Ronald Rivlin
Encyclopedia
Ronald Samuel Rivlin
(1915–4 October 2005) was a British-American physicist
, mathematician
, rheologist
and a noted expert on rubber
.
in 1915. He studied physics and mathematics at St John's College, Cambridge
, being awarded a BA
in 1937 and a ScD
in 1952. He worked for the General Electric Company, then the UK Ministry of Aircraft Production, then the British Rubber Producers Research Association
, to which he was recruited to at the suggestion of LRG Treloar
by John Wilson
, over a “lavish meal” and game of pool. This included one sabbatical year at the National Bureau of Standards, USA.. His post at the BRPRA was the start of his interest in rubber.
In 1953 he took up the post of Professor of Applied Mathematics at Brown University
, moving to Lehigh University
in 1967 to become director of the Center for the Application of Mathematics until his retirement in 1980. He married Violet LoRusso in 1948 (they had a son, John) and became an American citizen in 1955.
from an adherend, the work expended in doing so is very large". This is from the elastic effects of the adhesive, on which he commented even if "one idealized the adhesive as a perfectly elastic material there appeared to be no body of mathematical theory which would provide a basis for calculations". Existing theories were only on very small deformations, so from 1945 to 1951, Rivlin was one of creators of the modern theory of large elastic deformations, including theory of Neo-Hookean solid
s and Mooney-Rivlin solids. He also made major contributions to the theory of non-Newtonian fluid
flow, including in the Rivlin-Ericksen expansion.
In 2008, he was inducted into the International Rubber Science Hall of Fame (IRSHF) by the Rubber Division of the American Chemical Society. He had previously been asked to speak at the 1972 IRSHF induction of Melvin Mooney
, but misunderstood, thinking he was to be inducted. On being told that candidates had to be deceased, he said "That's too great a price to pay".
Rivlin
Rivlin is the name of a primarily Ashkenazi Jewish family with origins in Eastern Europe, which became established in what is now Israel already long before the advent of Zionism and is spread in numerous other countries.-The Family:...
(1915–4 October 2005) was a British-American physicist
Physicist
A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
, mathematician
Mathematician
A mathematician is a person whose primary area of study is the field of mathematics. Mathematicians are concerned with quantity, structure, space, and change....
, rheologist
Rheology
Rheology is the study of the flow of matter, primarily in the liquid state, but also as 'soft solids' or solids under conditions in which they respond with plastic flow rather than deforming elastically in response to an applied force....
and a noted expert on rubber
Rubber
Natural rubber, also called India rubber or caoutchouc, is an elastomer that was originally derived from latex, a milky colloid produced by some plants. The plants would be ‘tapped’, that is, an incision made into the bark of the tree and the sticky, milk colored latex sap collected and refined...
.
Life
Rivlin was born in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1915. He studied physics and mathematics at St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college's alumni include nine Nobel Prize winners, six Prime Ministers, three archbishops, at least two princes, and three Saints....
, being awarded a BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in 1937 and a ScD
Scd
-In medicine:* Schnyder corneal dystrophy* Semen collection device* Sequential compression device an intermittent pneumatic compression system intended to reduce blood clot formation* Sickle-cell disease...
in 1952. He worked for the General Electric Company, then the UK Ministry of Aircraft Production, then the British Rubber Producers Research Association
British Rubber Producers Research Association
The Tun Abdul Razak Research Centre, originally known as the British Rubber Producers' Research Association, carries out research into rubber and is funded by the Malaysian government....
, to which he was recruited to at the suggestion of LRG Treloar
LRG Treloar
Professor L. R. G. Treloar, OBE was a leading figure in the science of rubber and elasticity, and author of a number of influential texts....
by John Wilson
John Wilson (industrial chemist)
John Wilson CBE, MC & Bar, FRIC was Director of the British Rayon Research Association from 1948 to 1958. He was married to Edith Wilson and had six children.-Early life:...
, over a “lavish meal” and game of pool. This included one sabbatical year at the National Bureau of Standards, USA.. His post at the BRPRA was the start of his interest in rubber.
