The History of the Early Engineering Disciplines

Engineering your Future

Chapter 2

The History of Civil Engineering

Part One

Boundaries and Surveys• Need for boundaries and surveys

precipitated civil engineering as we know• Surveyors

▫ Noted and marked foundations of monuments▫ Dividing land into parcels

• Egyptians used surveying to predict Nile River flood waters

• Romans learned from Egyptians and Greeks the importance of surveying▫ Aqueducts and roads designed from

surveying methods

Arabic people & the astrolabe

•Astrolabe - Fixed surveying method linked to the stars

•Arabic people developed proficiency with the astrolabe after the fall of the Roman Empire

•Arabic culture also responsible for:▫Development of Trigonometry▫Practice of triangulation to achieve

accuracy

Recognition•Civil engineering named to

distinguish between military and other engineers

•Europe and U.S. recognized those who completed large-scale projects as “civil engineers” (18th Century)

•1782 - John Smeaton of England molded himself as a Civil Engineer

•1793 - Society of Civil Engineers created in England▫1818 - Named changed to Institution

of Civil Engineers

United States Societies of Civil Engineering • Franklin Institute in

Philadelphia (1824)▫ Informal society of

engineers• American Society of

Civil Engineers (ASCE) ▫ Formed November 5,

1852▫ Present and active

today

Annual meeting, ASCE Deer Park Hotel, Deer Park, MD, 1885

www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/SciRefGuides/engineersociety.html

Bridges Manhattan Bridge - New York, NY

http://www.pierluigisurace.it/imagerie/aatw0058.htm

Three Classes of Bridges

• Beam Bridge• Suspension Bridge• Arched Bridge

Beam Bridge

http://education.sdsc.edu/enrich/brid.html

Arched Bridge

http://www.walkingbritain.co.uk/walks/walks1/w001d.shtml

Suspension Bridge

http://www.photo.net/photo/pcd3448/golden-gate-bridge-94

History of Bridges• 2000 B.C.

▫ Wooden timber beams built on stone pillars▫ Spanned over the Euphrates River▫ Commissioned by Queen Semiramis for Babylon,

suggesting practice was common• 300 B.C.

▫ Golden Era Roman stone-arch bridges▫ 250 B.C. saw Greek “invention” of wood truss

• 610 A.D.▫ Zhaozhou (Ali) Bridge constructed▫ World’s oldest known open-spandrel stone-arch

bridge

Frankford Avenue Bridge• Spans Pennypack

Creek in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

• Constructed in 1697• First known stone

arch bridge in U.S.• Still being used today

Frankford Avenue BridgePhiladelphia, PA

http://www.asce-philly.org/achievements05.asp

Sewall’s Bridge• First known pile

supported highway bridge

• Built over the York River in York, Maine

• Piles driven into river bottom by dropping oak logs while standing them in place

• Replaced in 1934

Sewall’s BridgeYork, Maine

http://www.maine.gov/mdot-stage/covered-bridges/sewalls.php

Iron Bridge• World’s first all-metal

bridge built of cast iron

• Designed by Abraham Darby III

• Spans Severn River near Coalbrookdale, England

• Main span - 30.5 m• Total length - 60 m• Weight - 378.5 tons

Iron BridgeCoalbrookdale, England

http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Iron_Bridge_at_Coalbrookdale.html

Jacob’s Creek Bridge

•World’s first modern suspension bridge•Located on the road between Uniontown,

Pennsylvania and Greensburg, Pennsylvania•Designed and built by James Finley for $600 in

1801•Bridge demolished 1833, five years after Finley

had passed away in Uniontown

Dams Hoover Dam

http://www.intermind.net/im/boulder.html

Factors to take into account• Strong enough to

resist reservoir water backed behind dam

• Impervious to water▫ Resists leaks and

erosion• Water cannot find way

into dam• Accommodates

overflow

Failure of Teton DamRexburg, Idaho

$1 billion in damages

http://web.umr.edu/~rogersda/dams/

Roads Route 66 - Arizona

http://www.bekkoame.ne.jp/~toisa/wp/wp.html

Evolution of Roads

•Markings used to designate paths to desired destinations

•Invention of wheel brought on roadways

•Evolved from dirt roads into paved surfaces with drainage systems to divert water off of them

Paved Roads History

•3000 B.C. - the Herappa and Mohenjo-Daro civilizations in the Indus valley developed paved roads with drainage systems underneath pavement

•2500 B.C. - Lake Moeris Quarry Road▫World’s oldest paved road▫Was eight miles long (only 4 miles remain)

Those Romans…• 312 B.C. - Road from

Rome to Capula▫ 130 miles

• 144 B.C. - First high-level aqueduct ▫ Hydraulic cement

introduced in design• Over 372 roads

constructed with a combined distance of 53,000 miles

• Roadways suffered with retreat from Britain

Roman road cut into Italian Mountain

http://www.unc.edu/courses/rometech/public/content/transport/Adam_Pawluk/

Contruction_and_Makeup_of_.htm

Roads considered a value??

