Luke Carothers, Editor, Civil+Structural Engineer Media

Luke Carothers is the Editor for Civil + Structural Engineer Magazine where he has been heavily involved in covering drones/UAVs and their applications in the AEC industry.  As a returning judge for the EDVY Competition, Luke has witnessed firsthand the growth of drone/UAV technology in the AEC industry.  He looks forward to seeing drones change the AEC industry, and sees EDVY as a way of expressing this movement.

Margot Moulton, Videographer and Editor, Zweig Group

Margot’s background in videography and editing began when she was the Art Director for two television stations. She ran around with the production crew as an extra hand at shoots. This gave her just enough experience in lighting, audio and video to jump in head-first when she was offered another position as the lead promotions producer within the same company. Along with the Creative Director, Margot worked in house and on location to film, edit and produce promotional videos of on-air talent, special event and sports content, and high level executive sponsorship commercials. After over 10 years of work in television, Margot joined Zweig Group, where she works to tell stories through video of the people and firms of the one industry that actually builds the world: the AEC.

Adam Kersnowski, Co-Founder and Chief Evangelist, Airworks

Adam brings over 15 years of expertise in drones and construction, having successfully co-founded AirWorks and managed two other companies. As Chief Evangelist, he drives client success, account expansion, business development, and partnerships. Adam is also pursuing a CP certification and is passionate about data collection and remote sensing.  Adam is an advocate for leveraging technology to address climate-related challenges. His commitment to this cause led him to participate in a convening for climate risk monitoring to detect landslide potential in Mocoa, Colombia, organized by MIT’s Environmental Solutions Initiative.  His passion for utilizing drones and data collection to address climate risks is a reflection of his dedication to creating a more sustainable future.

Maxim Baklykov, CEO, TOPODRONE

Maxim Baklykov is a surveyor with more than 20 years of experience in field and office work. In 2018 together with a team of like-minded experts he started the TOPODRONE project. TOPODRONE is a Swiss – based company that designs and produces high-precision surveying equipment for installation on UAVs, vehicles, and backpacks.

Bryan Baker, Drone Pilot for Leica Geosystems

Bryan Baker has been the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Sales Manager for Leica Geosystems Inc. since 2014.   Bryan has been in the Geospatial Industry for his entire career starting at Nikon Instruments as a software developer in the mid 1980’s and has held multiple technical and sales positions over the years.  Additionally, Bryan is an ASPRS Certified Mapping Scientist for UAS (CMS-UAS).  On the aviation side, Bryan is a Commercial Pilot, Certified Flight Instructor, Advanced Ground Instructor, and Remote (UAS) Pilot.   When not working and traveling for Leica Geosystems, Bryan enjoys traveling, giving flight lessons, flying his personal aircraft, and volunteering in the aviation community.  Bryan is a volunteer Drone Pro for FAASafety.gov, a volunteer pilot for Lighthawk, Pilots and Paws, Angel Flight, and a volunteer and flight crew member with the Commemorative Air Force.

Andrea Perotti, IT System and Administrator, Drone Pilot, Casale

Andrea Perotti lives in Gordola, Switzerland, and is an IT Systems Administrator in Casale SA (Lugano Switzerland).  Perotti is passionate about drones and model aircraft.  Perotti conceived and managed the project “Il mio primo drone” to bring young people closer and aware of the conscious use of drones and their potential, a project that achieved a World Record by making all the drones fly simultaneously, piloted by the guys who built them. In their free time, Perotti participates in downhill and Super-G ski races.

Enter for a chance to see yourself featured on the cover of Civil + Structural Engineer Magazine as well as Topodrone LiDAR Post Processing Perpetual License! More info here.

By Bill Gates

Besides the traffic and the weather, we Seattleites love to talk about all the construction going on in our city. The downtown skyline is full of cranes, and it seems like the building never stops. By the end of the year, 39 new projects will have been completed in downtown Seattle alone, and there are plans for more than 100 others to be finished in the next two years.

Seattle is hardly alone. As the global population rises, urban areas around the world are booming, and that means more and more buildings are going up. By one estimate, the world will add 2 trillion square feet of buildings by 2060—the equivalent of putting up another New York City every month for the next 40 years.

There’s good and bad news in that statistic. The good news is that living in the city generally equates to a higher quality of life—you have access to better schools, health care, and job opportunities. The bad news is that the buildings themselves are a big contributor to climate change, and one of the five areas where we need to drive a lot of innovation if we’re going to avoid a climate disaster.

There are two ways in which buildings are responsible for greenhouse gases. The first is the construction phase: Buildings are made of concrete and steel, both of which produce a lot of emissions when they’re being made. In fact, these two materials account for around 10 percent of the world’s annual greenhouse gases. And right now, we don’t have practical ways to make either one without releasing carbon dioxide.

This summer I wrote about a company called Boston Metal (which I’ve helped fund through Breakthrough Energy Ventures) that’s trying to change that, by developing a way to make zero-carbon steel using electricity instead of coal. The video below features a company called CarbonCure, which BEV has also invested in. CarbonCure has a clever approach to injecting carbon dioxide into concrete.

The other way buildings contribute to climate change is with their ongoing operations. It’s natural to think of lights and appliances like TVs as the biggest energy hogs, but they’re not: It’s actually heating and cooling. If you live in a typical American home, your air conditioner is the biggest consumer of electricity you own—more than your lights or refrigerator.

Worldwide, there are 1.6 billion A/C units in use. And that number will skyrocket as the world gets richer, more populous, and hotter; by 2050, there will be more than 5 billion A/Cs in operation. That could put us in a vicious cycle, where temperatures go up, so we run more air conditioners, which only makes it hotter, and on and on. This is another reason why it’s so urgent for us to decarbonize the world’s power grids.

But energy use isn’t the only problem with air conditioners. They also contain refrigerants called F-gases, which molecule for molecule, cause much more global warming than carbon dioxide. In 2016, representatives from 197 countries committed to reducing the production and use of certain F-gases by more than 80 percent by 2045. (I’m funding some work to help developing countries meet this commitment, and various companies are now working on alternatives to F-gases.)

