Engineering Blog - Technological University Dublin Library

Do not worry about overdue fines...

2020-03-13T12:49:00.002+01:00

Library closure

2020-03-12T18:01:00.002+01:00

Smithsonian open access

2020-03-06T12:27:00.001+01:00

The Smithsonian Institution has released 2.8 million high resolution images to its open access platform, Smithsonian Open Access. It plans to release another 200,000 throughout 2020 as it continues digitising its collections.
The 2d and 3d images cover everything from arts and humanities to science and engineering and are being released under a Creative Commons Zero license meaning there are no copyright restrictions.
You can read more here or alternatively just go straight to Smithsonian Open Access and start searching.

BAE Systems develops unmanned solar aircraft

2020-02-27T18:41:00.001+01:00

Image courtesy of BAE Systems

BAE Systems has developed a new solar powered unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). It has a wingspan of 35 metres which is the same as a Boeing 737 but it weighs just 150kg. It is designated the PHASA 35 (Persistent High Altitude Solar Aircraft).
It is claimed in can remain airborne for up to a year and as such could compete with drones and satellites.
You can read more about the PHASA 35 at IEEE Spectrum.

COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus)

2020-02-25T12:05:00.000+01:00

You can get the most up to date information on COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus) by going to the HSE website at: https://www.hpsc.ie/a-z/respiratory/coronavirus/novelcoronavirus/?fbclid=IwAR26m6SmjvTJCRH0sY-GYds6sa4y2gV_YWbtUa0rp9A2fi0cKxIKmiAjA2w .

Also, follow the advice below to minimise the risk of transmission.

Opening of Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy bridge

2020-01-30T16:04:00.003+01:00

Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Bridge courtesy of Sebastian Kolczynski

The Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Bridge opened yesterday. It is part of the N25 New Ross bypass and is now Ireland's longest bridge at 887m. The new route is expected to cut 30 minutes off the journey time from Rosslare to Cork.

You can read more on this story at the Irish Examiner.

Rocket for NASA's next moon mission leaves the factory

2020-01-09T18:33:00.001+01:00

Image courtesy of NASA

The first stage of the rocket that will propel humans back to the Moon has left its factory in New Orleans. It is being transported to the Stennis Space Centre in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi for testing.
The rocket is the core stage of the Space Launch System (SLS). The SLS in turn is part of NASA's Artemis programme which is due to launch to the Moon in 2024. It will be the first time humans have travelled to the Moon since 1972.
You can read more about this story on the BBC website or the NASA website.

Christmas opening hours at Bolton Street library

2019-12-04T14:30:00.000+01:00

IT interruption from 5pm Tuesday 3rd December

2019-12-03T15:11:00.000+01:00

MATLAB and Simulink seminars in Bolton Street 6th December

2019-11-29T11:31:00.000+01:00

MATLAB will deliver two seminars in Bolton Street on the 6th of December.

The seminars will run in room 380 from 10 am-12 noon.

They are free to attend but you will need to register here.

Session 1: Introduction to MATLAB and Simulink for engineers and scientists.

Highlights:

Data analytics in MATLAB: import, explore and visualise data
Machine learning in MATLAB
Interactive code with Live Scripts
Simulation and model-based design in Simulink
Hardware support (Arduino, Raspberry Pi)
Online self-paced training
Using MATLAB from your browser and your phone

Session 2: Deep learning made easy

Highlights:

Learn the fundamentals of deep learning
Deep learning workflow in MATLAB
Build a network from scratch
Access and explore various pre-trained models
Transfer learning with pre-trained models
Learn how to improve the accuracy of deep networks
Speed up network training with parallel computing on a cluster

Trial access to some journals until 31st January

2019-11-22T16:35:00.003+01:00

TU Dublin City Centre Libraries have secured another trial of some useful journals from Henry Stewart Publications.
The trial will include both on and off campus access and will run until January 31st 2020.
Titles of particular interest in Bolton Street will be:

Journal of Supply Chain Management, Logistics and Procurement
Journal of Airport Management
Corporate Real Estate Journal
Journal of Urban Regeneration and Renewal
Journal of Building Survey, Appraisal & Valuation

Access is through the "Henry Stewart Journals" link on the databases page or just click here.

Boeing 737 Max documentary

2019-11-20T13:30:00.002+01:00

Debris at the 737 Max crash site in Ethiopia

Channel 4 will air a documentary tonight (20th November 2019) about the Boeing 737 Max which has been grounded since two fatal accidents within a couple of months: Boeing's Killer Plane: What Went Wrong.

In other Boeing news, the company has been ordered to retrofit 7,000 older models of the 737 to avoid a repeat of a tragedy which occurred in the USA in 2018. An engine failure led to debris piercing the structure of the aircraft and the loss of a window which ultimately led to the death of a passenger.

