SDSU enters into partnership with Maguire Iron

South Dakota State University's Jerome J. Lohr College of Engineering has entered into a partnership with Maguire Iron to develop a computer-based program to efficiently design and estimate the cost of water towers. Akram Jawdhari, assistant professor in SDSU's Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, will serve as the faculty lead on the project.

Maguire Iron, a Sioux Falls-based company, is an industry leader in the fabrication, construction and maintenance of water storage towers and tanks in the United States. For over 100 years, it has been responsible for the development of water towers throughout the Midwest, including those located in Brookings.

Last semester, the company reached out to leadership in the Lohr College of Engineering. Maguire wanted to utilize computer technology to create a more efficient design and cost estimation process for clients and looked to SDSU's expertise for help.

As Jawdhari explains, the current water tower design process is not as efficient as it could be. Engineers must factor a wide variety of complicated elements into their designs, including tower water capacity per gallon, tower height, wind speeds, seismic excitations, strength of steel, location of the tower — all while adhering to a very specific set of standards.

This can lead to a lengthy bidding process when clients are anxious to get a price estimate.

To quicken this process, Jawdhari believes computer software can be utilized to automate the necessary calculations by simply inputting data from the proposed site.

"We are trying to create an easy-to-use, one-stop-shop tool," Jawdhari, a licensed engineer, said. 

Over the next year or so, Jawdhari and graduate students under his supervision will develop the software in three phases. The first will be the development of a design and estimate tool for the structural design of the project. This will require a deep analysis of structural codes and standards. The second phase will include a foundational element design utilizing the expertise of geotechnical engineers at SDSU. The third and final phase will put all the elements together into a free, accessible tool that would provide all the necessary information for the design of a given water storage tower.

"We are hopeful to have this tool completed by next year," Jawdhari added.