Engineering Matters

Providing water and sanitation after a destructive military revolution in Peru; engineering with elephants in Kenya; and plunging into enormous pot holes in Uganda, the professional life of civil engineer Brittany Harris has been more eventful since she graduated in 2015 than many engineers’ experience throughout their entire working careers. Her efforts to bring sustainable water and sanitation to developing countries, and to encourage other engineers to do the same, led the Institution of Civil Engineers to name Brittany as an engineering superhero: Water Woman. “I didn’t think elephants were an engineering problem, but apparently they are and so we had to go and understand this. We went out to Kenya and we asked the guys to walk us along the pipe route……What was happening was that the elephants in the dry season can smell the water underground and they go along and dig up the pipe where it was shallowest” Find out more in this episode of Engineering Matters. GUEST Brittany Harris, CEO, Qualis Flow SPECIAL THANKS TO Engineers Without Borders Engineers Without Borders UK leads a movement to promote a globally responsible mindset in the engineering community. So how do they do this?  They work to change how engineering is perceived, to attract and inspire a diverse cohort of future engineering talent into the industry. They embed the principles of global responsibility into engineering education in schools and universities around the world so that future engineers can deliver engineering for good.  They provide pro bono engineering support for communities delivering projects to improve access to water, sanitation and clean energy and innovations for the built environment.  If, like Brittany Harris, you want to get involved in this amazing organisation you can find out more from their website www.ewb-uk.org. Where you sign up to their newsletter and keep up to date with all the activities and opportunities that are currently happening. You can also join the discussion on their twitter @ewbuk. Institution of Civil EngineersThe post #15 Engineering Elephants: Brittany Harris first appeared on Engineering Matters.

Dr Robin Sham How did a circus act inspire a revolutionary new construction method for Scotland’s first glass fibre reinforced polymer, cable stayed footbridge? Why did triumph and heartache underpin construction of the world’s most difficult cable stayed bridge, the Kap Shui Mun Bridge in Hong Kong? What did tunnel engineering teach designers about construction that enabled them to extend the span of cable stayed bridges to over 1km? And what was it like to work on two world beating structures at the same time – the Sutong Bridge in China and the Stonecutters Bridge in Hong Kong? Only one man has the answer to these questions. World leading bridge designer, Dr Robin Sham has transformed long span bridge construction with his innovative conceptual approach. Hailed as an engineering superhero in 2018 by the UK’s Institution of Civil Engineers, AECOM’s Global Long Span and Speciality Bridges Director Dr Sham has attempted – and succeeded – in designing bridges that had never been built before. And in this episode he tells Engineering Matters that he is not done yet. Despite designing and building the most incredible bridges of the past two decades he is determined to go further. He yearns to develop new types of bridges that span larger distances more efficiently than ever before, and bring third generation suspension bridges to reality. GUESTS Dr Robin Sham SPECIAL THANKS TO The Institution of Civil Engineers AECOM The post #14 The Bridge Man: Dr Robin Sham first appeared on Engineering Matters.

Are there really bodies buried in the Hoover Dam? Was the hard hat really invented here in 1931? And why was it originally called Boulder Dam? In this podcast we explore and uncover the secrets of one of the greatest engineering projects ever built. The unique and formidable Hoover Dam. Learn about the “Double Ugly”, “Hurry Up Crowe” and a cast of other characters that brought this formidable piece of engineering life. And find out why over 200 people were killed during its five year construction period. At 221m tall, arching across the mouth of the Colorado River, resisting a water pressure of 2,150KN/m2 at its base, the Hoover Dam was the largest structure of its kind when it was completed in 1936. A sophisticated technique for concrete cooling was needed to ensure that the final structure did not have shrinkage cracks that would have led to catastrophic failure. Yet curing continues and though it has been operational for more than eighty years, the Hoover Dam gets stronger every day. GUESTS Mike Franklin, US Bureau of Reclamation Alan Warren, Mott MacDonald Pekka Nieminen, SandvikThe post #13 Secrets of the Hoover Dam first appeared on Engineering Matters.

