Austin = Branch=20 Newsletter

April 2009

Volume 13, Number 7

In This = Issue=85

Meeting/Speaker=20 Info

President's=20 Message

Meeting=20 Sponsor

Job=20 Board

Excellence=20 in Journalism=20

Regulatory=20 Stakeholders

Nominations=20 Committee

Service=20 to People - Award

Flood=20 Awareness Workshop

ASCE=20 OTC Hall of Fame Gala

YMF=20 Update

UT=20 Student Update

Austin=20 Street Names

Continuing=20 Education Webinars

April Meeting Sponsor:

Cobb, Fendley & = Associates, Inc.=20 (CobbFendley) is a multi-discipline firm formed in 1980, = providing=20 civil engineering, surveying and right-of-way services statewide. =

The=20 company was founded on responsiveness and has grown to offer a = range of=20 integrated services that support value-based solutions for its = clients.=20 These services include: Construction Management, Geographic = Information=20 Systems, Hydraulics and Hydrology, Land Development, Public Works, = Right-of-Way Acquisition, Site Development, Subsurface Utility=20 Engineering, Surveying, Telecommunications, Transportation, and = Utility=20 Coordination and Design.

Recently=20 named a Top Design Firm by Texas=20 Construction, CobbFendley offers clients the benefit of the = staff=92s=20 combined individual and corporate experience in all phases of = civil=20 engineering, including programming, schematic design, design = development,=20 construction documents, and construction management. Each project = team is=20 carefully selected to meet the specific job requirements and is = led by=20 experienced engineers and surveyors including Professional = Engineers,=20 Engineers-in-Training (EIT), Graduate Engineers, Civil Designers,=20 Registered Professional Land Surveyors, a Licensed State Land = Surveyor,=20 and CAD Operators.

CobbFendley=92s = project=20 management approach emphasizes effective communication with a = commitment=20 to quality, integrity and engineering = excellence.

ASCE Austin=20 Chapter Job Board:

This is a=20 reminder that the ASCE Austin Chapter job board is available and = is=20 generally up to date with job listings from various member=20 organizations. = Please pass=20 this information on to colleagues. =20 The following is a link to our Job Board: http://www.austinasce.org/jobs.htm. =

Excellence in = Journalism Award=20 Nomination: Due April 30^th

We are = running=20 out of time! The Austin Branch PR Committee is accepting entries = for the=20 2009 Texas Section Excellence in Journalism Award, and strongly = encourages=20 you to nominate a story, or stories. Eligible stories must be = published or=20 broadcast between May 1, 2008 and April 30, 2009. Local = journalists for=20 News 8 won both the Texas Section Award and the National Award = this past=20 year! With all the great engineering projects in design and = construction=20 in the Austin area, there should be an = article=20 out there that is deserving of this award!

A list of Award = criterion can=20 be viewed at the following web link: http://www.asce.org/pressroom/honors/excel_journalism.cfm:=20

If you have seen or = read a=20 story (maybe about your own project) and it meets the criteria = above (and=20 the eligibility requirements listed on the website), please submit = your=20 nomination directly to any member of the Public Relations = Committee=20 (Linda Barlow lbarlow@hvj.com, Sharon Hamilton sharon.hamilton@casengineers.com, John Conquest JDCONQUEST@mactec.com, Cesar Calderon calderon@guerra.com,=20 Chelsea Solomon at Chelsea.solomon@casengineers.com=20 , or Jennifer Otterson at JMOtterson@pbsj.com).=20

Please = include a=20 copy of the article/publication medium, which should show a = minimum of the=20 authors name, date of publication and the publisher=92s name. = Nominations=20 must be submitted by April 30, 2009 to enable the committee to = pull=20 together the submittal. Nominations must be submitted to the Texas = Section=20 ASCE by May 15^th, 2009. =20 If you have any questions, you can contact any member of = the Public=20 Relations Committee.

Regulatory = Stakeholders=20 Committee Update

The ASCE Austin = Branch=20 Regulatory Stakeholders Committee is going strong. Many of the = ASCE=20 comments regarding the first quarter rules posting for the = Environmental=20 Criteria Manual have been incorporated into the final language. By = lending=20 technical expertise and providing input on development regulations = that=20 impact our profession, ASCE members can make a big impact. Our = experience=20 utilizing these regulations as consulting engineers provides = valuable=20 insight. We have started with a focus on the City of Austin = with plans to=20 branch out to surrounding communities within our Branch area in = the=20 future.

At this time, the = Regulatory=20 Stakeholders Committee is creating subcommittees in order to = better=20 address technical development regulations. The current = subcommittees are=20 Utilities, Transportation, Drainage, Environmental. If you are = interested=20 in serving on one or more of the subcommittees, please contact me = (juliah@mwmdesigngroup.com).=20 This is a great opportunity to stay ahead of policy changes, keep = informed=20 of pending rule modifications, and take advantage of an = opportunity to=20 impact development regulations.

