The Construction Thread

The forces of technology are at work night and day to ensure that one day, skilled building trades craftsmen and their high wages go the way of the master cobbler, the blacksmith and the tailor.
 
One little structure used fiberglass structural members and bronze fastenings. My component was copper and brass.

Whoa...now that I've never even heard of.

Metal studs were actually cheaper than wood for a while.
 
Thor and Stpeter are our thread engineers.

Tattletail!

Whoa...now that I've never even heard of.

Metal studs were actually cheaper than wood for a while.

I've seen metal stud houses. I'm not a fan of them for use around my 'hood.


The housing was for a magnetometer to locally measure changes in the earth's field. A component for directional drilling.
 
Tattletail!



I've seen metal stud houses. I'm not a fan of them for use around my 'hood.


The housing was for a magnetometer to locally measure changes in the earth's field. A component for directional drilling.

Hah, my guess was right. I knew it had to do with magnetic fields.
 
Thor and Stpeter are our thread engineers.

Well I've been involved in everything from building my own house to decommisioning power plants.

Seems timber is being used more and more as a renewable resource. They even built a local supermarket using massive glulam beams and columns.

Over here metal studs are generally used for commercial and industrial builds, Residential builds generally use timber studs.
 
Contractor Takes the Keys To World’s First ‘Hybrid’ Dozer

Dan Klingberg, president of Joliet, Ill.-based T.J. Lambrecht Construction Co., took control of the world’s first diesel-electric bulldozer and says he will put it to use on a project at O’Hare International Airport next month.

Klingsberg took the keys from Caterpillar Inc.’s Vice Chairman and CEO-Elect Douglas R. Oberhelman on Dec. 22 at the manufacturer’s East Peoria tractor plant and the bulldozer was specially gift-wrapped with a bright red bow. The delivery took place among more than 200 Cat employees who had a hand in building the new D7E.

The event is about more than holiday season goodwill because the D7E, now in full production after making a debut inside the tractor plant, marks an important technological advance.

The result of 10 years of research and development and 100 new patents, the D7E prototypes jumped through more than 70,000 hours of lab and field tests. It went on sale this summer. The machine costs about $600,000, a 20% premium over a non-hybrid tractor, but Caterpillar claims it increases fuel efficiency by 25% and pays for itself in about 2.5 years. T.J. Lambrecht tried out a pre-production model this summer for an airfield expansion contract at O’Hare, where the D7E demonstrated fuel savings of 25% to 30%.

“It goes right to the bottom line,” said Klingberg. “It was one of the easiest decisions we every made. This machine is going to save us money.”

The tractor received a Clean Air Excellence Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency earlier this year for its innovative hybrid drive, which also cuts carbon emissions.

The machine “is definitely new, emerging technology, and it’s exciting,” says Mike Betz, chief engineer. Oberhelman is slated to replace Jim Owens, Cat’s current chairman and CEO, next July. “I want to leave sustainability as one of my legacies,” he said, adding that the D7E “is proof that sustainability can lower costs and definitely increase revenue.”
 
I've done some sound transmission loss testing to determine both airborne and impact STC ratings, but it's been a very long time. I'm sure there are new and better materials to recommend.

Go give her some advice please.
 
Caterpillar claims it increases fuel efficiency by 25% and pays for itself in about 2.5 years. T.J. Lambrecht tried out a pre-production model this summer for an airfield expansion contract at O’Hare, where the D7E demonstrated fuel savings of 25% to 30%.

“It goes right to the bottom line,” said Klingberg. “It was one of the easiest decisions we every made. This machine is going to save us money.”

Ah, environmental excellence through the bottom line. No doubt T.J. Lambrecht'll have some add in some roadbuilding publication spinning it to that effect.

D7E droned out via topcon etc... Goodbye operators hullo programmers. Drop your hardhats at the site office. Your checks are in the mail.

Still, there are places where it makes sense and a runway project is one of them. Tight tolerances and precision earth moving. But its unsettling none the less.
 
Ah, environmental excellence through the bottom line. No doubt T.J. Lambrecht'll have some add in some roadbuilding publication spinning it to that effect.

D7E droned out via topcon etc... Goodbye operators hullo programmers. Drop your hardhats at the site office. Your checks are in the mail.

