Six Months in Copenhagen

When I arrived in Copenhagen, the days seemed to last forever, and my six-month stay sounded like it would last an eternity. However, I filled those days with interesting work projects, travel around Europe, adventures in Denmark and other new activities. 

The main purpose of my ‘externship' was to gain an international perspective on structural engineering and act as an ambassador for my American company. From the start, every new engineering task introduced me to another construction technique or analysis method. I had never heard of elemental walls or SWT beams even though they are extremely common in European construction. It was humbling to realize that I would have to retrain myself to use the Danish building codes and design methods. However, my teammates were especially helpful and patient, as I delved deep into design theories like the Stringer method and modeling programs like Robot.

After gaining confidence with the Danish building code, I had the opportunity to work on a schematic design of the new Parken Arena - a new multipurpose arena adjacent to the national soccer stadium. The radical designs proposed by the architects really stretched my understanding of Danish construction. However, I felt that I was able to contribute some American ingenuity to the process. I was similarly challenged by my last project, the Ørestaden Overdækning, in which we designed a platform for a new hospital above a busy six-lane highway and railroad. I enjoyed working with my Danish team to find structural, and sometimes architectural, solutions to the complex problems.

The biggest challenges that I faced this past year came outside of the office. My wife and I eagerly committed ourselves to the difficult task of learning Danish. After several months of lessons, we were able to use some basic language skills in everyday situations.  Other experiences, like orienteering, a 5k run, fishing in Helsingør, and a go cart grand prix, presented different kinds of challenges but were equally rewarding. These events reinforced the importance of growing a personal bond with my coworkers who always encouraged me to try new things.

In between accepting new challenges from my colleagues, I used free weekends to see as much of Europe as possible. These short adventures took me to Ireland, Belgium, France, Germany, Austria, Norway, Sweden, England and, of course, Denmark. From Billund to Møns Klint, we found Danes eager to share the history and hospitality of their country. I feel that these travels have given me a much broader understanding of the world and will help me become a better citizen of the world.

I am writing this final chapter from my office back in Chicago. Already, my Danish experiences are fading into memory, but I know that I made the most of my opportunity.  I would like to thank everyone who helped make my stay a memorable one, especially my colleagues in the Ballerup Konstruktion Gruppe. Det var fantastisk! 

Many thanks also to those of you who have read this blog and left comments over the past months. This concludes the "Six Months in Copenhagen" blog.  However, I am planning to continue writing for ASCE. In about a month, I will pick the pen back up and continue sharing my experiences as a Younger Engineer.

Several cable television stations have recently discovered that engineering makes compelling television. Building Big, Modern Marvels, Extreme Engineering, and others have been highlighting the truly exciting challenges that civil engineers take on. A few months ago, I was surprised to receive an email from the producer of one such engineering program. He was looking for an American engineer, living in Europe, to contribute to a show about the world's tallest building, Taipei 101. I fit the bill.

After a brief description of the show's theme, the producer put the "million dollar" question to me: "How do we explain the design of this record breaking structure to non-engineers?" I had to admit that even I wasn't entirely sure how the building resisted typhoon winds and serious earthquakes. 

Luckily, the chief structural engineer of Taipei 101 worked for my American company and was eager to explain the design to me. He emphasized the importance of the building's outriggers, which widened the effective base of the building and also stiffened the structural core. To convey to the director what I had learned, I created my own Styrofoam model and filmed some short videos that I posted on YouTube.com.

A couple of weeks later, I received an enthusiastic phone call from the director's assistant. We were booked to sail the English Channel on something called a trimaran. It appeared that they took some comparisons between ships rigging, outriggers and Taipei 101's lateral system quite literally.

I learned that the trimaran concept pairs two pontoons with a separate central hull. The boat that we sailed was special because the pontoons were connected to the hull via outriggers that could swing out from the center to increase or reduce the width of the boat. This allowed the wide trimaran to remain stable when sailing, but then shrink to fit into a small slip or trailer.

When I arrived at the dock for filming, the boat, with outriggers retracted, was wedged into an impossibly small space. After a few takes that introduced the host and me to the ship, we headed for open water. Of course, the first step was to extend the outriggers. 

As the camera crew looked on from a separate boat, the director asked me to explain the similarities between the ship's outriggers and those on Taipei 101. My part was completely unscripted, so I was just hoping to get it right. The host, an experienced television personality in Britain, was really good at helping me stay on point. He seemed genuinely interested in my explanations of overturning, structural materials and stiffening.

