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Volume LVIII

Number 8

August 2009

THE TOP OF THE NEWS

4

Improving Survivability Technological Advances Take Aim

Sensing Mechanical Stress

10

New Polymers Provide Capability

14

Enhanced Hearing Internal Nanoscale Motor Discovered

18

The Oceans’ Depths Hybrid ROV Provides Glimpse

Jet Fuel’s Carbon Footprint

21

Lowly Weed Makes Reduction Possible

22

New PE’s Recognized Over 130 Virginians Pass Exam

Ground Penetrating Radar National Security Application Pursued

27

THE BEST OF THE FEATURES Engineers On The Move

12

Guest Article

24

Professional Directory

29

Bits and Pieces

29

Index to Advertisers

33

Editorial Comment

34

The Virginia Engineer (ISSN 0504-4251/USPS 900-720) is published monthly, all rights reserved. Tel: 1-877-779-3527. Postmaster: Forward address changes to 7401 Flannigan Mill Rd., Mechanicsville, VA 23111. Address all correspondence to Richard O. Carden, II, at the address above. Subscriptions: 1 year-$20.00; 2 years-$38.00; 3 years-$55.00; single copy, $3.75 plus S&H, except January Annual Directory Issue, $25.00 plus S&H. Editorial and advertising deadline: 20th of month prior to the month printed. Periodical postage paid at Mechanicsville, VA and other offices.

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THE VIRGINIA ENGINEER

Technological Advances Aim To Improve Survivability

tremely novel technology.” The U-M students recently won a simulation competition sponsored by the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright As the U. S. military contin“Their invention outper- Patterson Air Force Base which ues to suffer escalating casualties forms everything that exists in supported the project as well as in their fight against terrorists, the market today,” noted Nilton the contest. Air Force research foreign insurgents and suicide Renno, a professor in the U-M labs across the country sponbombers in both Iraq and Af- Department of Atmospheric, sor similar contests on a regular ghanistan, force protection has Oceanic and Space Sciences. basis to provide rapid reaction assumed more and more impor“They clearly have an ex- and innovative solutions to the tance. Unlike casualties suffered cellent understanding of the Department of Defense’s (DoD) in conventional military con- problem. They also thought urgent needs, explained Capt. flicts, military personnel Nate Terning, AFRL are now more likely to rapid reaction projects be injured or killed from director. unseen sources, more “I am very proud commonly known as of the team for applybooby traps. ing a sound engineerImprovised exploing approach and a lot sive devices (IEDs), of imagination to the often the weapons of solution of an extremechoice used by terrorists ly difficult real-world and guerilla groups, are problem. They worked Improvised explosive devices (IED) can be manua major cause of soldier well together and never factured from virtually any materials. Shown here casualties in Iraq and gave up when the going Afghanistan. A group is a typical IED, found in Baghdad, constructed from got rough,” said Bruce discarded munitions. Photo courtesy of the U.S. of University of MichiBlock, an engineer in the Department of Defense. gan (U-M) engineering Space Physics Research undergraduate students Laboratory who worked have now developed a new way strategically and designed and with the students. to detect them. optimized their solution. The The team demonstrated their The students invented porta- combination of a movable com- invention in Dayton, Ohio reble, palm-sized metal detectors mand center with a wireless cently at a mock large tailgate that could be hidden in trash sensor network can be easily de- event where simulated IEDs and cans, under tables or in flower ployed in the field and adapted the students’ technology were pots, for example. The detec- to different situations.” hidden among the crowd. The tors are designed to be part of The core technology is based students’ technology was tasked a wireless sensor network that on a magnetometer, or metal with finding IEDs in the purses, conveys to a base station where detector, explained Ashwin La- backpacks or other packages of suspicious objects are located lendran, an engineering student the tailgaters, without the tailand who might be carrying who worked on the project. gaters’ knowledge. them. Compared with existing “We built it entirely in-house, “We had an excellent turnout technology, the new sensors are the hardware and the software,” in technology,” Capt. Tenning recheaper, lower-power and lon- Mr. Lalendran said. “Our sen- marked. “Regardless of the comger-range. Each of the sensors sors are small, flexible to deploy, petition results, often successful weighs about 2 pounds. inexpensive and scalable. It’s ex- ideas from each student team Page 4 – August 2009

can be combined into a product which is then realized for DoD use in the future.” But different types of sensors are also needed to detect other real-world hazards both on and off the battlefield. To help make these new sensors possible, Ohio State University (OSU) researchers have developed a new method for making extremely pure, very small metal-oxide nanoparticles. Describing their work in a recent issue of the journal Materials Chemistry and Physics, the researchers are using this simple, fast, and low-temperature process, funded by OSU and the National Science Foundation (NSF), to make materials for gas sensors that detect biological warfare agents (BWAs) and toxic industrial chemicals (TICs). Patricia Morris, associate professor of materials science and engineering at OSU, leads a team of researchers who develop solid materials that can detect toxic chemicals. The challenge, she explained, is to design a material that reacts quickly and reliably to a wide variety of hazardous chemicals, including TICs, when incorporated into a sensor. "These are sensors that a soldier could wear on the battlefield, or a first responder could wear to an accident at a chemical plant," Prof. Morris said. The material under study is nickel oxide (NiO), which has unusual electrical properties. Other labs are studying nickel oxide for use in batteries, fuel cells, solar cells, and even coatings that can change color.

But Prof. Morris, along with thesis method that yields very OSU doctoral student Elvin small particles, giving the sensor a large surface area to capture chemical molecules from the air, and very pure particles, enabling the sensor to detect even very small quantities of a substance. Each particle of nickel oxide measures only about five nanometers across, equivalent in width to 50 atoms. "Basically, you mix everything together in a pressure vessel, pop it in the oven, rinse it off Elvin Beach (left) and Patricia and it's ready to use," explained Morris (right), of the DepartMr. Beach when describing the ment of Materials Science and synthesis method in very simple Engineering at Ohio State University, have devised a new terms. method of creating nickel oxide Of course, for the process particles for chemical sensors. to go smoothly, the researchers Photo by Jo McCulty, courtesy have to meet specific conditions of Ohio State University. of temperature and pressure, and leave the material in the pressure Beach, is more interested in how cooker for just the right amount nickel oxide's electrical conductance changes when toxic chemicals in the air settle on its surface. Beach applies a thin coating of the material onto microelectromechanical systems (made in a similar fashion to computer chips), with a goal of identifying Ohio State University researchknown toxic substances. ers have coated these miThe design works on the crosensor silicon chip arrays, same general principle as anothwhich were provided by collaber, much more familiar sensor. orators at the National Institute "The human nose coordiof Standards and Technology, nates signals from hundreds of with tiny particles of nickel oxthousands of sensory neurons ide. Once further developed, to identify chemicals," Mr. Beach this technology could lead to said. "Here, we're using a combisensors that detect toxic innation of electrical responses to dustrial chemicals and biologiidentify the signature of a toxic cal warfare agents. Photo by Jo McCulty, courtesy of Ohio chemical." State University. The key to making the sensor work is how the nickel oxide particles are made. The research- of time. For this study, the presers have devised a new syn- sure cooker was set to around www.vaeng.com – Page 5

THE VIRGINIA ENGINEER

225°C. The researchers found that the particles could be manufactured in as little as 12 hours, but no more than 24 hours. “Too short a time, and the nickel oxide doesn’t form — too long and it reduces to metallic nickel,” Mr. Beach explained. Once the nickel oxide is removed from the pressure cooker, it is washed in a common solvent, methyl ethyl ketone, to free up the nanoparticles. At that point, the material is ready to use. In contrast, most other synthesis methods require an additional step, a high-temperature heat treatment. Starting with a microsensor silicon chip array provided by collaborators at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Mr. Beach adds a layer of particles through a process known as picoliter drop deposition (PDD), using a device called a picoliter drop dispenser. A picoliter represents a trillionth of a liter. Mr. Beach describes the dispenser, based on the drop-ondemand ink-jet principle, as critically important in the deposition process for accurate placement of a droplet of liquid suspension containing the nickel oxide nanoparticles. According to Prof. Morris, this is the first time that nickel oxide nanoparticles have been applied in this way. But to Mr. Beach, the most important “first” to come out of the study is their discovery of the reaction pathway, the various chemical steps that take place inside the pressure cooker during the synthesis of the material. Page 6 – August 2009

Now that the researchers have discovered the reaction pathway, they can devise ways to add chemical dopants to the nanoparticles. The addition of specific dopants would change the function of a particular sensor, for instance, to accelerate the response rate. A one-gram batch of nickel oxide nanoparticles costs about $5.00 to make; one chip carries four nanograms (billionths of a gram) of material, so each sensor costs only pennies to fabricate. The researchers foresee other future applications which could include exhaust or pollution monitoring in addition to air quality monitoring. While early detection is a key component to increased survivability, it is by no means the only one. When a soldier is wounded during combat, surgeons must focus on reducing infection and reconstructing damaged bone and tissues. Technologies that could improve the repair and regeneration processes are being developed in research laboratories, but they are not being moved quickly enough into military trauma centers. Organizers of the recently established Georgia Tech Center for Advanced Bioengineering for Soldier Survivability want to change that chain of events. “The goal of the center is to rapidly move new technologies from the laboratory to patients so that we can improve the quality of life for our veterans as they return from the wars the United States is fighting,” said center director Barbara Boyan, the Price Gilbert, Jr. Chair in Tissue

Engineering at the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University. The center will leverage the expertise of Georgia Tech researchers in musculoskeletal biology and regenerative medicine to quickly move tools that are clinically valuable, safe and effective from laboratories to trauma centers. To reduce the amount of time from invention to clinical use, engineers and scientists in the center work in teams that include a clinician with experience in combat medical care and a medical device industry partner. Support for the center is provided by the Armed Forces Institute of Regenerative Medicine, the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research’s Orthopedic Trauma Research Program, the U.S. Department of Defense and industry. Researchers in the center will initially focus on ways to improve the healing of wounds, segmental bone defects and massive soft tissue defects. Traumatic injuries that affect the arms, legs, head and neck require technologies for treatment at the time of injury and in the ensuing days and months. “These combat injuries are complicated to treat because they are large and typically infected, so even determining when a soldier should be treated for optimal recovery is a challenge,” said Dr. Boyan, who is also the associate dean for research in Georgia Tech’s College of Engineering. “It is not known whether a regenerative therapy

will be most effective if used immediately following injury or at some later time after scar tissue has been established at the wound site.” By developing models that accurately reflect the complex aspects of injuries sustained by soldiers in combat, the researchers will be able to test assumptions about when to employ specific strategies and how to ensure their effectiveness. The models must also allow them to examine the use of technologies on both male and female patients, and on complex tissues that consist of nerves, a blood supply and multiple cell types. “Since the processes of bone, vascular and neural formation are naturally linked during normal tissue development, growth and repair, our approach is to harness this knowledge by developing delivery strategies that present the right biologic cues in the right place at the right time to promote functional regeneration of multiple integrated tissues,” said associate director of the center Robert Guldberg, a professor in Georgia Tech’s Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering. To enhance tissue repair and regeneration following a traumatic injury, the researchers are focusing their efforts on stem cells. Even though stem cells have tremendous potential for repairing such defects, effective methods do not yet exist for delivering them to an injury site and of ensuring that they survive and remain at that site long enough to impact the regeneration process.

