Engineers Media

MAGAZINES ENGINEERS AUSTRALIA - back

This monthly news magazine is produced in two editions – a General edition and a Civil edition. It covers news related to all disciplines of engineering. The General Edition circulates mainly to members affiliated with the Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical, Biomedical, Environmental and ITEE Colleges of Engineers Australia. The Civil Edition circulates mainly to members affiliated with the Civil and Structural Colleges of Engineers Australia. Produced by Engineers Media.

Engineers Australia members can view and search an archive of the current and previous issues. Log in at www.engineersaustralia.org.au, then go to "Resources and Library", then "Online Library/Engineers Australia magazine".

January 2012

Included in this issue:

Cover story: Regional Engineering
Engineers Australia has declared 2012 the year of the Regional Engineeing Team.The year aims to recognise and celebrate the contribution of all those engineers, technologists and associates who work and live in regional Australia.

Liability/Risk (General/Civil)
The lead story compares the new harmonised work health and safety laws to existing risk management standards. Also included are articles on professional indemnity, anti-terrorism expenditure, preparing for variable climate and the Professional Performance, Innovation and Risk Protocol.

Defence (General and Civil)
The lead story in this feature explores the engineering skills required to deliver new submarines for Australia, while another article suggests nuclear vessels should be considered.

December 2011

Included in this issue:

Cover story: Engineering Excellence Awards 2011
Engineers Australia celebrrated engineering excellence last month with a function at Parliament House in Canberra. Nine national prizes were presented, including the top honour – the Sir William Hudson Award. Three individual awards and the President's Prize were also given out.

Sustainability (General/Civil)
The last major event of Engineers Australia's Year of Humanitarian Engineering was held at Etihad Stadium in Melbourne between 30 November and 2 December.Danny Cameron attended the Humanitarian Engineering conference, which ran under the title "imagineering", and filed these articles. The conference was organised by Engineers Australia and Engineers Without Borders Australia, in event partnership with SKM and AusAID.

Safety (General and Civil)
The first story proposes a confidential structural failure reporting scheme for Australia based on a UK model.Other articles discuss new model workplaces safety laws, drug and alcohol use in construction, and awards for safety innovations.

November 2011

Included in this issue:

Cover story: Incoming President: David Hood
Incoming national president David Hood has been an advocate for more sustainability in all engineering activities for many years. He believes engineers must go beyond what is required by law.

Shipbuilding (General)
The lead story covers the Australian design and construction of a liquefied natural gas-powered ferry. Other stories detail a new fleet of Australian-made catamarans designed to support offshore wind farms, the upcoming 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, and progress on the Navy’s Air Warfare Destroyer.

Process Engineering (General)
This feature includes reports from the recent Chemeca conference in Sydney, a story about a control systems upgrade at a biosecurity facility in Victoria, previews of forthcoming events and new products.

Concrete (Civil)

This feature leads with the awards for excellence in concrete, presented last month at the biennial conference of the Concrete Institute of Australia. The conference also featured a number of international speakers, whose keynote addresses are covered in an article. A concrete pour on a new social housing development in Perth; innovative use of all forms of concrete on a rehabilitated site in Sydney; and a concrete burial for the tunnel boring machine cutterheads and shields in Brisbane’s Airport Link are also covered in this feature.

Roads/Road Maintenance (Civil)

An Adelaide company has supplied a comprehensive materials testing and reporting system to a major road project in Texas, as outlined in the lead article. Also included in this feature are reports on new bridges to prevent road flooding in the Northern Territory and a new sustainability rating tool for roads developed by VicRoads.

October 2011

Included in this issue:

Cover story: Queensland
After the floods of the 2010/2011 summer season, Queensland was faced with a long and challenging recovery process. Beyond the obvious economic and humanitarian problems posed by the floods, much of the infrastructure in the affected areas was significantly damaged.

Building Services (General)
A new high rise development in Sydney has building services features that will save an estimated $2 million in annual operating costs, as the lead article describes. Another article looks at the requirements to extract heat from a new data centre, while another reveals the latest grants awarded to developments around Australia to improve building services.

