For us engineers, quality is a big deal. Industry standard quality control dictates that most documents and designs require a "second stamp" i.e. a reviewer who takes as much responsibility as the designer. But what does a true project quality management plan look like? In this article, I will talk about project quality from the perspective of the project management … [Read more...]
Many engineers wish to give back to their profession, and one of the most noble ways is to volunteer your time overseas. I have done this multiple times, and I intend to do it again. Here I will give you some options for how to do it and what it looks like. First, let me list a few organizations: Engineers Without Borders ASCE Disaster Assistance … [Read more...]
The centroid of an area is the geometrical center, i.e. the average of all of the points in an area. It is always the same, regardless of how you turn the shape. It is also the center of gravity of a three dimensional object. Basic Shapes The centroids of common shapes are shown below: Shape Centroid Square/Rectangle Right-Angle … [Read more...]
A pocket penetrometer is a fantastic little invention which geotechnical engineers and technologists find very handy. It is a small handheld gauge which contains a telescoping rod which can be pushed into the soil. The distance the rod goes into the soil corresponds to a compressive strength on the dial. Measurement of Soil The pocket penetrometer measures the … [Read more...]
The Standard Penetration Test is an in-situ test that is useful in site exploration and foundation design. It produces an N-value, which represents the number of blows of a standardized sampler driven into the soil a standardized distance. How the Test Works The sampler is 51 mm O.D. (outside diameter) and it is driven into the soil with a 63.5 kg weight having a … [Read more...]
According to the Project Management Institute, less than two thirds of projects meet their intended goals. The other one third are projects that end up with a drastically different scope than they began with, sometimes with different deliverables, or even get canceled outright. The project managers of these projects are not doing any favors for their careers. I … [Read more...]
Radial Gates, also known as tainter gates (after the structural engineer who popularized them) are the most common type of spillway gate in use today. It is classified as an undershot gate because water flows under the gate. It consists of a curved skin plate supported by a structural steel frame. A hoist system is used to raise or lower the gate. Advantages Better … [Read more...]
Big companies and small companies each have their own pros and cons. In the end, it comes down to personal choice. Read through the following pros and cons and see where you fit. Small Company Pros: Better experience at multiple projects and more diversity in your experience. Small companies tend towards true empowerment because they don't normally have the … [Read more...]
The Hydraulic Grade Line is a graph of the pressure and gravitational heads plotted along the position of the pipeline or channel. HGL Elevation = hp + hz Where: hp = pressure head (m or ft) hz = gravitational head (m or ft) Energy Grade Line Th Energy Grade Line is related to the hydraulic grade line in that it contains the velocity head as well. EGL Elevation = … [Read more...]
In today's ultra-competitive landscape, it doesn't take much for projects to turn around and chart a direction for failure. Even some of the best project managers I know have had their share of troubled projects. So take a litmus test right now. If your project exhibits any of these 5 behaviors, you might need to take action before things get really … [Read more...]
