Short Span Steel Bridges 
Gary Prinz Presents on Recent Steel Bridge Fatigue Research for Dexter Award Lecture
Gary Prinz, Ph.D., P.E., professor and director of the Grady E. Harvell Civil Engineering Research and Education Center at the University of Arkansas, was recently selected as the recipient of the 2024 Robert J. Dexter Memorial Award Lecture by the Steel Bridge Task Force of the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI).
His lecture focused on fracture, fatigue and the service life of steel bridge structures at a recent Task Force meeting in Charlotte, NC.
In addition to AISI, task force members include the National Steel Bridge Alliance (NSBA) and the American Association of State and Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Steel and Metals Technical Committee
Photo: Gary Prinz holds the plaque commemorating the 2024 Robert J. Dexter Memorial Award Lecture. He is with previous award winners. Pictured from left to right are: Ryan Sherman, Georgia Institute of Technology (2023); William Collins, University of Kansas at Lawrence (2022); Matthew Yarnold, Texas A&M University (2021, now with Auburn University); Matthew Hebdon, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (2019, now with Utah State University).
Research Improves Steel Bridge Performance and Reliability
Prinz received the distinguished recognition for his work on ultra-low-cycle fatigue damage prediction, ductile fracture simulation in additively manufactured steels, seismic performance of ductile frame systems and fatigue assessment methods for steel infrastructure.
Prinz’s work on the fatigue behavior of shear studs has been instrumental in updating bridge design standards, including key contributions to AASHTO standards helping improve steel bridges’ reliability and performance nationwide.
Dr. Gary Prinz, University of Arkansas, inspects a steel beam.
Commitment to Education and Outreach
Dr. Prinz joined the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Arkansas as an assistant professor in January 2014. He holds three degrees from Brigham Young University and completed his post-doctoral research at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL).
He is a registered professional engineer in both California and Arkansas. In 2018, he was honored with the prestigious Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award from the U.S. National Science Foundation for developing ductile fracture prediction tools for additively manufactured steel alloys.
Beyond his bridge research, Prinz is deeply committed to education and outreach. He and his students have produced creative music videos to explain complex structural engineering topics. His innovative approach to blending science and art inspires the next generation of engineers and reinforces his lasting impact on the academic and engineering communities.
Robert J. Dexter Award Background
The Robert J. Dexter Memorial Lecture was instituted in 2005 in memory of Robert J. Dexter, an associate professor of civil engineering at the University of Minnesota, who was an internationally recognized expert on steel fracture and fatigue problems in bridges. The program provides an opportunity for individuals early in their careers in structural engineering to present a lecture on their steel bridge research activities to the Steel Bridge Task Force and to participate in its semiannual three-day meeting.
Previous recipients of the Robert J. Dexter Memorial Award Lecture include:
- Ryan Sherman, Ph.D., P.E., Georgia Institute of Technology (2023)
- William Collins, Ph.D., P.E., University of Kansas at Lawrence (2022)
- Matthew Yarnold, Ph.D., P.E., Texas A&M University (2021)
- Matthew H. Hebdon, Ph.D., P.E., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (2019)
- Hussam Mahmoud, Ph.D., Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado (2014)
- Caroline R. Bennett, Ph.D., P.E., University of Kansas in Lawrence (2013)
- Hassan H. Abbas, Ph.D., Auburn University (2012)
- Justin Ocel, Ph.D., P.E., Federal Highway Administration (2010)
- Emmett A. Sumner III, Ph.D., North Carolina State University in Raleigh (2009)
- Jennifer Righman McConnell, Ph.D., University of Delaware (2007)
- Reagan Herman, Ph.D., University of Houston (2006)
- Robert J. Connor, Ph.D., P.E., Purdue University (2005)
AISI serves as the voice of the American steel industry in the public policy arena and advances the case for steel in the marketplace as the preferred material of choice. AISI’s membership is comprised of integrated and electric arc furnace steelmakers, and associate members who are suppliers to or customers of the steel industry. For more news about steel and its applications, view AISI’s websites at www.steel.org and www.buildusingsteel.org. Follow AISI on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter (@AISISteel, @BuildUsingSteel) or Instagram.
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