A Study on Historical Transition of Wood, Stone and Brick Bridges in Tokyo Santama Districts

Abstract

In this study the authors examined the historical transition of wood, stone and brick bridges in Tokyo Santama Districts from Edo era to Taisho era. At first, we divided the structuresof bridges into three groups by districts by using “Shinpen Musashi Fudoki” a topography of this district written in the latter part of Edo era. Based on this study, we made clear that there had been at least 12 timber cantilever bridges in Nishitama District, and Meiji era had come, most of them had changed into timber strutted beam bridges, then they had changed into timber and iron truss bridges by introducing the technique building bridges of abroad after the letter half of Meiji era. Next we made clear the following. In Kitatama District, in the latter part of Edo era, that most of bridges had been stone girder bridges. Then, that there were 8 brick arch bridges from Nikkou-Bridge, the oldest one built in 1891, and they has formed the biggest group in Japan.