This civil engineer's got the answers
Vincent Chu is so fond of his profession that he has set up a free inquiry service on the subject
Want to know how to make concrete? That's simple for civil engineers. Let's try another. A community in South Africa discovers a crack in their church wall and needs to find a way to reinforce the wall. What do they do? Ask Vincent Chu!
The author of six civil engineering books, some of which are easy-to-read solutions for students or armchair enthusiasts, Chu loves to share the fruits of his questioning mind.
In addition to the books, since 2008 he has been running an email inquiry service as part of the World Federation of Engineering Organisations - the United Nations of engineering, as Chu calls it.
Students of engineering can ask him anything they like, and he will either answer them at the end of the working day by drawing on his own vast knowledge of the subject or he will research the question and give them an answer as quickly as possible.
"With the church in South Africa, I asked them to send me some photos of the crack in the wall as they were afraid the crack would become bigger. I offered my advice, but I don't know what happened afterwards."
His email exchanges have also helped Hong Kong mothers whose children may be interested in engineering as a career. Chu believes the city provides a healthy educational environment for budding engineers and he tells parents to encourage their children in the subject if that is where their interests lie.