Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Reinard Woltman (~1755-~1840) followed mathematics and hydraulics at the
Academic Gymnasium of Hamburg, and studied dike building at the university of
Kiel. He visited Göttingen, Frankfurt, Straßburg, Paris, Cherbourg, London and
Haarlem in his search for knowledge. He wrote several topics (e.g. Hydraulische
Architektur) that gave him international prestige and he was involved in various
important river and canal projects (Elbe, Hamburg). He also played a prominent
role in ground mechanics of that time, i.e. by developing a theory for earth
pressure, independent from Coulomb. He introduced the friction angle, which he
related to the natural angle of repose. In carefully designed physical tests, he
verified his theory by measuring earth pressures on a retaining wall, and concluded
that the lower pressures found are due to soil friction. With these findings he was
ahead of his time, but his work is not generally known.
Figure 1.9 The town hall of Amsterdam in 1673
In 1775, Charles-Augustin Coulomb developed the friction law, a theoretical
model for the equilibrium of soil, distinguishing active and passive earth pressure.
It was a portal to a new era in ground engineering and his work was a real
breakthrough that supported later the work of Rankine (1855), Boussinesq (1882),
Sokolovski (1954), and many others.
The period 1800 to 1940 AD
The urbanisation of western Netherlands and the economic industrialisation
stimulated innovations in the application of new materials and construction
methods (concrete, large roofs). Large contractors and municipalities promoted the
development of new foundation techniques. From 1900, railway disasters and flood
calamities contributed to the scientification of soil mechanics. The circle of Mohr
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