College of Engineering News • Iowa State University

From blue roofs to rebuilds: why communities can (or cannot) construct after catastrophes

A hurricane hits. You survive the storm, but your house doesn’t. And to complicate matters, you don’t have the documentation to prove the house was actually yours to begin with. What do you do? Construction engineering doctoral student Jess Talbot recently traveled to Puerto Rico, a country still reeling from the effects of Hurricane Maria back in 2017. Along with her mentor, Assistant Professor Cristina Poleacovschi, Jess studied how communities are … or are not … able to reconstruct after a catastrophic event.

ISU researcher working with DOT on flood impact study

Alice Alipour, an assistant professor of civil engineering at Iowa State University, is leading a team of researchers to examine the effects of flooding on the infrastructures of communities. “With infrastructure systems, those are pretty much our lifeline,” Alipour said. “This includes transportation and power grid lines. We also consider community resilience and also consider buildings as a part of this infrastructure.”

Senior lecturer leaves lasting legacy of mentoring and service

Larry Cormicle, Dave and Katy Pepper Senior Lecturer in Iowa State University’s Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering (ISU CCEE), is retiring this May. Cormicle has been teaching at ISU since 2002, has a 24-year career in the construction industry and has been a construction educator for nearly 29 years. He is a registered …Continue reading “Senior lecturer leaves lasting legacy of mentoring and service”

Is there a future leader in the house? Perspectives from design and construction students

While it might sound cliché, it’s also true. The future of our industry will be defined by young people in college and apprenticeships today. What do they expect from and will contribute to a career in the architecture, engineering and construction industry? We put those questions, and many more, to members of the National Design-Build Student Championship team from Iowa State. They provide some interesting insights into future generations of design-builders and also offer advice for student teams considering competing in this year’s DBIA National Design-Build Student Competition.

Water Environment Federation of ISU advances to next round of CSWEA Student Design Competition

The Water Environment Federation (WEF) ISU Student Chapter competed in the Central States Water Environment Association (CSWEA) Student Design Competition on April 8 in Madison, Wisconsin. “This organization connects what we learn in class with real-world problems,” said Peiyang Li, a member of WEF at ISU and a student in biological systems engineering. “It provides …Continue reading “Water Environment Federation of ISU advances to next round of CSWEA Student Design Competition”

Civil engineering researcher looks to improve safety on the road – text only

Friction and Function You hardly think about the complex relationship between your car’s tires and the pavement on which you spend your morning and evening commute. But for Omar Smadi, an associate professor in civil engineering, the interaction between tires and pavement surfaces shares a fascinating dynamic that can lower the possibility of car accidents. …Continue reading “Civil engineering researcher looks to improve safety on the road – text only”

Professor’s passion for civil engineering lives on through generous scholarship

Friends, family memorialize efforts of late ISU civil engineering faculty member Not many people say they have a passion for Portland Cement Concrete Pavement, but James (Jim) Cable did. The Iowa State University (ISU) civil engineering professor was a dedicated teacher and researcher. It’s this dedication that family, friends and industry partners want to memorialize …Continue reading “Professor’s passion for civil engineering lives on through generous scholarship”

ISU CCEE researcher explores ways to produce more sustainable residential building materials

A number of products you use in your home contain resins. Resins are materials that act as a glue between polymers, and polymers make up synthetic organic materials like plastics and fibers. Chris Williams, a professor in civil engineering, is working on a collaborative project that could replace resins with cleaner, more efficient biomaterials.

Clean and green

A number of products you use in your home contain resins. Resins are materials that act as a glue between polymers, and polymers make up synthetic organic materials like plastics and fibers. Chris Williams, a professor in civil engineering, is working on a collaborative project that could replace resins with cleaner, more efficient biomaterials. “It …Continue reading “Clean and green”

Civil engineering researcher’s work creates faster technologies for high-rate systems

This research feature is part of a series highlighting the work of ISU CCEE faculty. For more information, visit our website, www.ccee.iastate.edu/research/. Also, follow ISU CCEE on social media, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and LinkedIn (search “Iowa State University Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering” and “ISUConE”). Text-only version available.

New study finds bacterial enzymes could help prevent earthquake damage

A new study published in Canadian Geotechnical Journal suggests that an enzyme derived from bacteria could be used to enhance the stability of certain soils.

By women, for women: Ames historic building designed by early civil engineering graduate

Today, women teaching at Iowa State University (ISU) probably don’t worry about finding a place to live near campus. Students, faculty and alums may be surprised to find that, prior to 1922, both female students and faculty members sometimes struggled to find housing.

ISU CCEE’s Sharma appointed Pitt-Des Moines Inc. Professor in Civil Engineering

Iowa State University’s Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering (ISU CCEE) has named Anuj Sharma the Pitt-Des Moines Inc. (PDM) Professor in Civil Engineering. “Contributions such as these form stepping stones to explore transformative solutions for next generation civil infrastructure systems,” Sharma said of the professorship. Sharma is an associate professor of transportation engineering …Continue reading “ISU CCEE’s Sharma appointed Pitt-Des Moines Inc. Professor in Civil Engineering”

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