wiredinUSA June 2014

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wiredInUSA - June 2014 29 EUROPE NEWS
The iconic iron lattice Eiffel Tower,
constructed with 2.5 million rivets, is 125
years old this year.
The 1,063ft structure is equivalent in height
to an 81-story building and visited by seven
million people annually.
French engineer Gustave Eiffel designed
and constructed the tower in 1889 for the
100th anniversary of the French Revolution.
Around 300 laborers installed the rivets, and
18,038pieces ofwrought iron, ina temporary
structure expected to last only 20 years.
Meticulous maintenance of its rivets are
key to the tower’s longevity and rivets are
regularly inspected and replaced. Other
vital iron fixings include anchorage for the
‘shoe’ of the tower ironwork. Each shoe
was anchored into limestone blocks and
held by a pair of bolts, 4 inches wide and
25 feet long.
There are 3,629 detailed drawings showing
the design’s complex angles and including
thepositionof rivetholeswithin0.1mm(0.04''.
Components riveted in sub-assemblies
were delivered by horse-drawn carts. The
components were initially bolted, and rivets
replaced the bolts during construction.
Sample rivets are sold in the Eiffel Tower gift
shop.
Riveting anniversary for tower