The stories of these three honorees reflect a willingness to take on new ground. Axell Nathaniel Wahyu developed a design procedure that is new to Hong Kong practice. Thomas Chu brought an analysis in-house that his team used to outsource. Yin Hoe Ong created a market for 3D geotechnical modeling in Malaysia.
In their own words.
01
Engineer II · Meinhardt Hong Kong Limited · Hong Kong
"I believe that a good design must not only satisfy code requirements but also be buildable, inspectable, and maintainable throughout its service life."
With support from my peers and university professors, I have developed a rigorous procedure for designing hollow concrete-filled steel tube piers using high-strength steel and UHPC, a relatively new design approach in Hong Kong. Curiously exploring new materials and unconventional designs is a trait that I value as much as having a strong engineering sense.
MIDAS has definitely helped me advance my designs in ways that would otherwise be very challenging. Being able to visualise my designs clearly, plus predicting how they would behave, ensures that my designs are not only structurally sound but also practical and efficient.
02
Engineer · Arup · United Kingdom
"I am an engineer who wants to keep developing my knowledge of many software, workflows and resources, to improve efficiency and accuracy."
Using and learning MIDAS FEA NX for the first time has allowed me to perform analysis that my team would usually have to go to other teams to perform, and has given us confidence to use it in future projects.
Learning and performing non-linear geometric and material analysis on brick elements with MIDAS FEA NX has opened up a lot of pathways for me. Instead of asking another team to perform the analysis for us, we now have the capability to perform it ourselves, saving us time and effort. It also introduced and deepened my knowledge on non-linear analysis, as I was able to play around with the settings and details to test various things I would not have been able to if we had gotten another team to do this.
03
Director · Dr Toh Associates Sdn Bhd · Malaysia
"I believe every problem can be put into numbers and projected. Putting numbers into your problems helps you understand them better."
In 2010, I told my superior that I wanted to venture into 3D modeling to build my unique capability in geotechnical engineering in Malaysia. My superior supported my proposal, and I created a market for 3D modeling in Malaysia in recent years. I am a geotechnical engineer. I practice pragmatism in my profession. My whole life in my profession is about matching measurements and numerical results.
Q. Much of your work is forensic. What does that change about how you model?
I am involved in many forensic investigations, and therefore many of the problems I analyzed were at the failure stage. It is a "complete life" of a geotechnical structure. The real-world problem is complex and sometimes beyond our reach. For example, I used Midas GTS NX to design bored piles in deep peat. The design considered downdrag and dragload in long-term conditions to satisfy compatibility with the structures.
We were glad to hear how Axell Nathaniel Wahyu, Thomas Chu and Yin Hoe Ong each took the first step with something new, and how that step has gone on to help people beyond themselves. A new approach grows through steady personal effort and through the colleagues and mentors who stand behind it, and we hope to keep being part of that support.