ETFE: A Material of the Future

Engineers are always on the lookout for new technologies and materials that decrease the price of projects and allow greater freedom in the design of projects. Before the advent of mass-produced iron and steel, buildings were limited to the constraints of stone and lumber. Very tall buildings were not feasible. The taller a stone building was built, the thicker the bottom levels of the building would have to be to bear the weight of the structure. An example of this is the Philadelphia City Hall, which when built in 1901, was designed to be the tallest structure in the world. As the structure of the building was built of brick and stone, the first floor walls were up to 22 feet thick at parts. Before Philadelphia’s City Hall was completed however, the Eiffel Tower surpassed it as the tallest structure at almost twice the height. This illustrates how new materials and techniques can affect the buildings we build.

Over 40 years ago, a material called ETFE was developed by DuPont. Although this material has been around for a while, it is just starting to see prominent use in architectural applications. Some notable buildings that make use of this polymer are The Water Cube used in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the Allianz Arena football stadium in Germany, and the Minnesota Vikings Stadium in Minneapolis which is currently under construction.

The material is a polymer that is extruded into thin, transparent sheets that are used as cladding, roofing and façade systems. The material is very unique in that it is strong, very light, and highly resistant to corrosive forces. The material does not degrade under UV light or other radioactive forces, and does not corrode or react with pollution or air. Additionally, ETFE has many of the same properties as PTFE or Teflon that you may have seen on non-stick pots and pans. Just like Teflon, ETFE has a very low coefficient of friction and water and snow slide off of it very easily. There is little need to clean the material as the dust, dirt, and other contaminants simply get carried off with rain water.  Because of these properties, ETFE is highly resistant to discoloration or deterioration. As mentioned earlier, ETFE is often used in roofing and cladding applications. In the Minnesota Vikings stadium for example, just over half the roof will be made of the material, giving it a unique, clear ceiling.

Another benefit of the material is its light weight. ETFE can weigh 1-3 percent of traditional cladding systems. This combined with its strength allows dramatic cost savings as the surrounding structure does not have to support as great of a load. There are also many applications for which traditional systems would not work. ETFE has the additional benefit of being able to stretch to three times its length before failing. The material is also highly recyclable, and following its useful life, can be completely recycled for re-use. This means the environmental impact of the material is much lower than comparable claddings.

In conclusion, ETFE will continue to see new use and more widespread application as new uses and implementations are found for it. There are many exciting new possibilities for the widespread use of ETFE and it will continue to be adopted. As the material is still relatively new the limitations and full possibilities are not even close to being fully explored.

Introduction To Civil Engineering

Civil Engineering

Civil engineering is one of the oldest professions in the world and can trace its origins to the beginning of civilization. Ever since humans began moving from a hunter gatherer life style towards permanent settlements, civil structures have had to be built and designed to meet the needs of the people living in them. As people started to gather in permanent settlements, many new problems were created. How do you build structures that last longer? How do you deal with unpredictable flooding that happens in the spring? How do you keep the settlement free of human and animal waste to prevent disease? Although the clear distinction as a civil engineer has not always been there, people have been working to solve these problems.

The field of civil engineering deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of civil structures. This might include roads, buildings, bridges, dams, sewage systems, and often involves working with municipalities. Often times, civil engineering is broken up in to subcategories such as structural, water-resources, environmental, transportation, geotechnical and construction engineering.

Qualities of an Engineer

There are certain qualities that good engineers usually possess. Generally, good engineers in all disciplines poses strong problem solving and analytic skills. These skills are particularly vital because engineers often work with lots of data and complicated requirements, and must dissect and identify the data and requirements to come up with a solution. Engineers want to create and innovate and work with the newest technology and techniques to come up with unique solutions. Communication skills and the ability to work on teams are also vitally important skills. One might consider the design of a new skyscraper for example. Think of how many different departments and engineers must work together to come up with a design. There is no room for miscommunication on such a project as even a small misunderstanding in the design could compromise the project. No matter how brilliant the work, if someone cannot communicate it effectively, it is worthless.

On a day to day basis, the daily work of a civil engineer may vary greatly. A structural engineer might spend the majority of his time working from his office, preforming calculations and working on designs. A construction engineer might split his time between job sites where he is overseeing and ensuring the quality of the work, and the office where he is in meetings and files paperwork.

Integrity

Commitment to ethical integrity is very important in all engineering fields. Things that are designed by engineers can be very widely implemented and have a huge effect on people who are using them. A faulty bridge or building design where corners were cut can result in the death the occupants or drivers. Such mistakes can kill or injure hundreds of people. A faulty part in an automobile that did not go through rigorous testing could catastrophically fail in thousands of cars resulting in countless accidents. Because of this responsibility, the role of ethics is extremely important in all engineering disciplines. Many companies and professional engineering associations have codes of ethics that members must abide by.