François Hennebique
Who was François Hennebique?
What is reinforced concrete?
What was François Hennebique’s contribution to reinforced concrete construction?
François Hennebique (born April 25, 1842, Neuville-Saint-Vaast, France—died March 20, 1921, Paris) was a French engineer who devised the technique of construction with reinforced concrete.
- Born: April 25, 1842, Neuville-Saint-Vaast, France
- Died: March 20, 1921, Paris
- Known for: Devising the technique of construction with reinforced concrete
- Major constructions: Co-operative Warehouse in Newcastle, Lion Chambers in Glasgow, Royal Liver Building in Liverpool
Early life
Hennebique’s early years were spent working on his father’s farm. He developed an interest in the natural sciences and trained himself in theoretical technology through self-study. Determined to pursue his interest in the practical aspects of these sciences, Hennebique apprenticed himself as a stonemason to a builder from Arras. His talent and technological knowledge soon earned him the responsibility for reconstructing a church.
By age 25, Hennebique had established himself as a builder, gaining expertise in church restoration. He devoted considerable time to studying religious building design. However, he did not limit himself to churches; he also undertook projects such as railway bridges and viaducts, which gave him opportunities to experiment with emerging technologies that interested him.
Experiments with béton armé
Reinforced concrete is a durable and versatile construction material prepared by embedding steel bars or mesh in a traditional concrete mix.
At the Paris Exposition of 1867, Hennebique saw Joseph Monier’s tubs and tanks built of concrete reinforced with wire mesh and was stimulated to seek a way to apply this new material to building construction. He began with reinforced concrete floor slabs in 1879 and progressed to a complete building system, patented in 1892, using structural beams of concrete reinforced with stirrups and longitudinal bars designed to resist the tensile forces against which ordinary concrete was weak. This system, which Hennebique called béton armé (French: “armed concrete”), drew attention because of its cost-effectiveness and practicality. In a few years he had perfected a system, still in general use, for reinforcing columns, beams, and floors, which he demonstrated in the construction of an apartment building in Paris. By the end of the 19th century, Hennebique had focused all his attention on developing reinforced concrete as a building material. He also worked as a consultant to builders and construction firms that licensed his techniques.
- Co-operative Warehouse, Quayside, Newcastle: This nine-story building was built in 1899.
- Lion Chambers, Glasgow: This eight-story building was built in 1907 in the Art Nouveau style.
- Hennebique’s manor at Bourg-la-Reine, France: This mansion, built in early 20th century, had its own water tower, suspended gardens, and large windows, and was Hennebique’s experiment in the strength and solidity of reinforced concrete.
Legacy
The first structures Hennebique built using reinforced concrete were mills, some of which survived the ravages of World War I but were demolished in the late 20th century. During his lifetime his company designed and constructed more than 3,000 bridges and 7,000 reservoirs and waterworks. His techniques were also adapted to create artificial islands and concrete ships. Engineers trained at his company’s headquarters on Rue Danton became agents of his methods across much of Europe, the United States, South America, and Africa. Some, such as Louis Mouchel—Hennebique’s representative in the United Kingdom—established their own engineering firms, using his systems to construct many iconic 20th-century buildings and structures.