L’evoluzione dei ponti a struttura metallica nel XIX secolo: analisi di alcune singolari sperimentazioni italiane

As of the end of the eighteenth century, the theme of achieving large spans becomes a favorable opportunity in Europe for the use of new building materials and the testing of innovative structural models. In the wake of the successes achieved elsewhere, a number of exemplary works are made in Italy on the occasion of the enlargement of the national railway network. Especially in the last two decades of the nineteenth century, when conditions are ripe for a real breakthrough in the field of metal construction. Several theoretical issues are solved in building science, whereas metallurgical industry finally evolves from the time of cast and iron into the steel era. The proposed essay will explore innovative aspects related to experimentation of steel in the construction of nineteenth century's bridges, through the analysis of a few representative Italian works, where interesting specific project peculiarities are highlighted.