science

Ordish–Lefeuvre system

Ordish–Lefeuvre system is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Ordish–Lefeuvre system rather than just read about it. In short: The Ordish–Lefeuvre system or principle is an early form of cable-stayed bridge design, patented by English engineers Rowland Mason Ordish and William Henry Le Feuvre in 1858. The Ordish–Lefeuvre system differs from conventional suspension bridges in that, while as with a conventional suspension bridge a parabolic cable supports the centre of the bridge, inclined stays support the remainder of the bridge's load.

Key takeaways

Ordish–Lefeuvre system belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Ordish–Lefeuvre system to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Ordish–Lefeuvre system from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The Ordish–Lefeuvre system or principle is an early form of cable-stayed bridge design, patented by English engineers Rowland Mason Ordish and William Henry Le Feuvre in 1858. The Ordish–Lefeuvre system differs from conventional suspension bridges in that, while as with a conventional suspension bridge a parabolic cable supports the centre of the bridge, inclined stays support the remainder of the bridge's load. Each stay consists of a flat wrought iron bar attached to the bridge deck, and a wire rope connects the wrought iron bar to one of four octagonal support columns. Only two major bridges were built using the Ordish–Lefeuvre principle. Ordish was commissioned to build Albert Bridge in Chelsea, London, using the design in 1864, but the start of work on the bridge was delayed due to negotiations regarding the proposed Chelsea Embankment at the northern end of the proposed bridge. While plans for the Chelsea Embankment were debated, Ordish built the Franz Joseph Bridge over the Vltava in Prague to the same design as that intended for Albert Bridge. In 1870 work finally began on Albert Bridge, with construction expected to take roughly a year. In the event, construction took over three years, and the bridge opened with no formal ceremony on 23 August 1873, almost ten years after it had been authorised.

Albert Bridge was inspected in 1884 by Sir Joseph Bazalgette, Chief Engineer of the Metropolitan Board of Works, who found that the steel rods were already showing serious signs of corrosion. Over the next three years the steel staying rods were augmented with steel chains, giving it an appearance more closely resembling a conventional suspension bridge, and a new timber deck was laid. Albert Bridge continued to suffer serious structural weakness and in 1972 the Greater London Council added two concrete piers in the middle of the river, supporting the central span and turning the central section of the bridge into a beam bridge. Damaged through overuse during the Second World War, the Franz Joseph Bridge was demolished in the 1950s and replaced with a conventional bridge, leaving Albert Bridge the only surviving example of a significant bridge built using the Ordish–Lefeuvre principle.

Notes and references References

Bibliography

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Ordish–Lefeuvre system

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Ordish–Lefeuvre system claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Ordish–Lefeuvre system before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Ordish–Lefeuvre system ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Ordish–Lefeuvre system

In research: Ordish–Lefeuvre system appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Ordish–Lefeuvre system in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Ordish–Lefeuvre system is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 1858 introductions, Bridges, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Ordish–Lefeuvre system outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

Ask Teacher Smith questions about this articleOpens your AI tutor with a question about “Ordish–Lefeuvre system” →

Affiliate

Preply — study more efficiently by working with a personal tutor. 50% off.

How to study Ordish–Lefeuvre system in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Ordish–Lefeuvre system means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Ordish–Lefeuvre system out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Ordish–Lefeuvre system in simple terms?

Why does Ordish–Lefeuvre system matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Ordish–Lefeuvre system?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Ordish–Lefeuvre system.