Civil Engineering
We see bridges, buildings and highways on a daily basis, but have you ever wondered how these structures are designed and built? These civil engineering articles help explain this very question.
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Excess Subway Heat to Warm London Homes
The London borough of Islington plans to harness the excess heat of the London Underground to hike up the heat to nearby homes and businesses.
Bordeaux's Water Mirror Is Magical, Worth Visiting
Bordeaux's famed and beautiful reflecting pool will have you snapping photographs and feeling like you're walking on water.
Seiichi Miyake Created Tactile Paving System to Help Visually Impaired
The Japanese inventor's textured ground surface indicators to assist pedestrians at traffic crossings.
What's Really Going on at the 'Tesla Tower'?
There's a mysterious tower in Texas that strongly resembles Nikola Tesla's Wardenclyffe Tower. Its constructors say they're testing some new forms of electromagnetic waves. But is something else going on?
Soccer, Shopping, Dining: Mass Transit Stations Aren't Just for Travel Anymore
These days, you can do a lot more at a transit hub than simply catch a train or a bus.
Tons of Mardi Gras Beads Clog NOLA's Storm Drains
City workers have pulled 46 tons of the colorful beads from New Orleans' clogged catch basins, mostly from a five-block stretch along St. Charles Avenue.
Bollards, or How Cities Are Protecting Their Public Spaces From Terrorism
Defensive design is becoming increasingly important in cities around the world.
Why Aren't Modern Suburbs Built on a Walkable Grid?
You might be surprised to learn that the twists and turns of streets in the suburbs date all the way to the Industrial Revolution.
During Transit Delays, Riders Prefer the Ugly Truth Over Platitudes
Is honesty the best policy? New York subway delays have been couched in mystery for years, but the MTA is now dishing out hard truths about why trains are running behind.
World's Largest Ship Tunnel Will Go Straight Through Norwegian Mountain
To carve out the massive Stad Ship Tunnel, engineers would have to blast through 7.5 million tons of solid rock.
8 of the 10 Most Dangerous U.S. Cities for Pedestrians Are in One State
What is it about this state that makes it so dangerous for those on two feet? A few things, it turns out.
How Roundabouts Work
Roundabouts aren't all that complicated, but they're still relatively rare in the U.S., especially when compared with France.
San Francisco Has Its Very Own Sinking, Leaning Tower
What if you bought a multimillion-dollar luxury apartment, only to find out it was slowly sinking?
Airports That Float
What do you do when you're out of land but want to expand an airport? Try building on water.
Watch the World's Highest Glass Bridge Get Sledgehammered
China's Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon glass-bottomed bridge is so high most of the world's buildings would fit in the gap between it and the canyon floor. So why not hit it?
Skyscrapers of the Future Could Be Made of Wood
Steel and glass office towers are the norm in most modern cities. But some imaginative architects want to switch to a renewable, less carbon-intensive old standby: wood.
Big Cities, Big Ideas: Getting Around in the Future
A lot of people live in cities now. Even more will live in them in the future. What are the big ideas for getting them where they need to go?
When Will U.S. Subway Design Catch Up With the Rest of the World?
An open-gangway style of subway train could increase ridership by 10 percent. The United States could adopt that soon, with New York and Honolulu paving the way.
Is Building a Country Border Wall Even Possible?
Whether we're talking bricks or fences, there are serious logistical hurdles – not to mention financial ones – to walling off an entire country.
Were U.S. interstates really designed as runways?
Is one mile out of five on U.S. interstates really supposed to be straight so that planes can land on them in an emergency? Read on to find out the truth about this long-held urban legend.
10 Advancements in Environmental Engineering
Environmental engineering existed long before it had a name. It began at the dawn of civilization when we started changing our surroundings to meet our needs.
How the Venice Tide Barrier Project Works
It's a recipe for disaster: Venice is sinking, and the waters around it are rising. Can the controversial MOSE project save Italy's famous city with a series of aqua gates?
How the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Works
Often the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is in the news during a national disaster or levee project. But this agency has a long and storied history that goes back as far as George Washington.
How Subways Work
London without the Tube? New York without its underground scene? Atlantans gliding straight from their MARTA stops to the airport? What would life be like without our underground transportation system?
How Intelligent Highways Will Work
If you were on the road for the holidays, you probably spent some time staring at the bumper in front of you. Can you imagine a world without gridlock?
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