Breeding Better Buildings

Civil engineers may be able to design more innovative and improved structures by borrowing from genetics

Engineering Human Ecology

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November-December 2007

Volume 95, Number 6
Page 502

DOI: 10.1511/2007.68.502

Civil engineers are often very conservative in how they pursue their profession—and for good reason: If their designs don't work, things can fall down and kill people (as the recent bridge collapse in Minnesota so clearly demonstrates). Following novel approaches increases the probability of making such disastrous mistakes.

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