معلومــة

Reston, Va.  –  ASCE’s newest standard,  Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) for Pultruded Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) Structures , ASCE/SEI 74-23, is intended for use in the design of new buildings and other structures constructed of pultruded fiber–reinforced polymer (FRP) composite structural shapes, connections, and prefabricated building products. It addresses pultruded FRP structural shapes that have symmetric and balanced glass reinforcement and fiber architecture combined with a polymeric matrix.    This standard is limited in its applicability to pultruded FRP composite shapes that utilize glass fiber reinforcement. The provisions were developed to apply to buildings and other structures; thus, the scope of the provisions resembles the scope of ASCE 7,  Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures . FRP structural systems, members, and components are corrosion resistant but may be sensitive to cer...

By gaining a true understanding of key demographics and their implications, retailers can create more engaging and holistic shopping experiences BENTONVILLE, Ark.   —  Design best practices from the hospitality sector can help retailers drive traffic, extend dwell times and keep customers coming back for more, said veteran architects and designers from HFA Architecture + Engineering . Bringing more than eight decades of experience to a recent webinar, the veteran hospitality and retail architects and designers stressed the importance of crafting experiences that appeal to core customer segments and demographic groups. “Most stores are now recognizing that different shoppers have different needs. For instance, some stores are reducing noise and bright lighting at certain hours of the day to better cater to shoppers who are highly sensitive to visual and auditory stimuli,” explained HFA Vice President  Bo Ebbrecht  (AIA, NCARB).“Retailers need to be thinking ab...

By Jannet Walker-Ford First, the good news. Trust in infrastructure is generally solid, and rightly so. Designers, engineers and planners have long created modern marvels that withstand the unthinkable and make daily life immeasurably better. The bad news is it might not be enough to sustain trust in today’s era of misinformation, disengagement, and plummeting levels of trust across all aspects of society. It’s an issue we ignore at our peril.  Gallup has recorded near-record lows in public confidence in the majority of institutions it tracks, including big business, unions and newspapers–among the groups that build infrastructure and report on its progress. The 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer found that government isn’t trusted, either. What’s more, “a shared media environment has given way to echo chambers, making it harder to collaboratively solve problems.”  Some businesses are addressing these issues head-on, creating strategies to build and sustain trust. Yet, as Ele...

San Antonio, Texas – Alfred Vitela III, PE, has joined planning, engineering and program management firm Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN) as Program Manager. Vitela will support LAN’s program management business, including the building improvements to campuses within the Alamo Colleges District located in San Antonio, Texas. Vitela brings over 15 years of experience in engineering, project management and program management to this role. Vitela has worked as a Senior Mechanical Engineer for UT Health in San Antonio, Texas for the past six years. Before that, Vitela worked as a Project Manager and Mechanical Engineer for Northside Independent School District. His career is distinguished by several notable achievements during his tenure with UT Health including the Excellence Award (2022), Extraordinary Impact Award (2021) and Employee of the Year (2019). Vitela’s responsibilities at LAN will include overseeing various project types ranging from new construction to renovation...

WSP provided project management and design services to Orange County Transportation Authority for a new system, customer service and walk-in center for Interstate 405 motorists. ORANGE, CALIFORNIA  — WSP, a leading engineering and professional services consultancy, collaborated with Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) to provide project management and design services for the 405 Customer Service and Walk-in Center, as well as its systems and operations. OCTA opened the new 20,000 square-foot facility customer service and walk-in center in Costa Mesa late November for motorists traveling on the Interstate 405 (I-405) Express Lanes in Orange County, California. Designed in collaboration with OCTA, the center can support up to 100 employees performing customer service, information technology (IT), finance, management and other operational services. “This facility provides reliable systems and services to create an enhanced experience for toll cus...

PISA, Italy – IDS GeoRadar, part of Hexagon, today announced its latest concrete scanning solutions at World of Concrete in Las Vegas.  IDS GeoRadar, a leading provider of Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) and Interferometric Radar solutions, launched the  C-thrue XS , a handheld, dual polarisation GPR scanner for hassle-free concrete inspection, and  NDT Reveal , an integrated software solution for analysing and managing subsurface data. The new solutions empower construction teams to scan concrete structures efficiently, detect elements deeper beneath the surface, and make informed decisions about where to cut or drill safely. C-thrue XS — flexible scanner for small spaces  Building on the success of the C-thrue, launched in 2018, the smaller C-thrue XS is designed for use in hard-to-reach areas where construction professionals can easily manoeuvre the compact device. Its ergonomic and lightweight design of less than half a kilogram makes the scanning process a mo...

