The first thermal analysis of an arch bridge: Thomas Young 1817

Huerta Fernández, Santiago (2006). The first thermal analysis of an arch bridge: Thomas Young 1817. In: "I International Conference on Advances in Bridge Engineering", 26–28th June 2006, Brunel University, Londres. ISBN 1 902316 49 5.

Description

Title: The first thermal analysis of an arch bridge: Thomas Young 1817
Author/s:
  • Huerta Fernández, Santiago
Editor/s:
  • Kumar, E.
  • Brown, J. C.
  • Wrobel, L. C.
Item Type: Presentation at Congress or Conference (Article)
Event Title: I International Conference on Advances in Bridge Engineering
Event Dates: 26–28th June 2006
Event Location: Brunel University, Londres
Title of Book: Bridges - Past, present and future. Proceedings of the First International Conference on Advances in Bridge Engineering (Brunel University, 26–28th June 2006)
Date: 2006
ISBN: 1 902316 49 5
Subjects:
Freetext Keywords: Arches iron temperature effects history bridge analysis construction building engineering mechanics line of thrust Thomas Young Arcos puentes análisis térmico temperatura historia construcción ingeniería mecánica
Faculty: E.T.S. Arquitectura (UPM)
Department: Estructuras de Edificación [hasta 2014]
Creative Commons Licenses: Recognition - No derivative works - Non commercial

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Abstract

The engineers of the 18th century were well aware of the movements suffered by arch bridges due to changes of temperature. In 1801 this problem caused concern to the experts reporting on Telford’s design for a 600 feet iron arch. Vicat reported in 1824 “un mouvement périodique” in the arches of the bridge of Souillac and George Rennie published in 1842 the movements observed in Southwark Bridge after its completion in 1818. However the analysis of these perturbations was studied much later, within the frame of elastic theory, by Bresse in 1854 and Rankine in 1862, followed by others like Winkler or Clapeyron, in the last quarter of the 19th century. This is the information that can be found in the general books on the History of the Theory of Structures. In fact, Thomas Young included in his article “Bridge” written for the Supplement to the fourth edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica, and published anonymously in 1817, an analysis of the thermal effects in an iron arch bridge. He deduced first the general expression for shallow segmental arches and then applied it to the arch of Southwark Bridge. Thomas Young’s analysis preceded, then, by ca. 40 years the work of Bresse or Rankine. However he received no recognition for this discovery, and it appears that no contemporary English engineer was able to understand his derivations.

More information

Item ID: 574
DC Identifier: https://oa.upm.es/574/
OAI Identifier: oai:oa.upm.es:574
Deposited by: Profesor S. Huerta
Deposited on: 16 Oct 2007
Last Modified: 20 Apr 2016 06:22
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