Behind the Sines, Protugal Breakwater Failure
This article highlights a report on the possible causes of failure of the massive, $178 million breakwater at Sines, Portugal. This was the largest breakwater of its kind in the world....
Causes and Preventions of Lamellar Tearing: Engineer's Notebook
Within the past 10 years, a steel cracking problem, lamellar tearing, has arisen after welding of thicker sections and higher-strength steels. A separation underlying a weld joining plate...
Fiber-Reinforced Concrete Proves Worth for Airport Pavements
Laboratory and field tests indicate that fiber-reinforced concrete has higher flexural and tensile strength, higher impact resistance, and improved resistance to spalling and joint deterioration...
Steel Cable-Stayed Bridges: Can They Compete in the U.S.?
During the past decade, concrete bridge designs have been winning more bids for contracts than steel cable-stayed bridges. Reasons for this trend are examined. A brief evolution of bridge...
Computer-Aided Drafting in Civil Engineering
Computer aided drafting (CAD) is defined as an interactive computer graphics system suitable for the generation of engineering documentation. The development of CAD is reviewed. The computer...
Minicomputers in Structural Optimum Design
A problem dealing with the weight optimization of girders without transverse stiffeners is demonstrated. Constraints follow the 1978 AISC Specification. Actual programming is done in BASIC...
Emerging High Performance Structural Plastic Technology
Structural plastics have forced their growth by better performance over conventional materials in hostile environments. Demand by industry for increased life of process equipment and structures...
Application of Walls to Landslide Control Problems
The evolution of tieback restraint systems is presented. Case histories describe current practices for tieback design and construction and give examples of how the requirements were met...
Addressing Societal Needs of the 1980's Through Civil Engineering Research
Critical issues facing society in ten subdisciplines of civil engineering are defined and the research required to provide solutions to these issues in each area is identified. The ten...
Olmos Dam Modifications
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Orlando International: Airport of the 21st Century
The latest technology in airport design from the apron overlays to the terminal itself was incorporated at Orlando International, the nation's fastest growing airport. Now...
Structural Safety
Future building codes will go far beyond the classical emphasis on dimensioning, calculations, and specification writing. Emphasis will shift from scientific thinking to strategic thinking,...
Some Proposals for Reducing Structural Failures
Illinois is one of the few states requiring a Structural Engineer's License: a P.E. alone is not enough to practice structural engineering there. Unfortunately, even in Illinois,...
Urban Creekside Design Features Parallel Streets
Waterflow in cities�natural streams and rivers surrounded by wildlife, or concrete channels�must be controlled to prevent devastating flooding. Proper landuse restraints and creative designs...
Directional Wave Spectra Applications
These collected papers and their ensuing discussions presented at the September, 1981 symposium at the University of California on directional wave spectra applications examine the present...
Steel Structures Provide Flexibility
The steel structures of several major buildings are evaluated by the structural engineers responsible for the design and construction. Included are the Park Avenue Atrium in New York;...
At Four Western Stadiums, Wood Comes Out on Top
In recent years, several long-span timber roofs have been constructed atop large arenas and stadiums in the Western states. The choice of glued-laminated timber offers designers good economy,...
For Office Buildings: Long Span Concrete Slabs
A survey of 36 office buildings in the United States and Canada featuring long span concrete slabs showed concrete is a technically feasible and cost effective material for office structures....
Knoxville's Junction Functions
The urban highway system in Knoxville was originally built as a local expressway in the early 1950's. It was designed to significantly lower standards than Interstate and...
Engineers Notebook: Checking Capacities of Eccentrically Loaded Columns on an Existing Bridge
This article focuses on the structural analysis of eccentrically loaded columns. A simple and novel graphical technique for determining the load-carrying capacity of the columns is presented....
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