mc3d—evolution of segmental bridge software · jean muller. the european roots of precast...

September/October 2005 | Volume 3 | Number 5

MC3D—Evolution ofSegmental Bridge Software

Segway to Something DifferentPAGE 10

Team Wood with Technologyfor Savings

PAGE 12

Louisiana 7th-Grader and Texas Team Awarded Mathematics Champions at 2005 Mathcounts National Competition

PAGE 14


Segway to Something DifferentPAGE 10

Team Wood with Technologyfor Savings

PAGE 12

Louisiana 7th-Grader and Texas Team Awarded Mathematics Champions at 2005 Mathcounts National Competition

PAGE 14

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2 Engineering Professional | September/October 2005

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Feature

4 MC3D—Evolution of Segmental Bridge SoftwareBy Joseph P. LoBuono, PE

Articles

10 Segway to Something DifferentBy Rachael Zimmermann

12 Team Wood with Technology for SavingsBy Dr. John F. Katers, Focus on Energy

14 Louisiana 7th-Grader and Texas Team AwardedMathematics Champions at 2005 MathcountsNational CompetitionBy Darwin D. Behlke, P.E.

Columns

2 President’s Corner

18 Legal PerspectivesBy Robert J. Kay

Engineering Professional | September/October 2005 3

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By Joseph P. LoBuono, PE

T he first precast segmental bridge constructed in the United States wasthe Corpus Christi Causeway Bridge in Texas in 1973. It was based on

technology developed in France by Eugene Freyssinet and expanded byJean Muller. The European roots of precast segmental bridges were fos-tered by the need to rapidly replace bridges destroyed in World War II. Thereal impetus for segmental bridges in the United States was the bridgereplacement program in the Florida Keys. The Keys are a series of islandslinked by the original Flagler Railroad that was converted from railroad tovehicles after its virtual destruction in a hurricane of 1936. The bridgereplacement program started with the Long Key Bridge and included theSeven Mile Bridge.

As one can imagine, the control of the geometry during the precastingprocess is extremely critical to the satisfactory erection at the bridge site. Inessence, the geometry of the bridge is locked in at the precast yard so theaccuracy of the casting must be extremely good. Early projects utilizedgraphical methods to track the casting as well as to make corrections tocompensate for errors that may have occurred. With the advancement incomputer technology, it became inevitable that computer solutions wouldbe developed to manage the casting process. MC3D from IDS is such aprogram and it is based on a matrix manipulation of data.

Segmental Bridges

As the name implies, segmental bridges are those that are built upfrom multiple elements in a segmental or directional fashion. For precastconstruction, individual pieces (or segments) are fabricated at a remotelocation, then transported to the construction site and assembled

sequentially in their final position in the bridge. For cast-in-place con-struction, the segments are formed in their final position using travelingformwork. The most common structural system used for segmentalbridges is the box girder - generally of the single cell variety. Widths ofsingle cell girders have been used in excess of 75 feet. Figure 1 depictsa typical configuration for a concrete box girder. Figure 2 depicts anactual segment after casting.

The Precast System: Match-Casting

To ensure that the segments fit together when assembled in their finalposition, the concept of “match casting” is employed. Match casting is thetechnique of casting a new segment between a fixed form on one end andits neighboring segment on the other end. Figure 3a shows a typical lengthof the bridge (a span) viewed in elevation.

For a particular group of segments, the 16 segments shown in Figure1(a) for example, the process is started by precasting Segment No. 1between two fixed forms—see Figure 3(b). Then as shown in Figure 3(c),Segment No. 1 becomes one end form for casting Segment No. 2. Theprocess is repeated as Segment No. 2 then serves as an end form for cast-ing Segment No. 3, and so on.

By using the neighboring segment as one end of the form, the exactimprint of that segment is cast into the new segment thereby providing a“matched” interface when the segments are reunited in the final struc-ture. While the graphics depict a level casting, by introducing slight anglebreaks between the segments, a cambered geometry can be created. Thiscamber will create the highway geometry (vertical curvature) as well as


the predicted deflections of the bridge. The angle break plan for casting iscalled the “casting curve.” Similarly, angle breaks in the horizontal planeof casting will create the required horizontal curvature for the bridge. Thecasting process referred to as the “Short Cell” method is graphicallydepicted in Figure 4.

In the short cell method, each segment is cast, and subsequentlymoved into “match-cast” position before pouring the next segment.Placement of the match-cast segment is of primary concern to achieve thetheoretical geometry which includes cambering for expected structural dis-placements. In this process a 3-D curve (box centerline) must be followedaccurately to accommodate both horizontal and vertical alignments. Inaddition, the cross-fall must be accounted for, together with predictedlong-term structural deflections for proper placement of the match-castsegment (casting curves). The accuracy of calculations and proper controlof relative placement in the cell will greatly determine the degree of suc-cess of the erection process and the final geometry of the constructedstructure. Figure 5 depicts the actual casting a segment within the formsclamped to the match-cast segment.

Geometry Control

Figure 6 portrays a portion of a curved bridge in space. It is mathe-matically defined horizontally and vertically along a baseline. Cross-slope(superelevation) is also defined as a percentage slope. Cross-slope mayvary linearly along the baseline as a function of the horizontal curvature.

The key to controlling the geometry of a segmental bridge is managing thegeometric relationship of one segment vs. the segment adjacent to it. Inessence, the global coordinates of each segment’s control points are trans-lated and rotated to a local system that is based on the casting bed. Thecontrol points are defined in Figure 7.

