1. Beyond Engineering
BEYOND ENGINEERING
… “all I ever wanted to be was
a Techo”
Kerrie Christian – B Met UOW
Materials Investigation Manager
Technology & Environment - BlueScope Steel Ltd
Wollongong University Council Member
(Former Wollongong City Councillor /Director Illawarra Electricity)
(Former NSW Scientists President – APESMA) Photos – courtesy of D Ruffels

2. “ Beyond Engineering ….”
• Risk – Trust Me… I’m an Engineer
• What is Engineering - Design & Construct or More?
• Engineering & Reliability – Why Do Engineers Get Bad Press
• Engineering : Silo’s vs Teams – Forensic Engineering Case Studies
• Knowledge Management – including Networks & Communities of Practice
• Financial Drivers : Human Impacts – 1988 Coledale Disaster
• Assumptions in Design : Human Impacts - August 1998 Storm Event
• Skills Mix, Gender Issues
• Summary

3. RISK : “Trust Me … I’m an Engineer”
“I like the ancient Roman tradition that made it clear to engineers they
must accept responsibility for their work.
When the scaffolding was removed from a completed Roman arch, the law
read that the engineer who built the arch had to stand beneath it.
If the arch came crashing down, he’d be the first to know.
As a result, the Roman engineer knew that the quality of his work would
have a direct, personal impact on his life.
That’s why it’s not surprising to find so many Roman arches have survived
through the ages.”
John W. Estey,
President & CEO, S&C Electric Company,
http://www.sandc.com/webzine/081103_1.asp

4. Risk : Twenty First Century Bridge Building - Seacliff Bridge Coalcliff

5. Diversity in Engineering – Counting the Cost
• Connell Wagner looks for the right personalities at an
early stage.
• “Graduates who have an interest, such as music, art,
language or history – we see that as a very strong
positive because it makes them a more rounded person.
• The old nerd engineer would sit before a computer
screen – with the attitude of “Leave me alone while I get
on with my calculations”…….. This is not a role model
we encourage …. BRW 3/03/05

6. Diversity in Engineering: ”Hard” Technical Skills …Touchy/Feely ???
Engineering Solutions …. “Design/Construct Things” … or much more …..
– getting all the information on the problem - communication, skills, experience
– define / design / develop the “fix” - creativity, logic, skills, experience, finance, safety
– selling the “fix” to client & community / regulatory stakeholders – communication,
negotiation
– implementing the “fix” - tenacity, logic, skills, experience, finance, safety, leadership,
management, teamwork, conflict resolution, industrial relations
– tweaking the “fix” - communication, creativity, logic, skills, experience
– maintaining the asset - communication, skills, experience, finance, negotiation
– problem solving – technical, equipment, organisational & people issues
– recording the learnings - communication - to avoid repeating the problem
– sharing the learnings - communication - to avoid similar problems
“Engineering needs all personality types … good communicators, outgoing,
creative & naturally attuned to the human aspects of any situation”

7. Reliability : Navigating the “Why’s” :
Investigation Tools & Techniques
Cold
RCA Troubleshooting
Case
Apollo
MORT
Reliability
Centred
5
Maintenance
Why’s
CSI
ICAM
KT Seconds from
Disaster

8. A Cynic’s View of Reliability …. Especially in IT !

9. Reliability : “How did those plant operators actually manage
to run this turbo rotor so fast?” …. Bob the Engineer

10. Breaking Down Silos : Gaining & Sharing Knowledge
There are considerable gains in operating as
multidisciplinary – cross functional TEAMS
…… rather than operating in Silos,
whether as independent operators,
engineers and scientists,
or departments, reluctant
to utilise the resources of another
department, division or discipline.