Boring dialogue out of the way, the captain of our ship asked if it was time to do some yachting. It only took a few minutes to raise the sail, and we were off. In about 10 seconds we went from zero to 12 knots - entirely under wind power. It was amazing! We quickly passed a conventional sailboat heading back into the harbor. The captain turned to us and said, "Now I think the impressive thing to do would be to turn around (into the wind) and blow by that other boat again."

He casually instructed the rudder-man to turn the ship around while he prepared the sails. In one violent moment, the wind switched to hitting the opposite side of the sail and the lower cross-member swung wildly across the boat. A few adjustments later we were rapidly accelerating. The captain adjusted the sail tension for maximum power. The far outboard pontoon rose several feet out of the water as the center of gravity shifted away from the center; however, the opposite outrigger did its job and maintained our stability. Within moments we were topping 15 knots - into the wind!

We headed back to land with over three hours of video. Over lunch, the director explained that the day's entire adventure would only result in three to four minutes of show time. The rest of the lunch conversation was lively. Each person told great stories about the productions that they had been a part of. It was really a fun experience for me.

No one is quite certain when the show will air, but there is a lot of work still to be done. They will film for at least another month or two, and then go through up to three months of editing.  At best, the program will air in Fall 2008. Stay tuned for details on my red-carpet premiere.

At the tail end of my adventure abroad, I had the chance to visit London.  In just an afternoon, I hoped to meet my European colleagues and see the sights of London.

I arrived at London's Victoria station, in the historic West End (theater district). The hustle and bustle of the city's stations as portrayed in the movies is no exaggeration. Pausing momentarily for any reason is sure to illicit getting run over by the mob of programmed commuters. Having arrived by a conventional commuter train, I navigated through the crowds to the Underground (subway, a.k.a. the Tube). The trains were just large enough and fairly clean. I had to laugh at the friendly pre-recorded voice at every station that reminds you to "mind the gap" between the train and the platform.

The first stop on my itinerary was a quick visit to my firm's London office. It was established to broaden the international appeal of the company. Many international architects, including several overseeing the opulent developments in the Middle East, are based in London. Our small office echoes that connection with architecture. It's located in an old renovated industrial building. The staff has grown very quickly. In less than a year, they've almost outgrown the office; several employees are concerned about losing the office pool table.

My wife and I received a warm reception from our hosts, but we had a lot more on our itinerary. Returning back to the West End neighborhood, we started on a whirlwind tour of the city. From the station we walked north to Buckingham Palace. A crowd gathered at the gates as some dignitaries were leaving the palace. Some people whispered rumors that Prince Harry was in attendance. You really can't get very close to the palace because of security concerns.  And having been around Europe over the summer, the parading guards seemed ‘old hat.'

I was also a little disappointed with Big Ben. Like the Seattle Space Needle, the old architecture has been eclipsed by more modern construction. Big Ben is attached to the House of Parliament, and the complex as a whole is really interesting. The architecture is neo-gothic, so although the building was built in the 1830s it appears much older and statelier.

Nearby Westminster Abbey is a true gothic structure. Parts of the cathedral date back to the 13th century. English monarchs are traditionally coronated here.  Across town, the infamous Tower of London is even older. This ancient fortress was originally commissioned by William the Conqueror in the 11th century. It has most famously been used to hold prisoners of 'high status' including St Thomas Moore, Sir Walter Raleigh and the future Queen Elizabeth I.

The modern financial district stands behind the olde fortress, in stark contrast to the medieval edifice. Several modern buildings in this neighborhood stretch the limits of architecture.  My favorite building was aptly nicknamed 'the gherkin' - a type of pickle. The structure uses a complex exterior diagonal-grid shell for structural efficiency and a dramatic architectural effect. It is a perfect example of "Expressed Structure" - harmony between the structural system and architectural form. Just down the street, another modern edifice houses the Lloyd's of London Insurance giant. Their building looks like something out of a sci-fi movie. The building appears unfinished, with odd exterior staircases and exposed mechanical platforms - as if an oil rig was washed into downtown London.

The final stop on our whirlwind tour of London took us over the Tower Bridge. Often confused as London Bridge (which now actually resides in Arizona), the Tower Bridge is famous for the bascule towers that permit the raising of the bridge for ships to travel past. From the pedestrian walk on the bridge, we had a nice final view of London. The contrast between old and new architecture was especially apparent from that vantage. It provided a final reminder of the challenges faced by European cities to preserve their history while preparing for the future.