The goal of the geometry control program is to monitor the castingoperations and establish “as-cast” curves step-by-step to verify that theactual superstructure geometry is in close agreement with the geometrydescribed in the design documents. After each segment is cast, the posi-tion of this segment is established in the general plot of the structure.Comparing the location of the newly cast segment with the locationassumed in the design geometry will allow for the determination of theadjustments required before the next pour.

It is important to understand that the geometry is solely dictatedby the position of the match cast segment relative to the new cast(wet cast) segment. The new cast (wet cast) segment is always pouredin the same stationary form against a fixed bulkhead. In reality, thenew cast segment forms can be slightly deformed to match the fixedbulkhead on one side and the front of the match cast segment on theother side.

The position of the match cast segment is monitored by using fourelevation bolts placed above the webs close to the extremities of thesegment and two centerline survey markers. For a straight bridge in plan


FIGURE 1: TYPICAL BOX GIRDER

FIGURE 2: SEGMENT BEING MOVED TO STORAGE

FIGURE 4: SHORT-CELL CASTING METHOD SET-UP

FIGURE 3A: TYPICAL BRIDGE SPAN

FIGURE 3B: CAST SEGMENT 1 FIGURE 3C: CAST SEGMENT 2

and elevation, the segments are simply moved from wet cast to matchcast position in a straight line.

For a bridge with a vertical curve, the segments are first moved in astraight line to the match cast position, and then tilted around a horizon-tal axis parallel to the joints. For a bridge with horizontal curve, withoutsuper-elevation variation, the segments are first moved in a straight line tothe match cast position, and then tilted around a vertical axis passingthrough the centerline at the front of the segment. Finally, variable super-elevation can also be obtained by tilting the match cast segment around ahorizontal axis perpendicular to the segment joint. The local system isdepicted in Figure 8.

MC3D

The computer program MC3D allows the following:

▲▲ Input of a “casting-set” (a cantilever or a span), including number ofsegments, segment definition, joint definition

▲▲ Definition of camber (final deflections at the end of constructionwith time effects)

▲▲ Match-Cast setup based on already cast geometry (As-Cast)▲▲ Survey of match-cast and wet-cast markers, in order to compute as-

cast coordinates▲▲ Print-out of As-Cast coordinates

The program provides input and output through the use of screen formsrunning in the Windows operating system. Joint coordinates and camber val-ues are input in “Excel-compatible” grids that the user may edit. The MC3D(Match-Cast 3D) program is a Windows application based on a series oftabbed forms. Each form is dedicated to the input and output of a specificsequence of the casting process. The tabs are presented in Figure 9.

MC3D application architecture is based on “Object Orientation.” Theobjects are “concrete segments” and “joints” and their relationships arecaptured in the object model. A “Project” is made of a collection of jointsand segments (starter and typical) for which the relative geometry isknown through a series of data sets, such as:

▲▲ General Theoretical Coordinates▲▲ Local Theoretical Coordinates


New Girder Ready for the Long Haul

When County Materials sought to stay in touch with trends inthe bridge-construction industry, the ideas for its latest innovationscame from some neighbors.

The company took a look at some emerging trends in NewEngland and Florida and worked with the Department ofTransportation to add to its lineup of sizes with a 72-inch-tall bridgegirder that will occupy the Highway 10 bridge that will cross theChippewa River in Durand. Construction is scheduled to begin thisfall. The girder features the same cross-section as the company’sfamiliar 54W model, with a 4-foot flange on top and a 30-inch flangeacross the bottom. Seven of these beams will comprise a span for theDurand project, and 11 spans will reach across the Chippewa.

“With this depth, it will be able to span to the 150-160 footrange,” said Dan Rosolack, Vice President, Wisconsin PrestressDivision, at County Materials’ location in Eau Claire. “There are otheradvantages too. For contractors, wider flanges mean less decking.Sometimes you can eliminate one girder. The wider flanges at thetop and bottom also mean more stability, both in the structure andin shipping.”

Also coming down the pike for County Materials is an 82-inch-tall girder that could span 170 feet. All of County Materials’ W-seriesgirders have a smooth-radius design for a clean look.

County Materials, founded in 1946, operates 30 locations servingWisconsin, Minnesota and Illinois. The family-owned, American-basedcompany is an industry leader in the manufacture and distribution ofconcrete block, brick, ready-mix, hollowcore, pipe, pavers, retainingwalls and Aggregate finish products for residential, commercial andmunicipal construction and landscaping.

For more information, call us at 1-800-289-2569 and ask for aproduct guide, or log onto www.countymaterials.com.

FIGURE 5: POURING WET CAST SEGMENT (IN BACKGROUND)MATCH CAST SEGMENT IN FOREGROUND

FIGURE 6: SECTION OF BRIDGE IN SPACE

FIGURE 7: SEGMENT GEOMETRY CONTROL POINTS

▲▲ Local As-Cast Coordinates (Survey)▲▲ Local Match-cast Coordinates (Survey)▲▲ General As-Cast Coordinates

The “data sets” as well as the “objects” are maintained by the appli-cation through a process called “serialization” (the collections of objectsare stored on the hard-disk for re-use). There is no need for a commer-cial database environment (such as MS-Access or SQL Server), and theprojects are stored in their entirety on small disk files. Users may re-useexisting projects by simply “opening” project files. On open, all joint the-oretical and as-cast coordinates, segment relationships as well as pastsurvey reading for all already cast segments are restored and ready to beused for the next cast.

