The Engineering Contributions of Wendel BollmanVogel, Robert M.
History
The Engineering Contributions of Wendel Bollman
Vogel, Robert M.
Bollman, W. (Wendel), 1814-1884; Iron and steel bridges -- History
In 1868 the remaining trestlework was replaced with Bollman trusses.
This magnificent structure served the railroad until 1894 when the
right-of-way was realigned at Harpers Ferry. However, the half used by
the common road remained in use until carried away by the disastrous
flood in 1936. The piers may still be seen.
During the prewar years, Bollman evolved a structural development of
most profound importance, which is usually associated with the Phoenix
Iron Works and its founder, Samuel J. Reeves. In the erection of a high
trestlework viaduct for the Havana Railroad, Bollman apparently became
concerned with the tensile weakness of cast iron when applied in long,
unsupported columns. Although a column is normally subjected to
compressive stresses, when the slenderness ratio--that is, the length
divided by the radius of gyration of the cross section--becomes great, a
secondary bending stress may be produced. If this stress becomes great
enough, the value of the tensile stress in one side of the column may
actually exceed the principal compressive stress, and a net effect of
tension result.
[Illustration: Figure 18.--OHIO RIVER CROSSING of the Baltimore and Ohio
at Benwood, West Virginia, completed in 1870. Bollman deck trusses were
used in the approaches on both sides. (Photo 693, Baltimore and Ohio
Collection, Museum of History and Technology.)]
[Illustration: Figure 19.--PATAPSCO RIVER crossing of the Baltimore and
Ohio between Thistle and Ilchester, Maryland. (Photo 695, Baltimore and
Ohio Collection, Museum of History and Technology.)]
As already mentioned, the few available rolled-iron shapes were of
relatively small area and quite unsuitable for use as columns unless
combined and built up in complex fabrications. The normal practice at
the time was to use cast compression members in iron bridges and
structures, with their sectional area so proportioned to the length that
a state of tension could not exist. In the case of long members, this
naturally meant that an excessive amount of material was used.
[Illustration: Figure 20.--TWO VIEWS OF BOLLMAN-BUILT "water-pipe truss"
that carries Lombard Street over Jones Falls in Baltimore. Built in
1877.]
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