Heating is a different issue. Some heaters run on electricity, and others run on fossil fuels like oil and natural gas. The best solution—from a climate point of view—is to electrify as much as we can (again, while decarbonizing the power grid) and supply the rest with zero-carbon fuels, like hydrogen fuels or advanced biofuels. Right now, though, these alternatives cost two to three times more than conventional fuels, so we’ll need a lot of innovation to make them more affordable.

I’m aware of some promising technologies that could help buildings use energy more efficiently. I’m intrigued by windows that use so-called smart glass, which automatically turns darker when the room needs to be cooler, and lighter when it needs to be warmer. And BEV has invested in a company called 75F, which uses wireless sensors to measure temperature, humidity, darkness, and other factors and then uses the information to adjust heating, cooling, and lights. They’ve found that this system can cut a building’s energy use by 50 percent.

Reducing building emissions isn’t just a problem for technology to solve. Government and corporate polices can also help a lot.

Governments have already promoted energy efficiency by setting high standards for buildings; we know a lot about how to make buildings greener, and the right policies encourage more people to do it. Governments have also helped get efficient heaters and A/C units to market by certifying them through programs like the Energy Star ratings you might’ve seen on various products.

But what if labels didn’t just reveal how energy-efficient something is, but how many greenhouse gas emissions it’s responsible for? That’s the idea behind the Embodied Carbon Calculator for Construction, which tells you how much carbon was used to produce steel, cement, and other materials made by companies that volunteer the information. This data will be even more important in the years ahead; right now, 80 to 90 percent of emissions come from running the building over its lifetime, but as we use cleaner sources of electricity and make buildings more efficient, the emissions from construction materials will represent a larger share of the total.

Another step that will help is for companies and governments to commit to buying lower carbon materials for their building projects. California, for example, has a new “Buy Clean” policy, and Microsoft has a goal of reducing embedded carbon by 15 to 30 percent as it rebuilds part of its headquarters in Redmond, WA.

Finally, we can strengthen our building codes to ensure that buildings are designed to be not only energy efficient, but built with low-carbon materials. Unfortunately, some rules actually make it hard to use these materials. For example, if you want to put concrete in a building, the building code might define the precise chemical composition of the cement you can use in it. But that standard may rule out low-emissions cement, even if it performs just as well as the conventional kind.

Obviously, no one wants to see buildings and bridges collapsing because we relaxed our codes too much. But we can make sure the standards reflect the latest advances in technology, and the urgency of getting to zero emissions.

Former Vice President of Jacobs Engineering Group Joins Dulles, Va. Engineering Consulting Firm

Alpha Corporation, a woman-owned engineering and construction consulting firm with offices throughout the country and its headquarters in Dulles, Va., recently named industry-veteran, Kathleen Linehan, P.E., as its new president, effective July 22, 2019. Linehan, formerly vice president for Jacobs Engineering Group (formerly CH2M Hill) of Arlington, Va., brings nearly 30 years of experience in the engineering consulting business.

“We are entering an exciting new time at Alpha as we approach our 40^th anniversary—expanding and innovating our services with a continued commitment to excellence” said Kate Curtin Lindsey, board chair and CEO of Alpha Corporation in Dulles, Va. “Kathleen brings the perfect blend of experience and know-how to lead us through the next 40 years,” said Lindsey. “In addition, as a female CEO in an overwhelmingly male industry, I can’t help but note that Kathleen is a terrific role model for women and girls focused on STEM.”

Linehan’s professional experience is a broad and deep mix of engineering and construction management. She led many Washington, D.C. construction projects, including: program manager for the South Capitol Street Bridge and 11th Street Bridge project, project principal for the Virginia Department of Transportation Mega Projects, project advisor for St. Elizabeth’s Hospital East Campus, principal in charge of the Anacostia Waterfront Initiative and various roles for the Federal Highway Administration and D.C. Department of Transportation.

Most recently, Linehan served as vice president for Jacobs Engineering Group (formerly CH2M Hill), a $15 billion design, engineering, construction, and technical services firm based in Arlington, Va. She is a registered professional engineer and earned her master’s degree in public administration from the George Washington University in Washington, D.C. and her bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Marquette University in Minnesota where she now serves on the Civil Engineering Advisory Council. Linehan is also on the executive committee for the Federal City Council and board of directors for the Anacostia Watershed Society in Washington, D.C.

About Alpha Corporation

Headquartered in Dulles, Va., Alpha Corporationis a woman-owned multidisciplinary construction consulting firm providing engineering, program and construction management, project controls and technology services with offices in Baltimore, Miami and Virginia Beach, Va. Established in 1979, Alpha’s clients include public and private sector organizations responsible for a broad range of building, civil infrastructure, energy/utilities and transportation projects. To learn more, visit https://www.alphacorporation.com, or visit us on Facebook at AlphaCorpUSA, Twitter@alphacorpUSA and Instagram @alphacorpusa.

Due to the growing demand for high-speed data connections, particularly 5G, microtrenching is sweeping across the U.S. Recently, it has been deployed in several cities, including Austin, New York, San Francisco, San Antonio and Charlotte. For urban areas especially, microtrenching is the best way to bring fiber optic cable to homes, businesses and government agencies. The process is fast, less invasive and minimizes interruption to traffic flow.

PND Engineers, Inc. marks its 40th anniversary in 2019 and looks forward to bringing innovative design to clients across Alaska, as well as the Lower 48, for many more years to come.

“PND really appreciates our contractor clients and especially enjoys challenging work in construction engineering, design-build projects, and value engineering,” PND President Jim Campbell said.

Founded in Anchorage in 1979 by Roy Peratrovich, Jr. and Dennis Nottingham, PND specializes in civil and structural engineering, roads, geotechnical engineering, river hydrology, coastal and marine work, surveying, and the design of bridges, buildings, and other structural systems. Other areas of expertise are planning, research, and construction management, with the goal of offering clients a superior product at a lower cost. PND’s headquarters are in Anchorage, Alaska, with additional offices in Palmer and Juneau, Alaska; Seattle, Washington; Portland, Oregon; Houston, Texas; and Vancouver, B.C., Canada.

Projects designed by the firm are seen throughout Alaska and the Pacific Northwest, and increasingly across the Lower 48 and overseas. Sample signature works include the Juneau Cruise Ship Docks and Kodiak and Unalaska container terminals in Alaska; Tudor Road Trail Crossing and Clark Middle School in Anchorage; the CD5, Liberty, Northstar, and Point Thomson developments on the North Slope of Alaska; and hundreds of roads, buildings, and waterfront designs in every region of the state.

