Civil Engineer | Fall 2010 1

Civil Engineer

College of Science and Engineering • Department of Civil Engineering Fall 2010

From the Bit to the RigUnderstanding borehole propagation for smart drilling

Alumni Profile: George Kluempke Engineering Student & Trapeze Artist

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Department News

Lectures & Webcasts

Awards & Accomplishments

Scholarships, Fellowships, Professorships and Chairs

MAST Update

First test of concentric braced frame

Alumni Profile: George Kluempke

Meet the ‘74 U of M graduate and leader of Braun Intertec

From the Bit to the Rig

Prof. Emmanuel Detournay examines borehole propagation for smarter drilling

Thank You to Donors

Student Profile: Samson Finkelstein

Structural engineering student and trapeze artist

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It is my pleasure to share with you a small fraction of the many activi-ties and accomplishments of our faculty, students, and alumni in this edition of Civil Engineer. You probably noticed that the department has published only one issue this year. The once a year schedule, which is expected to continue in years to come, was motivated by the cost-cutting measures required by budget cuts faced by the department over the past two years. Fortunately the department’s revamped and continuously updated webpage will allow our valued alumni to read all of the good news throughout the year. As I have done in previous greetings, I would like to express to all of our alumni and friends my sincere appreciation for your financial and moral support. The past two years have been extremely challenging for me as department head, as I had to reduce our budget by eliminating faculty and staff positions. I want to take this opportunity to express to you how fortunate I am to lead a department with such an extraordinary faculty and staff. Both have taken on and performed at the highest level additional duties with good spirit. Please continue to support us, because without your contributions directed towards our educational mission, the Department of Civil Engineering could not continue to deliver the excellent education that will enable our graduates to make significant and positive contri-butions to societies around the globe, nor could its faculty be provided with the resources that enables them to sus-tain vibrant teaching and research programs. Writing about all that has happened in 2010 would require many times the number of pages that are appropri-ate for this magazine. The items in this issue were selected because they are representative of the achievements of our students, alumni, and faculty, and also because they provide a glimpse of how the department is continuously exploring educational programs and opportunities at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The first item in this issue is but one illustration of the ability of the faculty to turn lemons, in this case the current economic downturn, into delicious lemonade. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 pro-vided funds for academic infrastructures, and the water resource group applied for and was awarded a competitive seven million dollar grant to renovate the Saint Anthony Falls Laboratory. The department is proud to announce two new education initiatives. The first is the result of a successful propos-al led by Professor Julian Marshall to establish a Masters Degree that combines course work and service in the Peace Corps. This is a timely initiative considering that a significant portion of this generation of students is interested in applying their education to the service of developing communities. The second is the Excellence in Civil Engineering Scholarship, which the undergraduate studies committee and I established to attract the very best of the extraordi-narily talented students admitted to the College of Science and Engineering to the Department of Civil Engineering. The alumni featured in this issue include Dick Coleman and Lu Vorphal, who generously contributed new named undergraduate scholarships, Jack Braun and Douglas Barr, who received outstanding achievement awards for their contributions to the civil engineering profession, and George Kluempke, who has demonstrated an exemplary approach to industry-wide leadership. I am continually amazed at the breadth and talent of our alums. This issue also features two extraordinary students, Samson Finkelstein and Elizabeth Manning. Samson has been successful in combining his rigorous and demanding civil engineering studies with world-class circus perfor-mance. Elizabeth is the first of our students to apply for and receive a very competitive European Union graduate fellowship to study historic structures and monuments. The generous scholarship funds contributed by our alumni enabled Elizabeth her to enroll in Ancient and Modern Structures in Italy (a May session course I teach while trav-eling through Italy with 25 students). It was during this course that Elizabeth discovered her passion for combining structural engineering with history and art, and also learned about the availability of the fellowship. Please feel free to stop by for a visit next time you are in the neighborhood. In the meantime, enjoy this issue of Civil Engineer.

Greetings from Roberto Ballarini

Civil Engineer, a magazine for CE alumni and friends, is published by the College of Science and Engineering’s Department of Civil Engineering.

University of Minnesota 500 Pillsbury Drive S.E. Minneapolis, MN 55455 phone: 612-625-5522 fax: 612-626-7750

Comments or submissions may be sent to: Charlie Plain, editor

For more information, visit www.ce.umn.edu

The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer.

Printed on recyclable paper.

Cover photo: Professor Emmanuel Detournay explains his theory for borehole propagation. Photo: Nancy Johnson

Civil Engineer Fall 2010

C O N T E N T S

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Department News

Guzina Awarded $1.37M Grant From US DOE for Nuclear Energy Reactor Research

Professor Bojan Guzina has received a grant of $1.37 million from the U.S. Department of Energy for research to assist in the development of a modern generation of nuclear energy reactors. As principal investigator, Guzina will lead a team that includes co-principal investigators Civil Engineering Professor Joe Labuz and Alex Fok from the School of Dentistry. The proposed work addresses the critical need for the development of high-fidelity, non-destructive examina-tion technologies for as-manufactured and replaceable in-service very high temperature nuclear reactor (VHTR) components. This four-year project is centered around the novel use of sonic and ultrasonic waves and will utilize a robust, non-iterative inverse solution for 3D defect reconstruction together with a non-contact, laser-based approach to the measurement of experimental waveforms generated in VHTR core components.

