Book review: Handbook of Transportation Engineering

Posted on 2004-08-25 by

Revised on: 2011-03-10

Comprehensive and all-encompassing, the Handbook of Transportation Engineering by Myer Kutz (editor) may be way to much if road transportation, like in my case, is all you need. The authors are solid researchers in their field and some even personal acquaintances of mine. My particular interest in this book is the chapter on Transportation Hazards, written by Tom Cova and Steve Conger, a professor and fellow student who I met while studying at the UofU in Salt Lake City, Utah. Is it worth the hefty price? Yes.

Natural hazards

The list of hazards discussed in this chapter include:

* Avalanches
* Earthquakes
* Flods and Dam Breaks
* Fog, Dust, Smoke, Sunlight and Darkness
* Rain, Snow and Ice
* Landslides, Rock fall, and Debris Flow
* Wind, Tornadoes and Hurricanes
* Wildlife

The chapter also touches briefly on transportation itself as a hazard (i.e. accidents) and also look at emergency or evacuation requirements for transportation.