BRIGHTWATER TREATMENT PLANT

In today’s world where water pollution is one of the biggest modern day problem, conserving it becomes a matter of prime importance. An unconventional yet effective way of conservation may be reusing water after proper treatment. A similar initiative is undertaken in Washington by the Brightwater Sewage treatment plant.

   Brightwater is a 114-acre (46 ha) state-of-the-art facility using industry-leading technology to create clean water with vastly reduced by-products, that went online on November 2,2012.The forerunner of the sewage plant was a 13-mile (21 km), 17.5-foot (5.3 m) diameter tunnel which supplies sewage to the plant.

Brightwater protects water quality and prevents water pollution by providing wastewater treatment to 17 cities and 17 local sewer utilities. It serves about 1.5 million people, including most urban areas of King County and parts of south Snohomish County and northeast Pierce County.

Sustainable elements of the community centre building Brightwater include:

• Re-use of existing on-site and salvaged materials when possible;
• Use of recycled materials;
• Natural ventilation and daylighting;
• Energy efficient lighting;
• Energy Star appliances;
• Radiant floor heating from the treatment plant’s thermal energy production;
• Washington-made solar panels ;
• Green building features will be used as teaching tools;
• Reclaimed water used for irrigation and toilet flushing.

Since the proposal of this project Brightwater has faced numerous lawsuits, including a lawsuit by King County against Snohomish County that was settled when King County agreed to pay $70 million for public safety, habitat protection, and parks in Snohomish County.

There were complaints regarding smells associated with sewage treatment and geologists due to at least one active fault line running through the site. Brightwater countered these concerns by stating the plant will feature advanced odour control, 40 acres (160,000 m²) of wildlife habitat will be restored, the plant has been designed to withstand a 7.3 magnitude earthquake, and that the project will be paid by new customers.^[

Brightwater Centre earned Platinum level certification through the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standard. 

Links referred: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brightwater_sewage_treatment_plant

http://www.kingcounty.gov/environment/wtd.aspx

http://gbdmagazine.com/2014/30-king-county-department-of-natural-resources/

CRAZY BRIDGES

When we talk about bridges we have a typical image in our mind of a sloping pavement resting on piers that is connecting two sides of a highway over a crossing or a river. But can you imagine bridges which can curl, roll, challenge gravity or be as high as 700 meters above ground? 

The Eshima Ohashi Bridge in Japan which is designed to accommodate ship traffic under it is 44 meters high. It is sometimes referred as the ‘Roller Coaster for cars’. The Langkawi Sky Bridge in Malaysia is 125 meters long bridge which is above Mt. Cinchang. It is 700 meters above sea level and is cable stayed on a single support! The Rolling Bridge in London is a movable type of bridge which can curl to allow passage of boats. The Helix Bridge in Singapore is the world’s first curved double helix pedestrian bridge. It is inspired from the structure of DNA. It allows visitors a 360 degree skyline view.

For more information refer to the links:

1.       http://laughingsquid.com/eshima-ohashi-bridge-a-tall-bridge-in-western-japan-that-resembles-a-roller-coaster-for-cars/

2.       http://www.langkawi-info.com/attractions/skybridge.htm

3.       http://golondon.about.com/od/londonforfree/ss/Rolling-Bridge.htm

http://www.arup.com/Projects/Helix_bridge.aspx

THIRSTY CONCRETE

Just imagine that you are walking on a black asphalt road and you see a huge concrete mixing truck unloading a huge mass of water. But to your surprise, the water gets vanished. Sounds like magic? No, it isn’t. Not when road is paved with a new permeable paving material called Topmix Permeable.

Topmix Permeable concrete is developed by the British building material manufacturer Tarmac to prevent flooding caused by storms and even prevent car accidents on wet roads. Topmix employs instead of fine materials like sand, tiny pieces of crushed granite. The void content is increased from 15-40% depending upon site conditions. When rainwater falls on the road, it drains through the porous concrete and a base layer of gravel. Eventually, the rainwater percolates into the ground recharging underground water networks.

However presently it is available in UK alone. It is recommended only for walkways and parking but not for highways. It cannot tackle floods due to sea level rise and its utility in cold climate conditions is still a topic of research.

For more details, please refer:

1.      http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/09/30/3706935/permeable-concrete-climate-change-benefits/

2.  .    https://www.quora.com/How-does-topmix-permeable-concrete-work

3.      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWiq0NbJmaw

SWING BRIDGE IN CHINA

  A challenging project was put forward by the Chinese government to make a 250 meter long 6 lane flyover above the high-speed railway without stopping the railway service for even a minute! With the country’s high speed rail network being the largest in the 
world, it was considered not feasible to even halt it temporarily and so building a 17000 ton bridge seemed to be a very difficult job. 
A group of civil engineers accepted this challenge and built the bridge parallel to the rail route. When the bridge was built completely they rotated it from above the railway network. The whole rotation of 106 degrees of this 17000 ton bridge was covered within 90 minutes.
  This type of project is the first in Asia and the second in the world after the Kingsgate bridge which was built in 1968. They completed their task without even stopping the train service for a minute! In fact they didn't even inform the train company!

