federation internationale du beton (fib) International federation for structural concrete Case Postale 88, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland Phone +41 21 693 2747 * Fax +41 21 693 6245 fib@epfl.ch * www.fib-international.org For immediate release Press contact: Laura Thommen-Vidale, Editor Email: laura.thommen-vidale@epfl.ch Tel.: +41 21 693 2747 Fax: +41 21 693 6245 Press area: www.fib-international.org/press Lausanne, 25 May 2007 ref. PR07002 Two fib Medals of Merit awarded in Dubrovnik This year's fib Medals of Merit were awarded to Tsutomu Kadotani, Japan, and Petro I. Kryvosheyev, Ukraine, in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the field of structural concrete, and to fib. The medals were presented by fib president Hans-Rudolf Ganz on 21 May 2007, at the recent symposium in Dubrovnik, Croatia. The fib Medals of Merit continue the tradition established by FIP to honour individuals who have played an exceptional role in advancing the work of fib. Born in 1950, Tsutomu Kadotani has played a major role in the progress and promotion of concrete structures in Japan. In particular, widespread construction of prestressed concrete cable stayed bridges, extradosed bridges and/or corrugated steel web bridges is attributed to his influence. Furthermore, the recent development in the use of transparent sheaths for grouting is also largely the result of his efforts. This technology now enhances the durability and reliability of prestressed concrete structures world-wide. Dr. Kadotani has planned, designed, and supervised the construction of major innovative highway bridges in Japan such as Kiso-Ibigawa bridge, Ritto bridge, and Yahagigawa bridge, as well as Japan's first prestressed concrete cable-stayed express-way bridge, Tomei-Ashigara Bridge. He has long supported fib activites and was particularly involved in the first fib Congress in 2002 in Osaka. Born in 1935, Petro I. Kryvosheyev has had a long and illustrious career at the Ukrainian State Research Institute for Building Structures (NIISK), where he began in engineering and scientific positions in 1960, and later became director in 1992. Throughout the years he has been a leader and innovator in the Ukrainian building industry, and has guided the development of NIISK as an important national research centre. His achievements include the construction of a number of modern multi-storied buildings in Ukraine, and the renovation and restoration of important Ukrainian national monuments. As head of the Ukrainian consortium he played an important role in the study of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant containment problem, and the development of the new confinement system to replace the one built in 1986. Prof. Kryvosheyev was the Scientific Secretary of the Ukrainian Department of the Soviet FIP Group from 1965 to 1980. From 1981 he was the Deputy Head of the Ukrainian Dept., and ten years later became Head of the Department. In 1996 Ukraine joined FIP as independent state, with Prof. Kryvosheyev as Head of the Ukrainian Group, a position he has continued in fib since the CEB-FIP merger in 1998. ### Note: On request, the text of this press release can be provided in French or German