Construction

AECL sale to SNC-Lavalin near

2011-06-28T21:23:00.000+01:00

Ottawa is close to a sale of Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. to SNC-Lavalin Group of Montreal, ending a federal withdrawal from the nuclear energy business that has been in the works since 2009.

The anticipated sale would include the Candu reactor business but not the Chalk River, Ont., nuclear reactor unit that makes medical isotopes and does research.

An announcement could come as early as this week, although final details are still being worked out.

Peter White, the head of the Society of Professional Engineers and Associates union that represents AECL workers, said he has not received word of any deal, but did say that management have asked for a meeting with union leaders on Wednesday.

"Somebody from AECL wants to talk tomorrow so that tells me something's going on," White said.

Requests for comment by AECL from CBC News were not immediately returned.

Engineering giant SNC-Lavalin is the sole remaining bidder in a process that saw Bruce Power walk away in January. SNC had been partnering with the OMERS pension plan, until the latter, too, stepped away from any deal in May.

AECL has had a troubled decade. The supply chain that supports it has been laying off workers, as sales and profits dwindled.

The Crown corporation ran up $800 million in red ink last year, and has not sold a new reactor since the 1990s. That's in part because there's reportedly a cap on new contracts while Ottawa mulls the sale, because the government doesn't want the company to be burdened with new liabilities.

New sales

But that's not to say the company is without value. Versant Partners analyst Neil Linsdell covers SNC-Lavalin, and he can see why the engineering giant would be interested.

More than 70 per cent of SNC's core business comes from overseas, and they'd likely be looking to leverage that expertise into more contracts for the company's CANDU reactors.

AECL is struggling to modernize its technology to keep up with rivals Areva, Westinghouse, Hitachi and others. But there's a market for the existing reliable CANDU technology in the developing world, Linsdell said.

"SNC is really a great partner for [Ottawa] because of their international expertise in working with emerging economies," he said.

Even excluding any new sales, the servicing side of AECL's reactor business is profitable, Linsdell said. "The service business is going to be a good one," he said. "SNC is going to get a good deal out of this thing."

For its part, the union hopes that any move for privatization won't result in the company being chopped up and sold off piecemeal.

"The real concern is that the new buyer might not want to take over all the [components]," White said. "It's hard to maintain a nuclear industry with just one piece."

"The government has starved us so we're not as attractive, and that makes the price go down," White said.

But even if they get a good deal on paper, SNC is likely to invest far more in the company than the initial price tag, some say. The purpose of the privatization may not be to acquire funds, Mount Royal University public policy professor Duane Bratt said Tuesday. Rather, the appeal for Ottawa would be to stop the bleeding of more parliamentary appropriations after a slow sale process, he said.

'Magical' as Lennox collects OBE

2011-06-28T21:20:00.002+01:00

Musician Annie Lennox has described being awarded with the OBE by the Queen as "magical".

The former Eurythmics singer was honoured for her work fighting Aids and poverty in Africa in an investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace.

Lennox, 56, said: "It's quite magical. It's really meaningful to me that it's for charity work.

"Campaigning has been taking up a great deal of my commitment for quite a few years, and what it means is that there's a significance to what I'm doing - I'm not just working in a void. To get this acknowledgement means people are listening."

She met the Queen earlier this year at a Westminster Abbey service for Commonwealth Day, and said the monarch remembered the "HIV Positive" T-shirt she wore on that occasion.

Asked if she had been tempted to wear a similar T-shirt to receive her OBE, Lennox smiled and replied: "I don't think I would have got away with wearing that."

Instead, Lennox - accompanied by her daughters Tali and Lola - wore a purple taffeta dress with a pleated skirt, topped off with a matching vintage felt hat.

The Aberdeen-born artist's pearl accessories were not as expensive as they looked. Lennox admitted with a smile: "My bracelet and necklace are from a Christmas cracker."

She has sold more than 80 million albums worldwide with the Eurythmics and as a solo star, winning a string of awards including Grammys, Brits, Ivor Novellos and an Oscar.

Lennox joked that she would be happy to receive another OBE for her musical work, but said of her campaigning: "Whatever you do, you do out of a passion. You don't think about rewards, you think about what you're doing for its own value. If people then give you recognition for it, that's wonderful."

PacifiCorp's reliance on coal plants brings utility to expensive juncture

2011-06-28T21:19:00.002+01:00

Tim Kupsick / Casper Star-TribunePacifiCorp's largest-capacity coal plant, the Jim Bridger Plant near Rock Springs, Wyo.

When it comes to power plant pollution, the spotlight in Oregon has been fixed on Portland General Electric and its plan to shut the Boardman coal plant by 2020 rather than invest $500 million to keep it running under stricter air-quality mandates.

But when it comes to coal, PacifiCorp is king. That dependence is driving Oregon's second largest utility to a very different strategy when it comes to impending regulations: to stay the course with coal, despite the expense.

PacifiCorp relies on a fleet of 26 coal-fired boilers at 11 locations in Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Arizona and Colorado. Those plants provide almost two-thirds of the electricity consumed by customers in its six-state territory, and their low-cost output partly explains why Pacific Power's rates in Oregon remain lower than PGE's.

So it's no wonder that company executives were in Washington, D.C., this month to lobby against the quick imposition of new clean air rules proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Cathy Woollums, chief environmental counsel for PacifiCorp's parent company, told lawmakers that compliance within the short time frame proposed by the agency would cause the cost of plant retrofits and new generation to skyrocket as parts and labor shortages outstripped supply.

Woollums estimated that PacifiCorp would face $1.3 billion in additional environmental compliance costs, almost 40 percent of the value of its coal fleet. She didn't translate those costs to rate increases, but said the impact would be concentrated in a narrow window between 2013 and 2015, potentially forcing early plant closures and exacerbating rate hikes from other investments in new gas plants, transmission projects and renewable power.

But while it lobbies against the new rules in Washington, PacifiCorp is telling ratepayers and state regulators that plant retrofits to keep the coal fires burning are the least-cost, least-risk strategy to meet demand.

"For baseload generation, it's either gas, coal or nuclear," said Micheal Dunn, president of PacifiCorp Energy. "There aren't a lot of other options out there, and we believe that retrofitting the coal units is the most economical option for our customers."

That question will be pivotal as state regulators and ratepayer advocates scrutinize the company resource plans over the next few years. Pacific Power has raised residential rates in Oregon by 49 percent since 2005, when it announced its takeover by MidAmerican Energy Holdings, a subsidiary of Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway conglomerate. Part of that rise was driven by the $1.2 billion in environmental upgrades that PacifiCorp has made during that period. Indeed, MidAmerican's chief rationale for buying PacifiCorp was as an investment vehicle for Berkshire Hathaway capital.

PacifiCorp spent $345 million on emissions controls in 2009 and an additional $398 million in 2010. Much of that spending went into units at one plant, and helped drive the 4.4 percent and 8.4 percent rate increases PacifiCorp's Oregon customers saw in 2010 and early 2011, respectively.

Emerging regulations on ash disposal and treatment of cooling and wastewater are likely to require further investments. The company also has a pending request with Oregon regulators to increase rates by 5.2 percent to cover higher power costs, driven in part by rising costs for coal. Many experts say the trend will continue because of increased domestic and foreign competition for Wyoming's Powder River Basin coal.

Importantly, none of the planned coal plant retrofits addresses their enormous output of carbon dioxide, the chief culprit in global warming. Should Congress or individual states adopt a carbon tax or cap-and-trade system, the added cost to PacifiCorp ratepayers would be significant.

"They've obviously got a problem," said Maury Galbraith, an economist with the Oregon Public Utility Commission. "Some of (the coal plants) are fairly new and up to date. They'll probably have to make heroic investments to update some. And some they may eventually want to retire."

Long-term commitment

Tim Kupsick / Casper Star-TribuneWorkers at the Jim Bridger Plant work on replacement nozzles designed to make a boiler more efficient.

