Freeware is commonly used by a wide range of people in a professional and personal capacity. However, structural engineers are more often found to be distrusting of free structural engineering software. With a range of freeware options available, is it time to start trusting this solution? The computing world has
GRAHAM’s civil engineering division has continued to improve and develop their delivery teams through the appointment of a new team member. Katie Jones has joined GRAHAM’s civil engineering division as they continue to expand and win a number of significant contracts throughout the UK and Ireland. Katie Jones is the
Design2e the structural design and civil engineering consultancy has released a checklist of all of the different environmental consideration that are needed when designing a new building. The checklist has been released in order to support the construction industry and allow them to meet the environmental regulations that are in
GRAHAM has been appointed by Stockport Council through the Highways England CDF Lot 2 Framework in order to carry out the design and construction work for a new Travis Bow Link Road. This new road, when completed will create a vital linking road between the A6 and the M60 in
Cundall engineer has been given a medal in achievement awards, which has been announced by the Institute of Engineering and Technology. Dr. Ozak Esu uses her free time in order to tutor disadvantaged young people. Dr. Ozak managed to beat a global field of competition in order to jointly win
Northern Arc has been announced as the winner of the Hyperloop One Global Challenge. The proposal was led by both Ryder Architecture and Arup has been chosen as one of the ten winners in the global challenge. The teams had to compete against thousands of entries, submitted from around the
BAM Nuttall, the UK based supplier of civil engineering services, has opted to purchase twenty X-ECO lighting towers from the Cambridgeshire supplier, Trime (UK) Limited. In order to validate the sustainable features that the Trime X-ECO highlights and with sustainability at the heart of their operations, the company evaluated a
AECOM, the fully integrated infrastructure asset provider, used often by governments, businesses and organisations across more than 150 countries. The company has announced that they are proud to be the headline sponsor for the first all-female team to attempt to cross the Antarctic. The launch of the team was carried
Enclosureanswers.com delivers free expert advice to their customers which could allow them to find the right electrical enclosure to suit their needs. Making sure that you pick the right enclosure is vital as it could have a significant impact on profit and loss for the project. Making a larger order
Twiflex is a leading global supplier of power transition components and has been working to provide parking brakes that will be used on mine hoists at Nkana’s Mopani Copper Mines in Zambia. Nkana is known for being one of the largest copper and cobalt mines in Africa and operates four
Freeware is commonly used by a wide range of people in a professional and personal capacity. However, structural engineers are more often found to be distrusting of free structural engineering software. With a range of freeware options available, is it time to start trusting this solution? The computing world has a wide range of myths associated with it. Since the 1990s one of the most common claims that have been made is that the Mac and Linux systems are considered to be immune to malware and viruses; a complete myth that is very obviously not true, but based on the notion that these systems are more challenging for virus developers in the 1990s. Similar to this, there have been a range of misconceptions circulated about freeware that have historically dissuaded structural engineers from putting complete trust in the software when using it for their projects. This doubt and suspicion has remained even with the increase of free and open-source programs that have been made available by trusted developers and suppliers over the course of the past few years. One example of widely integrated freeware is Dropbox, used by a wide audience in order to place and store important documents in the cloud. Many Structural engineers also use this freeware service and this creates a contradiction for a range of businesses in this industry. Misconceptions around freeware is that the free structural analysis and design software lacks the quality assurance of paid for equivalents and that there will be a slower rate of roll out updates for new design regulations. However, these feelings to the outdated notion that freeware is developed by a single person as opposed to trained specialists, reputable companies and start-ups. With computing misconceptions still lingering from a misunderstanding of a historical situation, it is vital that Structural engineering companies understand and discover that freeware offering the same level of quality assurances and support as purchased software, and with the abundance of freeware available, now is a great time for engineers to trust professionally.
