Making smart materials smarter earns Virginia Tech engineer prestigious Air Force award

Virginia Tech researcher Pablo Tarazaga speaks of solid structures such as aluminum beams as if they were living organisms. From his mechanical engineering perspective, Tarazaga, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering in the College of Engineering, wants to grow mechanical waves in solid one- and two-dimensional materials to manipulate their performances, much like puppets on strings. By influencing the wave propagation in a solid structure, Tarazaga says, "the host can interact in a number of novel ways with its surroundings, including propelling itself through a medium" similar to a fish swimming and flapping.

This characteristic has numerous advantages. For example, if a structure is capable of retaining its integrity, yet has the ability to change its shape, like morphing aircraft wings, then a single aircraft could have diverse capabilities, better fuel efficiency, and increased aerodynamics performance, Tarazaga explains. The results also can be used to create novel and controlled fluid-structure interactions, such as mixing of fluids through a pipe or pumps, without the need of mixers or centrifuge mechanisms.

His efforts in this field of adapting structural vibrations garnered Tarazaga a prestigious 2015 Air Force Young Investigator Award, valued at $449,600 over a three-year period. He is one of only 57 scientists and engineers in the United States to receive the honor this year. With the award, Tarazaga says he hopes to create a new approach in how researchers conceptualize the traveling waves in solid materials. "By manipulating the wave propagation in a solid structure, several activities can occur. Materials inside the structure might move much like a conveyer belt. Or the host structure could flip this effect and propel itself through a medium like the fish. Or the material might manipulate incoming external disturbances, analogous to vibro-acoustic camouflage."

Before receiving the Air Force honor, the mechanical engineer led a team in the development of a pilot project to create a solid-state vehicle. However, the prototype did not resemble a conventional vehicle, as it was made of an aluminum plate cable with no additional parts except strategically placed electronics and piezoceramics. The vehicle's motion was "due to the highly controlled wave propagation in the desired direction of travel, thus creating a vehicle with a highly precise maneuverability," Tarazaga says. The team of undergraduate and graduate students later received the American Society of Mechanical Engineers' Student Best Hardware Competition Finalist Award at its 2014 Smart Materials, Adaptive Structures, and Intelligent Systems Conference.

Because this "vehicle," as Tarazaga called it, could rotate in place and travel in a perpendicular fashion to the direction it was facing, it represented a "paradigm shift, as the three main components of a vehicle were merged into one. The structural housing or the chassis, the maneuverability component or the steering wheel, and the propulsion system, the engine, were all consolidated.

"Our whole design approach represents a more holistic process," he adds. It helps that Tarazaga directs Virginia Tech's Smart Infrastructure Laboratory, the most instrumented building in the world for vibrations. This living laboratory, where sensing devices were inserted as it was being built, under the direction of Tarazaga, along with his colleague Mary Kasarda, allows researchers and students to be constantly aware of its structural health. For instance, during an earthquake an interior beam might suffer a movement not visible to the naked eye. The sensors would alert Tarazaga.

Similarly, the Smart Infrastructure Laboratory researchers use its sensing information to improve all types of civil and mechanical infrastructure design and monitoring. They also can investigate how humans interact with the environment. Tarazaga also directs the Vibrations, Adaptive Structures and Testing Laboratory in the mechanical engineering department.

Merrick Designs facility for converting algae to renewable biofuels

Merrick & Company has been engaged by Genifuel Corporation to provide the design and commissioning of a hydrothermal processing pilot system for Reliance Industries. Merrick was responsible for the design of the facility, from front-end engineering through detailed design and testing. The system uses heat, pressure, and catalysts to chemically and physically convert wet feedstocks to natural gas or oil that can then be further refined into aviation fuel, gasoline, and diesel. The system is skid-mounted with electrical, instrumentation, and controls components that are compatible with the standards of India, where it will be expanded to a larger scale after testing is finalized on the current system. Springs Fabrication fabricated the skids, installed all the equipment on them, and provided space and utilities for commissioning. 