Research and development over the years has led to patents for OPEN CELL SHEET PILE technology, used for docks, heavy load marine terminals, bridge abutments and cofferdams; development of SPIN FIN piles, which are equipped with angled plate fins that rotate into the ground to achieve extreme pile capacities; the GUNDERBOOM environmental barrier system, used for oil spill control, beach protection, marine/aquatic life exclusion, particulate control, and reservoir protection; and the FreeSpan STRAND BRIDGE design, an innovative solution for crossing waterways and wetlands that complies with environmental restrictions.

The firm’s designs have earned many accolades from prestigious national, regional, and local organizations, such as the Construction Innovation Fo­rum, Inc. NOVA Award in 1998 for our OPEN CELL SHEET PILE bulk­head technology, and the Associated General Contractors of America’s Aon Build America Awards in 2010 for the Umm Qasr Pier and Seawall project in post-war Iraq, and in 2011 for the St. Paul Island Fur Seal Observation Towers and Walk­ways on Pribilof Islands, Alaska.

In 2004, Nottingham was awarded the Associated General Contractors of Alaska’s Hard Hat award – an honor generally reserved for a contractor – for his work on development of construction technologies and procedures that have benefited the petroleum, mining, and construction industries in Alaska and worldwide. In 2014, he was elected into the inaugural class of the Alaska Innovators Hall of Fame.

“After 40 years in business, PND is a proven and proud Alaska engineering firm, with deep roots in Alaska’s construction history, and over 100 engineers, scientists, and expert technical staff committed to the service of our clients,” Campbell said.

Visit PND at any of its offices or learn more at pndengineers.com.

NavVis IndoorViewer is a web-based 3D building visualization software that displays point clouds, 360° panoramic images and floorplans as realistic, fully immersive digital buildings. The intuitive interface and realistic 3D view have made NavVis IndoorViewer especially popular among building stakeholders who want to access and enrich laser scan data but lack the technical expertise to work with point clouds and advanced modeling software.

For more advanced users working with point clouds to create 3D building models, NavVis IndoorViewer serves as an online hub for accessing, streaming and managing point cloud files in browser. The online access and streaming addresses the challenges of storing and sharing point cloud files, which often contain massive volumes of data.

Another challenge in working with large point cloud datasets is that it can be difficult to find the exact section of the scan needed. Modelers often need to use point cloud software to inspect and locate the section of the dataset that needs to be extracted. With NavVis IndoorViewer, users can upload scans from different devices and merge the datasets into a basic building model in just a few clicks. The merged files are uniformly displayed as a building point cloud and can be viewed as if users are on site, or from a top down perspective. The 2D map and floorplan view in NavVis IndoorViewer can be used to access point cloud files based on location, while the realistic 360° panorama view can be used to verify real-world details. For users that need to access specific scans, the dataset menu lists every uploaded file separately and lets users jump to and display the relevant dataset.

The upcoming release of version 2.5 further extends the point cloud functionality in NavVis IndoorViewer with a new feature that will let users select and crop sections of the intuitively displayed point clouds and floorplans, and then download and use this file in third party modeling software.

“The emergence of online file storage and sharing applications has already transformed many modern workplaces through significant gains in collaboration and efficiency that result from being able to access and share files on any device. With this in mind, the point cloud functionality in NavVis IndoorViewer has been extended to harness similar benefits for professionals working with reality capture data,” said Georg Schroth, NavVis CTO. “As part of this ongoing effort, the next major release of NavVis IndoorViewer will include a feature that was highly requested by professionals working with point clouds: being able to download and save sections of the point clouds being streamed in browser. With this new feature, the tedious search for the right scan files is a thing of the past. Only those parts of the point cloud that are really required to get the job done can be downloaded as you browse through them in browser.”

Version 2.5 of NavVis IndoorViewer will be released in Fall of 2019. The beta release of the point cloud download feature will be available to preview at the NavVis booth F3.056 in Hall 3 at INTERGEO 2019.

Integrating BuildingConnected with PlanGrid solves a major problem for project managers, who typically use the same designs, plans, estimates and other documentation during preconstruction as in the construction phase. Historically, managers have needed to manually transfer these files and documents into field collaboration software, a time-consuming and repetitive process that can result in missing files or data errors – and ultimately, miscommunications and project delays.

Now, project managers can create PlanGrid projects directly in BuildingConnected. With a simple “push to PlanGrid” button, all project files in BuildingConnected are automatically sent to PlanGrid where they can be accessed immediately from mobile devices in the field. By transferring design and preconstruction files into PlanGrid, managers can sidestep manual project creation and ensure that accurate and holistic data is available to field teams.

“Successful project execution starts the moment we win a deal. Our team immediately goes into overdrive to make sure we maximize efficiency throughout the entire build process, connecting workflows and seamlessly transferring complex data from the design and planning phase into the hands of workers on the jobsite,” said Mike Mehrwin, VDC manager, CRB. “By taking advantage of the BuildingConnected and PlanGrid integration, we’ll be able to close the gap between the preconstruction and building process and enable deeper collaboration between our office and field teams.”

“The construction industry has struggled with transferring information from one project to another, and across the different phases of a building project. It’s easy to feel insecure about the logistics of kicking off a job when the right tools to facilitate workflows don’t exist,” said Dustin DeVan, vice president, preconstruction products at Autodesk. “By reducing errors and the need for rework, this integration will help to mitigate overall project risk and help to ensure more predictable outcomes. Project managers can now feel more confident as they transition from precon to site construction.”

Autodesk positions construction teams for success with product integrations

The BuildingConnected integration with PlanGrid follows quickly on the heels of other integrations between construction solutions Autodesk has acquired in the last 12 months, such as:

• BIM 360^Ⓡ Ops and PlanGrid – Now available, the integration allows owners using BIM 360 Ops to easily manage work order tickets created in PlanGrid for more efficient building maintenance.
• PlanGrid and Revit^Ⓡ – Users now have access to Revit Building Information Modeling (BIM) data, in either 2D or 3D, directly within PlanGrid on their mobile devices.
• BIM 360 and Assemble – Specifications and other project documents stored in BIM 360 are now available for viewing in Assemble models; Issue creation is now available in Assemble, and tracked and managed via BIM 360 issue management workflows.
• Assemble and Navisworks^Ⓡ – New publishing capabilities allow project teams to access an increasing number of file types to bring coordinated models from Navisworks to Assemble.

