Frank Baron
Encyclopedia
Frank Martin Baron served as professor of civil engineer
ing at University of California, Berkeley
and held an international reputation as an expert in the fields of bridge
and roof
-structure design, and seismic and wind analysis. He was twice the recipient of the prized Leon S. Moisseiff Award issued annually by the American Society of Civil Engineers
(ASCE), and among his manifold professional affiliations, served as chairman of the US Council of the International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering
.
Baron’s research interests traced the current of cutting-edge theory in civil engineering
design and construction. As an undergraduate architecture
and engineering
student and masters-level graduate student in structural engineering
at the University of Illinois
, Baron had the privilege of studying under two premier names in engineering design: H.M. Westergaard, known for his research on the use of reinforced concrete
for pavement
and dam
s, and Hardy Cross, an undisputed authority on contemporary structural frame analysis. He formed lasting bonds with both of these scholars, later reuniting with Westergaard at Harvard and Cross at Yale.
After receiving his Sc. D. in structures and mechanics at Harvard University
, Baron accepted a position on the civil engineering faculty at Yale University
. While at Yale Baron further explored his dissertation interest in the shearing stresses of slabs, and also spearheaded the formulation of a new departmental curriculum in transportation studies. After spending four years in Hartford, Baron decided to accept a full-professorship at Northwestern University
, where he stayed for seven years. Plasticity
and the comparative behavior of riveted and bolted steel joints served as his principal research interests while there.
In 1953, Baron accepted an invitation from the University of California, Berkeley
to assume a dual position as Director of the Structural Engineering Laboratory and Professor of Civil Engineering. Theory of design and planning became his primary instruction matter. Baron continued to teach at UC Berkeley for another thirty years, and was known by faculty and students alike as an unparalleled educator whose enthusiasm for his research was only matched by his concern for the intellectual and professional growth of his students.
Baron was perhaps best known in the Northern California Bay Area for his structural design work on the Dumbarton
, Golden Gate
, and Bay Bridges, as well as for his role in designing the roof structure of the St. Mary’s Cathedral in San Francisco. Other projects in which he served as consultant include the retrofitting of bridges across Saudi Arabia
, the proposed bridge across the Strait of Gibraltar
, and the proposed Inter-Continental Peace Bridge (ICPB) which would have joined Alaska and Siberia.
Frank Baron died October 17, 1994. Always interested in the history and progression of engineering, and its role in society, one of his final activities was helping to ensure that the unacknowledged principal designer of the Golden Gate Bridge, Charles Ellis
, gain proper recognition. To the end, he was man of integrity, who recognized and took pride in the ability of one engineer to change the world.
Civil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a...
ing at University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
and held an international reputation as an expert in the fields of bridge
Bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle...
and roof
Roof
A roof is the covering on the uppermost part of a building. A roof protects the building and its contents from the effects of weather. Structures that require roofs range from a letter box to a cathedral or stadium, dwellings being the most numerous....
-structure design, and seismic and wind analysis. He was twice the recipient of the prized Leon S. Moisseiff Award issued annually by the American Society of Civil Engineers
American Society of Civil Engineers
The American Society of Civil Engineers is a professional body founded in 1852 to represent members of the civil engineering profession worldwide. It is the oldest national engineering society in the United States. ASCE's vision is to have engineers positioned as global leaders who strive toward...
(ASCE), and among his manifold professional affiliations, served as chairman of the US Council of the International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering
International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering
The International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering is a non-profit organisation with mission to promote the exchange of knowledge and to advance the practice of structural engineering worldwide in the service of the profession and society, taking into consideration technical,...
.
Baron’s research interests traced the current of cutting-edge theory in civil engineering
Civil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
design and construction. As an undergraduate architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
and engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
student and masters-level graduate student in structural engineering
Structural engineering
Structural engineering is a field of engineering dealing with the analysis and design of structures that support or resist loads. Structural engineering is usually considered a specialty within civil engineering, but it can also be studied in its own right....
at the University of Illinois
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
, Baron had the privilege of studying under two premier names in engineering design: H.M. Westergaard, known for his research on the use of reinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete is concrete in which reinforcement bars , reinforcement grids, plates or fibers have been incorporated to strengthen the concrete in tension. It was invented by French gardener Joseph Monier in 1849 and patented in 1867. The term Ferro Concrete refers only to concrete that is...
for pavement
Pavement (material)
Road surface or pavement is the durable surface material laid down on an area intended to sustain vehicular or foot traffic, such as a road or walkway. In the past cobblestones and granite setts were extensively used, but these surfaces have mostly been replaced by asphalt or concrete. Such...
and dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
s, and Hardy Cross, an undisputed authority on contemporary structural frame analysis. He formed lasting bonds with both of these scholars, later reuniting with Westergaard at Harvard and Cross at Yale.
After receiving his Sc. D. in structures and mechanics at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, Baron accepted a position on the civil engineering faculty at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
. While at Yale Baron further explored his dissertation interest in the shearing stresses of slabs, and also spearheaded the formulation of a new departmental curriculum in transportation studies. After spending four years in Hartford, Baron decided to accept a full-professorship at Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
, where he stayed for seven years. Plasticity
Plasticity (physics)
In physics and materials science, plasticity describes the deformation of a material undergoing non-reversible changes of shape in response to applied forces. For example, a solid piece of metal being bent or pounded into a new shape displays plasticity as permanent changes occur within the...
and the comparative behavior of riveted and bolted steel joints served as his principal research interests while there.
In 1953, Baron accepted an invitation from the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
to assume a dual position as Director of the Structural Engineering Laboratory and Professor of Civil Engineering. Theory of design and planning became his primary instruction matter. Baron continued to teach at UC Berkeley for another thirty years, and was known by faculty and students alike as an unparalleled educator whose enthusiasm for his research was only matched by his concern for the intellectual and professional growth of his students.
Baron was perhaps best known in the Northern California Bay Area for his structural design work on the Dumbarton
Dumbarton Bridge (California)
The Dumbarton Bridge is the southernmost of the highway bridges that span the San Francisco Bay in California. Carrying over 81,000 vehicles daily, it is also the shortest bridge across San Francisco Bay at 1.63 miles...
, Golden Gate
Golden Gate Bridge
The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Golden Gate, the opening of the San Francisco Bay into the Pacific Ocean. As part of both U.S. Route 101 and California State Route 1, the structure links the city of San Francisco, on the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula, to...
, and Bay Bridges, as well as for his role in designing the roof structure of the St. Mary’s Cathedral in San Francisco. Other projects in which he served as consultant include the retrofitting of bridges across Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
, the proposed bridge across the Strait of Gibraltar
Strait of Gibraltar
The Strait of Gibraltar is a narrow strait that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and separates Spain in Europe from Morocco in Africa. The name comes from Gibraltar, which in turn originates from the Arabic Jebel Tariq , albeit the Arab name for the Strait is Bab el-Zakat or...
, and the proposed Inter-Continental Peace Bridge (ICPB) which would have joined Alaska and Siberia.
Frank Baron died October 17, 1994. Always interested in the history and progression of engineering, and its role in society, one of his final activities was helping to ensure that the unacknowledged principal designer of the Golden Gate Bridge, Charles Ellis
Charles Ellis
Charles Ellis is a deceased U.S. soccer midfielder who is best known for scoring a goal in each of the U.S. national team's first two games.-Professional:Ellis played several seasons for Brooklyn Celtic of the New York State Association Football League...
, gain proper recognition. To the end, he was man of integrity, who recognized and took pride in the ability of one engineer to change the world.
Research resources
- Online guide to Frank Baron Papers, The Bancroft Library