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Underground stormwater storage facility in Minneapolis ‘fixes’ floods

Photograph courtesy of Barr Engineering Co.

Topics Column Media

Geotechnical Engineering

California's subway tunnels exemplify seismically safe infrastructure

WSP rail and tunnel engineers share lessons on building seismically resilient infrastructure in Los Angeles and San Franciso.

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Ethics

Engineers must do the right thing, even on their own time

An engineer tried to game the federal tax system and was caught.

A first responder in full orange personal protective gear and thick goggles stands on a mound of collapsed structure.

Hazard Response & Mitigation

Engineers share critical safety tips for helping at natural disaster sites

Being an engineer at a disaster site is dangerous. Safety best practices are non-negotiable for all engineers.

Image shows a multistory building with greenery moving up the facade.

Urban & Regional Planning

Proposed research lab design vertically transforms urban landscape

Digitized robot head with a thought bubble emerging from its mouth.

Artificial Intelligence

Powerful combo of AI tools transforms how engineers handle complex info

Black words that read “solar power boost) on a golden background.

Environmental Engineering

New Mexico research facility develops solar-powered water treatment method

More from the magazine

In a grid of boxes are multiple drawn images, such as puzzle pieces, arrows, a lightbulb, people, etc.

Engineering firms large and small need to develop their future leadership

How successful civil engineering firms find or create next-generation leaders.

A middle-aged White man with a gray beard and black glasses, wearing a black-and-white-checkered button-down shirt leans over an architectural drawing on a table.

The best civil engineers are lifelong learners

Researchers explore the crucial role of active and continual education for civil...

A city skyline is highlighted against the sunset. Two executives are shown shaking hands in silhouette.

How and why civil engineers must adapt to a global marketplace

What civil engineering firms must consider when opening international offices.

Photograph shows a body of water with industrial buildings on one side and a road on the other. In the water on the right is structure made of earth and rocks with vegetation on it.

$40 million aquatic habitat restoration in Seattle provides a home for salmon

The new habitat in the city’s industrial waterfront serves as a blueprint...

From the archives

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.

A tall masonry pier is shown in the foreground. Iron chains weave through the top of the pillar to attach to the ground on one side and a bridge suspension system on the other. In the background can be seen the other pillar the chains attach to.

Behind the Union Chain Bridge’s historic landmark status

Ted Green, P.E., M.ASCE, has a passion for a piece of United Kingdom history.

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.

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...

breakwaters of a wildlife refuge

Breakwaters aim to halt ongoing erosion at coastal refuge

A new series of breakwaters in southwestern Louisiana features an innovative, lightweight...

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...

destroyed and roofless buildings after a fire and subsequent explosion

Lessons learned in the Beirut blast

Experts compared established projections with the actual damage from the blast at...

man in biohazard gear

US Army Corps deconstructs nuclear facilities carefully

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently decommissioned and dismantled a nuclear...

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,...

new arena lit up at night

Chase Center arena in San Francisco excels above and below ground

The opening of the Chase Center arena in San Francisco is the...