The real risk of PacifiCorp's strategy is that incremental investments to address ongoing regulatory changes will commit ratepayers to running the coal plants long term, said Bob Jenks, executive director of the Citizens' Utility Board, an advocacy group for residential ratepayers. Each of those investments may make sense in isolation, he said, "but nobody's asking the question whether all these together are cost effective versus going with a different technology."

The holdup on that analysis is regulatory uncertainty, reflecting the fact that regulations, not demand growth, are now driving the bulk of utility investments and cost increases.

The question is hardly isolated to PacifiCorp. Utilities across the country have already canceled plans to build more than 150 new coal plants in the past four years, according to the shareholder activist group As You Sow. A 2010 study by The Brattle Group, a Boston-based consulting outfit, found that 20 percent of the coal generation capacity in the nation could be retired if currently contemplated mandates are passed. The study estimated that compliance costs for plants that stay open could total $180 billion.

In the semiannual resource plan that PacifiCorp finalized this year, it analyzed myriad power-generation mixes under different operating scenarios. The preferred portfolio that emerged included up to three new natural gas plants, wind farms to comply with state renewable power mandates and lots of energy efficiency.

In contrast to PGE, which says it's better for ratepayers to shut Boardman by 2020 to avoid the most expensive retrofits, PacifiCorp doesn't envision closing any of its coal plants before 2025, when one or two units could close.

Regulatory uncertainty

The key variables in that calculation are the price of natural gas as a replacement fuel and the price of any eventual tax on carbon dioxide emissions. If there's no carbon tax, the company says, the utilization of its coal fleet is likely to remain steady at 80 to 90 percent. Alternatively, if PacifiCorp faces a combination of low gas prices and high CO2 tax, it could reduce the coal plant utilization rate to 35 percent by 2030. Most scenarios included a reduction in utilization, meaning ratepayers would foot the overhead for running plants less efficiently.

PacifiCorp said regulatory uncertainty is the key caveat, but it concluded that under currently expected scenarios, its coal fleet remains economically viable.

The analysis included some, but not all, the costs of expected environmental upgrades. PacifiCorp's Dunn downplayed the risks from water treatment and ash disposal, for example, as he said those costs would be modest. The key factor in keeping coal plants going is fueling costs, he said, noting that it's still 2 1/2 to three times more expensive to run plants with natural gas than coal. PacifiCorp buys two-thirds of its coal supply on the market and gets one-third from company-owned mines. It says that blend results in a stable, low-cost coal supply.

But those costs are rising, too. The company recently told regulators in Utah that coal prices had increased nearly 25 percent because of increased operating costs at its own mines, and the expiration of long-term supply contracts that are being replaced by new agreements at prevailing prices. The company has requested a power cost adjustment in Oregon that would kick in next January.

PacifiCorp says it's too soon to estimate rate increases its customers can expect because regulations are in flux. Regardless, it acknowledges that the costs will be significant.

Michael Early, executive director of an advocacy group for large electricity consumers, Industrial Customers of Northwest Utilities, wonders how PacifiCorp plans to mitigate rate shock from the environmental mandates. He points to the utility's plans to remove several dams on the Klamath River. That's ostensibly a better deal than upgrading them to aid salmon migration, and he wants to see the same analysis of the coal fleet.

"We still have a lot of energy intensive businesses here," Early said. "If we get hammered with higher energy prices, it will forestall their recovery or cut it off altogether."

* Business * Economic growth (GDP) Poor GDP figures add to pressure on Osborne

2011-06-28T21:18:00.002+01:00

Construction industry income fell 3.4% during the first three months of 2011. Photograph: Roger Bamber/Alamy

The Office for National Statistics has maintained that a dramatic fall in construction activity restricted UK economic growth to 0.5% in the first quarter of the year.

Construction industry income fell 3.4% during the first three months, a slight upward revision on initial estimates, offsetting a 0.9% rise in services, the ONS said.

It confirms that the economy has remained flat for almost nine months after a drop in GDP of 0.5% in the final quarter of 2010 and zero growth in the last month of the third quarter.

The figures will come as a disappointment to the Treasury which is under pressure from backbench coalition MPs to show that cuts in public services and an emphasis on safeguarding the public finances have boosted confidence and injected some life into the economy.

George Osborne has been urged by Labour to prepare a "Plan B" of tax cuts and investment initiatives to kick start growth.

Rightwing pundits have urged the chancellor to embark on tax cuts mixed with steeper reductions in public spending to prevent the economy falling back into recession.

The OECD, the Paris-based thinktank, recently warned the UK government that if the economy continued to flatline it should consider tax cuts for the low paid to boost consumption.

The figures come amid mounting gloom in the UK retail sector, where more than 10,000 jobs are now at risk. Thorntons announced the closure of up to 180 stores on Tuesday, threatening around 1,000 jobs and Carpetright also added to the gloom, axing this year's dividend and warning that it sees "no respite" from the challenges that have forced several high street names into administration in recent weeks, including Liverpool-based TJ Hughes.

The ONS figures showed consumers had reduced their savings to accommodate a surge in inflation, which jumped to 4.5% last month.

The household saving ratio was 4.6% compared with 5.1% in the previous quarter. Real household disposable income also fell by 0.8% following a fall of 0.9% in the fourth quarter of 2010.

Many economists believed the three months up to the end of June will also show little or no growth, further adding to concern inside and outside the Treasury that the current policy needs to be revised.

Alan Clarke, chief UK economist at Scotia Capital, said he feared the UK would struggle to grow in the spring and summer months.

Howard Archer, chief UK economist at IHS Global Insight was marginally more upbeat about the immediate growth prospects, though he warned that the chancellor risked undershooting his fiscal targets.

He said: "We expect GDP growth to be limited to 0.3-0.4% quarter-on-quarter over the rest of 2011, thereby limiting growth to 1.3% in 2011. Growth is seen improving modestly to 2% in 2012.

"These GDP growth forecasts are significantly below the Office for Budget Responsibility's projections of 1.7% in 2011 and 2.5% in 2012, suggesting that the chancellor is highly likely to undershoot on his target of reducing the Public Sector Net Borrowing Requirement (excluding financial interventions) to £122bn in fiscal 2011/12 from an upwardly revised 2010/11 outturn of £143.2bn."

He added: "Given the softness of the economy, serious concerns over the consumer and the fact that the fiscal tightening is now increasingly kicking in, we expect the Bank of England to hold off from raising interest rates until the second quarter of 2012."

False profits no more, as corporate revenue set to surge

2011-06-28T21:17:00.000+01:00

Sales for large caps will double this year, analysts say; 'things are getting better'

Revenue will climb 10 percent in 2011, twice last year's rate, as personal income and corporate spending recover, according to data from analysts compiled by Bloomberg. Net margin estimates were unchanged the past two months after rising more than 50 percent since 2009. The measure of income divided by revenue increased to 13.4 percent in the first quarter from 8.2 percent in October 2009, Bloomberg data show.

Companies that boosted profits by firing workers and closing factories in the first two years of the expansion are running out of opportunities to reduce costs, requiring sales gains to keep growing. While bears say U.S. businesses will fail to increase revenue fast enough to justify higher stock prices, chief executive officers at Caterpillar Inc. and Coventry Health Care Inc. have raised forecasts.

“In the early part of the recovery, the CEO focuses on efficiency, productivity and margin enhancing, until their sales kick in,” said James Paulsen, the chief investment strategist at Minneapolis-based Wells Capital, which oversees $340 billion. “Once that happens, that emphasis on margins starts to fade. What looks on the surface as something you'd check off as bad is actually an indication that things are getting better.”

Caterpillar, Coventry

Caterpillar, the world's largest maker of construction equipment, and Coventry Health, an insurer based in Bethesda, Maryland, posted higher profits when sales retreated, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Each has rallied after boosting revenue, the data show.

