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Leslie Earl ROBERTSON ( 12 th Feb 1928 - 11 Feb 2021 )
( Continued from previous post)

ROBERTSON , the American Structural engineer was highly innovative and a self made expert since he never liked interference in his design work.
Even when he was entrusted design of Twin Towers, he declined to consult other senior experts of that time.

His innovative works were - First use of Space frame Mega structure & outrigger for High Rise ; First use of multi-columns and Spanderal Wall panels to allow column free interior spaces and to resist lateral forces generated by hurricane winds ; Creation of Mechanical damping units to reduce sway in Tall buildings due to heavy winds.

List of projects dealt by him is long , to name few - Twin Towers of WTC at NY City , US Steel Tower in Pittsburgh , Bank of China Tower in Hong Kong , Madrid's Puerta de Europa Tower .

He received many awards and recognitionS.

ROBERTSON died of blood cancer last year , one day before his 93rd Birthday, but Structures of Earl Robertson STAND TALL.

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JOSEPH BAERMANN STRAUSS ( 1870 - 1938)

Born in Cincinnati Ohio US , Strauss was American Structural engineer who revolutionized design of Bascule Bridges. He was Chief Engineer of famous Golden GATE Bridge which was longest span Suspension Bridge at that time.

Baermann was born in artistic family , mother a Concert Pianist and father was a Writer and Painter. During his college days , he fell sick and hospitalized where his hospital room overlooked a suspension Bridge. This sparked great interest in Bridges leading him to seek a Civil engineering degree from University of Cincinnati in 1892.

Being a structural Civil engineer , his interest in poetry never died and he wrote famous poetry " MIGHTY TASK IS DONE " after completion of Golden GATE Bridge . He also penned popular poems - REDWOOD ; SEQUOLA.

Strauss was highly safety conscious for all personnels/ workers working at GG Suspension Bridge and a movable safety net was provided under deck during construction which resulted in saving about 19 lives.

(To be continued)

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JOSEPH BAERMANN STRAUSS ( 1870 -1938 )
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Strauss , after seeking CE degree in 1892 , joined Bridge Consultancy firm Ralph Modjar and gave innovating ideas to reduce cost . He proposed Concrete counter weight instead of steel in Bascule Bridges. Sometimes his new ideas were not given weightage and he decided to open own Bridge Design firm.

Golden GATE Suspension Bridge having length of 2.7 km , has 1.6 km span with 227.4 m height is 6 lane Bridge connecting San Francisco to Marin County , bridging through golden strait .

Joseph Strauss was consulted for construction of GG Bridge, which was felt to be impossible due to 2 km strait , strong swirling tides , water as deep as 115m . His reputation of design & construction of 89 km rail road across Barring strait was a ray of hope to the Authorities. Strauss agreed to work as Chief Engineer for Golden GATE Suspension Bridge project.

(To be continued)

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JOSEPH BAERMANN STRAUSS ( 1870 - 1938)
(Continued from previous post)

Golden GATE Bridge Authorities Estimated the cost as 100$ million and funds were not there. Srauss , the appointed CE , proposed the design of Golden GATE Bridge with massive Cantilever at each end with a central suspended span and costing only $17 million.

But there was stiff opposition for this Bridge from Deptt of War stating that Bridge would interfere with ship movements . US Navy feared collusion or sabotage causing blockage of movements to main harbors. Further South Pacific Rail road Authority strongly opposed new route , but Joseph Strauss was a man of strong determination . Even though his original design was changed due to aesthetc reasons , he continued to work on the project facing problems on every front.

Strauss arranged funds from Citizens , and US Military convincing them of advantages of project. Automobile Industry also supported Strauss. The Bridge construction started in 1933 , got completed in 1937 at a cost of $35 million.

After completion of GG Bridge , Strauss penned his poem "Mighty Task is Done" . But he died one year after opening of GG Bridge at Loss Angeles, California US and rested at Forest Lawn Memorial Park.

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MARK BUMA FINTEL ( 1922 - 2020)

Born in Gleiwitz , Germany , Mark Fintel was American Structural engineer Consultant and author of many Books on Structural design and construction. His famous book titled HANDBOOK OF CONCRETE ENGINEERING is widely followed across Globe by Civil/ Structural engineering students as well as practicing Engineers/Consultants.

He persued Diploma in Engineering from Munich Technical University in 1950.
Family migrated to US in 1957 and soon got American Nationality . During his career he served as Designer & Project Engineer from 1951 - 61 in leading Civil engineering firms like Carmi Associations , Farkas & Barrons.

1961年,马克Fintel被任命为研究Engineer in Portland Cement Association, Chicago and in 1967 he was elevated to Director Advanced enring , continued till 1985.

From 1985 onwards , Mark Fintel served the Profession as Structural Consultant in firm Boca Raton , Florida .

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MARK BUMA FINTEL (1922 - 2020)
(Continued from previous post)

Mark Buma Fintel , a Ricipient Citation for serving best interests of Construction Industry Engineering News Records 1975 & 1981 , authored many Books on Civil Structural Engineering and Fintel Handbook on Concrete Engineering finds space in every Civil Engg Library , be it at Colleges , Govt Department s , Structural/Civil Consultants and as personal reference book of Structural experts.

Not much on Mark is available on net , but Fintel 's name is known to one and all pursuing or practicing Civil engineering .

