Civil engineers often go unseen in most projects featured in the media. Their work is fundamental to the architecture and construction of the infrastructure that makes cities function. Throughout history, engineers have used their ingenuity to solve problems and make our lives more comfortable. The following engineers are recognized for their inventiveness:
Archimedes of Syracuse (287-212 BC)
While not formally an engineer as we know them today, Archimedes of Syracuse was paving the way for the generations that followed him.
He invented the compound pulley, which proved to be one of the most important inventions in history, and also developed engineering principles for fluid displacement that bear his name: Archimedes' Principle. In addition, he invented war machines.
John Smeaton (1724-1792)
He is considered the first engineer in history. Smeaton, born on June 8, 1724, was an English engineer responsible for the construction of the first harbors, lighthouses, and canals. He was also renowned for his knowledge of mechanics and physics, making him the first civil engineer in history
He designed windmills and waterwheels during the Industrial Revolution and published an article on the correlation between pressure and speed of objects moving through the air.
Benjamin Wright (1770-1842)
He is the "father of American civil engineering," helped build transportation systems and canals in the United States, and served as chief engineer in the construction of the Erie Canal.
Wright designed and built the Chesapeake and Ohio Canals between 1828 and 1831, the St. Lawrence Ship Canal in 1832, and the designs for the New York and Erie Railroad in 1833. He also served as chief engineer and commissioner of the city of New York in the latter part of the 1830s.
Squire Whipple (1804-1888)
He is the father of iron bridges, having provided the first scientific rules for their construction. He designed and built a 300-ton weighbridge for weighing canal ships on the Erie Canal.
His first bowstring iron truss was patented in 1841. His patent showed an understanding of the structural behavior of diagonals and verticals and the need to dimension them to handle their loads as tension or compression members.
His designs became known throughout the world; perhaps he is best known for his work on the Erie Canal.
Isambard Kingdom Brunel (1806-1859)
One of history's most versatile civil engineers, Kingdom Brunel became famous for designing tunnels, railway lines, bridges, and ships. His best-known achievement was creating the network of tunnels, viaducts, and bridges for the Great Western Railway linking London to Bristol.
He planned the Thames Tunnel from Rotherhithe to Wapping, completed in 1843.
The work for which Brunel is probably best remembered is his construction of a network of tunnels, bridges, and viaducts for the Great Western Railway. In 1833, he was appointed chief engineer, and work began on the line linking London to Bristol.
Henry Bessemer (1813-1898)
He is the father of the steel industry, with 100 patents, and one of those responsible for the large-scale production of steel for bridges and skyscrapers.
He developed a press that stamped official seals into the fibers of official paper documents to prevent counterfeiting.
Henry Bessemer is credited with inventing the first mass production process for steel, which led to the development of the modern skyscraper. He patented a decarbonization process that used air blasts in 1855.
Arthur Casagrande (1902-1981)
He is the father of soil mechanics, applied in hundreds of large-scale construction projects in the United States and other countries.
In 1936, Casagrande published an article on the characteristics of cohesionless soils that affect the stability of slopes and earth fills. The paper addresses the problem of liquefaction, a phenomenon in which the strength and stiffness of a soil are reduced by an earthquake or other rapid loading.
Other notable projects include the design and construction of Boston's Logan Airport, and the designs of the foundations for hydroelectric dams on three continents.
Gustave Eiffel (1832-1923)
Famous for having built the Parisian tower that bears his name, during his career he was best known for his innovative iron bridges, railway stations, and cast iron structures, which he researched extensively. His career included projects in locations as far-flung as Egypt, Mexico, and Chile.
Source: Noticias.arq.com.mx
