Designing infrastructure is a tricky endeavor. The day-to-day workings are easy to deal with, but you always have to consider the extreme events. During and after an extreme event is when you’re going to need that infrastructure the most. Early on you have to face up to the fact that you can’t entirely flood proof your [...]
Archive for the ‘Water’ Category
Defining the 100 year flood
Posted in Science, Water on May 8, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
Hydrology for Engineers
Posted in Science, Water on May 1, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
You may not be able to tell so far this year, but we’ve had ample evidence over the last couple of years that May is the high season for flooding in Tennessee. Today is the two year anniversary of the huge flood that swept Nashville clean two years ago, and various parts of west Tennessee [...]
Civil Engineering 101 – Water Resources
Posted in Science, Water on April 18, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
Civil Engineering is a term that covers a lot of space. It’s a field that allows for a lot of specialization, but today I want to talk about my own little corner of that giant space. Hydraulic Engineering, these days better known as Water Resources Engineering. Since the beginning of my career I’ve been in [...]
A Bridge Design Problem
Posted in Bridges, Water on March 7, 2012 | 8 Comments »
Let’s consider a design problem. You have an earthen fort that is part of a defensive line that goes back to the 17th century. It has fallen into ruins over the years, but it’s historically significant and is in the process of being restored. The owners want to be able to access it from the [...]
Water Supply 101 – Demand and the Water Tower
Posted in Science, Water on January 25, 2012 | 5 Comments »
This post builds on the previous one about hydrostatic pressure. If you haven’t read it yet, why not? To me, water towers are an iconic symbol of small towns. I’m not sure why I associate them with small towns, they’re common in larger cities also. It must have something to do with all the small [...]
Hydrostatic Pressure 101 – What Do Ears, Fountains, And Beer Funnels Have In Common?
Posted in Science, Water on January 21, 2012 | 4 Comments »
When I was a kid I was always challenging myself to swim to the bottom of the pool. (This was when pools were deeper than 5 feet.) The eight foot deep pool at my neighbor’s house was easily conquered, but the twenty footer at the country club was quite a challenge (especially since we weren’t [...]
