The August Ethical Dilemma: Writing for Newspapers
Engineer Susan, a renowned structural engineer, is hired for a nominal sum by a large city newspaper to visit the site of a state bridge construction project.
The July Ethical Dilemma: Can Engineers Offer Services Outside of Their Firm?
Brad is the engineer who actually developed the proposal for the firm. A city official approaches Brad and asks if he would agree to a contract as a consultant.
The Johnstown Flood
The rain pelted the men that desperately tried to save the dam, located 14 miles upstream of the town of Johnstown, PA in the southwest corner of the state. Hours earlier, Elian Unger, the president of the South ...
The June Ethical Dilemma: Changing Firm Name after Acquisition
Engineer Brown was the founding principal of a firm named "Brown Engineering," and later Engineers Smith and Jones were employed by Brown Engineering.
The May Ethical Dilemma: Nominal Political Contributions
Jack is requested to make a $5,000 political contribution, the maximum amount allowed by law, to help pay the cost of the media campaign of the county board chairman.
The April Ethical Dilemma: Is a Complimentary Seminar Considered a Gift?
Andy agreed to accept items of substantial value (e.g., travel expenses, multi-day program, resort location, etc.) our conclusion would have been quite different.
The March Ethical Dilemma: Hire Project Representative or Quit?
Daniel should have insisted that the client hire the on-site project representative or refuse to continue to work on the project. While this might appear to be a harsh result.
Lessons Learned: The Collapse of World Trade Center Building 7 (WTC)
Unlike the Twin Towers, WTC 7 was not directly hit by an airplane, yet it collapsed completely, making it the first known instance of a tall building brought down primarily by uncontrolled fires. This article aims to explore the structural causes behind the collapse of WTC 7 from an engineering perspective.
What is MHD?
Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) – a specialized field marrying fluid dynamics and magnetism – delves into the behavior of electrically conducting fluids, such as saltwater or plasma, under the influence of magnetic fields. Beyond its intriguing theoretical constructs, one of its most promising applications lies in water propulsion.
BP Refinery Explosion
The vapor cloud found an ignition source - most likely a running vehicle or a spark from a nearby contractor's trailer - and ignited. The resulting explosion was equivalent to approximately 1,000 to 2,000 kilograms of TNT, and it was felt up to five miles away.