The contribution of Academician I. H. Aleksandrov to the construction of railways and bridges

Abstract

One of the most important tasks of the modern history of science and technologies is the study of the activities of leading scientists and practitioners of the past, the influence of their ideas on the development of world science and the process of training specialists in the relevant sectors of the national economy. In the opinion of the authors of the article, one of such figures of the early twentieth century is Academician I. H. Aleksandrov. Historical and scientific analysis of life and activity of I. H. Aleksandrov as a scientist, engineer, organizer of science is of high topicality due to the scale and versatility of his scientific contribution. In the context of the development of hydro-engineering and hydropower, the development of transport communications, I. H. Aleksandrov had world-class achievements that glorified national science. Scientific creative work of I. H. Aleksandrov can be divided into five main directions of development of science and technologies: hydro-engineering, hydropower, geographic zoning, railway transport and irrigation. The construction of the Dnipro hydroelectric power station near Zaporizhzhia (1927-1932) (he prepared a project and directed the construction of the largest hydroelectric power station in Europe at that time), the development of the general plan for the electrification of the USSR (compiled projects of electrification of Central Asia and Eastern Siberia), participation in the construction plan Baikal-Amur railway line, development of the methodology of economic zoning of the Soviet Union and the theory of railway “super-mainlines” can be ascribed to the academician. The article concludes that the highly qualified teaching staff of the Moscow Higher Technical School and the Moscow Engineering School of the Office of the Ways of Communications contributed to the thorough theoretical training of a young engineer I. H. Aleksandrov. On the basis of a significant number of sources it was found that occupying different positions, I. H. Aleksandrov participated in solving complex technical issues of contemporary epoch, and scientific research was carried out by I. H. Aleksandrov in the context of the tasks of the engineering science of his time. I. H. Aleksandrov initiated scientific discussions on the construction of ports and canals, in his work he contributed in every way to the development of home industry and the introduction of progressive forms of transport, in particular railway. The authors assert that the modern view on the scientific heritage of I. H. Aleksandrov in the context of the development of hydro-engineering, hydropower and rail transport unambiguously acknowledges that in a concentrated-generalized form ideas, theories and concepts, put forward and scientifically grounded by academician I. H. Aleksandrov, today contribute to the development of scientific and technological process.