Formerly known as the AASHTO TRAC Contest, the AASHTO Bridge Challenge is a national competition designed to promote an interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) through hands-on, real-world applications. It also provides a unique opportunity for students to gain confidence in their speaking skills in front of a large audience, which included departments of transportation, engineering consulting firms, AASHTO government officials, parents, teachers, and students.  Also sponsoring the event were Michael Baker International, TopoDOT, HDR, HNTB, Headlight, and Houseman & Associates.

For the first time in three years since the pandemic, students from around the United States were able to compete in person in the bridge design contest, with the finalists winning the opportunity to join the AASHTO community at the Spring Meeting in Seattle.

Students from 19 states across the U.S., from seventh to 12^th grades, designed and built innovative bridges using Bentley applications, including MicroStation and ContextCapture to design the models. Eighteen teams were selected for the finals by a panel of judges, who rated each team’s design and portfolio. During the finals on May 16, the teams gave presentations and then had their bridges tested for strength-to-weight ratio until each bridge failed, in some cases spectacularly, under pressure. The team receiving the most points from the judges was selected as the national winner in their grade categories.

The winning team for the 11^th and 12^th grades, 906 Bridge Co. from Negaunee High School in Negaunee, Michigan, has participated in the program for several years under the guidance of teacher/advisor Kevin Bell. In addition to designing a deck arch truss bridge with Bentley’s MicroStation, they also flew a drone and used ContextCapture to create a reality model of their bridge.

Dustin Parkman, Bentley’s Vice President of Transportation, said, “The role of civil engineers is critical to transportation infrastructure. The hands-on experience of the AASHTO STEM Solutions program introduces students to civil engineering concepts and processes, inspiring them to imagine a future career in engineering. I’m proud that AASHTO, Bentley, our co-sponsors, and the DOTs can provide this opportunity for the students to learn such valuable skills and spark an interest in a future career in civil engineering.”

Julia Smith, AASHTO STEM Solutions program manager, said, “AASHTO designed the program for use in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) classes to introduce students to transportation and civil engineering. America’s transportation industry has a huge demand for well-qualified civil engineers. AASHTO’s goal is to get middle and high school students exposed to and excited about a career in civil engineering. We see the STEM Solutions program as an investment in today’s youth, to ensure that America has the highly skilled workforce it’s going to need for years to come.”

Congratulations to all the students, teachers, sponsors, and departments of transportation who made this year’s competition a success.

To learn more and become involved with the program, visit transportation.org/stem-outreach.

“As a developer of add-ins for Autodesk Revit® software, we strive to stay connected with BIM users around the world,” said Glynnis Patterson, Software Development Director, Ideate Software. “Serving Women in BIM in this new way gives us the tremendous opportunity to learn from and provide insights to people who share our passion for BIM while helping the organization support, empower, and celebrate female BIM and digital construction professionals.”

Nivin Nabeel, Customer Success Manager – Americas, Ideate Software, continued, “I am excited about meeting members of Women in BIM, both virtually and in person, to bring their attention to Ideate Software tools that can help boost their competitiveness by reducing the time they spend on model data management.”

Ideate Software’s decision to partner with Women in BIM through a Corporate sponsorship stemmed from a decades-long commitment to working with women who make a major positive difference in the architecture, engineering, construction, and owner-operator arena. Women in BIM’s vision resonates with Ideate Software, and through the sponsorship, Ideate Software will help increase respect, fairness, and inclusion for female BIM professionals.

“We are excited to join with Women in BIM and support their efforts of fostering diversity and equality,” said Glynnis.

Chair and founder of WIB Rebecca De Cicco stated, “Having partners like Ideate Software as part of the Women in BIM community allows our vision and our strategic purpose to grow, to flourish, and to target all areas of the built environment. We are so very pleased to be working closely with Ideate Software to help foster a more inclusive industry.”

Visit www.ideatesoftware.com to learn how Ideate Software add-ins for Revit help users save time, increase model accuracy, improve deliverables, and elevate design. Give them a try by downloading trial versions or purchasing the bundle for access to Ideate BIMLink, Ideate Explorer, Ideate Sticky, IdeateApps, and Ideate StyleManager for six months.

For May 2023, Building Safety Month raises awareness of the need to ensure safety in the buildings in which we live, work, and learn. The campaign makes the connection between building codes and personal safety and highlights the important work of building safety professionals in communities worldwide.  From SFPE’s fire protection engineering standards, to the annual SFPE P.E. exam review course, to countless technical articles, handbooks, education programs, and more, SFPE ensures that fire protection engineers have the knowledge to advance building safety and engineer a fire-safe world.

“SFPE’s global community of members, chapters, and fire protection engineers works to continuously advance the scientific understanding and engineering principles of fire,” stated Kevin Mlutkowski, CAE, Director of Community Engagement, Marketing, and Communications, Society of Fire Protection Engineers. “This month during Building Safety Month, SFPE is proud to partner with the International Code Council in showcasing the roles, competencies, and life-saving work of fire protection engineers.”

To learn more about Building Safety Month, search #BuildingSafetyMonth2023 #BuildingSafety365 or visit www.iccsafe.org. To learn more about SFPE and the Society’s programs to engineer a fire-safe world, visit www.sfpe.org. 

“We are just getting started and there is still plenty of work to be done. Our mission to make safe, efficient, and sustainable air travel accessible to the masses with the Doroni H1 eVTOL remains the same. We’ll keep pushing the boundaries of what’s possible,” said CEO & Founder Doron Merdinger.

Just days before closing the campaign, the Florida-based startup released a video of the full-scale Doroni eVTOL prototype (known as the H1P1) making a short untethered hover test flight at its 13,000 sq. ft. R&D facility in Pompano Beach. The company shortly thereafter released a statement to investors announcing that they had completed a total of 23 test flights with the aircraft.

During an interview with FutureFlight, Doroni’s Business Development Manager Yaakov Werdiger said, “The current prototype resembles our final product… The frame is currently going through a full redesign to reflect the level of safety that our customers expect and deserve from us. We are also making minor changes to our wings and ducts to allow a better and more efficient aerodynamic design.”

Doroni currently has its eyes on a forthcoming Series A raise to support the company’s next major phase of growth.

XPRENEURS is a Munich-based tech start-up incubator by UnternehmerTUM. In the three-month incubator program, UnternehmerTUM and the Nemetschek Group jointly support tech start-ups from product development to market entry. The new Built Environment Track supports the young entrepreneurs to validate their business model, win first customers and secure their initial investment. The incubator combines science and industry, fostering start-ups to disrupt the Built Environment Industry – for more efficiency, sustainability, and quality across the construction lifecycle. Industry experts from the initiative for built environment, BEFIVE, and the TechFounders accelerator from UnternehmerTUM support the track.

“Digital twins are opening entirely new possibilities for the sustainable and more efficient planning, construction and operation of buildings and infrastructure”, explains Tanja Kufner, Head of Startups & Venture Investments at the Nemetschek Group. “We are excited to be part of the Built Environment Track. The innovative potential of start-ups in the area of digital twins is massive and critical for the development of the construction industry.“

The Nemetschek Group is deeply rooted in the academic environment, working closely with educational institutes like the TUM in Munich. UnternehmerTUM supports the development of innovative solutions. With their incubator and dedicated programs for start-ups, they turn ideas into marketable innovations. The XPRENEURS program includes mentorships, office spaces and direct access to venture capital and business angels and aims to support start-ups in an early stage. The Nemetschek Group is supporting innovation for the construction industry with a dedicated incubator program for start-ups that develop solutions for the major challenges of the industry. Technologies like computer vision, digital twin solutions and AI are of particular interest for the program. The start-ups are selected throughout February. The program will start in early March.

“We are pleased to welcome the Nemetschek Group, a strong partner with leading experts, into our ecosystem” says Prof. Dr. Helmut Schönenberger, founder and CEO of UnternehmerTUM.

The funding of the Built Environment Track is part of the Nemetschek Group’s venture strategy, to drive innovation and shape the construction industry of the future. As part of its start-up activities, the group recently participated in financing rounds for the start-ups SmartPM, KEWAZO, SymTerra, Imerso, Reconstruct, and Sablono.

Further information on the Built Environment Track can be found here.

During the 2023 DropMEin! program, ComEd engineers and professionals will share their STEM journeys and provide real-life, hands-on learning and open dialogue about power distribution, energy sustainability and STEM career paths.

“The ASME and ComEd DropMEin! program is an ideal way to reach out to younger students and spark their interest in STEM before they reach high school,” said Michelle Blaise, ComEd’s senior vice president of technical services and a member of ASME Foundation campaign cabinet. “As we work toward a clean energy future, empowering the next generation of the local STEM workforce is crucial, and that starts with providing them the opportunity to learn about, and be inspired by, the many career opportunities in STEM.”

This year’s program runs through the spring semester with virtual and in-person sessions and related hands-on activities planned in fifth and sixth grade science classes at Bronzeville Classical Elementary School in Chicago, Ill., and Haskell STEAM Academy and Thurgood Marshall Middle School in Rockford, Ill.

“At Thurgood Marshall Middle School, we prioritize student engagement,” said Jessica Powell, principal at Thurgood Marshall Middle School. “The program that ASME and ComEd have developed provides authentic opportunities for our students to engage in new STEM content and receive hands-on experiences from local STEM professionals.”

All three schools are part of ComEd’s Community of the Future initiative, which creates partnerships that tap into community strengths to enhance sustainability, resiliency, and connectedness. In collaboration with ASME and its member volunteers, ComEd has enlisted its staff engineers, project managers, data scientists and cyber security experts to share their expertise and professional experiences with students.

“ASME is very appreciative of ComEd’s support of our DropMEin! program and its generous contribution to our Campaign for Next Generation Engineers,” said Tom Costabile, executive director/ CEO of ASME. “Together, we are working to inspire more kids to explore STEM and pursue STEM careers including engineering that improves lives.” 

The ASME DropMEin! program has a national reach with a focus on engaging with students in Arizona, California, Delaware, Illinois, Nevada, New York, and Texas this year. During the 2022/2023 school year, ASME will engage with over 4,000 students through this program to help diversify the future of STEM. Eighty-four percent of the schools impacted by this program qualify for Title 1 federal funding, with children from low-income families making up at least 40 percent of enrollment.

From transportation to infrastructure to inventory management, the EDVY competition covers the full spectrum of drone technology’s use in the AEC industry.  By becoming a sponsor for the 2023 competition, companies are putting their product in the same conversation as those on the front lines of the industry.

Sponsorship packages begin with advantages such as branding on all competition materials, access to leads, and an email marketing campaign.  These benefits only increase as the tiers of sponsorship increase.

Sponsorships packages are now available, and can be tailored to fit any firm.  Those interested in becoming a sponsor for the 2021 Engineering Drone Video of the Year competition should reach out to Anna Finley (afinley@zweiggroup.com).

More information can be found in our Sponsor Packet and Media Kit.

“It is absolutely thrilling to join forces with UniverSoul Circus, a world-renowned, storied entertainment group capturing the hearts and imaginations of a new generation of families for over three decades,” says Garry A. Johnson, founder and CEO of Paradise Express Ferry and Harlem Rocket LLC. “As thrilling as it is educational, the 90-passenger Harlem Rocket tours aspire to make a similar impact — a memorable and unparalleled experience that shares unique cultural and historical contributions to the surrounding community.”

