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TSEC 49: What a Geotechnical Engineer Thinks a Structural Engineer Needs to Know

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In this episode, we talk to Jared M. Green, PE, D. GE, NOMA, who is the host of one of EMI’s other podcasts, The Geotechnical Engineering Podcast. Jared is also a Vice-President at Langan Engineering, and in this episode, he is going to tell us what he thinks a structural engineer needs to know about a geotechnical engineer.

Engineering Quotes:

Geotechnical Engineer
Geotechnical Engineer

Here Are Some of the Questions We Ask Jared:

  • What do geotechnical engineers do, and in your opinion how does that differ from what structural engineers do?
  • If a civil engineer asks you what field you think he or she should specialize in, choosing between a geotechnical and structural engineer, what advice might you offer about each?
  • How feasible do you think is it to get a B.S. in one field and then a Masters in the other?
  • How important is it to get a geotechnical master’s degree?
  • Share with us one secret/tip that you think structural engineers may not know about geotechnical engineering?
  • How can structural engineers become more involved, or work more closely with geotechnical engineers?
  • In your opinion, what can we expect of geotechnical engineering in the future?

Here Are Some of the Key Points Discussed About What a Geotechnical Engineer Thinks a Structural Engineer Needs to Know:

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The Value of Positive Public Perception — In COVID and BEYOND!

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This is an article by Sam Lytle, P.E. speaker for our upcoming CEC session: The Value of Positive Perception for Your Civil Project which you can find here

It’s hard to fathom now, but only months ago, groups of unmasked people gathering together to learn about a public works project was not only a common and important part of our democratic process, but a valuable opportunity to gain valuable public support. 

Virtual public meetings have now become a viable alternative to pre-COVID gatherings. With this shift — and similar to many other industries in 2020 — has come a fundamental questioning of the very purpose of these public meetings. Has technology made meeting together unnecessary? Will these changes rewrite decades of written and unwritten rules about the necessity of public meetings to communicate project designs?

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Developing an Entrepreneurial Mindset: Risk Is Opportunity

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This is a guest blog by Michael Burns, PE, PgMP, DBIA

An Entrepreneurial Mindset

In previous EMI blogs, we discussed Thinking Big and Being Mindful as We Set Goals and Building Confidence Through Empathetic Stakeholder Engagement. I fully respect that managing these objectives with a myriad of associated voices can be distracting as we attempt to sustain growth. Sustaining growth, for our businesses and talent, is particularly difficult in the Architectural, Engineering and Construction (AEC) Industry, as we constantly regroup to provide service on projects that marry significant technical challenges with dynamic client expectations. So, the intent of this month’s discussion is to explore a Risk Intelligent approach, creating a consistent basis for our teams to develop an entrepreneurial mindset and explore entrepreneurial solutions. 

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TSEC 21: Structural Analysis Using Finite Element Modeling and Hydropower Dam Inspections

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In episode 21 of The Structural Engineering Channel podcast, we talk to Aimee Corn, PE, who is a civil and structural engineer at Gannett Fleming. Aimee will be talking to us about structural analysis using finite element modeling and hydropower dam inspections. She also talks about her career journey and shares some great tips on communication and overcoming failure in your engineering career.

Engineering Quotes:

Finite Element Modeling

Here Are Some of the Questions We Ask Aimee in This Episode:

  • Your technical work has focused a lot on dams. You’ve developed non-linear models of 40- to 300-foot-tall arch dams. Can you talk to us about the structural engineering that goes into that?
  • What are some of the places where you use finite element modeling or where you find it most helpful?
  • What goes into a hydropower dam inspection?
  • How important are written communication (e.g., email, technical reports, memoranda) and verbal communication (e.g., presentations, phone calls) skills on these projects and in the workplace in general?
  • What is the Potential Failure Mode Analysis (PFMA) process and how it is used?
  • What are some of the resources and ways that students can get into the dam industry?
  • How can a person evolve their professional association participation beyond just joining as a member?
  • Do you have an overall life or career philosophy you can share with us?

Here Are Some of the Key Points Discussed About Finite Element Modeling and Hydropower Dam Inspections:

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How to Start Your Own Engineering Practice

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How to Start Your Own Engineering Practice is a guest blog by Allison Hail

How to Start Your Own Engineering PracticeSo you want to start your own engineering practice? Becoming an independent engineering consultant can be very lucrative. It also gives you freedom over the work you do. But it is a very different lifestyle than working for an engineering firm. There are several important items to consider before taking the plunge.

Find Your Niche

As any engineer will tell you, engineering is an enormous field of work. Even within your specialization, there is a huge variance in the kinds of projects you might take on as an engineering consultant. With innovations occurring every day in the tech sector, this variety is only set to increase.

This presents a wide array of possibilities to specialize your practice. While it may not be wise to be picky about the type of projects you take on at first, aim to be carving out a niche for yourself over time. Building a profile as the go-to person for certain kinds of projects will reduce the time you need to spend finding new clients. As word of mouth spreads, clients should start coming to you off the back of your reputation.

Stay on Top of the Admin

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How to Manage Multiple Projects at the Same Time

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How to Manage Multiple Projects at the Same Time is a guest blog by Alexandra Reay

Manage Multiple ProjectsIn today’s world, it’s crucial to be able to manage multiple projects at the same time. New technologies are quickly developing, while companies are expanding their market reach. Businesses aim to minimize their costs and maximize their efficiency by hiring fewer, higher-standard employees. Multitasking has become the latest trend once again. This process can be challenging.

Here are some tips from my experience on how to manage multiple projects at the same time:

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Who Are Quantity Surveyors and Why Are They Important?

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This is a guest post by Mike Johnston
Quantity Surveyors

Civil engineering is a discipline many people are not really familiar with. This is a real shame since civil engineering impacts our society so much. Namely, it comprises various professions, including structural, geotechnical, environmental, water resources, construction management, and transportation engineers.

One particularly interesting area is quantity surveying, a profession that blends engineering, construction, and economics. The emphasis is on the last part, albeit there are many other tasks that these experts perform.

Word up

To avoid any confusion, let us just provide a quick clarification of terminology.

Those who live in Canada or the US might have heard the term construction cost estimator.  On the other hand, a quantity surveyor is widely used in countries like UK and Australia. The roles of the two are more or less similar depending on the region. For instance, a construction cost estimator in the US is equivalent to a quantity surveyor in the UK, even though there are some extra requirements for each one.

Sometimes, the terms cost managers and cost consultants get thrown around. But, in this article, we are going to use only quantity surveyor, though in a broader sense that transcends local and project-to-project differences.

What do surveyors do?

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Looking Back on 2016: How Multitasking Negatively Impacted Engineers’ Productivity

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This is a guest blog post by Carol Evenson

Science has done its due diligence, and the research speaks for itself; multitasking is officially out as a productivity tool. In fact, the latest data shows that multitasking can actually decrease productivity.  Clearly, as a busy engineer, a decrease in productivity is the last thing you want and need.

In this post, I’ll show you how to take a look at your habits over the last year and convince you to make your first 2017 resolution to leave multitasking behind for good.

Three Types of Multitaskers

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