Dalla ghisa al ferro forgiato - parte 2

Fabio Caeran
4 Jan 201410:20

Summary

TLDRIn May 1886, Paris prepared for a grand exhibition to celebrate the centenary of the French Revolution, aiming to showcase the best of French technology. Gustave Eiffel proposed a 300-meter iron tower, drawing on his team's expertise in bridge construction and innovative engineering techniques. Using triangular cross-sectioned beams to resist wind and reduce costs, Eiffel's team built the iconic tower in just over two years. The construction was a marvel, with thousands of precisely crafted iron elements assembled with minimal labor. Eiffel's tower not only became a symbol of French engineering but also a tourist attraction, with hydraulic elevators carrying millions to the top in its first year.

Takeaways

  • 🗼 In May 1886, Paris was organizing a grand exhibition to celebrate the centenary of the French Revolution and showcase the best of French technology.
  • 🏗 The French wanted to be the first to build a 300m high iron tower, an idea that had been around for some time.
  • 🤝 Two colleagues of Eiffel had been dreaming of building a similar tower, and when Paris requested a project, Eiffel was ready with his team's ideas.
  • 🏛️ Eiffel's team proposed a four-legged tower, diverging at the base towards the four cardinal points and converging at the top, connected by metal beams.
  • 🌉 Eiffel had previously built the world's longest bridge, the Garabit viaduct, showcasing his mastery of iron construction techniques.
  • 💰 Eiffel had to personally secure most of the 8 million Francs needed for the project, and his team of bridge builders had just two years to deliver the tower.
  • 🔩 Eiffel used similar engineering techniques to minimize costs, opting for triangular, equilateral shapes for the beams to ensure strength and stability.
  • 🌬️ The tower was designed to be resistant to strong winds, a crucial consideration given a catastrophic bridge collapse in Scotland due to a storm a decade earlier.
  • 🏭 Eiffel relied on the technology developed 80 years prior by Henry Cort for producing precision iron elements, which were essential for constructing the tower.
  • 🔨 The construction of the Eiffel Tower was like assembling a giant 3D puzzle with thousands of precisely crafted iron elements.
  • ⏱️ The tower was built in an astonishing 2 years, 2 months, and 5 days, a testament to Eiffel's engineering prowess and efficient construction methods.

Q & A

  • What event was Paris organizing in May 1886?

    -Paris was organizing a grand exposition to celebrate the centenary of the French Revolution and to showcase the best of French technology to the world.

  • What was the ambition of the French for the 1886 exposition?

    -The ambition was to be the first to build a 300-meter tall tower made of iron.

  • Who were the two colleagues of Eiffel that had been dreaming of building a similar tower?

    -The script does not mention the names of the two colleagues of Eiffel who had been dreaming of building a similar tower.

  • What was the design proposed by Eiffel's team for the tower?

    -Eiffel's team proposed a tower with four legs diverging at the base towards the four cardinal points (north, east, south, and west), converging at the top and connected by metal braces.

  • What was the significance of the Garabit viaduct in Eiffel's career?

    -The Garabit viaduct was significant because it was the longest bridge in the world at the time Eiffel built it, showcasing his mastery of iron construction techniques.

  • What was the cost-saving technique Eiffel used in the construction of the tower?

    -Eiffel used the technique of minimizing the use of iron to save costs, opting for triangular, equilateral shapes for the beams which were more resistant and less prone to collapse.

  • What was the impact of the Tay Bridge disaster on the design of the Eiffel Tower?

    -The Tay Bridge disaster, where a bridge collapsed due to a storm, influenced the design of the Eiffel Tower to be resistant to strong winds.

  • How did Eiffel minimize wind resistance in the tower's design?

    -Eiffel used open truss designs to minimize wind resistance, which not only saved a lot of iron and money but was also an engineering triumph.

  • What was the role of Henry Cort in the production of the iron elements for the Eiffel Tower?

    -Henry Cort's technology for producing iron elements was used by Eiffel to create the 18,000 elements needed for the tower, as it had been developed 80 years prior.

  • How were the iron elements for the tower manufactured?

    -The iron elements were manufactured by heating iron bars in a furnace, cutting them to a precise weight, and then shaping them while hot through a series of grooved rollers.

  • What was the method used to assemble the Eiffel Tower?

    -The Eiffel Tower was assembled like a giant three-dimensional puzzle with thousands of precisely made iron elements that were hoisted into place by mobile cranes.

  • How did Eiffel ensure the stability and levelness of the first platform of the tower?

    -Eiffel ensured the stability and levelness of the first platform by meticulously aligning the huge beams and using a hydraulic jack to make corrections to the angle of each beam.

  • What was the role of hydraulic power in the Eiffel Tower's elevators?

    -Hydraulic power was used to operate the elevators of the Eiffel Tower, with water being pumped at high pressure into large cylinders to move the elevator cars up and down.

  • How quickly did Eiffel complete the construction of the tower?

    -Eiffel completed the construction of the tower in 2 years, 2 months, and 5 days.

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Eiffel TowerEngineeringHistoryParisInnovationArchitectureIronFranceTechnology1889
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