Discover the engineering saga behind a landmark failure and its bold solution.
This nonfiction work documents the careful process of selecting and refining a long-span bridge design for the St. Lawrence crossing, including the competition, government oversight, and the pivotal shift to a new, safer plan.
In clear, detailed prose, the book outlines how a Royal Commission, a mixed team of engineers from Canada, Britain, and the United States, and a dedicated company worked together to replace a failed design. It explains the debate over truss forms, the rise of the “K” bracing concept, and the practical challenges of fabricating and placing massive steel members. Readers will gain insight into the decision-making, testing, and construction planning that turned theoretical designs into a workable railway bridge project.
- How long-span bridge design evolved from early attempts to a robust, inspectable plan
- Key design options considered and why the “K” form was favored
- The role of the Board of Engineers, advisory staff, and construction teams
- Practical challenges in fabrication, erection equipment, and field organization
Ideal for readers of engineering history and infrastructure breakthroughs, this edition offers a precise portrait of a major bridge project and the people who made it possible.