Introduction to Engineering

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http://lettres-histoire.ac-rouen.fr/histgeo/neil_armstrong.jpg

http://www.usyd.edu.au/senate/DC_Bradfield.shtml

Overview of this sessionOverview of this session

What is engineering?What is engineering? Engineering disciplinesEngineering disciplines ChallengesChallenges Brief history of engineeringBrief history of engineering Science and engineeringScience and engineering Engineering failuresEngineering failures

What is engineering?What is engineering?

An art, a science, a craft, a An art, a science, a craft, a trade, a profession, a creative trade, a profession, a creative process, a way of doing process, a way of doing things???things???

All of these, some of these, All of these, some of these, something else???something else???

Definitions of engineeringDefinitions of engineering

Traditionally the definition of Traditionally the definition of engineering involved taming or engineering involved taming or harnessing the forces of nature for harnessing the forces of nature for the betterment of humans.the betterment of humans.

Published round 1940

Triumphs of EngineeringTriumphs of Engineering

The book introduces you to the romance of engineering. It will The book introduces you to the romance of engineering. It will also help you to realise how great is the debt we all owe to the also help you to realise how great is the debt we all owe to the patient, and often dangerous work of the men who combat or patient, and often dangerous work of the men who combat or control nature with steel and stone – with brains and courage.control nature with steel and stone – with brains and courage.

Engineering is one of the great civilising forces of our time. By Engineering is one of the great civilising forces of our time. By damming broad rivers the engineer irrigates vast tracts of arid damming broad rivers the engineer irrigates vast tracts of arid land, thus turning them into fruitful farms. land, thus turning them into fruitful farms.

Controlling and Harnessing NatureControlling and Harnessing Nature

You will learn in this chapter how the engineer forces rivers to You will learn in this chapter how the engineer forces rivers to irrigate the land and to produce power in the form of electricity; irrigate the land and to produce power in the form of electricity; how he brings water to the crowded cities of the world; how, by how he brings water to the crowded cities of the world; how, by reclaiming the sea, by building lighthouses and in many other reclaiming the sea, by building lighthouses and in many other ways, he defies and conquers Natureways, he defies and conquers Nature..

Institution of Professional Institution of Professional Engineers, New Zealand.Engineers, New Zealand.

Engineers will translate into action the Engineers will translate into action the dreams of humanity, traditional dreams of humanity, traditional knowledge and the concepts of science knowledge and the concepts of science to achieve sustainable management of to achieve sustainable management of the planet through the creative the planet through the creative application of technology. application of technology.

Early origins of engineeringEarly origins of engineering

The strength of engineering lies in The strength of engineering lies in the depth of its foundations. The the depth of its foundations. The hundred generations of conscientious hundred generations of conscientious artisans who built those foundations artisans who built those foundations preserved the technical knowledge preserved the technical knowledge they had learned from their they had learned from their forebears, refined it, added to it, and forebears, refined it, added to it, and passed it on to posterity (Ferguson passed it on to posterity (Ferguson 1992) 1992)

Early ‘engineering’ achievementsEarly ‘engineering’ achievements

Irrigation projects and levee banks in the Tigris – Irrigation projects and levee banks in the Tigris – Euphrates rivers area in Mesopotamia, Euphrates rivers area in Mesopotamia, commencing round 3000 BCcommencing round 3000 BC

Egyptian pyramids from about 2700 BCEgyptian pyramids from about 2700 BC A large dam in Egypt dating back to around A large dam in Egypt dating back to around

3000 BC3000 BC The Great Wall of China started about 300 BCThe Great Wall of China started about 300 BC Roman era aqueducts and roads from about 400 Roman era aqueducts and roads from about 400

BCBC

Photo courtesy Joseph Giove 111

Photo courtesy Jeff Sargent

The Significance of The Significance of EngineeringEngineering

   Engineering has always been very Engineering has always been very

important to society, for the provision of important to society, for the provision of infrastructure and technological advances. infrastructure and technological advances.

Engineering has been equally significant Engineering has been equally significant as other foundations of society such as as other foundations of society such as medicine, law and commerce.medicine, law and commerce.