Columbus, Ohio –  Greg Murphy has been named Executive Vice President of Strategy of TranSystems Corp., a consulting firm that provides engineering and architecture solutions to the transportation marketplace. Murphy most recently served as the government market sector leader, the largest sector in the company that supports Departments of Transportation, tollways, and municipalities. In Murphy’s new role, he will lead the development of all market sectors and key services, overseeing the top line side of the business, including the project pipeline, wins and sales. Murphy joined TranSystems in 2015 from the Ohio Department of Transportation where he served as the Assistant Director and Chief of Staff. Murphy holds a Bachelor of Science in physics from Wittenberg University, a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from The Ohio State University and a Master of Business Administration from Capital University. About TranSystems TranSystems plans, designs, and oversees con...

Coming to the new 2024 International Residential Code (IRC) LAS VEGAS – Today, the Post-Tensioning Institute (PTI) announced the launch of its  Stronger Standards, Exceptional Structures  campaign, in preparation for the release of the new  2024 International Residential Code (IRC) . The  International Code Council (ICC)  is set to release the new IRC, which includes a significant update related to post-tensioned slab-on-ground design and construction. The newly added Section R506.2—Post-tensioned slab-on-ground floors—requires that post-tensioned concrete slab-on-ground floors, on expansive or stable soils, be designed in accordance with  PTI DC10.5 . “This code change will benefit stakeholders across the residential design and construction spectrum by improving the quality of materials and workmanship for post-tensioned slab-on-ground floors,” said Tim Christle, Executive Vice President for PTI. The  Stronger Standards, Exceptional Structures ...

A project to repair and replace two sections of parallel rising mains will rehabilitate an important section of the East London sewer network and will deploy innovative offsite manufacturing to replace an existing discharge chamber. Thames Water has appointed civil engineering and infrastructure specialist Barhale to carry out the £7.8 million programme adjacent to Gallions Reach Shopping Centre in Barking. The existing 800mm twin Store Road Rising Main runs from the Store Road Pumping Station (just north of the Woolwich ferry terminal) to an outfall that discharges into the Northern Outfall Sewer (NOS) near the Beckton Sewage Treatment Works inlet. Two sections of the twin mains will be rehabilitated: One section will require Barhale to replace the existing sewer with two lengths of 142m, 800mm diameter HDPE pipe which will be installed through open cut excavation. At the adjacent section, Barhale will repair a 220m length of each main using Cured in Place Pipe (CIPP) relining. A ...

New Learning Content Meets Specific Needs of Utility Companies BALTIMORE, MD ― IMAGINiT Technologies  continues to enhance its offerings to help Utility companies increase the adoption of technology that enables them to design, plan, manage and maintain their infrastructure. Now utility companies have access to self-paced learning paths with content that is uniquely focused on the way they use Autodesk and Spatial Business System (SBS) products to exchange important documentation to support intelligent design and construction workflows.   “As  SBS’ primary training partner , our unwavering commitment revolves around consistently enhancing the value offered to utility customers,” says Dennis Helmick, vice president, government and utilities, IMAGINiT Technologies. “We achieve this by delivering comprehensive, utility-specific training content that enables teams to successfully implement cutting-edge solutions from Autodesk and SBS. Leveraging our ASCENT c...

Danvers, MA — Hancock Associates, a leading provider of land surveying, civil engineering and wetland science services, has announced the semi-retirement of Charlie Wear, PE LEED. Charlie joined the firm in 2021 and was a Senior Project Manager in their Danvers and Newburyport offices. He will continue in a smaller, part-time role as Business Development Coordinator and focus on business development for Hancock’s eastern Massachusetts offices and mentoring staff. “Charlie has always been a go-to guy on the North Shore, even-keeled with a keen ability to design great civil engineering works while maintaining a friendly rapport with clients. We are very happy that he will continue to be part of the Hancock team as he enjoys his well-deserved semi-retirement,” said Hancock Associates President, Wayne Jalbert, PLS. About Hancock Associates Hancock Associates is made up of talented surveyors, engineers and scientists dedicated to excellence in land/coastal development, construction a...

