Within the structural community, there seems to be a lack of awareness, as well as a growing opportunity, regarding overhead electrical transmission and distribution structures. In the United States alone there are millions of miles of corridor consisting of aging single- and double-pole structures and lattice towers. These structures form an impressive network, supporting high and extra-high voltage wires (12 kV to 765 kV) and delivering power from generation facilities to customers located hundreds of miles away. …
Do Owners, Building Officials, and even Professional Engineers really understand each other’s respective roles and responsibilities, especially on the use of deferred submittals? Many of today’s engineered designs are not so much linear (i.e., design then build), but cyclic (i.e., iterations of design then build then design then build, etc.). …
Your name is probably your greatest asset. Contained in a name are a person’s or company’s brand, identity, and reputation. There was a time when agreements were made based only on a person’s name. Does a name have value? Absolutely! A name is so important that each year, people and companies spend millions to clear their name, protect their name, and promote their name. The following are a few specific examples. …
Given the choice, and the apparent difficulties of the alternative, this may seem like superficial advice for navigating a daily routine. This bit of counsel, however, has impacts far beyond mere cognizant awareness of the surrounding environment. Most have heard or been given the guidance, “keep your head on a swivel” – often in relation to sports, or perhaps even before entering precarious situations, but these recommendations may not be expected among the cubicle warriors of engineering firms. Taking time to look around may just save a project schedule and budget in a matter of minutes. …
Lawrence Bank’s article, Is Structural Engineering Education Sustainable? (STRUCTURE, February 2015), raises interesting issues and exposes the separation between education and practice. For one thing, structural engineering education is constantly evolving. The notion that today’s design is based on books from the 1950s and 1960s ignores the reality that the better texts are philosophically well-thought-out, present fundamental structural behavior, and follow with how codes and standards interpret this behavior to protect life safety. …
The American political stalemate today between individual freedom and social equity is occurring in the context of increasing inequality in the domestic economy. However, the American economy is directly linked to and affected by the global economy ever since America emerged as the leader of the free world after two World Wars. The global economy, today serves well the 300 million Americans, along with perhaps another 700 million people; it does not serve well the remaining 6 billion people on the planet. …
Thoughts on Building Seismic Performance Objectives
“Danger. Extremely Flammable. Fire/Explosion Hazard.” These words are printed in cautionary lettering on a little green propane
tank used for my camping stove. Equally interesting, though not quite as dramatic, is the word “overbuilt” printed just above the manufacturer’s name. In context with the outcome of failure – an explosion – overbuilt seems stout, safe and ultimately reassuring. …
Within the broad field of civil engineering, structural engineers have perhaps been among the slowest to embrace and adopt the concepts of sustainability in the built environment. Many sit by with mounting frustration as architects, other types of engineers, and urban planners have defined “green” agendas for their disciplines, and successfully embraced and marketed them. …
How many of you notice the number of significant figures presented within your firm’s calculations? Prior to the advent of pocket calculators, engineers prepared their calculations by hand, supplemented with a slide rule. Their tool of choice was the traditional 10-inch slide rule limited to three figures. The few who owned a 20-inch slide rule could interpolate results to four figures. …
It was a pleasure to read the 2013 report by the SEI Board of Governors Task Committee, A Vision for the Future of Structural Engineering and Structural Engineers: A Case for Change. This document provides great suggestions for significant changes in the profession if structural engineers are to remain a respected and vibrant part of the global community. …