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ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
WILLIAM M. THORNTON . . . . . Professor of Applied Mathematics.
CHARLES S. VENABLE, LL. D . . . . . Professor of Mathematics.
FRANCIS H. SMITH, M. A., LL. D. . . . . . Professor of Natural Philosophy.
JOHN W. MALLET, M. D., Ph. D., LL. D., F. R. S. . . . . . Professor of Chemistry.
FRANCIS P. DUNNINGTON, B. S . . . . . Professor of Analytical Chemistry.
WILLIAM M. FONTAINE, M. A. . . . . . Professor of Natural History and Geology.
JAMES S. MILLER, B. S., C. E. . . . . . Instructor in Mathematics and Physics.
JOHN K. PEEBLES, B. S., C. E. . . . . . Instructor in Applied Mathematics.
This department is designed to furnish intending engineers thorough and
practical instruction in the principles of Engineering and the sciences connected
therewith. For this purpose, in addition to the Schools of Mathematics,
Natural Philosophy, Chemistry, Natural History and Geology, and
Analytical Chemistry, the School of Mathematics Applied to Engineering
has been established. For the first five Schools the courses of instruction are
given in detail in the Scientific Department.
SCHOOL OF APPLIED MATHEMATICS.
Professor Thornton.
In this School there are three classes—Junior, Intermediate, and Senior.
To each class three lectures a week are given through the session.
The Junior Class studies during the first half-session Engineering
Geodesy. The construction and use of the field instruments of the engineer
are carefully explained in the lectures and minutely illustrated in the field.
The student is then instructed in the best methods of Land, City, Topographic,
and Hydrographic Surveying, and is taught how to construct maps
and plans, and estimate quantities.
The second half-session is given to the study of the principles of Descriptive
Geometry and its applications in engineering. These include the construction
of Orthogonal, Axonometric, and Perspective Projections of polyedra
and curved surfaces, Shades and Shadows, and Stereotomy.
The field-exercises required of this class involve practice in the use and
adjustments of the Chain, the Compass, the Level, the Transit and the Plane
Table, together with exercises in land, city, topographic and hydrographic
companied by the necessary illutrative plats and maps.
The drawings required embrace a consecutive series of problems in
mechanical drawing and descriptive geometry, carefully executed to scale,
and in the bet style, and a series of finished drawings arranged to furnish
ample practice in the delineation of structures in timber, masonry and iron.
The Intermediate Class tudies during the first half-session Applied
Mechanic. The fundamental principles of the doctrines of motion, force,
and energy are explained and applied to the investigation of the more
important problems in the Statics of Rigid and Elastic Solids. On this
basis a careful analysis is made of the simpler engineering structures, such as
roof trues, solid and built bam, bridge trues, and retaining walls; and
the student is in tructed in the bet methds of determining the straining
actions and designing the dimensions and details of these structures.
Drig the second half-sion Railroad Engineering is studied. The
economical and topographical principles of location are carefully explained;
the metods for the contruction of the roadbed are then given; the sources
and properties of building-materials are discussed, and the methods for
the location and erection of structures in masonry, timber and iron-work
and their foundations are explained; and the construction and maintenance
of the track are taught.
The fild work required of this class furnishes a complete course in railway
location. A suitable line having been selected, a preliminary survey is
made of it, embracing the traverse, the profile and the cross-sections. From
the results of this survey a plan and profile of the line is made, the topography
is put in and the proper location is projected. This location is then
laid down in the field, the grades are established, the horizontal and vertical
curves are run in, and the line is staked out ready for the contractor; the
methods for locating frogs, turnouts and switches are taught, and the rules
for setting out foundations and masonry are exemplified. A written report
is submitted by each student in which the necessary notes and estimates are
embraced and each memoir is accompanied by a full set of plans and maps.
The drawings required embrace two series. The first is a set of finished
drawings made from standard designs, illustrating the structures in timber
masonry and iron employed in railway construction. The second is a like
set of finished drawings of a roof, bridge, or similar structure designed by
the student and accompanied by a memoir, giving the necessary computations
and estimates, and specifications for the execution of the work.
