Khalifa University Civil and Mechanical Engineering Students Showcase Unique Energy Harvesting Bridge

Khalifa University Civil and Mechanical Engineering Students

Khalifa University students, with sponsorship from Masdar, recently traveled to North Carolina to take part in the American Society of Civil Engineering (ASCE) 2016 Carolinas Conference, which took place at A&T University.   While attending the conference, the students, who are all seniors in the University’s Civil Engineering and Mechanical Engineering programs, took part in the regional qualification rounds for the 2016 National Student Steel Bridge Competition, where they placed 4th overall.  Their bridge boasted a unique energy ‘harvesting’ aspect that was entirely the students’ own design.

The event was sponsored by the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) and was designed to challenge students, working individually or in teams, to explore a variety of design issues related to the use of steel in design and construction.

Students Hussain Abdelaziz, Salim Al Naqbi, Yousef Al Ali, Mohammed Al Abdouli, Sara Sajwani, Hassan Al Khefaili and Zargham Shaukat, designed the special energy ‘harvesting’ bridge as part of their senior design project. 

The prototype promises to utilize bridge vibrations caused by vehicles, wind and pedestrians in order to fuel the structures’ LED lights.

“We are delighted that our students had the chance to participate in such an exciting competition and attend such an important international conference,” said Dr. Tod Laursen, Khalifa University’s President.  “Not only does Khalifa University strive to ensure that our students get to attend international conferences where they can meet with peers, explore possible collaborations, and learn from some of the brightest minds in their field, we also encourage them to challenge themselves by engaging in competitions.

 I’m also proud to see that our students have chosen to design a bridge that focuses on environmental sustainability and cutting edge research; it truly demonstrates their innovative spirits.”

“The UAE team from Khalifa University represented both their college and their country with distinction, and showed commendable teamwork and ingenuity in the design and construction of their competition entry,” said Mohamed Al Ramahi, Chief Executive Officer of Masdar.  “Attending international events such as the Carolinas Conference is a wonderful opportunity for our youth to broaden their horizons and meet their peers from other countries.

Masdar is delighted to have made the trip possible and extremely proud that the Khalifa University team adopted a sustainability theme for their bridge design – a concept with obvious potential for real-world applications.”