“Clinicians currently inject plained Dr. Boyan. This limited effect may be stem cells into a vein and hope that the cells will migrate to sites the result of the injection proof injury and remain at those cess, according to Dr. Boyan, so researchers in the center are developing ways to protect the cells from damaging forces they might encounter when inserted into the body. “Studies in our laboratory have shown that when stem cells are encapsulated in microbeads, they can be injected by needle without loss of cell viability and they remain at the injury site for at least two months,” said Dr. Boyan. Protecting the cells during insertion is just the first step toward improved tissue repair. The researchers must also examine whether the stem cells will turn into cells typical of the implanted tissue and if they produce or should be paired with molecules that can enhance the healing of the implanted tissues. Center researchers are also investigating whether bone X-ray images of bone bridging marrow-derived stem cells can across a massive bone defect be used in the body to heal large treated with a nanofiber mesh defects in bone and cartilage if protein release technology devel- they are inserted in fiber mesh oped in the laboratory of Georgia scaffolds and silk sponges durTech mechanical engineering ing a surgical procedure. professor Robert Guldberg. The Additional projects in the images show progress after 14 days (top), 28 days (center) and center include assessing tissue 39 days (bottom). Georgia Tech viability, preventing the growth image courtesy of Robert Guld- of bone in the soft tissues of berg. the body and improving prehospital care of orthopedic injusites long enough to participate ries. Since effective treatment of in the repair process. While some traumatic injuries is an imporcells certainly do migrate to in- tant goal for the general public jury sites, the actual percentage as well as the military populais very small and those that ar- tion, the researchers also hope to rive at the site do not remain to adapt their technologies for use engraft with the host tissue,” ex- in hospitals. ## www.vaeng.com – Page 7

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Putting Science at Teachers’ Fingertips

“What makes thunder?” “Why do frogs jump?” “What are we made of?” Those are the sorts of questions that curious children often spring on unsuspecting schoolteachers and that their teachers sometimes struggle to answer. To make teachers’ jobs a little easier, Florida State University researchers have created a new resource called Global Educational Outreach for Science, Engineering and Technology (GEOSET). Employing a broad range of interactive media, GEOSET provides short educational segments on topics ranging from algebra to penicillin to the origins of the universe. From anywhere in the world, teachers can access them via the Internet to increase their understanding of various scientific or mathematical principles, or even share the segments directly with their students. “Teachers can utilize a tremendous database of knowledge and then pick and choose what they wish to use in their lesson plans,” said Harold Kroto, Florida State’s Francis Eppes Professor of Chemistry and a recipient of the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1996. “Meanwhile, there are a million people out there with a passion for some specific topic and the altruistic desire to make that expertise available to the world. GEOSET lets them do so.” Prof. Kroto, the mastermind behind GEOSET, now works with several Florida State colPage 8 – August 2009

leagues to create science programs complete with video feeds, photos, graphics and PowerPoint presentations, all generated using webcasting technology developed by the company Sonic Foundry Inc. He envisions GEOSET as “something of a cross between YouTube and Wikipedia.” “What a marvelous tool this is for sharing and disseminating knowledge in an incredibly easy-to-use format,” he said. “As the world becomes more of a global community, it is critical that children everywhere have access to the same high quality of information so that they can work together to solve some of the very serious problems facing us all. In that regard, GEOSET is at the forefront of an educational revolution.” To expand GEOSET’s reach even farther, Prof. Kroto’s team has established an international network of participating universities that can use their own experts to create a single shared database of downloadable teaching material. That database, http://www.geoset.info, already includes contributions from researchers at the University of Sheffield in England and Toyo University in Japan. They soon will be joined by England’s Royal Society of Chemistry, Otago University in New Zealand, Perth University in Australia, and the Scripps Research Institute in Florida and California. Even more are likely to join GE-

OSET once they see the value in sharing information in this manner, Prof. Kroto said. Back on the Florida State campus, he has discovered another use for the GEOSET technology – having students prepare their own presentations, either to assist them in applying to graduate schools or as part of their coursework. “For undergraduates planning to continue on to graduate school, a personalized video presentation is invaluable,” he said. “A person reviewing their application could see quite clearly what the student is capable of and would be much more likely to admit the student into their program. This beats the traditional pile of paperwork hands down. GEOSET recently received a tangible sign of its success when Florida State earned a major international award for a presentation developed to illustrate the GEOSET concept by Steve Acquah, one of Prof. Kroto’s colleagues. Recently, Acquah, a postdoctoral associate and researcher, received a Rich Media Impact Award for Global Reach from Sonic Foundry for a presentation he created. In addition to Prof. Kroto and Dr. Acquah, other members of the GEOSET team at Florida State are Professor Penny Gilmer, adjunct instructor Colin Byfleet and graduate student Donald Bratton, all in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry; and Dave Simpson, a media specialist in the university’s Academic & Professional Program Services division. ##

Music Soothes the Brain Every brain has a soundtrack. Its tempo and tone will vary, depending on mood, frame of mind, and other features of the brain itself. When that soundtrack is recorded and played back to an emergency responder or a firefighter, it may sharpen their reflexes during a crisis, and calm their nerves afterward. Over the past decade, the influence of music on cognitive development, learning, and emotional well-being has emerged as a hot field of scientific study. To explore music's potential relevance to emergency response, the Department of Homeland Security's Science & Technology Directorate (S&T) has begun a study into a form of neurotraining called "Brain Music" that uses music created in advance from listeners' own brain waves to help them deal with common ailments like insomnia, fatigue, and headaches stemming from stressful environments. The concept of Brain Music is to use the frequency, amplitude, and duration of musical sounds to move the brain from an anxious state to a more relaxed state. "Strain comes with an emergency response job, so we are interested in finding ways to help these workers remain at the top of their game when working and get quality rest when they go off a shift," said S&T Program Manager Robert Burns. "Our goal is to find new ways to help first responders perform at the highest

productivity and energy levels, or trigger a body's natural responses to stress. The music created by Human Bionics LLC is being tested as part of the S&T Readiness Optimization Program (ROP), a wellness program that combines nutrition education and Brain Music. Image created neurotraining to evaluate a cross by Paul Wedig. population of first responders, including federal agents, police, level possible, without increas- and firefighters. A selected group ing tasks, training, or stress lev- of local area firefighters will be the first emergency responders els." If the brain "composes" the taking part in the project. The ROP’s Brain Music commusic, the scientists’ first job is to take down the notes. That is ex- ponent is derived from patented actly what Human Bionics LLC technology from Moscow Uniof Purcellville, Va. does. Each versity, using brain waves as a recording is converted into two feedback mechanism to correct unique musical compositions physiological conditions. ## designed to trigger the body's natural responses, for example, by improving productivity while at work, or helping adjust to constantly changing work hours. Sales & Rentals The compositions are cliniPower Quality Analyzers cally shown to promote one of Electric Data Loggers two mental states in each individual: relaxation – for reduced stress and improved sleep; and alertness – for improved concentration and decision-making. Each 2-6 minute track is a composition performed on a single instrument, usually a piano. The relaxation track may sound like a "melodic, subdued Chopin so- Other Quality Products Available Include nata," while the alertness track Cable Testers • Clamp-on Meters Data Loggers • Current Probes may have "more of a Mozart Ground Resistance Testers sound," says Mr. Burns. Hipot Testers • Megohmmeters After their brain waves are Digital Multimeters set to music, each person is givEnvironmental Testers en a specific listening schedule, Hanover Technical Sales, Inc. personalized to their work enBattery Park, VA 23304 vironment and needs. If used (800) 304-9043 www.EmpowerCompany.com properly, the music can boost

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New Sensing Polymers May Indicate Mechanical Stress

P

arachute cords, climbing ropes, and smart coatings for bridges that change color when overstressed are several possible uses for force-sensitive polymers being developed by researchers at the University of Illinois (U. of I.). The polymers contain mechanically active molecules called mechanophores. When pushed or pulled with a certain force, specific chemical reactions are triggered in the mechanophores. “This offers a new way to build function directly into synthetic materials,” said Nancy Sottos, a Willett Professor of materials science and engineering at the U. of I. “And it opens the door to creating mechanophores that can perform different responsive functions, including self-sensing and self-reinforcing, when stressed.” In previous work, Prof. Sottos and collaborators showed they could use mechanical force to induce a reaction in mechanophore-linked polymers that were in solution. Now, as reported in a recent issue of the journal Nature, the researchers show they can perform a similar feat in a solid polymer. Mechanically induced chemical activation (also known as mechanochemical transduction) enables an extraordinary range of physiological processes, including the senses of touch, hearing and balance, as well as Page 10 – August 2009

growth and remodeling of tissue and bone. Analogous to the responsive behavior of biological systems, the channeling of mechanical energy to selectively trigger a reaction that alters or enhances a material’s properties is being harnessed by the U. of I. researchers. In critical material systems, such as polymers used in aircraft components self-sensing and self-reinforcing capabilities could be used to report damage and warn of potential component failure, slow the spread of damage to extend a material’s lifetime, or even repair damage in early stages to avoid catastrophic failure. “By coupling mechanical energy directly to structural response, the desired functionality could be precisely linked to the triggering stimulus,” said Prof. Sottos, who also is affiliated with the university’s Beckman Institute. In their work, the researchers used molecules called spiropyrans, a promising class of molecular probes that serve as color-generating mechanophores, capable of vivid color changes when they undergo mechanochemical change. Normally colorless, the spiropyran used in the experiments turns red or purple when exposed to certain levels of mechanical stress. “Mechanical stress induces a ring-opening reaction of the