Reference Link:

http://interestingengineering.com/incredible-engineering-china-rotated-a-17000-ton-bridge-into-place-after-its-construction/

ENGINEERS' DAY

Every year September 15th is celebrated as Engineer’s day all across India in honour of Sir Mokshgundam Visvesvaraya.  Sir Mokshgundam Visvesvaraya (popularly known as Sir MV) is inarguably considered as the greatest engineer of India. He was also an eminent scholar and statesman. 
Born into a Brahmin family in rural areas of erstwhile Mysore state (now Karnataka), he lost his father at an early age of 12. Facing various difficulties during his childhood, he persevered to get his education and passed high school and B.A. from Bangalore. He studied Civil Engineering from College of Engineering, Pune.
After his graduation in 1883, he worked as an Assistant Engineer in PWD, Mumbai and then joined Indian Irrigation Commission upon invitation where he gave his distinguished service. After that, he worked as a Chief engineer in Mysore state and then became Diwan of Mysore state until 1918.
 His stint as a civil engineer was remarkable. He implemented an intricate system of irrigation in Deccan. He designed and patented a system of automatic weir water floodgates. These gates were employed to raise the flood supply level of storage in the reservoir without causing damage to the dam. This system was installed in Krishnaraj Sagar Dam in Mysore and Tigra Dam in Gwalior. He was the chief designer and engineer of flood protection of Hyderabad city and famous Krishnaraj Sagar Dam across Cauvery river. The dam created the biggest reservoir in Asia then and increase the agricultural production of nearby area manifold.
In 1906-07 British Government of India, sent him to Aden in order to study water supply and drainage system and project done by him was successfully implemented in Aden. He also visited foreign countries like China, Japan in 1898 and Egypt, Canada, Russia and US in 1908. In 1915, he was awarded Knighthood by the British Empire for creativity of his mind towards engineering ideas.
 As Diwan of Mysore, he also showed his acumen as a statesman.He helped establish numerous engineering institutes, agricultural university, steel plant and various commercial institutions like State Bank of Mysore. 
In the heady post independence days of nation building, vision of Sir MV paved a way for modernism. He is known for his sincerity towards work, responsibility to the cause and dedication towards people. His contribution to the legacy of Civil engineering is not only a source of national pride but also bears a testimony to his brilliance, dedication, skill and honesty.  He was awarded with nation’s greatest   honour ‘Bharat Ratna’ in 1955. He will inspire generations of engineers to come for working in the good of society.


Reference Links:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M._Visvesvaraya

2. https://eksparsh.wordpress.com/2010/09/15/sir-mokshagundam-visvesvaraya-a-tribute/

3. http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-karnataka/remembering-karnatakas-icon-sir-m-visvesvaraya/article646652.ece

KINGDOM TOWER

The ever-taller story of multi storeyed skyscrapers is due to reach a new milestone in 2018 – or rather, kilometre-stone. On completion, the Kingdom Tower in Jeddah will rise at least 1,000 metres (1 km) into the Saudi Arabian sky, thus stealing the coveted crown of world’s tallest building from Dubai’s 828m-tall Burj Khalifa. 

The Kingdom Tower promises to house 121 serviced apartments, 360 residential apartments, a 200-room Four Seasons hotel and class A office space to boot, grossing to a total of 200 floors. Its top 85 floors will go unoccupied as they are too narrow for apartments or offices The Tower will also have the world’s highest observatory.

The Kingdom Tower, estimated to cost $1.23 billion, will cover 50-hectare (120-acre) plot with surrounding buildings. Its core rests on 247 concrete pillars in its triangular base which covers 12 hectares!

It’s construction will require about 5.7 million square feet of concrete and 80,000 tons of steel, according to the Saudi Gazette.

The project’s official construction estimates that the project will get finished by 2018.


