RBA Engineer Authors Article for International Publication

Troy, NY – June 13, 2007 – David T. Biggs, P.E., Principal of Ryan-Biggs Associates, P.C., in Troy, NY, authored an article for Masonry International – The Journal of the British Masonry Society. The article, featured in the spring 2007 edition, is titled “Looking Back at the World Trade Center Disaster” and includes excerpts from the keynote address he presented at the 7th International Masonry Conference in London in November.

The article contains excerpts from the keynote presentation Mr. Biggs gave titled “Masonry Aspects of the World Trade Center.” The article explains the performance of the masonry in the World Trade Center structures during the aftermath of the attacks of September 11, 2001. Following the attacks in New York and Washington, DC, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) deployed a team of structural, civil, and fire protection engineers to study the disasters. David Biggs was one of 18 engineers from the U.S. and Canada assigned to the World Trade Center. The team made an assessment of the tower collapses and the consequent damage to the surrounding buildings. A report, which forms the framework for subsequent government studies of the disaster, was released to Congress in May 2002.

David Biggs is a masonry expert with over thirty years of experience and is a member of the British Masonry Society. He was elected an Honorary Member of the American Society of Civil Engineers in 2005 based upon his engineering expertise with historical restoration and forensic evaluation of structures. Ryan-Biggs Associates has been involved with the restoration of over 300 historical buildings and structures in the United States. Over 80 of these buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places by the National Park Service, which is part of the US Department of the Interior, and 10 have been designated “Save America’s Treasures,” a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the National Park Service. Some of Mr. Biggs current restoration projects include the Jean Hasbrouck House (c1680) in New Paltz, NY; Fort Ticonderoga (1754) in Ticonderoga, NY; Hacienda Santa Elena (c 1790) in Puerto Rico; and the Bennington Battle Monument (1889) in Bennington, VT. He is also one of a team of six architects and engineers from the US, Portugal, Germany, Italy, and Canada developing restoration guidelines for heritage and monument structures in Egypt.

About Ryan-Biggs Associates, P.C.
Ryan-Biggs Associates, P.C., is a consulting engineering firm specializing in structural engineering. Since 1973, they have been providing design services from their main office in Troy, New York, and branch offices in Skaneateles, New York, and West Chester, Pennsylvania.

About The British Masonry Society
Founded in 1986, the British Masonry Society provides a forum for learned discussion and disseminates research information relating to all aspects of masonry in construction. The Society has members from countries throughout the world and from all professions and activities associated with masonry construction.