Matthew Reichenbach Presents Dexter Award Lecture on Innovative Steel Bridge Girder Research

Matthew Reichenbach, Ph.D., P.E., assistant teaching professor of the Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Department at Drexel University, was recently selected as the recipient of the 2025 Robert J. Dexter Memorial Award Lecture by the Steel Bridge Task Force of the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) and presented his research—which is focused on the lateral torsional buckling behavior of non-prismatic steel bridge girders — at a recent Task Force meeting in Lafayette, IN.

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.

Dr. Todd Helwig of the University of Texas at Austin presents Dr. Matthew Reichenbach, Drexel University, with a plaque recognizing him as the recipient of the 2025 Robert J. Dexter Memorial Award Lecture.

Dr. Matthew Reichenbach presents his research on the lateral-torsional buckling behavior of non-prismatic steel bridge girders at the Steel Bridge Task Force meeting in Lafayette, Indiana.

Bridging Academia and Industry

Dr. Reichenbach joined Drexel University in 2021, following his doctoral and master’s studies in structural engineering at the University of Texas at Austin. He earned his bachelor of science in civil engineering from Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania.

Before his academic career, he gained valuable industry experience as a structural engineer with the Harman Group and Hardesty & Hanover, where he worked on the design of steel bridges and complex structural systems.

His combined academic and professional experience provides him with a practical perspective that informs both his research and his teaching.

Dr. Matthew Reichenbach, assistant teaching professor in the Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Department at Drexel University, leads a classroom discussion with his students.

Shaping National Design Standards

Throughout his career, Dr. Reichenbach has contributed to several high-impact projects that have advanced steel bridge design. He played a leading role in the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Project 12-113, which focused on modifying AASHTO cross-frame analysis and design.

His work included field monitoring of bridges, laboratory experiments on cross-frame members and parametric finite element analyses of over 4,000 bridges. These efforts led to the development of comprehensive design methodologies and several AASHTO provisions for cross-frame and diaphragm systems, significantly improving the safety, reliability and efficiency of steel bridge structures.

In addition to his work on cross-frames and diaphragms, Dr. Reichenbach has contributed to research on lateral-torsional buckling of non-prismatic steel girders, influencing the 10th Edition AASHTO provisions. His research is widely recognized for its practical applicability and impact on bridge design standards.

Dr. Matthew Reichenbach, shown here with Dr. Todd Helwig, is the 14th recipient of the Robert J. Dexter Memorial Award Lecture.

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:

• Gary Prinz, Ph.D., P.E., University of Arkansas (2024)
• 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)

About the American Iron and Steel Institute

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 (EAF) steelmakers reflecting the production of both carbon and stainless steels which are critical to the everyday lives of all Americans — including national security, roads and bridges, the electrical grid, clean energy technologies and the automotive market. For more news about steel and its applications, view AISI’s website at www.steel.org. Follow AISI on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter (@AISISteel) or Instagram.

About the Steel Bridge Task Force

The Steel Bridge Task Force was established more than 40 years ago to coordinate research that establishes safe, cost-effective steel bridges and to implement these developments into steel specifications, specifically the AASHTO design codes. The task force is led by AISI and its members include the National Steel Bridge Alliance, AASHTO Steel and Metals Technical Committee, steel producers, steel organizations, steel bridge fabricators, bridge owners, university faculty, consultants and representatives from the Federal Highway Administration.