spiropyran that changes the color of the material,” said Douglas Davis, a graduate research assistant and the paper’s lead author. “The reaction is reversible, so we can repeat the opening and closing of the mechanophore.” “Spiropyrans can serve as molecular probes to aid in understanding the effects of stress and accumulated damage in polymeric materials, thereby providing an opportunity for assessment, modification and improvement prior to failure,” Mr. Davis said. To demonstrate the mechanochemical response, the researchers prepared two different mechanophore-linked polymers and subjected them to different levels of mechanical stress. In one polymer, an elastomer, the material was stretched until it broke in two. A vivid color change in the polymer occurred just before it snapped. The second polymer was formed into rigid beads several hundred microns in diameter. When the beads were squeezed, they changed from colorless to purple. The color change that took place within both polymers could serve as a good indicator of how much stress a mechanical part or structural component made of the material had undergone. “We’ve moved very seamlessly from chemistry to materials, and from materials we are now moving into engineering applications,” Prof. Sottos said. “With a deeper understanding of mechanophore design rules and efficient chemical response

pathways, we envision new classes of dynamically responsive polymers that locally remodel, reorganize or even regenerate via mechanical regulation.” In addition to Sottos and Davis, the paper’s co-authors include materials science and engineering professor Paul Braun, Photo Progressive images of a mechanophore linked elastomer during tensile loading. chemistry profes- After the polymer reaches a critical strain, a force-induced red color results from selecsors Todd Martinez tive covalent bond cleavage in the mechanophore just prior to failure. Photo courtesy of and Jeffrey Moore, Beckman Institute ITG, Darren Stevenson and Alex Jerez. and aerospace engineering professor of their research groups. the U.S. Army Research Office Scott White, as well as members The work was funded by MURI program. ##

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In-depth coverage of Engineers and Their Colleagues On The Move including photographs is available at www.vaeng.com

Ali Butt, assistant professor of computer science at Virginia Tech, has been named one of 88 of the nation's brightest young engineers. Mr. Butt has been selected to take part in the National Academy of Engineering's (NAE) 15th annual U.S. Frontiers of Engineering symposium. Engineers ages 30 to 45 who are performing exceptional engineering research and technical work in a variety of disciplines will meet for the two-and-a-halfday event on September 10th12th at the National Academies’ Beckman Center at the University of California, Irvine. The participants, from industry, academia, and government, were nominated by fellow engineers or organizations and chosen from approximately 240 applicants. Prof. Butt is a 2008 National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award recipient for his research in high performance computing power. Wiley|Wilson is pleased to announce that Stephen A. Bowman, P.E. was promoted to Electrical Engineering Department Manager of the firm’s Lynchburg office. He will handle management responsibilities associated with all aspects of the successful Page 12 – August 2009

delivery of electrical design services. His experience includes electrical systems design for a broad range of project types including buildings, treatment facilities, utilities, and institutional campuses. He holds a B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering from Virginia Tech. Wiley|Wilson also announces the following employees were recently certified by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Accredited Professional (AP): Victor K. Angell, P.E., S.E., LEED® AP - Director, Senior Vice President; Andrew E. Boehm, P.E., LEED® AP - Mechanical Engineer; Jason T. Burger, AIA, LEED® AP - Architect; Ashley Fisher, E.I.T., LEED® AP - Civil Engineer-in-Training 3; Theodore A. Hendry, AIA, LEED® AP - Senior Architect; Christopher E. Kingsland, E.I.T., LEED® AP - Civil Engineer-in-Training 1; Peter P. Moskios, P.E., LEED® AP - Mechanical Engineering Department Manager (Alexandria Office); Cheyenne Sheafe, AIA, LEED® AP - Architect; and G. Keith Thompson, Jr., P.E., LEED® AP - Project Civil Engineer. Paciulli, Simmons & Associ-

ates is pleased to announce that Meredith L. Baker has passed the Virginia Principles and Practices of Engineering exam and achieved her Professional Engineer license. Ms. Baker has over five years experience working in the planning and design of a wide variety of public and private sector projects as a civil engineer. She specializes in the design of storm sewer, sanitary sewer, water, and transportation design with particular expertise in stormwater management, E&S, BMP, floodplain studies, and grading. Hurd & Obenchain, Inc. is proud to announce that Sean Mallahan, LEED® AP, has just earned his Professional Engineering license. He is a graduate from Virginia Tech with a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering. He has been with the firm since 2004. EEE Consulting, Inc. has recently announced that: Michael Easter has joined the Richmond office as Environmental Technician; Paul Leeger has joined the Richmond office as Environmental Scientist. He was previously with GeoEnvironmental Services, Inc.; Brandy Salmons has joined the Richmond office as Accountant. She was previously with Greater Richmond Abstract & Title, Inc.; and Taylor Sprenkle has joined the Richmond office as Environmental Scientist. He was previously with The Timmons Group. Dewberry has announced several promotions within its Infrastructure Engineering Service area. The Virginia promotions

are: Robert Edwards, P.E., M.ASCE, a senior structural engineer in the Fairfax office, has been promoted to associate. He holds a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Kentucky; Ronald J. Jakominich, P.E., a transportation engineer in the Fairfax office, has been promoted to associate. He holds a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering from Villanova University; James C. Filson, P.E., a senior water resources engineer in the Fairfax office, has been promoted to associate. He holds a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering from the University of South Florida; Ashlee R. Marsh, P.E., an environmental engineer in the Fairfax office, has been promoted to associate. She holds a B.S. degree in Urban Systems Engineering from George Mason University; and Gary L. Pancione, a senior construction inspector in the Fairfax office, has been promoted to associate. He has over 25 years’ experience in electrical engineering, serving for more than 10 years at Dewberry. Clark Nexsen is pleased to announce that: Gregory T. Haack, E.I.T. has joined the firm’s Civil Department. Mr. Haack is a Civil E.I.T. with over one year of experience in the design of land development projects. His design experience includes facilities such as colleges; small and large subdivisions; timeshare communities; storm sewer repair; and dam watershed analysis projects. Hankins and Anderson, Inc. announces the following new

staff additions: Chris Barrar, E.I.T., has joined the Structural Department in their Glen Allen office. Mr. Barrar was formerly an intern with Hankins & Anderson and is a recent graduate of Virginia Tech; Jo W. Potts, has joined the IT Department in their Glen Allen office. Ms. Potts was formerly an independent contractor for Qualxserv; and Darlene M. Blake-Murillo has joined the Human Resources Department in their Glen Allen office. Ms. Blake-Murillo was formerly with American Pride Inc. Thompson & Litton (T&L) is proud to announce fourteen of the firm’s professional design employees have earned the title of LEED® Accredited Professional (LEED AP) from the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI). T&L design professionals who successfully met the requirements set forth by the GBCI professional exam include: Managing Principal William (Bill) A. Thompson, III (Vice President – Architecture); Project Architects/Associates Mark Swecker and Carl Gutschow; Architects William (Bill) White, Gregory Simmons, and Darrell Gilmore; Professional Engineers James (Jim) Bonham, David Blevins, Rebekah Stroupe, and Michelle Cock; and Intern Architects Travis Jessee, Holly LeBarre, Chris Phillips, and Elliott Lambert. Greg Harmon, president of Breeden and Collier Co., has earned his LEED® accreditation from the Green Building Certification Institute. The Louis Berger Group Inc. has announced that Tyler Gill

is an associate civil engineer in their Richmond office. He received his B.S. degree in Civil Engineering from Virginia Tech. ECS Mid-Atlantic has recently announced that: Robert C. Moss III is a principal engineer. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Virginia Military Institute and his master’s degree from the University of Virginia; and Christopher W. Cornelissen is a principal engineer. He is a graduate of North Carolina State University. Eric Lowes has recently earned his LEED® accreditation from the Green Building Certification Institute. He is a graduate of Virginia Tech and is currently a mechanical engineer with Dunlap and Partners. ##

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Researchers Learn Power Steering Enhances Hearing

mechanism, you would need a powerful hearing aid.” The new study was published recently in PLoS ONE, a tah and Texas research- neering at the University of Utah journal published by the Public ers have learned how College of Engineering. “The ear Library of Science. The study’s quiet sounds are magnified by has a mechanical amplifier in it first author is Katie Breneman, bundles of tiny, hair-like tubes that uses electrical power to do a bioengineering doctoral stu-

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The illustration shows a cross-section of part of the cochlea, the fluid-filled part of the inner ear that converts vibrations from incoming sounds into nerve signals that travel to the brain via the auditory nerve. University of Utah and Baylor College of Medicine researchers found evidence that stereocilia -- bundles of tiny hair-like tubes atop "hair cells" in the cochlea -- dance back and forth to mechanically amplify incoming sounds via what is known as the "flexoelectric effect." Photo courtesy of William Brownell, Baylor College of Medicine.

