Out of Sight, Out of Time
A 10-year grace period for complying with an EPA regulation mandating that all underground storage tanks have spill, overfill and corrosion protection runs out on December 22, 1998. Hundreds...
Launched Bridges
Environmental Exposure
The increasing risk of environmental liability calls for engineers and contractors to include environmental risk management as part of a firm's business procedure, even if...
Small Firms, Big Advantages
Engineering companies with 50 or fewer employees make up the bulk of the profession, yet they rarely receive the attention that larger, better-known firms do. Owners say that's...
Automated Monitoring at Tolt Dam
As dams age, maintenance needs and safety concerns increase. Dam safety officials are placing greater emphasis on automated instrumentation, monitoring and reporting systems. A look at...
Defusing Delay Claims
Many contractors, owners and design professionals are finally becoming aware of and sensitive to high cost and substantial risks associated with litigating delay claims. As a result, the...
Fathoming the Strength of Structures
More and more, the owners of bridges and piers are budgeting rehabilitations based on inspections done underneath the waterline. Increasingly, they want the underwater inspectors to be...
Managing Mobilization Costs
Owners may not realize it, but contractors know that things don't get easier once a bid has been won. The next step is to mobilize equipment and materials for the project,...
Tracking Seismic Hazards
Union Station in downtown Portland, Ore. is a historic landmark but also a seismic risk. Engineers were charged with making a priority list of hazards so that the owners could prioritize...
Geotechnical Baseline Reports of Underground Construction
Guidelines and Practices
For many years, several forms of interpretive geotechnical reports have been incorporated into the Contract Documents for underground construction projects. Based on recent feedback obtained...
Trenchless Quality Management (available in Geoenvironmental Engineering Special Issue)
Tunneling is complicated unpredictable work that often leads to disputes. One way to manage these projects and stay out of the courtroom is to use a methodology known as total quality...
Re-engineering Cowboy Heaven (Available only in
On a wooded hill overlooking the north end of Oklahoma City sits one of the foremost repositories of this country's Western heritage, the National Cowboy Hall of Fame. Contained...
Worth the Risk?
The construction process is fraught with uncertainties, but integrated, proactive risk assessment and risk management methods can help owners, engineers and contractors make better, informed...
Liability of Engineers When Wetlands Laws Change
Engineers who perform wetlands delineations or design facilities in wetlands areas are increasingly sued in court when wetlands laws or regulations change. Owners and developers whose...
Guist Creek Dam Spillway Upgrade: A Maze (Labyrinth) of Difficulties
Any dam that holds back a large quantity of water is potentially dangerous. Some dams are more of a threat than others, especially those with human populations and valuable property in...
The Case for Water Markets as the Best Means for Effective Water Allocation
Water markets have a potential for providing flexible and efficient mechanisms for allocating water among alternative uses. In order for markets to emerge It is necessary for private rights...
Ecosystem Management in the State of Florida
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), acting at the direction of the 1993 legislature and the Governor, has developed a concept for implementing ecosystem management...
Constructor Prequalification
Choosing the Best Constructor and Avoiding Constructor Failure
This comprehensive, practical manual illustrates how owners can evaluate and select constructors for various civil engineering projects using the process of constructor prequalification....
Tensioned Fabric Structures
A Practical Introduction
The objective of this publication is to provide basic information about the nature and characteristics of tensioned fabric structures. Its target audience includes architects, engineers,...
New Orleans Rolls the Dice (Available only in
To compete with the gambling meccas of Las Vegas and Atlantic City, New Orleans recently took a gamble by erecting the world's largest casino building. With the structure...
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