Infrastructure

CEAE UpdateFALL 2019

Civil, Environmental & Architectural Engineering at the University of Kansas

Letter from the Chair

Dear Friends,

It has been another landmark year for the CEAE Department, and we have a lot to report. Among the many highlights, the long-planned renovation of the Geotechnical Laboratory has been completed. The lab is now in use, and we are looking forward to the formal ribbon cutting this academic year.

Of very special note, the Department received a major donation from alum Craig Martin and his wife Diane to form the National Center for Construction Safety, which has been named in their honor. The Center will cutting-edge, multi-disciplinary research to reduce the major hazards within the construction industry.

Infrastructure, it’s maintenance and construction, are regularly highlighted in the national news. In this issue, we are pleased to highlight some of the many projects in which KU researchers are involved to improve the durability of both existing and new infrastructure throughout the US. We also highlight one of our outstanding alumni, Tirzah Gregory, Director of Kansas City Metro Bridge Group for HNTB, and recent graduate Duncan MacLachlan, who has joined Kiewit Power Engineers in Lenexa, Kansas, as a structural design engineer.

This issue also introduces the newest members of the CEAE Academy, Rich Smith, President and CEO Henderson Engineers; Jerry Younger, Managing Director of the Kansas Aggregate Producers Association and Kansas Ready Mix Concrete Association; Mike Orth, Executive Vice President and Executive Managing Director of the Americas Region-Water Business for Black and Veatch; and Craig Finley Jr., Managing Principal of Finley Engineering Group.

This past year we had an unprecedented number of faculty promotions (eight!). Remy Lequesene, Jian Li, Matt O’Reilly, and Dan Tran were promoted to associate professor with tenure, and Caroline Bennett, Andres Lepage, Ted Peltier, and Belinda Sturm were promoted to professor. In the way of other transitions, Professor Steve Randtke has announced his plans to retire in June 2020.

Under News and Notes you will see a number of impressive honors. To name just a few, Professor Andres Lepage was named by Engineering News Record as one

of the top 25 Newsmakers for 2018; Assistant Professor Elaina Sutley received a prestigious National Science Foundation Faculty Early CAREER Development Award; Professor Bob Parsons has been awarded a Chancellor’s Club Teaching Professorship; and Mario Medina and Jie Han were named by the students, respectively, as the top teacher and top advisor in the School of Engineering.

Two other efforts that we have reported on in past issues have seen very positive developments. Our partnership with Qingdao University of Technology (QUT) continues to strengthen. There is a short article describing the experiences of Professors Matt O’Reilly and Will Collins who were the first KU instructors to present courses at QUT. The first students in this joint program will arrive at KU next fall. Last year, I mentioned our newly growing online course program. This summer, the Kansas Board of Regents approved the program so that it will be available worldwide. Enrolling through KU’s Edwards Campus, students from across the globe can now pursue the Master of Civil Engineering, which covers all areas of study in civil and environmental engineering and construction management. They can do so while paying the Kansas City Metro (in-state) rate whether they are in or out-of-state. We plan to expand the program to include the Master of Construction Management beginning next fall. This is a great opportunity for students everywhere, especially our alumni, to continue their education at KU.

I can’t conclude this letter without expressing my sincere thanks for the ongoing financial support that we receive through the KU Endowment Association from you, our loyal alumni and friends. You allow us to do some very special things, while at the same time completing our critical missions for our students, the profession, and the State of Kansas!

Wishing you the very best.

Dave DarwinDeane E. Ackers Distinguished Professor and Department Chair

Photo by Susan B. Scott

CEAE Update is published annually byThe Department of Civil, Environmental & Architectural Engineering at The University of Kansas

Department ChairDavid Darwin, Ph.D., P.E.

EditorSusan B. Scott

DesignChris Millspaugh Design

Comments, suggestions, or address changes may be emailed to sbscott@ku.edu or sent to:2150 Learned Hall 1530 W. 15th St. Lawrence, KS 66045

The University of Kansas prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, age, ancestry, disability, status as a veteran, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, gender identity, gender expression, and genetic information in the University’s programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Director of the Office of Institutional Opportunity and Access, ioa@ku.edu, 1246 West Campus Road, Room 153A, Lawrence, KS 66045, 785-864-6414, TTY 711.

@kuceae

ceae.ku.edu

ON THE COVERVessel in Hudson Park, NYC

Photo by Corey Green

CEAE Update

Submitted photo

CONTENTS2 News & Notes

4 Alumni Profile

6 Infrastructure

8 Student Spotlight

10 Big Jay in China

11 CEAE Academy

12 Funding Our Future

L to R: Akshay Patel (MS), Irtiza Khan (PhD), Nikhila Gunda (MCM), Zeyad Dessouki (BS Civil). Back: Amin Asgharzadeh (PhD). ITE (Institute of Transportation Engineers) Midwestern District Traffic Bowl winners.

FACULTY UPDATESProfessor DAVE DARWIN received the ACI Foundation—Concrete Research Council—Robert E. Philleo Award. This honor was bestowed “In recognition of his lifelong and continuing efforts in the field of concrete material research and bridge construction practices and its implementation in practice in the US and around the world.”

The Department congratulates DRS. REMY LEQUESNE, JIAN LI, MATT O’REILLY, and DAN TRAN for their promotion to Associate Professor; and DRS. CAROLINE BENNETT, ANDRES LEPAGE, TED PELTIER, and BELINDA STURM for their promotion to Professor.

Professor ANDRÉS LEPAGE was named one of ENR’s Top 25 Newsmakers for 2018. His recognition was for “Laying the Foundation

for Historic Code Changes to Reduce Rebar Congestion.”

Assistant Professor ELAINA SUTLEY has received a prestigious National Science Foundation Faculty Early CAREER Development

award. It is a five-year, $500,000 award intended to launch the career of early-career faculty. The Human, Disasters, and the Build Environment program at NSF is sponsoring Professor Sutley. Professor BOB PARSONS was named a Fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers. Bob was also awarded a Chancellors Club Teaching Professorship by the KU Chancellor. The award recognizes excellence in teaching and is awarded only to persons who have demonstrated outstanding teaching over a period of years.

