Structural engineer Ted Zoli makes bridges from novel materials that are both lightweight and disaster-proof.

As Vice President and Technical Director (Bridges) of HNTB Corporation, one of the leading infrastructure design firms in the country, Zoli works to construct bridges that are both visually stunning and able to withstand strong vibrations from wind and pedestrians.

He has drawn on military research on weapons technology to create state-of-the-art materials that are both lightweight and blast-resistant.

The elegant and colossal Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge is one recent example of his work.

In 2009 Zoli became the first structural engineer to receive a MacArthur genius grant.

Says the MacArthur Foundation: “In an era of aging infrastructure and catastrophic structural collapses, Zoli is safeguarding vulnerable links in the nation’s highway system and developing design principles for the construction of robust, new landmarks in the United States and across the globe.”

Filed under: Architectural, Civil, Trailblazers, Transportation

Tags: Architectural, Bridge Building, Bridge Design, Civil, Structural, Transportation