UniverSoul Circus joins a growing list of founding supporters and collaborators for the Harlem Rocket, the first phase of the Harlem Gateway Waterfront Initiative, adds Johnson. Other sponsors include global maritime electronics leader Raymarine, joining in late last year.

“At UniverSoul Circus everyone gets to share in our culture and the audience leaves with the excitement of everyone belonging, it is truly a transcultural experience,” says Universoul Circus CEO Cedric Walker. “Just as the UniverSoul Circus is for all to enjoy, The Harlem Rocket is a new immersive experience created by Garry Johnson’s team for the people to join in and participate in the fascinating story of Harlem’s waterfront.”

The Harlem Rocket, a uniquely branded and technology-enhanced maritime attraction, integrates novel drone, artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud-storage technologies so that guests can capture and share their experiences of the Upper Manhattan waterfront and the New York City skyline, “like never before.” Part of the Harlem Gateway Waterfront Initiative, it will join with other new attractions to create a “one-of-a-kind tourist destination and cultural center employing hundreds of local residents,” adds Johnson.

Led by Paradise Express Ferry, New York City’s only Black-owned, Harlem-based commercial maritime operator, the Harlem Gateway Waterfront Initiative and the Harlem Rocket are sparking a dynamic economic development engine that mitigates the higher unemployment rates and negative health outcomes experienced in a historic African American community. According to Johnson, who also volunteers his time as Economic Development Chairman for the NAACP New York State Conference, the broader initiative utilizes a workforce development model to create exciting career opportunities and jobs that empower local communities and sustain scalable economic development, not only in maritime operations but also in renewable energy and offshore wind.

“We are delighted to partner with the Harlem Rocket and collaborate on new entertainment experiences and a long-term vision of the Harlem waterfront, a location that is beautiful yet underserved,” says Paula D. Murphy, executive vice president and COO of UniverSoul Circus. “This is such an influential and significant place, a flash point for art, music, literary genius and social consciousness, and Garry’s team joins us in crafting forward-thinking ways of transforming it into a magnetic and sustainable global destination.”

Says Michael A. Preston, cofounder and vice president of Government Affairs & Customer Experience at Paradise Express Ferry, “We are so excited to welcome UniverSoul Circus as a founding sponsor. We share the same goals and beliefs in not only the historic importance of Harlem but also its potential as one of the world’s most innovative and exciting places full of unforgettable experiences.”

Preston adds that both Harlem Rocket and UniverSoul Circus are committed to bringing new skills and career opportunities for young people in such areas a maritime, hospitality and tourism. “Our attractions and initiatives stimulate local spending, create hundreds of direct and indirect jobs in the maritime, entertainment, and related sectors in the community, and encourage business growth along the waterfront,” he says.

In addition to securing sponsor support, The Harlem Rocket has generated wide enthusiasm among local government and community leaders. When the first tour launches in May 2023, it will be the first major new tourist attraction in Harlem in over 30 years — marking a new era of opportunity, prosperity and family fun in a historic New York City neighborhood.

LEEA CEO Ross Moloney said: “The responses we have received have been overwhelmingly positive. I would like to express my gratitude to the exhibitors, sponsors RRS Group and Royal Van Beest, the LEEA Board, our speakers, the hard working LEEA team for bringing the entire event together and all the visitors who attended for making LiftEx 2022 in Aberdeen such a success. Together, we represent a truly astounding global industry that wins the battle with gravity on a daily basis.”

LiftEx 2022 was the Association’s 17^th exhibition and the first after the pandemic lockdowns. The exhibition floor was packed with major lifting suppliers. “It was great to see attendees from multiple markets meeting LEEA members to discuss ways they can help achieve best lifting practice, as well as gaining vital lifting related knowledge and insights from our programme of speaker sessions, delivered by the LEEA team and industry experts,” said Ross Moloney.

One of the most positive and rewarding aspects of this year’s event was the LiftEx Industry Careers Day on 6 October 2022, organised with TechFest, a local specialist in the promotion of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) subjects, and Developing the Young Workforce (DYW), and organisation that makes it easier for employers to connect with students in schools and colleges across Scotland. Senior pupils aged 16-18, and their teachers, with an interest in learning more about the huge range of opportunities available to them in the lifting industry gathered at LiftEx and engaged with the industry professionals, global companies and organisations present at the event. They were able to gain career information, advice and guidance session for the students. Speakers from industry and partners from universities and the military introduced the students to learning opportunities and career routes. And after trying the interactive experiments, which are part of LEEA’s Think Lifting programme, the students explored the show hall to meet the exhibitors.

LiftEx 2023

LEEA is pleased to announce that LiftEx 2023 and the 5th Annual LEEA Awards will take place on the 21 & 22 of November at the Exhibition Centre Liverpool.

Sponsorship and Exhibition opportunities are now available. Requests will be dealt with on a first-come, first-served basis, so please contact Leah Phelps on +44 20 3488 2865 or at enquiries@L2Events.comto secure a sponsorship package or a prime position on the exhibition floor.

PDI President George Piscsalko presented the check to DFI Educational Trust Chair Rudy Frizzi, P.E., G.E., D. GE, of LANGAN, during the Awards Reception and banquet at DFI’s 47th Annual Conference on Deep Foundations in National Harbor, Maryland, on October 6.

Established in 2020, the fund honors the legacy of PDI founders George G. Goble, Frank Rausche and Garland E. Likins. The fund provides scholalrships to full-time undergraduate or graduate civil engineering, electrical engineering and computer science students attending any accredited college or university in the United States, and who demonstrate prior employment, co-op or intern experience with a civil engineering application.

“DFI is extremely thankful for Pile Dynamics’ support of the DFI Educational Trust,” says Theresa Engler, executive director of DFI. “The future of our industry depends on encouraging promising young engineers to consider careers in the deep foundations construction field. Through the generous support of DFI member companies such as PDI, the DFI Educational Trust has awarded more than $1,600,000 in scholarships to more than 450 students in fields of study related to the deep foundations industry.”

Donations to the Goble Rausche Likins Scholarship Fund can be made online at www.dfitrust.org.

About the DFI Educational Trust

The Deep Foundations Institute Educational Trust (www.dfitrust.org) is an independent, 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 2006 by the Deep Foundations Institute (DFI) as its charitable arm. The mission of the Trust is to support and encourage individuals in the fields of study related to the deep foundation industry by providing scholarships and opportunities to meet and work with deep foundation industry leaders.

 About the Deep Foundations Institute (DFI)

DFI (www.dfi.org) is an international association of contractors, engineers, suppliers, manufacturers, academics and owners in the deep foundations industry. Our multidisciplinary membership creates a consensus voice and a common vision for continual improvement in the planning, design and construction of deep foundations and excavations. We bring together members for networking, education, communication and collaboration. With our members, we promote the advancement of the deep foundations industry through technical committees, educational programs and conferences, publications, research, government relations and outreach. DFI has more than 4,000 members worldwide.

From 11 am to 4 pm, participants can visit dozens of different interactive stations presented by contractors, plumbers, electricians, iron workers, carpenters, and professionals in many other fields to explore and learn about their careers, skills and hobbies. Activities include a nail-driving contest and structural engineering station with an earthquake simulation to discover how buildings can be built to be more stable. Outside, the Museum’s West Lawn will transform into a “Petting Zoo” filled with construction equipment. Heavy machinery including a crane will be open for exploration.

A Tech Room will present augmented reality demonstrations, VR Experiences, and other immersive digital activities to engage older children and teens. Using a mobile phone, visitors will be able to download an app and try a VR activity from global engineering firm Walter P Moore, that changes structure type from steel to concrete to wood to determine the amount of energy needed to create those structures. The International Union of Elevator Constructors will have a VR simulator allowing participants to move a lift around a job site, something that is done daily across the country.

Younger visitors will be entertained and inspired by stories about design and construction in the Storytime Room, including learning how architects, carpenters and roofers must work together to build a house.

“We could not be more thrilled to have The Big Build return in person to the Great Hall,” said Aileen Fuchs, President and Executive Director of the Museum. “This event will engage kids and adults alike, giving them the literal tools to build a wide array of objects and inspire their curiosity about how we can all play a role in planning, creating, constructing and improving the places where we live, work and play.”

The Big Build is generously supported by Builder level sponsor Associated General Contractors of America; as well as The International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, HITT Contracting, The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company, DAVIS Construction, Lockton, DPR Construction, Walter P Moore, PRO Mid Atlantic, Dewberry Engineers Inc., Buro Happold, Coca-Cola Consolidated, National Ready Mixed Concrete Association. WETA Kids and Washington Parent Magazine are media sponsors.

ConstructReach is a workforce development company and social enterprise founded in 2018 by CEO Paul Robinson to encourage young people from diverse backgrounds to get interested in construction careers. ConstructReach launched the “I Built This!” campaign in conjunction with Target store builds and remodels throughout the country to expose more students to construction opportunities and experiences.

“I Built This!” Kansas City was held outside the Target store at 4375 North Chouteau Trafficway. Over 150 high school students from neighboring workforce development programs and school districts (including Oak Park High School, North Kansas City High School, Winnetonka High School and Staley High School) were invited to attend.

Students participated in elements of the Target stores’ remodel related to carpentry, plumbing, fixturing, design, technology and mechanics, plus received information from industry professionals about local training programs, schools, internships and job opportunities in the construction industry. In addition to KAI Build, industry participants also included KAI sister company The UP Companies (UPCO), Flooring Systems, Inc., Russell Construction Company, and the Mid-America Carpenters Regional Council.

“As construction professionals I believe we must be looking at the future of our business. The message to our local schools and students should be ‘you do not fall into a construction career, you choose a construction career’,” said KAI Build Director of Operations Gyasi Haynes. “For me, choosing to be a tradesman was the best decision I made after high school, and I am passionate about sharing this with the next generation of tradesmen and women.”

Minority-owned KAI Build and UPCO are currently working with Target to remodel stores in St. Louis and Kansas City, plus remodel a distribution center in Topeka, Kansas. In addition to being a major U.S. retailer, Target is also one of the nation’s largest commercial property owners and has a strong interest in ensuring that the construction teams that build their stores are as diverse as the communities in which they serve.

KAI continues to be leaders in the industry taking a proactive role in initiating and accomplishing diversity goals and participation in the workplace through events like “I Built This!”. Quality, diversity and providing opportunities for everyone is part of the culture at KAI and formalized in the company’s policies and best practices.

“The industry desperately needs more workers, particularly now when more and more Baby Boomers are retiring from the construction industry. We have a 20-year runway where there is going to be a super high demand for what we’re teaching students right here, right now through this event. If students are passionate about construction and have some talent there, they are going to do very well in life with a career in construction. The world needs them now,” said KAI Enterprises CEO Michael B. Kennedy, Jr.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, construction jobs will grow faster than the average for all other occupations from 2014 to 2024. Despite the apparent abundance of construction work, skilled trades, unions and construction companies continue to struggle to find qualified, workers, much less minority workers.

With more young people pursuing college degrees after high school, less are showing an interest in learning skilled trades and joining unions, opting for other jobs that typically pay less and require less skills. The construction consumer’s demand for quality, competitive pricing and a diverse workforce is increasing all the time.

