Wednesday, October 6, 1999
The University Daily Kansan
Section A · Page 3
Student's seismic simulator tests building joints
Device could save lives in earthquakes
By Mindie Miller Special to the Kansan
A University of Kansas graduate student is really shaking things up at Learned Hall. And he's hoping to save a few lives in the process.
Jon Lindsey, Kansas City, Kan. doctoral student in civil engineering, has constructed an earthquake simulator to test how different types of building joints hold up under seismic forces.
"Earthquakes are fascinating to everyone," Lindsey said. "That's what drew me to the product initially. As an engineer, I wanted to examine structural issues that had the potential to save lives."
The $70,000 steel device, which replicates the joint structure of a building, situates a 15-foot floor beam perpendicular to a 15-foot wall beam. A large hydraulic ram exerts force against an outer wall, and instruments on the floor beam measure how much the material is stretching or compressing.
This enables Lindsey to test the effect of the force on the joint that connects the two beams. The ram exerted enough force in his most recent test to bend the steel floor beam, which was 21 inches thick.
The purpose of this test, Lindsey said, was to have the floor beam act as a hinge that would absorb most of the energy from an earthquake while leaving the vertical column intact. His goal is to develop a connection design that would bend but not break.
"This type of structure would allow a building to deform and accommodate the earthquake and at the same time avoid collapse," Lindsey said. "That way, people could still get out of the building."
He said it had taken five years to complete the project, from the time of its conception to when it actually could be used to run tests.
Kim Roddis, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering and Lindsey's graduate adviser, said the department had had the capacity to do concrete testing for quite some time because it could use the
hydraulic ram on the strong concrete floor in the lab. But, she said, it never had had a reaction wall on which to perform connection testing.
"Jon built the reaction frame design that supplied this wall." Roddis said. "His work has given us the capacity to do full-scale connection testing for cycling loads."
And his findings could reach far beyond the engineering department.
Roddis said Lindsey's initial tests had shown that prefabricated steel joints hold up much better than joints that were welded on site. This kind of information could be valuable in improving construction techniques, which could, in turn, prevent thousands of earthquake-related deaths worldwide — an issue of rising concern in light of recent earthquakes.
Roddis said that to create safer buildings, engineers had to concern themselves with how buildings failed.
"We want buildings to fail gracefully and preserve life safety," she said.
- Edited by Julio Nicholson
Kim Roddis, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, and Jon Lindsey, Kansas City, Kan., graduate student, stand inside the earthquake simulator at Learned Hall. Lindsey constructed the $70,000 steel device, which replicates the joint structure of a building, and Roddis served his adviser. Lindsey's findings could help prevent thousands of earthquake-related deaths. Photo by Roger Nomer/KANSAN
Assembly approves wider minor selection
By Amanda Kaschube
writer@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences are now eligible for 11 new minors because of the College Assembly's unanimous approval yesterday.
The minors, which were proposed last year during the assembly meetings, will offer more variety to students, said Sally Frost Mason, dean of the college.
"It's taken a year for departments to develop them and bring them up for approval." she said.
To obtain a minor, students must take a minimum of 18 hours, 12 of which must be 300 or higher level classes.
Dick Hardin, chairman for the English department, said he believed minors would enable students to take a variety of classes.
"Students like the idea of both subjects," he said. "A student could major in geography and minor in physics. It sounds impressive."
"It got out of hand," he said. "The number of hours for majors increased to almost 30 hours."
Hardin said that in the 1960s, the University of Kansas tried to dissuade students from pursuing minors — instead, students were encouraged to have a double major.
"The business world calls for a broad range of knowledge," she said. "It's important to have both sides covered."
Allison Abplanalp, Topeka sophomore and student representative for the assembly, said she would be interested in taking a minor in German along with her microbiology major.
Abplanalp said she believed many students would take advantage of the new opportunities with minors.
The minors were first approved by the Committee on Undergraduate Studies and Advising last spring and were then sent to the assembly for a vote. More minors also may be suggested in the future.
The next meeting for the assembly will be Nov. 2.
New major in the college
The assembly also unanimously approved a deviance and social control major that parallels criminal justice
COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES
New Minors:
■ Chemistry
■ Classics and antiquity
■ Speech-language-hearing
■ German
■ English
■ French
■ History
■ Mathematics
■ Astronomy
■ Atmospheric science
■ Physics
majors at Kansas State University and Wichita State University.
Mason said the major would give students a legitimate way to earn a degree, but Provost David Shulenburger and the Board of Regents still needed to approve the proposition.
"We're going to try it because students want this," she said. "David doesn't like to have duplicates because he gets criticism. We try to be careful."
The college also welcomed 24 new faculty members from 17 different departments including theatre and film, chemistry, history and linguistics.
Mason said earlier this semester that she wanted to bring new faculty members to the University. At the meeting yesterday, she said she was pleased with the new additions.