GRAHAM’s civil engineering division has continued to improve and develop their delivery teams through the appointment of a new team member. Katie Jones has joined GRAHAM’s civil engineering division as they continue to expand and win a number of significant contracts throughout the UK and Ireland. Katie Jones is the former Highways England LEAN Manager and will be bringing a wealth of experience from her six year stay at the company. Katie will be an asset to the company as the Civil Engineering division of GRAHAM continues to win Highways England contracts in a range of areas in the UK. LEAN techniques will continue to be a central part of all of GRAHAM’s civil engineering projects, another reason why Katie Jones’ experiences and specialist knowledge gained through her appointment will be valuable to the company. Highways England are ensuring at the moment that all of their partners use LEAN practices within their projects, therefore the appointment of a team member as experienced with specifying and delivering these practices as Katie will provide GRAHAM’s civil engineering division the opportunity to expand and win more contracts going forward. LEAN management is known for being the systematic method put in place to eliminate inefficiency. Highways England has been working to make a rang eof efficiency savings through the use of LEAN principles and encourages the businesses operating as a part of their supply chain to do the same. Katie Jones will help to develop the industry leading approach to LEAN at GRAHAM within construction as she did during her time at Highways England. During her career, Katie has been responsible for the training of more than 100 client supply chain personnel through LEAN Awareness Training Sessions, and was also in charge of deploying eight FLITe practitioners on the £230 million Manchester Smart Motorways project. Katie is delighted to join the Civil Engineering Division and is looking forward to helping them develop their strategy in order to improve their wider business.
Design2e the structural design and civil engineering consultancy has released a checklist of all of the different environmental consideration that are needed when designing a new building. The checklist has been released in order to support the construction industry and allow them to meet the environmental regulations that are in place. Looking to the environmental factors of a project should be the first thing to happen when structural design and civil engineering teams look into planning a structural project. The new building being designed needs to meet the strict regulations that are in place to protect the environment as well as reducing any potential flood risk and making sure that the area surrounding the development is kept clean. All construction projects taking place in the UK must go through an Environmental Impact Assessment, or EIA. This assessment makes sure that the project will only go ahead if it meets the standards laid out to protect the planned building itself as well as the environment. The guide that has been created by Design2e is an information tool for structural and civil engineers, helping them to consider the assessment requirements as a part of their design from the inception of a project. Identifying and overcoming any environmental challenges during the design stage will mean that problems are avoided further down the line, during construction or after. If the problems arise at a later stage there could be a knock on effect on planning permission applications, which will increase the time it takes to complete the project and therefore increase the cost. The works case scenario of an environmental problem being raised later in a development is prosecution. Design2e hopes to encourage all civil and structural engineers to design their projects with sustainability in mind. The checklist that has been created by the consultancy company is available online and can be accessed through any form of smart device as well as being available for printing for use in design meetings in order to make sure that the environmental factors are always a vital consideration throughout the design and construction process. The structural and civil engineering company also offer a range of services that aims to make sure that construction projects being carried out across the UK are cost-efficient and long-lasting. The company offers their clients a range of bespoke environmental services that can be used to protect and improve projects in order to boost the creation of a more sustainable environment.
GRAHAM has been appointed by Stockport Council through the Highways England CDF Lot 2 Framework in order to carry out the design and construction work for a new Travis Bow Link Road. This new road, when completed will create a vital linking road between the A6 and the M60 in Stockport town centre. GRAHAM’s civil engineering team has experience of working on a range of prestigious and high profile jobs in the UK and Ireland. This past portfolio of work includes the Tennison Road Bridge Replacement for Network Rail as well as the A138 Chelmer Viaduct that was completed for Highways England. The plan for the linking road was developed through a partnership between Stockport Council and Transport for Greater Manchester. The funding for this project has been secured by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and as a part of the Growth Deal funding. GRAHAM is a highly regarded civil engineering and construction firm and will be taking part in this challenging civil engineering project that will connect with the iconic railway viaduct through the use of a disused railway tunnel to the A6, a part of Greater Manchester’s Key Route Network. On top of this engineering and construction work, the contract will also see GRAHAM carrying out improvement works on the A6 Wellington Road North, the A5145 Travis Brow and George’s Road, which is adjacent. It is predicted that the work will be completed in August 2018. GRAHAM is experienced in completing a range of high-quality civil engineering projects. This new contract will benefit millions of people who will be able to use the new link road once work is completed. It is vital that these road improvements are carried out in order to continue the work to improve the transport access for thousands of motorists throughout Stockport town centre.