St. Louis, Mo. — St. Louis-based Integrated Design firm Vestal Corporation, along with Design Build Partners Graycor, Helmkamp Construction, and Salas O’Brien, have been awarded Wieland Rolled Products North America’s new state-of-the-art Casting Mill and Rolling Mill projects at its facility in East Alton, Illinois.  On January 17, Wieland announced its plans to make a landmark $500 million capital investment to “re-equip, expand, and modernize its facility located in East Alton, Illinois.” As part of the facility’s expansion, the new state-of-the-art Casting and Rolling Mills will allow Wieland to “increase and improve its production of critical copper and copper alloy components that are used today in advanced energy properties such as electric vehicles (EVs), EV charging infrastructure, and renewable energy production,” as well as create a platform for future growth investments. Vestal will provide site, utilities, building, and balance of plant design, while Salas O’Brien wi...

CHICAGO – The Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI) is pleased to announce the winners of the 2024 PCI Design Awards. Projects as diverse as a groundbreaking office building in South Dakota, a temple in Utah, and an innovative replacement bridge in Maryland were among 19 winners in the specials, buildings, and transportation categories; there were also 15 honorable mentions.  For 61 years, the PCI Design Awards program has showcased and recognized creative and innovative uses of precast concrete. Panels of engineers, architects, and precast concrete producers judge all submittals. The buildings and transportation categories are judged on aesthetic, structural, and use versatility; site, energy and operational efficiency, and risk reduction; and resiliency, such as structure durability, multi-hazard protection, and life safety and health.  Several projects are also honored with special awards. These are judged on similar criteria to the building and transportation pro...

New Learning Content Meets Specific Needs of Utility Companies   BALTIMORE, MD ― IMAGINiT Technologies  continues to enhance its offerings to help Utility companies increase the adoption of technology that enables them to design, plan, manage and maintain their infrastructure. Now utility companies have access to self-paced learning paths with content that is uniquely focused on the way they use Autodesk and Spatial Business System (SBS) products to exchange important documentation to support intelligent design and construction workflows.   “As  SBS’ primary training partner , our unwavering commitment revolves around consistently enhancing the value offered to utility customers,” says Dennis Helmick, vice president, government and utilities, IMAGINiT Technologies. “We achieve this by delivering comprehensive, utility-specific training content that enables teams to successfully implement cutting-edge solutions from Autodesk and SBS. Leveraging our AS...

In the dynamic realm of urban infrastructure expansion, there are few challenges as intricate and demanding as adjacent construction projects. Particularly, when these projects involve the proximity of new infrastructure to existing critical transportation arteries, engineers face unique challenges. In this article, we delve into a compelling case study: the construction of a light rail extension adjacent to a heavily utilized freight rail corridor in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This endeavor called for the utilization of innovative wireless monitoring solutions to address complex challenges, ensuring the safety and success of this ambitious urban infrastructure project. The Project: The METRO Green Line Extension, also known as the Southwest Light Rail Project, extends the existing METRO Green Line in Minneapolis. This 14.5-mile extension project introduces 16 new stations, connecting downtown Minneapolis, downtown St. Paul, and various communities across the region. As a part of this m...

A new bankside wall using material ideal for aquatic insects has been installed along the north and south shores of Worsbrough Reservoir in Barnsley to replace the former, failing wall. The metre-high bankside wall around the reservoir is a favourite place for local anglers. The wall had become unstable as wave action undermined the foundations, so contractor Balfour Beatty removed and rebuilt it with the help of RSK Group company Salix River & Wetland Services, using pre-filled rock bags. Salix Project Manager Chris Smith said: “We’ve built the new wall using pre-filled Rock Roll Mattresses, rather than the traditional gabions or concrete piling. The Rock Rolls use stones measuring around 40–80 mm in diameter, where traditionally 100–150 mm stones would be used. The smaller stone encourages aquatic invertebrates – a major source of food for many freshwater fish – to settle in the spaces between rocks. In the end, this means a more natural bankside for local wildlife and a boo...