Four African studies classes received non-western status unanimously by the assembly. Included are Southern African Literature, African Islamic Literature, African Women Writers and Studies in African Studies.
"I'm happy with the new teachers," Mason said. "There's a sense that there are good teachers on the board now." New non-western culture classes
— Edited bv Brad Hallier
By Jim O'Malley
Scientist entangled in evolution debate
Special to the Kansan
Paleontologist and evolutionary biologist Stephen Jay Gould is scheduled to speak about the millennium at 8 tonight at the Lied Center, but the focus of the discussion may evolve. Gould's recent intervention in the controversy surrounding the State Board of Education's new science standards may come under question.
Last month, as president of the American Association for
the Advancement of Science, Gould joined the heads of two other national science organizations — the National Science Teachers Association and the National Research Council — in denying the board copyright permission to use any of the national science education standards developed by the three organizations.
The board's new science standards used parts of the national standards, but omitted those relating
to the origins of the universe, the origin of life and the evolutionary origin of species, according to a joint press release issued Sent. 23.
The release said the board's decision adopted a position
According to the release, the board's standards would deny
many Kansas students the opportunity to explore and think critically about one of the most important set of ideas developed in the history of science. The release said the board's standards also politicized the teaching and learning of science by attempting to undermine prevailing scientific theory.
The release concluded, "We must disassociate ourselves and our organizations from the Kansas Science Education Standards."
Rodney J. Bieker, the board's general counsel, said the stan-
the board's general counsel, said the standards would have to be revised to delete copyrighted material. He said the details would be discussed at the board's meetings Monday and Tuesday in DeSoto. Richard E. Levy, professor of law, said the board would have to vote on any revised standards.
But Burdett Loomis, professor of political science, said he saw no chance that any board members would change their positions on evolution in a new vote. The board's regular monthly meeting
monthly meeting is scheduled to start at 10 a.m. Monday at the DeSoto High School Little Theater, 35000 West 91 St.A citizen's open forum is scheduled for 10:30 a.m.Discussion of the science standards is on the Board's agenda for Tuesday.
— Edited by Matt James
Financial aid for University staff on the rise
By Scott Kirsch
Special to the Kansan
More University of Kansas staff members than ever are receiving financial assistance to take classes at the University.
The University's Employee Tuition Assistance has made it possible. Lynn George, employment manager of Human Resources, directs the Tuition Assistance program.
"We award tuition for one class a semester," George said. "The only thing you have to pay for is books."
During the past three years, the number of tuition waivers granted has increased from about 35 employees to 107 for the fall semester.
To qualify for the program, employees must have worked full time at the University for a year or part time for three years. The assistance program, which began in 1976, does not take into account the employees' finances when determining who receives awards.
One classified employee receiving assistance this semester is Rachel Woodbridge, an applications programmer/analyst in computing services who is studying for her Bachelor of Fine Arts in design, specializing in ceramics. Woodbridge has received assistance off and on since 1989.
"When I started," Woodbridge said, "I had taken nine hours. I'm now down to 20 and will graduate in four more semesters."
Rose Foster, office specialist for the Admissions Office in the School of Law, received tuition assistance for the first time this summer and is finishing her degree in theatre and film this fall.
"It's been wonderful," Poster said. "As a working parent, it's hard to justify paying tuition. Now there's no excuse."
Foster encouraged any employee who was trying to get a degree to try the Tuition Assistance program, which also is available to unclassified employees. George said that 48 unclassified employees, 55 classified employees and 6 affiliates, all of whom work for the University but differ on pay, received assistance through the program this semester.
Foster said another benefit of the program was that it helped employees to be more student-oriented because they take classes themselves.
Sherry Michael, budget coordinator Graduate School and International Programs, also is receiving tuition assistance to reach her goal of earning a degree
Michael, who has worked at the University for 25 years, began college at the University in 1965. Personal obligations prevented her from graduating.
although she did give it another shot in the mid-1970s. Two years ago, she decided to get serious.
Michael needed 37 hours at the time but will need only six more hours to graduate after this semester. Michael, who is working toward a degree in English literature, has received assistance every time she has applied.
"It's a wonderful program," she said. "It provides great opportunities. I wouldn't be able to do it without them."
These dreams can come true thanks to general use funds, said Lindy Eakin, associate provost.
"Around '96 or '97, (Chancellor Robert) Hemenway wanted to expand the program," Eakin said.
The program had been limited by money. However, after allocating money from different places, the budget rose from $20,000 to $40,000.
"I think we're close to saturating the demand, although we might grow another 15 to 20 students," Eakin said.
Applications for tuition assistance are available at Room 103 in Carruth'O' Leary Hall. Call 864-7415 for more information. The deadline for Spring 2000 is 5 p.m., Nov. 19.
Edited Brad Hallier