The
Engineer: A new brand of Superhero made for our times
As an old comic book collector, I loved Jeff Link’s
article comparing the narrative of the superhero comic to the
prevailing uncertainties of our time. For me, superheroes have been
saving the world since
the arrival, inception, or concept of the comic book.
(https://www.autodesk.com/redshift/resilience-planning/)
Today, rather than garbed in capes, masks, or fabulously colored
costumes, superheroes are dressed like you or me, in ties, suits, and/or jeans. And yes, like the rest of us, most are
concerned about our rapid environmental change or aging infrastructure. Where are they different? Today’s superheroes
work daily on finding engineering solutions to environmental and
infrastructure problems. Let us introduce
the advocates and contributors for change: Engineers!
Some may say they are advocates and contributors to bettering the world, others
may even say their superpower is shapeshifting the realms around us.
As Link notes, today’s issues are very different from The Great Depression
of Superman’s time. In the latest superhero blockbusters, we are facing the
archenemies of rapid environmental
change, worsening infrastructure, and security threats. Today, engineers can
choose to be our environmentally conscious Ironmen or sit back and watch the
story unfold, along with the rest of us. The following are ways in which
engineers are implementing new solutions to affect our world.
What is resilience planning?
The
word resilience lends itself to many different areas. For us humans, the meaning includes the ability to bounce back and adapt to new conditions or
environments. In the business world, resilience might mean to stand the
test of downturns. A resilient organization also
needs to change or to adapt to new market conditions. For engineering and
construction professional’s resiliency planning means designing infrastructure
that withstands environmental changes, and other dramatic events.
There is more of an awareness and consciousness among the engineering
and construction professionals about resilience planning. It goes “above and
beyond” protecting the environment. When
working on a project with resilience planning in
mind one will look at what happens in the long term; as well as understanding
which materials will prolong the life of buildings, landscapes, or other infrastructure;
and for contributing to environmental sustainability.
Dramatic climate change and solutions
In November 2018, the U.S. Global Change Research Program released the Forth National Climate
Assessment. The report projected that average global temperatures will
increase up to 9 degrees by the end of the century. That had just about everybody, except engineers,
reaching for the red panic button. Engineers,
along with scientists and environmental
professionals, play a crucial role in discovering
and implementing solutions. With the introduction and application of their innovations,
pressing the panic button can be delayed, at
least until the next time.
Why
is bendable concrete so valuable?
Among the causes of the weakening of our national infrastructure
is the fragility of concrete. As soon as cracks appear on roads or the exterior
of buildings, alarm bells sound that they need to be replaced or reinforced.
Environmental occurrences can cause freeways
to collapse and bridges to buckle, in part because they are not strong enough
to withstand the impact. Even when excluding natural forces, bridges crumble,
as they sometimes are unable to handle a tensile load. There are solutions that engineers and
scientists have come up with to prevent such issues, such as bendable
concretes, which have the ability to stretch or deform to make structures less vulnerable to tornados, storms,
bomb blasts, or terrorist attacks. When bendable concrete surfaces experience
damage they can self-repair.
How does
concrete self-repair? When cracks appear in a bendable concrete road surface,
contact with air and water generates self-healing properties, which bind
hairline cracks together, almost like glue. Think of when you experience a cut
to your skin and how after
a while your skin naturally heals itself, one may compare it’s self-healing to
this.
Besides
bendable concretes ability to self-repair, when used as the surface to the exterior of buildings, it keeps occupants cool even when
temperatures are soaring outside. Special
micron-sized wax-type materials embedded within the concrete transform from a solid to a liquid form. It is a
similar process when you place ice cubes in a glass, let’s say of lemonade, the
cubes will melt due to the hot temperature outside the glass.
Innovations to protect
us from human threats
Unfortunately,
society also faces increasing dangers from terror
attacks. As with the natural forces discussed above, there are solutions to
strengthen our infrastructure. Don Dusenberry, cited in Jeff Link’s
article above, presents three ways to minimize the risks of a human-made event:
First, place barricades around the building. Second, harden the structure of the
building, this minimizes the impact of a bomb blast, fire, or explosion.
Finally, create an alternate load
path which transfers stress throughout the
building, so if an essential function of a building fails, it will not
collapse. Link writes that the above “disproportionate
collapse mitigation methods have
material and lifesaving applications.”
Engineers superheroes
for now and the future
The world is changing rapidly. Today we have listed examples of how engineers and others are implementing
innovative solutions to prepare for natural and human-caused events. In some instances,
engineers can use a life scale analysis,
which may help direct them to their choice
of the best-suited materials for
their superhero missions (okay… projects).
The Fourth National Climate
Assessment should sound the trumpet of urgency for city planners and other
officials. Roads, bridges, and other structures need reinforcement and repair
in case of hurricanes, floods, or any numbers of other natural or human
caused forces that may decide to strike. Today’s construction and engineering
teams also use sustainable materials that ensure roads and bridges are long-wearing
and buildings are more comfortable for occupants. We tip our hats to
those who are creating solutions for our safety and comfort, and consider you
to be our modern-day superheroes.