During my time in Denmark, I had the opportunity to attend a conference entitled "Meeting the Growing Demand for Engineers and Their Educators 2010-2020." The conference was held in Germany and sponsored by the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers). The organizers had graciously invited ASCE to participate in this ‘first of its kind' conference to address the international shortfall in students entering the engineering fields.

There were more than 120 participants, representing 26 countries. At my dinner table on the opening night, five countries were represented. I sat between two professors from the Netherlands and Greece and also had a very interesting discussion with some South Africans. Moloko, a minister in the South African Department of Education, was making his first trip outside the continent. Unfortunately, he arrived in Munich for the coldest weekend of the year.

The opening speaker announced that companies are aware that a shortage of engineers is an international problem. As the Executive VP at IBM, the presenter had many opportunities to interact with international governments and other business leaders. He announced that a recurring theme in his discussions is that innovation leads to social and economic value. "Engineers generate wealth; everyone else just pushes it around." 

Our first impressions of the magnitude of the problem came from the IEEE President. She explained that since 1983 the number of engineers enrolled in undergraduate curriculum has been nearly static (about 8 percent of college bound students); meanwhile, demand has risen. A study of the German economy estimated that 13.8 billion Euro in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is left unrealized each year due to the number of openings for entry-level engineers.

Why do so few students pursue engineering? A study by the National Academy of Engineering asked people to rate the kinds of things that engineers achieve. "Creates economic growth," was first with 69 percent. However items receiving very low scores were: "Improves quality of life (22 percent)," "Protects the environment (17 percent)," and "Saves Lives." A separate study of pre-college boys and girls showed that those areas were among the most important to their career choice.  Engineers find these results frustrating because most would argue that they are on the leading edge of each of those social issues.

The disconnect may stem from the fact that, "engineering ranked as the least familiar career among boys and girls." Further, poorly informed guidance counselors tend to propagate negative stereotypes. However, the same study found that there was low association of engineers with nerds. If the engineering profession stopped making the connection, it would probably disappear altogether.

One goal of the conference was to recommend actual steps to address 'meeting the global demand for engineers and their educators.' One attendee explained that her home state of Massachusetts became the first to add engineering outcomes to their public schools' curriculum. Her organization has been working to create materials for teachers to use to meet those goals. Outreach by practicing engineers can really add value to those lessons. 

In the end, we compiled a list of almost 30 steps that could be taken to 'meet the global demand for engineers, including:

1) Have engineers visit every elementary classroom in the U.S.

2) Lobby for "engineering outcomes" to be added to the K-12 curriculum in each state

3) Add "technical literacy training to elementary educator training

4) Pursue "new media" advertising target to teenagers

5) Develop university programs tailored to non-engineers seeking training to enter the technical workforce

The ASCE Committee on Pre-college Outreach is working to promote engineering. Our efforts include collaboration with other engineering societies, media outlets and educators. Despite some exciting new television and web-based projects, the most effective means of promoting the profession is still through outreach by individual engineers and local chapters. Please check out the Kids & Careers page on the ASCE Web site for some outreach ideas.

One of the most important aspects of my final Danish project was to estimate the cost of the eventual construction. Given the complexity of the structure and the many work restrictions, any guess is a total shot in the dark. It usually takes the expertise of an experienced construction estimator to produce a realistic estimate, but even they need a starting point. Therefore, I was asked to complete our schematic drawings and estimate the quantity of materials being used.

Recall that the Oerestad Overdecking project involves covering a six lane highway and two active rail lines with a structural deck for recreation, parking and even a hospital. This covered area is over 38,000 m2 (410,000 sft). Despite some very long spans, necessary to bridge transit lines, over 150 columns and many long walls are required. As big as the project looks on the plan, the size of these numbers made me do a double-take.

Each one of the columns and walls also requires a substantial foundation to carry the heavy hospital loading into the stiff chalky soil. The largest spread footing is almost 20 ft wide. We also needed to provide retaining walls in several locations where the plans actually called for new rail lines to be added. In fact, more concrete is expected to be used underground than in the rest of the overdecking (assuming a steel hospital construction). Construction of the below-grade structure will be especially difficult with the transit lines in operation.

Above ground, a system of concrete inverted-T beams will span between the concrete columns and walls. Precast double-T concrete deck slabs will sit on these beams and provide the platform to connect the neighborhoods currently separated by the transit corridor.

