World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2019
John Roebling’s Innovations in Western Pennsylvania
Publication: World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2019: EWRI History and Heritage Symposium
ABSTRACT
John A. Roebling (1806–1869) is recognized for his contributions in the development of the cable suspension bridge in North America. Roebling’s expertise with wire cables had its origins with his innovative manufacturing and use of wire rope to replace hemp ropes on the Allegheny Portage Railroad near Johnstown in 1842. Subsequent projects in Pittsburgh included a wire cable supported suspension aqueduct across the Allegheny River (1845) and a cable suspension bridge across the Monongahela River (1846). Roebling’s success with wire rope and cable in western Pennsylvania established his reputation leading to the increased use of wire rope and cable on other more prominent projects.
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Acknowledgements
The author would like to acknowledge the authors of numerous references whose research of primary sources helped in the preparation of this paper. Permission to use historical images from Pittsburgh’s Duquesne Club, the Johnstown Area Heritage Association, the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, ASCE, and the Roebling Collection, at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is gratefully acknowledged. This work was supported in part by a Pitt-Johnstown Summer Research Grant.
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Published In
World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2019: EWRI History and Heritage Symposium
Pages: 55 - 71
Editors: Gregory F. Scott and William Hamilton, Ph.D.
ISBN (Online): 978-0-7844-8237-7
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© 2019 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Published online: May 16, 2019
Published in print: May 16, 2019
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