Jay A. Puckett, Ph.D., P.E.

Education

• B.S. Civil Engineering, University of Missouri, 1978
• M.S. Civil Engineering, Colorado State University, 1980
• Ph.D. Civil Engineering, Colorado State University, 1983

 

Professional Registration

• Professional Engineer WY 5906 (structural)

 

Books

• Puckett, J.A. and Coletti, D. National Steel Bridge Alliance Steel Bridge Design Handbook, Chapter 10: Structural Analysis, 2011.
• Barker, R.M. and Puckett, J.A., Design of Highway Bridges - Based on AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specification, John Wiley and Sons, New York, Third Edition, 2013, 528pgs
• Barker, R.M. and Puckett, J.A., Design of Highway Bridges - Based on AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specification, John Wiley and Sons, New York, Second Edition, 2007, 1009 pgs.
• Barker, R.M. and Puckett, J.A., Design of Highway Bridges - Based on AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specification, John Wiley and Sons, New York, 1997, 1169 pgs.

 

National Academy of Sciences Publications

• Puckett, J., Garlich, M. New Specifications for Structural Supports for Highway Signs, Luminaires, and Traffic Signals, Transportation Research Board, NAS, (draft final report in panel review).
• Puckett, J.A., Huo, X.S., Jablin, M., and Mertz, D ., Simplified Live Load Distribution Factor Equations, Report 592, National Cooperative Highway Research Program, Transportation Research Board, NAS, Washington, DC, 2007.
• Mlynarski, M and Puckett, J. and Thompson, P., Bridge Software – Validation and Guideline and Examples, Report 485, National Cooperative Highway Research Program, Transportation Research Board, NAS, Washington, DC, 2003.

 

Patents

• Patent 6,857,615B2, "Mechanical Damper for Structures," Puckett, J.A., Hamilton, H.R., and Patrick McManus, February 2005.
• Preliminary Patented Filed, "Shimmed WT Beam-to-Column Connection for Structural Seismic Load Resisting Systems" Puckett, J.A. and Patrick S. McManus, July 2010.

 

Awards

• Appointed the V.O. Smith Chair for Infrastructure, Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering, University of Wyoming (September 2005 to present)
• University of Missouri at Columbia Department of Civil Engineering, Academy of Distinguished Alumni, Oct. 2000.
• Outstanding Research and Graduate Teaching Award, College of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Wyoming, 1998.
• American Society for Engineering Education DOW Outstanding Young Educator Award, a national award recognizing excellence in teaching and research, 1988.
• Selected Most Outstanding Professor by the Chi Epsilon Chapter at Colorado State University, 1981.

 

Consulting

• President, BridgeTech, Inc., Laramie, WY (through 2019)
• BridgeTech, Inc. has software development engineers specializing in bridge engineering, database technology, and graphical interfaces. Development includes BRASS-Girder (LRFD), BRASS-Girder (STD), BRASS-Culvert (LRFD), BRASS-Culvert (STD), BRASS-Dist, AASHTO’s Virtis, Opis, and BT Beam.

 

Specialization

• Highway Bridge Engineering, software engineering, finite element methods, semi-analytical techniques in structural analysis, computer methods for bridge design and evaluation, fatigue evaluation, and structural dynamics.

 

Areas of Academic Expertise

• Bridge engineering, software engineering, structural analysis (static and dynamic), design of concrete, prestressed, and steel bridges.

