June 27, 2022

It’s not often easy to be first. But that hasn’t stopped an intrepid adventurer from going against the prevailing winds of structural practice to debut a dynamic shift in skyscraper engineering that at minimum promises improved tall-building resilience and sustainability—at a reduced cost.

2022 Top 100 Professional Service Firms: Time Management Needs Rise

Emell D. Adolphus

Jonathan Keller

June 22, 2022

As supply chain disruptions threaten to shelve some projects completely, more owners are using professional services firms to help reconfigure limited staff resources and keep schedules moving forward.

Construction Technology

A Call to Action on Digital Project Delivery

Annual tech conference shared what's new in robotics, digital twins and renewable energy storage solutions

Jeff Yoders

June 15, 2022

Broaden use of digital tools, public sector managers told 2022 Future Tech attendees; jobsite robots and analytical AI drew attention at June 9-11 ENR conference

A suspension bridge crosses over the LA River, encased on either side by concrete barriers. Behind the bridge is a mountain dotted with green.

Flood Control

Ambitious Plan to Revitalize Los Angeles River Is Approved

Officials estimate total cost could be between $19B and $24B

C.J. Schexnayder

June 16, 2022

Concerns remain about the plan's environmental and community impacts.

Highway Improvements

TxDOT Picks Fluor for $548M Capital Express South Project in Austin

June 10, 2022

The project is the first of three aimed at improving mobility and safety on I-35 through Austin.

Military Projects

US Military Commits Billions in Construction Contracts for Military Facilities in Guam

June 6, 2022

U.S. Defense Dept. officials have said they will spend about $11 billion on military construction projects over five years.

Transportation

Texas High-Speed Rail Project CEO Exits Company, Board Disbands

June 15, 2022

Texas Central Partners and its plan for a high-speed rail service between Dallas and Houston await a court ruling in an eminent domain case.

Buildings

Millennium Tower Review Team Recommends Approval for Reduced-scope Stabilization Plan

June 16, 2022

4 Comments

Engineers working on the retrofit to stabilize the building developed a plan with 18 piles instead of 52, as had been considered earlier.

Bridge Infrastructure

US DOT Launches Competition for $2.4B in New IIJA Bridge Grants

Five-Year Grant Program Will Total $12.5B

Tom Ichniowski

June 10, 2022

AGC of America official believes there will be "a lot of demand" for the program, which will provide $12.5 billion in funding over five years.

DOD to Contractors: No Inflated Cost Pay on Current Fixed-Price Jobs

Richard Korman

Scott Van Voorhis

June 8, 2022

A U.S. Defense Dept. guidance memo gives instructions on how contract cost adjustment clauses should be written in the future.

A wooden judge's gavel rests along a slightly reflective surface.

Legal

KBR Pays $13.7M to Settle DOD Contract Breach Whistleblower Suit

June 15, 2022

Justice Dept. agreement resolves claims of subcontracting kickbacks and bid rigging related to firm's past LOGCAP military operations support contract in Iraq.

US Energy Construction

Shutdown Extended of Fire-Damaged Texas LNG Export Site

Debra K. Rubin

June 20, 2022

Freeport LNG, a major global exporter, will partially open in September after June 8 pipeline explosion but not fully until year end, drawing global market concern on supply in wake of Russian cutbacks. Federal probes are underway as to the incident cause.

Record Floods Cripple Yellowstone National Park Infrastructure

Jim Parsons

June 15, 2022

Sections of the Wyoming park's road network have been severely damaged, and in some locations, obliterated, following record flooding

NIST investigation into Champlain Towers Collapse

Investigations

NIST Florida Condo Collapse Probe Develops Dozens of Hypotheses

Final recommendations for change expected by the end of 2024

June 10, 2022

National Institute of Standards and Technology investigators aim to have a final report, including recommendations for changes to building codes and standards, by the end of 2024.

2022-05-20 WB Ponte di Braila _ Pilone(1).jpg

Transportation

One of Europe's Longest Suspension Bridges Takes Shape in Romania

Peter Reina

June 7, 2022

More than two-thirds of the Brăila Bridge has been raised.

Energy Construction

Demand Pickup Drives Restart of Canada East Coast Oil Projects

Scott Van Voorhis

June 19, 2022

SNC-Lavalin, Dragados, Pennecon will relaunch work on $1.8-billion West White Rose offshore drilling platform, while energy giants Equinor and BP won province approval for Bay du Nord floating project, estimated at more than $9-billion.

Energy Transfer Pipeline June 21 Hearing Set on Criminal Charges

June 9, 2022

Completed $2.5B Mariner 2 East line in Pennsylvania was charged on 48 counts last year over drilling fluid pollution at building sites along 350-mile route.

Okefenokee swamp is show at night with a starry purple and blue sky. Trees are reflected in a lake spanning the length of the image.

Corps of Engineers Pulls Trump-Era Georgia, Arizona Mine Permits

June 13, 2022

Developers of $300M Georgia titanium mine and $1.9B Arizona copper project must reapply for a key permit as the Biden administration yanks Trump approvals and revises rules to build on federally protected lands.

Caterpillar's Former Global Headquarters

Caterpillar Moving Corporate HQ From Illinois to Texas

Office move from suburban Chicago to Irving, Texas, will leave production largely unchanged

Jeff Yoders

June 14, 2022

Equipment giant says move from suburban Chicago to Irving, Texas will leave production largely unchanged when completed in 2023.

Water Infrastructure

Army Corps Prepares New Loan Program for Dams

Tom Ichniowski

June 15, 2022

The program will target only non-federally owned dams.

Viewpoint

Biden Davis-Bacon Update: The Good and the Bad

Richard Korman

June 23, 2022

Arguments about prevailing wages have not changed much since the 1980s, the last time the U.S. government changed methods under the 1931 Davis-Bacon Act to determine a prevailing wage on most construction projects with federal funding.

Pulse: Project News for the Week of June 27, 2022

June 23, 2022

Project news from Dodge Data & Analytics.

Green Concrete

Prometheus 'Bio-cement' Touted as Portland Cement Sub

Biological binding agent is called nearly carbon free

Nadine M. Post

June 7, 2022

Biological binding agent is called nearly carbon free

Panel Design Plan Streamlines Installation on London's Elizabeth Line

Aileen Cho

June 22, 2022

T he 100-km, $19-billion Elizabeth rail line opened in London last month after more than a decade of construction. Teams used a digital workflow to install over 27,000 cladding panels in three of the new stations, reducing needed weight and improving efficiency.

Construction Economics for June 27, 2022

June 23, 2022