| News for and about the civil engineering community
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- California bridge may need more repairs, officials say
The San Francisco-Oakland Bay bridge may need to close again for permanent repairs, according to state engineers who have daily inspections planned. The bridge reopened on Monday, and repairs include reinforced parts that reduce friction and control vibration, officials said. "We've taken care of what we believe are the big issues that led to this failure," California DOT Chief Engineer Rick Land said. Still, officials noted that they hope to create a long-term strategy that won't require day-to-day inspections. Google/The Associated Press
(11/3)
    
- Remote location is key obstacle for pipeline
The remote route of a crude-oil pipeline would pose personnel challenges during construction, project managers said. Access to medical facilities during construction of the TransCanada Keystone pipeline, which will run through western South Dakota, is the key concern, they noted, adding that housing would be difficult as well. South Dakota's Public Utilities Commission this week began a formal hearing on the company's permit application for the project. Google/The Associated Press
(11/2)
- Three Gorges Dam could trigger fresh landslides
A new report warns that China's vast Three Gorges reservoir could trigger landslides as water levels rise this fall. Engineers began allowing water levels to rise last September, but critics say the water could erode fragile hillsides and revive old landslide fissures. "More slumping and landslides will happen in the next three years, and the higher the water level in the reservoir is, the greater the risks will be," according to a report in Caijing magazine. Reuters
(11/2)
| Technology and Trends | | |
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- Construction spending posts gains in September
An uptick in public construction helped construction spending post its biggest gain in a year in September, according to data released by the Commerce Department. In addition, residential building posted its biggest gains in six years in September, according to the department. Spending on construction projects climbed 0.8% to $940.3 billion. Analysts expected spending to decline 0.2% in September. Reuters
(11/2)
| Buildings & Structures | | |
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- Canadian university gets state-of-the-art engineering building
McMaster University, in Hamilton, Ontario, has built a high-tech home for its engineering program. Designers left key elements of the $48 million Engineering Technology Building -- such as its heat-recovery and rainwater-harvesting systems -- in plain view, so that teachers would be able to use the building as an educational tool. "This new building is going to represent the face of McMaster for the 21st century," said Peter George, the university's president. Daily Commercial News
(11/3)
| Sustainability | | |
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- EPA will discuss climate bill with Senate committee
Senate Environment and Public Works Chairwoman Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., will allow Environmental Protection Agency officials to answer questions about a proposed climate-change bill today. Boxer hopes the EPA's participation will bring Republican lawmakers back into the negotiations. Republican lawmakers have said they want a "complete analysis" of the bill before it moves ahead. They have until 5 p.m. today to submit suggested changes to the legislation. EENews.net (subscription required)
(11/3)
- Calif. lawmakers pass part of water-overhaul plan
 California lawmakers moved closer to reaching an agreement on updating the state's aging water infrastructure on Monday. The state Senate approved a $9.99 billion bond package that would pay for water-storage projects. Lawmakers also approved a water-conservation mandate and creation of a state agency for the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. Lawmakers are expected to consider additional measures today. "We're as close as the Legislature has ever been to a comprehensive statewide solution," said Assemblyman Kevin Jeffries. San Francisco Chronicle
(11/3)
, The Press-Enterprise (Riverside, Calif.) (free registration)
(11/2)
| Management Practices | | |
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- From the podium to the corner office
Conducting a world-class orchestra isn't so different from running a business, says musical maestro Roger Nierenberg. Getting people to play the same tune means communicating clearly, listening carefully and not letting your ego get in the way of achieving results. A leader's role is to articulate a big-picture vision in a way that makes sense to individual team members so that the organization can function harmoniously. WashingtonPost.com/On Leadership blog
(10/26)
| Policy Update | | |
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- Panel considers ways to create jobs
A White House advisory panel on jobs creation has proposed ways to spur jobs creation but acknowledges it is reluctant to spend government funds to promote job growth because of concerns about the growing national debt. Proposals include boosting overseas sales as a percentage of gross domestic product and creating a national infrastructure bank. The Wall Street Journal
(11/3)
- New Jersey, Delaware sue to stop Army Corps river project
New Jersey officials believe the plan to deepen the Delaware River shipping channel devised by the Army Corps of Engineers could expose residents to pollution, and they have filed a lawsuit to block the project. In its lawsuit, New Jersey said the Corps must sample the sediment and secure a state permit before it starts the project. Delaware filed a similar lawsuit last week. Reuters
(11/2)
| Critical Infrastructure | | |
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- $8 billion boost for high-speed passenger-rail services
The Federal Railroad Administration will hand out $8 billion in stimulus spending to state applicants to spur the development of high-speed passenger services. The money will probably start to flow in January, a few months later than originally planned. "This is a transformational time for passenger rail," said FRA Administrator Joseph Szabo. "We're taking a few more months to make sure the $8 billion is clearly invested in the right places." The Wall Street Journal/Dow Jones Newswires
(11/2)
- Warren Buffett bets on the railroad industry
Berkshire Hathaway announced this morning it would acquire Burlington Northern Santa Fe and about $10 billion of its debt for a total of $44 billion. "Our country's future prosperity depends on its having an efficient and well-maintained rail system," said Warren Buffett, Berkshire Hathaway chairman and CEO. "Conversely, America must grow and prosper for railroads to do well. Berkshire's $34 billion investment in BNSF is a huge bet on that company, CEO Matt Rose and his team, and the railroad industry." The New York Times/DealBook Blog
(11/3)
, MarketWatch
(11/3)
, Bloomberg
(11/3)
, The Wall Street Journal/Blogs
(11/3)
| News from ASCE | | |
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Western Australian water supply honored as ASCE landmark
The Goldfields Water Supply, a 351-mile-long pipeline laid in 1902 through western Australia, was dedicated recently as an ASCE International Historic Civil Engineering landmark -- at separate ceremonies at each terminus. When built, the Goldfields line was the longest freshwater pipe in the world and the first major pipeline constructed of steel. "It was an innovative, ambitious and daring water engineering project. Incredibly, more than 100 years later, it is still operating and carrying much-needed water to the Goldfields and agricultural regions," said ASCE International Director Potenciano Leoncio, who came from the Philippines for the ceremonies. Discover more about the Goldfields Water Supply's history and the dedication ceremonies as they were covered by the nation's leading newspaper, The Australian.
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Fifth Forensic Congress less than two weeks away
Would you like to know more about the hows and whys of structural failure? Register for the 5th Congress on Forensic Engineering, set for the Madison Hotel in Washington, D.C., Nov. 11-14. Earn up to 22 development hours through technical sessions and the two workshops, Forensic Engineering Practices and Facade Forensics. Enjoy a reception and lecture at the National Building Museum as Dr. Henry Petroski delivers the keynote address. Go to the official Forensic Congress site and register now!
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