“By connecting our portfolio of construction solutions, we’re empowering customers to realize meaningful workflows across the entire project lifecycle, whether it’s delivering design files from the office to the field or referencing an accurate as-built during building operations,” said Jim Lynch, vice president and general manager, Autodesk Construction Solutions. “Autodesk is reimagining the construction business for the digital age, and we look forward to the positive impact this integration will have for our customers.”

Green Badger does this by pairing its cloud-based technology with project-specific training, LEED tips and tricks, and ongoing project team support. Green Badger’s cross-platform, cloud-based solution connects teams so that everyone has access to real-time updates, can document from the field, and automate repetitive and time-consuming tasks. When your team completes documentation, you can easily export your project data and upload to LEED online and get on with your next job!

Tommy Linstroth is a LEED fellow and founder of the LEED compliance software Green Badger (https://getgreenbadger.com/).

Linistroth has personally been involved with more than 50 projects achieving LEED certification, with another two dozen underway.

Projects he’s worked on include:

• The first building in the Southeast to be both LEED-certified and in the National Register of Historic places
• The first all-retail LEED shopping center in the nation
• The first LEED McDonald’s restaurant
• Sustainable Fellwood, one of the largest green affordable housing developments – part of the LEED for Neighborhood Developments pilot program and LEED for Homes program – in the nation

Before starting Pvilion, Mr. Touhey worked as an engineer in the wind and ocean current energy industry designing and developing unique technologies for turbine controls. In 2009, he gained experience in solar fabric as an engineer for FTL Solar, a predecessor to Pvilion. There he met Pvilion Co-Founders, Robert Lerner, and Todd Dalland, which led to the development of Pvilion as a technology company.

Mr. Touhey received his Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Trinity College in Hartford, CT. He is an adjunct professor at Columbia Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation and a visiting lecturer at Cornell University College of Architecture. Recipient of Grant funding from NASA, Department of Defense, NYSERDA, Member of ATP Board of Directors and recently named to Forbes 30 Under 30, Mr. Touhey is often called on to share his expertise in the integration of flexible solar cells and textiles with Industry Leaders, Designers, International Brands, Universities, and Research Facilities.

New Yorkers are not used to looking to affordable housing developments for innovations, but Penn South and Rochdale Village are energy leaders. They are showing the way for New York City, as it addresses energy priorities in the 21^st century.

Penn South, composed of 10 buildings and nearly 3,000 units, stretches from 23^rd to 29^th Streets between Eighth and Ninth Avenues. It is 57 years old. Rochdale Village is one year younger and consists of 20 buildings in Greater Jamaica. Both provide affordable housing to moderate and middle-income New Yorkers through New York’s Mitchell-Lama program.

Both have their own cogeneration power plants, which produce all the electrical power, heating, air-conditioning, and domestic hot water for their entire residential developments and other amenities with no connection to an outside utility company. (Other affordable housing complexes are partially off the grid.) Cogeneration is a more efficient use of fuel than traditional power generation because otherwise-wasted heat from electricity generation is put to productive use.

Both housing complexes are examples for the rest of New York City because many districts and facilities could be well-served by cogeneration, in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and neither complex is dependent on Con Edison.

The replica will be on display at CONEXPO-CON/AGG in Las Vegas, March 10-14, 2020 and will showcase several scenarios at the Tech Experience, including;

• Different city grids and how a city responds to heat, wind, and storms.
• Connectivity in the city, including 5G, sensors, telematics, and IOT, and
• Impacts of construction. The job site of the future within the city and how equipment will communicate will also be on display.

“We were beyond excited to reveal the Smart City today,” said Al Cevero, senior vice president construction, mining & utility at the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM). “Our goal for the Tech Experience in 2020 is to show contractors how all of these exciting new technologies will impact their current work, how the expectations and demands of customers will change and how the current state of infrastructure may change.”

Expanded Footprint, Connected Campus

The show is expanding the 2020 footprint to include the Las Vegas Festival Grounds, located on the Las Vegas Strip adjacent to the Circus Circus Hotel. Types of exhibits in the Festival Grounds will include aerial and cranes, earthmoving, hauling and underground construction.

The 2020 show connected campus will also include new and expanded transportation, attendee experiences and registration locations. Features will include multi-site drop off locations for shuttles, complimentary monorail passes, golf cart shuttles, and various experiential transportation options to accommodate for the attendees throughout the week.

“AEM is committed to bringing people together at CONEXPO-CON/AGG, as the show serves as a catalyst for industry growth and development,” said Dana Wuesthoff, vice president of exhibitions and event services at AEM and CONEXPO-CON/AGG show director. “We wanted to make sure everyone can explore the entire show and have the best possible experience.”

Expanded Educational Opportunities

In addition to the record-setting 2800 exhibitors and the 2.6 million square feet of exhibit space, 150 education sessions will be held. The education sessions feature the latest topics and industry trends and are grouped into tracks for ease in finding an education that meets your needs including and not limited to:

• Aggregates
• Asphalt
• Concrete
• Cranes, rigging and aerial lifts
• Earthmoving and site development

Until recently, the technology of CT imaging was only available for use in medical settings. Over the last several years, it has found a new home in the world of manufacturing and is opening up myriad opportunities never before available.

CT, or Computed Tomography, is now commonly used in various industrial metrology settings, both in the lab and online or inline for product evaluation and packaging integrity assessment. The main advantage is that it allows the inspection of a part’s interior structure or a package’s closure functionality without causing any harm or destruction to the objects themselves.

Industrial CT scanners utilize the same type of technology as CT scanners in hospitals and doctors’ offices–taking multiple readings from various angles and converting the CT greyscale images into voxel-based 3-dimensional point clouds. Once the CT scanner generates the point cloud, a specialist can generate a CAD-to-part comparison map, construct a 3D model of the part, or reverse engineer the part to suit their needs. In the packaging world, especially where pharmaceutical or personal products are concerned, this ability is paramount.   High-speed scanning inline, for example, can examine the seals on pill bottles for airtight quality assurance, while online or lab scanning can instantly compare a manufactured product to the CAD program in various ways.

