Ellen Louise Mertz facts for kids

Ellen Louise Mertz (born July 20, 1896 – died December 29, 1987) was a very important Danish scientist. She was one of the first women in Denmark to become a geologist. She was also the country's first engineering geologist. This means she used geology to help with building projects. She did important work for the Danish State Railways. This included helping build the Little Belt Bridge in the late 1920s. She also suggested creating what is now the Danish Geotechnical Institute.

About Ellen Mertz

Ellen Mertz was born on July 20, 1896. Her family lived on the Engestofte estate on the island of Lolland, Denmark. Her father, Ludvig Olsen, managed the estate.

Early Life and Education

When Ellen was a teenager, she worked on a farm in Jutland. But she really wanted to become an engineer. In 1916, she started studying at the Polytechnic School in Copenhagen. She finished the first part of her civil engineering course in 1919.

Ellen also spent time working in a lab for the Geological Survey of Denmark. The director, Victor Madsen, told her she should study geology. Even though she didn't finish a regular geology degree, she became very good at engineering geology. This new field combines geology with engineering.

Pioneering Geotechnical Work

In 1921, Ellen went on a study trip to Stockholm, Sweden. There, she learned about something new called geotechnical investigation. This was a way to study the ground before building. It became important after a Swedish dam broke in 1914. Experts realized they needed to work together to prevent future problems.

When Ellen came back to Denmark, she pushed for engineers and geologists to work together. Because of her efforts, the Danish State Railways asked her to study the ground for the Little Belt Bridge. This was a big project in the late 1920s.

Establishing Geotechnical Science

In 1930, the Geological Survey and the Danish Railways opened a special lab. Ellen Mertz worked there with a railway engineer. They focused on studying the ground for bridges. Ellen helped with studies for eight bridges that were built in the 1930s.

Her ideas led to the creation of the Geotechnical Survey of Denmark in 1943. This new organization was part of the Academy of Technical Sciences. Ellen continued to work in her lab until 1969. She stayed in close contact with the Geotechnical Survey.

In 1958, she became a departmental geologist at the Geotechnical Survey. Because of her work, a new science called engineering geology was created. Ellen Mertz was a leader in this field. People in Scandinavia called her the "Mother of Engineering Geology." She also taught about this new field at the Technical High School.

Awards and Recognition

Ellen Mertz received important awards for her work in geology:

• 1966: The Order of Dannebrog (a Danish honor)
• 1974: The Technical University's gold medal