SPAN

Once upon a time in a land far away, Genevieve awoke from a lovely slumber in her wooden house. Although it was the dead of Winter, she had no need for central heating, thanks to the mycelium insulation between her wooden floors and walls. She gazed happily out of her wooden window (yes, her wooden window) at the suspension bridge constructed by millions of spiders which freely spanned 4km over th...

Known for his work on bridges across the French railway network, Gustave Eiffel was a world-renowned engineer. Though trained in chemical engineering, his true legacy lies in the iconic structures he built—including a certain tower in Paris you’ve definitely heard of. In this episode, we explore Eiffel’s contributions to the Statue of Liberty, his pioneering research in aerodynamics and meteorolog...

How do you pronounce 'regenerative'? Don't ask Ellie, but at least she can tell you that 'regenerative design' takes inspiration from how living systems have evolved over time to thrive on our planet. And this is exactly what the Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture (RICA) characterises; this is a climate-positive agriculture school designed by MASS Design Group and Ar...

As brilliant as concrete is, it has its pitfalls. Several defects can occur in concrete depending on the constituent materials and their chemical interactions. Others can arise because of the interaction of concrete with its surrounding environment. In this episode, we talk about concrete cancer, alkali aggregate reactions, and an infamous cement mix that initially gives you strong concrete but la...

What do concrete and bread have in common? Yes it is another concrete episode but don't dismiss it just yet! This time we delve into the wonderful and complex world of concrete chemistry and material science. Much like bread, the various constituent materials in concrete each play a crucial role in achieving desired strength, durability, and workability. The curing (baking) of concrete also re...

A building structure doesn't simply exist; once it is built it requires upkeep and materials for repair, just as a plant requires pruning and nutrients. Unfortunately, the maintenance or reuse of a 30-year-old building seems incredibly dull when compared to a flashy new skyscraper. With an increasing emphasis on 'build nothing', and design for deconstruction, this attitude is slowly be...

If a batch of muffins 'may contain traces of nuts' but you have to use your epipen pen after the first bite, do you continue to eat the remaining muffins? If somebody had said to you 'thismuffin is wrong', would you have tucked in?  Now imagine that muffin represented a bridge. The Polcevera Viaduct (aka Ponte Morandi) in Genoa is one of the most fatal cases of structural failure i...

Spanning long distances without internal supports is a challenge encountered in many structures. Think of sports centres, exhibition halls, malls, airports, train stations etc. What options does the structural engineer have when faced with such a challenge? In this episode, we discuss a few such options like cable structures and diagrids used in the Munich Olympic Stadium roof and London King’s Cr...

It is February, yes, but we did want to round up some of the construction projects either completed in 2024 or still ongoing. From London’s super sewer to an iconic airport upgrade in Oregon, and the only permanent venue constructed for the Paris 2024 Olympics, we delve into what 2024 looked like for the construction industry. It is by no means an exhaustive list but will give insight into what is...

Hello listeners, apologies for the long delay in releasing our favourite episode to date: An Interview With Alison Cox! If you are contemplating a career in construction, or wonder what it's like to be a female in a traditionally male sector, then wonder no more. Alison Cox is a leading female in construction, having worked for prominent contracting firms and on famous structures. We learned a...

Picture the scene: you're given a nice chunk of land to develop and make billions, but there's a catch. There's already somebody situated on the plot of land who won't budge - you need to share. This was the problem faced by structural engineer William LeMessurier in 1976 for the construction of Citigroup Centre at 601 Lexington Avenue in New York City. His seemingly simple design solution created...

We're learning about another pioneering engineer in today's episode; the 'father of civil engineering' - Thomas Telford. Born in 1957, the Scotsman rose from humble origins to become the 'Colossus of Roads', so called for his work on over 1000 miles of UK roads. Just as the 'Colossus of Rhodes' was one of the ancient seven wonders of the world, Telford himself was a wonder; unafraid of new materia...