Industrial scanners offer a multitude of advantages, such as: obtaining the internal structure of an object nondestructively, validating extremely accurate internal dimensions, allowing comparison to reference models, no shaded zones, compatibility with all shapes and sizes, no post-processing work and extremely high-resolution imaging.

Some of the most common uses of 3D and now CT scanning in industrial metrology applications include:

• Reverse engineering – the process of taking measurements of an existing part or object, then creating an exact CAD replica. This technology is extremely useful when you have a manufactured part or object, but not the original prints or design data.
• Non-contact measurement – the process of capturing the geometry of existing objects through the use of laser emitting camera-like 3D scanners.
• Contact measurement – a method of collecting single points relative to each other. There is a wide range of solutions for contact measurement and generally two types of systems solutions are used with portable CMMs: 1) For capturing localized or small volume information, digitizing or articulating arms are used, 2) For larger volumetric projects, optical solutions including laser trackers and photogrammetry units.
• Long-range scanning – for a detailed 360° 3D snapshot of a structure, bridge, plot of land, plant or process operation with millimeter accuracy.
• Art forgeries – a bit unusual for what is thought to be an industrial product, but hundreds of art museums, dealers and auction houses use scanning each year to validate works of art, as well as the structural integrity of sculpture, for example.
• Model to manufacture processing – here again, artists will often have their models, whether fashioned or human, scanned for dimension prior to casting a statue in bronze or producing a high-fashion line of clothing.

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These 3D imaging devices and long-range scanners serve a wide range of industries and help assure that they are performing the highest level of testing and accuracy possible. A few of the diverse industries currently using this technology and the goals sought are:

• Manufacturing – for internal inspection of components and to ensure that a part meets specifications; this includes injection molded, cast, forged or fabricated parts made from metal, plastic, polymers, composites and even 3D printed products
• Power generation/nuclear – can scan the complex, hard to reach and hazardous areas of a nuclear power plant or conventional power generation facility for pipe alignment, boiler integrity, containment building stability and more
• Medical – devices & equipment, implants, orthotics & prosthetics; a one-off knee joint, for example, can be accurately compared to the original CAD program as well as the doctor’s MRI for accuracy
• Automotive & aerospace – allows engineers to do virtual testing of machinery, helps understand failures, works as a research & development tool to analyze structure, simulate reactions
• Arts – in the detection of forgeries and sculpture integrity
• Metal castings – to check for air bubbles and overall porosity
• Foods – to examine contents & packaging integrity
• Plastics industry – to inspect quality, wall-thickness and porosity analysis
• Moldmaking – provides a powerful inspection and measurement tool to validate precise injection molds and check the structural integrity of a part

There is a wide range of industrial scanning equipment styles and sizes available to suit different types of applications. Micro units in tabletop styles for lab use up to full industrial-grade floor models for in-plant or in-process use, to portable measuring arms that can be used on the shop floor or out in the field are all available today, usually from a manufacturer or a service organization, for one-time contract use, with rent or lease-to-buy arrangements optional.   Many of our customers, having used our services, subsequently purchase the equipment and training to add this high-end metrology to augment their inside CMM or test lab, for example. In the case of larger production facilities, we often see metrology today being integrated into the line for instant analysis of parts, whether molded, stamped, welded or otherwise fabricated, as well as packaged goods.

Typical CT scanners offer a wide range of measurement capabilities and features. Sizes start with small desktop models which meet the most stringent demands and measure the smallest 3D detail from 0.25µm. They can be equipped with different X-ray powers, from 160kV for nanometer resolution through 225 kV, 320 Watts to the highest power of 300 kV, 320 Watts. (Shari: I think this is just the range of the ProCon scanners our client bought. Reference the range of the entire ProCon line of portables.)

Larger scanners are available for extremely fast CT data acquisition on workpieces up to 500 mm diameter and 600 mm in height, weighing up to 50 kg (110 lbs.). Typical functions performed on this type of system might include 3D analysis of a scanned turbine blade, automatic pour porosity volume analysis on an aluminum casting and 3D measurements with nominal-actual CAD comparisons on a machined aluminum cylinder head.

The future of industrial scanning holds unlimited possibilities, especially when combined with 3D printing or other additive manufacturing methods. As improvements are made in technology and performance and costs continue to decrease, the industrial scanning industry is preparing for explosive growth in the next 5-10 years.

Land & Water is celebrating 25^th this year and the company is thinking towards the future. One of the most important aspects of the company’s work is safeguarding and improving environments for the next generation to enjoy. An integral part of Land & Water’s master plan is to invest in UK infrastructure to build sustainable end-to-end relationships with key partners.

As part of this plan, Land & Water purchased Coldharbour Lane Jetty, a new facility which has achieved full planning permission to act as a marine logistics centre which will support major infrastructure projects along the Thames Estuary. The wharf, which has three fully operational shipping berths, will handle waste spoils from construction works and allow them to be shipped to the company’s adjacent habitat creation site at Rainham Marshes. The hub will also act as a transport node for materials and products to be shipped onto barges for onward distribution into London.

James Maclean, CEO of Land & Water comments: “I am convinced that innovative logistics solutions will unlock future supply chains into London as the days of diesel-fuelled heavy trucks delivering commodities into the capital are numbered.

Our sustainable hub at Rainham offers the ideal solution, taking advantage of our close proximity to the A13 and M25 trunk roads, linking them directly to water transport, unlocking the River Thames as a liquid highway. We hope our hub will be able to feed a fleet of electric distribution vehicles deep inside the city, which will have a positive long-term effect on the environment, and ease congestion.”

This new facility saves 86 articulated lorry movements into and out of the capital for every 1,200-tonne barge that leaves the hub. It also provides Land & Water a major operational foothold in the Thames, allowing the company to offer credible logistics solutions to its clients and the London basin.

James continues: “This long-term, cost-effective solution has already attracted three separate businesses to trade with Land & Water at the facility. We hope many more will come to use this strategic asset, located just inside the M25 on the banks of the River Thames.”

With this investment, Autodesk expands its existing relationship with Factory_OS by supporting the build-out of the Factory Floor Learning Center, a space dedicated to education and research on industrialized construction and changes needed in public policy to optimize its benefits. This work will be led by the Terner Center for Housing Innovation. The investment will also help establish a team to scope and build a new Rapid Response Factory. This second factory space offers an opportunity to both explore additional machining techniques and to meet the demand for quick turnaround housing needed after natural disasters and emergencies. Together, Autodesk and Factory_OS will provide greater software collaboration to streamline design, fabrication and supply chain management.

