West Virginia Cooling Tower Collapse Caused by Premature Form Removal
The collapse of a reinforced concrete cooling tower under construction at Willow Island, W.Va. in April 1978 resulted in 51 fatalities, making it the worst construction accident in American...
Continuing Education in Engineering�What's New?
ASCE's growing program in continuing education is described, plus a view of projected program growth. Two background factors�whether or not more states are likely to follow...
Post-Tensioned Foundations as Economical Alternative
Although post-tensioned (p-t) foundations have been utilized in the U.S. since the early 1960s, the last five years have witnessed a substantial increase in their implementation. Used...
The Concrete Canoe: A Technological Challenge
In 1970 the first concrete canoe was built, and since that time many colleges and universities have built and raced concrete canoes. The Union College (Schenectady, NY) Stone Boat Club...
Whither Satellite Remote Sensing�II�
For about six years, NASA SERTS (now called Landsat) satellites have been circling the globe, radioing back digital information on what they see on earth. After being massaged by computer,...
How about Reverse Filters
Reverse or inverted filters allow water to drain freely without carrying away suspended solids. Their pore size must be properly related to the fines being protected. Terzaghi's...
Research Needs in Hydraulics, Coastal Engineering and Irrigation
Last June an ASCE/NSF team gathered at Warrenton, Va., to prioritize research needs in civil engineering. They split the field into 10 subcategories, one of which is Hydraulics, Coastal...
Basics in Failure Analysis of Large Structures
Failure analysis procedures can usually determine the most probalbe cause of a structural failure. Then it is possible to determine why the initial design, materials selection, and fabrication...
Computerizing Public Works Design
Computers are an easy way to increase engineering design productivity. This is especially important to public works departments who have decreasing budgets and increasing work loads. This...
Vail Pass Highway�Respecter of Mountain Ecology
Environmental constraints to a large degree controlled both the design and construction of a 14-mi segment of Interstate Highway 70 through Vail Pass in Colorado and necessitated adoption...
Electricity from the Sea
In Hawaii, the state, Lockheed Space and Missile Co. and Dillingham Corp. have conceived, designed and built the first prototype ocean thermal energy conversion plant. OTEC uses the 40�F...
Venezuelan Dock Features Unconventional Design, Quick Set-Up
This structure, designed by Caracas design/construct firm Precomprimido, kills two birds with one stone: a series of huge, hollow concrete cylinders both support the service deck of the...
Critical Path Scheduling: An Overview
CPM and PERT project-management scheduling are seldom used or understood in spite of over 20 years availability. In fact, many are strongly opposed to it, having had reams of computer...
Strategic Petroleum Reserves: Billion Dollar Project to Provide Energy Security for U.S., Part 1 and 2
The Strategic Petroleum Reserve, created in 1975, is intended to provide security to the U.S. by storing 750 million barrels of crude oil in salt domes in Louisiana and Texas. Since 1976,...
Value Engineering and Cement-Bentonite Cutoff Wall Save Dam Project for Arizona Indian Tribe
Value engineering showed how it was possible to save $1 million in construction costs for the San Carlos River Dam, east of Phoenix, Ariz. The proposed dam site was moved to take advantage...
Public Works Directors�Why Do Some Stand Out�
William Hennessy, Commissioner of New York State's DOT began as a junior engineering aide, went into real estate acquisitions for the state and later entered the state's...
Miami Riot�Will a Phoenix Rise from Ashes�
In May, inner-city black residents of Miami, Florida, looted and burned about 300 buildings in their neighborhoods. The cause is detailed�their perception that the judicial system was...
What Can be Done to Boost the Efficiency of the Civil Engineering Profession�
In view of all the talk about the declining efficiency of American business, how can civil engineering works be planned, designed, constructed, operated, or maintained more efficiently?...
Top Foreign-Born Civil Engineers Speak Their Minds
Six distinguished civil engineers born and educated abroad discuss their careers and explore: the differences in the civil engineering marketplace and in the public image of the CE here...
Graduating Engineers: 1930/1980
The life of a graduating engineer entering the world in 1930 is contrasted with that of 1980. Through the use of interviews, the article covers the opportunities, working conditions, salaries...
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