For more than 100 years, the United States has relied on an ever-growing massive network of centralized water-treatment facilities. This is the standard model for both public and private investment. As a result, more than 85 percent of the U.S. population…
A Cool-Looking Chiller: New Core Infrastructure at UMass Amherst Is Sustainable, Educational and Beautiful
The northwest corner of the chiller plant shows rhythmical façade patterns in channel glass and metal panels above ground level. Oxford’s “dreaming…
How Steel Deck Is Shaking Up Cold-Formed Steel Framing Design
All too often, we get stuck in the mindset that the way we currently do things is the way we must continue to do them. An example that hits close…
Brick Sewer Rehabilitation in the Nation’s Capital
The Washington, D.C., sewer system (managed by DC Water) is a mix of pipe systems that includes large-diameter brick structures. Following an alert from the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), DC Water’s engineering group carried out a pipe…
We’re Not Bluffing: Erosion Is a Serious Issue
By Matt Welch, CPESC, CESSWI, and Adam Dibble, CPESC, CESSWI The North American Great Lakes account for roughly 21 percent of the planet’s surface freshwater and 84 percent of North America’s surface freshwater. If you haven’t had a chance to look across…
Supercomputing that Supports Infrastructure
Argonne National Laboratories Makes Climate Modeling Practical for Regional Infrastructure Asset Management Argonne National Laboratory, located in Lemont, Ill. (just outside Chicago), has some of the trappings of an outstanding Bond villain lair, including…
Bridge Rehabilitation and Replacement: Engineers Explain Methods Used on the Seabrook Strauss Bascule Bridge
By Gregory P. Taravella, P.E., and James W.H. Costigan, E.I. The Seabrook Bridge is a Strauss Heel-Trunnion Bascule Bridge located in New Orleans and owned by the Port of New Orleans. Built in 1923, the through-truss bridge originally carried two railroad…
An Olympian Achievement: Los Angeles Zeroes in on Emissions-Free Bus Fleet
When Los Angeles hosts the Summer Olympic Games in 2028, city officials are hoping its zero-emissions bus fleet will share a bit of the spotlight with the world’s best athletes. Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) is starting the journey…
Stormwater Management System Protects University of Michigan Campus
The system protects university buildings from potential floods while benefiting the environment and the city of Ann Arbor. The University of Michigan’s Central Campus is a gathering spot for students and visitors. It’s also a stormwater collection point…
Four Places Putting Green Infrastructure to Work for Local Communities
Figure 1. A map shows areas that would be flooded by 1.5 meters of sea-level rise, which is how much sea levels could rise by 2100 if emissions aren’t curtailed. By Emily Cassidy and Suzanne Ozment Water is a source of growing tension and violence in places…
