Timoshenko

Timoshenko is a Ukrainian-origin surname that may refer to several people in science and engineering. The most prominent bearer is Stephen P. Timoshenko, a Soviet-born American engineer and physicist who helped establish elasticity theory and modern applied mechanics. His work spanned the theory of elasticity, plasticity, viscoelasticity, and the dynamics of elastic bodies, shaping how engineers analyze material deformation and structural response under load.

The name is closely associated with the Timoshenko beam theory, a foundational model in structural analysis developed by Stephen Timoshenko. This theory extends the classical Euler–Bernoulli beam model by incorporating shear deformation and rotary inertia, making it more accurate for short or deep beams and for materials with varying stiffness. It remains widely used in civil, mechanical, and aerospace engineering, and underpins many analytical approaches and numerical methods, including finite element analysis.

In broader use, Timoshenko denotes a family name of Ukrainian origin and appears among scientists, engineers, and others of Eastern European descent. The surname is linked to literature and education in elasticity, plates and shells, and structural stability, reflecting the lasting impact of its most notable figures in the field of mechanics.