11. Suspect fatigue cracking - Blast Furnace Top Recovery
Turbine alternator rotor
Eddy Current Non Destructive Testing
Visual & Magnetic Particle – reveal
Scratching - not Cracking

12. HSM COG MAIN CRACKING – was it due to fatigue,
ie long spans under high wind loadings ?

13. HSM COG MAIN CRACKING – Circumferential cracking at
weld toe – presumed to initiate externally due to high winds
Hot Tap
Crack
Mag
Visual Sample
prepared for
Particle
- note
weld repair
internal
deposits

14. Hot Tap Cracked HSM COG Main
- crack faces – showing corrosion/cracking had initiated internally
Internal surface – blue
corrosion product
Weld side
- cleaned
External surface
- ductile
Internal
surface
Parent
Metal side
External
-deposits
Surface
remaining

15. HSM COG MAIN CRACKING 2002
– macro / micros through cracked area of weld
Internal Surface
Fracture
Face
External Surface
External weld pitting

16. Whyalla Pellet Plant Fatality
7 Tonnes of Refractory buried 2 workers ….
The danger of “not knowing what we don’t know …”

17. Retaining Engineering Design Knowledge Matters ….
Whyalla Pellet Plant Fatality
7 Tonnes of Refractory buried 2 workers ….
L45
VW
Anchor
150
Clip
Anc
hor
Shell
Plate
Basic Demolition Error or Multiple Causes ?
The danger of “not knowing what we don’t know …”

18. Whyalla Pellet Plant : MORT / KT / Why’s
• The movement of the bricking ring (1990’s?) from 600 mm to 1200 mm from the
discharge end of the kiln, and in line with the sealing flange plate, substantially
increased stresses within the bricking ring, shell, nose casting, cooling plenum and
sealing flange plate to in excess of the material yield strength.
• As stresses were in excess of material yield strength the cooling plenum, flange plate
and bricking ring cracked through fatigue.
• The resulting structural discontinuity created a kiln cross section that flexed from
cylindrical to lemon shaped on each kiln half revolution causing a substantial increase
in localised kiln deflection.
• Refractory panels and bricks were forced against each other causing brick spalling and
lifting and excessive cyclical clip loading in the vicinity of the structural discontinuity.
• Brick failure led to the formation of a hot spot in the kiln shell. This hot spot deformed
the steel shell outwards imposing higher loads on the adjacent clips and exposing them
to furnace temperature as the kiln shell bulged outwards.
• The increased cyclical anchor clip loading local to the hot spot and crack location
caused the anchor clips to fail by bending fatigue. This process was accelerated by the
presence of tight edged out of specification anchor clips. The resulting area of
unsupported lining increased the load on adjacent lining segment clips during kiln
rotation. These overloaded clips also then failed increasing the load on their
neighbours and so on around the circumference of the kiln discharge lip.
Modifications to design made without understanding the full ramifications

19. Breaking Down the Silos : Knowledge Sharing
BHP Engineering Information Management
Workshop 1997 :
future competitiveness of global companies
“The
will depend on their ability to master two things :
logistics and knowledge management.”
…..Bill Gates 1997

20. Beating the 20 Year Effect : From Archives to Sharing
Materials Investigation Archives
• Hard Copy Files - 100’s failure reports p.a. since 1960’s
• PC / Mainframe Databases
• Main Frame Document Management Systems
• Knowledge Management & Sharing Systems
Knowledge Management
A hierarchy of knowledge
Information + individual context = Knowledge
Each individual interprets a particular
piece of information based on their own
unique collection of skills and experiences.
It is this interpretation that allows
Knowledge information to become knowledge.
Knowledge resides within the individual.
Information
Useability
Attempting to make knowledge explicit
Data turns it back into information.

