So many people do not realize how extensive STEM is. Science-Technology-Engineering-Mathematics. Let those words sink in. All of these subjects go hand in hand, but they also are very broad and cover so many topics. Construction zones are not an exception. Have you ever really looked at a construction zone? I do not mean just driving by it and noticing one small thing or had a side thought about what it is they are doing. I mean, really stopped to look at all of the tools they are using and all of the efforts going into it? Who do you think plans all of that out? Engineers. In order for construction to go smoothly, a few people have to lay everything out. There are several engieers that plan the project.
There are laborers, operators, teamsters, engineers, and safety supervisors at this particular construction job. For this project, the ultimate goal is to take down a bridge that is 30 feet overhead. In order for them to take down the bridge, they have to secure the area, which entails making sure everything around the area is covered and cleared out. What about the stuff you do not see to the naked eye? The engineer of this project has to know about all of the pipes and wiring that is underground. The purpose of this construction site is to secure a 36 inch pipe that runs under ground so that when they bring the bridge down, all of the weight does not crush the pipe. At one time, this pipe was used to bring water into a building that was used to smelt zinc. The water was used as a cooling agent for the furnace. Now, the pipe is used to send water out of a water treatment plant.
In order to protect the pipe, they had to dig a trench and place culverts over the pipe, then backfill with dirt over the culverts. The culverts are made of reinforced concrete with dimensions of 9 foot by 9 foot by 5 foot weighing 26,000 pounds each. They have to place 16 of these culverts over a stretch in order to protect this pipe. Remember me talking about a bridge? Keep in mind that they have to work underneath this bridge and that these culverts are solid concrete weighing 26,000 pounds. How do you think they are going to get these in place? A crane.
A crane is a major piece of technology used on many construction sites. This crane weighs 60 tons and extends from 30 feet to 90 feet and can pick up 30,000 pounds at 100% capacity. However, it is mandatory that they stay at 80% capacity so the cab stays put on the ground. In order for the crane to pick up these culverts, they have to maintain 80 degrees. Now, this crane is important for them to be able to do this job so they can lift these culverts into place. If they did not have the crane, they would have to bring in these culverts piece by piece and put them together like a jigsaw puzzle, which would not be as sturdy nor would it be as fast of a project.
This is the inside of a crane! It is pretty shocking to see for me! There are so many controls. Not only does the operator need to know all of this, but the crew on the outside has to know hand signals to be able to tell them what to do correctly.
This is after a culvert has been put in place over the 36 inch pipe.
This is the crane bringing a culvert under the 30 foot bridge while mantaining it's 80 degrees.
The next part of this job that is important is the mathematics. There is probably more math involved than one would think. How do you think they determine how much weight the crane can pick up and what angle they have to maintain? Math. Another way they use math is to determine the weight capacity the culverts will hold. I personally did not get to look at this part of it, but if you were to look up the equation for weight capacity, you might find a 200 page document that describes this. In other words, it is pretty extensive and requires quite a bit of mathematics. Another use is determining the pitch of the pipe. This is done by surveyers who come out prior to the construction.
After all of the rain we received and the holiday, I was finally able to talk with the engineer on the job. He has a degree in Geological Engineering and a job title of Enviornmental Branch Manager which allows him to oversee several (17) people, multiple job sites, engineering design, and implement field safety. He told me he uses Microsoft suite for daily uses such as agendas for meetings, spreadsheets for finances and for keeping track of equipment and jobs. He uses the whole suite daily. Another type of technology that he uses often is his blueprinting software. The software he uses is Micro station and CAD. He does not design by hand.
This is a picture of the job site on his CAD software. It shows the bridge (left) and the concrete culverts going over the pipe (right).
How does technology mediate the work?:
Do/Mean: There are many things that the crane allows the workers to do. Cranes are able to move objects of heavy weight. This changes how the work of laborers and engineers can be done. Without the cranes, they would have to design the culverts much differently because the human person can only lift so much. If the engineer did not have his CAD program, he would have to blueprint by hand, which would take a lot more time, but also allow more room for error as he would have to use many more tools in order to get everything right. He also uses Zoom to meet with people who cannot fly in or when he cannot fly somewhere because he is overseeing jobs.
Relate: Having the operators on site allows the laborers to do things they would never be able to do. With that being said, the laborers have to learn how to communicate with them while they are in the machine so no one gets hurt or nothing gets destroyed. The laborers do this by learning hand signals to guide the operators. Using the Microsoft Suite allows him to communicate quickly and efficiently with all of his crew. It also allows him to be in several places at once if need be.
Think: Without Microsoft suite, the engineer would not be able to create agendas for his meetings. He would not be able to send out the agendas, minutes, or plans to his crew so they are all on the same page if someone has to miss a meeting. I would say that the CAD program most definitely changes the way he thinks about the projects because he is able to manipulate and change aspects within seconds. He is also able to see if something is not going to work instantly. He can also restart without losing tons of time.
Be: Machines allow people to help and guide in a way they would never been able to without them. Machines can do so many things people cannot so it allows workers to do jobs that would be impossible without (putting in a solid concrete culvert). Microsoft Suite gives the engineer to be a better boss because he can comminicate in different ways and he has more availabilty. The CAD program allows him to be a better designer and do it quicker.
Teaching Implications:
I actually teach a lesson on tower cranes in my STEM class where my students build and test one and learn about counterweights. However, this visit has made me realize that all of my students test in the perfect conditions where they control everything. I need to throw wrenches in their plans and testing in order for them to be able to adapt and fix what needs to be fixed. This could be something that is technological or not.
Another thing that I should start doing in both my STEM and math courses is assigning them roles with their group projects. Every job has multiple roles and the classroom is the perfect setting to implement this. They need to know it is okay that they do not go straight to college and that the labor fields are just as important as the college track. We need multiple roles in society. Roles could include operator (construction), engineer (designer), manager (scribe), etc.
Blueprinting is a big one for my courses! Every site has a plan and a lot of the time, that plan is done on a blueprint. Some people still draw blueprints out, however, today there are several softwares out there that will allow you to blueprint online. Technology has made this possible. I could start having my students use an online blueprinting software for their plans.
Hannah, you were able to pose some really good questions. I do not drive by a construction zone and think about all of the work and engineering that goes into it! I also think it is really important for you to point out to your students that college may not be the answer for every single student and some of them can have a great career after learning on the job and then growing in that career field.