W. Allen Marr, Ph.D., P.E., President and CEO of Geocomp Corporation has been elected to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE).
Dr. Marr, who has spent his entire 40-year professional career focused on incorporating the benefits of applied research in geo-engineering into civil engineering practice, was selected for the NAE for his "innovative applications of numerical methods, risk analysis, advanced laboratory techniques, and field instrumentation to geotechnical engineering and construction." Being selected for NAE is among the highest professional distinctions accorded to an engineer.
Dr. Marr holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the UC Davis College of Engineering as well as a Masters and Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Among his significant contributions to engineering include the development of techniques for monitoring the stability, movement and pressure in earthworks projects using sensors, wireless communications, automated analysis and visualization of data. By developing sensing, monitoring, measurement and analysis technologies, Dr. Marr has enabled full-scale construction projects to be built more safely and efficiently, at lower cost. Dr. Marr has developed methodology to improve earthquake resistance of loose soils by permanent dewatering which has become a design standard for Japanese Fire Defense Agency. He is the co-developer of "The Stress Path Method" which is an approach to solving soil mechanics problems that is used worldwide in teaching, research and practice. Dr. Marr developed the concepts of "Active Risk Management"; "Key Risk Indicators" and "Risk Monitoring" to better manage risks associated with heavy civil construction. And, as the developer of an integrated iSiteT system which monitors sensors located anywhere in the world via a Web browser, Dr. Marr has created a system that is increasingly used to monitor the safety of facilities during construction and provides early warnings of adverse performance.
His many contributions have been widely published and he serves on a number of professional society committees and boards.
Over the last 25 years at Geocomp Corporation, Dr. Marr has consulted on such significant projects as Boston’s multi-billion dollar Central Artery Tunnel; Dulles Airport; the new World Trade Center construction and the Woodrow Wilson Bridge in Washington, D.C., as well as projects in the Netherlands, Japan, Venezuela and Korea.
Last year, Dr. Marr was the recipient of the Distinguished Alumnus of College of Engineering from the University of California at Davis for his outstanding professional and technical achievement as well as his distinguished service to the engineering profession and the community at large. He also served on the US Army Corps of Engineers Interagency Performance Evaluation Task Force to help evaluate the cause of flooding of New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina.
About the National Academy of Engineering
The NAE’s mission is to promote the technological welfare of the nation by marshaling the knowledge and insights of eminent members of the engineering profession to advise the federal government. The NAE, together with the National Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council, make up the National Academies that advise the nation on issues in Science, Engineering and Medicine.
Technologies to Manage Risk for Infrastructure
Established in 1982, Geocomp Corporation is a technology based company that helps clients identify and manage risks associated with the construction and operation of infrastructure. Geocomp focuses on identifying and applying the most appropriate technologies to help clients manage risk cost effectively.
Geocomp’s Consulting, Lab Systems, Field Systems and GeoTesting services provide clients with a comprehensive understanding of the underground conditions and potential hazards below the surface to effectively minimize the risks associated with worker and public safety, construction delays, additional costs and damage to property. The company’s full range of solutions include: analysis methods to identify and quantify significant sources of risk; materials testing to reduce uncertainty in structural behavior; and real-time WEB-based remote monitoring to reduce consequences of unexpected performance.
Geocomp Corporation is headquartered in Boxborough, Mass with branches in New York and Atlanta,. For additional information about the company, please visit the website, Geocomp.com or contact (978) 635-0012.