HEYNDRICKX

BELGIUM (see also List of Individuals)

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7.10.1914 Evergem/B - 31.10.2006 Mortsel/B

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Gérard Heyndrickx graduated from Rijksuniversiteit Gent in 1936 as a civil engineer. From 1938 he collaborated with the Hydraulics Laboratory of Gent University and there was appointed head in 1942. From 1944 to 1949 he was with the Belgium National Science Foundation and in 1949 moved as a Fellow of the Educational Foundation to the USA, where he was involved in hydraulic laboratory studies. On return two years later he was appointed Lecturer in hydraulics at Gent University from where he was promoted to professor of hydraulics in 1956. From 1968 he chaired the institute of drainage engineering of Gent University and was thus responsible for all matters relating to water sciences. In 1966 he was a visiting professor at the International Center for Advanced Agronomic Studies in Bari, Italy, and was also a Belgium Committee Member of OECD. Heyndrickx retired in 1983.

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Heyndrickx is known for some particular papers that report of laboratory works conducted when staying in Gent. A first work refers to so called danaids corresponding to water containers with an orifice to measure time. Orifice flow was known to Romans and Greeks and they used these devices during legal proceedings to allow for a certain speech duration both for accuser and defender. It was realized that outflow varies with container filling such that the parabolic container shape, the danaid, was developed. After World War II he proceeded to investigate the triangular thin-plate weir, a device that is still currently used for accurate discharge measurement. Given the small jet thickness, effects of both viscosity and surface tension may become significant, for which suitable account has to be introduced. Heyndrickx's study is one of the most complete in this regard and set novel standards in accurate discharge measurement.

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_{Dejonckheere, W. (1995). Heyndrickx, Gérard. Liber memorialis 1920-1995: 66. Universiteit: Gent. P}

_{Hager, W.H. (1990). Scharfkantiger Dreiecküberfall. Wasser, Energie, Luft 82(1/2): 9-14.}

_{Heyndrickx, G. (1941). Appareils pour la détermination des lois de filtration et des coefficients de perméabilité des massifs filtrants. Association française pour l'avancement des sciences Liège 1939 63: 59-72.}

_{Heyndrickx, G. (1948). Note sur le déversoir triangulaire en mince paroi. Revue Générale de l'Hydraulique (43): 23-38.}

_{Tison, L., Heyndrickx, G. (1943). La détermination des débits au moyen d'orifices en mince paroi. Revue Générale de l'Hydraulique (36): 219-225.}