Soil is formed in layers due to the physical, chemical, and biological processes that include transformation of soil materials. Soil mechanics is basically the study of soil and its properties in regard to construction purposes. What is Soil Mechanics? Soil mechanics is a discipline of civil engineering that predicts the soil performance characteristics utilizing the…
The objective of this architect CAD software review is to provide insight about a few good architectural CAD packages out of the hugely crowded civil CAD market. The cost of architectural CAD landscape design software may vary from free to several thousand dollars. However, I can say from my six years of CAD experience that professional users…
This chapter focuses on stone-masonry bridges that were built in Greece during the last 300 years and most of them survive today (Figure 1a and b). FIGURE 1. (a) Konitsa Bridge, Ipiros, Greece and (b) Kokorou Bridge, Ipiros, Greece. FIGURE 2. The royal tomb of Atreus at Mycenae in Peloponnese, Southern Greece. The use of the stone-masonry arch…
From a scientific perspective, geotechnical engineering largely involves defining the soil’s strength and deformation properties. Clay, silt, sand, rock and snow are important materials in geotechnics. Geotechnical engineering includes specialist fields such as soil and rock mechanics, geophysics, hydrogeology and associated disciplines such as geology. Geotechnical engineering and engineering geology are a branch of civil…
You can see the results of the work of Elbert Dysart Botts on most modern highways throughout the world. They are the raised reflective pavement markers, or Botts’ dots, that are used as highway markers for warning drivers. Dr. Botts and Botts’ Dots Dr. Elbert Dysart Botts worked with the California Department of Transportation or Caltrans where he oversaw research concerned with road markings…
This article will discuss different types of concrete cracks. After finishing the article, you will know how to repair concrete cracks. Some Common Reasons for Concrete Cracks 1. Uneven evaporation of moistures: The uneven evaporation of moisture from concrete causes various types of cracks. If the water evaporated from the surface of the freshly placed concrete faster…
The collapse of the World Trade Center (WTC) towers on September 11, 2001, was as sudden as it was dramatic; the complete destruction of such massive buildings shocked nearly everyone. Immediately afterward and even today, there is widespread speculation that the buildings were structurally deficient, that the steel columns melted, or that the fire suppression equipment failed…
Noise pollution is caused by unwanted sounds that intrude into our daily lives. The increasing density in urban planning has made it essential to deal with this problem. Noise is a pollutant that is controllable and is amenable to abatement technology. Standards have been set out by the Environmental Protection Agency which sets the standards…
Completed in 2007, the Wembley Stadium in London was not only built to welcome 1.5 million football and rugby fans each year, but it is also the UK’s leading venue for music concerts. The landmark feature that will inspire all of these visitors is the arch that sits above the north stand. Wembley Stadium is…
When it comes to the precipitous decline in the reliability and efficiency of America’s infrastructure, its not just bridges we should be thinking about. The nation’s water infrastructure is falling apart, much of it tainted with heavy metals and leaking like a sieve simply due to its age. The Unseen Decline of America’s Infrastructure: Decaying Pipes, Antiquated…