List of books / papers authored by Mark Fintel are as under :

HANDBOOK OF CONCRETE ENGINEERING

CUOLUMNS SHORTENING IN TALL STRUCTURES

STAGGERED TRANSVERSE WALL BEAMS FOR MULTISTOREYED CONC BUILDINGS

ECONOMICS OF LONG SPAN CONCRETE SLABS FOR OFFICE BUILDINGS

DUCTILE SHEAR WALLS IN EQ RESISTANT MULTISTOREYED BUILDINGS

DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION OF LARGE PANELS

SEISMIC ANALYSIS OF A 16 STOREY COUPLED WALL STRUCTURE - A case study

EFFECTS OF COLUMN EXPOSURE IN TALL STRUCTURES


Mark Fintel hobbies were Golf , Skiing , and Tennis .

The renowned Structural expert died in May 2020 , but his contributions to Civil Engg Literature will enlive .

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WILLIAM FRAZIER BAKER ( 1953 - STILL ACTIVE )
( The Structural engineer of Burj Khalifa)

Born in Fulton Missouri , US and grown up in small town of Midwest having a population of 10000 people and Tallest buildings only two storieyed , William Baker , also known as Bill Baker , was destined to design Tallest Building of World Burj Khalifa as Structural Designer of the super tall mega project .

Bill Baker while in high School was tested for his aptitude and it was revealed that he would better persue engineering. His Grandfather and great GF were Structural engineers of their times, though not alive , the inheritance in Bill was imminent when he aspired for Civil Engineering over Architecture.

William Baker completed his BSc Civil Engg degree in 1975 from University of Missouri, worked in Exxn Mobil for some time and persued MSC Structures from University of Illinois, completing in 1980.

Bill Baker was appointed by leading Consulting Firm Skidmore , Owing & Merrill (SOM) in 1981 as Structural Engineer , and in 1996 he was made Partner . This firm has expertise in Tall Buildings , Chief Architect is Adrian Smith. BILL'S expertise on Super Tall Structures was instrumental in winning prestigious BURJ DUBAI prestigious project.


(To be continued)

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WILLIAM FRAZIER BAKER (1953 - STILL ACTIVE)

Bill Baker in an interview said that he enjoyed designing even single storeyed small homes which shows his scale of working from one storied buildings to Tallest man-made Structure on earth ,the BURJ KHALIFA BUILDING.

Burj K is 829.8m high (about 2.5 times ht of Effiel tower ) having having a floor space of 334000 sqm ( twice the floor space of China's Forbidden City). For design and construction of such sky high building Structural design was greatest challenge within the limits of aesthetics and constructability. Many projects of even much lesser heights were not taken off due to problems posed by Construction .

In interview , Bill Baker revealed that Burj Khalifa building surpassed Tallest Building Taipei 101 by height with margin of 60% , contrary to height increase trend, where Tall buildings from Empire State to Taipei 101 , were higher by narrow height margins.

Bill Baker 's Two decades experience on Tall Buildings , especially Tower Palace Three in South Korea with Three wings having same geometry as Burj K ,but adopting different structural system proved handy.

(To be continued)

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WILLIAM FRAZIER BAKER (1953 - STILL ACTIVE)
(Continued from previous post)

Bill Baker 's aptitude in Structural analysis and his untiring efforts in diping / reducing aerodynamic forces by rotating building and fine tuning the building Geometry, testing in Wind tunnel and simultaneously satisfying the Architect's functional and aesthetic requirements was key factor in success of this mega project. He accepted challenging and demanding requirements to design a sky tall building ensuring constructability.

Baker's experience on Tower Palace building was that even with small changes in building Geometry , dramatic increase or decrease of forces take place and therefore Burj K was not going to be any exception. He also stuck to stay in module to have rigrous grid to the building avoiding transfers . Burj K was tested with various rotations and rotation at 60 degrees resulted in minimal aerodynamics as per Bill Baker.

系统的结构提出的法案super Tall building was 'Butteressed Core Structural System". Baker used mostly rcc and Structural steel was less with building . Grounding steel was stainless steel embedded in surface concrete for lightning protection. Baker advised ice cooled concreting in hot temperatures and Construction firm M/s Samsung Constructions carried the entire construction.

(To be continued)

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WILLIAM FRAZIER BAKER ( 1953 - STILL ACTIVE )

Skidmore Owing & Merrill (SOM) headed by Chief Architect Adrian Smith and Structural expert partner Willam Baker alongwith Company' s Urban Planners , Interior Designers , Sustainability Engineers and other professionals , all worked tirelessly with Baker at centerstage .

Bill (William) Baker , in an interview, also acknowledged the expertise and efforts of Construction firm Samsung Constructions in timely and successful completion of mega Project of BURJ KHALIFA , on which Emaar Properties, the Owner, gained alarming profits as entire spaces were sold out at start of project. The vicinity areas rates have gone many times due to Burj effect as revealed by Baker .

Baker strongly believed/believes that time is greatest enemy if it overruns in any project since , longer it stretches , more things can happen , political changes may affect project , economics affecting cost , critical personnel falling sick and not available etc.

Baker 's other Tall Building projects are - Tower Palace Three In South Korea ( already discussed in previous post) , Trump International Hotel & Tower , Cayan Tower and many more.

William Baker received many awards and recognitions . He is Fellow , ASCE ; IASTRUCTE and member National Academy of Engg.

Being Structural designer of World's Tallest Building / Man made structure , his name is already in HIGH SKIES as Living Legend of Structural engineering .