atop “hair cells” in the ear: when the tubes dance back and forth, they act as “flexoelectric motors” that amplify sound mechanically. “We are reporting discovery of a new nanoscale motor in the ear,” says Richard Rabbitt, the study’s principal author and a professor and chair of bioengiPage 14 – August 2009

mechanical amplification.” “It’s like a car’s power steering system,” he adds. “You turn the wheel and mechanical power is added. Here, the incoming sound is like your hand turning the wheel, but to drive, you need to add power to it. These hair bundles add power to the sound. If you did not have this

dent at the University of Utah, and was coauthored by William Brownell, a professor of otolaryngology (ear, nose and throat medicine) at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. The researchers speculate flexoelectrical conversion of electricity into mechanical work also might be involved in processes

such as memory formation and food digestion. Other research had indicated that hair cells within the cochlea of the inner ear can “dance,” elongate and contract, to help amplify sounds. The new study shows sounds also may be amplified by the back-and-forth flexing or “dancing” of “stereocilia,” the 50 to 300 hair-like nanotubes projecting from the top of each hair cell. Such flexing converts an electric signal generated by incoming sound into mechanical work – namely, more flexing of the stereocilia – thereby amplifying the sound by what is known as a flexoelectric effect. “Dancing hairs help you hear,” says Ms. Breneman. The study “suggests sensory cells in the ear are compelled to move when they hear sounds, just like a music aficionado might dance at a concert. In this case, however, they’ll dance in response to sounds as miniscule as the sound of your own blood flow pulsating in your ear.” In a yet-unpublished upcoming study, Rabbitt, Breneman and Brownell find evidence the hair cells themselves – like the stereocilia bundles atop those cells – also amplify sound by getting longer and shorter due to flexoelectricity. Profs. Rabbitt and Brownell estimate the combined flexoelectric amplification – by both hair cells and the hair-like stereocilia atop hair cells – makes it possible for humans to hear the quietest 35 to 40 decibels of their range of hearing. Prof. Rabbitt says the flexoelectric amplifiers are needed to hear sounds quieter than the level of comfortable conversation. “The beauty of the amplifier is that it allows you to hear very quiet sounds,” Prof. Brownell says. Prof. Rabbit explains that because hair cells die as people age, older people often “need a hearing aid because amplification by the hair cells is not working.” Because hair-like stereocilia also are involved in our sense of balance, the flexing of stereocilia not only contributes to hearing, but “also likely is involved in our sense of gravity, motion and orientation – all the things needed to have balance,” Prof. Rabbitt says. The new study is part of an effort by researchers to understand the amazing sensitivity of human hearing. Prof. Rabbitt says the hair cells are

so sensitive they can detect sounds almost as small as those caused by Brownian motion, which is the irregular movement of particles suspended in gas or liquid and bombarded by molecules or atoms. Hair cells are inside the inner ears of many animals. They are within the ear’s cochlea, which is the spiral, snail-shell-shaped cavity where incoming sound vibrations are converted into nerve impulses and sent to the brain. Incoming sounds must be amplified because incoming sound waves are “damped” by fluid that fills the inner ear. Hair cells are about 10 microns wide, and 30 to 100 microns long. By comparison, a human hair is roughly 100 microns wide. A micron is onemillionth of a meter. The hair-like stereocilia tubes poking out the top of a hair cell are each a mere 1 to 10 microns long and about 200 nanometers wide, or 200 billionths of a meter wide. Prof. Brownell says the new study shows how the flexoelectric effect “can account for the amplification of sound in the cochlea.” Stereocilia essentially are membranes that

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have been rolled into tiny tubes, so “the fact that a membrane can generate acoustic [mechanical] energy is novel,” says Prof. Brownell. “Imagine hearing a soap bubble talk.” Flexoelectricity in a membrane was noted a few decades ago when a researcher in Europe showed that flexing or bending a simple membrane in a laboratory generated an electrical field. Then, in 1983, Prof. Brownell showed that a hair cell from a guinea pig’s ear changed in length when an electric field was applied to it in a lab dish. The length of stereocilia changes along the coiled length of the cochlea. Different lengths are sensitive to different frequencies of sound. And different animals have different ranges of stereocilia lengths. Ms. Breneman and colleagues devised math formulas and used computer simulations to arrive at the new study’s key finding: The flexoelectric amplifier can explain why varying lengths of stereocilia predict which sound frequencies are heard most easily by a variety of animals, from humans to bats, mice, turtles, chickens and lizards. “They found that a longer stereocilium was more efficient if it was receiving low-frequency sounds,” while shorter stereocilia most efficiently amplified high-frequency sound, Prof. Brownell says. Ms. Breneman says scientists now know of five ways the ears amplify sound, and “what makes this one unique is that it would be present in the stereocilia bundles of all hair cells, not Page 16 – August 2009

only outer hair cells.” The cochleae of humans and other mammals have “inner hair cells” that sense sound passively and active “outer hair cells” that amplify sounds. Other higher animals have hair cells, but without a distinction between inner and outer. Because results show the dancing hair-like stereocilia act like an amplifier on any hair cell, “it explains how this amplifier may work in all higher animals like birds and reptiles, not just humans,” Prof. Rabbitt says. When sound enters the cochlea and reaches the hair cells, sound pressure makes the hairlike stereocilia tubes “pivot left or right similar to the way a signpost bends in heavy wind,” Ms. Breneman says. The tops of the tubes are connected to each other by protein filaments. Where each filament comes in contact with the top end of a stereocilium tube, there is an “ion channel” that opens and closes as the bundle of stereocilia sway back and forth. When the channel opens, electrically charged calcium and potassium ions flow into the tubes. That changes the electric voltage across the membrane encasing each stereocilium, making the tubes flex and dance even more. Such flexoelectricity amplifies the sound and ultimately releases neurotransmitter chemicals from the bottom of the hair cells, sending the sound’s nerve signal to the brain, Ms. Breneman says. “We’ve got these nanotubes – stereocilia – moving left and

right and converting electrical power [from ions] into mechanical amplification of soundinduced vibrations in the ear,” Prof. Rabbitt says. He says the “flexoelectric motor” is the collective movement of the stereocilia in response to sound. Prof. Brownell says the new study, showing that sound is amplified by “dancing” membrane tubes atop hair cells, adds to growing evidence that membranes do not “just sit there,” but are “dynamic structures capable of doing work using a mechanism called flexoelectricity.” Profs. Brownell and Rabbitt note that stereocilia involved in amplifying hearing have similarities with other tube-like structures in the human body, such as villi in the gut, dendritic spines on the signal-receiving ends of nerve cells and growth cones on the signal-transmitting axon ends of growing nerve cells. So they speculate flexoelectricity may play a role in how villi in the intestines help absorb food and how nerves grow and repair themselves. “There is some evidence that dendrites and axons change their diameter during intracellular voltage changes, and that could well have flexoelectric origins,” says Prof. Rabbitt. “Any time you have a membrane with small diameter – like in axons, dendrites and synaptic vesicles [located between nerve cells], there will be large flexoelectric forces and effects. Therefore, the flexoelectric effect may be at work in things like learning and memory. But that’s pretty speculative.” ##

Bio-based Replacements for Petroleum-based Plastics

composting processes and scaling them down to pilot scale reactor size, eliminating the need to do formal, expensive standards testing. “Over time, we got all the elements balanced,” Mr. Linden says. Their findings were presented at a conference in Florida. ome call it corn. Others say maize. It origiNow, with a test method in hand and extensive nally came from Mesoamerica (now Mexi- research in the area, the team at Battelle is looking co) and is now the most widely grown crop in the forward to receiving specific feedback from users Americas. At Battelle, it’s being of the corn plastic. “We’ve filled converted into plastic by a team “We’re not getting any some of the technical gap that we of innovative materials scientists. he says. “Now we more oil and that’s identified,” For the past 18 months, Batneed more gaps to fill.” telle research scientists Corey what most plastics Interestingly, this is not the Linden, Byron Tolbert, Jeff Boyce, are made from,” Mr. first time Battelle scientists have and their colleagues have been worked with PLA material. Many Linden says. acting as pragmatic problem of the original patents in the area solvers, searching for the clues of corn based plastic are from needed to improve bio-based replacements for Battelle staff. Some of the patents date back to the petroleum-based plastics. “We’re not getting any early 1990s, when members of Battelle’s Advanced more oil and that’s what most plastics are made Materials group conducted some of the ground from,” Mr. Linden says. breaking research in the area. ## The idea of turning corn into plastic is nothing new—people have been doing it for years. But in some cases, end consumers were unimpressed with the properties and costs of what “green” products were on the market. A team from Battelle’s Advanced Materials Group realized that for a corn based bio-plastic product to be competitive in packaging materials, it must cost the same or less than its oil-based counterparts—a significant element when replacing older products with newer, bio-based ones. In addition, the bio-plastic must demonstrate improved heat resistance and flexibility while remaining transparent. “Repeated inquiries from our customers drove us to invest our own money to investigate some of the problem areas,” Mr. Linden says. The Research Scientist says his team chose to work with polylactic acid (PLA) polymer, a commercially available material created from bacteria fermentation of corn. The research team worked to improve both the material performance and cost as well as to ensure it maintained biodegradability. “That’s the other side of the coin,” Mr. Linden says. The Battelle research team developed a quick test for biodegradability by analyzing commercial

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Exploring The Oceans’ Depths

said Julie Morris, director of the National Science Foundation (NSF) Ocean Sciences Division, the principal sponsor of the $8 million project. “With its innovanew type of deep-sea agery and samples from such a tive technology, Nereus allows robotic vehicle called hostile world. With a robot like us to study and understand the Nereus has successfully reached Nereus we can now explore vir- ocean’s deepest regions, previthe deepest part of the world’s tually anywhere in the ocean,” ously inaccessible. We’re very ocean, reports a team of U.S. en- said Andy Bowen, the project pleased with the success of these gineers and scientists aboard the manager and principal devel- sea trials.” research vessel Kilo Moana. The oper of Nereus at the Woods Aside from NSF, funds for dive to 10,902 meters (6.8 miles) Hole Oceanographic Institution Nereus have been provided by occurred on May 31, the Office of Naval Re2009, at the Challenger search, the National Deep in the Mariana Oceanic and AtmoTrench in the western spheric AdministraPacific Ocean. tion, the Russell FamThe dive makes ily Foundation, and Nereus the world’s WHOI. deepest-diving vehicle The Mariana Trench and the first vehicle to forms the boundary explore the Mariana between two tectonic Trench since 1998. plates, where the PaNereus’s unique cific Plate is subducthybrid-vehicle design ed beneath the small makes it ideally suited Mariana Plate. It is to explore the ocean’s Nereus was tested in the waters off the WHOI dock in part of the Pacific Ring last frontiers. The un- April before being sent to the Challenger Deep in the of Fire, a 40,000-kilomanned vehicle is re- Pacific's Mariana Trench. At 11,000 meters — more than meter (25,000-mile) motely operated by a mile deeper than Mount Everest is high — Challenger area where most of the pilots aboard a sur- Deep is arguably one of the most remote locations on world’s volcanic erupEarth. Photo by: Tom Kleindinst, Woods Hole Oceanoface ship via a lighttions and earthquakes graphic Institution. weight, micro-thin, occur. At 11,000 meters, fiber-optic tether that its depth is approxiallows Nereus to dive deep and (WHOI). “The trenches are vir- mately the same as the cruising be highly maneuverable. Nereus tually unexplored, and I am ab- altitude of a commercial airliner. can also be switched into a free- solutely certain Nereus will enTo reach the trench, Nereus swimming, autonomous vehi- able new discoveries. I believe it dove nearly twice as deep as recle. marks the start of a new era in search submarines are capable “The Mariana Trench is ocean exploration.” of and had to withstand presthe deepest known part of the “Much of the ocean’s depth sures 1,000 times that at Earth’s ocean. Reaching such extreme remains unexplored. Ocean sci- surface—crushing forces similar depths represents the pinnacle entists now have a unique tool to to those on the surface of Venus. of technical challenges and the gather images, data, and samples Only two other vehicles have team is very pleased Nereus from everywhere in the oceans, succeeded in reaching the trench: has been successful in reaching rather than those parts shallow- the U.S. Navy-built bathyscaphe the very bottom to return im- er than 6500 meters (4 miles),” Trieste, which carried Jacques

