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http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/matter_energy/civil_engineering/
Civil Engineering News and Research. From new mathematical models for building better structures to new corrosion-resistant composites, read all the latest discoveries in civil engineering here.
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Wed, 25 Aug 2010 05:05:01 EDT
Wed, 25 Aug 2010 05:05:01 EDT
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/matter_energy/civil_engineering/
For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily.
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100823193947.htm
Computers are everywhere these days -- even on surfboards. Mechanical engineering undergraduates outfitted a surfboard with a computer and accompanying sensors -- one step toward a structural engineering Ph.D. student's quest to develop the science of surfboards.
Tue, 24 Aug 2010 20:00:00 EDT
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100823193947.htm
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100816114831.htm
Hydrogen is considered the fuel of the future. Yet this lightest of the chemical elements can embrittle the metals used in vehicle engineering. The result: components suddenly malfunction and break. A new special laboratory is aiding researchers' search for hydrogen-compatible metals.
Sat, 21 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EDT
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100816114831.htm
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100817143816.htm
Extra-hard coatings made from diamond-like carbon (DLC) extend the operating lifetime of tools and components. In artificial joints, however, these coatings often fail because they detach. Swiss researchers found out why – and developed methods to both make the interface between the DLC layer and the metal underneath corrosion-resistant and to predict the lifetime of the implants.
Thu, 19 Aug 2010 05:00:00 EDT
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100817143816.htm
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100510092513.htm
Less noise, less exhaust, less refuse - air travel of the future is expected to be quieter, cleaner and more environmentally friendly. To achieve this goal, new structural concepts and aerodynamic profiles have to be engineered, along with better drive concepts as well as adapted logistical designs, and then put to use. In the European project Clean Sky, researchers want to make their contribution to solving this Herculean task.
Wed, 18 Aug 2010 20:00:00 EDT
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100510092513.htm
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100728121337.htm
Nanomaterials are poised for widespread use in the construction industry, where they can offer significant advantages for a variety of applications ranging from making more durable concrete to self-cleaning windows. But widespread use in building materials comes with potential environmental and health risks when those materials are thrown away. Those are the conclusions of a new study.
Wed, 28 Jul 2010 23:00:00 EDT
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100728121337.htm
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100712154432.htm
Facial reconstruction patients may soon have the option of custom-made bone replacements optimized for both form and function, thanks to researchers. A team of scientists applied an engineering design technique called topology optimization to model patient-specific, case-by-case designs for tissue-engineered bone replacements.
Tue, 13 Jul 2010 11:00:00 EDT
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100712154432.htm
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100616171649.htm
After a succession of eight separate earthquake simulations, a 110-foot long, 200-ton concrete bridge model withstood a powerful jolting, three times the acceleration of the disastrous 1994 magnitude 6.9 Northridge, California earthquake, and survived in good condition.
Thu, 17 Jun 2010 23:00:00 EDT
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100616171649.htm
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100607122446.htm
In response to the massive oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico, an engineering professor has developed a technique for separating oil from water via a cotton filter coated in a chemical polymer that blocks oil while allowing water to pass through. The researcher reports that the filter was successfully tested off the coast of Louisiana and shown to simultaneously clean water and preserve the oil.
Tue, 08 Jun 2010 14:00:00 EDT
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100607122446.htm
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100607142227.htm
Scientists have improved a strain of yeast that can produce more biofuel from cellulosic plant material by fermenting all five types of the plant's sugars.
Tue, 08 Jun 2010 11:00:00 EDT
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100607142227.htm
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100602111139.htm
The concept of a wind-powered vehicle that can be used to explore the surface of Mars -- a "tumbleweed rover" -- has been around for more than 10 years, but there has been no consensus on exactly what that vehicle should look like. Now researchers have developed a computer model that allows engineers to test the attributes of different vehicle designs before creating costly prototypes for testing in real-world conditions.
