2011/02/11 by Wayne F. Lorenz, Phillip Wolfram · 1 citation
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Arts and Humanities · Engineering · #Hydraulic flow and structures #Maritime and Coastal Archaeology #Water management and technologies
paper · doi:10.1061/(asce)ir.1943-4774.0000359
openalex publication_date 2011/02/11 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31
Calculation of stormwater flow passage underneath two ancient Roman bridges supporting an aqueduct in southern France provides insight into the Roman engineers’ design of aqueduct bridges. The bridges are quite different although the watersheds they cross have similar characteristics. At a height of 5.4 m (18 ft), the Simian Bridge has four arches while the Charmassone Bridge [height of 2 m (7 ft)] has a culvert to pass stormwater flows. The Simian Bridge was designed to maintain the needed elevation across the valley by use of arches, and it easily passes flood flows. In contrast, the Charmassone Bridge may have been designed to manage flood flows as evidenced by the sizing of its culvert and use of buttressing to support upstream hydrostatic pressures due to stormwater retention behind the bridge.