n-w BRIDGE ENGINEERING wv Ae a Ye ra BY “+ JY av LD WADDELL C.E. (Rens. Poly. Inst.); B.A.Sc., Ma.E., D.Sc. (McGill Univ.); D.E. (Univ. of Neb.); LL.D. (Univ. of Mo.); Kogakuhakushi (Doctor of Eng., Imp. Univ. of Japan) Kaight Commander of the Japancer Order of the Rising Sun; Membre de la Société de Bienfaisance de la Grande ‘Dhaai lon ce Rode; Senor Partner of Weddell & Sn, Consltng Engineer, Kanna City, Mo; Member df the American, Scciety of Civil Engineers; of the American Institute of Consulting Engineers; of the Puanbiin Yestitate; of the Institution of Civil Engineers, London; of La Société dee Ingtoeurs (Cha, rs; ofthe Cannan Set of lvl Engievr ofthe Wenter Sit of aces A/u/2F ‘way Engineering 5 the Phi Beta Kappa Society; of the Tau Beta Pi Society; ! : ef the Sigma Xi Society: of the National Conservation at Ausoxiation; of the Economic League;.and Honorary of ae ‘Member of the Kogaku Kyokal Japanese Ea- IN TWO VOLUMES A VOLUME I FIRST EDITION SECOND THOUSAND NEW YORK JOHN WILEY & SONS, Inc. Lonpon: CHAPMAN & HALL, Limirep 1916Copyright, 1916, by J. A. L. WADDELL Pussies PRintinG ComPary 207-217 West Twenty fifth Street, New York0 Bis Imperial Majesty, The Emperor of Japan AS A MARK OF THE AUTHOR'S DEEP APPRECIATION OF THE HIGH HONOR . CONFERRED UPON HIM BY THE ‘Japanese Govrcument ON THREE DISTINCT OCCASIONS, VIZ., IN 1882, 1888 AND 1915, AND AS AN BVIDENCE OF THE PROFOUND ESTEEM AND REGARD IN WHICH THE AUTHOR HOLDS THE ENTIRE JAPANESE NATION THIS BOOK THE GREATEST PROFESSIONAL WORK OF HIS LIFE WITH HIS MAJESTY'S GRACIOUS PERMISSION 1S MOST RESPECTFULLY DEDICATEDLe. a = weg Hl Prag eetlh btoere ib PREFACE Tr is now more than eighteen years since the author's little work, De Pontibus, was given to the engineering profession, and nearly thir- ten years since the secord edition of it was issued. In the preface to the latter there were indicated ten new chapters for the third edition, the suthor then thinking that these would cover substantially everything additional that he would have to say concerning the subject of bridge engineering. How erroneous that impression was can be seen by noting the titles of the chapters of this book and the number of them, which, by the way, is three and a third times as great as the number of chapters in the first and second editions of De Pontibus, and two and a third times as great as that for the contemplated third edition. Moreover, the average length of the chapters in the new book is about twice as great 4s that in the old one, and the total amount of illustration is some thirty times as large, making the ratio of the volumes of the two contents fully seven to one. : Just after the first edition of De Pontibus was issued, the author began to prepare systematic analyses, digests, and records of all of his work, using diagrams whenever feasible; and he has continued that practice ever since, with the result that he has gradually accumulated a great fund of thoroughly digested and systematized information which has proved most valuable, in both office and field, to himself and his associates, and which, consequently, ought to be serviceable not only to the engineer- ing profession in general but also to the higher officials of railroads and any others who may be interested in the building of bridges. It has long been a dream of the author to give this information to the profession; but he has recognized that to do so properly would involve an immense expenditure of both time and money. However, he believes that it is incumbent upon every member thereof to add his mite to the sum total of professional knowledge in order to repay in some slight measure the large obligation which the individual owes to his predecessors for the accumulated information handed down by them. Only by an altruistic, far-sighted policy of this kind can the profession be advanced to its posi- tion of greatest usefulness and thereby receive complete recognition of its value to society. An opposite policy would mean an arrested develop- ment of professional capacity, a gradual deterioration of engineering Standards, and eventual stagnation. For eight years after the first issue of De Pontibus the author was viiviii PREFACE working under such high pressure that he could find no time for preparing the revision of that work as indicated in the preface to its second edition, then he began to despair of ever finding an opportunity before the inertia of advancing years would prevent the accomplishment of the task. Early in 1906, when the partnership of Waddell and Harrington was being ar- ranged, one of the first subjects discussed was that of the writing of the contemplated third edition; and there was then outlined what it should contain. The list of chapters grew so rapidly that very