Controversial Effects of Tidal Energy

Renewable energy has be claimed to be one of the most discussed topics towards the development for further more efficient technology. Today there still remains a large controversial argument between the advantages and disadvantages that renewable energy may have on our environment and our societies. At this time were going to deal with the Tidal power renewable energy source. Before hand ill explain to you a little bit on what exactly tidal energy is and how it is formed. Tides are the waves created by the gravitational pull of the moon and also partially from the sun. The build up of these waves happens twice a day and ends up developing enormous amounts of water. The power that is formed with these waves could have the potential to cause mishaps and even sink ships. With that being said tidal energy is form and creates large sources of energy that can be harness by our near water coastline areas. That is precisely why tidal dams are built near shores and other coastal locations. During the high tide, water flows into the dams and during the low tide, water flows back out which causes the turbine to turn and give out energy.

Now that you have a better understanding of tidal energy we must consider the ethical approach towards the environment in which these projects are built and how it may change our society and the way we live our everyday lives. First were going to look at the disadvantages of tidal energy and how is could potentially harm us. There is a high capital investment that is involved with developing these large projects. The tidal barrages usually require large investments which may perhaps be the biggest disadvantage of  this technology. If something goes wrong during project development not only can it cause harm to the workers but tons of tax payer money would be lost in the process as well. There are limited locations, because the lack of sizable tides hot spots, which makes it hard for development to take place. Even though this technology may be safe to the air we breath it still harm some of the fellow inhabitant that roam the earth like we do. The role that tidal energy does is harm our marine life. It can lead to the some disruption in the movement  of fish and other types of marine life, and even kill some of the fish passing through it. On top of that this type of technology is still in an immature stage. As from the barrages during project development, some forms of tidal power generated by the tides are far away from where the electricity is located and consumed. Taking that into thought the cost for transporting the energy becomes expensive.

With some of the disadvantages pointed out lets now take a better look at some of the positive advantages that tidal energy may have on our society and potentially our environment. I believe one of the greatest advantages of tidal energy is the fact that it is all renewable and doesn't lead to any pollution of any sort to our atmosphere. This is something that our government and has been trying to resolve for many years and with this new technology we could potentially do so. Unlike wind energy, tidal energy is very easily predictable, making our electricity more reliable and uniformed. One particular perk that I found very critical is the life span of a tidal barrage. These tidal barrage have an extremely long life approximately around 100 years which is much longer than nuclear energy and other technologies. With the life span implied, cycle cost of tidal power plants eventually becomes very low in the long run. The main goal is to produce energy is the most efficient way possible. Tidal energy does just that with its higher energy density which is much greater than other forms of renewable energy like wind power. Tidal energy contribute about 80% of the load factor that is consumed which is a lot more than most renewable powers and fossil fuels.


With all these factors pointed our the ethical argument can be very controversial but i believe that the positives far outweigh the negatives. This alternative energy has a smaller effect on the environment in the long run simply by decreasing carbon dioxide emissions. No i don't believe it is ethical for our wildlife to suffer for humans to have cheaper energy, however new forms of tidal power are in process of being design that are safer for our wildlife as well, such as Vertical axis tidal systems and swan turbines, both of which are less harmful to our wildlife. With the right funding and development these renewable resources can help us take another step forward to bigger challenging technologies.

Reshaping our Future

The demand for civil engineers has and will always remain strong for the simple fact that engineers contribute to our everyday life in numerous applications. In recent years the market for engineers in the United States has been in the infrastructure renewal industry. We are seeing more and more structures in our societies that are in need of repair. Anywhere from water treatment systems and dams to the highways and bridges we drove on, all decaying over time and some in need of desperate attention. A group of Kansas State University researchers have developed a bridge heath index system that rates projects and the amount of damage of each one, which is beneficial for predicting flaws throughout structures and potential threats. With this new method it can keep our bridges safer and potentially longer lasting.

In 1998, the United States had passed a new transportation funding bill that was implemented to  increase the spending of rebuilding by 40 percent for some of our everyday roads and other forms of transportation. With this bill passed new jobs in the transportation construction industry were created and to this today continue to grow. This it just one example that helps demonstrate how serious these applications are to civil engineers. The safety and well-being of our society are the main priorities to civil engineers everywhere. Creating solutions to complications that may occur  remains a number one aspect and main value. We as administrative citizens can not afford to have more catastrophic events occur. Furthermore, with the new rating system developed, it can be applied to various systems and help us better understand the behavior of how different materials react over time towards elements of nature.
How does the Health index system  help lead to safer more efficient bridges? Well by applying finite analysis and neural network modeling, engineers can now calculate and detect bridge damage in a more timely manner. This will help decrease the chances of catastrophic events, like the 2007 collapse of the I-35W Mississippi River bridge in Minneapolis. This rating system can also be applied to numerous other structures including dams, buildings, and airplanes simply because of the same network modeling system. This new network allows for inspectors and other fellow civil engineers to input parameters such as width, depth, and the location of the cracks in the bridges, and the network will give the health index of the bridge.

