“I HEAR YOU’RE INTERESTED IN CANOES… CONCRETE CANOES”

Welcome!  If you’ve found this page, then you have some interest in the ASU-ASCE Student Chapter Concrete Canoe Team. 

We have an exciting and busy year ahead of us, in which we will design, construct, and race a concrete canoe.

Each year, ASU-ASCE competes against other student chapters at the Pacific Southwest Conference (PSWC).  Conference is always a blast, and you will feel pride in your contribution to this year’s canoe.

This year, you can be a part of any of our teams: Aesthetics, Hull Design/Analysis, Construction, Mix Design, and Sponsorship.  We will also hold tryouts for the Paddling Team, who will race the canoe at PSWC (and hopefully, Nationals as well).

Here is a breakdown of what each team does:

-Aesthetics: Chooses a theme and creates the visual elements for the canoe, stands, and display; Determines how to implement the chosen visual elements; Finds suitable stains, pigments, paints, and any other visual elements

-Analysis: Performs computer calculations analyzing load cases to which the canoe will be subjected; Produces CAD outputs that Construction will use to create a mold; Using computer models, determines minimum strength required for the concrete mix, which Mix Design will use in creating a suitable mix.

-Construction: Designs and builds the molds, stands, and display, with input from the Aesthetics Team; Determines how to best create the structural elements of the canoe, from reinforcements to mold releasing agents to finishing elements such as sealants; Designs and builds system for pre-stressing.

-Mix Design: Develops a strong, lightweight mix with suitable workability—this includes choosing the proportion of cement/pozzolans, aggregates, and chemical admixtures; Mixes and tests concrete to ensure quality.

-Sponsorship: Coordinates with local and national companies to secure funding/materials for the canoe.

-Paddling: Races the canoe at competitions; Chosen by attendance at practices, skill, and amount of effort put into constructing the canoe.

Those who work on this project are often surprised by how much they have learned throughout the process.  It is very fun and rewarding, and the feeling of camaraderie amongst the team members is indescribable.

If you have any questions or would like to find out when the meeting times are, contact Timothy Cason at asuconcretecanoe@gmail.com.