How can we develop the scientific innovative spirit to speed up the realization of high-level scientific and technological self-reliance? On the afternoon of World Reading Day on April 23, the activity Approaching Masters - Reading Karl Terzaghi: the Engineer as Artist was held at Tongji University. Nearly 100 Chinese scholars worldwide from rock mechanics, soil mechanics, and engineering geology talked, both online and at the site, with students of Tongji University about the life, lifestyle, and spirit of Master Karl Terzaghi.
Professor ZHU Hehua shares his understanding of Karl Terzaghi: the Engineer as Artist
Karl Terzaghi (1883-1963) is the founder of modern soil mechanics and is recognized as "the father of soil mechanics and geotechnical engineering" in academia. He made many pioneering achievements in the field of civil engineering. His Soil Mechanics published in 1925 was the first of its kind in soil mechanics, marking an important milestone in the development of soil mechanics as an independent discipline. Karl Terzaghi's intensive research in the field broadened the prospects of soil mechanics. Meanwhile, his academic knowledge, experience, insightful thoughts as well as artistic intuition had a far-reaching impact on generations of scholars.
Karl Terzaghi: the Engineer as Artist was translated into Chinese by Professor ZHU Hehua, a CAS member from the College of Civil Engineering, Tongji University, and published by Tongji University Press. Richard Goodman, the author of the book completed this biography after five years of research, reading and translating 82 volumes of Karl's diaries, interviewing Karl's relatives and friends, and studying 15,000 letters, a large number of articles, publications, and reports. This book is both a documentary work and a literary work. The book records Karl's life in different periods, including his diaries, letters, manuscripts, published papers, and books, as well as notes, sketches, work manuals, memos, and newspaper clippings. We can not only understand Karl's original intention and assumption of establishing soil mechanics, but also realize his personal qualities of caution, awe, respect, diligence, simplicity, generality, and tolerance.
Karl Terzaghi: the Engineer as Artist
Professor GONG Xiaonan of Zhejiang University, a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAS); Chairman HE Manchao of the Chinese Society of Rock Mechanics and Engineering, CAS member; Professor ZHANG Jianmin, director of the Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering Branch of China Civil Engineering Society, CAS member; Professor LI Jie of Tongji University, CAS member; Professor ZHU Hehua of Tongji University, CAS member and translator of the book; Professor WU Hongwei of Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, former chairman of International Society of Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering; Professor WU Faquan of Shaoxing University of Arts and Sciences, secretary general of International Society of Engineering Geology introduced Karl from different aspects. They shared their views of the book, encouraging Tongji students to read more good books for a better understanding of the master's academic journey and pioneering contributions to pave the way for their climbing the technological peak, and contributing to the development of a world science and technology powerhouse. Professor PENG Zhenwei, vice Party secretary of Tongji University, presided over the activity.
According to GONG Xiaonan, Karl Terzaghi not only made great contributions to geotechnical engineering, but also made pioneering achievements in the development of mechanics. We have learned from him that disciplinary development and research content should be based on social development and project construction needs. Karl solved a series of practical problems encountered in project construction and made innovations and breakthroughs through these engineering projects.
HE Manchao remarked that to solve the common problems faced by mankind, workers from all disciplines need to join hands and strengthen basic research. Reading is of first importance in strengthening basic research. He hoped everyone loved reading and reading good books. Karl explained the importance of engineering geology his whole life, and this scientific research spirit was worth learning for students today.
ZHANG Jianmin introduced Karl's communication with his Chinese counterparts. He expressed his idea that Karl's lifelong contribution was related to the research work of each of us. Reading Karl Terzaghi today was to learn his spirit of exploration and science, especially his talent and wisdom of deeply integrating engineering science, engineering technology, and engineering practice.
LI Jie said that Karl's value also lies in his devotion to practice, true scientific belief, and his "from 0 to 1" innovation spirit. He hoped students should not only read the classic works of soil mechanics, but also read the history of soil mechanics and important people like Karl Terzaghi, expecting new academic elites and new academic stars to arrive.
ZHU Hehua introduced the publishing process of organizing the translation of this book. He said that the secret of Karl's success lay in his ability to learn from everyone anytime and anywhere and to combine other people's professional knowledge with interpersonal skills. His choice of major and scientific research direction was believed to bring a lot of inspiration to students today.
WU Hongwei said that Karl founded the International Society of Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering in 1936 and made important contributions to promoting closer global cooperation and scientific research. One of the best ways to popularize soil mechanics today was to promote more inheritance and communication through education in the 100-year development history of the discipline.
WU Faquan remarked that Karl was good at solving common problems with simple formulas and theories, and could express the problems in a concise way, making them more widely adaptable, which provided very good guidance for us to strengthen basic research at present.
PENG Zhenwei said that in line with the development of "new engineering", it was even more necessary to cultivate comprehensive talents. We could have a more comprehensive understanding of how the master grew up to be the man he was by reading this book. For teachers, we could learn how to cultivate talents; and for students, we could learn how to become outstanding and excellent talents.
At the meeting, Professor ZHANG Dade from Chung Yuan University in Taiwan donated photocopies of the manuscripts of Karl's papers (English) written in 1925-1953 to Tongji University Library. These papers laid the foundation of modern soil mechanics.
Professor GAO Dazhao from Tongji University, Professor HAN Jie from Kansas University of USA, member of the Australian Academy of Engineering SHENG Daichao, Professor WU Wei from Vienna University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Professor Jiang Yujing, member of the Engineering Academy of Japan from Nagasaki University, Professor WANG Shanyong from Newcastle University of Australia, chairman of Shanghai Lianjing Construction Group Co., Ltd. ZENG Chaojie, vice chief engineer of Beijing Architectural Design and Research Institute SUN Hongwei, and Professor Yang Xiaojie, secretary general of China Rock Mechanics and Engineering Society from China University of Mining and Technology joined the discussion session. Experts from academia and industry worldwide gathered together to explore the future of geotechnical mechanics from different perspectives.
The activity was organized by Tongji University, sponsored by the China Society of Rock Mechanics and Engineering, Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering Branch of China Civil Engineering Society, Engineering Geology Committee of the Geological Society of China, and hosted by Tongji University's College of Civil Engineering, Tongji University Press, University Committee of Communist Youth League, Tongzhou Hall of Tongji University Freshmen College, Underground Space Journal and Shanghai Civil Engineering Society with support by East China Construction Group Co., Ltd. and the Third Engineering Branch of China Railway First Bureau Group.
Participants at Tongji University
Karl Terzaghi: the Engineer as Artist is one of the "Engineering Humanities Series" books whose publications were planned and organized by Tongji University Press. By means of biography, the book series give young students more opportunities to approach Chinese and foreign masters in engineering and science from multiple perspectives and learn about their life stories and research experiences. The admission ticket for this event was specially designed as a "seed ticket". The organizer of the event told the reporter that after the meeting, a week-long reading activity of "Karl Terzaghi: the Engineer as Artist" was planned online. The ticket design meant that on the occasion of World Reading Day, a seed of science and engineering was planted in the reader's heart. It was expected that more people would pay attention to the development of science and engineering in China for the seed to take root, grow and breed masters of engineering and science.