KAI Enterprises

KAI Enterprises is a national design and build firm providing delivery-oriented building solutions with a diverse portfolio of experience, in-house multi-discipline professionals, and expertise in both design and construction delivery. Founded in 1980, KAI has grown into one of the largest minority-owned firms in the AEC industry. For more than 40 years, KAI has been instrumental in transforming communities through its expertise in residential, commercial, K-12, higher education, healthcare, science and technology, aviation, mobility, sports and entertainment, government, water and community-focused projects. KAI Enterprises is comprised of four distinct business units—KAI Design, KAI Engineering, KAI Build and KAI 360 Construction Services. To learn more about KAI, visit www.kai-db.com.

Nonprofit organizations are invited to apply in September for a Port of Long Beach Sponsorship, to fund community events and programs that in turn help inform residents about the Port.

Community groups may submit sponsorship applications online starting Thursday, Sept. 1, through 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30. No late submissions will be accepted. Due to the application review process, applicants need to plan well in advance for their events. Once the application period closes, a 60-day period is needed before the proposed sponsorships can be considered by the Board of Harbor Commissioners for approval.

Sponsorships for the September call are generally for events and projects taking place Dec. 1 and later. For our next call, in March 2023, sponsorships are generally for events and projects taking place June 1, 2023, and later.

Applications are judged on how effectively the proposed events and activities can help the Port inform the community of its critical role as an economic engine and job creator as well as audience reach and event size. For more information on the Port’s Community Sponsorship Program and how to apply, go to www.polb.com/sponsorship.

Last March, for the second call of fiscal year 2021-22, Harbor Commissioners awarded 179 sponsorships totaling $701,430 to community organizations advancing causes such as the arts, environment, social justice and historic preservation.

The Port of Long Beach is one of the world’s premier seaports, a gateway for trans-Pacific trade and a trailblazer in goods movement and environmental stewardship. As the second-busiest container seaport in the United States, the Port handles trade valued at more than $200 billion annually and supports 2.6 million trade-related jobs across the nation, including 575,000 in Southern California.

Traditional tobacco barns owe much of their charm to the imperfection of wood. Built primarily in the 1800s, their exteriors have become weathered, creating a darkened appearance. Meanwhile, wood on the interior has enjoyed protection from the elements and retains a bright tone. In addition to this characteristic tonal pattern, the structures’ exposed wood clearly shows its vertical grains. These simple buildings cut angular profiles against their backdrops of the verdant fields and glens of Kentucky.

Tasked with designing the new Convention Center for Owensboro, Kentucky, Brad McWhirter, AIA, dreamt of tying his modern architecture to the antique flavor of the region.

“We were trying to find a building typology and something to draw from that was a vernacular architecture of the area,” he said.

However, the picturesque tobacco barns that dot the surrounding farmland and define the area’s aesthetic roots could not simply be imitated ¬– their essential wood material would not perform for a modern community hub. A replacement was required, but what material could reflect woodgrain and match the right colors while providing exceptional architectural performance?

Matching Color with Performance

In addition to his aesthetic goals, McWhirter required Exterior Architectural Grade Class I performance. McWhirter considered a number of options, but he had no answers by the time he ran into a familiar face at a tradeshow. When the architect resurfaced the Louisiana Superdome after Hurricane Katrina, Lorin Industries supplied 365,000SF of anodized aluminum, carefully color-matched to the original hue of the historic stadium.

“He was saying, ‘I’ve got another project and I have this theme in mind and a light-dark concept,’” says Phil Pearce, Vice President of Global Sales and Marketing, Lorin Industries, Inc. “‘Let me just see what you have.’”

Coil anodized aluminum offers a unique set of benefits to architects in the market for something very specific. Controlling the oxidation process through continuous coil anodizing creates a clear, translucent aluminum oxide layer that shows off the beauty of the natural metal. The resulting anodic layer can be colored, with the continuous coil process delivering a consistent tone. Lorin created a number of samples in different colors and finishes, like darker bronzes in mill finishes for McWhirter, in their lab. In the end, Black Matt® Long Line Brushed and Clear Matt® Long Line Brushed finishes – for the exterior and interior, respectively – matched the architect’s vision. Lorin measured the three-dimensional colors of the specified samples using the Hunter L, A, and B scales, ran a trial run, and then began processing the product, which they were able to do with color control across all the material throughout the entire manufacturing process. Delta E measures the difference between colors on a scale from 0 and 100. For the project’s production runs, Lorin achieved high color consistency with a Delta E of just 1.5.

Emulating Woodgrain with Anodized Aluminum

However, to truly emulate the tobacco barns, more than just color would have to match. Integrating the material into the sleek design while revealing a wood-like texture required careful coordination with the panel manufacturer.

“Back when I used to sell wood, when you change the grain it creates a flashing effect where two identical products can look dissimilar because of the angle of light reflection,” Pearce said. The Long Line Brushed finish of the anodized aluminum reflects light in much the same way textured wood does –”While not trying to be wood, it does have a texture you can feel,” Pearce said.

This was a feature for McWhirter, who appreciated the long grains in the reference architecture, but incorrectly manufactured or installed panels could defeat the effect.

“We tried to create this smooth, vertical finish that would allow the building to feel like these vertical panels are very similar to the vertical woodgraining of the barns,” McWhirter said.

Sharp, angular wings mark the North and South ends of the Convention Center, posing a particular challenge to ensure a consistent vertical grain look. Charged with fabricating hundreds of panels with ranging lengths that required an angle, panel manufacturer MetalTech-U.S.A. had not worked with anodized aluminum before the project. As anodized aluminum experts, Lorin confirmed with MetalTech to roll-form panels in the direction of the grain created during the coil anodizing process, ensuring a consistent finish. These pieces fit tightly into a seamless smooth exterior, achieving the angularity of the buildings that inspired the structure, while ensuring the effect of grain was not lost.

“When the sun hits [the panels],” McWhirter said with a smile, “there’s this vertical reflection, very similar to some of those woodgrains you see on the tobacco barns.”

As Barns Fade, This Project Stands

In all, Lorin supplied coil anodized aluminum for 170,000SF of interior and exterior paneling, allowing the project to successfully reinterpret the region’s historic barns with tonal and textural flair while protecting the project with high-performance material. Unlike the structures that inspired the award-winning Owensboro Convention Center’s design though, it will not fade with time. Instead, it is built for durability. The crystalline aluminum oxide layer on the panels belongs to the same family of gemstones as sapphire, and is second only to diamonds in terms of hardness. Architectural Grade Class I panels provide at least .007 inches of anodic layer for increased protection and greater longevity. Unlike paint or coatings, the anodized later does not chip, flake, or peel, and does not require special cleaning solvents. So, while wood could not have succeeded for the project, the project will stand as a durable testament to the humble architecture that inspired its design – and will continue to inspire pride in the local community.

“We couldn’t use wood as the exterior, but [the design picks] up on some of that color palette that you see, where the black woods [are] on the exterior of the barns, and the interiors, which weren’t as weathered and have lighter wood,” McWhirter said. “It was something that was rooted in place in Kentucky.”

Phil Pearce is the Vice President of Global Sales and Marketing for Lorin Industries, Inc. In this role, Pearce oversees strategic domestic and international sales and marketing for Lorin.

There’s one question every engineer asks, every day: “Who made this change?”

Fast and clear communication has always been at the center of logistics. Today, communication is instantaneous between unlimited parties, but that speed can hopelessly tangle information in complex processes. For design and construction professionals in particular, QA/QC can feel like a minefield of notes, changes and checks they must cross together. For large projects, companies might require thousands of hours for QA/QC, and then hundreds more to check on compliance to their own processes.

Steve Tissier, P.E., is a Structural Engineer at American Consulting Professionals. One of Tissier’s tasks at a previous company was to develop a more efficient QA/QC process, something that took full advantage of Bluebeam technology and was more than a digital facsimile of the company’s “old school” pen and paper process, according to Tissier. They were already beginning to use Bluebeam Revu, but only to replicate their existing process in the digital environment. While this was an improvement, they still were not taking full advantage of the suite of tools in Revu, such as custom statuses and the Markups List.

Tissier took a two-pronged approach to the problem. First, there was the matter of tracking and communicating changes in a simple manner, and then there was the review to ensure that the QA/QC process was actually followed and completed. As it turns out, the solution to the second problem was built into the first, and simply awaiting the right technology.

Tissier identified that the first problem wasn’t simply a matter of organizing information so much as it was the waiting on the current step to complete before starting the next. As Tissier described it, the problem was that QA/QC was a “linear, finish/start relationship where step three can’t start until step two is finished, because the reviewer has the physical copy or the file is locked.” To eliminate the wait, Tissier looked to Bluebeam Studio Sessions, which enables a concurrent workflow as numerous parties work simultaneously on a single document—which leads to faster completions. In Studio, the documents had a “start/start relationship,” where numerous QA/QC hands at every step could be instantly alerted to changes and approvals, and could collaborate without losing track of the status of any particular change.

However, this required that every collaborator use the same system of custom statuses, so Tissier developed custom statuses to track each step of the QC process for each comment. Tissier’s goal was a QC process that “reduced the need for additional markups that specified what step of the process a comment is on. Now, you have just one comment that gets updated through the lifecycle of a QC.” Using Tissier’s process, the color of a comment automatically changes to a unique color when the participant updates the status of that comment. This enabled the status of a comment to be tracked both graphically on the drawing and textually in the Markups List Status column in Revu.

Tissier’s approach worked extraordinarily well upon implementation, as six-day QC schedules were regularly completed in four,  and “in one case, nine days were scheduled for the QC process, but the work was completed in five,” Tissier explained.

Tracking all of these changes in a digital environment created the answer to the second challenge of ensuring process compliance. Tissier took the metadata of every change, which included who did what step of the QC process and at what time and day, and put that into an Excel spreadsheet tool of his own design. The result, according to Tissier, was a tool that would “run through a thousand comments and check them all to make sure that the process was done correctly in a matter of seconds, as opposed to someone taking hours or days going through to verify that the QC process was properly followed. This tool essentially guaranteed 100% compliance with the QC process, which really can’t be done without something like it. Overall, these changes led to savings anywhere from 10% to 30% on the QC time and budget.”

In a live poll that Tissier did with engineers at the 2019 Bluebeam Extreme Conference, the audience reported that the “majority of them had company-specific QC processes, but only 40% said they truly follow the process, and 95% said they wished the process was better.” Tissier’s methods, which he’s presented twice at Bluebeam Extreme, have been implemented by many other design and construction professionals looking to make their QC process more efficient and reliable. As Tissier described it, “Architects, engineers, contractors, we all do QC. We all have to review documents to make sure that they’re correct. So, it’s a universal process and that’s a universal tool that can be applied to any of the three AEC industries.”

Bluebeam Studio creates a shared digital environment for project design and review, but like all tools, it’s only as effective as the user. For Tissier, Studio was an opportunity to completely rethink the traditional QA/QC process, using technology to push his entire industry a step forward.

The concept of global positioning is not a new one. Launched by the US Department of Defense in 1973 and first made available for public and commercial use in the mid-90s, Global Positioning Systems (GPS) have become nearly ubiquitous in the era of smart phones and mobile technology. Now, most automobiles, smart watches and surveillance equipment carry GPS capabilities, and the advancement of rideshare apps has only increased the general population’s acquaintance with the concept. In the last several years, the construction industry has also been making good use of geolocation to capture a variety of jobsite data to drive efficiency and information sharing among project stakeholders.

