Robert Legget

Robert Ferguson Legget ( born September 29, 1904 in Liverpool, † April 17, 1994 in Ottawa ) was a Canadian civil engineer ( geotechnical ) engineer and geologist.

Legget studied civil engineering at the University of Liverpool with a bachelor's degree in 1925 and a master's degree 1927. Afterwards he worked as a constructive engineer in the construction industry in the UK and then in Canada. In 1936 he became a professor at Queen's University in Kingston (Ontario ) and then at the University of Toronto. In 1947, he was Director of the Department Construction ( Building Research ) of the National Research Council of Canada. In 1969, he went into retirement.

Legget is known for his contributions to engineering geology and to the standardization of building codes in Canada.

In 1977 he was Terzaghi Lecturer ( Geology and geotechnical engineering). He was thirteen honorary doctorates, including 1971, the University of Liverpool. 1959/60 he was Director of the Department of Engineering Geology of the Geological Society of America. He was founding president of the Canadian Academy of Engineering. In 1972 he received the Logan Medal of the Geological Association of Canada, 1974 Claire P. Holdredge Award from the Association of Environmental and Engineering Geologists, he received the Royal Bank Award and in 1977 the William Smith Medal of the Geological Society of London. In 1967 he was Officer and 1969 Companion of the Order of Canada.

The highest honor of the Canadian Geotechnical Society, the RF Legget Award is named after him.

He wrote books about historic canals and railways in Canada and was involved in the maintenance of canal systems. For example, he was involved in the 1940s instrumental in a movement to preserve water resources and channels, and in 1946 he was behind the Conservation Authorities Act of the Province of Ontario.

Writings

  • By Allen W. Hatheway: Geology and Engineering, 3rd Edition, McGraw Hill, 1988 ( the first edition of Legget published in 1939 )
  • PF Karrow: Handbook of Geology in Civil Engineering, 3rd Edition, McGraw Hill 1983
  • Cities and Geology, McGraw Hill 1973
  • Rideau Waterway, University of Toronto Press 1955, 1972, 1986 ( History of the Rideau Canal )
  • Ottawa Waterway, Gateway to a Continent, University of Toronto Press 1975
  • Ottawa River Canals and the defense of British North America, University of Toronto Press, 1988
  • Canals of Canada, Vancouver 1976
  • Railways of Canada, Newton Abbot, David and Charles, 1973
  • Railroads of Canada, New York 1973
  • Canadian Railways in Pictures, Vancouver 1977
  • As editor: Glacial Till - an interdisciplinary study, Royal Society of Canada, National Research Council of Canada, 1976
  • With Charles Disney: Modern Railroad Structures, McGraw Hill, 1949
  • As editor: Building under cities, Geological Society of America 1982
  • Standards in Canada, Ottawa, Information Canada, 1971
  • With MC Baker: Directory of standards in building, National Research Council of Canada 1968
  • As editor: Soils in Canada; geological, pedological, and engineering studies, University of Toronto Press 1961

He was editor of the Canadian Building series at the University of Toronto Press.

  • Geotechnical engineer
  • Companion of the Order of Canada
  • Honorary Doctor of the University of Liverpool
  • Canadian
  • Born in 1904
  • Died in 1994
  • Man
  • Terzaghi Lecturer
Geotechnics Kingston (Ontario) Integrated Authority File
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