The
world's first large iron structure was the Iron Bridge, near Telford in Shropshire. Built
in 1779 |
The
Iron Bridge's builders used the technology that they knew. They joined the sections of the
bridge with woodworking joints. Here is a dovetail... |
...
and here, a through housing. Notice how a piece of the iron has cracked away -
showing how cast iron is brittle. |
Another
of the Iron Bridge's joints. This one is complete but shows a crack. |
Triangles
are very stong and cannot be deformed. Here the strength of triangles is used to in
scaffolding to support the wall of a derelict building. |
Concrete
is a very commonly used material in our time. These concrete flyovers are at the ferry
terminal at Calais. |
A
lifeboat hanging from its davits. The davits are a series of levers to hold the boat over
the side of the ship and ropes and pulleys to loower it into the water |
More
levers and pulleys at work in this dockside crane (Calais Ferry Terminal) |
Cast
iron and concrete piers reach out from the shore at Dover Ferry Terminal. |
|