WICKHAM

George Wickham, the former principal of San Francisco tunnel and geotechnical engineer Jacobs Associates Inc. who was known for his cost-estimating expertise, died on Oct. 25 in Lake Wildwood, Calif. He was 89. Wickham joined the firm in 1957 after 10 years of work for a contractor. He co-authored a 1974 research paper that introduced rock-structure rating methodology to tunnel design, according to Jacobs. The approach quantifies and predicts the support required for a tunnel based on key geologic parameters. Says the company, “Others have built on this work to produce rock-mass classification systems” that are widely used in tunnel design today. Wickham, who retired from Jacobs in 1981, also served as mayor of Mill Valley, Calif., in Marin County. Jacobs ranks on ENR’s Top 500 Design Firms list, reporting $22.8 million in 2009 revenue.