Nominations = Committee

The nominations are = now open=20 for the 2009-2010 Austin Branch Board. If you are interested on = getting=20 involved and learning more about the Austin Branch and the = positions that=20 make up the Board, please contact Kelly Barney at = kbarney@pape-dawson.com=20 or 512-454-8711.

Service to People

by=20 Honors Committee

Kelly A. Barney, P.E. = =96 2009=20 Spring Texas Section Service to = People=20 Award

Kelly=20 A. Barney, P.E. was awarded the Texas Section Service to People = Award at=20 the Texas Section Meeting in South Padre=20 Island on April 3, 2009. =20 This award is given to a civil engineer who has = distinguished=20 themselves with special service to people. Kelly Barney has = certainly=20 distinguished herself as an individual committed to making a = difference in=20 people=92s lives. =20

As a Project Manager = for=20 Pape-Dawson Engineers, Inc., Ms. Barney exemplifies her = involvement and=20 dedication through various community and professional = activities. She most recently = participated in=20 the San Antonio Rock =91N Roll Marathon with the Central Texas = Chapter Team=20 In Training (TNT). = The TNT=20 raises money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) to help = fund=20 research, provide patient services and hopefully find a cure for = blood=20 cancer. She also = fundraises=20 and participates in the Tour de Cure Cycling Event (American = Diabetes=20 Association) which is a tour from San=20 Antonio to Austin at the end of May. Ms. Barney also = volunteers with=20 other engineers in visiting local elementary schools to provide = Central Texas students with hands on=20 experiments. These=20 experiments promote teamwork and demonstrate logical processes to = help=20 engage their minds and perhaps grow or create an interest in a = technology=20 career. =20

Ms. Barney attends=20 Lake Hills Church in Austin and also volunteers her = time with=20 the Mobile Loaves and Fishes (MLF), an outreach ministry for the = homeless=20 and indigent poor. Kelly was nominated by = Garabed=20 Harutunian (Honors Chair), recommended by several mentors and = colleagues=20 and was endorsed by the Executive Committee to receive this = award. =

Front=20 (L-R): Ricky Bourque (Texas Section President) and Kelly=20 Barney

Flood Awareness and Flood = Response=20 Workshop

EWRI and ASCE are = teaming up=20 with TFMA to host a Flood Awareness and Flood Response workshop in = San = Marcos, Texas, April 29, 2009, in = conjunction=20 with this year's TFMA Spring Conference. The workshop will feature = several=20 noted speakers from federal, state, local, and academic = perspectives, and=20 it will be a great opportunity for civil engineers to learn more = about=20 flood awareness and response issues and to meet some of the key = experts=20 involved in this critical work. =20 Please see the following link for more information: = http://www.austinasce.org/Misc/floodflyer.pdf.=20

ASCE = OTC Hall of=20 Fame Gala

For the fourth year,=20 COPRI will honor the Offshore = Technology=20 Conference (OTC) papers that set the standard for current = practices=20 worldwide and have become an integral part of the offshore design = process=20 as well as lending themselves to other civil engineering = disciplines.=20

Since its inception = nearly 40=20 years ago, the OTC has provided the industry with outstanding = papers that=20 have shaped our world. Many of these papers offer innovation, = vision,=20 direction and lasting impact on design, construction or = installation=20 within the offshore industry. Since 2006,=20 COPRI and ASCE have honored those = papers=20 at the Hall of Fame Gala Dinner.

This year, = seven=20 papers will be inducted into the ASCE OTC Hall of Fame. Authors = will be=20 recognized at the dinner May 5 at the Petroleum Club in=20 Houston, = TX. A = commemorative edition=20 featuring the 2009 honored papers will be published by ASCE. The book will be = available at the=20 Gala and for sale by ASCE in May.

Registration = for this=20 prestigious event may be made online at www.coprinstitute.org/HallofFame2009=20 no later than April 25, 2009. Sponsorships opportunities are still = available. =20

This year's = honored=20 papers are:

Movement=20 and Forces Developed by Wave Induced Slides in Soft = Clay, by R.G. Bea and = P. Arnold.=20

Development=20 of Method for Measuring Susceptibility of Steel Plate to = Lamellar=20 Tearing, by=20 G. Wold and T. Kristoffersen.

Dynamic=20 Response of Floating Bodies, by C. J. = Garrison.=20

Behavior=20 of Soft Clay Under Earthquake Loading Conditions, by I.M. Idriss, = R. Dobry,=20 E.H. Doyle, and R.D. Singh.

