This conference & workshop has the goal of giving those responsible for making decisions about the repair, rehabilitation and restoration of metals confidence in specifying appropriate industrial processes selected from both contemporary steel fabrication methods and historic technologies. Participants will gain knowledge from presentations, demonstrations and hands-on experiences as well as through interaction and conversation with the wide variety of professionals in attendance. 

Demonstrations of industrial processes used in industry today include Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW), Flux Cored and Metal Cored Arc Welding (FCAW/MCAW), Oxygen Fuel and Air Carbon Arc Cutting (OF & ACA), braze welding for cast iron, and flame straightening of wrought iron and steel. Demonstrations of historic technologies that are relevant today are also featured. Shop riveting and field riveting, once commonly used in the fabrication and erection of bridges and buildings, are highlighted as viable methods for the preservation of riveted metal structures. Participants will see these processes at work and learn about Purdue University's current research on built-up riveted girders. During the hands-on workshop, participants will be given an opportunity to drive field rivets and try their hand at various welding, cutting and flame straightening processes.

Continuing Education Units (CEU) and/or Professional Development Hours (PDH) are available for participants in this Conference & Workshop. In addition, a certificate of completion will be issued to those attending and participating in the Conference & Workshop activities.

A limited number of scholarships will be available to support students to attend the Conference & Workshop. Application forms will be provided online at the time that registration opens in October, 2015. We appreciate your help in getting the word out to university departments of civil engineering and historic preservation as well as trade schools and community colleges.

There are many ways to support this Conference & Workshop. Those who are interested in providing financial assistance are invited to contact Dr. Robert Connor, Associate Professor of Civil Engineering at Purdue University: rconnor@purdue.edu. Those who wish to contribute to student scholarships or can assist with advertising in trade journals, industry websites or within professional organizations may contact Vern Mesler: meslerv@gmail.com or 517-614-9868.

Steel, concrete and machinery on an impressive scale greet visitors entering Purdue University's Bowen Laboratory, a world-class facility for testing large structures. Heavy steel and concrete fixtures tower above as you walk beside a massive loading apparatus attached to a "strong floor" three feet thick. Two 30-metric-ton overhead cranes provide the required lifting capacity to transport heavy steel and concrete specimens. Advanced instrumentation attached to a steel specimen measures its behavior when subjected to extreme loads such as those that would occur with earthquakes, blasts and impact events. 

Full-size riveted girders are being tested at the Bowen Laboratory

Purdue's research project on riveted built-up steel girders, led by researcher Matt Hebdon at the Bowen Laboratory, will contribute to a greater understanding of an essential structural member in thousands of bridges and buildings in service today. Results from this research can assist those responsible for making decisions for the repair, rehabilitation, and restoration of riveted members in writing procedures that accurately reflect research data. The first day of the May 2016 Iron & Steel Preservation Conference & Workshop will feature the Purdue research project and include a tour of the Bowen Laboratory to take a look at the riveted built-up steel girders, as well as other projects underway at the laboratory. 

On April 16, 2015, the 1937 Indian Trail Bridge was loaded on two large flatbed truck trailers at the Calhoun County historic bridge storage yard in Michigan and shipped to Purdue University's S-BRITE Center for professional training, research, and education. The Indian Trail Bridge once spanned the Belle River in China Township, St Clair County, Michigan. It was saved when replaced by a new bridge in 2008 and will now be used as an educational tool for students entering the engineering field. Dr. Robert Connor, Director of S-BRITE Center, recognizes the educational value of a hands-on opportunity for students. "Old structures like this are to me a real treasure to have," he said. "I can show pictures and talk all day about corrosion ... but there's nothing better than taking somebody down there and showing it." St Clair Times Herald, April 11, 2015 (article by Bob Gross).

Crew readies a truss of the Indian Trail Bridge for display at S-BRITE. Left to right: Ryan Sherman, Jason Lloyd, Kyle Konz, Robert Connor, Matt Hebdon, Tom Bradt, William Collins, Ricky Corazza (kneeling), and Curtis Schroeder. Photo by Teresa Morris.

Besides the Indian Trail Bridge, other structural members from bridges are on display at S-BRITE, among them sections from one of the most well-known bridge failures: the Minneapolis I-35W Bridge. In their article "The Infamous Gusset Plates," authors Roberto Ballarini and Taichiro Okazaki (Department of Civil Engineering, University of Minnesota) provide an excellent review of the tragic failure of the bridge. This article appears in the book The City, the River, the Bridge (University of Minnesota Press, 2011, edited by Patrick Nunnally).

Participants at the May 2016 Conference & Workshop will have an opportunity to tour this exceptional, one-of-a-kind facility, the S-BRITE Center. 

Interested in arranging a guided tour of the Historic Bridge Park in Battle Creek, Michigan, or attending a presentation on topics related to the preservation of iron and steel? Contact Vern Mesler (meslerv@gmail.com) to discuss details of setting up a tour or presentation for your group.

Suggested honorarium: $100

Additional costs: Travel expenses for presentations outside the mid-Michigan region 

June ISP Newsletter: Wrought Iron

May ISP Newsletter

April ISP Newsletter : Customized Welding Courses

March ISP Newsletter: Craftsmen