Citi is backing Factory_OS through its Spread Products Investment Technologies (SPRINT) initiative within the ICG division, which formed in 2018 to invest and engage new technology partners, and Citi Community Capital, the bank unit through which Citi works to finance all types of affordable housing and community development projects. In 2018, Citi reported over $6 billion of lending to finance affordable rental housing projects and was recognized as the Country’s largest affordable housing lender for the ninth consecutive year.

“Autodesk and Citi are playing a critical role in our continued growth and expansion,” said Rick Holliday, CEO of Factory_OS. “We’re proud to stand alongside two companies that share our vision for transforming the construction industry, and care deeply about addressing the housing crisis that exists not only in our backyard but also in urban centers nationwide.”

Added Andrew Anagnost, CEO of Autodesk: “Factory_OS is a pioneer that is revolutionizing the approach to modularized homebuilding and making the dream of affordable housing in cities, a reality. We’re honored to support their mission, in collaboration with Citi, of giving families safe and affordable homes to call their own. I have no doubt our continued collaboration will serve as a springboard to addressing the growing housing crisis nationwide.”

“Bringing innovation to affordable housing is critical in addressing one of the nation’s most pressing challenges,” said Matt Zhang, Head of Spread Products Investment Technologies at Citi. “We’re excited to be part of this envisioning process and together, with Factory OS, we can help bring transformational changes to meet the growing demand for safe, high-quality affordable housing.”

With this project, the team hopes to establish a route out of poverty for many Tanzanians through higher education (after secondary school, enrollment rates drop below 4 percent). Situated on a 102-acre site in the northern highlands, the Same Polytechnic College will offer practical educational programs for up to 1,200 students in fields including farming, construction, teaching, and auto mechanics.

The campaign emphasizes needed investments at major stations, including in Chicago Union Station, as well as in infrastructure along the busy Northeast Corridor (NEC), where the majority of Amtrak-owned assets are located. The NEC carries 260 million intercity and commuter customers each year and growing. However, demand for passenger rail service continues to outpace investment, resulting in a backlog of more than $38 billion of deferred capital investments that risks future service expansion and reliability.

“The NEC is a central artery for the greater Northeast, which generates 20 percent of U.S. gross domestic product and is one of the country’s principle economic engines,” said Amtrak co-CEO Wick Moorman. “These major projects are critical to keeping people, the economy and the nation moving forward.”

Amtrak and its state and federal partners have started the planning and regulatory reviews required for these complex, multi-year projects. Once funding is identified and obtained, Amtrak and its partners are ready to finalize design and begin construction for the following critical investments:

• Hudson Tunnel Project (New York – New Jersey) — Construction of a new Hudson River rail tunnel serving New York Penn Station will provide greater operational flexibility and infrastructure resiliency, following damage from Superstorm Sandy.
• Portal North Bridge Project (New Jersey) — Replacement of the century-old Portal Bridge with a new high-level, fixed-span bridge will result in faster trip times and greater reliability as well as eliminate the need to open for maritime traffic.
• Major Stations Development (Northeast and Chicago) — Leveraging public-private partnerships and underutilized land and air rights to transform 50+-year-old facilities into vibrant commercial transportation hubs.
• Susquehanna River Bridge Project (Maryland) — Replacement of existing two-track bridge with two new high-level bridges with a total of four tracks, allowing for increased speeds and eliminating the need to open for maritime traffic.
• Baltimore & Potomac (B&P) Tunnel Project (Maryland) — Replacement of the Civil War-era, 30 mph bottleneck with a four-tube tunnel that allows for more reliable and more frequent service.

Amtrak is the majority owner of the NEC infrastructure and its connecting corridors, the NEC is a shared transportation asset that runs through eight states and the District of Columbia. It is used by Amtrak, eight commuter rail partners and multiple freight operators that together run nearly 2,200 daily trains.

To view the “Ready to Build” materials, visit https://nec.amtrak.com/readytobuild.

Major topics include rheological properties of cementitious and chemical grouts and their respective applications, grouting of rock under dams, grouting of rock anchors and micropiles, deep mixing, jet grouting, cutoff walls and composite seepage barriers, compaction grouting, slab jacking, grouting for underground structures, overburden and rock drilling methods, and field monitoring/instrumentation. The curriculum includes a half-day “hands-on” field demonstration, focusing on compaction and permeation grouting, penetration of ultrafine cements and chemical grouts, computer monitoring, grout mixing, uses of cellular grouts, overburden and rock drilling methods.

The curriculum is suited for Owners, Regulators, Consultants and Contractors having interest in the applications of pressure grouting to a broad array of geo-structural construction and remediation techniques, as well as petroleum engineering personnel involved in well drilling and operations.

More information is available at https://executive.engr.utexas.edu/epd/grouting18.php.

In July 2016, MNAA first announced the preliminary plan for BNA Vision, releasing conceptual images and articulating the need for a major airport expansion in response to steep passenger increases and robust regional growth. The past year has been a period of intense planning and design, led by Corgan, an acclaimed architecture and design firm internationally known for its expertise in major aviation and commercial projects. Through this process, the original conceptual images have now given way to the final architectural renderings, revealing the actual look, feel and features of the proposed renovation.

Using high-tech video, virtual reality and 3-D modeling, the Airport Authority brings BNA Vision alive in a realistic and accessible fashion, providing the public with an intimate understanding of Nashville’s airport of the future.

Take a virtual 360-degree tour, view renderings and watch the BNA Vision video at https://bnavisionnashville.com.

“A world-class city and a world-class airport go hand-in-hand,” said Nashville Mayor Megan Barry. “Nashville International Airport is a critical component of our region’s continued economic development and our front door for travelers from across the globe. With the inspiration found in BNA Vision, we intend to put the very best of Music City center stage from arrival to departure.  I commend the airport’s Board of Commissioners and staff and all who worked to put together this creative and forward-looking plan.”

In Fiscal Year 2017 ending June 30, more than 13.5 million passengers traveled into and out of BNA, setting an all-time passenger record for the fourth consecutive fiscal year. And the record pace continues, with current projections estimating passenger traffic will exceed 23 million by 2041.