21. Breaking Down the Silos : EIM Workshops 1990’s
Engineering Information Management
Workshops – Cross Divisional
BHP participants : Australia-wide/Ok Tedi
• Engineers
• Supply officers
• Maintenance planners
• IT knowledge management specialists
• Corporate librarians

22. Beating the Twenty Year Effect : EIM Workshops 1990’s
1990’S BHP EIM Strategies :
• Intranet - Engineers@BHP
• Email / GAL (Global Address List)
• Engineering Contacts Yellow Pages
• Intranet /Email based Specialist
Maintenance Networks
• GLOBAL MAINTENANCE NETWORK
• DOCUMENTUM Document Management
System
• EVENT Database System

23. Beating the 20 Year Effect : Knowledge Sharing - COP’s
COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE 2001 +
• COP – A group of people who share information,
ideas & insights about a common topic of interest
• Intranet based – evolved in BHP – 80 in BlueScope
Steel - Corporate, HR, Safety, Technical, Ops
• Established with moderate level of PC skills
• Can achieve a wider target audience than emails
• Link geographically close & globally dispersed sites
• Bridging traditional “Silos”
• Active COP’s - Crane Safety & Process Engineers
• Failure Analysis practitioners participate in these
& Failure Analysis COP

24. Beating the 20 Year Effect : Knowledge Sharing - COP’s

25. Beating the 20 Year Effect : COP’s & Networks
However - Are COP’s operating only as
Information Storage repositories vs a truly
effective Knowledge Sharing tool ?
• What do our networks look like?
• Can we do it better ?
• Tech & Environment Online Help line
commenced
• Would Wiki’s work?
No info
Chemical
Electrical
Environment
Mechanical
Metallurgist
Processing
Systems
SNA – Social Network Analysis

26. Beating the 20 Year Effect :
Knowledge Sharing Beyond COP’s
• The Good Old Boys – Knowledge Networks
• Knowledge Sharing Barrier Busting Teams
• Young Guns - Accelerated Learning Failures Sessions

27. Knowledge Yum Cha
The KM Focus Question

28. Knowledge Yum Cha : Knowledge Focus Question
Question: How can you use what you have learned on KM to accelerate your DBA
research?
• Consider issues of knowledge acquisition
• Consider issues around sharing vs individual performance
• Consider issues around reciprocation – balancing your own contribution vs
that of advisors
• Individual vs group work…what is the right balance?
• Innovation…how will KM help you make a unique contribution
The Hong Kong Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) Knowledge Management Class of 2005 from
the University of Newcastle, NSW Australia. Lecturer: Laurence Lock Lee

30. Beating the 20 Year Effect :
Knowledge Sharing / Succession Planning
Developing the Organisation’s Future :
• Opportunities for Young Graduates
– Programs / Learning from current Gurus
• Beyond Google - Teaching & Learning:
– what data / information / knowledge resources are
available
– “older resources” books, journals, people
• Translating “old” knowledge to “E-format”
• Attracting sufficient students

31. Beating the 20 Year Effect :
Knowledge Sharing / Succession Planning
In order for the lessons of the past to avoid
“becoming unlearnt “….
It is imperative that succeeding generations of plant
engineers & failure analysis practitioners can, & do
continue, to access these past failure analysis
lessons.

32. Diversity in Engineering – Counting the Cost
• As a young engineer, do you have a broad vision of where
you would like your career to head?
• If so, is it worth planning now for the future by actively
attaining the skills you will require?
• Opinions in the profession differ widely on how concerned
we should be with our futures.
• Some suggest taking a wider view of our work than just
technical streams.
• Perhaps we should consider the socioeconomic impacts of
what we are doing more
…. Cohan Drew, GradIEAust Chair YEAT

33. CHALLENGES FOR ENGINEERING …
“It’s the Economy, Stupid”
….. Bill Clinton 1992

34. Human Factors in Engineering 1980’s –
Financial Drivers & Engineering Decisionmaking …. Counting the Cost
Terry Hagan had repeatedly complained about geotechnical risks to his
Coledale property in the 1980’s …. but his concerns went unheeded….
“In the fierce storms of that month (April 1988) a young mother,
Jenny Hagan, and her infant son, James, died in a mudslide at
Coledale
a mudslide caused by the collapse of an embankment along the
Illawarra rail line in a heavy rain storm.
- The Coledale-Wombarra area has high rainfall, steep slopes and
unstable ground, and experiences severe drainage problems
during intense storms.”
….. Brian Langton (MP Kogarah - Minister for Transport, and Minister for Tourism) Terry Hagan
http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/hansart.nsf/V3Key/LA19951206031
Following the Coronial Inquiry ….. a Geotechnical Engineer
was prosecuted even though he was not a manager for the area
… IE Aust & APESMA gave him legal support.

