Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Hydraulics Hall of
Fame
Chronological Table of the Leaders in Hydraulics and
Related Fields to the end of the 19th Century
Alasdair Grant
March 2008
Aristotle (382-322 BC)
Born at Stagira, a Greek colonial town on the north
west shore of the Agean. A pupil of Plato; wrote
extensively on a wide range of subjects; ‘proved’ that a
vacuum was a physical impossibility
Archimedes (287-212 B C)
Born at Syracuse, Sicily, son of an astronomer. Studied at
Alexandria under disciples of Euclid. Established
elementary principles of buoyancy and flotation. Usually
accepted as inventor of water screw, although it probably
existed earlier in Egypt in a more primitive form.
Sextus JuliusFrontinus (40-103 A.D.)
Probably of noble descent, elected consul three times. In
between, was governor of Britain, subdued the Welsh and
constructed the ‘Via Julia’ highway. Eventually appointed
water commissioner for Rome and wrote his famous
treatise on Roman methods of water distribution
He was three times elected consul, first in 73 or 74, again in 98, and a third
time in 100. After his first incumbency of this office, he was dispatched to
Britain as provincial governor. Wales, and with the instinct for public
improvements which dominated his whole career, at once began in the
conquered district the construction of a highway, named from him the
Via Julia, returned to Rome in 78, after which the next twenty years of his life
are a blank. But to this period, from his forty-third to his sixty-second year, we
attribute a large part of his writings. His treatise on the Art of War may have
been written immediately after his return from Britain in 78. His Strategemata
In 97 he was appointed to the post of water commissioner, the office whose
management gives him probably his best title to eminence, and during the
tenure of this he wrote the De Aquis. a saying of Frontinus, "Remembrance
will endure if the life shall have merited it," "Who will venture to compare
with these mighty works the pyramids or the useless though famous works of
the Greeks?" The first of these was probably a treatise on the Art of Surveying,
of which fragments are extant.
Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519)
Born in Florence, son of a Lawyer and studied art there.
Studied and wrote on a very wide range of subjects. Wrote left
handed, in mirror image, and often from back to front of a
sheaf of pages. Expressed elementary principle of continuity;
observed and sketched many basic flow phenomena; suggestcd
designs for hydraulic machinery.
Simon Stevin (1548-1620)
Born at Bruges, became director of waterworks and
quartermaster general; known for his military defence
plans using a system of sluices; Explained hydrostatic
paradox and distribution of pressure, and published his
work in 1586 in Flemish “De Beghinselen des
Waterwichts”.
Galileo Galilei (1564 -1642)
Born at Pisa to an impoverished nobleman, educated at
a monastery near Florence and the University of Pisa.
Punished by the Inquisition for his scientific beliefs.
Published “Dialoghi delle nuove scienze” in 1638.
Indirectly stimulated experimental hydraulics;
revised Aristotelian concept of vacuum.
Evangelista Torricelli (1608 -1647)
Born at Faenze and studied at Rome. Related
barometric height to weight of atmosphere, and the
form of a liquid jet to the trajectory of free fall.
Published ‘De motu gravium’ in 1644, greatly
extending Galileo’s concepts of mechanics. One of
these was the first formulation of the Principle of
Virtual Work, used in analysis of static structures.
Domenico Guglielmini (1655 -1710)
Born at Bologna and studied mathematics, medicine
and hydraulics. Considered to have been a founder if
the Italian hydraulics school. Observed and wrote on
open-channel hydraulics, including sediment transport.
Marin Mersenne (1588-1648)
Born near Oize, France to a peasant family. Entered a
Paris monastery and researched in mathematics and
hydraulics, conducting experiments on hydrostatics
and resistance. Conducted wide international
correspondence and paved the way for subsequent
advances by Descartes, an associate, and Pascal.
Rene Descartes (1596-1650)
Born near Tours, France, moved later to Holland and
Sweden, where he died, apparently from rigours of
rising at five o’clock in the morning several times a
week to instruct Queen Christina. Credited with having
first understood inertia and the Conservation of
Momentum
Blaise Pascal (1623-1662)
Born at Clairmont – Ferrand. Finally clarified
principles of barometer, hydraulic press, and
pressure transmissibility. Had his brother in law
Perier carry out experiments on the 1300 m high Puy
de Dome near Clairmont, France which confirmed his
theories.
Isaac Newton (1642-1727)
Born at Woolsthorpe, England and studied at
Cambridge, later professor of mathematics there . Most
noted for contributions to mathematics and mechanics;
conceived the law of gravitational attraction. Also
explored various aspects of fluid resistance -
inertial, viscous, and wave; discovered jet
contraction. Reputedly said ‘If I have seen farther, it is
because I have stood on the shoulders of giants’. Also
devoted much time to Alchemy and Theology. Held
various public offices including Master of the Mint;
knighted by Queen Anne in 1705.
