born April 9, 1806, Portsmouth, Hampshire, Eng.
died Sept. 15, 1859, London
British civil and mechanical engineer.
He was the son of caisson to sink bridge pier foundations helped gain acceptance of compressed-air techniques in underwater and underground construction. Brunel made outstanding contributions to marine engineering with three steamships
the Great Western, the Great Britain , and the Great Eastern
each the largest in the world at date of launching. The Great Western instituted the first regular transatlantic service, and Great Eastern laid the first successful transatlantic cable.