35. Diversity in Engineering – Counting the Cost
The I_TJ’s Prayer
“Lord,
grant me the wisdom to listen to others
even though I know I am right.”

36. 1990’s : Engineering Drainage Design Flood Blockage Assumptions …
ie do culverts experience 50% or full blockage in flooding .. & does it matter anyway?
Post 1998 : 1% flood event boundary
Pre 1998 : 1% flood event boundary
1992 : 1% flood event boundary

37. Diversity in Engineering – Counting the Cost
“If you put fences around people you get
sheep.”
William McKnight, Former 3M CEO

38. Engineering – A Mono Culture ?
• “Trust me, I’m an Engineer” … why do Engineers get bad press out in the
community ?
• Are all successful engineering students necessarily ISTJ/ INTJ Myers Briggs
Personality Types? …USA study showed that less successful students were
ENFP/ESFP PersonalityTypes
• Research indicates low participation of women due to an
engineering culture
… that does not fully recognise and value the differences that women can
bring to engineering and that predominantly reflects and rewards the
educational and career interests,aspirations and needs of men (IE Aust)

39. CHALLENGES FOR ENGINEERING …
• John Vines, chief executive of APESMA, says there is widespread feeling among
engineers that their work is not as highly valued as it should be. He says the
consequences are not just at the personal remuneration level. 'Our research shows that
10 years after completing their university degree, fewer than 50% of graduates are
employed as engineers. We would argue this is a real issue for the profession, that the
level of disillusionment among engineers is something the profession has to address.‘
• Attracting students to Engineering is a challenge around the world - why only
recruit from only half the population?
• Cost of losing staff
– Departure of any experienced staff, male or female, leaves a “hole”
• 5-10 years to grow a seasoned engineering professional
– $ costs of hiring new staff
• One question we need to consider is whether we “live to work or work to live”.

40. Challenges for Engineering : A Perceived Mono Culture
• Engineers are not alone …. quot;The continuing insularity and conformity of
Australian business must also be considered a competitive issue for this
countryquot;.
• quot;There is a growing body of case study evidence here and elsewhere that
diversity fosters more openness and accountability, and a greater willingness
to innovatequot;, Ms Krautil, Director EOWA, said.
• They could see the economic benefits to be wrought from the implementation
of policies that retained the quot;best and brightestquot; at work.
• Companies that help employees ease the pressures of balancing work and
family responsibilities are clear leaders in the third annual Corporate
Reputation Index, published in the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age
newspapers.

41. Lack of Diversity in Engineering – Counting the Cost
More from John Vines APESMA…. What a time for Australia to have a skills crisis!
• The Australian engineering workforce is ageing, with up to a third of the existing work
force reaching retirement age in the next 10 years. As well as that we have huge skills
and experience gaps in large engineering organisations due to reduced graduate
employment intakes in the 1980's and 1990's.
• If Australia does not take this challenge seriously, the enormous opportunities for
Australian-based companies to be involved in the infrastructure boom will be seriously
diminished.
• The industry also needs to do its bit to turn around the looming crisis.
– Firms should be offering cadetships and opportunities to retrain or to take time out
for overseas placements.
– Employers need to provide more flexibility and family-friendly environments to
retain skilled employees, in particular women engineers.
– And most of all, we need to look at wages and remuneration for engineers.

42. Diversity in Engineering – Counting the Cost
• One question we need to consider is whether we “live to work or work to live”.
• Companies that help employees ease the pressures of balancing work and
family responsibilities are clear leaders in the third annual Corporate
Reputation Index, published in the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age
newspapers.
Who has
childcare
responsibilities
here?

