Casagrande. From1939 to 1942 Peck was an assistant subway engineer for the City
of Chicago, representing Karl Terzaghi who was a consultant on the Chicago Subway
Project. He joined the University of Illinois in 1942, and was a Professor of
Foundation Engineering from 1948 to 1974. Since 1974, Professor Peck was a
Professor Emeritus at the University of Illinois, and a consultant in geotechnical
engineering
In 1948, together with Karl Terzaghi, Ralph Peck co-authored the most influential text
book in geotechnical engineering, Soil Mechanics in Engineering Practice. In 1953
with Walt Hanson and Tom Thornburn, Ralph Peck co-authored the widely used text
book Foundation Engineering.
In 1942, Dr. Peck joined the Civil Engineering Department of the University of Illinois,
where he remained as a teacher and mentor until his retirement as Professor
Emeritus in 1974. After moving to Albuquerque, Dr. Peck continued his active
consulting practice which included jobs in forty-four states in the USA and twenty-
eight countries on five continents. His more than one thousand consulting projects
include: the rapid transit systems in Chicago, San Francisco, and Washington; the
Alaskan Pipeline System; the James Bay Project in Quebec; and the Dead Sea dikes.
He authored over 250 technical publications, and served as the President of the
International Society of Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering from 1969 to
1973. In 1974, he was awarded the National Medal of Science by President Ford. A
few of his many honors include the Norman Medal, The Wellington Prize, and the
Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award in Education from the American Society of
Engineers. His last project was the Rion-Antirion Bridge in Greece. It received the
ASCE’s OPAL Outstanding Civil Engineering Award for 2005, and is the only project
outside the United States to be so honored.
Ralph Peck married Marjorie E. Truby on June 14, 1937. He is survived by his
daughter and son-in-law, Nancy Peck (Allen) Young, and son and daughter-in-law,
James (Laurie) Peck, and grandchildren, Michael Young and Maia Peck.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to:
Ralph B. Peck Geotechnical Engineering Fund
Univ. of Illinois Foundation
1305 West Green Street, MC-386
Urbana, Illinois, 61801.
Note: Above e-mail was sent to Geotech-Jiscmail mailing list by Paul Mayne.
of Chicago, representing Karl Terzaghi who was a consultant on the Chicago Subway
Project. He joined the University of Illinois in 1942, and was a Professor of
Foundation Engineering from 1948 to 1974. Since 1974, Professor Peck was a
Professor Emeritus at the University of Illinois, and a consultant in geotechnical
engineering
In 1948, together with Karl Terzaghi, Ralph Peck co-authored the most influential text
book in geotechnical engineering, Soil Mechanics in Engineering Practice. In 1953
with Walt Hanson and Tom Thornburn, Ralph Peck co-authored the widely used text
book Foundation Engineering.
In 1942, Dr. Peck joined the Civil Engineering Department of the University of Illinois,
where he remained as a teacher and mentor until his retirement as Professor
Emeritus in 1974. After moving to Albuquerque, Dr. Peck continued his active
consulting practice which included jobs in forty-four states in the USA and twenty-
eight countries on five continents. His more than one thousand consulting projects
include: the rapid transit systems in Chicago, San Francisco, and Washington; the
Alaskan Pipeline System; the James Bay Project in Quebec; and the Dead Sea dikes.
He authored over 250 technical publications, and served as the President of the
International Society of Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering from 1969 to
1973. In 1974, he was awarded the National Medal of Science by President Ford. A
few of his many honors include the Norman Medal, The Wellington Prize, and the
Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award in Education from the American Society of
Engineers. His last project was the Rion-Antirion Bridge in Greece. It received the
ASCE’s OPAL Outstanding Civil Engineering Award for 2005, and is the only project
outside the United States to be so honored.
Ralph Peck married Marjorie E. Truby on June 14, 1937. He is survived by his
daughter and son-in-law, Nancy Peck (Allen) Young, and son and daughter-in-law,
James (Laurie) Peck, and grandchildren, Michael Young and Maia Peck.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to:
Ralph B. Peck Geotechnical Engineering Fund
Univ. of Illinois Foundation
1305 West Green Street, MC-386
Urbana, Illinois, 61801.
Note: Above e-mail was sent to Geotech-Jiscmail mailing list by Paul Mayne.
Ralph B. Peck (1912 - 2008)
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Ralph B. Peck, Professor Emeritus of Foundation Engineering
at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign died of
congestive heart failure on February 18, 2008, at his home
in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He was born in Winnipeg,
Canada, to his American parents, Orwin K and Ethel Huyck
Peck on June 23, 1912.
Ralph Peck earned a Civil Engineering Degree in 1934 and
Doctor of Civil Engineering Degree in 1937, both from
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York. In
1938-39 he attended the Soil Mechanics course at Harvard
University and was a laboratory assistant to Arthur
at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign died of
congestive heart failure on February 18, 2008, at his home
in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He was born in Winnipeg,
Canada, to his American parents, Orwin K and Ethel Huyck
Peck on June 23, 1912.
Ralph Peck earned a Civil Engineering Degree in 1934 and
Doctor of Civil Engineering Degree in 1937, both from
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York. In
1938-39 he attended the Soil Mechanics course at Harvard
University and was a laboratory assistant to Arthur
