Memorial Tributes Volume 15 (2011) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
George W. Housner 1910-2008
George W. Housner 1910-2008
Pages 204-209
The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.
From page 205... ...
during this time he showed that bombers confronted by barrage balloons could safely fly through the balloons' tethering cables because the cables would break from plastic yielding before they could damage the airplane severely. He also showed the counterintuitive result that it was more effective for a bomber trying to strike a bridge to approach the bridge perpendicular to its centerline rather than to take a path along the bridge, even though when approaching perpendicular one can only hope to take out at most one span.
|
From page 206... ...
in other classic papers he elucidated the mechanics of the dynamic behavior of inverted pendulum structures and the bending vibrations of pipelines carrying flowing fluid. He also did some of the first studies of the nonlinear yielding response of structures to strong earthquake motion and the role of soil flexibility -- the soil-structure interaction phenomenon -- in the earthquake response of buildings.
|
From page 207... ...
among his consulting activities was work on the earthquake engineering challenges of the Bay area rapid Transit tunnel across san francisco Bay, the california Water Project, the Tagus river suspension bridge in Portugal, the first skyscrapers in Los Angeles, industrial refineries, and offshore drilling platforms in various parts of the world. for many years he headed the consultant Board of california's division of dam safety and the seismic advisory Board of the california department of Transportation.
|
From page 208... ...
He also chaired the Nrc committee on earthquake engineering research, producing a report in 1969 that greatly influenced earthquake engineering research in the following decades. later, in 1982, he chaired the Nrc earthquake engineering research committee reprise of this effort, producing the report Earthquake Engineering -- 1982, which was also very influential in determining the path of subsequent earthquake engineering research.
|
From page 209... ...
as noted above, he was one of the founding members of the earthquake engineering research institute, and that technical society established the george W Housner medal in 1989.
|
Key Terms
This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More
information on Chapter Skim is available.