Professor Emeritus TOM MULINAZZI has been named one of two 2019 Order of the Engineer Outstanding Link Coordinators by the organization’s National Board of Governors.

Associate Professor JIAN LI received the “2019 Rising Star” Award presented by the magazine, Civil

+ Structural Engineer. JIAN was also selected as one of five recipients of the Structural Engineering Institute Young Professional Scholarship.

Associate Professor LI also received the Big XII Faculty Fellowship Award from KU. This will enable him to spend up to two weeks in research collaboration at Iowa State University.

Associate Professor MARIO MEDINA received the School of Engineering student-selected Henry E. Gould Award for teaching at the School’s recognition ceremony in May.

At the same ceremony, Professor JIE HAN received the School of Engineering student-selected Henry E. Gould Award for advising. Professor HAN also received the ASCE Kansas City Section 2018 Civil Engineer of the Year Award.

Professor ANIL MISRA received a Fulbright Specialist Award to visit Warsaw University of Technology.

GRADUATE & UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

CE Ph.D. candidate Tanya Walkenbach won the GeoShirt Design Competition this year at the ASCE Geo-Institute national student

Geo-Competition. At the same competition, Tanya and fellow CE Ph.D. candidate Sarah Morton Rupert captured third place for their the GeoPoster, and CE Ph.D. candidate Hao Liu and CE undergraduate Ashley Underwood received third place in the GeoPrediction competition.

CE Ph.D. candidates Tanya Walkenbach and Mustapha Rahmaninezhad (Ph.D. May 2019) took first and second place, respectively, in the ASCE Kansas City Geotechnical Conference student poster competition.

ARCE Undergraduate students, Gyasi Talib and Rosa Williams were among six iHAWKe (Indigenous, Hispanic, African-American, Women, KU Engineering) students selected to participate and compete in the National Academy of Engineering 2019 Global Grand Challenges Summit Student Business Model Competition for a chance to represent the U.S. at the global student competition in London.

CE Ph.D. candidate Zahra Andalib received the 2019 Emily Taylor Center for Women & Gender Equity

Marlesa and Hannalesa Roney Student Success Award. This award recognizes a woman-identified graduate or undergraduate student who has contributed to the success of another student.

Eugene Boadi-Danquah, (CE Ph.D. July 2019) received the Carlin Graduate Teaching Assistant Award for excellence in teaching.

Nominations were submitted by both his advisor and his students.

Habib ArjmandMazidi (Ph.D. student) was awarded the best luminaire design in the Emerging Professionals Luminaire Design Competition at the Illuminating Engineering Society in Kansas City.

CE Ph.D. candidate James Lafikes received a Graduate Research Presentation Award at the School of Engineering Research Showcase. James was also one of two KU students to receive an award at the 16th Annual Capitol Graduate Research Summit in Topeka, KS.

CE Ph.D. candidate Vishal Chandra Kummetha, was a winner of the Graduate Research Poster Awards for the School of Engineering Research Showcase.

School of Engineering Graduate Student Ambassadors (GEA) for 2019-2020 include CE-MS candidates

News & Notes

2 / CEAE Update

Nikhila Gunda and Stacy Tinner. GEAs are an elite group of engineering

leaders who work closely with administrators in the school to identify resources and strengthen the School’s recruitment and retention efforts at KU. 

Payal Verma (CE Ph.D. candidate), Stacy Tinner and Wambura Chacha (Environmental Engineering MS candidates) were named IHAWKe 2019-2020 Graduate Diversity Fellows. IHAWKe Fellows are leaders in the School of Engineering who work with staff at the school level to identify and support the academic and professional needs, provide resources, mentorship opportunities, and specialized programming for graduate students across the school with a focus on diversity

Stacy Tinner(Env. Engr-MS candidate) was chosen as a GEM Fellow. GEM is a group of leading corporations, laboratories, universities, and research institutions that enables qualified students from underrepresented communities to pursue graduate education in applied science and engineering.

The KU-ITE Team was awarded winner of the Design competition at the 2019 Midwestern Traffic Bowl for the ITE Student Leadership Summit.

STAFF UPDATES RETA SOLWA received the School of Engineering Staff Recognition Award for significant contributions to the CEAE Department.

The University of Kansas Transportation Center (KUTC) held their annual staff retreat on June 3, 2019.  Known as KUTC Day, the staff used the time for team building, and discussing ways to improve and grow the Center.  The mission of the KUTC is to support Kansas public works and transit agencies by providing innovative, cost-effective, and valuable services through training, technical assistance, and research applied to local needs.

SCHOLARSHIPS CE Ph.D. candidate Tristan Yount was one of 13 doctoral students to be selected to receive a prestigious

Madison & Lila Self Graduate Fellowship for the entering class of 2019-2020.

Aidan Canady (CE-UG) received the Kansas Chapter of the American Public Works Association (APWA) Scholarship.

Tobi Imam (CE-UG) received a scholarship from the American Public Works Association.

Civil Engineering undergraduates Patrick Nieto, Ethan Morrison, Kyle Svoboda, Quinton Jones, and Shauna Erickson were selected to receive scholarships from The Builders’ Association Scholarship Awards Program.

CE Ph.D. candidate Ali Abdul Baki was the 2019 recipient of the Kansas Chapter of the American Concrete Institute Scholarship. Scholarships are awarded to students pursuing advanced study of concrete materials and concrete behavior.

Erin Mahoney (ARCE-MS) received an International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD) Thomas M. Lemons Scholarship for her study in lighting design.

The 2019 Concrete Canoe Team was led by Joe Roubinek and Emma Beaty. This year’s canoe was themed around basketball. The team received third place in the Design Paper category in Regional Competition.

L to R: Professor Steven Schrock, Dr. Hemin Mohammed, Norm Bowers, Anne Lowder, Dale Dorsch, Toni Dixon, Alice Kuo, Emily Wilder, Roger Alexander, Lisa Koch, Lisa Harris, and Mike Perkins.