No-one knows how many penguins are in the Antarctic, but thanks to the use of drones this is set to change as scientists are using these unmanned aerial vehicles to fly over colonies of chinstrap, adelie and gentoos. And that is not all. Academics at the University of East Anglia are developing artificial intelligence that can count the birds massively cutting down the processing time required to determine the numbers. Such techniques have applications in the built environment too. Drones that can use AI to report cracks on buildings for example could transform surveying methods. Just a decade ago unmanned aerial vehicles were the prevail of the military surveillance teams undertaking reconnaissance missions but today they can be found in engineering, agriculture, scientific research and other industries. With growth forecast for construction alone of $11bn in new drone related jobs worldwide by 2020 we examine how organisations such as Highways England, Northumbrian Water, Skanska and of course the British Antarctic Survey, investigate the pros and cons of implementing drone technology on their networks and in their research. GUESTS Norman Ratcliffe, British Antarctic Survey Dave Cummins, IRIS Group Aero Nicky Mather, Northumbrian Water Oliver Viney, Atlantic Geomatics and The Survey Association Grahame Grover, UAVE Limited SUPPORTERS Pix4D Topcon The post #12 The Drone Boom first appeared on Engineering Matters.

Robots are not just coming. They are already here. From TyBot which can tie steel reinforcement into position on bridges, to the road marking wizard Little Erik, and robotic hot wire cutters that can create bespoke formwork in minutes, robots are able to transform the way that infrastructure and buildings are constructed. From accelerating work flows, to making sites safer, the implications for the built environment are vast. But there are many challenges too. Investment costs are simply too high for some of the smaller companies who deliver work on behalf of the tier one contractors. But like any industry there comes a tipping point, where the benefits outweigh the costs. We may not be there yet, but robots are proving their worth and industry is starting to appreciate their advantages. GUESTS Steve Muck, Advanced Construction Robotics Jeremy Searock, Advanced Construction Robotics Asbjorn Sondergaard, Odico Formwork Robotics David Bayley, WJ Group Ping-Hsiang Chen, Mamou-ManiThe post # 11 The robots are here first appeared on Engineering Matters.

With 4.8 million kilometres of road China sits third in the world in terms of length of highways behind only the US and India. But its huge investment budget of £455 billion for new and improved highways could see it bypass these other world leaders. In 2018 alone it will add a further 5,000km presenting a huge challenge to those who design and build these connections. Companies are under pressure from clients to design and construct these new highways faster and in this episode we investigate how designers are writing their own software to enable this acceleration. Using Bentley System’s OpenRoads design software, state owned consultant CCCC First Highways Consultants Company (FHCC) is investing in a new bespoke Chinese platform that will automate much of the traditional design process and, potentially make it the most efficient design nation in the world. We talk to FHCC to understand exactly how this will work, and what this means for China’s digital transformation.   GUESTS Pramod Gupta, chief engineer BIM Centre, CCCC First Highways Consulting Company (FHCC) Dustin Parkman, Bentley Systems   SUPORTERS Bentley SystemsThe post #10 How China has automated road design first appeared on Engineering Matters.

Right now companies around the world are competing in a global race to prove that a new transport revolution is just a few years away. Using high speed transit through low pressure tubes speeds of 1100km/hr per hour are theoretically possible, bringing cities closer together than ever before. London to Edinburgh? 40minutes. Melbourne to Sydney? 52minutes. Mumbai to Delhi? 1 hour 22 minutes. But there is a long way to go before these journey times become a reality. In this episode we talk to world leading hyperloop developer Hyperloop Transport Technologies who are pushing the technology forward, building test tracks and developing new materials for the high speed passenger capsules. We also talk to Dr Gavin Bailey of TRL, who analysed Hyperloop’s potential in a new report and talks about opportunities for the UK in this futuristic transport mode.   Hyperloop technology uses linear electric motors to drive magnetically levitating capsules or pods through very low air pressure or vacuum tubes. The idea is not new, but it was Elon Musk who kickstarted the industry naming this transit methodology Hyperloop in his 2013 white paper exploring the technology. His decision to make this design open source has led to a boom in activity and the potential for another disruptive technology that could shape our future.   GUESTS Bibop Gresta, chairman, Hyperloop TT Dr Sabih Gatea Khisaf, head of engineering, Hyperloop TT Dr Gavin Bailey, technical and business development manager, TRL Gareth Dennis, engineering director, Permanent Rail Engineering   SUPPORTERS Leybold Bentley SystemsThe post #9 The race to create Hyperloop first appeared on Engineering Matters.