Thu, 03 Jun 2010 20:00:00 EDT
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100602111139.htm
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100530093704.htm
Scientists have discovered the secret behind an ancient Chinese mortar made from sticky rice, that delicious "sweet rice" that is a modern mainstay in Asian dishes. They also concluded that the mortar -- a paste used to bind and fill gaps between bricks, stone blocks and other construction materials -- remains the best available material for restoring ancient buildings.
Tue, 01 Jun 2010 14:00:00 EDT
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100530093704.htm
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100528101548.htm
An innovative bicycle-powered water pump, created by a student in the UK, has proved a huge success and is now in regular production in Guatemala, transforming the lives of rural residents.
Tue, 01 Jun 2010 14:00:00 EDT
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100528101548.htm
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100527213816.htm
The familiar early summer call of the cuckoo has inspired composer and poet alike, but the sound belies the bird's true parasitic nature. Now, researchers have taken the cuckoo's wont to deposit its eggs in the nests of other birds as inspiration for a new approach to engineering design.
Fri, 28 May 2010 20:00:00 EDT
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100527213816.htm
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100524143421.htm
Efforts to extend the life of structures and reduce repair costs have led engineers to develop "smart materials" that have self-healing properties, but many of these new materials are difficult to commercialize. A new self-healing concrete, however, may prove to be cost-effective.
Tue, 25 May 2010 14:00:00 EDT
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100524143421.htm
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100524124057.htm
W. Ross Morrow, an Iowa State University mechanical engineer, believes engineers have a place in public policy debates. And so he's working to improve large-scale computer models of engineering and economic systems that are at the center of energy and environmental policy debates.
Mon, 24 May 2010 00:00:00 EDT
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100524124057.htm
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100518121633.htm
An engineer has developed the prototype for a new device he calls a Soft Tissue Stress Monitor, designed to alleviate some of the deep-tissue damage and problems suffered by the amputated and infirm.
Fri, 21 May 2010 02:00:00 EDT
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100518121633.htm
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100511173823.htm
Engineers are developing new and improved poles to carry electricity across the countryside. They say the new structures -- which can bend and deflect an extreme load -- would be cheaper, easier to install, more secure and more resistant to cascading failures. That means better electrical service for everybody.
Thu, 13 May 2010 23:00:00 EDT
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100511173823.htm
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100420101340.htm
In military and security situations, a split second can make the difference between life and death, so the development of new "smart sensors" that allow for faster response times from military applications is important. Equally important is new research that will help ensure those sensors will operate under extreme conditions -- like those faced in Afghanistan or elsewhere.
Mon, 10 May 2010 05:00:00 EDT
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100420101340.htm
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100428110802.htm
A researcher has developed a computer chip that can store an unprecedented amount of data -- enough to hold an entire library's worth of information on a single chip. The new chip stems from a breakthrough in the use of nanodots, or nanoscale magnets, and represents a significant advance in computer-memory technology.
Thu, 29 Apr 2010 11:00:00 EDT
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100428110802.htm
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100421111355.htm
Damage to concrete bridges caused by rust can have fatal consequences, at worst leading to a total collapse. Now, researchers have developed an early-warning system for rust. Sensor-transponders integrated in the concrete allow the extent of corrosion to be measured.
Sat, 24 Apr 2010 17:00:00 EDT
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100421111355.htm
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100422093538.htm
A new solar concentrator design from an electrical engineering Ph.D. student could lead to solar concentrators that are less expensive and require fewer photovoltaic cells than existing solar concentrators.
Thu, 22 Apr 2010 17:00:00 EDT
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100422093538.htm
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100422160557.htm
How do engineers prepare buildings to withstand earthquakes? According to experts in Spain, one approach to this problem is to consider a building as you would a living being.
Thu, 22 Apr 2010 00:00:00 EDT
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100422160557.htm
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100421111401.htm
New research finds the documents that prove Alfred L. Rives was the designer and primary builder of the Cabin John Bridge, outside Washington, for 40 years the world's longest single span masonry bridge and the nation's longest still today. But after joining the Confederacy, Rives was denied credit.
Wed, 21 Apr 2010 00:00:00 EDT
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100421111401.htm
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100414122643.htm
Solar power in southeastern Ontario has the potential to produce almost the same amount of power as all the nuclear reactors in the United States, according to two new studies.
