Image provided by: Texas A&M University
About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 23, 1981)
ide 6 THE BATTALION WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1981 Local Vo alarm — its a simulation Streets get 200 mph winds A 200 mph wind whipping irough downtown streets might ^rinally be alarming, but it’s all the name of science at Texas &M University, where skyscrap- ;s 'are measured in inches, not ef, and the wind comes from the propellor of a World War II bomber. The high winds generated from a B-29 propellor are blown across miniature cities to give Texas A&M researchers information on how proposed buildings will fare against the blustery forces of the Southwest. Entire downtown sections of Dallas, Houston, Tulsa and other cities have been recreated in the wind tunnel laboratories of the Texas Engineering Experiment Station, a research arm of the uni versity system. The scale-model cities are placed on a rotating pad inside TEES’ largest wind tunnel where they are subjected to winds from every direction. Sensors inside the test building transmit informa tion to a bank of computers nearby. In a recent project, researchers tested the Continental Center, a 39-story office building scheduled for constuction next year in down- CAMPUS THEATRE 846-6512 NOW SHOWING 7:40 9:50 Bill Murray In “STRIPES” STARTING FRIDAY SPECIAL MIDNIGHT PREVIEW Thurs. Just $1.50 town Houston. Hundreds of sen sors placed inside a specially de signed mock-up of the proposed building took readings as winds were pulled across a 25-block area of downtown Houston. Similar tests also were con ducted prior to construction of Dallas’ Reunion Tower. Dr. Dave Norton, an aerospace engineering professor who leads the project, said wind tunnel test ing is a growing practice for prop osed multi-story buildings and un- usaully shaped structures. Data gathered by Norton and TEES en gineers is given to architects and structural engineers involved in a building’s construction. “We don’t tell our clients what to build,’’ Norton said. “But we do give them a lot of information, and from that engineers do such things as increase or decrease strength of windows. “Construction is so expensive today that builders are looking for every possible edge. With our data, they can decide, for inst ance, what thickness of glass is needed on each floor. Glass alone can be very expensive.” Before actual testing, Norton and research engineer John Ribbe physically walk almost every square foot of ground to be in cluded in the models. They must find heights of each existing build ing and check city maps for accura cy to be sure no buildings have been erected or torn down since the mapping. In College Station, technicians for TEES’ Environmental Aerodynamics Laboratory build Dr. Dave Norton, director of the Environ mental Aerodynamics Laboratory, checks a building model used in wind tunnel stress tests. The photo was taken over the summer, the model, using wood and Styr ofoam for all but the test building. The test building is constructed of aluminum. When complete, the model represents an accurate three-dimensional view of the city. Tests simulate storms that might occur once every 50 to 100 years. Wind in the tunnel is suck ed past the model instead of blown because it allows more accurate measurements, Norton said. Because of the growing interest in wind engineering, Norton has designed a new wind tunnel that currently is under construction at the university’s research center near Bryan. The new tunnel will better simulate the Earth’s atmos phere and be more specifically constructed for testing of build ings and offshore platforms. TEES to host conference for project researchers Appearing LIVE Wednesday Night Irish Melodies by “CASWEL CARNAHAN” Cover H 1 00 4410 College Main 846-943S TheApeIHan BO DEREK-RICHARD HARRIS Rj-gp-MGM United Aitists TODAY 5:15 7:25 9:45 CORNER OF UNIV / COLLEGE AVE ADULT %2 00 FIRST 30 MIN FROM OPENING Ducftey Moore Liza Minnelli Arthur PG 4TH BIG WEEK! TODAY 5:30 7:35 9:35 By SHERYLON JENKINS Battalion Reporter The Texas Engineering Experi ment Station Thursday will hold a research conference on the Texas A&M University campus to dis cuss recent TEES research pro jects. Researchers will present 40 technical papers dealing with topics such as reduced fuel con sumption, aerial photographic