Albert Caquot (Vouziers, July 1, 1881 - Paris, November 28, 1976) was considered as the "best living French engineers"^[1] during half a century. He received the “Croix de guerre 1914-1918” (military honor) and was Grand-croix of the Légion d’Honneur (1951). He was a member of the French Academy of Sciences from 1934 to 1976. Vouziers is a commune of the Ardennes département, in France. ... November 28 is the 332nd day (333rd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1976 (MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the 1976 Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the capital of France. ... Vouziers is a commune of the Ardennes département, in France. ... This article is about the capital of France. ... Chiang Kai-sheks Légion dhonneur. ... Louis XIV visiting the Académie in 1671 The French Academy of Sciences (Académie des sciences) is a learned society, founded in 1666 by Louis XIV at the suggestion of Jean-Baptiste Colbert, to encourage and protect the spirit of French scientific research. ...

Gifted with an incredible capacity of vision and invention in multiple fields, this engineering master succeeded in rising aeronautical engineering as well as in structural engineering, with more than 300 bridges and dams among which several were world records at the time. He is an example of the brilliant young minds of the early twentieth century who rose socially from modest environment to become national leaders in construction engineering.

Biography

His parents, Paul and Marie-Irma Caquot owned a family farm in Vouziers, in the Ardennes. His father taught him modernism, by installing at their place electricity and telephone as early as 1890. One year only after high school, at eighteen years old, he was admitted at the Ecole Polytechnique. He graduated in the “Corps des Ponts et Chaussées”. Vouziers is a commune of the Ardennes département, in France. ... The Ardennes (pronounced ar-DEN) (Dutch: Ardennen) is a region of extensive forests and rolling hill country, primarily in Belgium and Luxembourg, but stretching into France (lending its name to the Ardennes département and the Champagne-Ardenne région). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Corps of Bridges (Corps des Ponts) is a great technical corps of the French state. ...

The scientist and designer

From 1905 to 1912, he was a project manager in Troyes (Aube), and was pointed out for major civil work improvements he undertook with the city sewer system. This protected the city from the centennial flood of the River Seine in 1910. In 1912, he joined a leading structural engineering firm where he applied his unique talent of structure designer. Troyes is a town in northeastern France. ...

Albert Caquot conducted outstanding research that was immediately applied in construction. His major contributions include:

First cable-stayed bridge with reinforced concrete, Donzère Mondragon (France), 1952.

• reinforced concrete design, and structural engineering in a broader sense. In 1930, he defined the intrinsic curve and explained why the elasticity theory was not sufficient any more for modern structures design.
• geotechnics and foundation design. He stated the corresponding states theorem (CST). In 1933, his publication on the stability of pulverulent and coherent material received an admiring report from the French Academy of Sciences, where he was elected life member in 1934. In 1948, with Jean Kérisel (1908-2005), his son-in-law and disciple, he developed an advanced theory extremely important for passive earth pressure (LINK) where there is soil-wall friction. This principle has been broadly applied ever since for the design of ground engineering structures such as retaining walls, tunnels and foundation piles.
• the revival of cable-stayed bridges with reinforced concrete (Donzère Mondragon bridge, 1952), which he envisioned with long spans, even crossing the English Channel. In 1967, he designed a conceptual double-deck bridge of this type with 810 m-wide spans and two 25 m-wide decks stages accomodating 8 lanes for cars, 2 for rail and 2 for skytrain.
  

  The bridge of La Caille (France), 1928.

