Working Out the Stresses — Bresse
Jacques Antoine Charles Bresse taught applied mechanics at the Ecole des ponts et chaussées, and he wrote several popular text books on topic of structural mechanics and hydraulic machines. Bresse was known for his solution to the problem of mathematically determining stresses in a rigid arch subject to various loads, including stresses and deformations caused by changing temperature.
The failure of several iron arch bridges built around 1800 motivated interest in learning how to design structures made of iron and steel. Advances in foundry technology were making these metals available as building material for the first time. The topic had been studied previously by Navier and Clapeyron. Gustave Eiffel relied on Bresse’s formulae to design his famous bridge at Garabit.
Jacques Antoine Charles Bresse, structural engineer, is one of the 72 engineers and scientists named on the Eiffel Tower.
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