Franco Levi
Encyclopedia
Franco Levi was an Italian
engineer
.
Professor Franco Levi, Honorary President of CEB and FIP.
He received his degree in Engineering from the Ecole Centrale in Paris and from the Polytechnic University of Turin in the years 1936 and 1937. Already assistant to Professor Gustavo Colonnetti
in Turin, in 1938 he had to go into exile to France and later on to Switzerland due to the anti-Semitic laws.
Back in Italy in 1945, he could resume at the Polytechnic University of Turin
his outstanding research work, which was covering the most recent topics of structural mechanics and engineering, and published well known papers and books on the theory of states of coaction, on plastic theory, on the time-dependent behaviour of concrete structures, with particular regard to creep effects. He designed the Torino Palavela
.
However, his attention was attracted since the beginning by the need of a quick transfer of scientific achievements to the practical design and construction of structures, and his efforts in such a direction are certainly among the most important services rendered to the community of structural engineers in which he was successful and for which he will be remembered.
The great opportunity for that action was the development of the new technique of pre-stressed concrete, in which he was scientifically involved since 1938, during his first research period. After the war, since 1945 to 1961, as Director of the CNR Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche
(Italian National Research Council) in Turin, Franco Levi had an essential role in the international discussion on the theoretical and practical aspects of this innovative technique and on the establishment of design rules to be internationally agreed.
The innovation of prestressed concrete, together with the new approaches of plastic design and of probabilistic safety criteria induced the most advanced specialists of structural design and analysis to install in 1953 a new committee (Comité Européen du Béton – CEB) having the objective of a coordination and synthesis of research and of the creation and international harmonization of the principles and rules for the conception, calculation, construction, and maintenance of concrete structures according to the new approaches.
Franco Levi was appointed President of CEB from 1957 and maintained this position until 1968, leading this organization, with his dynamic action, to the publication of the first and the second set of CEB Recommendations.
Between 1966 and 1970 he was also President of the ”Fédération Internationale de la Précontrainte – FIP”, which had the role of promoting the innovative technique in the practical field.
In 1979 the European Community considered the work of CEB ripe to become the basis for the first Eurocode; Franco Levi was appointed Chairman of the Drafting Committee for Eurocode 2 (Concrete Structures)
. Eurocode 2 was printed by CEC in the famous Luxemburg edition 1988, together with EC1, EC3, EC6, EC8. Franco Levi had an essential role in the coordination of the drafting of such 5 Eurocodes based on the same criteria of the “Limit States” and on what was called the “Semiprobabilistic approach”. This format still remains the format of the subsequent set of Eurocodes issued by CEN TC 250 (Structural Eurocodes).
The original ideas, the developments in the field of the new safety approaches, the perseverance, the constant attention to the new achievements of science (collected in the updated CEB Model Codes), and 40 years of enthusiastic work on them made of Franco Levi the real father of the Eurocodes.
In the same time he was Professor of Structural Analysis at the University of Venice and at the Polytechnic University of Turin and Director of the Department of Structural Engineering and Soil Mechanics until 1989, when he became Emeritus.
In 1986 he became Full Member of the Academy of Sciences of Turin.
He received honours from the Universities of Liège, Waterloo, Venice, the American Concrete Institute
, AICAP, and the Trasenster, Freyssinet, Mörsch, Caquot, Torroja Medals, as well as the Golden Medal of the Italian Government.
For his high moral and scientific stature Franco Levi will be remembered as one of the greatest minds in structural engineering at the international level.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
.
Professor Franco Levi, Honorary President of CEB and FIP.
He received his degree in Engineering from the Ecole Centrale in Paris and from the Polytechnic University of Turin in the years 1936 and 1937. Already assistant to Professor Gustavo Colonnetti
Gustavo Colonnetti
Gustavo Colonnetti was an Italian mathematician and engineer who made important contributions to continuum mechanics and strength of materials. He was a Rector of the Politecnico di Torino and President of CNR...
in Turin, in 1938 he had to go into exile to France and later on to Switzerland due to the anti-Semitic laws.
