Cabin John Bridge: Role of Alfred L. Rives, C.E.

Abstract

The Cabin John Bridge (CJB), located just outside Washington, D.C., is a masonry arch with a central angle of 110°, an intrados radius of 40.9 m (134 ft), and a span of 67 m (220 ft). Construction of the bridge began in 1857 but was not completed until late in 1863 because of suspensions due to lack of appropriations and the Civil War. The CJB is part of the Washington Aqueduct (WA) and is still the longest single-span masonry arch in the United States. The bridge was designated a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the ASCE in 1972. The paper provides context for the bridge design and explains the construction technologies that were used. In the process, French and British influences on American masonry arch design practices at mid-19th century are revealed. The respective roles of Captain Montgomery C. Meigs, the chief engineer of the WA, and Alfred Landon Rives, his assistant engineer, are critically assessed. The paper provides, for the first time, relevant facts on Rives’ education and engineering career. The performance of the bridge over 145 years is reviewed and discussed.