STEPHEN H. LONG AND SQUIRE WHIPPLE: THE FIRST AMERICAN STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS

The second quarter of the 19th century marks the beginning of structural engineering as a profession. The careers of Stephen H. Long and Squire Whipple are chronicled in this paper, which outlines their writings and the construction of bridges between 1830 and 1860. At this point in time, bridge building and design changed from an art to a science. Prior to Long and Whipple, bridge builders were carpenters, millwrights, or architects who designed their bridge structures using rules of thumb. Through their writings, Long and Whipple in 1847 gave fellow engineers methods for designing the members of their trusses, beams, and columns. Information about these men will enable new structural engineers to appreciate their contributions to the profession.

Language

  • English

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Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00711530
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Files: TRIS
  • Created Date: Sep 12 1995 12:00AM