**8. Reinforced concrete**

Another turning point in bridge construction was the invention of Portland cement and, as a result, using concrete based on it as well as reinforced concrete. The first concrete bridge was a small park object in the botanic garden in Grenoble, **Figure 15**, constructed by Louis Vicat and his son. Vicat was also one on the inventors of cement.

**Figure 15.** The first concrete bridge, Grenoble 1855: (a) view; (b) memory board (*photos by the courtesy of Prof. Françoise Videau*).

The undisputed *father* of reinforced concrete is Joseph Monier (1867), often mentioned simultaneously with Joseph Louis Lambot who constructed a reinforced concrete boat (1848). Monier gave its surname to the other name of reinforced concrete structures: people spoke of Monier arches or Monier ceilings. In Germany, the name *Monierbau* was initially used. Monier sold his patent to two great engineers, François Hennebique and Gustav Wayss. G. Wayss the company Wayss u. Freytag—constructed majority of their bridges (about 350 structures) as Monier arches (arched shells) which from the structural point of view copied the stone and brick bridge technology with the only difference that a new material was used, namely, artificial stone: concrete reinforced with bars, originally used for the first time by Monier in the construction of the bridge in Chazelet (1875), see [16].

**Figure 16.** (a) François Hennebique (1842–1921); (b) global activity of *LBA Hennebique*, 1908; (c) the *LBA* issue of February–March, 1912, no. 165–166.

Chronologically, between Vicat's bridge and Lambot's boat there is only an interval of 3 years, but the bridge in Chazelet was built 20 years later. It can be assumed then that the popularisation and implementation of the new technology lasted a similar amount of time.

**8. Reinforced concrete**

12 Structural Bridge Engineering

*Videau*).

and his son. Vicat was also one on the inventors of cement.

construction of the bridge in Chazelet (1875), see [16].

ary–March, 1912, no. 165–166.

Another turning point in bridge construction was the invention of Portland cement and, as a result, using concrete based on it as well as reinforced concrete. The first concrete bridge was a small park object in the botanic garden in Grenoble, **Figure 15**, constructed by Louis Vicat

**Figure 15.** The first concrete bridge, Grenoble 1855: (a) view; (b) memory board (*photos by the courtesy of Prof. Françoise*

The undisputed *father* of reinforced concrete is Joseph Monier (1867), often mentioned simultaneously with Joseph Louis Lambot who constructed a reinforced concrete boat (1848). Monier gave its surname to the other name of reinforced concrete structures: people spoke of Monier arches or Monier ceilings. In Germany, the name *Monierbau* was initially used. Monier sold his patent to two great engineers, François Hennebique and Gustav Wayss. G. Wayss the company Wayss u. Freytag—constructed majority of their bridges (about 350 structures) as Monier arches (arched shells) which from the structural point of view copied the stone and brick bridge technology with the only difference that a new material was used, namely, artificial stone: concrete reinforced with bars, originally used for the first time by Monier in the

**Figure 16.** (a) François Hennebique (1842–1921); (b) global activity of *LBA Hennebique*, 1908; (c) the *LBA* issue of Febru-

Even a reinforced concrete bridge had to be invented by someone. Again, there are numerous candidates to the title of the inventor: T. Hyatt (1877), F. Coignet (1861), P. Christophe (1902). It seems, however, that François Hennebique can be indicated as one, **Figure 16a**. He was an author of several patents and, apart from conclusions from the author's bibliographic research, he is named as the reinforced concrete pioneer in various studies, e.g., [17].

Hennebique created a global company (**Figure 16b**) which employed the best engineers and architects building reinforced concrete structures including bridges, **Figure 16**. He offered ready-to-use projects, technology and very often materials as well. From the very beginning Hennebique developed a network of contractors. In practice, the company was known as *Le Système Hennebique* or *Béton Armé Hennebique*. The sale of structural and technological solutions was connected with intensive training and supervision provided by Hennebique.

An essential tool of Hennebique's success in building his company was the technical magazine *Le Béton Armé* [18], published from 1898 to 1939, **Figure 16c**. Apart from purely technical texts in the area of the theory of reinforced concrete as well as the practice, i.e., descriptions of the construction of reinforced concrete structures, one could find information about the network of the company's representatives and contractors. The magazine was richly illustrated with technical drawings, photographs of various construction stages and finished structures as well as advertisements of companies, products and technologies.

Thanks to a happy coincidence, in the city of Lublin in Poland there are two Hennebique beam bridges constructed by Polish engineer Marian Lutoslawski in 1908 and 1909, respectively. One of them has been renovated. After it was put into service, the city's cultural circles took it over and it has been called the *Bride of Culture* since, **Figure 17**.

**Figure 17.** Bridge of Culture, Lublin: (a) before restoration, 2011; (b) after restoration, 2013.

The bridges in Lublin are examples of a successful transformation of the bridge technology using wood into the one of reinforced concrete, a new material at the beginning of the twentieth century, see [19].
