ACEC Weekly NewsLine
January 25, 2012

Energy

DOE to Spur Manufacture of Small Modular Nuclear Reactors

Land/Buildings

Earthquake Protection through "Self-Destruction by Design"

Other

U.S. Council of Mayors Calls for Infrastructure Spending

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DOE to Spur Manufacture of Small Modular Nuclear Reactors
Department of Energy News Release (01/20/12)

The Department of Energy recently announced that the draft version of the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) will allow the department to create cost-sharing agreements with private industry to begin designing, manufacturing, and licensing for small modular nuclear reactors. The hope is to introduce these small modular reactors (SMRs) as part of America's commitment to low carbon, next generation energy technologies, and the redevelopment of the nuclear industry. These small reactors would be about a third of the size of a current plant and would be built in factories before being transported to a site, which would help reduce costs and labor. The small size would offer numerous benefits, including the ability to install on small grids, and provide various benefits from construction to economic, among others. The draft version of the FOA has requested input from the industry prior to the hoped for introduction of a full FOA that would fund as many as two SMR designs with a development goal of 2022.
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Earthquake Protection through “Self-Destruction by Design”
Christian Science Monitor (01/13/12) Gaylord, Chris

Engineers need to protect occupants with earthquake building codes, but there is no rule that buildings should withstand earthquakes of any particular magnitude. However, Jerome Hajjar, chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Northeastern University in Boston, believes earthquake engineers can do better. He and his team have developed a new method for defending buildings from collapse, as well as from the tiny fractures and warps that make structures unsafe after a quake. The key to their scheme is self-destruction by design, in which the force of an earthquake is directed to a "fuse" that saves the rest of the building by being destroyed. Such fuses are not new to earthquake engineering. There are two other elements that complement the fuse: the addition of vertical cables that run the height of the building and realign each floor after a seismic shake, and a rocking design that protects the integrity of steel frames.
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Industrial Pursuits
Point of Beginning (12/11) DeDecker, Michael F.H.

In 2008, when the economy collapsed, surveying and engineering firms in Michigan were faced with a shortage in work to be done with the massive amount of automotive manufacturing plants cutting back rather than expanding. One sector that began to show a glimmer of hope since then has been with industrial surveying. Majority of projects in that sector deal with steel mills, refineries, and power plants. With those businesses and their products, there is a heavy emphasis placed on safety. Many firms like SDA take part in Management and Unions Serving Together to ensure there is no drug use by workers, and that all their staff is properly trained. Firms are also using OSHA training programs to create a safer environment for their workers. Although industrial surveying requires specialized equipment and training, many companies like Spalding DeDecker Associates Inc. have begun to invest in it as a way to increase revenue during tough economic times.
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Alternative Onsite Wastewater Treatment
Water & Wastes Digest (12/11) Vol. 51, No. 12, P. 46; Hallahan, Dennis F.

The Jordan Elbridge Central School District in New York elected to replace a high school's aging lagoon septic system with a chamber system that would supply a high level of treatment even in the presence of poor onsite soils. An absorption field specifying 5,700 ln feet of Infiltrator Quick4 Standard chambers was designed and passed. The system features a distribution valve that allows the chamber drainfield system to be divided into zones. The valve needs no power and spins sequentially through each zone. The division of the system into zones facilitates improved operations and maintenance options, as certain beds can be rested if required and taken offline without necessitating a full system shutdown. Among the advantages the Quick4 Standard chamber offers over a traditional aggregate system is its provision of greater storage volume in the bed and a larger unobstructed absorptive area than a conventional stone-and-pipe system. The sensitive soil conditions dictated the importation of a specified mound sand fill to level the uneven slope for the shallow, keyed-in design. Non-aggregate onsite wastewater treatment systems that employ chamber technology can offer a cost-effective and efficient alternative to municipal treatment plants and sewer line extensions at a time when funds for large infrastructure projects are hard to come by.
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EPA Checks for Cleanup Mishaps After Publishing Wrong Water Standard
Defense Environment Alert (01/17/12) Vol. 20, No. 2,

The EPA is investigating if an error published in the most recent edition of its drinking water standards document has resulted in any mistakes at hazardous waste cleanup sites or drinking water facilities that will have to be corrected. The error has already resulted in Pennsylvania relaxing its cleanup standard for the industrial solvent 1,4 dioxane, a chemical that the Defense Department has placed on its emerging contaminant "watch" list. It is unclear if any other states, cleanup sites, or drinking water facilities have been affected. The 2011 edition of the EPA's Drinking Water Standards and Health Advisories, published early last year, is used by some states to set standards at hazardous waste cleanup sites and drinking water facilities. The 2011 edition includes the lifetime health advisory level (HAL) for 1,4 dioxane. The publication of this value is an error because the EPA does not publish lifetime HALs for contaminants that are considered likely carcinogens and have more stringent cancer risk values. The publication of a lifetime value enabled Pennsylvania to relax its so-called medium-specific concentrations for 1,4 dioxane in soil and groundwater. The EPA says it will correct its drinking water standards document in the next two to three months by removing the lifetime HAL for 1,4 dioxane, and in the meantime the agency strongly recommends that Pennsylvania and other states or facilities that may have been affected take whatever action is necessary to ensure that the lifetime health advisory value for 1,4 dioxane in the 2011 document is not used for clean-up goals.

