Prof. em. Dr. Folker Wittmann

Folker Helfrid Wittmann was Full Professor for building materials at Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich) from 1988 to 2001. He retired by the end of October 2001.

Folker H. Wittmann was born in Karlsruhe, Germany, April 20, 1936. He first studied physics and mathematics at the University of Karlslruhe (Technische Hochschule Fridericiana). After having finished his undergraduate studies he changed to the Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich where he terminated his studies with a degree in physics (Diploma) in 1961. He obtained a PhD degree (Dr. rer. nat.) in physics from the Munich University of Technology (Technische Hochschule) in 1964. Then he became director of the Laboratory for Material Physics at Munich University of Technology, an interdisciplinary section of the institute of concrete structures. He habilitated in the department of civil engineering of Munich University of Technology for the field of Material Physics (venia legendi) in 1969. After habilitation he lectured Physics of Building Materials as Privatdozent to graduate students in civil engineering and supervised PhD students.

He was appointed ordinary professor for building materials science at Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands, in 1976. Four years later he was nominated professor for building materials and, at the same time, director of the Laboratory for Building Materials Testing and Research at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland. Finally, he was nominated professor for building materials at Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETHZ), Switzerland, in 1988.

After retiring from his position at Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich he continues his research activities as director of Aedificat Institute Freiburg in Germany. In addition he became Academy Professor at Qingdao Technological University in Qingdao, China. There he is director of the centre for durability studies of Qingdao Technological University. In Qingdao he lectures to graduate students advanced concrete technology, fundamentals of durability of reinforced concrete structures and mechanics of composite materials. In parallel he supervises numerous Master and PhD-students in Qingdao.

His research activities can be subdivided into three groups: (a) application of non-linear fracture mechanics to describe failure of composite materials, (b) durability of cement-based materials under combined mechanical and environmental loads, and (c) physics of porous materials and their interaction with water. He is author and co-author respectively of more than 400 publications in leading international journals and proceedings volumes of important international conferences. Up to now he has edited more than 25 books on different aspects of physical and mechanical behaviour of concrete. On the occasion of his 60th anniversary a Festschrift Wittmann "Advances in Building Materials Science" has been published in 1996. He is editor of the International Journal for Restoration of Buildings and Monuments, which he founded in 1995. At the same time he is member of the editorial board of several important journals such as "Cement and Concrete Research" and "Advanced Concrete Technology". He served as president of the International Association for Structural Mechanics in Reactor Technology (IASMiRT) from 1985 to 1987 and as president of the international association "Réunion international des laboratories d'éssais et de recherche des matériaux et constructions" (RILEM) from 1998 to 2001. He also held different positions in the board of directors, including president, of the International Association for Fracture Mechanics of Concrete Structures (IAFRAMCOS). Together with a group of outstanding scientists and engineers he founded the International Association for Creep, Shrinkage and Durability Mechanics (IACONCREEP) in 2001 and acted as founding president initially. He is fellow of the American Ceramic Society, member of the German Physical Society and of RILEM.

He received the "Robert L'Hermite" medal for his research work on the interaction of calcium silicate hydrates (CSH-gel) with water in 1976. Results of this research activities form a solid physical basis for the understanding of hygral volume changes of cement-based materials today. Tongji University Shanghai, China, awarded him in 1985 with the title of advisory professor. He became member of the Russian Academy of Technological Sciences in 1991. From the University Essen, Germany, he received the title honorary doctor (Dr.-Ing. E. h.) for his "outstanding contributions to science and technology and his pioneering role in establishing interdisciplinary co-operation between natural scientists and civil engineers".