Alumni Dick Coleman and Lu Vorpahl each established President’s Match Scholarships to honor those who supported them in their career development. Both endowments will be directed towards undergraduate students. These scholarships will receive a dollar-for-dollar match from the University of Minnesota. H. H. Richard “Dick” Coleman earned a degree in civil engineer-ing (‘73) from the University of Minnesota while working full-time for 3M in the Business Products Sales, Inc. (BPSI) subsidiary. Coleman is indebted to 3M for the financial support it provided in cov-ering his tuition costs while he was in school. Coleman said he enjoyed his employment as a project engi-neer with BPSI, traveling across the United States on varied and chal-lenging engineering assignments. The Coleman family wishes to thank 3M and honor them through a named fund in gratitude for 3M’s support of Coleman’s University of Minnesota experience and career opportunities. Coleman is grate-ful that his BPSI manager, Richard Mcrae, was willing to “experiment” on him as a full-time employee

Coleman and Vorpahl Create President’s Match Scholarships

Photo Credit: Patrick O’Leary

pursuing an engineering degree. The influence of the University of Minnesota remains strong for both 3M and the Coleman family. The establishment of this fund will ensure academic success for future civil engineering students in the College of Science and Engineering. Lu Vorpahl is a 1935 graduate of the University of Minnesota with a degree in civil engineering. Vorpahl was active in ROTC training during college and served nearly five years with US Army Corps of Engineers during World War II. The bulk of Vorpahl’s civilian career was spent with W.H. Barber Company, now Chevron. Vorpahl’s 30 year career included his 1962 appointment to be Vice President and COO of W.H. Barber, as well as election to its Board of Directors. Vorpahl is grateful to the University of Minnesota and knows the importance education plays in the lives of future students. Education allowed Vorpahl to have a successful career in civil engineering and he wishes to create an endowed scholarship in the memory of himself and his deceased wife, Genevieve, so that future engineering students will

Department NewsNew Peace Corps Master’s International Program FormedA new Peace Corps Master’s International program was recently launched to provide students an exciting opportunity to combine graduate studies with Peace Corps service abroad. The program offered by the Department of Civil Engineering focuses on environmental engineering and water resources engineering. Students completing the program will receive an M.S. in Civil Engineering. “We are thrilled to offer this new program,” said Julian Marshall, McKnight Land-Grant assistant professor of civil engineering. “More and more, students want not only to learn skills, but also to apply those skills to real-world problems.” The program includes one year of study at the University of Minnesota and 27 months of service in the Peace Corps. While in Minnesota the curriculum covers environmental engineering and water resources engineering courses aimed at understanding and improving conditions globally, including in developing countries. While in the Peace Corps, students work to apply those skills in a developing-country community.

Faculty Publish New Research Examining I-35W Bridge CollapseIn August of 2007 the I-35W bridge spanning the Mississippi near downtown Minneapolis unraveled and collapsed into the water. Results from a new departmental study of the collapse were recently published in the ASCE’s Journal of Structural Engineering, available on the web at http://dx.doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)ST.1943-541X.0000269. The team studying the collapse included graduate student Minmao Liao, professors Roberto Ballarini, Arturo Schultz, and Theodore Galambos, and former professor Taichiro Okazaki. The group studied the bridge failure using detailed nonlinear, three-dimensional finite element models to calculate the stress and strain states of the much-publicized U10 gusset plates. The results indicated that substantial portions of the U10 gusset plates were yielded at the time of collapse, consistent with findings from federal and state investigations. The academic investigation was funded by the National Science Foundation and the University of Minnesota Center for Transportation Studies.

SAFL Awarded $7.1 Million for RenovationsThe department’s St. Anthony Falls Laboratory (SAFL) was recently awarded $7.1 million from the National Science Foundation to renovate its facility on Hennepin Island. “This is a historic moment for SAFL and the University of Minnesota,” said Fotis Sotiropoulos, SAFL’s director and the lead researcher for the grant. “Since its incep-tion, the laboratory has been a leader in science-based solutions to major environmental and energy related problems through research, education, and outreach. This renovation will enable us to continue and expand our leadership role well into the 21st century.” The grant is awarded via the Academic Research Infrastructure program (funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009), which invests in the repair and renovation of existing research facili-ties. The University of Minnesota will contribute an additional $8.7 million for critical renovation costs not eligible for the NSF funding from the University’s appro-priation from the Minnesota Legislature earlier this year for critical repairs and infrastructure needs of existing buildings. The renovation costs will total nearly $16 mil-lion to revitalize the aging lab. For over 70 years, scientists from around the world have been drawn to SAFL to work on innovative solu-tions to the world’s environmental, water resources, and energy-related problems.

have the opportunity to pursue their career aspirations without carrying large debts upon graduation. The Department of Civil Engineering thanks the Coleman family and Lu Vorpahl for their gen-erosity. For more information on giving options to the department, please contact development officer, Sally Euson, via e-mail at euson@umn.edu or by phone at 612/625-6035.

