Structural Design of the Pont du Gard
Publication: Journal of Structural Engineering
Volume 112, Issue 1
Abstract
The structural engineers of classical Rome are reputed to have been careful and methodical, but also uninspired, tradition‐bound and overly conservative. Yet the Pont du Gard, an aqueduct bridge in southern France, was boldly conceived and designed. The structure is described and several of its structural features are examined in the light of insights presumably gained only during the last few of the 20 centuries since its construction. It is concluded that the design is far from being supersafe or wasteful, and that the bridge is reasonably stressed and amazingly efficient. The findings suggest, in fact, that the designer understood structural behavior uncommonly well.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
1.
Ashby, Th., Aqueducts of Ancient Rome, Clarendon Press, Oxford, England, 1935.
2.
Bessac, J.‐C., “Les carrières de Nîmes,” Histoire et Archéologie, No. 55, July–Aug., 1981.
3.
Espérandieu, E., Le Pont du Gard et I'Aqueduc de Nîmes, CLT, Paris, France, 1934 (1980 reprint).
4.
Frontinus, Sext. Iulius, De Aquis, ca. 97 (The Aqueducts of Rome, translated by C. E. Bennett, Wm. Heinemann, London, and G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York, NY, 1925).
5.
Kirby, R. S., et al., Engineering in History, McGraw‐Hill, New York, NY, 1956.
6.
Lassalle, V., “Le pont du Gard et l'aqueduc de Nimes,” Dossiers de l'Archéologie, No. 38, Oct.–Nov., 1978.
7.
Le–ger, A., Les travaux publics, les mines et al. métallurgie aux temps des Romains, Dejey, Paris, France, 1875.
8.
Leveau, P., “Les techniques des constructions des aqueducs,” Dossiers de l'Archéologie, No. 38, Oct.–Nov., 1978.
9.
Plinius Caecilius Secundus, C., Naturalis Historica, ca. 70 (Pliny the Elder, Natural History, translated by H. Rackham, Wm. Heinemann, London, and Harvard Univ. Press, Cambridge, MA, 1938), Book XXXVI.
10.
Timoshenko, S. P., History of Strength of Materials, McGraw‐Hill, New York, NY, 1953.
11.
Vitruvius Pollio, M., De Architectura, ca. (On Architecture, translated by F. Granger, Wm. Heinemann, London, England, and G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York, NY, 1934), Books II and VIII.
12.
“Wind Forces on Structures: Final Report of the Task Committee on Wind Forces,” Transactions ASCE, Vol. 126, Part 2, 1961.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Structural Engineering
Volume 112 • Issue 1 • January 1986
Pages: 105 - 120
Copyright
Copyright © 1986 ASCE.
History
Published online: Jan 1, 1986
Published in print: Jan 1986
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.