Energy Facilities Going Underground
Environmental pressures, combined with continuing development of hard-rock excavation techniques, have turned attention to the placement of major engineering facilities underground. Primary...
Old Roads Never Die, They are Just Recycled
The cost of repairing roads has increased as asphalt is dependent on the constantly growing price of petroleum. One answer to keeping down costs is asphalt recycling. This article takes...
Can the U.S. Cope with Skyrocketing Coal Production�
Coal must become the nation's chief tool for increasing energy self-reliance. Coal is abundant. The technology to use it is available today. There is an existing production...
Making Maps by Computer
For making maps, digitizer-computer-plotter systems are increasingly popular. Here are case histories of three applications�by Brooklyn (New York City) Union Gas. Co. for keeping track...
When an Engineer Employee is Wronged
The author, as head of an employee association at a large engineering organization, wrote letters to U.S. Senators and Representatives, in an attempt to prevent increased importation of...
Don't Look Up, Look Down
In response to the rising cost of energy, the designers of the Terraset Elementary School, Reston, Va., buried it under 2-3 ft of earth. The resulting high thermal mass allows the building...
Rebar Splices: Cutting Costs, Avoiding Errors
Practical advice for cost-cutting in reinforced concrete construction suggests improvements in accepted design and specifications, procedures and specific items. Brief recommendations...
Computer Slashes Time and Cost of Structural Design
An existing computer program for designing floor framing was modified to simplify usage. A preprocessor program was written to reduce the amount and complexity of the input data. A description...
Precast Liners May Cut Tunnel Cost 25%
On the Bureau of Reclamation's Buckskin Mountain's Tunnel in Arizona, the low bid was for $58,000,000, about $21,000,000 less than the low bid for design using...
Cost-Effectiveness of On-Site and Community Sewerage Alternatives
Some research and development work has taken place, over many years, on individual on-site treatment and disposal systems as well as non-conventional systems. Most recent work, however,...
New Gravity/Pressure Unit Cuts Sludge Dewatering Costs
A new device for dewatering sludges from either industrial or municipal waste treatment plants promises to cut both initial capital and operating costs over more traditional methods such...
The CRT Computer-Graphics Terminal: Indispensible Design-Aid for Some Structural Engineers
Putting the benefits of computer graphics within the cost reach of many consulting firms are: the development of low-cost ($3,000 to $10,000) storage-tube CRT graphics terminals; and the...
How to Save for Retirement and Cut Income Tax
Thanks to the 1974 pension law, employed persons can tex-defer 15% of income up to $1,500 a year, and the self-employed, up to $7,500 a year. The money may be put into IRS-approved plans...
States Intensifying Efforts to Reduce Highway Landslides
A recent survey by the Federal Highway Administration (FHA) shows the U.S. is presently spending $50,000,000/yr to repair major landslides on the Federal-aid highway system. The total...
Can a Computer Reduce Your Spec Writing Costs�
The most important factors in evaluating use of a computer to write specifications are: the frequency with which a spec section is repeated; and the changes needed to go from master spec...
Gabions, Perforated Pipe and Gravel Serve as Fish Screens
A type of structure to prevent juvenile salmon from diverting to irrigation ditches has been developed on the Merced River in central California. It was built after cost considerations...
Polymer-Concrete Passes Toughest Test
Almost three years after a pour of polymer-concrete (PC), a full patch of a hole in New York City's Major Deegan Expressway shows no cracks and is adhering well to the original...
PL 92-500 to Cost Metal Finishing Industry $45 Billion
The 1972 amendments to the Water Pollution Control Act will have far their greatest impact on the metal finishing industry. To meet the 1983 requirement of best available technology is...
Metrication�� An Australian Non-Event
Australia's experience with metrication indicates that a series of small, but rapid conversions, well planned in advance, can minimize the cost and inconvenience associated...
Desperate Need to Slash Construction Cost of New Subways
Subways and subway stations cost far too much to build in the U.S. Whereas Londoners recently built 3-1/2 miles of subways and subway stations for only $18,000,000, the Washington Metro...
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