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Department NewsBarr and Braun Earn U of M Outstanding Achievement Awards

ship opportunities for civil engi-neering students. Braun also funded the J.S. Braun/Braun Intertec Professorship Chair in 1990. Since its inception, this chair has brought more than 20 outstanding profes-sors from other campuses to CSE for teaching and research collaboration with the college’s faculty. Douglas W. Barr (B.S. ‘48, M.S. ‘49) founded Barr Engineering Company in 1954 and served as president until 1985. The company has offices in five cities in Minnesota and employs several hundred people, many of them graduates of the University of Minnesota and the Department of Civil Engineering. Barr’s company is recognized for its technical exper-tise in civil engineering projects and listed as one of the top ten places to work in the Twin Cities. He has been a leader in the civil engineering profession in Minnesota and is cred-ited with completing several water resource projects that have protected the state’s aquatic resources - continued on page 18

Department Head Roberto Ballarini gives Jack Braun his award.

During the Spring 2010 gradu-ation ceremony the department had the pleasure of bestow-ing the University’s Outstanding Achievement Award to two distin-guished graduates, Jack Braun and Douglas Barr. Both men founded cor-nerstone engineering companies, and have generously donated time and money to the University. Jack Braun (B.S. ‘56, M.S. ‘57) founded the company that now bears his name, Braun Intertec Corporation. Over the past four decades, Braun led the company to a position of national leadership in consulting engineering of geotechni-cal, materials, environmental and pavement engineering. Public service has been an essen-tial part of Braun’s life. He is a long-time member of Rotary International and has been active in its service missions. One of his strongest inter-ests in public service has been sup-porting the College of Science and Engineering (CSE). Braun was an early advocate for providing intern- Douglas Barr, founder of Barr Engineering

Company, and Janet Kremer.

Three Faculty Awarded NSF Grants for Environmental ResearchProfessors Bill Arnold, Tim LaPara, and Paige Novak were recently awarded three research grants totaling more than $950,000 from the National Science Foundation. These awards represent three of eleven recent awards made by the latest Environmental Engineering Panel for Unsolicited Research. The professors beat-out 150 proposals in competition for the research awards. Prof. Arnold’s award, entitled “Using triclosan and polyhalogenated dibenzo-p-dioxins to elucidate the impor-tance of natural and anthropogenic sources of OH-PBDEs in fresh and estuarine waters,” will be used to investi-gate the mechanisms by which a new class of pollutants are produced and determine the relative roles of human-derived and natural sources of these compounds. Prof. LaPara’s award, entitled “Municipal wastewater treatment and the proliferation of antibiotic resistance,” will investigate the potential role of municipal wastewater treatment facilities to slow the spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria. And finally, Prof. Novak’s award, entitled “Halorespiration of a natural Organochlorine and Trichloroethylene in a historically-uncontaminated soil,” will focus on newly-discovered bacteria that appear to be capable of “breath-ing” natural chlorinated organic compounds.

New findings by Department of Civil Engineering researchers shows that treating municipal wastewater solids at higher temperatures may be an effective tool in the fight against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Heating the solid waste to 130 degrees Fahrenheit (55 degrees Celsius) was particularly effective in eliminating the genes that confer antibiotic resistance. These genes are used by bacteria to become resistant to multiple antibiotics, which are then known as “superbacteria” or “superbugs.” The research paper was recently published in Environmental Science & Technology, a journal of the American Chemical Society and highlighted in the society’s weekly

magazine Chemical & Engineering News. Antibiotics are used to treat numerous bacterial infections, but the ever-increasing presence of anti-biotic-resistant bacteria has raised substantial concern about the future effectiveness of antibiotics. “Our research is one of the first studies that considers a different approach to thwarting the spread of antibiotic resistance by looking at the treatment of municipal waste-water solids,” said civil engineering associate professor Timothy LaPara, an expert in both wastewater treat-ment and microbiology who led the new University of Minnesota study. Antibiotic resistant bacteria develop in the gastrointestinal tracts of

people taking antibiotics. People using the toilet then pass these bacteria through the sewer system to municipal wastewater treatment facilities. The majority of wastewater treatment plants incubate the solid waste, called sludge, in a “digester” that decomposes organic materials. Digesters are often operated at 95 to 98 degrees Fahrenheit (35 to 37 degrees Celsius).“Our latest research suggests that high temperature anaerobic diges-tion offers a novel approach to slow the proliferation of antibiotic resistance.” LaPara said. “This new method could be used in combina-tion with other actions, like limiting the use of antibiotics, to extend the lifespan of these precious drugs.”

Department of Civil Engineering Researchers Find New Way to Fight Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria

Manning Wins Scholarship to Study Historical Structures2009 CE graduate Elizabeth Manning has been accepted into the renowned Erasmus Mundus Advanced Masters in the Structural Analysis of Monuments and Historical Constructions program, and given a generous 24,000 Euro scholarship to cover all of her expenses. Manning learned of the program while taking “Ancient and Modern Structures in Italy,” a study abroad course lead by Department of Civil Engineering Professors Joe Labuz and Roberto Ballarini. “I am always on the lookout for opportunities to work, travel, or study abroad. I asked Professor Ballarini about this program and studying in Europe in general because he is from Italy. He checked into the program and strongly encouraged me to apply for the program,” said Manning. The European Commission and four universities host the program: the University of Minho in Portugal; the Czech Technical University in Prague; the University of Padova in Italy; and the Technical University of Catalonia in Spain. The coursework portion of the program is held in two universities each year and switches each year. This year the program will begin September 6th and run through July 2011. During the first six months, Manning will be taking six one-month courses at the University of Padova in Italy. The second four months she’ll continue working on research and her dissertation in Guimaraes, Portugal at the University of Minho.