•600 years after Britain invasion retreat, Norman invasion showed roads are considerable value

•The church maintained roadways and constructed inns and places of rest

•Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries with his self-appointed Supreme Head of Church of England in 1534

El Camino Real

• 1500’s Spaniards and Colonials developed first inland transportation route into U.S.

• Original use for political and military use only

• Beginning of interstate highway system

Marker on El Camino Real

http://www.rootsweb.com/~txrober2/GhostlyHauntsCollection.htm

TunnelsChannel Tunnel Boring Machine

http://www.lemleyandassociates.com/

History of Tunnels

•600 B.C. - Samos Aqueduct Tunnel▫Water supply routed through a hill on

Greek island•Persian and Armenian tunnels in Iran

brought water to towns in the 8th century•By 17th century, tunnels widely used to

route canals through hills rather than around

Tunnel History cont.• Marc Isambard

Brunel developed a shield for boring under the Thames River in 1820

• Dual tunnels run 1200 yards

• Completed in 1841

• First time tunnel cut under a body of water

Marc Isambard Brunel(1769 - 1849)

http://web.ukonline.co.uk/b.gardner/brunel/marcbrun.html

Alfred Nobel’s Dynamite•Most significant advancement in

tunneling•Alfred Nobel born in 1833 in Stockholm,

Sweden to a family of engineers•Father sent him abroad to learn about

chemical engineering to expand horizons

•Alfred returned and concentrated on nitroglycerine as explosive

•Brother and several others killed in an explosion

Alfred Nobel cont.• Nitroglycerine banned

from Stockholm city limits• 1864 found way to handle

explosive safe• Nobel built labs and

companies in more than 20 countries

• Holds more than 350 patents

• Immense fortune amassed• Nobel Prize founder in will

Alfred Nobel

http://www.britannica.com/nobel/alfrednobel.html

Water Supply and ControlPanama Canal under maintenance

http://www.photoatlas.com/pics02/pictures_of_panama_73.html

Definitions• Dams - barriers constructed across a waterway

to control the flow or raise the level of water• Aqueducts - pipes or channels designed to

transport water from a remote source▫ Usually takes advantage of gravity▫ Bridge-like structures support a conduit or canal

passing over a river or low ground• Canals - artificial waterways or artificially

improved rivers used for travel, shipping, or irrigation

The History of Industrial Engineers

Part 2

Industrial Engineering

•International commerce increases brought about an increase of competition amongst suppliers

•Main role is to combine workers, machines, and materials in order to increase productivity and reduce waste

•Philosophy traced back to tribal cultures▫Created more efficient tools and made best

of everyone’s specific skills

First Mechanically-Assisted Cutting Device•Rocking drill that was cord driven

•Assistant needed to manipulate cord in order to give alternating rotary movement

•Earliest illustration of lathe found in Egyptian tomb of Petosiris

Pole Lathe

•Developed in 12th century•Size and complexity of work to be done

increased, bringing the invention about•Designed with heavier wooden

construction to be more rigid and powerful than previous designs

•Continuous drive machine with a large wheel cranked by an assistant created to turn metal

Pole Lathe Examples• 1500 - Leonardo da

Vinci’s treadle and crankshaft

• Spaichel’s development in 1561 using human power

• Alternate power supplies developed▫ Horse gins▫ Water wheels▫ Steam engines▫ Electric motors

Great Wheel Lathe

http://www.turners.org/Articles/lathehistory.html

1700 - mid 1800s Machines

•John Wilkinson’s cylinder boring mill of 1776▫Father of the industrial revolution

•Henry Maudslay’s workshops▫Produced machine tools, lathes, and special

purpose machines▫Trained other great engineers

1700 - mid 1800s Machines

•Richard Roberts planing lathe and large lathe with a back gear that allowed for spindle speed changes (1817)

•Automatic spinning mule and differential gear from 1825

History of Mechanical Engineering

Part 3

Brief Overview•Coke replacing charcoal in England in

early 1700s brought upon the beginning of modern mechanical engineering

•Industrial Revolution began due to advancements in producing wrought iron

•Machines developed to make use of mass produced steel

•Mechanical Engineering recognized as profession in England in 1847 and U.S. after 1850

Boats The New Orleans arriving at namesake (1812)

http://www.tulsaweb.com/port/history2.htm

Steam Engines• James Watt developed

new model steam engine in 1778▫ Engine cooled steam

in a condenser separate from the main cylinder

• Spurred the application of steam to water, land, and air

Watt’s Engine

http://www.history.rochester.edu/steam/thurston/1878/Chapter3.html

Steam Powered Ships• Easiest to implement

the steam engines• Robert Fulton

developed combination of Watt Steam engine to improved hull design

• Clermont steamboat financial success from first Hudson river run in 1807

1907 Clermont replica

http://www.ulster.net/~hrmm/quad/1909hudsonfulton/chapter08.html

Trains

http://www.watercressline.co.uk/

First to use steam on land

•Weight and size of boilers overcome by use of high pressure boilers and iron rails

