ToddHelwig
- thelwig@mail.utexas.edu
- +1 512 232 2239, +1 512 475 8195
- ECJ 4.728
Design and behavior of steel structures; Structural stability and bracing
Bio
Todd Helwig is a professor in the Fariborz Maseeh Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering. He joined the faculty at the UT Austin in 2005 after teaching at the University of Houston for 11 years. His main area of interest is the design and behavior of steel structures with an emphasis on structural stability and bracing. He has co-developed and taught a number of short courses on the fields of structural stability and bracing on behalf of the Structural Stability Research Council (SSRC), the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC), and the National Highway Institute. Since 1994, more than 5000 engineers have attended the short courses that he has co-developed and taught.
He has conducted a wide range of research studies on the design and behavior of steel buildings and bridges. He has also developed recommendations for cross-frame and diaphragm systems that rely on lean-on bracing to help reduce the number of fatigue-sensitive braces on steel bridges. His research has been recognized with several awards, including the ASCE Collingwood Research Prize, the ASCE Moisseiff Award, and the ASCE Shortridge Hardesty Award. He was recognized by TxDOT with a top innovation award in 2005 for work related to lateral bracing of bridge girders by permanent metal deck forms.
Helwig’s expertise in steel structures has improved the safety and efficacy of I-girder bridge units, the I-shaped support beams that hold up bridges across Texas and around the world. His work has earned him recognition from a variety of organizations, including the American Society of Civil Engineers, American Iron and Steel Institute, American Institute of Steel Construction and more.
Educational Qualifications
Ph.D., Civil Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, 1994
M.S., Civil Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, 1989
B.S., Civil Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, 1987
Select Awards & Honors
- Joe J. King Professional Engineering Achievement Award – The University of Texas at Austin (2024-25)
- George S. Richardson Medal (2023)
- Lynn S. Beedle Award – Structural Stability Research Council (2025)
- Richard S. Fountain Award (2022)
- Shortridge Hardesty Award – American Society of Civil Engineers (2014)
- CAEE Academy of Distinguished Alumni member (2016)
Related Websites
Ferguson Structural Engineering Laboratory (FSEL)
Center for Transportation Research
Select Publications