Department News

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FacultyBill Arnold earned the Outstanding Reviewer for the Journal of Environmental Engineering, and was elected President-Elect for the MN Section of ASCE.

Roberto Ballarini was elected to the Board of Governors of the Engineering Mechanics Institute of the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Pat Brezonik received a Career Appreciation Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

John Gulliver gave the keynote address “Gas Transfer from Bubble Swarms,” at the 6th International Symposium on Gas Transfer at Water Surfaces, Kyoto, Japan, May 16 – 21, 2010.

Arturo Schultz gave the keynote address at during the First Structural

Engineering Symposium at the Autonomous Metropolitan University of Mexico City, Mexico Nov. 18.

StudentsNik Boeke won the Young Scientists poster competition at the International Global Atmospheric Chemistry (IGAC) Conference.

Samson Finkelstein received the award for Academic Excellent and Artistry from the University of Rome.

Graduate student Gaurav won the ASCE Student Paper Award at Engineering Mechanics Institute 2010 conference held August 8-11 in Los Angeles, California.

‘09 graduate Elizabeth Manning was awarded the Erasmus Mundus Fellowship in Advanced Masters in the Structural Analysis of Monuments and Historical Constructions program. Manning accepted this very prestigious award from the European Union and will study in Italy and Portugal.

Pat McNamara was awarded the WEF Canham Graduate Studies Scholarship ($25,000) by the Water Environment Federation.

Keith Palmer won the 2010 George D. Nasser Award from Precast Concrete Institute.

Pavithra Parthasarathi and undergraduate Nick Ollrich were each presented with the 2010 Kasia Winiarczyk Award from the U of M’s Interdisciplinary Transportation Student Organization.

Adam Ragatz and Xinkai Wu received the Matthew J. Huber Award for Excellence in Transportation Research and Education from the Center for Transportation Studies.

Peter Steen won first place for the Montgomery-Watson-Harza Consulting Engineers/AEESP Master’s Thesis Award.

Erin Surdo received the Best Dissertation Award, Department of Civil Engineering, 2010 and earned an ASEE/NSF Corporate Research Postdoctoral Fellowship.

Adam Swierczek received the 2010 Dexter Memorial Scholarship.

Huina Yuan was awarded a CSE Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship.

Feng Xiao awarded SWANA Floyd Forsberg Environmental Scholarship - first U of M student and the first international student receiving this scholarship.

Zhiyi Xu and Shanjiang Zhu earned the John S. Adams Award for Excellence in Transportation Research and Education from the Center for Transportation Studies.

Teng Zeng won the Environmental Chemistry Graduate Student Award, ACS.

Awards & AccomplishmentsLectures & WebcastsThe Department of Civil Engineering’s weekly Warren Lecture Series is now being streamed live and archived online. Viewers wishing to watch the lectures live can login from their computers to see the presentation, slides and submit questions. To watch live streams and archives visit: www.ce.umn.edu/warren_lecture_series

Below is a list of new archived lectures available for viewing:

BAM - Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, GermanyResearch in Non-destructive Testing in Civil Engineering at BAMSpeaker: Prof. Herbert WiggenhauserJanuary 22, 2010

Waste Treatment and the Ecology of Antibiotic ResistanceSpeaker: Prof. Timothy LaParaJanuary 29, 2010

Biostimulation of PCB-contaminated SedimentSpeaker: Prof. Paige NovakApril 9, 2010

Understanding the Day-to-Day Traffic Evolution Process after an Unexpected Network Disruption: Empirical Observations and Theoretical ModelsSpeaker: Prof. Henry LiuSeptember 10, 2010

Molecular Signatures as Tracers of Antibiotic Resistance Gene (ARG) Sources in a Mixed Land-Use Watershed Speaker: Prof. Amy PrudenSeptember 17, 2010

Mass Transfer from Bubble SwarmsSpeaker: Prof. John GulliverOctober 8, 2010 Spatial Variation of Seismic Ground Motions Modeling and Engineering Applications Speaker: Prof. Aspasia ZervaOctober 15, 2010

Protecting Coastal Cities from Catastrophic Flooding Speaker: Prof. Larry MurdochOctober 22, 2010

The Wonders of Thin Sheets: From Torn Tape and Sinking Flowers to Graphene Ribbons and Grabbing Water Speaker: Prof. Pedro Miguel ReisOctober 29, 2010

Shear Banding with Non-Coaxial Flow Rule in Viscous-Plastic MaterialsSpeaker: Prof. Hans MuhlhausNovember 5, 2010 A Fictitious Play Approach to Complex Systems OptimizationSpeaker: Prof. Robert SmithNovember 12, 2010

Integrating Heterogeneous User Responses to Pricing and Reliability in Dynamic Network Models for Large-Scale Planning Applications Speaker: Prof. Hani MahmassaniNovember 19, 2010

Department Lectures Now Available Online

Hajjar Gives 2010 Warren Lecture in Memory of Robert DexterNortheastern University Professor Jerry Hajjar gave this year’s Special Warren Lecture in Memory of Robert Dexter. Hajjar is a former Department of Civil Engineering professor and close friend of Dexter’s. His presentation was titled “A Fictitious Play Approach to Complex Systems Optimization.” Among the audience were a diverse crowd of students, faculty, and industry professionals, along with Dexter’s wife and children. The event also featured the awarding of the 2010 Dexter Memorial Scholarship to undergraduate student Adam Swierczek. Swierczek earned the award for demonstrating academic excellence and interest in professional development outside of the classroom.

