Fall 2023 – Did You Know?

Civil engineers have a very particular set of skills. Skills that have been acquired and taught over many centuries dating back to Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia when humans started to abandon a nomadic existence. Over the next several newsletters we will be counting down 15 interesting things that civil engineers know, following is number 9.

How fast is too fast for sewage in a pipe?

One of the less glamorous parts of civil engineering is knowing how to handle wastewater. We know that sewage has to flow over 3 feet per second in horizontal pipes. We also know that if sewage flows too fast, like over 12-18 feet per second, then dangerous gasses can be produced and everyone has a bad day. There’s a lot more science around handling your waste than you may think.

https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/15-things-only-civil-engineers-know