Academy of Distinguished Alumni
Bernard A. Vallerga MSCE, N.A.E.
Inducted to the Academy of Distinguished Alumni on
Bernard A. “Barney” Vallerga received both his B.S. (1943) and M.S. (1948) degrees from the University of California, Berkeley. Mr. Vallerga served as a Captain in the U.S. Third Army in Europe during World War II. From 1948 to 1953 he served as an Assistant Professor in the Civil Engineering Department and a Research Engineer in the Institute of Transportation and Traffic Engineering at Berkeley establishing a major research program in asphalt technology. He then took a position as Managing Engineer for the Pacific Coast Region of The Asphalt Institute, a position he held until 1962. He subsequently joined Gold Bear Oil Company in Bakersfield, California as Vice President. In 1964, he partnered with CEE Academy Member Fred Finn and Fritz Rostler to establish the consulting firm Materials Research and Development Inc. (MR&D) in Oakland. In time, MR&D merged with Woodward-Clyde Consultants, where he served as a Vice President. In 1972, he started his own highly successful consulting firm, remaining active for many years. He passed away in January 2013 at the age of 91.
During his career, Mr. Vallerga pioneered development and methods of application of petroleum oils and resins for use in reconstituting aged asphalts in pavements. His work led to the widespread use of restorative agents in the present day asphalt pavement recycling industry. He is the author of more than 200 research and investigative engineering reports relating to asphalt technology, materials and systems in pavement design, construction, pavement rehabilitation, hydraulic revetments and soil stabilization with asphalt. Mr. Vallerga served as chair of the Subcommittee on Asphalt Durability of the Transportation Research Board from 1980 until 1990.
Mr. Vallerga was an Honorary Member of the Association of Asphalt Paving Technologist (AAPT), a Founding Member of the International Society of Asphalt Pavements (ISAP), and an Honorary Member of the American Society of Civil Engineers. He was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 1987 for “unique and novel applications in asphalt technology and pavement design.” In 1990, he was elected to The Roll of Honor, the highest award conferred by The Asphalt Institute. He was a recipient of AAPT’s Award of Recognition in 1988 and the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) Prevost Hubbard Award in 1989.