Inside Job
River Mill Dam is a large Ambursen (buttress type) dam constructed in 1911 on the Clackamas River in Oregon. The preliminary and final design phase of the seismic upgrade project coincided...
Added Protection
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is modifying the 335 ft (102 m) high Casitas Dam in Ventura County, California, to withstand a magnitude 6.9 earthquake. The modification includes strengthening...
Third World Markets: Anticipating the Risks
The market for construction in lesser-developed nations is estimated at $750 billion. Clearly, these nations represent an important emerging market for engineering and construction firms,...
Case Closed
In June 1993, a massive sinkhole developed in a surface parking lot of a hotel facility in Georgia. The hole was a result of the soil erosion associated with a failed, 4-meter diameter...
Into the Tunnel
Technological advances in wind tunnel testing and computer-aided design programs are enabling engineers to create taller and more aesthetically interesting buildings than ever before....
Pursuing Past-Due Accounts
Small engineering firms often do not have a full-time staff member dedicated to collecting on past due accounts, yet it is small business that can be most damaged by unpaid bills. Experts...
A New Skew
Most bridges that cross roadways or other elements at a skewed angle are designed based on right-angle crossings with inefficient modifications. A new concept for skewed crossings is a...
Where Will We Get Our Future Coastal Engineers?
This summer, the National Research Council's Marine Board issued a report, written by thirteen experts, detailing the importance of coastal engineering for the country, assessing the state...
Beach Changes Triggered by Seaward Development of Towns, Expansion of Coastal Forest and Construction of Detached Breakwaters at a Pocket Beach
Beach changes triggered by seaward development of towns, expansion of coastal forests and construction of detached breakwaters at a pocket beach were analyzed, taking the Ariake-Ishihama...
Measuring Key Physical Processes in a California Lagoon
A focused data collection program was completed in support of a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers feasibility study of restoration alternatives for protecting and managing the habitat in Bolinas...
Application of the Texas A&M University (TAMU) Dredging Cost Model to Long Distance Transport
To develop intelligent decisions about moving sediment long distances to the coast from dams, the cost becomes a major factor. The cost will be a function of many factors including cleaning...
Regional Shoreline Group Session
California's beaches have suffered over the past decade. However to date, very little has been done to address the problem. The Sand Rights 99 conference serves as the venue for addressing...
Damn Sand Rights: Removing Rindge and Matilija Dams
Two dams built in the 1920's and 1940's within southern California coastal drainages have reached the end of their useful lives, and their decommissioning and removal is being actively...
Sand Rights: A Case Study of the Hamptons' Beaches
The long Federal groins emplaced at Westhampton Beach in the 1960s resulted in accelerated erosion downdrift. The severe nor'easter of December 11-12, 1992 brought the issue to a climax...
Evaluation of the Tensar Mesa Retaining Wall System
The Highway Innovative Technology Evaluation Center (HITEC), a service center of the Civil Engineering Research Foundation (CERF), serves as a clearinghouse for implementing highway innovation...
A Whole New Experience
Experience Music Project co-founders Paul Allen and Jody Allen Patton wanted a new museum/interactive music facility for Seattle that reflected the creativity of Jimi Hendrix. In architect...
Small Firms Check In
Glass Nautilus
A multi-faceted glass and steel pavilion now adds an extra measure of enjoyment and convenience for visitors to Seattle's Space Needle. The new two-story, 15,000-square-foot...
The Digital Evolution
As designers such as Gehry Architects dream up ever-more fluid and sculptural shapes for buildings, the only way to turn those aesthetic shapes into solid, safe structures is by using...
Wireless Warnings
Formwork failures cause dozens of construction-related deaths per year, but most can be avoided by adequate monitoring. The problem is, most monitors must be hard-wired to a computer on...
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