Article Summary; Resistance to Technological Innovation: The History of the Pile Driver through the 18th Century by Marjorie Nice Boyer
The article "Resistance to Technological Innovation: The History of the Pile Driver through the 18th Century" by Marjorie Nice Boyer explores the historical development and adoption of pile drivers, focusing on the resistance to technological innovation in this field. The author points out that there was a lack of interest in studying pile drivers by earlier historians, which has led to limited information about their use until the 14th century. The article investigates the types of pile drivers in use in Europe, especially France and the Netherlands, from the 14th to the 18th century and explains why simpler versions were preferred over more mechanically sophisticated ones.
The scarcity of historical sources on pile drivers is highlighted, with references to them being sporadic and often uninstructive. The author discusses various types of pile drivers, including hand rams, hyes (pile drivers with windlasses), and engins (pile drivers with running rams). The article explores the technological advancements and improvements made to pile drivers during the 16th and 17th centuries, including drawings of more elaborate machines designed to increase efficiency and reduce manpower. Despite these advancements, the adoption of these sophisticated pile drivers was limited due to factors such as tradition, resistance to change, cost-effectiveness of labor, and the lack of technical expertise among builders.
The article underscores the divide between theoretical knowledge and practical application in history, pointing out that craftsmen often lacked access to the latest ideas and inventions due to this separation. The reluctance to adopt innovative designs in pile drivers is attributed to factors such as the reliability of machines, constraints on operators, and the availability of inexpensive manpower. The author concludes that historical preferences for simpler pile drivers with manual labor were driven by a combination of tradition, practical considerations, and the limitations of technical education among builders.
In summary, the article explores the historical context of pile drivers and their development through the 18th century, highlighting the resistance to adopting more advanced technological innovations in favor of simpler and traditional methods.
