Engineers Ireland

About the event

Joint Heritage society and Roads and transportation society event.

Arches have been used in buildings and bridges for about 4000years yet we still don't understand how forces flow through masonry bridges when live loads are applied.  In the past (before 1900) that didn't matter because live loads were never big enough to do damage.  In the modern world the scale, speed and frequency of loads all steadily increase, especially on the railways.  Bridges are being damaged by loads but much more by neglect.  Bill will discuss what we understand and what supposed understanding is based on - woolly thinking which has only the strength of history behind it.  He will consider repair strategies and the possibilities of strengthening and whether it is worthwhile.

About the speaker

Bill Harvey, former Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of Exeter.  Bill is a specialist in masonry bridges.  Bill Harvey set out towards a career in bridge engineering at the age of seven.  At 65 he still has a lot to learn but can look back on a career encompassing large steel bridges, plastic bridges, teaching, research and now 12 years work as a specialist consultant.  As for retirement?  Why would he do that when his preferred hobby is paid work.

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