Project and Casting-Set Definition: The “Casting-Set” is arbitrarilydefined as a portion of the project for which the concrete segments areprecast as a unit. For this unit, all segments will be match-cast against pre-viously cast segments, except the “Starter Segment” which is usually castbetween the “Fixed” bulkhead and a “Floating” bulkhead. The geometry ofeach segment is fully defined with the control point 3D coordinates andthe joints are given specific names which represent the direction of cast-ing. An example of Project and Casting-Set is given in Figure 10.

Camber and Casting-Curves: The Casting-curves are not given toMC3D as input. Rather users provide the pre-calculated camber valuesat every joint of a casting-set, and MC3D computes the casting curvesinternally. As a result, the program can display a theoretical set-up foreach segment assuming a perfect cast. For a perfect cast, all “As-Cast”coordinates are exactly equal to the theoretical coordinates given ininput, which constitutes a good consistency check of the data and of thecorrection procedure.

Match-Cast Setup and Survey: Under the “Set-Up and Survey” tab(see Figure 11), MC3D provides a specific form which for each segmentdisplays:

▲▲ The theoretical Set-up as a function of previous As-Cast segmentsand control point coordinates


FIGURE 8: PLAN VIEW OF CASTING BED FIGURE 9: MC3D INITIAL PANEL WITH TABBED FORMS

FIGURE 10: GENERAL COORDINATES TAB

▲▲ Fields necessary to input the Survey of control point coordinatesperformed on the Wet-Cast

▲▲ Fields necessary to input the Survey of control point coordinatesperformed on the Match-Cast

▲▲ Recording of the bulkhead Movements if necessary

The form is different for a “Starter Segment” which does not have amatch-cast, but uses the surveyed elevations of a floating bulkhead.

From the survey values, MC3D computes the resulting As-Cast coordi-nates of the new segment (Wet-Cast). The produced as-cast coordinatescan be visually compared to the theoretical coordinates on the next form(As-Cast Tab). In addition, the as-cast coordinates are used to produce theSet-up values for the next segment. The set-up values of the match-castsegment are:

▲▲ Relative Elevations of the Match-cast control bolts in the cellreference. The base reference elevation is the elevation of the fixedbulkhead which by definition remains horizontal, but can becorrected for unexpected movements during the casting operation.

▲▲ Horizontal offsets of the centerline hairpins for the match-cast segment.

As-Cast Coordinates and Reporting: This form provides a visualcomparison of as-cast and theoretical coordinates. The casting engineercan therefore evaluate any offsets resulting from casting inaccuracy. MC3Dprovides any correction automatically in the match-cast setup of subse-quent segments. The Set-up also includes a correction for “twist,” which isdefined as an additional deformation given to the match-cast segment dur-ing the process of moving the segment from wet-cast to match-cast posi-tion. There is a maximum tolerance of the “twist” values, which correspondto a maximum distortion angle between the up-station and down-station

joints surveyed once the match is in position and after pouring the wet-cast segment.

Future releases of MC3D will provide graphical evaluations of the vari-ous theoretical, surveyed and as-cast coordinates. The current release hastext reporting capabilities which provide all the necessary information andcan be printed as needed. The grids used for the general control pointcoordinates and camber values are Excel compatible, which provides easeof use in the case the geometry is computed using Excel. MC3D has an“Import” capability which allows the user to read-in coordinates valuesfrom AASCI text files as well, and has an “Export” capability which allowsto create an Excel file with the As-Cast coordinates for post-processing.


Business CardDirectory

Edward E. Gillen CompanyContractors & Engineers • Since 1894

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FIGURE 11: SET-UP TAB

Projects

Weidlinger Associates, Inc. (WAI) has recentlyused MC3D on two segmental bridge projects.

I-95/I-295 Interchange in Jacksonville,Florida: WAI provided construction engineeringservices for this $100 million urban interchange.The project contains 3 curved precast segmentalramp structures ranging in length from 2,010 ft.to 3,574 ft. The tightest curvature has a radius of1,900 ft. The structures were erected by the bal-anced cantilever method with cranes.

WAI used Bridge Designer II (BDII), an IDSsoftware product, to compute the structuraldeformations which included displacements dueto dead load, post-tensioning, creep and shrink-age. BDII is structural analysis software that per-mits the engineer to simulate the construction ofthe bridge. The software tracks, for each segment,its history as it relates to age when cast, age whenerected, post-tensioning forces, addition andremoval of erection equipment, changes in stati-cal schemes and supports. After complete erec-tion of the bridge, the displacements and stressesare updated through time to compute thechanges resulting from creep and shrinkage.

The structural displacements were inverted as to sign to create“camber” which is the deflected shape which will change in time tocompensate for the structural displacements. WAI computed the coor-dinates of each segment (6 control points per segment) and input thedata, along with the cambers, into MC3D for the casting of 786 seg-ments for the project.

Tampa Expressway in Tampa, Florida: WAI provided constructionengineering services for this $130 million urban viaduct through Tampa.The structures are being erected by the span by span method. With thismethod all the segments for a given span are temporarily supported ongantries that span from pier to pier. After the segments are aligned andglued with epoxy, permanent post-tensioning is installed and stressed. Atthis point the gantries are lowered and advanced to the next span. Averageassembly rates are two spans per week.

MC3D was used to control the casting of more than 3,032 segments.The contractor used 11 casting beds in order to meet the schedule for theproject. While a majority of the project was on a tangent alignment, curva-ture was treated in an interesting fashion. The core of the box girder wasset on a chord from pier to pier. The curvature was achieved by varying theoverhangs of each segment.

