Related Links: Dramatic Digs Mark Panama Canal Expansion Progress A Shaky History in Panama Meeting the quality level called for in the Panama Canal's new locks while producing the massive volume of concrete required to finish the job by the expected fall 2014 completion date has called for extreme equipment solutions. For each primary process—batching, conveying and placing—the material is tightly controlled.The sheer volume of concrete—more than five million cubic meters—has to be built to meet the structures' projected century-long life span. As a result, the quality standards for the concrete are extremely high. The entire lock worksites on the
The quality standards set for the locks for the Panama Canal's Third Lane Expansion are enormously high, partly due to seismic risk. While the danger posed by earthquakes is perceived to be low, studies by the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) found evidence of an active fault running next to the new locks on the Pacific side of the canal.
The $3.25-billion effort to build massive new locks on both entrances of the Panama Canal has been delayed by six months beyond the previously announced schedule, said officials with the Panama Canal Authority, the agency that oversees the canal.The international consortium handling the lock's construction, Grupos Unidos por El Canal, notified the authority—known by its Spanish-language acronym, ACP — of the new altered schedule on April 3.The delay follows a weeklong work stoppage in January organized by SUNTRACS, one of Panama's largest construction labor unions. The walkout, which only affected workers for Grupo Unidos por el Canal, ended when the
Three of Brazil’s largest airports were privatized earlier this month in a public auction that netted $14.3 billion—almost three and a half times the minimum set by the government for the trio of contracts.
The development of big-ticket hydroelectric projects in Peru seems to be on a collision course with both Brazilian financial backers and indigenous groups, who object to being displaced and having their land despoiled.
A six-day strike at the Panama Canal's $5.2-billion Third-Lane Expansion has ended with the project consortium and workers agreeing to a 13% wage hike. The new hourly rates are reportedly $3.34 and $3.96 per hour for skilled labor, up from the previous $2.90 per hour.
AP/Wideworld The death toll stands at 17, but authorities say five people remain missing. Google Maps/ENR Art Dept. The collapse of the Liberty Building, shown in orange, impacted surrounding structures. The deadly collapse of three buildings in the historic center of Rio de Janeiro has launched a series of inquiries into the cause of the accident as officials continue to search for the bodies of victims.The 20-story Liberty Building on Avenida 13 de Maio, located near Cinelandia Square in central Rio, fell at about 8:30 p.m. on Jan. 25. The debris crushed the nearby 10-story Columbus Building as well as
Image courtesy Brazil's National Agency of Terrestrial Transport A proposed high-speed rail line received no bids. A $21.3-billion high-speed-rail project in Brazil has been delayed for a third time after no offers were presented at auction this month. Government officials say they will now modify the proposal in hopes of attracting bidders in a new auction later this year.The Trem de Alta Velocidade Rio-São Paulo, or TAV, will provide a direct link between two of the country’s largest metropolitan areas. The 510- kilometer line would extend from Rio de Janeiro to São Paulo and terminate at the city of Campinas.
Related Links: The Ten Most Noteworthy Rail Projects: Overview and Related Stories After decades of delays, Brazil’s ambitious railroad project to revitalize the infrastructure of its booming northeast region is on track. The 1,728-kilometer Transnordestina rail line, linking city of Eliseu Martins in the region’s interior to the ports of Pecém and Suape, is slated to begin operations late next year.The $3.21 billion route is being built by Brazilian steelmaker Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional, which holds a 30-year concession that gives it a 75% stake in the line. CSN has financed through regional development agency Fundo de Investimentos do Nordeste and