1866 – Viaduc de Ribeyrès, Lacapelle-Viescamp, France

From The Building News: “THE viaduct which we illustrate this week crosses the Valley of the Cere, near Kibeyres, and is situate on the line of railway between Figcas and Aurillac, which forms a portion of the central network of the Paris and Orleans Railway. The viaduct, which carries the rails at a height of 151ft. din. above the water level, consists of five spans of lattice girders supported by masonry abutments and by piers formed of clusters of cast-iron columns rising from bases of masonry. The three central spans are of IC-lft. each, and of the two other spans that on the one side is 145ft. and the other IS’.Ht. The length of each abutment is 1 USft., the total length of the viaduct being 1,012ft. The width of the viaduct between the rails is 14ft. 9in., and it carries a single lin& of rails. Each of the piers consists of a cluster of eight cast-iron columns united by cross bracings, and fixed to the top of a brickwork base of elliptical shape. Each pier measures ICft. 5in. by Sft. 2 Jin. from centre to centre of columns at the level of the capping, and the columns are disposed at such an inclination that their centre lines, if produced upwards, would all meet at a point 123ft. iHn. above the level of the rails, or 102ft. 4in. above the level of the rails. The side columns of each pier have thus a batter in the direction of the line of the viaduct of 1 in 30,, and the end columns a transverse batter of 1 in 1 5, and as all the piers are of the same size at thft- top the dimensions of each at the bottom vary with the height. The brickwork bases of the piers have alsotheir sides built at such inclina- tious that they form portions of a cone the apex of which would be at the point of junction of the centre lines of the columns before mentioned. The founda- tions of the viaduct were commenced in June, 18G3, the erection of the girders in May, 1S65, and by the following October a connection, had been formed between the two abutments. When complete, the superstructure was tested by a load of 4,000 Idlog. per metre, or about 8,0001b. per yard run ; and under this test the central piers were compressed 3 millimetres, or about Jin. At the same time the central span was de- fiected 15 millimetres, or 3-5in., and the two spans on each side of it 12 millimetres.

Its total cost was £34,179 — viz , £23,572 for ironwork and woodwork, and iilO,607 for ma- sonry. The rate of cost was thus lll’Sl per metre run of the viaduct and 3’49 per square metre of the elevational area contained between the upper part of the superstructure and the surface of the ground. Each of the main piers contains 71 tons 13 cwt. of cast and 51 tons– 10 cwt. of wrought iron, and the cost per metre iu height of the iron portion of the pier was- £81 123. Gd.

The viaduct was constructed under the direction of M. Diglin, engineer-in-chief of the Ponts et Chaussees, and of Mr. Boitoux, acting engineer. The design was by M. Wilhelm Nordling, engineer-in-chief of the northern part of the Meseau-Central. Messrs. Parent, Schaken, Caillet, and Co., and Messrs. J. F. Gail and Co., were the contractors.”