Ivan Maliuga

Born 1853; died 1933. Russian scientist in construction materials technology.

Maliuga graduated from the Engineering Academy in St. Petersburg in 1879. He began teaching there in 1885 and became a professor in 1891. He was a pioneer in the study and use in Russia of concrete—a new construction material. His work The Composition and Method of Preparing Cement Mortar (Concrete) to Obtain Maximum Strength (1895) presented Maliuga’s research on the effect of various factors (including water content, mortar composition, and degree of compaction) on the consistency and stability of cement mortars and concrete. The work also established a method for determining the optimum water content in mortar and concrete mixes. Maliuga’s valuable contributions to construction material testing methods are summarized in his book Technical Analysis of Stone Construction Materials (1902). He worked on the introduction of new materials for fortification construction.