Last December I was approached by your Nominating Committee to stand as your Chairman for 1997. As this seemed the only way to get out of the Hon. Secretary's job, I accepted immediately! This year sees the continuation of our highly successful Technical Meeting and Site Visit program, whose Winter and Spring activities are reported in this newsletter. We look forward to seeing even more members and friends coming along to our Fall program which resumes in September. The highlight of the Spring activity consisted of a visit by the President of the ICE as part of this year's overseas tour. In recent years we have now 'collected' the Presidents of the ICE, IMechE, IEE, and IStructE - we only need a visit from the President of the IChemE for a complete set! Group committees always seek to advance communication with our members. Since 1994 we've been looking at ways the Internet might help. Now we feel the time is right to launch the Group at its members (and the wired world) through this medium. A 'beta' Website has been running since late 1996 at: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/ianprice We plan to migrate shortly to a new permanent site. Not only will this promote the Group to those with Internet access to related websites which will point to our site, but members will also be able to check in for information on our Technical Program, and for pointers to other sites of general and technical interest to Chartered Engineers. Those members with Internet access should register their e-mail address with our
Hon.Treasurer Arul Raja
. Once we are satisfied we can work the website reliably, you can have the option of receiving e-mail notices of meetings, newsletters, AGM notices etc. Those members not wishing to have anything to do with the Internet - EVER - will continue to receive Group information courtesy of Canada Post. We expect that electronic communications will reduce printing and mailing costs, enabling us to provide more services and programs overall for our members. Lastly, my wife and I look forward to seeing as many of you as can come, at the Phone Box Inspection (and Barbecue) in July. Remember, Chartered Engineers are the ONLY local group technically competent to carry out such an inspection on this expatriate and venerable structure!
Ian Price, P.Eng., C.Eng. MIEE, Chair 1997
May 1997.
This is your newsletter and your comments to the editor of The ChallEnge (contact details in the box on page five) are warmly welcomed.
The Rain Reigned but the Greeens and WCGCE Members Shone
David Green, President of the ICE, his wife Vera and ICE Deputy Secretary, John Whitwell, visited Western Canada as part of their North American tour in late May. The President and party landed in Vancouver, British Columbia, on a very wet Tuesday afternoon (27 May). Stan Ridley (C) and Jack Bibby (C) were there to meet them off the short flight from Calgary, Alberta.
After introductory sightseeing, the visitors were joined for dinner at the Vancouver Club by Jack and Margaret Bibby (C) John Holland (C), Ian and Jane Price (E) and Stan and Zarina Ridley (C). On 28 May, Zarina Ridely and Margaret Bibby had the pleasure of entertaining Vera Green in Vancouver. Meanwhile, the President met with John Haythorne, Vice President of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia ( APE&GBC ); John Bremner, Executive Director & Registrar, and other executives of the APE&GBC; David Rudberg, General Manager of Engineering Services for the City of Vancouver; CCPE Director, Richard Hancock; and Past-President of the BC Consulting Engineers, John Ritchie. Their discussions included the Washington Accord and reciprocal registration rights for engineers.
Following lunch at the APE&GBC, the ICE party visited the "SkyTrain" Operations & Maintenance Center. In conjunction with presentations on system engineering and operations, the schedule allowed them to witness rush-hour operations from inside the control room. That evening the ICE visitors attended a reception and dinner at the Arbutus Club. More than 60 members and spouses from the WCGCE attended the event. The exceptional turnout was well rewarded by an eloquent address by ICE President, David Green. True to his 1996 Presidential Address, he presented, with humour and insight, his vision of the challenges facing the engineering professions and institutions at the end of the 20th Century. After dinner, guests had ample opportunity to talk with David and Vera Green and John Whitwell. The Chair, committee and members of the WCGCE’s are honoured to have had the opportunity of meeting President David Green and his wife Vera and wish them all the very best in the future.
One last event in 1996 slipped passed the deadline for the December issue of The ChallEnge , and the ICE President’s visit just makes it into this issue - an indication of the pace of events. (Thanks to Gavin Vernon for so much of this effort.)