Fri, 16 Apr 2010 05:00:00 EDT
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100414122643.htm
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100409105355.htm
Could inexpensive wireless sensors based on nanotechnology be used to alert engineers to problematic cracks and damage to buildings, bridges, and other structures before they become critical? A feasibility study would suggest so.
Mon, 12 Apr 2010 20:00:00 EDT
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100409105355.htm
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100329082011.htm
The cement used in Oslo's new Bjørvika tunnel kept 8,000 tonnes of CO2 from entering the environment – the equivalent of 60 million vehicle trips through the tunnel.
Fri, 09 Apr 2010 05:00:00 EDT
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100329082011.htm
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100407094500.htm
Researchers have developed a new way to shape ceramics using a modest electric field, making the process significantly more energy efficient. The process should result in significant cost savings for ceramics manufacturing over traditional manufacturing methods.
Wed, 07 Apr 2010 17:00:00 EDT
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100407094500.htm
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100401143117.htm
Nanotechnology researchers have used friction force microscopy to determine the nanoscale frictional characteristics of four atomically-thin materials, discovering a universal characteristic for these very different materials. Friction across these thin sheets increases as the number of atomic layers decreases, all the way down to one layer of atoms.
Mon, 05 Apr 2010 05:00:00 EDT
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100401143117.htm
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100322111945.htm
Reducing the cost of keeping broiler chickens warm could result from research by agricultural scientists and university cooperators.
Tue, 30 Mar 2010 08:00:00 EDT
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100322111945.htm
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100329135101.htm
a new mathematical model describes the fracture process for materials such as glass, polymers, concrete, ceramics, metals, rocks, and even certain geological fractures. The simulation model is powerful enough to predict and describe crack patterns in structures ranging in size from the microscopic to others as large as certain geological faults.
Tue, 30 Mar 2010 02:00:00 EDT
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100329135101.htm
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100323105952.htm
Tiny generators could produce enough electricity from random, ambient vibrations to power a wristwatch, pacemaker or wireless sensor.
Wed, 24 Mar 2010 14:00:00 EDT
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100323105952.htm
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100323161821.htm
Microfluidic devices typically depend upon electrokinetic or traditional pressure methods to move microscopic amounts of fluid around a fixed microchip. Engineering researchers have created a paradigm shift -- and moved some tiny channels in the process.
Wed, 24 Mar 2010 08:00:00 EDT
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100323161821.htm
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100308095449.htm
Scientists have made synthetic 'sea shells' from a mixture of chalk and polystyrene cups -- and produced a tough new material that could make our homes and offices more durable.
Tue, 09 Mar 2010 11:00:00 EST
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100308095449.htm
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100225172332.htm
Mechanical engineers have fabricated an ultra sharp, diamond-like carbon tip possessing such high strength that it is 3,000 times more wear-resistant at the nanoscale than silicon. The end result is a diamond-like carbon material mass-produced at the nanoscale that doesn't wear.
Fri, 26 Feb 2010 14:00:00 EST
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100225172332.htm
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100223132019.htm
Researchers have discovered that, under the right conditions, newly developed nanocrystalline materials exhibit surprising activity in the tiny spaces between the geometric clusters of atoms called nanocrystals from which they are made.
Wed, 24 Feb 2010 20:00:00 EST
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100223132019.htm
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100216113603.htm
A "metal foam" that has a similar elasticity to bone could mean a new generation of biomedical implants that would avoid bone rejection that often results from more rigid implant materials, such as titanium. Researchers have developed the metal foam, which is even lighter than solid aluminum and can be made of 100 percent steel or a combination of steel and aluminum.
Sun, 21 Feb 2010 11:00:00 EST
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100216113603.htm
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100216163533.htm
Scientists have produced a new approach for understanding surfaces, particularly metal oxide surfaces, widely used in industry as supports for catalysts. Knowledge of how atoms are arranged on a material's surface is critical to understanding a material's overall properties. In their approach, the research team used a combination of advanced experimental tools coupled with theoretical calculations.
