Tunnel Design and Construction
04/07/2008
When the surface is fully occupied, going underground is the only feasible solution. This is exactly the description of New York city, where tunnel engineers are in high demand. A new course on Tunnel Design and Construction is offered this semester in response to such a demand. Prof. Nasri Munfah, the Senior Vice President for Parsons Brinckerhoff, Inc., is the instructor for the course.
The Department of Civil Engineering and Engineering Mechanics has close ties with Parsons Brinckerhoff. The firm's founder, William Barclay Parsons, was a distinguished graduate of the Columbia University School of Mines in 1882. A long history continues until today with many distinguished Columbia engineers leading PB, such as Henry Michel, Louis Silano, Mike Abrahams... They all made tremendous contributions to the civil engineering professions. The Department has recently established the Louis Silano Lecture through a gift by Parson Brinckerhoff, Inc. Mike Abrahams will deliver the first lecture on April 11.
Pictures showing a visit to the Second Avenue tunneling site:
Above: Nasri Munfah (second row, first left), Hoe Ling (First row, second
right) and the students
