Learning from natural experiments
Experiments usually involve a controlled environment where we can limit the number of variables. In a traditional experiment using the scientific method, we hold everything constant except the thing we […]
Insights
Becoming a Professional Engineer
We’ve discussed the importance of building codes and professional licensing in promoting the health, safety, and welfare of the public in previous blogs. But what does it take to become […]
What’s in the infrastructure bill?
On 15 November, President Biden signed a $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill. So what’s in this infrastructure bill, and why is it important for the United States? According to John […]
Expecting the results to be different
We (erroneously) credit Albert Einstein with the definition of insanity as continuing to do the same thing while expecting the results to be different. But it’s such a common behavior […]
Q & A: Service life prediction
We’ve discussed concrete durability in quite a few blog posts, but we’ve only alluded indirectly to concrete service life prediction. Hossam Alalaily explains the basics. Q: What do you mean […]
Writing short reports for clients
You’ve just completed the project, and now you need to sit down and write the report. Staring at the blank computer screen, you wonder why it’s so hard to write […]
Accessory dwelling units combat homelessness
Accessory dwelling units provide an independent living space outside the primary residence on a property. It might be a smaller house in your back yard that you rent to short- […]
Why do scientists keep changing their minds?
One reason vaccine holdouts give for not trusting authorities such as the Centers for Disease Control is that these scientists are constantly changing their minds. At first they recommended that […]
Evaluating aggregates using ASTM C1778
ASTM C1778, “Standard Guide for Reducing the Risk of Deleterious Alkali-Aggregate Reaction in Concrete,” can help you decide how best to mitigate expansions due to reactive aggregates. It covers both […]
ASTM C1074 predicts the strength of concrete in place
Despite our need for durability and high performance, the most common design criterion for concrete is compressive strength. Usually we specify the 28-day strength, that is, the compressive strength after […]