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
| Nov 10, 2011
Skanska Moss to expand and renovate Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport
The multi-phase terminal improvement program consists of an overall expansion to the airport’s footprint and major renovations to the existing airport terminal.
| Nov 10, 2011
Suffolk Construction awarded MBTA transit facility and streetscape project
The 21,000-sf project will feature construction of a cable-stayed pedestrian bridge over Ocean Avenue, an elevated plaza deck above Wonderland MBTA Station, a central plaza, and an at-grade pedestrian crossing over Revere Beach Boulevard
| Nov 10, 2011
Thornton Tomasetti’s Joseph and Choi to co-chair the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat’s Outrigger Design Working Group
Design guide will describe in detail the application of outriggers within the lateral load resisting systems of tall buildings, effects on building behavior and recommendations for design.
| Nov 9, 2011
Lincoln Center Pavilion wins national architecture and engineering award
The project team members include owner Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, New York; design architect and interior designer of the restaurant, Diller Scofidio + Renfro, New York; executive architect, FXFOWLE, New York; and architect and interior designer of the film center, Rockwell Group, New York; structural engineer Arup (AISC Member), New York; and general contractor Turner Construction Company (AISC Member), New York.
| Nov 9, 2011
Sika Sarnafil Roof Recycling Program recognized by Society of Plastics Engineers
Program leads the industry in recovering and recycling roofing membrane into new roofing products.
| Nov 9, 2011
American Standard Brands joins the Hospitality Sustainable Purchasing Consortium
American Standard will collaborate with other organizations to build an industry-wide sustainability performance index.
| Nov 8, 2011
Transforming a landmark coastal resort
Originally built in 1973, the building had received several alterations over the years but the progressive deterioration caused by the harsh salt water environment had never been addressed.
| Nov 8, 2011
WEB EXCLUSIVE: Moisture-related failures in agglomerated floor tiles
Agglomerated tiles offer an appealing appearance similar to natural stone at a lower cost. To achieve successful installations, manufacturers should provide design data for moisture-related dimensional changes, specifiers should require in-situ moisture testing similar to those used for other flooring materials, and the industry should develop standards for fabrication and installation of agglomerated tiles.