Software (Civil)

A number of solutions to modelling flood flow around buildings have been tested as part of an Australian Rainfall and Runoff revision project, as the lead article details. The feature also contains articles on software used for project management, procurement, planning and environmental health.

September 2011

Included in this issue:

Cover story: Dream jobs
Engineers work in many and varied areas and locations. In this cover story we profile 10 engineers who have found their dream jobs in unusual places, often combining their occupation with their personal interests.

Railways (General/Civil)
The lead story details the response of Engineers Australia and other rail experts to the release of the federal government’s high speed rail study. Other stories cover the manufacture and maintenance of a fleet of diesel electric locomotives, a new type of mechanised track patrol vehicle, an advancement on a Sydney project and the opening of a new rail depot and train crew barracks in rural NSW.

Communications (General)
The lead story covers NBN Co’s plans to release video services such as Foxtel as part of the NBN.
Other stories cover a nationwide replacement of en route radars, an upgrade in air traffic management infrastructure, the upcoming Broadband World Forum, a new broadband service for Alice Springs and the development of an ICT award-winning eyesight treatment technology.

Airports (Civil)

Expansion programs are being rolled out for airports around Australia – particularly in Perth, as the lead article describes, where the fly-in, fly-out activity of those in the resource sector is exerting pressure on existing infrastructure. The nationwide air control tower modernisation program is also detailed. Other projects covered include a new terminal in Canberra, a masterplan design competition, and a massive kinetic art piece under construction at Brisbane airport.

August 2011

Included in this issue:

Cover story: Engineering photo competition
More than 400 images were entered in Engineers Australia magazine’s 2011 photo competition, illustrating the many interesting and varied facets of the work engineers do and locations they work in.

Materials Handling (General)
The lead story highlights the upcoming construction of a new bulk liquids berth for Sydney Ports. Other stories cover a new contract for coal handling by engineering provider Downer, a novel adaptation for a pneumatic ram at a coal handling and preparation plant, and a series of new tools and applications to aid in the materials handling process.

Biomedical (General)
The lead story details the role biomedical engineering plays in Australia’s healthcare system. Other stories cover the opening of the Australian Centre for Nanomedicine; the research and development being conducted into tissue engineering, cardio disease detection devices, and the bionic eye; a series of upcoming bioengineering events; and a call for nominations for the David Dewhurst Award.

Steel (Civil)

This feature leads with a new Australian house designed to withstand extreme weather events. A new steel contract on the Gorgon project is detailed against another article voicing the concerns of Western Australia’s local industry that it is not winning enough work on the state’s major resources projects. A design update incorporating the new wind code and new technical guides are also discussed.

Bridges (Civil)

In the lead article, an engineer reports on his deployment to inspect and replace bridges in Liberia. Other stories discuss bridge projects around Australia and in South Africa. Also included is an article on a structure in rural Victoria designed by Sir John Monash that will receive an Engineering Heritage Marker this month.

July 2011

Included in this issue:

Cover story: New projects promise a bright future for Newcastle
In this feature on Newcastle and the surrounding Hunter Region, Danny Cameron reports on a number of developments setting up a long-term future for the region right accross the engineering spectrum.

Recruitment/Careers (Both editions)
The lead story details an odour management program being undertaken for a number of Sydney wastewater treatment plants.

June 2011

Included in this issue:

Cover story: Top 100 — Australia's most influential engineers
There are 34 new names in this year's list of Australia's 100 most influential engineers, with fresh ones appearing in each of the seven categories. This is an indication of the breadth of leadership talent in the engineering profession in this country.

Pipes/Drainage (Civil)
The lead story reports on a drainage upgrade being carried ou in Dubbo, NSW. Also included are articles on irrigation scheme in Tasmania, a water pipeline in Adelaide and mapping underground infrastructure.