soon it was de- cided to change the title to “Bridge Engineering,” and ignore the idea of a third edition of the old book. It was intended that the preparation of the new book should be the joint work of the new firm, the author feeling then that the task would be too onerous for him to undertake single-handed. Unfortunately for the book, at least as far as its early completion was concerned, the firm developed an exceedingly large and important practice, amounting at one period, simultaneously in both office and field, to some fifteen million dollars’ worth of bridge work, so that very little time could be spared for technical writing. From time to time, however, the author managed to prepare a few of the chapters allotted to him; but Mr. Harrington never found it convenient even to start on the preparation of his share thereof, consequently the progress was slow and unsatisfactory during the eight years of the firm’s existence; and a great deal of what the author succeeded in writing became stale and antiquated, owing to the progress that was continually being made in the science of bridge building. In the summer of 1914, while the author was in Cuba struggling with the materialization of a great bridge project, Mr. Harrington announced his intention of withdrawing from the firm; and, of course, the author agreed, reserving later the right of twelve months’ notice according to the terms of the partnership contract. When Mr. Harrington and he met. about the end of October, it was decided that the author should take over the writing of the proposed treatise, but should deal in a general way only with the subject of movable bridges, so that Mr. Harrington may some day write an exhaustive and detailed monograph thereon, as he is eminently capable of doing. It is to be hoped that nothing will prevent his under- taking and completing the proposed book on the lines now contemplated; for it would certainly be a great boon to bridge builders. Had it not been for the European War and the consequent utter paraly- zation of bridge engincering due to its baneful influence, not only in Europe but also in the United States—and in fact throughout the world —this book could never have been written. Recognizing that the in- activity in bridge work would probably continue as long as the war lasts, and that the end thercof was likely to be remote, the author decided not, to attempt the disheartening task of endeavoring to secure small business for the sole purpose of keeping occupied those of the firm’s assistants who had chosen to cust in their lot with him, but to settle down systematicallyUiethOe PAMURNG ee eee CONTENTS PREACB Se Taz op CONTENTS © w/w ee ee ee ee Lot or Ompinany Ficures. 2 2. ee 1 ee ee ee Last oF Caose-SRCTIONS 66. 6 ee ee List or Views eee eee eee eee eeeeeee CHAPTER rf EVOLUTION OF BRIDGE ENGINEERING Origin of bridge building. —Bridges of primitive man:—Bridges of ancient times. —Inception and early development of various bridge types—Roman masonry arches.—Bridge building of the Middle Ages—Early substructure work.—Evolution in methods of design—Evolution of materials of con- struction—Comparison of modem European and American practice— Early development of bridge engineering in America—Early truss types — Impetus given by railroad development.—Squire Whipple's work and the beginning of rational bridge design.—Later development.—Introduction of steel—Alloy steels in bridges—Evolution of designing practice.—Intro- duction of specifications —Bridge specialists Improvement in detailing — Influence of engineering societies and bridge specialiste—Evolution in erection methods.—Evolution due to changes in methods of transportation. —Summary of principal factors governing evolution—Probable future development of bridge construction : : CHAPTER II THE BRIDGE SPECIALIST Specialization —In law.—In medicine—In engineering —Bridge engineering. — Value of bridge specialist's services—Manufacturers’ designs. —Quebeo Bridge failure. — Duties of a, bridge engineer. — Definition of “bridge expert.”—Seope of bridge specialist's services—Competitive bids — Bridge engineers of railroads.— Advisability of retaining bridge specialists and reasons therefor—Employers should give bridge specialists free hand.— Il effects of interference —The ideal bridge specialist, defined : CHAPTER III \/’ ORDINARY MATERIALS OF BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION Rolled carbon steel—Composition of carbon steel.—Steel sections —Limiting sizes of steel sections.—Reinforcing bars.—Cast steel —Cast. iron —Wrought iron.—Wire rope.—Wire—Miscellaneous_ metals—Miscellaneous other materiala—Timber.—Brush.—Stone.—Sand. —Cement. —Brick.—Gravel.— Shells. —Cindera.—Lime. 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