8:39 a.m., Feb. 17, 2011----Six undergraduate students from the University of Delaware chapter of Chi Epsilon, a national civil engineering society, recently volunteered part of their Winter Session to build a pedestrian bridge for residents of Ocean Springs, Miss.

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The UD seniors -- Daniel Cacciola, Matthew Leone, James Mandala, Richard Savona, Jeremy Schinasi and Corey Shank -- designed the pedestrian bridge on campus and then spent a week constructing the structure across a small coastal creek within a nature preserve.

Built under the guidance of Jack A. Puleo, associate professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering who serves as faculty adviser to the chapter, and through design assistance from Allen Jayne, assistant professor, the bridge now provides safe access to a walking trail on the far side of the creek.

“Engineering students are taught a variety of classroom concepts during their undergraduate career. This project provides them an opportunity, working as a team, to use what they have learned in the classroom for a real civil engineering project and see what it is like to work as a team and overcome problems in the field,” says Puleo of the group, which returned to Delaware Feb. 2.

In fact, the team arrived in Mississippi to find the site in worse condition than anticipated. One side of the creek was sloped 35 degrees more than the other, necessitating some creative troubleshooting that resulted in the addition of steps leading up to bridge on one side and a ramp on the other. “It forced the team to think on their feet,” said Puleo.

“We discovered that what may make perfect sense in design drawings and calculations may not actually work in construction. The experience has given us invaluable knowledge in constructability as a major constraint in design that will greatly benefit us in future design work,” explains Cacciola.

“It was also fulfilling to help a community affected by Hurricane Katrina. We hope the new bridge will withstand future events and serve the community of Ocean Springs for many years to come.”

In 2010, another group of UD Chi Epsilon students restored wetlands along a 1.1 acre nature preserve in Waveland, Miss., making structural modifications to an observation tower, removing invasive species, establishing a wetlands trail and planting native trees.

This year's project was supported by the UD Office of Service Learning, the College of Engineering, the Chi Epsilon Chapter and the Mississippi Land Trust.

All six students who participated are civil engineering majors, with Mandala, Schinasi and Shank also Honors Program students.

Article by Karen B. Roberts
Photographs by Jack A. Puleo