Lincoln (Neb) - Sept. 24, 1999 - Three researchers from the department of mechanical engineering at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Engineering and Technology will be at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, Sept. 26- Oct. 2, for research and meetings regarding the condition of the sunken World War II battleship USS Arizona.
The team includes professor emeritus Donald Johnson, associate professor William N. Weins, and research specialist John Makinson. The group has been involved in this investigation since June 1998 and will present a program, "USS Arizona - Corrosion, Metallurgy and X-ray Studies," at the USS Arizona Visitor Center. The presentation will review the results of the team's research to date regarding the general condition of the ship and corrosion of the hull. Fuel oil leaking from the ship, at a rate of about 2.5 gallons each day, poses a potential environmental problem if structural breakup occurs.
In addition to the presentations, the Nebraska team will
examine the superstructure of the ship, which is stored on Waipio
Point in Pearl Harbor, and the hull and remaining structure,
which are submerged in Pearl Harbor. Weins and Makinson, both
certified scuba divers, will accompany National Park Service and
Navy divers over three days of diving to examine the hull and to
select critical areas for metallurgical and corrosion analysis.
The group will examine these samples to determine additional
information regarding the types of materials used in the original
construction of the ship, the thickness of critical areas of the
ship and the extent to which corrosion has deteriorated the
structure. The Nebraska group also will participate in a day of
work table discussions with Park Service and USS Arizona Memorial
personnel regarding the state of the ship and plans for future
work.
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