SAN DIEGO, CA. ¾ Civil engineering students from the University of Alabama-Huntsville proved to be the sole survivor in the ultimate test of mind over matter, when they outshined their peers from 23 universities and colleges at the 2001 ASCE/MBT National Concrete Canoe Competition.

The team made good on their promise to “outsmart, outperform and out paddle” the competition by besting their opponents with their 76 pound, 22.3 foot Survivor, a canoe of superior designed and construction that proves through good engineering concrete can indeed float.  For their ingenuity, the team earned $5,000 in scholarship money awarded by Master Builders, Inc., the event’s sole sponsor.  It was the fifth win for the school since the competition’s inception in 1988.

The team’s closest competitors were Clemson University, the titleholders for the past two years, and Oklahoma State University.  Clemson finished a strong second with their canoe, the massive 180 pound, 21 foot Good Fortune.  It was the heaviest entry among the 24 national finalists.  Third place winner Oklahoma State University made an impression with their innovative method for casting their canoe, the 140 pound, 21.5 foot Revolution.  The team used injection molding, to fill the hull of their canoe with a grade of latex-modified concrete, resulting in a solid and durable canoe, without the use of ribs or thwarts.  Clemson and Oklahoma State earned $2,500 and $1,500 in scholarship money respectively, as well as trophies.

Université Laval, winner of four of the past seven Canadian national titles, came in fourth place.  It is the school’s strongest finish since it first competed in the U.S. competition in 1996.  South Dakota School of Mines and Technology rounded out the top five.  The school previously took top honors at the 1995 ASCE/MBT National Concrete Canoe Competition.  For their efforts the two schools were recognized with plaques.

“It is incredible to see how the students continue to challenge themselves by elevating the quality of their design and engineering technique,” said ASCE president, Robert F. Bein, P.E., F.ASCE.  “The best engineers not only make the impossible a reality, they work towards perfecting it.”

The slalom/endurance and sprint races account for only 30 percent of the total score.  The remaining 70 percent is based on the end product (the final racing canoe), a three-dimensional exhibit detailing the design and construction of the canoe, an oral business presentation through which teams market their canoe’s design and a written design proposal.  In addition, the canoes must pass a floatation test in which the students must prove that their canoes do indeed float.

“These civil engineering students are gaining problem-solving and project management skills by demonstrating that concrete is a remarkable and versatile building material as they develop innovative concrete mixes that have numerous applications in the building industry,” said Master Builders President and CEO Mike Shydlowski.

The event was hosted by the American Society of Civil Engineers student chapter at San Diego State University.

Other participating teams in order of final rank are as follows:

        6         University of Minnesota
        7         Drexel University
        8         Western Kentucky University
        9         University of California-Berkeley   
        10       Colorado School of Mines
        11       University of Wisconsin-Madison
        12       Michigan Technological University
        13       California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo
        14       University of Oklahoma
        15       North Carolina State University
        16       Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
        17       Washington State University
        18       Rowan University
        18       United States Military Academy
        18       University of New Orleans
        18       University of Rhode Island
        18       University of Texas-El Paso
        18       University of Texas-San Antonio