The Geo-Institute (G-I) of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) recently named John H. Schmertmann, Ph.D., a Geo-Legend. Schmertmann, a retired University of Florida emeritus professor, built a career contributing to geotechnical engineering research, teaching, and practice.
The G-I has developed a series of episodes featuring prominent engineers in the geotechnical field. In the Geo-Legend episode highlighting Schmertmann, Bob Bachus, Ph.D., the guest host, said Schmertmann is one of the most highly regarded experts in geotechnical engineering.
Born and raised in New York, Schmertmann first became intrigued by the engineering profession one day while with his father when he was 7 years old. He recalled seeing the Hindenburg fly overhead and being fascinated with how difficult zeppelins were to build. His interest in engineering was further piqued when he took technical science and math classes in high school.
He was destined for greatness when he ranked second in his high school class and was voted as the “Most Likely to Succeed.” During his undergraduate studies at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Schmertmann enjoyment of his course on engineering geology persuaded him to earn a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. He continued his education by earning a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in civil engineering at Northwestern University.
After finishing school, he began his engineering career at Rutledge, a consulting firm in New York, working on projects and writing papers. Three years later, he was contacted about the draft. He initially joined the army reserve for six months but was later put on active duty. Six weeks or so of training went by, and he was made an active sergeant where he led his own platoon, before joining the engineering sector.
“You have to be curious. You’re going to be the future leaders of the profession, you have a responsibility to take the knowledge that you’ve gotten, that you’ve obtained, to explore that and work on it and to work to improve it, that’s a responsibility,” Schmertmann said.
He moved to Gainesville, Florida, with his wife, Pauline, and children and started his journey as a civil engineering assistant professor at UF. From 1956 to 1978, he was promoted to associate professor and professor, before retiring in 1979.
During his career, Schmertmann joined multiple organizations such as ASCE, the American Society for Testing and Materials, the Florida Engineering Society, and the National Academy of Engineering.
He is nationally recognized for his contributions to geotechnical engineering. He published over 75 technical papers. He became one of the early pioneers of energy measurements, winning the Middlebrooks Award in 1981. He developed design methods used around the world, introduced new soil aging concepts and testing methods for piping through embankment sands, and contributed to deeper thought on clay shear strength and consolidation.
His contributions to civil engineering have earned him top ASCE honors, including the State of the Art in Civil Engineering Award, Middlebrooks Award, Collingwood Prize, Norman Medal twice and a Lifetime Achievement Award. ASCE named him a Hero, and in 2008, published a book in his honor.
With over 55 years of experience, Schmertmann decided to develop his consulting business, John H. Schmertmann Inc. Among the over 500 geotechnical problems he solved, two projects he believes he enjoyed most were the relocation of the NASA crawlerways and Cape Hatteras Lighthouse.
Today, at the age of 96, Schmertmann enjoys retirement in Gainesville with Pauline, and their four adult children, Carl, Gary, Neil and Joy, who pursued similar professions to him.
Watch Dr. Schmertmann’s full interview for Geo-Legends here
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Written by Reba Liddy
ESSIE Marketing and Communications Specialist