The S&P 500 fell 0.2 percent between June 17 and June 24, dropping for the seventh time in eight weeks. The gauge has surged 87 percent to 1,268.45 since reaching a 12-year low in March 2009 during the 18-month recession, the longest since the 43-month slump of the Great Depression, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research. S&P 500 futures expiring in September rose 0.1 percent at 8:53 a.m. in London today.

Analysts have boosted estimates for S&P 500 sales growth in 2011 to 10 percent, compared with 5.2 percent last year and a decline of 9.1 percent in 2009.

Income Rising

Personal income for Americans is rising at an average rate of 0.6 percent a month in 2011, versus 0.3 percent in 2010, Commerce Department data show. Capital spending by companies in the index may jump 21 percent this year, according to the median estimate of analysts compiled by Bloomberg. Retail sales excluding cars increased 0.3 percent last month, topping economist predictions for a 0.2 percent gain, the data show.

Revenue gains may push S&P 500 profits to $99.08 a share this year, up 17 percent from 2010, after rising 37 percent a year earlier, the biggest two-year expansion since 1995, analyst estimates compiled by Bloomberg show. The gauge has traded at an average 15.7 times reported earnings since the start of 2010, or 15 percent below the average for the rest of the past 10 years.

“Due to the stubbornly high unemployment, lack of economic clarity and questionable self-sustainability, the multiple needs to come down,” said Chad Morganlander, a Florham Park, New Jersey-based money manager at Stifel Nicolaus, which oversees $110 billion. “Margins have reached the crescendo, so any improvement with earnings will be pushed through with sales growth. But the economy suggests only a modest improvement in sales, and so earnings improvement should be modest at best.”

Employment Report

The S&P 500 tumbled as much as 7.2 percent after reaching an almost three-year high of 1,363.61 on April 29, driven by government reports showing U.S. employers added 67 percent fewer jobs than economists forecast in May and producer prices rose at twice the expected rate. At 39 days, the decrease is the second longest since the bull market began, Bloomberg data show.

Shares broke a four-day winning streak on June 22 after the Federal Reserve cut its forecast for growth and employment in 2011 and 2012. Risk signals for financial stability in the euro area are flashing “red,” European Central Bank President Jean- Claude Trichet said that day.

The U.S. economy grew 1.9 percent last quarter, a slowdown from 3.1 percent at the end of last year. Unemployment unexpectedly climbed to 9.1 percent in May, homebuilder confidence plunged to the lowest level in nine months and economists cut their estimates for 2011 gross domestic product growth to 2.5 percent from 3.2 percent in February.

‘Derisking and Deleveraging'

“We're seeing a tightening in financial conditions, derisking and deleveraging,” said Doug Noland, the money manager for Pittsburgh-based Federated Investors Inc.'s Prudent Bear Fund, which oversees $1.3 billion. “The markets are starting to recognize this. They're recognizing we need to bring down these multiples because the environment is so uncertain.”

Peak profit margins haven't always signaled the end of equity gains in the past, data compiled by Bloomberg show. The last time corporate profitability reached a high was in January 2007, before the S&P 500 advanced 10 percent through October, the data show. In the same period, U.S. government bonds returned 5 percent, while bonds for American companies added 3 percent, according to Bank of America Merrill Lynch data.

Margins rose to a record 15.6 percent in 1999, when the benchmark gauge for U.S. equities rallied 14 percent through March 2000. That time, Treasuries rose 1.5 percent, and corporate bonds lost 0.24 percent. The S&P GSCI Total Return Index of 24 raw materials outperformed equities in both periods, advancing 23 percent in 2007 and 38 percent in 1999.

Four Stages

Stocks will probably climb about 5.9 percent through March 2012 if history is any guide, according to Birinyi Associates Inc., which examined data on bull markets since 1962. The Westport, Connecticut-based money-management and research firm found advances typically have four stages with the biggest gains coming in the first, when economic data rebounds, and the last, when investors who missed earlier gains buy shares.

The third phase of an advance is usually the weakest as economic growth slows, Birinyi said. While that may be happening now, the firm predicts equities will rise 51 percent by the end of the rally in 2013, based on average historical returns.

“We had two years where every data point was stronger than the next one, and earnings were just marching back to all-time peaks,” said Jeffrey Kleintop, the chief market strategist at LPL Financial Corp. in Boston, which manages about $300 billion. “It's great, but that pace of growth is unsustainable, and ultimately you get to the point where businesses do need to reinvest to generate growth.”

Profit Margins

Profit margins have reached the highest level since the end of 2007, data compiled by Bloomberg show. The expansion since 2009 has helped S&P 500 companies raise earnings for nine straight quarters.

“As sales start to emerge, attention turns to investment, to staffing, and to meeting the sales demand,” Paulsen said. “We're not going to have profit growth going forward like we have had, but there's nothing uncommon about that, because of the economic cycle we're in. Even if margin slips a little bit, your overall earnings can still do fairly well.”

Caterpillar in Peoria, Illinois, posted a 28 percent increase in adjusted earnings per share for the first quarter of last year, even as sales shrank 11 percent. It countered a slump in machinery and engine sales by lowering operating expenses 23 percent that quarter after cutting about 37,000 workers and contractors from late 2008 to the end of 2009.

Higher Sales

The company said on April 29 that revenue will climb to at least $52 billion this year, compared with an October forecast of less than $50 billion, as sales surge in developing countries. The stock is up 50 percent since Caterpillar started to report higher sales.

Coventry Health Care's adjusted earnings rose 73 percent last year even as sales slipped 17 percent. The profit margin, which in 2009 was the lowest since 1997, more than doubled. Shares of the health insurer advanced 1.6 percent since the company boosted its revenue estimate for the year on April 29.

“We are downshifting to a more normal mid-cyclical environment,” said Kleintop. “That's a good thing, it sustains the recovery. Even as profit margins might be stable or even falling, stocks will do reasonably well because people believe the growth is going to continue, even if at a slower pace.”

Rare display for Auckland Art Gallery re-opening

2011-06-28T21:15:00.000+01:00

Supplied

RESTORED: The newly refurbished areas of the historic Auckland Art Gallery were returned to the care of its staff today after three years with Hawkins Construction.

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When the Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki re-opens in 68 days, the new-look building will exhibit a rare collection of modern art gifted to the people of Auckland.

The newly refurbished areas of the historic gallery were returned to the care of its staff today after three years with Hawkins Construction.

And when the gallery opens on September 3, the complete Robertson Promised Gift will be on display for eight weeks.

Announced in 2009, the gift from New York art collectors Julian and Josie Robertson is the largest ever made to an Australasian art gallery.

Its 15 works represent some of the major European artists of the modern era including paintings by Matisse, Picasso and Dali.

Auckland Art Gallery director Chris Saines said this will be a rare chance for Kiwi art lovers to see the historic works.

"This will be the first and only occasion the Robertson gift will be seen in Auckland, in its entirety, until such time as the 15 works are finally settled on the Gallery under the terms of the deed of promised gift."

Today, the historic 1887 Wellesley and Kitchener St building and the 1916 East gallery were the first spaces returned in a phased handover ahead of the official opening in September.

The three year construction period has included one million man hours to increase the exhibition space by 50 per cent and, when completed, the cost of the refurbishment will come in close to $121 million.

Chairman of Regional Facilities Auckland Sir Don McKinnon says the refurbishment is a key moment in the building's history.

"This really is a major milestone in the Gallery's development project.

"I believe Auckland will be very, very proud of what we have here."

Saines said keeping the historic aspects of the building was crucial.

"We've gone for broke with this building to try and put heritage back into it in its authentic manner."

The Auckland Art Gallery opens on September 3. The Robertson collection will be displayed in the renamed "Julian and Josie Robertson Galleries", formally known as the Kitchener galleries, from September 3 until October 30.

U.S. aims to increase rare earths extraction

2011-06-28T21:13:00.000+01:00

The drills pull up cylinders of rock in search of exotic minerals like neodymium, praseodymium and ytterbium.

