It’s hard to miss the construction of the newest addition to NC State’s Centennial Campus, Fitts-Woolard Hall, future home for the Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering and the Edward P. Fitts Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering. In fact, the development over the past months has drawn so much attention and anticipation that cameras are located around the site for the public to continuously watch the project’s progress.
Lucky enough for the Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, the site also serves as a next-door learning environment. Students from Dr. Eischen’s course, Analysis for Mechanical Engineering Design (MAE 415), recently had the opportunity to tour the site and learn more about the real-world applications of the content they’re currently studying.
Led by Skanska Senior Superintendent, Fred Donaldson, the students were able to get up close with the 250 ton capacity, Manitowoc 999 crane responsible for the lifting work on the 225,000 square foot building. Information on crane transport and erection, engineering of the crane pad, details of crane rigging, and the lift plan for the project were the topics during the tour.