- Volume 7, Issue 1

Articles featured in this issue of the digest encompass an array of topics, from tips for the consulting engineer’s business practice to mathematical calculations for slope failure predictions.

ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT AND BUSINESS

The papers in this section are of relevance to the professional engineer who wants to improve his/her business acumen.

The first paper describes a book that is a manual about the importance of networking - for improving your interaction with clients and building your resume.

The second article emphasizes the importance of sound technical writing skills for all levels of engineers - with the interesting twist of being told from the perspective of communication teaching experts providing advice to other communication experts.

MINING AND METALLURGY

British Columbia shows its leadership capabilities as an environmentally-aware, pro-mining province in the following two papers.

The first article demonstrates the benefits attainable by consulting with Aboriginal people prior to developing a mining project. Engaging a concerned population in an important resource development project can be a win-win situation.

The next article describes a successful project that has been able to turn nickel mine rock waste into a profitable commodity, proving that one company’s trash can be another’s ~carbon-capturing~ goldmine.

TRAFFIC ENGINEERING AND ROAD SAFETY

Sometimes, the solution to one problem can become the cause of another. Such is the case of policy that mandated a reduction of the number of freight vehicles on roads, with the aim of reducing traffic congestion and emissions. Ultimately, this was accomplished by long haul transports traveling with shared loads. While this approach appeared sound, it has resulted in heavier-than-normal loads on the roadways, causing pavement damage—the maintenance of which may be resulting in more emissions than the extra trucks would have yielded.

On a positive note, the next article reviews a trade show, Intertraffic 2010, which took place from March 23-26, 2010. The show featured exhibits related to “traffic infrastructure, traffic management, road safety and parking”; more information can be found by perusing the show’s publication, “Intertraffic World” (available at: http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/58440222#/58440222/1).

ROAD ENGINEERING

The previous section of this digest discussed wear of pavements caused by increased load; the articles in this section are a logical follow-up to the pavement-load article.

In the first article, the authors describe a means of calculating the probabilistic “falling weight” evaluation of pavements, without damaging the pavement itself.

Pavements commonly fail by cracks that spread from load-wear. This second article simulates such crack propagation and examines the effects of parameters such as overlay and base thickness/stiffness.

The third article in this series examines (through mathematical modeling and literature review) the load transfer characteristics of the joint of an interlocking load transfer system for concrete pavements.

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING

The final three articles deal with slope stability.

In the first paper, a “green” method for stabilization of slopes is evaluated quantitatively for safety.

The second paper delves deep into the math and physics behind slope stability predictions. The authors use a case study of slope failure in Norway to compare three methods of calculating the probability of slope failures.

The final paper in this series is an assessment of a soil-based retaining wall, conducted over the one and a half years following construction. Interestingly, this geogrid-reinforced wall has weak points similar to those seen in an unreinforced backfill retaining structure.