“The airport’s Board of Commissioners is focused on the long-term needs of our airport and the community it serves,” said Bobby Joslin, Chair of the MNAA Board of Commissioners. “BNA’s pace of growth demanded proactive planning, and this capital expansion project is designed to meet the needs of the region’s passengers, both business and leisure travelers, for decades to come. We couldn’t be more pleased with the scope, style and feel of the proposed BNA Vision that emerged from this process.”

“At Nashville International Airport, we are dedicated to creating a travel environment that reflects our city—warm and welcoming, friendly and accessible,” said MNAA Acting President and CEO Doug Kreulen. “With passenger traffic continuing at a record clip, it is critical that we keep pace with our passengers’ needs for safety, convenience, amenities and new nonstop service.  We believe BNA Vision addresses the challenges of our growing region, transforms the airport and helps connect Nashville to the world and the world to Nashville.”

The design unveiled at today’s event featured aesthetic elements celebrating the spirit of Nashville, including the authentic craftsmanship of instruments, especially the acoustic guitar, and reflecting the natural beauty of the city’s many parks and green spaces. The central entrance hall emphasizes the charm and hospitality embedded in the overall design and experienced throughout the terminal. The food, music and culture found at Nashville International Airport will be a seamless extension of the sights, sounds and flavors that make Music City a celebrated destination.

As with all other airport capital improvement projects, no local tax dollars will be used to fund BNA Vision.

BNA is currently served by 13 airlines and offers 450 daily flights. Nashville International Airport provides nonstop air service to more than 50 destinations.

The 2017 StormTV Project received 40 submissions and had 25 expert judges review the vidoes. The judges — primarily members of the WEF Stormwater Committee — scored each video on: message clarity, visual appeal, audio quality, technical accuracy, originality and vision, length, and distribution methods.

The judges awarded three prizes for the 2017 StormTV Project:

Grand Prize Winner — Washington Environmental Council with their video (above) Polluted Puddles: Arlo’s quest to clean up our mess

Filmmaker Award — Independence Television, Independence Township, and the Clinton River Watershed Council with their video Water is Worth It, EP1: An Introduction

Communicator Award — Independence Television, Independence Township, and the Clinton River Watershed Council with their video Water is Worth It, EP2: An Enviroscape Demonstration

The winners will be presented with their awards on Tuesday, Oct. 3, from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. in the Stormwater Pavilion at WEFTEC.

The top 10 highest rated videos for this year’s competition also will be shown in the Stormwater Pavilion Theater throughout WEFTEC. In addition to the three winners, the list of the top 10 videos includes:

• UpStream Art – City of Springfield OR
• Growing Sustainable Water Solutions Rain Gardens to the Rescue
• DCR Division of Water Supply Protection Dog Waste Public Service Announcement
• Groundswell NPS Pollution Video (5 minute edit)
• From Roads to Raingardens: Puget Sound
• From Roads to Raingardens
• Detroit: Becoming the Front-Runner in Green Stormwater Infrastructure

View the full StormTV 2017 Playlist:

According to a NYPA spokesperson, this is a rare opportunity for civil engineers to collaborate on projects that not only introduce new infrastructure to an iconic waterway, but to also propose projects that are new, innovative and can spark economic development in the canal corridor.

“The Canal System is a vital part of New York’s storied past and it is critical that it continues to be an essential component of our state’s future,” Governor Cuomo said. “We’re looking for bold and innovative ideas that ensure the canal system and its surrounding communities can grow and prosper and with this competition, we encourage bright minds from across the globe to contribute their best ideas to help bring this piece of history to new heights.”

“Originally labeled Clinton’s Folly, the Erie Canal went on to become one of the most significant transportation milestones in our history, putting Upstate NY on the path to a century of prosperity,” said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul. “It is fitting that now, as we celebrate its bicentennial, we re-imagine how this iconic Canal can once again become an engine for economic growth across New York State.”

The competition was announced as New York continues the celebration of the bicentennial of the Erie Canal, whose construction began in Rome, N.Y., on July 4, 1817. Next year, the state will mark the centennial of the 524-mile state Canal System, which includes the Erie, Champlain, Cayuga-Seneca and Oswego canals.

“There are many people in the public and private sector who are passionate about the canals,” said Gil C. Quiniones, president and CEO of the New York Power Authority, which operates the state Canal System as a subsidiary. “We want to translate that passion into sustainable projects that will make the canal corridor bigger and better.”

Quiniones unveiled the competition at the World Canals Conference in Syracuse, where hundreds of canal experts and enthusiasts from three continents are meeting this week.

“The building of the Erie Canal took persistence, vision and overcoming deep skepticism, but its construction transformed this nation,” Brian U. Stratton, New York State Canal Corporation director said. “Now, we want to transform the canals so they become go-to travel and recreation destinations. The entries can come from anywhere. Good ideas have no boundaries.”

The goals of the competition include soliciting programs and initiatives that promote:

• The Canal System and its trails as a tourist destination and recreational asset for New York residents and visitors;
• Sustainable economic development along the Canal System;
• The Canal System’s heritage; and
• The long-term financial sustainability of the Canal Corporation

The competition will seek entries on two separate tracks — one for infrastructure; the other for programs that have the potential to increase recreation use and tourism.

In the first round, entrants will provide information about how their proposal meets core competition goals and outlines the applicant’s qualifications. Finalists will each receive $50,000 to implement their ideas for the second round, where they will partner with either a municipality along the Canal System or a non-profit engaged in canal-related work. A panel of judges will select two or more winners to receive between $250,000 and $1.5 million to plan their projects and implement them.

Submissions for the first round are due Dec. 4. The final winners will be announced next spring.

For more information, go to www.reimaginethecanals.com.

In total, 124 outstanding international structural and civil engineering projects participated in the SCIA User Contest 2017. Utilizing SCIA Engineer as the structural analysis and design software, all of these projects not only demonstrated originality and know-how but many also focused on sustainability and the application of BIM.

An international jury of eight experts from the industry and academia selected a winner in four categories: buildings, civil structures, industrial buildings and plants and special projects. The jury also awarded the best BIM project with the “Special Prize of the Jury” for its advanced implementation of BIM.

