Jacques Triger
Encyclopedia
Jacques Triger was a French
mining engineer who invented the 'Triger process' for digging through water logged ground.
The work is done inside a chamber (known as a caisson
) open at the bottom and in which compressed air is pumped to keep water out. Originally developed for use in a coal mine (1839), it was later applied to bridge construction as well. The process was used for the Brooklyn Bridge
(1870) in the United States and the Forth Railroad Bridge
in Scotland among others. The health hazards of working in a hyperbaric environment were gradually discovered during these projects. The process was also used by Gustave Eiffel
for the foundations of two of the four pillars supporting the Eiffel tower
. The name of Triger is inscribed on the Eiffel tower
.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
mining engineer who invented the 'Triger process' for digging through water logged ground.
The work is done inside a chamber (known as a caisson
Caisson (engineering)
In geotechnical engineering, a caisson is a retaining, watertight structure used, for example, to work on the foundations of a bridge pier, for the construction of a concrete dam, or for the repair of ships. These are constructed such that the water can be pumped out, keeping the working...
) open at the bottom and in which compressed air is pumped to keep water out. Originally developed for use in a coal mine (1839), it was later applied to bridge construction as well. The process was used for the Brooklyn Bridge
Brooklyn Bridge
The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States. Completed in 1883, it connects the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn by spanning the East River...
(1870) in the United States and the Forth Railroad Bridge
Forth Bridge (railway)
The Forth Bridge is a cantilever railway bridge over the Firth of Forth in the east of Scotland, to the east of the Forth Road Bridge, and 14 kilometres west of central Edinburgh. It was opened on 4 March 1890, and spans a total length of...
in Scotland among others. The health hazards of working in a hyperbaric environment were gradually discovered during these projects. The process was also used by Gustave Eiffel
Gustave Eiffel
Alexandre Gustave Eiffel was a French structural engineer from the École Centrale Paris, an architect, an entrepreneur and a specialist of metallic structures...
for the foundations of two of the four pillars supporting the Eiffel tower
Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower is a puddle iron lattice tower located on the Champ de Mars in Paris. Built in 1889, it has become both a global icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world...
. The name of Triger is inscribed on the Eiffel tower
The 72 names on the Eiffel Tower
On the Eiffel Tower, seventy-two names of French scientists, engineers and some other notable people are engraved in recognition of their contributions. This is according to the design by Gustave Eiffel. The engravings are found on the sides of the tower under the first balcony...
.
External links
- A. Banyai: A great invention with built-in hazards (1975)
- A french article on Jacques Triger written by François Martin, for Tunnel et Ouvrages Souterrains (2004).