Michel Bruneau, Ph.D., P.E., professor of civil, structural, and environmental engineering (CSEE) at the University of Buffalo, N.Y., is the 2012 recipient of the prestigious AISC T.R. Higgins Lectureship Award. Bruneau is being honored for his papers on steel plate shear wall design published in AISC's Engineering Journaland the proceedings of the Canadian Conference on Earthquake Engineering.
The AISC T.R. Higgins Lectureship Award is presented annually by the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) and recognizes an outstanding lecturer and author whose technical paper(s) are considered an outstanding contribution to the engineering literature on fabricated structural steel. The award, which includes a $15,000 prize, will be presented at the 2012 NASCC: The Steel Conference (www.aisc.org/nascc) at the Gaylord Texan Convention Center in Dallas, April 18-21.
"The Higgins jury quickly identified Michel as a top candidate, and the subsequent discussions and deliberations served to further elevate him," said Charlie Carter, AISC vice president and chief structural engineer. "The jury noted in particular the impressive extent and breadth of Michel's contributions as a researcher and engineer."
Each year the AISC Education Foundation invites a distinguished panel of industry experts to judge the nominations. The jury reflects a blend of professional insight, industry experience and academic excellence. The following jurors collaborated to select Bruneau as the recipient of this year's award:
- Jerome F. Hajjar, Ph.D., P.E., professor and chair, Northeastern University, Boston
- Mark V. Holland, P.E., chief engineer, Paxton & Vierling Steel Company, Omaha, Neb.
- Lawrence F. Kruth, P.E., vice president of engineering, technology & safety, Douglas Steel Fabricating Corporation, Lansing, Mich.
- Patrick McManus, Ph.D., P.E., S.E., structural technical director, Martin/Martin, Inc., Lakewood, Colo.
- Ralph M. Richard, Ph.D., P.E., professor emeritus, University of Arizona, Tucson
- Rafael Sabelli, S.E., director of seismic design, Walter P Moore, San Francisco
Bruneau's abundant research includes the evaluation and retrofit of existing steel bridges and buildings subjected to large destructive forces up to collapse, as well as the development of new design concepts capable of providing satisfactory seismic-resistance, blast-resistance, or both simultaneously as multi-hazard resistant concepts. This research has encompassed contributions to the development and large-scale experimental validation of various energy-dissipating design concepts to enhance the resilience of structures against extreme events: ductile steel plate shear walls, ductile bridge diaphragms, tubular eccentrically braced frames, structural fuses and controlled-rocking piers.
He has conducted numerous exploration visits to disaster stricken areas and is a member of several professional and technical code-writing committees. He also served as Director (2003-2008) and Deputy Director (1998-2003) of the Multidisciplinary Center for Earthquake Engineering Research, a National Center of Excellence funded by the National Science Foundation, the Federal Highway Administration and others. His past service to the profession includes participation in expert peer review panels, project advisory committees, special project design teams, conference advisory committees and journal editorial boards. Prior to his appointment in academia, he practiced as a consultant for architecture and engineering firms Morrison Hershfield Limited (Toronto), and Buckland and Taylor (Vancouver).
Bruneau has authored or co-authored numerous publications, including more than 100 referred journal papers, 200 papers in conference proceedings and two fiction books. He has received several awards for his technical work, as well as for his latest novel.
The AISC T.R. Higgins Award is named for Theodore R. Higgins, Ph.D., former AISC director of engineering and research, who was widely acclaimed for his many contributions to the advancement of engineering technology related to fabricated structural steel. The award honors Higgins for his innovative engineering, timely technical papers and distinguished lectures. For more information on this prestigious award, please visit www.aisc.org/TRHigginsAward.
Recent T.R. Higgins recipients include: Charles W. Roeder (2011) for his paper on Gusset Plate Connections for Seismic Design; James O. Malley (2010) for his paper on the 2005 AISC Seismic Provisions for Structural Steel Buildings, published in the First Quarter 2007 AISC Engineering Journal; Donald W. White (2009) for his papers on stability analysis and design and the flexural provisions of the 2005 AISC Specification for Structural Steel Buildings; and Walterio Lopez and Rafael Sabelli (2008) for their paper on the seismic design of buckling-restrained braced frames. BD+C
Related Stories
| Feb 14, 2014
First look: Kentucky's Rupp Arena to get re-clad as part of $310M makeover
Rupp Arena will get a 40-foot high glass façade and a new concourse, but will retain many of its iconic design elements.
| Feb 14, 2014
Must see: Developer stacks shipping containers atop grain silos to create student housing tower
Mill Junction will house up to 370 students and is supported by 50-year-old grain silos.
| Feb 14, 2014
The Technology Report 2014: Top tech tools and trends for AEC professionals
In this special five-part report, Building Design+Construction explores how Building Teams throughout the world are utilizing advanced robotics, 3D printers, drones, data-driven design, and breakthroughs in building information modeling to gain efficiencies and create better buildings.
| Feb 14, 2014
Crowdsourced Placemaking: How people will help shape architecture
The rise of mobile devices and social media, coupled with the use of advanced survey tools and interactive mapping apps, has created a powerful conduit through which Building Teams can capture real-time data on the public. For the first time, the masses can have a real say in how the built environment around them is formed—that is, if Building Teams are willing to listen.
| Feb 13, 2014
University officials sound off on net zero energy buildings
As part of its ongoing ZNE buildings research project, Sasaki Associates, in collaboration with Buro Happold, surveyed some 500 campus designers and representatives on the top challenges and opportunities for achieving net-zero energy performance on university and college campuses.
| Feb 13, 2014
3 keys to designing freestanding emergency departments
Having physically disassociated from a central hospital, FEDs must overcome the particular challenges associated with a satellite location, namely a lack of awareness, appeal, and credibility. Gresham, Smith & Partners' Kristin Herman-Druc offers three keys to success.
| Feb 13, 2014
Why you should start with a builder
They say the best way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time. Expanding your building or constructing a new structure for your business, church, or school isn’t all that different. Attacking it is best done in small, deliberate pieces.
| Feb 13, 2014
Related Companies, LargaVista partner to develop mixed-use tower in SoHo
The site is located at the gateway to the booming SoHo retail market, where Class A office space is scarce yet highly in demand.
| Feb 12, 2014
First Look: Futuristic Silicon Valley campus designed to draw tech startups
The curved campus will consist of four different buildings, one exclusively for amenities like a coffee bar, bike shop, and bank.
| Feb 12, 2014
IIT's College of Architecture launches the Mies Crown Hall Americas Prize
Awarded biennially with a $50,000 prize, the program will recognize the most distinguished architectural works built on the North and South American continents in the preceding two years.
