A More Effective and Painless Way to Handle Tenders in Africa
Tenders have long been used as the sole method of procuring goods and services by most companies. Whether done to ensure transparency or to simply maximize the benefits of competition, tenders are arguably the most effective mode of procuring. Browsing through any newspaper on any weekday, one is sure to find tenders ranging from supply [...]
World’s longest sea bridge opens in China
China has yet again proved that no engineering feat is impossible. Be it a seemingly impossible river diversion project or a 26.4-mile long sea bridge, engineers in China appear ready to conquer any challenge. The 26.4 mile long Jiaozhou Bay Bridge was recently opened after four years of construction. This impressive structure connects China’s eastern port city o [...]
What type of gifts do engineers like?
A spouse of one of our loyal users contacted me asking me for advise on the type of gift she should get for her husband. The husband, a 34-year-old civil engineer is apparently a nerd with a passion for reading. So, I decided to do a tally and determine what type of gifts engineers would [...]
Taiwan’s Taipei 101 receives LEED platinum rating
Taiwan’s 509-metre Taipei 101 recently become the world’s tallest building to receive LEED platinum rating, the highest level in the green building rating system. In a ceremony held in held in Taipein, officials from Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and local dignitaries said the achievement begins a new era in green building. Taipes, [...]
China’s $62-billion river diversion project might be the next Great Wall
I suspect that when the plans for the Great Wall of China; were presented to the then Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, he might have remarked at the audacious approach chosen by the engineers. Back then the idea for the wall was to simply fortify their expanding territory, an effort which culminated in the [...]
Judge orders test on Halliburton cement in BP well
NEW ORLEANS – A federal judge is ordering tests to be performed as soon as possible on cement Halliburton Co. used to seal the BP well that later blew out catastrophically in the Gulf of Mexico. U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier said some of the components may be “deteriorating over time” and that tests should [...]
Successful Application of Cloud Computing in Engineering – Roel Construction
We recently featured a highly insightful article on the benefits of cloud computing for engineering companies. Based on the discussions and emails, most people do agree that cloud computing does provide a better alternative for engineering companies in that their IT budgets are greatly reduced and productivity is enhanced. It is not surprising that a [...]
Project Spotlight: The Channel Tunnel
The Channel Tunnel is a 31.4 mi undersea rail tunnel linking Folkestone, Kent near Dover in the United Kingdom with Coquelles, Pas-de-Calais near Calais in northern France. The tunnel goes beneath the English Channel at the Strait of Dover. At its lowest point, the Channel Tunel is 246 ft deep. Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Project [...]
5 Famous Moments of Genius
We have all had those moments. Those intense moments when a sudden gush of energy propels your brain into overdrive, creating a delightful mental sensation and voila; an idea is born or a solution to a problem is achieved. Some have termed this moment as the Eureka moment, named after a bathtub utterance by a [...]
The Transatlantic Cable: The 19th Century’s Greatest Underwater Engineering Feat
Long before the Chanel Tunnel, an underwater project of grandeur would connect people separated by oceans. In 1839 two inventors, William Cooke and Charles Wheatstone unveiled the telegraph, sparking a decade of experimentation and growth of knowledge in underwater telegraph cables. During that time, the idea of expanding the technology between major cities separated by [...]
Transitioning back into an engineering career
The 2008-2010 recession saw many engineers out of work, in some cases for an extended period of time. From what we have observed here at The Engineering Daily, the jobs section continues to receive a wider audience, at times single positions receiving multiple applicants. This definitely indicates that there is still a segment of the [...]
Extreme Engineering – Container Ships
Container ships enable the global movement of cargo, enabling us to enjoy the many luxuries that come from abroad. As the global demand for goods has increased, so has the size of the cargo ship. For ships coming from China, the port in Long Beach, California is a strategic port on the West Coast. See [...]
Lessons learned from the BP oil spill disaster
The impact of the oil spill disaster on the Gulf ecosystem and the livelihood of many will be a subject of many future discussions and litigation. The spill, which has now been contained, has clearly been a nightmare that BP wishes to put behind it. Especially so, given that ongoing investigations continue to reveal that [...]
The Economic Impacts of High-Speed Rail on Cities and their Metropolitan areas
A review of the Conference of Mayors’ report on the economic benefits of high-speed passenger rail on cities and their metropolitan areas. Is the report overly ambitious in its analysis of the potential economic benefits considering that high speed rail carries obstacles that might take years to address?
Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Project in Seattle
On our recently featured compilation of the top 10 most impressive engineering projects, the Boston Big Dig project made it at number four, well ahead of The Millau Viaduct and The Channel Tunnel. What impressed us most about this Boston wonder was the audacious approach to solving a congestion issue. Where most people would have [...]
Spotlight Project: The Hoover Dam Bypass
I have always been a fan of the Hoover Dam, evident of this is my documented spiritual moment experience during my last visit. I am now glad to report that the Dam will soon boast an equally impressive epilogue to its already impressive history. The nearly completed Hoover Dam Bypass is a 1,060-foot, twin-rib concrete [...]
Can we ever end our dependence on oil?
An insightful discussion on how we can end our dependence on oil and save the planet and ourselves.
