Big Thompson Flood Damage was Severe, but Some Could Have Been Prevented
During the Big Thompson flood of 1976, damages resulted from impact by water and debris and from erosion and scour. Houses were lifted from their foundations and floated away; buildings...
What's New in Concrete and Concrete Floors�
What's new in concrete and concrete floors? Dig into that subject and you find that among the most interesting and important recent developments are (1)Post-tensioned flat...
Mammoth Construction Jobs: How to Speed Them, Cut Costs�
Not a few massive construction projects in such fields as mass transit, water resources, and power plants are suffering greatly from inflated costs and long delays. Among reasons are the...
Dam Anchored to Foundation to Withstand Floods
Federal Power Commission Order No. 315 required a safety review of Conowingo Dam and Powerhouse by an independent board of consultants. As recommended by this board, a study was made of...
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...
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...
Second Hampton Bridge-Tunnel Complete
The second Hampton Roads bridge-tunnel, which cost $96,000,000, opened to traffic on June 3, 1976. It is a two-lane facility carrying traffic across 3.5 miles of water between Hampton...
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....
Mechanization Speeds Limestone Production
The Dravo Lime Company's limestone mine and processing facility was nominated for an Outstanding Civil Engineering Award because it is a well-planned and executed construction...
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...
Citizen Participation for Successful Village Water Supply
In developing nations, two keys to the success of village water supply projects are citizen planning and the use of the appropriate technology. The two are related. Involvement of citizens...
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...
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...
Subway Designs and Construction Methods That Cut Costs
The high cost of subway construction in the United States can be reduced by adopting station and track structure configurations, structural systems, and construction techniques best suited...
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...
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