Fall 2019 / 3

It’s a good thing KU alumnus Tirzah Gregory is a professional bridge engineer, because her whole life has been dedicated to bridging gaps and obstacles,

both literal and metaphorical. Her love for engineering was fostered by her grandfather, Edward Filstrup, who was a mechanical engineer who helped to design the hydraulics for the landing gear of the Lockheed Martin Constellation aircraft during World War II. “He liked solving problems,” Gregory says. “I think I got some of that curiosity from him.” As a girl, Gregory spent time with her grandfather in his shop, building toys and working on other projects. “For me it was exciting to be around him and his ability to create things. It was special that he saw in his granddaughter what it takes to be an engineer, especially because in his generation it wasn’t common at all to see women go into engineering. It meant a lot to me that he saw that in me.”

Encouraged by her grandfather, Gregory’s interests in civil engineering and architecture led her to Washington University in St. Louis. She had originally intended to earn a dual degree in civil and architectural engineering, but found she was drawn to bridge design.

“My junior year design project was to design a steel truss bridge. I think once I started seeing how the design of a bridge proceeded from beginning to end, I liked that process. It made sense to me. I loved it.” As she continued to study bridges, she was intrigued by their variation and function. “Every bridge is different,” she says. “Whereas you might have repetitive details in buildings, bridges are a little more unique.”

After graduation, she applied for many jobs, but took a position with HNTB Corporation in Kansas City, an offer she describes as her dream job. She was hired by Bill Clawson, who received three civil engineering

degrees from KU. “He encouraged me to go back (to school) and get my master’s degree,” Gregory explains.

“For a bridge engineer, it’s pretty important to get your master’s degree. The program at KU was perfect for me. I could go to school in the evenings, and still work at HNTB.” She moved to the Overland Park area to be close to KU’s Edwards Campus and ended up earning a Master of Civil Engineering.

Today, after more than twenty years with HNTB, Gregory is the company’s Kansas City Metro Bridge Group Director. She oversees approximately sixty engineers, and wears many hats, from making sure the people in her group have the training and resources they need, to managing budgets. “I pretty much do a little of everything, but I always see myself as the person making sure the staff have what they need. I find it really exciting.”

Still, Gregory loves bridges, and when there’s a project that piques her interest, she assists as part of the design team. “My favorite bridges have been the pedestrian bridges I’ve worked on,” she says. “I think I like them because of the intimate nature of going across them. You get to experience it slowly, and you can absorb the details and the views of the pedestrian bridge, more so than when you’re driving over a highway bridge.” And her favorite pedestrian bridge she’s helped design? “My absolute most favorite are the Keeper of the Plains pedestrian bridges in Wichita,” she says. “They are two cable stayed bridges whose design evokes the feathers of a Native American headdress.” The bridges take pedestrians past the famous Keeper of the Plains statue, a 44-foot tall steel sculpture standing at the point where the Big and Little Arkansas rivers join in downtown Wichita. “There were so many architectural elements that I felt like we were almost creating sculpture instead

Bridge DesignerBy Amber Fraley

TIRZAH GREGORY

Alumni Profile

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of bridges,” says Gregory. “There are no ninety degree angles on those bridges — they’re all slopes and angles, and it made design difficult, but I was really happy with the result. I’ve since taken my kids to walk across and experience them. I have friends who live in Wichita who’ve told me they jog across them often. It means a lot to me when people enjoy the product of your work.”

Her second favorite bridge that she helped work on is the pedestrian bridge over the Snake River in Wyoming.

“From the bridge you see the Grand Tetons. The bridge itself isn’t really elaborate — you don’t need it to be elaborate, because you have the view — but I loved working on it because the community was so excited about having that connection across the river and being able to ride their bikes even further out of town and experience nature. That project was meaningful because of what it gave the community.”

In addition to her work at HNTB, Gregory serves on the executive board of the Women’s Transportation Seminar, a professional organization started in the 1960s to give women a platform to become leaders in the transportation industry. “They always joke that the goal of WTS is to someday make themselves obsolete,” says Gregory. “I was one of the founding members of the Kansas City Chapter, so it’s been fun being part of developing and growing a chapter.”

She’s also involved with Prep KC, an organization that brings high school students into the work environment, and helps with their college readiness. When students visit HNTB, they’re given a real-life architectural engineering challenge. “We provide an aerial view of their high school, tell them their high school is about to double the number of students, and then ask, ‘What do you have to do to make your high

school work with that increase?’” explains Gregory. “They have to think about everything — transportation, parking, buses, structural issues, capacity of classrooms, where will everyone eat — and they get to solve the problem on something they really understand: their high school.”

Gregory thinks the future of bridge design will involve accelerated bridge building with prefabricated segments, and the future of transportation will mean moving people around differently than we currently do. “For so long our states and departments of transportations have focused on capacity for cars, whereas in the future I think we’re going to be focused on more efficient transportation systems,” she says. Gregory anticipates cities adding more public transportation, as well as accommodating pedestrians and bicycles. Those challenges, she says, will require more engineers, which is why in addition to everything else, she sits on the University of Kansas School of Engineering Alumni Advisory Board, which meets twice a year.

“The biggest concern I have in my company is staff — finding the right people to hire. There’s kind of a shortage of engineers in the country, I think. That’s why I get involved at KU, to try to make sure we have that next generation of engineers coming through the university because we need them. And we want them to stay in Kansas City and work here, instead of going to the coasts.” And Tirzah Gregory is working hard to make sure that’s what happens!

“There’s kind of a shortage of engineers in the country, I think. That’s why I get involved at KU, to try to make

sure we have that next generation of engineers coming through the university because we need them.”

Fall 2019 / 5

Every morning, we all undergo a similar routine: with a flick of the wrist we bring light into a darkened room. A similar wave of the hand

warms or cools our homes and brings clean water within arm’s reach. We travel to work or school at speeds far faster than any person could dream of traveling on foot, gliding over rivers without getting wet. In another era, a person claiming to have these powers would be regarded as a sorcerer. The secret to this magic, however, lies not in sleight-of-hand or smoke and mirrors, but in infrastructure.

