Post-Tensioning Hall Of Fame Launched

The Post-Tensioning Institute (PTI), Phoenix, has named the inaugural members of its newly formed PTI Hall of Fame, developed to honor those who have

The Post-Tensioning Institute (PTI), Phoenix, has named the inaugural members of its newly formed PTI Hall of Fame, developed to honor those who have helped the industry grow since its inception. Twenty-five individuals selected for their long-term contributions to the North American post-tensioning industry were selected from nominations by PTI membership:

Bijan Aalami, Ph.D. Û A practicing structural engineer and a software developer, Aalami is a leader in the analysis and design of concrete structures with a specialization in post-tensioning. For over three decades, he has been a driving force in the structural design industry, contributing significantly to the advancement of bridge and building design with software tools, design literature, consulting and training services.

Charles Adams Û Pioneering the introduction of post-tensioning in Florida, Adams has worked in the industry since the early 1970s, first as a regional manager for Atlas Prestressing from 1969 through 1977, where he was instrumental in bringing the design technology of post-tensioning to the market by conducting seminars in South Florida, Panama and Puerto Rico. In 1977, Adams formed his own fabrication company, which he later sold in 1993. He continues to work as a consulting engineer specializing in post-tensioned construction.

Florian Barth Û A professional engineer with over 27 years of experience, Barth is the founder, past president and principal consultant of FBA, Inc., a structural engineering firm specializing in concrete construction. Besides serving as a member of many working committees and industry groups, Barth is current chairman of the PTI Technical Advisory Board and has co-authored several PTI publications.

James Beicker Û Beicker’s 30-plus years’ experience with post-tensioning projects includes field engineering, specialized equipment design, forensic investigation, retrofit construction, and demolition evaluation and engineering. A licensed engineer in Texas and 24 other states, he has extensive knowledge of unbonded, grouted and greased systems. Beicker is a member of the PTI Bonded Tendon Installer Certification Committee and is an instructor for PTI Level 2 Superstructure Ironworker Certification and Training and Certification of Field Personnel for Grouted Post-Tensioning.

Kenneth Bondy Û A post-tensioning specialist for most of his professional career, Bondy joined T.Y. Lin & Associates in 1963. As vice president and chief structural engineer with Atlas Prestressing Corp. from 1966-Î76, he designed and constructed post-tensioned concrete structures throughout the U.S. and Western Europe. Bondy taught prestressed concrete design at UCLA for 16 years and is credited with a number of papers in the area of post-tensioned concrete.

John Breen, Ph.D. Û Involved with post-tensioning since the mid-1950s when the practice was in its infancy, his early work included two pedestrian bridges and strand relaxation studies. For the Missouri Department of Transportation, he conducted relaxation studies on post-tensioning strands in 1959; and, for the first segmental precast box girder in the U.S., he collaborated on the design, testing and development of epoxy specifications. Breen was instrumental in the development of design criteria for PT Anchorage Zones and AASHTO specifications on PT Anchorages Zones.

Alfredo Bubion Û After starting as an ironworker in the mid-1950s, Bubion moved in 1968 to Atlas Prestressing Corp., where he was responsible for many field innovations for proper placement of post-tensioning and rebar as one. He held numerous field positions before founding an installation company in 1977 and a post-tensioning fabrication company in 1982.

Ned H. Burns Û During a successful career that includes many awards for teaching and research in structural engineering at the University of Texas at Austin, Burns was the first to test the concept of banded tendons Û now standard practice for slab construction. He continues to serve on the PTI board of directors since his appointment to the first board in 1976.

James Cagley Û President of Cagley & Associates, and the 2005 American Concrete Institute president, Cagley has prepared numerous papers dealing with systems construction, cast-in-place and post-tensioned concrete in relation to earthquake-resistant design. He is also a past president of the Applied Technology Council, which develops national earthquake-resistant design criteria.

Gregory Chacos Û During 48 years of experience in the design and investigation of post-tensioned structures, Chacos has provided structural engineering services for buildings, earth-retaining structures and bridges. His past 20 years have been devoted to the investigation of structural problems and consultation on the demolition of post-tensioned structures.

Clifford Freyermuth Û The first executive director of PTI, Freyermuth was primarily responsible for its formation in 1976. He spearheaded the development of the Precast Segmental Box Girder Bridge Manual published by PCI and PTI in 1978 and chaired the committee that developed three editions of the PTI Recommendations for Stay Cable Design, Testing, and Installation. Since 1990, Freyermuth has served as the manager of the American Segmental Bridge Institute.

Rene Friedrich Û After serving as president of VSL Corp. from 1970 to 1982, Friedrich in 1983 founded Avar Construction Systems Inc., a company specializing in bonded post-tensioning as well as drilling and installation of earth-retaining and design-build shoring systems for deep excavations. A native of Switzerland, Friedrich moved to California in 1965.

