Engineering Marvel: The Gateway Arch
Jeremiah Thomas, PE (a.k.a. Bullfrog) is part of the Engineering & Training Team at ECP. He will be sharing engineering topics on our blog, so check back frequently for updates from Jeremiah.
The Gateway Arch: St. Louis, Missouri
At more than twice the height of the Statue of Liberty, the 630-foot-tall Gateway Arch in St. Louis is the tallest monument in America. The Arch was built to commemorate Thomas Jefferson’s commitment to westward expansion.
The base is supported by 60-foot deep foundations, which include at least 20 feet embedded into bedrock to support the large structure. After the foundations were poured, construction on the Gateway Arch started at the base of each leg. Surveying was done throughout construction to ensure the legs met in the middle. Tolerance at the top was extremely precise and could not be off by more than 1/64th of an inch.