Brian Young, P.Eng gave a highly topical presentation on the origin of the phenomenon now termed Globalisation and its affect on society and the engineering profession. Mr. Young’s talk encompassed geopolitical events, economic trends, training, the communications revolution, the rise of knowledge based industries, and the re-birth of community based, "sustainable" economies.
One clear message noted by your reporter was that engineers must be prepared to change the way they work while holding onto their ethical and technical standards. In the emerging global economy, marginal cost advantages due to culture, education, climate, time to market, technology, natural resources, political expectations, national policies, etc. must be exploited for optimum returns which may be in traditional or non traditional media of exchange. Seventeen members and guests were enlivened by Mr. Young’s talk and the subsequent discussion.
President of Elemental Research Inc. (ERI), of North Vancouver, Bob Brown gave a fascinating talk on the development and use of his company’s newly developed application of laser mass spectrometry for fish tracking. Mr. Brown is a world expert on mass spectrometry and has developed a method of using this technology in fish tracking as well as in the more conventional applications of materials and health sciences. The fish tracking application is believed to be a world first for British Columbia and is now being adopted in international markets. This excellent presentation was followed by an invitation to visit the ERI laboratories in May.
The minutes of the AGM are scheduled to be issued with this edition of The ChallEnge,. As usual this important event was followed by the group’s main winter social event. The dinner was enjoyed by 45 members and guests. The event was again held at the Hyatt Regency and included dinner and dancing to the Dal Richards’ band. Cordial thanks to Jack Bibby, former group chair and long time office holder and supporter of the group, for arranging this popular annual social event.
Gordon Smith, MICE, of Walter & SCI Construction (Canada) Ltd. , hosted a visit of 27 members and guests to this major environmental safeguard at Annacis Island on the Fraser river. Prior to the tour the visitors were given process flow diagrams and a briefing on the facility, greatly appreciated by the engineers present. The project, which was in the process of hand over to the owner, provides secondary treatment for effluent received from the existing primary sewage treatment facility. The capacity of the plant is expressed in total flow of the thickened waste secondary sludge (TWSS) plus thickened primary sludge (TPS). The annual average total flow is 2,540 cubic meters per day, and the monthly maximum total flow is 2,840 cubic meters per day. The layout of the highly sophisticated plant allows for the future capacity to be doubled. The tour was aided by good weather and we are most grateful to Gordon Smith for taking the time to host our visit during the busy hand over period.
Dr. Desmond Hartford of BC Hydro ’s power supply organization delivered a powerful message for every one of the 18 members who attended the session at the Park Royal Hotel. His summary of the perceptions of risk and his approach to the timely management of engineering risks touched universal concerns -- not only for those interested in dams. The well-illustrated presentation took us from the background of risk management, through the framework of business, political and societal interests to the need for standards and protocols to protect analysis from manipulation and interference. A lively question period followed Dr. Hartford’s enthusiastic and masterful presentation.
Like most of the population of the Pacific Northwest, your reporter depends upon the integrity of dams for water supply and security from flood water. When I asked for a picture for these notes, he sent the following comment and illustration:
"I ran into trouble with a suitable digital image, the real problem is that we have not had any failures yet. The best example that I have is the spillway for Wahleach Dam where the improvements were based on a risk analysis. This was a ‘first-of-its-kind’ application and was featured in the February edition of the ASCE magazine, Civil Engineering."
CLICK HERE TO VIEW A DIAGRAM OF THE SPILLWAY
Your reporter left reassured to know that Dr. Hartford and other risk managers are there to analyze and explain engineering risk to those who may only have experience of business or political risk!
Captain Gordon Houston (pronounced Hooston, not Hughston), Vice President, Operations, for the Port of Vancouver piloted 24 members from the time of the initial survey of George Vancouver in 1792 all the way to the corporation’s plans for the 21st century. The voyage took us from the first export cargo in 1864, the completion of the railway in 1885, the first container ship in 1962, opening of the Robert’s Bank "superport" in 1970, through fourteen years of consecutive growth to a land of huge statistics.
Vancouver ranks first in export tonnage in North America. The port handles trade to and from more than 90 nations. Total cargo in 1996 was 71.99 million tonnes. The cargo statistics are best summarised in the Port's website .
