ABSTRACT
RANDELL 08.05. 1890 Seattle WA/USA ca. 1962 Washington DC/USA Ralph Reginald Randell received his education from University of Washington, Seattle WA, with the BS degree in civil engineering in 1911. He further was educated at Iowa State University in the 1930s. He was from 1911 to 1912 junior topographer of the Topographic Branch, US Geological Survey USGS, until 1914 junior engineer of its Water Resources Branch, joining then until 1920 as junior engineer the US Forest Service. From 1920 Randell acted as engineer of the Federal Power Commission, thereby representing the US Department of Agriculture on inter-departmental boards under the Federal Water Power Act. He was from 1933 to 1934 acting secretary of the Federal Power Commission. Randell was a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers ASCE. Randell investigated around 1930 the storage resources of the South and Middle Forks of Kings River, California, to determine the value for power generation, irrigation needs, and other aspects. This study served as a guide in considering the proposal to transfer this region from a National Forest to Sequoia National Park. Randell invented an internal drainage system for dams. Embankment dams are currently the most common type with a vertical to horizontal side slope of one to two or flatter. Their capacity for water retention is due to low permeability of the entire dam mass or due to low permeability for zoned embankment dams. Both earthfill or rockfill dams exist, depending on whether they are made up of compacted earth or dumped pervious rock. Seepage under, through, or around a dam is a serious problem because of erosion of dam material. To reduce seepage internal impermeable barriers and internal filter systems are provided. It is here where Randell contributed to dam design, with the major advances in earthfill dams in the 1930s in the USA. Anonymous (1937). Randell, Ralph R. Who’s who in engineering 4: 1119. Lewis: New York. Randell, R.R. (1931). Report on the storage resources of the South and Middle Forks of Kings River, California. Federal Power Commission: Washington DC. (P) Randell, R.R. (1932). Improvements in the art of measuring fluid flow in open or non-pressure channels. US Court of Customs and Patent Appeals: Washington DC. Randell, R.R. (1932). Improvements in dams and other structures subject to fluid pressure. US Court of Customs and Patent Appeals: Washington DC. Randell, R.R. (1934). Discussion of Evaporation from reservoir surfaces, by R. Follansbee. Trans. ASCE 99: 719-722.
