INGENIEUR
making major disasters more frequent . The global number of incidents jumped to 7,348 over the past 20 years from 4,212 in the previous two decades , a recent United Nations report found — affecting 4.2 billion people and incurring an economic toll of USD2.97 trillion . So it ’ s understandable that Japan ’ s already considerable investment in mitigating natural disasters is ramping up , via public-sector funding , seismic engineering and advances in artificial intelligence .
Architects and engineers are pushing the boundaries of technology and design to reduce damage . Factors that set the country ’ s disasterproofing industry apart include its kenchikushi — licensed architect-engineers who can be held liable for building defects for a period of 10 years — and its legislative framework . “ By gradually amending building laws in response to successive earthquakes and socio-economic and demographic changes ,” a 2018 World Bank report noted , Japan has created a built environment “ that is among the safest and most disaster resilient in the world .”
Wind is the toughest weather condition for high-rise buildings , said Atsuo Konishi , a senior structural engineer at Nikken Sekkei Ltd . who helped to create Skytree , the world ’ s tallest broadcasting tower at 634 meters . So Konishi and his colleagues designed a steel truss tower that allows strong winds to simply pass through the gaps . Artificial intelligence is also starting to play a part in safer building design . Typhoon simulation software can predict wind loads and speeds in two to three days , a process that currently requires months of data collection and wind-tunnel tests .
How Romans engineered their Road Construction - History . com
The first major Roman road — the famed Appian Way , or “ queen of the roads ” — was constructed in 312 BC to serve as a supply route between republican Rome and its allies in Capua during the Second Samnite War . From then on , road systems often sprang from Roman conquest .
As the legions blazed a trail through Europe , the Romans built new highways to link captured cities with Rome and establish them as colonies .
These routes ensured that the Roman military could out-pace and out-maneuver its enemies , but they also aided in the everyday maintenance of the Empire . Reduced travel time and marching fatigue allowed the fleet-footed legions to move as quickly as 20 miles a day to respond to outside threats and internal uprisings .
Since Roman roads were designed with speed of travel in mind , they often followed a remarkably straight trail across the countryside .
Technological Challenges – The National Academies Press
The engineer of 2020 will need to be conversant with and embrace a whole realm of new technologies , but some old problems are not going to go away . They will demand new attention and , perhaps , new technologies . In some cases , their continuing neglect will move them from problems to crises .
Previous approaches to urban development reflected attention to human services and private-sector requirements without a sufficient focus on environmental impact and sustainability . The result is that many large cities today are victims of pollution , traffic and transportation infrastructure concerns , decreasing greenery , poor biodiversity , and disparate educational services . In general , though , the US has arguably had the best physical infrastructure in the developed world . The concern is that these infrastructures are in serious decline , and hence ageing water treatment , waste disposal , transportation , and energy facilities are among the top concerns for public officials and citizens alike . In 2003 the American Society of Civil Engineers ( ASCE ) issued an update to its 2001 report card on America ’ s aging infrastructure . Each category in the ASCE reports was evaluated on the basis of condition and performance , capacity versus need , and funding versus need . The assessments do not include security enhancements as no authoritative data on these upgrades are available . The 2003 report gives America an overall grade of D + on its physical infrastructure and estimates that USD1.6 trillion would be needed to restore it over the five-year period beginning in 2004 .
56 VOL 88 OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2021