82
Views
4
CrossRef citations to date
0
Altmetric
Main articles

Scale models, similitude and dimensions: Aspects of mid-nineteenth-century engineering science

Pages 233-254 | Received 19 Jun 1991, Published online: 18 Sep 2006

  • Channell , D.F. 1982 . The Harmony of Theory and Practice: The Engineering Science of W. J. M. Rankine . Technology and Culture , 23 : 39 – 52 . This paper has become part of a larger debate that is both philosophical and polemical in its orientation: see M. Fores, ‘Transformations and Myth of Engineering Science’, Technology and Culture, 29 (1988), 62–81, which contains a full set of references.
  • For a discussion on the general methodology of model testing, see Vincenti W.G. The Air-Propeller Tests of W. F. Durand and E. P. Lesley: A Case Study in Technological Methodology Technology and Culture 1979 20 712 751 The remarks in footnote on p. 716 are particularly relevant to this paper.
  • Galilei , Galileo . 1954 . Dialogues Concerning Two New Sciences Edited by: Crew , H. and de Salvio , A. 3 – 3 . New York
  • Reynolds , T.S. 1979 . Scientific Influences on Technology: The Case of the Overshot Waterwheel, 1752–1754 . Technology and Culture , 20 : 270 – 295 . This paper places the Smeaton experiments within the context of the contemporary continental model waterwheel experiments of de Parcieux where it is clear that similarity was not an issue either. Mention should also be made of Polhem's remarkable model waterwheel experiments conducted for the Swedish Board of Mines during 1702–1705, some fifty years prior to Smeaton. Although Polhem was well aware of the non-proportionality of model results he did not investigate the scaling problem as an issue, although some of his graphs are very suggestive. For more information on Polhem's experiments, see S. Lindquist, Technology on Trial (Uppsala, 1984), pp. 67–80, in particular see p. 71 for his recognition of the non-proportionality of results. I am indebted to my anonymous reviewer for bringing Polhem's work to my attention.
  • Smeaton , J. 1759 . An Experimental Enquiry Concerning the Natural Powers of Water and Wind to Turn Mills, and Other Machines, Depending on a Circular Motion . Philosophical Transactions , 51 : 100 – 174 . pt. 1
  • 1831 . Report of the Committee…to Ascertain by Experiment the Value of Water as a Moving Power . Journal of the Franklin Institution , 11 : 146 – 146 . 2nd series 7
  • For the history of bridge modelling, see Smith D.P. The Role of Structural Models in the Design of British Bridges—1800–1870 London University 1976 unpublished Ph.D. thesis also, D. P. Smith, ‘Structural Model Testing and the Design of British Railway Bridges in the Nineteenth Century’, Transactions of the Newcomen Society, 48 (1976–77), 73–90. For ship modelling, see T. Wright, ‘Ship Hydrodynamics 1710–1880’ (unpublished Ph.D. thesis, CNAA, 1983) (Science Museum, London).
  • Euclid . 1956 . The Elements , second edition Vol. II , 188 – 188 . New York translated by T. L. Heath Book VI
  • Bridgman , P.W. 1922 . Dimensional Analysis New Haven, Connecticut
  • See for instance Szücs E. Similitude and Modelling Amsterdam 1980 101 104
  • Macagno , E.O. 1971 . Historico-critical Review of Dimensional Analysis . Journal of the Franklin Institution , 292 : 391 – 402 .
  • Rosenberg , N. and Vincenti , W.G. 1978 . The Britannia Bridge: The Generation and Diffusion of Technological Knowledge Boston, Massachusetts
  • Fairbairn , W. 1849 . An Account of the Construction of the Britannia and Conway Tubular Bridges 13 – 13 . London
  • 1849 . Report of the Royal Commission on the Application of Iron to Railway Structures ix – ix . London (Parliamentary Papers, 1849, XXIX)
  • 1849 . Report of the Royal Commission on the Application of Iron to Railway Structures ix – ix . London
  • 1849 . Report of the Royal Commission on the Application of Iron to Railway Structures xiii – xiii . London
  • 1849 . Report of the Royal Commission on the Application of Iron to Railway Structures 193 – 193 . London
  • 1849 . Report of the Royal Commission on the Application of Iron to Railway Structures 193 – 193 . London
  • 1849 . Report of the Royal Commission on the Application of Iron to Railway Structures 193 – 193 . London Appendix B, unnumbered accompanying Plate, figures 1–8.
