Ulrichv Finsterwalder

Ulrich Finsterwalder was a German engineer who significantly contributed to bridge construction, particularly with prestressed concrete. After World War II, he developed the cantilever method for building with this material. His Bendorf Bridge, completed in 1962, utilized thin piers and a long center span, saving costs by eliminating scaffolding in the water and reducing material needed for the deck. Another notable structure by Finsterwalder is the Mangfall Bridge (1959), which was the first to use latticed truss walls made of prestressed concrete. Finsterwalder's work demonstrated that prestressed concrete could effectively compete with steel in both cost and structural depth.1