“[Geolocation] in the construction sense involves [delivering] data to help people in the field make decisions they need to make,” says Hensel Phelps VDC Manager Will Plato. “Whether this is from a phasing standpoint, different operations, all the way to safety factors, to me this is what ‘geolocation’ means. We can take this info and have it available on mobile devices and tablets so when we are standing out in the field we [know] what is around us.” Plato’s belief that this data can have a very positive effect on real-time decision-making is being echoed throughout industry as geolocation is becoming an applicable technology on a wider basis.

Laser scanning, drone and photo capture, and QA/QC are all different pieces of the geolocation puzzle; which is ultimately aimed at collecting big data and making it available on the jobsite. “Laser scanning has always been a huge factor in our coordination. We’re getting more of that precise information and this allows the geolocation to happen on the [planning] side, where you’re dealing with real-world data as you coordinate systems, validate installs, and recognize changes that you need to adapt to,” says Plato.

Geolocated photos are another way GPS technology has made a huge impact on the jobsite. This allows the user to integrate the location of an image directly into the project plan. “In this last year, we’ve been able to take the technology of 3600 photos located on documents and models to employ artificial intelligence and machine learning to understand how our site is progressing,” explains Plato. “We can establish positions throughout the life of the job and we can always go back and do a comparison. This offers a platform on mobile devices so your field can instantly look at the info in the 3D model and validate the progress in the field and get a feel for what’s in that design.”

Having the locations mapped out for the lifetime of a project is also a huge benefit when it comes to communication with clients or project designers, in the sense that real-time coordination can be visualized by owners. “That can be the handover deliverable we can push forward,” says Plato. This is beneficial in the avenues of safety, materials tracking, and even site progress. “Quantities associated, being extracted and compared on the back end, materials tracking; it’s a great way to act as a QA/QC concept when we are trending our progression. It is coming to the point where we can use it to go gut check ourselves.”

The advent of geolocation capabilities and data is simply offering a new platform to send and receive more accurate and detailed information than previous data capture methods, yielding a more interactive and fluid result. “We aren’t really changing our process, we are [just] able to do more with it,” concludes Plato.

The city of El Paso, Texas lies on the tip of the Chihuahuan desert, and it is not uncommon for a year’s worth of rain to occur in a matter of days during the summer. These rain events have caused serious damage throughout the city for years, and the flooding has always been particularly bad in the Chihuahuita historic district. In 2006, after a 100-year flood, Chihuahuita formed a stormwater utility to address the flooding issues and hired an engineering firm, CEA Group, to conduct a drainage study with the goal to reduce the impact of these storm events.

Scope

CEA Group determined that the flooding in El Paso was directly linked to high water levels in the Rio Grande River during heavy rains. Storm sewer inlets that were added in the past in an attempt to drain the area were connected to a system that drained a watershed at a higher elevation, causing the runoff from upstream storms to create a backup in the drainage system, flooding the Chihuahuita neighborhood.

A new pump station was determined to be the best solution to control the river water level and subsequently prevent the flooding. However, the solution would be difficult because the neighborhood did not have the footprint or the funding for a conventional stormwater pumping station.

The stormwater utility required the pump station to function both while the river is low (or at normal level) and also while the river is at the flood stage.

The design would need to be able to overcome these restrictions by utilizing a siphon when the river is low and the full pump horsepower while the river is at its normal level.

In 2012, a representative from Flygt distributor James, Cooke and Hobson, Inc. (JCH), contacted Flygt for assistance. With input

from CEA Group, JCH and Flygt engineers, a pump station design was developed that could function properly when the space requirements were less than the recommended Hydraulic Institute Standards for high volume pump stations.

Solution

The project required the design of a pump station that would be able to efficiently transport the stormwater and utilize the smallest footprint possible. The Flygt axial flow propeller pumps PL7061 were selected due to their high efficiency and low power consumption. The design also utilized Flygt Formed Suction Intake (FSI) devices to ensure optimal pump inlet hydraulic conditions. In addition, this configuration allowed a more constant pumping condition regardless of the river level.

The Flygt FSI is an inlet device that provides optimal inflow to the axial flow propeller pump by gradually accelerating and redirecting the flow toward the pump inlet. Its primary function is to condition the incoming flow into a uniform profile and redirect it. By providing a reliable pump intake in limited space, the Flygt FSI is able to achieve a more economical pump station solution with a smaller footprint and better hydraulic performance than with standard inlet devices.

With a pumping capacity of 27,000 gallons per minute (GPM), the station can handle 100-year storm events. By utilizing siphoning methods, the city was able to accommodate the large swing in river elevations, allowing the station to operate at both high and low river levels.

The pump station project included storm drain improvements and the relocation of numerous existing water and sewer lines serving the downtown area.

Result

In 2012, torrential rains hit the Chihuahuita historic district of El Paso, and this time the results were different. With the new pump station in place and functioning well, flooding was not an issue, bringing much-needed relief to this historic area.

Unlike previous versions of HeliCAP, version 3 is cloud-based and can be instantly accessed from any web-connected device. Users of previous versions of HeliCAP will notice some familiar tools have been enhanced. Improvements include:

• Allowing collaborators to view or edit shared jobs
• Ability to create up to 10 soil profiles in a single job
• Better correlation between blow count and soil profile

With the largest network in North America, local distributors of CHANCE® helical piles are available to assist engineers and installers with helical pile projects through their knowledge of local soil profiles, technical and engineering support, and reduced lead times with local, ready-to-ship inventory.

CHANCE helical piles are used worldwide to secure residential and commercial buildings, tower foundations, heavy equipment foundations and many other deep foundation applications. Engineered for dependability and long-term stability, HPS’ foundation solutions feature exclusive anchoring techniques, tools, designs and sizes to suit a broad range of applications.

The software is available to use instantly at no charge. Visit https://www.hpsapps.com/helicap to create an account.

By Richard McLain, PE, SE and Scott Breneman, PhD, PE, SE

This is Part 2 of a three-part paper on fire design written to support architects and engineers exploring the use of mass timber for commercial and multi-family construction.

Comparing Construction Types

As noted in Part 1, selection of construction type for mass timber projects is one of the more significant design considerations. Table 4 summarizes the main differences between Types III, IV and V, as well as the different types of wood systems permitted in each. These allowances are shown in IBC Section 602, Table 601 and Section 2304.11.

When looking to maximize the code’s current allowances in terms of building size for mass timber structures, considering the differences between Type III-A and IV construction is important. For example:

• Type IV does not allow concealed spaces in floor or roof assemblies (e.g., dropped ceilings, soffits, chases, etc.), but 1-hour fire resistance-rated interior partitions are permitted. All other construction types including III-A allow concealed spaces. Note that requirements for sprinklers and draft stopping/fire blocking apply within concealed spaces per IBC Section 718 and the applicable NFPA sprinkler standard.
• Except for exterior bearing walls, Type IV does not require demonstration of fire-resistance ratings for structural elements. This is a requirement for all other construction types including III-A (but only when a fire-resistance rating is required).
• Type IV construction allows the use of CLT in exterior walls; Type III does not.

Table 5 illustrates these differences and others for a group B occupancy building.

The requirements of Type IV construction to have no concealed spaces in floors or roofs and for all interior partition walls to be solid wood or 1-hour rated can significantly impact its utility for some applications. The alternative of using Type III construction (or Type V where building size permits) avoids this limitation; however, the processes for demonstrating fire-resistance ratings also vary between Type IV and Types III and V. Methods for meeting fire-resistance rating requirements for mass timber elements in buildings other than Type IV construction are the focus of the rest of this paper.

Methods to Demonstrate Fire-Resistance Ratings of Mass Timber

When a mass timber building element or assembly is required to have a fire-resistance rating, IBC Section 703.2 requires the rating to be determined by testing in accordance with ASTM E 119 (or UL 263) or via one of six alternatives listed in IBC Section 703.3:

The required fire resistance of a building element, component or assembly shall be permitted to be established by any of the following methods or procedures:

1. Fire-resistance designs documented in approved sources
2. Prescriptive designs of fire-resistance-rated building elements, components or assemblies as prescribed in Section 721
3. Calculations in accordance with Section 722
4. Engineering analysis based on a comparison of building element, component or assemblies designs having fire-resistance ratings as determined by the test procedures set forth in ASTM E119 or UL 263
5. Alternative protection methods as allowed by Section 104.11
6. Fire-resistance designs certified by an approved agency

These alternatives are options when the exact assembly has not been tested per ASTM E 119 and a test report is therefore not available. They are all founded on ASTM E 119 testing.

There are currently limited options for fire resistance-rated mass timber assemblies from approved sources (e.g., Gypsum Association GA-600, American Wood Council’s Design for Code Acceptance 3 – Fire Resistance-Rated Wood Floor and Wall Assemblies, [DCA 3]) or certification agencies (e.g., UL listings). However, an increasing number of assemblies have been tested according to the ASTM E119 standard and are available publicly or on request from manufacturers. The number of available tested assemblies can be expanded using comparative engineering analysis described in Item 4 of IBC Section 703.3. Such an analysis, which seeks to justify the fire-resistance rating of an assembly or component similar to one that has passed an E119 test, can be performed by a fire protection engineer.

Item 3 of IBC Section 703.3, which permits the use of calculations in accordance with Section 722, is also frequently used to demonstrate the fire-resistance rating of exposed mass timber. IBC Section 722.1 states: The calculated fire resistance of exposed wood members and wood decking shall be permitted in accordance with Chapter 16 of ANSI/AWC National Design Specification® for Wood Construction (NDS®). Chapter 16 of the NDS can be used to calculate up to a 2-hour fire-resistance rating for a variety of exposed wood members including solid sawn, glulam, SCL, and CLT.

ASTM E119 Testing Method

According to Section 4.2 of ASTM E119-18, the fire test procedure is intended to do the following:

The test exposes a test specimen to a standard fire controlled to achieve specified temperatures throughout a specified time period. When required, the fire exposure is followed by the application of a specified standard fire hose stream applied in accordance with Practice E2226. The test provides a relative measure of the fire-test-response of comparable building elements under these fire exposure conditions. The exposure is not representative of all fire conditions because conditions vary with changes in the amount, nature and distribution of fire loading, ventilation, compartment size and configuration, and heat sink characteristics of the compartment. Variation from the test conditions or test specimen construction, such as size, materials, method of assembly, also affects the fire-test-response. For these reasons, evaluation of the variation is required for application to construction in the field.

Successful fire tests have been completed on numerous mass timber elements and assemblies, achieving fire-resistance ratings of 3 hours or more. Additional tests by manufacturers and others are ongoing. Most tests are conducted according to ASTM E119 or its Canadian equivalent, ULC S101. Both utilize the same time-temperature curve and performance criteria and, as such, ULC S101 fire tests are usually acceptable to U.S. building officials. However, each project’s building official should be consulted if choosing this design route.

To help building designers compare options, WoodWorks has compiled a web-based inventory of completed mass timber fire tests. The Inventory of Fire Resistance-Tested Mass Timber Assemblies & Penetrations as new tests become available, and can be found at https://bit.ly/2FRwAPG.

Calculation-Based Method

As referenced in IBC Section 722.1, NDS Chapter 16 can be used to calculate the structural fire-resistance rating of various wood products, including solid sawn, glulam, SCL, and CLT.

As noted by Douglas and Smart in Structure magazine (July 2014), “The design procedure allows calculation of the capacity of exposed wood members using basic wood engineering mechanics. Actual mechanical and physical properties of the wood are used, and member capacity is directly calculated for a given period of time—up to 2 hours. Section properties are computed assuming an effective char depth, βeff, at a given time, t. Reductions of strength and stiffness of wood directly adjacent to the char layer are addressed by accelerating the char rate by 20 percent. Average member strength properties are approximated from existing accepted procedures used to calculate design properties. Finally, wood members are designed using accepted engineering procedures found in NDS for allowable stress design.”