Mr. LoBuono is a Principal with Weidlinger Associates, Inc. and has over 37 yearsof consulting engineering experience in the field of bridge design and construc-tion. This experience includes bridges of both steel and concrete construction.Throughout his career, Mr. LoBuono has been extensively involved in large, multi-disciplinary projects. He served as Project Manager/Technical Director for eitherdesign, consulting or construction services on such notable projects as the DamePoint Bridge, Sunshine Skyway Bridge, Acosta Bridge, Edison Bridge, VictoryBridge and Roslyn Viaduct. Mr. LoBuono’s special area of expertise is concretesegmental bridges.


TEMPORARY TOWER TO STABILIZECURVED CANTILEVER OF RAMP H

SEGMENT ERECTION ADJACENT TOACTIVE TRAFFIC

PLACING A PIER SEGMENT BETWEEN THEGANTRIES


T he Segway Human Transporter is the brainchild of Dean Kamen,founder of the Segway company, based in Bedford, New Hampshire.

The impetus for Kamen’s invention was that there should be a machinefor people with limited mobility that balances using the same mecha-nisms as the human body. The initial Independence IBOT Mobility Systemallowed people with limited mobility (people in wheelchairs, for exam-ple) to climb stairs and negotiate uneven terrain like sand and rocks, andit also enabled them to view the world at eye level. Kamen’s next naturalthought was what the possibilities of this technology could be for peoplewith full mobility?

And thus the Segway Human Transporter was born.Probably the most dynamic aspect of the Segway Human

Transporter (HT) is that it runs 100% discharge and byproduct free,powered by a combination of batteries, motors, and gearboxes.According to an EPA estimate, half of the 900 million car trips taken byAmericans per day are less than five miles and transport only one pas-senger (Source: www.segway.com). These types of trips (to the grocerystore, the pharmacy, the post office) add pollution to the environment,and are also harder on the vehicle’s engine than longer car rides. On theother hand, if you’ve got packages to mail or groceries to transport,walking isn’t the best option. This is where the Segway HT comes in;perfect for running errands and buzzing around doing small tasks, oreven for just tooling around. Admittedly, at this point in Segway HT’sevolution, the cost for this eco-friendly mode of travel isn’t practical, oreven plausible for everyone, but it’s interesting to think about thepotential effect it could have on the environment and also on people’sability to enjoy the outdoors. Plus, who couldn’t use more fresh air?

The obvious question (at least it was my first thought) when firstpresented with the Segway HT is, “Why not just walk?” Gliding along ata top speed of 12.5 miles per hour seems like a cumbersome alterna-tive to just hoofing it. When running to the post office, which may be a15 to 30 minute walk, to mail a package or two, it is certainly moreconvenient to hop in the car for a 5 to 10 minute ride, even on a beau-tiful day. In our fast paced society, we often choose convenience andquickness over environmentalism and health. But Segway offers analternative. The 20-minute one-way walk turns into a 10-minute jaunton your Segway, and you’ve produced no emissions or exhaust.Segway’s website has a nifty “Save Time” feature that lets you calculate

Segway toSomething DifferentBy Rachael Zimmermann

At its most basic, the Segway HT is a combination of a series ofsensors, a control system and a motor system.

The primary sensor system is an assembly of gyroscopes. A basicgyroscope is a spinning wheel inside a stable frame. A spinningobject resists changes to its axis of rotation, because an applied forcemoves along with the object itself. If you push on a point at the topof a spinning wheel, for example, that point moves around to thefront of the wheel while it is still feeling the force you applied. As thepoint of force keeps moving, it ends up applying force on oppositeends of the wheel—the force balances itself out.

Because of its resistance to outside force, a gyroscope wheel willmaintain its position in space (relative to the ground), even if you tilt it.But the gyroscope's frame will move freely in space. By measuring theposition of the gyroscope's spinning wheel relative to the frame, a pre-cise sensor can tell the pitch of an object (how much it is tilting awayfrom an upright position) as well as its pitch rate (how quickly it is tilting).

A conventional gyroscope would be cumbersome and difficult tomaintain in this sort of vehicle, so the Segway HT gets the sameeffect with a different sort of mechanism. Segway HTs use a specialsolid-state angular rate sensor constructed using silicon. This sort ofgyroscope determines an object's rotation using the Coriolis effecton a very small scale.

Simply put, the Coriolis effect is the apparent turning of an objectmoving in relation to another rotating object. For example, an air-plane traveling in a straight line appears to turn because the Earth isrotating underneath it.

A typical solid-state silicon gyroscope consists of a tiny siliconplate mounted on a support frame. An electrostatic current appliedacross the plate moves the silicon particles. The particles move in aparticular way, which causes the plate to vibrate in a predictablemanner. But when the plate is rotated around its axis (that is, whenthe Segway HT rotates in that particular plane), the particles sud-denly shift in relation to the plate. This alters the vibration, and thechange is in proportion to the degree of rotation. The gyroscope sys-tem measures the change in vibration, and passes this informationon to the computer. In this way, the computer can figure out whenthe Segway HT is rotating along particular axes.

Continued on page 11.

the distance you could cover in 20 minutes walking versus 20 minuteson a Segway HT.

But How Does It Work?

