UA Engineering Students Prepare for Concrete Canoe Competition

Editor’s Note: UA civil engineering students will “pour” the concrete for the concrete canoe Saturday, Jan. 30, beginning at 1 p.m. behind H.M. Comer Hall.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Rolling pins are often associated with baking, however University of Alabama engineering students are taking them out of the kitchen and into the garage to make an ultra-sleek, floating concrete canoe.

UA civil engineering students plan to debut their boat at the American Society of Civil Engineers 2010 Southeast Student Conference concrete canoe competition held at Auburn University March 19-20.

The canoe is made from a special mixture of concrete that allows for floatation. The mixture consists of recycled glass bead, K1 glass spheres, Type I Portland cement, Metakolin, super plasticizer and water reducers.

After the concrete is rolled out, placed upon the mold, and completely dried, the canoe is sanded and taken off the mold. Aesthetics, including the name of the canoe and the University, are added last.

The concrete canoe team will be judged on the presentation of the canoe, appearance, race performance and a technical paper.

Founded in 1852, the American Society of Civil Engineers represents more than 140,000 civil engineers worldwide and is America’s oldest national engineering society.

In 1837, The University of Alabama became one of the first five universities in the nation to offer engineering classes. Today, UA’s fully accredited College of Engineering has more than 2,700 students and more than 100 faculty. In the last eight years, students in the College have been named USA TodayAll-USA College Academic Team members, Goldwater scholars, Hollings scholars and Portz scholars.