Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
FIGURE 1.5
The Victoria Bridge under construction (completed in 1859) across the
St. Lawrence River, Montreal, Canada. (William Notman, Library and Archives Canada.)
more rigid bridges for railway construction. Furthermore, Baker had earlier recom-
mended cantilever trusses for long-span railway bridges.
∗
Also in 1867, Heinrich
Gerber constructed the first cantilever bridge in Hanover, Germany, and some short-
span cantilever arch and truss bridges were built in New England and New Brunswick
between 1867 and 1870.
Nevertheless, railway suspension bridges were built in the United States in the
last quarter of the nineteenth century. Unlike the aversion for suspension bridges that
was prevalent among British railway engineers, American engineers were using iron
suspension bridges for long spans carrying relatively heavy freight railroad traffic.
Modern suspension bridge engineering essentially commenced with the construction
of the 820 ft span railway suspension bridge over the Niagara Gorge in 1854. This
bridge, designed by John A. Roebling, was used by the Grand Trunk Railway and
successor railroads for over 40 years. Roebling had realized the need for greater
rigidity in suspension bridge design after the failure of the Wheeling
†
and other
suspension bridges. As a consequence, his Niagara Gorge suspension bridge was
the first to incorporate stiffening trusses into the design
(Figure 1.6).
Rehabilitation
works were required in 1881 and 1887, but it was replaced with a steel spandrel braced
hinged arch bridge in 1897 due to capacity requirements for heavier railway loads.
The railway suspension bridge constructed in 1840 over the Saone River in France
∗
Baker's 1862 book
Long-Span Railway Bridges
and A. Ritter's calculations of the same year outlined
the benefits of cantilever bridge design.
†
The 1010 ft wire rope suspension bridge over the Ohio River at Wheeling, West Virginia collapsed due
to wind loads in 1854, just five years after completion of construction.
