Aubrey Kruger (21 July 1935 – 19 July 2016) was a South African

draughtsman A draughtsman (British spelling) or draftsman (American spelling) may refer to: * An architectural drafter, who produced architectural drawings until the late 20th century * An artist who produces drawings that rival or surpass their other types ...

and inventor.

Working life

He worked as a draughtsman for the

South African Railways and Harbours Administration The South African Railways and Harbours Administration (SAR&H) was established on 31 May 1910 with formation of the Union of South Africa by the amalgamation of the four colonial railways and all harbours in South Africa - about 11,000 kilometres of ...

in East London, Eastern Cape, until 1966. He was then transferred to

Durban Durban ( ) ( zu, eThekwini, from meaning 'the port' also called zu, eZibubulungwini for the mountain range that terminates in the area), nicknamed ''Durbs'',Ishani ChettyCity nicknames in SA and across the worldArticle on ''news24.com'' from ...

. In 1973 he moved to East London, Eastern Cape and started a tyre retreading company. In his later years he worked as a draughtsman for an architectural company. After that he became a truss designer for a timber company.

Invention

Eric Mowbray Merrifield is credited for the invention of the "

Dolos A dolos (plural: dolosse) is a wave-dissipating concrete block used in great numbers as a form of coastal management. It is a type of tetrapod. Weighing up to , dolosse are used to build revetments for protection against the erosive force of ...

", a concrete block used to stop

coastal erosion Coastal erosion is the loss or displacement of land, or the long-term removal of sediment and rocks along the coastline due to the action of waves, currents, tides, wind-driven water, waterborne ice, or other impacts of storms. The landwa ...

. However, Kruger countered that claim by claiming that he was the inventor of the "Dolos" and that he had done so in 1963 after being instructed by the

to find a solution for the sea eroding the harbour. The block is reinforced in a complex shape weighing between 80 and 88 tonnes. It is used all over the world in harbours

Personal life

He married Daphne Margaret Bright (b. 6 May 1937) on 1 February 1958 and they had four children. He died after a stroke in his house in East London, Eastern Cape.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kruger, Aubrey 1935 births 2016 deaths South African inventors