Pont du Carrousel
This entry refers to the cast iron arch bridge, now demolished, which crossed the River Seine in Paris. Photo here.
Opened in 1834. Designed by Antoine Rémy Polonceau.
The arch ribs were of a pioneering design, having a laminated wooden core inside hollow cast-iron main arches, bonded to the metal by bitumen.
Henry Hinde Edwards was involved in the construction, advising Polonceau on ironfounding aspects, and in 1842 he described some features of the design and construction. The rib castings were produced by the Forges et Fonderies de Fourchamboult under the management of Emile Martin.[1]. Edwards was a partner in the foundry at Chaillot which supplied the castings for the spandrel rings and the balustrades. Edwards, Scipion Perier and Alphonse Chaper of Chaillot were also responsible for the installation and adjustment of all the arch castings and forgings.[2]. Illustrations here.
Specifically, Polonceau acknowledged the technical contribution of the following people:-
Emile Martin (from Fourchambaut), for the casting of the arches and spacers.
Mr. Edwards, engineer, Scipio Périer and Alphonse Chaper,
all three directors of the Chaillot foundry, for cast iron spandrels and balustrade, and for the adjustment and installation of
all the cast iron and wrought iron of the arches.
For the framework of the scaffolds and the floor, M. Mazet and Pierron, known as Lyonnais, carpentry.
M. Collin, for the foundations and masonry of the abutment and
the left pier, and Mr. Victor Lemaire, for the foundations and masonry of the pier and the right abutment;
M. Leconte, an architect.
See 'The Iron-Wood Composite Section of the Carrousel Bridge in Paris (1834)' by Jorge Bernabeu Larena for a recent review of the design of the bridge.
The Pont Saint-Thomas (Strasbourg), the Pont sur la Lanterne à Bourguignon-lès-Conflans, and the Puente de Isabel II in Seville are surviving examples of this type of structure.
See entry for Puente de Isabel II (Triana Bridge), Seville for information on details of construction of a bridge whose design was based on the Pont du Carrousel.
In 1883, the bridge was closed to traffic for six months for maintenance. In 1906 the wooden deck was replaced by iron. However, the bridge was too narrow for twentieth-century traffic, and moved alarmingly. In 1930, its height above the river was judged insufficient for river transport, and it was decided to replace it by a new reinforced concrete bridge downstream, with greater headroom for boats. The architects were Malet and Lang. The old bridge was demolished in 1937.[3]. See here for a high resolution 1883 photograph.
