Civil Engineering

Technology’s Role in Civil Engineering Inspection: Live Remote Inspection

June 7, 2022 By EMI

This is a guest blog by Nick Heim, P.E.

Civil engineers are designers and builders of everything related to infrastructure: roads, bridges, dams, ports, and many others. While new construction of any asset gets a lot of attention for several reasons, that asset must be maintained over its lifespan – and civil engineers play a critical role in the inspection of it. As the second of a multipart series on technology’s role in civil engineering, I would like to talk about the advantages of live remote inspection and some tips to help your firm implement the process.

Note that remote inspection is often spoken about in terms of either live/real time, or post-processed (to be viewed later). This article will be focusing on the former. The latter will be discussed in another part of this series.

Note: The examples used in this month’s article relate to parking structures, because that is what the author specializes in. The author’s intent is that the technology showcased through these specific examples can be applied broadly to other civil engineering projects.

The Benefits of Working for a Private Water Utility

May 31, 2022 By EMI

This is a guest post by Jon Earle, PE, ENV SP

In this blog post, I will be discussing the benefits of working as an engineer for a private water utility. My current role is Manager of Engineering and Technical Services with Maine Water Company. We are a collection of 12 small to medium-sized systems serving approximately 80,000 people across Maine. Maine Water is part of the San Jose Water Group (SJWG) and is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange.

Variety of Projects

Tecnologías de Ensayos No Destructivos para Pavimentos II

May 16, 2022 By EMI

En mi artículo anterior sobre tecnologías de ensayos no destructivos para pavimentos, destaqué la importancia de dichas tecnologías durante y después de la construcción de carreteras. Los ingenieros y técnicos confían más en los métodos de pruebas no destructivas (NDT, por sus siglas en inglés) para evaluar las características, la calidad y el rendimiento de los materiales utilizados en la construcción de las diferentes capas del sistema de pavimento porque es una técnica muy valiosa que puede ahorrar dinero y tiempo en la evaluación e investigación de las diferentes capas y materiales de pavimento. Las decisiones relacionadas con el control y la garantía de la calidad del pavimento se basan tradicionalmente en métodos de muestreo destructivos de cobertura limitada, como la extracción de muestras o testigos, que representan significativamente menos del 1% del pavimento en servicio.

Debido a que la prueba NDT no alteran permanentemente el área que se inspecciona, la realización de la prueba no es destructiva por naturaleza. Esto ayuda a reducir cualquier aumento de costo y tiempo necesario para evaluar materiales in situ debido a una alteración de los materiales o capas de pavimento ensayadas y, por lo tanto, no es necesaria la corrección del posible daño causado para mantener la integridad del pavimento diseñado.

Non-Destructive Testing Technologies for Pavements II

May 16, 2022 By EMI

In my previous article on non-destructive testing (NDT) technologies for pavements, I highlighted the importance of such technologies during and after the construction of highways. Engineers and technicians are relying more on non-destructive test (NDT) methods to evaluate the characteristics, quality, and performance of the materials used in constructing the different layers of the pavement system because it is a highly valuable technique that can save both money and time in pavement material and layers evaluation, troubleshooting, and research. Decisions related to pavement quality control and assurance are traditionally based on destructive sampling methods of limited coverage, such as coring, that represent significantly less than 1% of the in-service pavement.

Because NDT does not permanently alter the area being inspected, conducting the test is non-destructive in nature. This helps reduce any cost and time increase needed to evaluate in-situ materials due to an alteration of the materials or pavement layers tested, and, therefore, no correction of the possible damage caused is necessary to maintain the integrity of the designed pavement.

Civil Engineers Are in High Demand

May 9, 2022 By EMI

I am a member of the social networking site “Nextdoor” (I call it a nosy neighbor site). I joined for the COVID updates and to volunteer my superpowers as a relatively young, low-COVID-risk person. But I stayed for the complete insanity that is village gossip. I was a little shocked to get a notification from my county saying “Civil Engineers!!! We need you!” I clicked on the post and it sounded a little desperate. It seems my county doesn’t mind what stage of your career you are in, what area of civil engineering you are in, or even if you get your job ads from a site used primarily to discuss whose dog is barking at what time.

In the same week, I got an email from a city not too far from me, where I had unsuccessfully applied for a job in 2016, asking me if I would like to apply for a job again. They provided a link to the job they were thinking about, but stressed that if anything else caught my eye I should apply for that too.

The following week I got two messages on LinkedIn from recruiters about civil engineering jobs, located about two hours away, that they thought I might like to apply for.

Now is a good time to point out that while I have worked as a civil engineer before, until now I have never been recruited as one. There is a convincing argument that when you get a Ph.D., you will no longer be a good engineer. Clearly this is an oversimplification, and an enjoyable discussion can be had on this. But I would say that I can’t think of a person I know, or know of (other than me), who has done graduate-level research and then gone into an EIT or P.E. role exclusively. So it should make sense when I tell you that previously, all the messages I got recruiting me to apply for a job were for jobs in R&D, teaching and talking about research, or in one fun case setting up experiments for a TV show. But not civil engineering jobs. As such, these latest recruiting messages conjured up visions of a barrel and an entire HR department reaching as far as they can to the base.