Those “rare earths” are critical ingredients of your car’s catalytic converter and your computer’s flat-screen display, of smartphones and smart bombs. They make your Prius purr and lasers shine.

In an age of the digital and the virtual, they are the “hard” in hardware.

In 2010, the world mined 133,000 metric tons of rare earths. Of that, all but 3,000 tons came from China. In the United States there is but one mine — in Mountain Pass, Calif. — responsible for the entire country’s output.

“There is oil in the Middle East; there is rare earth in China,” said Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping in 1992.

The search for rare-earth-rich veins below the corn and soybean fields near Elk Creek could be the beginning of a long American creep back into the mining of ores that form the innards of high technology.

“We could go without this stuff,” said Matt Joeckel, a University of Nebraska geologist who also works for the state’s Conservation and Survey Division, “if we cared to go back to maybe a 1940s level of technology.”

Global demand for rare earths is projected to climb 8 percent a year, while the Chinese have effectively clamped down the growth of supply at zero.

A U.S. Energy Department report last year warned that supplies are “at risk” of disruption. Limits on Chinese exports could increasingly mean that high-tech equipment made with rare earths will only be made in China.

General Electric led a small parade of American manufacturers testifying to Congress this month urging the country to spur its own production.

At stake isn’t just the ability to make a better cellphone (tiny magnets make for tiny speakers) or a sharper television picture (the phosphor red in screens comes from europium). The elements are critical to oil refineries and cutting-edge medical care. And rare earths play a growing role in making our modern military more modern.

Without rare earths, satellite-guided bombs would weigh three times as much. A hybrid motor contemplated for a new class of naval destroyer would be in jeopardy. Night-vision goggles would go dark.

Some in Congress have suggested the country’s national security is threatened if supplies run too short.

Still, rare earths are often found mixed with other ores, and it’s rare to find concentrations that make mining profitable.

The story of the deposits in southeast Nebraska dates back perhaps 500 million years, when underground volcanic activity spilled lava into subterranean pathways. That magma cooled quickly and left an unusual deposit of carbonatites laced with rare earths.

Some 50 years ago, state geologists surveying southeast Nebraska found two oddities around Elk Creek. The rocks were more magnetic than most, and were denser.

Those findings drew the attention of mining company Molycorp Minerals in the late 1970s and early 1980s. It drilled holes across the landscape and pulled out 90,000 feet of core samples.

A few decades later, a high-tech boom vaulted prices for rare earths upward. Canadian company Quantum Rare Earth Developments came looking at the core samples and reams of data left behind by Molycorp. Joeckel, the Nebraska geologist, had stockpiled it all for safekeeping.

The new method is a greener process that uses far fewer chemicals and less water while shaving the cost of extracting the minerals from mined rock. The company expects to crank up operations in 2012 and produce up to 40,000 tons a year.

Learn construction skills while helping others

2011-06-23T23:23:00.002+01:00

Summer is the perfect time to work on your house - or somebody else's house. Volunteer construction and remodeling is a great way to help needy people while learning valuable construction skills.

My wife and I spent several months outside New Orleans helping rebuild homes destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Every home in St. Bernard Parish, where we worked, was inundated with several feet of polluted floodwater after the levees broke.

After the water eventually subsided, every building needed to be stripped to the studs, and many were rebuilt with volunteer labor. I learned the whole interior construction process, including framing, hanging drywall, mudding and texturing walls, and installing cabinets.

Of course, books and websites can explain cabinet installation, but it was invaluable to learn from and get hands-on experience with the master carpenters and professional craftsmen who regularly came to the parish to work on recovery. I also met many wonderful, caring people, had plenty of fun and ended every day with a sense of pride and accomplishment (and exhaustion).

A group in your community is likely working on homes for low-income families, elderly residents or others. There are also opportunities to help rebuild areas that were devastated by natural disasters.

You can even make it a domestic or international vacation. Every year, hundreds of high school and college students spend the Thanksgiving holiday or spring break working on recovery by day and partying by night in New Orleans.

Here are a handful of reputable volunteer construction organizations:

Habitat for Humanity is a global leader in volunteer construction, Habitat has built 300,000 homes for more than 1.5 million people around the world since launching in 1976. Unfortunately, it is a victim of its own success. There is sometimes a months-long waiting list for domestic projects, and some volunteers report too much downtime on overcrowded projects, particularly in disaster recovery areas. However, Habitat offers plenty of opportunities for short- and long-term volunteer projects in every region of the world, and does important disaster recovery work.
St. Bernard Project has been called the most effective post-Katrina rebuilding group on the Gulf Coast. Four years after a couple with no construction experience launched the organization, it has rebuilt nearly 300 homes. The group also launched the first post-Katrina mental health center to help residents deal with the stress and other struggles of surviving the worst natural disaster in U.S. history.
Rebuilding Together mostly rebuilds and upgrades homes for veterans, disabled or aging people, and low-income families. A total of 2.5 million volunteers have worked in more than 100,000 homes. The group is currently focused on safety and accessibility upgrades, veterans' housing and rebuilding on the Gulf Coast.
The Appalachia Service Project is a Christian group that repairs homes for low-income families in Kentucky, West Virginia and other parts of rural Appalachia. The group focuses on making homes "warmer, safer and drier." Nearly half of all families in Appalachia have household incomes below $20,000 per year, and poverty is more than double the national average.

Shrinkage Compensating Concrete

2011-06-23T22:59:00.005+01:00

There are significant developments in concrete technology for a number of different and unique applications. Shrinkage compensating concrete is a concrete made with an expansive cement which, when properly restrained by reinforcement or other means, will expand by an amount equal to or slightly greater than the anticipated drying shrinkage.

Ideally a residual compression will remain in the concrete reducing the risk of shrinkage cracking. In the USA and Russia, expansive cements are produced as an enity, whereas in Japan they are produced by adding expansive admixtures to ordinary porland cement (OPC). A number of types of expansive cements have been used in USA namely Types K, M and S but type K is most prevalent. These cements which either contain or are blended with combinations of calcium sulphate, calcium aluminates and calcium aluminate sulphates. In Japan another type of expansive cement. not based on sulphate and owing it s expansive properties to hydration of free lime, is used.

Care must be taken to ensure that continuous wet curing is provided for at least 7 days after placing to ensure that the expansion develops. Care also needs to be taken to prevent plastic shrinkage cracking. Expansive cements have been used to produce both shrinkage compensating concrete and self-stressing concrete for use in slabs, pavements, prestressed beams and roofs.

Construction Loan Insurance

2011-06-23T22:59:00.002+01:00

You’ve decided to build your own dream home. You’ve picked out a plot of land, found a house design that you like, and have secured your bank loans. Did you know that you also need three types of insurance in order to get started?

Never fear, your bank requires two of those types before the building process begins! The three types of insurance you will need are:

• Course of Construction

• General Liability

• Workers’ Compensation

The first two types of insurance are required by the bank, while the third type, workers’ compensation, is required only if the builder has employees. Let’s go over the first two types of insurance in a little more detail, so you’ll understand exactly how you are protected.

Course of Construction. Course of Construction is an all risk policy that includes fire, extended coverage, builder’s risk, replacement cost, vandalism, and malicious mischief. If you are wondering what builder’s risk covers, this provision all buildings and structures as well as all equipment used in the building of the home, whether it is on the job site, on route, or in storage.

General Liability. This type of insurance can be provided either by your or your builder. It is a comprehensive general policy or broad form liability endorsement. If you provide the policy there is a minimum of $300,000 for each occurrence required. If the builder provides it, a general policy of $1,000,000 or broad form liability endorsement is required.

You can usually roll the cost of your insurance into your construction loan. Insurance is considered a soft cost, which means it is something non-physical in nature. Hard costs, by comparison, would include things like the materials needed to build the home. This type of insurance can be provided either by your or your builder.

