The Bailey Bridge - an Introduction

The Bailey Bridge is essentially a pre-fabricated structure, the roadway being carried between two main girders. A main girder is formed from panels (trusses) 10 ft long pinned together end to end. The strength of the girder can be increased by adding extra panels alongside and on top of the original panels. The different arrangements of panels are known as trusses and storeys. A girder made up of three alongside each other and none on top, is known as Triple Truss Single Storey (TS) while a girder of two panels alongside each other and one set of two on top is known as Double Truss Double Storey(DD), and so on. In all cases the number of trusses is given first followed by the number of storeys. Single Single(SS) is the lightest construction and Triple Triple(TT) is the heaviest. The girders are connected crossways by transoms. These are 18 ft long rolled steel joists which rest on the bottom of the panels and carry the roadway superstructure. They are fixed to the panel by clamps and hold the trusses in position 12 ft. 4 ins. apart. For a Double Truss bridge, the second truss is placed 18 ins. centre to centre outside the first truss, and for a Triple Truss bridge, the third truss is placed 8 ins. centre to centre outside the second. Across the transoms run the roadbearers (stringers), which are 10 ft. long, the same length as the panel bays. Wooden chesses are placed across the stringers to form the deck. Footwalks for pedestrian traffice can be fitted outside the main girders of the bridge and secured to the end of the transoms. The load carrying capacity of the Bailey Bridge is shown in the following table: Load Class 9 12 18 24 30 40 50 60 70 Span in Feet TS DD 170 180 160 170 140 160 140 150 120 140 110 130 90 110 80 100 70 90

SS 90 80 60 60 50 30

DS 150 140 110 110 100 80 60 50 40

TD 200 190 180 170 160 150 130 120 110

DT

TT

200 200 190 180 160 130 120

200 180 180 160 150

Up to and including Class 40 loads, two transoms are required per bay of the bridge. Over Class 40, four transoms are required per bay. As a guide to the load capacity required:An armoured division needed a Class 30 bridge; an infantry division needed a Class 40 bridge; a corps needed a Class 70 bridge. Most bridges appear to have been painted a dark earth colour, but some may have been British Olive Drab. Roadways natural wood or possibly creosoted. Recommended reading:Bailey Uniflote Handbook, ed. Maj. J.Hathrell, Acrow Press, London; One More River to Cross, J.H. Joiner, Pen & Sword Books; Bridgeing Normandy to Berlin BLA 1945; Series of pamphlets on British Army bridgeing by Trux Models.