Roman Bridge Construction - Plate #2

 

In this first sketch the bridge piling is now taking shape. Note the heavy duty slave-powered crane used to lift the rubble and outside stone blocks to form the core and outside sleeve of the bridge pier. The center of the pier is formed of stone rubble laid in layers with a fitted stone outside and in the middle to hold it together. This core rests within the heavy log crib structure driven into the river bottom, inside the caisson.

In the second sketch the pier is almost finished with the pointed edge of the pier on the upstream side of the bridge, A smaller section of stone still needs to be placed on top of the bridge pier. The wooden structure sitting on the pontoon bridge next to the pier is one of the several arch supports that will be used to form the bridge arch between two piers.