Wilhelm Albert
Encyclopedia
Wilhelm August Julius Albert (January 24, 1787 – July 4, 1846) was a German
mining
administrator, best remembered as the first person to record observations of metal fatigue
.
Albert was born in Hanover
and showed early talent as a musician before embarking on the study of law
in Göttingen
in 1803. Experience in the Harz
mountains awakened an interest in mining and, in 1806, he was appointed to the Mining and Forestry Office in Clausthal
. By 1836 he was directing the entire mining industry of the Harz region.
In 1829, he observed, studied and reported the failure of iron
mine-hoist chains arising from repeated small loadings, the first recorded account of metal fatigue. He built a machine which repeatedly loaded a chain. His finding was that fatigue was not associated with an accidental overload, but was dependent on load and the number of repetitions of load cycles.
He invented a twisted steel cable
, later known as an "Albert Rope", which was first used in the Clausthal Caroline mine in 1834 and was the forerunner of the modern wire rope
.
He died in Clausthal.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
mining
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
administrator, best remembered as the first person to record observations of metal fatigue
Metal Fatigue
Metal Fatigue , is a futuristic science fiction, real-time strategy computer game developed by Zono Incorporated and published by Psygnosis and TalonSoft .-Plot:...
.
Albert was born in Hanover
Hanover
Hanover or Hannover, on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony , Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, under their title as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
and showed early talent as a musician before embarking on the study of law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
in Göttingen
Göttingen
Göttingen is a university town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Göttingen. The Leine river runs through the town. In 2006 the population was 129,686.-General information:...
in 1803. Experience in the Harz
Harz
The Harz is the highest mountain range in northern Germany and its rugged terrain extends across parts of Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia. The name Harz derives from the Middle High German word Hardt or Hart , latinized as Hercynia. The legendary Brocken is the highest summit in the Harz...
mountains awakened an interest in mining and, in 1806, he was appointed to the Mining and Forestry Office in Clausthal
Clausthal-Zellerfeld
Clausthal-Zellerfeld is a town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located in the southwestern part of the Harz mountains. Its population is approximately 15,000, Clausthal-Zellerfeld is also the seat of the Samtgemeinde Oberharz....
. By 1836 he was directing the entire mining industry of the Harz region.
In 1829, he observed, studied and reported the failure of iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
mine-hoist chains arising from repeated small loadings, the first recorded account of metal fatigue. He built a machine which repeatedly loaded a chain. His finding was that fatigue was not associated with an accidental overload, but was dependent on load and the number of repetitions of load cycles.
He invented a twisted steel cable
Cable
A cable is two or more wires running side by side and bonded, twisted or braided together to form a single assembly. In mechanics cables, otherwise known as wire ropes, are used for lifting, hauling and towing or conveying force through tension. In electrical engineering cables are used to carry...
, later known as an "Albert Rope", which was first used in the Clausthal Caroline mine in 1834 and was the forerunner of the modern wire rope
Wire rope
thumb|Steel wire rope Wire rope is a type of rope which consists of several strands of metal wire laid into a helix. Initially wrought iron wires were used, but today steel is the main material used for wire ropes....
.
He died in Clausthal.