Bailey Bridge
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*FM 5-277 Field Manual HEADQUARTERS No. 5-277 DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY Washington, DC, 9 May 1986 BAILEY BRIDGE Distribution Restriction: Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited *This publication supersedes TM 5-277, 3 August 1972. i FM 5-277 C1 Change 1 Headquarters Department of the Army Washington, DC, 15 August 1991 FM 5-277 9 May 1986 ii FM 5-277 iii FM 5-277 LIST OF FIGURES - BAILEY BRIDGE (FM 5-277) iv FM 5-277 v FM 5-277 vi FM 5-277 vii FM 5-277 viii FM 5-277 ix FM 5-277 x FM 5-277 xi FM 5-277 xii LIST OF TABLES – BAILEY BRIDGE (FM 5-277) xiii FM 5-277 xiv FM 5-277 xv FM 5-277 PREFACE This manual is intended for use by engineer bridge to the British War Office which paid commanders, staff officers, combat engi- him the equivalent of $48,000 in 1985 neers, and bridge specialists who are required American currency. to build the Bailey bridge. The Bailey bridge used in World War II was The purpose of this manual is to provide the designed to be moved, rebuilt, or replaced in user instructions needed to build the standard several hours, even under enemy fire. It was Bailey bridge and its several variants. It used widely and well by Allied armies in Italy describes bridge components, loading and and northwest Europe, 1943-45. British Field transport, methods of assembly, and main- Marshal Lord Bernard Law Montgomery tenance. It also describes special applica- said: “Without the Bailey bridge, we should tions, such as two-lane, extra-wide, deck, not have won the war. It was the best thing in railway, pier- and barge-supported bridges, that line we ever had.” Donald Bailey was and towers built from Bailey bridge compo- knighted in 1946 for this contribution to the nents. Allied victory in World War II. The Bailey bridge has several distinctive features. It is built by manpower alone. It is made entirely from prefabricated parts, the The proponent agency of this publication is most notable of which are its light-steel the US Army Engineer School. Submit panels linked by pinned joints. It is a changes for improving this publication on ‘through-type bridge. And it can be moved DA Form 2028 (Recommended Changes to from one site to another. Publications and Blank Forms) and forward to Commandant, US Army Engineer School, The Bailey bridge was invented by Donald ATTN: ATZA-TD-P, Fort Belvoir, Virginia Coleman Bailey, an English civil engineer. 22060-5291. In 1941, Bailey gave his first sketch of the xvii FM 5-277 1 FM 5-277 This change supersedes page 2. CHAPTER 1 HISTORY AND USE OF THE BRIDGE At the outset of World War II, the United It is highly mobile. All parts of the bridge shown in Figure 1-2 (page 4). The types of States (US) Army sought a versatile bridge can be transported to and from the bridge possible truss assemblies are given in Table that could span a variety of gaps and be site by 5-ton dump trucks and trailers. 1-1 (page 4). A single-truss, double-or triple- quickly assembled by manpower alone. For story bridge is never assembled because it this reason, we adopted the design for the It is versatile. Standard parts can be used would be unstable. All triple-story bridges British prefabricated Bailey bridge, US to assemble seven standard truss designs with the deck in the bottom story are braced nomenclature Ml. We revised the design to for efficient single spans up to 210 feet at the top by transoms and sway braces provide a greater roadway width of 12% feet long and to build panel crib piers sup- which are fastened to overhead-bracing sup- and designated it the Panel Bridge, Bailey porting longer bridges. With minor non- ports bolted to the top chords. M2 (Figure l-l). The British then modified standard modifications, the expedient the US version by widening the bridge again, uses of bridge parts are limited only by Materials thus producing the extra-wide Bailey M3 the user’s imagination. The decking, called chess, is wood. Panels, bridge. The US Army does not stock the M3 end posts, transoms, and ramps are a low- bridge in its arsenal. The Bailey bridge is a CONSTRUCTION alloy, high-tensile steel. All other parts are through-type truss bridge, the roadway being Transverse floor beams, called transoms, are carbon structural steel. All joints in the parts carried between two main girders. The trusses clamped to the bottom chords of the trusses are welded. in each girder are formed by 10-foot panels and support stringers and decking. Sway pinned end to end. In