A significant contribution of professor V. Ye. Timonov to the construction of seaports
Authors: Soloviova Liubov 
Published: June 2019

Analysis of the creative heritage of Vsevolod Yevhenovych Timonov (1862-1936) - a prominent communications engineer, professor of the Institute of Engineers of Railway Transport of Emperor Olexandr I, a hydrotechnical expert, a specialist in the field of water transport, a port administrator, head of the Petersburg divission of railway transport (1899-1907), the founder and Director of the First Hydrotechnical Laboratory in the Russian Empire (1907-1920) and the Hydrotechnical Research Institute at the Leningrad Institute of Railway Engineers, a member of the Engineering Council of the Ministry of Railway Transport, Head of Statistics and Cartography of Ministry of Railway Transport (since 1907), head of the International section of the High Technology Council of the People's Commissariat of Railway Transport (since 1918), is especially important to understand the processes of development of homeland hydrotechnical science and water transport. His scientific works are devoted to the construction of ports, bridges, and lighthouses, to improvement of the conditions of navigation on the large rivers of the country, to regulation of their beds with rapids. He was the first who pointed to the advantage of mechanical excavation in improving navigable conditions on large rivers. Since 1886, V .Ye. Timonov worked at the Office of Railway Transport, while at the same time taking up construction and administrative and teaching positions. V .Ye. Timonov carried out the first works on the laying of quay-piers from rock body in the Baltic Sea (1887), organized and conducted the first dredging work (1887), explored the mouths of the Dnipro, Don and Volga rivers (1890) and defined the branches of each river for the improvement of navigation, made a draft of the rapids’ parts of the Dnipro and conducted research works on one of the thresholds (1894), researched the coasts of the Pacific ocean to select the location of the Pacific port of Siberian Railway and chose a place for this port (Vladyvostok), investigated the rivers of the Amur region and proposed measures to improve them (1895), etc. V .Ye. Timonov is the founder of the original direction in the construction industry, one of the founders of the doctrine of ports, the founder of the theory of the framework of hydraulic structures, the developer of the theory of port infrastructure, the historian of science and technology. Vsevolod Yevhenovych occupies one of the honorary places in the world of hydraulic engineering, water, and partly rail transport. Common factors in problems, defined by him on the basis of his numerous and original works, as well as works of his students, made a significant contribution to the further development of hydraulic engineering not only in our country but also in the world. Scientific ideas of V .Ye. Timonov significantly expanded and deepened our understanding of the regularities of development of hydraulic engineering science. In the context of his original beliefs, he analyzed the previously accumulated scientific material and showed it in a new and correct interpretation. His works, his ideas, theories and views revealed unprecedented opportunities for hydraulic engineers.