Date: September 5, 2023

To: ASCE Student Chapters and Concrete Canoe Teams

Subject: Request for Proposal – 2023-2024 Concrete Canoe

Dear ASCE Student Chapters and Concrete Canoe Teams:

The Concrete Canoe Competition Committee (C4) is excited to release the Request for Proposals (RFP) for the

2023-2024 competition and welcome all ASCE chapters to submit a proposal for selection as the best Concrete Canoe

at the ASCE Civil Engineering Student Championships.

Each year, the committee gathers to determine ways to improve and refresh rules for the upcoming competition

season. Changes are based on qualities, ideas, or lessons we want the competition to envelop. We call these pillars.

Proposal

● Removed the executive summary and introduced the infographic in its place

● Modified the format to include elements of marketing, research, and development, and technical report

● Requested production costs to focus teams on what is most valuable by maximizing how your time is spent

(Think: time is money. Can some of the thousands of hours hand sanding be used in a more valuable way?)

● Reduced the total page count from 23 to 18 to aid students in explaining simply and effectively.

Mixture Design

● Removed the appendix for mix design tables and introduced an excel file deliverable in its place

● Removed mix gradation requirements

● Increased hydraulic cement to 50% and included hydrated lime in the hydraulic cement calculations.

Sincerely,

COMMITTEE ON CONCRETE CANOE COMPETITIONS

Jason Marshall, Ph.D. A.M.ASCE Jessica Hilscher, PE, M.ASCE

Co-Chair, Committee on Concrete Canoe Competitions Co-Chair, Committee on Concrete Canoe Competitions

INTRODUCTION 1

ASCE CORPORATE PROFILE 2

1.0 Request For Proposal 4

8.0 Technical Presentation 27

9.0 Canoe Prototype Performance Demonstration 28

10.0 Evaluation 30

Exhibit 2: How to Navigate Folders and Upload Submissions 34

Exhibit 3: Student Chapter and Participant Eligibility 38

Exhibit 4: Pre-Qualification Form 41

Exhibit 5: Technical Specification for Concrete and Reinforcement 44

Exhibit 6: General Guidelines for Concrete Mix Design 47

Exhibit 7: MTDS Summary Table Example 53

canoe designs and mixes have varied, but the long-established tradition of teamwork, camaraderie, and spirited

competition has been constant. Teams, their associates, judges, and all other participants are expected to maintain

and build upon this tradition.

The objectives of the Concrete Canoe Competition are as follows:

• Providing civil engineering students an opportunity to gain hands-on, practical experience and

• Building awareness of the versatility and durability of concrete as a construction material among civil

• Creating awareness of concrete technology and application among civil engineering students,

While the intent of the competition is to learn and build technical and social experience, students are a short step

from being practicing engineers involved in projects critical to society’s welfare.

Ethics, professionalism, civility, and respect are the cornerstone of every successful competition, and ASCE expects

professional conduct from all participants. ASCE enforces high standards to preserve the quality of this competition

and improve the quality of future competitions.

The Concrete Canoe Competition rules are © 2024 ASCE. Permission is granted to copy, distribute, or otherwise use

the rules for any noncommercial purpose as long as proper credit is given to ASCE as the source of these rules.

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) is the oldest national engineering society in the United States.

symposia, student competitions, social events, and other activities to help future engineers better prepare for their

careers. Numerous scholarships and awards are made available for deserving students of civil engineering, and a

variety of Society-wide finals competition opportunities are held so students have a platform to compete with other

students from around the world.

A Board of Direction governs the Society. The Board, which includes ASCE officers and representatives elected by the

membership, establishes all policies for the organization. A staff of 250 implements the policies; most staff work at

ASCE International Headquarters in Reston, Virginia.

For more information, visit http://www.asce.org.

The concept of a society-wide competition has existed for many years. In the mid-1980s, Dr. R. John Craig, a professor

competition was discussed, preliminary rules were prepared, and a formal recommendation to proceed was drafted.

In the fall of 1985, the preliminary rules were presented to the Committee on Student Services (CSS). During the next

year, discussions regarding sponsorship were conducted with Master Builders, Inc. and ASCE Headquarters. After

almost two years of committee debate, while meeting at the fall 1987 ASCE National Convention, the Educational

Activities Committee (EdAC) adopted the preliminary rules. It established a standing task committee to implement the

rules and requirements.

In the winter of 1987, just as the first National Competition was in sight, Dr. Craig was diagnosed with a rare

inoperable brain tumor. He passed away just two months before his dream came to fruition. In June of 1988, the first

National Concrete Canoe Competition™ was held in East Lansing, Michigan, hosted by Michigan State University.

In the spring of 1989, CSS approved the formation of a permanent subcommittee to ensure the continuation of the

user about the canoe’s design, materials chosen, fabrication process, and durability to withstand use

in America’s waterways.

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Failure Envelope Analysis

For this analysis mode, teams shall use the results of the longitudinal analysis and

strength testing results (see Section 5.4.3.2.III) in combination with simplified Mohr’s

defined

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Present the team's approach to planning, developing, researching, and testing the

mix design to meet the requirements of this RFP.

At a minimum, describe

Refer to standard test methods where appropriate.

Describe the construction process and include new or innovative ideas implemented

in the construction of the mold and canoe and their impacts on budget, schedule,

and safety.

Include, at a minimum, material selection, form construction, methodology of mixing

and placement of concrete and reinforcement, layering scheme, curing, form

removal, concrete finishing, and aesthetics.

For this section, one or both of these definitions may be used to aid the team in

presenting the value their prototype design brings to the client, C4.

discuss how their innovations relate to C4’s stated needs. The team is expected to

understand and demonstrate that while innovation and value are often perceived as

synonymous, they are not identical. Thus, innovation does not always provide value.

The team should frame this section toward the external value (i.e., the Client (C4)) rather

than internal (i.e., the team).

Using at least one of the three pillars of sustainability – social, economic, and

environmental impacts – outline, in detail, sustainability processes the team used and

their direct or indirect impact. State which pillar(s) these processes were tied to.

canoes. Assumptions can be made on the unit rate for the bulk buying power of

materials. No preference will be given to a school’s location or potential fabrication

facility. Shipping and delivery costs, taxes, and necessities (water, electricity, etc) on each

fabricated canoe do not need to be included. These will be the responsibility of the

individual buyer or C4.

The actual cost of the canoe is less important for this competition than proper accounting

and explanation of prices.

Hourly rates, material costs, and appropriate multipliers are provided in Exhibit 8 – Fee

Present isometric, elevation, plan, and typical composite cross-section views of the canoe

and mold with applicable dimensions and other details as needed to construct.

Additional sections and details may be added to present construction techniques.

Provide any relevant specifications as deemed essential by the team.

material, including previous design papers for prior RFP submittals and sources referenced

when performing calculations, must be properly cited, as applicable. Any professionally

acceptable reference style can be used if the reader can use the citation to find original

information sources.

Present the measurements and calculations of the reinforcement and hull thickness for

the various canoe elements (i.e., walls, ribs, gunwales, thwarts, and bulkheads) and

percent open area (POA) as applicable.

Any gunwale caps and coverings shall be removed at the time of judging. Aesthetics judging may

occur before or after the canoe has been certified to pass the flotation test. If judging takes place

after the flotation test, teams that require additional flotation to pass the test may temporarily

remove the added flotation to be judged. After judging, the teams shall place the flotation back in

its original position.