The Engineering Design Process: The example of the Rio-Antirrio Bridge

The Engineering Design Process: The example of the Rio-Antirrio Bridge Overtime Engineers have been recognized as problem solvers. For an Engineer to either reach a solution of a new problem or improve the existing solution of a previous problem follows several steps that form the Engineering Method. The Engineering Method is well established process, and the process is followed universally in the process' basic steps although sub-steps can vary due to the peculiarity of the original problem. A very common occurrence is that while trying to solve a problem a previously hidden sub-problem is discovered, then Engineers go back to make modifications on the specifications or change the design process based on what Engineers have learned, with this portion of the Engineering Process being repeated as many times as necessary. This is known as iteration and was a common phenomenon in the designing and building process of the bridge under consideration. The National Geographic Rio-Antirion Bridge in Greece (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmwIjpjcPv0&ab_channel=EllinikoMeli) documents the effort. The Rio-Antirrio Bridge was proposed in 1880 by then Prime minister of Greece Harilaos Trikoupis (The official name of the bridge is "Harilaos Trikoupis bridge") but the idea was abandoned due to technological shortcomings and exorbitant cost. The idea resurfaced in 1998 and was completed in 2004 just in time for the 2004 Olympic Games taking place in their birth country, Greece. The Bridge has been designed and constructed to cope with the exceptionally difficult physical conditions in the straits between Rion and Antirion, the Gulf of Corinth: high water depth; deep strata of weak soil; very strong seismic activity; strong winds; and fault displacements. For these reasons, quite innovative techniques needed to be developed, such as improving the strength of the in-situ soil by means of inclusions and suspending the bridge deck on its full length to be as isolated as possible. The above example focuses on student success as the student transitions from academia to the industry preparing engineering students for the future real work environment and the challenges of complex problem.