  • Clarke , E. 1850 . The Britannia and Conway Tubular Bridges Vol. I , 26 – 26 . London
  • 1849 . Report of the Royal commission on the Application of Iron to Railway Structures 130 – 130 . London Table I
  • 1849 . Report of the Royal commission on the Application of Iron to Railway Structures 156 – 159 . London
  • 1849 . Report of the Royal commission on the Application of Iron to Railway Structures 198 – 198 . London For a modern treatment of this problem, see M. M. Stanisic, J. A. Euler and S. T. Montgomery, ‘On a Theory Concerning the Dynamical Behaviour of Structures Carrying Moving Masses’, Ingenieur Archiv, 43 (1974), 295–305.
  • For a highly relevant discussion of the use of such operational measures, see Ravetz J. The Representation of Physical Quantities in Eighteenth Century Mathematical Physics Isis 1961 52 7 20
  • Stokes , G.G. 1849 . Discussion of a Differential Equation Relating to the Breaking of Railway Bridges . Transactions of the Cambridge Philosophical Society , 8 : 721 – 721 .
  • Stokes , G.G. 1849 . Discussion of a Differential Equation Relating to the Breaking of Railway Bridges . Transactions of the Cambridge Philosophical Society , 8 : 721 – 721 .
  • Stokes , G.G. 1849 . Discussion of a Differential Equation Relating to the Breaking of Railway Bridges . Transactions of the Cambridge Philosophical Society , 8 : 726 – 727 . For the sake of clarity this fearsome looking equation (No. 48), is not reproduced here. It can, however, be easily shown to reduce to the conventional wave equation for an elastic beam, coupled through the vertical coordinate of the point mass to the point mass equation of motion (No. 49).
  • Wright . 1983 . Ship Hydrodynamics 1710–1880 , 129 – 130 . London : Science Museum . unpublished Ph.D. thesis, CNAA For background information on the life of W. Froude, see W. Abell ‘William Froude M.A., L.L.D., F.R.S.’, The Papers of William Froude (London, 1955), pp. xi–xiv.
  • Froude , W. untitled report to accompany a lost letter dated by other means to 24 April 1868 This is Froude's first report
  • For a discussion on the origin and controversy surrounding what is nowadays known as Froude's Number (FN=V/(gL)1/2), see Wright Ship Hydrodynamics 1710–1880 Science Museum London 1983 187 187 unpublished Ph.D. thesis, CNAA 215. Stokes's parameter β, equation (5) in the text, is a form of Froude Number.
  • Froude , W. 1863 . Remarks on Mr Scott Russell's Paper on Rolling . Transactions of the Institution of Naval Architects , 4 : 271 – 271 . footnote; Abell (footnote 28), 95, footnote.
  • Froude , W. 1863 . Remarks on Mr Scott Russell's Paper on Rolling . Transactions of the Institution of Naval Architects , 4 : 271 – 271 . footnote; Abell (footnote 28), 95, footnote.
  • Froude , W. 1861 . On the Rolling of Ships . Transactions of the Institution of Naval Architects , 2 : 180 – 227 . Abell (footnote 28), 40–76
  • Froude . 1863 . Remarks on Mr Scott Russell's Paper on Rolling . Transactions of the Institution of Naval Architects , 4 : 272 – 272 . footnote; Abell (footnote 28), 96, footnote. For a discussion of Beaufoy's work on fluid friction and its relationship to ship resistance, see T. Wright, ‘Mark Beaufoy's Nautical and Hydraulic Experiments', Mariner's Mirror, 75 (1989), 313–27.
  • Wright . 1983 . Ship Hydrodynamics 1710–1880 , London : Science Museum . unpublished Ph.D. thesis, CNAA Appendix II, 232.
  • Froude . untitled report to accompany a lost letter dated by other means to 24 April 1868 22 – 22 .
  • Rankine , W.J.M. 1864 . On Plane Waterlines in Two Dimensions . Philosophical Transactions , 154 : 369 – 391 .
  • Smith . 1976–77 . The Role of Structural Models in the Design of British Bridges—1800–1870 . Transactions of the Newcomen Society , 48 : 78 – 78 .
  • 1849 . Report of the Royal Commission on the Application of Iron to Railway structures 360 – 360 . London minutes of evidence, Edwin Clark
  • 1849 . Report of the Royal Commission on the Application of Iron to Railway structures London Appendix AA, 115.
  • Fairbairn , W. 1849–50 . On Tubular Girder Bridges . Minutes of the Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers , 9 : 233 – 233 .
  • Fairbairn , W. 1849–50 . On Tubular Girder Bridges . Minutes of the Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers , 9 : 268 – 268 .