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Piccard and Don Walsh there diameter to a human hair and in 1960, and the Japanesewith a breaking strength of built robot Kaiko, which made only 4 kilograms (8.8 pounds), three unmanned expeditions the tether is composed of glass to the trench between 1995 fiber core with a very thin and 1998. Neither of these is protective jacket of plastic. presently available to the sciNereus brings approximately entific community. Trieste was 40 kilometers (25 miles) of retired in 1966, and Kaiko was cable in two canisters the size lost at sea in 2003. of large coffee cans that spool The Nereus engineering out the fiber as needed. By usteam knew that, to reach these ing this very slender tether indepths, a tethered robot usstead of a large cable, the team ing traditional technologies was able to decrease the size, would be prohibitively ex- A specialized manipulator arm of the weight, complexity, and cost pensive to build and operate. newly built hybrid remotely operated of the vehicle. So they used unique technolo- vehicle Nereus samples sediment from Another weight-saving gies and innovative methods the deepest part of the world's ocean -- advance of the vehicle is its to strike a balance between the Mariana Trench. Photo courtesy of use of ceramic spheres for flosize, weight, materials cost, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. tation, rather than the much and functionality. heavier traditional syntactic Building on previous experi- fibers to enable information to foam used on vehicles like the ence developing tethered robots be passed between the ship and submersible Alvin or the ROV and autonomous underwater the vehicle. If such a cable were Jason. Each of Nereus’s two hulls vehicles (AUVs) at WHOI and used to reach the seafloor in the contains approximately 800 of elsewhere, the team fused the Mariana Trench, it would snap the ~9-centimeter (3.5-inch) holtwo approaches together to de- under its own weight. low spheres precisely designed To solve this challenge, the and fabricated to withstand velop a hybrid vehicle that could fly like an aircraft to survey and Nereus team adapted fiber-optic crushing pressures. map broad areas and then be technology developed by the WHOI engineers modified a converted at sea into a tethered, Navy’s Space and Naval Warfare hydraulically operated robotic remotely operated vehicle (ROV) Systems Center Pacific (SSC Pa- manipulator arm to operate unthat can hover like a helicopter cific) to carry real-time video and der intense pressure and make near the seafloor to conduct ex- other data between the Nereus effective use of the vehicle's limperiments or to collect biological and the surface crew. Similar in ited battery power. or rock samples under real-time human control. The present trials of Nereus are being conducted in this tethered, ROV mode of operation. More than 500 prospective customers each busiThe tethering system preness day access our electronic directories! Whether sented one of the greatest chalthey’re searching for consulting firms, contracting lenges in developing a cost-effirms, manufacturers’ representatives/distributors, fective ROV capable of reaching and/or professional services firms, www.vaeng.com these depths. Traditional robotic is where they look. Make sure they can find out about systems use a steel-reinforced your products and services when they visit. cables containing copper wires 804.779.3527 • [email protected] to power the vehicle and optical

Will They Find You, or Your Competitor?



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With its tandem hull deever before accomplished in sign, Nereus weighs nearly 3 the worlds oceans.” tons in air and is about 4.25 “These and future dismeters (14 feet) long and apcoveries by Nereus will be proximately 2.3 meters (nearthe result of its versatility ly 8 feet) wide. It is powered and agility – it’s like no other by more than 4,000 lithiumdeep submergence vehicle,” ion batteries. They are simisaid Dr. Shank. “It allows lar to those used in laptop vast areas to be explored computers and cell phones, with great effectiveness. Our but have been carefully testtrue achievement is not just ed to be used safely and religetting to the deepest point ably under the intense presin our ocean, but unleashing sure of the depths. a capability that now enables The expedition left Guam deep exploration, unencumThe Trieste was acquired by the US Navy aboard RV Kilo Moana, oper- (from Italy) in 1958 and decommissioned in bered by a heavy tether and ated by the University of Ha- 1966. Photo courtesy of the U. S. Navy. surface ship, to scientifically waii, on May 24th to begin investigate some of the most a two-week engineering test dynamically-rich geologicruise. On May 25th, the team, Hawaii, were on board to exam- cal and biological systems on which includes co-principal in- ine the samples retrieved by the Earth.” vestigators Louis Whitcomb, a vehicle during each dive in its The design and construction professor of mechanical engi- ROV mode. of Nereus has been documented neering at The Johns Hopkins On its dive to the Chal- since 2006 by the Science ChanUniversity, and Dana Yoerger lenger Deep, Nereus spent over nel. Their cameras were aboard of WHOI who were responsible 10 hours on the bottom, send- the Kilo Moana for this historic for development of the vehicle’s ing live video back to the ship expedition to the deepest waters navigation and control system, through its fiber-optic tether and on Earth, chronicling the team’s conducted a planned sequence collecting geological and biologi- tests and findings for American of successively deeper dives— cal samples with its manipulator audiences. A one-hour docutesting Nereus, making scien- arm, and placed a marker on the mentary produced by Discovery tific observations and collecting seafloor signed by those onboard Studios will air on Science Chandeep-sea samples at each depth the surface ship. “The samples nel and Science Channel HD earthey reached. Testing continued collected by the vehicle include ly this fall. over the next few days, with the sediment from the subducting “We couldn’t be prouder of team returning to port in June. the stunning accomplishments and overriding tectonic plates “We hope that Nereus will that meet at the trench and, for of this dedicated and talented help scientists investigate some the first time, rocks from deep team,” said Susan Avery, presiof the ‘big questions’ of our time exposures of the Earth’s crust dent and director of WHOI. – questions of vital societal im- close to mantle depths south “With this engineering trial sucportance such the relation be- of the Challenger Deep,” said cessfully behind us, we’re eager tween seafloor dynamics and Dr. Fryer. “We will know the for Nereus to become widely global climate change,” said full story once the shore-based used to explore the most inaccesProf. Whitcomb. analyses are completed back the sible reaches of the ocean. With Co-chief scientists of the ex- laboratory this summer and in- no part of the deep seafloor bepedition, Tim Shank, a WHOI tegrate them with the new map- yond our reach, it’s exciting to biologist, and Patty Fryer, a ge- ping data to tell a story of plate think of the discoveries that ologist with the University of collision in greater detail than await.” ## Page 20 – August 2009

Reducing Jet Fuel's Carbon Footprint

available today." Needing little water or nitrogen, camelina can be grown on marginal agricultural lands. "Unlike ethanol made from corn or biodiesel made from soy, it won't compete with food crops," said Prof. ccording to David Shonnard, Robbins Shonnard. "And it may be used as a rotation crop Chair Professor of Chemical Engineering for wheat, to increase the health of the soil." at Michigan Technological University, the seeds of Tom Kalnes, a senior development associate a lowly weed could cut jet fuel’s cradle-to-grave for UOP, and his team used hydroprocessing, a carbon emissions by 84 percent, based on his common petroleum refining technology, to develanalysis of the carbon dioxide emissions of jet fuel op a flexible process to convert camelina oil and made from camelina oil over the course of its life other biological feedstocks into green jet fuel and cycle. "Camelina jet fuel exhibits one of the largest renewable diesel fuel. greenhouse gas emission reductions of any agriBut a few issues remain to be addressed prior cultural feedstock-derived biofuel I've ever seen," to widespread use. "The most critical is the price he said. "This is the result of the unique attributes and availability of commercial-scale quantities of of the crop – its low fertilizer requirements, high second generation feedstocks," he said. Also, more oil yield, and the availability of its co-products, farmers need to be convinced to grow a new crop, such as meal and biomass, for other uses." and refiners must want to process it. Originated in Europe, camelina sativa is a "But if it can create jobs and income opportunimember of the mustard family. Sometimes called ties in rural areas, that would be wonderful," he false flax or gold-of-pleasure, it thrives in the semi- said. ## arid conditions of the Northern Plains. Oil from camelina can be converted to a hydrocarbon green jet fuel that meets or exceeds all petroleum jet fuel specifications and is a "dropin" replacement compatible with the existing fuel infrastructure, from storage and transportation to aircraft fleet technology. "It is almost an exact replacement for fossil fuel," Prof. Shonnard explained. "Jets can't use oxygenated fuels like ethanol; they have to use hydrocarbon replacements." Chewning & Wilmer, Inc. Prof. Shonnard conducted the life cycle analyContractors, Founded 1924 sis for UOP LLC, of Des Plaines, Ill., a subsidiary Virginia Registration #6 of Honeywell and a provider of oil refining technology. In a recent release, it cited Boeing executive Billy Glover, managing director of environIndustrial and Commercial mental strategy, who called camelina "one of the Electrical Contractors most promising sources for renewable fuels that Robert Zahn, President we've seen." "It performed as well if not better than tradiRobert Zahn, President tional jet fuel during our test flight with Japan John Williams, Executive Vice-President Jay Atkinson, Art Nelson, Carson Rogers Airlines earlier this year and supports our goal of Vice-Presidents accelerating the market availability of sustainable, Jed Wilson, P.E., Consultant renewable fuel sources that can help aviation reduce emissions," Mr. Glover said. "It's clear from 2508 Mechanicsville Turnpike Telephone (804) 231-7373 Richmond, VA 23223 Fax (804) 231-1330 the life cycle analysis that camelina is one of the www.ChewningandWilmer.com leading near-term options and, even better, it's

