From Competitors to Partners
Embracing a competitor as a business partner may be somewhat uncomfortable for small engineering firms�at least initially. There is natural concern about what a fellow team member�who...
Ancient Concept, Modern Context
For several centuries, Bibliotheca Alexandrina was the cultural center of the Western world. It was built by the heirs of Alexander the Great some 2,400 years ago and burned, some say...
Ties to Excellence
The new Exhibition Center London (ExCeL) on the north side of the Royal Victoria Dock in London is just one of many structures altering the Docklands' landscape. The roof...
Delicate Procedure
In 1997 the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), located in downtown Baltimore, began addressing a need for expanded health care facilities within the city. But the existing facilities...
Stronger Longer
Like many older concrete bridges, the Sierrita de la Cruz Creek Bridge, a 1957 crossing near Amarillo, Texas, suffered from concrete deterioration. When the Texas Department of Transportation...
Small Business Report: The Home Advantage
Allowing at least some employees to work from home some of the time can help small businesses improve their ability to hire and retain talented engineers who are demanding flexibility....
Redesigning the San Roque Dam
Engineers updated a 20-year-old design for the San Roque Dam in the Philippines to save time and money and improve the dam's ability to withstand earthquakes. The structure...
The Many Faces of RCC
The Chinese government, under an aggressive move to boost its hydroelectric power output, is building an extensive system of dams nationwide. Chinese engineers have developed innovative...
Becoming an Expert Witness
Civil engineers are often called upon to testify in civil suits, and most often their testimony is given in the form of a recorded deposition, which may or may not be used later at a trial....
Nuclear Shutdown
The lengthy process of decommissioning�and in some cases dismantling�a commercial nuclear power plant is unlike any other project. The few plants that have been decommissioned are providing...
Intermodal Innovation
A future application of magnetic levitation (maglev) technology could provide motorists with an alternative to congested freeways without requiring them to give up their automobiles. One...
Piece by Piece
The Lions' Gate Suspension Bridge, a landmark structure in Vancouver, British Columbia, marks the entrance to one of the busiest harbors on the west coast of North America....
Returning to the Source
One hundred years ago, Las Vegas was a dry, dusty dot on the map with a population of only 100. The city grew up to become perhaps the gambling capital of the world, and more recently...
Small Firms, Big Dig
The local knowledge and technical expertise found in small engineering firms are often critical to the success of large projects. As one of the most comprehensive design and construction...
Life at the End of the Tunnel
Deadly tunnel fires in Europe have raised new concerns about tunnel fire safety around the world. Modifications to structures, mechanical systems, and operating procedures can make new...
Mile High Design
Denver's hybrid steel and concrete Invesco Field at Mile High, the National Football League's first design/build stadium, is on schedule to replace the existing...
High-Tech Isolation
In the fast-paced world of telecommunications, the time to market is often the deciding factor in the success of an enterprise. With that thought in mind, AboveNet Communications, Inc.,...
The Long Arch
The proposed long-arch method of constructing large underground chambers is a novel variation of well-established cellular construction methods. But each cell is arch-shaped and is independent...
Patents: What Every Engineer Should Know
Ignoring patent law can have serious consequences for civil engineers. They may sacrifice valuable patent rights or they may risk exposing themselves to a patent infringement lawsuit....
Draining in a New Direction
(Available on in special edition) Wick drains can stabilize slopes and landslides by accelerating soil consolidation and settlement. But conventional wick drains, driven vertically into...
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