Reference Links:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_Tower

2. http://time.com/3951439/kingdom-tower-looks-to-set-a-record/
3. http://edition.cnn.com/2014/04/17/world/meast/saudi-arabia-to-build-tallest-building-ever/

DA VINCI TOWER

The world's first moving building, an 80-storey tower with revolving floors giving a shifting shape, will be built in London, its architect says. Initially, the tower was going to be built in Dubai but money troubles have put it on hold. The Dynamic Tower design is made up of 80 pre-fabricated apartments which will spin independently of one another.
"It's the first building that rotates, moves, and changes shape," said architect David Fisher, who is Italian, at a news conference in New York."This building never looks the same, not once in a lifetime," he added.
The 420-meters (1,378-foot) building's apartments would spin a full 360 degrees, at voice command, around a central column by means of 79 giant power-generating wind turbines located between each floor. The slender building would be energy self-sufficient as the turbines would produce enough electricity to power the entire building and even feed extra power back into the grid, said the Italian architect at the unveiling of the project in New York. The apartments, which will take between one and three hours to make a complete rotation, will cost from $3.7m to $36m.There are also plans to build a similar, 70-storey skyscraper in Moscow.
"I call these buildings designed by time, shaped by life," said the Florence-based architect, who has never built a sky-scraper before.
"These buildings will open our vision all around, to a new life."
Indeed, no details are given about an intended building site, planning permissions, funding, or potential tenants, and we suspect the notion is more spin than twist.

HYDROPOLIS : DUBAI

We may soon be able to sleep with the fishes in the Middle East sea and in luxury, which we might well expect when we are paying as much as US$5,500 for a days lodging. Just have a look how our dream will come true.
"I am sure that this project will create an international sensation and will also be the beginning of a new era in architecture,"" said Joachim Hauser, the German architect and investor who's spearheading the project.
The Hydropolis Underwater Hotel is situated 30 meters below the surface of the Persian Gulf off the coast of Jumeirah in Dubai. Tourists will be greeted by the underwater exquisiteness and recreation under the water. This Hotel is one of the largest modern construction projects worldwide and has 261 hectares. The Hotel was built in June of 2010. The Hotel has Bar, Restaurant, wedding receptions and conferences. The hotel is separated into three interesting and distinctive areas.
"Hydropolis imparts a unique impression of distinctiveness and exclusivity, an attraction that does not diminish after a first phase of curiosity," Hauser said in his press conference presentation. "Guests from all over the world and from all cultures will be attracted by a multitude of offers, which simultaneously address mind, body and soul in an unparalleled manner. It is the dream of all humankind to live in and explore the sea."
There have been a lot of delays due to the estimated cost; the affect on the marine environment and the economic crisis. The Hydropolis will be a grand addition to the existing hotels in Dubai, if ever built.

The First Space Hotel

If you are tired of the Mediterranean and do not want to head to Disney again, perhaps its time for a summer holiday in space? Would not it be cool if you had the option of spending your summer vacation orbiting the Earth? Actually, this will be possible very soon!
Russian engineers have announced the ultimate get-away-from-it-all holiday, revealing plans to put a hotel into orbit 200 miles above Earth by 2016. Russian firm Orbital Technologies has revealed plans to build the first hotel in outer space, set to launch into orbit, 217 miles above the Earth's surface. Finally, a hotel where every room has an oceans-side view.

Space Hotel

A five day stay in the hotel will cost around $165,430, plus the $827,500 rocket trip up there (unless solar sails somehow drop the cost). But unlike most millionaire-frequented hotels, this one will not come chock-full of amenities. Guests can choose between horizontal and vertical beds in the zero-gravity environment, and will dine on food prepared on Earth and sent up- a very high-tech take on room service. They will have internet access, delicacies such as braised veal cheeks with wild mushrooms, white bean pure, potato soup and plum compote, will all be available. We all are pretty excited to see what Bigelow is able to accomplish on its upcoming missions.

What is Civil Engineering?

Much of the physical infrastructure of our modern society is provided by Civil Engineers. Civil Engineers are concerned with all types of structures including dams, bridges, pipelines, roads, towers and buildings. They are responsible for the design and construction of all our transport systems, the design and management of our gas and water supply, sewerage systems, harbours, airports and railways. Civil Engineers plan, design and test the structures of private and public buildings and facilities.

They are also involved in many environmental areas such as the assessment of the impact large scale projects have on the environment and the collection and treatment of sewage and industrial wastes, pollution control, environmental control and resource protection and management.

Work opportunities for civil engineers are affected by fluctuations in the building and construction industry. As a result, the number of opportunities may rise or fall over a short period of time.

In the beginning, Civil Engineering included all engineers that did not practice military engineering; said to have begun in 18th century France. First "Civil Engineer" was an Englishman, John Smeaton in 1761.Civil engineers have saved more lives than all the doctors in historyde - velopment of clean water and sanitation systems.

Earthquake Engineering

Earthquake engineering is the field concerned with protecting society, natural and man-made environment from earthquakes by reducing the seismic risk to socio-economically acceptable levels. Traditionally, it has been defined as the study of behaviour of structures subject to seismic loading. However, the tremendous costs experienced in recent earthquakes have led to an expansion of its scope to encompass disciplines from the wider field of civil engineering and from sociology, economics and finance.