Old Saybrook, CT – Infiltrator Water Technologies, a leading manufacturer of products for the decentralized water and wastewater industries, is pleased to announce the expansion of the IM-Series product line with the addition of the IM-300 and IM-1250 septic tanks.      Like other IM-Series tanks, the new IM-300 and IM-1250 tanks are injection molded two-piece mid-seam polypropylene tanks compatible with the EZsnap riser system. The IM-300 is designed for use in pump tank applications with a total volume of 314 gallons. The IM-300 is in stock and ready to order. The IM-1250 is designed for use as a single or in-series septic tank with a total volume of 1,271 gallons. The IM-1250 is currently in production and will be in stock for orders this spring. “We’re excited to offer expanded tank sizes to our customers,” said Carl Thompson, Vice President Sales and Advanced Treatment of Infiltrator Water Technologies. “The IM-300 will feature a full-size 24” manhole openi...

20-year Schnabel engineer will assume newly defined role within company GLEN ALLEN, VA – Schnabel Engineering has announced the appointment of Chad Mayers, PE, to Chief Operating Officer (COO), a new role within the engineering firm. Mayers assumes this role after serving as President of one of Schnabel’s business units for the past four years. He has been with the firm since 2004. According to Walt Rabe, CEO of Schnabel, “I can’t be more excited that Chad Mayers has assumed the role of Chief Operating Officer. Chad has proven himself in roles of increasing responsibility since beginning his career at Schnabel nearly 20 years ago. His focus on the unity of the entire company has him wired for success in his new role!” While the addition of a COO is a huge step for Schnabel and its operating structure, Mayers has stressed that he is committed to maintaining a culture and environment that support and encourage the firm’s staff to continue to thrive. Said Mayers, “In the coming years,...

ST. LOUIS –  McCarthy Holdings, Inc.  (McCarthy), one of the nation’s largest 100 percent employee-owned construction companies, is pleased to announce the promotion of Joe Jouvenal to Chief Operating Officer. In this role he will be responsible for overseeing all operations for the firm and its subsidiaries and will also oversee the corporate human resources, quality and safety departments. Jouvenal will report directly to Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Ray Sedey and replaces outgoing President and Chief Operating Officer Scott Wittkop, who is retiring in April 2024. Jouvenal began his career with McCarthy Building Companies, Inc., a subsidiary of McCarthy Holdings, Inc., in 1998 as a project engineer and held multiple field and leadership positions, including project manager and project director. He worked on some of the company’s most challenging projects, including for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, a National Emerging Infectious Dise...

INDIANAPOLIS — H.W. Lochner Inc. (Lochner), a leading provider of infrastructure planning and engineering services, has been selected by the Indiana Toll Road Concession Company (ITRCC) to continue serving as owner representative and begin the planning and design of the fourth phase of the Pavement Upgrade for a Superior Highway (PUSH) project. As the owner’s representative during the first three phases of PUSH, Lochner provided program management services, design oversight, and construction oversight for the rehabilitation of 113 miles (472-lane miles) of toll road, including pavement rehabilitation of the main line and shoulders, installation of new fiber optic cable, interchange pavement replacements, and rehabilitation of 85 bridge structures. The first three phases of the PUSH program contained a constructed value of nearly $400 million. PUSH 4.0 involves the rehabilitation of a 34-mile corridor section of the toll road from mile marker 123 to 157. The project also encompasses ...

By Neetha Vasan  The best professional advice is equally informed by scientific research and the practical experience of past application. The value of applied research, derived from collaboration between researchers and practitioners, cannot be underestimated. One example of this is the advancements in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Machine Learning (ML) in wind engineering. Wind tunnel testing (WTT) has been and continues to be the primary choice for accurate quantitative evaluation of wind flows around buildings. Widespread use of CFD in wind consulting and the subsequent lessons learned have furthered the application of AI and ML in wind and microclimate studies. With these advancements, the wind engineering industry now uses CFD with more confidence and for more applications in bluff-body aerodynamics and microclimate assessments than available research would have allowed 20 years ago.  The co-dependent relationship between researc...