Prof. Ballarini, Adam Swierczek, & Prof. Hajjar.

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and undergraduate research assis-tants -- were able to successfully pull off a very complex, large-scale test that was the first of its kind,” said Palmer. “A nearly-full-scale 3-D braced frame has never been tested before, nor has the behavior of braced frames subjected to bi-direc-tional loading.” CBFs are commonly used steel sys-tems designed to resist seismic load-ing. Numerous tests have been per-formed in the past on planar CBFs. However, the behavior of these systems subjected to bi-directional loading is not well understood. The National Science Foundation was the main funding agency for the test. Additional support came from the American Institute of Steel Construction, which supplied the structural steel, and the Minnesota section of the Council of American

MAST Update

From January to August 2010 the MAST laboratory conduct-

ing its first tests on steel frames, specifically concentric braced frames (CBFs). The tests were a part of the Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (NEES) funded proj-ect entitled “International Hybrid Simulation of Tomorrow’s Braced Frame Systems.” University of Minnesota Ph.D. stu-dent Keith Palmer oversaw the con-struction, testing, and demolition of a two-story one-bay by one-bay steel concentric braced fame. The project brought together researchers Charles Roeder and Dawn Lehman from the University of Washington, Carol Shield from the University of Minnesota, and Taichiro Okazaki from E-Defense in Japan. Palmer said the detailed planning for the tests was the most chal-lenging part. The researcher had to do everything from design the test specimens to order construction materials. “The most rewarding part of the tests was completing it and know-ing that I, along with everyone involved -- especially the MAST staff

The Multi-Axial Subassemblage TestingLaboratory

Laboratory Performs First Project On Steel Building Frames

Structural Engineers which provided some funding for Palmer. The bi-directional loading protocol was developed through inelastic, dynamic analyses of prototype CBF buildings subjected to 20 recorded ground motions. Preliminary results suggest that bi-directional ground motions have little effect on the behavior of this system. The ulti-mate drift capacity of the two test frames was the same as that seen in test frames subjected to only one direction of loading. The tests also verified a new gus-set plate design and detailing meth-odology that encourages gusset plate yielding after brace yielding. This in turn reduces the demand on the beams and columns that the braces frame into, resulting in reduced damage and larger inelastic deforma-tion capacity.

The concentric braced frame inside MAST’s testing chamber.

Luke James, Michael Machacek, Jonathan Manning, Ashley Marcott, Scott Miller, Zachary Steiner, and Reuben Verdolijak

Guy N. Bjorge FundJacob Hanke

James C. Olson Memorial Undergraduate ScholarshipTyler Rose

John Elwood Holmberg Memorial Scholarship Ryan Ballard

John W. Williams Memorial ScholarshipDaniel Meagher

Longyear Memorial ScholarshipEvan Leister

Marvin G. Sedam EndowmentMegan Nutzmann

Minnesota Surveyors and Engineers Society ScholarshipsJamin Bontragerm, Max Halverson, Nicklaus Ollrich, Marcus Orrock, Joshua Rohde, Daniel Slegh, Gannon Stromquist-LeVoir

Rahilly Scholarship FundAnthony Jakubiak

Robert Dexter Memorial Scholarship FundAdam Swierczek

FellowshipsBeavers Heavy ConstructionAriel Dahl

Bonestroo & Rosene FellowshipKrista Morris

The Department of Civil Engineering gratefully wishes to recognize the deserving recipients and generous donors of its valuable scholarships, fellowships and chairs.

ScholarshipsAl Johnson Construction Co. ScholarshipFred DeBruzzi, Joel HinnenkampMounir Najm, Dylan O’DonnellJoshua Rohde, and Chao Sun

Andrew Drescher Scholarship FundJacob Behnke and Benjamin Holbrook

Archie & Marie Carter/American Society of Civil Engineering SchoolsAdam Swierczek

Bonestroo, Rosene, Anderlik Undergraduate ScholarshipBenjamin Crary, Alejandro De Le Mora, Jacob Hanke, Jonathan Manning, Joshua Rohde, and Margaret Wright

City Engineering Scholarship FundJoel Hinnenkamp and Nicolas Tobin

Clifton T. Barker ScholarshipPaul Anderson, Andrew Gerdeen, Alexander Haluska, Ashley Hammerbeck, Matthew Harold, and Margaret Wright

Donald and Louise Ruhnke FundArthur Mordaunt

E.P. Pfleider Memorial ScholarshipRyan Anderson, Nicholaus Grage,Benjamin Johnson and Amanda Larson