  • Fairbairn , W. 1849–50 . On Tubular Girder Bridges . Minutes of the Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers , 9 : 248 – 248 .
  • Barlow , P. 1851 . A Treatise on the Strength of Timber, Cast and Malleable Iron, and Other Materials , fourth edition 431 – 516 . London
  • Barlow , P.W. 1847 . “ On the Mechanical Effect of Combining Girders and Suspension Chains …’ ” . In British Association for the Advancement of Science Report 238 – 248 . Dublin For a discussion of Barlow's findings, see D. Smith, ‘The Use of Models in Nineteenth Century Suspension Bridge Design’, History of Technology, 2 (1977), 169–214.
  • Stokes . 1849 . Discussion of a Differential Equation Relating to the Breaking of Railway Bridges . Transactions of the Cambridge Philosophical Society , 8 : 721 – 721 . 721
  • PRO ADM 116/137 Reed E.J. untitled report to Sir S. Robinson 1869 March 11 11 dated 31
  • Merrifield , C.W. 1870 . The Experiments Recently Proposed on the Resistance of Ships . Transactions of the Institution of Naval Architects , 11 : 82 – 82 .
  • Merrifield , C.W. 1870 . The Experiments Recently Proposed on the Resistance of Ships . Transactions of the Institution of Naval Architects , 11 : 82 – 82 .
  • For this discussion see Reports of the Royal Commission on Scientific Instruction and the Advancement of Science [The Devonshire Commission] London 1872 1 151 151 (Parliamentary Papers, 1872, (536) XXV Pt. 1)
  • See Strutt J.W.S. The Theory of Sound Cambridge 1878 II 287 289 art. 348
  • Strutt , J.W.S. 1878 . The Theory of Sound Vol. II , 288 – 288 . Cambridge
  • Stokes , G.G. 1856 . On the Effect of the Internal Friction of Fluid's on the Motion of Pendulums . Transactions of the Cambridge Philosophical Society , 9 : 19 – 19 . part II
  • Fourier , J. 1878 . Analytical Theory of Heat Cambridge translated by A. Freeman
  • Smith , Crosbie and Wise , M. Norton . 1989 . Energy and Empire: A Biographical Study of Lord Klevin 149 – 149 . Cambridge
  • Fourier . 1878 . Analytical Theory of Heat 126 – 130 . Cambridge translated by A. Freeman
  • Fourier , J. 1819–20 . Theorie du Mouvement de la Chaleur dans les Corps Solide . Memoires de l'Academie Royale des Sciences , 4 : 455 – 456 .
  • Galileo . 1954 . Dialogues Concerning Two New Sciences Edited by: Crew , H. and de Salvio , A. 123 – 123 . New York
  • Newton , I.S. 1726 . Principia , third edition London revised translation F. Cajori (California, 1960), p. 327. For an explanation of the derivation, see Wright (footnote 7), p. 188
  • Galileo . 1954 . Dialogues Concerning Two New Sciences Edited by: Crew , H. and de Salvio , A. 115 – 115 . New York
  • Belidor , B.F. 1739 . La Science des Ingenieurs dans la Conduite des Travaux de Fortification et d'Architecture Civile Vol. IV , 7 – 15 . Paris
  • See Kroes P. Structural Analogies Between Physical Systems British Journal of the Philosophy of Science 1989 40 145 154 also A. Sarlemijn and P. Kroes, ‘Technological Analogies and Their Logical Nature’, in Technology and Contemporary Life, edited by P. T. Durbin (Dordrecht, 1989), pp. 237–55
  • Shrader-Frechette , K.S. 1990 . Idealised Laws, Antirealism, and Applied Science: A Case in Hydrogeology . Synthese , 81 : 329 – 352 . and R. Laymon ‘Applying Idealised Scientific Theories to Engineering’, Synthese, 81 (1990), 353–71
  • Channell . 1982 . The Harmony of Theory and Practice: The Engineering Science of W. J. M. Rankine . Technology and Culture , 23 : 39 – 52 .
  • Channell . 1982 . The Harmony of Theory and Practice: The Engineering Science of W. J. M. Rankine . Technology and Culture , 23 : 47 – 47 .
  • Hutchison , K. 1981 . W. J. M. Rankine and the Rise of Thermodynamics . British Journal of the History of Science , 14 : 1 – 26 .

Reprints and Corporate Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

To request a reprint or corporate permissions for this article, please click on the relevant link below:

Academic Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

Obtain permissions instantly via Rightslink by clicking on the button below:

If you are unable to obtain permissions via Rightslink, please complete and submit this Permissions form. For more information, please visit our Permissions help page.