Dr Bill Robinson (1938–2011)
Field: Seismic Engineering. Organisation: Robinson Seismic Limited.
Dr Bill Robinson
Dr Bill Robinson was one of New Zealand's leading innovative scientists in seismic engineering.
Dr William (Bill) Robinson could not be accused of being boring! Over the years, he studied and worked in a variety of disciplines, although he remains best known for his development of the base isolation technique used in seismic engineering.
Nothing happens easily. Try, try, try.
He had not been expected to achieve academically when at school, but to both his and his college’s surprise, he came top of the school in Year 11 maths, which made him realise he could aim for university. He gained a Bachelor in Mechanical Engineering at Auckland University, then a Master’s degree in Aeronautics.
Try, Try, Try!
Dr Bill Robinson of Robinson Seismic, inventor of the lead rubber bearing, explains one of his most simple yet most powerful philosophies – try, try, try! This philosophy holds true for all scientific endeavours.
Bill moved to the University of Illinois in the USA where he changed direction and completed a PhD in physical metallurgy, writing his thesis on ultrasonics techniques. He followed this with two years at the University of Sussex (UK) as a research fellow in solid state physics. This is where he learnt one of the laws of science – that sometimes experiments won’t give the results wanted and that you just have to walk away and tackle a new challenge.
Dr Bill Robinson at Te Papa
Dr Bill Robinson, Chris Gannon and Dr Tim Haskell working on the construction of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.
After moving back to New Zealand, Bill worked for the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, becoming Director of the physics and engineering laboratories in 1984.
In 1974 he developed the lead rubber bearing to use in base isolation. The first building in the world to be mounted on lead rubber bearings was the William Clayton building in Wellington.
Understanding metals was key
Dr Bill Robinson of Robinson Seismic, inventor of the lead rubber bearing, explains how his understanding of metals helped him invent the lead rubber bearing. Physical metallurgy is the science of making products out of metal.
Bill’s approach was that you start something, get successful with it, and then move on to something else. For example, while structures were being erected using his base isolation techniques, he was in the Antarctic with the Scott Polar Research Institute, experimenting on glacier and sea ice. He studied the waves that build up when vehicles drive or fly across the ice and tried to develop a technique for measuring gravitational waves. However, after many experiments, he failed to measure this to the degree he wanted.
Bill has been recognised for his innovative work – he was awarded a Fellowship and gold medal from the Royal Society of New Zealand and a Distinguished Fellowship from The Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand. In 1995 he received an honorary doctorate from Victoria University and in 2007 he was made a Companion of the Queen's Service Order.
Understanding the bigger picture
Dr Bill Robinson of Robinson Seismic, the inventor of the lead rubber bearing, explains how his understanding of earthquakes has helped him develop his base isolation system. He describes some of the factors that need to be considered when isolating a structure.
Robinson Seismic, founded by Bill in 1995, is recognised around the world as a leading and innovative company in seismic development.
Dr Bill Robinson passed away on 17 August 2011.
In 2014 the Robinson Research Institute at Victoria University was formed. The institute cites Bill's work and spirit as the inspiration for their name, "A determination to see the results of scientific research applied directly in new technologies is fundamental to our team. We are proud to have inherited this ethos from the scientist and engineer Bill Robinson, after whom our Institute is named."
