August 2007  |  Volume 77, Number 8

Gathering Strength

By Brett Hansen

The uniquely domed Tabernacle on Temple Square, in Salt Lake City, has been the primary gathering place for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for more than 140 years. Originally constructed of timber members held together with recycled iron, wooden dowels, leather strips, and friction, its domed roof structure was recently tied together and reinforced with steel trusses to protect it from the potential effects of a large earthquake in the Salt Lake Valley.

Station Transformation

By Rob Gehrke, P.E., M.ASCE

The redevelopment of the area formerly occupied by San Diego’s Naval Training Center involved historic preservation, new water and sewer lines, storm-water management techniques, roadway improvements, soil remediation, and coordination with a local airport. The result is a waterfront destination for residents and tourists that includes parks, esplanades, promenades, arcades, hotels, a cultural center, and a golf course.

Aggressive Alternative

By Rafael C. Castro, P.E., M.ASCE, Tennyson M. Muindi, P.E., M.ASCE, Geoffrey Hughes, and Philip H. Albert, P.E., M.ASCE

Despite problematic ground conditions and numerous underground obstacles, pipe jacking methods were successfully used to install two consolidation conduits in a difficult urban setting.

The Vision for Civil Engineering in 2025

In June 2006 a diverse group of civil engineering and other leaders gathered in Lansdowne, Virginia, to participate in the Summit on the Future of Civil Engineering. Their purpose was to articulate a global vision for the future of civil engineering addressing all levels and facets of the civil engineering community. Their report, prepared by the ASCE Steering Committee to Plan a Summit on the Future of the Civil Engineering Profession in 2025, was published in June. This article is a distillation of the report’s conclusions.