In the course of his life, Albert Caquot taught mechanical science for a long time in three of the most prominent French engineering schools in Paris: Écoles nationales supérieures des Mines, des Ponts et de l’Aéronautique. Reinforced concrete at Sainte Jeanne dArc Church (Nice, France): architect Jacques Dror, 1926–1933 Reinforced concrete, also called ferroconcrete in some countries, is concrete in which reinforcement bars (rebars) or fibers have been incorporated to strengthen a material that would otherwise be brittle. ... Geotechnics (synonymous: Geotechnique) is the application of scientific methods and engineering principles to the acquisition, interpretation, and use of knowledge of materials of the Earths crust for the solution of engineering problems; the applied science of making the Earth more habitable. ... A foundation is a structure that transmits loads from a building or road to the underlying ground. ... Louis XIV visiting the Académie in 1671 The French Academy of Sciences (Académie des sciences) is a learned society, founded in 1666 by Louis XIV at the suggestion of Jean-Baptiste Colbert, to encourage and protect the spirit of French scientific research. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... The Hôtel de Vendôme, central building of the Ecole des Mines The École Nationale Supérieure des Mines de Paris (also known as Ecole des Mines, Ecole des Mines de Paris, Mines Paris or simply Mines) was created in 1783 on the request of King Louis XVI in... The École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées (ENPC) (National school of Bridges and Roads), often referred to as les Ponts, is the worlds oldest engineering school and remains to this day one of the most prestigious French Grandes Écoles of engineering. ... The École Nationale Supérieure de lAéronautique et de lEspace (SUPAERO or ENSAE, roughly translated as National Higher School of Air and Space Engineering), founded in 1909, is one of the most prestigious and selective grandes écoles in France. ...

In the course of his career, as both a highly creative designer and a tireless calculator, he designed more than 300 bridges and facilities among which several were world records at the time:

• the bridge of La Madeleine, in Nantes (1928), a concrete cantilever bridge over the River Loire,
• the Lafayette Bridge crossing the tracks of the Gare de l’Est in Paris (1928). This is a struss bridge in reinforced concrete, where concrete vibrators using compressed air were used for the first time in history.
• the bridge of La Caille (1928), on the ravine of Usses, in the Alps, close to Annecy. This is a 140-m-span concrete arc bridge.
• the great “Jean Bart” dry dock in Saint-Nazaire harbor (1935).
  

  Dam of La Girotte (Alps, France)
• Dam of La Girotte (1944-49),
• Dam of Donzère-Mondragon, which comprises the Bollène lock, the world’s tallest lock (1950).
• the Bildstock tunnel (1953-1955),
• the world’s largest tidal power plant on the River Rance, in Brittany (1961-1966). In his eighties, Albert Caquot made a critical contribution to the construction of the dam, designing an enclosure in order to protect the construction site from the 12-m-high ocean tides and the strong streams.

Two prestigious achievements made him famous internationally: the internal structure of the statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) at the peak of Corcovado Mountain (1931) and the , George V Bridge on the Clyde River in Glasgow (Scotland) for which the Scottish engineers asked for his assistance. Saint-Nazaire is also a commune of the Gard département of France. ... Canal locks in England. ... Rance tidal power plant Other view Scale model of the tidal power plant The Rance tidal power plant is the worlds first electrical generating station powered by tidal energy. ... Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro The Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro is the most famous landmark in Brazil. ... Location of Rio de Janeiro Coordinates: Country Brazil Region Southeast State Rio de Janeiro Government  - Mayor Cesar Maia (PFL) Area  - City 1,260 km²  (486. ... Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro The Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro is the most famous landmark in Brazil. ... For other uses, see Glasgow (disambiguation). ...

In his late eighties, he developed a gigantic tidal power project to capture the tide energy in Mont St Michel bay, in Normandy.

The aeronautical engineer

During the course of his life, he committed himself alternatively to structural and aeronautical engineering following the rhythm imposed by the First and Second World Wars. Albert Caquot’s contributions to aeronautics are priceless, from the design of the “Caquot dirigeable” to the launching of technical innovations at the new French Aviation Ministry, where he created several Fluid Mechanics Institute that still exist today. Marcel Dassault, who was charged by Albert Caquot to develop several major aeronautical projects at the beginning of his career, wrote about him: "He was one of the best engineers than aeronautics ever had. He was visionary and ahead of his time. He lead aeronautical innovations for forty years. " Marcel Dassault, born Marcel Bloch, (Paris, 22 January 1892 - Neuilly-sur-Seine, 17 April 1986) was a French aircraft industrialist. ...