Positioning/GPS (Civil)
The lead story details the application of mapping technology in the coverage of the Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race. Other stories cover the development of an unmanned vehicle used in aerial mapping, and Australian research efforts to combat criminal GPS jamming.

Software (General)
The advent of the smart grid will see a large increase in automated data collection. It will become common for power quality (PQ) data to be available on line, using the many existing and proposed PQ instruments.

May 2011

Included in this issue:

Cover story: More than just war drones
As the use of unmanned aerial vehicles becomes more widespread, Australia is continuing to make a significant contribution in the realm of aerial robotics. A recent collaboration between an Australian company and the US Air Force marks one of the industry's many developments.

Coastal Engineering (Civil)
The lead story describes ho engineers Australia's National Committee on Coastal and Ocean Engineering is updating existing guidelines and developing new ones. Other articles describe the impact of noise from pile driving on marine animals and an assessment of how vulnerable coastal communities are to rising sea levels.

Concrete (Civil)
Concrete continues to be poured on the complex Perth Arena project, as the lead article reveals, while the following article takes readers to Melbourne, where the final touches are being applied to the ground-breaking concrete strengthening of the West Gate Bridge. Dam safety upgrades continue around the country and this feature follows up on two - one in the southwest of WA and one in NSW.

Pollution Control (General)
The lead story details an odour management program being undertaken for a number of Sydney wastewater treatment plants.

April 2011

Included in this issue:

Cover story: Coal seam challenges
As the coal seam gas industry grows, there are concerns about access to land for bore holes and gas pipelines, management of the massive amount of associated coal seam gas water and the use of hydraulic fracturing.

Mining (Civil & General)
Only three massive Liebherr excavators exist in the world, yet a mine in central Queensland now has two of them, as the lead article reveals. Details about federal government programs to improve the skill set of the nation are detailed in another article. The feature also includes snapshots of iron ore and coal expansion projects as well as a couple of new products.

Corrosion Control (Civil & General)
The lead story explores the measures taken to combat and prevent corrosion at a refinery in Thailand. Other stories detail an upcoming corrosion control conference in Perth and a five-year review of anti-corrosion material installed in potable water tanks in Melbourne.

March 2011

Included in this issue:

Cover story: Focus on Western Australia
Although Western Australia is famous for its ore and gas riches, it is also pursuing excellence in other areas, such as hospital and ship engineering.

Lighting (General)
The lead article examines the lighting of the external façade on Melbourne’s Aami Stadium, a component that is competing for awards at the SPARC international lighting conference in Sydney in June. Other articles look at efficiency improvements made at a shopping centre, and a multifaceted lighting package for a multipurpose building. The final article looks at the lighting solution for an impressive new art gallery in Tasmania.

Earthmoving/Tunnelling (Civil)

The lead story covers a tunnel breakthrough in Brisbane’s Airport Link project. Other stories include a summary of a tunnelling conference in Auckland, the opening of a new museum built into an excavated cliff, a sewerage project in Melbourne, the earthmoving works for an interstate highway, a proposed pedestrian tunnel development in Sydney’s CBD and an underground addition to the Opera House.

Feburary 2011

Included in this issue:

Cover story: Engineerin focus on sub-Saharan Africa
Many Australian engineering companies are pursuing business opportunities in sub-Saharan Africa. The cover story looks at the benefits and pitflls of working in the region.

Defence (Both editions)
The lead article describes a problem encountered in the Collins Class submarine generators, and the current repair program being carried out to rectify the situation. Another article looks at the Landing Helicopter Dock project – the build of two of the largest amphibious craft to be operated by the Australian Navy. The feature also includes news on an Australian Truman design selected for the US Navy.

Fire protection (General)
The lead story details the design and development of fire safety scenarios for the Gold Coast's Tugun Bypass tunnel. Other stories cover fire safety innovation in a building in Melbourne's Docklands, a new award-winning fire extinguishing system, the upcoming 2011 Fire Safety Engineering conference and some of the year's other fire safety events.