Clearly, this project is an ambitious undertaking. The volume of material grows even more impressive with the addition of the 20-story hospital. For now, though, the client is just focused on the first phase - decking over the transit lines. Hopefully these quantity estimates help them estimate a realistic project cost and allow them to make a smart cost-benefit decision on whether to proceed with the project.

The Danes are very proud of their achievements in science and engineering. As a nation of islands, the most spectacular engineering accomplishments have come in the area of bridge design. Several of the bridges that connect the many islands are among the longest spans in the world. The Danes have since exported their knowledge and participated in construction projects around the world. Meanwhile, a thriving economy has recently led to a lot of local building construction.

As the engineering field has grown, Danish engineers have been meeting together in professional organizations to further advance engineering knowledge and promote their work.  The Danish Society of Civil Engineers is about 75 years old.  As in America, many other trade societies have sprung up to promote the use of various building materials. These organizations host many seminars and conferences throughout the year.

I was given the opportunity to speak at one such conference, the 2007 Danish Steel Day. My Danish company had reserved a presentation slot for one of the VIPs of my American firm.  However, no one had realized until the week of the presentation that the conference fell on Thanksgiving Day (which is a holiday unique to America). The honor fell to me with only a few days to prepare. I was to speak about the two tallest buildings in the world: Taipei 101 and the Petronis Towers. I had a lot to learn.

The conference was actually very interesting for me. Two of the presentations were even given in English. One talk was about the schematic design of a tower planned for St. Petersburg, Russia. Unfortunately for me, that presenter talked about several aspects of skyscraper design that I had hoped to introduce in my presentation. I hoped that everyone would still be interested in what I had to say.

Finally, I was up. I began my presentation with a short personal introduction - in Danish!  It must have gone all right, because I was rewarded with a round of applause. I thanked the audience saying, "I figured that an American speaking Danish might be more impressive than the rest of my presentation." Throughout my talk, I tried to throw in more humor. When talking about the 'mega-structure' and 'super-columns,' I said that Americans are just in the habit of 'super-sizing' everything. That elicited more laughter.

Like many engineers I frequently participate in such conferences back in America, but I didn't know what to expect from the international crowd - especially since I was touting American engineering achievements. Overall, the talk was well received. At the end of the day, I felt very proud of my own accomplishment in public speaking.

Nothing is more basic to the design and construction industry than a good set of plans. Even as graphics technology facilitates better 3-D renderings, good old two-dimensional plans, sections and details remain an irreplaceable means of conveying information on the construction site.

Even though the project I am working on is in a very early schematic phase, we have started putting together structural plans for the building. My experience is that the best way to anticipate conflicts is just to start sketching. At this early stage in the project we are hoping to see what kinds of challenges will be faced in the final design.  Recall that the project involves decking over an existing highway and rail line and building a 20-story hospital on top of that (Looking for Space, December 5, 2007)

I began by creating a plan drawing for each unique floor, starting at the foundations and moving up 20 stories to the roof.  We made our best educated guess about the shape of the plan; no architect has yet weighed in on the design.  The goal of these drawings was to show all of the major structural components, ie. beams, columns and walls.

There are several conventions available for determining how to draw a plan, and everybody thinks that the way they do it is the one and only correct way. Back home, structural engineers like to show the framing that supports the named floor. Therefore, on the level 2 sheet, you would see the beams and columns supporting level 2. In Denmark the named sheet refers to the framing that you see when you stand on the floor and look up. In this case, on the level 2 sheet, you would see the beams and columns that support level 3. Of course, I drew up the plans my way first, but then I had to redraw everything to match the Danish way.

The next step in creating a set of structural drawings is often to translate the plan drawings into a set of building elevations or sections. These drawings convey additional information about the structure including height between floors and most lateral force resisting members (like steel braces or concrete walls). Usually, we would draw a structural section at every line of columns that contains a unique feature of the lateral system.

The first sections that I worked on sliced through each of the major walls that support the building. After sitting down with my team to review the elevation drawing, we realized several changes that should be made to the structure. In one area, it didn't make any sense to even have a floor. Continuing our meeting, we decided to move most of the walls to create more parking spaces in the garage levels. These are things that we certainly would not have noticed without a detailed set of plans and elevations.

Before doing any calculations, we were able to get a really good feel for the layout of the structure just by sketching out some plans and sections.  Many times a successful project requires a smartly conceived set of plans.

