By Andrew D. Lund, GISP Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) was first patented in 1904 by Dr. Christian Hülsmeyer, a German scientist. It wasn’t until the 1970s, however, that GPR became a widely used tool for underground (or under-ice) surveying. Since then,…
Repurposing Buildings and Urban Infrastructure for a Smarter City
The smart city has many emerging definitions and the concept is touted to be the one, that will shape cities of future. All ‘smart city’ definitions…
Oxnard to Turn Alleys Into Amenities
The Oxnard Green Alleys Plan is a guidebook developed by the international landscaping firm SWA for the City of Oxnard to transform its underutilized…
Infrastructure Showcase: Bentley’s Be Inspired Awards 2015
Bentley’s Year in Infrastructure event is a global gathering that brings together infrastructure design, construction and operations professionals for an interactive program centered on the Be Inspired Awards. This year’s event took place in London from…
Infrastructure Outlook: Smart Cities–Guided by People, Powered by Information
A key characteristic of a smart city is the ability to make effective connections among its citizens, assets and services. The smart city does this by using technology to support and improve the interaction among people and government. In doing so, a city…
Executive Corner: Emerging Risk Trends and Best- Practices Management for A/E Firms
Understanding professional liability and managing risk is an important aspect of all A/E business plans. For this installment of “Executive Corner,” Russ Ryan, principal at Rusk O’Brien Gido + Partners (e-mail: [email protected]), interviews Michael…
Structural Solutions: Add True Value to Command Fees You Deserve
Many years ago, I left the security of the engineering firm I worked for right out of school and ventured out on my own. If you had asked me when I was hired after graduate school, I thought I would retire at that company. But that wasn’t the case, as I…
Environmental Considerations: A Proactive Approach to Site Revegetation
On construction projects worldwide, post-construction site stabilization often is an afterthought. With constant increases in water-quality laws and regulations—and the effect of stormwater pollution on the environment—it’s becoming more important to…
Managing the Model: You Live in the Future, Why Don’t You Work There?
At the end of summer 2015, I was at a family reunion in central Illinois. As I stood chatting with relatives in my uncle’s backyard, my brother-in-law walked up, took a golf-ball-sized speaker out of his pocket and said, “play some music.” I had never…
Oregon Preparing for Export: Assessing the Seismic Challenges of a Liquified Natural Gas Plant
In the international port of Coos Bay, Ore., construction will begin in late 2016 on a liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminal that will be the largest private construction project in the state’s history. The bay is separated from the ocean by a tongue…