Facades/Roof/Fllor (Civil)

The lead story reports on the Westfield Sydney project . Also included are articles on Star City redevelopment, and LED screen facade installed in Saudi Arabia and the recommendations of a coronial inquiry, which found that awning collapses are a widespread safety issue.

January 2011

Included in this issue:

Cover story: 2011 Year of Humanitarian Engineering
The cover story describes what humanitarian engineering is and profiles some recent projects. Also included is a review of Engineers Australia's activities to mark this special year.

Risk (Both editions)
The findings from the inquiry into the Montara oil spill recommend establishing a national regulatory body to minimise the risk of a similar event ever happening again, as the lead article details. The feature also includes articles on environmental risk management in construction, a new climate change factor for flood risk studies and prelitigation protocols being introduced in NSW.

Power (General)
The lead article of this feature provides an update on waterless solar research in Newcastle. Other articles examine the planning tools Australia is using for its future power needs, new research to extract energy from wastelands and a report that looks at what power generation technologies will be important in the future.

Timber (Civil)

An earthquake resistant structural design ha been used in a new multistorey building in New Zealand. the lead story explains the design features. Other article cover the restoration of a heritage timber bridge in Victoria, the success of engineers at the 2010 Australian Timber Design Awards ad the role timber can play in sulfur storage.

December 2010

Included in this issue:

Cover story: Australian Engineering Excellence Awards
The judges for the 2010 Australian Engineering Excellence Awards had to select the winners from 44 project finalists and 17 individual finalists. The winners were announced on 24 November during a gala function at the Parliament House in Canberra, attended by some 600 guests. Nine national excellence awards were presented including the highest one – the Sir William Hudson Award. Four individual awards and the President’s Prize were also announced.

Safety (Both editions)
Engineers Australia’s Safer Construction Taskforce continues to improve industry safety performance as the lead article of this feature details. Other articles include research into how to reduce the safety risks from handling nanomaterials, the need to standardise road safety equipment, and further information on the upcoming OHS legislation harmonisation.

Maintenance (Both editions)

Care and maintenance regimes will come under closer scrutiny following the midair failure of an engine on a recent Qantas flight, but the priority is determining the cause of the failure as the lead article reveals. This feature also looks at developing best practice maintenance programs from the very commissioning of assets, as implemented by BHP Billiton. Another article details new arrangements in Defence that aim to increase innovation in maintenance programs.

November 2010

Included in this issue:

Cover story: Focus on humanitarian engineering
Merv Lindsay will take over Engineers Australia’s presidency from Professor Doug Hargreaves at the Annual General Meeting on 25 November in Canberra. He believes greater awareness of humanitarian engineering can make the profession more attractive to young people.

Communications (General)
The chief executive of NBN Co discusses the business challenges behind the company, while Brisbane City Council decides not to wait for the NBN to roll out and launches its own network. Other articles include a new use of Bluetooth technology, and 3D TV trials.

Process control (General)
Boddington gold mine has won an excellence award for its innovative grinding technology. The lead story outlines the installation. Also included in this feature are reports on reducing slurry erosion at the Yarwun alumina refinery, a profile of a process engineer and a method of removing oxalate from the alumina refining process.

Roads (Civil)
Geotechnical investigations are guiding the road design on a major NSW road project in the Hunter, as the lead article reveals. This feature also contains articles on the opening of the Northern Expressway in South Australia and the change of service delivery in Western Australia. On the sustainability front, a couple of articles look at the rise in use of recycled glass and recycled demolition waste.

Concrete (Civil)
A focus on sustainability was responsible for the development of a special concrete mix on a building in Melbourne, as the lead article details. A massive pour of a post-tensioned slab also occured in Melbourne last month, as another article reveals. A new fire shelter design and a single-span bridge in the US are also covered.

October 2010

Included in this issue:

Cover story: Engineering focus on Queensland
Southeast Queensland tackles its future infrastructure needs. Further to the north, Cairns Hospital receives an upgrade and the future options for powering the northwest are considered.

