Charles Augustin de Coulomb
(1736-1806)

The relationship between torque and angle of twist in the case of a circular bar was correctly established in 1784 by Charles Augustin de Coulomb, a famous French scientist. Coulomb made contributions in electricity and magnetism, viscosity of fluids, friction, beam bending, retaining walls and arches, torsion and torsional vibrations, and other subjects.

From Mechanics of Materials, 4th Ed., by J.M. Gere and S.P. Timoshenko, PWS Publishing, 1997, pp. 835-42.