Floating along Copenhagen’s central waterway is a new proposition in affordable student accommodation, Urban Rigger. Each of these 745m2 units starts with a central concrete pontoon supporting nine steel shipping containers, which between them host 12 studio apartments for student accommodation. Launched as a solution to the student housing crisis in the Danish capital more units are set to follow and Denmark is not the only place exploring the use of shipping containers for housing. The fast construction times, energy efficiency, flexibility and modularity are seeing a growth in adoption beyond just housing with the commercial and hospitality sectors exploiting their benefits. But the technology is not new. The most well-known example of shipping container architecture, known as cargotecture, is the Keetwonen development in Amsterdam where 1,034 shipping container homes were delivered at a rate of 150 per month, providing much needed low cost student accommodation to this busy city. Originally intended as a five year temporary housing fix the units are still there twelve years later, and this is something that today’s developers are acknowledging. As these properties show their longevity the business case is growing and proponents are seeking to scale up production planning factory style manufacturing. However significant challenges must be overcome if these units are to take off, from planning hurdles to financing models. GUESTS Bjørn Nørgaard, chief operating officer, Urban Rigger Jesper Dirk Andersen, head of marine design, Urban Rigger Dave Stone, founder, By The River Brew Company Jon Johnson, chief executive, Reach Homes and the National Federation for Affordable BuildingThe post #8 Cargotecture: scaling up shipping container construction first appeared on Engineering Matters.

The story of how Brooklyn born maths genius Barbara Res became head of construction for Trump Tower, despite deep-rooted sexism that sat at the heart of construction – and society in the 1970s and 1980s. Project owner Donald Trump modestly called Trump Tower “the most important project in the world” and to deliver it, he appointed a 31 year old female engineer called Barbara Res. Having seen her in action on the Grand Hyatt project, Barbara had earned his respect as a hard worker, and someone who would always put the project first. And this she did, meeting Trump’s demanding schedule and driving down costs. But delivering New York’s most iconic building, and others before it, was far from easy and didn’t just require battling with contractors and suppliers. Barbara had to fight against abject and relentless sexism on a daily basis. Only after two decades in the industry, when a high profile political injustice caught the nation’s attention, did Barbara stop to reflect on the way that working on site had changed her, and in 1991 she had an epiphany that changed her life.   GUEST: Barbara Res, author of “All Alone On The 68th Floor”The post #7 The woman who built Trump Tower first appeared on Engineering Matters.

The story of how schools, colleges and professional institutions are working with Minecraft Education Edition to inspire the next generation of young engineers. Engineering UK predicts that 124,000 new engineers are required every year in the UK to fill the gap created by retiring professionals and expanding demand. But it is only managing to attract half as many and a shortfall of 59,000 per annum is expected over the next decade. Engaging with young people is therefore crucial, and working with the hugely popular block building game Minecraft, with its 61 million players and an average of 516,000 gamers per day, is one way that companies are seeking to raise awareness of engineering careers. GUESTS Saul Townsend, The Chartered Institute of Building Christopher Stuart, Clemson University Jessica Pilsner, Renton Prep Christian School Gbenga Oludaton, ICE Ambassador and WSP engineerThe post #6 Minecraft: inspiring young engineers first appeared on Engineering Matters.

