A Study in the History of Technology Focused on the Introduction of Thin Shell Concrete Structures and Prestressed Concrete into the United States

本研究是一个历史性的研究，重点是从欧洲引进到美国的混凝土建筑业的两个主要创新：薄壳混凝土结构和预应力混凝土。这两项欧洲的创新在世纪上半叶来到美国，随后对美国的工程产生了重大影响。每个人在这个大陆上都有不同的历史，这些差异对于这个项目来说非常重要。这两个案例揭示了20世纪世纪美国建筑的核心方面，并阐明了美国技术文化与欧洲技术文化的不同之处。这项学术工作的背景包括主要研究者的经验，首先是技术史，其次是将学术与教学联系起来，第三是要研究的两种创新。自1974年以来，首席研究员将其奖学金的核心部分集中在历史研究上。在20世纪50年代，首席研究员为每个案例的主要人物工作，并从那时起收集了与薄壳和预应力有关的档案文件。本研究调查了1900年至1960年期间的薄壳混凝土屋顶结构和大跨度预应力混凝土屋顶和桥梁。 主要的焦点福尔斯落在两个欧洲训练的工程师的影响，谁介绍了这些新的想法到美国的工程实践：安东Tedesko（1903年至1994年）薄壳和古斯塔夫Magnel（1889年至1955年）预应力。 这项研究的结果将是三篇长篇论文，每篇论文将提交给一份学术期刊。在获得根特大学的萨顿奖章后，作为一次演讲（1999年11月）发表了一篇关于这两个人的短文，提出了该计划最后作品的初步草图，并将于2000年由根特大学出版。PI还计划在《美国科学家》、《科学美国人》、《ASCE结构部杂志》和《结构工程国际》等期刊上发表一系列较短的文章。 此外，还将编写成套教材，供普林斯顿大学和其他学校使用。

This research is an historical study focused on the introduction from Europe of two major innovations into the concrete construction industry of the United States: thin shell concrete structures and prestressed concrete. These two European innovations came to the United States during the first half of the 20th century and subsequently had major impacts on American engineering. Each has a different history on this continent and those differences are important for this project as their similarities. Both cases reveal central aspects of twentieth century American construction and shed light on how American technological culture differs from that in Europe. The background for this scholarly work includes the experience of the principal investigator first in the history of technology, second in connecting scholarship to teaching, and third in both of the innovations to be studied. Since 1974 the principal investigator has focused a central part of his scholarship on historical studies. During the 1950s the principal investigator worked for the leading figures in each case and has since collected archival documents relating to both thin shells and prestressing. The study examine the thin shell concrete roof structures and long-span roofs and bridges in prestressed concrete from the period 1900to 1960. The main focus falls on the influence of two European-trained engineers who introduced these new ideas into American engineering practice: Anton Tedesko (1903-1994) for thin shells and Gustave Magnel (1889-1955) for prestressing. The results of this study are to be three lengthy essays each of which will be submitted to a scholarly journal. A short essay on these two men, given as a lecture (in November 1999) upon receipt of the Sarton Medal from the University of Ghent, presents a preliminary sketch of the final works in this program and will be published by Ghent University in 2000. The PI also plans a series of shorter articles in such journals as the American Scientist, Scientific American, The Journal of the Structural Division of ASCE, and Structural Engineering International. Also sets of teaching materials will be prepared for use at Princeton and in other schools.