tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6470543006314152962.post8077063438332371406..comments2024-03-11T16:49:27.614+00:00Comments on The Happy Pontist: Nervi Bridges: 6. Messina Straits BridgeThe Happy Pontisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15252272118786667592noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6470543006314152962.post-65025855616371964422010-11-28T00:06:33.469+00:002010-11-28T00:06:33.469+00:00Hello Happy Pontist,
This is the first time I lea...Hello Happy Pontist,<br /><br />This is the first time I leave a comment and I'd like to take this opportunity to congratulate you for your amazing blog, whic is a reference in bridge world.<br /><br />The reason of my comment is to show my disagreement with the last paragraph, specially about what you writed about Torroja's bridges.<br /><br />I partially agree with you that the concrete shells of "Hipódromo de la Zarzuela" and "Frontón Recoletos" are probably the best works of Torroja, analyzed from multiple point of views: structural, aesthetic, innovation.<br /><br />But theese works were made in collaboration with architects, and I think Torroja alone by his own wouldn't achieve this final result that made theese building a world reference in construction history.<br /><br />In my opinion that's the reason why Torroja's bridges aren't works as complete as the buildings mentioned above. <br /><br />However I don't totally agree with your comment because I think is a little bit unfair with his skill or mastery in structural design. <br /><br />In my opinion Viaducto de Martin Gil and Acueducto de Tempul are master pieces, specially if you consider the economical, historical and social conditions where they were built in.<br /><br />I would say that Torroja applied at least the same talent, but surely much more effort to solve the construction of theese bridges. Martin Gil Viaduct was a world record for a time (Sando Bridge is not comparable because Martin Gil Bridge is for trains and Sando Bridge is a roadbrigde). <br /><br />Tempul Aqueduct is one or the first cable-stay "bridge", but we have to take into account the high loads of an aqueduct that gives an extra credit to this work.<br /><br />Martin Gil Viaduct was built 3 years after the spanish civil war (and during the second world war). Thus the technology and economy of that moment were really difficult, and that's why the construction process was so complex, because Torroja had to use the steel of reinforcement to substitute the falsework? (apologies for my english).<br /><br />As regards to formal design of Torroja's bridges, I'll say I'm not a fan of (but I do realy like the contemporary Maillart's arches). In a light defense of Torroja's bridges, I would say that modern design of bridges began after second world war and our cultural criteria about what is beautiful or not in bridge forms are completely different from that of Eduardo Torroja's "age". <br /><br />I'm sorry for the size of my comment. Congratulations for your blog.Juan (obviosly a spanish engineer)noreply@blogger.com