So what’s happening and should we be worried? Well, lots, and yes, always.

Geotechnical Engineering: What It Is and Why You Need It

May 2, 2022 By EMI

When someone asks what I do and I tell them that I am a geotechnical engineer, I usually get the follow-up question of, “What is that?” Geotechnical engineering is a specialized branch of civil engineering that deals with the science of the mechanics of soil and rock and its applications. Essentially, geotechnical engineering is involved with anything that is built in the ground or out of soil and rock. In this article, I will discuss the role of geotechnical engineering and the types of problems geotechnical engineers solve.

What Types of Projects Are Geotechnical Engineers Involved In?

Geotechnical engineers (geotechs) are involved in nearly every type of civil engineering project. After all, every structure is supported by soil or rock unless it is floating, flying, or falling down. Some of the more common types of projects that geotechs are involved in include tunnels, dams, highways, embankments, landfills, and levees.

What Are the Responsibilities of a Geotech?

Geotechs are normally most involved at the beginning of a project. Some of the tasks that a geotech may be responsible for are investigating subsurface conditions, determining required lab testing of soil and rock, interpreting the subsurface exploration results, and writing reports that document the site conditions and provide recommendations for foundations, fill specifications, slope stability, etc.

Are Geotechs Only Used on Large Engineering Projects?

No way! Consulting with a geotechnical engineer can be helpful even on smaller residential projects. Often, people do not want to pay for geotechnical reports or design on smaller projects, but the cost of a consultant is typically much cheaper than paying for extensive foundation repairs in the future.

What Types of Structures Do Geotechs Design?

Geotechs are involved in the design of highway cuts and fills, shallow and deep foundations, earth retaining structures, embankments, tunnels, landfills, dams, slope stabilization systems, and pavement subgrades.

Are There Specialties Within Geotechnical Engineering?

Yes, geotechnical engineering covers a broad spectrum of topics including, but not limited to, unsaturated soil mechanics, rock mechanics, geosynthetics, offshore geotechnics, ground improvement, liquefaction of soils and earthquake engineering, slope stability and landslide stabilization, computational geomechanics, and foundations. It is not uncommon for geotechnical engineers to specialize in only one of the areas listed above and study that subject their entire career.

Closing Thoughts

Geotechnical engineering is an important aspect of any civil engineering project. No matter how great a structure is built, it will not be great for long if the foundation is inadequate. It is important to keep geotechnical engineers involved throughout the duration of projects so that if unanticipated conditions are encountered, a proper course of action can be taken to mitigate any future problems. Oftentimes, things that may not seem important turn out to be important years later when issues arise. One last thing to keep in mind: geotechnical engineering is married to geology. No matter how great your engineering expertise is, if something important is missed in the geologic characterization at a site, your expertise may not save you.

About the Author: Jese H. Vance, P.E.

Jese H. Vance, P.E., graduated from Marshall University with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering and received a Master of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is currently working toward a Ph.D. in Geological Engineering at Missouri University of Science and Technology. Jese works as a geotechnical engineer who specializes in geohazards. He has worked in the civil engineering consulting industry since 2012 and recently launched his own geotechnical engineering firm. Jese lives in West Virginia with his wife and son. He enjoys crawling around on any landslide he can find and spending time fly fishing on the water. He can be found on LinkedIn.

I hope you enjoyed this week’s post by guest author Jese Vance. If you’re interested in your firm possibly joining the Civil Engineering Collective, please contact us here or call us at 800-920-4007.

I hope you’ll join us.

Anthony Fasano, P.E.
Engineering Management Institute
Author of Engineer Your Own Success

Working With Consulting Engineers (GSC) From the Owner’s Perspective – Part 5

April 25, 2022 By EMI

Part 5: Maintaining Relationships With Consultants

In the fifth and final part of this blog series, I will be discussing the importance of maintaining relationships with engineering consultants while working in the public sector. Previously, I walked through the project life cycle and the importance of strong collaborative relationships. In this article, I will discuss how this experience will help both the owner and engineer in future projects.

The Project Is Over … Now What?

Even before the project is complete, both the public works engineer and consultant will likely be working in the design phases of future projects. The experience of working with a consultant allows an engineer to experience the strengths and weaknesses of a consultant, along with what went well and what didn’t on a project. A project debriefing meeting benefits all parties involved in a project and can help in a more efficient means of project delivery for future collaborations.

Successful and unique collaborations can sometimes lead to professional growth opportunities. In my own personal example, I recently co-presented at the state and regional level on a river intake and raw water pump station project that was recently completed. This was a great opportunity to develop my public speaking skills while discussing specific project details with other engineers and water operators to help their professional growth.

Learning From Consultants

As mentioned previously, a primary reason for hiring an engineering consultant is to leverage technical skills and experience not available with in-house staff. Successful utility engineers should take these opportunities to develop technical skills in other engineering disciplines. Having improved working knowledge of project design criteria and other deliverables will enhance future projects by having clear expectations and understanding of the goals of a project from the owner’s perspective.

