Bernard Forest de Bélidor
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Bernard Forest de Bélidor (1698, Catalonia, Spain – September 8, 1761, Paris, France) was a French engineer, significant to the development of the science of hydraulics.
Bélidor enlisted in the army at a young age. After leaving the army, he developed an interest in science and engineering, and became professor of artillery at the school of Fère-en-Tardenois in Aisne. For a while he worked on measuring the arc of the earth. In the years to come he published several works of great importance, on a wide range of subjects, including hydraulics, mathematics, and civil and military engineering. His most famous book is L'architecture hydraulique (published in four volumes from 1737-1753). Here, integral calculus is used for the first time in solving technical problems.
Bélidor was the teacher of Peter the Great’s Ethiopian favourite, Abram Petrovich Gannibal.
[edit] Works
- Nouveau cours de mathématiques, 1725 (first use of the term sinusoid)
- La science des ingénieurs dans la conduite des travaux de fortification et d'architecture civile, 1729
- Le bombardier français, ou, nouvelle méthode pour jeter des bombes avec précision. Tables, 1731
- L'architecture hydraulique, ou l'art de conduire, d'élever et de ménager les eaux pour les différents besoins de la vie, (1737-1753)
- Dictionnaire portatif de l'ingénieur, 1758