  

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Public health rolePublic health role

Chart of Typhoid Deaths in Philadelphia (1886 - 1943) and Improvement in Public Water Supply.

http://www.phillywater.org/WQ/chlorine.htm

What do engineers do?What do engineers do? Engineers research, design, create, develop, Engineers research, design, create, develop,

produce, supervise, operate, maintain and produce, supervise, operate, maintain and manage an enormous diversity of infrastructure, manage an enormous diversity of infrastructure, products, systems and technologies used by products, systems and technologies used by people to live and work in an increasingly people to live and work in an increasingly complex world. complex world.

Many of these products of engineers’ work are Many of these products of engineers’ work are obvious, but it is worthwhile listing just some obvious, but it is worthwhile listing just some well-known ones. Now, look at the following list well-known ones. Now, look at the following list and ponder just how primitive our world would be and ponder just how primitive our world would be without them:without them:

A few examples of engineers’ workA few examples of engineers’ work

Highways, streets, railways, bridges, buildings, port Highways, streets, railways, bridges, buildings, port facilities, airports, cars, aeroplanes, ships, traffic facilities, airports, cars, aeroplanes, ships, traffic management, air traffic control, radar, water supply, management, air traffic control, radar, water supply, sewerage systems, wastewater treatment, mines, sewerage systems, wastewater treatment, mines, quarries, metal refining, manufacturing, factories, quarries, metal refining, manufacturing, factories, assembly lines, oil refineries, agricultural machinery, assembly lines, oil refineries, agricultural machinery, air conditioning, elevators, chemical production, air conditioning, elevators, chemical production, plastics, food processing, paper manufacture,oil plastics, food processing, paper manufacture,oil refineries, corrosion protection, power stations, refineries, corrosion protection, power stations, electricity transmission, telecommunications, electricity transmission, telecommunications, information technology, computers, robots, mobile information technology, computers, robots, mobile phones, radio, television, space exploration, phones, radio, television, space exploration, satellites, global positioning systems, weapon satellites, global positioning systems, weapon systems, medical technology, artificial human parts, systems, medical technology, artificial human parts, solid waste management, pollution control, solid waste management, pollution control, contaminated site rehabilitation, etc etccontaminated site rehabilitation, etc etc

Engineering disciplinesEngineering disciplines CivilCivil

Mechanical, electricalMechanical, electrical

Chemical, mining, aeronauticalChemical, mining, aeronautical

Environmental, biomedical, software, electronic, Environmental, biomedical, software, electronic, mechatronic, mechatronic,

Specialities within a disciplineSpecialities within a discipline

For example, in civil engineeringFor example, in civil engineering• structuralstructural• hydraulichydraulic• geotechnical,geotechnical,• transportationtransportation• coastalcoastal• municipalmunicipal• constructionconstruction

Engineering as a professionEngineering as a profession

What constitutes a profession?What constitutes a profession?• Long period of study, expert knowledge, control of Long period of study, expert knowledge, control of

professional practice, code of ethics, control over professional practice, code of ethics, control over membership, high standards, service to public, membership, high standards, service to public,

Primary professional body is Primary professional body is Engineers AustraliaEngineers Australia

About 1/3 practising engineers in EAAbout 1/3 practising engineers in EA

Challenges for engineeringChallenges for engineering social, environmental responsiveness;social, environmental responsiveness; shedding the stereotypical image;shedding the stereotypical image; encouraging females to study (and staying in) encouraging females to study (and staying in)

engineering;engineering; the expanding diversity of engineering;the expanding diversity of engineering; education to meet today’s (and tomorrow’s) education to meet today’s (and tomorrow’s)

needs in a rapidly changing world;needs in a rapidly changing world; identity, recognition and status;identity, recognition and status; ethical responsibilities in an increasingly ethical responsibilities in an increasingly

corporate and financially-driven engineering corporate and financially-driven engineering workplace;workplace;

relationship of professional engineers with allied relationship of professional engineers with allied support professionals such as technologists; and support professionals such as technologists; and

rapidly changing technology.rapidly changing technology.

