Most Clicked ASCE SmartBrief Stories
1. Soil nails, rebar used to prevent more landslides along Tenn. highway
ASCE SmartBrief | May 25, 2012
Soil nails and 20-foot lengths of rebar shot into a hillside will be used to stabilize the site of a landslide on Interstate 75 in Campbell County, Tenn. Kentucky-based Elmo Greer & Sons was awarded the $9.3 million contract to remove a portion of highway and stabilize and rebuild the hill. Engineering News-Record (05/28)
2. Engineering prof argues for new field of study
ASCE SmartBrief | May 23, 2012
Complex sociotechnical systems, the combination of complex engineering factors and human considerations, justify the need to create a new field of study, argues Massachusetts Institute of Technology civil engineering professor Joseph Sussman. Sussman looks at a transportation project in Mexico City that shows many interlinked challenges. "In the end, the success of this new discipline will depend on whether it will help us design better performing systems and manage them more effectively," writes Irving Wladawsky-Berger. Wall Street Journal, The (05/20)
3. Possible construction defects in parts of Calif.'s $6.5B Bay Bridge
ASCE SmartBrief | May 29, 2012
The Sacramento Bee investigated Caltrans' records related to the $6.5 billion San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge in California. It says it found "potentially serious defects" that could affect the bridge in an earthquake, including a 19-foot section of pile that supports the main tower that had not fully hardened when it was inspected, according to an engineering report. That and other problems with piles and test data have raised concerns. Caltrans says it is "confident in the structural integrity" of the bridge. Sacramento Bee (Calif.), The (free registration) (05/27) KPIX-TV (San Francisco) (05/28)
4. $4B Ill. coal-fired power plant is 99% complete
ASCE SmartBrief | May 23, 2012
Construction of the $4 billion Prairie State Energy Campus in Illinois is 99% finished. It will be the biggest coal-fired power plant built in the U.S. in 30 years and is expected to generate 1,600 megawatts of electricity for more than 2.5 million customers in eight states. "It's been a big driver in construction jobs in our area for the last few years," said Bruce Holland, president of Holland Construction Services, the project's contractor. Belleville News-Democrat (Ill.) (05/21)
5. "Stiffer pavements" on roads could save fuel, money
ASCE SmartBrief | May 23, 2012
The use of "stiffer pavements" on roads could result in a 3% reduction in fuel consumption, according to a study by Massachusetts Institute of Technology engineering researchers. That means the U.S. would save about 273 million barrels of oil each year and cut carbon dioxide emissions by 46.5 million metric tons per year. "Better pavement design over a lifetime would save much more money in fuel costs than the initial cost of improvements," said researcher Mehdi Akbarian. "And the state departments of transportation would save money while reducing their environmental footprint over time, because the roads won’t deteriorate as quickly." MIT News Office (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) (05/23)
6. Can asphalt roads, parking lots be collectors of solar energy?
ASCE SmartBrief | May 25, 2012
Researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts are developing a solar collector that could turn roads and parking lots into sources of electricity and hot water. "[Roads] have a large surface area, which is collecting solar energy. Why not use that solar energy for something? It’s free energy, and if you use it, at the same time you can lower the temperature of the pavement,” said Rajib Mallick, professor of civil and environmental engineering at WPI. Atlantic Cities, The (05/24)
7. A/E/C recovery, industry growth remain "spotty" but showing potential
ASCE SmartBrief | May 24, 2012
Three A/E/C economists discuss the industry and its "spotty" recovery from the recession in this piece by SmartBrief editor Jennifer Hicks. "I have more good news than I’ve had in several years," said Ken Simonson, chief economist for the Associated General Contractors of America, referring to numerous multibillion-dollar plant projects in the power and manufacturing sectors now under way or to be built in the coming years. SmartBrief/SmartBlog on Finance (05/23)
8. External bracing on tower in S. Korea is inspired by DNA
ASCE SmartBrief | May 23, 2012
A conical building proposed for Seoul, South Korea, will use "DNA-like external bracing" to support it against wind and seismic forces. The bracing for Landmark Tower includes two pairs of twin tubes that spiral in opposite directions around the structure -- reflecting the design of the DNA double helix -- crossing at nodes at every third floor. "Wind governs our design," says Bob Lang, lead structural director of the project at Arup Group. Engineering News-Record (05/21)
9. NYC hopes to become high-tech hub with $2B complex
ASCE SmartBrief | May 29, 2012
Plans are under way for a $2 billion, 10-acre educational complex on New York City's Roosevelt Island, which is in the East River near the United Nations headquarters. The CornellNYC Tech complex is a joint venture of Cornell University and Israel's Technion-Israel Institute of Technology. The project will not only develop new engineers and tech professionals, it will also create tens of thousands of construction jobs as early as 2014. Washington Post, The (05/28)
10. Shipping containers recycled into car dealership
ASCE SmartBrief | May 24, 2012
A Mazda dealership will be constructed of shipping containers. The containers will help reduce the carbon footprint of the construction process and allow building in stages. The entire building can be disassembled, transported and reconstructed in a new location. Inhabitat (05/23)
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