12 Days of Construction Christmas 2018 - Valuable Experience

ENGINEERING TECH

Article | July 21, 2021

A typical rebar detailing office has a spread of different ages working there – from those with just a few years of experience, to staff who have been detailing rebar for decades. In many ways, this mirrors the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry itself. However, as experienced staff are so quick to produce rebar documentation, often existing ways of working remain in use long after they have been replaced with more efficient methods. After all, by using familiar workflows only new detailers require training, rather than a whole office. Yet 3D rebar detailing software provides more benefits than just quicker deliverables – the benefits to the business, as well as the entire workflow, are significant. With the right rebar CAD software, this does not have to involve a steep learning curve that staff are not ready for, either.

ENGINEERING TECH

Article | August 24, 2021

Infrastructure Australia outlines new guidance on how to improve infrastructure resilience Infrastructure Australia has released a new set of resilience guidelines for infrastructure, noting that the events of recent years have brought Australia’s vulnerability to threats such as bushfires, droughts, floods, pandemics and cyber-attacks into sharp focus. The Advisory Papers, developed in partnership with Infrastructure New South Wales, estimate that, by 2050, the economic cost of natural disasters in Australia will more than double from about AU$18 billion annually to AU$39 billion. Infrastructure Australia wants infrastructure resilience in project planning and business cases “to become business as usual”. The organisation is required to evaluate business cases for infrastructure projects that receive more than AU$250 million in funding from the federal government and has indicated it may reject proposals that do not effectively incorporate infrastructure resilience.

Article | April 23, 2020

Andy Magee is a Senior Civil Engineer at Leeds City Council and ICE Yorkshire & Humber’s STEM Ambassador of the Year. STEM outreach is crucial, says Andy. Firstly to better inform the next generation of the opportunities available to them, but also to the civil engineering industry which is facing a potential skills shortage in the future. Outreach work helps us to grow the potential engineers of tomorrow and equip them with the skills needed for an ever-changing world of work – in being able to find and convey innovative ideas and solutions for example.

ENGINEERING TECH

Article | July 14, 2021

When the Tamina Bridge in the Swiss Alps was first proposed, the engineers were uncertain how they would create a bridge that spanned two different heights at each end of the valley, at a height of 220m (772 feet) above ground. Yet despite these challenges, the bridge was completed a year ahead of schedule in just four years – mainly due to the efficiencies that Building Information Modelling (BIM) provided. While the name may inadvertently imply that only buildings can benefit, BIM offers a host of advantages when designing and building bridges as well.