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Commonwealth Registers More Than 130 New PE’s Over 130 candidates from Virginia successfully passed the April 2009 Professional Engineer licensing exam. The newly licensed PE’s include: Andrea W. Agee, P.E., of Reston; Satish K. Airi, P.E., of Culpeper; Fadi G. Al-Chammas, P.E., of Forest; Paul V. Ashcraft, P.E., of Chesapeake; Tahseen H. Bakeer, P.E., of Fairfax; Meredith L. Baker, P.E., of Leesburg; Rebecca H. Bane, P.E., of Bland; Carl P. Bell, P.E., of Fredericksburg; David A. Berman, P.E., of Arlington; Paul Bode, P.E., of Fredericksburg; Christian O. Bowen, P.E., of Woodbridge; Robert A. Brown, P.E., of Rileyville; Paul D. Bryant, P.E., of Forest; and Andrew T. Burkholder, P.E., of Roanoke. Also, Darrell F. Caison, P.E., of Reston; Scott R. Canfield, P.E., of Richmond; Lauren R. Caputo, P.E., of Arlington; Timothy P. Carroll, P.E., of Palmyra; Scott N. Clark, P.E., of Arlington; Kevin M. Cogley, P.E., of King George; Kari A. Conklin, P.E., of Quinton; Holly M. Cook, P.E., of Chesapeake; Stephen E. Crowell, P.E., of Alexandria; Kyle M. Daihl, P.E., of Centreville; Hai X. Dang, P.E., of Alexandria; Hien N. Dang, P.E., of Mechanicsville; Jennifer D. De Vaughn, P.E., of Richmond; Lisa De Vellis, P.E., of Charlottesville; Michelle R. Defreese, P.E., of Midlothian; Thakur P. Dhakal, P.E., of Fairfax; Daniel T. Eberhardt, P.E., Page 22 – August 2009

of Roanoke; David B. Ellington, P.E., of Mechanicsville; Tara Eschenfelder, P.E., of Richmond; William M. Eschenfelder, P.E., of Richmond; Hani Fawaz, P.E., of Springfield; Randall J. Flowers, P.E., of Lovettsville; Margaret M. Frazier, P.E., of King George; Andrew P. Ganey, P.E., of Portsmouth; Carol L. Garvey, P.E., of Blacksburg; Lauren M. Geiger, P.E., of Herndon; Daniel W. Gibson, P.E., of Christiansburg; and Robert J. Gwaltney, P.E., of Springfield. Also, Paige B. Hackler, P.E., of Charlottesville; Amy C. Hamlin, P.E., of Portsmouth; Megan D. Hawk, P.E., of Alexandria; Jamie L. Headley, P.E., of Falls Church; Travis S. Higgs, P.E., of Christiansburg; Jeremy D. Hollands, P.E., of Norfolk; Curtis B. Holloway, P.E., of Fredericksburg; Christopher N. Houlihan, P.E., of Highland Springs; Richard C. Hughes, P.E., of Hardy; Kevin S. Hurt, P.E., of Roanoke; Cyrus A. Jabbari, P.E., of McLean; John E. James, P.E., of Alexandria; Shanshan Jin, P.E., of Fairfax; Craig T. Jones, P.E., of Max Meadows; Susan C. Jones, P.E., of Alexandria; Sarah E. Juckett, P.E., of Arlington; Craig J. Kelley, P.E., of Lynchburg; Durga D. Kharel, P.E., of Herndon; Stephanie Joyce L. Konopa, P.E., of Falls Church; Brice R. Kutch, P.E., of Reston; Kendall C. Lacks, P.E., of Lynchburg; Francesco A. Lau-

retti, P.E., of Vienna; Byoung Jun Lee, P.E., of Centreville; Megan E. Leitch, P.E., of Fairfax; Andrew I. Lenard, P.E., of Alexandria; Louise N. Leongson, P.E., of Vienna; Daniel N. Lieber, P.E., of Salem; Robert M. Lowe, P.E., of Annandale; Samer H. Mahmoud, P.E., of Lynchburg; Michael E. Malandro, P.E., of Waverly; Sean L. Mallahan, P.E., of Salem; Matthew J. Manchisi, P.E., of Arlington; Louie A. McTall, P.E., of Norfolk; Stephen C. McElroy, P.E., of Big Stone Gap; Steven P. McGee, P.E., of Stafford; Ian S. Millikan, P.E., of Midlothian; Christopher M. Minton, P.E., of Mechanicsville; Jonathan B. Morrison, P.E., of Staunton; and Nebojsa Mrdalj, P.E., of Virginia Beach. Other successful candidates included Colleen M. Nasta, P.E., of Fairfax; Jessie C. Nester, P.E., of Christiansburg; Minh D. Nguyen, P.E., of Centreville; Mircea Niculescu, P.E., of Arlington; John H. O'Brien, P.E., of Fort Lee; Tae Y. Oey, P.E., of Herndon; Andrew W. Olsen, P.E., of Virginia Beach; Benjamin A. Oltmann, P.E., of Lansdowne; Christopher R. Oneil, P.E., of Alexandria; Suresh P. Parashar, P.E., of Chantilly; Matthew C. Pelton, P.E., of Virginia Beach; Amanda S. Pennington, P.E., of Matoaca; Kevin K. Porter, P.E., of Arlington; Lawrence B. Ramsey, P.E., of Fairfax; Matthew M. Randall, P.E., of Arlington; Stephen W. Read, P.E., of Midlothian; Laura E. Reed, P.E., of Norfolk; Jeremy R. Reiderman, P.E., of Chantilly; Michelle R. Richard, P.E., of Richmond; Janet L. Rogel, P.E., of Richmond; Eric E. Sanborn, P.E., of Blacksburg;

Peter W. Saxe, P.E., of Alexandria; Keith O. Schnupp, P.E., of Ashburn; Jennifer K. Shea, P.E., of Fredericksburg; Kateri L. Simon, P.E., of Richmond; Steven M. Smith, P.E., of Shawsville; Daniel L. Spivey, P.E., of Virginia Beach; Samuel J. Statz, P.E., of Falls Church; Gregg L. Steverson, P.E., of Centreville; Adam C. Stewart, P.E., of McLean; Kevin W. Stewart, P.E., of Hayes; Ian J. Stifle, P.E., of Newport News; Jason A. Stull, P.E., of Chesapeake; Daniel T. Sutton, P.E., of Lynchburg; Timothy R. Thomas II, P.E., of Lynchburg; Justin C. Tobias, P.E., of Arlington; Cardiel A. Trevizo, P.E., of Falls Church; Jonathan K. Tuil, P.E., of Arlington; Jeff E. Vish, P.E., of Clifton; and Balakrishnan Viswanathan, P.E., of Chantilly. Also, Daniel M. Wagner, P.E., of Woodbridge; Jamie R. Wagner, P.E., of Virginia Beach; Sarah J. Walls, P.E., of Suffolk; Xiaohai Wang, P.E., of Falls Church; L. S. Warr, P.E., of Glen Allen; Michael E. Wells, P.E., of Mechanicsville; Byron M. Wender, P.E., of Richmond; Daryl W. Whipkey, P.E., of Forest; Matthew S. Williams, P.E., of Virginia Beach; Todd A. Williams, P.E., of Roanoke; Douglas A. Wisniewski, P.E., of Springfield; Jessyca B. Woodruff, P.E., of Roanoke; Stanislav Y. Yanev, P.E., of Sterling; M.D. Yousuf, P.E., of Richmond; Richard C. Zaepfel, P.E., of Leesburg; Jeffrey M. Zellers, P.E., of Fairfax; and Adam E. Zimmerman, P.E., of Spotsylvania. Congratulations are extended to each of the successful candidates as they begin their careers as Professional Engineers. ##

Saving The Beach A team of mechanical engineering students, as part of the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Senior Design Expo, chose an artificial reef project for Virginia Beach to devise a more efficient and

increasing the time intervals between these required sand pumpings, or hopefully, eliminate the pumping process completely. The main elements of the team’s design are the shape and material for the reef. The general reef structure would be constructed using 4000-psi con-

economical method for reducing ongoing shoreline erosion. Artificial reefs are used around the world to break waves before they reach the coastline, effectively reducing erosion and thereby creating more sustainable beaches. The existing approach to mitigating beach erosion at Virginia Beach requires pumping sand from the ocean to the shoreline, effectively extending the shore. Current plans call for pumping 1 million cubic yards of sand, every three to four years, for the next 45 years, requiring an additional budget of approximately $100 million. The team’s reef design will provide a decrease in erosion, thereby

crete molds made in 30 feet long sections to facilitate construction. The reef’s shape would resemble a mound shaped ramp where the top will be rounded and the tail will taper off towards the ocean. According to the team’s force and weight calculations, the reef should be placed in approximately 20 feet of water and be approximately 10 feet in height. According to the design team, this approach will be effective and less expensive than the existing methods. Led by faculty advisor, Dr. Ramana Pidaparti, the design team included Justin Horan, Casey Inzaina, Michael Reppert, Christopher Riccobono, and Justin Simunek. ## www.vaeng.com – Page 23

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Isolating Building Joints

How will International Building Code (IBC) regulations impact your next building design? By Mark A. Capriotti