Florence Hanson Waits Endowment Fund

William H. Burgum FellowshipBenjamin Dymond

MSES/MAPA FellowshipAndrea Azary

Sommerfield FellowshipBenjamin Dymond, Shafayat Jamil, Robert (Noah) Hensley, and Jiafeng Zheng

Walker K. Johnson FellowshipRobert (Noah) Hensley

CSIRO FellowshipAlexandre Huynen, Julien Marck, and Luc Perneder

Professorships & ChairsJames L. Record ProfessorshipRoberto Ballarini, Fotis Sotiropoulos, and Heinz G. Stefan

Joseph & Rose Ling Professorship in Civil EngineeringWilliam Arnold

Joseph & Rose Ling Professorship in Environmental EngineeringEfi Foufoula-Georgiou

MSES/Miles Kersten ChairJoseph F. Labuz

Richard P. Braun/CTS Chair in Transportation Engineering David M. Levinson

Shimizu ProfessorshipBojan B. Guzina

Theodore W. Bennett Chair in Mining Engineering and Rock MechanicsSteven L. Crouch

Scholarships Fellowships

Professorships & Chairs

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Braun Intertec Chairman of the Board and former CEO and

Department of Civil Engineering graduate George Kluempke is the sort of enlightened, brave leader who encourages others to replace him and his competitors to succeed. To some, Kluempke’s style might sound risky, but he’s proving time and again it’s the best way to ethi-cally and profitably run a business.

From the Farm to the FirmKluempke grew up in the farm com-munity of Melrose, MN., where he developed a strong appreciation for math and science, honest hard work, and being outdoors. Upon the recommendation of his high school counselor, he decided to combine all three interests into a career serving society as a civil engineer. After starting college in 1969 at Moorhead State, Kluempke trans-ferred as planned to the University of Minnesota to complete his degree in civil engineering. The U of M proved to be a great choice for Kluempke largely because of its unique faculty, and perhaps more importantly, its student opportuni-ties. One opportunity in particular would definitively shape his future to come. “What I really liked about the university at that time is that it had the intern program,“ said Kluempke. His first internship was with the underground utility division of Arcon Construction in the summer of 1971. He liked Arcon because it gave him a chance to experience soils related construction activities. Soon after, Kluempke became excited about geotechnical engineer-ing and knew he wanted to work for a company in the field. Civil Engineering Professor Lyle Peterson saw the student’s strong potential and connected Kluempke with Jack Braun, founder of Braun Intertec. Kluempke was quickly offered an internship. He continued to flour-

ish under the tutelage of Braun Intertec’s Cam Kruse and was offered a job following graduation in March of 1974. “I took my last final on a Thursday and went to work for Braun Intertec the following Monday morning. And I’ve been here for almost 37 years,” said Kluempke.

Great Leaders Create More Leaders“When I started at Braun Intertec I knew I wanted to run my own office as a part of the company,” said Kluempke. He worked diligently during those early years and was quickly rewarded with a chance to return to work in his hometown area. “In 1977, Jack tapped me on the shoulder and asked me if I wanted to move back to St. Cloud and open up the new office,” said Kluempke. “I jumped at the oppor-tunity.” Kluempke would continue to help expand Braun Intertec’s business outstate by opening offices in North Dakota, Montana and the Pacific Northwest during the 1980s and 90s. By 1997, Kluempke’s corporate climb reached the top when Jack Braun and the Board of Directors named him CEO of the company. With the passing of the executive torch, Braun not only gave him command of the firm, but also a sustainable leadership philosophy. Kluempke sums it up with a quote he keeps on a card on his desk. “Great leaders do not acquire fol-lowers; they create more leaders,” said Kluempke. “As soon as I became CEO I knew I needed to assemble my team and start developing that next generation of leaders.” Since assuming leadership of Braun Intertec, Kluempke has worked hard to not only be an advo-cate for his company’s successful future, but also civil engineering as a profession. He’s been active within the American Council of Independent Laboratories, as well as a member of the board and president of the

American Council of Engineering Companies of Minnesota in an effort to raise the regard and value for civil engineering. Investing in Each Other and the FutureLately, Kluempke along with a couple of fellow CEOs from local engineering companies has spear-headed a monthly roundtable of leaders from local engineering firms working to raise public and politi-cal awareness of civil infrastructure investment issues. The roundtable exists because Kluempke believes a thriving, diverse civil engineering industry working together creates opportunity for all. And together, they have a common call. “Raising public awareness of the huge impact infrastructure has on the state’s economic engine and our quality of life becomes a higher cause,” said Kluempke. “We’ve got to educate people that these things are important... we are out of bal-ance with what society wants versus what society is willing to invest in.” - continued on page 18

Braun Intertec’s George Kluempke.

