WupperXchange

Under the motto "WupperXchange", civil engineering students from all over Europe met in Wuppertal from the 1st to 8th of May for an unforgettable and eventful week.
For me, it was the first exchange since I joined IACES, and I was also the only one from LC Karlsruhe - all to make me very excited and anxious before my arrival! But this excitement was quickly forgotten when I was welcomed at the train station by two of the very hospitable people from Wuppertal. Together we drove to the youth hostel, where the others were already waiting. So many new names at once from just as many different countries! From now on, it was time to switch to English!
On Monday morning, we went straight to university after breakfast - on the suspension railroad, the city's landmark, of course. It's a strange feeling when you get on and the car sways back and forth, and then when the train starts to move you have the impression of flying through the city... A bit like being on a slow roller coaster.
The suspension railroad was opened in 1901 when the city was flourishing economically and is mainly seen as a prestige object. Nevertheless, it is a very clever solution in the valley region of the Wupper, as the city area is very long and a subway is not possible because of the groundwater.
At the university, we were welcomed by Professor Harte (statics and dynamics of load-bearing structures) and then had lunch in the canteen.
In the afternoon, we went on to the occupational safety center of the Berufsgenossenschaft Bau in Haan. It was very interesting to learn which safety precautions are necessary on construction sites and, above all, why, even if they are often not observed in practice. Through various experiments, however, we all realized that the regulations are not just there to annoy us.
For example, we were shown how a 100kg doll falls from a height of around 10m and how important it is to wear a harness that is properly fastened. Or how it feels when a metal ball falls on your head from a height of 1m. You're glad you're wearing a helmet! Finally, we all received one of their new products from BG Bau: A helmet that glows in the dark!
On Tuesday, we first had a short introduction to the renovation of Wuppertal's main station at the university and then went to see the various construction measures associated with this project in the city. At the time, construction work was mainly focused on changing the traffic situation and the new road layout.
On Wednesday, we set off early in the morning towards Solingen. A project to separate rainwater and wastewater is being carried out in a housing estate there. The rainwater is collected by the gutters and then fed into open channels that flow through the entire housing estate and channel the water directly to a body of water. This saves a lot of recycling effort, as the already clean rainwater is not contaminated by the wastewater and then has to be cleaned again in a wastewater treatment plant.
After some free time in the afternoon, we went to a brewery in the evening, a highlight for all foreign students!
We spent Thursday in Düsseldorf. In the morning, we were welcomed at the site of the new "Vodafone Campus" and given a tour of the large construction site. The structural work was in full swing and it was very interesting to see the different formwork techniques, such as the climbing formwork for the columns. The building complex, which comprises an oval office tower 98m high, three building blocks and an underground car park, is due to be completed in December 2012 after a construction period of just 27 months!
In the afternoon, we had a brief look at the new Wehrhahn line.
After some free time and a view from the top of the Düsseldorf TV tower, we headed back to Wuppertal.
And that was my last evening in Wuppertal, as I unfortunately had to return home early. My conclusion on this exchange: very interesting program, nothing but sunshine, lots of nice and interesting people, lots of fun and I'm looking forward to the next one!

Text: Liana Sonntag