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May 25, 2006 K-STATE AT SALINA CONCRETE CANOE TEAM COMPETES IN REGIONALS SALINA – Kansas State University at Salina’s concrete canoe team competed at the American Society of Civil Engineers mid-continent regional conference, April 27-29 on the campus of the University of Missouri in Columbia. The annual concrete canoe competition draws more than 250 collegiate teams to 21 regional contest sites across the United States. Teams work throughout the year to test the properties of various materials that can be added to concrete to influence performance. The objective is to develop a method of preparing the concrete mix to be sturdy, yet lightweight. “The basic difference between normal concrete and the mix used for the canoe competition is what is mixed in with the cement powder,” said Andy Rietcheck, K-State at Salina assistant professor and adviser of the college’s team. “Rather than using traditionally heavier gravel and sand to blend with the cement, we used ceramic spheres and glass beads to lighten up the final product.” During the competition, teams participate in a variety of events, including sprint races, endurance tests and other events designed to measure the efficiency of a team’s concrete mix for durability and lightness. Static events include a design paper and oral presentation. The K-State at Salina team finished ninth overall in the regional competition. While the K-State’s team finished in eighth place out of 11 teams, Rietcheck stressed the accomplishment of the students. “The other ten teams were from four-year civil engineering programs,” he said. “A couple of the teams even had graduate students assist them. We were the only two-year program competing.” K-State’s construction engineering technology program is a two-year associate degree. Upon completing the two-year program, students may choose to move directly into the construction science bachelor’s program on the Manhattan campus. Construction engineering technology students competing on the K-State at Salina team were junior Jesse Thompson, Assaria; junior Joel Selby, Brewster; senior Ben Henry, junior Mitchel Lacy and sophomore Tegan McCullough, all of Salina. |