A Structural Analysis of Leonardo Da Vinci’s Design for a Masonry Arch Bridge over The Golden Horn

Abstract

This paper will primarily concentrate on proving the structural feasibility of Leonardo Da Vinci’s design for a bridge over the Golden Horn via in-depth structural analysis, based on a series of conclusions made from historical analysis. The bridge had an unprecedented proposed single arch span of 240m and shows the audacity of Leonardo attempting to push the boundaries of what was possible within the field of masonry arch design. It is evident from the ways in which his design is an adaption on the typical masonry arch bridge of the time that Leonardo had an acute sense of intuition of load distribution properties. The main challenge I will face is the lack of available data. My work provides conclusive evidence that Leonardo’s design was indeed feasible, through the construction of a detailed model of potential geometry that would have achieved structural stability if constructed.