On December 17, 2017, the department of Civil Engineering of Zhejiang University/University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Institute(ZJUI) visited Shanghai Tower under the guidance of Prof. Liang Y. Liu, and Executive Dean Prof. Philip Krein. When the students looked up at the 632-meter-high skyscraper, they were overwhelmed and also very curious about how such a high building was built.
During the field trip, Prof. Liang Y. Liu enthusiastically introduced this building, one of the most outstanding skyscraper in the present world. He explained the structural advantage of the shape of Shanghai Tower; the large bottom, small top and spiral rising shape can reduce the wind forces. Prof. Liu informed the students that Shanghai Tower has the fastest elevators in the world. The elevators use a pressurized cabin and a converter that can generate electricity. These elevators can guarantee high speed and reduce energy consumption by 30% at the same time. The high-speed elevators were appealing to all the students, not only did they climb 118 layers in 55 seconds, but the passengers didn't feel any shaking or discomfort.
After a Q&A session, Prof. Liu, referred to a glass cleaning problem. Currently, we still use a traditional manual cleaning method, but Prof. Liu encouraged all the students to think on the question of how to deal with the skyscrapers clean glass issue. He asked the students to try to explore an easy-clean glass, to make the dust and stains difficult to adhere or that is easily washed by the rain. Students were curious about the energy consumption of this tower, but this is a green tower. Shanghai Tower is divided into nine districts, each with its own air, lobby, and atrium with green plants. In addition, the building can use rainwater resources, and the glass helps retain some of the heat, reducing the energy consumption of air conditioning in winter. The tower also has a shock absorber designed to reduce shaking amplitude in the wind and keep the building stable. The students finished the last field trip and longing for more, witnessed the greatness of civil engineering. They also hoped to create their own skyscrapers in the future.
CEE195- About Civil Engineering is an orientation course and a featured course of UIUC, it is a favorite of the students. CEE195 includes historical developments, education requirements, relation to science, professional practice, and specialties within the profession. It uses field trips to stimulate students' interest in learning, cultivate students’ ability to solve practical problems. In this semester, ZJUI CEE students visited the waterworks, a metro construction project, a bridge, pumped-storage Power Station, Shanghai Tower and other infrastructures, deepening the understanding of civil engineering, founding the relationship between basic science and specific projects, which lays a good foundation for their further study.