The Senior Class studies during the first half-session Bridge Construction.
The elements of the general theory of Elasticity are explained
and applied to the analysis and design both of the simpler and of the more
Bridges. Types of all the more important forms of bridge construction
in timber, stone and iron are worked out in detail. The
general considerations which affect the location of bridges and the methods
of erection are then examined, and the modern methods for the construction
of deep foundations are fully reviewed.
The subject of Hydraulic and Sanitary Engineering occupies the
second half-session. The principles of Hydraulics are investigated and
worked out in their more important applications. These include the study
of water-supply and sewerage systems for cities; the methods for the utilization
and disposal of sewage; the drainage and irrigation of lands; the location
and construction of navigable canals; and the control and canalization
of rivers.
The field-work required of this class consists of a series of exercises in
measuring the grades, cross-sections and velocities of streams, and in gauging
their flow.
The drawings are those needed to illustrate the thesis presented for graduation,
in which the student is required to work out independently the general
designs, details, estimates and specifications for some important engineering
structure.
To facilitate the instruction the University has provided a large and well-lighted
drawing-hall, a supply of well-made field-instruments, and a collection
of drawings and models illustrating American and foreign Engineering practice.
The field-instruments consist of a compass, a wye level (Queen), a
dumpy level (Buff & Berger), a plain transit (Stackpole), a complete transit
(Fauth), a plane table (Breithaupt), a sextant (Breithaupt), and an abundant
supply of ranging-poles, flag-poles, chains, tapes, and other accessories. For
office-work a fine protractor, a trigonometer and a planimeter are provided.
The use of the blue-print process is made familiar to students from the beginning
of the course, and at all periods of it their work is based on model
designs from the best American engineering establishments.
In all the classes the instruction is given chiefly by lectures, which are
based upon lithographed abstracts of the lecture-notes. Students are, however,
encouraged to familiarize themselves with the leading manuals and
monographs on the various divisions of the course, and are directed in such
collateral reading by the Professor. The following are used in this way as
books of reference:
Johnson's Theory and Practice of Surveying; Thorne's Mechanical Drawing; Warren's
Shades and Shadows, and Stone-Cutting; Mannheim's Géométrie Déscriptive; Wellington's
Economic Theory of Railway Location; Searle's Field Engineering; Cleeman's Railroad
Engineer's Practice; Thurston's Materials of Engineering; Parson's Track and Turnouts;
and Strength of Materials; Croizette-Desnoyer's Construction des Ponts; Merriman's
Hydraulics; Hamilton Smith's Hydraulics; Fanning's Water-Supply Engineering; Wegmann's
Masonary Dams; Billings's Water-Works Contruction; Nichol's Water-Supply;
Waring's Sewerage and Land Drainage; Corfield's Treatment and Utilization of Sewage;
Vernon Harcourt's Rivers and Canals; de Lagrené's Navigation Intérieure.
The following three-years' course of study is recommended to candidates
for the degree of CIVIL ENGINEER, the necessary preparation being an accurate
knowledge of the elements of Algebra, Plane Geometry. and elementary
Plane Trigonometry.
1. Junior Applied Mathematics, Junior Mathematics, General Chemistry
or Industrial Chemistry.
2. Intermediate Applied Mathematics, Intermediate Mathematics, Physics,
Descriptive Mineralogy or Determinative Mineralogy.
3. Senior Applied Mathematics, Senior Mathematics or Senior Natural
Philosophy, Geology.
Students with more ample mathematical preparation can, with diligence,
complete the course in two years.
The necessary expenses, with board at the lowest rate ($13 a month), will
be about $290 a session, exclusive of books, stationery and drawing materials.
Virginians save $50 in tuition.
Candidates for the degree of Mining Engineer are permitted to substitute
for the Senior work courses in Machine Design and Exploitation of
Mines. Students of Agricultural Engineering have the Junior and
Intermediate work only.
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