Research Essays



Gateway Arch

St. Louis, Missouri. USA
Eero Saarinan, architect

Location

St. Louis, Missouri

History

Gateway competition: 1948
Construction: 1957-1964

Physical Description

The arch is made of 143 triangular sections. Each section is approximately 12 feet high. The sections decrease in cross section from 54 feet at the base to only 17 feet at the top (630 feet above).
Loads are carried though the arch by axial compression. Total arch weight: 16,878 tons. Wind load = CdqhA where Cd = pressure coefficient; qh = velocity pressure 1/2 pv^2; A = exposed surface area (Schoder pp86). A study by Fairchild Stratos Corp. concluded "that there is no wind velocity which could cause the arch to resonate over its total length" due to the continuous dimensional change of the arch sections.

Conclusions


Bibliography

  1. Architectural Record, May 1963.
  2. Popular Science, April 1964.
  3. Reader's Digest, May 1964.
  4. Saarinan on his Work, 1963.

Associated Buildings


Brian Murtagh
ARCH 461/561 Spring 1994

Do you have questions about adding a case? or a building to suggest??????? send a message to me....... chrisl@aaa.uoregon.edu