Society as we know it would not be possible without the basic components of infrastructure: the power grid that keeps our lights on; the transportation network that brings goods and people across the land and sea and through the air; the water treatment and delivery systems that bring clean water to our faucets while treating wastewater and storm runoff; and the dams, buildings, and bridges that have reshaped our landscape.

Infrastructure is not invincible, however. Time and nature both constantly attack infrastructure — and right now, it is losing the fight. In 2017, ASCE gave America’s infrastructure a D+, ranking it between mediocre and poor. Many systems rely on components that are 50+ years old. These components are at risk of failure that would bring the ‘magic’ that is our infrastructure, and our daily routine, crashing down. According to the ASCE, fully restoring our nation’s infrastructure will require $2 trillion over the next 10 years in addition to current expenditures. Upgrading and building new, more durable infrastructure, however, will not be easy and will require significant research. That’s where CEAE students and professors step in, doing the critical work, designing and testing methods so that future generations can continue to experience the seeming magic that is infrastructure. Here’s what we do:

WEATHERING THE STORMSThis year has brought some of the heaviest rains in recent memory to the Midwest. Widespread flooding shut down I-29 in northern Missouri and I-35 south of Wichita for parts of the spring and summer, with countless state and local roads also impacted. In addition to the roads, a late July storm that dumped over 8 inches of rain in Lawrence resulted in an equipment failure at Lawrence’s wastewater treatment plant, forcing the city to bypass the plant and discharge raw sewage into the Kansas River. This issue is just where the work of Drs. Belinda Sturm

and Steve Randtke and their graduate students has an impact. These two environmental engineering professors focus their research on the design of wastewater treatment plants, optimizing them to handle current and future wastewater treatment needs. Their work includes managing storm surges to prevent the bypasses that threaten public health. Dr. Bryan Young also researches storms, but works from the opposite end, improving our ability to predict the frequency and severity of flooding. Updating this flood data allows existing infrastructure to be evaluated and new infrastructure to be built to withstand modern floods.

Flooding is not the only weapon nature has in its arsenal in its war on infrastructure. Hurricanes and tornadoes also wreak havoc, causing extensive damage to homes and buildings. Tornados are of particular concern when people shelter-in-place — often in homes not designed to withstand the forces a tornado exerts. Drs. Elaina Sutley and Bill Kirkham are hoping to change that. After the May 28 tornado that tore through Douglas County, Dr. Sutley led a team of students and researchers on an NSF-funded response team to survey the damage, presenting findings and recommendations that should lead to updated design codes and safer homes.

RUSTING AWAYMuch of the infrastructure we have today would not be possible without steel and other metals. Raw ore is removed from the earth and converted into a form that allows us to build airplanes, buildings, bridges, and countless other structures. Nature doesn’t like this conversion, however, and the environment constantly strives to return these metals to their original form, a process known as corrosion. The slow pace of corrosion means it often gets overlooked-no “corrosion siren” sounds to tell people to take shelter. As a result, corrosion is often ignored until the structure has degraded to the point of failure.

The corrosion lab, led by Drs. David Darwin and Matt O’Reilly, is looking to strengthen our infrastructure against this methodical menace. Currently focused on reinforced concrete bridges and similar structures, the corrosion lab aims to extend the service life of reinforced concrete in the face of corrosion. “An unprotected bridge deck can require significant repair or replacement in as little as 15 years due to corrosion,” said Dr. O’Reilly.

“We’re working to push that out to 100 years.”

By Dr. Matt O’Reilly and Susan B. Scott

INFRASTRUCTURE: IT’S NOT MAGIC

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A BRIDGE TOO FAR Bridges play a vital role in our transportation network. By allowing rapid transit over waterways, bridges link communities and reduce travel times. The critical role bridges play, however, is often not recognized until a bridge is closed for repairs or collapses. Bridges are among our most exposed infrastructure. The threats to bridges are numerous; in addition to flooding and corrosion, bridges require constant maintenance due to cracking of the deck, fatigue of steel elements, and blocked drainage, among other challenges. When a bridge succumbs to these assaults, the results can be quite costly. In 2018, 70 people were killed in bridge collapses worldwide, many of which were attributed to age or loss of capacity. Even when fatalities and injuries are avoided, the financial costs due to delays rapidly mount. Locally, the bridge connecting Perry and Lecompton, KS was closed for five months in 2007 to replace the aging deck. Traffic was rerouted to Lawrence and Topeka to cross the Kansas River, adding an hour to a five-minute trip, and an added cost to the school system of over $1000/day.Numerous faculty at KU are leading the fight to improve the safety and durability of bridges. Drs. Admin Husic, Amy Hansen, and Josh Roundy have recently been awarded a grant from the State of Kansas to improve the drainage of bridge decks. When drainage is not sufficient, standing water on the deck increases the risk of hydroplaning or ice formation, threatening public safety and exposing the bridge to an increased risk of corrosion. Drs. William Collins and Caroline Bennett and their students have conducted extensive research over the years on improving the resistance of bridge superstructure components to fatigue and fracture. By changing the design and using different materials, they have found ways to delay the growth of fatigue cracks, greatly extending the service life of steel bridges.

Dr. Darwin has over 25 years of experience in mitigating cracking in reinforced concrete bridge decks. Cracks in the concrete accelerate damage due to corrosion and freezing/thawing cycles, necessitating early repair and replacement of the bridge deck. By incorporating improved construction practices, changing the mixture proportions of concrete, and incorporating innovative technologies into the concrete, Dr. Darwin and his team have successfully reduced cracking in decks in Kansas and other states, and their recommendations have been incorporated into specifications across the U.S.

MATERIALS OF THE FUTURETechnological advances in materials have driven advances in infrastructure for millennia; the development of concrete by the Romans led to massive structures and aqueducts that still survive. As we look towards the future, Jayhawk researchers are hard at work investigating materials that may one day define our newest infrastructure. Drs. Andres Lepage, Remy Lequesne, David Darwin, and Matt O’Reilly are investigating the

behavior of reinforced concrete structures made with high-strength steel and concrete. Their work has been instrumental in the adoption of these materials into the American Concrete Institute Building Code and will allow for more efficient structures, leading to more sustainable infrastructure.

