The traditional civil engineering-based approach to construction engineering and management education focuses significant attention on core subjects such as scheduling, estimating, and contracts. This paper introduces an alternative approach to this education based on the concepts of project-based learning. Through the introduction of courses developed by the writers, the paper provides a foundation for changing current education approaches from a lecture-based format to a project-based format. In this format, students are challenged with open-ended problems requiring greater application of multiple engineering concepts as well as requiring interaction with outside experts from within the construction industry and related professions. An outline for a project-based learning course is presented with experiences and lessons learned from four implementations of the course. Student responses are presented to indicate the potential benefits of such an approach. This finding is further supported by the introduction of the Knowledge Landscape concept for construction education that emphasizes greater use of context, scope, and multiple intelligences in construction engineering education.

An investigation was conducted to assess the effectiveness of a series of kindergarten through 12th grade (K–12) educational outreach activities related to civil engineering. In particular, a program called Soils Magic that contains a series of simple geotechnical engineering experiments was delivered in various formats to K–12 students. This paper provides an overview of the Soils Magic program and provides further details of selected experiments from the program. This paper highlights the experiences of various civil engineering professors bringing the program to school children to promote the excitement and accessibility of the engineering profession. Suggestions are provided for conducting successful educational outreach programs. The effectiveness of the program was evaluated using survey responses of the program participants. The need for outreach activities that promote science and engineering in an entertaining manner was established using survey responses of K–12 students.

The National Science Foundation-Civil and Mechanical Systems (NSF-CMS) Workshop on the Advancement and Retention of Underrepresented and Minority Engineering Educators (WEE) 2003 brought together approximately 75 future, new, and seasoned professors from universities all over the United States. The NSF workshop is intended to provide valuable information to new or prospective underrepresented and minority faculty to assist them with the start of their academic careers. However, the information provided in the workshop is universally applicable to all new engineering professors, who aspire to develop comprehensive research, teaching, and service programs. This paper provides a highlight of the workshop and summarizes some of the key information presented. Topics such as funding strategies, proposal writing, and advice for the new tenure track faculty member are given. Where appropriate, we have included supplemental information from the literature that supports or expands on topics discussed at the workshop.

The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) has adopted a revised set of criteria for accrediting engineering programs. Nevertheless, as in the past, civil engineering departments will be required to demonstrate proficiency in specific subject areas which are included in the ABET program criteria. This paper investigates, according to civil engineering students, the level at which their understanding of various subjects required by ABET and listed in the Program Criteria for Civil and Similarly Named Engineering Programs and the General Criteria (Professional Component) has been enhanced by being involved with projects associated with the steel bridge and concrete canoe competitions. The results are also compared with students who have practical civil engineering experience. In particular, the findings suggest that students who are directly involved with project work believe that four areas have been greatly enhanced. They include: structural engineering, project management/scheduling and estimating, constructability, and teamwork. Understanding of engineering codes and standards, health and safety issues, materials engineering, and ethical considerations are also perceived to be enhanced. Furthermore, the results complement documentation from the American Institute of Steel Construction including comments from students participating in the steel bridge competition.

The addition of interchanges, traffic signals, or unsignalized driveways to an arterial corridor increases crash risk and decreases travel speeds. As adjacent vacant land is developed, however, private landowners often desire direct access to the arterial route. Because the Virginia Department of Transportation has the authority to allow direct access provided no immediate adverse impact would occur, arterials in high-growth areas tend to have an increasing number of intersections as demands for direct access grow. This study investigated the feasibility of using the provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to limit corridor access (e.g., grade-separated interchanges or at-grade intersections) through four administrative mechanisms: (1) including the limited access requirement as a condition in the record of decision; (2) effecting a contract (the Federal-Aid Project Agreement) that stipulates limiting access as a requirement; (3) implementing a supplemental agreement between interested parties that indicates how the character of the corridor shall be maintained; and (4) documenting the corridor-preservation conditions that remove the requirement of an Environmental Impact Statement. Factors that limit the effectiveness of these mechanisms include (1) the source of funds for the project; (2) the extent to which environmental concerns remain constant after the NEPA process is concluded; (3) the willingness of agencies to exercise the authority they are accorded through NEPA-related agreements; and (4) the passage of congressional legislation that enhances or restricts the scope of NEPA. Case studies of projects in Virginia where the NEPA process has helped preserve the characteristics of corridors show that the process may serve to raise barriers to adding access points but does not guarantee that access points may never be added.

Delays on construction projects, and the claims which emanate from such delays, are an integral part of the modern construction process. The overwhelming amount of time, energy, and cost devoted to delay claims does not begin when a claim is initially submitted at or near the completion of a job, rather, the construction delay claim process commences at project inception. A discussion is provided relative to how claims are generated during a construction project, the various types of delay, contract provisions which may trigger construction delay claims, methods of solidifying a party’s position, presentation, substantiation and justification of a claim, formal and informal methods to resolve claims and, most importantly, mechanisms by which to cut down on the incidence of delay claims.

Modern buildings and civil structures are complex undertakings and involve the use of a great variety of engineering methods and processes. Therefore most projects face the possibility of defects and defective work, which generally result in structures that cannot perform their originally intended roles. The characteristics of the contractor’s liabilities for defects are very controversial in Korea. There are two conflicting theories and one compromise between the two, concerning defect liabilities. One is liability in terms of the law, and the other is that in terms of the contract. These two kinds of liability are significantly different, varying in definition, scope of responsibility, period of responsibility, and other aspects. The purpose of this study is to suggest how to resolve potential disputes which might result from these differences through the analysis of current laws and their interpretation.