Group 13:
Lee Murray
David Deally
Brian Gillis
Dermot Casey
 Engineer of great renown
 Former Director of American Society of Civil Engineers
 Hugely experienced
 Unrivalled tender for consultancy role
 Project was to be his “crowning achievement”
 Proud, confident
 Quebec was isolated by the St. Lawrence River
 Limited finances
 Inexperienced chief engineer – Edward Hoare
 Tender by Phoenix Bridge Company
 Cooper: Phoenix tender “best and cheapest” option
 1600ft cantilever span – longest in the world
 1600ft span extended to 1800ft – reduced ice flow impact
 At least one year to be saved on construction time
 No recalculations done
 Specifications modified to reduce superstructure costs
 Approved immediately, without question
 No research or testing done on supporting massive span
 Quebec Company could not provide funds for research
 Assumed Cooper’s experience and authority sufficient
 Canadian Government funding provided
 Detailed drawings commissioned, rushed
 No re-computations of bridge weight done
 Cooper accepted Phoenix estimates
 Refused assistance of government engineers
 Cooper visited just 3 times – the last in 1903
 Appointed new graduate Norman McLure as site engineer
 Cooper only authority to make decisions
 February 1906: Cooper is advised that steel in bridge was




projected to be over 1million lbs over initial estimates
August 1907: McLure advises horizontal compression
members deflecting, unable to line up for rivetting –
eventually members bent
Phoenix Co insist chords bent on leaving shop, McLure
insists bend has increased on site
Aug 29th: Cooper sent word to Phoenix to cease works –
ignored...
No word sent to Quebec...
 2 compression members failed
 Collapsed suddenly
 75 killed
 Similar design, but 2 ½ times heavier
 Prefabricated central span dropped into river during
placement
 11 killed