A Memoir on Suspension Bridges

Front Cover
Cambridge University Press, Aug 21, 2014 - History - 238 pages
Published in 1832, this was the first English textbook dedicated to the topic of suspension bridges in Britain and continental Europe. Having assisted the naval officer and civil engineer Samuel Brown in preparing plans for the Clifton Suspension Bridge, Charles Stewart Drewry (1805-81) used information supplied directly by his engineering contemporaries to give an overview of the principles and challenges involved in the construction of suspension bridges. A key reference for the early history of this type of structure, the book discusses various methods and materials, ranging across rope, wood, chain and wire. Details regarding experiments on the strength of iron bars and wires are also given. Enhanced by lithographic plates and woodcut illustrations, the work is notable for its discussion of many examples of important bridges, such as Thomas Telford's Menai Suspension Bridge and the first such construction over the Thames at Hammersmith, as well as designs from overseas.
 

Contents

SECTION
1
Military Rope Bridge 6
7
Proposals for Runcorn Bridge
13
Stretching Strain of Ditto
19
Monsieur Poyets Wire Bridge
25
Introduction of Bar Chains
31
Description of the Union Bridge
41
Mr Telfords Plan for suspending centering from above
48
Bridges made of Wire Cables
108
Wire Bridge at Geneva s s
115
Bridge at Argentât
120
Steel Bridge at Vienna
132
Designs for Clifton Bridge
140
Norfolk Bridge at Shoreham
148
On Wood as a Material for the supporting Chains
154
Of the Tension
161

Description of the Menai Bridge
54
Description of the Conway Bridge
67
Mr Brunels Bridges at the Isle de Bourbon
75
Hammersmith Bridge
83
Bath Bridge e
89
Micklewood Bridge
95
Mr Telfords Experiments on deflecting Wires
99
Pont des Invalides
102
Formula to find the Length of the Chains
171
Measure of Horizontal Strain on the Main Piers
174
Formula to compute the Deflection at any given Point
180
Rule to calculate the proper Section for the main Chains
186
Rules for Strength of Castiron Beams
193
Transverse Strength of Castiron Bolts
199
Strength of Ropes e
206

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