 

Current Research Interests

• Bridge engineering, software engineering, maintenance, serviceability, and fatigue of traffic signal poles

 

Current Projects

• Fluid-structure interaction of traffic signal and high mast structures
• Aeroelastic Retrofit Solutions for high mast poles
• Economical Fatigue Test for Traffic Signal Poles
• Software Engineering for Bridges
• Seismic Performance of Steel Connections
• Vibration of Steel Floor Systems

 

Multidisciplinary Collaborations

• Computer science work in databases for bridge rating and design

 

Professional Memberships

• American Society of Civil Engineers
• American Society for Engineering Education
• American Concrete Institute
• Structural Engineering Institute/ASCE (founding member)

 

Courses

• Graduate Classes
  
  • Bridge Engineering (traditional course)
  • Advanced Structural Analysis
  • Structural Dynamics
  • Advanced Building System Design
• Undergraduate Classes
  
  • Concrete Design (senior)
  • Structural Analysis II (senior)
  • Structural Analysis I (junior)
  • Mechanics of Materials (sophomore/junior)
  • Dynamics (sophomore)
  • Statics (sophomore)

 

Selected Publications

• McManus, P.S., MacMahon, A., and Puckett, J.A., “BRBF with All-Bolted Gusset Connections”, Engineering Journal, Second quarter, pg. 89-116, AISC, Chicago IL, March 2013.
• Puckett, J.A., Huo, X.S., Jablin, M, Mertz, D.R., “A Frame work for Simplified Live-Load Distribution-Factor Equations”, Journal of Bridge Engineering, ASCE, (Dec. 2011).
• Patrick S. McManus, P.S. and Puckett, J.A., “Economic and Serviceable Structural Steel Seismic Load Resisting Systems: Part I”, Engineering Journal, Vol. 48, No. 4, pg. 265-282, AISC, Chicago IL.
• Patrick S. McManus, P.S. and Puckett, J.A., “Economic and Serviceable Structural Steel Seismic Load Resisting Systems: Part II”, Engineering Journal, Vol. 48, No. 4, pg. 283-296, AISC, Chicago IL.
• Schabron C. M. and Puckett, J.A., “Fatigue Testing of Traffic Signal Structures Using an Eccentric-Mass Oscillator”, ASTM Journal Testing and Evaluation, Vol. 39, No. 5, September 2011.
• Puckett, J.A., Peiffer, J, Erikson, R., “Fatigue Performance of Ring-Stiffened Traffic Signal Poles,” ASCE Journal of Structural Engineering, Vol. 136, No. 10, Oct 2010.

 

Narrative Biographical Sketch

    Dr. Puckett was a Professor at University of Wyoming for 32 years and holds Emeritus status at UW. He is currently the Director of the Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

    He is a licensed engineer who has worked in research and development for over 30 years. He was a subconsultant to Modjeski and Masters in the development of the LRFD Bridge Design Specification (NCHRP 12-33). He has conducted numerous research projects in the area of software development and physical testing of bridges and bridge components ranging from lightly reinforced bridge decks, geotextile-reinforced approach embankment fills, asphalt joints, temperature effects, and wood girders.

   Software development efforts include analysis, design, and rating tools for steel, concrete, prestressed concrete, and wood. Dr. Puckett was a subconsultant to Michael Baker, Jr., Inc. for the development of AASHTO’s rating and design systems (Virtis/Opis). He is a consultant to the Wyoming Department of Transportation for the development and maintenance of the BRASS software suite and is developing programs for the analysis, design review and rating of bridges (BRASS-LRFD) and a program for LRFD culvert design and rating.
He has been PI on NCHRP 12-50 (Software Validation Guidelines) and 12-62 (Simplified Live Load Distribution Factors). Recently in NCHRP 20-07 (209), Dr. Puckett has worked with SCOBS T-12 on the rewrite of the Standard Specifications for Structural Supports for Highway Signs, Luminaires and Traffic Signals. He is the principal investigator for NCHRP 10-80 to revise the LTS to LRFD.

   Dr. Puckett has published over 100 articles and presentations related to bridge engineering. He regularly speaks at the AASHTO Bridge Subcommittee meetings and other practice-oriented forums. He is author of a John Wiley book, Highway Bridge Engineering–Based on AASHTO LRFD, Third Edition.
Dr. Puckett is President of a software development company BridgeTech, Inc.