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Each year, schools design, build, and race full-size canoes made entirely of reinforced concrete. These canoes are judged in regional competitions (such as our ASCE Pacific Southwest Regional Conference) based on design and construction quality, written presentation of work performed, and racing performance. The "best" canoe from each region then moves on to a professionally sponsored national competition.
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| UCLA's 2007 canoe team, which finished third out of all participating schools, poses with "Typhoon." |
The Challenge
Since Joseph-Louis Lambot patented his wire-reinforced concrete boats in 1847, concrete has been used for many commercial maritime products. However, for smaller, human-powered craft such as canoes and kayaks, concrete can pose many interesting and difficult structural challenges because of the smaller hull dimensions and "carved" hull shape typically needed to yield a lighter weight craft with efficient mobility. Hence the engineering challenge lies in finding lighter, stronger, concretes to be used more sparingly in efficient designs which meet both the serviceability and safety needs of people.
Design
The shape of a concrete canoe must be carefully designed so that the total weight of the canoe and its occupants will not exceed the volume of water displaced when the canoe is partially submerged to its ideal waterline. Additionally, each canoe will be required to float when completely filled with water in order to meet a state safety regulation which is imposed on canoes in general.
Approach
Some schools will use "high-tech" concretes which are less dense than water in order to meet this requirement. Others will put permanent flotation material at the bow and stern of the canoe which, in conjunction with the volume of the canoe itself, will displace enough water to offset the total weight of the canoe.
The above text was originally featured in an article by UCLA Alumnus Rich Shimano entitled "Those Crazy Engineers and their Concrete Canoes"