Gabriel Lamé (1795 - 1870)

Born 22 Jul 1795 in Tours, France

Died 1 May 1870 at age 74 in Paris, France

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Biography

Gabriel Lamé is Notable.

Gabriel was born in 1795. He passed away in 1870. He was a French mathematician who contributed to the theory of partial differential equations by the use of curvilinear coordinates, and the mathematical theory of elasticity (for which linear elasticity and finite strain theory elaborate the mathematical abstractions).

After having taught in Russia with Clapyeron, he returned to Paris in 1832. Lamé accepted the chair of physics at the École Polytechnique. He did not restrict his interests to teaching and research, however, for in remained an engineer ready for consulting work in that area. In 1836 he was appointed chief engineer of mines and he was also involved in the building of the railway from Paris to Versailles and of the railway from Paris to St Germain, which was opened in 1837.

He worked on a wide variety of different topics. Often problems in the engineering tasks he undertook led him to study mathematical questions. For example, his work on the stability of vaults and on the design of suspension bridges led him to work on elasticity theory. In fact this was not a passing interest, for Lamé made substantial contributions to this topic. Another example is his work on the conduction of heat which led him to his theory of curvilinear coordinates.

Sources

• Wikipedia: Gabriel Lamé
• Wikidata: Item Q353442, en:Wikipedia
• https://mathshistory.st-andrews.ac.uk/Biographies/Lame/
• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/231575164/gabriel-Lamé
• Archives de Paris, Paris, France. Actes de naissance, de mariage et de décès.