The American Wood Council’s (AWC’s) Technical Report 10 – Calculating the Fire Resistance of Wood Members and Assemblies (TR 10) provides an in-depth explanation of the concepts and background associated with exposed wood fire design. This document also includes a number of design examples for exposed structural wood members utilizing the provisions of NDS Chapter 16.

Structural Design Calculations under Fire Conditions

When utilizing the char calculation option of NDS Chapter 16 to demonstrate fire-resistance ratings, a structural design check must also be done to determine structural adequacy of framing members under fire conditions. One of the main benefits of the char calculation method is that it accounts for the ability that heavy and mass timber have to form a char zone, which insulates the remaining wood cross-section, allowing it to retain structural capacity.

NDS Section 16.2.2 states that, under fire design conditions, the average member strength can be approximated by multiplying reference design values such as Fb by the adjustment factors specified in Table 16.2.2. As indicated in Table 7, an increase in allowable design stresses by a factor of 2.03 to 2.85 is allowed, depending on the stress under consideration.

For example, a 6-3/4-inch x 13-1/2-inch glulam beam with an unadjusted allowable bending stress of 2,400 psi would first be checked for all structural loading conditions and limit states (bending, shear deflection, vibration and others as applicable) using the full cross-sectional dimensions and adjustment factors per NDS Chapter 5. If this beam were required to have a 1-hour fire-resistance rating (perhaps as a floor beam in a Type V-A structure) then its effective char depth on all three exposed sides would be 1.8 inches (per NDS Table 16.2.1A). Its cross-sectional dimensions under fire conditions would be:

Width = 6.75″ – (2)(1.8″) = 3.15″

Depth = 13.5″ – 1.8″ = 11.7″

This reduced cross-section would then be checked under fire conditions, with allowable design stresses increased by the factors given in NDS Table 16.2.2. For example, a 2.85 increase factor could be applied to allowable bending stresses. AWC’s TR 10 provides design examples for a number of exposed timber applications under fire conditions.

The stress adjustment factor, K, to increase the reference design stress is for use when performing a structural capacity check under the fire load condition with allowable stress design (ASD) load combinations (e.g., D + L, etc.). This stress adjustment factor is not intended to be used with load and resistance factor design (LRFD) load combinations, including those intended for extraordinary events such as in ASCE 7-16 Section 2.5.

Appendix A of TR 10 provides design tools for beams and columns of solid sawn, glulam or SCL materials under fire design scenarios using the char calculation provisions of NDS Chapter 16. Table A1 provides a method to quickly check if a beam exposed on three sides passes the structural fire condition check provided the designer knows the beam’s size and maximum demand to capacity ratio (Rs) under the required non-fire condition using ASD load combinations. Table A2 provides a similar design table for columns exposed on all four sides.

For more information, the complete paper can be downloaded from the WoodWorks website, along with an Inventory of Fire Resistance-Tested Mass Timber Assemblies and Penetrations.

WoodWorks – Wood Products Council provides free technical support as well as education and resources related to the code-compliant design of commercial and multi-family wood buildings. A non-profit organization staffed with architects, structural engineers and construction experts, WoodWorks has the expertise to assist with all aspects of wood building. For assistance with a project, visit www.woodworks.org/project-assistance or email help@woodworks.org.

By Amy Heffner

A Massive Reconstruction Initiative

The only east-west interstate through Birmingham central business district, the I-59/I-20 interchange is Alabama’s heaviest traveled corridor, accommodating more than 160,000 vehicles per day. Built in the 1960s, the six-lane divided highway has minimal shoulder width and has more than tripled its original traffic capacity. As a result, more than 600 accidents have occurred within the past four years. The infrastructure has become functionally obsolete, with structurally deficient bridges and inefficient roadway alignment. To improve functionality, safety, and overall capacity of the 3.5-mile city interchange, the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) initiated a USD 750 million reconstruction project.

“This is the largest amount of money and largest amount of traffic ALDOT has ever dealt with in one place,” said John Cooper, director at ALDOT.

The massive renovation included construction work for 36 bridges, roadway widening, and utility work. Subject to a fast-paced schedule, the project presented numerous coordination challenges and changes in the overall design scheme. ALDOT Visualization Group was tasked with coordinating data access and information exchange among multiple offices and utilities, as well as communicating with the public and stakeholders, to quickly deliver an accurate 3D model that could be provided to contractors for precise cost estimates. These models were then referenced to complete phased construction within 14 months.

Collaborative Digital Engineering

To optimize information exchange and meet the fast-paced schedule, ALDOT implemented a collaborative 3D BIM process. With no precedent for developing the digital engineering model, the team relied on Bentley’s integrated 3D design, collaboration, and visualization applications to facilitate the BIM strategy. ALDOT first modeled the existing site and infrastructure from more than 2.3 million data survey points using Descartes and MicroStation®. Then, they established an open, connected data environment using ProjectWise as the collaborative platform to seamlessly share and exchange models and information. The team used OpenRoads to create the digital terrain models and StormCAD, CulvertMaster, and FlowMaster to address drainage and utilities design. All 3D models were imported into MicroStation for design verification and clash detection to generate a comprehensive 3D model.

To support precise cost estimation and lower bids for the project, it was critical that the 3D digital engineering model include accurate and timely data to support multiple uses. ProjectWise allowed designers, department heads, drafters, reviewers, and consulting teams to have real-time, electronic access to all project files, and ensured that everyone was working on the right data. The software provided an open, connected data environment to streamline information exchange throughout the project lifecycle, accelerating accurate, integrated 3D modeling.

“This was the biggest game changer. Using ProjectWise for data and information exchange worked fantastic,” said Matt Taylor, P.E., state engineer at ALDOT.

Model accuracy also played a critical role in avoiding construction delays. Using Bentley’s 3D engineering design and construction analysis applications enabled ALDOT to identify potential issues and potential construction delays before the project broke ground, eliminating costly on-site errors and keeping the project on schedule. Integrating LumenRT to produce and present animated renderings of the 3D model through Live Cubes to city officials, stakeholders, and the public brought visualization and understanding of project impact, alleviating concerns and accelerating project approval.

Maximizing Model Potential

ALDOT sought to maximize the potential of the digital engineering model for multiple uses, including visualization, design checks, construction analysis, clash detection, right-of-way (ROW) negotiation, lawsuits, and aesthetics. Using the 3D model facilitated design verification, which allowed the team to check horizontal and vertical clearances and bridge elevations and identify exposed footings and elevation issues prior to construction. Utility companies examined the model to ensure there were no clashes. Utilities are a critical element in any construction project and ALDOT invested millions into locating and relocating them. Having a visual 3D representation of the utility infrastructure enabled ALDOT to perform clash detection. For instance, the model showed one of the utility companies that the new roadway would not adversely impact their equipment, preventing expensive utility relocation. Overall, the ability to perform clash analysis on the 3D model using MicroStation resulted in ALDOT identifying more than 1,100 design and construction clashes.

“One great thing is that we were able to provide everything to the contractors to pre-bid. Every contractor that bid got a full 3D model,” Taylor explained. As ALDOT’s first project submitting 3D models for bidding, model accuracy was significant to support precise cost estimation and meet the organization’s goal of lowering construction bids. Using Bentley’s integrated modeling technology accelerated design and improved quality to deliver accurate models to construction bidders for more informed cost and time estimates. The contractors maximized usability of the BIM model by clicking on specific items within the model to determine precise quantities for creating cost estimates.

Lastly, the 3D BIM model along with Bentley’s reality modeling technology maximized visualization potential necessary to demonstrate project impact to all stakeholders and the public. With Live Cubes in LumenRT, ALDOT generated animated renderings that facilitated visual understanding of the design and its effect on the surrounding environment and community to optimize ROW negotiations and enable more informed decision making.

Integrated Applications Deliver Savings

This highly sensitive project had to be designed quickly, efficiently, and accurately. Using Bentley’s design and collaboration applications allowed all parties to achieve this goal and save millions. ProjectWise established an open, connected data environment that helped consulting firms save tens of thousands of hours creating the 3D models to meet the rigorous scheduling demands of the project. The collaborative software provided inspectors and contractors real-time access to design files on tablets, eliminating lengthy meetings and manual review and workflows, saving hundreds of hours. Coordinating information sharing through ProjectWise saved ALDOT an estimated USD 50,000 and 40,000 resource hours.

“MicroStation clash detection was hands down the most effective technology utilized in the project,” commented Taylor. ALDOT saved over USD 10 million by implementing this software feature. The reports generated from this BIM review methodology allowed designers to fix costly design and construction errors prior to project bidding, ensuring utilities were properly located and eliminating construction change orders. Having an automated and optimal design review process avoided construction delays and reduced construction time by 65 days.

Integrating LumenRT with MicroStation visualization capabilities allowed ALDOT to provide dynamic visual representation of the project rather than traditional 2D drawings to optimize project understanding. This facilitated public and stakeholder communication as well as saved ALDOT USD 2 million in lawsuits filed based on misinterpretation of ROW lines. The animated renderings demonstrated how ROW lines were not only legitimate but also improved surrounding properties.

Rejuvenating Downtown Birmingham

Currently under construction, the project continues to use ProjectWise as the method for sharing and exchanging information in real time with on-site teams through mobile devices. The 3D BIM model produced with Bentley’s digital design applications enabled ALDOT to effectively convey the design to the people of Birmingham, meeting its responsibility to the public to not only build safe infrastructure but also save the public money. Bentley provided ALDOT an integrated technology solution to meet developmental needs of the city of Birmingham while reducing environmental impact by minimizing noise levels in the developed urban area. The new, structurally safe and functional roadway infrastructure provides better interstate access by consolidating ramp locations, creating an area for improved park space beneath the bridges.

This mega-reconstruction project is reuniting the north and south sides of central Birmingham where they once were divided by the urban I-59/I-20 interstate. It has provided the catalyst for rejuvenating Birmingham with the new City Walk initiative, which will add parks, walking paths, cafes, and music venues, increasing commerce and economic growth within the community.

Project Summary

Organization:  Alabama Department of Transportation

Solution: Roads and Highways

Location: Birmingham, Alabama, United States

Project Objectives:

• To implement digital workflows to coordinate information exchange and meet the 14-month construction schedule for the reconstruction of Alabama’s I-59/I-20 corridor.
• To develop an accurate 3D BIM model to optimize design and cost estimates.
• To effectively convey design and project impact to stakeholders and the public.

Products Used:

CulvertMaster, Descartes, FlowMaster, LumenRT, MicroStation, OpenRoads, ProjectWise, StormCAD

FAST FACTS:

• ALDOT initiated a USD 750 million reconstruction project to improve safety and functionality of the I-59/I-20 interchange in central Birmingham.
• The visualization group delivered a 3D digital engineering model for multiple uses to meet the 14-month construction schedule.

ROI:

• Using ProjectWise to coordinate information exchange streamlined workflows among the numerous consultants to save 36 days in delivery time.
• Performing clash detection in MicroStation identified 1,100 errors, saving USD 10 million and 65 days in construction time.
• Bentley’s integrated applications enabled ALDOT to produce an interactive 3D model for contractors to optimize cost estimates.
  