The International Building Code (IBC) requires architects, engineers and building owners to adapt to new building requirements related to seismic regulations. Building movement must be detailed at all building joints for specific movement in X, Y and Z axis’s plus rotation. Design analysis for greater movements must be considered when we assess the complexity and height of a given structure. All buildings must address seismic movement under Section 1614.1 (Scope) of the IBC states “Every structure and portion thereof, shall as a minimum be designed and constructed to resist the effects of earthquake motions and assigned a Seismic Design category as set forth in Section 1616.3.” Under the IBCode, the criteria to establish building displacement are equal to load definitions under the Structural Design Section 1613. Section 1613 of the IBC includes earthquake load definitions relative to building structures. The structural engineer will design the structure to comply with this section of the code. Design displacement; the design earthquake lateral displacement, excluding additional displacement due to actual and accidental torsion, required for design of the isolation system (building joints). Total design displacement; the design earthquake lateral displacement, including additional displacement due to actual and accidental torPage 24 – August 2009

sion, required for design of the isolation system (building joints). Total Maximum Displacement; the maximum considered earthquake lateral displacement, including additional displacement due to actual and accidental torsion, required for verification of the stability of the isolation system (building joints) or elements thereof, design of building

separation, and vertical load testing of isolator unit prototype. Mechanical engineers must be aware of building displacement and consider the displacement as designed for the building by the structural engineer when designing the mechanical system. Design displacement information from the structural engineer then needs to get to the mechanical engineer so they

may properly design and detail the mechanical piping and support system in relation to the building/seismic joint locations to insures proper specification of components within the system. Section 1621 of the IBC specifically addresses piping systems in section 1621.3.10; “Piping systems shall be designed to meet the force and displacement requirements of Section 1621.1.5. Where piping systems could displace relative to one another where the piping system crosses the seismic isolation interface (building joint), the piping system shall be designed to accommodate the seismic relative displacements specified in Section 1621.1.5.” Flexible pipe loops are an effective way to address the displacement requirements in piping systems as defined by Section 1613 of the IBC. Flexible loops that have three flexible sections allow it to compensate movement in six degrees of freedom (three coordinates axes, plus rotation about those axes simultaneously from random seismic shifts) will be the only devices that meet the stringent requirements of this section of the IBC. Other “V” or “U” shaped devices or loops fail to meet the stringent requirements set forth in Section 1613 of the IBC. Other “V” or “U” loop systems state or claim movements in all planes but may require pipe alignment guides on their installations. The recommendation and need to apply pipe alignment guides limits the motion to a longitudinal axis movement. “V” or “U” loop manufacturers design considerations and recommenda-

tions cautions against and do not recommend torsional movement and as a result fail to meet the movements as defined in Section 1613 of the IBC for total design displacement or total maximum displacement. Design professionals must also consider a system to effectively hang and support a piping system and its components to protect essential equipment within a structure. Section 1621.3.4 of the IBC details requirements for component supports; “Mechanical and electrical component supports and the means by which they are attached to the component shall be designed for the forces determined in Section 1621.1.4 and in conformance with the requirements of this code applying to the materials comprising the means of attachment. If standard or proprietary supports are used, they shall be designed by either load rating (i.e. testing) or for the calculated seismic forces. The stiffness of the support shall be designed such that the seismic load path for the component performs its intended function.” This section of the IBC also addresses supports and attachments for other piping in systems under section 1621.3.10.2.1 “Supports and attachments for other piping. In addition to meeting the force, displacement and other requirements of this section, attachments and supports for piping shall be subject to the following other requirements and limitations: Seismic supports are not required for: Section 1621.3.10.2.21. Piping supported by rod hangers provided that hangers in the pipe run are 12 inches (305mm) or less in length from the top of the pipe to the supporting

structure and the pipe can accommodate the expected deflections. Rod hangers shall not be constructed in a manner that would subject the rod to bending moments.” Hanging or support systems for flexible” or “U” shaped loops systems typically will require a support (hangar rod) to prevent the device from drooping or torqueing. Some requirements will ask for a specific “minimum” length of the hangar rod to allow the “U” or “V” to move as the loop flexes. By design the movement of “V” or “U” shaped flexible loops will subject a hangar rod 12” or longer to a bending moment at its connection point. This type of support hanging system is not compliant with IBC Sections 1621.3.4 and 1621.3.10.2.1. System design considerations should include cable hanger assembly kits that meet the requirements of Sections 1621.3.4 and 1621.3.10.2.1 of the International Building code for component supports in that they are to be designed for load rating and be third party tested. Design should include third party tested seismic wire rope/cable that conform to the requirements of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) guidelines for structural application of wire rope in that the cable is prestretched and permanent end fittings maintain the breakstrength of the cable with a safety factor of two. Coordinating and the sharing of design information as defined in Section 1621.1.5 of the IBC between the structural and mechanical engineers is critical in the specification and selection

of devices to properly address building seismic joints. Flexible pipe loops are an effective solution for isolating building joints. Design considerations must always consider a complete piping and mechanical system and that will address and comply with all applicable sections of the IBC. Failure to comply with the IBC will compromise the structure, essential building equipment, piping and mechanical systems and its components. ##

About the Author Mark Capriotti, Vice President of Commerical sales at Flex-Hose Company, Inc., has been in HVAC, Contracting and Industrial sales for over twenty five years. After attending Syracuse University, Mr. Capriotti’s career has covered a wide range of positions including an industrial sales engineer specializing in corrosion resistant products, a field superintendent for a mechanical contracting firm, sales management for an HVAC manufactures’ representative, and his current position as Vice President of Commercial Sales. A member of ASHRAE (Past President; Central New York Chapter), ASPE, ASME, the US Green Building Council, TACNY, and USA Hockey, Mr. Capriotti is involved with and sits on the board of various organizations in Central New York. He can be reached at 315.437.1611 or at flexhose@ flexhose.com. www.vaeng.com – Page 25

This basic rule of survival is a major key to business success also. Today, that challenge involves more effectively engaging existing and potential customers in an ever changing marketplace. But how?! If professionals across Virginia who specify or purchase commercial and industrial products and services is your audience, then The Virginia Engineer is your vehicle. We reach Virginia’s engineering community each and every month. And have for over 50 years. Targeted exposure to the audience you want to reach. Offering a wide variety of opportunities, we would like to help with your firm’s marketing evolution. Call us, 804.779.3527, fax, 804.779.3032, or email, [email protected], and let’s discuss avoiding the consequences of inaction by adapting for success. .

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Virginia’s Address for Engineering Page 26 – August 2009

New Application Found For Ground Penetrating Radar

Border Patrol truck. The antennas shoot a signal directly into the ground and use it to construct a multi-colored picture of the earth. Tunnels show up Criminals of all kinds are rious challenge for border patrol as red, yellow, and aquamarine digging tunnels along the U.S. agents because they can begin dots against a blue background. border at a fast and furious pace. and end almost anywhere; their Border patrols agents would Of every tunnel ever discovered entrances and exits are often see these images on a monitor by U.S. border patrol agents, 60 hidden inside old warehouses or mounted inside their truck. percent have been found in Ground penetrating rathe last three years. Agents dar is a promising technology spot a new one every month. because it is already used by “All of them have been civil engineers to reconstruct found by accident or human underground images. These intelligence,” said Ed Turner, engineers, however, are usua project manager with the ally only interested in detectU.S. Department of Homeing cables or pipes that may land Security (DHS) Science be a few meters beneath the and Technology Directorate earth. S&T must find tunnels (S&T). “None by technol- An early prototype of S&T's ground pene- that often run much deeper. trating radar on display at a demonstration To find these, the radar uses ogy.” this spring. Engineers tested the technolTo battle these secret burmuch lower frequencies that ogy in a giant sandbox to simulate conrows in the 21st century, S&T ditions along the southern U.S. border. penetrate the ground much thinks this will have to change. Photo courtesy of DHS S&T. better, and a sophisticated In partnership with Lockheed new imaging technology that Martin, DHS S&T is pursucan display clear pictures of under trees; if old ones are dising a fresh approach that uses deep tunnels. sophisticated ground penetrat- covered, new ones are quickly The Lockheed Martin team ing radar. The Tunnel Detection begun. showed off an early scale model Initially, S&T explored the prototype this spring, mimickProject is part of the Homeland Security Advanced Research possibility of an unmanned air- ing the Southern U.S. border Projects Agency (HSARPA), a craft equipped with radar tech- with a large box filled with sand distinct office within S&T set up nology that would fly along the and rocks, and using pipes as to think out-of-the-box. HSAR- border searching for tunnels. tunnels. PA invests in concepts offering While this concept remains a Next, they will send the techthe potential for revolutionary goal, Department scientists and nology to the Southwest this changes in homeland security agents realize that most of the summer, where it will be tested technologies. If successful, the existing tunnels run through against the rigors of the real life tunnel detection technology will large urban centers where they border. Separating tunnels from help agents locate and plug tun- are difficult to spot from satel- rocks, plants, and other objects nels almost as fast as the crimi- lite imagery. In addition, the air- along the ground or buried shalborne radar’s radio frequency lowly will be a key test. nals can dig them. While most tunnels are used signals pose privacy concerns if “We want to develop someto move drugs or people, they they cross into someone’s home. thing that can be used with high The new design technology reliability so you’ll find tuncould also be used to move in weapons and explosives for a is to place the radar antennas in nels and not other things in the terrorist attack. Tunnels are a se- a trailer that will be towed by a ground,” said Mr. Turner. ##

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Researchers Solve 60-year Bat Mystery A research paper co-written by a Virginia Tech faculty member explains a 60-year mystery behind a rare bat's nose that is unusually large for its species. The article, "Acoustic effects accurately predict an extreme case of biological morphology," details the adult Bourret's horseshoe bat (known scientifically as the "Rhinolophus paradoxolophus" meaning paradoxical crest), and it's roughly 9 millimeters in length nose. The typical horseshoe bat's nose is half that amount, said Rolf Mueller, an associate professor with the Virginia Tech mechanical engineering department and director for the Bio-inspired Technology research/bio-inspired-technology-laboratory (BIT) Laboratory in Danville, Va. "This nose is so much larger than anything else," among other bats of the region, he said. Prof. Mueller's findings show that the bat uses its elongated nose to create a highly focused sonar beam. Bats detect their environment through ultrasonic beams, or sonar, emitted from their noses, as in the case of the paradoxolophus bat, or mouth. The return bounces - echoes - of the sound wave convey a wealth of information on objects in the bat's environment. From the remote rainforests of South East Asia, this bat received its name 58 years ago because of its mysterious trait. Much like a flashlight with Page 28 – August 2009

an adjuster that can create an intense but small beam of light, the bat's nose can create a small but intense sonar spotlight. Prof. Mueller and his team used computer animation to compare the sizes of bat noses, from small

The noseleaf of a typical horseshoe bat species (left) versus that of Bourret’s horseshoe bat, the Rhinolophus paradoxolophus (right). Photo courtesy of Virginia Tech.

noses on other bats to the large nose of the paradoxolophus bat. In what Prof. Mueller calls a perfect mark of evolution, he says his computer modeling shows the length of the paradoxolophus bat's nose stops at the exact point the sonar beam's focal point would become ineffective. Prof. Mueller worked on the study with engineers and scientists from China's Shandong University, where he held a professorship when the research project began, and the Vietnamese Academy of Sciences. "By predicting the width of the ultrasonic beam for each of these nose lengths with a computational method, we found that the natural nose length has

a special value: All shortened noses provided less focus of the ultrasonic beam, whereas artificially elongated noses provided only negligible additional benefits," Prof. Mueller said. "Hence, this unusual case of a biological shape can be predicted accurately from its physical function alone." The findings with the paradoxolophus bat are part of a much larger study of approximately 120 different bat species and how they use sonar to perceive their environment. Set to finish in February 2010, it is hoped the study's focus on wave-based sensing and communication in bats will help spur groundwork for innovations in cell phone and satellite communications, as well as naval surveillance technology. Focused much of his research career in bio-inspired technology studying bats, Prof. Mueller received a Ph.D. in 1998 at the University of Tuebingen, Germany, where he developed computational models for the biosonar system of bats. During postdoctoral research at Yale University, he worked on biosonar-inspired autonomous robots and statistical signal processing methods in natural outdoor environments. In 2000, he returned to Tuebingen University, where he built a lab to develop robots inspired by bats. In 2003, he joined The Maersk Institute of Production Technology at the University of Southern Denmark as an assistant professor, followed by a professorship at Shandong University. He joined the Virginia Tech faculty in 2008. ##

