Bridge replacement

[principal skinner]

In the next year or two we need to replace an old brick built bridge on our farm drive over a small river. I thinking concrete culvert pipes sunk in and the cast around with readymix.

Needs to take 44t plus

Only access to farm yard and trying to think of a plan, how long would the curing time be for say a four foot diameter pipe with a couple of feet of readymix around it?

Would it be strong enough?

 

[S J H]

@Kevtherev ?

Is there any way of casting a reinforced slab over the existing bridge, so that is just acting like a shutter?

 

[Kevtherev]

I’d go for concrete pipes with some readymix on ends and pipe bedding or scalpings over them provided they are deep enough.
Concrete precast box culverts is the other option.

 

[Kevtherev]

Speak to Moore concrete for specs etc

 

[Pan mixer]

Anything will need a month to cure at least - this is not going to be a cheap job, but it will be very expensive if you don't get it right first time of course - need plenty of steel in the concrete in more than one layer I reckon.

 

[TheTallGuy]

The Environment Agency might have something to say about any proposed bridge replacement if it is a river/watercourse. Anything like a culvert is usually considered an absolute last resort due to the risk of blocking & being a confined space.

There is a pedestrian/cycle bridge locally that has just been erected over what is in reality a main ditch/stream, it's next to an older culvert carrying a road, but the EA insisted on a high clearance bridge solution despite the existing culvert rarely if ever having blocked.

 

[upnortheast]

Spoke to EA years ago about replacing a couple of bridges over streams. Were not bothered as long as size of the opening was as before.
How big a span have you got. ?
The precast option has advantages. Concrete already cured so quicker job. An engineer will have done the load calcs so your back is covered that way

 

[TheTallGuy]

Spoke to EA years ago about replacing a couple of bridges over streams. Were not bothered as long as size of the opening was as before.
How big a span have you got. ?
The precast option has advantages. Concrete already cured so quicker job. An engineer will have done the load calcs so your back is covered that way

Depends on the local bods as to how they approach such issues. Round here they seem to be quite firm on the rules.

 

[Paul E]

What they don't know won't hurt them.

 

[A1an]

What they don't know won't hurt them.

But what they find out can hurt you.

 

[Paul E]

Yes, if it's a bodge, but going by what the OP says, he wants a proper job, so common sense should prevail.
If not, "It was always like that/ exact replacement of previous bridge."

 

[A1an]

so common sense should prevail.

the government seem to be clean out of that nowadays

 

[kill]

Maybe worth having a word with Page Concrete at crediton as they done a bigger bridge than the Moore concrete one for artic access that I recently saw on a farm walk and it amazed me how cheap the farmer said it had been made and installed for considering the work that had been involved.

 

[tomlad]

Would big plastic twin wall be an option. Or not strong enough ??

 

[edwhite]

I have done quite a few bridge jobs from 6x2 metre box culverts under main A roads to farm track crossings.
If you follow the manufacturer instructions for box culverts you can’t go far wrong. If you need to travel on it rapidly aim for an RC 50 CEM 1 mix to get the strength up in a few days .
PM me if you want a chat

 

[suffolksmallholder]

Me, I'd use pre-cast sections. Easy!
SS