Observation airship, known as "Caquot Dirigeable" (First World War).

As early as 1901, already visionary, he performed his military service in an airship unit of the French army. At the beginning of First World War, he naturally led an airship unit as first lieutenant. He noticed the poor wind behavior of the spherical balloon. In 1914, he designed a new sausage-shaped dirigeable equipped with back stabilizers, able to hold in 90 km/h winds. This balloon is known as “Caquot dirigeable”. During three years, France manufactured "Caquot dirigeables" for all the allied forces, including English and United States armies. This balloon gave to France and its allies an advantage in military observation which significantly contributed to the allies’ supremacy in aviation and eventually to the final victory. In January 1918, Georges Clémenceau named him technical director of the entire military aviation. In 1919, Albert Caquot proposed the creation of the French aeronautical museum (today called Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace, in Le Bourget). This museum is the oldest aeronautical museum in the world. USS Akron (ZRS-4) in flight, November 2, 1931 An airship or dirigible is a buoyant lighter-than-air aircraft that can be steered and propelled through the air. ... USS Akron (ZRS-4) in flight, November 2, 1931 An airship or dirigible is a buoyant lighter-than-air aircraft that can be steered and propelled through the air. ... Georges Clemenceau, by Nadar. ... The Musée de lAir et de lEspace, or The Museum of Air and Space, is a French museum, located on the grounds of the Le Bourget Airport near Paris. ...

In 1928, Albert Caquot became the first executive director of the new Aviation ministry. He implemented a policy of research, prototypes and mass production which contributed quickly to France leadership in the aeronautical industry. His main accomplishments are:

• the development of fluid mechanics research and education. He created in 1928 the Ecole Nationale Supérieure d’Aéronautique (Sup' Aero), the leading engineering school in aeronautics that contributed to French scientific excellence in aeronautics and led to the creation of several institutions like ONERA (National Office of Aerospace Studies and Research) in 1946 and the CNES (National Center of Space Studies) in 1952. The school still exists today.
• the construction of a gigantic wind tunnel in Chalais-Meudon in 1929^[2] (120 m-long and 25 m-high) allowing to test a plane in real conditions, with engine on the way and pilot on board. This wind tunnel was the largest of the world at the time and it was used to test the Mirage III, the Caravelle and the Concorde, but also cars like the Peugeot 4 CV and the VW Beetle.

In 1933, after a budget cut which prevented him from carrying forward his projects, he resigned and went back to structural engineering for several years. The École Nationale Supérieure de lAéronautique et de lEspace (SUPAERO or ENSAE, roughly translated as National Higher School of Air and Space Engineering), founded in 1909, is one of the most prestigious and selective grandes écoles in France. ... The Office National dÉtudes et de Recherches Aerospatiales (National Office of Aerospatial Studies and Research, ONERA) is a French national research institution dedicated to the study of aerospace problems (flow mechanics, materials and structures, information processing, physics). ... The Centre National dÉtudes Spatiales is the French government space agency (administratively, a public establishment of industrial and commercial character). Its headquarters are located in central Paris. ... Former South African Air Force Mirage IIICZ The Dassault Mirage III is a supersonic fighter aircraft designed in France during the 1950s, and manufactured both in France and a number of other countries. ... The SE 210 Caravelle was the first short/medium-range jet airliner, produced by the French Sud Aviation firm starting in 1955 (when it was still known as SNCASE). ... British Airways Concorde G-BOAB. Concorde G-BOAD on a barge beneath Verrazano Narrows Bridge in New York City in November 2003, bound for the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum. ...

In 1938, under the threat of the war, Albert Caquot was brought back to manage all the national aeronautical businesses. He resigned in January 1940.

Albert Caquot inaugurating the tidal power plant on the River Rance (France), 1966.