Drs. Anil Misra and Masoud Darabi are looking even further afield. Dr. Misra and his students are studying metamaterials — man-made materials, such as 3D-printed composites, that could replace the most failure-prone regions of infrastructure. “We need to completely rethink how we should design the next generation of infrastructure,” said Dr. Misra. “If we can improve [infrastructure’s] longevity by making strategic changes we will reduce pollution and environmental impact.” Dr. Darabi and his team are working towards crack-resistant, self-healing asphalt, which if successful, could relegate the dreaded pothole to the annals of history.

MAINTAINING WHAT WE HAVE Designing new infrastructure to be more resilient is important, but we also must work to maintain the trillions of dollars of existing infrastructure. “Maintenance of highway infrastructure is more important than ever,” said transportation professor Dr. Steve Schrock. “We have moved into a time of maximizing the efficiency of our streets and highways rather than simply building more.” Dr. Schrock focuses his efforts on keeping work zones safe and efficient, minimizing delays and injury accidents in work zones. Dr. Schrock, along with Dr. Alexandra Kondyli, also conduct research on roadway design and traffic management systems, allowing our existing infrastructure to carry increased traffic loads.Tracking the health of our existing infrastructure plays an important role in maintaining what we have. Early intervention can prevent failure and allow infrastructure to continue its role with minimal disruption. Dr. Jian Li has dedicated his research to structural health monitoring — the use of small portable sensors installed on infrastructure that can track changes in deflection and stress, as well as detect early cracking. Dr. Li is also working with Drs. Collins, Bennett, and Sutley on innovative methods for early detection of fatigue cracks in bridges, without requiring in-person inspection. As Dr. Collins explains, “When you don’t have a human inspector on the bridge in a bucket truck, it’s safer for the inspectors, it’s safer for the traveling public, and hopefully, we’ll be better at finding cracks than we currently are.”

Most of us will go to bed tonight without actively considering the interlinked network that made our day possible. KU professors and students are key players in maintaining and strengthening that network. Our infrastructure system exists behind the scenes and greatly improves our lives in an almost magical way. It’s easy to take it for granted when it’s working-but it’s not magic.

Fall 2019 / 7

Dull moments seem to be rare in Duncan MacLachlan’s life. For starters, MacLachlan, a 2019 graduate of the Civil Engineering Masters

Program, is busy settling in to an exciting new job as a structural design engineer for Kiewit Power Engineers in Lenexa, Kansas.

After working on challenging projects all day for a top engineering firm, a little down time would be in order for many. However, MacLachlan’s modus operandi when he comes home to Lawrence after work is to further engage his penchant for problem solving with projects of his own choosing. Whether it’s finding ways to keep his beehives thriving, experimenting with cover crops in his community garden plot, communicating with people in far off places using Morse Code, or perfecting the chemistry of his homebrewed wines, MacLachlan is constantly tinkering with processes.

“Problem solving is something that has always appealed to me,” MacLachlan says. “With things like beekeeping and winemaking, any product I get is really more of a bonus. I have a lot more fun learning about it and doing it than getting the product out of it.”

MacLachlan’s graduate advisor, Assistant Professor Will Collins, says that MacLachlan’s genuine interest in understanding things serves him well as an engineer, but also means that being around him is always interesting.

“As much as he is a great student and researcher, he is even more interesting to know as a person,” Collins says.

“There is never a lack of topics to discuss when having a conversation with Duncan. Research meetings with him always went over time, not because we were talking about work, but about life, books, hobbies, etc.”

When MacLachlan entered the KU Civil Engineering program as an undergrad in 2013, he thought he would follow the environmental concentration. He then got involved with the Steel Bridge Team, and soon realized he was more interested in structural engineering. Working with the team to design bridges within the parameters mandated by the competitions was a fun challenge. But MacLachlan says it was the experience of actually fabricating the bridges for the competitions that brought his skills and knowledge to the next level.

“It was a fantastic experience to have to engineer something that is actually practical to build,” he says. “Seeing where innovative fabrication, innovative construction and innovative engineering can all come together to create neat solutions to problems isn’t something you can experience in the classroom.”

With no previous fabrication experience, MacLachlan spent many hours during his undergraduate years in the department’s machine shops learning metalwork and machining skills from both the lab technicians and his

By Liz Weslander

Busy As A Bee

Student Spotlight

Duncan MacLachlan

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more experienced student peers. MacLachlan says the people and experiences he encountered through Steel Bridge fostered a love of working with his hands and gave him some awareness about the challenges he might face in the working world.

“Yes, it’s really just a big game for students,” MacLachlan says. “But in the real world it comes come down to delivering projects at the lowest cost, and Steel Bridge reflects that because you are scored on a dollar basis — they assign a dollar value to the weight of the bridge and to the amount of time you spend constructing it.”

While his undergraduate degree and the Steel Bridge Team experience served as a great foundation, MacLachlan says that the opportunity to do more research and spend more time in the lab led him to stay at KU another two years to complete his Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering. MacLachlan’s thesis focused on analytical and experimental methods of evaluating lightweight modular cold-formed steel floor systems. He says the topic piqued his interest because both modular components and cold-formed steel are popular in the construction industry for being both convenient and cost-effective.

“I thought it would be another way to broaden my horizons and get experience I might use in the field,” says MacLachlan, “But the best part of my graduate studies was continuing to learn and grow as a metalworker and fabricator.”

MacLachlan is just a few months into his current job as a structural engineer at Kiewit, a major engineering and construction firm that works throughout North America.

His position involves working on power generation and transmission projects, specifically natural gas plants.

“The structural engineers design foundations, all the structures supporting the different parts of the natural gas plant, they’ll design the pipe racks that carry the steam and gas around the plant… the stairs, everything, really,” MacLachlan says.

MacLachlan says that he has already discovered that his machinery knowledge and metalwork experience — for instance, knowing how much work it takes to do a weld — bring a unique perspective to his projects.

