Professor and Vice Provost
College of Engineering | Civil Engineering and Provost’s Office
Hometown: Lodi
Steve Cramer’s research focus is on the interrelated topics of construction materials and the structures they form are the the basis of our infrastructure. The scope of his activity includes study of the mechanical behavior of wood and wood-based materials, the design and analysis of wood structures, and the performance of concrete construction materials. His research includes developing linkages between properties of wood microstructure and macrolevel mechanical performance of wood construction products. He has on-going activities to develop new structural analysis methods for wood trusses. These methods have been applied to advanced design specifications. Part of this research involves the study of the performance of wood assemblies subject to fire. His extensive laboratory research on the performance of concrete materials for infrastructure applications such as pavements continues to grow. Studies include examinations of suitability of new concrete aggregates in relation to the freeze-thaw performance of concrete. He is also continuing a study, which began at UW–Madison in 1910, examining the long-term properties of concrete. His research is a blend of experimental and numerical work. His graduate students are part of the research team directed at solving real problems related to structures and materials used in construction.