Dr. John Brown Miller is a global expert on public infrastructure with an eye on efficiency and value. He has a 35-year focus on bringing practical business, legislative and contractual solutions to the world’s burgeoning public infrastructure needs.
Change Leader: Simplify Legal Structures to Get Things Done
Philip K. Howard, chair of not-for-profit Common Good, is a lawyer who is actively involved in shaping public policy. In addition to writing several…
Code Update: Steel Bridge Design Specifications Revised in New AASHTO Edition
Interim revisions to AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications (7th Edition) were published in 2016 with a few minor revisions to the steel bridge design…
Executive Corner: Mitigating Taxes While Achieving Strategic Ownership Goals
In my experience, the top three reasons why A/E firms implement employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) are taxes, taxes and taxes. However, although mitigating taxes is an important element, a good ownership plan should be driven by a firm’s strategic plan…
Final Thoughts: Bridge Work: From Wooden Covers to Recycled Steel
As I was previewing this issue of Informed Infrastructure, I came across a brief summary of an article about the engineering of tall wood buildings. Although I’m not quite old enough to have designed any covered bridges, I have some experience with wooden-bridge…
Structural Solutions: Nuggets of Wisdom for Engineers Young and Old, Part 3: The Final Chapter
My previous two columns covered two main pieces of advice I like to share with students at the Direct Connect session at the NASCC conference: careful use of computer software, and mastering verbal and written communication. In this issue, I’ll finish my…
From the Editor: There’s No Replacement for ‘Learning by Doing’
I recently visited a job site of a friend of mine who is a construction manager. I met with him to discuss the use of emerging drone and reality-capture technologies, but I ended up tagging along as he crisscrossed the site, solving one problem after another.…
Code Update: ACI 318: High-Strength Reinforcing Bars
AMY M.R. TRYGESTAD, P.E., F.ACI (above) The motivation for developing high-strength reinforcing bar (HSRB) is driven from the construction community. Design practitioners are looking for improved, efficient and sustainable design solutions, while contractors…
Final Thoughts: Millennials Are ‘Engineering: The Next Generation’
Many members of my generation think we Baby Boomers are the greatest generation. After all, we protested against wars, fought for civil rights, and invented rock and roll. But we also produced this next generation of people. I am a Baby Boomer, and our generation…
Future Forward: Can Cross-Laminated Timber Replace Concrete and Steel?
This page profiles innovative and impactful applied research in civil and structural engineering. With a background as a builder and developer in construction for 35 years, Casey Malmquist is CEO and president of SmartLam, the first commercial manufacturers…
