Thomas F. Heausler, P.E., S.E., F.ASCE, a civil and structural engineer with over 37 years’ experience, has been named a Fellow by the ASCE Board of Direction.
Heausler currently serves as an independent structural engineer, engaged by engineering firms for mentoring, senior review, and seismic code interpretations and guidance. He started his career in New Orleans, then left the industrial projects of Southern Louisiana for San Francisco to design buildings for architects and gain expertise in seismic design. Later, he was brought to Kansas City by Burns and McDonnell, who were in need of a seismic expert.
His passion for structural engineering, and zest for entrepreneurism, led to the formation of Heausler Structural Engineers, Kansas City. Heausler has designed Long Span 747 Aircraft Hangar–Taiwan (1/10 mile clear span trusses), Sun Microsystems Headquarters Seismic Retrofit–Palo Alto (five stories, 300,000 sf), water and wastewater treatment plants, large-scale power generation plants, large aircraft fuel farms, and numerous other structures composed of concrete, steel, masonry, and wood. He has often served as civil engineer of record for comparable projects as well.
Heausler has completed California hospitals and schools and has successfully defended complex structural designs to the state’s Office of Statewide Health Planning & Development and Division of the State Architect. He has also frequently served as an expert witness.
In 1993, he was selected to serve on ATC-33 Project, which produced the precursor document to FEMA 273 and ASCE 41 Seismic Evaluation and Retrofit of Existing Buildings. In 2006, Heausler was selected for the ASCE 7 Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures updates. He was a voting member of ASCE 7-10 general and seismic subcommittees, and chair of Simplified Seismic Committee, ASCE 7-16 Seismic Committee, and ASCE 7-22 Seismic Committee. He has contributed to ASCE’s Guide to the Seismic Load Provisions of ASCE 7-10 and is coauthor of the same guide for ASCE 7-16.
Other activities and achievements include being founder of the ASCE Structural Technical Group, Kansas City Section; cofounder of Structural Engineers Association of Kansas and Missouri; grader for NCEES Structural Engineering National Exams; Adjunct Instructor for University Missouri Kansas City’s Structural Analysis, Earthquake Engineering, AIA, and PE Exam Review courses; and chair of the NCSEA Seismic Code Advisory Committee.
Heausler has written numerous articles in Structure Magazine, as well as spoken at conferences, seminars, and webinars for EERI, SEAOC, NCSEA SEAKM, SEAOk, Kansas University, and SE University. He served as postearthquake and posttornado emergency responder for the Loma Prieta (1989) and Northridge (1994) earthquakes; and for the Joplin, MO, tornado as inspection volunteer for Missouri Emergency Management Agency. He coauthored the 52-page report SEAKM Investigation and Recommendations Joplin, MO, Tornado, 2011.
Heausler graduated cum laude with bachelor and master’s degrees from Tulane University, New Orleans.
