Hillman’s master’s thesis at Virginia Tech focused on lightweight floor systems for steel-framed buildings. Hillman worked with Prof. Thomas Murray in a research assistantship funded by the American Institute of Steel Construction.
Hillman’s design used a 7.5-in.-thick steel deck atop a 5/8-in. deck perpendicular to each other and screwed together. The screws became shear connectors. The deck is topped by a layer of concrete.