Epilogue
Publication: Hans Albert Einstein: His Life as a Pioneering Engineer
Abstract
In their readable 1938 book, The Evolution of Physics, Albert Einstein and Leopold Infeld devoted a chapter to what they called “The Rise of the Mechanical View,” the application of classical physics (often simply called mechanics) to explain and formulate the motion of bodies from sediment particles to planets. This mechanical view, at the heart of contemporary scientific and engineering thinking, guided Hans Albert Einstein's approach to understanding and formulating sediment transport by flowing water in rivers. It enabled him to make substantial technical contributions over about three decades. He became recognized as the world's foremost expert on sediment problems in rivers, extensively advising engineers coping with river-sediment problems in the United States and abroad. Hans Albert's contributions were important because rivers, large and small, play vital roles in the economy of many regions. Hans Albert Einstein's formulations of bed-sediment transport and of flow depth were innovative and insightful.
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References Cited
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Information & Authors
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Published In
Hans Albert Einstein: His Life as a Pioneering Engineer
Pages: 293 - 303
ISBN (Print): 978-0-7844-1330-2
ISBN (Online): 978-0-7844-7829-5
Copyright
© 2014 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Published online: May 29, 2014
ASCE Technical Topics:
- Aerospace engineering
- Astronomy
- Distinguished engineers
- Engineering materials (by type)
- History and Heritage
- Infrastructure
- Materials engineering
- Particles
- Planets
- Practice and Profession
- River engineering
- Rivers and streams
- Sediment
- Sediment transport
- Transportation engineering
- Water and water resources
- Water management
- Water supply
- Water supply systems
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