How a small village in Buckinghamshire developed and delivered a clean, green, solar energy project that generates enough electricity to power over 1000 homes and uses its profits to benefit the local community. The 4.18MW solar power project in the village of Gawcott generates three times more electricity that this community of 280 properties requires. At the same time the financing for the scheme included a community bond offer meaning that local people were able to invest in the project. Those that did now receive a 6 per cent return on their investment, and additional profits from the solar farm, which is generating in excess of initial forecasts, pay in to a fund which supports local projects. But schemes like this are under threat as the feed in taffirs that make them financially viable as set to close from April 2019. GUESTS Jake Burnyeat, managing director, Gawcott Fields Community Solar Community Interest Company Tom Cosgrove, development manager, Communities for Renewables Matt Harper, Harper Solar LtdThe post #5 Community Power: solar gains for villagers first appeared on Engineering Matters.

From apps that can tell building residents what to do in a fire, to smart psrinklers and localised external fire detection and suppression, new technologies have the potential to make buildings safer and evacuation faster. Developments in fire detection technology are also reducing the incidence of false alarms and reducing the likelihood of vandalism or malicious activation. At the same time the digital revolution is finally hitting the building industry catalysed by the post Grenfell review into building regulations by Dame Judith Hackitt. In her final report published in May she recommended that a digital record of all high-rise residential buildings is established and held by the duty holder, explaining that this ‘golden thread’ of good quality information will enable future building owners to better manage their buildings safely. But there are major challenges to adoption of new technologies and methods from a reluctance from developers to invest in measures that take buildings beyond minimum standards, government’s reluctance to prescribe any hard measures to improve safety and the slow and expensive approvals process. In this final episode of our fire mini-series, we consider these new developments as we look to the future for fire safety. GUESTS Curtis Massey, Massey Emergency Management Bobby Wilson, 10 Hudson Yards Zachary Magnone, Johnson Controls Ian Moore, Fire Industry AssociationThe post FIRE 4: New tech for a safer future first appeared on Engineering Matters.

In the event of a fire do not use the lift, use the stairs. We have been conditioned to fear using an elevator to escape a fire. But one major London project is trying to change all that. At 22 Bishopsgate in London the designers have set in place a lift evacuation strategy that can cut escape times from the 64 story building to just minutes. The team have done this, not with state of the art pressurised lift shafts, but instead with standard lifts, a bit of concrete and a clever strategy. In this third episode in our fire mini series we look we look at a new concept for evacuation of tall buildings. 22 Bishopsgate presentation and diagrams GUESTS MC Hui, fire engineering manager of BCA Logic in Australia Romain Hourqueig, head of UK fire engineering at WSP. Catch up on the earlier episodes in this mini series: FIRE 1: Making Buildings Safer FIRE 2: Incentivising good practice    The post FIRE 3: In event of a fire use the lift first appeared on Engineering Matters.

In the second of our series of podcasts examining fire safety in tall buildings we ask how can developers of tall buildings be incentivised to build in more resilience, and use some of the innovations already in the market to make buildings safer from fire? We interview Justin Francis of the Queensland Fire Service who says that the answer is a new fire and life safety rating system that could be used by building owners to highlight good performance on fire safety. Interviewing Justin at the FIREX International Tall Building Fire Safety Network Conference we learn more about his research analysing modern methods of evacuation from high rise buildings and large structures around the world. We also explore the idea of a fire and life safety rating with Bobby Wilson, a former captain of the New York City Fire Service and now a director for fire and life safety in one of New York’s newest tall buildings, 10 Hudson Yards. FIRE 1: Making Buildings Safer GUESTS Justin Francis of the Queensland Fire Service Bobby Wilson of 10 Hudson YardsThe post FIRE 2: Incentivising good practice first appeared on Engineering Matters.