analysis of coastal regions and potential for treating domestic wastewater for reuse. Dr. Jane Armstrong, assistant to the TEES director, said the goal of the conference is to bring together people to share their ideas and their resources. “Too often we get in our own little offices and we re all working like little rats and nobody knows TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY BECCI EGGLESTON LET YOUR SCHLITZ COLLEGE REP BE YOUR CAMPUS CONTACT FOR PARTY PLANNING AND FOR SPECIAL PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR. FOR INFORMATION CALL: G. F. Sousares Distributing 779-0208 JOS. SCHLITZ BREWING COMPANY, Brewers of: timl Pilsner fleer ERLANGER C'ld*jnr M91 BEER © 1980 JOS. SCHLITZ BREWING CO . MILWAUKEE, WIS AND OTHER GREAT CITIES MSC Cepheid Variable THURS., SEPT. 24 7:30 10:00 Rudder Theatre (R) $1.50 what’s being done next door to us,” she said. Texas A&M Regent Joe C. Richardson Jr. will be the keynote speaker for the conference. His topic will be “Create or Crater.’ Richardson, Class of ’49, is an independent oil and gas producer in Amarillo. He earned his bache lor’s degree in petroleum en gineering. Prior to serving on the Board of Regents, Richardson was appointed by Gov. Bill Clements to the Interstate Oil Compact Commission. Richardson also has served on boards of directors for the R. L. Burns Corp. of Indiana, Consolidated Oil and Gas Inc. of Denver and the Corporate Sys tems Corp. of Amarillo. The 40 technical papers to be presented were selected through a process that began with invita tions to researchers. Armstrong said letters were sent out to everyone in the Col lege of Engineering and to all TEES employees, inviting them to send abstracts of completed re search and research in progress to be reviewed by the program com mittee. Of the 55 papers received, Armstrong said, 40 were chosen on the basis of general interest to engineering research faculty. Topics have been grouped into two three-hour slots. Topics sche duled for the period between 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. are: transpor tation-related research, fluid mechanics, materials 1 and ther mal physical processes. Between 2-5 p.m. papers on remote sens ing, modeling and control, mate rials 2 and transport processeswi! be presented. Some of the researchers, Arm strong said, are coming from places as close to College Station as Galveston and Prairie View and as far as Portland, Oregon. August 1980 was the first time the conference was held. Arm strong named several improve ments that have been made for this year’s conference. One such improvement is an increase in the number of papers to be discussed — 40 as opposed to last year’s 15. Also, the conference will last an entire day as opposed to last year’s half-day conference. Students, faculty and staff may attend the conference free. However, there is a registration fee of $25 for all others. Registra tion is from 1-5 p.m. Wednesday on the second floor of Rudder Tower. A social hour will begin at p. m. and a barbecue is scheduled for 7 p.m. Both events will beal the Wofford Cain Pool. WEIGHT WATCHERS* PARTY AND HOLIDAY COOKBOOK ($7.95 VALUE) , ONLY $3.90! 5TH ANNIVERSARY IN COLLEGE STATIONI 822-7303 $4.00 DISCOUNT! ON REGISTRATION AND FIRST MEETING FEE OFFER ENDS SEPTEMBER 30, 1981 fgood only with this ad IN PARTICIPATING AREAS FREE 365-DAY MENU COOKBOOK ($14.95 VALUE) after 12 'classes. Ask for details. THUR. 5:15 P.M. LUTHERAN STUDENT CTR 315 N. COLLEGE MAIN THE MOST SUCCESSFUL WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM IN THE WORLD ^Weight Watchers Inn Inc. 1981 OFF CAMPUS CENTER TESTIMONIAL #1 When 1 was a new Off Campus Student — I was confused! ^4 So I went to the Off Campus Center. I read their brochures and handouts. I asked for their advice. I was having trouble with my roommate. They really helped! Here are the services they offer. . . Housing Information Roommate Locator Service Roommate counseling Help with landlord problems Car Pool Referral Service General Off Campus Information My landlord and I couldn’t see eye to eye. Now, thanks to them. I’m a happy, well adjusted Off Campus Student — For an Aggie that is. 1 needed a way to get to school. THE OFF CAMPUS CENTER PURYEAR HALL ACROSS FROM THE YMCA BLDG. 845-1741 OPEN 8-5 MONDAY-FRIDAY A Service of the Department of Student Affairs.