The many risks of construction mean that choosing the right policy is of utmost importance. Finding an insurance agent who is familiar with the construction industry will help ensure that you are properly covered.

Time Managing Tips for Construction Project Managers

2011-06-23T22:58:00.002+01:00

Good time management is very important to a successful project manager.

The best project managers ensure they are productive for most of their time and avoid time-wasters at all costs. Here are some tips for project managers that can help you manage your time more effectively.

Create the Plan

What does this have to do with time management I hear you ask? Well, if everyone knows what they are doing and have a plan with regular milestones to focus on, you as project manager will spend a lot less time dealing with issues brought about through a lack of clarity.

Remember the 80/20 Rule

The 80/20 rule (or the Pareto Principle) is the idea that by doing 20% of the work you can produce 80% of the benefit of doing the whole job.

The value of this for a project manager is that it reminds you to focus on the 20 per cent of activities that matter. Of the activities you do during your project, only 20 per cent are important. Those 20 per cent produce 80 per cent of your results. Identify and focus on those activities.

Not Just Status Updates

It’s best to avoid team meetings where you go round the room asking each person to give a status update. These meetings have little value and waste time. Instead, spend that time focusing on risks, issues and opportunities. Use the team to brainstorm solutions and create ideas.

Team meetings should have an agreed agenda that you stick to. If you schedule an hour for the meeting, make sure it lasts for an hour and no longer.

Take big issues off-line if they are likely to cause a meeting overrun. Don’t make everyone sit through lengthy technical discussions that don’t involve them. Setup a working group to focus on the issues and report to the team at a future meeting.

Stop Micro Managing

Avoid delving into the detail of the work. With software development projects, it’s not necessary for the project manager to get involved at code level, leave this to the developers. You’ve selected the right team for the job. Let them get on with what they are best at, while you concentrate on steering the project to a successful conclusion.

Don’t do the Work

Many project managers make the mistake of getting involved in “doing the work.” Avoid this at all costs. Managing projects is a full-time job and taking your eye off the ball (even for a short period) can lead to problems. It may be tempting to carryout a few tasks when a deadline is looming, but leave this to others while you get on with managing the project.

Create a To-do List

E-mail fixation is a modern-day problem that can distract you from doing the tasks you need or plan to. Creating a daily to-do list keeps you focused on achieving your objectives. Scratching tasks from your list creates a real sense of achievement and drives further activity.

Summary

Time management is a basic skill for project managers. If you can’t manage your own time, how can you expect to manage your teams? Ask each day what you did to move the project forward. Plan your next day, what will you do to ensure your project continues along the straight and narrow. Plan your time, manage your resources with a light touch and communicate effectively. With a little time management, project success should come easier.

Free Construction Software

2011-06-23T22:57:00.002+01:00

When searching for construction software to help run your business cost should not be your ultimate concern because the old adage is true – you really do get what you pay for. Just as you wouldn’t hire a high school kid to do your accounting because you could get him cheap, you also shouldn’t pick a software package based solely on price. After all, this is your business you’re dealing with.

That said, there are many affordable (and even free) construction software packages out there. A business software application that is totally free, however, may raise a few red flags. How good can it be if they are giving it away? Can I get by without any product support? Do I really want to entrust my business to an untested product that I got free off the Internet? These are very good questions that you should ask yourself before choosing a free construction software program.

But your quest for free construction software does not have to end there. There are software companies that will allow you to try their product for a trial period absolutely free. This is an invaluable service because it allows you to test their software to see if you like it without having to risk anything financially. If a company is willing to offer their product to you for free it shows not only a strong belief in customer service, but confidence that those potential customers will choose their product over a competitor.

Choosing software to run your business is a critical decision. While most people acknowledge the need for such software, they do not always know the best way to go about it. Trying an application on for size before you commit to buying it will relieve the anxiety about making a final decision, and allow you to become comfortable with the software before buying. Seek out these free construction software trials and get on the road to streamlining your business and maximizing your potential.

Waterproofing Coating to Concrete Water Tank

2011-06-23T22:56:00.002+01:00

Basically, internal surface coating in potable water tank shall be smooth, easy-to-clean and has high mechanical resistance to accommodate the erosion of movement of water. Most important thing is that this coating shall not adversely influence the quality of water.

Sika has been supplying SikaTop Seal 107 or Icosit TW 450 to large numbers of water projects. This product has been tested in local and international laboratory and meets the requirement for waterproofing and protective coating in contact with potable water.

In waste water treatment, besides providing waterproofing properties, internal surface coating shall be able to protect the reinforced concrete structure from aggressive chemicals attack. The degree of chemical attacks then depends on type of chemical involved, time of exposure as well as service temperature itself.

To give the right solution, it is necessary to know all these information before hand. As reference, herewith is some Sika products that have been applied for waste water treatment internal coating: Inertol Poxitar F, 2-part protective coating on epoxy coal tar pitch base and Sikagard 63 N, high build, chemical resistant epoxy resin coating.

In providing waterproofing system to concrete water tank, a good surface coating does not by itself makes a water tank waterproofed. Area of weaknesses are often found at the openings, pipe entry and construction joint or expansion joint system and for these areas waterstops and joint sealant have become an integral part of the whole waterproofing system.

Various types of waterstops are available from Sika, ranging from Sika Waterbars- flexible PVC waterbar to Sika Hydrotite – water swellable profiles. Sikaflex PRO-2HP is one of joint sealant available from Sika. This polyurethane based joint sealant is also has test certificate in compliance with potable water. Sikaflex Pro-3WF is usually used to seal gap & opening of joints when chemical resistance is required especially in waste water treatment plants. Sikadur Combiflex a highly chemical resistant PVC is also available to seal large or wide gaps and openings.

Project Management Made Easy - now just $4.8 USD (70% off)

2010-12-14T22:20:00.000+01:00

Dear friends,

Project management consists of more than just a large building project and can encompass small projects as well. No matter what the size of your project, you need to have some sort of project management. How you manage your project has everything to do with its outcome. Whether you are a project manager who is in charge of a large company project or you have a small project that you need to complete, you need to know the basics of project management.

Trying to get a project off the ground can be daunting as can the problems that can come with the project. You might run into snags during your project that may cause you some headaches. Project management can be one challenge after another.

I have experienced plenty of meltdowns during my project management days. There were many times when I didn’t think that I could get the project off of the ground and many times when I felt just like giving up. How often has that happened to you? I found that the skills that I learned in project management were those that I used for just about all tasks that, although not as daunting as the projects I handled at work, were projects just the same.

A friend of mine suggested that I write down my experiences of being a successful project manager for others to see. I put this off over and over again until I realized that it was a project, just like others that I had tackled and started to write it down.

As I started writing the book, I discovered some of the mistakes that I made during the past with regard to project management as well as techniques I used in management style. I began to realize that my book might be able to help those who are struggling with projects or are taking on tasks that can seem to be daunting. As I am so familiar with that feeling, I began to feel that maybe this could be a way to help others avoid some of the mistakes that I made and gain control over their projects.

Do not feel overwhelmed again!

If you have been feeling overwhelmed when it comes to work and a bit disorganized, you can benefit from this book. Once you learn the secrets to project management, you can learn not only how to successfully manage your projects at work, but also to manage individual projects.

Project Management Made Easy!

You can learn quite a bit about project management and not feel so overwhelmed simply by reading this book. This book teaches you how to take a project from start to finish and, using your own techniques and management style, complete the project. Whether you work as a project manager or have a bunch of unfinished projects on your plate, Project Management Made Easy! will help you.

1) This book will help you whether you have a project that you are trying to complete that is daunting or are in charge of projects at work. If you look at every task as a chore, you can learn how to manage them much easier with the skills taught in this book.

2) Instead of worrying about how you are going to complete a project, you can do so easily when you use this book. You will learn how to use your own personality to its fullest with the tools in this book.

Here is what you will learn inside this guide….