Building services (General)
The lead story reports on the fitout of a new corporate headquarters building in Sydney’s north. Other articles discuss how building services help improve the sustainability of schools, an RSL club and a high-rise tower.

Software (Civil)
The opening article explores the software and programming used to help analyse a number of alternate routes for the inland rail line from Melbourne to Brisbane. The feature also looks at the various other types of software being employed on civil projects: from stormwater modelling in Orange, structural analysis on complex buildings, 3D earthwork modelling for a road project and assessments of embodied carbon in building material selection.

Executive Engineer (General & Civil)
– Engineering and leadership
– Engineers beat lawyers in debate
– How to apply professional ethics
– Technical leadership: a formula for success
– Driven by passion and vision

Ballot2010 (General & Civil)

September 2010

Included in this issue:

Cover story: The Gorgon gas project
Australia’s largest natural gas project is taking shape on the northwest coast of Western Australia.

Renewable energy (General)
In this feature, the main story highlights the details of an ambitious plan to power Australia by 100% renewable energy. Other articles report on the progress of the Collgar wind farm project, priority sites for wave energy plants and a prize for photovoltaic research.

Railways/Rolling stock (General)
There are many rolling stock expansion projects currently under way to service growth in demand for public transport, freight and mining. The lead article details Australian involvement in a New Zealand supply contract, while a massive rolling stock contract to service the Hunter coal industry is also covered. The feature also includes articles about rail improvements around Australia.

Railways (Civil)
There are many rail projects currently under way around Australia to service growth in demand for public transport, freight and mining. The feature covers public transport in the major cities, leading with a works update on a Sydney project. Works on the Gold Coast light rail is also featured. Another story details the massive rolling stock contract to service the Hunter coal industry.

Water (Civil)
A new water treatment plant in far north NSW will improve potable water quality for the region using immersed membrane ultrafiltration, as the lead article details. Other articles report on the potential for a new dam to provide water to the expanding Bowen Basin mining area and the South East Water project which was recently recognised internationally.

August 2010

Included in this issue:

Cover story: Images of engineering
This year’s photo competition attracted hundreds of images from around the world, providing an insight into the vast range of projects that engineers are involved in and the multitude of locations they work from.

Material handling (General)
The lead article of this feature reveals new automation technology that is being employed in the Pilbara region by Rio Tinto for its mining operations. Other articles include a report from the Australian Society for Bulk Solids Handling, upcoming inspections for forklift licences, a plan for a conveyor research association and three new materials handling products.

Biomedical (General)
This feature includes articles on a bionic eye development; a device to help patients avoid amputations due to gangrene; and an artificial heart. A report on the work of the Biomedical College is also included.

Steel construction(Civil)
– Intricate steel forms arena
– Assistance for steel framing design
– Steel house passes trial by fire
– Tighter quality assurance required on imported products

Bridges (Civil)
The lessons of Hurricane Katrina in the US were incorporated in the bridge design of Australia’s longest bridge, opened last month in Brisbane, as the lead article describes. Also in this feature is an article about fitting tuned mass dampers to a pedestrian bridge in Sydney to reduce excitation in the structure. In the far north, a bridge will raise the roadway above wet season flood levels and in Victoria a heritage-listed bridge has been closed.

July 2010

Included in this issue:

Cover story: Engineering focus on South Australia
While Engineers Australia has found the state’s infrastructure to be under stress, many projects are under way to improve conditions. The state is also establishing itself as a leader in renewable energy.

Recruitment (General & Civil )
The main story discusses the challenges and paradoxes that migrant engineers face when seeking employment in Australia despite a skills shortage. Other articles include the current trend of pay rises in the engineering industry, a look at why job seekers are not finding work, and the work of Engineers Australia’s recruitment service engteam.com.au.

Executive Engineer (General & Civil)
– Developing leadership capabilities
– Building teams
– Engineers Australia's Strategic Plan
– Executing your plan
– Role models for young female engineers
– Change managers add value

June 2010

Included in this issue:

Cover story: Australia's Top 100 engineers
Engineers are present in many top positions around the country. The seventh annual report on Australia’s 100 most influential engineers reveals engineering leaders in business, government and research.

