The Millau Viaduct is the world’s tallest bridge constructed to connect Northern Europe and Eastern Spain. With its eight spans suspended from seven pylons, the total height of this cable-stayed bridge is 345 m, which makes it taller than Eiffel Tower. The construction of the bridge was completed just in three years and was opened […]
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Water pumps are commonly used on construction sites to remove excess water accumulated due to heavy rain or high water table. They primarily serve two purposes: keep water out of foundations, tunnels, and other excavations pits; and provide a supply of water for jetting and sluicing, pumping water for cofferdams, etc. The choice of water […]
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In civil engineering, tunneling is one of the few areas where new horizons are constantly being explored. It is an exciting and rapidly evolving field in which pioneering processes are commonplace and innovative ideas continue to rewrite the rules. The Kaisermuhlen Tunnel in Vienna is considered as the safest road tunnel in the world. With […]
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Point Pleasant Bridge, also known as Silver Bridge, was constructed over the Ohio River to provide the crossing for highway number-35 of the United States of America. The bridge connected two major cities of Ohio and West Virginia, and provided direct access to their respective state capitals. On 15th December 1967, the Point Pleasant Bridge […]
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The Mackinac Bridge in Michigan is a bridge of ideal, assured aerodynamic safety secured without sacrificing either economy or graceful proportions. The design of the bridge, with a main span of 3800 ft., was predetermined scientifically, in final form, without spending years in groping, cut-and-try experimentation, and without successive modification of design to overcome aerodynamic […]
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Two principles have emerged time and again in the field of construction materials and structural engineering: the first is that the new and innovative materials, such as epoxies, often have properties that are poorly understood when they are introduced or used in new applications. In fact, they may induce failure modes that were not considered […]
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Innovation in any field is the application of new ideas and is often complex and dynamic even if it is not technical in nature. In the construction industry, the definition of innovation is totally different from the manufacturing and service industries because of the nature of projects, which makes each project unique. Construction innovation focuses […]
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Foundations are susceptible to movements if the applied loads are not in proportion with the design, causing a downward motion known as settlement. Settlement can be tolerated by the structure provided the loads do not exceed the allowable bearing pressures. When foundation defects are to be investigated, a thorough examination is imperative. The primary objective […]
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Dewatering equipment are used to perform dewatering on construction sites, which is defined as the process of separating water from another material like saturated soil or sludge. The separation of water is performed by using a force generated by vacuum or centrifugal motion. Dewatering equipment saves money by reducing solids handling and disposal expenses. It […]
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The Sunshine Skyway Bridge is one of the largest clear-span, stage-constructed concrete bridges in North America. The bridge consists of trestle, approach spans, low-level approach spans, high-level approach spans, and 366 m of cable-stayed main span. While the low-level approach spans were constructed with twin box girders, the main span was constructed with a single-cell […]
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It is important for nations to preserve historical monuments and conduct necessary repair and strengthening practices for their survival for the generations to come. Prior to the application of any repairment/strengthening method, a damaged structure must be thoroughly analyzed and the reasons behind the damage must be studied. Such information can be obtained without damaging […]
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Pavements are one of the most abundant surfaces of the urban infrastructure. Though pavements have been viewed as detrimental to the fight against climate change and urban heat islands (UHI), the evolution of reflective pavements will change this perception for good. The implementation of reflective pavements, also known as cool pavements, can help prevent extreme […]
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Mosul Dam, formerly known as Saddam Dam, is a type of earth-fill dam constructed on the Tigris River in Iraq. It is located approximately 60 km from the Mosul city in the northwest region. The construction of the dam started back in 1981 and was completed on 7th July 1986. The dam was constructed for […]
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The geotechnical investigation for any worksite is preceded by the preliminary geological-geotechnical survey. This consists of an on-site superficial survey, sometimes involving small investigation activities, such as the opening of shallow pits and shafts. Usually, the field visit is preceded by a desk study comprising the collection of existing written and drawn information about the […]
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Soil is used for a variety of purposes including cropping, pasturing, gardening, forestry, agroforestry, construction, etc. The aim is always to find the most suitable type of soil to get the best outcome. Especially in agriculture, the desired yield of a crop could be obtained from a type of soil that is physically, chemically, and […]
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A mezzanine floor is an intermediate floor space built between two floors or between the floor and the ceiling. A mezzanine floor doubles the usable space of an overhead floor. These floors can be applied to any building space. Mezzanine floors are designed for a specific building area rather than utilizing the entire floor area. […]
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Machu Picchu is the royal site of the Inca ruler Pachacuti and an incredible monument known for its estate and sanctity. The engineering techniques used in the construction of Machu Picchu, in conjunction with the natural environment, are remarkable in the history of civil engineering. The site was recently declared as one of the seven […]
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Tunnel alignment is simply the position or layout of the tunnel on the ground; the alignment can be either horizontal or vertical. While a horizontal alignment runs along the tunnel center, a vertical alignment defines the changes in elevations of the tunnel. Tunnel alignment is an essential design consideration one should perform before undertaking tunnel […]
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Void forms are sacrificial formwork members designed to provide a space between the concrete foundation and expansive soil, i.e., to protect the foundation from the heave of the underlying soil. They also offer a temporary support formwork for recently poured concrete till it achieves adequate strength to support its loads. Moreover, void forms are utilized […]
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The basic requirement in the design of any structure is that it should safely support all the loads during construction and in service. During the construction of the cooling tower at the Pleasants Power Station located at Willow Island, West Virginia, U.S., the designers made a huge blunder by overlooking the evaluation of peak construction […]
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European researchers have developed a cable-driven robot called Hephaestus that aims to automate the on-site execution or installation process in the construction industry. The whole system operates through eight flexible cables to build, repair, and maintain building façades. The robot focuses on bringing simplified solutions to façade construction and the associated works required to be […]
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A five-year-long research conducted at UBC Okanagan’s School of Engineering, Canada, has concluded that recycled concrete can perform as efficiently as conventional concrete, and in several cases, even better than it. Waste originating from demolition and construction activities alone contribute to up to 40% of the world’s total waste, which amounts to nine million tonnes […]
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In 1978, the Chinese government made extensive reforms for the reconstruction of the transportation system in the country, such as the introduction of substantial deregulation of the transportation system. After the reforms, the country’s transportation industry is progressing towards development, especially in the field of railway, highway, port, and aviation. In recent years, with the […]
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Effective management of the construction workforce helps finish projects on time and within the stipulated budget. It is estimated that nearly two-thirds of construction projects fail to reach the handover phase within the estimated budget, and labor inefficiencies at the construction site play a significant role in this regard. The cost of the construction workforce […]
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The Austin Dam, also known as Bayless dam, was designed as a gravity dam but failed catastrophically on 30th September 1911, within two years of its construction. Later on, it was recognized by the engineers that it failed due to the sliding of the foundation. The foundation of the dam was constructed on sedimentary rocks […]
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