Conquering concrete

Trine engineering students earn top honors at national convention

 

ANGOLA, Ind. – A group of Trine University students was named one of the top five teams at the American Concrete Institute (ACI) Fall 2011 Convention in Cincinnati, Ohio, recently. ACI is a nonprofit technical and educational society organized in 1904 and is one of the world's leading authorities on concrete technology.

Under the leadership of Reiners Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering assistant professor Will Lindquist, Ph.D., PE, seniors Adam Sitka, Melissa Terry and Travis McDaniel earned fifth place in the load-to-cost ratio category when producing a pervious concrete cylinder that has both a high permeability and a high strength. Pervious concrete is becoming a popular sustainable alternative to traditional pavements because it allows rainfall to pass directly through the pavement, reducing runoff and allowing groundwater recharge. In Trine’s first year at the convention, the team competed against 34 teams from 26 universities from all over North America.

Lindquist, an expert in concrete design and durability, said he has a “healthy obsession” with the rough building material. Before his work at Trine, he travelled across the country working in concert with transportation departments to design and construct durable, long-lasting concrete bridges.

Earlier this year, he earned Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) accredited status. LEED certification is the most widely adopted set of green building requirements used to recognize green building projects. Concrete is considered to be not only environmentally friendly, but the building material of choice for its sustainability.  Applying the LEED rating system to his coursework and projects equips Trine’s civil and environmental engineering students with the most up-to-date information and standards to take into their future workplaces.

Trine students also are participating in ACI certification programs. Last year, 14 Trine students participated in ACI field concrete testing technician (grade 1) certification, and Lindquist is expecting more in the coming year. Lindquist said that at least four students received internships this past summer as a result of the certification.

“The other purpose of offering the certifications to these students is to improve the concrete industry. I don’t anticipate that most of the students will perform these tests regularly as a part of their full-time job, but they will know how to properly perform the tests (and will have the certification to prove it) and can expect the same from others,” Lindquist said.

To share your news, contact Trine University communication specialist Lindsay Winslow Brown at winslowbrownl@trine.edu.