Further research is being made into shaping  this network into a tool that our Departments of Transportation can use. In the long run this new method of scanning and rating will change the face of bridge building forever. Civil engineers will now have the ability to locate fractures throughout not only bridges but other forms of engineering as well. Our transportation systems will change and evolve into more adequate ways to get around. We as humanity are simply crossing the gap into future development.

Why choose AutoCad Civil 3D?

Before asking why choose AutoCad, you must first understand what AutoCad actually is and what it does. It is a computer software program used primarily by civil engineers to help design and document building information models. Civil 3D is also built for not only civil engineers but drafters, designers, and technicians working on transportation, land development, and water project. With Civil 3D there are countless amounts of ways to explore the design options and analyze project performances. One particular perk that makes Civil 3D stand out is the high quality documentation method. It helps you create base files that contain specific data types such as building info and site info, then you can reference that data into your drawing files.


Now that you have a bit of information on this software program your probably asking yourself how will this help me when collaborating with others? That is a difficult question to ask simply because there are so many AutoCad users and each one with his/her own personal preference of doing things. That doesnt mean the fellow colleagues choice of design is wrong, but the flaws may be difficult to discern. Being that there are so many AutoCad users in today's world, how you choose to collaborate really depends on what you are trying to truly accomplish when it comes to the projects overall demand. Each person in the group of engineers and designers handles their specific parts of the projects. AutoCad helps us do that and makes it easier to collaborate between different design files from one person to the next.

With how advanced technology has gotten in today's economy, there are other competitive software programs out there that may contribute more effectively when handling projects. One particular competitor would be Autodesk  Revit Products, a modeling software program that gives designers the opportunity to create architectural objects for contracts and potential clients. When comparing Civil 3D to Revit which one would be more effective and efficient to the designs of a civil engineer? Revit has custom architectural object design which  factors in walls, doors, and windows that all behave in a similar manner. However civil engineers wouldn't typically go for such a complex architectural tool system in their line of work. Unless you are a bridge engineer or structural engineer i wouldn't really see the need for Revit in the civil context. Even if an engineer is planning to design a bridge, Civil 3D has a custom civil objects feature where objects such as surfaces, alignments, structures, and corridors are all dynamically interacted with each other and can be edited parametrically.

Now you can ask yourself why choose AutoCad Civil 3D? Well because it give us all the opportunity to effectively communicate our design plans with other engineers to coordinate projects. These projects that will make customs such as transportation, water resources,  and environmental factors more efficient for not only humanity but for the ecosystems we reside in as well. Which is why as a fellow follower and admirer of civil engineering id recommend AutoCad Civil 3D to all structural engineers, civil engineers, construction management engineers, architects, and anybody interested in design.

What do Civil Engineers do?

The world may go round and round but we would cease get around without civil engineering. Civil engineers are generally involved with the overall design and construction of the physical environment in which we reside in. These projects may include large structures, roads, bridges, water distribution systems, sewage treatments plants, flood protection systems and much more. Within the civil engineering field there are multiple subdivisions where specific skills and aspects are used to develop the foundations in our societies. These categories include structural, geotechnical, environmental, and transportation engineering. All of these compliment each other and help make the field of civil engineering as we know it. Here is a better perspective at what each of these do:

Structural engineering is a particular field that is concerned with the design of loaded structures. It is implemented largely in civil engineering and assists in the fundamental basics of living today. Structural engineers design structures and renovate others to help from collapsing or behaving in undesirable ways. Structural engineering is considered a specialty of civil engineering , but while civil engineers are designing and analyzing roadways, dams, and bridges, structural engineers are focusing on the specific components of the infrastructure itself. When considering public safety concerns, cost efficiency, and ethics  you must make these a number one priority. The works of a structural engineers can range anywhere from huge towers to simple apartment complexes.

Geotechnical engineering deals with the soil mechanics of surfaces and materials from the earth. They review  foundations for structures and sub-grades for roadways.Ground improvement are one of the most critical concerns when it comes to geotechnical engineering. It has now developed into a complex tool that now supports the wide range of structures today. Geotechnical engineers also deal with various geological hazards that may potentially impact our society. Ultimately they participate in the design, construction, and operation of many projects.

Environmental engineering involves us putting science and engineering principles together to develop systems that not only protect human health and welfare, but also help shrink the effects of human activity on the environment. Environmental engineering also includes managing contaminated sites and protecting public health through the principles of engineering. By evaluating the significant hazards, you can then advise possible treatment plans and begin to regulate precautions to prevent any mishaps.

Transportation engineering includes us apply the safest means of transportation in every possible aspect. Some of these may be highways and streets, mass transit systems, railroads, airfields, ports, and harbors. Transportation engineers combine technological intelligence as well as knowledge of the economic, political, and social factors where their projects may be. They are encouraged to collaborate directly with urban planners because the quality of the project is directly related to the communities transportation system. As practiced by all engineers, transportation engineering involves planning, construction, maintenance, and operation of transportation facilities.

  Furthermore the main point is that we as humanity understand how dependent we are on civil engineering. In many aspects it has helped construction the world we live in today and will continue to change the world for years to come. The civil engineers we teach today will make tomorrows future.