In 1953 he took up the post of Professor of Applied Mathematics at Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
, moving to Lehigh University
Lehigh University
Lehigh University is a private, co-educational university located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley region of the United States. It was established in 1865 by Asa Packer as a four-year technical school, but has grown to include studies in a wide variety of disciplines...
in 1967 to become director of the Center for the Application of Mathematics until his retirement in 1980. He married Violet LoRusso in 1948 (they had a son, John) and became an American citizen in 1955.
Work
His work began with his 1944 observation that "although very little force is required to detach Scotch tapeScotch Tape
Scotch Tape is a brand name used for certain pressure sensitive tapes manufactured by 3M as part of the company's Scotch brand.- History :The precursor to the current tapes was developed in the 1930s in Minneapolis, Minnesota by Richard Drew to seal a then-new transparent material known as...
from an adherend, the work expended in doing so is very large". This is from the elastic effects of the adhesive, on which he commented even if "one idealized the adhesive as a perfectly elastic material there appeared to be no body of mathematical theory which would provide a basis for calculations". Existing theories were only on very small deformations, so from 1945 to 1951, Rivlin was one of creators of the modern theory of large elastic deformations, including theory of Neo-Hookean solid
Neo-Hookean solid
A Neo-Hookean solid is a hyperelastic material model, similar to Hooke's law, that can be used for predicting the nonlinear stress-strain behavior of materials undergoing large deformations. The model was proposed by Ronald Rivlin in 1948. In contrast to linear elastic materials, a the...
s and Mooney-Rivlin solids. He also made major contributions to the theory of non-Newtonian fluid
Non-Newtonian fluid
A non-Newtonian fluid is a fluid whose flow properties differ in any way from those of Newtonian fluids. Most commonly the viscosity of non-Newtonian fluids is not independent of shear rate or shear rate history...
flow, including in the Rivlin-Ericksen expansion.
Honours and awards
- Bingham MedalBingham MedalThe Bingham Medal is an annual award for outstanding contributions to the field of rheology. It was instituted in 1948 by the Society of Rheology, commemorating Eugene C. Bingham .-List of Award Winners:*1948 Melvin Mooney*1949 Henry Eyring...
of the Society of Rheology in 1958. - Timoshenko MedalTimoshenko MedalThe 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."...
of the ASME in 1987 - Charles Goodyear Medal of the American Chemical SocietyAmerican Chemical SocietyThe American Chemical Society is a scientific society based in the United States that supports scientific inquiry in the field of chemistry. Founded in 1876 at New York University, the ACS currently has more than 161,000 members at all degree-levels and in all fields of chemistry, chemical...
's Rubber Division in 1992. - von Karman Medal of the American Society of Civil EngineersAmerican Society of Civil EngineersThe American Society of Civil Engineers is a professional body founded in 1852 to represent members of the civil engineering profession worldwide. It is the oldest national engineering society in the United States. ASCE's vision is to have engineers positioned as global leaders who strive toward...
in 1993 - Member of the National Academy of EngineeringNational Academy of EngineeringThe National Academy of Engineering is a government-created non-profit institution in the United States, that was founded in 1964 under the same congressional act that led to the founding of the National Academy of Sciences...
- Member of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesAmerican Academy of Arts and SciencesThe American Academy of Arts and Sciences is an independent policy research center that conducts multidisciplinary studies of complex and emerging problems. The Academy’s elected members are leaders in the academic disciplines, the arts, business, and public affairs.James Bowdoin, John Adams, and...
- President of the Society of Rheology
- Chairman of the Society for Natural Philosophy
- Chairman of the US National Committee for Theoretical and Applied Mechanics
- Chairman, Applied Mechanics Division, ASME
In 2008, he was inducted into the International Rubber Science Hall of Fame (IRSHF) by the Rubber Division of the American Chemical Society. He had previously been asked to speak at the 1972 IRSHF induction of Melvin Mooney
Melvin Mooney
Melvin Mooney was an American physicist and rheologist.He developed the Mooney Viscometer and other testing equipment used in the rubber industry. He also proposed the Mooney-Rivlin solid constitutive law describing the hyperelastic stress-strain behavior of rubber...
, but misunderstood, thinking he was to be inducted. On being told that candidates had to be deceased, he said "That's too great a price to pay".
