Fugro-Loadtest 2009 Recipient of the DFI's Ben C. Gerwick Award
For Immediate Release
Osterberg Load Cell is 2009 Ben C. Gerwick Award Winner
August 28, 2009, Hawthorne, NJ: Deep Foundations Institute’s Marine Foundations Committee announces the selection of the Osterberg Load Cell as the recipient of the 2009 Ben C. Gerwick Award for Innovation in Design and Construction of Marine Foundations. Jorg Osterberg invented the device in the mid-1980s while he was Professor Emeritus at Northwestern University, Chicago. Osterberg, who died at age 93 in 2008, revolutionized load testing with his invention. The award recognizes his innovation in testing marine foundations and will be presented to Loadtest Inc. on September 26 in the Hearst Mining Building on the University of California, Berkeley campus. This will mark the 2nd annual award dinner honoring Ben C. Gerwick, Jr. with proceeds from the dinner benefiting the Deep Foundations Institute’s Educational Trust.
Jack Hayes, President of Loadtest Inc., Gainesville, Fla., will attend to accept the award. Loadtest, Inc. is the sole provider of the patented Osterberg Cell bi-directional test method and is a wholly owned Operating Company of Fugro NV, The Netherlands. Dr. Osterberg was one of the original founders of Loadtest Inc. and the company was set up for the express purpose of developing, promoting, and establishing the O-cell test process as a premier method for testing deep foundations.
A panel of six marine foundation experts selected the Osterberg Load Cell as this year’s award-winner. The device verifies the load-carrying capacity of heavy marine foundations, and the jury cited the fact that prior load-testing methods were extremely expensive and limited in capacity. The Osterberg Cell simplified testing of heavy foundation piers, and makes the process safer and capable of delivering accurate measurement of both side-friction and end-bearing components of total load resistance. The invention helps foundation designers create more cost-effective foundations and reduces the time needed for testing.
The Ben C. Gerwick Award was created in 2008 by the DFI Marine Foundations Committee with last year’s recipient being the Menck MUP Deep Water Hammer. The award is named for Ben C. Gerwick Jr., who was responsible for world class contributions to the marine industry during his 62 year career. Gerwick, who died in 2006, was a contractor, an educator, author and a construction engineer. DFI’s Educational Trust was established in 2006 as an independent charitable foundation to enhance industry-academia communications. The Trust seeks to enhance understanding of professional opportunities in the geotechnical engineering and deep foundation construction fields to students and provides scholarships to high school and university students.
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