Ray W. Clough was a distinguished American civil engineer known for his pioneering contributions to structural engineering, particularly in the development of the Finite Element Method (FEM). Born on July 23, 1920, in Seattle, Washington, Clough's work has had a profound impact on how engineers analyze and design complex structures.
Clough received his Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Washington in 1943. After serving in the U.S. Army during World War II, he pursued graduate studies at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), earning his Master's degree in 1949 and his Ph.D. in 1953. His doctoral thesis was titled "The Stiffness and Deflection of Thin Plates," which laid some groundwork for his future work in FEM.
While working at University of California, Berkeley, Clough became instrumental in the evolution of the Finite Element Method. He coined the term "finite element" in his 1960 paper titled "The Finite Element Method in Plane Stress Analysis." This method allowed for the numerical solution of complex structural problems by breaking down a structure into smaller, manageable elements, enabling the analysis of stress distribution, deformation, and stability in structures that were previously difficult to analyze.
Clough's contributions to structural engineering have revolutionized the field. His methods are now standard tools in the design and analysis of buildings, bridges, aircraft, and other complex structures. The Finite Element Method has also found applications in fields outside of civil engineering, including mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, and even biomedical engineering.
Clough published over 200 papers, several books, and contributed to numerous conference proceedings. His book, "Dynamics of Structures", co-authored with Joseph Penzien, remains a seminal text in structural dynamics.
Ray W. Clough retired from teaching in 1987 but continued to be involved in research and consultancy. He passed away on October 8, 2016, at the age of 96, leaving behind a legacy that continues to influence the engineering community.