Preparations have been finalized to demolish the first of four immense concrete chimneys at the historic Battersea Power Station in London. The stacks have formed the city’s dominant industrial landmark for decades.Rising more than 100 meters, the chimneys are in poor shape and due to be replaced by exact replicas as part of a multibillion-dollar,
Related Links: Massachusetts Span Partially Reopens After Temporary Fix http://enr.construction.com/convert/convert.asp?filename=necoar071017e Crews in Boston are removing in sections a monolithic, 43,000-sq-ft, 4-in.-thick reinforced-concrete ceiling off an Interstate 90 tunnel using specialized trucks equipped with shipping containers and hydraulic lifts.In the predawn hours of April 6, three flatbed trailer trucks, side by side, crept out of the Prudential Tunnel in three of the four eastbound lanes carrying a 33-ft-wide, 45-ft-long slab weighing 75,000 lb—the largest of 106 sections to be removed to date, says Cory Brett, project manager for Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH), the prime design contractor.The move was part of
The tension was high in Milton, Ky., and Madison, Ind., as crews prepared to slide the new Milton-Madison Bridge's nearly half-mile-long superstructure 55 ft over the Ohio River in one piece. "It'll be good to get this behind us," said Charlie Gannon, project manager for design-build contractor Walsh Construction.
Photo Courtesy of kiewit Nicaraguan bridge marks a big firm's first foray with Bridges to Prosperity. Related Links: Bridges to Prosperity partner list Volunteers Building Other Critical Bridges Kiewit Corp. has joined a growing list of major engineering and construction firms volunteering with the group Bridges to Prosperity. Earlier this year, Kiewit completed its first project, a week-long effort to construct a steel-and- wood-deck suspension bridge 115 ft—with tower heights of 25 ft—across the El Limón River in Nicaragua.Kiewit isn't alone. Both CH2M Hill and PCL will volunteer for their first projects this year, while existing industry partners, such as
Related Links: Southern Co. Refuels Coal Fleet With Gas In a move that could lead to widespread gasification of lignite—a lower grade of coal that is widely available—utility Southern Co. has signed a memorandum of understanding with Shenhua Group, China's largest coal producer and a large power generator, to collaborate on the research, development and deployment of the Atlanta firm's gasification technology."While we are still early in our market development process, we believe there will be strong worldwide demand" for the firm's transport integrated technology, or TRIG, the technology to be used at Mississippi Power's new 582-MW integrated gasification combined-cycle
Related Links: EPA Bristol Bay Profile EPA Study Says Pebble Mine Could Destroy Salmon's Habitat The Pebble Partnership is searching for another key investor to help fund its proposed Pebble Mine project in Bristol Bay, Alaska after international mining giant Rio Tinto gifted to two Alaska charities its 19.1% stake in the firm. A project spokesman says development of the mine, valued at $7 billion to $8 billion, will continue.Environmentalists oppose the mine, which would potentially include a large earthen dam and a containment pond to store up "tailings" waste from the gold, copper and molybdenum extracted. The project would
Photo by Nadine M. Post/ENR World Trade Center Project's Shape Is Challenging To BuildThe complex above-grade form of Santiago Calatrava's WTC Transportation Hub, designed to resemble a bird of peace, is taking shape in Lower Manhattan. The main transit hall, which is 365 ft long, will contain more than 11,000 tons of structural steel in 600 members, some with as many as three field-welded connections. Challenges include the unique geometry and the connection engineering. The entire structure was modeled to determine a carefully staged erection sequence. The hub is scheduled to open some time next year. EPA Proposes $1.7 Billion
Related Links: Transportation's Next Chapter: Maintenance, Mobility, Money DOTs Are Gaining "Complete Streets" Smarts Massachusetts industry executives were awaiting word at ENR press time on whether a state House and Senate conference committee could hash out differences over their respective versions of a five-year, $13-billion transportation bond bill. Both versions of the bill are similar, and Gov. Deval Patrick (D) has indicated his support. As a result, many expect it to pass and authorize capital spending on a host of long-awaited projects to improve heavily used roads, rails and other infrastructure.Anthony Puntin, executive director of the Boston Society of Civil
Photo Courtesy of Black & Veatch Related Links: 2014 ENR Top 500 Design Firms Overview: A Recovery in Need of Speed At about 1:00 a.m. on April 16, 2013, snipers hit and knocked out 17 transformers in 19 minutes at the Pacific Gas & Electric's Metcalf power transmission station near San Jose, Calif. This illustrates a nightmare scenario for electric utilities: A physical or cyber attack that disrupts power transmission.More and more utilities are bringing in engineers to examine the electrical grid's vulnerabilities to attacks."Our security consulting division is closely involved with our utility customers to find the best ways
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