Project management styles

Financing for project management

Making your management style work for you

How to break down a project

How to work with others
- And much more!

How Much Is Project Management Made Easy! Worth To You?

This book will help you understand your own project management style and give you the tools that you need to successfully manage any type of project on your own. You no longer have to worry about how you are going to get things done or feel out of control all of the time. Whether you have trouble completing projects at home or if you are in charge of large, business projects, this book will end up saving you time, money and make your days a lot less stress filled. How much is that worth to you?

If your time is anything like mine and I think it is, your time is worth more than $4.8 You will save that much money by not having to spend it all on your computer.

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Is that fair or what?

Look at it this way - $4.8 USD really is a drop in the bucket compared to the time and money you can save yourself by avoiding all the other books and tutorials out there. Why spend a fortune learning how to manage your projects, when you can do so for a much better price.

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P.S. Starting, managing and completing a project is not difficult, once you learn the secrets to successful project management. If you have longed to learn more about how to be an effective project manager, or just want help managing the projects in your daily life, you can learn from this book.

Steps to Successful Schedules in Project Management

2010-12-14T22:14:00.000+01:00

If you search internet with “Steps to Successful Schedules“, you will find millions of results. There are tons of resources that claim the perfect ways of scheduling.

Here is some steps for schedule creation that project managers can follow for their successful management.

1: Define the Schedule Activities

Take your Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) work packages and decompose them further into schedule activities.

Take each WBS work package, and decide what activities are required to create that package. For example, if your work package is “configure new computer hardware,” your schedule activities might include “set up network configuration,” “install the video card,” “install applications,” and then “set up mail client.”

2: Sequence the Activities

Remember back in grade school where you were given a bunch of pictures and you had to figure out their order. You had to decide which picture represented the 1st activity, the 2nd activity and so on? Well, that is exactly what the second step is all about. In the second step we sequence the schedule activities by simply placing them in the order in which they need to happen. For example, perhaps we need to install the video card first, then set up the network configuration, install applications and then finally set up the mail client. In some cases two or more activities can be done simultaneously. Perhaps we can set up the mail client while other applications are being installed. This step is where we look at the different types of schedule dependencies such as finish-to-start, start-to-start, finish-to-finish, and start-to-finish to figure out how each of these activities relate to each other.

3: Estimate the Resources Needed for the Activity

The third step involves estimating what resources will be required to accomplish each activity. This includes estimating needed team resources, financial resources, and equipment. These resource needs should be selected for each activity prior to estimating the duration of each activity which is the next step.

4: Estimating the Duration of Each of the Activities

This step requires you and your team to analyse how long it will take to accomplish each of the activities. These estimates can be quantified through the following tools:

Expert Judgement: by conferring with someone who is familiar or experienced in what it takes to accomplish a particular activity.
Analogous Estimating: a top-down estimation approach is taken by looking at similar projects within your organisation for estimates on how long a particular activity should take.
Parametric Estimating: basically this is scaling an estimate. For example, perhaps you know it takes on average 10 minutes to install a software application. If the “install applications” activity includes the installation of 6 applications, you can use parametric estimation to estimate that it will take approximately 6 times 10 minutes, or 60 minutes to install all the applications.
Three point estimation: sometimes referred to as PERT analysis, is a great tool for estimating activity durations. You basically take a weighted average of a pessimistic, expected, and optimistic estimate for the activity duration. This estimate is in the form of (Pessimistic + 4x(Expected) + Optimistic) / 6

5: Schedule Development

This step is the process where the sequence of activities, resources needed for the activities, and the duration of each activity is used to optimise the overall project schedule. Tools used in this process include critical path method, schedule compression, what-if scenario analysis, resource leveling, and critical chain methods. Each of these topics could have one or more articles dedicated to it, so we will not go into the detail of each.

Once the schedule is developed, it should be baselined to provide a snapshot of the original schedule plan of the plan.

6: Monitoring and Controlling the Schedule

The final step is monitoring and controlling the schedule. This step is performed throughout the life of the project and ensures that the work results lines up with the schedule plan. Schedule control requires the use of progress reporting, schedule change control systems, such as the use of project change requests, performance management, and variance analysis to determine if additional action is required to get the schedule back in line with the plan.

So, those are the 6 steps you need to know to create a successful project schedule.

What is Civil Engineering?

2010-12-14T22:12:00.000+01:00

This definition of Civil Engineering is found at Answer.com. The tasks of civil engineering now come larger and larger.

Civil Engineering is a branch of engineering that encompasses the conception, design, construction, and management of residential and commercial buildings and structures, water supply facilities, and transportation systems for goods and people, as well as control of the environment for the maintenance and improvement of the quality of life. Civil engineering includes planning and design professionals in both the public and private sectors, contractors, builders, educators, and researchers.

The civil engineer holds the safety, health, and welfare of the public paramount. Civil engineering projects and systems should conform to governmental regulations and statutes; should be built economically to function properly with a minimum of maintenance and repair while withstanding anticipated usage and weather; and should conserve energy and allow hazard-free construction while providing healthful, safe, and environmentally sound utilization by society.

Civil engineers play a major role in developing workable solutions to construct, renovate, repair, maintain, and upgrade infrastructure. The infrastructure includes roads, mass transit, railroads, bridges, airports, storage buildings, terminals, communication and control towers, water supply and treatment systems, storm water control systems, wastewater collection, treatment and disposal systems, as well as living and working areas, recreational buildings, and ancillary structures for civil and civic needs. Without a well-maintained and functioning infrastructure, the urban area cannot stay healthy, grow, and prosper.

Because the desired objectives are so broad and encompass an orderly progression of interrelated components and information to arrive at the visually pleasing, environmentally satisfactory, and energy-frugal end point, civil engineering projects are actually systems requiring the skills and inputs of many diverse technical specialties, all of which are subsets of the overall civil engineering profession.

Some of the subsets that civil engineers can specialize in include photogrammetry, surveying, mapping, community and urban planning, and waste management and risk assessment. Various engineering areas that civil engineers can specialize in include geotechnical, construction, structural, environmental, water resources, and transportation engineering.

Construction Planning

2010-12-14T22:10:00.001+01:00

The development of a construction plan is very much analogous to the development of a good facility design. The planner must weigh the costs and reliability of different options while at the same time insuring technical feasibility. Construction planning is more difficult in some ways since the building process is dynamic as the site and the physical facility change over time as construction proceeds. On the other hand, construction operations tend to be fairly standard from one project to another, whereas structural or foundation details might differ considerably from one facility to another.

Forming a good construction plan is an exceptionally challenging problem. There are numerous possible plans available for any given project. While past experience is a good guide to construction planning, each project is likely to have special problems or opportunities that may require considerable ingenuity and creativity to overcome or exploit. Unfortunately, it is quite difficult to provide direct guidance concerning general procedures or strategies to form good plans in all circumstances. There are some recommendations or issues that can be addressed to describe the characteristics of good plans, but this does not necessarily tell a planner how to discover a good plan. However, as in the design process, strategies of decomposition in which planning is divided into subproblems and hierarchical planning in which general activities are repeatably subdivided into more specific tasks can be readily adopted in many cases.

From the standpoint of construction contractors or the construction divisions of large firms, the planning process for construction projects consists of three stages that take place between the moment in which a planner starts the plan for the construction of a facility to the moment in which the evaluation of the final output of the construction process is finished.

The estimate stage involves the development of a cost and duration estimate for the construction of a facility as part of the proposal of a contractor to an owner. It is the stage in which assumptions of resource commitment to the necessary activities to build the facility are made by a planner. A careful and thorough analysis of different conditions imposed by the construction project design and by site characteristics are taken into consideration to determine the best estimate. The success of a contractor depends upon this estimate, not only to obtain a job but also to construct the facility with the highest profit. The planner has to look for the time-cost combination that will allow the contractor to be successful in his commitment. The result of a high estimate would be to lose the job, and the result of a low estimate could be to win the job, but to lose money in the construction process. When changes are done, they should improve the estimate, taking into account not only present effects, but also future outcomes of succeeding activities. It is very seldom the case in which the output of the construction process exactly echoes the estimate offered to the owner.