The technology originated at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in Richland, WA. The Federal Laboratory Consortium just awarded PNNL the 2015 Excellence in Technology Transfer for its work on the project. The current system will process algae, and unlike traditional extraction methods, which separate lipids out of algae to make biodiesel, PNNL's process converts whole algae into biocrude, fuel gas, and usable byproducts. This doubles the yield of biofuel from algae and cuts the cost of production by 86 percent.

According to Jim Oyler, president of Genifuel Corporation, “This award demonstrates how effectively the Federal Laboratory System can work with private industry to convert taxpayer-funded R&D into economic growth for the country. Typically, successful R&D contributes many times over when it leads to a practical product, and this award recognizes the kind of collaboration that makes this possible.”

Merrick & Company (www.merrick.com), an engineering, architecture, design-build, surveying, planning, and geospatial solutions firm, has been engaged in the energy industry since 1955 as an advisor and provider of solutions. From traditional energy sources to sustainable renewables and bioprocessing, Merrick specializes in difficult challenges. Based in Colorado, the employee-owned company maintains offices in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the United Kingdom.

GZA GeoEnvironmental partners with NJIT to celebrate its 50th anniversary

GZA GeoEnvironmental, an environmental and geotechnical consulting firm marked its 50th anniversary by announcing a new collaboration with the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) that will provide students with scholarships and job opportunities. The partnership was announced at a celebration on the NJIT campus that included GZA engineers and scientists, the firm’s clients, NJIT professors and students, New Jersey Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno, and former Gov. Brendan Byrne. The partnership is being cited as a model of public-private sector cooperation that will advance the country’s need to produce more STEM professionals.

The agreement between NJIT and GZA’s Fairfield, New Jersey office includes an endowed scholarship for students from Essex County who major in engineering or environmental sciences, summer internships, and job opportunities for graduates. Engineers and environmental scientists from GZA will give guest lectures on campus. “This kind of partnership fills the skills gap, matching 21^st century jobs with young adults coming out of high school and college,” says Guadagno, who added that it was vital to New Jersey’s future “that the economy grows in partnership with higher education.”

GZA principals said the partnership would create a greater connection between GZA and one of the top universities in the state as well as help students better understand the opportunities that lie ahead for them in consulting or other technical fields. “Our business depends on our ability to encourage and attract people interested in engineering and science.  NJIT has one of the best programs around,” says David Winslow, a Principal at GZA. “We see this partnership as an opportunity to help expose students to life after school, as well as to help them financially with the cost of their education.  It allows us to give back to the community while also helping our firm and help our profession."

“There is a lot of aging infrastructure that needs to be replaced, from bridges and tunnels to dams and roadways,” says Robert Palermo, a Senior Vice President for GZA and the lead geotechnical engineer for design for the proposed Second Avenue subway in New York City.

“This partnership is an important way for GZA to contribute to the community and provide leadership for a new generation of engineers and scientists,” says William Hadge, CEO and President of GZA. “We are proud to celebrate our 50 years of growth and are pleased to have the opportunity to partner with NJIT.”

Founded in 1964, GZA GeoEnvironmental is a multi-disciplinary firm providing environmental, geotechnical, ecological, water, and construction management services.  GZA has corporate offices in Norwood, MA and over 540 employees in 27 offices in New England and the Mid-Atlantic, Great Lakes, and Appalachian Regions. For additional information, visit www.gza.com.

Entech Engineering moves its corporate offices

Entech Engineering has announced that they will move their corporate offices to the Gateway Building located at the corner of 2nd and Penn Streets in Reading, PA. The move to a larger office space will allow the company to continue to support its growing operations. For the past 20 years, the company’s headquarters have encompassed several floors within the American House, also located in Reading, on South Fourth Street. 