Jean-Philippe Fuzier Û Involved in post-tensioning in both France and the U.S., Fuzier recently retired as the scientific director of Freyssinet International, where he was responsible for the application and use of post-tensioning and stay cable systems worldwide. His projects include oil storage platforms, nuclear containments, liquefied natural gas storage tanks, and numerous segmental and cable-stayed bridges.

Donald Illingworth Û A pioneer in post-tensioning slab-on-ground foundations, Illingworth was introduced to post-tensioning in 1971 while employed by Atlas Prestressing. In 1988, he formed his own consulting business, providing design and forensic investigation services.

Harold Long Û Long worked with Charles Rice at Atlas Service Corp. to develop a new single strand post-tensioning system, refining the design of the grippers, tooth spacing, angle of the teeth, taper difference between grippers and the anchor. During this time, he conducted extensive testing of the anchorages for unbonded tendons. Subsequently, he started Atlas Prestressing Corp., where in collaboration with Richard Martter and Tom Anderson, he developed the ductile iron anchors that are now standard practice.

Robert Lytton, Ph.D. Û Recognized internationally for his work with expansive clay soils and pavement analysis, Lytton is responsible for engineering breakthroughs leading to significant improvements in building-foundation and roadway integrity. A faculty member at Texas A & M, Lytton established the groundwork for PTI’s procedure for the design of slab-on-ground in expansive soils.

Richard Martter Û Starting as a field engineer in San Francisco, Martter is one of the co-developers of the ductile iron end anchorage used in all unbonded post-tensioning applications. His innovative work led to such developments in post-tensioning as the spanability method for design of grade slabs in expansive soils Û a technique still used today in modified form.

Edward Rice Û Intimately involved in prestressed concrete development in the U.S., Rice and his former professor T. Y. Lin jointly formed T. Y. Lin and Associates. He also started Western Concrete Structures in partnership with Allen Stubbs to manufacture and install button-head post-tensioning tendons and perform lifting of slabs for lift-slab construction. In the 1960s, he developed a strand post-tensioning system incorporating a small, coil anchor using ?-in. strand, considered to be the predecessor of the current anchor used in all unbonded, post-tensioned applications.

Ed Schechter Û In 1952, Schechter entered the prestressing industry in New York City, joining the newly formed Stressteel, a manufacturer of high-strength bars for prestressed concrete. The first major project to use Stressteel bars for post-tensioning precast girders was the Gandy Bridge across Florida’s Tampa Bay; numerous other projects followed. Schechter served for several years as chairman of PCI’s Post Tensioning Committee. In the late 1970s, he was elected secretary/treasurer, vice-president, and then PCI president.

Morris Schupack Û Logging over 50 years in private practice, specializing in prestressed concrete and concrete technology, Schupack is a pioneer in the development of corrosion-protection techniques for prestressed systems. He formulated the first nonbleed grout for tendons in 1972. He also developed the double-encapsulation system for ground anchors that is now an industry standard practice. The holder of three patents and author of 54 industry papers, Schupack has designed a variety of post-tensioned structures.

Allan Stubbs Û Co-founder of Western Concrete Services, formed to manufacture and install button-head post-tensioning tendons and perform the lifting of slabs, Stubbs contributed to the popularity of lift-slab construction. He was the first president of PTI in 1976.

Merrill Walstad Û For over 40 years, Walstad has participated in building code enforcement and design of commercial, industrial and residential structures. His expertise, including all aspects of post-tensioning, is evident primarily in the successful completion of many significant post-tensioned concrete structures throughout the U.S. Walstad worked for Western Concrete Structures from 1967-’73 and served as the Western Division manager for VSL Corp. from 1973-’81.

C. Nicholas Watry Û Post-tensioning has been Watry’s focus since his college days when he authored a project on prestressed concrete. Upon graduation, he joined Western Concrete Structures as designer of lift-slab post-tensioned concrete structures. Moving to Atlas Prestressing Corp. in 1967, Watry pioneered the use of post-tensioned concrete in Hawaii. The mid-70s saw the startup of his own engineering firm, specializing in the design of prestressed, post-tensioned concrete structures. He recently retired and became a full-time educator at California Polytechnic State University.

Edwin Workman Û A leading expert in structural and seismic design, Workman formed his own firm in 1977, and continues to specialize in the design of concrete structures with emphasis on post-tensioning and concrete special-moment-resisting frames. He provides consulting services to other firms, builders and industry via research, test and code development, and expert-witness testimony.

Lawrence Yegge Û A co-founder of VSL Corp. in the U.S., Yegge was introduced to post-tensioning in 1961 when his employer built Iowa’s first two post-tensioned bridges. He is responsible for the pull through method of tendon installation, thereby allowing fabrication to take place on-site. Recently, Yegge became an industry consultant.

The PTI Hall of Fame Awards are planned as a biennial event. The second group of inductees will be installed into the PTI Hall of Fame at PTI’s annual conference in 2007.