In the monitoring and control stage of the construction process, the construction manager has to keep constant track of both activities’ durations and ongoing costs. It is misleading to think that if the construction of the facility is on schedule or ahead of schedule, the cost will also be on the estimate or below the estimate, especially if several changes are made. Constant evaluation is necessary until the construction of the facility is complete. When work is finished in the construction process, and information about it is provided to the planner, the third stage of the planning process can begin.

The evaluation stage is the one in which results of the construction process are matched against the estimate. A planner deals with this uncertainty during the estimate stage. Only when the outcome of the construction process is known is he/she able to evaluate the validity of the estimate. It is in this last stage of the planning process that he or she determines if the assumptions were correct. If they were not or if new constraints emerge, he/she should introduce corresponding adjustments in future planning.

Engineering Consultants

2010-12-14T22:09:00.000+01:00

Engineering consultants usually work as part of a consulting company, and come into the field after receiving an engineering degree and obtaining several years of experience in the field. They are experts at whatever field of engineering consulting they are involved in. Engineering is a very broad field, and consultants are required to have a very clear understanding of everything that a potential client may need.

One area that engineering consultants may work in is mechanical engineering. A consultant would be able to design and help implement plans for a more efficient heating and cooling system in a large building. Consultants may also be hired to assist in improving indoor air quality, processing exhaust and ventilation fumes, and designing commercial kitchens.

Engineering consultants can also work with businesses to create solutions for electrical problems. This may mean designing better lighting for a portion of the building or the parking area. They will also work on regulating energy distribution, and planning for an emergency power generator. An engineering consultant may also design a fire detection system or a security system complete with video surveillance equipment.

The plumbing system of a building is another section that an engineering consultant might be hired to work on. Waste removal, ventilation, hot and cold water distribution, and water heaters are all a part of what an engineer may work on. The sprinkler system, used to control fires, may also be designed by an engineering consultant.

An engineering consultant may also be responsible for designing an airport. He or she may also do land assessments, help with landscaping designs, and plan walkways through parks. Consultants design flood plans, making sure that there are sufficient drainage ducts to prevent costly flooding repairs. They assist with zoning decisions and planning development sites for residential, commercial, and government use.

Traffic studies are often performed by an engineering consulting firm. They plan roadways, plot traffic patterns, and create designs for new subway systems. They help to design better pavement for roadways that will last longer and require less maintenance. They also design and inspect bridges.

The work of an engineering consultant is varied. Because engineering is such a wide field, there is almost no limit to the work a consultant can perform. They perform several different types of work, for many different types of businesses. Engineering consultants find solutions that meet or exceed the needs of their clients.

Civil Engineering Degree Online

2010-12-14T22:07:00.000+01:00

Become a civil engineer without going to university is a great way to develope your civil engineering career. Civil Engineering Degree Online now is not to difficult to obtain. This articles with show you Pros And Cons of taking civil engineerin degree on internet.

With the ongoing development and fast changes in technology nowadays, civil engineering jobs will never be boring; there will always take place new advancements in technology, which force the engineers to keep their knowledge up to date. Actually, a civil engineer will have to stay in a continually learning process, which may seem hard, but never boring. A good example nowadays is knowledge of the environment in order to understanding the effects will have on the buildings and its systems that they are responsible for. Therefore, if you wanna be an engineer you must be prepared to keep a constant education program going. A simple way to get the job of your dream is taking your civil engineering degree online.

A civil engineering degree online is an in deepness educational program covering a broad range of engineering subjects. At one time, engineering was just fragmented into two fields – military and civil. Civil engineering still is an immense field comprised with many associated specialties, making the civil engineering degree online intricate. It may not appear like a very attractive profession, but it has been a main part of the most amazing mega construction projects ever done.

What You Can Do With Your Degree

As soon as you get a civil engineering degree online, you can develop a numerous careers in a lot of fields. The growth in civil engineering jobs is not estimated to be a major one, but definitely a constant supply of civil engineers will be required to provide construction and houses for the ever so growing world population.

A Civil engineering degree on the internet is considered very demanding and is just as interactive as most traditional schools. Just like most online programs, it will give you time flexibility, but keep in mind that there will be times when you have to be present on live online forums. A Civil engineering degree online is the choice for many up and coming engineers who look to keep themselves up-to-date and at the forefront of their careers.

Why don’t you visit some of the online schools or academies, get some information and with this as a basis, you can find the civil engineering degree online program that is right for you. When you have found some schools or programs you find attractive. you should request as much information as possible. I would say that it’s a must to require all the info needed to make a proper decision. Keep in mind that this information is offered risk free, and you do not have to register for any course to receive it.

The nice thing with taking degrees is that you can constantly improve yourself. The most convenient way of doing this, is by taking an online degree. It will help you advance and take your career to a higher level as well. You will also be in a position that enable you to demand a higher salary, especially with a civil engineering degree.

Civil Engineers Degree and Education

2010-12-14T22:05:00.000+01:00

Civil engineers typically possess an academic degree with a major in civil engineering. The length of study for such a degree is usually four or five years and the completed degree is usually designated as a Bachelor of Engineering, though some universities designate the degree as a Bachelor of Science. The degree generally includes units covering physics, mathematics, project management, design and specific topics in civil engineering. Initially such topics cover most, if not all, of the sub-disciplines of civil engineering. Students then choose to specialize in one or more sub-disciplines towards the end of the degree.

In most countries, a Bachelor’s degree in engineering represents the first step towards professional certification and the degree program itself is certified by a professional body. After completing a certified degree program the engineer must satisfy a range of requirements (including work experience and exam requirements) before being certified. Once certified, the engineer is designated the title of Professional Engineer (in the United States, Canada and South Africa), Chartered Engineer (in most Commonwealth countries), Chartered Professional Engineer (in Australia and New Zealand), or European Engineer (in much of the European Union). There are international engineering agreements between relevant professional bodies which are designed to allow engineers to practice across international borders.

The advantages of certification vary depending upon location. For example, in the United States and Canada “only a licensed engineer may prepare, sign and seal, and submit engineering plans and drawings to a public authority for approval, or seal engineering work for public and private clients.” This requirement is enforced by state and provincial legislation such as Quebec’s Engineers Act.In other countries, no such legislation exists. In Australia, state licensing of engineers is limited to the state of Queensland. Practically all certifying bodies maintain a code of ethics that they expect all members to abide by or risk expulsion. In this way, these organizations play an important role in maintaining ethical standards for the profession. Even in jurisdictions where certification has little or no legal bearing on work, engineers are subject to contract law. In cases where an engineer’s work fails he or she may be subject to the tort of negligence and, in extreme cases, the charge of criminal negligence. An engineer’s work must also comply with numerous other rules and regulations such as building codes and legislation pertaining to environmental law.

Understanding the Construction Contract

2010-12-14T22:03:00.000+01:00

If you are planning on building your next home, you are most likely dreading the contract you are going to be presented with. Deciphering the contract can be one of the most difficult aspects of any construction project. Even though there may be parts of a construction contract, thankfully, there are ways to ensure you know exactly what you are getting. After all, no one wants to get taken for a ride.

The number one thing to remember about the contract is that it’s written so that you, the buyer, can understand it. Of course, this does not mean you will necessarily understand everything, but at the same time, you will not need to be a genius to figure it out.

When you are reading over your contract, make sure that you do so very carefully. The best thing to do is to take a few hours and read through it with a fine toothed comb. By doing so, you will be able to catch any details that may turn into problems down the road. While you are going through the contract, make sure you write down all of the questions and/or concerns you have. This way you will be able to ask your contractor about the parts you do not understand. Most of the time, your contractor will be able to clarify any confusion in no time at all. Remember, the only questions that are stupid are the ones you do not ask.