About the move, Entech’s president, Jeff Euclide, says, “This expansion is very exciting for us. While we like our current facility, we just have no more room to grow. With the move to the 3rd floor of the Gateway Building we will have more than 24,000 square feet of office space, which will allow us to better bring together our engineering, architectural, and environmental services in a more collaborative setting. Since Entech was formed in 1981, our operations have been located in Reading, and we feel fortunate to have found such quality office space within the city. So much great work has been accomplished to create the Entertainment District at the city entrance, including the Goggleworks and the expanding RACC campus. It will be an exciting place for both our employees and our clients.” 

Entech’s full-service engineering and architectural team helps its clients make more informed decisions for their facilities and infrastructure operations. Within its 5 offices, Entech employs over 100 professionals who serve customers in the municipal, higher education, manufacturing, and natural gas markets. For more information, visit www.entecheng.com.

Northern Arizona University student helps tribe's economic development

When Jemez Pueblo leaders in northwestern New Mexico wanted to weigh the benefits of building a renewable energy project, they joined a national program that pairs tribes with Native American college student researchers. It was ideal timing for Northern Arizona University (NAU) mechanical engineering graduate student Cherise John, who used the project for her thesis, which she will present this semester. “The pueblo is looking to generate some sort of income, so part of what we did was create an economic analysis for building a large-scale photovoltaic system,” explains John, who worked on the project with students from New Mexico’s Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute.

Building a 40-megawatt photovoltaic system and connecting it to the power grid could cost the pueblo $90 million. John and her colleagues determined that the Jemez Pueblo could provide energy for the reservation and turn a profit if tribal leaders negotiated a standard purchase price with the power company. The next phase of research is a transmission study to determine how much power the tribe could add to the grid. “Once we find out how much energy we can actually put on the grid, I can begin optimizing the design of the PV array system,” John says. “I think if we can do this for the tribe, it opens up a lot of doors for other tribes to help them in their economic development efforts.”

The research was sponsored by the American Indian Science and Engineering Society and the American Indian Higher Education Consortium and funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s American Indian Research Education Initiative. In addition to John’s project, students at other institutions researched different real-life scenarios.

The project, managed by NAU’s Institute for Tribal Professionals (ITEP) Tribal Clean Energy Resource Center, is important to the university’s strategic mission, says Mehrdad Khatibi, director of ITEP. “Projects like this one give exposure to students who work on renewable energy technologies and learn what it means to work for a tribal community in the process.” Khatibi worked closely with Cherise John and her adviser, mechanical engineering professor Tom Acker. “It is important for students to work through some of the decisions tribes have to make when they are considering these renewable technologies,” Khatibi adds.

John’s upbringing in New Mexico influenced her career goals of optimizing energy production and reducing byproducts. “The reason I wanted to become an engineer is because I grew up between two mine sites and two power plants. I saw the pollution and I understood the economic side of it,” says John, whose parents worked at the power plant. John recently traveled to Arizona State University to present her findings to tribal leaders and U.S. Secretary of the Department of Energy Ernest Moniz.

KSA honored by ENR Texas/Louisiana 2014 Best Projects competition

KSA was honored with an Award of Merit in ENR Texas and Louisiana magazine's 2014 Best Projects competition for the New Camp Minden Armed Forces Reserve Center. Architect John Selmer, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, was the lead architect on the project.

The Louisiana National Guard (LANG) Construction Facility Management Office (CFMO) selected KSA to design the new home of the 1083rd Transportation Company, 39^thMilitary Police Company, and the 122^nd Air Support Operations Squadron. KSA provided architectural and engineering design and oversaw construction for the 80,000-square-foot facility. KSA used an environmentally sound approach, including diverting approximately 75 percent of all construction waste from local landfills. The facility received Silver LEED certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

The primarily one-story building comprises 64,136 square feet. However, a second story at the front of the building features an additional 14,145 square feet for education and training. The Georgian style, complete with classical Doric columns, lends a unique presence to the public. The first floor in the front of the facility contains all the administrative areas, the middle comprises the assembly hall, and the rear of the building provides storage areas. Other components included in the design are a learning center, break area, kitchen, restrooms with showers, military and personal vehicle parking, security fencing, and storage areas.

