Davis, Edward Hughesdon (1920 - 1981)

Summary

Ted Davis was Challis Professor of Civil Engineering, University of Sydney 1968-1981. He used theoretical methods to analyse geotechnical problems, particularly in the following areas: road pavement behaviour and design; application of plasticity theory to soil and rock stability problems; application of elasticity theory to soil and rock problems; and theory of consolidation of clay soils.

He helped to establish Sydney Soil Mechanics Group and the Australian Geomechanics Society, and was Australian vice-president, International Society of Soil Mechanics 1969-73.

The Australian Geomechanics Society commemorates his work by awarding the E H Davis Memorial Lecture to a person who has made a distinguished recent advancement to geomechanics knowledge in Australia.

Details

His major publications include:
* 1952 Soil mechanics for road engineers. London HMSO. [Book chapters on 'Pavement design' and 'Measurement of soil strength'.]
* 1968 Soil Mechanics - selected topics. London, Butterworth. [Book chapter on 'Theories of plasticity and the failure of soil masses']
* 1974 (with H. G. Poulos) Elastic solutions for soil and rock mechanics. New York. J. Wiley
* 1977 (with J. R Booker) Numerical methods in geotechnical engineering. New York, McGraw-Hill. [Book chapter on 'Stability analysis by plasticity theory'.]
* 1979 (Editor with D. Campbell-Allen) The profession of a civil engineer. Sydney. Sydney University Press.
* 1980 (with H. G. Poulos) Pile foundation analysis and design. New York, J. Wiley.

Chronology

1940

Education - Bachelor of Civil Engineering (BCE Hons), University of London

1940 - 1942

Career position - Design and supervising engineer, Sir Alexander Gibb and Partners

1942

Career position - Design and supervising enginee, with Dr Oscar Faber

1942 - 1946

Military service - Second World War. Lieutenant and later Captain and Major, Royal Engineers [Serving in UK and Italy]

1947 - 1950

Career position - Senior scientific officer, Road Research Laboratory, England

1950 - 1952

Career position - Lecturer, University of London

1952

Life event - Migrated to Sydney, Australia

1952 - 1963

Career position - Senior lecturer, University of Sydney [focussed on soil mechanics]

1963 - 1968

Career position - Associate Professor of Soil Mechanics, University of Sydney

1968 - 1979

Career position - Professor of Civil Engineering (Soil Mechanics), University of Sydney

1969 - 1973

Career position - Australian vice-president, International Society of Soil Mechanics

1970 -

Career position - Helped establish Australian Geomechanics Society

1972

Award - Warren Memorial Prize 1972, Institution of Engineers Australia (with H G Poulos)

1974

Career event - Book published (with H G Poulos) Elastic solutions for soil and rock mechanics.

1979 - 1981

Career position - Challis Professor and Head, School of Engineering, University of Sydney

1980

Career event - Book published (with H G Poulos) Pile foundation analysis and design.

1980

Award - Inaugural John Jaeger Memorial Medal, Australian Geomechanics Society

1980

Award - Fellow, Australian Academy of Science (FAA)

Related entries

Published resources

Books

• Poulos, H. G, and Davis, E. H., Pile foundation analysis and design (New York: Wiley, 1980), 397 pp. Details
• Poulos, H. G. and Davis, E. H., Elastic solutions for soil and rock mechanics (New York: Wiley, 1974), 411 pp. Details

Journal Articles

• 'A Tribute - Professor Ted Davis', Australian Geomechanics, 2 (1981), 15. Details
• Roderick, J. W., 'Edward Hughesdon Davis 1920-1981', Historical Records of Australian Science, 5 (3) (1982), 109-114. https://doi.org/10.1071/HR9820530109. Details

Resources

• 'Davis, E H (1920-1981)', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-1216787. Details

See also

• 'The Australian Geomechanics Society', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 42 (1-2) (1970), N8-N10. Details