Still, there are places where it makes sense and a runway project is one of them. Tight tolerances and precision earth moving. But its unsettling none the less.
Futuristic, eh?
 
Ah, environmental excellence through the bottom line. No doubt T.J. Lambrecht'll have some add in some roadbuilding publication spinning it to that effect.

D7E droned out via topcon etc... Goodbye operators hullo programmers. Drop your hardhats at the site office. Your checks are in the mail.

Still, there are places where it makes sense and a runway project is one of them. Tight tolerances and precision earth moving. But its unsettling none the less.

It wan't replace more conventional plant on most jobs due to pure economics.

This is just the way of the world and has been since dragline excavators replaced navvies...
 
I see the Kiwis are trying to steal our Petroleum Engineers.....

"Are you looking for the opportunity to take your career to the next level? Origin Energy New Zealand is currently recruiting for a Senior Petroleum Engineer ? Offshore and a Production Engineer to join our sub surface team, based in the New Plymouth office and reporting to our Petroleum Engineering Team Leader.

Don?t miss this terrific opportunity to live and work in a region where the mountain, surf and countless outdoor adventures are on your doorstep. The Taranaki region is a destination ?like no other?."

At adn.com of all places.....
 
Go give her some advice please.

Depends on how much she wants to spend. I have heard of 'bass traps' being built in (or installed in) rooms. A number of the special foam panels used in recording studios might quiet the echo.

Or, just turn the fucking music up.
 
Texas county braces for $3B in road work

From star-telegram.com:


"Here’s a New Year’s caution for business owners, shoppers and commuters: $3 billion worth of road work will begin next year in Northeast Tarrant County. It will include 21.4 miles of concrete upheaval, four to five years of toil and a whole lot of orange signs.

Cities have been planning for months to handle the tumult and traffic congestion that may descend upon those vital roadways.

Officials say leaders from area cities, private contractors and the Texas Department of Transportation are on the ball. They’ll have signs up to reroute traffic from Point A to Point B via Points X and Y (or occasionally out of the way places like Point Q).

Still other signs will direct shoppers to businesses that line the highways in Grapevine, North Richland Hills, Hurst, Bedford and other cities along the planned routes of construction. E-mail and text messages will give updates for some of the work.

First up, in February, comes the start of Grapevine’s massive $1.02 billion project known as the DFW Connector.

"We will use all of our tools to help keep traffic moving safely during construction," said Selma Stockstill, spokeswoman for the project’s contractor, NorthGate Constructors.

The four-year project begins with the removal of one southbound lane on the Main Street bridge; eventually the bridge will include six lanes and two U-turns. In addition, travelers can expect to see grading and temporary construction start at the north end of the airport, Stockstill said.

Ultimately, seven highways along 8.4 miles will be torn up and put back together, including reconstruction and expansion of Texas 114/121. Flyover ramps will be added to ease traffic flow between highways.

Jerry Hodge, Grapevine’s transportation projects director, said motorists need not fret unnecessarily. Contractors "have to keep the same number of travel lanes open as [are open] today while they’re constructing this project. So that means to close down a lane they have to build up a lane."

Grapevine business leaders are worried that congestion and traffic bewilderment will send otherwise loyal credit and debit cards to places like Southlake or Frisco instead of staying put in the Christmas Capital of Texas (Grapevine).

"A lot of businesses have the concern that they’re not going to be as accessible to people as they are today," said Tom Kormondy, a local businessman and outgoing chairman of the Grapevine Chamber of Commerce. "I know the city and TxDOT are working to keep that at a minimum."

But Kormondy added, "People will take the easy way out to do their shopping. And that’s one of the things we’re . . . expressing concern about to the city and to TxDOT."

Stockstill said that, along with signs, motorists can visit dfwconnector.com for updates and subscribe to text message and e-mail alerts. An after-hours information hot line at 877-411-4212 will also provide information, Stockstill said."
 
Beginning of the End

Got the new issue of the International magazine. There's a depressing report on Fiber-Reinforced Polymer beams and a picture of some mug from Local 396 holding one over his head, would weigh about 300 lbs if steel.

The only thing that makes me feel better when I think about the little engineers at work busy as beavers making me obsolete is the idea that some other engineer is designing an Artificial Intelligence or Expert System to make THEM obsolete too.
 
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