The UET, which Hsu had a hand in designing and building, is kept at UH, where it was created, and is designed so that it can apply 100 tons of force to steel-reinforced concrete in order to test the strength of the panels. The machine is more than 15 feet tall, weighs almost 40 tons, and is the only machine of its kind that can perform testing on reinforced concrete panels.
"The data from these tests can be integrated by computer techniques to predict the behavior of whole structures constructed from such elements when threatened by real-life destructive forces, such as earthquakes," the press release stated.
Hsu has taught at the school for 27 years, and this isn't the first time he's been honored. Other awards he has received include the Wason Medal for Noteworthy Research, the Arthur R. Anderson Award for Research, the Walter L. Huber Civil Engineering Research Prize, the Fluor-Daniel Faculty Excellence Award, the Abraham E. Dukler Distinguished Engineering Faculty Award, and more.
Hsu received his undergraduate education at Harbin Institute of Technology in China, from which he graduated with a bachelor's degree in architectural engineering. He received his master's and doctoral degrees in the field of structural engineering from Cornell University.
Hsu is currently working on his third book titled Unified Theory of Concrete Structures, which is a summary of the research performed with the UET over the last 20 years. According to the press release, the book includes "conclusions from 1-D and 2-D stress testing, including cyclic loading tests, as well as theories derived from these tests that predict how reinforced concrete responds to 1-D, 2-D, and 3-D stresses."
"We're pushing a new frontier in structural engineering with this book," Hsu said. "We're building a theory that integrates and unifies all four types of actions."
UH's engineering school is famous for graduating five U.S. astronauts and 10 members of the National Academy of Engineering. Students at the school can choose to pursue biomedical, chemical, electrical, industrial, mechanical, and civil engineering degrees. They can also elect to pursue specialized degrees in aerospace, petroleum, materials, and telecommunications.
