Gury Kolosov

Who was Gury Kolosov?

Gury Vasilievich Kolosov was a Russian and Soviet mathematician and engineer. He is best known for his contribution to the theory of elasticity. In 1907 Kolosov derived the solution for stresses around an elliptical hole. It showed that the concentration of stress could become far greater, as the radius of curvature at an end of the hole becomes small compared with the overall length of the hole.

Kolosov was born in Ust, Novgorod guberniya. He then studied at University of St Petersburg where he continued to after graduation. Eventually, he defended his thesis there under the supervision of V.A. Steklov. He worked at University of Tartu, but later returned to St Petersburg where he worked at both the University of St Petersburg and the Electrotechnical Institute.

Kolosov was elected a corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences in 1931.