Pump (General)
The main story discusses an upgrade of a wastewater system in the Hunter Valley north of Sydney. Also included are an article about an unusual water supply system recently built in Indonesia and new products.

Software (General)
The use of software to model pipe-flushing operations is reported in the lead article of this feature. Other articles include an agreement between companies to use simulation technology, why software that enforces asset uniqueness is important in enterprise asset management, and the new tools that are being used to assess recycled water quality and use, and several new products.

Façade (Civil)
A hotel in Melbourne features a façade that is like a “hood over the building”, as the lead article describes. Two other articles look into the wind modelling that helped perfect the facade designs. The use of toughened glass is also discussed in this feature, with respect to the design considerations needed to be incorporated to ensure public safety.

Positioning/GPS (Civil)
The arrival of a mobile laser scanner capable of surveying the landscape while you drive, is the focus of the lead article. The network of ground-based reference stations being rolled out around Australia continues at varying speeds, depending on the state or territory, as one article discusses, while another discusses the mapping software helping in the collation of data for the devastating oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

May 2010

Included in this issue:

Cover story: Engineering leadership
This year’s Engineering Leadership Conference, held in Brisbane this month, explored the characteristics of good leadership and the special challenges faced by engineering leaders.

New recruitment services(General and Civil)
Matching talent with jobs – Engineers Australia launches its own recuritment service

Pollution control (General)
The use of wind-tunnel modelling to design air exhaust and intake systems for the Fiona Stanley Hospital is the lead article of this feature. Details on the grounding of a Chinese coal carrier on the Great Barrier Reef and emissions in the Brisbane Clem Jones Tunnel are the other stories contained.

Aeronautical engineering (General)
The feature opens with an interview with Fred Abbink, an internationally recognised leader in avionics, who was in the country for an Eminent Speaker tour last month. The feature also covers the arrival of Super Hornets to replace Australia’s aging F-111 fleet as well as the opening of new facilities in Sydney for a Defence maintenance contract.

Concrete (Civil)
An article about the rehabilitation of a hardstand area in Victoria leads this feature and discusses the problem causing the initial damage and the solution to combat it. A record-breaking pour in a mine and the construction of a new bridge in Mackay, both in Queensland, are covered. Also, we look into new technology embedded into precast concrete on the Port Botany project to determine early-age concrete strength.

Site rehabilitation (Civil)
The lead story reports on the installation of permeable barriers to clean up a toxic plume of groundwater before it enters a river in a Perth suburb. Also included are articles on a bauxite residue database, sustainable remediation and a project to remediate a floodplain on the Murray River.

April 2010

Included in this issue:

Cover story: Decommissioning Moata
The dismantling of the Moata nuclear reactor at Lucas Heights on the southern edge of Sydney is nearing completion. Moata means “gentle fire” or “fire-stick” in some indigenous languages. It is the first reactor to be decommissioned in Australia.

Executive Engineer (General and Civil)
– Reflections on leadership
– Why engineers make good leader
– Be mindful of your image

Fire protection (General)
The lead story reports on the fire engineering design of a large university building in Melbourne. Other stories report on the upgrade of fire protection systems at the Sydney Town Hall and a trial of bushfire-detecting camera systems under way in NSW and Victoria. Also included is an article outlining Engineers Australia’s Society of Fire Safety’s plans for the year ahead.

Power engineering (General)
The future development of solutions to double energy capacity in the United Arab Emirates is reported in the lead article of this feature. Details on smart grid trials around Australia, Google’s plan to provide renewable energy cheaper than coal-generated energy, and praise from first graduates of a power generation course in Queensland are some of the other stories contained.

Pipes & drainage (Civil)
The lead story reports on the completion of a pipeline connecting the Goulburn River to Melbourne’s water supply. Also included are stories about pipelines in Sydney, Queensland and the NSW Central Coast, and a study an Australian engineering firm is carrying out in Sudan and Ethiopia.

