William Robinson (scientist)

Bill Robinson, QSO (2 October 1938 – 17 August 2011) was a scientist and seismic engineer who invented the lead rubber bearing (LRB) seismic isolation device. Bill grew up in West Auckland, New Zealand. He earned a Masters at the Ardmore School of Engineering, then a PhD in Physical Metallurgy at the University of Illinois. Bill was Director of the DSIR's Physics and Engineering Laboratory (1985–91). He continued to invent and develop seismic isolation devices, travel and lecture until his early 70s.

Life's work

William Robinson is most well known for his invention of the lead rubber bearing (LRB) seismic isolation device. He designed the LRB in 1974 while working as a scientist for DSIR (Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Zealand). As William was a public service employee when he invented the device, the LRB patent was owned by the state. The LRB is used under more than US$100 billion worth of structures around the world , including New Zealand's Te Papa Tongarewa (National Museum of New Zealand), the new Wellington Hospital, Victoria University Library and Parliament Buildings. Most significant bridges in NZ use base isolation technology.

LRBs are also under the Bhuj Hospital (India) and the C-1 building (Tokyo)—the largest building in the world that is protected by these devices. The Christchurch Women's Hospital is the only building in that city that uses LRBs and it was able to continue operating without any problems throughout the devastating earthquakes that occurred between September 2010 and June 2011.

During the severe 1994 Los Angeles earthquake the LRB-protected University of Southern California Teaching Hospital remained operational while the ten other hospitals in the area were so badly damaged that they had to be evacuated.

The William Clayton building in Wellington (NZ) was the first in the world to be base isolated with LRBs. It was built by the then Ministry of Works and Development.

The Ministry of Post and Telecommunications Computer Centre came through the 1995 Kobe quake unscathed and remained fully operational. This significant building is one that is pointed to as an example of how the lead rubber bearing technology saves a building and its contents. Following the Kobe quake there was a large uptake of seismic isolation technology and in particular the Lead Rubber Bearing in Japan.

The second region in which these devices have been well used is California, following the Los Angeles and Northridge earthquake in 1994. The first use of an LRB in the USA was in 1984. Base isolators have since been inserted under more than 100 bridges and 70 buildings in the USA. Building codes in that country require all new hospitals to implement base isolation technology to ensure that they can continue functioning after a major quake.

In more recent years severe earthquakes in India and Turkey have generated interest in seismic isolation technology and many new buildings and bridges are being fitted with seismic isolation.

The costs of using base isolation for large structures have been found to be recouped in only a few years as insurance premiums are reduced so dramatically.

Bill Robinson also invented the RoGlider and Lead Extrusion Damper, among other seismic isolation devices (the full range of devices can be seen at www.rslnz.com). Bill was founder, director and chief engineer of the world-leading seismic engineering company Robinson Seismic Ltd , which continues to test and manufacture his devices.

Life

After completing a Masters in Mechanical Engineering at Ardmore (Auckland University, 1958–61), Bill did a PhD in Physical Metallurgy at the University of Illinois, titled "High Temperature Internal Friction (Damping) in Potassium Chloride" (1962–65). In spite of having no aptitude for languages, Bill spent a summer learning German so that he could do the course reading for his PhD. Following this he became a Research Fellow in Physics at the University of Sussex (1966–67).

After returning to New Zealand in 1967 he joined the DSIR Physics and Engineering Laboratory (PEL) as a scientist. Bill's work included developing experimental techniques using ultrasonics in solid state physics and initiating a research programme in the Antarctic on sea ice (where he spent a few summers between 1978–89). He also worked at the Scott Polar Research Institute in 1981-2 (Cambridge, UK). Bill later became Director of PEL (1985–91) and showed particular foresight in giving his full support to the new field of the High Temperature Superconductivity programme.

At the age of 52 Bill suffered from a near-fatal stroke, spending 4 1/2 months in hospital rehabilitation. He re-learnt how to walk, write and drive, but within six months of the stroke was back at work as a scientist. In 1995 he founded Robinson Seismic Ltd to promote, develop and manufacture his seismic protection devices. He semi-retired during his 60s, spending most of his time on a lifestyle farm overlooking the Pacific ocean, but continued to lecture, travel and develop his seismic engineering ideas part-time.

Bill married in his early 20s and had three children and four grandchildren.

Honors

Bill Robinson was a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand. He was awarded: the Rutherford Medal (the Royal Society Gold Medal for Technology, 1999); an Honorary DSc from Victoria University of Wellington (1995); the Hutton Medal (NZ Institute of Physics, 1992); the ER Coopers Medal for Engineering Research (NZ Royal Society, 1991); the Michaelus Medal for Physics (University of Otago, 1976). Bill was made a Companion of the Queens Service Order (QSO), in 2007.

References

• Tribute at the Royal Society of New Zealand
• Biography at Science Learn NZ

External links

• Public Facebook page in memory
• Building for earthquake resistance at New Zealand government.