Storm=20 Wave Kinematics, by G.Z. = Forristall, L.E.=20 Borgman, and V.J. Cardone.

Critical=20 State Soil Mechanics Model of Soil Consolidation, by T.W. Miller, = J.D. Murff=20 and L.M. Kraft.

Test=20 of Wave Hindcast Model Results Against Measurements During Four=20 Different Meteorological Conditions, by A.M. Reece and = V.J.=20 Cardone =

ASCE OTC Hall of Fame Gala =96 = SPONSORSHIP=20 OPPORTUNITIES

Gold Level=20 Sponsor-$10,000

=B7 =20 Sponsorship of = Commemorative=20 Edition book given to each guest

=B7 =20 One table (10 seats) = at the=20 ASCE OTC Hall of Fame Gala

=B7 =20 Two extra copies of=20 Commemorative Edition

=B7 =20 Full-page in gala = printed=20 program for sponsor=92s message to guests=20 (non-advertising)

Silver Level Sponsor- = $5,000=20

=B7 =20 Sponsorship of table=20 centerpieces or cocktail reception (can have multiple sponsors) or = Hall of=20 Fame Gala printed program

=B7 =20 One table (10 seats) = at the=20 ASCE OTC Hall of Fame Gala

=B7 =20 Half-page in gala = printed=20 program for sponsor=92s message to guests=20 (non-advertising)

Bronze Level sponsor = -=20 $2,000

=B7 =20 Two tickets to the = ASCE OTC=20 Hall of Fame Gala

Gold, Silver, and = Bronze=20 sponsor levels ALSO include:

=B7 =20 Company name listed = on ASCE OTC=20 Hall of Fame website

=B7 =20 Link from ASCE OTC = Hall of Fame=20 website to sponsor=92s website

=B7 =20 Sponsor listed on = sign at gala=20 dinner

=B7 =20 Sponsor listed on = sign at the=20 ASCE exhibit booth, displayed during OTC

=B7 =20 Sponsor listed in = ASCE OTC Hall=20 of Fame gala printed program

=B7 =20 Acknowledgement of = sponsor from=20 the podium during the event

=B7 =20 Acknowledgement of = sponsor in=20 one issue of ASCE/COPRI newsletter, Waterways

YMF=20 Update

by Brandon Hammann, = EIT=20

Not too much to = report this=20 month as future engineers prepare for the PE exam. Once = again, we=20 are pleased with our enrollment class this spring and hope the = students=20 benefit from the instructors' expertise on the various subjects = taught=20 throughout the course. Up until now, our Vice President has = served=20 as the administrator of the PE Exam Review Course. After = discussion=20 between our Board members we decided to establish a PE Exam Review = Course=20 Chair, whose primary responsibility is to administer the = course=20 while simultaneously preparing for the exam. It's a = great way=20 to cut costs in preparing for the exam as YMF will waive the = Chair's=20 registration fee. If you are interested in learning more = about this=20 great opportunity please contact our current Chair, Yvonne = Garcia,=20 E.I.T. at ygarcia@rkci.com=20 or call her at 339-1745.

We are hosting a = happy hour at=20 the end of the month on Thursday, April 30th at J Blacks Feel Good = Lounge. Stop by around 5:30 to enjoy free appetizers = and an=20 opportunity to catch up with your fellow peers. Initially = the happy=20 hour was scheduled for the 23^rd, but we moved it to the = 30^th so our members who are taking the exam this month = could=20 enjoy a much needed social hour(s). That being said, good = luck to=20 everyone who is taking the exam and we hope to see you at the = happy=20 hour!

Sincerely,

Brandon=20 Hammann, A.M.ASCE

Austin YMF=20 President

brandon.hammann@klotz.com

UT Student=20 Chapter Update

by Michelle Wilkinson = =96=20 Corporate Relations Officer

March and April are = always busy=20 months for UT ASCE because our Concrete Canoe competition falls = then. April 3-4 saw the = University of=20 Texas going head to head with other Texas and Mexico teams in the = Regional=20 Concrete Canoe competition held in South Padre Island. We took 14 team members = with us;=20 it was a fun and educational experience for everyone who went and = we were=20 thankful to have the means to take that many people. Our team placed = 2^nd in=20 Presentation and 3^rd in the Co-ed Sprint. Thank you to our = sponsors for=20 making this all possible: MWM Design Group, Kiewit Texas = Construction,=20 James Canning, Datum Engineers, Inc., Wiss, Janney, Elstner = Associates,=20 and ARUP.

Meeting wise, we held = two=20 meetings in the month of March. =20 The first was sponsored by the Texas Concrete Pipe = Association and=20 covered why concrete is the best material to be used in = piping. The second meeting was = sponsored=20 by Klotz Associates and gave a great overview of the civil work = they=20 do. We had Lee = Sherman from=20 the City of Austin come and speak at our first meeting in April = about the=20 city=92s Stream Restoration Program.

