The History of the Early

Engineering Disciplines
Engineering your Future

Chapter 2
 Part One

The History of Civil Engineering

Boundaries and Surveys
Need for boundaries and surveys precipitated civil
engineering as we know
Surveyors
Noted and marked foundations of monuments
Dividing land into parcels
Egyptians used surveying to predict Nile River
flood waters
Romans learned from Egyptians and Greeks the
importance of surveying
Aqueducts and roads designed from surveying
methods
Arabic people & the astrolabe
Astrolabe - Fixed surveying method linked to the
stars
Arabic people developed proficiency with the
astrolabe after the fall of the Roman Empire
Arabic culture also responsible for:
Development of Trigonometry
Practice of triangulation to achieve accuracy
Recognition
Civil engineering named to distinguish
between military and other engineers
Europe and U.S. recognized those who
completed large-scale projects as civil
engineers (18th Century)
1782 - John Smeaton of England molded
himself as a Civil Engineer
1793 - Society of Civil Engineers created
in England
1818 - Named changed to Institution of
Civil Engineers
United States Societies of Civil
Engineering Annual meeting, ASCE
Franklin Institute in Deer Park Hotel, Deer Park, MD, 1885

Philadelphia (1824)
Informal society of
engineers
American Society of Civil
Engineers (ASCE)
Formed November 5,
1852
Present and active today
www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/SciRefGuides/
engineersociety.html
Bridges Manhattan Bridge - New York, NY

http://www.pierluigisurace.it/imagerie/aatw0058.htm
Three Classes of Bridges Arched Bridge

Beam Bridge
Suspension Bridge
Arched Bridge
Beam Bridge http://www.walkingbritain.co.uk/walks/walks1/w001d.shtml

Suspension Bridge

http://education.sdsc.edu/enrich/brid.html

http://www.photo.net/photo/pcd3448/golden-gate-bridge-94
History of Bridges
2000 B.C.
Wooden timber beams built on stone pillars
Spanned over the Euphrates River
Commissioned by Queen Semiramis for Babylon,
suggesting practice was common
300 B.C.
Golden Era Roman stone-arch bridges
250 B.C. saw Greek invention of wood truss
610 A.D.
Zhaozhou (Ali) Bridge constructed
Worlds oldest known open-spandrel stone-arch bridge
Frankford Avenue Bridge
Frankford Avenue Bridge Spans Pennypack Creek
Philadelphia, PA
in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania
Constructed in 1697
First known stone arch
bridge in U.S.
Still being used today

http://www.asce-philly.org/achievements05.asp
Sewalls Bridge
First known pile supported
Sewalls Bridge
highway bridge York, Maine
Built over the York River in
York, Maine
Piles driven into river
bottom by dropping oak
logs while standing them in
place
Replaced in 1934
http://www.maine.gov/mdot-stage/
covered-bridges/sewalls.php
Iron Bridge
Worlds first all-metal
bridge built of cast iron Iron Bridge
Designed by Abraham Coalbrookdale, England

Darby III
Spans Severn River near
Coalbrookdale, England
Main span - 30.5 m
Total length - 60 m
Weight - 378.5 tons
http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Iron_
Bridge_at_Coalbrookdale.html
Jacobs Creek Bridge
Worlds first modern suspension bridge
Located on the road between Uniontown,
Pennsylvania and Greensburg, Pennsylvania
Designed and built by James Finley for $600 in
1801
Bridge demolished 1833, five years after Finley
had passed away in Uniontown
Dams Hoover Dam

http://www.intermind.net/im/boulder.html
Factors to take into account
Failure of Teton Dam
Strong enough to resist Rexburg, Idaho
$1 billion in damages
reservoir water backed
behind dam
Impervious to water
Resists leaks and erosion
Water cannot find way
into dam
Accommodates overflow
http://web.umr.edu/~rogersda/dams/
Roads Route 66 - Arizona

http://www.bekkoame.ne.jp/~toisa/wp/wp.html
Evolution of Roads
Markings used to designate paths to desired
destinations

Invention of wheel brought on roadways

Evolved from dirt roads into paved surfaces with

drainage systems to divert water off of them
Paved Roads History
3000 B.C. - the Herappa and Mohenjo-Daro
civilizations in the Indus valley developed paved
roads with drainage systems underneath
pavement