Wed, 17 Feb 2010 05:00:00 EST
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100216163533.htm
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100209183137.htm
Researchers have developed a way to make some notoriously brittle materials ductile -- yet stronger than ever -- simply by reducing their size. The work could eventually lead to the development of innovative, superstrong, yet light and damage-tolerant materials. These new materials could be used as components in structural applications, such as in lightweight aerospace vehicles that last longer under extreme environmental conditions and in naval vessels that are resistant to corrosion and wear.
Sat, 13 Feb 2010 17:00:00 EST
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100209183137.htm
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100203111811.htm
Carbon emissions from air travel could be reduced, thanks to a new collaboration between engineers in the UK and the aerospace industry. The million project will investigate new ways of using composite materials for wing panels in aircraft. The research will be using carbon fibres that are curved within flat plates to produce damage-tolerant, buckle-free structures.
Fri, 05 Feb 2010 17:00:00 EST
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100203111811.htm
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100201145445.htm
Painting the roofs of buildings white has the potential to significantly cool cities and mitigate some impacts of global warming, a new study indicates. The research, which is the first computer modeling study to simulate the impacts of white roofs on urban areas worldwide, suggests there may be merit to an idea advanced by US Energy Secretary Steven Chu and other policymakers that white roofs can be an important tool to help society adjust to climate change.
Tue, 02 Feb 2010 02:00:00 EST
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100201145445.htm
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100118153250.htm
Deep within the Kairei Indian hydrothermal vent field, two-and-one-half miles below the central Indian Ocean, scientists have discovered a gastropod mollusk, whose armor could improve load-bearing and protective materials in everything from aircraft hulls to sports equipment.
Wed, 20 Jan 2010 23:00:00 EST
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100118153250.htm
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100118091909.htm
The “Parasols” in Seville feature components that are designed to be glued instead of bolted together. To prevent the adhesive from melting, it needs to withstand temperatures of up to 60 degrees Celsius.
Tue, 19 Jan 2010 14:00:00 EST
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100118091909.htm
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100115182633.htm
Resources to solve the housing crisis in Haiti may already be on hand. Some researchers have been experimenting with ways to convert shipping containers into emergency housing in the hurricane-prone Caribbean, where a surplus of the sturdy boxes often sits in port yards.
Sun, 17 Jan 2010 14:00:00 EST
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100115182633.htm
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100114171539.htm
The death toll in the massive 7.0 magnitude earthquake in Haiti Jan. 12 is expected to continue to rise in the coming days, likely in large part because of corruption and resulting shoddy construction practices in the poor Caribbean nation, according to a seismologist.
Thu, 14 Jan 2010 17:00:00 EST
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100114171539.htm
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100113091646.htm
A newly released rating system, Greenroads, aims to do for road construction what the LEED system has done for the building industry. The document assigns up to 118 credits for sustainable practices.
Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100113091646.htm
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100107183043.htm
Nanoscience has the potential to play an enormous role in enhancing a range of products, including sensors, photovoltaics and consumer electronics. Scientists in this field have created a multitude of nano scale materials, such as metal nanocrystals, carbon nanotubes and semiconducting nanowires.
Mon, 11 Jan 2010 14:00:00 EST
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100107183043.htm
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091230024401.htm
In excess of seven million barrels of gasoline are consumed by vehicles in the United States every day. As scientists race to find environmentally sound solutions to fuel the world's ever-growing transportation needs, battery researchers are exploring the promise of lithium-air battery technology.
Thu, 31 Dec 2009 14:00:00 EST
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091230024401.htm
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091221073727.htm
An unusual bowstring truss iron bridge that carried traffic across Roaring Run in Bedford County, Va. for almost 100 years is now a picturesque footbridge at the I-81 Ironto, Va. rest stop. Built in 1878, it is the oldest standing metal bridge in Virginia. In early December, a Virginia Tech undergraduate conducted a load-bearing analysis of the structure.
Mon, 21 Dec 2009 00:00:00 EST
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091221073727.htm
