Category: Infrastructure
-
Digital Collaboration Drives the Future of Global Construction
Global construction is at a turning point. Trillions are being invested to renew aging infrastructure and deliver the next generation of digital and physical assets – data centers powering the digital economy, transport networks connecting cities, hospitals caring for growing populations and homes for a changing world. Yet despite this unprecedented wave of investment, the…
-
Why Concrete Joints Fail First & What to do About It
In liquid-bearing concrete structures, joints are where protective linings fail first. A monolithic film is asked to span a moving gap and stay bonded to both sides through thermal swings, settlement, hydrostatic loads, and start-stop operations. Over thousands of cycles, stress concentrates at the arris; micro-pinhole strings and edge-shear accumulate until the first callbacks show…
-
CBI to explore new PPP models
Rain Newton-Smith, CBI’s CEO, said: “The private sector stands ready to support the government’s infrastructure ambitions but really wants to see a less risk-averse approach to partnering with business. By developing the next generation of public-private partnership models, the government could crowd in private capital and accelerate the delivery of major infrastructure projects such as…
-
Government Shutdowns Deepen Construction Labor Crisis
When we think of the federal government being shut down, what we commonly picture are National Parks closed, flights grounded, even delays in Social Security benefits due to staffing shortages. Rarely do we hear of how these shutdowns put a choke-hold on the legal immigration pipeline that supplies our economy with the labor vital to…
-
Is it time for the UK to leave the Aarhus Convention?
The political challenge for the government, committed to the rule of law, to grow the economy, and in the face of global warming, is clear: either act in breach of the Convention or leave it. However, the Convention enshrines environmental rights, and the government is simultaneously committed to its 2050 Net Zero Strategy. The rise…
-
ARTBA Responds to OSHA’s Proposed Heat Safety Rule
As the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) continues developing its proposed federal standard to address heat-related illness and injury in the workplace, the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) has submitted detailed written responses outlining the transportation construction industry’s perspective on how such a rule should be structured. I’ve written previously about state-level…
-
Public infrastructure fuels surge in construction pipeline values
The total value of published UK construction projects has more than doubled from £11bn in Q2 to £25bn in Q3 this year, according to a new report by procurement services firm Constructionline. The 127% value increase has been driven by significant new public infrastructure investments, with education, energy and health projects accounting for the largest…
-
Optimize Concrete Slab Dowel Design with the EIDM Enhanced Integrated Dowel Model
Because standards are intentionally conservative for most projects, but new design methods are changing, project-specific design optimization is required to provide safe, cost-effective, and sustainable construction. The newly developed Enhanced Integrated Dowel Model (EIDM) ensures joint performance under all wheel types, to reduce joint spalling and callbacks, while typically also reducing cost and improving sustainability. Dowels…
-
Cold-Weather Concreting: Technical Guidance for Preventing Winter Damage
As construction timelines stretch deeper into the colder months, concrete contractors are increasingly expected to deliver high-performance placements under challenging conditions. Cold weather can slow hydration, delay strength gain and significantly increase the risk of early-age concrete damage. Without proactive measures and technical know-how, cold-weather concreting can lead to compromised structural performance, costly repairs or…
-
Job spotlight: senior consultant, Turner & Townsend
Shifa Isa explains why supporting others on their career journey is just as rewarding as her own personal achievements at Turner & Townsend. What attracted you to a career in the built environment? One of the key drivers in my career is witnessing the real, measurable impact that our efforts have on the communities and…