November 2010

Prof.McQueen

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Concordia University

Monday,Monday 29th November, 6 pm

McGill University
Otto Maass Chemistry Building, Room 10

Abstract

             Despite problems of travel and goods transport during freeze-up or spring thaw, there was no bridge across the St. Lawrence until 1859, when railroad development reached a stage that ensured it would be economically successful.  A long bridge across the non-navigable rapids provided easy pier construction and employed a wrought iron box girder design developed shortly before in England.  Wrought iron, economically produced by puddling of coke-reduced pig iron was the only material of suitable strength and toughness.  Because of very low production in Canada, 9000 tons of sheets and angles had to be imported from Britain. About 1.5 million hot-driven rivets braced them together; as in the truss later, rivets were essential for this age with limited rolling capability, with only hand production of nut/bolt pairs and without dependable welding. The bridge proved a technical success for 50 years, carrying up to 100 trains per day, providing passenger traverse and product delivery that enhanced industrial production in Montreal.              In 1898, the Victoria Jubilee Bridge across the St. Lawrence at Montreal was designed as a double-tracked steel truss to replace the original single-track box girder on the piers built half a century earlier.  In the interval, large-scale steel production had developed so that in terms of cost and strength it replaced wrought iron; the transition in Canadian industry is discussed.   The addition of roadways on the outer sides of the trusses provided the first badly needed crossing for carriages and in the present era for automobiles.  Before concluding, the addition of a spur and lift spans across the Seaway are described.  The 6-span spur was built of rolled beams welded together....
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