Ice Arch?

6 January 2012
6:36 PM

Sunrise at	10:47 AM	in direction	150°	South-southeast
Sunset at	3:07 PM	in direction	210°	South-southwest

Duration of day: 4 hours, 19 minutes (4 minutes, 21 seconds longer than yesterday)

 I took a photo of the quad facing Rasmuson Library from our building and posted it Wednesday.  The next day scaffolding was in place .. YEAH! It looks like ASCE (American Society of Civil Engineers, Student Chapter) will be building an ice bridge soon.  Unfortunately, you can tell I took the photo inside, but I didn't want to risk it being blurry as I stomped around in the snowy sidewalks.

Scaffolding in Flag Circle

I enjoy this rite of spring, er, winter. Each design is unique, and yet adheres to the laws of physics for the principles of arches, ice, and changing temperatures.  Once successfully installed, they leave it roped off until it melts.  Here is the link to the ASCE page with photos from each year, but I selected a few photos from previous years which I posted below.

http://uafasce.wordpress.com/projects/ice-arch/

I am starting with one that spanned the circle, was very basic in design, and was a very thick arch (impressive when one considers the weight of the ice).  I selected the photo that best conveys the solidity of the arch.

ASCE Ice Arch - 2005

Compare the thickness of that arch to the arch from 2010.  Not being a civil engineer, I am guessing that constructing the base of overlapped ice logs, rather than the base itself leading into the shape of the arch, allowed the arch rim to be so wonderful thin.  It was thicker on one side, but still not so thick as that of 2005. And, it did not melt as quickly as I expected. Despite some very warm temperatures, it last well into spring.

ASCE Ice Arch - 2010

The next is my last (until the 2012 ice arch is completed).  I wanted to include a photo that is on the walls of Engineering building.  The shape of that arch was more hyperbolic (very, very wide at the based) as opposed to parabolic and tall like these arches; it was very thick and had several people standing on it comfortably!

This one is included for its aesthetics ..