  ---

  Amy Heffner is a manager of civil product marketing at Bentley Systems, focused on the promotion of Bentley’s civil design applications, including OpenBridge, OpenRail, OpenRoads, and OpenSite.

Brian Lemay, Research Assistant Intern, National Ready Mixed Concrete Association

Credit: 1 LU/HSW

Course Number: ZG082019CS

Sponsored by:

Course Overview:

Concrete is the material of choice for the tallest buildings in the world and infrastructure designed to last centuries. To meet demands for these cutting-edge projects, concrete must be stronger, more durable and more workable than ever before. This article explores how new products, manufacturing methods and research are developing innovative concretes to meet these new challenges. Bendable concrete, smog eating concrete and carbon capture are just a few examples of new technologies enhancing a product that is nearly 5,000 years in development.

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand new technologies used in concrete manufacturing

2. Discover how innovative concrete products can improve project performance

3. Learn how to implement the latest concrete innovations in building and infrastructure projects

4. Demonstrate the importance of incorporating new technologies to enhance resilience and sustainability in the built environment

Introduction

What do the Jubilee Church and the Pantheon have in common? They are both places of worship in Rome. But besides that, they are both built with innovative concrete. The Romans mastered the use of concrete 2,000 years ago to build some of the most iconic structures ever built. Although different than today’s concrete, Roman concrete used the same principals, combining aggregate with a hydraulic binder. The aggregate included pieces of rock, ceramic tile and brick rubble often recycled from demolished buildings. Volcanic ash, called pozzolana, was the favored binder where it was available. Gypsum and quicklime were used as binders also. And even 3,000 years before, the Egyptians used a form of concrete made with mud and straw to build the pyramids. Today of course, most concrete is made with portland cement, invented in 1824, and combined with high quality quarried aggregate. Most modern concrete is augmented with innovative products and additives to enhance both plastic and hardened properties.

Innovative supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) such as fly ash, slag cement and silica fume are used to increase strength, durability and workability. Chemical admixtures affect set time, freeze thaw resistance and flowability. Tiny fibers are added to increase ductility and control cracking. Carbon dioxide is injected into concrete to improve strength and capture greenhouse gasses. Some enhancements actually scrub pollutants from the surface of concrete and from the surrounding atmosphere which is what makes the concrete on the Jubilee Church so innovative. The exterior curved surfaces are coated with titanium dioxide (TiO₂) cement which eats smog, helping to keep the surface clean.

Concrete is the most widely used building product in the world. It’s mostly made locally with local materials. It’s cost effective, available everywhere, strong and durable. Although conventional concrete can tackle most jobs, it is also the material of choice for the tallest buildings in the world and infrastructure designed to last centuries. Although concrete is not always synonymous with innovation, new products and manufacturing methods are enhancing concretes performance to tackle modern challenges. This article explores some of these latest innovations.

Self-cleaning Concrete

Imagine concrete that can clean itself and even the surrounding air of harmful pollutants. That’s what concrete made with titanium dioxide (TiO₂) can do. The function of TiO₂ cement is to break down harmful pollutants in the air via a reaction catalyzed by light, or photocatalysis due to titanium dioxide which is added to the cement during its production. This capability of TiO₂ cements was inspired by the ability of certain microbes to break down harmful chemicals by modifying their oxidation state, also through photocatalysis. However, in photocatylitic cements the reaction is carried out by the titanium whereas microbes rely on natural enzymes. The cement breaks down organic as well as inorganic pollutants, and it is intended to be used for projects in urban centers where air pollution and poor air quality are most pronounced.

An example of how TiO₂ cements break down pollutants can be seen in its conversion of nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), a harmful compound mostly produced by burning fuels in cars and trucks. Nitrogen dioxide is one of the compounds responsible for acid rain, smog, respiratory problems and staining of buildings and pavements. The reaction with sunlight produces hydroxyl radicals which react with NO₂ to produce NO₃ which is dissolved by water after reacting with the cement surface.

Research data of TX Active®, a TiO₂ cement marketed by Lehigh Hanson (a division of HeidelbergCement Group) in the US, indicates that “up to 50% of these atmospheric pollutants could be reduced in some cities if only 15% of the buildings and roads were resurfaced with TX Active® cement.” TX Active® was first used for the curved panels on the Jubilee church (also known as Dives in Misericordia Church) in Rome, which used the photocatalytic cement panels for its stylistic shells. Since then, Italcementi (a division of HeidelbergCement Group) has dedicated decades of research to photocatalytic cement products. This cement is promising in its potential to greatly improve urban life and the environment.

Case Study: Jubilee Church, Rome, Italy

According to architects Richard Meier and partners, the Jubilee Church in Rome was “conceived as part of Pope John Paul II’s millennium initiative to rejuvenate parish life within Italy.” The project consists of the church itself as well as both secular housing and housing for the clergy. The church is most easily distinguished by the three large concrete shells which are meant to represent the Holy Trinity. Given the symbolic importance of the shells, their appearance is an absolute priority. Thus, due to the fact that the shells need to remain in pristine condition, it was only natural that “self-cleaning” TX Active® photocatalytic concrete was used to ensure that the shells would not accumulate stains due to smog. Completed in 2003, the photocatalytic shells have notably remained clean and white, performing constant self-maintenance.

Bendable Concrete

Bendable concrete presents an efficient alternative primarily in the construction and maintenance of infrastructure, where concrete is subject to harsh weather conditions and extreme loading. The design which gives bendable concrete, or engineered cementitious composite (ECC), its impressive ductility is based off nacre, the substance that coats the inside of abalone shells. Nacre is composed of small aragonite platelets that are held together by natural polymers, allowing it to be both hard and flexible as platelets are free to slide side to side under stress. This effect is mimicked in bendable concrete by dispersing tiny fibers throughout. Victor C. Li of the University of Michigan, where ECC was first researched and invented, states that bendable concrete “can deform up to 3 to 5 percent in tension before it fails, which gives it 300 to 500 times more tensile strain capacity than normal concrete”. It is of course this incredible ability to tolerate tensile strain that makes bendable concrete unique.

This enormous increase in ductility suggests various potential applications. Firstly, in roads as well as other paved surfaces which must bear repeated loading of heavy vehicles, bendable concrete would crack less often, preventing further weathering primarily from road salts which corrodes steel reinforcement. Further, due to ECC’s capacity to absorb greater quantities of energy without being damaged, it can be used to make reinforcing elements such as the dampers on the Seisho Bypass Viaduct in Japan, which is roughly 28 kilometers long. Dr. Li also states that ECC has been employed as earthquake resistance in tall buildings in Tokyo and Osaka and further suggests that ECC would be useful in underground construction as well as the construction of water infrastructure.

However, before it can be more widely commercialized for such large-scale projects, bendable concrete must become more readily available. To be economically viable, it must be supplied efficiently and not overused on projects. But, it is paramount that design professionals be made aware of the product and its potential as they might otherwise overlook a promising concrete option for structures that require the ability to deal with considerable tensile strain.

Bendable concrete also has self-healing capabilities. Because bendable concrete keeps cracks relatively small, natural reactions within the hardened concrete generate “healing” products through carbon mineralization and continuous hydration which repairs the cracks and restores the durability of the concrete. Bendable concrete is a promising technology that already has proven itself through commercialization by several companies.

In fact, fiber reinforced concrete is not new. Many companies supply fibers for use in concrete with the objective of improving strength and durability of concrete in some way. Fiber reinforced concrete accomplishes this by incorporating fibers made of steel, glass or organic polymers (plastics). Sometimes naturally occurring fibers such as sisal and jute have been used as well. These fibers are primarily used to combat plastic shrinkage and drying shrinkage which can otherwise crack and damage the concrete. This resistance to shrinkage and subsequent cracking is the key to extending the lifespan of concrete, decreasing the frequency of costly repairs. Fibers also keep existing cracks from widening and further damaging the concrete when they do appear. And more recently, steel fibers are being used in structural applications to reduce the amount of traditional steel reinforcing bars, saving time and labor.

Case Study: 42 Broad, Fleetwood, New York

42 Broad is a 16-story mixed-use development near New York City being built with Insulating Concrete Form (ICF). ICF construction is becoming more mainstream with thousands of projects built in the US, but still considered innovative by many. ICFs sandwich a reinforced concrete wall between forms made of rigid polystyrene insulation that stay in place after the concrete hardens. There are several taller ICF buildings in Canada, but at 16 stories, 42 Broad will be the tallest in the US.

The real innovation on this project is panelizing the Amvic ICF blocks and using HelixTM steel fiber reinforcement. The ICFs are assembled off-site in a nearby plant and arrive at the jobsite as custom panels up to 50 feet long which results in labor and time savings on the job site, meaning the owner can occupy the building earlier. Part of what makes this process possible is the use of steel fibers in the ready mixed concrete to replace the horizontal reinforcing steel which eliminates costly horizontal rebar slices.

LafargeHolcim is one of the first companies to commercialize bendable concrete with a product called Ductal®. Ductal® is an ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) that incorporates fibers into the concrete mixture in order to improve strength and ductility along with a host of other benefits. LafargeHolcim distributes the premix powder, fibers and admixtures necessary to produce Ductal® to their partners, who then mix it into concrete. LafargeHolcim states that they use “high carbon metallic fibers, stainless fibers, poly-vinyl alcohol (PVA) fibers or glass fibers” to increase the concrete’s ability to withstand tensile loads and deformation.

Ductal® is also less porous than conventional concrete, making it more resistant to chlorides, acids, and sulfates. It is also generally much more impermeable to water, making it ideal for roofing as well. In addition, Ductal® has self-healing properties. This bendable concrete has been thoroughly researched and is commercialized.

Case Study: Perez Art Museum, Miami, Florida

The Perez Art Museum in downtown Miami is notable largely for its application of Ductal® ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC). The museum houses roughly 200,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space for the presentation of modern and contemporary art. However, the property comes with one significant challenge. The museum is built on Biscayne Bay, where it is subject to sea air and salt. Additionally, it is at risk of tropical storms and hurricanes and thus must withstand the forces associated with these extreme weather events. Ductal® was used to produce roughly 100 16-foot-long mullions to support the world’s largest impact resistant window at the time of its construction in 2013. The concrete mullions were made to be thin, maximizing visibility, while also meeting the Florida building code for hurricane resistance.

Graphene concrete is concrete reinforced by graphene. Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms, tightly bound in a hexagonal honeycomb lattice. Layers of graphene stacked on top of each other form graphite, a naturally occurring, crystalline form of carbon most commonly used in pencils and lubricants. The separate layers of graphene in graphite can be separated into sheets only one atom thick. Graphene is the thinnest compound known to man, the lightest material known and the strongest compound discovered, over 100 times stronger than steel. Graphene concrete is made by suspending flakes of graphene in water, then mixing that water with traditional concrete ingredients such as cement and aggregate.

This technology’s strength largely lies with its accessibility given that it is inexpensive, and compatible with modern, large scale manufacturing requirements. According to a research paper published in the Advanced Functional Materials journal, entitled “Ultrahigh Performance Nanoengineered Graphene–Concrete Composites for Multifunctional Applications,” graphene concrete impressively shows a “146-percent increase in compressive strength as compared to regular concrete, a 79.5-percent increase in flexural strength, and a decrease in water permeability of almost 400 percent.” In addition to its increased strength, graphene concrete is also more environmentally friendly, since it requires less cement than is typically required to produce concrete at a specified strength. Alternatively, higher strength graphene concrete could be used to produce smaller structural elements, thus reducing the amount of material used.

