Warner T. Koiter
Encyclopedia
Warner Tjardus Koiter was an influential mechanical engineer and the Professor of Applied Mechanics at Delft University of Technology
in the Netherlands
from 1949 to 1979.
. After primary and secondary education, he enrolled into Delft University of Technology in 1931, graduating with honours as a mechanical engineer
in 1936.
After graduation, he worked at the Dutch National Aeronautical Research Institute (NLL) in Amsterdam to work on airworthiness checking of aircraft structures. In 1938, he moved to the Government Patent Office and in 1939, he joined the Government Civil Aviation Office.
During the war, he worked at NLL on subjects of his own choice. These investigations led to his PhD
thesis, On the Stability of Elastic Equilibrium, which was defended in Delft, November 1945; it was supervised by B.C. Biezeno. The thesis was written in Dutch, since the occupying forces only allowed theses to be written in either German or Dutch. As a consequence, its contents became only known to the broad scientific community after an English translation was edited by NASA
15 years later.
In 1949, he was appointed Professor of Applied Mechanics in Delft
, where he stayed until his retirement in 1979.
by the ASCE
and the Timoshenko Medal
by the ASME. He obtained honorary doctorates from Universities of Leicester, Glasgow, Bochum, and Ghent
. He was a member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Sciences, the Royal Society
, and National Academy of Engineering
(NAE). In 1996, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers
instated the Warner T. Koiter medal
for achievements in solid mechanics
, and awarded him the first one in 1997.
Delft University of Technology
Delft University of Technology , also known as TU Delft, is the largest and oldest Dutch public technical university, located in Delft, Netherlands...
in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
from 1949 to 1979.
Life and education
Warner Tjardus Koiter was born in AmsterdamAmsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
. After primary and secondary education, he enrolled into Delft University of Technology in 1931, graduating with honours as a mechanical engineer
Mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
in 1936.
After graduation, he worked at the Dutch National Aeronautical Research Institute (NLL) in Amsterdam to work on airworthiness checking of aircraft structures. In 1938, he moved to the Government Patent Office and in 1939, he joined the Government Civil Aviation Office.
During the war, he worked at NLL on subjects of his own choice. These investigations led to his PhD
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
thesis, On the Stability of Elastic Equilibrium, which was defended in Delft, November 1945; it was supervised by B.C. Biezeno. The thesis was written in Dutch, since the occupying forces only allowed theses to be written in either German or Dutch. As a consequence, its contents became only known to the broad scientific community after an English translation was edited by NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
15 years later.
In 1949, he was appointed Professor of Applied Mechanics in Delft
Delft
Delft is a city and municipality in the province of South Holland , the Netherlands. It is located between Rotterdam and The Hague....
, where he stayed until his retirement in 1979.
Achievements
Koiter is primarily known for his asymptotic theory of initial post-buckling stability. Other contributions are in linear and non-linear thin shell theory, plasticity, elasticity and accompanying mathematics. One of his contributions on the 'best' linear thin shell theory got the title 'All you need is Love'. He published approximately 150 reports and papers.Awards and honors
He was awarded the Von Karman medalTheodore von Karman Medal
The Theodore von Karman Medal in Engineering Mechanics is awarded annually to an individual in recognition of his distinguished achievement in engineering mechanics, applicable to any branch of civil engineering...
by the ASCE
American Society of Civil Engineers
The 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...
and 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."...
by the ASME. He obtained honorary doctorates from Universities of Leicester, Glasgow, Bochum, and Ghent
Ghent
Ghent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of...
. He was a member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Sciences, the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
, and National Academy of Engineering
National Academy of Engineering
The 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...
(NAE). In 1996, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers
American Society of Mechanical Engineers
The American Society of Mechanical Engineers is a professional body, specifically an engineering society, focused on mechanical engineering....
instated the Warner T. Koiter medal
Koiter Medal
The Warner T. Koiter Medal was established in 1996 by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. It is awarded in recognition of distinguished work in the field of solid mechanics....
for achievements in solid mechanics
Solid mechanics
Solid mechanics is the branch of mechanics, physics, and mathematics that concerns the behavior of solid matter under external actions . It is part of a broader study known as continuum mechanics. One of the most common practical applications of solid mechanics is the Euler-Bernoulli beam equation...
, and awarded him the first one in 1997.