Asger Skovgaard Ostenfeld
Encyclopedia
Asger Skovgaard Ostenfeld (13 October 1866– 23 September 1931) was a Danish
civil engineer who specialized in the theory of steel and reinforced concrete structures. He is now considered to be the founding father of the theory of structures
in Denmark.
in Jutland
in 1866. From 1900, he was professor of applied mechanics and steel structures at the Technical University of Denmark
. In 1894, he designed the Langelinie Bridge at Østerport Station
which at the time was the largest structure in Denmark built by a Danish engineer. In 1926, he was instrumental in creating Denmark's first Theory of Structures Laboratory which he later directed. Ostenfeld published a number of textbooks on the theory of structure which were widely read outside Denmark.
together with the force method creating the dual concept of the method of deformations. His method represented significant progress in that "it enables previously analysed structural elements so to speak, to be built on". This is achieved through the introduction of rigidly fixed members for the obstruction of joint rotations. It allows the complete frame to be divided into finite elements.
Also contributions to Danish and foreign journals on Deformationsmetode, Aabne Broers Sidestivhed, Beregning af Søjler.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
civil engineer who specialized in the theory of steel and reinforced concrete structures. He is now considered to be the founding father of the theory of structures
Structural engineering
Structural engineering is a field of engineering dealing with the analysis and design of structures that support or resist loads. Structural engineering is usually considered a specialty within civil engineering, but it can also be studied in its own right....
in Denmark.
Biography
Ostenfeld was born in Hvirring near HorsensHorsens
Horsens is a Danish city in east Jutland. It is the site of the council of Horsens municipality. The city's population is 53,807 and the Horsens municipality's population is 82,835 ....
in Jutland
Jutland
Jutland , historically also called Cimbria, is the name of the peninsula that juts out in Northern Europe toward the rest of Scandinavia, forming the mainland part of Denmark. It has the North Sea to its west, Kattegat and Skagerrak to its north, the Baltic Sea to its east, and the Danish–German...
in 1866. From 1900, he was professor of applied mechanics and steel structures at the Technical University of Denmark
Technical University of Denmark
The Technical University of Denmark , often simply referred to as DTU, is a university just north of Copenhagen, Denmark. It was founded in 1829 at the initiative of Hans Christian Ørsted as Denmark's first polytechnic, and is today ranked among Europe's leading engineering institutions, and the...
. In 1894, he designed the Langelinie Bridge at Østerport Station
Østerport station
Østerport station is a railway station in Østerbro, Copenhagen, Denmark. It is served by most S-trains, Kystbanen and other regional trains, as well as some InterCity trains.The station is used by approximately 30,000 passengers each day.-History:...
which at the time was the largest structure in Denmark built by a Danish engineer. In 1926, he was instrumental in creating Denmark's first Theory of Structures Laboratory which he later directed. Ostenfeld published a number of textbooks on the theory of structure which were widely read outside Denmark.
Deformation method
Around 1920, Ostenfeld extended Axel Bendixsen's method of deformationsDeformation (mechanics)
Deformation in continuum mechanics is the transformation of a body from a reference configuration to a current configuration. A configuration is a set containing the positions of all particles of the body...
together with the force method creating the dual concept of the method of deformations. His method represented significant progress in that "it enables previously analysed structural elements so to speak, to be built on". This is achieved through the introduction of rigidly fixed members for the obstruction of joint rotations. It allows the complete frame to be divided into finite elements.
Principal works
- Teknisk Elektricitetslære (1st edition 1898, 4th edition 1924)
- Teknisk Statik I (3rd edition 1920)
- Teknisk Statik II (2nd edition 1913)
- Jernkonstruktioner I (3rd edition 1921)
- Jernkonstruktioner II (2nd edition 1917)
- Jernkonstruktioner III (2nd edition 1923)
- Jernbetonbroer (2nd edition 1920)
- Exzentrisch beanspruchte Säulen III beliebige Exzentrizität, Versuche mit Holz- und Stahlsäulen, Copenhagen, 1931.
Also contributions to Danish and foreign journals on Deformationsmetode, Aabne Broers Sidestivhed, Beregning af Søjler.