Robert Denton Receives Richard S. Ladd Standards Development Award

Leader Recognized for Development of ASTM Standard for Karst Terrain Assessment

OLATHE, Kan. – Terracon, a leading national consulting engineering firm comprised of engineers, scientists, architects, facilities experts, and field professionals, is pleased to announce Robert (“Bob”) K. Denton, Jr., CPG, LPSS, was awarded the Richard S. Ladd Standards Development Award by Committee D18 on Soil and Rock of ASTM International.

This recognition acknowledges the extensive time and effort Denton dedicated to developing ASTM Standard Designation D8512 – “Standard Practice for Preliminary Karst Terrain Assessment for Site Development.”

“We are certainly grateful for the knowledge, experience, and guidance related to karst that Bob Denton has brought to the table,” said William P. Quinn, F.ASTM, Chair, ASTM Committee D18 on Soil and Rock. “His many ongoing contributions to ASTM go well beyond the karst subcommittee and the development of the standard.”

Robert K. Denton, Jr., received his bachelor’s degree in natural science from Thomas Edison
State College in Trenton, NJ, in 1988. He worked as a research scientist in the chemical and
medical device industries for over 20 years, specializing in physical analysis methods. He is currently a senior geologist and karst geology subject matter expert with Terracon’s DC Metro office, located in Ashburn, Virginia. His specialties include environmental science, engineering geology, hydrogeology, and karst characterization, remediation, and management. He is a national expert on stormwater management in karst terrains.

Interested in geology from an early age, Denton has been an avid caver since his teen years. He has been a member of the Virginia Cave Board, an advisory board on caves and karst to the governor of Virginia and the Virginia legislature from 2008 – 2024.

Denton is a Certified Professional Geologist, a state of Virginia Licensed Professional Soil Scientist, and a state of West Virginia Licensed Environmental Remediation Specialist. He is a member of the National Speleological Society, Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, Association of Environmental and Engineering Geologists, the Geological Society of America, and ASTM International. Denton has published numerous articles on karst, vertebrate paleontology, and materials science. He has been awarded five United States patents on various discoveries and innovations.

About Terracon

Terracon is an employee-owned, multidiscipline consulting firm comprised of more than 7,000 curious minds focused on solving engineering and technical challenges from more than 180 locations nationwide. In 2025, we celebrate Terracon’s 60th anniversary with gratitude to our employees and clients and excitement for the future as Our Adventure Continues. Explore with us by visiting terracon.com.