Carbon Capture

Like most manmade materials, concrete is considered a carbon dioxide (CO₂) emitter, mainly due to the cement manufacturing process. But what if you could reverse that process and capture or sequester CO₂ in concrete through natural processes or carbon capture technologies.

Carbonation is a naturally occurring process by which carbon dioxide (CO₂) penetrates the surface of hardened concrete and chemically reacts with cement hydration products to form carbonates. For in-service concrete, carbonation is a slow process with many dependent variables. The rate decreases over time. This is because carbonation decreases permeability and carbonation occurs from the surface inward, creating a tighter matrix at the surface making it more difficult for CO₂ to diffuse further into the concrete. While slow, the carbonation process does result in an uptake of some of the CO₂ emitted from cement manufacturing, a chemical process called calcination. Theoretically, given enough time and ideal conditions, all of the CO₂ emitted from calcination could be sequestered via carbonation. However, real world conditions are usually far from ideal.

The rate of CO₂ uptake depends on exposure to air, surface orientation, surface-to-volume ratio, binder constituents, surface treatment, porosity, strength, humidity, temperature, and ambient CO₂ concentration. Predicting how much CO₂ is absorbed by in situ concrete is difficult. What is known is that rates of CO₂ uptake are greatest when the surface-to-volume ratio is high, such as when concrete has been crushed and exposed to air.

In one of the most comprehensive studies, Xi, et al, published a summary of their research in the article “Substantial Global Carbon Uptake by Cement Carbonation,” in the journal Nature Geoscience, November 2016. The research quantifies the natural reversal of the calcination process—carbonation. Using analytical modeling of carbonation chemistry, they were able to estimate the regional and global CO₂ uptake between 1930 and 2013. They estimate that the cumulative amount of CO₂ sequestered in concrete is 4.5 Gt in that period. This offsets 43% of the CO₂ emissions from production of cement caused by the calcination process. They conclude that carbonation of cement products represents a substantial carbon sink.

Two areas of research and commercialization offer considerable enhancements to this CO₂ uptake process. The most basic approach is enhanced carbonation at end-of-life and second-life conditions of concrete. This might not be considered innovative, since it would simply mean changing the way demolished concrete is collected and treated before re-use. If conditions are right, and particle size is small, crushed concrete can potentially absorb significant amounts of CO₂ over a small period, such as one year or two and thus leaving crushed concrete exposed to air before re-use would be beneficial.

The other commercially viable technologies accelerate carbonation. This is accomplished either by injecting CO₂ into concrete, curing concrete in CO₂ or creating artificial limestone aggregates using CO₂.

A company called CarbonCure uses CO₂ captured from industrial emissions, which is then purified, liquefied and delivered to partner concrete plants in pressurized tanks. This is then injected into concrete while the concrete is being mixed which converts the CO₂ into a solid-state mineral within the concrete. The minerals formed enhances compressive strength.

The process reduces CO₂ emissions in two ways—through direct sequestration of CO₂ injected into the concrete mixture and by reducing cement demand since CarbonCure concrete requires less cement to produce concrete at a specified strength.

The economic viability of this concrete also makes it a particularly attractive innovation. The cost of the equipment and licensing is offset by the reduction in cement. CarbonCure has installed their technology in over 100 plants across North America which have supplied over two million cubic yards of concrete. This product is sufficiently available to be used now and has already been used to great effect in numerous projects.

Case Study: 725 Ponce, Atlanta, Georgia

Completed in 2018, the office building at 725 Ponce De Leon Avenue was constructed using 48,000 cubic yards of CarbonCure concrete. Through their cooperation, structural engineer Uzun+Case and concrete supplier Thomas Concrete were able to greatly reduce the carbon footprint of this project. CarbonCure concrete sequestered 680 metric tons, or 1.5 million pounds, of CO₂ which is roughly the amount of CO₂ absorbed by 800 acres of US forest each year. The fact that emissions harmful to the environment could be reduced by such a significant factor on this large project, which provides 360,000 square feet of office space, is a perfect example of the viability of carbon capture and sequestration as a sustainable option for concrete construction.

Solidia Technologies offers another carbon capture technology. It combines a specially formulated cement with CO₂ curing to produce concrete, primarily in the precast concrete products industry. Solidia cement is about the same cost as portland cement but significantly reduces CO₂ emissions through reduced production energy. This is primarily because Solidia cement uses all of the same materials that are used to produce portland cement but in a different ratio.

Solidia cement uses less limestone than portland cement, which allows it to be fired at lower temperatures in the same rotary kilns in which ordinary portland cement is currently produced. These lower firing temperatures consume less energy and also produce 30% less greenhouse gases and other pollutants. Additionally, instead of curing in water like conventional concrete, Solidia concrete cures in contact with a CO₂-containing atmosphere. Not only does this allow more precision during the curing process, but during curing, Solidia concrete sequesters CO₂ equal to 5% of its weight. Between the combined factors of lower material costs, lower fuel costs, and the CO₂ sequestered during curing, Solidia claims concrete’s carbon footprint is reduced by 70%.

Solidia concrete also offers other practical benefits beyond being environmentally friendly. For example, Solidia states that their concrete experiences reduced efflorescence, meaning that salt staining will appear less severely and less frequently on the surface when it is exposed to water. Additionally, the concrete’s water absorption is reduced, being less than 2%. It has a compressive strength of about 10,000 psi. It takes less pigment to color. And finally, Solidia Concrete is compatible with non-conventional aggregates and recycled glass. This allows further reduction of material cost and environmental benefits.

Another company using carbon capture technology is Blue Planet Ltd. They offer a product which “combines unpurified CO₂ absorbed directly from power plant flue gas or other industrial CO₂ emission sources with metal oxides to make limestone used to coat a substrate, making CO₂-sequestered construction aggregate. The limestone coating is 44 percent by mass permanently sequestered CO₂ waste.” The substrate is usually small rock particles or even recycled concrete.

Blue Planet states that carbon-negative concrete is achievable by using their artificial limestone in concrete. They estimate that by replacing the conventional aggregate in one cubic yard of concrete, typically 3,000 pounds worth, 44% of its weight would be comprised of sequestered CO₂, roughly 1,320 pounds. This would offset more than the amount of CO₂ generally produced by the same amount of conventional concrete made with portland cement, which is roughly 600 pounds per cubic yard. Blue Planet’s limestone-coated light-weight aggregate was specified for the Interim Boarding Area B at San Francisco International Airport in 2016. Concrete testing showed that Blue Planet’s concrete met all necessary specifications.

Carbon capture and sequestration technology is a promising solution to reducing the carbon footprint of cement and concrete while improving performance. The possibility of vastly reducing CO₂ emissions associated with the production of concrete or even going beyond by sequestering more CO₂ than are produced during the cement manufacturing process is enticing. Many carbon capture and sequestration technologies are already commercially viable and are currently being used for construction since they can be conveniently produced by existing equipment or by retrofitting existing factories. Overall, carbon capture offers a simple but highly promising solution to reducing the environmental footprint of concrete.

Self-Consolidating Concrete

Self-consolidating concrete (SCC) is highly flowable, non-segregating concrete that can flow into place, fill formwork and encapsulate reinforcement without any mechanical vibration. SCC relies upon a combination of a high proportion of fine aggregate and admixtures called superplasticizers and viscosity-modifiers to achieve a stable and highly flowable concrete.

The increased ease of use and efficiency of SCC during construction is the basis for many of its principal benefits. First, it can be placed faster than regular concrete while requiring less finishing and no mechanical vibration. It also improves the uniformity of in-place concrete as well as the uniformity of surfaces, reducing or eliminating the need for surface work.

Additionally, using SCC allows for labor savings as well as increased jobsite safety as it does not require workers to travel the surface of slabs or the tops of walls to mechanically vibrate the concrete. SCC saves time during construction, resulting in cost savings, as well as improving the pumpability of the concrete and the turn-around times of concrete trucks.

SCC was first developed in 1986 by Prof. Okamura at Ouchi University, Japan, to address shortages in skilled labor. At first, SCC was used in highly specialized projects such as repair work or in areas difficult to reach due to its high cost of production and need for high quality control. The first high production use of SCC was in precast applications where concrete is produced and placed in controlled conditions. In ready mixed concrete applications, SCC was used primarily for heavily reinforced sections and where mechanical vibration was difficult. More recently, SCC is being used in architectural concrete since it results in a surface finish superior to that of conventional concrete. SCC still has a relatively high cost but is gaining popularity where labor is in short supply or where smooth exposed concrete is desired.

One of the highest profile uses of SCC is in high-rise building projects, proving its commercial viability and success in practical applications. Some considerations to take into account regarding this concrete stem from the fact that it is dependent upon flowability, which may be reduced by hot weather, long haul distances, or jobsite delays. Specifications required for a given job such as flowability and spread can vary, but mixtures can be tested via methods including the slump flow test to determine the extent of the concrete’s plastic properties to ensure that the concrete arriving at a jobsite matches the standards specific to the project itself. SCC is fully commercialized and is used all over the world.

Case Study: 432 Park Avenue, New York

432 Park Avenue in New York City is currently the tallest residential structure in the US. It is an aesthetically simple building that features exposed white concrete columns that structurally reinforce the building in addition to providing the building its most distinctive stylistic attributes. The building is very thin for its height, having a width and length of 93.5 feet and a height of 1,396 feet. Multiple innovative structural methods were used to achieve “minimal displacement, accelerations, and vibrations to meet the most stringent standard” according to an article in STRUCTURE magazine, July 2018. These include, “five outriggers, each spanning over two stories, were devised throughout the height of the tower to serve as positive linkages between the interior core and the perimeter framing, which enhanced the overall performance of the structure”.

Stiffer concrete with higher compressive strength was used on floors above the 38th to further increase resistance to movement in the upper stories. Further, all concrete cast for 432 Park Avenue was designed for enhanced durability by minimizing the ratio of water to cementitious materials to as low as 0.25 and the concrete was required to be pumpable, self-consolidating, and have a low heat of hydration to facilitate construction and appearance of the exposed structural elements.

From Waste to Worth

Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCMs) such as fly ash, slag cement and silica fume are the keys to high performance concretes. What makes these materials so innovative is that most are derived from a waste—byproducts of a manufacturing process that would otherwise end up in landfills. But when these waste materials are combined with portland cement in concrete, they react with certain chemical compounds to produce more binder. As a result, these materials are extremely valuable as SCMs.

Case Study: Trump Tower Chicago

Chicago Trump Tower and Hotel stands at a stunning 92 stories, made entirely out of reinforced concrete. A total of 194,000 cubic yards of concrete was used on the project. Architect/engineer Skidmore, Owings & Merrill specified high-performance concrete and concrete supplier Prairie Materials designed the mixes. Columns and walls required 12,000 psi at 90 days up to level 51 with some lateral resisting elements up to 16,000 psi. SCC was specified for many of structural elements because of reinforcement congestion. To reduce heat of hydration, high volumes of SCMs were specified for the mat foundation which included a combination of slag cement, fly ash and silica fume. At time of construction, the 5,000-cubic-yard mat foundation was the largest single SCC placement in North America.

The high-performance reinforced concrete system helped minimize floor thickness creating higher ceilings. Residential floors also feature open spans up to 30 feet without requiring perimeter spandrel beams permitting panoramic vistas of Chicago and Lake Michigan. Combining several innovative concrete technologies allowed for quick, efficient construction as well as new opportunities that are not available with conventional concrete.

