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Space shuttle Endeavour stands tall in California Science Center display

Rendering courtesy of the California Science Center

Topics Column Media

Seismic Design

New stadium for the Los Angeles Clippers is a dream turned reality

The arena’s diagrid shell was key to the stadium’s seismic response.

Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash

Ethics

Corruption's harms affect more than the guilty parties

A zero-tolerance policy against fraud should be standard practice for engineers.

Photo of Supreme Court facade by Ian Hutchinson on Unsplash

Business Management

Liability caps may not be as enforceable as you think

Ambiguity in limited liability clauses could result in unfavorable outcomes.

A colorful rendering of the E311 shows an open, tree-lined walking path in the center between two white trains, which sit on blue rails. The path and trains all fit on a median between two multilane roads. There are tan buildings in the background and three tree-lined bridges that rise above the train median.

Environmental Engineering

Dubai green urban project promises a thriving community in the desert

The bottom of the ocean floor. In the foreground is an unexploded bomb covered in algae and in the background is a row of coral.

Coasts, Oceans, Ports & Waterways Engineering

Scientists search for ways to dispose of unexploded World War II bombs

Photo by Sara Kurig on Unsplash

Career Development

Successful engineers must learn the art of persuasion

More from the magazine

Hands type at a keyboard. In the foreground is an array of zeros and ones in various colors.

Using AI to conquer complex, costly infrastructure problems

Utility asset managers who integrate AI tools will create efficient solutions.

The image shows bright lights zooming along a highway.

How artificial intelligence can speed up transportation engineering

AI offers great opportunities — within limits — for transportation engineering.

Set against a purple backdrop, the image shows a flooded urban skyline.

Can artificial intelligence help keep infrastructure high and dry?

AI offers civil engineers new tools to predict flood damage.

The Elizabeth Line moves heavy rail beneath London

It features 42 km of tunnels and underground stations as much as 40 km deep.

From the archives

Image shows a four-lane parkway. Autumn-colored trees dot the landscape in the background.

New York City parkway showcased beautiful, nature-like leisure spaces

The Bronx River Parkway provided a model for future traffic development.

Image shows a rooftop facility consisting of a multistory building, two domed structures, and housing. A road leads to the top of the mountain.

San Jose’s Lick Observatory took telescopes to new heights

Getting the main refracting telescope to the facility was an uphill battle.

Photo shows a steel bridge with concrete piers. The bridge spans a river.

Huey P. Long Bridge in New Orleans solved a big transportation problem

Completed in December 1935, the bridge combines a highway and railroad tracks.

Photograph shows a structure with tall steel columns that taper in near the midsection with a saucer-like top lit up at night and surrounded by other buildings. The columns are connected to a central core.

Engineers and steel took Seattle’s Space Needle skyward

1962 World’s Fair attraction turned catalogue-ordered beams into a 600 ft icon.

Photograph shows the interior of a subway station—its tracks and decorative ceiling tiles.

The first New York City subway delivers speed

Innovative construction brought the rail to life.

Picture shows a black and white image of water rushing over the edge of a dam.

Ingenious design helps California’s Crystal Springs Dam stand strong

Its interlocking concrete block system enhances concrete’s structural stability.

Men stand outside a railroad tunnel.

New explosives, pneumatic drills aid decadeslong tunnel construction

It took nearly 25 years to cut a railroad tunnel through the Hoosac Range.

Two images are shown: a black and white photo of a flooded street and a color photo of a portion of a river in the foreground with a bridge and buildings in the background.

History Lesson: Flood-protection system tamed Ohio’s Miami River

The Miami Conservancy District’s infrastructure has stood the test of time.

An abandoned canal with overgrown grass and brush.

19th-century Potomac River canal project was ambitious, costly

The Patowmack Canal made a 218 mi stretch of the river navigable.

A sepia-toned picture shows the deck and piers of a bridge that spans a body of water. The suspension system comprises iron rods and chains.

Overhaul of historic UK bridge preserves form, function

The Union Chain Bridge has a new suspension system and timber deck.

Long reads that dig deep

Workers stage the cutting head module in preparation for launch. (Image courtesy of Kimmins Contracting Corp.)

Tampa wastewater upgrade features major microtunnel project

Microtunneling enables critical new force main to avoid densely populated area.

A small, snow-covered building sits amidst snow-covered trees.

What does it take to engineer under snow and ice?

Civil engineers face many challenges when working beneath the northern hemisphere’s frozen...

The Elizabeth Line moves heavy rail beneath London

It features 42 km of tunnels and underground stations as much as 40 km deep.

Curved walls lead to the main entrance. (Image courtesy of Hufton + Crow)

Designing the UK’s first large shell structure in 25 years

The 50 m diameter concrete shell honors the U.K.’s famed Lovell Telescope.

AERIAL OF PRESIDIO TUNNEL TOPS PARK

San Francisco’s Presidio Tunnel Tops park opens

The 14-acre park connects the Presidio to the waterfront — atop a highway.

California river and floodplain project restores natural processes

California river and floodplain project restores natural processes

Working to undo decades of ecological damage from mining, the project was...

photograph showing fire in a forest, homes submerged by floods, cracked earth due to drought, and palm trees blowing in the wind

How to make infrastructure more resilient against climate change

Civil engineers are promoting resiliency to ensure that the infrastructure they design...

Palm trees and community buildings line the Babcock Ranch lakefront.

How Florida’s Babcock Ranch survived Hurricane Ian

When the storm tested the town, it aced the test, exceeding expectations.

flooded creek and channel amidst green fields and trees

North Texas creek reconfigured to follow natures original design

A comprehensive environmental restoration effort in North Texas has led to the...

circular road with cars on it and green space in the middle

Modern roundabouts boost traffic safety and efficiency

The modern roundabout keeps traffic moving more safely and efficiently. Studies even...

man holding yellow hard hat under his arm

Who needs to learn more about safety? Engineers, say roundtable panelists

Civil Engineering hosted a roundtable discussion among experts who stressed the need...

hillside burned from wildfires

Response team investigates wildfire damage to buried drinking water infrastructure

A response team led an investigation into the damage sustained to Paradise,...

A night-time wildfire is burning up homes.

New computationally efficient model will ‘tame’ fire

Its ability to capture the likelihood of building damage in a wildfire...