me two 40’ sections.
Will put an x-brace at each end to prevent rotation. This will be with angle iron.
The walking treads will be 48” x 2”x 6”. On the flange of the beams I’m going to weld a 2” x 3/16” strap the length of the beam, this won’t be load bearing it’s getting drill through just to mount the treads. Treads will rest on the main beam. Hoping the treads don’t flex much, they will unsupported 40”span. I’ll probably space them out at 1/2” so leaves and stuff fall through.
If the treads flex, I’ll make some sort of center beam and brace that to the side beams.
I’m wanting to put the beams at the full 48” wide as I plan to weld on to the outside of the channel some stake pockets that will hold the handrails. C-channel will have the c facing inward. So every 4’ was going to put stake pocket, one top and one bottom to hold 2x4, which will then support the handrail. Hoping the 18” tall span will provide enough space to reduce flex on the uprights. Handrail will be around 30-36” from the top of the tread.
Beams will temporarily be permanently rested on railroad ties on the bank.
This is all napkin engineering. I’m sure the beams are strong enough…but are they?
Getting to it this weekend , beams have been here for probably 6-7 years ….its time.
This is the view from the other side looking towards the house. Not sure if I will land the bridge between the trees above the t-post, or to the right of the big tree. I wanted to do between just in case the water gets crazy, but not sure if there is enough space now or will be in 20 years as the tree grow.
This is the beams.
gets it done.