Philadelphia Uses Tough Love to Overhaul Water and Sewer System
Scientific American (01/12) Rahim, Saqib

Philadelphia's $2 billion, 25-year water plan is under way, aiming to cleanse the city's waterways of urban pollution in compliance with state and federal law, as well as make the city more resilient to heavy storms and flooding. To pay for that, though, the Philadelphia Water Department has fundamentally changed how it assesses water bills. However, some 100 businesses whose bills were set to spike have organized themselves in protest, pleading with City Hall, hiring a lobbyist, and threatening litigation. The group has resisted implementation of the new bills. Howard Neukrug, commissioner at the Water Department, is heading the city's rollout of the "Green City, Clean Waters" plan, widely viewed as a cutting-edge effort to address climate and water issues. Neukrug is pitching the most aggressive "green infrastructure" plan in the country, in which the city will try to absorb more water where it fell through increased vegetation, rain barrels, sponge-like roads and other measures. It could also toughen the city against climate impacts. Neukrug has convinced listeners not only that green infrastructure could work, but that it could actually work at a large enough scale to address a city's water challenges.
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USDA Announces Funding for Water Quality Markets, Seeks Proposals for Projects
U.S. Department of Agriculture -- News Release (01/13/12)

The Natural Resources Conservation Service of the USDA will be supporting projects that improve water quality credit trading with Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) of up to $10 million, the Agriculture Secretary, Tom Vilsak, recently announced. Of the available CIG, $5 million will be devoted to projects the affect the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The purpose of water quality credit trading is to engage more farmers and ranchers in improvement efforts and to increase the conservation practices in use on agricultural lands. The end goal is to improve water quality by reducing pollutants, and to generate market credits that can be sold to reduce the costs of beginning and continuing conservation efforts. The funds will be awarded to projects through a competitive grants process, and requires that at least half of the total cost of the project come from non-Federal funds, and that projects must involve NRCS Environmental Quality Incentives Program eligible producers.
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Federal Money for Transpo Robot
Transportation Nation (01/18/2012) Babin, Janet

Rutgers University's Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT) has obtained a $3.5-million dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation. CAIT is one of 22 University Transportation Centers to get the federal grants this year, down from 60 institutions that received grants last year. Allison Thomas, CAIT’s Associate Director of Marketing and Communications, says the grant will help defray administration costs that support a number of programs, including one that focuses on bridge and road infrastructure maintenance and repair. The Rutgers team designed a robot to help it diagnose problems in bridges before they are visible to the naked eye, and the grant will help fund a smart phone app that excavators can use to create an underground map of wires, on the spot, before they dig.
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U.S. Port Infrastructure Ranked Behind Iceland and Estonia
Port Technology (01/12/2012)

The subject of U.S. port infrastructure was at the forefront of a recent policy forum attended by a coalition of elected officials from the Building America’s Future Educational Fund (BAF) and Jacksonville’s Chamber of Commerce, the JAX Chamber, to highlight the need for continued investment in the country’s port infrastructure. According to claims made at the forum, U.S. port development is falling behind countries including Iceland and Estonia. Former Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, and BAF co-chair, noted that the 59 busiest ports in America are only operable 35 percent of the time; and he called for a key area of investment: the dredging of U.S. harbors in preparation for the completion of Panama Canal expansion in 2014. He stressed that unless necessary funding was provided then the country could face the prospect of losing millions of dollars of trade.
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3D Interchange
Point of Beginning (12/11) Grahl, Christine L.

Mobile mapping with an integrated LiDAR System seems geared to become the main tool for roadway design projects, but Gary Krick, president of Southeastern Surveying and Mapping Corp., says that might not be the case. "Although modern technologies provide the transportation design community with more tools to choose from, none of these technologies is the complete solution. They require the right professionals to determine how to blend the technologies in an approach that will lead to project success," he said. One way the blending of technology has surfaced is with stop-and-go scanning using a terrestrial laser scanner that can be installed on a vehicle, such as the TopoLIFT from Certainty 3D. The TopoLIFT has become popular due to its ease to move and set up, along with high confidence in its accuracy and coverage. "Looking at the substantial cost of a mobile machine, and the cost of mobilizing it to the site, I thought the static with the TopoLIFT was a really good fit as a stepping stone between static LiDAR and mobile," said Daniel Kucza, a survey manager with Kapur & Associates.
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U.S. Council of Mayors Calls for Infrastructure Spending
Orlando Sentinel (FL) (01/18/12) Stratton, Jim

