John D. Eshelby
Encyclopedia
John Douglas Eshelby was a scientist
in micromechanics
. His work has shaped the fields of defect mechanics and micromechanics of inhomogeneous solids for fifty years and provided the basis for the quantitative analysis of the controlling mechanisms of plastic deformation and fracture.
Eshelby was born at Puddington, Cheshire, the son of Captain Alan John Eshelby and his wife Phoebe Mason Hutchinson. He was educated at St Cyprian's School
and was due to go to Charterhouse School
but appears to have taken a place somewhere else. He was then at Bristol University. Eshelby taught himself the theory of elasticity for his thesis on ‘Stationary and moving dislocations’. After holding several early research posts he worked in the Cavendish Laboratory
at Cambridge University and was elected a Fellow of Churchill College. He was then appointed Reader in the Faculty of Materials (Theory of Materials) at the University of Sheffield
where he became Professor in 1971. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in March, 1974. He was awarded the Timoshenko Medal
in 1977. He died in 1981 and the Eshelby Memorial Bursary was founded in his memory.
The scientific phenomenon called "Eshelby's inclusion" is named after this scientist, and points at a ellipsoidal subdomain in an infinite homogeneous body, subjected to a uniform transformation strain. Eshelby was clear and amusing as a lecturer, and prepared his lectures with great care, but was not keen on doing experimental work. He was well versed in Sanskrit (among other classical languages)and was an avid second-hand book buyer.
Scientist
A scientist in a broad sense is one engaging in a systematic activity to acquire knowledge. In a more restricted sense, a scientist is an individual who uses the scientific method. The person may be an expert in one or more areas of science. This article focuses on the more restricted use of the word...
in micromechanics
Micromechanics
Micromechanics is the analysis of composite or heterogeneous materials on the level of the individual constituents that constitute these materials.- Aims of micromechanics of materials :...
. His work has shaped the fields of defect mechanics and micromechanics of inhomogeneous solids for fifty years and provided the basis for the quantitative analysis of the controlling mechanisms of plastic deformation and fracture.
Eshelby was born at Puddington, Cheshire, the son of Captain Alan John Eshelby and his wife Phoebe Mason Hutchinson. He was educated at St Cyprian's School
St Cyprian's School
St Cyprian's School was an English preparatory school for boys, which operated in the early 20th century in Eastbourne, East Sussex. Like other preparatory schools, its purpose was to train pupils to do well enough in the examinations to gain admission to leading public schools, and to provide an...
and was due to go to Charterhouse School
Charterhouse School
Charterhouse School, originally The Hospital of King James and Thomas Sutton in Charterhouse, or more simply Charterhouse or House, is an English collegiate independent boarding school situated at Godalming in Surrey.Founded by Thomas Sutton in London in 1611 on the site of the old Carthusian...
but appears to have taken a place somewhere else. He was then at Bristol University. Eshelby taught himself the theory of elasticity for his thesis on ‘Stationary and moving dislocations’. After holding several early research posts he worked in the Cavendish Laboratory
Cavendish Laboratory
The Cavendish Laboratory is the Department of Physics at the University of Cambridge, and is part of the university's School of Physical Sciences. It was opened in 1874 as a teaching laboratory....
at Cambridge University and was elected a Fellow of Churchill College. He was then appointed Reader in the Faculty of Materials (Theory of Materials) at the University of Sheffield
University of Sheffield
The University of Sheffield is a research university based in the city of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England. It is one of the original 'red brick' universities and is a member of the Russell Group of leading research intensive universities...
where he became Professor in 1971. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in March, 1974. He was awarded the Timoshenko Medal
Timoshenko Medal
The Timoshenko Medal is an award given annually by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers to an individual"in recognition of distinguished contributions to the field of applied mechanics."...
in 1977. He died in 1981 and the Eshelby Memorial Bursary was founded in his memory.
The scientific phenomenon called "Eshelby's inclusion" is named after this scientist, and points at a ellipsoidal subdomain in an infinite homogeneous body, subjected to a uniform transformation strain. Eshelby was clear and amusing as a lecturer, and prepared his lectures with great care, but was not keen on doing experimental work. He was well versed in Sanskrit (among other classical languages)and was an avid second-hand book buyer.