Prestressing of bridges in Germany up to 1965: part 1

The success of prestressed concrete bridges in Germany began with the first pilot projects before World War II. After the war, a time period of 20 years was sufficient to dominate the road bridge market. Six nuclei made vital contributions to the success of the prestressed concrete bridge, and the first two of these are discussed in this paper. The remaining four nuclei will be presented later in a companion paper. The development of prestressed concrete bridges is divided into two main periods. The years between 1945 and 1965 are examined from all aspects. A more detailed look at the early time before 1945 helps to explain the first prestressed structures of the post-war period.