Segway HT is centered around a technology that enables a machine tobalance in the same way the human body does, enabling the user to con-trol the machine via their own sense of balance. The HT works because ofa principle called “dynamic stabilization.” This refers to the process of self-balancing that the Segway does that mimics the balancing act of thehuman body. Just like your mind automatically tells your body to put onefoot in front of the other when the fluid in your inner ear shifts, the SegwayHT relies on a bundle of microprocessors to tell it how fast to move for-ward or backward. You control the direction of the machine via the steer-ing handle. For a detailed description of the inner workings of a SegwayHT, see sidebar.

The Segway HT has already enjoyed success in the business world.Segway’s website cites various case studies of businesses and organiza-tions that have incorporated the Segway HT into their structure. Onesuch example is the City of Chicago Police Department, which has usedthe Segway HT to more effectively patrol O’Hare Airport. According tothe study, officers found it easier to patrol the airport because theycould respond more quickly to problems, and were able to scan thecrowd more effectively, being a head above everyone else. Anotherstudy focuses on the Westin Kierland Resort and Spa in Scottsdale,Arizona. Employees found that the Segway HT allowed them to respondto guest calls more efficiently, and also to traverse the grounds of theresort more quickly.

The Segway HT has led to other Segway cre-ations as well, designed to cater to differentlifestyles. The Segway Cross-Terrain Transporter(XT) is designed for use on all types of terrain,and features all-terrain tires and extended-range lithium-ion batteries. The Segway GolfTransporter (GT) is specially designed for use ona golf course, with extended-range batteries, agolf bag carrier, and enhanced traction tires.Segway also has another development code-named “Centaur” that is a 4-wheeled ATVdesigned for off-road excitement.

While the Segway HT may not have caught onas quickly as creator Dean Kamen would havehoped, the technology itself has enormous poten-tial to change the way we travel. For more infor-mation about Segway, visit their website atwww.segway.com.

Rachael Zimmermann is a graduate of UW-Madisonand the editor for Engineering Professional magazine.Contact her at [email protected].


The Segway HT has five gyroscopic sensors, though it only needsthree to detect forward and backward pitch as well as leaning to the leftor right (termed "roll"). The extra sensors add redundancy, to make thevehicle more reliable. All of the tilt information, as well as informationfrom additional tilt sensors, is passed on to the brain of the vehicle. Thebrain is made up of two electronic controller circuit boards, comprisinga cluster of microprocessors. The Segway HT has multiple onboardmicroprocessors, which boast, in total, about three times the power ofa typical PC. The vehicle requires this much brain power because itneeds to make extremely precise adjustments to keep from falling over.If one board breaks down, the other will take over all functions so thatthe system can notify the rider of a failure and shut down gracefully.

The microprocessors run an advanced piece of software thatcontrols the vehicle. This program monitors all of the stability infor-mation coming from the gyroscopic sensors and adjusts the speedof several electric motors in response to this information. The elec-tric motors, which are powered by a pair of rechargeable nickelmetal hydride (NiMH) batteries, can turn each of the wheels inde-pendently at variable speeds.

When the vehicle leans forward, the motors spin both wheels for-ward to keep from tilting over. When the vehicle leans backward, themotors spin both wheels backward. When the rider operates the steeringgrip to turn left or right, the motors spin one wheel faster than the other,or spin the wheels in opposite directions, so that the vehicle rotates.Source: www.segway.com

Continued from page 10.

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P robably the oldest source of man-made heat meets modern technologyis at Superior Kilns in Mellen, Wisconsin, and the Barron Area School

District in Barron, Wisconsin.Superior Kilns dries green hardwood before fashioning it into standard

and custom size boards, annually producing 5,600 tons of shavings andsaw dust. An electronically controlled feed auger sends the wood waste toa 230 HP steel fire tube Burnham boiler that supplies low pressure steam(15 psi) to the kilns to continue the drying process.

The Barron Area School District has a commercial/industrial auto-mated boiler control system that runs three steam boilers, one SwedeStoker wood-chip boiler, and two back-up gas boilers. These boilersheat the Barron High School, Barron Woodland Elementary School, theBarron Hospital and Medical Center, and Maple Crofts Senior RestHome—all of which are located in the northern village of Barron,where—on average—the mean January temperature was 13 degreesFahrenheit last winter.

Fire Opened Opportunity

Superior Kilns installed the wood-fired boiler in 2004 after a firedestroyed the boiler room and kiln electrical control room for twogas-fired and two wood-fired boilers. The new system will allowSuperior Kilns to increase production from 440 MBF (thousand boardfeet) to 505 MBF. It has already added 3 full-time-equivalent posi-tions to its 50-person workforce and could add as many as 17 morewith the new system.

At first, Superior Kilns was concerned about the higher initial costof a wood-fired system as opposed to a comparable natural gas sys-tem. After considering the energy requirements and other operatingcosts, the company calculated the payback period to be about threeyears. The King Coal Furnace and other system components wouldsave approximately $186,000 a year to generate 275,000 therms com-pared to natural gas costs. (In total, the kilns require 540,000 thermsa year.) A $35,000 Implementation Grant from Focus on Energy in2004 cut the payback time, while additional project funding camefrom the insurance settlement.

The wood fuel initially enters a fuel pit, where it is metered by the feedauger, then passes through an air lock into a twin boiler feed auger, and is

finally directed into the boiler. Electronic controls adjust the frequencydrive to the augers based on the steam levels, firebox temperatures, boilerwater levels, and other control parameters. A dial-up router providesremote access to maintain or modify the system. The boiler has a built-inash removal system and dust collector.

