We’re saddened to share the passing of University of Auckland’s Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering John Butterworth.
Passing away after a long illness on 4 September – we wanted to share our condolences with his family and friends and acknowledge the contributions he’s made to our industry.
Graduating with a Bachelor of Engineering from The University of Auckland, Johns career saw him working for consultants in Auckland and London, and joining the Space Structures Research Centre at the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom in 1967.
There as a research engineer, he worked on the development of large scale structural analysis programs and their application to space structures. Accepting a lectureship in structural engineering in 1968, while completing a PhD in the field of elastic stability.
After returning to The University of Auckland in 1979, he worked on a range of problems. Concentrating in recent years on structural dynamics and earthquake engineering.
John was one of the key developers of the current seismic design guidance for structural steel and composite steel and concrete buildings through his close association with HERA.
Former HERA Director and Associate Professor Charles Clifton said “This is very sad. I will miss not having John around and many of us who knew him well from the department feel the same.”
John leaves behind wife Angela, sons Neil, Keith and Paul, daughters-in-law Megan, Lilian and Kelly, grandchildren Paige, Logan, Aria, Zoe and Oscar, and sister Val.
