Image by ENR An Aconex Field demo screenshot shows how issues are logged. When networked, the app then integrates with back-office databases. Related Links: Survey Shows That Mobile Tools Boost Jobsite Productivity ENR Readers Speak Up About Info Tech in Construction Acquisition of Vela Systems Puts Mobile BIM On Autodesk's Fast Track Field management apps for tablet use on jobsites are all the rage in the construction industry these days—with good reason.Tablets are rapidly replacing clipboards to become the device of choice for project managers who value their efficiency in documenting project issues, new research shows.Now Aconex, a provider of
Image Courtesy of Yue Fan and Bilge Yildiz Research studies impact point's potential energy. Related Links: Probing the Mysteries of Cracks and Stresses Physical Review Letters Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology studying a phenomenon called a flow-stress upturn—in which material strength can abruptly soar as the applied strain rate increases—have hit upon an atomic-level explanation that may lead to a set of general principles.Those principles should apply to many kinds of materials and ultimately could help explain phenomena including the breakdown of concrete or metal structures under sudden stress.The research, by associate professor Bilge Yildiz, professor emeritus Sidney
Courtesy Infrasense Infrasense's new GPRQA software collects data from a radar mounted on the back of a vehicle, such as this SUV. Related Links: ENR's Past GPR Coverage (10/24/05) A Time When MnDOT Did Not Use GPR Google Maps measures and maps roads, and department of transportation workers measure and map the subsurface quality of those roads. One company’s advance in computing asphalt-pavement density data on-site claims to make DOT workers’ jobs easier.“We have developed … ground-penetrating-radar [GPR] quality-assurance software that can automatically process radar data on-site,” says Kenneth Maser, president of Infrasense Inc., Arlington, Mass. “It covers the entire
Related Links: Vizit's Free 30-day Trial Newsgator Document-management software maker Vizit's latest release extends search and collaboration capabilities for users of Microsoft's SharePoint. Giving more visualization to search results, the 5.0 release allows users to search for, jump to and highlight specific words or passages in documents, then share them as a link with other SharePoint users.The software by Seattle-based Vizit displays previews of a select amount of text next to search results, then immediately generates a URL that points to the portion of text and enables it to be shared via SharePoint's news aggregator, Newsgator, and its enterprise social
Related Links: ENR: Nullifying Water Damage to Mobile Devices ENR: Surge in New Mobile Apps for the Industry Mobile technology and tools are becoming an increasingly ubiquitous part of society, extending beyond personal convenience to important business uses. Construction is no exception, with mobile tools serving as a critical link between jobsites and the main office.The important research reviewed below demonstrates a prolific application of mobile tools today, with 93% of a representative sample of general contractors and subcontractors using some sort of mobile device on their construction sites. The industry is already reporting productivity benefits from these tools, including
Related Links: FCC Narrowband Mandate Architectural Record Push-to-talk communication has been around since two-way radio came into use more than 70 years ago. Now, AT&T is putting a new spin on the sub-second communication feature with an enhanced push-to-talk service that can instantly reach up to 250 people simultaneously. It uses Internet Protocol as the conduit instead of radio frequencies.Steve Colkitt, IT director at CourierNet, which beta-tested the service, compares it to Motorola's pioneering iDEN (integrated digital enhanced network) service, which combined two-way radio capabilities with other features, such as pagers and fax/modem. "It's damn near iDEN quality, which no
Bentley Systems Inc., Exton, Pa., announced on Sept. 18 that it has acquired Ontario, Canada-based Ivara Corp., whose asset performance management software is based on a reliability-centered maintenance philosophy. Ivara works to maximize uptime and the safe, economical performance of facilities in asset-intensive industries, such as mining, power generation, oil and gas, through predictive analysis of real-time, equipment-specific performance data. Bentley CEO Greg Bentley says the acquisition “may be our most significant in years” as it creates an “unprecedented opportunity” to improve facility design and operations by linking the data of designers and engineers with the live data of operators
Image courtesy of Cupertino Electric Inc. A BIM can integrate power usage information into a "Master System Integration" program which would increase facility lifecycle efficiency and entice owners to invest in designing-in the systems technology early on. White targets in this model indicate "spheres of influence" for the seismic hangers. Building information modeling is a very useful tool for optimizing initial construction build and lowering facility development cost.It's great technology, but how do you fund it? If you can't fund it, you can't get it.I think the answer is that we can fund BIM as a facility development cost if
Related Links: New York City Releases New BIM Guidlines The New York City Dept. of Design and Construction (DDC) is the latest regional agency to issue building-information-modeling technology standards. The agency says the new guidelines establish a framework to enable all future DDC-managed public building design projects to be delivered using 3D design technologies and BIM processes. The guidelines require BIM on new projects valued between $15 million and $50 million, says Craig Chin, a DDC spokesman. BIM provides “a broad platform for collaboration across the project team,” says David Resnick, DDC deputy commissioner for public buildings. The agency joins
Related Links: More Information About Autodesk 360 YouTube Video of Huntair's Use of Simulator Tools Autodesk is quickening the pace of its cloud-computing strategy shift with what it calls the industry's first "pay as you go" simulation service. Called Simulation 360, the cloud-based subscription offering promises to slash the costs of simulation testing for mechanical engineering projects, the results of which can make or break a successful job."We're packing it up in three different tiers," says Grant Rochelle, senior director of industry marketing for San Rafael, Calif.-based Autodesk. Simulation 360 is the latest offering sincethe company launched last spring its