Watch the ASCE Concrete Canoe Team pour competition boat

The ASCE Concrete Canoe Team spent the weekend constructing their competition canoe for the 2026 Rocky Mountain Student Symposium at the South Dakota School of Mines. 

The team of undergraduate civil, environmental, and mechanical engineering students had to formulate the perfect concrete by mixing cement and various aggregates to be buoyant enough to safely float with the weight of four team members while also strong enough to maintain structure in the water. After designing the ideal hull shape, they cut the foam mold, then mixed their concrete in batches (360 pounds worth!).

The CSU Student Chapter of ASCE (American Society of Civil Engineers) also has teams competing in the Steel Bridge Competition, Timber-Strong Design Build Competition, Surveying Competition, and Sustainable Solutions for 2026.

We wish all our competition teams the best at the symposium in April!