Academic Credentials
  • Ph.D., Structural Engineering, Lehigh University, 2022
  • M.S., Civil Engineering, Michigan Technological University, 2013
  • B.S., Civil Engineering, Portland State University, 2012
Licenses & Certifications
  • Professional Engineer Civil, California, #C94841
  • Professional Engineer, Illinois, #062.075041
Additional Education & Training
  • Software Competencies
  • Structural: SAP2000, ETABS, RAM
  • Fire: SAFIR, Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS) and Smokeview, CFAST, Ozone
  • Blast: ProSAir, SBEDS, SBEDS-W, Wingard, ConWEP, Close-in Air-Blast (CAB)
Professional Honors
  • P.C. Rossin College of Engineering Doctoral Fellow
  • Gibson Teaching Fellow
  • Fritz Engineering Research Society
  • Chi Epsilon Civil Engineering Honor Society
Professional Affiliations
  • American Society of Civil Engineers/Structural Engineering Institute (ASCE/SEI)
  • - Committee: Blast Protection of Buildings Standards
  • American Concrete Institute (ACI)
  • - Committee: ACI 216 Fire Resistance and Fire Protection of Structures
  • Structural Engineers Association of Illinois (SEAOI)

Dr. Aerik Carlton specializes in the evaluation of buildings and other structures with respect to a variety of structural loading conditions, with an emphasis on the extreme loading scenarios of fire and explosive blast. Dr. Carlton's dissertation work evaluated normal weight structural concrete exposed to hydrocarbon fuel fire in tunnels, and included the evaluation of thermally induced explosive concrete spalling and fire resistive concrete bonded coatings. As a graduate researcher, he developed a performance-based engineering framework for structures subjected to the cascading hazards of earthquake and subsequent fire follow. In addition to structural fire engineering, he has completed computational fluid dynamics analysis for explosive loading in the confined geometries of tunnels, loading docks, mailrooms, and building lobbies.

Prior to joining Exponent, Dr. Carlton was a consultant with Nishkian Dean where he worked on new and existing buildings, but more interestingly the design of private space launch complex facilities. At Hinman Consulting Engineers he was a blast engineering consultant where he provided anti-terrorism/force protection assessment and blast resistant design for multiple US government agencies including the: DOD, DOJ, DOS, Dept. of VA, and GSA.

He is a member of the ASCE Blast Protection of Buildings Standards committee and an associate member of the Fire Resistance and Fire Protection of Structures committee with ACI. He is a reviewer for the Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities and the Transportation Research Board.