The spotter's guide to urban engineering : infrastructure and technology in the modern landscape / Claire Barratt & Ian Whitelaw.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 218-219) and index.

Introduction -- 1. Raw materials -- Open pit mine -- Strip mine -- Quarry -- Underground mine -- Mine waste -- Brickworks -- Cement plant -- Concrete plant -- Hot mix asphalt plant -- Iron- and steelworks -- 2. Water -- Reservoir -- Dam -- Levee, dike, and floodwall -- Aqueduct -- Water treatment plants -- Water tower -- Water distribution network -- Fountain -- 3. Power -- Wind engine -- Wind turbine -- Pumping station -- Hydraulic power -- Geothermal power -- Solar power -- Tidal power -- Hydroelectric power -- Oil platforms -- offshore -- Pumpjack -- Oil refinery -- Gas station -- Pipeline -- Town gasworks -- Gasholder -- Biomass power -- Fossil fuel power station -- Electrical power transmission and distribution -- Transmission tower -- Electrical insulators -- Nuclear power -- District heating -- 4. Transport -- Roadway -- Sidewalk -- Bike lane -- Modern roundabout -- Traffic signals -- Highway -- Highway interchange -- Traffic signs -- Canal -- Canal lock -- Canal aqueduct -- Railroad track -- Railroad signals -- Railroad crossing -- Rail freight yard -- Light rail system -- Tunnel -- Rapid transit system -- Beam bridge -- Truss bridge -- Cantilever bridge -- Arch bridge -- Suspension bridge -- Cable-stayed bridge -- Movable bridge -- Port -- Coastal defenses -- Lighthouse -- Airport terminal -- Airport runway -- Air traffic control tower -- 5. Communication -- Billboards -- Utility location markings -- The mail -- Telephone system -- Cell phone tower -- Telephone booth -- Microwave tower -- Satellite dish -- 6. Waste -- Chimneys -- Manhole -- Combined sewers -- Sewage treatment plant -- Storm drains -- Garbage transfer station -- Landfill site -- Incinerator -- Biological reprocessing -- Wrecking yard -- Glossary.

"...Provides an introduction to the technology that underpins modern life. It is a useful identification tool to the anonymous industrial sites, strange towers and masts, bewildering electrical installations, and myriad bridge designs we see every day, as well as the hidden world of pipes, drains, and cables that can be found beneath our feet.... This intriguing book peels away the skin of the modern city, revealing the arteries of water, waste, power, and communication that we use without a thought." -- cover.