The only Intramural = sport ASCE=20 is participating in right now is softball and we are 1-1. We hope to continue our = winning=20 streak!

For our outreach = event in March=20 we ran the Arches and Eggs booth at Explore UT. Kids really enjoyed = coming and=20 stacking books on top of eggs to see just how strong an arch = really=20 is. Crushing the = eggs to bits=20 was enjoyable for them too!

We also held our = elections for=20 the 2009-2010 UT ASCE officers at our first April meeting. The coming year looks to = be very=20 promising and we all anticipate having a successful=20 transition!

Contact Michelle = Wilkinson at=20 mwilkinson@mail.utexas.edu=20 if you would like to get involved with UT ASCE. Please let us know if = you would=20 like to sponsor a meeting, a Friday in the Park, or any of our = technical=20 competitions (Seismic Competition, Steel Bridge, and Concrete = Canoe). Visit our website, www.ut-asce.org,=20 for more information regarding the student = branch.

City of Austin Road Names =96 = Anderson Mill=20 Road

Named=20 after a mill and its owner, Thomas Anderson, who lived in the = vicinity in=20 the 1850s.

ASCE Continuing Education=20 Webinars

Wed = Apr 15,=20 2009

Reducing=20 Runoff Impacts using Infiltration Basins New Webinar

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Thu = Apr 16,=20 2009

An=20 Introduction to Roadside Delineation and Safety = Systems=20

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Thu = Apr 16,=20 2009

Going=20 Green I: National and State Overview New=20 Webinar

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Thu = Apr 16, 2009=20

Thu = May 07,=20 2009

Going=20 Green - Diverting Materials from Landfill ~ Complete 4-Part=20 Series New Webinar=20

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Fri = Apr 17,=20 2009

Design=20 of Wood-Framed Sloped Roofs =

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Tue = Apr 21,=20 2009

Reinforced=20 Masonry: Design and Construction=20

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Wed = Apr 22,=20 2009

How=20 to Talk to Your Clients Strategically About Sustainable=20 Development New Webinar=20

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Thu = Apr 23,=20 2009

Designing=20 Bicycle Facilities

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Thu = Apr 23,=20 2009

Going=20 Green II: Construction & Demolition Waste Case=20 Studies New Webinar=20

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Fri = Apr 24,=20 2009

How=20 to Give and Receive Effective Feedback New Webinar

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Tue = Apr 28,=20 2009

Renovation=20 of Slabs on Grade

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Wed = Apr 29,=20 2009

Improving=20 Pedestrian Crossing Safety at Uncontrolled = Locations=20

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Thu = Apr 30,=20 2009

Designing=20 with Engineered Lumber =

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Thu = Apr 30,=20 2009

Going=20 Green III: Electronic Waste Case Studies New Webinar

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May = 2009

Fri = May 01,=20 2009

Are=20 You Fighting Fires Instead of Managing Your = Employees?=20

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Tue = May 05,=20 2009

Avoiding=20 Problems in Specifying Metal Roofing=20

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Wed = May 06,=20 2009

Quality:=20 What Is It and How Do We Achieve It?=20

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Thu = May 07,=20 2009

Going=20 Green IV: Organic Waste Case Studies New=20 Webinar

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Thu = May 07,=20 2009

Revisions=20 to the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices = (MUTCD)=20

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Fri = May 08,=20 2009

Preparing=20 and Implementing Construction Site Storm Water Pollution = Prevention=20 Plans

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Tue = May 12,=20 2009

Monitoring=20 Project Budgets and Schedules: Introduction to the Earned = Value=20 Method

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Wed = May 13,=20 2009

Design=20 of Masonry Shear Walls =

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Thu = May 14,=20 2009

Strengthening=20 Concrete Buildings

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Fri = May 15,=20 2009

Access=20 Management Best Practices New=20 Webinar

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Tue = May 19,=20 2009

Structural=20 Steel Buildings: Design Basics New=20 Webinar

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Wed = May 20,=20 2009

Personal=20 Time Management: Achieving Life Balance=20

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Thu = May 21,=20 2009

Designing=20 Streets for Residential Subdivisions New=20 Webinar

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Tue = May 26,=20 2009

Foundations=20 for Metal Building Systems =

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Wed = May 27,=20 2009

LRFD=20 Subsurface Explorations, Soil and Rock Testing = New Webinar

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Thu = May 28,=20 2009

Design=20 of Wood Connections

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Fri = May 29,=20 2009

How=20 to Survive and Thrive in Climates of Uncertainty = New Webinar

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Fri = May 29,=20 2009

Practical=20 Design for High Performing Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) = New Webinar

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