Back in Italy in 1945, he could resume at the Polytechnic University of Turin
Polytechnic University of Turin
The Polytechnic University of Turin is an engineering university based in Turin, northern Italy. Established in 1859, Politecnico di Torino is Italy’s oldest Technical University. In 2011 it was ranked as the best engineering university in Italy in the Academic Ranking of World Universities.It is...
his outstanding research work, which was covering the most recent topics of structural mechanics and engineering, and published well known papers and books on the theory of states of coaction, on plastic theory, on the time-dependent behaviour of concrete structures, with particular regard to creep effects. He designed the Torino Palavela
Torino Palavela
Palavela, formerly known as Palazzo delle Mostre and Palazzo a Vela is an arena in Turin, Italy, on the bank of the River Po. It was designed by engineer Franco Levi and architects Annibale and Giorgio Ricotti. The arena is 130 metres in diameter...
.
However, his attention was attracted since the beginning by the need of a quick transfer of scientific achievements to the practical design and construction of structures, and his efforts in such a direction are certainly among the most important services rendered to the community of structural engineers in which he was successful and for which he will be remembered.
The great opportunity for that action was the development of the new technique of pre-stressed concrete, in which he was scientifically involved since 1938, during his first research period. After the war, since 1945 to 1961, as Director of the CNR Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche
Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche
The Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche or National Research Council, is an Italian public organization set up to support scientific and technological research. Its headquarters are in Rome.-History:The institution was founded in 1923...
(Italian National Research Council) in Turin, Franco Levi had an essential role in the international discussion on the theoretical and practical aspects of this innovative technique and on the establishment of design rules to be internationally agreed.
The innovation of prestressed concrete, together with the new approaches of plastic design and of probabilistic safety criteria induced the most advanced specialists of structural design and analysis to install in 1953 a new committee (Comité Européen du Béton – CEB) having the objective of a coordination and synthesis of research and of the creation and international harmonization of the principles and rules for the conception, calculation, construction, and maintenance of concrete structures according to the new approaches.
Franco Levi was appointed President of CEB from 1957 and maintained this position until 1968, leading this organization, with his dynamic action, to the publication of the first and the second set of CEB Recommendations.
Between 1966 and 1970 he was also President of the ”Fédération Internationale de la Précontrainte – FIP”, which had the role of promoting the innovative technique in the practical field.
In 1979 the European Community considered the work of CEB ripe to become the basis for the first Eurocode; Franco Levi was appointed Chairman of the Drafting Committee for Eurocode 2 (Concrete Structures)
EN 1992
EN 1992, also known as Eurocode 2: Design of concrete structures, is the European Standard for the design of concrete structures, using the limit state design philosophy...
. Eurocode 2 was printed by CEC in the famous Luxemburg edition 1988, together with EC1, EC3, EC6, EC8. Franco Levi had an essential role in the coordination of the drafting of such 5 Eurocodes based on the same criteria of the “Limit States” and on what was called the “Semiprobabilistic approach”. This format still remains the format of the subsequent set of Eurocodes issued by CEN TC 250 (Structural Eurocodes).
The original ideas, the developments in the field of the new safety approaches, the perseverance, the constant attention to the new achievements of science (collected in the updated CEB Model Codes), and 40 years of enthusiastic work on them made of Franco Levi the real father of the Eurocodes.
In the same time he was Professor of Structural Analysis at the University of Venice and at the Polytechnic University of Turin and Director of the Department of Structural Engineering and Soil Mechanics until 1989, when he became Emeritus.
In 1986 he became Full Member of the Academy of Sciences of Turin.
He received honours from the Universities of Liège, Waterloo, Venice, the American Concrete Institute
American Concrete Institute
The American Concrete Institute is a non-profit technical society and standard developing organization . ACI was founded in 1904 and its headquarters are currently located in Farmington Hills, Michigan, USA.- ACI History :1904-1929:...
, AICAP, and the Trasenster, Freyssinet, Mörsch, Caquot, Torroja Medals, as well as the Golden Medal of the Italian Government.
For his high moral and scientific stature Franco Levi will be remembered as one of the greatest minds in structural engineering at the international level.