Coastal Engineering (Civil)
The lead article of this feature reports from a conference that discussed the challenges to coastal infrastructure. A dredging project in Fremantle, concrete structures in a marine environment and a planned development of the outer harbour at Port Kembla, NSW, are some of the other stories covered.

March 2010

Included in this issue:

Cover story: Building a bigger port for Sydney
The birthplace of modern Australia continues to evolve as an engineering project reclaims another 60ha of Botany Bay and installs 1850m of wharf face for the expansion of the container terminal. Advanced modelling and the latest construction techniques are important aspects of the project.

Victoria (General and Civil)
The lead story reports on an Engineers Australia assessment of Victoria’s infrastructure. Also included are articles on the National Winter Sports Centre, the Rectangular Stadium, Victoria’s desalination plant and a biosciences research centre being built in Bundoora.

Lighting (General)
A trial of LED lighting installation in commercial premises has found mixed results, as the lead article describes. Yet LED continues to be used in new buildings such as One Shelley Place where the lighting helps the building achieve six star environmental ratings, as one other article details. Also in this feature, a trial is under way at an export terminal to bathe a port in different wavelengths of light in the yellow spectrum to decrease pest infestation.

Earthmoving/tunelling (Civil)
Plenty of projects around Australia are coming up with novel solutions for building over unsuitable ground conditions encountered, like old mines or poor geological conditions. The lead article describes a mine infilling operation, while another describes stabilisation techniques to solve this problem. Articles about new rock bolt testing and mining equipment are also contained in this feature.

February 2010

Included in this issue:

Cover story: Innovative awareness campaign goes public
The latest electronic communications tools and social networks are being harnessed in Engineers Australia’s Make it So campaign, turning thousands of Engineers Australia members into active participants.

Haiti (General and Civil)
How better engineering could mitigate similar disasters. The lead story discusses reconstruction challenges in Haiti.

Corrosion prevention (General)
Early signs of corrosion in the desalination plant on the Gold Coast have led to a number of different solutions to ensure the plant reaches its full design life, as the lead article describes. One article talks about Prof Robert Melchers being commended for his work on modelling corrosion, while another discusses maintenance work on carbon-in-leach production tanks at a gold mine in Western Australia to ensure continued production.

Testing instrumentation (General)
Two stories in this feature deal with testing of composite materials. The first discusses the manufacture of composite airplane parts, while the other reports on a method to check existing composite structures for damage. Other articles describe the sensors at Sydney’s desalination plant and preview the Chemeca 2010 conference.

Timber (Civil)
Businesses, universities and research organisations across the Tasman are collaborating in projects seeking to explore, develop and encourage the use of timber in long span multi-storey construction, as the lead article describes. The design used in old lighthouses along the Queensland coast is covered in an article on heritage. The development of structural timber from laminated veneer lumber and forest thinnings is also discussed.

Cladding (Civil)
- Retractable roof for tennis arena
- PVC materials under review

January 2010

Included in this issue:

Cover story: Engineering a sustainable world
– Reports from Copenhagen
– Cars of the future
– Green jobs and economy
– Geothermal energy

Liability/Risk (General and Civil)
The lead story discusses how organisations can repeat mistakes if they fail to learn from them, sometimes with serious consequences. This feature also covers a guide to resolving construction disputes, the risk aspect of engineering performance, a new Australian standard for risk management, the positioning of Australia as an arbitration destination, landslide risks and reporting circumstances for professional indemnity insurance.

Minerals processing (General)
Africa seems to be a growing market for Australian mining engineering companies. This feature contains two reports on Australian companies operating there. Also included is a story on the work of an Australian consultancy in India.

Mining (Civil)
Africa seems to be a growing market for Australian mining engineering companies. This feature contains two reports on Australian companies operating there, as well as a related article discussing how mining and minerals projects in southern Africa are stimulating other industries. Also included is a report on New Zealand’s largest underground coal mine.