Former T.Y. Lin International Bridge Engineer, Charles “Chuck” Seim, P.E., Passes Away at Age 93

SAN FRANCISCO – Former T.Y. Lin International (TYLI) bridge engineer, Charles “Chuck” Seim, P.E., passed away on April 28, 2019, at the age of 93. A highly respected bridge engineer, Seim served the industry for over 50 years, 24 of which were spent as TYLI Senior Vice President.

Following a successful, 25-year career with the California Department of Public Works, now the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), Seim joined TYLI in 1980, when he came to work for renowned TYLI founder, T.Y. Lin, in San Francisco. Seim was known as a specialist in long-span bridges, with noteworthy U.S. projects such as the seismic retrofit of the world-famous Golden Gate Bridge and the signature Arthur Ravenel Jr. (Cooper River) Bridge in South Carolina. He also served as a consultant to the TYLI bridge design team for the iconic San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge New East Span, a role he performed with enthusiasm while well into his 80s.

Seim’s bridge engineering expertise was also applied to international projects for the firm. These include the Lake Maracaibo Bridge in Venezuela, the Bridge of the Americas Crossing of the Panama Canal in Panama, and the Nanjing Third Yangtze River Bridge in China.

Seim remained active in industry organizations throughout his long career, including the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), where he was a Life Member, and the International Bridge Conference (IBC). In 2006, the IBC awarded Seim with the prestigious John A. Roebling Medal for lifetime achievement in bridge engineering.

“Chuck was a great friend, mentor, and colleague to us all,” said Marwan Nader, Ph.D., P.E., TYLI Senior Vice President and Technical Director – Bridge Line of Business. “Chuck was an integral part of the T.Y. Lin International Bridge Team, and his passion for bridges was truly admirable.”