Needing Every Last Drop: Western States Are Recycling Wastewater in a Variety of Ways
A rendering shows the interior view of the membrane treatment area at the Advanced Water Purification Facility being developed in El Paso, Texas. As water scarcity continues to be a concern—particularly in the western United States and as growing populations place more demand on water-delivery systems—communities are engineering ways to mitigate the challenge through recycled water projects. Texas-Sized Water Recycling In El Paso, Texas, El Paso Water (EPWater)...
Effects of the EPA WOTUS SCOTUS Decision on Engineering
The recent U.S. Supreme Court decision limiting the Clean Water Act (CWA) jurisdiction over “adjacent wetlands” to those having a continuous surface connection to bodies that are “waters of the United States” (WOTUS) with no clear demarcation between the “waters” and wetlands has been hailed by some and criticized by others. EPA’s New WOTUS Rule to Conform with Sackett On Aug. 29, 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced a final ru...
Off Rope! Drones for Bridge Inspection Increase Safety, Decrease Costs
It requires a few things for a bridge engineer to become a rope-access technician and climb up and down the most-difficult and complicated bridges: • No strong fear of heights. The photos in this article show that to be obvious. • A lot of training. Any technician needs to become certified by the Society of Professional Rope Access Technicians (SPRAT). The highest level (Level Three) requires hundreds of hours of rope work as well as completing three training programs and exams. • An in...
AI Brings a New Era of Sustainability to Structural Engineering
Construction workers put together a truss frame designed through AI. Every year brings new technological innovation to the engineering sector. For example, the industry now is in an age in which 3D-printed structural parts and generative-design artificial intelligence (AI) work together to suggest bridge concepts. The pressure to balance resource-intensive machinery and tech tools with sustainability is more critical, especially as more people and businesses are aware of t...
World Logistics Center: Engineering Heavyweights Collaborate to Ease California’s Warehouse Space Demands
Artist’s renderings show the World Logistics Center, which is set to break ground in Moreno Valley, Calif., later in 2023. (Stantec/Highland Fairview) The quest for warehouse space is more challenging than ever. Vacancy rates are at an all-time low in metropolitan areas across the United States, according to Prologis, a real estate investment trust headquartered in San Francisco that invests in logistics facilities. The situation is particularly dire in California for several reasons, incl...
Ready to Roll: How 1,000 Pounds of Spinning Metal Overcame Onramp Runoff
To complete a Missouri ditch-liner project, Realm Construction poured 400-450 linear feet of concrete a day and finished the project more than one week ahead of schedule. Near the Kansas City International Airport lies a well-traveled but problematic onramp that connects NE Cookingham Drive to I-435. A field that runs parallel to the ramp often produces significant rainwater runoff that makes its way onto the onramp. Sedimentary dirt and debris would fill the south side of th...
Decrease Concrete’s Carbon: A Big Step in Leaving a Smaller Footprint
Portland-limestone cement provides designers the opportunity to reduce a project’s carbon footprint by up to 10 percent. Concrete is the second-most-used material (after water), which shouldn’t be surprising considering it’s the foundation of nearly all our infrastructure. Engineers and builders specify concrete for their projects because it’s durable, long-lasting, resilient and versatile. Imagine if we could get those characteristics along with an added benefit of being more sustain...
Safe Passage Across the Sea: Sensors Prevent Overloaded Vehicles Access to Philippines’ Iconic New Bridge
For the tallest and longest bridge in the Philippines, sensors provide for bridge protection based on accurate measurement of vehicle axle loads. (Kistler Group) The Philippines, a southeast Asian island state officially comprising 7,641 islands and home to more than 115 million people, is on the rise. Wealth is growing thanks to dynamic economic development in the vibrant Asia-Pacific region; tourism is booming, and increasing numbers of infrastructure projects aim to bridge the gap (lite...
Sustainable Stormwater Solutions: Embracing Low-Impact Development (LID) for Enhanced Stormwater Quantity and Quality Control
In 2017, heavy rains from Hurricane Harvey flooded the greater Houston area, prompting local officials to reassess their stormwater-management systems. In recent years, climate change has affected Earth’s weather patterns, which have turned unpredictable and often dangerous. Rising temperatures are accompanied by a higher risk of intensified flooding, as heat domes and cold fronts collide, creating more extreme rain events. As a result, stormwater runoff becomes more severe,...
Creating Certainty: Expanded Shale, Clay and Slate Aggregates Improve Seismic Design
Lightweight aggregate helps address seismic concerns on a highway project. (Acrosa Lightweight) The ground a structure is built on plays an important role in what’s possible for that project—soil’s stability and relative depth to the bedrock can determine a structure’s height, footprint and weight limitations. It also can help a building better-resist seismic activity. The soil around a structure can change seismic waves’ frequency content and amplitude; these soil-structure...
Video: New Roundabout Under Construction at McIver and Old Florence Roads in Darlington County
Promenade at The Point
June Issue 2026
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