CPRO1 Lectures - Problem Solving with Computer

Computer-based problem solving is a systematic process of designing, implementing, and using programming tools during the problem-solving stage. This method enables the computer system to be more intuitive with human logic than machine logic. Final outcome of this process is software tools that are dedicated to solving the problem under consideration.

These instructions in the software need to be well specified for solving the problem. After its creation, the software should be error-free and well documented.

Software development is the process of creating such software, which satisfies the end users’ requirements and needs.

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Solon slams bill stripping engineers right to sign building plans

Pampanga Rep. Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales Jr. is taking the cudgels for the country’s civil engineers who, under a bill pending in the House of Representatives, will be barred from helping ensure the structural integrity and participate in the design, site development and other vital components of construction projects.

Rep. Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales Jr.

Gonzalez vowed to register his strong objection to two sections of House Bill 10234 or the proposed Philippine Architecture Act of 2022.

Under the said sections, preparation and signing of building plans for private and public construction will no longer be the role of civil engineers.

Gonzales told the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers over the weekend that he would formally express his opposition to Sections 3 and 29 of Bill No. 10234 to the House committee on civil service and professional regulation, to which the proposed new law on architecture has been referred.

A civil engineer by profession, Gonzales vowed to protect the interest of for his fellow civil engineering professionals “whose role, participation and oversight function in private and public constructions Bill 10234 would diminish.” He said the measure would vest exclusively in registered and licensed architects the privilege of preparing and signing building documents, including those for design, site development, floor, partition, ceiling, elevation, section, footing, column, and structural construction works.

“We cannot be silent in the face of the obvious attempt to undermine and shrink our role and participation under the law in private and public construction projects, especially public infrastructure, and in nation building,” he said.

“Indeed, the public infrastructure we have helped built has enabled hundreds of thousands, if not millions of our countrymen, to live in better conditions. Our profession has made this happen. This is the result of our passion for our vocation,” Gonzales told his colleagues in the profession.

“Let us continue to use our skills and competencies wisely. We must be unwavering when it comes to the fulfillment of our duties. We must put, first and foremost, the welfare of the people who stand to benefit from our work. As partners for development, we are responsible in providing infrastructure that will serve future generations,” said Gonzales, chairman of the House Committee on Bases Conversion.

He pointed out that the role and authority of civil engineers in private and public construction are embodied in Republic Act No. 544, otherwise known as the Civil Engineering Law, and in Presidential Decree No. 1096, or the National Building Code of the Philippines.

The Pampanga lawmaker noted that while Congress enacted RA No. 9266, or the new Architecture Law, in March 2004, the Court of Appeals (CA) has ruled that such statute did not supersede RA 544 and the National Building Code.

Quoting the CA decision, he said what was repealed was RA 545, the old law on the practice of architecture that Congress enacted in June and July 1950 together with RA 544.

Gonzales said the appellate court thus declared that civil engineers, as well as architects, could continue signing building plans as has been the practice since the two 72-year-old laws were approved.

The United Architects of the Philippines has appealed the CA ruling to the Supreme Court.

Gonzales has filed Bill 4797, which seeks to update the 1950-era Civil Engineering Law. It also restates the role of civil engineers in private and public construction.

Smart concrete could pave the way for high-tech, cost-effective roads

Every day, Americans travel on roads, bridges and highways without considering the safety or reliability of these structures. Yet much of the transportation infrastructure in the U.S. is outdated, deteriorating and badly in need of repair.

Of the 614,387 bridges in the U.S., for example, 39% are older than their designed lifetimes, while nearly 10% are structurally deficient, meaning they could begin to break down faster or, worse, be vulnerable to catastrophic failure.

The cost to repair and improve nationwide transportation infrastructure ranges from nearly US$190 billion to almost $1 trillion. Repairing U.S. infrastructure costs individual households, on average, about $3,400 every year. Traffic congestion alone is estimated to cost the average driver $1,400 in fuel and time spent commuting, a nationwide tally of more than $160 billion per year.

The Purdue engineering lab has installed smart technology in three Indiana interstate highways.