Cundall engineer has been given a medal in achievement awards, which has been announced by the Institute of Engineering and Technology. Dr. Ozak Esu uses her free time in order to tutor disadvantaged young people. Dr. Ozak managed to beat a global field of competition in order to jointly win the Mike Sargeant Career Achievement Award for Young Professionals. The coveted industry accolades have been created to recognise some of the world’s most outstanding engineers and technologists as well as celebrate the skills of exceptional young professionals, students and apprentices. The Mike Sargeant Career Achievement Award for Young Professionals is the latest honour to be given to Dr. Ozak, as she has also recently been named by the Telegraph as one of their ‘Top 50 Women in Engineering Under 35. This award winning and exceptional electrical engineer graduated with a first class honours degree from Loughborough University and has gained experience working for the industry leading Cundall since 2014. Dr. Ozak is based in the Birmingham office of the UK multi-disciplinary engineering consultancy. Dr. Ozak said that she was first inspired to study electronic and electrical engineering Loughborough University because of the challenges that are faced in regards to power in her home country of Nigeria. Her experience has also led to her working with disadvantaged Young people. Ozak has been praised by the Managing Partner at Cundall, Tomas Neeson, who has said that since joining the company, she has been an excellent example as a STEM ambassador through her work mentoring a number of students at the Birmingham Office. Dr. Ozak and the other candidates were nominated for the Institute of Engineering and Technology Awards by their peers and then selected by a judging panel. The winners will collect their awards at a ceremony on the 15th November, which will be hosted by Kate Bellingham, the TV presenter.
Northern Arc has been announced as the winner of the Hyperloop One Global Challenge. The proposal was led by both Ryder Architecture and Arup has been chosen as one of the ten winners in the global challenge. The teams had to compete against thousands of entries, submitted from around the world. The Hyperloop One Global was an ideas competition that looked for a range of innovative opportunities where practical application of the evolving Hyperloop technology could be explored. The Northern Arc’s idea was an economic opportunity to widen the concept of the Northern Powerhouse in order to include the Scottish Central Belt, and in doing so, linking a wide range of major cities located across the North of England. Hyperloop is an innovative technology that will allow passengers to travel between all cities in a little over 45 minutes, according to The Northern Arc’s ideas. This could lead to the creation of a Pan-Northern City region, with a population in excess of 10 million people and the ability to compete on the world economic stage. Hyperloop, when teamed with other improvements to the transport network that are currently underway could keep future generations moving. The Northern Arc team is committed to be at the front of the innovation as other similar technologies to Hyperloop are developed. One of the partners at Ryder, Paul Bell has expressed the team’s excitement to be a part of the proposal and collaborating with Hyperloop. Hyperloop One is at the moment working in Nevada on a proof of concept work. The developments being made with this technology are taking place at a significant rate and the technology could offer a new transport innovation. the north of the UK was pivotal with providing railway technology to for the world, and The Northern Arc are committed to making sure that the north is at the forefront of the next transport innovation.
BAM Nuttall, the UK based supplier of civil engineering services, has opted to purchase twenty X-ECO lighting towers from the Cambridgeshire supplier, Trime (UK) Limited. In order to validate the sustainable features that the Trime X-ECO highlights and with sustainability at the heart of their operations, the company evaluated a demonstration unit during a series of extensive field trials over a six week period. Following the conclusion of this trial period, BAM Nuttall’s plant manager, Andy Haythorne said, “We were extremely impressed with the ease of operation of the X-ECO, Trime have succeeded in combining an evident reliable and robust machine with sustainable features and fuel saving capabilities.” “This is our first venture into LED lighting for our sites and we needed a set that helps to maintain our strong commitment to becoming a more sustainable and responsible business, in keeping with our Beyond Zero programme,” added Andy. With storage and delivery facilities at capacity during peak operations, the compact size and relatively low weight of the X-ECO will bring immediate benefits to BAM Nuttall logistics operations. Up to thirteen X-ECO sets can be loaded on one single truck which, potentially, means an increase in their transport vehicle fleet utilisation Trime engineers have calculated that the X-ECO uses approximately £336.00 less in fuel each month when compared to many lighting sets currently available. These savings equate to a reduction in C02 output by around 888kg per month. The Trime manufacturing plant is based in Cassinetta di Lugagnano, near Milan and Trime UK Limited is headquartered in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire. In 2016, BAM Group UK (legal entity comprising of BAM Nuttall and BAM Construct UK) were awarded the CEMARS gold standard for achieving significant carbon savings year-on-year over a six-year period by following a systematic carbon reduction programme that have resulted in a reduction in emissions of 17.72% when compared with baseline data. CEMARS is the Carbon Emissions Measurement and Reduction Scheme and refers to ISO14064-1:2006. This achievement has been accomplished by the implementation of several energy saving initiatives across both organisations. The sourcing of more efficient plant and equipment is also a key part of the BAM Sustainability Strategy as we work towards challenging 2020 targets for carbon reduction.