The 28-acre site provides the Louisiana National Guard with space to better equip modern soldiers. The building and associated grounds provide ample training areas, both on the interior and the exterior of the facility. The "H" plan is connected by a large Assembly Hall that functions as a dining hall or as a drill hall during inclement weather on drill weekends. A 12,000-square-foot vehicle maintenance building supports the 1083rd Transportation Company. Sustainable strategies were critical to the success of this project, which featured durable, maintenancefree building components obtained from regional sources.

The site was designed to maximize the open space after construction and incorporates existing natural waterways and channels into the design. Materials with a solar reflective index of at least 29 were used at grade and on the roof. Low flow plumbing fixtures reduce the burden on the Camp's water and wastewater systems by up to 30 percent. The landscaping features climate-tolerant plants that thrive on natural rainfall.

The mechanical and electrical systems were designed for maximum efficiency, resulting in lower monthly operating costs. The indoor environmental quality represents the largest impact achievable by proper planning and detailed specifications and improves the comfort level of the building occupants. An indoor air quality management plan was prepared that included low-emitting materials, contributing to the health of daily users of the building. KSA maximized daylighting strategies to both improve the quality of light and reduce electrical demand. The new building reduced construction waste, uses less energy to improve indoor air quality, and minimizes the environmental impact of the completed facility on the adjacent surroundings.

The LANG required that the building and site also incorporate anti-terrorism force protection. The building location exceeds the minimum standoff distances, enabling conventional construction. Parking lots make use of nine-inch barrier curbs, while additional protection zones provide barriers through large scale natural rock boulders. The building was also master planned to accommodate future expansion, while maintaining the stringent security requirements.

Communication between team members was facilitated via a web-based system. "To ensure the swift and accurate transfer of construction phase documents, the owner required a web-based method of communication," says John Selmer, project manager. "Each team member involved with the construction phase received personal login credentials. They then accessed the secure online system to exchange, review, and archive the construction submittals, RFIs, and other design and construction communications. Combined with highly efficient value engineering and a competitive bid market, we were able to deliver the project under budget, while achieving the aesthetic design the client desired."

Based in Longview, TX, KSA provides a broad range of engineering, architecture, planning, surveying, and construction services. Founded in 1978, the firm has grown to over 170 employees in multiple offices in the south central U.S.

Schnabel Engineering promotes Joan Bentel, P.E. to associate

Schnabel Engineering of Glen Allen, VA has announced the promotion of Joan Bentel, P.E., to associate. Joan started her career with Schnabel in the Gaithersburg, MD office (now Rockville, MD) over 10 years ago as a senior staff engineer after receiving her B.S. and M.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois.

Bertel has experience with commercial, residential, and government projects as part of Schnabel's Design Phase Service Facilities Group. Her design experience includes all foundation types, pavement, retaining walls, subdrainage, slope stability analysis, and lateral pile analysis. 

Bertel’s work focuses predominantly in the local DC region, where she has managed over 350 projects. These projects include the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial; City Center development; Physical Sciences Complex at University of Maryland College Park; American University East Campus development; United States Institute of Peace; the Ballou and Dunbar High Schools in Washington, DC; Founders Square Development in Arlington; and the cogeneration improvements at the Capitol Power Plant. She has also managed projects for the National Park Service, Architect of the Capitol, and National Institute of Standards and Technology,  as well as at all of the local military installations, including Pentagon, Andrews Air Force Base, Fort Meade, Bolling Air Force Base, Fort Belvoir, Fort Detrick, Fort Myer, and Marine Corps Base Quantico.

An employee-owned company, Schnabel Engineering employs over 300 professionals in 19 nationwide locations. Schnabel specializes in geotechnical, geostructural, dam, and tunnel engineering as well as environmental, geosciences, construction monitoring, and resident engineering services. For more information, visit schnabel-eng.com.