More than 700,000 cruise passengers passed through the Port’s cruise terminals in 1996 (18% up on the previous year). The list goes on and on.
The day after his presentation, Capt. Houston kindly sent your reporter an excellent package of information on the Port (contact the editor if you wish to borrow it). From this we learn (for the trivia buffs) that just after first place USA, the Port’s second largest import source is … Togo! Vancouver unloads over one million tonnes of phosphate rock annually from this tiny (Togo is much smaller than Ireland in area and population) West African state wedged between Benin and Ghana. It is nice to be reminded that in world trade "small" can be major, even recognizing that import tonnage is only 5% of total movement through the Port of Vancouver.
Continuing on a marine theme, this visit took 21 members and guests to the newest of the Port of Vancouver’s container handling facilities.
Situated 22km south of Vancouver harbour, this most recent addition to the Port of Vancouver’s terminals will double Vancouver’s container capacity to more than 1 million twenty foot equivalent units (TEUs) once it is in full operation this year. The group met at the Town and Country Motel for the short bus trip and guided tour of the $224 million Deltaport facilities.
Under the experienced guidance of Ian Roakby of Klohn-Crippen Consultants, the group gained an excellent insight into the structural and civil engineering underlying this nearly completed, high volume inter-modal handling facility. The two container berths totaling 670 meters (2,198 feet) in length were ready for use, and all five of the Post Panamax, 50-tonne container gantry cranes were assembled. Four rail tracks of 3,500 feet each provide capacity for two 7,000 feet double stacked trains (400 TEUs per train). Extensive use of computers is made for train and gantry positional determination as well as for full EDI support for all aspects of business operations.
This visit was a follow up of the January presentation on a fish tracking application of mass spectrometry. Bob Brown owner and president of ERI, the North Vancouver research and analytical laboratory hosted the visit for thirteen members. He started with a quick overview of the company and followed with a detailed tour of the working laboratories conducted in two groups under the guidance of himself and Dr. David Gray, Vice President of laboratory operations.
The 8000 square feet facility is ISO9002 registered and employs 25 of whom five have Ph.D.’s, and most others have bachelor and master degrees in chemistry, materials science, toxicology, biochemistry. The scale of the capital investment showed in the modern equipment. Spectrometers run around $235k a copy. Some labs had two. Computers were everywhere. To illustrate the precision to which ERI works, they have a new Total Organic Carbon Analyser for TOC determination down to 50ppb (parts per billion) in solution. Samples of garnet, fish scale, human plasma, and Alka Seltzer were noted in the different analytical laboratories.
Without conventional "marketing", ERI has won a client base of over 250 leading international companies, governments and universities. A side bar to their recently developed fish scale analysis technique is that ERI can tell the authorities the source of a poacher’s catch. Unlicensed fishers beware! This technique, known as Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP/MS), is in use for fish studies and environmental monitoring in North and South America, Australasia and Northern Europe.
The visit concluded with a coffee and question session that shed light on material research, biopharmaceuticals and forensic applications of mass spectrometry, as well as the distinguished career in science of Bob Brown himself. The group is most grateful to have the opportunity to have been able to spend this time with an acknowledged expert in a branch of science increasingly being used to assure our health and economic well being. For more information on ERI visit their website at http//www.eri-cipms.com or e-mail eri@mindlink.bc.ca
As members will have seen from the minutes of the AGM, the committee nominees presented by John Holland were all voted in. The new committee is as shown in the panel. Norman Gardner has tendered his resignation as secretary and taken up viniculture in Penticton. At the time of publication of the newsletter in June, this office was open. On 06 August, however, we were delighted to learn that Bob Martin, a past chair and long serving committee member had volunteered to take on this key position. Welcome back, Bob! For this on-line version of the newsletter we have inserted e-mail links for contacts who have given an address.
