Most Clicked ASCE SmartBrief Stories
1. Rock slide closes North Carolina interstate
ASCE SmartBrief | Nov 02, 2009
A rock slide that occurred last week will keep North Carolina's Interstate 40 closed for the next four months, officials say. Local leaders raised concerns about building the route through a gorge when it was first proposed. Completed in 1968, it has been shut down by landslides 10 times since 1972. Engineers have attempted to solve the problem by scaling back the slopes of the terrain, but the landslides persist because of "wedge failure" spots where planes of rock come together. Asheville Citizen-Times (N.C.) (11/01)
2. California bridge may need more repairs, officials say
ASCE SmartBrief | Nov 03, 2009
The San Francisco-Oakland Bay bridge may need to close again for permanent repairs, according to state engineers who have daily inspections planned. The bridge reopened on Monday, and repairs include reinforced parts that reduce friction and control vibration, officials said. "We've taken care of what we believe are the big issues that led to this failure," California DOT Chief Engineer Rick Land said. Still, officials noted that they hope to create a long-term strategy that won't require day-to-day inspections. Google (11/03)
3. Constructing green buildings poses new liability risk
ASCE SmartBrief | Nov 02, 2009
Property/casualty insurers are refusing to cover a potential liability that may arise from constructing new buildings and other properties that do not comply with environmental efficiency standards. "There is certainly going to be litigation coming out soon around this issue, and insurance companies are waiting to see" the outcome before offering any coverage, an industry executive said. Business Insurance (11/02)
4. Army Corps starts $1B New Orleans flood-protection project
ASCE SmartBrief | Nov 04, 2009
The Army Corps of Engineers has begun work on a $1 billion project in New Orleans that aims to protect the city's western section from flooding during a powerful hurricane. The project includes a floodgate and pump system aimed at closing canals and enhancing levees. Many residents have returned since Hurricane Katrina, but the area remains highly prone to flooding, experts warn. MSNBC (11/03)
5. Los Alamos toxic waste could contaminate groundwater
ASCE SmartBrief | Nov 02, 2009
Nuclear waste at the Los Alamos National Laboratory has been seeping into streams near the Rio Grande in New Mexico. Around 18 million cubic feet of waste is stored at Los Alamos, and it could contaminate drinking water supplies for 250,000 residents. While Los Alamos has begun an extensive cleanup of surface sites, the cleanup does not extend to groundwater deep below the surface. Los Angeles Times (11/01)
6. Everglades restoration work awarded to Florida firm
ASCE SmartBrief | Nov 05, 2009
Work will start next month on part of a massive federally funded construction project aimed at restoring the Florida Everglades. The Army Corps of Engineers said the $53 million Picayune Strand project will involve plugging drainage canals, building a pump station and removing roads. Harry Pepper and Associates of Jacksonville, Fla., won the contract for the work. Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) (11/04)
7. Work halted on at least 50 towers, group says
ASCE SmartBrief | Nov 05, 2009
Work on at least 50 skyscrapers around the world has stopped, the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat said. Three of the 50 are in China, while six of the top 20 are in Latin America and eight are in the Middle East. The Dubai government has delayed the opening of the Burj Dubai until January. However, some building still continues in Europe, China and the Middle East. New Zealand Herald, The (11/05) Architectural Record (free registration) (11/04)
8. Engineers cite flaws in athletic facility
ASCE SmartBrief | Nov 06, 2009
An athletic complex at Texas A&M University was built with a flawed design that did not meet code and left it unable to withstand winds of 90 miles per hour, according to a report prepared by an engineering firm. The structure was designed by the same company that built the Dallas Cowboys' practice facility that collapsed in May. A series of cables that allowed the facility to meet building code standards were later added to its steel frame. The school is also emptying the facility during severe weather as a precaution. Google (11/05)
9. Bridge to island larger than Shanghai opens; developers have high hopes
ASCE SmartBrief | Nov 02, 2009
Google (10/31)
10. Three Gorges Dam could trigger fresh landslides
ASCE SmartBrief | Nov 03, 2009
A new report warns that China's vast Three Gorges reservoir could trigger landslides as water levels rise this fall. Engineers began allowing water levels to rise last September, but critics say the water could erode fragile hillsides and revive old landslide fissures. "More slumping and landslides will happen in the next three years, and the higher the water level in the reservoir is, the greater the risks will be," according to a report in Caijing magazine. Reuters (11/02)
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