43. Diversity in Engineering – Counting the Cost
Top six issues for professional women
• Flexible working arrangements - 60%
• Career development, training - 57.6%
• Equal Pay - 36.8%
• Quality child care - 32.3%
• Excessive hours of work - 26.5%
• Job security - 23.7%

44. Lack of Diversity in Engineering – Counting the Cost
• John Vines, chief executive of APESMA, says there is widespread feeling
among engineers that their work is not as highly valued as it should be. He
says the consequences are not just at the personal remuneration level.
'Our research shows that 10 years after completing their university degree,
fewer than 50% of graduates are employed as engineers. We would argue this
is a real issue for the profession, that the level of disillusionment among
engineers is something the profession has to address.‘
• “Skills crisis sends recruiters abroad” ….
• “Engineering jobs are at risk of going offshore ..” Sarah Duke GM WA TAD
• The severe shortage of engineers in Australia has prompted Connell Wagner ,
one of Australia’s largest consulting engineering companies, to undertake an
overseas recruiting drive.

45. BlueScope Steel – Work, Family & Parental Leave - Australia
• BlueScope Steel is committed to supporting employees who are new
parents balance career opportunities with the challenges of early parenting.
• The parental leave initiatives for Australian-based employees are designed
.
to deliver on the commitment in Our Bond to quot;maintain a healthy balance
between work and family lifequot;. They will help BlueScope Steel attract and
retain high quality men and women as employees, and help them to enjoy
exciting and challenging careers, while also achieving their aspirations as
parents and as active members of their local communities
• The BlueScope Steel corporate intranet provides information about parental
leave the initiatives, application processes, the support provided to parents,
an on-line childcare booking and information site Care For Kids, as well as
answers to some questions you may have about taking parental leave and
its effect on your benefits.

46. Diversity in Engineering – Counting the Cost
• “The manufacturing industry in general, certainly heavy industry, has an
aura of being a very blokey, dirty, dusty, physical-type environment,”
says Daryl Kilby, of BlueScope’s corporate human resources
department.
• “What we try to show is that in our company the reality is they’re fairly
high-tech jobs – research driven, solutions-driven.”
• In recent years, the number of women employees at BlueScope has
risen significantly to about 10 per cent of the workforce.
• With evidence that a more equal gender balance positively affects the
way work teams operate and boosts productivity, the company is trying
to do much better, Kilby says.

47. Lack of Diversity in Engineering – Counting the Cost
Attracting students to Engineering is a
challenge around the world - why recruit from
only half the population?

48. Diversity in Engineering: ”Hard” Technical Skills …Touchy/Feely ???
Engineering Solutions …. “Design/Construct Things” … or much more …..
– getting all the information on the problem - communication, skills, experience
– define / design / develop the “fix” - creativity, logic, skills, experience, finance, safety
– selling the “fix” to client & community / regulatory stakeholders – communication,
negotiation
– implementing the “fix” - tenacity, logic, skills, experience, finance, safety, leadership,
management, teamwork, conflict resolution, industrial relations
– tweaking the “fix” - communication, creativity, logic, skills, experience
– maintaining the asset - communication, skills, experience, finance, negotiation
– problem solving – technical, equipment, organisational & people issues
– recording the learnings - communication - to avoid repeating the problem
– sharing the learnings - communication - to avoid similar problems
“Engineering needs all personality types … good communicators, outgoing,
creative & naturally attuned to the human aspects of any situation”

49. “ Beyond Engineering ….”
• Risk – Trust Me… I’m an Engineer
• What is Engineering - Design & Construct or More?
• Engineering & Reliability – Why Do Engineers Get Bad Press
• Engineering : Silo’s vs Teams – Forensic Engineering Case Studies
• Knowledge Management – including Networks & Communities of Practice
• Financial Drivers : Human Impacts – 1988 Coledale Disaster
• Assumptions in Design : Human Impacts - August 1998 Storm Event
• Skills Mix, Gender Issues
• Summary

50. CHALLENGES FOR ENGINEERING …
quot;The significant problems we
face cannot be solved at the
same level of thinking we had
when we created them.”
………. Albert Einstein

51. Who says Engineers can’t be Creative ?