Fatigue Cracking�Problem for Welded Steel Bridges
A recent problem with welded steel bridges is fatigue cracking at welded details. Fatigue cracks begin in small flaws or discontinuities at welded connections and grow to a critical size...
Design of Excavation Blasts to Prevent Damage
Effects of ground vibrations on nearby structures and people resulting from blasting operations have become a major environmental problem and concern to the engineer and the contractor...
The Story Behind the New Clean Water Act of 1977
The Clean Water Act of 1977 keeps intact the basic principles of the strong Water Pollution Control Act (PL 92-500) of 1972. Because of the shear magnitude of upgrading the nation's...
What's New in Roofing�
For 75 years the waterproof membranes in roofs were made the same way�layers of bitumen alternating with layers of felt. Now for the first time prefabricated membranes of synthetics are...
The Renaissance of Downtown Detroit
The Detroit Renaissance Center consists of a 70-story hotel (one of the world's tallest) and 4 39 story office towers, plus restaurants, retail stores, and movie theaters....
Minority Consulting Engineers Speak Out
A sampling of opinion from the point of view of black consulting engineers. Quota systems are discussed as are financial problems, attitudes of banks, joint-ventures, abuse of minority-participation...
On Getting Foreign Jobs: Does Uncle Sam Help or Hinder
With his broad overview of the Washington scene, CIVIL ENGINEERING's Gene Halmos sought to get a reading on whether the U.S. government helps or hinders this country's...
Reinforced Concrete Research Council: Why So Successful�
At 30 years old the first-formed of ASCE's 14 research councils, the Reinforced Concrete Research Council is also one of the most successful. Some 40 RCRC research projects...
Chevrolet Raises the Roof
Chevrolet's Gear and Axle plants in Detroit needed more space so a decision to renovate the 60-yr old structures rather than relocate the operation was made. New roof structures...
Prefab Structural Components Solve Expansion Problem
Another story was added onto an existing low-rise building, where soil strength was so low that the new floor had to be built by sinking new columns down to a sounder stratum, placing...
Weather Modification Could Solve Some Water Resource Problems
On July 12, 1978 the Weather Modification Advisory Board submitted its final report to the Secretary of Commerce. The report proposes a national program for weather resources management,...
Florida Sewage Plant First to Remove Nutrients with Bacteria Alone�� No Need for Costly Chemicals
Palmetto, Florida is now constructing the first advanced wastewater treatment plant in the U.S. to use the Bardenpho process. Unlike other AWT processes, this ingenious plant removes pohosphorus...
Gophers Go Underground
A major facility, Williamson Hall, was constructed to be almost entirely below grade on the East Bank Campus of the University of Minnesota. Heating and cooling energy requirements will...
Expansive Soils�Geotechnical Problems Are in Hand; Now Need to Familiarize Nonengineers
Expansive soils damage thousands of buildings, many miles of highway each year. How and why these types of clays expand is explained. How geotechnical engineers in Colorado, Texas and...
NY's Building Boom
A report on a highly visible part of New York City's infrastructure, its buildings. An apparent resurgence of construction activity is underway; over one billion dollars in...
Causes of NY Financial Crisis
New York City's recent financial crisis was brought on by several factors. The main long-range cause was the out-migration of middle-income people (taxpayers) and the in-migration...
Dominance of Special Interests Dashes NYC Hopes for Recovery
How well is New York City doing now? Is it really on the way to recovery? Since the landmark report by the Temporary Commission on City Finances was released over a year ago, very little...
Financial Bind of U.S. Older Cities
Among the key factors throwing the finances in many older American cities into disarray: substantial losses in population, industry, and business; swollen municipal expenditures; expanding...
Relieving Strain on City Budget
There are no quick and easy solutions to the urban predicament. But there are a number of things that may provide some relief to the troubled cities of the Northeast and North Central...
How to Save Our Cities
Much of what needs to be done to save the city is simply for the federal government to stop doing old and expensive wrong things: forget about urban renewal and urban expressways; stop...
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