Asbestos in Old Concrete Buildings
When contractors have a job that entails demolition of an old concrete building from the early 1900’s one issue arises with respect to concerns about asbestos being included in the concrete mixture. Noting that asbestos is a heat-resistant fibrous silicate mineral that can be woven into fabrics, it…
To Repair or To Rebuild – That is the Question
Over the next several months, the concrete base of Oceanside’s municipal pier – an iconic 90-year old structure located in California – will be undergoing much needed repairs. However, city officials claim it still may need to be rebuilt entirely over the next few years. The concrete structure,…
Self-Healing Concrete – Embedding Self-Activating Bacteria
Apart from water, concrete is the most widely produced and consumed material on earth, according to a WBCSD report. This material is what paves our roads, spans our bridges and builds our buildings. It is a leading carbon emitter that goes unnoticed even though it surrounds us every…
Bendable Concrete – A Stronger, More Durable Concrete
Increased Tensile Strength with Flexible Concrete Typical concrete is characterised by its heavy, brittle qualities which lends itself to breakage under tension. To combat this, Nanyang Technological University scientists from the NTU-JTC Industrial Infrastructure Innovation Centre (13C) have invented a new type of concrete called the ConFlexPave. What…
Floating Concrete – A Revolutionary Feat
An abandoned pier that was erected in the early 1950’s known as Pier 57, is about to go through a $350 million renovation. Located in Manhattan, this pier is expected to be occupied by new offices for Google as well as a new food market. This large-scale renovation…
High Modulus of Elasticity for High Rise Structures
Modulus of elasticity (MOE) in concrete refers to the measurement of resistance a concrete structure has to deform or sway. That is, it measures the stiffness of the concrete. This measurement is used for high rise buildings, bridge piers, and other structural applications where the stiffness of the…
DOTs are Using Hydro Technology to Repair Concrete Structures
The Utah Department of Transportation is using a recyclable resource to repair worn bridges along one of the busier highways in Salt Lake County. On Friday, the agency exhibited an inventive system of high-pressure water jets to repair bridge decks on the $105 million I-215 project. This is…
Modifying the Microstructure of Concrete to Decrease Emissions
An MIT-led team has defined the nanoscale forces that control how particles pack together during the development of cement “paste,” the material that holds together concrete and causes that ubiquitous construction material to be a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. By monitoring those forces, the researchers will…
Progress on the Ohio River Bridge Project
Officials with the Ohio River Bridges Project just recently released the latest batch of aerial photos, showing the progress of the bridge as of June. Michael McKay, a spokesman for the project and associate account manager with Louisville-based Guthrie/Mayes Public Relations, stated that the bulk of the work…
Seattle Concrete Tunnel Project is Beginning to Take Shape
Portions of the vast Highway 99 tunnel are starting to look like the double-decker thoroughfare that former Gov. Chris Gregoire promised seven years ago. Bertha’s recent progress along the Seattle waterfront — some 1,500 feet since diving below the Alaskan Way Viaduct on April 29 — has allowed…
Construction Software is Heading Toward the Cloud
There is a perception that construction software applications are only affordable and needed by large multinational companies working on billion-dollar jobs. However, Daniel De Monte, President of Toronto’s Flat Iron Building Group, states that is not actually the case. “We’re a boutique construction company,” De Monte says. “We’re…
Development in Sustainable Concrete Material
At UCLA an interdisciplinary research team is recycling carbon dioxide in an innovative process to develop sustainable building material. Carbon Upcycling consists of 13 UCLA faculty members, students and staff from various fields such as engineering, chemistry and public policy. “The team works to incorporate carbon dioxide into…
Can Future Structures Be Made Out of Bone ?
Researcher at the University of Cambridge are making small batches of the artificial bone and are now in the process of scaling it up for production use. However, the biggest setback is the use of animal collagen. It isn’t exactly eco-friendly – or even sustainable – so the…
Disrupting the Construction Industry Through Technology
McKinsey & Company has recently released a report that provides in sight on why the construction industry is ripe for disruption. The McKinsey Global Institute estimates that the world requires $57 trillion to be spent on infrastructure by 2030 in order to keep up with global GDP growth….
World’s Largest Continuous Concrete Pour
Which construction project received the Guinness title for world’s largest continuous concrete pour? The Wilshire Grand Center in the USA or the Lakhta Center Tower in Russia?
Recycling Sewage Sludge into Concrete
Wastewater plants in Malaysia face the major challenge of disposing the sludge that is left over from treating sewage water. While studies show that the volume of sludge is expected to rise, disposal options are limited due to strict environmental regulations. Meanwhile, the construction sector seeks economic and…
Learn How Software Helps Construction Operations
Contractors are always on the go — bouncing from jobsites, the office and everywhere in between. Time doesn’t stop on the job, and a project’s deadline won’t freeze to push paperwork. With new innovations from software companies, contractors can bridge the gap between the office and worksite —…
Research in Traffic Management to Help Field Engineers
When drivers face a work zone, they have a choice: go through or go around. But for traffic engineers, this choice represents an awkward problem. How do you forecast the number of drivers who will divert around the work zone versus the number that will go through, in…
