Dr. Miguel Cid Montoya — IABSE Outstanding Paper Award 

The International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering (IABSE) awarded Dr. Miguel Cid Montoya, Assistant Professor of Engineering at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (TAMU-CC), along with a team of 28 international researchers, the Outstanding Paper Award (OPA). The OPA is given annually to the author(s) of a paper published in the previous year's editions of the IABSE Structural Engineering International (SEI) journal and aims to encourage and recognize contributions of exceptional quality.  

The OPA is presented in two categories: Technical Report and Scientific Paper. The IABSE TG 3.1. “Super Long Span Bridge Aerodynamic”, of which Cid Montoya is a member, won the Scientific Paper category for their research paper titled, “IABSE Task Group 3.1 Benchmark Results. Numerical Full Bridge Stability and Buffeting Simulations.”  

The research focuses on long-span bridges and how turbulent winds pose significant challenges in bridge design. For instance, vibrations caused by wind must be carefully analyzed to prevent fatigue issues and ensure long-term durability. Currently, there is no widely accepted method to accurately calculate how bridges respond to turbulent wind. Therefore, the team’s mission with its research is to set a standard for testing software that predicts how bridges respond to turbulent winds.  

To prepare for their research, the group solved a series of case problems. These tasks involved predicting how simple suspension bridges react to wind in terms of stability and buffeting. Each member independently solved these problems and compared their findings, gaining valuable insights that deepened their understanding of the research.   

"Being able to learn from the top researchers worldwide is an incredible opportunity,” Cid Montoya said. “Collaborating and being part of a team that brings together diverse perspectives and expertise is truly inspiring. Similar to my experience at TAMU-CC, I have met many faculty and students who contribute unique viewpoints to engineering, and I am so grateful to work alongside such hard-working individuals.”   

For more information on the team’s research and the OPA award, visit https://iabse.org/TG3.1.