Civil Engineering Operations Research Articles

Air Force construction automation/robotics

The Air Force has several unique requirements that are being met through the development of construction robotic technology. The missions associated with these requirements place construction/repair equipment operators in potentially harmful situations. Additionally, force reductions require that human resources be leveraged to the maximum extent possible and more stringent construction repair requirements push for increased automation. To solve these problems, the US Air Force is undertaking a research and development effort at Tyndall AFB, Fla., to develop robotic construction/repair equipment. This development effort involves the following technologies: teleoperation, telerobotics, robotic vehicle communications, automated damage assessment, vehicle navigation, mission/vehicle task control architecture and associated computing environment. The ultimate goal is the fielding of a robotic vehicle capable of operating at the level of supervised autonomy. This paper will discuss current and planned efforts in range clearance/explosive ordnance disposal, hazardous waist cleanup, fire fighting, and automation of routine civil engineering operations.

Stability of Column Lowered into Liquid of Higher Density

A vertical column held from the top end is lowered into a liquid of higher density. This situation occurs in civil engineering operations such as offshore pipe laying, pile driving, and well drilling.

ASCE Should Have a Construction Safety Committee

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) has served civil engineers and the construction industry since 1852, but does not have a construction safety committee. Civil engineers manage and supervise all types of construction projects throughout the world. Safety is an integral part of civil engineering and construction operations. Civil engineering students need university training about construction safety. Civil engineers working in construction need information and training about construction safety. ASCE members specializing in construction safety should have the opportunity to serve on a Construction Safety Committee. ASCE is to be commended on Policy Statement 350, Construction Site Safety (ASCE Policy 350), but should become a more active participant in the development of safety legislation, standards, and educational materials. These activities will help members fulfill professional duties and responsibilities required by registration laws, codes of ethics/conduct, and safety laws. ASCE must ...

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Most civil engineering construction works, and the site investigations and planning decisions that precede them, are intimately concerned with the nature of the first few metres of the Earth's surface. The materials that constitute this zone were either deposited by the processes that took place in the Quarternary or have been significantly altered by them. This volume contains a collection of papers which examine in detail those processes, the properties of the materials that are produced by them and their implications for construction. The subject is considered from an international point of view with authors from 14 countries describing events in glacial, periglacial, temperate and tropical environments. The scene is set by P. G. Fookes whose keynote address describes from an engineer's perspective the events of the Quaternary and how they affected the surface of the Earth. Each environmental theme is introduced by a report on the papers by an eminent worker in that field and there are 'state of the art' reviews of the major themes by J. N. Hutchinson and G. E. Blight. This book is an important contribution to the engineering geological literature, especially relevant to today's international construction industry, combining clear overviews with detailed case studies which demonstrate the implications of Quaternary processes and materials in civil engineering operations.

A review of ground movements due to civil and mining engineering operations

Abstract Man’s activity frequently causes ground movements which then may present him with problems. The most notable examples of ground movements are provided by the mining industry in the form of subsidence. Mining in the broad sense includes removal of material from the ground and that material may be solid, liquid or gas. Indeed some of the largest subsidences recorded have been in association with the abstraction of oil and groundwater, instances having occurred where the ground surface has been lowered by several metres over large areas. In Britain some of the most catastrophic ground movements have been attributable to the exploitation of brine in Cheshire. The construction industry is also responsible for generating ground movements, admittedly usually on a small scale. For example, deep excavation causes a reduction in the vertical and horizontal pressure in the ground and thereby can induce heave of the base of the excavation, together with inward and vertical movements, both up and down, in the surrounding ground. Significant movements can occur at an appreciable distance from an excavation and horizontal movements can be noticeably larger than vertical movements. The most important factor which governs the magnitude of the movement is the type of ground involved. Ground movements may develop as a result of tunnelling, particularly in soft ground, and may resemble those associated with longwall mining of coal. Induced seismicity provides a further instance of Man’s action giving rise to ground movements. In this case, some of the most noteworthy examples have been provided by reservoir loading and the permeation of water into the ground. Small scale seismic events also have been associated with mining activity.

Hydrologic investigations for water resources, water pollution and civil engineering operations using isotope techniques

A number of hydrologic studies for groupdwater resources, water pollution and civil engineering investigations are reported. Measuring method and instrumentation developed lately are outlined. The field studies carried out in alluvials, covered investigations for' comparison of borehole dilution technique and conventional pumping tests; groundwater supply to an industrial plant; installation of a well gallary for drinking, water in a valley; determination of protection zone of a pumping site; pollution of ground water around garbage dumps and nuclear installations; construction of foundations; seepage from dams etc. the investigations carried in fractured and karstic aquifers included field measurements of, seepage from dams ets. The investigations carried in fractured and karstic aquifers included field measurements of, seepage rates of a dam built in basaltic aquifer; determination of inflow in a karstic well. The possibility of measuring vertical flow of groundwater even in borings in fractured or karstic aquifer has been practically demonstrated.