this respect, the Bailey braces between the girders provide horizontal Deck bridge is often referred to as the “panel” or bracing; rakers between the trusses and The clear roadway between curbs, called rib- “truss” bridge. transoms keep the trusses upright; and bands, is 12 feet 6 inches wide. The transoms bracing frames and tie plates between the supporting the roadway are normally set on ADVANTAGES trusses provide lateral bracing within each the bottom chords of the bottom story. Foot- Some of the characteristics that make the girder. walks can be carried on the transoms outside Bailey bridge valuable to field commanders of the main trusses on each side of the bridge. are— Main girders The main girders on each side of the center- Bearings It is easy to install. Each part of the line of the bridge can be assembled from a End posts pinned to the end of each truss sit Bailey bridge is a standard machine- single truss or from two or three trusses side on cylindrical bearings which rest on a steel made piece and is interchangeable among by side. For greater strength, a second story base plate. On soft soil, timber grillage is spans. Inmost cases, no heavy equipment of panels can be added to the trusses. The used under the base” plates to distribute the is required to assemble or launch a Bailey upper stories are bolted to the top chord of the load. The bridge can be assembled between bridge; only basic pioneer skills and equip- lower story. For greatest strength, a third banks of different elevations, but the slope ment are needed. story is added. These three basic types are should not exceed 30 to 1. 2 FM 5-277 This change supersedes page 3. TYPES OF STRUCTURES Panel bridge equipment can be used to assemble fixed bridges and panel crib piers and towers. Other special structures such as floating bridges, suspension bridges, retract- able bridges, and mobile bridges, can be assembled using special parts. Panel bridge equipment is normally used to assemble fixed simple-span, through-type bridges from 30 to 210 feet long. The bridge can be assembled to meet varying conditions of span and load. Bridge weight per bay is given in Table 1-2 (page 5). The following special assemblies are also possible: Two-lane, through-type bridges; deck-type bridges; railway bridges; bridges on piers; and floating bridges can be built with panel bridge equipment. Panel crib piers and towers up to 70 feet high supporting continuous spans, and up to 110 feet high supporting broken spans, can be assembled with panel bridge equipment and special crib-pier parts. Many expedient structures can also be built with panel bridge equipment. These include causeways, box anchors, towers for floating bridge cables, and loading hoppers and gantries. 3 FM 5-277 4 FM 5-277 This change supersedes page 5. 5 FM 5-277 CHAPTER 2 BASIC EQUIPMENT BRIDGE PARTS 6 ERECTION EQUIPMENT 15 BRIDGING TRUCK LOADS 19 The Bailey M2 bridge set contains 29 different items of bridge parts and 30 items of erection equipment. Table A-1 in Appendix A shows the number of parts needed to build a specific Bailey bridge. BRIDGE PARTS WARNING: Due to the size and weight of components, personnel are advised to use PANEL PIN support the bridge roadway will be clamped The panel pin (Figure 2-2) is 8 5/16 inches (21.1 extreme care when handling them. Failure to these dowels. Table 2-1 lists the holes in the centimeters) long, 1 7/8 inches (4.8 centimeters) panel. in diameter, and weighs 6 pounds (2.7 kilo- to do so may result in serious. grams). It has a tapered end with a small hole PANEL The panel (Figure 2-1) is the basic member of the bridge. It is a welded, high-tensile steel truss section 10 feet (3.0 meters) long, 5 feet 1 inch (1.5 meters) high, and 6 1/2 inches (16.5 centimeters) wide. It weighs 577 pounds (262 kilograms) and can be carried by six soldiers using carrying bars. The horizontal members of the panel are called chords. Both chords have male lugs at one end and female lugs at the other. Panels are joined end to end by engaging these lugs and placing panel pins through the holes in the lugs. On the top of the bottom chord are four seatings or dowels. The beams that 6 FM 5-277 for a retainer clip. A groove is cut across the head of the panel pin parallel to the bridge pin retainer hole. Panel pins should be inserted with the groove horizontal; other- wise, the flanges of the panel chord channels make it difficult to insert the retainer clip. WARNING: Never jack against transoms that are held in place by transom clamps, as the clamps will fail.