Perhaps the most inspirational side trip during my adventure in Europe was a trip to the Provence region of southern France. I followed in the footsteps of Van Gogh and other famous impressionists seeking a muse under the warm Provencal sun. Centuries earlier, the Romans colonized the fertile lands and relaxed in the local natural spring-fed baths. Two thousand years of building in the area have left an equally inspiring diversity of architecture.

My base for the weekend was in Aix-en-Provence. The city is known for its many spring fed fountains. The most famous is a big mossy block in the center of a major market street that springs warm water year round. The natural springs are the reason that the Romans settled the town and why it retained some importance throughout the middle ages. The buildings all look ancient. However, most homes now enjoy all the modern amenities - like indoor plumbing and high speed internet. It's fun to get lost in the narrow winding streets of the old city.

I found my way out of the maze of streets and headed up a hill north of town to Paul Cezanne's workshop. This impressionist artist was unquestionably the most famous resident of Aix-en-Provence. Late in his career, he built a workshop on the outskirts of town. The grounds of the workshop are still nicely kept with plants and flowers; however, only one room in the workshop is open to the public. The space is dominated by a huge window facing up the hill. Many of the actual objects featured in his still life paintings are on display. However, his most famous and inspirational paintings are of Mt. St. Victoire. The best vista is just a 15-minute walk from the workshop.

Cezanne's more famous contemporary, Van Gogh, also retreated to Provence. After being diagnosed with a mental disorder he was admitted to a hospice in the city of Arles. Many of his most famous paintings were completed while in isolation here. While Van Gogh found inspiration in the natural beauty of Arles, I came to be inspired by the city's famous Roman ruins.

The Roman Amphitheater or Arles sits at the highest point in the city and still dominates its surroundings. Amazingly, even though the structure was built in 90 A.D., it is still being used today - regularly showing bull fights since 1830. The monument is 136 m (~450 ft) long and is ringed by 60 arches. Twenty thousand spectators could have been comfortably seated to watch gladiator duels and exotic animals fight. In the middle ages, the structure was converted into a fortress. At that time, over 200 homes and two churches took up residence within the friendly confines.

I entered through the front gate, just like a typical Roman would have done. It wasn't hard to imagine the bowl filled with thousands of spectators. I hiked up to the top of one of the medieval towers for a bird's-eye view. From that vantage, I could see all of Arles, and I imagined how medieval watchmen would have been able to spot invaders from miles away.  Only a slight metal grandstand reminded me that it was 2007. Having worked on some stadiums back home, I was surprised by how little the basic arena concept has changed.

Next, I viewed the ruins of a Roman theater. The structure was originally built up off of ground level and included two levels of seating and huge stage area. In ancient times it would have looked much like a modern performance hall. History has not treated the first century B.C. structure as well as the adjacent amphitheater. Only the lower seating bowl and two of the hundreds of ornate columns that would have decorated the structure still remain.

Entertainment may have been for special occasions, but every afternoon, the Roman population would visit the baths. The process included a sauna treatment, hot bath, lukewarm rinse, some laps in the swimming pool and finally a massage. Much of the Roman baths of Arles remain to this day. Unfortunately, only a half-dome remains of the roof, and most of the floors are also gone. This allows modern visitors to walk through the ancient furnace rooms. 

I had a great time exploring the Roman ruins, market squares, and natural wonders of Provence. It is easy to see why so many people continue to visit the region in search of a muse. A special experience awaits those who can draw inspiration from the magnificent historic structures.

"To be or not to be - that is the question." Did you know that Shakespeare's Hamlet is set in a Danish castle that you can actually visit? It's located at the nearest point between Denmark and Sweden in a town called Helsingør, just about an hour north of København. I headed there on a fishing trip sponsored by my Danish company. We trolled the narrow strait for about four hours on a ship called the Havet, meaning "the sea," before returning to land for a brief tour of the city and castle. 

Many of the cities that we've visited over the past four months have been built around or inside of 18^th century fortresses. The fortress in Helsingør was important for collecting taxes on ships passing through the busy shipping channel between Denmark and Sweden. After the natural defenses of the medieval castle became obsolete, a series of earthen ramparts and ditches were created around the castle to protect against artillery.

The design of artillery fortifications required skilled designers, basing their designs on effective geometry and the physics of projectile motion.  A French engineer, named DeVauban, was the most prolific fortress designer in history. He is credited with having designed or improved hundreds of defenses. His military engineering success enabled him to rise from ‘rags' to achieve the highest military rank possible in France.

