ReEngineering the Engineer: Written vs. Oral Communication: You Make the Call
I admit I haven’t really embraced the whole texting thing, and I don’t believe it’s an age gap. Although I communicate with our kids that way about half the time—out of necessity—I rarely do so with our clients (unless, of course, I’m running late for a meeting). It has nothing to do with the medium. Texting (and let’s broaden it a little to written communication) certainly has its place. A quick note from your kids letting you know they got to their destination safely or that they survived the...
The Right Tool for the Job: Multiple Tools Complicate Reality-Capture Landscape
When it comes to capturing existing conditions, the first question in everyone’s mind seems to be “to scan or not to scan?” With all the technologies out there, the next question is usually “which tool is best for the job?” Complicating the ability to answer these questions is the accelerated pace at which new technology developments and commercially available products enter the market. When overwhelmed by choices—especially new, unproven and expensive options—we’re often moved to inaction, m...
Battling Corrosion Problems in Harsh Middle East Environmental Conditions
Figure 1. Migrating corrosion inhibitors form a protective layer on the surface of embedded steel reinforcement. By Julie Holmquist Harsh environmental conditions create an added challenge to the durability of structures in Middle Eastern regions such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar. Engineers in this region must take into account the effect that corrosive conditions will have on new build structures and find a way to counteract these elements to achieve a substantial service l...
Code Update: Provisions for Cold-Formed Steel Nonstructural Members Clarified in AISI S220
For most cold-formed steel framing projects, industry or manufacturers’ design tables are sufficient for specifying and constructing nonstructural partitions. But for projects where the requirements are outside the usual limits, design professionals and building officials now have a resource to address those challenges. Prior to 2011, designers consulted AISI S200, North American Standard for Cold-Formed Steel Framing—General Provisions, for both structural and nonstructural members. In an effo...
Letters from March/April 2018 Issue
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From the Editor: Old Habits Die Hard
I have a theory, and I wonder what you think about it. It has to do with ancient pyramids, spaceships, artificial intelligence, robots and self-driving cars. No, this doesn’t have anything to do with “ancient astronauts” or Chariots of the Gods; it's a bit more mundane and a lot more serious. The Other 1% Without getting bogged down in the numbers, many studies have found that since the 1950s, manufacturing (which includes automobiles, aerospace and electronics/microchips, along with nearly ev...
Historic Bookbindery Opens New Chapter
By Kenny Lapins New York’s Tribeca neighborhood in Lower Manhattan is known for its contributions to artistry. Home of the annual Tribeca Film Festival and firehouse Hook and Ladder Company No. 8 (headquarters of the Ghostbusters in the original film), this is a neighborhood whose architectural aesthetic rises from the transformation of century-old factories. The building's long-span composite floor systems are substantially thinner than alternative composite systems and easily integ...
Future Forward: Learning Through Doing: Solar Farms and Curriculums
This page profiles innovative and impactful applied research in civil and structural engineering to spur continuing thought and dialog to create a better industry. These profiles are based on interviews, and the opinions and statements are those of the subject and are not necessarily shared or endorsed by this publication. Alan Russo is senior vice president of sales and marketing at REC Solar, which recently partnered with Cal Poly San Luis Obispo to finance and build a new 18.5-acre s...
Future Forward Full Interview: Learning Through Doing: Solar Farms and Curriculums
This page profiles innovative and impactful applied research in civil and structural engineering to spur continuing thought and dialog to create a better industry. These profiles are based on interviews, and the opinions and statements are those of the subject and are not necessarily shared or endorsed by this publication. Alan Russo is senior vice president of sales and marketing at REC Solar, which recently partnered with Cal Poly San Luis Obispo to build a new 18.5-acre solar farm tha...
Change Leader: Recycling Our Way to a Stronger ‘Circular Economy’
These profiles are based on interviews, and the opinions and statements are those of the subject and are not necessarily shared or endorsed by this publication. Scott Mouw is senior director of technical assistance for The Recycling Partnership, a national nonprofit dedicated to improving the performance of the U.S. recycling system. The Recycling Partnership uses funding from major corporate partners to improve the recycling systems in more than 500 cities and towns across the nation, in...
Stormwater Interview with Robert Page, P.E., Vice President, HNTB
Santa Barbara County North Branch Jail Expansion
February Issue 2026
