Concrete Canoe, Steel Bridge Teams to Compete at Nationals

Fairmont State University's American Society of Civil Engineers Student Chapter continues its tradition of excellence and will again represent our region at the National Concrete Canoe Competition and the National Student Steel Bridge Competition.

FSU's ASCE Student Chapter won first place in the Concrete Canoe Competition for the sixth consecutive year and second place in the Steel Bridge Competition at the recent Virginia's Conference at the Wyndham Hotel at Virginia Beach, hosted by Old Dominion University. The conference brings together 13 schools from West Virginia, Virginia and Washington, D.C., and provides students a chance to gain valuable hands-on experience by competing in many engineering-related competitions.

The 22^nd Annual ASCE National Concrete Canoe Competition will be in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on June 11-13, hosted by the University of Alabama. FSU remains the only state university to be invited to compete at the national level. FSU has represented the region at the National Concrete Canoe Competition the last five years, with a 20th place finish last year in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

The 2009 FSU Concrete Canoe Team is led by Charlie French, Captain, and Co-Captains, Tabitha Neuhauser and Brian Lake. Other team members are Josh Smith, Jeremy Clark, Justin Tennant, Lauren Allan and Stephanie Slaubaugh.

The concrete canoe competition comprises four main categories which are equally weighted. These include a technical paper, an oral presentation, the product and display and five races. The students must follow strict rules that dictate what their concrete matrix can consist of and, of course, the boat must float, to be eligible for the races.

Building on the traditions of previous teams, this year's team wanted to take a new, radical approach for their 2009 entry, "The Punisher." One of the team's main focuses this year was to improve the overall aesthetics, while reducing the weight of the canoe. Last year's entry, "Black Angel," weighed in at a hefty 260 pounds. Input from the paddlers confirmed that the heavier canoe took too long to get to top speed during the races.

 "This year's canoe team is very young, but I am fully confident in their abilities," said ASCE Faculty Advisor Tia Como, P.E., FSU faculty member. "Their motivation and dedication have been remarkable. Most of our 2008 Steel Bridge team is returning with experience. With all they learned at nationals last year, this team is eager to win another title."

For the second year in a row, the FSU steel bridge team place second in the region, and this year enjoyed a first place finish in Aesthetics. The National Student Steel Bridge Competition, sponsored by ASCE and the American Institute of Steel Construction, will be held at the Thomas and Mack Area in Las Vegas.  It will be hosted by the University of Nevada, Las Vegas on May 22-23. 

The FSU 2009 Steel Bridge team completely overhauled their design process from last year and produced a bridge that was lighter, stronger and more easily constructed. The design was based off an inverted Truss design with very intricate members designed to lower weight, while maximizing performance. The focus was to improve the connections and decrease construction speed. Members of the FSU Steel Bridge team include Captain Kostas Fintrilis, Co-Captain Tony Clark and team members Josh White and John Lafferre. 

The steel bridge rules are very detailed; the design replicates a prototype of an actual steel bridge. The teams are required to build the bridge on-site over a simulated body of water in a timed construction event. The span is limited along with the size of each member. Upon completion, the bridge is loaded both vertically and laterally and the corresponding deflections are measured. The bridge is judged on overall weight, construction time, cost, efficiency, economy and deflection. 

Both FSU ASCE teams are now seeking assistance with travel costs to attend the national events. Gifts will be accepted through the Fairmont State Foundation, Inc., to support student participation. To make a gift, mail checks made payable to the Fairmont State Foundation, Inc., to Tia Como, Fairmont State University, ASCE Student Chapter, 1201 Locust Ave., Fairmont, WV 26554. To make your gift by phone with a Visa or MasterCard, call Chris Morgan, Director of Foundation Operations and Finances at (304) 367-4788 or toll free at (866) 372-2586. Be sure to mention ASCE. All gifts are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

The ASCE Student Chapter is also hosting a Summer Technical Conference, which will be held on Thursday, June 4, at the Falcon Center on the main FSU campus. The theme for this year's conference is "Bridge to the Future," and seven professional development hours will be offered for those attending this event.

Founded in 1852, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) represents more than 137,500 members of the civil engineering profession worldwide, and is America's oldest national engineering society. ASCE's vision is to position engineers as global leaders building a better quality of life.

For more information about Fairmont State's ASCE Student Chapter, call Tia Como, P.E., Professor, at (304) 367-4629 or e-mail her at tia.como@fairmontstate.edu.