Eduardo Torroja
| Eduardo Torroja | |
|---|---|
 Eduardo Torroja in 1936 Eduardo Torroja | |
| Born | 1899 |
| Died | 1961 |
| Nationality | Spanish |
|
Engineering career | |
| Significant projects | Tempul cable-stayed aqueduct |
| Significant advance | concrete-shell structures |
Eduardo Torroja y Miret, (1899–1961) was a Spanish structural engineer, pioneer in the design of concrete shell structures. His first large project was the Tempul cable-stayed aqueduct in 1926,[1] Guadalete, Jerez de la Frontera, in which he used prestressed girders, and he made his name with the concrete shell-roof at the Algeciras Market Hall (1933). Eduardo Torroja designed thin-shell water tower in Fedala[2] and the roof of hippodrome "Zarzuela"[3] in the form of hyperboloid of revolution. He also used steel with great élan, as at the roof of the Football Stadium, Barcelona (1943). He designed innovative structures in numerous parts of the world, including Morocco and Latin America. His books include Philosophy of Structures (1958) and The Structures of Eduardo Torroja (1958).
Personal Characteristics
Torroja believed that a structure should follow the personality of its designer. Some believe every specific twist and turn in a structure reflects an important event in one’s life. Believing in the latter, Torroja developed new ways of looking at structures as well as ways to increase the strength of the structures without dimming aesthetics. Torroja illustrated an interest in forms of art that dwindled within most of his structures which often incorporated his visions.
Socioeconomic and Political Environment
In the 1920s Europe was left in ruins to struggle with economic and political recovery. Since Spain was short on steel supplies, Torroja had to pursue other materials. In search for new materials, Torroja later became famous for his exploration for uses of horse manure, which was found to be a strong and cheap in-cost material. Today, Torroja is mainly known for his development of reinforced concrete.[4]
See also
References
- ↑ Troyano, Leonardo, '"Bridge Engineering: A Global Perspective"', Thomas Telford Publishing, 2003, p.650
- ↑ water tower in Fedala
- ↑ hippodrome "Zarzuela"
- ↑ Time Magazine Corporation. (1959, June 1). The Art of Structure. Retrieved October 5, 2008, from Time Magazine: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,811166-2,00.html
Further reading
- Eduardo Torroja: The Structures of Eduardo Torroja, Ministerio de Fomento, Madrid, ISBN 84-498-0462-0, 2000
- Eduardo Torroja: Philosophy of Structures, University of California Press, Los Angeles, 1958, (translated by Jaroslav Joseph Polivka with Milos Polivka)
External links
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