"Wisdom begins in wonder" – Socrates
Tag: Civil Engineering
Why Climate Change Will Lead to More Building Failures
07/04/21
“Why will climate change lead to more building failure?”
Many buildings have pre-existing flaws in their construction, whether it be leaky pipes or shaky foundations. With the advent of climate change, these flaws will be exacerbated and will lead to more failures. This is Why Climate Change Will Lead to More Building Failures.
Why Initial Structural Design Flaws Can Lead to Building Collapse
07/03/21
“Why can initial structural design flaws lead to building collapse?”
Initial building design flaws can come in all forms, whether it be a leaky pipe or an imperfectly-designed structure. Over time, the issues resulting from this design flaw can lead to compounding issues that can result in mass destruction. An example of this was seen in the recent (as of writing) building collapse, where the flat pool deck caused water to stay in until it could evaporate, leading to the concrete slope becoming weak and collapsing. This is Why Initial Structural Design Flaws Can Lead to Building Collapse.
Using Taxes to Create Infrastructure Adaptation Funds
07/02/21
“How can we use taxes to create infrastructure adaptation funds?”
Infrastructure adaptation funds are the bedrock of climate adaptation projects. However, there needs to be revenue from somewhere to create them. One way to accomplish this is to use taxes. This is why Using Taxes to Create Infrastructure Adaptation Funds is so useful.
Why Civil Wars Siphon Resources From Climate Adaptation Capacity Building
06/27/21
“Why do civil wars siphon resources from climate adaptation capacity building?”
Civil wars tear nations apart and lead to mass destruction. Resources that could have been channeled into climate adaptation capacity building instead go to other ventures. In addition, social networks and physical infrastructure gets frayed under the constant assaults. This is Why Civil Wars Siphon Resources From Climate Adaptation Capacity Building.
Why Metal Recycling Can Improve Infrastructure Resilience
06/20/21
“Why can metal recycling improve economic resilience?”
Metals have been one of the underpinnings of many human civilizations for thousands of years now. Because of this, when a metal shortage happens, a whole multitude of problems can arise. Buildings can’t get repaired, pipes can break down, and fabrication of vital items grind to a halt. So how can we protect ourselves against this? Well, what if we were to recycle metal? That way, metal scraps that are usually discarded are instead repurposed. This is Why Metal Recycling Can Improve Infrastructure Resilience.
Why Removing Car Roads Could Be a Smart Climate Resilience Strategy
06/04/21
“How can removing car roads be a smart climate resilience strategy?”
Car roads are made of non-porous cement that causes water to build up during floods. By removing car roads and converting it into nature-based material more suitable for walking, the water could be absorbed instead. This is Why Removing Car Roads Could Be a Smart Climate Resilience Strategy.
Bluelining
06/03/21
“How will the impact of increased flood risk on insurance further perpetuate segregation?”
In the middle of the 20th century, the U.S government forbade residents of certain neighborhoods (Specifically ones that Black Folk were forced to live in) to apply for a home mortgage. While this was later declared constitutionally illegal, the confluence of climate change and the private insurance markets may bring it back in an insidious new form. When updated floodmaps predict that new neighborhoods will become unsaveable, they may deny homeowners in those regions from receiving insurance coverage. This will turn the homes in this area into stranded assets that will be extremely difficult to sell and pose extreme financial liability. This new phenomena of Bluelining will only serve as a compounding factor for people living in flood-prone regions, which are already disproportionately made up of lower systemic caste communities. Flood risk prediction and insurance designers will need to take into consideration how their work will possibly harm the same people they should be seeking to serve.
Marina Baracos
June 2nd, 2021
Sea level rise is defined as a climatically induced change of sea levels that can lead to flooding in high-risk areas. This change is caused by several different factors. The two main factors that will be highlighted in this article are climate change and land proximity to a body of water. Climate change causes an increase in sea level due to the retention of heat by carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere. The changes that happened during the 20th century led to a sea-level increase of 0.17±0.05m, according to observations made by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [1]. If this continues by 2100, the sea level is estimated to rise between 2 to 3.4 meters. These effects can already be seen, from changes in polar regions to the increase in floods. The aspect of floods is something that is very concerning for islands and peninsulas since these geographical regions do not have much of a “buffer” against any drastic flooding or change in land borders as a result of flooding.
This issue concerns Greece and California, two places distant in location but similar in climate. However, there are several main issues that affect both of these diverse regions. The first issue is that of population displacement. This is related to the coastal development and landscape of those regions. In numerous parts of Greece, communities have found ways to thrive off the coastal regions, including tourism. The beaches that we value as part of Greece’s natural beauty are at risk of being lost, leading to a socioeconomic deficit, displacement of families and businesses who have relied on the economic benefits of tourism, and the depletion of wildlife. However, this issue can lead to something with more sinister impacts for California and Greece is gentrification. Gentrification is the systematic removal of a certain population from an area due to economic and/or climate change. Historic communities are facing removal and displacement because of the respective value of land based on its geographical position. Families are fleeing these neighborhoods to move to areas of higher elevation and less flood risk. [2] Communities that have been established within a geographical area and that have brought cultural diversity, tourism, and economic attention, as well as, are facing separation. Therefore, it is in turn, much needed that we ensure that we are preserving these high-risk areas via active intervention with both policy and infrastructure change.