The man

He always had a great independence of mind and an incredible selflessness. The numerous honors he received from multiple countries, for example the dignity of Grand-croix de la Légion d’Honneur in France (1951), pay tribute to his exceptional merits. He was a member of the French Academy of Sciences for 41 years and served as their president from 1952 to 1961. During more than twenty years, he chaired numerous French scientific organizations, like the National Council of the French Engineers (CNISF), and was on the board of EDF (electricite de France), the main electricity generation and distribution company in France, during more than ten years. In 1961, at 80 years old, Albert Caquot resigned from all the presidencies which he had always assured voluntarily. Warm-hearted, attentive and available, he loved to withdraw within his family. Chiang Kai-sheks Légion dhonneur. ... Louis XIV visiting the Académie in 1671 The French Academy of Sciences (Académie des sciences) is a learned society, founded in 1666 by Louis XIV at the suggestion of Jean-Baptiste Colbert, to encourage and protect the spirit of French scientific research. ... Électricité de France (EDF) is the main electricity generation and distribution company in France. ...

French Stamp issued in 2001.

Homage

On July 2, 2001, a 4.5-FRF (0.69-€) stamp was issued in France to celebrate Albert Caquot’s legacy on the 120e anniversary of his birth and the 25e anniversary of his death. A “Caquot dirigeable” and the bridge of La Caille, two of his creations, surround his picture on the stamp. USS Akron (ZRS-4) in flight, November 2, 1931 An airship or dirigible is a buoyant lighter-than-air aircraft that can be steered and propelled through the air. ...

Since 1989, the Albert Caquot Award is awarded annually by the French Association of Civil and Structural Engineering (AFGC) to an engineer for his/her whole career, particularly for his/her scientific and technical achievements, but also for his/her ethics and influence in the construction industry. Every other year, it is awarded to a French engineer then to a foreign engineer. Fritz Leonhardt (1909-1999), Tung-Yen Lin (1912-2003) and fr:Jean Muller received this honor. Fritz Leonhardt (1909 - 1999) was a German engineer best known for his pioneering role in the development of cable-stayed bridges, and for his book Bridges: Aesthetics and Design. Born in Stuttgart in 1909, Leonhardt studied at Stuttgart University and Purdue University. ... Tung-Yen Lin (林同炎, pinyin: Lín Tóngyán) (November 14, 1912 - November 15, 2003) was a world-renowned civil engineer best known as the pioneer of standardizing the use of prestressed concrete. ...

Notes and references

1. ^ Necrologic note by Maurice Roy, reports of the Academy of Science, number 193398-77, meeting of January 19, 1977.
2. ^ The large wind tunnel in Meudon, S1Ch, http://www.onera.fr/meudon/histoire/aviation.php.

Additional sources

Biographies

• « Albert Caquot 1881-1976 - Savant, soldat et bâtisseur », Jean Kérisel - August 2001
• Bulletin of the SABIX, special number 28 about Albert Caquot, July 2001
• Le Curieux Vouzinois, "Hyppolyte Taine and Albert Caquot", by Jean Kerisel, Vouziers (the Ardennes), March 25, 2001
• Sciences Ouest, numero 112, "L'Ecole Polytechnique et la Bretagne. Le barrage et l'usine maremotrice de la Rance", June 1995
• L'Union, "Une journee particuliere en hommage a Albert Caquot", Vouziers (the Ardennes), March 25, 1995
• La Jaune et la Rouge, "Albert Caquot (X 1899)", by Robert Paoli (X 1931), November 1993

Related articles

• Airship
• French Academy of Science
• École Polytechnique, France
• Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées
• Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace, Le Bourget

Other weblinks

• Biography in Structurae database (in English)
• Biography on the Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussees website (in French)
• Biography on the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Mines de Paris website (in French)
• Biography on the Vouziers city website (in French)
• Biography on the planete-TP website (in French)
• French stamp issued in July 2001
• List of Albert Caquot awards (AFGC) since 1989