Alumni Profile: George Kluempke ‘74 U of M graduate and Chairman of Braun Intertec

Drilling an oil well is tricky busi-ness that requires incredibly

responsive equipment and a sharp-shooter’s aim. This nerve-wracking truth was never more apparent than this summer as the world held its breath hoping crews could drill relief wells to intercept the hemorrhag-ing Deep Horizon well. The target the crews aimed for was tiny, only 20 centimeters wide. What’s worse, it was buried 1,800 meters below the surface which meant seemingly minor errors in direction could send the drill spinning off course. Every year thousands of kilome-ters of boreholes are made using modern robotic drill systems like the one used to plug the Deep Horizon well. The robotic drills have to fight the forces arising from excavating hard rock to stay on target, and are affected by their own size and design. Often, these forces cause the drill bit to wander and whirl, creat-ing waving or serpentine boreholes

that take longer to complete. “You want a borehole that is as smooth as possible,” said Department of Civil Engineering Professor Emmanuel Detournay. If it isn’t, the borehole will be difficult to fit with casings and other equipment. Drilling rough and meandering boreholes have plagued the drilling industry ever since the Chinese dug the first well in 350 BC. Up until now engineers have relied on trial and error and best guesses to deal with problem. Professor Detournay thinks his research team, along with collabora-tors at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation in Australia and at the University of Liège in Belgium, can make drilling wells easier and more consistent by scientifically understanding what’s happening as bits dig deeper into the earth. Their plan is to start by mathematically mapping the process of drilling a borehole. It’s an ambi-tious, international project that

will for the first time quantifiably describe what’s happening from the tip of the drilling bit all the way back to the rig. “It is a kind of big picture we are trying to paint,” said Detournay. The final result of this interna-tional research effort will be an algorithmic model engineers and drillers can use to program robotic drills to interpret and appropriately respond to the forces they encounter so they can stay on course.

A Bit of HistoryDetournay has recognized that the drill’s direction is not only impacted by where it’s going, but also where it’s been. He believes the direction of the drill head can be pushed around by what’s happening to the drill string trailing behind it. For example, if one of the trailing seg-ments catches on a curved portion of the borehole, it causes bending - continued on page 18

Prof. Emmanuel Detournay and his research team of Alexandre Huynen, Luc Perneder, and Julien Marck. Photo Credit: Nancy Johnson

From the Bit to the RigUnderstanding borehole propagation for smart drilling

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A special thanks to our Department of Civil Engineering alumni and friends for your generous support. Your generosity has enabled us to offer scholarships and fellowships to our students, retain talented faculty, and improve our facilities. Thank you!

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16 Civil Engineer | Fall 2010 Civil Engineer | Fall 2010 17

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Phoenix Circus Troupe. The group performs shows around at events and clubs around the Twin Cities. In addition to local shows, Finkelstein and his partner also compete inter-nationally. In October, Finkelstein and Maguire traveled to Latina, Italy to compete in the International Circus Festival. Located near Rome, the Latina festival is one of the top competitions in the world and an important event where the duo wanted to do well. For one week they performed nightly shows in front of an audience of 1,500 people and judges. The pair received high accolades for their performances, including earning the European Press Award for being the favorite per-formers among journalists. They also received a unique award from the University of Rome for Excellence in

For many undergraduate civil engineering seniors their final

year can be a hectic whirl of studies, jobs and internships, and demand-ing projects like the capstone design course. Some students might say it’s a real juggling act that can turn their life into a circus. Nothing could be closer to the truth for Samson Finkelstein, a structural engineering student and internationally known trapeze artist.

Joining the CircusSamson started training in circus arts after seeing a circus for the first time at the age of nine. “I went to a show the circus school was putting on at our local community center and I saw the kids doing all of the different activities and I thought hey, I really want to do that,” said Finkelstein. He started out learning acts like juggling, but before long moved to his current discipline: the trapeze. Finkelstein likes how trapeze and other aerial acts offer a tempting combination of athleticism and art-istry. “Trapeze and aerial straps are the two acts that I focus on, and they’re fairly physically challenging, and they also have an artistic side to them,” said Finkelstein. Finkelstein and his trapeze part-ner, Shannon Maguire, train 90 min-utes a day and make frequent long-distance trips to meet with their coach in Montreal, Canada. Their hard work is paying off. Recently, they passed a rigorous two-day audi-tion for world-renowned Cirque de Soleil and are now official members of the circus’ talent bank. Locally, Finkelstein, Maguire, and three other performers operate their own circus troupe known as Blue

Academics and Artistry. It’s an apro-pos award for Finkelstein to receive because one might argue he’s pursu-ing academic excellence for artistry.

The Art in EngineeringIn December, Finkelstein graduates with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering with an emphasis in structural engineering. However, he doesn’t plan to go work for a local firm. No, after his performing career ends Finkelstein wants to put his degree to work designing the elabo-rate and complex stage systems that support the mind-boggling shows groups like Cirque de Soleil put on. The increasing sophistication of such shows demands cleverly designed stages and equipment, which require the talents of a highly trained engi-neer. Finkelstein got a sampling of- continued on page 18

Samson FinkelsteinStructural Engineering Undergraduate and Trapeze Artist

Structural engineering student Samson Finkelstein and his trapeze partner Shannon Maguire.

18 Civil Engineer | Fall 2010 Civil Engineer | Fall 2010 19

Department of Civil Engineering

Excellence in Civil Engineering Scholarships

Kluempke, from page 12

Kluempke and the members of the roundtable routinely take their mes-sage to the legislature and even the governor’s office, and their message is simple: supporting investments in infrastructure is to reinvest in Minnesota. Kluempke’s example demonstrates it’s good business not only to look after the best interests of the com-pany, but also the entire community it interacts with and improves. In the true spirit of civil engineering, Kluempke shows the best way to lead is to thoughtfully serve._______________________________

hole problem is the robotic drill heads still rely on a human opera-tor to judge what’s happening below and make adjustments, often times based on feel alone. As skilled as the operators are, they can still eas-ily misjudge the situation and make the problem worse. The algorithm Detournay and his team are develop-ing will have the ability to account for all of these factors, and through software programming, effectively make the robots autonomous, intel-ligent, and best of all, accurate.