2500 B.C. - Lake Moeris Quarry Road

Worlds oldest paved road
Was eight miles long (only 4 miles remain)
Those Romans Roman road
312 B.C. - Road from cut into Italian Mountain
Rome to Capula
130 miles
144 B.C. - First high-level
aqueduct
Hydraulic cement
introduced in design
Over 372 roads
constructed with a
combined distance of
53,000 miles
Roadways suffered with
http://www.unc.edu/courses/rometech/public/cont
retreat from Britain ent/transport/Adam_Pawluk/Contruction_and_Ma
keup_of_.htm
Roads considered a value??
600 years after Britain invasion retreat, Norman
invasion showed roads are considerable value
The church maintained roadways and
constructed inns and places of rest
Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries with his
self-appointed Supreme Head of Church of
England in 1534
El Camino Real
Marker on El Camino Real
1500s Spaniards and
Colonials developed first
inland transportation
route into U.S.
Original use for political
and military use only
Beginning of interstate
highway system

http://www.rootsweb.com/~txrober2/Ghostly
HauntsCollection.htm
Tunnels
Channel Tunnel Boring Machine

http://www.lemleyandassociates.com/
History of Tunnels
600 B.C. - Samos Aqueduct Tunnel
Water supply routed through a hill on Greek
island
Persian and Armenian tunnels in Iran brought
water to towns in the 8th century
By 17th century, tunnels widely used to route
canals through hills rather than around
Tunnel History cont.
Marc Isambard
Marc Isambard Brunel Brunel developed a
(1769 - 1849)
shield for boring
under the Thames
River in 1820
Dual tunnels run
1200 yards
Completed in 1841
First time tunnel cut
under a body of
water
http://web.ukonline.co.uk/b.gardner/brunel/marcb
run.html
Alfred Nobels Dynamite
Most significant advancement in tunneling
Alfred Nobel born in 1833 in Stockholm,
Sweden to a family of engineers
Father sent him abroad to learn about
chemical engineering to expand horizons
Alfred returned and concentrated on
nitroglycerine as explosive
Brother and several others killed in an
explosion
Alfred Nobel cont.
Alfred Nobel
Nitroglycerine banned from
Stockholm city limits
1864 found way to handle
explosive safe
Nobel built labs and
companies in more than 20
countries
Holds more than 350 patents
Immense fortune amassed
Nobel Prize founder in will

http://www.britannica.com/nobel/alfrednobel.html
Water Supply and Control
Panama Canal under maintenance

http://www.photoatlas.com/pics02/pictures_of_panama_73.html
Definitions
Dams - barriers constructed across a waterway to control
the flow or raise the level of water
Aqueducts - pipes or channels designed to transport
water from a remote source
Usually takes advantage of gravity
Bridge-like structures support a conduit or canal passing
over a river or low ground
Canals - artificial waterways or artificially improved
rivers used for travel, shipping, or irrigation
 Part 2

The History of Industrial

Engineers
Industrial Engineering
International commerce increases brought about
an increase of competition amongst suppliers
Main role is to combine workers, machines, and
materials in order to increase productivity and
reduce waste
Philosophy traced back to tribal cultures
Created more efficient tools and made best of
everyones specific skills
First Mechanically-Assisted Cutting
Device Rocking drill that was cord driven

Assistant needed to manipulate cord in

order to give alternating rotary
movement

Earliest illustration of lathe found in

Egyptian tomb of Petosiris
Pole Lathe
Developed in 12th century
Size and complexity of work to be done
increased, bringing the invention about
Designed with heavier wooden construction to
be more rigid and powerful than previous
designs
Continuous drive machine with a large wheel
cranked by an assistant created to turn metal
Pole Lathe Examples
1500 - Leonardo da
Vincis treadle and Great Wheel Lathe
crankshaft
Spaichels development
in 1561 using human
power
Alternate power supplies
developed
Horse gins
Water wheels
Steam engines http://www.turners.org/Articles/lathehistory.html

Electric motors
1700 - mid 1800s Machines
John Wilkinsons cylinder boring mill of 1776
Father of the industrial revolution

Henry Maudslays workshops

Produced machine tools, lathes, and special
purpose machines
Trained other great engineers
1700 - mid 1800s Machines

Richard Roberts planing lathe and large lathe

with a back gear that allowed for spindle speed
changes (1817)

Automatic spinning mule and differential gear

from 1825
 Part 3

History of Mechanical
Engineering
Brief Overview
Coke replacing charcoal in England in early
1700s brought upon the beginning of modern
mechanical engineering
Industrial Revolution began due to
advancements in producing wrought iron
Machines developed to make use of mass
produced steel
Mechanical Engineering recognized as
profession in England in 1847 and U.S. after
1850
Boats The New Orleans arriving at namesake (1812)

http://www.tulsaweb.com/port/history2.htm
Steam Engines Watts Engine

James Watt developed

new model steam engine
in 1778
Engine cooled steam in a
condenser separate from
the main cylinder
Spurred the application
of steam to water, land,
and air

http://www.history.rochester.edu/steam/thurston/
1878/Chapter3.html
Steam Powered Ships
Easiest to implement the
1907 Clermont replica
steam engines
Robert Fulton developed
combination of Watt
Steam engine to
improved hull design
Clermont steamboat
financial success from
first Hudson river run in
1807
http://www.ulster.net/~hrmm/quad/1909hudsonf
ulton/chapter08.html
Trains

http://www.watercressline.co.uk/
First to use steam on land
Weight and size of boilers overcome by use of
high pressure boilers and iron rails
Initial designs used in mines and ironworks
First steam-powered locomotive ran in South
Wales in 1804
First passenger train built from Stockton to
Darlington opened in 1825
1829 Competition

