Biography

 

Jean Résal is probably the greatest designer of iron bridges of the late 19th century, like Séjourné for masonry bridges, with the difference that metal construction remains a very common technique today, and that Résal’s most famous constructions are in Paris on the Seine, seen and appreciated by visitors from all over the world (Pont Mirabeau and Pont Alexandre III).

Son of an inspector general of Mines, also a scientist and professor of mechanical engineering at Ecole polytechnique, he was a brilliant student.He was assigned to Nantes on leaving the school in 1878 and immediately built a major railway structure there, made up of six 60 m laminated iron low arches.After this structure, destroyed in the last war and replaced by a concrete viaduct, he also built a remarkable road bridge in Nantes over the Erdre, which is still in service, Pont de Barbin, also called Pont de la Motte rouge.

Transferred to the navigation department in Paris in 1892, as chief engineer in charge of the bridges of Paris, he was effective in repairing existing structures, such as Pont d’Arcole, then built his two masterpieces:Pont Mirabeau in 1896 and Pont Alexandre III for the 1900 Universal Exhibition. In 1893, he took over the bridges course at École des ponts et chaussées, continuing until 1902, and also adding the course in applied mechanics, which he taught from 1895 to 1913, and finally the course on metal bridges and the resistance of materials from 1902 to 1919. He received the Rouville Prize in 1911. In 1906, he took on the role of Chairman of the Reinforced Concrete Committee.

A street in the 17th of arrondissement of Paris bears his name.

 

 

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