Two main concepts were critical in creating the defense. First, fortresses should be designed so that every outer wall can be protected with fire from another wall. Thick walls made it very difficult to fire straight down from a position within the castle, and attackers could sometimes find safety at the base of these walls. Star-shaped designs permitted enfilading fire, or cross-fire from the adjacent walls. The next most important idea was to provide as much distance as possible between the invading army and the defenders main base, well duh.

The attackers would first approach a gently sloping plain called the glacis. It sloped away from the fortress, giving the defenders a clear open view of the attacker's positions. Any invading army had to carefully consider where to set up camp, or become target practice for the defending batteries. The attackers would advance over the glacis with a zig-zag series of trenches. A proper trench also required relatively skilled military labor.

After advancing over the glacis, the attackers faced a series of earthen ramparts and ditches (moats). In the most basic fortress design, a rampart would follow the outer edge of the ditch. This was called the "outer way", and its purpose was to provide a fortified position for the defenders, outside of the main fortress walls or "enceinte." Taking the covered way was a seminal moment in the siege. A successful breach required a bum rush on the walls, or risky underground explosives.

We have seen many well preserved fortresses on our trip, at Malmö, København, Kinsale, and Helsingør. These fortresses greatly influenced planning of nearby cities. In several circumstances, the water and transportation infrastructure built for the fortress also enabled the nearby cities to grow. The complexity of fortress design required engineering professionals. In times of peace, these engineers worked on civil projects - "to be... civil engineers."

On the most basic level, "units" are what separate physics from mathematics. They give physical meaning to numbers. Understanding the connection between units, numbers and reality is the fundamental step in doing any physical computation. This understanding is not as basic as it may sound. Stepping through the parts of a problem, the units of different variables may vary. You might have to convert units between systems (metric vs. English), order of magnitude (N vs kN), or even based on notation (MPa vs. kN/m^2).

The connection between units and calculation is not always obvious to beginning engineering students. However, by being aware of the units of the variables and answers, many mistakes can be made obvious. The first check of a solution should be whether the units of your result match the desired units. For example, when computing the moment in a cantilever (Moment = Force * Distance), the result must have units of force * length (i.e. lb*ft). Any additional unit terms should tip you off to a mistake somewhere.

Every couple of years, a big push is made to convert measurement in the U.S. to metric units.  I can't understand why there is always so much resistance; I have actually enjoyed using metric units here in Denmark. The metric system makes a lot of sense because conversions are usually a function of the number 10. Instead of remembering to convert 5,280 ft to 1 mile; 1,000 m is 1 km. My only problem was visualizing the physical weight, size or volume - but I'm sure that would come with practice.

One day I was having some problems with my calculations. I was putting together a spreadsheet on floor vibration. Through the various calculation steps, I needed to convert by multiples of 1000 to make sure that my units were complimentary. When I got to the end, I found that my answer was off - obvious because the magnitude was significant. I lost track of my unit conversions somewhere. I had to map out the multiple calculation steps by hand to find the error.

As it turns out, I was making two mistakes. The first involved converting kN to kg (Force to mass). kN = 1000*kg*m/s^2. The "m/s^2" part relates to gravitational acceleration. In the English system, we seldom use the unit for mass (slugs); we change the equations to work in units of force (lb). My second mistake was forgetting to convert a fundamental frequency from the radial system by a factor of 2*pi.  I was used to using equations that automatically included the conversion.

Eventually, I problem solved my way through the worksheet and arrived at something that actually worked out.  By keeping track of the units, I was able to trace my errors.  This is a simple trick that engineers use all the time.

A tremendous amount of construction is taking place just south of Copenhagen. Much of it can be attributed to large plots of land that were opened up to private development as a means of funding the new Copenhagen Metro (subway). Unfortunately, the new neighborhoods are divided by a four-lane highway and multiple rail lines. The local building authority has asked my Danish company to investigate the feasibility of decking over the road and rail ways and building a substantial public hospital on the elevated site.

The building is to be around 200,000 m2 (almost 2 million square feet) and contain 2,000 parking spaces. To achieve this area, we estimated that the hospital would need to be around 20 stories tall. The structural plan is highly limited by the roads and rails below. We cannot place a column in the middle of the highway. This means that many beams will have to span over 60 feet. That's close to three times greater than a typical design. It will be especially difficult to design floors that meet the deflection and vibration criteria required by the hospital equipment.

