Engineering

Researchers look for a better way to build bridges
Canadian researchers look for ways to make bridges sturdier; one project looks at the use of advanced fiber-reinforced polymers (FRPs) to protect critical concrete infrastructure against extreme shocks; the second study involves the use of ultra high-performance concrete (UHPC) to build long-life, lightweight and cost-effective bridges
- Read more
Rise in the number of U.S. students majoring in engineering
Engineering schools are seeing a surge of interest, spurred in part by reports that engineering grads earn higher starting salaries than their classmates
- Read more

First winner in space elevator competition
The contest requires their machines to climb 2,953 feet (nearly 1 kilometer) up a cable slung beneath a helicopter hovering nearly a mile high; the vehicle from the Kansas City-based LaserMotive zipped up to the top in just over four minutes and immediately repeated the feat, qualifying for at least a $900,000 second-place prize
- Read more
R. Brooks's robots are called upon to inspect pipes at nuclear power plants
The growing interest in nuclear power is good news for Brooks, a maker of remotely operated robotic inspection devices for pipes, especially in nuclear power plants; all power plants have intricate systems of pipes and systems whose internal condition is impossible to inspect by human eyes
- Read more

Earthquake-proof airport terminal in Istanbul airport
Large swaths of Turkey are earthquake prone; the 1999 Kocaeli earthquake, for example, killed 17,000 people, injured 50,000, and destroyed 27,000 buildings, leaving 500,000 homeless; estimates of property losses range from $3 billion to $6.5 billion; engineers claim they have made the terminal at Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport earthquake-proof
- Read more
NRC rejects Westinghouse's new nuclear reactor design
In what must be seen as a setback for the nuclear power industry, the NRC said that a key component of Westinghouse’s new reactor design might not withstand events like earthquakes and tornadoes
- Read more

Carbon fibers improve blast, impact resistance of conventional reinforced concrete
Researchers find that adding longer carbon fibers to conventional reinforced concrete significantly improves a structure’s ability to withstand blasts, hurricanes, and other natural disasters
- Read more
New Bay Bridge span designed to endure major quake
Twenty years ago a 250-ton section of the Bay Bridge fell into the water as a result of a 6.9 magnitude earthquake; the new bridge design will be able to withstand the largest plausible earthquake to occur within a 1,500-year period
- Read more

Indonesian experts: Dense soil, light materials vital for sturdier buildings
In the wake of last Wednesday’s devastating earthquake in Indonesia, experts call for more care in choosing sites for new buildings and communities; key factor: the stability of the soil; “If you build the foundation 20 to 30 meters deep, then you need very dense soil,” an expert said
- Read more
Earthquake-resistant building structure developed
The system dissipates energy through the movement of steel frames that are situated around the building’s core or along exterior walls; the frames rock off their foundation under large earthquakes
- Read more

Researchers develop steel Velcro
Researchers say that their “Metaklett” metallic hook-&-loop material could be used to hold together buildings, or to tape car parts to one another
- Read more
U.K. assessing two nuclear reactors designs
The United Kingdom wants to build more nuclear reactors, and the government is assessing two different reactor types — the U.K.-EPR designed by Areva and EDF, and the AP1000 designed by Westinghouse — for their suitability to meet U.K. regulatory standards
- Read more

New Orleans storm pumps do not protect city
The Army Corps of Engineers quickly installed new storm control pumps in New Orleans in the months after Katrina; trouble is, these pumps do not protect the city, the the Corps could have saved $430 million in replacement costs by buying proven equipment
- Read more
Study: No high engineering dropout rate
New study from Purdue University busts two education-related myths - - that engineering has a higher dropout rate than other majors and that women do not as well as men
- Read more
U.K. high-tech sector worried about defense budget cuts
Groups representing the U.K. high-tech sector say the government’s plans to cut funding for major weapons systems would cut 2 to 3 percent out of the U.K.’s engineering and skill base
- Read more

More headlines