Environmental Engineering

Environmental Engineering is the integration of sciences and engineering principles to improve the natural environment, to provide healthy water, air, and land for human habitation and for other organisms, and to clean up pollution sites. Furthermore, it is concerned with finding plausible solutions in the field of public health, such as water borne diseases, implementing laws which promote adequate sanitation in urban, rural and recreational areas. It involves waste water management and air pollution control, recycling, waste disposal, radiation protection, industrial hygiene, environmental sustainability, and public health issues as well as a knowledge of environmental engineering law. It also includes studies on the environmental impact of proposed construction projects.

Geotechnical Engineering

Everything you see around you is supported by soil or rock. Geotechnical engineers are responsible for that. Anything that is not supported by soil or rock, either floats, flies or falls down.Geotechnical engineering is the branch concerned with the engineering behaviour of earth materials. Geotechnical engineering is important in civil engineering, but also has applications in military, mining, petroleum and other engineering disciplines that are concerned with construction occurring on the surface or within the ground. Geotechnical engineering uses principles of soil mechanics and rock mechanics to investigate subsurface conditions and materials, assess risks posed by site conditions; design earthworks and structure foundation.

Geotechnical engineering is also related to coastal and ocean engineering. Coastal engineering can involve the design and construction of wharves, marinas, and jetties. Ocean engineering can involve foundation and anchor systems for offshore structures such as oil platforms.

Hydraulic Engineering

Hydraulic engineering is the application of fluid mechanics principles to problems dealing with the transport, collection, storage, regulation, measurement, and utilization of water.

Hydraulic engineering as a sub-discipline of civil engineering is concerned with the flow and conveyance of fluids, principally water and sewage. One feature of these systems is the extensive use of gravity as the motive force to cause the movement of the fluids. This area of civil engineering is intimately related to the design of bridges, dams, channels, canals, and levees, and to both sanitary and environmental engineering.

A hydraulic engineer develops designs for spillways and outlet works for dams, culverts for highways, canals and structures for irrigation projects, and cooling-water facilities for power plants.

Structural Engineering

Structural engineers are most commonly involved in the design of buildings and large non-building structures but they can also be involved in the design of machinery, medical equipment, vehicles or any item where structural integrity affects the item’s function or safety. Structural engineers must ensure their designs satisfy given design criteria, predicated on safety (i.e. structures must not collapse without due warning) or serviceability and performance.

Structural engineers are responsible for engineering design and analysis. Entry-level structural engineers may design the individual structural elements of a structure, for example beams, columns, and floors of building. More experienced engineers may be responsible for the structural design and integrity of an entire system, such as a building.

Structural engineers often specialize in particular fields, such as bridge engineering, building engineering, pipeline engineering, industrial structures, or special mechanical structures such as vehicles, ships or aircraft.

Its sub-disciplines are: bridge engineering, structural health monitoring, design of structure.

Some professional bodies are ASCE, ICE (London), institute of structural engineers.

Geodesy (Surveying)

It is the science and art of making all essential measurements to determine the relative position of points or physical details above, on, or beneath the any surface, and to depict them in a usable form, or to establish the position of points or details.

Surveyors use elements of geometry and trigonometry, physics and engineering. Surveying equipment includes total stations, robotic total stations, GPS receivers, prisms, 3D scanners, radios, handheld tablets, digital levels, and surveying software.

It is required in the planning and execution of nearly every form of construction. It’s most familiar modern uses are in the fields of transport, building and construction, communications, mapping, and legal boundaries for land ownership.

Transportation Engineering

Transportation engineering is a major component of the civil engineering and mechanical engineering disciplines. Transportation engineering is the application of technology and principles to planning, functional design, operation and management of facilities for all modes of transportation to provide for the safe, efficient, rapid, comfortable, convenient, economical, and environmentally compatible movement of people and goods.

It usually involves an urban transportation planning model, requiring the estimation of trip generation (how many trips for what purpose), trip distribution (destination choice, where is the traveller going), mode choice (what mode is being taken), and route assignment (which streets or routes are being used).

Transportation engineers need to see that vehicles move smoothly on the road or track. Older techniques include signs, signals, markings, and tolling. Newer technologies involve intelligent transportation systems.

Its sub-branches are: highway engineering, airport engineering, railroad engineering, harbour and port engineering.

Some of the major professional bodies: NHAI, American Society for Highway Engineering (ASHE), Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies (EASTS), Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE).

Did you know?

The first environmental engineer is said to have been Joseph Bazalgette. According to an article, Bazalgette oversaw the construction of the first large-scale municipal sanitary sewer system in London in the mid-19th century. This was prompted by a series of cholera epidemics, as well as a persistent unbearable stench, that were attributed to the discharge of raw sewage into the Thames which was also the main source of drinking water for the city. This "great stink" which was so noxious that it caused Parliament to evacuate Westminster, gave then-Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli grounds to ask for 3.5 million pounds to improve the city's sewage disposal system.