Several members of the Swiss family Grubenmann were famous as carpenters and civil engineers in the 18th century. The sons were innovators in bridge construction.
(1668 â 27 June 1736) lived all his life in Gstalden, Appenzell Ausserrhoden where he fathered three sons:
The brothers were village carpenters in Teufen. The principal structures are known to be:
- Crossing of the Rhine at Schaffhausen in two spans of 52 m and 59 m respectively, (Hans Ulrich, 1757);
- A single-span of 67 m at Reichenau, (Johannes, 1757);
- Crossing of the Limmat at Wettingen, a 60 m span thought to be the first use of a true arch in a timber bridge, (Hans Ulrich and Johannes, 1778).
Very few of their bridges have survived, those at Schaffhausen and Wettingen being burnt by the French in the , but their designs were influential, making use of novel combinations of arches and trusses. The surviving bridges include:
- Rümlangbrücke, Oberglatt, 27.5 m span
- Hundwilertobel, 30 m span
- Kubelbrücke, Herisau, 30 m span
Bibliography
- de Mechel, Chrétien Plans, coupes et élévations des trois points de bois le plus remarquables de la Suisse
- John Soane and the Wooden Bridges of Switzerland: Architecture and the Culture of Technology from Palladio to Grubenmanns, catalogue of an exhibition at Sir John Soane's Museum,
- Timoshenko, S. P. (1953) History of Strength of Materials, pp182âÂÂ183,
- Troyano, L. F. (2003) Bridge Engineering - A Global Perspective, pp158âÂÂ159,