"Wisdom begins in wonder" – Socrates
Category: Engineering
Rain Gutter
08/01/19
“How can we discharge water from a building?”
Rainwater can build up and harm a building. Therefore, there needs to be some form of discharge to release everything. This is typically found in the form of a Rain Gutter attached to a building.
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Wheeling
07/22/19
“How can we transmit electricity outside of grid boundaries?”
Electricity is usually thought of as being generated and distributed inside the grid boundaries. However, this is not always the case. When this does happen, electricity is said to be wheeled. There are two types of wheeling, one where generation is inside the grid boundary while the load is not (wheel-out) and one where both are outside (wheel-through).
How the Smart Grid Will Increase Electricity Stability
07/21/19
“How will the smart grid help prevent power outages?”
One of the leading causes of power outage is load mismatch. However, with the advent of the smart grid, distribution services will be better at managing this, thereby increasing resilience. This is How the Smart Grid Will Increase Electricity Stability.
Why Building Codes Should Include Resilience and Adaptation Criteria
07/20/19
“Why should there be more focus on resilience and adaptation in building codes?”
The building sector in the industrialized world has become a very standardized process, with many codes stipulating what needs to be accomplished. However, with the advent of climate change and the accompanying increase in frequency of natural disasters, there needs to be more focus on ensuring that new buildings are ready for such phenomena. This can be accomplished by incorporating them into building codes, so developers will be certain to consider them. This is Why Building Codes Should Include Resilience and Adaptation Criteria.
How Electricity Blackouts Affect Cellular Communications
07/19/19
“How do electricity blackouts affect cell phone communications?”
Since many in the industrialized world are not used to blackouts, they may believe that they will be able to access their mobile devices without any issues. However, electricity blackouts can take out communication towers, destroying mobile internet and communications. This is How Electricity Blackouts Affect Cellular Communications.
Why Cross-Sector Communication Is Necessary for Interdependent Infrastructure Resilience
07/17/19
“Why do critical infrastructure professionals from different sectors need to talk to each other more?”
The closer one looks at infrastructure failures, the more one realizes how interdependent they all are. When a disaster strikes one, it strikes the others as well. If resilience planning is done for one infrastructure sector without taking others into account, true security can never be achieved. To do this, cross-sector communication must be established, whether it be how electricity failures can cause water treatment to ground to a halt or how ruptures in gas supply could induce transportation bottlenecks. This is Why Cross-Sector Communication Is Necessary for Interdependent Infrastructure Resilience.
Water Contamination
07/15/19
“What are the ramifications of water contamination?”
Water is one of the most fundamental resources for human life. However, if there is any Water Contamination present, whether it be from runoff chemicals or an infectious bacteria, there could be dire ramifications. Humans can be harmed by unsafe chemicals in drinking water while mechanical processes can be harmed through corrosion.
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Why Groundwater Needs to be Constantly Monitored
07/14/19
“Why do we need to constantly monitor groundwater?”
Groundwater is used worldwide for drinking and irrigation water. However, if levels become too low or the water becomes too toxic, then there could be disastrous consequences on a community’s health, as in the current ongoing case in Chennai, India. This is Why Groundwater Needs to be Constantly Monitored.
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Nuclear Reactor Cores
07/12/19
“What is the beating heart of a nuclear reactor?”
Nuclear energy generation is one of the most prolific sources of energy, powering 11% of the world’s electricity. However, what exactly drives all of it? Well, nuclear fuel rods are heated up in a Nuclear Reactor Core, which allows the water to be heated up into steam while keeping the exterior environment safe from nuclear radiation. If the nuclear reactor core fails, then the radiation from the nuclear control rods can be released into the external environment and cause lethal destruction, as in the case of Chernobyl.
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