How the American Institute of Steel Construction Partnership with RePicture Helps Students

September 16, 2020 11:00 pm Published by Leave your thoughts

Over the summer of 2020, the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) partnered with RePicture, a virtual community in which students learn about STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) careers and real-world products while researching topics related to structural steel in the worlds of construction, architecture and engineering. The program ran from June 9 to August 10, and all students who participated were provided the opportunity to demonstrate what they learned and potentially win awards in certain categories.

This was a very unique opportunity for students to get some practical knowledge and experience in the use of structural steel in their designs. Here are just a few examples of some of the categories and programs in which students participated during the AISC’s partnership with RePicture:

  • Early Skyscrapers: Students in this category were tasked with writing up a project for an early skyscraper in the style of one that would have been constructed prior to 1940. The winner in this category focused on the Home Insurance Building, located at the intersection of LaSalle and Adams Streets in Chicago and built in 1885. It is known as the very first skyscraper in America to have a metal core in its masonry.
  • Modular Construction for Affordable Housing: Students in this category were tasked with developing a write-up for a project that used steel for modular construction. The winner in this category focused on the construction around Rockefeller University SNF-DR River Campus, and the various challenges that were met with the use of modular steel construction.
  • Iconic and Innovative Steel Bridges: Students in this category completed project write-ups for innovative steel bridges. The winner focused on the Bailey Bridge, which was a simple truss bridge that was used by the Allies in victory during World War II.
  • Steel Connections: Students in this category selected a type of steel connection and wrote about the research and testing done to verify that connection. The winner wrote a project called “The Secret to How Steel Structures Stay Together.”
  • Sustainability and Steel: Students in this category selected and completed a write-up on a LEED certified building constructed with structural steel. The winner chose the Phipps Center for Sustainable Landscapes, which scored 63/69 in version 2.2 of LEED standards and is referred to as a “living building,” as it produces more energy than it consumes.
  • Steel Bridge Construction: Students in this category selected a bridge constructed with accelerated construction, crane lift, float in, slide in or SPMT and wrote up a paper about it. The winner selected the replacement of the Nassau Boulevard Bridge, which occurred in just 55 hours.
  • Seismic Design: Students in this category selected a seismic force-resisting system that was used for structural steel buildings, and then wrote up a project explaining how that force worked and how the system could be best applied. The winner chose the 181 Fremont Tower, which features “megabracing” in its frame that extends over three large sections.

These are just some of the categories in which students learned about the merits of structural steel, and were able to gain practical knowledge for their own purposes. For more information about how Indiana students preparing for careers in engineering can learn from these initiatives, contact the team at Benchmark Fabricated Steel today.

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