What civil engineers are reading this week

• With digital twins poised to transform civil engineering, what are the challenges?

  Engineers see many advantages to having digital twins of assets like bridges, buildings, and utility systems, especially for life-cycle maintenance, but obstacles remain to widespread adoption.

• Newly opened bridge collapses in China due to surrounding landslide

  The 2,500-foot-long bridge linking China with Tibet was closed a day before the incident after cracks were discovered in surrounding roads and hillsides, leading to landslides. No injuries were reported.

• Strongest solar flare of 2025 erupts – with aurora potential for half the US

  The most powerful solar flare of 2025 has launched a ball of energy toward Earth that could trigger widespread auroras across the northern half of the United States today.

• US cities fail to curb traffic deaths, federal data reveals

  Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Houston reported more traffic fatalities than homicides last year. Such deaths are up 20% from a decade ago, from 32,744 in 2014 to an estimated 39,345 in 2024.

• Want to advance along your construction engineering path? Heed this young pro’s advice

  An assistant project manager for Skanska on the rise with multiple promotions, Victor Hernandez shares how rewarding construction engineering is if you know the keys to succeed. Here are his tips.

• Norfolk Southern, CSX complete Alabama junction project

  The freight rail lines recently completed the final phase of the 14th Street junction project in Birmingham, Alabama, in only 48 hours, replacing outdated turnouts, signals, and track panels.