AECOM, the fully integrated infrastructure asset provider, used often by governments, businesses and organisations across more than 150 countries. The company has announced that they are proud to be the headline sponsor for the first all-female team to attempt to cross the Antarctic. The launch of the team was carried out by HRH The Countess of Wessex. No team of women, from any nation has managed to complete this grueling challenge. The official launch was held at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in Camberley, with the expeditions set to take place in October. The ICE MAIDEN challenge will see the team of six women from the Regular Army and Army Reserve attempt to cross Antarctica via the South Pole. During this expedition, the women will ski a total of 1,700 KMS, which is the equivalent of travelling from London to Gibraltar. The team will be using only muscle power to pull sledges that will have all of their equipment and enough food for 30 days at a time. The challenge is expected to take three months, and the Ice Maidens will have to fight 60 mph winds as well as temperatures that could drop as low as -40℃. The aim of this expedition is to be a source of inspiration for women and girls of all ages and abilities, to be more active. Six women were selected to take part in this Ice Maiden challenge, Major Nics Wetherill, Royal Army Medical Corps; Major Natalie Taylor, Royal Army Medical Corps; Major Sandy Hennis, Royal Signals; Lieutenant Jenni Stephenson, Royal Artillery; Lieutenant Zanna Baker, Royal Artillery; Lance Sergeant Sophie Montagne, Honourable Artillery Company. The two Army doctors are the leaders of the expedition, and the training for the challenge has allowed all of the women to gain new skills and be inspired to organise their own expeditions. A call for candidates was made, with the only condition being that the women were serving in the Army, Regular or Reserve. The applicants underwent training processes, where the final six were selected.
Enclosureanswers.com delivers free expert advice to their customers which could allow them to find the right electrical enclosure to suit their needs. Making sure that you pick the right enclosure is vital as it could have a significant impact on profit and loss for the project. Making a larger order of over-specified enclosures could eat into a projects margins, whereas a poorly specified solution could then lead to long-term performance problems which could them lead to warranty claims and worse. In order to make sure that customers make the right decision, www.enclousreanswers.com has been established. This service offers an opportunity for customers to approach industry experts in order to get advice and ask technical questions from areas such as enclosure specification and installation. The website is free to use and has been launched by the largest ex-stock supplier of non-metallic electrical enclosures in the UK, Spelsberg UK. Spelsberg has developed a reputation for delivering high quality standard and customised solutions while also offering low lead times on all of their orders. The company noticed an increase in the number of technical questions being asked by their customers and decided to take action and create a service to directly handle them. The company has noticed that over the course of the last decade, more and more customers have been turning to Spelsberg UK in order to get expert advice as well as engineering services. The cause for this could be the increase in savvy buying culture which has grown more since the recession. More technical questions could also be due to the wider range of solutions and options that are becoming available from manufacturers such as Spelsberg UK. The free service is available from the company with no obligation that the customer buys from them after, in order to offer assistance and make sure that the correct solution is chosen.
Twiflex is a leading global supplier of power transition components and has been working to provide parking brakes that will be used on mine hoists at Nkana’s Mopani Copper Mines in Zambia. Nkana is known for being one of the largest copper and cobalt mines in Africa and operates four underground mines as well as an open pit. FLSmidth, the leading mine hoist manufacturer has worked with Twiflex and their South African distribution partner, Tritec Sintered Products in order to carry out the installation of the new parking brakes. FLSmidth supplied the project with a double drum Blair Multi-Rope rock winder and a single drum BMR as well as man/materials winder to the Nkana project. The BMR winder has been developed as a variation on the double drum winder and can be used in extremely deep shafts with the second drum on the winder used to balance the primary load. The drums installed to both winders are identical and measure 5.7 meters in diameter with a rope compartment that is 1.8 meters wide. Twiflex brakes are used as part of the copper mine hoist for parking and holding each time the mine winders stop. If anything untoward happened like, for example a power failure the brakes can be used to bring the load to rest while maintaining a maximum deceleration of 2.3 m/s2 Twiflex engineers also worked to design the new large pad version of their popular VMS3-SPS spring applied, hydraulically-released brake that is used on a range of different hoists around the world. Twiflex is able to utilise their in-house testing capability, which includes a climatic chamber, in order to test the brake systems for functionality in a range of temperatures as well as fatigue and inertia. For brake manufacturers friction material needs to be carefully selected to be suitable for the operating cycle.
