Clyde N. Baker Jr. (May 6, 1930 – August 26, 2022) was an American

geotechnical engineer Geotechnical engineering is the branch of civil engineering concerned with the engineering behavior of earth materials. It uses the principles of soil mechanics and rock mechanics for the solution of its respective engineering problems. It als ...

who received awards for his work to design advanced foundations supporting tall structures. He was elected a member of the National Academy of Engineering in 2004. In 2008, he received the Award of Excellence from Engineering News-Record (formerly the Man of the Year award).

Personal life

Baker was born in Flushing, New York on May 6, 1930 to general surgeon Clyde N. Baker Sr and Muriel Esty Baker. As a young man, he earned a

pilot An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its directional flight controls. Some other aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are also considered aviators, because they a ...

's license by the age of sixteen and also suffered from

rheumatoid arthritis Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a long-term autoimmune disorder that primarily affects joints. It typically results in warm, swollen, and painful joints. Pain and stiffness often worsen following rest. Most commonly, the wrist and hands are involv ...

. He and his wife Jeanette have three children, six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Baker met his wife Jeanette on a blind date in 1949 and they married in 1955. Baker became a

Quaker Quakers are people who belong to a historically Protestant Christian set of Christian denomination, denominations known formally as the Religious Society of Friends. Members of these movements ("theFriends") are generally united by a belie ...

in 1957 and his faith is seen as part of his even temperament as an engineer. Baker enjoys running and completed 40 marathons in his life, finishing his last at age 70. Baker died on August 26, 2022, at the age of 92.

Education

Baker graduated from Flushing High School and then earned a

B.S. A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years. The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University of ...

physics Physics is the natural science that studies matter, its fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge which r ...

from William & Mary. Baker describes himself as an accidental engineer. After earning the physics degree, he tried the field of

electrical engineering Electrical engineering is an engineering discipline concerned with the study, design, and application of equipment, devices, and systems which use electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism. It emerged as an identifiable occupation in the l ...

by enrolling at the

Massachusetts Institute of Technology The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private land-grant research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Established in 1861, MIT has played a key role in the development of modern technology and science, and is one of the ...

(M.I.T.). His rheumatoid arthritis caused him to drop out for a semester, and he changed to

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 public works such as roads, bridges, canals, dams, airports, sewage ...

when re-enrolling. He went on to receive a

and, in 1954, an

M.S. A Master of Science ( la, Magisterii Scientiae; abbreviated MS, M.S., MSc, M.Sc., SM, S.M., ScM or Sc.M.) is a master's degree in the field of science awarded by universities in many countries or a person holding such a degree. In contrast to ...

in civil engineering from M.I.T. Baker credits his success, in part, to university teachers that include Donald Taylor, T.W. Lambe, and Harl P. Aldrich at M.I.T. and Karl von Terzaghi and Arthur Casagrande at

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...

Career

Upon graduation, Baker went to work for Soil Testing Service (later STS Consultantsand then AECOM). , Baker works for GEI Consultants, Inc. Baker played a significant role in increasing the foundation

bearing capacity In geotechnical engineering, bearing capacity is the capacity of soil to support the loads applied to the ground. The bearing capacity of soil is the maximum average contact pressure between the foundation and the soil which should not produce she ...

allowed by

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

building code A building code (also building control or building regulations) is a set of rules that specify the standards for constructed objects such as buildings and non-building structures. Buildings must conform to the code to obtain planning permission ...

by more than five thousand percent since the 1950s. When Baker started his career, the allowable load, or bearing capacity, was six tons per square foot (tsf). For the

Chicago Spire The Chicago Spire was a skyscraper project in Chicago that was partially built between 2007 and 2008 before being cancelled. Located at 400 N. Lake Shore Drive, it would have stood high with 150 floors and been the tallest building in the Weste ...

, the bearing load was three hundred tsf. Discuss tall buildings he has worked on. Clyde Baker participated or served in professional societies including the American Concrete Institute, where he served as chairman, of ACI Committee 336 (Footings, Mats and Piers). He was a Member Emeritus of the Deep Foundations Committee of ASCE's Geo-Institute. His other professional affiliations include: *ADSC: The International Association of Foundation Drilling *Highway Research Board *American Society for Testing and Materials *Illinois Society of Professional Engineers *American Society of Civil Engineers, Honorary Member *M.I.T. Alumni Council *Chicago Committee on High Rise Buildings *National Society of Professional Engineers *Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat *Structural Engineers Association of Illinois *Deep Foundations Institute * National Academy of Engineering

Awards

In 1996, Baker was elected to Honorary Membership in

American Society of Civil Engineers American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

(ASCE) for "his longstanding commitment and innovative accomplishments in advancing the state of the civil engineering practice and his commitment to advancing the careers of all who interact with him." Baker was elected into the National Academy of Engineering in 2004 for "advancements in the engineering and construction of deep foundations for safe support of the world's tallest buildings.". After being recognized as a top newsmaker of 2007, Baker received the ENR Award of Excellence "for firming up the science of soil to support the skyscrapers of tomorrow." As part of the award, Baker was the subject of an eight-page cover story in the April 7, 2008 issue of ENR. The award was received at a black-tie gala held at the

New York Marriott Marquis The New York Marriott Marquis is a Marriott hotel on Times Square, in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Designed by architect John C. Portman Jr., the hotel is at 1535 Broadway, between 45th and 46th Streets. With 1,9 ...

on April 3, 2008. OPAL Award Baker was awarded the Outstanding Projects and Leaders (OPAL) award in 2008 from the

for his lifetime accomplishments of innovation and excellence in civil engineering design. The award was presented at a black-tie gala in Arlington, Virginia on April 30, 2008. Other awards won by Baker included: *Terzaghi Lecture, 2009 * Washington Award, 2009 *Moles Award, 2006 *Chicago Building Congress Award of Honor, 2006 *ASCE Ralph B Peck Award, 2000 *ASCE, Honorary Member, 1996 *ASCE, Martin S. Kapp Award, 1995 *DFI, Distinguished Service Award, 1987

References

External links

Member page
National Academy of Engineering {{DEFAULTSORT:Baker, Clyde N. Jr. 1930 births 2022 deaths Geotechnical engineers MIT School of Engineering alumni