“It’s helpful when you are designing something on a computer to understand how the men and women in the field are actually going to have put it together,” says MacLachlan. “When you understand how much work goes into something, or why it might be costly, or when you might try to find a better way to join things together, it can help deliver projects faster and more efficiently.”

Because natural gas plants are part of infrastructure, MacLachlan says that delivering his projects efficiently ultimately translates into savings for the general public.

“I think of infrastructure as any project that serves the public, and I would consider power under that umbrella,” MacLachlan says. “A lot of what we do is for utility companies — so it’s providing communities with new power-generation capacity that they don’t currently have. Savings in capital or operating expenses do get passed on to taxpayers — the power consumers.”

MacLachlan’s interest in efficient processes in the professional arena may be cost-effective to the public, but it’s also paying off in some of his personal hobbies as well. By experimenting with how he can get the most out of a crop season in his garden plot, MacLachlan says there are four to five months each year where he can cut his grocery bill in half by eating from his garden.

“There are some evenings when I’m just eating raw carrots for dinner, but I usually try to get creative by figuring out what I can cook with what I grow,” he says.

“I do a lot of pickling as well.”While MacLachlan is not in danger of going hungry

any time soon, it’s clear that the substantive relationships he has made in the CEAE community mean he will not be lacking in dinner invitations for the foreseeable future.

“Duncan gets along well with everyone. That’s not hyperbole,” says Dr. Collins. “I’m glad that he’s going to be working close, so he’ll still be able to come back for group cookouts at my house. He’s a huge fan of my wife’s potato salad, and she always makes extra so he can have the leftovers.”

Fall 2019 / 9

This summer, the KU CEAE department went global, as its partnership with Qingdao University of Technology (QUT) got underway. A coastal city with approximately six million inhabitants, Qingdao is a drastically different place from the home of the Jayhawks. Qingdao is a popular resort spot for many Chinese citizens, featuring numerous beaches and tourist attractions. The port city also sees significant shipping activity at its port and was home to the sailing competition in the 2008 Olympics. All this lends to an active (and chaotic!) city life.Qingdao University of Technology is an engineering-focused university of about 4,000 students. Professors William Collins and Matt O’Reilly journeyed halfway around the globe this summer to teach accelerated engineering classes to a group of approximately 100 undergraduate students. These students are part of a special engineering program where at least one-third of their classes are taught in English. “Qingdao is a fun city full of lots of different things to do and see,” said Will Collins. “I really enjoyed working with the students and getting to know them. Many of them were very eager to learn and work hard, and were excited to practice their English.” KU professors will continue to travel to QUT to teach classes, and a portion of these students will travel to KU their senior year to complete their undergraduate degree and pursue graduate study as future Jayhawks.

Construction workers play a critical role in creating the structures that shape our future, but face significant risks in doing so. Despite comprising only 4% of the workforce, construction workers accounted for over 20% of workplace fatalities. A recent gift to KU hopes to change that. KU alumnus Craig Martin and his wife, Diane, have established the National Center for Construction Safety at the School of Engineering, which has been named in their honor. The $3.5M gift will advance safety management, research, and development with the goal of directly improving safety outcomes and productivity in the construction industry. How does one design for safety? That’s one of the goals of the Center — making safe design plans, as well as keeping the risks low for injury or loss for the people who build them. A sustaining supporter of KU, Craig Martin graduated from KU as a Civil Engineer and worked for Jacobs as its CEO for almost ten years, retiring in 2015. Wanting to make a difference to the engineering and construction industry, he and his wife were inspired to develop the Center based upon his years of experience. Incorporating perspectives from a broad range of disciplines, the Center’s which include: civil engineering, construction

engineering and management, computer science and engineering, mechanical engineering, sociology, psychology and cognitive science, program management, information technology, architectural engineering, architecture, and other design related disciplines. The Martin’s aim is that the Center will be multidisciplinary in its approach and be able to open up new lines of thought for improving safety performance. “The Center provides new opportunities to explore best practices for safety in design and construction, a critical area,” said David Darwin, the Deane E. Ackers Distinguished Professor and Chair of Civil, Environmental & Architectural Engineering at KU. “I am excited about the cross-disciplinary approach of the Center and the Department’s role in leading the effort.” The new Construction Safety Center is being managed out of the Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering Department. Associate Professor Dan Tran, daniel.tran@ku.edu, is serving as the Center’s first Director. Dan is currently developing a staffing plan and hosting round-table meetings with industry stakeholders to lay the foundation for the work ahead. Stay tuned for news of the Center in the coming year.

By Dr. Matt O’Reilly

Big Jay in China

Unprecedented Construction Safety Center Endowed by Craig & Diane Martin

10 / CEAE Update

R. CRAIG FINLEY, JR., P.E., P.ENG.Managing Principal, FINLEY Engineering GroupB.S. Civil Engineering

With over three decades of experience and numerous high-profile projects in his portfolio, Craig is among the acknowledged leaders in the bridge engineering and construction industry. Craig Finley is a registered professional engineer in 41 states, as well as the District of Columbia and the Provinces of Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario, Canada. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Kansas.

RICH SMITH, P.E. President & CEO, Henderson EngineersB.S. Mechanical EngineeringM.S. Architectural Engineering

Rich is responsible for setting Henderson’s overall strategic vision and purpose, building the corporate culture, improving internal and external communication, and fostering leadership engagement. With more than 30 years of experience, the last 25 at Henderson, Rich has been intimately involved with the growth and success of Henderson Engineers at all levels.

CEAE ACADEMY We are happy to announce the election of four new members to the CEAE Academy. The Academy honors our Department’s most distinguished alumni and former faculty. Chosen by the CEAE Advisory Board, Academy members are recognized for their outstanding professional achievements, high ethical standards, and advocacy and support for KU CEAE.

MIKE ORTH, P.E. Executive Vice President, Black & VeatchExecutive Managing Director of the Americas Region-Water BusinessB.S. Civil EngineeringM.S. Civil Engineering

Mike Orth oversees the Americas business’s growth efforts in traditional water and wastewater treatment design services along with supply, storage, conveyance, asset management and energy solutions for water utilities through both traditional and alternative solutions, such as design-build and public-private partnerships. Mike will be giving the J. A. Tiberti Family Lecture October 10, 2019.

