Technology Commercialization Speaker Series
"Building Better Bridges with the Hybrid-Composite Beam"
Speaker: John Hillman, PE, SE
Senior Associate
Teng & Associates
Chicago, IL
Bio: John R. Hillman, PE, SE is a Senior Associate with Teng & Associates, Inc. in Chicago and is also Founder and President of HC Bridge Company, LLC. Mr. Hillman has been employed as a structural engineer in the inspection, construction and design of unique bridges for over 24 years. Mr. Hillman has been intimately involved in the design of numerous award winning structures including his role as conceptual designer and project manager for the 35th Street Pedestrian Bridge over Lake Shore Drive. He also holds two patents for the unique bridge technology known as the Hybrid-Composite Beam (HCB). His work on the development of the HCB has brought worldwide recognition, and most recently Mr. Hillman was honored with the 2010 Engineering News Record – Award of Excellence.
About the Hybrid-Composite Beam: The "Hybrid-Composite Beam" (HCB), is a new type of structural member developed for use in bridges and other structures. The HCB is comprised of three main sub-components that are a shell, compression reinforcement and tension reinforcement. The shell is comprised of a fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) box beam. The compression reinforcement consists of concrete which is pumped into a profiled conduit (generally an arch) within the beam shell. The tension reinforcement consists of carbon, glass or steel fibers anchored at the ends of the compression reinforcement. The HCB combines the strength and stiffness of conventional concrete and steel with the lightweight and corrosion advantages of advanced composite materials. Three HCB bridges are currently in service with a fourth under fabrication now. Numerous deployments for 2010 are under design representing a diverse range of applications.
