A beautiful and important letter from Gustave Eiffel to his collaborator Maurice Koechlin, an engineer at the Eiffel company who had designed the framework of the Statue of Liberty and given Eiffel the idea of building a metal tower.
This letter concerns reflections on the forces exerted by wind on bridges, citing some of their projects in Spain and Portugal.
"My dear Mr. Koechlin,
I received your work yesterday on some bridges in Spain and…"
Read moreA beautiful and important letter from Gustave Eiffel to his collaborator Maurice Koechlin, an engineer at the Eiffel company who had designed the framework of the Statue of Liberty and had given Gustave Eiffel the idea of building a metal tower.
This letter relates to reflections on the forces exerted by wind on bridges, citing some of their achievements in Spain and Portugal.
“My dear Mr. Koechlin
I received your work on some bridges in Spain and Portugal yesterday and read it with interest. It is certain that wind plays a much more significant role on straight bridges than was previously thought, since they were never designed with this in mind...
For the Viana bridge in particular [Eiffel Bridge of Viarna do Castelo, in Portugal, built in 1878], 3 rigid frames per span would be very useful.
Almost everywhere the lower bracing would need to be doubled. However, I am very surprised that on the Tagus Bridge [Praia Bridge, built by Eiffel, inaugurated in 1889], the wind produces an effect on the beams equal to the loads. How could this be remedied?
It would be desirable if you did the same work on a bridge on the Girona line (there are many similar ones) [the Eiffel company built several] and on a bridge on the Beira Alta line.
With these two new studies, it would be complete.
I hope that, for those already completed, you have created a special folder that can be easily found and is separate from the general folder.
I am giving orders to Riou to give you 600 francs for this work and to give 100 francs to Richaud.
I would be grateful if you could tell me if these two figures are acceptable to you.
Please accept, dear Mr. Koechlin, with my thanks and the assurance of my highest regards. G. Eiffel
Give my regards to your brother [hydroelectric engineer René Koechlin (1866-1951)]
[From 1912 to 1916, Maurice Koechlin directed the construction of the bridge over the Mulatière on the Lyon to Saint-Etienne line]
ReduceLetterhead of Villa Salles in Beaulieu (Alpes Maritimes).