Silica fume is a waste byproduct of processing quartz into silicon or ferro-silicon metals in an electric arc furnace. Silica fume consists of superfine, spherical particles that when combined with cement significantly increases strength and durability of concrete. Of the three main SCMs, silica fume has the lowest supply and has the highest cost, usually at least three times that of portland cement. It’s used in applications where extremely high strength is needed, such as columns in high-rise buildings or where extremely low permeability is desired for durability such as bridge decks and parking decks. It’s typically combined with other SCMs to optimize performance and cost.

Blast furnace slag is the waste byproduct of iron manufacture. After quenching and grinding, the blast furnace slag takes on much higher value as an SCM for concrete. Blast furnace slag is used as a partial replacement for cement to impart added strength and durability to concrete. Some slag is used to make lightweight aggregate for concrete. About 16 million tons of slag were produced in the U.S. but less than half that was used in concrete as an SCM. Slag cement costs about the same or slightly more than cement depending on quality and location.

Coal ash is the waste byproduct of burning coal in electric power plants. Fly ash, a common SCM used in concrete, is one component of coal ash. According to the American Coal Ash Association (ACAA), in 2017, 111.4 million tons of coal ash were produced, of which 38.2 million tons was fly ash. Coal ash and fly ash have many uses, ranging from use in concrete as an SCM to synthetic gypsum for wallboard to mining applications. Of the 38.2 million tons of fly ash produced, only 14.1 million tons are used in concrete.

Fly ash is the most plentiful of all SCMs and is roughly half the cost of portland cement. However, because of increased emissions regulations on coal-fired power plants, not nearly as much high-quality fly ash is produced as in the past. In addition, with a move towards renewables and natural gas, coal-fired power plants are closing and thus many cost-effective supplies are diminishing.

Case Study: 102 Rivonia, Johannesburg, South Africa

102 Rivonia Road consists of two main buildings with connected walkways in-between to create a sense of connectedness and encourage collaboration between different areas of the office. It was designed with sustainability in mind, being 50% more sustainable than the average office building with a 4-star Green Star SA (South Africa) rating. Air cooled chillers and fire system that recycles used water also contributed to the project’s energy efficiency. Notably, the use of fly ash in the concrete reduced the overall material use of the project by 30%, which also heavily contributed to the project having a lower carbon footprint.

Because coal power generation started in the early 1900s in the US, but the use of fly ash in concrete was only started to any significant volume in the late 1,900s, it is estimated that about 1.5 billion tons of coal ash has been placed in landfills, of which some is fly ash. And that’s where the innovation comes in. Several companies, understanding the demand for fly ash in concrete is likely to increase have begun to recover fly ash from landfills and treat it using a process called beneficiation.

Beneficiation simply means taking coal ash from landfills and processing it so it meets the necessary standards for beneficial use. For fly ash, that typically means reducing the amount of unburned carbon in the ash. Carbon tends to have an absorptive quality which inhibits air entraining and water reducing admixtures. There are also other chemicals such as ammonia in some coal ash deposits which must be reduced before use in concrete.

Several companies have developed processes for harvesting ash from landfills and reducing the unburned carbon and ammonia, calcium, sulfur and other impurities. The simplest process is to burn off the excess carbon. Still other methods use chemical treatment to mitigate the effects of carbon and ammonia and one company uses low-frequency sound to reduce particle size to make them more uniform, a desired characteristic of fly ash. Companies include Boral Resources, Waste Management/Fly Ash Direct, SEFA Group, SonoAsh LLC, and Charah Solutions according an article “Digging Through the Past: Harvesting Legacy Ash Deposits to Meet Future Demand,” authored by Rafik Minkara and published in Issue 1 2019 of Ash at Work magazine.

Minkara concludes “While the variety of technologies now exist to beneficiate land-filled and ponded ash, the cost and complexity of doing so can be challenging.” He goes on to say “Beneficiation processes can be as simple as using off-the-shelf equipment or as involved as developing customized solutions with high capex requirements.” In the end, it will depend on demand for fly ash. As low-cost supplies diminish over time, the demand is likely to be filled by harvesting and beneficiating the vast supply of coal ash in landfills.

Cementless Concrete

Although we are likely years away from widespread commercialization, one of the more interesting areas of research and development is on geopolymer concrete which uses fly ash and/or slag and chemical activators as the binder in place of portland cement. Geopolymer concrete is made by using a source of silicon and aluminum, usually fly ash or slag, and combining it with an alkaline activating solution which polymerizes these materials into molecular chains to create a hardened binder. The more common activating solutions include sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide which liberates the silicon and aluminum.

Compressive strength of geopolymer concrete is comparable to portland cement concrete or higher and strength gain is generally faster with strengths of 3,500 psi or higher at 24 hours. Compressive strengths at 28 days have shown to be 8,000 to 10,000 psi. Research shows that geopolymer concrete has lower drying shrinkage, lower heat of hydration, improved chloride permeability, and is more resistant to acids. And its fire resistance is considerably better than portland cement concrete, which is already highly fire resistant, making geopolymer concretes ideal for special high temperature applications.

To date, most of these products have not developed beyond the research and development stage. One company, Ceratech launched geopolymer concrete in in 2002 but later closed. A product called Pyrament® was launched in the 1980s but was not successfully commercialized. Some of the drawbacks include the high cost and energy to produce the chemical activator, the difficulty and safety concerns in handling a highly alkaline solution and the need to control temperature during the curing process. In addition, building code approvals are always a hurdle. Currently the most promising applications are in severe environment applications such as precast concrete bridges or other specialty applications such as high acid or high temperature environments or for rapid repair.

Case Study: Global Change Institute, Brisbane, Australia

As Australia’s first carbon neutral building, the Global Change Institute at the University of Queensland was designed to meet the highest level of sustainability. It is one of the first buildings to be registered for The Living Building Challenge. Some of the green building features include operable sun-shading, bio-retention basin, onsite greywater system, solar energy and thermal chimney. And it is the first building to include structural geopolymer precast concrete, significantly reducing the carbon footprint of construction materials.

The key to geopolymer concrete commercialization will be to develop low cost, easy to use activators. One promising development is at Rice University where engineers have developed a geopolymer concrete that requires only a small fraction of the sodium-based activation chemicals used in other geopolymer concretes. According to the researchers, they used sophisticated statistical methods to optimize the mixing strategies for ingredients. This resulted in an optimal balance of calcium-rich fly ash, nanosilica and calcium oxide with less than 5% of the traditional sodium-based activator.

Conclusion

More than 20 billion tons of concrete are produced around the world each year. As a result, concrete construction contributes about 5% of global CO₂ emissions primarily due to the cement manufacturing process. The demand for concrete will likely continue to grow as population grows. In addition, the demands on strength, durability and workability will continue to increase. A combination of traditional and advanced technologies will help meet these new demands. Technologies such as TiO₂ cements, SCC, SCMs and fibers are being used now to varying degrees with outstanding results. Carbon capture and sequestration are in their infancy but show great promise. Fly ash beneficiation will help meet the demand for affordable, high performance concretes and geopolymer concretes may one day help make concrete carbon neutral without sacrificing performance.

Take the quiz and earn your certificate.

[qsm quiz=33]

By Jerri-Lynn Wier, J.D.

For large engineering firms, keeping up with changes in state licensing requirements can be a challenge. To help your firm maintain compliance, we’ve gathered these highlights of recent changes in the regulatory landscape.

Alabama

The Alabama board recently clarified that providing proposed pricing for engineering work prior to being properly selected based on qualifications violates state law. The fee may be negotiated after a selection is made, and at that point, the client may make another selection if the price is unsatisfactory. Providing pricing in advance may lead to disciplinary action by the board.

Alaska

The Alaska board updated regulations to stipulate that an engineer in responsible charge of a discipline may grant other engineers who are registered in that discipline the authority to seal drawings on behalf of the firm. This does not relieve the engineer in responsible charge from responsibility for the work.

Regulations were also updated to clarify that while the state requires a licensee in every office, firms do not need a licensee in each office for every engineering discipline. Engineers may be in responsible charge of work done within their discipline through other offices so long as the company has at least one engineer who is regularly employed and licensed in that discipline. The board defined regularly employed as working at least 20 hours per week.

The board also updated requirements to add structural engineering registration by comity, among other changes. The changes took effect in March 2019.

Connecticut

In 2018, Connecticut tightened ownership requirements for engineering firms. Professional corporations and limited liability companies must be at least 66.67 percent owned and controlled by Connecticut-licensed engineers or land surveyors. This is part of a larger, ongoing trend of increasing ownership requirements for engineering firms.

District of Columbia

The D.C. board recently implemented continuing professional competency (CPC) requirements of 20 hours per renewal cycle for P.E.s and 12 hours for land surveyors.

The District has yet to release an application for the design firm license introduced in 2017. The license, when implemented, will encompass architecture, interior design, and landscape architecture.

Kansas

In February 2019, the board approved a new application for P.E. licensure by reciprocity for Model Law Engineers (MLEs). Applicants may submit an official National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying record to the board showing their MLE designation for expedited processing.

Hawaii

The Hawaii board recently clarified that for licensing purposes, experience must be supervised by a licensed professional in the same jurisdiction. If work is done in Hawaii, the licensed supervisor needs to be licensed in Hawaii.

Maine

Maine’s licensing board voted in January to permit engineering graduates working under the supervision of a licensed P.E. to use the title “engineer” so long as they have graduated from an approved degree program, such as an accredited engineering or engineering technology program, and are working under the supervision of a licensed professional engineer.

Minnesota

Effective May 13, 2019, Minnesota enacted new rules to allow applicants for the Architect Registration examination and the Fundamentals of Engineering examination to apply directly to their respective national councils to take the examination.

Nebraska

Nebraska recently eliminated the requirement for firms to secure a separate certificate of authorization for every branch office location. Nebraska still requires a resident engineer in responsible charge for each branch office.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma is now requiring foreign qualification in order to obtain firm licensing. This requirement has become nearly universal for engineering firms.

Oregon

In Oregon, licensed professional firms, including engineering firms, will likely need separate name approval in order to obtain a license.

South Dakota

In September 2018, the South Dakota board ruled that the Structural Engineering I exam alone would no longer be accepted as a Principles and Practice of Engineering (P.E.) exam. Applicants must pass the Structural Engineering I and II exams to qualify for licensure.

Texas

The Lone Star State has introduced an online firm registration system to make it easier to submit your license application.

Vermont

In April 2019, the Vermont board issued guidance on the distinction between civil and structural engineering qualifications, noting that applicants for civil licensure sometimes provide a record of experience that is substantially structural. The state requires applicants for licensure to demonstrate progressive experience in the appropriate specialty discipline. The board also affirmed that experience toward an advanced degree may not also be used to satisfy real-world experience requirements.

West Virginia

In October 2018, the West Virginia board published updated regulations stipulating that firms with the word “engineer” or “engineering” in their names, or firms planning to offer engineering services in West Virginia, must obtain a certificate of authorization from the engineering board before registering with the secretary of state.

Grow With Confidence

For engineering firms, the license review process is measured in months rather than days in many states, so it’s important to ensure that your applications are positioned for approval the first time around. By staying on top of the nuances from state to state, you can safeguard your firm’s compliance and move forward with confidence in pursuit of the next opportunity.

Harbor Compliance is not an accounting or law firm and does not provide tax, financial, or legal advice.