I am a professor in the Lyles School of Civil Engineering and the director of the Center for Intelligent Infrastructures at Purdue University. My co-author, Vishal Saravade, is part of my team at the Sustainable Materials and Renewable Technology (SMART) Lab. The SMART Lab researches and develops new technologies to make American infrastructure “intelligent,” safer and more cost-effective. These new systems self-monitor the condition of roads and bridges quickly and accurately and can, sometimes, even repair themselves.

Smart, self-healing concrete

Infrastructure – bridges, highways, pavement – deteriorates over time with continuous use. The life of structures could be extended, however, if damages were monitored in real time and fixed early on. In the northern U.S., for example, freeze-thaw cycles in winter cause water to seep into the pavement where it freezes, expands and enlarges cracks, which can cause significant damage. If left unrepaired, this damage may propagate and break down pavements and bridges.

Self-healing concrete test study with cracked concrete (left) and self-healed concrete after 28 days (right). SMART Lab/Purdue University, CC BY-ND

Such damage can be identified and repaired autonomously. At an early stage of a crack, for example, self-healing pavement would activate super absorbent polymers to absorb water and produce concrete-like material that fills in the crack. Cracks as small as a few microns could be healed to prevent significant damage by preventing or delaying the later stages of the freeze-thaw cycle.

The astonishing properties of absorbent polymers.

Roadway technology

Many researchers in the world are working on improving construction infrastructure. Technologies recently being explored include solar and energy-harvesting roads, charging lanes for electric vehicles, smart streetlights and reducing carbon-related emissions from construction materials.

At the Purdue SMART Lab, our team is also testing novel sensors that monitor transportation infrastructure by embedding them in several Indiana interstate highways. We plan to expand to other state highway systems in the next few years with a goal to better accommodate increased traffic and provide accurate estimates of road conditions during construction and its life.

Sensors installed on Indiana interstate I-74. Erin Easterling/Purdue University, CC BY-ND

Sensors embedded in concrete pavement acquire information about the infrastructure’s health condition in real time and communicate the data to computers. Electrical signals are applied through the sensors. Concrete’s vibrations are converted into electrical signals that are read and analyzed by lab-built customized software. This enables transportation engineers to make effective and data-driven decisions from opening roads to traffic and to proactively identifying issues that cause damage or deterioration.

After concrete is poured for highway pavement, for example, it takes hours to cure and become strong enough to open for traffic. The timing of when to open a highway depends on when the concrete mix is cured. If a roadway opens too early and the concrete is undercured, it can reduce the life expectancy of the pavement and increase maintenance costs. Waiting too long to open a road can result in traffic delays, congestion and increased safety risks for construction workers and commuters. Curing concrete for massive highway projects requires close attention by engineers in conjunction with the weather specific to that region.

Sensors embedded in concrete can signal the health of roadways. Video by Erin Easterling/Purdue University.

Smart sensors embedded in concrete enable engineers to monitor the infrastructure and make data-driven decisions about when a road can open while retaining maximum life expectancy. Sensors can also help monitor the quality of concrete and whether it is robust enough to withstand traffic flow and corrosion after a roadway is opened. Smart, efficient infrastructure can significantly reduce structural failures, both catastrophic and through normal wear, as well as lead to reduced costs and provide new ways for structural engineers to assess real-time information about the pavement.

[Get our best science, health and technology stories. Sign up for The Conversation’s science newsletter.]

Saving time and money

Congress recognizes the need to invest in American transportation systems. A $494 billion legislation package, the INVEST In America Act, was recently introduced to address America’s deteriorating highways and bridges while diminishing carbon pollution.

Smart sensors and intelligent infrastructure system can enable significant savings of time and money with improved construction safety. Sensors can provide engineers with real-time data of the quality of our infrastructure to make the best decisions for building and maintaining roads, bridges and pavements while improving safety for drivers and construction workers. The addition of self-repairing properties can help build sustainable and long-lasting infrastructure to reduce maintenance and costs.

Reference Link

Being a Civil Engineer Vs. an Architect

Both civil engineers and architects are involved in planning and designing structures. However, a civil engineer will concentrate on making sure the structure will be safe and be able to endure everyday and extreme conditions, while the architect will focus on the aesthetics of the structural work, as well as concentrate on the look, feel, and functionality.

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