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Transportation & Engineering Technologies Department

Preservation of Historic Iron and Steel in Bridges and Other Metal Structures

"Historic wrought iron and steel truss bridges that were fabricated between 1850 and 1950 are rapidly being replaced today with new concrete or steel bridges, primarily because of the lack of knowledge in the restoration of historic metals," explains Vern Mesler, Technical Careers Adjunct Faculty in welding. "We need to develop expertise in preserving the original materials by combining modern technology such as electric arc welding with historic methods like hot riveting.  This grant allows us to train in those technologies."

LCC/NCPTT Workshop
March 8 -10, 2010

Lansing Community College in Lansing, Michigan,  is presenting  a three-day workshop on March 8, 9 and 10, 2010, to introduce a wide variety of interested personnel, including State Historic Preservation officers, Department of Transportation officials, engineers, engineering students, general contractors, and historic bridge preservationists, to restoration processes of historic metals using electric arc welding, heat straightening, and hot riveting processes.   Funded in part by a grant from the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training.

SCHEDULE

First Day, Monday March 8, 2010

Presentations:
(approximately 45 minutes per presentation)

MDOT "Michigan Historic Bridge Inventory"
Dr. Frank Hatfield
"Engineering and Historic Metal Truss Bridges"
David A. Simmons "The Continuous Clatter:  Practical Field Riveting"
Dr. James Cooper "Historic Bridge Preservation" (Luncheon Speaker)
William Vermes "Design and Performance of Riveted Bridge Connections"
Dr. Dario Gasparini "Wrought Iron and Historic Steel"
Lincoln Electric Company "Arc Welding Wrought Iron and Historic Steel"

Second Day, Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Shop lectures followed by demonstrations on each of the following processes and their applications for restoration of historic metals:

  • Methods for heating steel rivets
  • Rivet hammer safety
  • Driving rivets using field riveting equipment
  • Pack rust removal and rivet removal
  • Heat straightening wrought iron and steel

Third Day, Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Shop lectures followed by demonstrations on each of the following processes and their applications for restoration of historic metals:

  • OFW (Oxygen Fuel Welding and Brazing)
  • SMAW (Shielded Metal Arc Welding)
  • ACA (Air Carbon Arc Gouging)
  • GMAW (Gas Metal Arc Welding)
  • FCAW (Flux Core Arc Welding)

You can register for this workshop by calling, mailing or faxing the Registration form to Lansing Community College.

Click here for the Registration Form

To advance the craftsman's legacy in engineering education, five $600 scholarships are to be awarded to engineering students to attend the March 2010 Workshop Preservation of Historic Iron and Steel in Bridges and Other Metal Structures.

Click here for Scholarship Application Form





Transportation & Engineering Technologies Department - Phone: 517-267-6406 - Contact Us