The U.S. Conference of Mayors has released a new report describing the economic beat down American cities endured at the hands of the Great Recession. The goal of the report is to remind lawmakers that U.S. cities drive the economy and that cuts in federal aid and legislative gridlock hurt the nation’s economic engine. This report has documented the crucial role metro areas play in enabling the nation reap the benefits of international trade. It argues that exports will be more important than ever in this decade of retrenching consumers and governments, both of which are burdened by massive debt. According to the report, policy makers need to be aware that the maintenance and development of metro economies’ continued ability to generate the economic activity derived from exports is essential for the nation to prosper. The group is officially non-partisan, but its recommendations skew Democratic.
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Architecture Billings Index Positive for Second Straight Month
American Institute of Architects -- Press Release (01/18/12)

The Architecture Billing Index reveals that both November and December saw scores above 50, which indicate increases in billing activity and a larger demand for design services. The new project inquiry index dropped a point in December to 64 from its November reading of 65. The chief economist of the AIA, Kermit Baker, notes that this is good news for the industry and could indicate that there is an industry climate that would encourage slow improvement throughout the year.
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Construction Materials Prices Drop Again in December as Amount Contractors Charge is Stagnant for the Month, Up Slightly for the Year
Associated General Contractors of America (01/18/12)

A producer price index figures analysis recently released by the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of America shows that the amount contractors pay for a variety of important construction materials fell 0.2 percent in December, but climbed 5.3 percent over 2011. The amount contractors charge for projects remained largely stagnant for December, and is up only between 3.3 percent and 4.7 percent for last year, reducing contractor earnings and complicating an already struggling industry. "Any relief contractors might get from the recent declines in materials prices is being offset by their inability to increase prices for new construction projects," says AGC chief economist Ken Simonson. "With overall demand relatively weak and public sector investments in construction declining rapidly, construction remains a buyer’s market." Simonson notes that prices for many vital construction materials fell between November and December. For example, diesel fuel fell 7.8 percent in November, but is still up 20.2 percent compared to December 2010. Despite small rises in recent months, the price indexes for finished nonresidential buildings, which measures what contractors estimate they would charge for new projects, has struggled compared to the yearly increases in materials costs, according to Simonson. AGC officials say the fact that contractors continue to be pressured between materials costs and what they can charge is making a difficult situation worse, and that Congress could ease the situation by enacting a series of measures to increase private sector demand and counter recent declines in public sector construction activity.
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New Concrete Recipe Developed by Auburn, Alabama Researchers Reuses Toxic Coal Ash
Birmingham News (AL) (01/16/12) Spencer, Thomas

Auburn University and University of Alabama researchers are collaborating on a new recipe for concrete that could reuse a coal ash, reduce greenhouse gas production, and revolutionize the world's most common building material. The researchers are perfecting a process that uses coal ash, a toxic waste created by power plants, and uses it in place of cement in a recipe for concrete. The recipe also uses carbon nanotubes, including a new technique for manufacturing nanotubes. Nanotubes add strength, durability, and conducting properties to the concrete. The researchers make them by cooking an iron compound in a microwave for 10 seconds. "It is very much like you cook the popcorn," says Jialai Wang at the University of Alabama. Concrete accounts for 70 percent of all construction materials globally, but making it requires cement which requires a significant amount of energy and produces large quantities of greenhouse gases. Using carbon nanotubes in coal ash concrete strengthens the material and allows it to conduct electricity. Electrically conductive concrete could be used to improve ice melting on bridges or airport runways, or to monitor the integrity of a structure as damage would cause a disruption in conductivity. A start-up company, Carbon Nanotube Engineered Surfaces LLC, has been created based on the technology and is hoping to win funding through the Alabama Launchpad competition.
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Rethinking Arbitration Following NLRB Decision
Human Resource Executive Online (01/18/12) Starner, Tom

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has put employers in a precarious position after an arbitration ruling in which the board rejected the ability of employers to limit class-action lawsuits by their workers. Last April, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that under the Federal Arbitration Act California had to enforce arbitration agreements even if the agreement requires consumer complaints to be arbitrated individually, instead of on a class-action basis. Employers believed that decision would create a clear legal path to using mandatory arbitration agreements in employment contracts. However, in a move that places the Supreme Court's decision on its head, the NLRB rejected an arbitration agreement that required employees of a homebuilder to waive their class-action rights, effectively meaning employers cannot rely on the Supreme Court's ruling as a defense. Similarly, in two unrelated lower-court rulings, judges ruled against employers that have tried to use the case's pro-arbitration defense in employment cases. Philip Berkowitz, a partner at the law firm Littler Mendelson, says the NLRB has been very clear that it is not interested in seeing employers restrict employee rights in collective actions, and that there has been a growing trend towards employers requiring workers to waive their class-action litigation rights. Scott Summers, a labor and employment attorney at Dinsmore, says it is "virtually certain" that the NLRB ruling will be appealed.
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