In addition to energy savings costs, Superior Kilns eliminated theoperational problems created by periodic natural gas service outages that

Team Wood withTechnology for SavingsBy Dr. John F. Katers, Focus on Energy

FIGURE 1: WOOD FEED PADDLES AND AN AUGER DELIVER WOODCHIPS TO THE FIRE BOX ON THE BARRON SCHOOLS BOILER

were a result of the company’s interruptible service agreement. The newtechnology is safer to operate and more environmentally benign, becausethe underfeed fixed retort stoker (Pile Burner) has a PLC-controlled sys-tem operating on variable frequency fans and feed systems that allow forless than three tenths of one percent of PM emissions for unburned(charred) matter.

Opportunity from Unplanned Shutdown

Similar to Superior Kilns, unplanned events convinced the Barronschool district to upgrade its heating system. By the start of the 2002-2003school year, maintenance costs had risen dramatically on the ANGA VARMEwood boiler that was installed in 1981 with an overall capacity of 16.1MMBTU/HR. A major refractory overhaul shut down the system and forcedthe district to rely solely on its natural gas boiler for a full year. The cost ofheat from the natural gas boiler was double that of the previous year,when the wood boiler was utilized.

According to the school district’s funding application to Focus onEnergy, school officials then made a “conscious decision” to continue touse wood as its renewable energy source but also wanted to make the sys-tem as efficient as possible. A $15,000 Implementation Grant from Focuson Energy helped offset some of the costs for the $70,000 project.

In a final comparison of the boiler operation prior to and following theinstallation, the schools prepared a long list of improvements, including:

▲▲ Many times the burner would stop completely due to excesspressure. The new system operates the stoker speed via a controlledactuator on the hydraulic drive mechanism.

▲▲ The induced draft fan couple and drive mechanism were in verypoor operation. The new system was revised from a hydraulic driveto a belt drive with a variable frequency drive on the motor.

▲▲ New transducers were added to communicate the temperatures andpressures to the new Web-based controllers.

▲▲ An under-fire temperature sensor was added to detect overheatingbelow the fire gates to extend the life of the boiler/burner system.

The most important improvement appeared at the end of the list—“Everyone was happy.” That also reflects the feelings of Superior Kilns.

Dr. John F. Katers is an Associate Professor of Natural and Applied Sciences(Engineering) at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay where he teaches under-graduate and graduate courses on Industrial Pollution Control, WasteManagement/Resource Recovery, Pollution Prevention, Resource ManagementStrategies and Solar and Alternate Energy Systems. Dr. Katers holds a doctoratein Civil and Environmental Engineering from Marquette University. He serves asa biomass technical lead for Focus on Energy.

Focus on Energy is a public-private partnership that provides energy efficiencyand renewable energy information and services to the state's energy utility cus-tomers. Focus on Energy's Renewable Energy program seeks to raise awareness,provide training and financing, enhance marketing, promote technical assis-tance, and support the installation of renewable energy technologies acrossWisconsin. Focus on Energy provides applications, with full program details, at800.762.7077 or at focusonenergy.com.


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N eal Wu of Baton Rouge, LA, answered this challenging math problemin less than 45 seconds to win the MATHCOUNTS National

Championship title at the 2005 MATHCOUNTS National Competition in Detroitat the GM Headquarters and Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center:

A volleyball coach has three setters and eight other players on herteam. Without assigning any of the positions, in how many ways can shechoose six starters if exactly one of the three setters is selected as a starter?

Answer: 168 waysThe Glasgow Middle School 7th-grader competed against 227 other

middle school students in this prestigious competition, hosted by GeneralMotors, a long-time MATHCOUNTS National Sponsor.

Wu was victorious in the intense, one-on-one oral Countdown Roundwhere the top 12 Mathletes® competed for the National Championshiptitle. Mark Zhang of Sugar Land, TX, was awarded the second-place indi-vidual title with Patricia Li of San Jose, CA, and Karlanna Lewis ofTallahassee, FL, advancing to the Semi-finals.

In the team competition, Texas captured the National TeamChampionship title. Team members include Zhang, Jeffrey Chan of SugarLand, Kevin Chen of Missouri City and Dennis Mou of Sugar Land.

The Indiana team took second place, and the California team placed third.After the competition was over the fun began. Friday evening at the Joe

Dumars’ Fieldhouse was time for indoor miniature golf, laser tag, the rope,rock climbing and arcade games.

Saturday morning we were off to GM to visit the Virtual Reality Labwhere we could see a full size vehicle virtual models. It looked so real thatwe wanted to reach out and touch it. Next we walked around the windtunnel at GM Tech Center. It was awesome. Before lunch we toured theHeritage Museum which has a vast collection of GM vehicles—productionand concept.

Saturday night we attended the Awards Banquet where Daniel Mulderwas one of six Mathletes® to be awarded the Three Time NationalCompetition Award. The Three Time National Competition Award isawarded to the Mathletes® who competed at National while in 6th, 7thand 8th grade. It also means placing in the top four at the Regional andState Competitions. That is a lot of Countdown problems!

At the Coordinators’ Sharing Session, a couple coordinators told howthey held the State Competition on an NBA court and used the shot clockas the timer for the Countdown Round.

“The mathematical abilities of these students are truly amazing,” saidPeggy Drane, executive director of MATHCOUNTS. “The Mathletes at theNational Competition are the best of the best, but they represent morethan 500,000 middle school students around the country who usedMATHCOUNTS materials to improve their math skills. Thanks to MATH-COUNTS and its wonderful volunteers, every one of these students is bet-ter prepared for success in the technological future.”

