文档介绍：DICTIONARY OF
CIVIL ENGINEERING
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DICTIONARY OF
CIVIL ENGINEERING
English–French
Jean-Paul Kurtz
KLUWER ACADEMIC PUBLISHERS
NEW YORK, BOSTON, DORDRECHT, LONDON, MOSCOW
eBook ISBN: 0-306-48474-9
Print ISBN: 0-306-48317-3
©2004 Springer Science + Business Media, Inc.
Print ©2004 Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers
New York
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PREFACE
I am pleased to present a work which marks a milestone in the history of public works
and, more precisely, in that of permanent structures—prehensive dictionary of Civil
Engineering terms.
Since the beginning of time, Man has always tried to find a means to clear the
obstacles which nature erected to displace him. With the first tree trunk thrown across a
river, man sought to improve the crossing structure. After the invention of the wheel, and to
satisfy his thirst for conquest (Roman ways), fort (aqueducts), man built bridges
that became a preremptory necessity to move quickly.
Thus, Man started to build wooden and masonry works. With the passing centuries,
the builders became masters in the art of building masonry works. Then came the Industrial
Revolution and the advent of the steel (1864), which was closely followed by the invention
of the reinforced concrete (1855).
The need for railways and improving the work inspired great works of
crossing such as viaducts and tunnels. The boom of the work and the
development of the car required the construction of an increasing number of new
structures. This phenomenon continues today with hundreds of structures built each year
throughout the world.
Today, a multitude of technicians in various trade associations ar