34th Annual William H. Mueser and Phillip C. Rutledge Memorial Lecture

The Mueser Rutledfe Lecture was established with ASCE Metropolitan Section Geotechnical Group in 1991 to honor William H. Mueser (1900-1985) and Philip C. Rutledge (1906-1990), former partners of Mueser Rutledge Consulting Engineers (MRCE). MRCE has established an endowment to provide funding for this lecture series. The goal is to have nationally and internationally known speakers with construction experience in foundations to deliver interesting talks of practical significance in the design and construction of foundations.

Registration: ASCE MET members please use promo code "ASCE" to waive registration fee. $20 fee for non-members.

On June 11, 2023, a tanker truck fire caused a section of I-95 to collapse in Northeast Philadelphia, devestating the overpass at the Cottman Avenue off-ramp and closing nine miles of I-95 in both directions. In response, Penn DOT issued an emergency contract to Buckleey & Co. to promptly restore traffic flow.

Buckley & Co. and Aero Aggregates worked in collaboration with engineers from Benesch and Schnabel to design a temporary roadway using a wire wall and lighweight foamed glass aggregates to quickly stabalize the area. thanks to innovative design and close coordination with Penn DOT, PWD, and FHWA, the travel lanes were reopened within 12 days of the fire. Simultaneously, the team began the design of a permanent replacement bridge, which was built in two phases. The new bridge was opened to traffic in November 2023, with the entire highway returning to normal operations in May 2024.

Key project components included phased demolition, hydro-demolition of the existing abutments to remove fire-damaged concrete, reconstruction of the abutments, setting bridge girders, and pouring new decks - all while maintaining active traffic lanes throughout the process.

The lecture will discuss the reconstruction challenges, unique solutions developed for the temporary roadway and properties and benefits of lightweight fill aggregate. Special focus to the cooperation and coordination between engineers, contractors, state and federal agencies, and suppliers while under pressure to complete the temporary work as quickly as possible.

Robert Buckley Jr. has more than 48 years of experience in heavy civil, bridge, and waterfront constrcution. His experience spans projects management, cost estimating, planning and scheduling, on-site operations oversight, and effective coordination with subcontractors, owners, agencies, and stakeholders.

Throughout his career, Robert has worked extensively across the Philadelphia region, building strong, collaborative relationships with key agencies including PennDOT, the City of Philadelphia, AMTRAK, DRPA, CSX, and Conrail. Since 2010, he has served as President of Buckley & Co., a family-owned business established in 1928. In this role, Robert oversees the company's day-to-day operations, continuing its legacy of excellence in construction.

Archie Filshill, Ph.D. is the founder of AeroAggregates and manages the daily operations for the company. He has over 25 years of international experience in the geotechnical market, encompassing a vast range of experience in executive management, engineering, project management, construction, and manufacturing. He started his career as a regional manager for environmental products company and went on to become Managing Director of European operations for a global manufacturing company.

He was the Past Chair of the Delaware Valley Engineer of the Year. Archie earned a Bachelor of Science Degree from Temple University and a Master of Science and Ph.D. from Drexel University in Philadelphia.

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