You can read more about this story here.

Five uses for GPS

2019-11-14T12:58:00.000+01:00

‘Five things you probably didn’t know GPS could do’ an article written for Smithsonian.com on common uses of GPS that are relatively unknown. The article looks at the following uses of GPS:

1. Feel an earthquake

2. Monitor a volcano

3. Measuring water levels

4. Probe the snow

5. Sense a sinking

6. Analyse the atmosphere

Image from the article ‘Five things you probably didn’t know GPS could do’

GPS has aided in creating better warning systems for various natural disasters. A lot of its applications for measuring the earth, such as, snow sensors and tide gauges, were previously thought impossible. Check out the full article at Smithsonian.com ‘Five things you probably didn’t know GPS could do’ for more details on the different applications GPS has and how they work.

Infrastructure reimagined

2019-11-07T10:30:00.000+01:00

The ASCE, or American Society of Civil Engineers, has been working on a project that re-imagines town planning and infrastructure for the future. The project called Future World Vision looks at travel, sustainability and potential challenges that might arise in future developments. The page is full of detailed ideas and plans, with two informative videos that take the viewer through an ‘immersive experience’ of these future developments.

Click on Future World Vision to see the full webpage and read the article on the concepts behind ASCE’s future worlds.

We are currently subscribed to the ASCE journals in Bolton Street Library, for more information see our library catalogue at library.dit.ie. Click on the drop down menu and select ‘Journal Title’, search ASCE (see image below).

Subject resources at Libguides

2019-11-05T13:23:00.000+01:00

If you want to access a focused list of resources tailored to your subject of study you can access our libguides directly by using the following urls:

dit.libguides.com/architecture … Architecture

dit.libguides.com/BEng … Building Engineering

dit.libguides.com/Civil … Civil Engineering

dit.libguides.com/Construction … Construction

dit.libguides.com/GeneralEng … General Engineering

dit.libguides.com/Research … Getting started with your research

dit.libguides.com/LitReview … Literature Review

dit.libguides.com/Mechanical … Mechanical Engineering

dit.libguides.com/Planning … Planning

dit.libguides.com/RealEstate … Real Estate

dit.libguides.com/Structural … Structural Engineering

New York Times

2019-10-31T13:47:00.003+01:00

TU Dublin Library currently has a free trial for the New York Times which will run until January 16th 2020. This also includes access to the New York Times inEDUCATION section.
Please note, the trial is for on-campus access only.

October Bank Holiday

2019-10-21T16:00:00.002+01:00

Mapping books

2019-10-21T12:56:00.000+01:00

Image of the cover page of 'Imagery and GIS : best practices for extracting information from imagery'

‘Imagery and GIS : Best practices for extracting information from imagery’ looks at successfully integrating images into GIS (Geographic Information Systems) to create accurate geographic data. The book uses case studies and “provides explanations about how to use and select the ‘right’ imagery and how to use and serve imagery datasets”.

Our newest purchase from the 'Irish Historic Town Atlas' a research project of the Royal Irish Academy has just landed in the library.

Image of the cover of 'Reading the maps : a guide to the Irish Historic Towns Atlas'

'Reading the maps : a guide to the Irish Historic Towns Atlas' written by Jacinta Prunty and Howard B. Clarke, is geared towards teachers and instructors as it provides quick tests and summaries to help understand and interact with the material. The book focuses on the best atlases from the collection and can be used by primary school students to post-graduates students. A beautifully edited book, full of amazing maps and images of Ireland, that is a must see.

Image from 'Reading the maps : a guide to the Irish Historic Towns Atlas' pg 188, of Carrickfergus map, 1567

Find the books on the ‘New Books’ shelf across from the library desk or on the library catalogue.
For more information on the 'Irish Historic Towns Atlas' research project visit the 'Royal Irish Academy' website.

'Exploring the Irish Towns Atlas'

2019-10-11T10:54:00.002+01:00

Cover page of 'Maps & texts : exploring the Irish historic towns atlas'

Bolton Street Library has just received a copy of ‘Maps & Texts : exploring the Irish historic towns atlas’ written by Sarah Gearty, cartographic and managing editor of the ‘Irish Historic Towns Atlas’ project, and H.B. Clarke, editorial board member of the project. It’s a research project of the Royal Irish Academy and beautifully edited. The book looks at urban living, the morphology of towns as a "social process" and how it has contributed to urban Ireland.

Image from the book 'Maps & texts : exploring the Irish historic towns atlas' of Armagh, 1851

This is a book you can get lost in, so find a seat in the library and lose a few hours. I’ve lost a few minutes just looking at the cover. Find the book on our ‘New book shelf’ across from the library desk or on the library catalogue.