JEROME T. “JERRY” YOUNGER, P.E. B.S. Civil Engineering 1986M.S. Civil Engineering 1992

Jerry retired in 2016 from the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) after 30 years, including service as the Kansas Deputy Secretary of Transportation and Transportation Engineer. He is currently the Managing Director of the Kansas Aggregate Producers Association & Kansas Ready Mixed Concrete Association (KAPA-KRMCA).

Fall 2019 / 11

Premier Society: Individuals Giving $100,000 or more during their lifetimes

*Adaline L. Ames*Jane V. Barber*Frank J. Becker and Barbara A. Becker*Henry H. Benjes, Sr.John P. Fowler II and Doris M. FowlerDean R. FrisbieCraig L. Martin and Diane H. MartinRoss E. McKinney and Margaret C. McKinneyGeorge E. Nettels Jr. and Mary Joanne Myers NettelsTed K. Pendleton and Marlene McGregor PendletonHarold A. Phelps and Donna R. Brady-Phelps

*John H. Robinson and Patricia Odell Robinson*Thomas B. Robinson and Suzanne RobinsonDavid A. Ross and Patricia P. Ross

*James M. Secrest and Betty Gunnels Secrest*Charles E. Spahr and Mary Jane Bruckmiller Spahr

*Bert F. Steves and Dorothy F. StevesGerald A. StoltenbergJ.A. Tiberti FamilyMurli Tolaney and Mona Tolaney

*James L. Tyson*C. Keith Willey*Carol Jean Witter

Deans Club Champions: Individuals who have given $50,000 or more Dean R. FrisbieCraig L. Martin and Diane H. MartinRoss E. McKinneyMurli Tolaney and Mona Tolaney

Deans Club Diplomats: Individuals who have given $25,000 to $49,999 Brian J. Burke and Helen Burke

Deans Club Ambassadors: Individuals who have given: $10,000 to $24,999

*Frank J. Becker and Barbara A. BeckerJames R. BessMichael W. Karr and Janet Phelps KarrJames M. Kring Jr. and Donna M. KringHarold A. Phelps and Donna R. Brady-PhelpsDavid A. Ross and Patricia P. Ross

*Carol Jean Witter

Deans Club Benefactors: Individuals who have given $5,000 to $9,999Robert W. Agnew, PhD and Margaret Rose AgnewMichael J. Chun, PhD and Bina M. ChunDavid Darwin, PhDBrian A. Falconer and Virginia Lamb FalconerAnthony G. Kempf and Teresa Mulinazzi KempfDon R. LandeckRichard F. Luthy Jr.Stanley T. Rolfe, PhD and Phyllis W. Rolfe

*Frank J. RozichRichard A. Worrel and Susan M. Worrel

Deans Club Patrons: Individuals who have given $3,000 to $4,999Bob Benz and Janet B. BenzDouglas H. Hall and Judith K. HallGregory P. Pasley, PhD and Sonia Martinez PasleyJohn H. Robinson Jr. and Kyle Simmons Robinson

Deans Club Donors: Individuals who have given $1,000 to $2,999Robynn Andracsek and Michael E. AndracsekJon B. Ardahl

*Paul D. Barber and Diane M. BarberTerry E. Baxter, PhD and Debra EdgertonFred F. Berry Jr.William C. Clawson, PhD and Marnie S. ClawsonKenneth F. Conrad and Leslie Sauder ConradTerry Beach Edwards and R. A. EdwardsPhilip D. Gibbs and Kathleen G. GibbsWilliam J. Hall, PhD and Elaine Thalman HallLeaman D. Harris and Judith L. Harris, PhDThomas L. Jenkins and Judith Gripton JenkinsLes K. Lampe, DE and Karen Craft LampeDennis D. Lane, Ph.D. and Kristine L. LaneEugene C. McCall Jr., PhD and Lucinda Campbell McCallBruce F. McCollom, DE and E. Irene McCollomJohn L. Meyer and Marilyn A. MeyerMarilyn Miller Pattison and David C. PattisonTed K. Pendleton and Marlene McGregor PendletonLtCol Zachary T. Schmidt and Nicole Mehring SchmidtVicki J. SecrestRobert L. SkaggsGayle Slagell and Curtis W. Slagell, PEDeborah L. Smith-Wright, MD and David I. Wright, PhDL. B. Thomas and Jann Walker ThomasJ. Angelo Tiberti III and Lindsey Fisher Tiberti, PharmDJagdish VarmaGaile M. Maciulis VarnumRalph W. VarnumKenneth J. Vaughn and Marilyn L. Vaughn

Funding Our FutureInnovative research. State-of-the-art facilities. Talented and dedicated faculty. Distinguished alumni. All are part of the fabric that makes the KU Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering (CEAE) Department student experience one of the best in the region. Our success is due, in large part, to the philanthropic contributions from our alumni and friends.

From one’s first donation to the CEAE unrestricted fund, to the creation of endowed scholarships and professorships, the passion that our graduates have for the department makes the difference for our students and faculty.

Thank you to our donors below who contributed to the CEAE department from July 1, 2018 – June 30, 2019.

Your support will encourage and guide the next generations of leaders in engineering. You have truly propelled our department to a higher level of excellence by participating in Far Above: The Campaign for Kansas. To discuss opportunities for investing in CEAE, such as creating a named endowment, and equipping our new spaces, or to learn more about how to include the department in your estate plans, please contact Susan Reilly 785-832-7351 or sreilly@kuendowment.org.

You can also donate to the CEAE department online by visiting kuendowment.org/engineering (be sure to specify that your gift is to the CEAE department).

