Andrew N. Schofield facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Andrew N. Schofield
FRS FREng
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Andrew Schofield in 2016
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| Born | 1 November 1930 Cambridge, England
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| Died | 27 January 2025 (aged 94) |
| Nationality | English |
| Alma mater | Cambridge University, UK |
| Known for | Critical state soil mechanics, Cam Clay, Geotechnical centrifuge modelling |
| Spouse(s) | Margaret Green (m.1961) |
| Awards | US Army Distinguished Civilian Service Award, 1979 20th Rankine Lecture, 1980 Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, 1986 Fellow of the Royal Society, 1992 James Alfred Ewing Gold Medal from the Institution of Civil Engineers, 1993 |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Soil Mechanics, Geotechnical Engineering |
| Institutions | Cambridge University, UK University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST) |
| Thesis | The development of lateral force during the displacement of sand by the vertical face of a rotating model foundation (1960) |
| Doctoral advisor | Kenneth H. Roscoe |
| Notable students | Malcolm D. Bolton, Robert Mair, Sarah Springman |
Andrew Noel Schofield (born November 1, 1930 – died January 27, 2025) was a smart British engineer. He was a professor at the University of Cambridge who studied how soil behaves. This field is called soil mechanics and geotechnical engineering.
Contents
About Andrew Schofield
Andrew Schofield was born in Cambridge, England, on November 1, 1930. His parents were Rev John Noel Schofield and Winifred Jane Mary Eyles. In 1961, he married Margaret Eileen Green. He worked at Cambridge University for many years. He retired from his teaching job in 1997. Andrew Schofield passed away on January 27, 2025, when he was 94 years old.
His Engineering Career
Andrew Schofield studied engineering at Christ's College, Cambridge. He finished his studies in 1951. After that, he worked in Africa, in a place called Nyasaland Protectorate (which is now Malawi). There, he researched how to build roads using local soils.
Returning to Cambridge
He came back to Cambridge University to work on his PhD degree. He worked with Professor Kenneth H. Roscoe. Andrew finished his PhD in 1961. He then became an Assistant Lecturer at the university. He also spent time as a Fulbright Fellow and a California Institute of Technology Fellow.
In 1964, he became a Fellow of Churchill College, Cambridge. Later, he was chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering in 1986. In 1992, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society. These are important honors for scientists and engineers.
Understanding Soil Behavior
In 1958, Andrew Schofield worked with Ken Roscoe and Peter Wroth. They published an important paper called "On the Yielding of Soils." This paper helped explain how soils change shape and volume when pushed or squeezed. It introduced ideas like critical state soil mechanics.
Their work led to a special model called 'Cam Clay'. This model helps engineers understand how different types of soil will act under stress. Schofield and Wroth wrote a book about it in 1968.
Using Centrifuges to Test Soil
Andrew Schofield was very interested in using large spinning machines called geotechnical centrifuges. These machines help engineers test how soil and structures built on soil behave. They can make small models act like much larger real-world structures. This is because the centrifuge creates a strong force, like gravity, on the model.
He built an early version of a geotechnical centrifuge in Cambridge. Later, he used a bigger centrifuge at a company in Luton, UK, for his soil studies.
Leading the Soil Mechanics Group
In 1968, Andrew Schofield became a professor at the Institute of Science and Technology in Manchester (UMIST). There, he built an even bigger geotechnical centrifuge.
After Professor Roscoe passed away in 1970, Schofield returned to Cambridge in 1974. He became a Professor in the Cambridge University Engineering Department. He led the team that studied soil mechanics. Working with engineer Phillip Turner, he helped build a very large 5-meter radius geotechnical centrifuge at Cambridge. This machine is still used a lot today.
Even after he retired in 1997, Andrew Schofield kept working. He published another book in 2005, showing his continued dedication to engineering.
Schofield's Ideas on Soil Strength
Professor Schofield had a different idea about what makes soil strong. He believed that the strength of soil, like sand or clay, comes mainly from friction between its tiny particles and how those particles interlock with each other.
He thought that a common idea in soil mechanics, called the Mohr Coulomb equation, was not completely right. This older idea said that soil strength came from both "cohesion" (particles sticking together) and friction. Schofield argued that for many soils, especially those that have been mixed up, friction and particle interlocking were the most important factors.