As in the last edition, SCIA organized the “Prize of the Public” contest on the company’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/scia.engineer/posts/10159273082115548) at the end of June 2017, revealing all the participating projects to the public who had the opportunity to vote on their favorite ones. Over 10,000 people worldwide visited the contest page, and all projects received over 2,700 votes. The winner with the most votes received the “Prize of the Public” award.

“Every one of the projects in the User Contest 2017 was truly a remarkable showcase of the very art of structural design. I am proud of the work our customers have been able to achieve with SCIA Engineer. Their success and results inspire and empower us to innovate and to provide structural engineers with the tool that enables them to do anything they aspire,” said Hilde Sevens, CEO at SCIA.

The winners

• Category 1 – Buildings: The Port House in Antwerp, Belgium – Mouton cvba.
• Category 2 – Civil Structures: Bridge over Rhine River in Strasbourg, France / Kehl, Germany – Ingenieursbureau Stendess N.V.
• Category 3 – Industrial Buildings and Plants: Shoaiba II Power Plant in Shoaiba, Saudi Arabia – I.d.d. Engineering.
• Category 4 – Special Projects: Rafael Núñez Airport expansion in Cartagena De Indias, Colombia – Estra Engenharia ltda.
• Prize of the Jury for the best BIM project: Football Stadium in Dunajská Streda, Slovakia – HESCON s.r.o.
• Prize of the Public: Centre Point in London, United Kingdom – Pell Frischmann.

All six winners are awarded a prize of €1,500 each ($1,800).

SCIA launched the User Contest in 1992 with dozens of participating projects in several European countries. Since 2005, the company has organized the contest every other year, and the number of competing projects has grown to over 100 from around the world.

Details on all the participating projects and winners of the 10th edition are published in “The Art of Structural Design 2017” book available in a hardcover and online format at https://www.scia.net/en/company/news/announcing-winners-scia-user-contest-2017.

The TraPac Terminal is one of the first terminals implementing the fully automated straddle carriers in the United States. Automation results in more-efficient use of capital assets, less downtime, reduced human error, lower capital and human asset costs, increased productivity, and safety.

The Port of Los Angeles has been the number one port in the U.S. since 2000 in terms of container value and volume, handling $272 billion and 8.8 million 20-foot equivalent container units in 2016. It spans 7,500 acres along 43 miles of waterfront and includes 270 berths, 16 marinas and 27 terminals.

New York — The Telly Awards, which honor excellence in video and television across all screens, recently bestowed this honor on EarthCam with an award in Video Editing for its World Trade Center Oculus time-lapse movie. EarthCam CEO and Founder, Brian Cury, shared the recognition with Steven Plate, Chief of Major Capital Projects for the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey (PANYNJ) and presented the award at the PANYNJ Conference.

The Santiago Calatrava-designed World Trade Center transportation hub, known as The Oculus, is located in the heart of downtown New York City between 3 World Trade Center and the site of what will be 2 World Trade Center. EarthCam released a time-lapse movie showcasing The Oculus construction from July 2011 to May 2016 in honor of the ribbon cutting ceremony on May 26, 2016. The video is framed by more than 1 million high-resolution photographs and panoramas mixed into a cinematic time-lapse movie, showcasing the nearly five-year project from start to finish in less than two minutes.

“Unique and impressive designs like The Oculus are defining 21st century architecture, and my hope is this movie acts as a time capsule of our innovative culture,” Cury said. “We are proud to provide industry leaders with a powerful visual medium to showcase their legacy projects in a meaningful way for future generations.”

Following a close assessment of the proposals by a panel of experts in infrastructure, technology and transportation, ten teams from five countries were chosen from among hundreds of applicants. Hyperloop One will commit meaningful business and engineering resources and work closely with each of the winning teams/routes to determine their commercial viability.

“We are excited to partner with Hyperloop One in exploring the next step of feasibility of this innovative technology, potentially transforming how Colorado moves,” said Shailen Bhatt, CDOT executive director. “The Hyperloop technology could directly align with our goals of improving mobility and safety in Colorado, and we have been encouraged by the continued progress the technology is taking.”

“The Hyperloop One Global Challenge started as a call to action for innovators, engineers, trailblazers and dreamers around the world who shared our vision of creating a new mode of transportation,” said Shervin Pishevar, co-founder and executive chairman of Hyperloop One. “The Global Challenge became a movement of thousands of people from more than 100 countries over six continents. Like us, they believe that Hyperloop will not only solve transportation and urban development challenges within communities, it will unlock vast economic potential and transform how our cities operate and how we live. Our successful test this summer made Hyperloop a reality, and now we’re ready to bring our Hyperloop system to the world.”

Supported by AECOM, Hyperloop One and CDOT, will enter a public-private partnership to start a feasibility study that examines transportation demand, economic benefits, proposed routes and potential strategies, regulatory environments and alignment with overall CDOT high-speed travel, rail and freight plans.

The Hyperloop One Global Challenge kicked off in May 2016 as an open call to individuals, universities, companies and governments to develop comprehensive proposals for deploying Hyperloop One’s innovative transportation technology in their region. The winning teams/routes were chosen based on specific criteria including well-defined routes and implementation strategies, key stakeholder involvement from public and private sectors, compelling business cases, and innovative and creative applications of a Hyperloop system.

“The results of the Hyperloop One Global Challenge far exceeded our expectations,” said Rob Lloyd, CEO of Hyperloop One. “We had tremendous interest in this competition, and these ten teams each had their unique strengths in showcasing how they will alleviate serious transportation issues in their regions. We’re also excited about the partnership with CDOT and AECOM, which was a direct result of the Global Challenge and a testament to the power of open innovation. This is unprecedented and demonstrates how quickly the public-private sectors can partner to make Hyperloop systems a reality around the world. Studies like this bring us closer to our goal of implementing three full-scale systems operating by 2021.”

The team is one of 10 design teams selected through an extensive jury process out of 51 submissions. The challenge is a collaborative research and design project that brings together residents, public officials and local, national and international experts to develop innovative solutions to the issues brought on by climate change.

The result will be 10 new implementable projects that offer an imaginative and collaborative approach to resilience.

The team is led by SCAPE Landscape Architecture and includes Dredge Research Collaborative, TS Studio, the UC Davis Department of Human Ecology and Design, the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences, and Buoyant Ecologies Lab.