ORTH

FRANCE (see also List of Individuals)

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14.6.1901 Amiens/F - 24.11.1996 Le Havre/F

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Jean-François Orth graduated in 1928 from the Grenoble Institut Electrotechnique and then was all through his career a hydraulic engineer. After his works towards the Chambon Dam from 1931 to 1936, he joined EDF to contribute significantly to the French reputation in hydro-electricity, by his talents, distinction and innovation.

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Orth initiated the research on the so called bottom intakes, a hydraulic structure used in mountainous regions to separate water from gravel. The structure corresponds to a flow division in the longitudinal direction using a rack over which the water-sediment mixture is discharged. The bar spacing is of the order of some centimeters to retain larger sediment, whereas the water falls through the rack to an intake. Hydraulically, the equations of spatially varied flow apply. Orth and colleagues from the Grenoble University developed a hydraulic structure that is currently a standard element of hydraulic engineering. Orth was also involved in the design of two major French dams, including the Aussois Dam in the French Alps. The elevation difference between the Plan d'Amont Dam and the Centrale d'Aussois is some 1000 m. The entire hydropower scheme is connected with a number of galleries that add water from distant valleys to the various lakes, a technique widely used in the Alps because of restricted discharge capacity. The other project in which Orth was involved was the Roselend Dam in the French Department Rhône-Alpes close to Albertville. This large arch dam was constructed from 1955 to 1962 after a design of Coyne et Bellier, Paris. The dam is 150 m high and more than 800 m long retaining 185 hm3 of water. Its outstanding architecture is made up by slim vertical column-like elements.

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_{Anonymous (1955). Jean Orth, Ingénieur en chef à l'Electricité de France, Chef des Services "Travaux" Région d'Equipement, Alpes II. 5 ICOLD Congress 1: 118. P}

_{Cotillon, J. (2004). Jean Orth. Personal communication.}

_{Lajeat, J.-P., Orth, J. (1961). Le barrage de Roselend. Travaux 45(5): 261-275.}

_{Orth, J., Chardonnet, E., Meynardi, G. (1954). Etude de grilles pour prises d'eau du type "en dessous". La Houille Blanche 9(6): 343-352.}

_{Orth, J., Mouchet, A. (1958). Aménagement d'Aussois - Le barrage de plan d'amont. Travaux}

_{42(8): 586-594.}

_{Orth, J., Belmont, M. (1958). Barrage d'Aussois - Plan d'amont. La Technique des Travaux}

_{34(11/12): 365-382.}

_{Orth, J.G. (2004). Jean-François Orth. Personal communication. P}