Louisiana 7th-Graderand Texas Team AwardedMathematics Championsat 2005 MATHCOUNTSNational CompetitionBy Darwin D. Behlke, P.E.

DETROIT MARRIOTT AT THE RENAISSANCE CENTER VIEWEDTHROUGH THE ATRIUM SKY ROOF.

The MATHCOUNTS National Competition teams, comprised of the fourtop scoring students in their respective state competition, represented all50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands,the Northern Mariana Islands and the Department of Defense and StateDepartment schools worldwide.

“It is an honor for General Motors to bring together some of the bright-est children in the country to our headquarters for the 2005 MATHCOUNTSNational Competition,” said Lawrence D. Burns, MATHCOUNTS honorarychair and GM vice president of Research & Development and Planning.“This is an educational program which GM has proudly supported foralmost twenty years. MATHCOUNTS challenges the minds of young peoplewho are the workforce of tomorrow and encourages them to achieve. Thestudents competing in this competition set a great example for their peerswith all their hard work, dedication and enthusiasm.”

Bill Russell, basketball legend, joined in the activities to congratulatethe students on their achievements. “We are here to celebrate the future

generation of Americans and their extraordinary talents in math. I congrat-ulate the Mathletes and coaches and commend MATHCOUNTS for inspir-ing a passion for math.”

As National Champion, Wu won the $8,000 Donald G. WeinertScholarship, a trip to U.S. Space Camp and a notebook computer. Zhangwon a $6,000 scholarship as 2nd Place Individual. Semi-finalists Li andLewis each won a $4,000 scholarship, and Wu’s coach, Claudia Allums,received a notebook computer. Sergei Bernstein of Massachusetts won an


THE WISCONSIN TEAM FINISHED 29TH

Daniel Mulder, 8th grader from Calvary Baptist Christian School, Watertown lead the team with 22ndplace. Other team members were Iris Xu, 7th grader from Jefferson Middle School, Madison; EvanLiang, 8th grader from Lombardi Middle School, Green Bay and Kyle Stankowski, 6th grader fromMosinee Middle School, Mosinee. The team was coached by Bill Mulder from Calvary Baptist ChristianSchool, Watertown and assisted by John Lemke from Jefferson Middle School, Madison.

DANIEL MULDER WAS ONE OF SIX MATHLETES® TO BE AWARDEDTHE THREE TIME NATIONAL COMPETITION AWARD.

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$8,000 scholarship as the Written Round Winner and Nathan Benjamin ofIndiana won a $6,000 scholarship as Written Round Runner-up.

Additionally, each team member from first-place Texas won a $2,000scholarship, trip to U.S. Space Camp and a notebook computer.

Four of the top students participated in the Masters Round and gave a15-minute oral presentation of their solution to a complex problem beforea panel of three judges and more than 500 spectators with only 30 min-utes to prepare. Adding to his earlier award, Bernstein won the MastersRound and received a $2,000 scholarship, courtesy of General Motors, forthis accomplishment.

Celebrating its 22nd Anniversary, MATHCOUNTS is a national mathenrichment, coaching and competition program open to all 6th, 7th and 8th

grade students. Each year, MATHCOUNTS develops an entirely new MATH-COUNTS School Handbook, meeting National Council of Teachers ofMathematics (NCTM) standards for grades 6-8, and provides a complimen-tary copy to middle schools nationwide. Since 1983, more than 6 million stu-dents have participated in MATHCOUNTS. The 228 Mathletes who competedin the National Competition represent more than 500,000 students whohave been exposed to MATHCOUNTS at the local and state levels. MATH-COUNTS brings together educators, youth, industry sponsors and volunteersto ensure students develop the mathematical skills needed for their future.


STANKOWSKI ON THE ROPES WITH HIS DAD FOLLOWING

XU TOURING THE HERITAGE MUSEUM

STANKOWSKI CLIMBING THE ROCK WALL

MULDER BEHIND THE WHEEL

More than 17,000 MATHCOUNTS volunteers from the business andeducation communities annually organize and conduct the program incommunities nationwide. Local and state competitions are coordinatedthrough the leadership of state and local chapters of the National Societyof Professional Engineers.

MATHCOUNTS’ Founding Sponsors are the CNA Foundation, theNational Society of Professional Engineers and the National Council ofTeachers of Mathematics. National Sponsors also include ADC Foundation,

General Motors Foundation, Lockheed Martin, National Aeronautics andSpace Administration, Raytheon Company, Shell Oil Company, TexasInstruments Incorporated, 3M Foundation and Xerox Corporation.

Awards

▲▲ Scholarships for winning individuals courtesy of General MotorsFoundation and Motorola Foundation

▲▲ Scholarships for members of the winning team courtesy of MotorolaFoundation

▲▲ Scholarship for Masters Round winner courtesy of General MotorsFoundation

▲▲ Trips to U.S. Space Camp courtesy of NASA

Darwin D. Behlke is a member of the Southeast chapter of WSPE.


BILL RUSSELL PRESENTED WU WITH THE 1ST PLACE MEDAL.

BERNSTEIN BUILDING WITH ZOME SYSTEMS WHILE WAITING FORTHE MASTERS ROUND.

Join WSPE Now!Visit the WSPE Web site at

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for more information

By Robert J. Kay

P rofessional engineers working on state and municipal constructionprojects should remember that a failure of a contractor to abide by the

prevailing wage rate laws can subject a contractor to a decision of theWisconsin Department of Workforce Development barring the contractorfrom bidding on state and municipal work projects.

