A Study on the Evolution in Design and Calculation of Iron and Steel Structures over the Mid 19th Century in Western and Central Europe

The design of metallic structures in the 19th century is a subject topic of much admiration, as many emblematic structures that are currently withstanding the test of time have become part of our built cultural heritage. Knowledge on the assumptions and design procedures available at that time is of importance to structural engineering nowadays. It allows for the understanding, maintaining and safe extending of the service life of historical metallic structures. The goal of this article is to describe the evolution in the design and calculation of metallic structures during the second half of the 19th century, with focus on Western and Central Europe. Special attention is paid to the similarities and differences between the 19th century design rules and the current structural design standards. Based on a literature survey, the evolution in terms of load definition, calculation methods, material properties, and verifications are described. Different design aspects are illustrated through a case study: The Garabit viaduct in France.