Trout Brook bridge and the thawing

[ALAIN DELASSUS]

Hello ! What is it whith Trout Brook bridge? On the  last pics I saw the brook was awful high and iced over, there were helter skelter big blocks of ice covered with a thick sheet of snow. Now it's Springtime the thawing is starting and I'm worrying a bit about what is going to happen when all those blocks of ice are flowing down the brook and hit  continuously the wooden stakes that sustain the bridge.

[Steve Smith]

Alain, I'll attempt to answer your question, hoping that a better informed member will correct me if my answer is wrong.

The bridge rests on two bents, one on each side of the brook. Each bent has 11 vertical piles, to which various horizontal and diagonal wooden structural members are fastened.

But in addition, on each side of each bent--upstream and downstream--a pile called a batter pile is driven into the ground at a small angle away from vertical, so that the point where the batter pile enters the ground is a little further away from the vertical piles than the top of the batter pile is.

I think the angle from vertical is about the same as the legs of a man would have if he's standing with his feet about 1/4 to 1/3 of a meter apart. I believe the batter piles, especially the ones on the upstream side of the bridge, are intended to absorb the impact of ice or other objects flowing downstream, and thus protect the bents.

Those piles look very sturdy to me, so I think they will do the job.

[ALAIN DELASSUS]

Hello Steve, Thank you so much for your clear and precise explanations.  I've looked at the pics taken during the building of the bridge bents again and all due to your explanations I've spotted the batters piles and understood their usefulness. They look sure enough sturdy but then again the photos of the bridge bents surrounded by those big blocks of ice were awfuly impressive.  Have a nice day!

[Dwight Winkley]

The museum's bridge inspector looked at the bridge after the ice jam and has told the museum were to install more bracing and to do other finishing work. This will be done during low water season or sooner.

[Ed Lecuyer]

Adding to Dwight's comments regarding the bridge inspector:
- He is a well-respected bridge inspector known for his work throughout New England. (Incidentally, I saw his business referenced in article regarding the closure of a wooden road bridge over railroad tracks on Cape Cod.)
- He noted that the ice posed no immediate threat to the bridge.
- The work he recommended was already scheduled to be completed this season.

[Steve Smith]

Thank you, Dwight and Ed, for the important additional information.

[ALAIN DELASSUS]

 Hello! Thank you so much ,Dwight and Ed, for your comforting explanations too.

[Mike Fox]

I went and observed the thawing today. Nothing to worry about. Water is high, the ice is melting, but not moving. An ideal melt.

Looking up stream



Looking Down stream on the next 3







Highway bridge looking up stream, a good ice jam against the abuttment







And looking downstream from the highway bridge

[ALAIN DELASSUS]

Thank you Mike for those interesting pics that show that the thawing is working out smoothly and without any damage for the bridge.