PDCA Pres. Brian Heck (r) presents Dr. Dick Hartman (l) the 2024 E.A.L. Smith Award

The E.A.L. Smith Award is an honor that PDCA presents to a pile driving professional who has demonstrated creative, original work that has helped the industry contribute an economical, sustainable, effective, and environmentally conscious foundation solution. A winner is selected by PDCA leadership every three years, and that individual is asked to present the esteemed E.A.L. Smith Award Lecture each time the International Foundations Congress and Equipment Expo (IFCEE) convenes. In 2024, Dr. Dick Hartman of Hartman Engineering earned this distinction.

A little more about this year's honoree; Dick Hartman earned his Bachelors and Masters of Science degrees from the State University of New York at Buffalo and a PhD in engineering from Drexel University in Philadelphia. In the 1960's he worked for various pile driving contractor companies and provided consultation on installation methods. He would later found his Clarence, NY-based firm, Hartman Engineering. Since he began his career, he has become a licensed professional engineer in 39 states.

During his May 9, 2024 award presentation at IFCEE in Dallas, TX, Dr. Hartman delivered the talk entitled, "Some Insights Related to Sheet Piling Structures." He discussed how sheet piling is used in many different types of structures, some of which have experienced failure, which can result in unintended hazards and expense. Dr. Hartman delved into the importance of understanding all factors that can impact the integrity of a sheet piling structure and analyzed four different instances of structural failures. And in the spirit of Mr. E.A.L. Smith and his desire for practicality and simplicity, Dr. Hartman presented on a new and straightforward method for designing circular cofferdams, structures that have historically been known to harbor the capacity for the most dangerous failures.

PDCA congratulates Dr. Dick Hartman on his impactful and illustrious career in civil engineering. Thanks to all IFCEE attendees who listened to Dr. Hartman's enlightening presentation.