Housel, William Stuart, 1901-

Professor of civil engineering and specialist in soil mechanics at the University of Michigan.

William S. Housel, a recognized authority in the field of soil mechanics, was born February 16, 1901 in Boulder, Colorado. He graduated from the University of Michigan with B.S. and M.S. degrees in Civil Engineering in 1923 and 1931 respectively. He was appointed instructor at the University in 1924, assistant professor in 1929, associate professor in 1936, and full professor in 1950. While at the University, Housel established the Soil Mechanics Laboratory which was used in the teaching of subsurface construction problems.

Besides teaching, Housel was a prolific writer, and a consultant on numerous engineering projects. In 1933, he was appointed director of the State Highway Laboratory, which was operated jointly by the University and the Michigan State Highway Department. And in 1934, he was appointed research consultant for the Highway Department, a position he held throughout his working life. In addition, Housel worked on hundreds of civil engineering projects here and abroad, and was a consultant for the Mackinac Bridge project, the Detroit Civic Center, and the metropolitan Detroit expressway system. In 1960, Housel was visiting lecturer at the University of Chile, and in 1965, he was visiting professor at the University of Hawaii. Housel died in 1978.