The civil engineering students at the University of Evansville are able to be involved in several projects. They are required to participate in a freshman design project and a senior design project. They are also encouraged to participate in projects during their sophomore and Junior year as well, but these are not required to graduate. Below are the projects that are available to UE civil engineering students.
Balsa bridges are designed and build by all civil engineering freshmen in their Introduction to Engineering (ENGR 101) course. The goal of this project is to creatively design a bridge using a minimum amount of material to hold a maximum amount of weight. The project gives students an opportunity to apply principles of statics and bridge construction that are learned in the classroom.
The Concrete Canoe Competition, sponsored by the American Society of Civil Engineers, requires civil engineering students to design and fabricate a concrete canoe big enough to accommodate four people. Students compete against other universities in a two-day competition which includes men’s, women’s and coed races. The event challenges the students' knowledge, creativity and stamina, while showcasing the versatility and durability of concrete as a building material.
The University of Evansville made it to the national competition in 2005 and 2006. Last year, UE placed third in the Great Lakes Region.
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The Steel Bridge Competition, sponsored by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) , challenges civil engineering students to design, fabricate, and test a steel bridge. This competition offers future civil engineers the opportunity to display their skills in steel design, steel fabrication, and teamwork. Preparation begins months before the competition and involves computer modeling, material selection, fabrication, and rehersal in assembling the bridge. At the competition, students race against the clock to join trusses, struts, beams, and columns to create a rigid steel bridge capable of spanning a distance of 20-feet. The event challenges the students' knowledge of structural analysis and steel design.
Last year, the University of Evansville placed eighth in the Great Lakes Region.
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In order to alleviate flooding in a highly developed area along the Warrick and Vanderburgh County line, a team of seven civil engineering students are working with the Warrick County Engineer’s Office to perform a hydrologic and hydraulic analysis of Howard Ditch and its tributaries. Both Howard Ditch and Pigeon Creek are prone to flooding, as evidenced by a March 18, 2008 rainfall event that dumped over 6 inches of rain on the watershed in a 24-hour period.
A team of civil engineering students is in the process of designing a new intersection in downtown Evansville. The Fulton Avenue – Lloyd Expressway (Indiana State Road 62) Intersection has reached its capacity and a new interchange design is required. The Indiana Department of Transportation has conducted a study to evaluate design alternatives. An overpass has been recommended, but the type and size of the overpass has not been determined.
