Talk:Colorado Street Bridge (Saint Paul, Minnesota)

This isn't a skew arch
I've changed the description from 'skew arch' to 'masonry arch' because this bridge isn't skewed. According to the Seventh Street Improvement Arches article they are the only skew bridge in Minnesota. From the photograph I would say that this bridge might qualify to be classed as a rampart arch however. See Talk:Skew arch. MegaPedant (talk) 19:13, 16 August 2009 (UTC)

I've done further research and discovered that the bridge is indeed a skew arch so I've updated the article and provided a reference. However, unlike the Seventh Street Improvement Arches it is not built with helical courses of stone. Instead it is built in the same way as a regular arch, with the stone courses running parallel to the abutments, a method of construction that is suitable for small skew angles (the various Victorian texts recommend a maximum of 10 to 12 degrees) but that becomes too weak for larger skew angles. I would very much like to know the skew angle of this bridge. MegaPedant (talk) 17:00, 29 August 2009 (UTC)