Civil Engineering (The Magazine of the American Society of Civil Engineers)
May 2008 Vol. 78, No. 5
Contents
Features
44 Special Report: Are You Ready for BIM?
By Brian Fortner
Building information modeling (BIM), which links three-dimensional models with a wide variety of data, enables engineers to “virtually” design and construct a buliding in its entirety before ever breaking ground, eliminating costly changes and errors. And although BIM requires intensive training, early collaboration, and some changes in responsibiliyies, many engineers say that once thay began using it they nev er turned back.
58 Safeguarding a Lifeline
By Sarah Holtz Wilson, P. E., M. ASCE, David F. Tsztoo, P. E., M. ASCE, Carl R. Handford, and Kenneth Rossi
To ensure that the Oakland,California,area will continue t receive drinking water even in the event of a major earthquake along the Hayward Fault, a local utility constructed a bypass tunnel and two side drifts that will allow a significant water pipeline to undergo lateral deflections of as much as 7.5 ft (2.3 m) yet remain in service.
64 Why Bridges Have Failed throughout History
By Charles Seim, P. E., F. ASCE
The failure of bridges, whether they collapse outtright or simply do not behave as their designers intended, is not a new phenomenon. Much may be learned by examming particular bridge failures in earlier times to determine what went wrong and how such mistakes can be avoided in the future.
72 Levee Alternative
By John S. Horvath, Ph. D., P. E., M. ASCE
Expanded polystyrene geofoam molded into large blocks is regularly used in such projects as roadways and bridge foundations, and its behavior in those applications is well understood. Less is known about how levees might be designed to take advantage of the material’s properties, however. But research and a limited number of case studies offer promise.
Departments
8 Letters
10 Polity Briefing
12 Civil Engineering News
Scaled-back bridge
Careful tunneling
Texas toll road
Faster toll collection
Sculptural museum
Trailer alternative
Barged bridge span
Railway elevated
Water for Santa Fe
Transportation challenges
Creacent-shaped hotel
News Briefs
38 Technology
40 History Lesson
43 Editor’s Note
78 Books
80 2007 Annual Report
100 The Law
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