Codes have changed significantly through the years. When I started engineering, the structural section of the North Carolina Building Code was just more than 100 pages and was basically the “one-stop shop” for all our structural engineering analysis and…
Infrastructure Outlook: Power Play: Protecting Critical Infrastructure from Cyber-attacks
Governments generally define the essential assets of a functioning society as its critical infrastructure, including electricity, communications, heating,…
From the Editor: Use Different Viewpoints to Uncover the Unknown Unknowns
I read a meme-like quote a few days ago: “It amazes me that I can wirelessly transfer data from my brain to another brain by vibrating the air with…
From the Editor: A Brief Glimpse at Useful AEC Pocket Tech
Living with tech is a lot like living with a new puppy: it’s not easy to recognize changes occurring through time until you step back and look at where we were not long ago compared to where we are today. Every couple of years, I see a graphic (or sometimes…
Thoughts From Engineers: The Hidden Monster That’s Our Failing Water Infrastructure
An aging house built in the 1930s with chipping paint, a porch door that swings eerily in the wind and precariously leaning support beams gets attention. A bridge with rusty trusses and roads with potholes get attention as well. People complain—loudly—to…
Executive Corner: The Latest Trends in A/E Stock Valuation and M&A Pricing
Rusk O’Brien Gido + Partners, LLC recently released its annually updated ”A/E Business Valuation and M&A Transactions Study.” Data from the sixth-edition study show remarkable stability in valuations of minority interests in privately held A/E…
Final Thoughts: Let’s Talk About Our Favorite Projects
As I sat at my desk trying to come up with an interesting topic to discuss, I decided to let you, the reader, do a little thinking about your interesting work topics. It’s important to realize the effect projects have on you as well as others, so I’ll…
Code Update: AISI Publishes Design Example to Illustrate New Method for Analytical Modeling of Cold-Formed Steel Structures
Engineers in the construction industry have traditionally relied on simplified approaches to building design based on standardized formulas and tabulated solutions. However, as software and tools evolve and become more accessible, the industry’s forward-thinking…
ReEngineering the Engineer: Why Not Dream Big?
When I started my company several years ago, I decided to play the “I need to be close to home” card. Instead of commuting 20 miles to Charlotte, N.C., every day, I found some office space close to our home. I was pretty sure I’d be spending a lot of…
Infrastructure Outlook: Lessons to Learn from Public-Private Partnerships and Military Housing
America’s infrastructure is in dire need of repairs. In its latest report, the American Society of Civil Engineers warns that our infrastructure is “falling apart.” Addressing these issues will require massive financial commitments, which is why…
