Valerian Kurdiumov

Born 1853; died 1904. Russian scientist in foundation structure and soil mechanics.

After graduating from the St. Petersburg Institute of Railroad Engineers in 1878, Kurdiumov gave courses there in descriptive geometry, bases and foundations, and construction work. He became a professor at the institute in 1889. His works on the theory of the resistance of natural bases to foundations have been of great importance. Kurdiumov took part in founding the first photo research laboratory in Russia (1884), where, by using small-scale models of engineering structures, he successfully investigated the questions of foundation stability and loose-soil deformation under loads.