Above: Michael Darter presents remarks after being presented with ACPA's 2017 Hartmann-Hirschman-Egan Award. The award is ACPA's highest order distinguished service award. (Photo: American Concrete Pavement Association.)
The American Concrete Pavement Association (ACPA) presented the Hartmann-Hirschman-Egan Award to CEE at Illinois Professor Emeritus Michael Darter on Nov. 30, 2017 in San Diego. The prestigious award recognizes individuals and companies, as well as other organizations, for unparalleled commitment, dedication, participation and leadership in the concrete pavement community.
Darter was recognized for his innovation, leadership, teaching and mentoring in the field of civil engineering, as well as for his advancement of technology that has resulted in countless numbers of high-quality concrete pavements.
“As an authority on design, construction, rehabilitation, and management of concrete pavements worldwide, [Darter’s] contributions have been innumerable, far-reaching and enduring,” said ACPA President and CEO Gerald F. Voigt.
Darter’s 40-plus years of consulting, research and teaching have resulted in a legacy of pavement engineers and in engineering tools used in all facets of concrete pavement design, evaluation and forensic analyses, performance prediction modeling, performance-related specifications, life-cycle cost analysis and rehabilitation procedures. Voigt noted that Darter’s achievement as principal developer of the AASHTO Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide, a comprehensive tool for concrete pavements, is particularly noteworthy.
“[Darter’s] contributions continue to make profound, positive differences in the quality and longevity of pavements. Equally important, [his] unique style of teaching has not just transferred knowledge, but also inspired many engineers to follow the pathways [he] created,” said Voigt.
At the presentation ceremony, Voigt was joined by Mark B. Snyder, President of Pavement Engineering and Research Consultants Inc., in paying tribute to Darter. The ceremony also included visuals of quotes from a wide-range of industry and public-sector officials, all of whom represent just a small number of the many professionals who have been students of, worked with, or were otherwise inspired by Darter.