Engineering Inc. - July/August 2016 - (Page 48)

Guest Column BY G L E N R . M A N G O L D A N D C H A R L E S W. KO P P L I N How Technology Continues to Advance the Practice of Engineering T he slide rule-a hand-held calculator- was invented almost 400 years ago, and it became the symbol of the engineering profession. On the Apollo 11 mission to the moon, astronauts used a sliderule. In 1971, Intel introduced its 4004 processor, which led to the first hand-held electronic calculator. Today, engineers carry around smartphones that have more computing power than a room-sized supercomputer of the 1980s. Advances in technology have changed the tools used to practice engineering, and they will continue to do so at an ever-increasing pace. Computer-aided design (CAD), for example, brought changes to the way engineering designs were put on paper. In its infancy, CAD simply replaced the drafting table and T-square. It evolved from representing a line between two points to a description of what the line represents, such as a W16x36 steel beam. BIM A major development has been Building Information Modeling (BIM), a 3D representation of a project containing spatial relationships and objects that can be either generic or product specific. BIM has expanded by adding 4D time and 5D costs. Contractors and their subcontractors can take the model and add information specific to their trade. BIM has reduced the duplication of efforts by the project team and preserves a lot of information that, in the past, was lost after the project was handed off by the design team. Laser scanning is a 3D measurement technology that can collect high-density spatial images, creating a point cloud of more than 100 million points per scan. Stitching scans together creates an image that can be used as documentation of existing conditions for inspecting a project or for designing project modifications. The data often can be collected quicker and safer than other techniques. Robots A common way to inspect sewers is with a CCTV camera tethered to a cable. It can also be done with a robot that is a self-operating crawler. The crawler performs multisensor inspection including sonar, laser and HD CCTV. The sonar records the location of sediment and provides data to determine the quantity of sediment. The laser provides information that is used to assess pipe corrosion. Drones Drones-also called Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) by the FAA, which covers both the aircraft and its payload-are a rapidly developing technology. In June the FAA, which governs national airspace, issued the long-awaited operational rule for the routine commercial use of small UAS that weigh 55 pounds or less. The new regulations 48 ENGINEERING INC. JULY / AUGUST 2016 take effect in late August and open a path for integrating UAS into national airspace. Some of the provisions of the rule include: * The aircraft must remain within Visual Line of Sight (VLOS) of the pilot or a visual observer in communication with the pilot. Glen R. Mangold * Daylight-only operation. * Flight altitude limited to 400 feet above ground level. * Flight operations may not be conducted over nonparticipating people. * The operator must be at least 16 years old and hold a remote pilot airmen certificate with a small UAS rating. * A procedure for requesting an exemption that could include night operations and flights beyond VLOS. "Although there is a lot of excitement about Charles W. Kopplin the use of drones, people need to understand what it takes to implement their use," says Christian Stallings, research development manager and a certified photogrammetrist with McKim & Creed. It can take up to six months to become fully compliant and cost more than $40,000 over the first year to use technology that is still evolving. Because of this, subcontracting of drone services might be more cost-effective. The Future The FAA may create a new class of drones called Micro UAS that weigh 4.4 pounds or less. It is hoped they will not have any restrictions when operating over nonparticipating individuals, which will open many additional uses for drones. Other advances in technology are going to be driven more by software than by hardware. For example, software is being developed to allow the drones to fly autonomously and sense and avoid obstacles, preventing crashes. Virtual reality will see greater use during design and construction, allowing clients and the building team to view a detailed image of the project. Additional algorithms will be incorporated in software to verify input and results. This self-checking will help manage the risks associated with the software's use; however, it will be a long time before technology replaces an experienced set of eyes examining the results. But if you like technology, it is a great time to be an engineer. ■ Glen R. Mangold, CPCU, is managing director of the Architects/Engineers program for Markel Corporation, a provider of professional liability insurance. He has more than 25 years' of experience in the insurance industry. He can be reached at gmangold@MarkelCorp.com. Charles W. Kopplin, P.E., FACEC, has more than 40 years' of experience as a consulting engineer, including 14 years as the risk manager for an ENR Top 500 Design Firm. He can be reached at cw.kopplin@gmail.com.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Engineering Inc. - July/August 2016

Engineering Inc. - July/August 2016
Contents
From ACEC to You
Market Watch
Legislative Action
Engineering and Cyberdefense
Passing the Baton
Look Beyond the Premium
Turning Up the Power
Secure Defense
Lighting a Spark
Navigating a Challenging Terrain
2016 Fall Conference Preview
Guest Column
Mergers and Acquisitions
Guest Column
Members in the News
Business Insights

Engineering Inc. - July/August 2016