•Initial designs used in mines and ironworks

•First steam-powered locomotive ran in South Wales in 1804

•First passenger train built from Stockton to Darlington opened in 1825

1829 Competition

•Rail line between Liverpool and Manchester

•Each locomotive must consume own smoke, haul a load equal to 3 times its own weight and travel at an average speed of not less than 10 mph

“The Perseverance”• Timothy Burstall

design• Vertical boiler with

furnace beside it• Fuel fed to fire by

hopper on top• Attained maximum

speed of 6 mph

The Perseverance, The Mechanics Magazine (1829)

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/RArainhill.htm

“Sans Pareil”• Design and built by

Timothy Hackworth• Two-cylinder engine• Ran for 27 miles• Average speed of 14

mph• Maximum speed of 17

mph• 14.3 tons hauled• Boiler feed pump

failed often

Sans Pareil

http://hex.oucs.ox.ac.uk/~rejs/photos/A40/York/nrm/

“Rocket”• George Stephenson

design and built• Traveled 70 miles• Avg. speed - 15 mph• Max. speed - 29 mph• Set bar for all future

locomotive designs• Won $500 prize for

competition

1979 Rocket replica

http://hex.oucs.ox.ac.uk/~rejs/photos/A40/York/nrm/

Early Road Transportation

www.blueskyranches.com/

Chariots• Used in warfare by

Middle Eastern nations

• Handed down to Romans and Greeks ▫ Chariots had either

two or four wheel• Used primarily for

transportation of goods

• 770 B.C. saw advent of chariot races

Modern Day Chariot Race

http://www.gt40.co.uk/gt40lm03.html

Romans and Britain

•Romans invaded Britain two times before succeeding in 43 A.D.

•Many transportation techniques introduced and groundwork laid for roadways

•Collapse of Roman Empire control in Britain saw end of roadways as main source of travel

•Horseback way to travel after 410 A.D.

Carriages and Coaches

• British imports between 1550 and 1600 A.D.

• Confined as baggage travel between towns for the rich

Carriage ride in Central Park

http://www.galenfrysinger.com/horse_carriages_new_york_city.htm

Post Office Act of 1765

•Mail had to be transported at a rate of at least 6 mph

•Mail coaches began to be regularly used starting in 1784

•Mode of transportation did not change much in years to come

•Problem solving and re-engineering lead to overall improvement in speed, punctuality and service to customers

Early Automobile

http://photos.nondot.org/2001-10-03-Ohio-Trip/2001-10-12%20-%20Indianapolis%20Race%20Museum/index2.html

Nicolas Joseph Cugnot• 1769, invented a military gun-carriage

tractor used to haul artillery for the French army

• Three wheeled steam-powered tractor traveled at 2.5 mph

• Frequent stops for boiler to build up pressure to power drive wheels

• French unimpressed from slow vehicle and frequent stops made

• Successful tricycle that carried four passengers developed in 1770

James Watt• Developed reputation

as high-quality engineer

• In 1763, he was sent a Newcome steam engine for repairs

• Rebuilt and made engine more efficient

• Sold these improved engines for 11 years

James Watt’s Workshop

http://www.history.rochester.edu/steam/thurston/1878/Chapter3.html

William Murdock• James Watt’s staff

engineer• Developed a three-

wheeled steam-driven vehicle that was much lighter than Cugnot’s in 1785

• Watt fired Murdock because of too much time spent on project

www.birmingham-photos.co.uk

Murdock’s innovation

The Bicycle

http://leapfrog-entertainment.com/Artists/Big/JustinCase/JustinCase.htm

“Dandy Horse”• 1817 was first

prototype of bicycle• Developed by Baron

Karl Drais von Sauerbronn of Manheim

• “Father of Bicycle”• Gained popularity due

to novelty purposes, not practical uses

Dandy Horse

http://www.cycle-info.bpaj.or.jp/english/learn/bcc02.html

First Pedal-Powered Bicycle• Kirkpatirck

MacMillian, a blacksmith invented

• Pedals powered back wheel and steering done on front

• Wheels mounted on brass bearings, saddle seats, ran on iron tyred wooden wheels

MacMillan Velocipede

http://www.cycle-info.bpaj.or.jp/english/learn/bcc02.html

“Boneshaker”• Pierre Michaux of Paris’

variance of a velocipede in 1860

• Frame made of wrought iron, pedals mounted in line with front wheel and axle, and friction shoe on rear tire to slow

• Sold for $13• First two-wheeled bicycle

actually caught on for practical use

Boneshaker

http://www.museumsnett.no/ntm/no/samlingene/sykler/forside.htm