Professor Bauschinger, in 1878, tested iron taken from a chain bridge
built in 1829, and found that fifty years of use had not perceptibly
altered its quality--either its strength or its elasticity--as
reported at the time of its erection. He also examined metal from
another bridge built in 1852, and found that the average quality
remained as given by Von Pauli at the time of its erection.
Professor Thurston, testing pieces of the wire cable of the Fairmount
Suspension Bridge, recently taken down at Philadelphia, after about
forty years' use, found the iron to have a tenacity and elasticity
and a ductility fully equal to the best wire of same size found in the
market to-day.
He therefore concludes that iron subjected to strains such as are met
with in properly designed bridges does not deteriorate with age.
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