ONE OF THE MOST effective ways to monitor weather events is to fix an unblinking eye from the sky on a certain part of our planet. The Geostationary Operational Environment Satellites (GOES) operated by NASA, NOAA, and the U.S. Department of Commerce provide continuous monitoring of weather conditions. Orbiting the Earth’s equatorial plane at a speed exactly matching the planet’s rotation, satellites in the GOES network seem to hover over fixed spots. They monitor atmospheric conditions that lead to hurricanes, flash floods, tornadoes, and hail storms. GOES satellites also monitor volcanic plumes. At 6:51 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on June 27, 2009, the GOES-O weather satellite launched aboard a Delta IV rocket from Launch Complex 37 at Florida’s Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. This photograph shows the GOES-O-bearing Delta IV rocket shooting above two lightning towers near the launch pad. About four hours and 20 minutes after the launch, GOES-O separated from the Delta IV rocket. On July 8, 2009, GOES-O reached its planned orbit altitude of approximately 35,900 kilometers (22,300 miles) above Earth’s surface, at which point GOES-O became GOES-14. After the launch, control of GOES-14 is expected to change hands, with Boeing Space and Intelligence Systems handing over engineering control to NASA in July 2009, and NASA handing over operational control to NOAA five months later. Photo courtesy NASA/Kim Shiflett. Caption by Michon Scott.

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Navy Recently Awarded Four Task Orders The Navy recently awarded four task orders totaling $101 million for renewable energy projects at several naval installations through a multiple award contract. The task orders, awarded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to Atlantic Contingency Constructors of Norfolk, Va., are for a multiple award contract for the site investigation, design and construction of nine photovoltaic installation projects in the District of Columbia, Florida, Maryland, Mississippi, Texas and Virginia. These photovoltaic projects will generate electric power by converting energy from the sun. Photovoltaic cells will be mountwww.vaeng.com – Page 29

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ed above existing parking areas and on rooftops to minimize the impact on open space. The cells will provide power to the installation's electrical distribution grid and will also include real time metering with the ability to report to each installation's Advanced Metering Infrastructure system. These projects will also boost the Navy's progress toward its energy usage reduction goal under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. Under this federal mandate, the Navy is required to reduce its energy consumption by non-renewable sources by 30 percent by 2015, as compared to its energy consumption in 2003. The Department of Defense received $7.4 billion from the ARRA, which will modernize Navy and Marine Corps shore infrastructure, enhance America's energy independence and sustain a steady and robust maritime force for decades. In order to help put local contractors to work, ARRA funds will be spent as quickly as possible. VCU School of Engineering Scholarships Established Robert C. Williams, a founding trustee emeritus of the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Engineering, and his wife, Barbara, have established the Eugene P. Trani Leadership Scholarships. The scholarships recognize Dr. Trani’s “extraordinary contribution to the school during his 19-year term as president of the university and the key role he played in creating the School of Engineering,” according to Mr. Williams. Dr. Trani retired

Page 30 – August 2009

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as president of VCU and CEO of the VCU Health System on June 30th. Two full scholarships, one for an in-state student and one for an out-of-state student, will be funded annually at the VCU School of Engineering through the Bob and Barbara Williams Foundation. Mr. Williams, former chairman of James River Corporation, was among the corporate leaders who helped established the School of Engineering at VCU in 1996. Contraceptive for Sea Lamprey Possible In addition to providing fundamental insights into the early evolution of the estrogen receptor, research by a team at the University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego) School of Medicine may lead to a contraceptive for female lampreys – a jawless fish considered an invasive pest species in the Great Lakes region of the United States. This could prove important to the Great Lakes region, where lampreys aggressively consume trout, salmon, sturgeon and other game fish. “Since the introduction of sea lamprey to the Great Lakes, the fisheries have been devastated, and as a result, there is much interest in finding new methods to control the lamprey population,” said Michael E. Baker, Ph.D., professor in UC San Diego’s Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology-Hypertension. “Our research could lead to a contraceptive for female lamprey, providing a method to control their reproduction in the Great Lakes.”

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Lampreys evolved about 450 million years ago, before the appearance of sharks. In contrast to sharks, fish and land vertebrates, lampreys have no jaw. They feed on fish by attaching themselves to the fish and sucking their body fluids. Their aggressive consumption of game fish has eliminated many natural predators of the alewife, another invasive species on the Great Lakes. This has allowed the alewife population to explode, with adverse effects on many native fish species. As part of a program to understand the evolution of steroid hormone signaling, the UC San Diego researchers characterized the estrogen-binding site on the estrogen receptor in the sea lamprey. To accomplish this, Dr. Baker – along with David Chang, student in the UC San Diego Department of Biology, and Charlie Chandsawangbhuwana, graduate student of Bioengineering in UC San Diego’s Jacobs School of Engineering – constructed a 3-D model of the structure of the lamprey estrogen receptor. The active estrogen in lamprey is unknown, although recent research in the field suggested that lamprey estrogens contain a 15alpha-hydroxyl group, which is lacking in other types of vertebrate estrogen. The model developed by the UC San Diego research team uncovered a unique interaction between 15alpha-hydroxy-estradiol and an amino acid called methionine, found only in lamprey estrogen receptors. “The unique aspect of this interaction suggests that there are compounds that can bind specifically to the lamprey estrogen re-

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ceptor, but not to estrogen receptors in other animals,” said Dr. Baker, adding that some of these compounds could interfere with estrogen action and act as contraceptives in female lamprey, providing a method to control their numbers. 2009 Best of Glen Allen Award Chosen Hankins and Anderson Inc. has been selected for the 2009 Best of Glen Allen Award in the Consulting Engineers category by the U.S. Commerce Association (USCA). The USCA “Best of Local Business” Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year, the USCA identifies companies that they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community. The firm is based in Glen Allen, Va. with offices in Virginia Beach, Va. and San Diego, Ca. EEE Consulting, Inc. Relocates EEE Consulting, Inc. recently moved their Richmond office to 8525 Bell Creek Road, Mechanicsville, Va. They are pleased to have moved into a new “Green” building that uses many sustainable energy and environmental features. The firm, with offices in Richmond and Blacksburg, Va., was established in 1998 as a small, woman-owned business that specializes in environmental studies, engineering, planning and environmental education. ##



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Index to Advertisers Applied Industrial Technologies . . 17 Chewning & Wilmer . . . . . . . . 21 D & S Contractors . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Dominion Technical Sales . . . . . . 11 Engineered Systems & Products . . . IBC Hanover Technical Sales . . . . . . 9 Integrated Power Sources . . . . . . 3 Power & Heat Systems, LLC . . . . 15 Tate Engineering Systems . . . . IFC N.H. Yates . . . . . . . . . . . BC

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The Virginia Engineer A IIr Associates Publication

ille, Virginia 23111 7401 Flannigan Mill Road • Mechanicsv Monday, July 20, 2009 L. Preston Bryant Jr., Secretary of Natural P. O. Box 1475 Richmond, Virginia 23218

Resources

Dear Secretary Bryant,

ortunities for ge, I would like to suggest two potential opp chan ate clim on le artic nt rece r you read Having antages upon which ufacture of biofuels, each offers distinct adv consideration. While both relate to the man Virginia could capitalize. 6 million was . According to Biofuels Digest, almost $17 The first is a robust algae production industry Generally the 2008 to develop biofuel from microalgae. ng duri ts talis capi ture ven by . U.S the in invested le alternative fuels. esents the most promising source for renewab scientific community agrees that algae repr growing uel source materials — they are the fastest biof r othe r ove ges anta adv inct dist ral seve Algae offers water; they need energy; they can be grown in salt or brackish ical chem into ight sunl ing turn for s nism of orga they take carbon dioxide from the air as part e; scal e larg a on n grow be can they ts; lower nutrient inpu compared with 10 to 50 times the amount of oil per acre as from e erat gen can they and ess; proc th their grow te hundreds of Plus, this enviro-friendly industry could crea crops normally used to produce vegetable oil. ufacturing to distribution. jobs here in Virginia from agriculture to man icuordinary weed, but camilena sativa, in part any just Not ds. wee of ion ivat cult e scal e The second is larg h has shown from which Virginia could benefit. Researc stry indu dly frien iroenv ther ano n, agai e lar. Her all petroleum jet rocarbon green jet fuel that meets or exceeds that camelina oil can be converted to a hyd with existent for petroleum jet fuel and is compatible acem repl ect" "dir a is it ning mea s, tion fuel specifica large scale; has low s unique attributes — it can be grown on a esse poss it e, alga Like re. uctu astr infr fuel ing . Again, ides other commercially valuable products prov and d; yiel oil high ides prov ; ents fertilizer requirem ironment. Sounds like a win-win. potential jobs creation while helping the env are several of generation are also winning approaches, as er pow d win and r sola , idea t grea a is n Conservatio mental stewardship, on creating industries that advance environ Viryour other suggestions. But why not focus y? Instead of trailing along behind others, enjo y entl curr ple peo s tyle lifes the ort create jobs, and supp success will energy sources. But, like all new innovations, ive rnat alte ing elop dev in er lead a be ld cou ginia inia has the workful thinking or a follow along attitude. Virg require vision and leadership, not just wish lable? ring talent. Is the vision and leadership avai inee eng and c ntifi scie the as l wel as s, urce force, the reso Hopefully, Richard O. Carden, II

neral Manager Richard O. Carden, II, Publisher/Ge rnet: www.vaeng.com aeng.com • Fax: (804) 779-3032 • Inte Tel: (804) 779-3527 • E-mail: sales@v

Page 34 – August 2009

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