OFFICERS
I. Price (E) Chair
Voice: (604) 929-7566 Fax: (604) 929-6826
Bob Martin (M) Hon. Secretary
A. Raja (E) Hon.Treasurer and Membership Secretary
(604) 528-2822 (Voice and Fax)
Ex-Officio
J. Holland (C) Past Chairman
S. Ridley (C) ICE Correspondent
J. Chapman (M&E) IMechE Correspondent and IEE Council Rep.
L. Metcalf (S) IStructE Representative
R. Butler (Ch) IChemE Representative
R. Wyke (M) Washington State
Voice: (425) 746-771
Ordinary Members
J. Bibby (C)
N. Esmail (C & S)
H. Ng (E)
G. Vernon (E) Technical Programme, Voice: (604) 926-3718
C. Marsh (E)
M. Thornley (M)
J. Gordon (M)
N. Hawley (M) Mentoring
T. Walwyn (E)
C. Truefitt (Ch)
B. Redway (M) Newsletter
Voice: (604) 940-2187, Fax: (604) 940-1320
The group committee has enjoyed the participation of a UK engineer in exchange for one of its active committee members in a UK exchange program. As reported in the last issue of The ChallEnge, Nick Hawley, BC Hydro , and Martin Rudge, National Power PLC, are on a six month professional exchange between the two companies.
Both participants have undertaken a range of assignments within the various departments and business units of their host company. The object has been to maximise exposure to differing asset management techniques, investment strategies and methods of work. During one assignment, Nick spent several weeks on site at Didcot B Power Station , National Power’s new 1340 MW combined cycle gas turbine plant, currently in the final stages of commissioning. Martin has been working with BC Hydro’s Generation Plant Program in the development of Asset Plans for their fleet of power facilities. Martin and Nick both feel that the exchange has not only provided great positive value for their respective companies, but has also been a major contribution to their continuing professional development. Martin was recently elected MIMechE following a professional interview conducted by members of the WCGCE. During Nick’s absence Martin participated in several Group activities and also attended committee meetings on Nick’s behalf.
In preparation for another issue of The ChallEnge, the editor needs your contributions. These should be related to the business of engineering. They should include reproducible illustrations (anything that can fit into this format, preferably in digital form). Pass your input to any committee member, or send e-mail to Brian Redway .
Outboard of the group activity but very much in the frame of interest of our electrical members is the forthcoming international conference on Probabilistic Methods Applied to Power Systems. Power and distribution specialists mark your diary for 21st to 25th September 1997 at the Hotel Vancouver. Prepaid advance registration must be received by 1st July 1997 and is $450. Later or on-site fee is an extra $50. Contact: Voice: (604) 528-2770 Fax: (604) 528-1828 E-Mail or obtain form directly from the pmaps website .
Glorious summer weather and a convivial group of 45 members and guests, assured the success of the annual telephone box inspection and barbecue in North Vancouver on 26th July. Michael Thornley, backing up Gavin Vernon who is on a mystery assignment, notes the following provisional events planned for the start of the fall programme: September - An evening cruise to Bowen Island on Vancouver’s oldest-surviving, steam powered, wooden-hull, tug-boat. The tentative date is Tuesday 2nd September. October - Talk on "Archeology of the Atomic Bomb: The Sunken Ships of Bikini Atoll", by James P. Delgado, Director of Vancouver Maritime Museum . This historic and excellently illustrated lecture was presented to the Vancouver Institute 21st April this year. The provisional date for the group talk is 22nd October.
For years bridgemasters have said the trusses and deck of the Lion’s Gate Bridge will require major repairs by year 2000. Public interest was excited again in 1993 when a committee proposed a range of alternatives for replacement or repair.
One solution, not originally considered, makes use of the existing bridge. It adds a second cable and deck system after stiffening of the pylons. Some additional foundation work is required. This concept proposed by Boris Netupsky, founder of Netupsky Engineering Ltd., was accepted as an option by the Bridge Expert Panel in its report on rehabilitation options in March 1994. It replaces the causeway by a non-bored two level "cover-and-cut" tunnel.
This solution:
In May 1997 the BC Government announced that the BC Transportation Financing Authority will be responsible for the First Narrows upgrade project. The selection criteria are:
Thanks to Jack Bibby, for this contribution on a subject of high technical and community interest. Other input will be given similar exposure.