Dishonest Bidding

The issue in civil engineering that I would like to discuss is that of engineering companies scheming together to rig bidding on public works projects.  There was one such incident recently that took place in two southern states.  The incident involved over 70 firms located in that region.  What these companies were doing was when a project would open up for bids, companies would talk to each other, discuss who would get the job, then bid accordingly to keep the prices high and the terms of the contract to their advantage.  This gave the appearance that competitive bidding was taking place, when in all reality they were rigging the system to charge more money.  Such behavior violates not only the Code of Ethics for Engineers, but it is also in direct violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act established in 1890.

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There are many problems with the conduct of these companies.  They were taking the competition out of bidding for these engineering projects.  Competition drives progress.  It also makes sure the work the company does is of the highest quality and for the lowest possible price.  These things among others are important for a successful economy.  The Sherman Antitrust Act was established to maintain this competition.  By placing predetermined bids on public projects, they are purposely charging more than they think they could if they were truly in a bidding war for the project.  This is essentially just stealing state and federal funds.  Funds, I might add, that come from our tax dollars.  They also do not always uphold the quality of work they otherwise would if competing with other companies to keep the project.  When the quality of work is low and the project expensive, the civil engineering community quickly loses legitimacy with the public.  Without public support for future projects, the future of the civil engineering career field is not near as bright.

The other side to this argument is whether what these companies were doing is really wrong.  Yes, it goes against the legal policies set forth by our laws, but it also helped numerous projects get pushed through and happen sooner.  These projects create jobs and help the economy.  Some projects require at least three bids before they are allowed to started.  When one company bids on the project, but no others want it, these companies consider it professional courtesy to put in high bids just to get the project pushed through and create work for the fellow engineers.  One of the accused, and later convicted, contractors involved in the scheme said this was an established practice when he first showed up to the job years ago.  He also said that although he was “uncomfortable” taking part in the mentioned actions, he does not consider them illegal.  In my opinion these are just excuses for not following the ethics he should have internalized when he became an engineer.  Laws are laws, and they need to be followed.

With the amount of responsibility civil engineers have using public funds to create and maintain the infrastructure of our nation, deviating from the laws is unacceptable.  We need to do the right thing by creating competition amongst companies to ensure the work we do is of the highest quality and for the lowest price.  The public’s safety is at risk if we do not.  Each and every engineer should take it upon his or herself to uphold these standards and live by the proper ethical code.

Information found on the ASCE website: http://www.asce.org/Ethics/A-Question-of-Ethics/2011/March-2011/

Our Nation's Infrastructure

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The article I am analyzing was written by Steve Hargreaves for CNN Money.  I have posted a link to his article at the bottom of this page.  In his article the author discusses the recent issues regarding the poor condition of much of our nation’s infrastructure, focusing mostly on projects that fall under the Department of Transportation.  The funding for DOT projects has been at a steady increase since 2003.  Last year the DOT budget was set at $73 Billion.  It has been estimated by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) that if the deteriorating condition of our infrastructure is not fixed, it could cost our economy $1.1 trillion a year and 3.5 million jobs.

When I look at this article from the perspective of the career field I am about to enter, civil engineering, I feel it is a sign of good things to come.  Civil engineers are responsible for the infrastructure of our country.  The Interstate system and Hoover Dam are just two of the large projects the civil engineers of our nation have undertaken.  Since those times, not a lot of funding has been given to maintain those projects, or many others for that matter.  It is time our country once again puts its resources into ensuring the success and economic independence it originally sought.  Things such as the reconstruction of our national roadways and water resource treatment and transportation would go a long ways into improving our country as a whole.

The longer our country waits on such an issue, the more it is going to cost us.  Every day that we wait to correct the ever deteriorating condition of our nation’s roadways and pipelines, the more risk and money we lay on the line.  By hiring civil engineers to redo our nation’s infrastructure, we will save millions of dollars and create thousands of jobs.  Not doing so will only postpone the inevitable.  It is also estimated by ASCE that it will cost the average American $6,100 a year in vehicle repairs, wasted fuel, and lost time in traffic if such damages are not fixed. 

If the appropriate funding is given to fix the infrastructure of our nation, it will be a great day to be a civil engineer.  Many job opportunities will be created nationwide.  Studying engineering is one of the limited fields that have an increasing demand amongst all of the states nationwide.  Having been neglected for so many years, our nation’s infrastructures needs serious work.  With the help of civil engineers, the ability to put America back on top of the race for technological and economical advancements is very real.  With no short part due to those who have brought innovation and new ideas to our field.  Civil engineers will never go away as far as human society is concerned.  We are essential to the luxuries and quality of living most all Americans live for.  With the proper funding and technological knowledge, civil engineers have the ability to shape a better tomorrow.

http://money.cnn.com/2013/02/12/news/economy/infrastructure-spending/index.html

Review of the Leica Builder 503



The Leica Builder 503 is one of the newest reflector-less total stations made by Leica Geosystems.  The new features and capabilities of this total station will drastically increase your efficiency on the job site and takes much of the unneeded work out of surveying.  I have experience surveying with total stations, and the features this unit offers far exceed those I am accustom to.  Although it has a price tag of $9,295 the features, accuracy, and ease of use will prove to be worth it.

