ABSTRACT
BAUER 20.09. 1923 Des Moines IA/USA 02.06. 2004 Wheaton IL/USA William John Bauer obtained his education from the College of Engineering, University of Iowa, Iowa City, including the BS in 1947, the MS in 1948, and the PhD degree in 1951. He then moved as a design engineer to Harza Eng. Co., Chicago IL and in 1955 joined as senior designer the firm John F. Meisner, Chicago. During this period, he was involved in the design of improved culverts. In 1959, he founded the firm Bauer Engineering Inc., Chicago IL, from where he retired in 1976, and which then changed the name to Keifer and Associates Inc., presided by Clint J. Keifer (1920-2007). Bauer is known in hydraulic engineering for an outstanding paper dealing with the development of the turbulent boundary layer, which summarizes his PhD findings. This phenomenon does not only control the head losses along a steep-sloping incline, but also air entrainment, such that this knowledge is essential for a proper chute design. The paper describes the variation of the velocity profiles for both smooth and rough chutes in terms of the chute angle and the unit discharge. The boundary layer thickness, the coefficient of local resistance, and the parametric shape of the velocity profile were analyzed as functions of Reynolds number and relative roughness. His research may be considered an expansion of the boundary layer theory by inclusion of slope and relative discharge. These results were discussed, among others, by the Frenchman Georges Halbronn (1920-), who had conducted a similar research at Grenoble University. Few additions to their work have been advanced until today on this particular aspect of chute flow. Bauer was also a contributor to the Handbook of applied hydraulics, namely on Basic Hydraulics, and on Spillway and streambed protection works. Anonymous (1955). William J. Bauer. Civil Engineering 25(10): 713. P Bauer, W.J. (1953). The development of the turbulent boundary layer on steep slopes. Proc. ASCE 79(281): 1-23. Bauer, W.J. (1954). Turbulent boundary layer on steep slopes. Trans. ASCE 119: 1212-1242. Bauer, W.J. (1959). Improved culvert performance through design and research studies. Civil Engineering 29(3): 167-169. Davis, C.V., Sorensen, K.E., eds. (1969). Handbook of applied hydraulics. McGraw-Hill: New York. Koelzer, V.A., Bauer, W.J., Dalton, F.E. (1969). The Chicago area deep tunnel project. Journal of Water Pollution Control Federation 41(4): 515-534.
