Rudolf Trostel

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Rudolf Trostel (born December 26, 1928 in Berlin ; † February 29, 2016 in Berlin) was a German professor of technical mechanics in the department of physical engineering at the Technical University of Berlin (TUB).

Studies and career

Trostel, born as the son of a Berlin building contractor, already at the age of 17, after receiving his Abitur, took a degree in construction at the TU Berlin, to which he remained connected throughout his professional life. But the turmoil of the war did not leave him without a trace, as he was drafted by the Wehrmacht as a high school student as a flak helper in the final phase of the battle for Berlin. Fortunately, he survived this episode unscathed.

His further scientific career developed in a record-breaking time. After ten semesters he completed his diploma, in 1952 became a scientific assistant to István Szabó at the Institute for Mechanics at the TUB, received his doctorate in 1955 with a thesis on thermal stress , completed his habilitation in 1957 and worked from 1963 to 1997 as a professor of mechanics at his alma mater .

Teaching and research

At the beginning of his scientific research, Trostel was still concerned with application-related problems such as B. the calculation of the thermal voltage or the behavior of pneumatic structures; for the latter problem, he provided the structural mechanical basis for Frei Otto's book in the form of the theory of the membrane. After his appointment, his research focused on the foundations of continuum mechanics , with a focus on materials theory . On the one hand, Trostel was able to build on Georg Hamel's axiomatic understanding of elementary mechanics and theoretical mechanics, and on the other hand, he was inspired by Walter Noll , his friend and colleague from the days of his assistantship at István Szabó, for this research area, rational mechanics . Noll, who moved from Berlin to the USA in 1955 and last taught at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania , was, together with Trostel, one of the leading figures in this field. Trostel's merit is the introduction of a clear and compact notation into continuum mechanics. With his lectures on tensor algebra and tensor analysis , he influenced several generations of his students.

Trostel worked until the early 1980s in the group of editors of the journal Der Bauingenieur , led by Konrad Sattler . From 1981 to 1992 Trostel edited the yearbook of humanism and technology and promoted a. a. Karl-Eugen Kurrer's publications on the history of structural engineering.

Trostel was considered to be the most imaginative and influential representative of the Berlin School of Mechanics, founded by Georg Hamel and continued by his mentor and sponsor István Szabó . His research exceeded in the 1980s, the " Rubicon " of classical mechanics: Sun developed Trostel with generalized continuum models, such as by Eugène Cosserat named Cosserat media, a turbulence theory , but only in his 2010 published book, Theory structures mechanics , reflected found. He himself described it as his most important scientific publication. Trostel's students include a. Albrecht Bertram , Rainer Sievert and Gerhard Silber

After his retirement in 1997, he shifted his interests from technical mechanics to the physical fundamentals such as the theory of relativity. As a scientist with no ambition to push himself to the fore with publications and publications, to the chagrin of his academic environment, he left no more records on this creative period.

Publications

  • Calculation of the membranes. In: Frei Otto (Hrsg.): Tensile stressed constructions. Volume 1, Ullstein publishing house, Berlin 1962.
  • Thoughts on classic point mechanics. In: Humanism and Technology. Yearbook 1981. University library of the TU Berlin (Publications Dept.), Berlin 1981, pp. 63–134.
  • A verification scheme for the basic equations of relativistic point mechanics. In: Humanism and Technology. Yearbook 1982. University library of the TU Berlin (Abt publications). Berlin 1982.
  • Vector and tensor algebra. (= Mathematical basics of technical mechanics. I). Vieweg Verlag , Wiesbaden 1993, ISBN 3-322-93972-3 .
  • Vector and tensor analysis. (= Mathematical basics of technical mechanics. II). Vieweg Verlag, Wiesbaden 1997, ISBN 3-322-96268-7 .
  • Material models of engineering mechanics. (= Mathematical basics of technical mechanics. III). Vieweg Verlag, Wiesbaden 1999, ISBN 3-322-93842-5 .
  • Theory constructions of mechanics . Tectum Verlag , Marburg 2010, ISBN 978-3-86680-192-9 .
  • Rudolf Trostel (Ed.): From the theory and practice of engineering sciences: mathematics, mechanics, construction. Festschrift for István Szabó's 65th birthday . Ernst & Sohn , Berlin 1971, ISBN 3-433-00579-6 .
  • On the systematics of solid-ideal plastic media. In: Rudolf Trostel (Ed.): From theory and practice of engineering: mathematics, mechanics, construction. Festschrift for István Szabó's 65th birthday. Ernst & Sohn, Berlin 1971, ISBN 3-433-00579-6 , pp. 31-38.
  • A possible generalization of the second main equation of thermodynamics. In: Wolfgang Zander (Ed.): Contributions to the theories and applications of mechanics. Festschrift for the 70th birthday of Prof. Dr.-Ing. István Szabó. University Library of the TU Berlin (Publications Dept.), Berlin 1976, ISBN 3-7983-0575-7 , pp. 7-26.

literature

  • A. Bertram (Ed.): Mechanics. Contributions to theory and applications. For Rudolf Trostel's 60th birthday. University library of the TU Berlin (publication point), Berlin 1988.
  • A. Cassius, G. Gödert, U. Görn, R. Parchem, J. Villwock (eds.): Contributions to mechanics. Festschrift for the 65th birthday of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Rudolf Trostel. University library of the TU Berlin (publication point), Berlin 1993.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Obituary notice. Der Tagesspiegel , accessed on April 4, 2019 .
  2. ^ Institute for Mechanics. TUB , accessed on April 3, 2019 .
  3. ^ Mathematical basics of technical mechanics I. Springer-Verlag, accessed on April 3, 2019 .
  4. ↑ a b c d Albrecht Bertram: Obituary for Rudolf Trostel. (PDF) University of Magdeburg , p. 2 , accessed on April 3, 2019 .
  5. ^ Theory constructions in mechanics. eurobuch.com, accessed on April 3, 2019 .
personal data
SURNAME Trostel, Rudolf
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German engineering scientist and university professor
DATE OF BIRTH December 26, 1928
PLACE OF BIRTH Berlin
DATE OF DEATH February 29, 2016
Place of death Berlin