Rail line between Liverpool and Manchester

Each locomotive must consume own smoke,

haul a load equal to 3 times its own weight and
travel at an average speed of not less than 10
mph
The Perseverance
The Perseverance,
The Mechanics Magazine (1829)
Timothy Burstall design
Vertical boiler with
furnace beside it
Fuel fed to fire by hopper
on top
Attained maximum speed
of 6 mph

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/RArainhill.htm
 Sans Pareil
Sans Pareil
Design and built by
Timothy Hackworth
Two-cylinder engine
Ran for 27 miles
Average speed of 14 mph
Maximum speed of 17
mph
14.3 tons hauled
Boiler feed pump failed
often
http://hex.oucs.ox.ac.uk/~rejs/photos/A40/York/nrm/
Rocket
George Stephenson 1979 Rocket replica
design and built
Traveled 70 miles
Avg. speed - 15 mph
Max. speed - 29 mph
Set bar for all future
locomotive designs
Won $500 prize for
competition
http://hex.oucs.ox.ac.uk/~rejs/photos/A40/York/nrm/
Early Road Transportation

www.blueskyranches.com/
Chariots
Modern Day Chariot Race
Used in warfare by
Middle Eastern nations
Handed down to Romans
and Greeks
Chariots had either two
or four wheel
Used primarily for
transportation of goods
770 B.C. saw advent of http://www.gt40.co.uk/gt40lm03.html
chariot races
Romans and Britain
Romans invaded Britain two times before
succeeding in 43 A.D.
Many transportation techniques introduced and
groundwork laid for roadways
Collapse of Roman Empire control in Britain
saw end of roadways as main source of travel
Horseback way to travel after 410 A.D.
 Carriages and Coaches
Carriage ride in Central Park

British imports between

1550 and 1600 A.D.

Confined as baggage
travel between towns for
the rich http://www.galenfrysinger.com/horse_carriages_n
ew_york_city.htm
Post Office Act of 1765
Mail had to be transported at a rate of at least 6
mph
Mail coaches began to be regularly used starting
in 1784
Mode of transportation did not change much in
years to come
Problem solving and re-engineering lead to
overall improvement in speed, punctuality and
service to customers
Early Automobile

http://photos.nondot.org/2001-10-03-Ohio-Trip/2001-10-12%20-
%20Indianapolis%20Race%20Museum/index2.html
Nicolas Joseph Cugnot
1769, invented a military gun-carriage tractor
used to haul artillery for the French army
Three wheeled steam-powered tractor traveled
at 2.5 mph
Frequent stops for boiler to build up pressure to
power drive wheels
French unimpressed from slow vehicle and
frequent stops made
Successful tricycle that carried four passengers
developed in 1770
James Watt
Developed reputation as James Watts Workshop
high-quality engineer
In 1763, he was sent a
Newcome steam engine
for repairs
Rebuilt and made engine
more efficient
Sold these improved
engines for 11 years http://www.history.rochester.edu/steam/thurston/
1878/Chapter3.html
William Murdock
Murdocks innovation
James Watts staff
engineer
Developed a three-
wheeled steam-driven
vehicle that was much
lighter than Cugnots in
1785
Watt fired Murdock
because of too much time
spent on project
www.birmingham-photos.co.uk
The Bicycle

http://leapfrog-entertainment.com/Artists/Big/JustinCase/JustinCase.htm
Dandy Horse
1817 was first prototype Dandy Horse
of bicycle
Developed by Baron Karl
Drais von Sauerbronn of
Manheim
Father of Bicycle
Gained popularity due to
novelty purposes, not
practical uses

http://www.cycle-info.bpaj.or.jp/english/learn/bcc02.html
First Pedal-Powered Bicycle
MacMillan Velocipede Kirkpatirck MacMillian, a
blacksmith invented
Pedals powered back
wheel and steering done
on front
Wheels mounted on
brass bearings, saddle
seats, ran on iron tyred
wooden wheels

http://www.cycle-info.bpaj.or.jp/english/learn/bcc02.html
Boneshaker
Pierre Michaux of Paris Boneshaker
variance of a velocipede in
1860
Frame made of wrought iron,
pedals mounted in line with
front wheel and axle, and
friction shoe on rear tire to
slow
Sold for $13
First two-wheeled bicycle
http://www.museumsnett.no/ntm/no/samlingene/sy
actually caught on for practical kler/forside.htm
use