Now is the time for change when it comes to fire safety in tall buildings. The catastrophic events at Grenfell Tower in London on 14 June 2017 have become the starting point in a drastic restructure of the system governing fire and safety in tall buildings. The post-Grenfell review of building regulations and fire safety by Dame Judith Hackitt found that the entire system was fundamentally flawed from procurement through design and construction to maintenance. Ambiguous regulations, unclear responsibilities, weak processes and poor enforcement were all identified as issues that have to be addressed. In a series of four podcasts Engineering Matters looks across the sector at how tall buildings can be made safer from fire: a question that was answered many times and in many ways at an event attended by Engineering Matters this summer: the Tall Buildings Fire Safety Network Conference, held at FIREX International, in London. We review experiences from around the world, consider new technologies and techniques that can help the industry and speak to the people leading efforts to make tall buildings safer.   INCLUDING Highlights from the Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety by Dame Judith Hackitt Grenfell public inquiry evidence from Professor Luke Bisby of Edinburgh University Report from Tall Buildings Fire Safety Network Conference at FIREX International Justin Francis, Queensland Fire Service, Australia Dr Jim Glockling, Fire Protection Association Merlyn Forrer, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service Tony Ryan, Kingspan GroupThe post FIRE 1: Making buildings safer first appeared on Engineering Matters.

Digital twins are revolutionising business models for aviation, industry and engineering. These virtual replicants of assets enriched with real time and contextual data are giving more information about networks, systems, factories, equipment and buildings than ever before. Assets then become more cost effective to maintain, and efficient to operate with cloud based data storage enabling performance monitoring at a scale that has not been possible until very recently. As a result, wholescale transformation of industries is not only on the horizon, it is here. Instead of buying airline engines, aeroplane manufacturers are buying hourly operation of their engines in a trend known as “servitisation.” There are many other potential advantages too from increased operational life to more targeted maintenance activity. We talk to industry experts to find out more. As awareness of the potential for this new technology grows, we join Northumbrian Water on a digital twin sprint, where the organisation explores the potential for use of digital twins in its business and discovers a range of opportunities for transformation.   GUESTS Chris Jones, research and development manager, Northumbrian Water Group Professor Chris Kilsby, School of Engineering, Newcastle University Tim Rook, associate partner, Blockchain in the industrial sector, IBM Stuart Pierce, account director, Siemens Sean Robinson, software solutions manager, Novotek UK and Ireland   SUPPORTER Bentley SystemsThe post #4 The Rise of the Digital Twin first appeared on Engineering Matters.

The UK in now at war with waste plastic creating major new opportunities for the waste industry. In January Prime Minister Theresa May published a new 25 year Environment Plan which pledged to eliminate all avoidable plastic waste by 2042. Increasing recycling rates, using biodegradable materials and reusing plastic are all parts of the strategy but what if all plastics could be made to biodegrade under the right treatment conditions? Well this just might be possible. There is already a unique bioreactor that can really do this. Its unique combination of microbes and enzymes can break plastic down into carbon dioxide, water and organic fertilizer. The problem is that this bioreactor is alive and exists inside the gut of a mealworm. Researchers all over the world are now studying these larvae to identify and isolate the incredible processes that are biodegrading plastic. We talk to the world leading researchers at Stanford University who have proven the effectiveness of mealworms in tackling polystyrene and polyethylene and ask what the implications of this could be for the UK waste management industry. GUESTS: Dr Wei-Min Wu, senior research engineer, University of Stanford Heather Gorringe, founder and CEO, Wiggly Wigglers Philip Chadwick, editor, Packaging NewsThe post #3 Worms and plastic: a waste treatment revolution first appeared on Engineering Matters.

Satellite based global positioning systems have revolutionised navigation outdoors and now software engineers are bringing the same innovation to indoor spaces. Airports, with their expansive terminals, are a perfect testing ground for new digital navigation technology. In London, Gatwick airport is leading the way. Designed by Pointr Labs the airport introduced 2000 Bluetooth beacons to its terminals in May 2017 to enable accurate indoor wayfinding by smartphone app. But apps are not the only option and in Houston, Texas, George Bush International and William P Hobby airports have installed an interactive browser based solution created by LocusLabs. We explore these new digital wayfinding technologies and find out how virtual reality augmentation could take them into a new dimension. GUESTS: Abhi Chacko, Head of IT, Commercial and Innovation, London Gatwick Airport Dr Paul Symonds, Travel Wayfinding Kathleen Boyd, Chief Marketing Officer, Houston Airport System Ariel Chavarria, Marketing Specialist, Houston Airport System Campbell Kennedy, Chief Executive, LocusLabsThe post #2 Lost in spaces first appeared on Engineering Matters.