Due to these aforementioned disadvantages, sea-level rise is also a large risk in property investments. In the United States, there is a specific way to prevent flood-related disasters from being unrecoverable. This is due to the national program called the National Flood Insurance Program. This program was created in 1968 by Congress to help with the cost of damage created by floods. [3] However, this process still has systematic flaws, since the claims process and the process for applying for this type of insurance are time-consuming and inefficient. In addition, flood insurance is not part of a default homeowners policy, meaning that many people have to go out of their way to apply for flood insurance. Furthermore, some homes are not required to purchase flood insurance since they were built before it was mandatory to do so. However, this age and lack of floodproofing design makes them more vulnerable. The main issue with this federally implemented flood insurance is that it formulates itself as separate from all other buildings and prevents the development of personal flood insurance plans. Instead, the U.S Government should focus on creating a program that is integrated into normal home insurance policies. This type of insurance is something that has prevented the development of personal flood insurance plans in the United States. In Europe, particularly Greece, a federal flood insurance program does not exist. Instead, most flood insurance (<=50%) exists under the private market, meaning that more development based on local resources and regulations can occur. [4] Therefore, Greece is different from California in this aspect in the sense that poorer flood insurance coverage is offered in California and in the United States in general.
Based on the evidence gathered throughout these research studies and observation of these climate-related issues, there are several methods and measures that can be taken to aid California and Greece. Three strategies that are outlined within the article “A Guide to Sea Level Rise and Housing Adaptation in California” are Protect, Accommodate, and Retreat, respectfully. [5] Protecting an area is the first step to preventing devastation due to Sea Level rise. We can change the infrastructure surrounding these areas with structures called seawalls, which can redirect and prevent floodwaters from causing damage to these regions. Secondly, the next technique that can be used is to accommodate. This means that cities and other geographical regions can change and accommodate their land use based on the patterns of sea-level rise and flooding. There are numerous techniques currently implemented in Europe for these issues, such as the phenomenon of “Living with Rivers”. This design principle incorporates rising sea levels or changes in bodies of water to existing infrastructure, rather than fighting against such changes [6]. I feel that this is something that can be incorporated in both the cases of California and Greece, along with better policies to protect infrastructure and homes that are in a preexisting area. Finally, the third strategy for rising sea levels is to retreat. This often comes in the form of managed retreat, which is actively moving at-risk communities or infrastructure away form the rising shoreline. While this strategy is used as a last resort, it still requires careful calculation and planning to ensure that effective rebuilding of these cities and towns can take place afterward on this new land. However, one con to this approach is the displacement of native communities and infrastructure.
In conclusion, sea level rise is something that can affect multiple facets of a community. Not only does this affect the socio-economic landscape of a region, but the environmental cost at stake amplifies this prominent issue. Through the use of modeling and predictive technology, we are able to determine an effective solution for a given geographic region. Coastal land use may differ slightly based on geographic region, but these principles can still be applied to both California and Greece. Firstly, what needs to be addressed for any of these regions is that of an effective policy concerning flood insurance and planning. Without proper insurance for our pre-existing buildings and structures, there is no way that we can properly address and take care of what is already constructed. Therefore, we need to revise Flood Insurance Policies to be more encompassing of older buildings without a federal program. We also need to place emphasis on different solutions such as Protection and Accommodation. These solutions can revise existing infrastructure without separating communities, unlike retreat, which is something that we should avoid and use only as a last resort.
Works Cited:
[1] Klaoudatos DS, Kokkali A, Conides A (2015). Estimates of the Economic Impacts of Sea Level Rise on Paros and Naxos Islands (Cyclades Archipelago Greece). J Aquac Mar Biol 2(2): 00020. DOI: 10.15406/jamb.2015.02.00020
[2] WPBT2. (2020, January 6). Is Climate Gentrification Happening in Miami? YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sa55kMXxXCQ.
[3] CNBC. (2020, November 18). Why Flood Insurance Is Failing The U.S. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGzXXUNzf3o.
[4] Bouwer, Laurens & Huitema, Dave. (2007). Adaptive flood management: The role of insurance and compensation in Europe. 24-26. ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Overview-of-national-flood-insurance-and-compensation-systems-in-Europe-considered-in_fig1_228346355
[5] Gendler, I. (2020, September 15). A Guide to Sea Level Rise and Housing Adaptation in California. Abundant Housing LA. https://abundanthousingla.org/a-guide-to-sea-level-rise-and-housing-adaptation-in-california/.
[6] Görlach, B. (n.d.). Economic Evaluation of Flood Management Measures. Ecologic Institute. https://www.ecologic.eu/1371.
[7] Press, T. A. (2020, September 19). Greek flooding leaves 2 dead, 1 missing; 600 others rescued. The Ledger. https://www.theledger.com/story/news/2020/09/19/greek-flooding-leaves-2-dead-1-missing-600-others-rescued/5840184002/.
Water Storage Tanks
06/01/21
“How can we store water in a mechanical vessel?”
Water is one of the most important foundations of life on this planet. The industrialized world functions based on easy access to it, whether it be for drinking throughout the day or powering our factories. However, a natural source of water may not be nearby. So how can we provide a place to store it nearby? Well, we know that water can be easily placed in a metal container. So what if we were to build giant metal containers connected to pipes that we could easily draw and withdraw from? This is the idea behind Water Storage Tanks and is one of the most prevalent pieces of infrastructure in the world.
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