Person
Mann, James (c. 1857 - 1921)
- Born
- c. 1857
- Died
- 14 October 1921
Geelong, Victoria, Australia - Occupation
- Engineer and Research scientist
Summary
James Mann was a leading researcher and authority on determining the strength and durability of Australasian timbers, and pioneered methods for identifying species using microscopic examination, and splinter tests.
Mann was Government research scholar at the School of Engineering, University of Melbourne, 1910-1912, and was in charge of the Engineering Laboratory for 20 years, including the period when Professor W. C. Kernot occupied the chair of engineering.
Details
James Mann wrote and presented several papers in conjunction with the Victorian Institute of Engineers, the Royal Society of Victoria, and other technical bodies, and was consulted by the Victorian Forests Department after it was formed in 1908.
He published a text book Australian Timber: its strength, durability and identification, 1900. An extended second edition was published in 1921, that included more detailed research based on test samples with known age, forest location, and soil conditions, as well as including details about imported timber species from Papua, Burma, New Guinea and New Zealand.
These text are internationally recognised by the 'International Association of Wood Anatomists' for identification of hardwood specimens.
Related entries
Published resources
Books
- Mann, James, Australian timber, its strength, durabilty, and identification (Melbourne, Victoria: Walker, May & Co., 1900), 148 pp. Details
Journal Articles
- Mann, James, 'Australian timbers: present day practice in Australia, and some original experiments (Paper & Discussion)', Proceedings of the Victorian Institute of Engineers vol. V (1905), 106-137, 149-151. http://hdl.handle.net/11343/24327. Details
- Mann, James, 'Australian timbers for engineering purposes', Commonwealth Engineer, 1 (1) (1913), 14-16. Details
Ken McInnes
Created: 13 November 2018, Last modified: 28 September 2022