Daily Pioneer News

University of Wisconsin-Platteville senior design students (from left to right) Brett Hollister, Andy Walters and Luke Senz are designing improvements for Longhorn Road leading behind the west side of the Central Heating Plant to residence halls on the UWP campus.

PLATTEVILLE - Most students at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville know that Longhorn Road, leading behind the west side of the Central Heating Plant to residence halls drastically needs repairs. Senior design students Andy Walters, Luke Senz and Brett Hollister are working with Dan Dreessens of Delta Three Engineering, Inc. of Platteville to make improvements on the road.

The students are looking at removing approximately 250 feet of existing eight foot high rock retaining wall and replacing it with either Versalok or an equivalent split face block segmental retaining wall. The wall will be designed with the anticipation of the future straightening of Longhorn Drive from the heating plant to 450 feet south of the facility. The design will also allow for the wall to be expanded as needed.

Commented Walters, "The current retaining wall is a pile of rocks that will be falling down in a few years. We want to develop a concrete vertical slab retaining wall that has a longer life." He added, "The expansion would be nice but there is minimal room since the road is only 22 feet wide and the heating plant is on one side and the cemetery on the other."

Another concern that will be addressed by students includes straightening the intersection directly south of the heating plant that leads into parking lots for Ottensman Hall and Williams Fieldhouse. "We will definitely be addressing safety concerns at the road intersection and how the road alignment fits with the speed limit on the road. Right now, it's not safe," said Hollister.

Guardrails will be installed on the west side of Longhorn Drive, and sidewalks will also be added. A guardrail will be added because of the crookedness of the road and for pedestrian safety. The sidewalk fits into the design for future residence halls to provide students with easier and safer access to the Pioneer Activity Center.

A final aspect of the project includes analyzing the effect of traffic loads on the retaining wall and the effect of the renovations on existing underground utilities. Commented Senz, "Some of the utilities we need to consider include storm water and sewer drainage."

Professors Christina Curras, Mark Meyers, Thomas Nelson and Sam Owusu-Ababio have helped the students throughout their senior design project. "Curras and Meyers are knowledgeable about geotechnical materials and have helped with the retaining wall design codes we have to follow," said Walters. "Owusu-Ababio has helped us learn how to use road alignment software, and Nelson has helped with getting specifications from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation," said Senz.

Walters is a civil engineering student with emphases in geotechnical and construction from Wausau. Senz is a civil engineering student with emphases in structures and transportation from Madison. Hollister is a civil engineering student with emphases in transportation and construction from Eau Claire. The students anticipate graduating in May 2005.

Contact: Dr. Sam Owusu-Ababio, Civil Engineering, (608) 342-1554, owusu@uwplatt.edu Prepared by: Rachael Lehr, Public Relations, (608) 342-1194,lehrr@uwplatt.edu