To kick-off work on the project, I visited the site with one of my colleagues. We arrived on site by driving along the very highway that we're planning to cover. We parked the car at an adjacent construction site. From there, we had a good view of the highway and train lines. We unfolded a 1:200 scale drawing of the site that my colleague had prepared. It stretched over seven feet long. Using existing structures for reference, we visually confirmed the location of existing overpasses, road and railways, and the elevated Metro rails.

After getting our bearings, we decided to walk the entire perimeter of the site. I took a ton of pictures; you really can't take too many. When we got back to the office, I tried to draw the conceptual structure on the existing photographs. My first attempt was to sketch in the structural supports that land in the median of the highway. I struggled drawing the objects with the appropriate height and view perspective. In the end, I was pleased with my attempt to take the train platform and show what the environment might look like after being covered with the huge platform.

I hope that these sketches can help describe the site to the non-technical people who will be reading our report. At least, I understand the site constraints better. Even still, this project is going to be a challenge. We have very little information to go on at this point. That can be really frustrating, but it also makes it kind of fun.

Despite its small size, Denmark has a long history and a surprisingly diverse geography. The country has inspired a number of great ideas, including the Viking's long boats, Hans Christian Andersen's fairytales and LEGOs - my favorite toy. It was a goal of mine from the start to really get to know the country, not just Copenhagen. Over the months, my wife and I took several weekend trips to see the country, looking for our own inspiration.

Just half an hour train ride from Copenhagen is Roskilde, the ancient capital from which the Vikings ruled their empire that stretched all the way to Ireland. Although it's still the second largest city on the island of Zealand (next to Copenhagen), the atmosphere is like that of a small-town. Most tourists come to visit the Viking ship museum near the harbor. It contains the wrecks of five Viking-era ships that were intentionally sunk around 1060 as a barrier to direct access into the harbor. The resulting display of ship shards is a little bit disappointing, but the curators have painstakingly reconstructed replicas that you can actually ride through the harbor.

If you really want ancient history, though, you need to head to the island of Møn. A national park on the east end of the island protects millennia-old chalk white cliffs. Visitors can descend hundreds of steps down a steep ravine to the best lookouts and the rocky beach. The opportunity to view the picturesque sight of the sheared chalk face against a blue sky and green sea backdrop is worth the long hike back up to your car.

It is said that Hans Christian Andersen often found inspiration on the island of Møn. Although he moved to Copenhagen in his early teens and eventually become one of the best traveled writers of his day, the H.C. Andersen museum is located in his childhood home in Odense, on the island of Fyn. Like most sizable Scandinavian cities, the city center's series of cozy (hyggelig) pedestrian shopping streets (strøget) seems unchanged since H.C. Andersen's time. A little outside the city, a museum-village gives visitors a real taste of the hardships faced by their ancestors in the early 1800s.

While H.C. Andersen might be the world's most famous Dane, LEGOS are surely their most famous export. Billund, located in the center of Jutland, is home to the LEGO world headquarters and the original LEGOLand - and that's about it. Americans hoping to find a park like Cedar Point or Six Flags will be disappointed by the modest park and its child-oriented rides. The main attractions for the adults are the hundreds of LEGO models, ranging from detailed cityscapes to giant LEGO dragons. Thrill seekers are rewarded with one ride that allows you to program your own violent and nauseating ride into a hydraulic arm.

After this series of Danish adventures, it really felt like we had been tossed around the country on some wild ride. I was impressed by the diversity in the activities and attractions we visited. It's easy to see how so many Danes, from the Vikings, to Hans Christian Andersen, to the creators of LEGOs have been inspired to create new and wonderful things.

The Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, near Copenhagen, is currently showing an exhibit inspired by the works and philosophy of a structural engineer named Cecil Balmond. He works for one of the largest structural consulting companies in the world. Balmond's unique and forward thinking approach to building design has drawn collaboration with some of the most creative modern architects. In many of his projects, it is difficult to discern where the architectural concepts stop and the structural mind takes over.

Upon completion, the CCTV tower in Beijing will be his most recognizable landmark. The building might be best described as a pair of pants in the sitting position. The structure works because the two legs lean against each other. It's a wild design; one that I'm sure took hundreds of hours of computer simulations to get just right. Unfortunately, the exhibit glosses over the considerable technological challenges presented by the design.

