In this article, detailed description of the modeling and evaluation of a steel vertical lift highway bridge located in Ontario, Canada is presented. The bridge spans a major transportation waterway for ships and barges carrying 40 million tons of valuable cargo annually, and continues to be a major factor in the growth of cities like Toronto, Cleveland, Detroit, and Chicago. Hence, it is considered a Lifeline Bridge for all evaluation purposes. …
The U.S. earned a D+ in infrastructure, with bridges scoring a C+ and public parks and recreation a C-. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) released these grades in 2013 as part of the most recent Report Card for America’s Infrastructure. The grades are based on criteria including capacity, conditions, funding, operational maintenance and future needs. …
Fermin Garcia Espinoza and the 3,000 person community of Rio Abajo in northern Nicaragua are celebrating a safe way to cross the Rio Pueblo Nuevo (River) for the first time in more than 16 years, thanks to a new pedestrian suspension bridge. Fermin, a Rio Abajo resident and father of five children, was one of several committed volunteers who worked with a team of North American bridge professionals from Buckland & Taylor | COWI and Kiewit Bridge & Marine to build the footbridge. …
The behavior of structurally-linked multiple tower structures is largely affected by the effectiveness of the rigid links made between towers at the bases or at the tops. These links have a strong influence on the distribution of wind and earthquake loads. Depending on the interactive dynamic behavior of the adjacent building parts with one another, a separation may or may not be needed. …
Fast-paced construction within a dense urban environment like New York City has several distinctive rationales, approaches, constraints, and requirements that necessitate careful coordination. The fundamental principle that drives the need for speed in construction is economic. …
This is the first article in a two-part series and highlights the development and design of the building. The second article will be presented in a future issue and will focus on the fabrication and erection.
A new 105,000-square-foot Energy R & D building is currently under construction at Binghamton University in Binghamton, New York. It represents one of a series of laboratory research facilities planned for the university. This $45 million research facility will house physics and chemistry programs focused on energy technologies of the future. …
Landmark projects often develop from visions that push boundaries of modern design, forcing designers to think creatively and innovatively. Expanding on the World Expo Milano 2015’s principal theme, Feeding the Planet – Energy for Life, the China Pavilion, designed by Tsinghua University and New York based architecture firm Studio Link-Arc in collaboration with structural engineer Simpson Gumpertz & Heger, centers on ideas of sustainability and the coexistence of nature and cityscape. …
The Wilshire Grand in downtown Los Angeles is a 73-story mixed-use office and hotel facility with a surrounding podium. The main tower will offer 900 guest rooms, 400,000 square feet of office space, and various restaurant and retail space. The top of the structure will feature restaurants, bars and a sky lobby overlooking the skyline. The surrounding podium structure will include additional retail and restaurant spaces for a bourgeoning resurgence of the surrounding area. The project achieves LEED Silver certification in the current eco-conscious setting. The new structure is located adjacent to the 7th Street Metro Station, which is a connection point to much of the Los Angeles County rail system. …
The software segment of the construction industry is doing very well, according to those involved in the business. And most expect it to get even better.
“Business is robust and appears to be strong through the remainder of the year. We have seen a record number of new customer additions, and available talent is becoming short in supply,” says Doug Evans, Vice President of Sales for Design Data. …
Integrating 3D modeling software programs for the three “Ds” for this project – Ram for design, Revit for drafting and Tekla for detailing – proved to be the key for success for this fast track design-build project at a major Marine Corps base in California. …