Image from the 'Bolton Street Library' page

Ireland's contradictory stance on fracking ban

2019-10-09T15:23:00.000+01:00

On the 6^th of July 2017 the ‘Petroleum and other minerals development (prohibition of onshore hydraulic fracturing) Act 2017’ was passed into law. This was an important step for Ireland in the struggle against Climate Change. Only one of four countries worldwide to ban fracking including: France; Germany; and Bulgaria, this momentous step put Ireland at the top of the global movement on banning fracking. However, the Irish “government has recently backed proposals for a Kerry based Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), import terminal that would… facilitate the import of fracked gas from the US” (Irish Examiner). This would completely undermine the fracking ban act of 2017 and place Ireland in a precarious position in the fight against climate change. Bearing in mind that “per head of population, we’re the third biggest carbon polluters in the EU…” (Irish Times, ‘Pretenders?’)

“A report issued in April 2017 by the Joint Committee on communications, Climate Action and Environment found it would be “irresponsible” to give fracking the go-ahead in Ireland.” (Irish Times, ‘State set to ban onshore fracking’) This is due to evidence that it can potentially damage human health and the environment. So for the government to allow the US to import fracked gas through Ireland is short sighted and completely contradictory to the fracking ban and their assertions, at the UN summit on climate change, to tackle climate change in a responsible manner.

The proposal has garnered public outrage from actor Mark Ruffalo who tweeted the following:

Tweet from actor Mark Ruffalo

What is fracking?

“Fracking is the process of drilling down into the earth before a high-pressure water mixture is directed at the rock to release the gas inside. Water, sand and chemicals are injected into the rock at high pressure which allows the gas to flow out to the head of the well. The term fracking refers to how the rock is fractured apart by the high-pressure mixture.” (BBC)

Image from the BBC article 'What is Fracking and why is it controversial?'

Pros of Fracking:

Boosted domestic oil production driving down price of gas
Offered gas security in America and Canada for 100 years
Could generate electricity at half the CO2 emissions of coal (BBC)

Cons of Fracking:

Studies proven test drilling caused tremors (BBC)
Respiratory problems
Problems during pregnancy
Noise, stress and sleep deprivation
Spills and accidents
Contaminated drinking water
Large quantities of water needed
Hazardous chemicals (Forbes)

Ireland needs to do better, in the article ‘Pretenders?’ from the Irish Times, environment correspondent, Caroline O’Doherty looks at: raising the government’s ambitions in tackling climate change; ceasing gas and pipeline expansion; taxing pollution not people; ending fossil fuel subsidies. (Irish Times, ‘Pretenders?’)

Found on the TU Dublin catalogue

‘Whatis fracking and why is it controversial?’, BBC News

‘Fracking is dangerous to your health – here’s why’, Forbes

‘Pretenders? The truth about Ireland’s grand plan to go green’, Independent

‘Govt support for terminal in Kerry that would import fracked gas draws wide spread criticism’, Irish Examiner

‘Environmental activists to hold protests in Dublin on Monday’, Irish Times

Mark Ruffalo says importing fracked gas to Ireland would be disastrous, Today FM

‘Ireland joins France, Germany and Bulgaria in banning fracking, Irish Times

‘State set to ban onshore fracking after bill passes in Senand’, Irish Times

Open source

‘Petroleum and other minerals development (prohibition of on shore hydraulic fracturing) Act 2017’, Houses of the Oireachtas

Careers Fair 24th October

2019-10-09T11:18:00.000+01:00

Engineering Designer

2019-09-26T17:18:00.000+01:00

Image from 'Engineering Designer' journal p.14/15

‘Engineering Designer’ journal, September/October edition, looks at the rise of the use of exoskeletons by industrial workers, outside of medical applications. The exoskeleton can provide greater endurance and its applications include construction, manufacturing and engineering.

Image from 'Engineering Designer' journal p.18

The journal also looks at the Dutch flood defence system that “reduces wave run-up, which enables flood defences to be built lower, potentially saving an immense sum on construction costs.”

Image from 'Engineering Designer' content page

Find ‘Engineering Designer’ journal on the current journal shelf across from the library desk or on the library catalogue.

MIT Technology Review on old age

2019-09-24T11:20:00.000+01:00

This month’s ‘MIT Technology Review’ looks at aging, or more specifically old age in today’s society.

Image of 'MIT Technology Review' journal front page

This edition looks at everything from ageing as a disease to freezing your eggs. One of the articles ‘the new midlife crisis’ looks at ‘What happens when older generations don’t have to pass the torch?’ An interesting concept when the retirement age is going up.

Image of the 'MIT Technology Review' content page, September/October 2019

To find this journal see the catalogue for more information or find the print version on the current journal shelf across from the library desk.

Discounted parking for students and staff in Parnell Car Park

2019-09-18T13:46:00.001+01:00

Full library opening hours from Monday 16th September

2019-09-12T11:32:00.000+01:00