Instead, it begins by deconstructing Balmond's ideas to the basics of numbers and geometry. You are first introduced to the symbolism inherent in the first nine digits. For example, in western culture, the number five evokes association with mysticism, as represented by the five pointed pentagram. From numbers, you graduate to geometry and the so-called golden rectangle. This rectangle is proportioned so that the long side is equal to 1.617 times the short side. You can apply the golden rectangle with some imagination to classical art like Michelangelo's David, the Cathedral of Notre Dame and even modern skyscrapers.

After that, the concepts become a lot more theoretical but still do not address the structural questions invoked by the sketches and models. The largest model was a section of tensioned cable netting - a scale representation of a much larger structural art project. The exhibit never draws the line between Balmond's work and his collaborating architects. This treatment serves to emphasize how engineering can inform creative design.

The art of networking is rapidly changing in the 21st century. Even though I'm thousands of miles from home, I have reconnected with over 100 old friends over the past two months. It's not just a cliché, the internet is bringing the world closer together.

My social renaissance has mostly been facilitated by Facebook, the web's fastest growing social networking site. Each user begins with a personal profile page. From there you can search for friends based on their email addresses or through the institutions that you met them. Then you can join groups and causes and use a number of diverse applications. Currently, I'm facing off against my brother (in Arizona) and sister (in Michigan) in a game of Scrabble. It may just seem like fun and games at the moment, but I think there is a lot of potential for Facebook and similar networking sites to become serious business networking tools.

Around the same time I was getting hip to Facebook, I had the opportunity to talk with the head of the IT department in my Danish company. He called the meeting to discuss the differences between his system and our resources back home. I honestly thought that he was moving faster to adopt changes in communication technology than my American firm.

As our meeting concluded, he walked me through the features of their new Intranet. They use Microsoft SharePoint software to organize a site similar in concept to Facebook. It is possible to set up discussion forums and post files, links and comments. Public and private groups can be created. Individual users even have the ability to set up their own home page. The functionality of the forums is clear. However, only a few employees have embraced the new features. I believe that a new generation of engineers is going to find ways of using these communication tools that will really change the way the office runs.

Wikipedia is a good example of such a paradigm shift. Does anyone remember how you used to head to the library to look up some general knowledge in the encyclopedia? Not too long ago, people were buying encyclopedias on CD. Now you just log on to Wikipedia. It's fast and easy, and independent studies have shown that this user edited reference is just as accurate as the old bound texts. New communication technology facilitated a vast collaboration of users, and the result changed how we find answers to life's basic questions.

A few weeks ago I noted that knowledge sharing is often cited as an area that needs improvement within large engineering companies. Well, the tools to solve that problem are available; people just need to use them. The strength of a consulting engineering company is its people. Each engineer may have acquired specialized information or discovered new, more economical ways of doing some procedure. If you could just get each of these people to write down a little bit about what they know in a searchable database, you'd be creating the ultimate reference for your firm.

I think there is great potential for several types of communication resources. Engineers complain about gaps in communication, but seldom act to change that. We're all going to have to work harder at communicating to make it in the 21st century. I think social networking sites and wikis will play a part in making that happen.

Their questions prompted me to put together a presentation explaining 10 ways that structural engineers can use Excel better. I call it "Excelling at Excel." Excel provides an easy-to-use platform for organizing large amounts of data and writing basic algorithms. The whole point of using any computer program is to save time, but sometimes you can spend more time searching for the right formula. My list covered the following topics - puns intended (though unlikely to be understood by the Danes).

1. Take ctrl

2. Just Press F4

3. Conditional Formatting

4. Seek Validation

5. Get Your Fill

6. Filter Your Data

7. What's in a Name

8. Let Excel Lookup

9. Insert Into MathCAD

10. Watch Your Calculation Steps

After sharing the presentation with some colleagues in Chicago, one of our VPs suggested that we create an Excel user group. The idea is simple-a group of users who connect over email and teleconferences. We are also going to have a Web site to provide useful links and original content.

I have already discovered that a lot of good resources are buried in the company's directories. An engineer from Kansas City told us that she had downloaded over 50 free instructional videos on Excel. Another engineer in New York explained how he used Visual Basic macro programming to create some really fancy sheets. All of these people are just glad to know that there is a network of people that might understand the problems they're encountering and be willing to talk with them.

The response has been very positive so far. It showcases the power of collaboration over the internet. Eventually, I would like the group to discuss quality control procedures, standardized formats, and automation with analytical software. So many processes require the use of spreadsheets; we can make a serious improvement to the company's efficiency by giving more people better tools and teaching them how to use 'em.