Edmund Hambly
Encyclopedia
Dr Edmund Cadbury Hambly (28 September 1942 – 28 March 1995) was a British
structural engineer
.
Edmund Hambly was born in Seer Green
, near Beaconsfield
, Buckinghamshire
in 1942. He went at Eton College
prior to studying the engineering tripos
at Cambridge University. He excelled there gaining a first class honours degree and claiming the prize in structural engineering
. Staying at Cambridge he completed his doctorate
following work on soil deformation models. It was here that he met and married Elizabeth Gorham with whom he would have three daughters and a son.
Hambly left academia
to spend five years working with Ove Arup and Partners
in the design of structures and Gifford and Partners
in bridge building. He devised new models and work methods for the approximation of structural behaviour which he published in 1976 in his first book, Bridge Deck Behaviour. In 1974 he set up his own consultancy and worked from his home in Hertfordshire
, writing more than 40 technical papers
to supplement his income. One of his first contracts was to investigate the design of bridge foundations for the Building Research Establishment
, publishing some of his findings in Bridge Foundations and Substructures in 1979. He was asked by the oil and gas extraction industries to advise upon offshore platforms
damaged by wave fatigue and collisions.
His expertise in the industry was widely recognized and he was created a fellow
of the Institution of Structural Engineers
in 1982, of the Royal Academy of Engineering
in 1984 and of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers
in 1991. He also served as chairman of the Offshore Engineering Society between 1989 and 1990.
He worked as a visiting professor at Oxford University from 1989 to 1992 lecturing in structural analysis
, he wrote his third book, Structural Analysis by Example (1994) to provide examples of calculations for students.
Hambly had a keen interest in the provision of better social housing and encouraging community spirit as well as a quaker upbringing, he united these beliefs in his service as a trustee to the Bournville Village Trust
between 1979 and 1988.
He was created a fellow
of the Institution of Civil Engineers
in 1990 and was keen to use this to promote engineering to young people and society as a whole. He was elected vice-president in 1991 and President in 1994. He used his inaugural address to show the need to attract students into engineering degrees and to provide more sustainable solutions to engineering problems. However he died in London
on 28 March 1995, just five months into his one year presidency. A prize in his honour is awarded annually by the Institution of Civil Engineers for contributions to sustainability in the industry. He was posthumously awarded an honorary doctorate of science
by Nottingham University in 1996.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
structural engineer
Structural engineer
Structural engineers analyze, design, plan, and research structural components and structural systems to achieve design goals and ensure the safety and comfort of users or occupants...
.
Edmund Hambly was born in Seer Green
Seer Green
Seer Green is a village and civil parish in the Chiltern district of Buckinghamshire, England. It is in the Chiltern Hills, about a mile east of Beaconsfield and a mile south-west of Chalfont St Giles.-History:...
, near Beaconsfield
Beaconsfield
Beaconsfield is a market town and civil parish operating as a town council within the South Bucks district in Buckinghamshire, England. It lies northwest of Charing Cross in Central London, and south-east of the county town of Aylesbury...
, Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
in 1942. He went at Eton College
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
prior to studying the engineering tripos
Tripos
The University of Cambridge, England, divides the different kinds of honours bachelor's degree by Tripos , plural Triposes. The word has an obscure etymology, but may be traced to the three-legged stool candidates once used to sit on when taking oral examinations...
at Cambridge University. He excelled there gaining a first class honours degree and claiming the prize in structural engineering
Structural engineering
Structural engineering is a field of engineering dealing with the analysis and design of structures that support or resist loads. Structural engineering is usually considered a specialty within civil engineering, but it can also be studied in its own right....
. Staying at Cambridge he completed his doctorate
Engineering Doctorate
The Engineering Doctorate scheme is a British postgraduate education programme promoted by the UK's Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council . The programme is undertaken over four years. Students conduct PhD-equivalent research and undertake taught business and technical courses whilst...
following work on soil deformation models. It was here that he met and married Elizabeth Gorham with whom he would have three daughters and a son.