In a recent case decided by the Court of Appeals, Kruczek v. WisconsinDWD, the Court reviewed some issues associated with DWD orders barringcontractors from bidding on public work.

In Kruczek, DWD barred Kruczek from bidding on municipal and statepublic works projects for six months. Kruczek is a contractor that worksprimarily on municipal sewer and water projects which are subject to theprevailing wage rate statutes of Wisconsin. One of Kruczek’s formeremployees filed a prevailing wage rate complaint with DWD who investi-gated the claim. The investigation established that the employee hadbeen substantially underpaid as a result of Kruczek not paying therequired prevailing wage rate. Based upon its findings, DWD issued thedebarment order.

Kruczek appealed to the circuit court which upheld DWD’s decision.However, the circuit court held that because Kruczek’s claim arose from aviolation of the prevailing wage rate law for municipal, not state, projects,DWD did not have authority to debar Kruczek from state projects. BothKruczek and DWD appealed.

The Court of Appeals held that even though the statute requires DWDto issue findings and an order on debarment within 30 days of the lastargument filed, the 30 days was not mandatory and DWD did not lose itsjurisdiction when taking 15 months to issue its determination. The Courtheld that while DWD might have protected the public interest by actingmore quickly, it was also important that DWD have the time necessary toproperly determine that debarment is appropriate.

The maximum period for debarment is three years. Therefore, even themost flagrant violation may result in a debarment of no more than threeyears. The Court, therefore, saw no pressing need for quick issuance of adebarment order.

DWD has issued administrative rules providing for debarment pro-cedures. In Kruczek, the contractor argued that it was contrary to dueprocess of law for DWD to both investigate the complaint and then sitin judgment on its merits. While there may be some merit to that argu-ment, the Court rejected it and approved DWD’s debarment order. TheCourt of Appeals held that debarment may be issued by DWD under itsadministrative rules, which do not distinguish between state and localgovernment prevailing wage rates. The Court noted that if a contractorwished to challenge the administrative rules, it would be necessary tocommence a lawsuit and serve the legislative joint committee for reviewof administrative rules, which Kruczek failed to do. Hence, the Court ofAppeals held that DWD had authority to debar the contractor from bothstate and municipal projects for failing to pay the prevailing wage rateon a municipal project.

The Wisconsin Administrative Code contains the rules of executiveagencies having rule making authority under the Wisconsin Statutes,notably Chapter 227 of the Statutes. The Code is kept current on amonthly basis and can be subscribed to by contacting the WisconsinDepartment of Administration, Document Sales, P.O. Box 7840, Madison,Wisconsin 53707.


Legal Perspective

Kruczek v. Wisconsin DWD

Join WSPE Now!Visit the WSPE Web site at

http://www.wspe.orgor email [email protected]

for more information

Professional engineers working onstate and municipal construction projects

should remember that a failure of acontractor to abide by the prevailing

wage rate laws can subject a contractorto a decision of the Wisconsin

Department of Workforce Developmentbarring the contractor from bidding on

state and municipal work projects.

Within the Wisconsin Administrative Code are several chapters deal-ing with the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (previ-ously the Department of Industry, Labor and Human Relations). ChaptersDWD 290-294 relate to Public Works Construction Contracts. ChapterDWD 290 deals with Contracts for Construction of Public Works. ChapterDWD 293 relates to Payment and Performance Assurance Requirements,and Chapter DWD 294 deals with the Debarment of Public WorksContractors. The current Wisconsin Administrative Code does not containa Chapter DWD 291. Chapter DWD 294 provides that the WisconsinDepartment of Workforce Development shall compile and maintain acurrent consolidated list of all debarred contractors. A contractor isdefined as any individual or legal entity in the construction businessinvolved in public works projects, including its responsible officers, direc-tors, members, shareholders or partners. Debarment is defined as actiontaken by the Department to exclude a contractor from performing workeither as a prime contractor or as a subcontractor for any state agency orlocal government for a specified period.

Section DWD 294.04 provides that no state agency or local govern-mental unit may knowingly solicit bids from, negotiate with or award con-tracts to and approve or allow subcontracts with a debarred contractor.Under § DWD 294.05, debarment shall be for a period commensurate withthe seriousness of the cause for debarment, but not to exceed three years.Debarment begins on the date the Department issues its notice of debar-ment or on the date that the issue is finally disposed of by a court,whichever is later. The Department may terminate a debarment or reduce

the period upon the contractor’s request for reasons considered appropri-ate by the Department, including (1) newly discovered relevant evidence,(2) reversal of the conviction or judgment upon which the debarment wasbased, (3) a bonafide change in ownership or management of the con-tractor, or (4) elimination of the cause or causes for which the debarmentwas imposed. The contractor may not request the Department to termi-nate or reduce the period of debarment until full restitution of any unpaidwages has been made to all employees.

The prevailing wages that must be paid by contractors are determinedby the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development and certified asan allowable rate. The Department reviews collective bargaining agree-ments and other wage information and subtracts items which do not rep-resent bonafide fringe benefits. The Department makes annual surveys ofemployers and compiles a prevailing wage rate for each trade or occupa-tion. Adherence to the prevailing wage rates is aggressively pursued bythe Department.

Robert J. Kay is the senior partner in the law firm ofKay & Andersen, S.C. and devotes his time to repre-senting professional engineers, architects, contractors,material suppliers and owners of construction proj-ects. Please feel free to contact him at (608) 833-0077or at [email protected].


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