The Belgian ConnectionDetournay is assisted by a trio of eager and cheerful graduate students who hail from the professor’s native country of Belgium. In fact, Luc Perneder, Alexandre Huynen, and Julien Marck all went to Detournay’s alma mater, the University of Liège. Detournay drew all three students to the U of M after they worked on Liège Prof. Vincent Denoël’s related research. Perneder, Huynen, and Marck are thrilled to be members of the team and each has a particular part to play connecting the research into a functioning model. Perneder’s focus on the project is to help create the mathematical theories that comprise the algorith-mic model’s modules. He was drawn to the research by the grand scope of the problem. “I find it really nice that we’re starting from the begin-ning of the problem,” said Perneder. “It’s not like we’re starting with a well-developed theory and adding another little piece, and I like that.” The work of transferring the cal-culations into 3-D modeling falls on the shoulders of Huynen. He enjoys the effort because it provides a direct solution to a real world problem. “It’s not just pure research – the project will have a real impact on something,” said Huynen. The computer model’s modules will be tied together by Marck. He echoed the other team member’s excitement for the project, but also

Finkelstein, from page 17

his future career interning last sum-mer for company setting up a circus production in Las Vegas. “The project I was working on was for the new Cirque de Soleil show at CityCenter in Las Vegas,” said Finkelstein. “My first week on the job I helped install a trolley winch that weighed 5,000 pounds and was very expensive. I loved it. Working on a project with pretty much an unlimited budget is pretty cool,” said Finkelstein

Combining Talents For now, Finkelstein of course plans to devote his energy to per-forming trapeze, but he’ll still use his education in the process. Most trapeze artists have to rely on a technician or machinist to design and craft their equipment. Finkelstein, however, has the unique combinations of talents to engineer is own equipment. “In Italy I needed to have all my own rigging equip-ment including a trapeze component called a crane bar,” said Finkelstein. “I was able to design my own safely using knowledge from my course-work.” He also frequently uses his autocad training to design the devic-es he needs to thrill the crowd while maintaining his safety. Finkelstein undoubtedly is proving to be a creative, clever and daring engineering student. With charac-teristics like that he’s sure to lead a high flying life, that for him, will be the greatest show on Earth.

Drilling, from page 13

of the drill pipe that will make the bit to lurch off course. What makes the matter even more complicated is the shape of the problem changes as the drill head advances. In scientific terms, the borehole is propagating. With each turn of the drill bit, the borehole gets longer altering the geometry of the system. It becomes a problem that’s constantly changing while engineers are trying to solve it.

The Human FactorThe final wrinkle to the wavy bore-

Barr & Braun, from page 6

and improved the quality of life for Minnesotans. A number of his proj-ects have received national awards including, a dam designed and con-structed in one week in response to an emergency on the Mississippi River at St. Anthony Falls Barr is dedicated alum who has served on the External Advisory Board of the Department of Civil Engineering for many years, and also as a guest lecturer. Congratulations to Jack Braun and Douglas Barr on your achievements!_______________________________

The Department of Civil Engineering is pleased to announce the creation of seven “Excellence in Civil Engineering Scholarships,” aimed at outstanding students wishing to pursue a challenging career that is enabled by graduate study. The recipients of this prestigious award will be given enhanced mentoring, and the unique opportunities to follow an academic program that is specifically tailored to their interests. Recipients are also eligible to enroll in graduate classes in their senior year.

Students receiving this scholarship award will be expected to participate in a research experience either at the University of Minnesota or at other academic institutions, governmental, or industrial research laboratories in the US or abroad. This research experience will be facilitated by the Department of Civil Engineering.

The scholarship amount is for $8,000 per year, renewable for a maximum duration of two years contingent upon satisfactory progress. Applicants are expected to be admitted to upper division study in civil or geological engineering with a minimum GPA of 3.5/4.0.

Join us in training the next generation of civil and geological engineers by supporting these newly created scholarships. You can make a gift online through this link http://it.umn.edu/alumni/giving/ or by contacting Sally Euson, External Relations Officer for the Department of Civil Engineering at 612-625-6035 or euson@umn.edu.

Photo Credit: Richard Anderson

appreciates its great multicultural aspects. “The great part is it’s an international project,” added Marck. Once the model is completed, Detournay wants to partner with a drilling services provider to test its predictive accuracy in a real-world scenario. After that, it will hopefully be accepted by the drilling industry and used to drill boreholes that are made faster, smoother, straighter and better than ever. _______________________________

Civil engineering professor and SAFL Director Fotis Sotiropoulos is a principal investigator on a U of M-led consortium assembled to foster wind energy development in the United States. The project is also staffed Department of Civil Engineering faculty Joe Labuz, Henryk Stolarski, Roger Arndt, and Fernando Porte-Agel. The $24 million project was commissioned by the U.S. Department of Energy with the goal of making the U.S. capable of producing 20 percent of its energy through wind power by 2030.

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