The Engineering stereotypeThe Engineering stereotype One of the most common criticisms of engineers is their One of the most common criticisms of engineers is their

preoccupation with technology and technical solutions to preoccupation with technology and technical solutions to problems, as noted by Brian Lloyd, a former president of problems, as noted by Brian Lloyd, a former president of the Institution of Engineers, Australia and Dietrich Georg, the Institution of Engineers, Australia and Dietrich Georg, editor of editor of Engineers AustraliaEngineers Australia, respectively:, respectively:

‘‘Many engineers find their greatest satisfaction in their Many engineers find their greatest satisfaction in their technical achievements, and their greatest frustrations in technical achievements, and their greatest frustrations in their human relations’. their human relations’.

‘‘Engineers must broaden their approach to their work. They Engineers must broaden their approach to their work. They need to come out of their technical boxes. If they don't they need to come out of their technical boxes. If they don't they will be confined to the backrooms of their drawing offices will be confined to the backrooms of their drawing offices and factories producing products or services for others, and factories producing products or services for others, with little input in or influence over the political and social with little input in or influence over the political and social processes that determine the need for and use of those processes that determine the need for and use of those products and services’. products and services’.

Some stereotypical attributesSome stereotypical attributes

Technical strengths:Technical strengths:technical ability, numbers, calculations, spatial perceptions, technical ability, numbers, calculations, spatial perceptions, analysis, mechanical aspects, detailanalysis, mechanical aspects, detail

Temperamental strengths:Temperamental strengths:sincerity, decisiveness, methodical persistence, motivation, sincerity, decisiveness, methodical persistence, motivation, preoccupation with detail not breadth or deeper issuespreoccupation with detail not breadth or deeper issues

Temperamental weaknesses:Temperamental weaknesses:intolerant of others views; impatience with others less intolerant of others views; impatience with others less rational or technically gifted; lack of human insight, tact, rational or technically gifted; lack of human insight, tact, human skills, emotion; human skills, emotion;

Insensitivity to social issues:Insensitivity to social issues:don’t recognise impacts of technology, belief that don’t recognise impacts of technology, belief that technology can solve all technical problems, pro-technology can solve all technical problems, pro-developmentdevelopment

Engineering and scienceEngineering and science

Pure science – pursuit of knowledge Pure science – pursuit of knowledge about natural systems eg astronomyabout natural systems eg astronomy

Applied science eg medical researchApplied science eg medical research

Boundaries between engineering and Boundaries between engineering and science are disappearingscience are disappearing

Scientific breakthroughs and Scientific breakthroughs and Engineering disastersEngineering disasters

Scientists launch new space rocketScientists launch new space rocketNew treatment breakthrough by scientistsNew treatment breakthrough by scientistsMysteries of universe unravelled by scientists Mysteries of universe unravelled by scientists Science puts boneless fish on the menuScience puts boneless fish on the menu

   Engineers search for disaster cluesEngineers search for disaster clues

Engineers inspect wreckage of bridgeEngineers inspect wreckage of bridgeSafety problems denied by engineersSafety problems denied by engineersEngineers admit huge cost blowout on bridge Engineers admit huge cost blowout on bridge

Learning through failureLearning through failure

Some examplesSome examples

Hyatt Regency walkway collapse -Hyatt Regency walkway collapse -113 dead113 dead

Vaoint dam 2600 killedVaoint dam 2600 killed

Arianne 5 rocket - $500 millionArianne 5 rocket - $500 million

Vaiont dam Italy www.land-man.net/vajont/vajont.jpg

Hyatt Regency walkways collapse http://ethics.tamu.edu/ethics/hyatt/hyatt2.htm

Summary: the modern engineerSummary: the modern engineer A skilled professionalA skilled professional More likely to work in private sectorMore likely to work in private sector Often works in a multidisciplinary Often works in a multidisciplinary

teamteam Needs to keep up with rapidly Needs to keep up with rapidly

changing technologychanging technology May face complex ethical issuesMay face complex ethical issues Needs to be more responsive to Needs to be more responsive to

society and environmentsociety and environment