Poncelet and the Development of Applied Mechanics

摘要

A serious problem faced by Rational Mechanics until the end of the eighteen century was the difficulty of creating a general theory consistent with machines [1, 2], despite the enormous amount of empirical knowledge about machines accumulated since antiquity. In addition, during this period the theory of mechanics made a considerable advance following the 1788 Lagrangean formulation [3]. This paper highlights the participation of Jean-Victor Poncelet (1788-1867) in the solution of this dilemma in the context of the development of applied mechanics [4]. In this context the concept of work and the use of living forces principle applied to machines by the polytechnicians engineers established the fundamental step to that accomplishment.