Description: Themes: Historical context for the beginning of structural engineering as a discipline; Thomas Telford and his works; Early evolution of building material.

Learning Objectives: Students should be able to: Show how definitions and ideals of structural art began; Contrast the works of Telford, Brunel and Stephenson, Describe the features of his structures that make Thomas Telford the first Structural Artist; Apply the criteria for Structural Art: efficiency, Economy, Elegance; Describe the design choices that Telford made to account for the effect of wind on his bridges.

Keywords:  /*-->*/ iron, Telford, Brunel, Stephenson, arched bridge, suspension bridge, hollow box bridge, lenticular truss, tension, compression, span, material density, Iron Bridge, Craigellachie Bridge, Menai Straits Bridge, Saltash Bridge, Britannia Bridge

Categories: Bridges, Structural Engineering, Princeton University