Computer-Aided Sketching of Load paths: An Approach to the Analysis of Multi-span Arch Bridges

In 1676 Robert Hooke1 found a solution to the problem of the most important statically indeterminate structure then known. He kept his finding secret for fear of academic rivalry from those whose stature should have precluded such plagiarism. Of course we now know that his solution was of limited value because it provided only understanding, not a scheme of computation. This paper aims to show that understanding can be more useful than essentially meaningless calculated results.