Daniel Bernouilli (1700-1782)
Born at Groningen, Holland, one of two brothers
whose father, uncle and grandfather were all noted
mathematicians in a family who were originally
Hugenot refugees based in Antwerp. Later a
professor of mathematics at St Petersburg.
Experimented and wrote on many phases of fluid
motion, coining name "hydrodynamics"; devised
manometry techniques and adapted primitive energy
principle to explain velocity-head indication; proposed
Jet propulsion.
BENEDETTO CASTELLI
cl577-c!644 Rediscovered continuity principle.
EVANGELISTA TORRICELLI 160S-164 7
Related barometric height to weight of atmosphere, and form of liquid jet to trajectory of free fall.
EDME MARIOTTE 1620-1684
Experimented and wrote on all phases of contemporary hydraulics—most notably, force of moving fluids on stationary
boundaries.
BLAISE PASCAL 1623-1662
Finally clarified principles of barometer, hydraulic press, and pressure trans-missibility.
ROBERT HOOKE
1635-1703 Adapted windmill design to devices for measuring flow of air and water.
ISAAC NEWTON 1642-1727
Explored various aspects of fluid resistance—inertia!, viscous, and wave; discovered jet contraction,
DOMENICO GUGLIELMINI
1655-1710 Observed and wrote on open-channel hydraulics, including sediment transport.
GIOVANNI POLENI
1683-1761 Integrated efflux equation to evaluate weir discharge.
HENRI DE PITOT
1695-1771
Constructed double-lube device to indicate water velocity through differential head.
252
GIUSEPPE VENTUROLI
1768-1846 First analyzed unsteady flow in pipes and non-uniform flow in open channel-
254
GIORGIO BIDONE
1781-1839 Made experiments on, and attempted first analysis of, hydraulic jump. .-
LOUIS MARIE HENRI NAVIER
1785-1836 Extended equations of motion to include "molecular" forces.
JEAN BAPTISTE BELANGER
1789-1874 V"*V-N
Made early analyses of non-uniform open-channel (low, especially backwater and broad-crested weir.
GASPARD GUSTAVE DE CORIOLIS
1792-1843 Studied accelerations in rotating systems; introduced coefficient correcting for
use of mean velocity in open-channel flow. V_>*^
\
ERNST HEINRICH WEBER
1795-1878
and WILHELM EDUARD WEBER
1804-1891 Described ingenious laboratory experiments on waves.
GOTTHILF HEINRICH LUDWIG HAGEN
1797-1884
Conducted original studies of resistance in and transition between laminar and turbulent flow.
JEAN-CLAUDE BARRE DE SAINT-VENANT 1797-1886
Wrote pro lineally in many fields: resistance, wave motion, gradually varied flow; generalized equations of
motion for laminar and turbulent flow.
JEAN LOUIS POISEUILLE
1799-1869 Performed meticulous tests on resistance of flow through capillary tubes.
255
ROBERT MANNING
1816-1897 Proposed several formulas for open-channel resistance.
EMILE OSCAR GANGUILLET 1818-1894
and
WILLIAM RUDOLF KUTTER
1818-1888
Sought (o cover in a single resistance formula all conditions from mountain torrents to canals and alluvial
streams.
GEORGE GABRIEL STOKES
1819-1903
Derived analytically various flow relationships ranging from wave mechanics to viscous resistance—particularly that
for the settling of spheres.
EMMANUEL JOSEPH BOUDIN
1820-1893 Systematized nomenclature of gradually varied flow in open channels.
HERMANN LUDWIG FERDINAND VON HELMHOLTZ
1821-1894
Introduced mathematical analysis of free stream lines, vortex motion, and dynamic similarity.
JACQUES ANTOINE CHARLES BRESSE
1822-1883
Formulated momentum relationship for hydraulic jump, and integrated equation of gradually varied flow.
GUSTAV ROBERT KIRCHHOFF
1824-1887 Extended Hclmholtz analysis of free stream lines to jets and cavities.
WILLIAM THOMSON, LORD KELVIN 1824-1907
Contributed to analysis of vortex motion, waves, and instability of laminar flow; introduced the word "turbulence."
257
HORACE LAMB
1849-1934 Compiled authoritative treatise on classical hydrodynamics.
JUNIUS MASSAU 1852-1909
Introduced the graphical method of characteristics for [he analysis of unsteady flow in open channels.
HUBERT ENGELS
1854-1945 Popularized the small-scale river-hydraulics laboratory.
JOHN RIPLEV FREEMAN
1855-1932 Conducted painstaking tests on fire nozzles, hoses, pipes, and fittings.