Some time ago, a colleague called to get my opinion on the use of TV cameras for underground inspection of drilled shafts. His query related specifically to relatively tight working areas and “in the dry” conditions. After pressing him to elaborate further on the context of his question, I discovered that he was weighing the benefits of TV inspection versus human entry into the drilled shaft excavation site. Photo: Raito Inc Going the distance with In-hole inspections This conversation is indicative of a larger movement that has been afoot for the past few years that seeks to discourage - or
Some economists have argued a second round of economic stimulus spending should focus on public works projects.�However, others have suggested that it would take too long for the projects to actually begin for them to provide the quick increase in hiring and spending that is required for a speedy recovery. The naysayers have a point if we’re talking about conventional projects, but I believe that’s not the case if we begin to apply a variety of Web 2.0 technologies that have become pervasive in other industries but have not been widely adopted in the public works field. It’s time for
Justin Sweet Recently I saw a blurb for a text that promises to pilot readers through the muddy shoals of mechanics’ lien laws. This exercise in puffery brought me back to my hostility to mechanics’ liens, those useless appendages to an already overcomplicated construction law. I vented my aggression on these worthless, even dangerous, legislatively created creatures in a column I wrote for the Construction Lawyer, an American Bar Association journal. I thought that my attack on this sacred cow would bring a torrent of abuse. I expected bruising phone calls and e-mails or shrill calls for my removal from
One day recently someone asked me, "Do you agree that the quality of engineering design has fallen over the past years?" My answer was yes, the quality of some engineering design has in fact declined as the profession of engineering has given way to the business of engineering. Plotnick To find out what to do about it, we have to look at why it happened. I talked to some friends about the causes. The key event that has led to this decline was the unfortunate acquiescence of the National Society of Professional Engineers to the antitrust claim by the U.S.
Following the disaster of Hurricane Katrina, the Chief of the Army Corps of Engineers established the Interagency Performance Evaluation Task Force to determine why the hurricane protection system in New Orleans failed. The task force consisted of over 300 experts from 25 universities, 23 firms and eight government agencies. Unparalleled in scope and depth of analysis, its findings tell only a part of the story. Tom Sawyer/ENR Katrina generated the largest storm surge to hit North America. Coupled with long-period waves, it overtopped and overwhelmed many hurricane protection structures. Much of what has been written since Katrina has focused on
Katrina was the latest in a series of wake up calls. For more than two centuries our nation has approached protection against nature's most ardent forces with paradoxical combination of long term apathy and short term reactionary zeal. We are thrust into action after the disaster that, in fact, we knew would eventually come, but could not quite accept as a reality in light of priorities more immediate and more likely. The question now is will we as a nation remain awake for just a short time or for the long term? And, can we deal with these issues in
At Some Companies, Everybody is an Estimator I love it when I get to have discussions with other experienced estimators. We know the value of our profession to the industry. No other profession has as much responsibility for making or breaking a project. While the Dept. of Labor shows that there are about 200,000 estimators in the U.S., when I work with some firms everyone is an estimator. I wonder how they were missed on the occupation survey. Short Recently a regional owner contemplated a project. It had passed the initial budget proposed by the internal staff, working without the
Pierce As an engineer and salesman with over 26 years experience working for a fully integrated design-build firm, a firm that has been providing professional design, engineering and construction services for over 100 years, I feel compelled to write and challenge the recent viewpoint article by Don L. Short II. It had a provocative headline, “Fast-track? Design-build? What the Salesmen Don’t Say” , but it didn’t prove its points and they were crudely expressed. First I’ll discuss the assertion that design-build is more costly, takes more time and has more problems. I refer Mr. Short and any readers to the
America Can Build Better Bridges When he first saw the design for the Bay Bridge reconstruction, former California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) said it "speaks of mediocrity, not greatness." He could just as easily have been describing most bridges designed and built in the U.S. in the past 20 years. Peter Reina Millau Viaduct When it comes to innovation in major bridge projects, we in the U.S. have taken a back seat to our counterparts in Europe and Asia. One case in point is the Millau Viaduct in France. Built for $523 million, the Millau boasts the tallest piers of
Fast-track? Design-build? What the Salesmen Don't Say By Don L. Short II There are salesmen in our industry who sell their clients or acquaintances on a project delivery method that is the most expensive in construction today. They say you can have your project sooner. They say the method has few risks. They say it will save money. Their clients want to and do believe them. Then the same clients find out they have a mess on their hands that can take longer and cost far more than they ever contemplated. Short The salesmen sell fast-track, design-build and/or multiple prime
RSS