Specialists in titanium use told University of Akron engineering and other Midwest college students that they can express extraordinary creativity in designing the first pedestrian bridge in America made of titanium. That advice was shared last week when students and their faculty advisers visited UA to examine the site, between Quaker Square Inn at The University of Akron and the main campus, where the bridge is slated for construction.
“You can be as imaginative as you want in the use of this incredible Space Age metal, while fashioning a project that will benefit society,” said Gary Nemchock, president of Architectural Titanium of Lawrence, Kan.
Nemchock was an adviser to renowned architect Frank Gehry in his celebrated titanium-sheathed Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain. He spoke to about 50 college students and faculty representing 17 teams and 11 colleges about the proposed titanium pedestrian bridge sponsored by The Defense Metals Technology Center (DMTC) of North Canton and UA.
Other speakers were Ted Curtis, UA vice president of capital planning and facilities management; Charles D. Clark, executive director of DMTC; and Stan Seagle, an Ohio titanium consultant.
Designing the bridge will help solve a logistical problem at the Quaker Square complex, which is fenced off from the main campus by CSX railroad tracks. This forces pedestrians to use remote bridges that access the central campus.
Titanium has advantages over less-expensive metals. It weighs much less than steel, yet is just as strong. It does not rust and is corrosion-resistant to sea water and chlorine. Many experts believe that bridges secured with titanium would be better protected against a possible collapse than conventional steel-supported bridges.
Government and private funding will be sought for the construction after the competition. The DMTC hopes the bridge will demonstrate the versatility of titanium and make the metal more affordable in life-saving military armament.
Unique educational opportunity
The students, majoring in engineering, architecture and industrial design, are from institutions largely in what the DMTC calls America’s Metals Heartland — Ohio, Pennsylvania, eastern Indiana, southeast Michigan, northern Kentucky and northern West Virginia.
In addition to a team from UA, participating teams are from Ball State University, Case Western Reserve University, Kent State University, Miami University, Purdue University, Stevens Institute of Technology, University of Detroit Mercy, University of Notre Dame, University of Pittsburgh and Youngstown State University.
As an incentive, the DMTC will provide scholarship money to students on the first- and second-place and honorable mention teams. It also will provide grants to the winning institutions for the study of specialty metals in commercial applications.
Judges will winnow the submissions — due Jan. 29 — to five finalists and announce the winners at a dinner at InfoCision Stadium–Summa Field on May 26, 2010.
Judges are Leila Vespoli, senior vice president and general counsel, FirstEnergy Corp.; Lillian Kuri, program director of architecture, urban design and sustainable development, Cleveland Foundation; Job Lippincott, publisher, Rubberworld Magazine; Hon. Ralph Regula, retired congressman, Ohio’s 16th District; Victor Scaravilli, chairman and CEO, Mole Constructors, Inc.; Paul Thomarios, president, Thomarios Cos.; and Jeffrey Spangler, principal, R.E. Warner & Associates.
Hadquartered at Stark State College as a U.S. Army Center of Excellence, DMTC was funded by Congress in 2007 to find innovative, cost-saving techniques for the use of specialty metals and to improve the military’s security and America’s economy.
More information on the design competition is available at the Defense Metals Technology Center.
Media Contacts: Charles D. Clark, 330-305-6605 cclark@defensemetals.org or Denise Henry, 330-972-6477; henryd@uakron.edu.