Background
Joseph Monier was born on 8 November 1823 in Saint-Quentin-la-Poterie, France. He was a son of horticulturists, who served to a local French Duke.
Joseph Monier was born on 8 November 1823 in Saint-Quentin-la-Poterie, France. He was a son of horticulturists, who served to a local French Duke.
As a child, Joseph Monier did not get any formal education.
He entered Duke in Paris to provide services at the age of 17. With his work as a gardener he soon left Duke. Indeed, in 1846, Monier joined Tuileries Garden and started showing his performance in orange trees. He made cement pots and reinforced them with iron wires. These were notably used during winter when small orangeries were moved to greenhouses. In this way, he led his life with an innovative thought of making these iron reinforced structures. Monier established the way to store water in reinforced containers. With all these practices, he continued his education in horticulture.
He experimented different means of pot making. Later on, he found that iron wires inside concrete allow more durability. Joseph Monier experimented many ways of reinforcement and exhibited the invention at Paris Exposition in 1867. This gained him many positives, and he was licensed to construct reinforced cement pipes, basins, panels, bridges, beams and much more.
In 1870, Napoleon III declared war on Prussia which resulted in a major reversal in his career. At the beginning of 1871, the life started to become normal and his survived workers reorganized the building processes. He built numerous reservoirs, tanks and ensured that his product would perform well. Baron Max de Springer, Alphonso de Rothschild were his customers, and one can witness his works near the place he lived in the west of Paris.
In 1875, Joseph Monier built the first reinforced bridge of his own style and led towards the construction of a staircase in his workshop. In 1878, he applied for the reinforcement of iron rods in the construction of railway sleepers and later on, it was granted. After few years, he was granted for the building of reinforced housing materials that include construction of pipes.
Joseph tried hard to grant his application that was set to reinforce houses which would be more potent and describe the characteristics to remain stable against small earthquakes. On 1887, his second son died after falling from the scaffolding. With the effect of some family arguments, his elder son left his work, and Monier started working with no sons. He set up his own firm "L'Entreprise générale de travaux en ciment J Monier" (previously "J Monier constructeur") in 1890.
Because of the bankruptcy, Joseph Monier's construction business went into liquidation. After three years, he set another construction building and got a chance to construct a reservoir at Clamart, which is still held high. Its exterior decoration was done by Prosper Bobin (architect). At this time, he was almost about to retire. Monier was harassed by tax officers and bailiffs because of accepting high commissions from his foreign patents.
He died on 13 March 1906 in Paris, France.
Joseph Monier's pioneer action to build concrete structures becomes one of the greatest inventions in the field of civil engineering. He patented iron-reinforced concrete pipes and basins; iron-reinforced concrete panels for building façades; bridges made of iron-reinforced concrete; reinforced concrete beams. Monier was the designer of first reinforcement bridge that was constructed at the Castle of Chazelet. He showed his patent work in many parts of Europe and used to sell his rights of patents to the outsiders and earned a lump sum payment. Thus, about 20 Monier arch bridges were built in Victoria, Australia.
It is believed that Joseph Monier belonged to Christianity.
Quotations: According to Monier, "Wood and Clay do not give much strength to the pots. These materials were weather effective and less durable. With the inclusion of cement and iron-reinforced, it makes the pot and other materials better in tensile strength, compressive strength, and shearing strength. All these phenomena are necessary to make the object capable of bearing loads to stay for a longer period and remain unaffected."
Joseph Monier had two wives. From his first wife, he had two sons named Pierre, the elder one and Paul as his younger son. Lucien was his son from the second wife.
Paul was killed after he fell while working and Pierre had left his father’s because of family disputes. Monier then stayed with his second wife, three elderly sisters and later his son, Lucien.