Or you can send a contribution by mail to:KU EndowmentAttn: EngineeringPO Box 928Lawrence, KS 66044-0928

2018 – 2019 Donors (July 1, 2018 – June 30, 2019)

*Indicates that a donor is deceased12 / CEAE Update

Deans Club Rising Stars: Individuals 35 years of age or younger who have given $500 to $999Colin P. Davidson and Mary D. Davidson

Campanile Club: Individuals who have given $500 to $999Rachelle Depew and James DepewMichael J. Falbe and Melanie A. FalbeDeena Goodman and Philip J. GoodmanMichael R. GrahamDennis W. HansonJeffrey A. LanaghanSteven M. LongJolene Muir Myers and Kent N. MyersKent A. Pennybaker and Janet Knollenberg PennybakerJames C. Remsberg and Sandra Garver RemsbergJeffrey A. Smith, PhDGregory M. ThielJeffrey M. Valentino and Jennifer Zammit ValentinoJoseph A. Waxse and Marianne C. Waxse

Crimson and Blue Club: Individuals who have given $300 to $499Creg S. Bishop, PhDNorman L. BowersTheresa C. Browning and Keith A. BrowningAmanda M. CarterStanley A. Christopher and Juli M. ChristopherJoel A. Crown and Deborah A. EnglishPenny L. EvansJames D. MontgomeryRADM James T. Taylor, CEC, USN, Retired and Rosa Lea TaylorDean M. Testa and Karen L. Testa

1865 Club: Individuals who have given $100 to $299Robert M. Appleberry and Dorothy Kay AppleberryWilliam A. BarrowBeverly A. Smith BillingsZack BradyBarbara Sample BrandElizabeth S. BrewerMarcus A. BrewerJennifer Kepler BriggsRoger E. CarmichaelCheng ChenCynthia A. CogilSara Clawson ColtClyde H. CoxLaurent C. DeBauge and Barbara Brooks DeBaugeJohn B. Dicus and Brenda Roskens DicusJohn C. DicusSharlene Hunt EllentuckRyan G. EndresCurtis L. Geise and Tracy L. GeiseJohn D. GroendykeJoseph J. GurdaTerence D. HagenDaniel B. HaltonVicky HarrisTristan HobbsRodney J. Hofer and Roberta S. Hofer

Jonathan J. HoffmanJanet L. Jehle and Charles C. JehleMonte C. Johnson and Kay Rathbone JohnsonBarbara Hampton KelleyJulie Peters KnudtsonStuart A. Knutson and Hazel Z. KnutsonJohn W. KoenigWendy L. Ledford and Butch LedfordJames D. LordDina V. LyneRichard L. Maskil and Joyce E. MaskilJohn F. Mehnert and Millie B. MehnertAlyssa Auld Meyer and Joseph D. MeyerJohn L. Meyer, Jr.Susan A. MorrisKrista Wendt Murphy and Zach MurphyPaul R. Neidlein and Tina Fowler NeidleinFrank B. NelsonRonaldo T. NicholsonRobert J. Ooten and Cheryl OotenH. Eugene Paris III and Barbara Barnes ParisMarcia L. Plankinton and Bruce R. PlankintonTim PowellStephen J. Randtke and Jessie L. RandtkeJerry D. Rees and Sallie L. Veenstra, MDFrank M. RichE. S. Riss and Janis Dye RissA. Scott Ritchie and Carol L. RitchieEmily Reimer RoyalNorman W. Scheffner, PhDLeonard I. Schroeter and Patricia B. SchroeterLarry E. Shankles, PEGeorge D. Sloop and Nancy L. SloopTraci L. Steinmetz and Jay D. SteinmetzJohn T. Stewart III and Linda Bliss StewartRichard L. Thiessen and Jane L. ThiessenRandall J. Timi and Ann B. Timi, DDSLeroy E. ToblerKurt D. Watson and Sue WatsonLihua Xing, PhDYuan Zhao, PhD

Donors: Individuals who have given up to $99David A. Ambler, PhD and Mary Kate AmblerBrian J. Barnes, PharmD and Jessica R. Barnes, PharmDDavid G. BeachJoyce L. BengtsonWilliam J. Benne and Veronica Rose Hellmer BenneKenneth A. Bishop and Barbara M. BishopPiper R. BlackburnAlice L. BlechaJohn C. BocoxRichard W. Bond and Susan Shockley BondDonald N. Booth and Kim Chi Thi BoothCraig A. Buhr and Ellen K. BuhrTheodore J. Cambern Jr., DE and Marcia Alexander CambernTsi-Shang ChouJohn D. Conderman and Patricia R. CondermanJeffrey W. Davis and Patricia Houston DavisPaul F. DeBauge and Janice B. DeBaugeMichael DerubeisElizabeth S. DuvallDavid H. Dyke and Sally DykeRachele EhmckeEmily L. Galbreath and Ashford A. Galbreath

Tomas W. GreenEdward A. GuernseyKenneth D. Hanson and Donna E. HansonCharles E. HuffmanSteven S. InnesAmi H. JarrettDaniel JonesDaniel A. JonesDeNean W. JonesQuinton T. JonesBob L. Kopfman and Ann C. KopfmanSammie R. Locke and Carl E. Locke Jr., PhDJohn A. Masterson and Georgia C. MastersonMichael E. McElroy and Anne Marie McElroyDerek D. MeierSusan Edwards Miller and Douglas C. MillerRusty MooreTracy J. MorrisThomas E. Mulinazzi, PhD and Kathryn J. MulinazziMary K. MurdockElizabeth Ann NelsonEugene L. NelsonTravis L. NelsonJennifer OtteMelinda M. Redfern and Richard M. RedfernWarren G. Riekenberg, PE and Carol Lee RiekenbergJanet B. Roth and Stan RothMichael J. Schmidt and Tuija K. SchmidtDale Seuferling and Marianne SeuferlingPaula J. Siegele and Robert L. SiegeleGeorge G. Strella, PEVicky A. Walters and Donald J. WaltersMary B. Zeller

Corporate and Foundation DonorsAffinis Corp.49’er Education FundAmerican Society of Civil Engineers- Kansas City SectionBartlett & West, Inc.BoeingMartin K. Eby Construction Co., IncKansas InvestorsKansas Section American Society of Civil EngineersKansas Section of AWWAKiewitKU Alumni AssociationMize, Houser & Company P.A.River City Engineering Inc.

Fall 2019 / 13

ceae.ku.edu

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