Future Opportunities

In Maine, the engineering community is a small group. Many engineers like myself have worked in both the public and private sectors and have worked with colleagues in both roles. As a utility engineer, working with consultants may present an opportunity to make a change or career growth. There are many opportunities for this in the current job market, as many consultants are looking to grow and add staff to handle current and future workload.

Working closely with consultants provides an engineer an inside look into how a firm operates, their culture, and the people they would be working with if they were to make a change. Conversely, these project collaborations allow the consultant to see firsthand the personality and skills of a potential future hire beyond a traditional hiring process.

Final Thoughts

Many projects require outside assistance to the owner or agency in order to be successful. Knowing what to expect from the owner’s perspective is a key skill for an engineering consultant. In addition, consultants hired for a specific expertise are invaluable for more complex and multiphase projects. In the end, these collaboration are necessary for delivering the infrastructure solutions our residents and customers expect and have entrusted in us.

Previous Articles in This 5-Part Series

Working With Consulting Engineers From the Owner’s Perspective
Working With Consulting Engineers From the Owner’s Perspective – Part 2
Working With Consulting Engineers (GSC) From the Owner’s Perspective – Part 3
Working With Consulting Engineers (GSC) From the Owner’s Perspective – Part 4

About Jon Earle, PE, ENV SP

Jon Earle graduated from the University of Maine with a Bachelor of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering and has completed graduate coursework at the University of Southern Maine in Public Administration. He currently serves as the Supervisor of Engineering Services for Maine Water Company. Jon is responsible for capital project delivery and oversight in 12 public water systems serving approximately 32,000 customers across the state of Maine. In addition, Jon has served on his local planning board and is currently a board member of the Maine Society of Professional Engineers.

I hope you enjoyed this week’s post by guest author Jon Earle, PE, ENV SP. If you’re interested in your firm possibly joining the Civil Engineering Collective, please contact us here or call us at 800-920-4007.

I hope you’ll join us.

Anthony Fasano, P.E.
Engineering Management Institute
Author of Engineer Your Own Success

Technology’s Role in Civil Engineering Inspection – Aerial Imagery

April 18, 2022 By EMI

Civil Engineers are designers and builders of everything related to infrastructure: roads, bridges, dams, ports among others. While new construction of any asset gets a lot attention for several reasons, that asset must be maintained over its lifespan – and Civil Engineers play a critical role in the inspection of it. As the first of a multi-part series on technology’s role in Civil Engineering, I would like to talk about the advantages of aerial imagery and how it can improve your Civil Engineering inspections.

Note: the examples used in this month’s article relate to parking structures, because that is what the author specializes in. The author’s intent is that the technology showcased through these specific examples can be applied broadly to other Civil Engineering projects.

1. Image Clarity

Have you ever been awarded a project, and wanted to do some reconnaissance prior to inspection? I have, and often have been met with disappointment as the quality of free imagery was lacking. Details critical to reconnaissance are typically unclear and do not provide the desired level of clarity.

How to Delegate Like a Pro

April 13, 2022 By EMI

Look — delegating is hard. Let’s just be honest. As you start your career, usually everything you do is self-performed, driven by you, and you can rely on yourself to complete tasks to the quality level needed. As your career progresses, there will begin to be more work than you can complete on your own, and it will lead to utilizing other team members to get things done.

This has a fancy term called delegation. Delegation is a skill. Some people are inherently better at it, but nobody is born a master of delegation. Mastery of delegation allows you to continue to move up and progress in your career. If you don’t master it, then delegation can be like a curse. There are different levels of delegation. I am going to cover what I believe to be the three levels of delegation that young engineers need to learn how to master if they are going to move from a technical engineer to any form of management or leadership.

All forms of delegation require some level of planning and follow up on your part. Depending upon the level of delegation, the level of planning and following up varies.

Non-Destructive Testing Technologies for Pavements

April 4, 2022 By EMI

During and after the construction of highways, engineers and technicians rely on test method technologies to evaluate the characteristics, quality, and performance of the materials used in constructing the different layers of the pavement system. Some of these test methods need to collect cores or conduct material sampling that is destructive in nature, which means that the materials or layers tested are altered and, therefore, a correction of the possible damage caused is necessary to maintain the integrity of the design pavement. This correction can potentially translate into a cost and time increase when evaluating the materials and layers of pavement.

Nondestructive (NDT) testing methodologies have been developed with the help of technological advances in recent decades. This allows for the use of sensors to collect information on the properties of materials or pavement layers without causing damage. One of these technologies for pavement structure being used for project and research applications is the Road Doctor Survey Van (RDSV). The RDSV is an advanced, non-destructive road survey technology that is currently being evaluated by the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) Office of Material and Road Research (OMRR). This advanced, non-destructive road survey system collects continuous surface and subsurface measurements by integrating state-of-the-art hardware and advanced software to process, synchronize, and visualize the large and complex data that it collects.