There is general agreement that the country’s infrastructure is in critical condition. With available funding that pales in comparison to the amount needed, engineers working on infrastructure-related projects have a professional obligation to produce high-efficiency projects to ensure maximum impact is obtained from the available funding. …
A successful engineer is, in all likelihood, an unknown engineer. Short of significant failures, the general public is unaware of the time and thought that goes into a good design. Most assume the success of our infrastructure is due to building codes or architects, without any knowledge of the layers of security provided by structural engineers. This lack of awareness has far-reaching consequences for the profession, the most significant of which is a decided undervaluing of structural engineering. Structural engineering, as a profession, needs a marketing plan. …
This article is a follow-up from the author’s article, Code Requirements for Residential Roof Trusses, in the March 2019 issue of STRUCTURE. (The terms in this article beginning with capital letters are defined in Section 2.2 of ANSI/TPI 1-2014, National Design Standard for Metal Plate Connected Wood Truss Construction, published by the Truss Plate Institute (TPI) – www.tpinst.org). …
Measure the distance between two points using a ruler, and you may read “12 inches.” This implies that the relative accuracy is to the nearest inch. If I write “12.00 inches,” then this implies accuracy to nearest 1/100th of an inch. For a foundation, the accuracy of ± ½ an inch may be appropriate. The tools of that construction trade do not have a high level of precision (i.e., a backhoe, shovel, or excavator). In contrast, for an Aircraft Wing on a fighter jet, the accuracy may be measured in Mills (0.001 inches) or 1/1000th of an inch. Understanding the level of accuracy required for a given task involves familiarity and judgment. …
Structural engineers frequently provide special or extra services without receiving appropriate additional compensation. Does this phenomenon seem familiar? It can be due to scope creep, which is a malady that afflicts nearly all practitioners. If profits do not meet expectations, scope creep is usually part of the problem. …
Kurt Vonnegut, whose father and grandfather were architects, imagined a computer program called “Palladio” in his novel Timequake (1997). Palladio, the story went, could perform a complete building design according to basic user inputs about the intended use, size, location, architectural style, and even the aesthetic of surrounding buildings. The program output full working drawings – down to “plans for the wiring and plumbing” (presumably structural as well) – in less than half an hour. …
In this competitive international economy, the demand for educated talent is growing. As such, it makes sense that the United States should strive to reduce the expense of education. However, the current trend reflects skyrocketing costs. …
Eureka is the moment when someone (an Innovator) suddenly realizes that information organized into a new pattern solves a problem or gives new insight. Eureka moments have occurred frequently in engineering, science, medicine, law, economics, and all other areas of study. Many engineers mention Eureka moments experienced when facing an apparently insoluble design, construction, or failure problem. …
Being a young engineer can seem incredibly daunting. You are surrounded by professionals who tell you “that is not how I did it when I was in your position.” While I have several years until I can obtain my P.E. license, many of my coworkers and supervisors have their professional licenses. They recognize that, as a young engineer, I have a lot to learn. They have been exceptional at teaching me through involvement on projects and inclusion in conversations. When not in the office, though, I expand my knowledge base with my involvement in professional societies such as ASCE and NCSEA, and their respective young member groups. …
I believe engineering is one of the most important professions in a civilized society. Similar to the way the public relies on medical professionals to keep us healthy and to prevent injury and illness, the public relies on the professional engineer to design safe structures and equipment. Engineers improve the lives of people across the globe. We wake up to an alarm clock (electrical engineer). We take a car, bus, train, or bike (mechanical engineer) on highways, over bridges, and through tunnels (civil engineer). …