It is statistically proven that a positive mindset enables positive outcomes... Then let's learn from success! When "101" appears after a term, it typically signifies an introductory level of knowledge about a topic... And Taipei 101 is a good place to start this series of podcasts; the Taiwanese skyscraper was record breaking when built in 2004, and remains record breaking to this day. Find out h...

Much to Janet's delight, Ellie has agreed to another Career Corner episode. Today we're spotlighting engineering in academia; what is it like to do a postgraduate degree in engineering, and how does it compare to R&D as an industry career? We discuss the pros and cons of our experience, and the advice we'd give to those considering a PhD in civil engineering. Happy listening, and please send a...

In our reinforced concrete episode, we learnt that concrete began as a plant pot. Today we discuss the less humble origins of steel, who's inventor also developed patents for sugar extraction and reducing seasickness on passenger ships. We also learn about steel's 'Achilles heels'; we discuss an extraordinary example of fatigue, consider the environmental impact of corrosion protection, and Janet...

After covering concrete and wood in previous episodes, I’m sure it is no surprise that we are talking about steel! Steel is a versatile material used extensively in our structures today. Find out why engineers (us) love steel as we talk about its wide ranging benefits...ductility, stiffness, machinability. We of course balance that with its weaknesses…corrosion, fatigue, buckling. If you can get t...

We start another series… Yes, another one. This time we want to highlight engineers, past and present (P&P), that have made a significant contribution to structural engineering. Othmar Hermann Amman is best known for his suspension bridges and unprecedented use of steel.  It was said of Amman that he was ‘the enemy of the ornate, the complicated, the extravagant’. It is no surprise his simplis...

Hello, and welcome to the final part of our mini series where we discuss ten projects we feel... [insert adjective here] about! In our final* episode we learn about diagrid skyscraper design for China's Sany Irootech HQ; should China be commissioning new skyscraper projects amid their 'ghostscraper' crisis? Janet points out further issues with 'greenwashing'... We also discuss...

Are floating cities the answer to rising sea levels? Do we need a city dedicated to innovation and technology-driven research for the transport industry to accelerate sustainability efforts? Can you have too many footbridges?   We discuss these questions in this episode as we continue in our four-part series on upcoming construction projects. We are back in Japan with Woven city, in the Maldives w...

What if we changed the way we build our cities? The Line aims to revolutionise how cities are configured and built. Would you fancy living in this skyscraper turned horizontal metropolis? The Fjords in Norway are deep as they are wide making travel across the western coast a challenge. With the E39 road project, Norway aims to provide efficient travel routes which might include the world’s first S...

Can birds stop bridges being built? Should historic events prevent us from rebuilding monuments? Are data centres something tourists would love to see? These are three questions we encounter today in our first episode in a four-part series on upcoming construction projects (with varying likelihoods of actually being built). Happy listening, and as always please get on touch at spanatter.contact@gm...

Structural failure is often accidental. In a minority of cases, acts of terrorism cause deliberate impact-induced damage. The 1995 bombing of the Alfred Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City is the most deadly act of 'homegrown' terrorism in the United States to date. How does a structure behave when subject to a sudden impact, in particular - what is 'brisance'? How have engine...

"It so happens that the work which is likely to be our most durable monument, and to convey some knowledge of us to the most remote posterity, is a work of bare utility; not a shrine, not a fortress, not a palace but a bridge." - Montgomery Schuyler on the Brooklyn Bridge (1883) There is little more that needs to be said on bridges... Although Janet & Ellie do try! Today we discuss t...

Form and function; two words familiar to any structural engineer. The bridge is where these two words form a union - the very function of a bridge is its form! Bridges preceded buildings: bridges enabled our nomadic ancestors to traverse river and ravine. Since ancient times, bridges defined the trade routes that gave rise to cities of present times. Today, these bridges are our landmarks. But are...

CLT, LVL, DLT... No, they're not diseases, they're types of mass engineered timber! Mass timber is a beautiful material that has taken sky scrapers to the next level (literally) in recent years. It is strong and flexible (making it especially resilient for earthquake design); while being lightweight and biophilic (making it a contender to traditional materials like concrete and steel). How...