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    The first thing worth mentioning is the ease of transferring data.  With an internal memory that will hold up to 50,000 points, Bluetooth technology, and an external USB port, bringing data to and from the devise is simple.  This makes it possible to use the data you have collected and easily integrate it to CAD.  This data storage also allows for quick rechecks of measurements such as concrete forms and slope grades. 

                The Builder 503 is capable of measuring angle down to three arc-seconds.  Some models can measure down to 1 arc-second.  Although 3 arc-seconds may not be the highest of accuracies, the price of this unit is reasonable compared to many others with the same accuracy.  It also has a long battery life of up to 20 of run time on one charge.  This allows for plenty of time to work without have to stop the entire job site and wait on a charging battery. 

                How many of you surveyors out there grow tired of walking all over a job site holding a reflector or prism?  I know that I do.  With the laser technology the Builder 503 has, this annoying task is almost eliminated on measurements fewer than 540 feet.  This may not be too strenuous of a task, but it frees up one more person and significantly reduces the time it takes to get the job done.  On longer shots, a prism can be used to measure as far out as 1600 feet.

                Durability will not be an issue with this total station.  It has a protection class of IP55, meaning it is protected from dust and any water jets.  Especially important here in Fargo, ND where I have surveyed, the Builder 503 can be used in temperatures anywhere from -4^oF to 122^oF.  In the rare instance it may be defective of damaged in the field, it is covered by a one-year manufacturer’s warranty.  Furthermore it comes with its own carrying case to protect it to and from the field. 

                If I had to give an overall rating to the Builder 503, I would award it 4 out of 5 stars.  Its ease of transferring data to and from the machine, its battery life, and its warranty are just some of the factors that make it a good total station.  To make it great, Leica could improve its accuracy to 2 or even 1 arc-second and increase the range of its reflector-less laser.  Is this the most high end total station on the market today? No, but for the price the Leica Builder 503 is good investment.

Explanation of Your Field-Civil Engineering

Civil engineering is one of the oldest disciplines of engineering.  Dating back to the construction of the Great Pyramids and the Great Wall of China, and even earlier, man has been designing and creating magnificent structures to make life safer and more enjoyable.  The field of civil engineering is very broad and encompasses many more specialized disciplines such as transportation, water, geotechnical, structural, and environmental engineering just to name a few.  A great way to think about it is that every piece of infrastructure you see around you, a civil engineer had a large hand in designing it. 

 

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Have you ever thought of what life would be like without running water for a shower, indoor plumbing, or roads to drive on?  Many people take for granted all of the hard work men and women put into designing and constructing the complex systems that are responsible for these great luxuries.  Clean and renewable energy sources for instance.  The Hoover Dam is an example of a civil engineering marvel that allowed the Southwest region of our country to be inhabited.  It supplies electricity to the surrounding area as well as supplies water for irrigation and consumption.  In my local area, the Fargo landfill has been using solid waste disposal as a means of energy.  They have currently installed 62 natural gas wells to collect the methane that the waste produces.  This gas is then carried by pipelines to the Cargill plant and use to create energy.  We have civil engineers to thank for this and many other waste to energy processes for giving us energy and keeping our environment clean.

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Ethics play a very large role in civil engineering.  When you think of the consequences of doing a poor job on the design or inspection of a bridge, such as the I-35W bridge that collapsed in Minneapolis, you see why civil engineers need to hold themselves to a high standard.  Even with projects not as visible to the public such as water treatment, cutting corners can pose serious risks.  If not always paying attention and doing the job that is required, harmful chemicals such lead and arsenic end up in our drinking water.  Health and safety are just part of the ethical standards civil engineers.  Many of the projects in civil engineering are for public interests, and therefore funded by taxes.  It is the ethical responsibility of these engineers to use this money properly.  They should work hard to finish the project on time and under budget if possible.  Doing a lackadaisical job with public funds goes against the ethical responsibility engineers are entrusted with when given control of these public works projects.

It is hard to imagine a world without civil engineers.  In fact, I do not think it would even be possible.  As long as there has been man, he has been trying to engineer a better world.  We have come a long way in the last several hundred years, and I am excited to see what new and innovative ideas civil engineers such as myself will bring about in the future.