Hambly left academia
Academia
Academia is the community of students and scholars engaged in higher education and research.-Etymology:The word comes from the akademeia in ancient Greece. Outside the city walls of Athens, the gymnasium was made famous by Plato as a center of learning...
to spend five years working with Ove Arup and Partners
Arup
Arup is a global professional services firm headquartered in London, United Kingdom which provides engineering, design, planning, project management and consulting services for all aspects of the built environment. The firm is present in Africa, the Americas, Australasia, East Asia, Europe and the...
in the design of structures and Gifford and Partners
Gifford (company)
Gifford is part of the Ramboll Group, providing engineering consultancy, design, planning, project management and consulting services for buildings, infrastructure and the environment.- History :...
in bridge building. He devised new models and work methods for the approximation of structural behaviour which he published in 1976 in his first book, Bridge Deck Behaviour. In 1974 he set up his own consultancy and worked from his home in Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
, writing more than 40 technical papers
Academic journal
An academic journal is a peer-reviewed periodical in which scholarship relating to a particular academic discipline is published. Academic journals serve as forums for the introduction and presentation for scrutiny of new research, and the critique of existing research...
to supplement his income. One of his first contracts was to investigate the design of bridge foundations for the Building Research Establishment
Building Research Establishment
The Building Research Establishment is a former UK government establishment that carries out research, consultancy and testing for the construction and built environment sectors in the United Kingdom...
, publishing some of his findings in Bridge Foundations and Substructures in 1979. He was asked by the oil and gas extraction industries to advise upon offshore platforms
Oil platform
An oil platform, also referred to as an offshore platform or, somewhat incorrectly, oil rig, is a lаrge structure with facilities to drill wells, to extract and process oil and natural gas, and to temporarily store product until it can be brought to shore for refining and marketing...
damaged by wave fatigue and collisions.
His expertise in the industry was widely recognized and he was created a fellow
Fellow
A fellow in the broadest sense is someone who is an equal or a comrade. The term fellow is also used to describe a person, particularly by those in the upper social classes. It is most often used in an academic context: a fellow is often part of an elite group of learned people who are awarded...
of the Institution of Structural Engineers
Institution of Structural Engineers
The Institution of Structural Engineers is a professional body for structural engineering based in the United Kingdom. It has 27,000 members in 105 countries. The Institution provides professional accreditation for structural engineers...
in 1982, of the Royal Academy of Engineering
Royal Academy of Engineering
-Overview: is the UK’s national academy of engineering. The Academy brings together the most successful and talented engineers from across the engineering sectors for a shared purpose: to advance and promote excellence in engineering....
in 1984 and of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers
Institution of Mechanical Engineers
The Institution of Mechanical Engineers is the British engineering society based in central London, representing mechanical engineering. It is licensed by the Engineering Council UK to assess candidates for inclusion on ECUK's Register of professional Engineers...
in 1991. He also served as chairman of the Offshore Engineering Society between 1989 and 1990.
He worked as a visiting professor at Oxford University from 1989 to 1992 lecturing in structural analysis
Structural analysis
Structural analysis is the determination of the effects of loads on physical structures and their components. Structures subject to this type of analysis include all that must withstand loads, such as buildings, bridges, vehicles, machinery, furniture, attire, soil strata, prostheses and...
, he wrote his third book, Structural Analysis by Example (1994) to provide examples of calculations for students.
Hambly had a keen interest in the provision of better social housing and encouraging community spirit as well as a quaker upbringing, he united these beliefs in his service as a trustee to the Bournville Village Trust
Bournville Village Trust
Bournville Village Trust is an organisation that was created to maintain and improve the suburb of Bournville, located in Birmingham. However, during the 20th century it expanded its geographical coverage to include developments in Shenley Green, Lightmoor in Telford, Bloomsbury in Nechells and...
between 1979 and 1988.
He was created a fellow
Fellow
A fellow in the broadest sense is someone who is an equal or a comrade. The term fellow is also used to describe a person, particularly by those in the upper social classes. It is most often used in an academic context: a fellow is often part of an elite group of learned people who are awarded...
of the Institution of Civil Engineers
Institution of Civil Engineers
Founded on 2 January 1818, the Institution of Civil Engineers is an independent professional association, based in central London, representing civil engineering. Like its early membership, the majority of its current members are British engineers, but it also has members in more than 150...
in 1990 and was keen to use this to promote engineering to young people and society as a whole. He was elected vice-president in 1991 and President in 1994. He used his inaugural address to show the need to attract students into engineering degrees and to provide more sustainable solutions to engineering problems. However he died in London
London
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...
on 28 March 1995, just five months into his one year presidency. A prize in his honour is awarded annually by the Institution of Civil Engineers for contributions to sustainability in the industry. He was posthumously awarded an honorary doctorate of science
Doctor of Science
Doctor of Science , usually abbreviated Sc.D., D.Sc., S.D. or Dr.Sc., is an academic research degree awarded in a number of countries throughout the world. In some countries Doctor of Science is the name used for the standard doctorate in the sciences, elsewhere the Sc.D...
by Nottingham University in 1996.