Once you have sorted through the paperwork, if you still feel as though you are lost, you may want to look into hiring a lawyer. Most people do not take things this far, but, if you find that you are dealing with a complex contract, you may want to exercise this option. Find a lawyer that is familiar with property law, and then have him/her review the contract. The attorney will be able to point out any short comings, and may also advise you on whether or not you should sign the contract. Again, this is not necessary, but it can definitely be helpful in putting your mind to rest.

All in all, reviewing a construction contract can undoubtedly be a difficult task. There are a lot of details you will need to watch out for, and some of them can be a bit tricky. But, if you take your time while reviewing the contract, and ask questions when you are done, you should not have any issues in the end. And remember, if all else fails you can hire a lawyer to carefully read over it

Shotcrete

2010-12-14T21:58:00.000+01:00

Introduction to shotcrete or sprayed concrete

Shotcrete or gunite was invented by Mr. Carl Ethan Akeley (1864-1926) in 1910. For attractions of a park, this American Architect was mandated to realize in concrete the reproduction of a dinosaur. Considering the sizes of the structure, he had the idea to develop a “cement gun” machine allowing the spraying of a cementitious mortar. Shotcrete was created!

Probably a symbolic coincidence, but the same year, Mr. Kaspar Winkler founded Sika. Since that time Sika has greatly contributed to the development of the shotcrete technology. By shotcrete technology development, we mean the continuous development of chemical additives and admixtures for shotcrete and as well the development of spraying equipments.

Fields of shotcrete application

Shotcrete is mainly used in Underground construction projects as preliminary or permanent structural support. By Underground constructions, we mean the construction of structures like road-rail tunnel, hydropower plant, mines, parking, subway, metro, storage area etc.
However shotcrete is as well as an economical tool to realize stabilization work (slope), swimming pools, waterways, concrete repairs, inner lining and architectural structures. About 90% of the shotcrete applied goes into Underground construction projects. Total volume of shotcrete worldwide applied yearly is more than 12 millions cubic meters

What is shotcrete?

As per the American Concrete Institute (ACI), shotcrete can be defined as a mortar or concrete, pneumatically projected at high velocity through a pressure resistant conveying line onto a surface, where it is compacted on impact.

Cement, sand, aggregate, water, additives and admixtures are the components entering in the production of the shotcrete mix.

Compared to normal concrete, shotcrete differs mainly from three points:

The maximal size of the aggregate used.

The way to place it.

The mixture of shotcrete can be dry or wet.

Regarding terminology we can describe Gunite as sprayed mortar while Shotcrete as a sprayed concrete.
By gunite we means a cementitious mixture of which the particles size is limited to 8 mm.
For shotcrete we consider the use of aggregates of which the maximal size is 16 mm. However, in the last 10 years there is a tendency to limit the maximal aggregate size to 12 mm.

ISSMGE President 425 Day Progress Report

2010-12-14T21:56:00.000+01:00

Distinguished Colleagues, Dear Friends,

This is my fourteenth progress report after 425 days as your President. Note that previous reports are on the ISSMGE web site (http://www.issmge.org/) under “From the President” if you need them. In this report, I would like to talk to you about a present for you, the Corporate Associates Presidential Group, the new Kerisel Lecture, and the ISSMGE Board meeting in New Delhi on 8 Nov2010.

Present: this is the end of the year for most of us, a period of celebration, a period of holidays, a period where we gather with our families and exchange presents. You are my professional family and I want to offer to you a geotechnical present. After some thought I would like to propose to you the following. Over the last 18 years, I have videotapes on DVD the lectures given by some of the most prominent geotechnical engineers in the world. These lectures were presented at my university and are called the Buchanan Lectures starting with Ralph Peck in 1993. The list is on my web site at https://ceprofs.civil.tamu.edu/briaud/buchanan%20web/lecture_series.htm . From that page you can download the written text but not the video. If you would like the videotape for some of those lectures please select which ones you wish to have, give me an address where to send the DVD, and I will send them to you free of charge. This is my present to you.

CAPG: this new group, approved by the Board, is the Corporate Associates Presidential Group. It will be formed of all the representatives of the companies (one per company) which are corporate associates of ISSMGE. The CAPG will assist ISSMGE in developing actions and activities that will enhance the commercial sector of the geotechnical profession. The CAPG members will have direct access to the President of ISSMGE and will be able to have a direct impact on the future of the Society. The reason for forming this group is to try to increase the participation of practitioners in the Society as well as increase the number of Corporate Associates. Along with Harry Poulos, I am working on establishing this important new group. More on this later.

Kerisel Lecture: I am very happy to report to you that the TC on Preservation of Monuments and Historic Sites lead by Carlo Viggiani as Chair and Yoshinori Iwasaki as Vice Chair has started the Kerisel Lecture. This new ISSMGE lecture was proposed by the TC to the ISSMGE Board and approved unanimously. The Kerisel lecture adds to our list of TC named lectures including the Ishihara Lecture in Earthquake Engineering, the Mitchell Lecture in Site Characterization, and the Bishop Lecture in Laboratory Testing. I hope that more TCs will follow suit and develop their own lectures as appropriate. These lectures are typically presented at conferences organized by the TCs.

ISSMGE Board meeting in New Delhi: The Board met in New Delhi on Sunday 7Nov2010. In the Open Session, reports were presented by Mahavir Bidasaria, President of the Indian Geotechnical Society, by Manoj Datta, Chair of the Int Conf on Environmental Geotechnics, by Kenichi Soga on behalf of Suzanne Lacasse on the progress of the Technical Oversight Committee, by Askar Zhussupbekov on behalf of Harry Poulos on the progress of the Membership, Practitioners, Academicians, Committee, by Charles Ng on behalf of Dimitris Zekkos on the progress of the Innovation and Development Committee, by Imen Said on behalf of Jennifer Nicks on the progress of the Student and Young Members Presidential Group. The Board then moved to Executive Session and heard reports from all Board Members on their achievements and future plans. Also discussed were the 2013 Int Conf in Paris, the ISSMGE budget, a request from IDC, four requests from SYMPG, an update on FedIGS, a possible change for future Presidents terms, the name of the Society, the ISSMGE Foundation, the ISSMGE Bulletin, enforcement of ISSMGE conference fees, and the image of our profession.

Happy holiday season, best wishes, and don’t forget your present,

Jean-Louis BRIAUD

President of ISSMGE

International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering

Professor and Holder of the Buchanan Chair

Zachry Department of Civil Engineering

Texas A&M University

PVC Waterproofing Membrane Application

2010-12-14T21:54:00.001+01:00

Here after is the Method Statement for the Application of Sarnafil F 610-12 Felt PVC Waterproofing Membrane.

Existing Roof Built-up

1. Cast in-situ concrete panels

2. Vapour control layer

3. Thermal insulation board

4. Existing waterproofing system (liquid/ bitumen or PVC membrane)

5. Leveling/ Concrete screed

6. Reinforced concrete slab

Sarnafil F 610-12 Felt mechanically fastened using Sarnafast System

7. Unroll Sarnafil F 610-12 Felt, homogenous PVC waterproofing membrane, loosely lay over the cast in-situ concrete panels and mechanically fastened the overlap with Sarnafil fastening components (membrane washers and fasteners).

8. Install IF/IG-C washers (for hard surface) and fasteners BD, centered along the 30mm line traced on the membrane. Fastener spacing is to be in accordance to the project specific calculations made by Sarnafil.

9. The fastener length must penetrate the concrete deck by a minimum embedment of 32mm. The fixation pattern must always be symmetrical (i.e. every 200mm, or every 400mm, etc.)

10. Install adjacent sheets along the lap lines marked on the membrane (120mm from the sheet edge).

Hot-air Welding Procedures

11. When hot air welding of Sarnafil membrane, the overlap area must be clean and dry. For straight seam welding (overlap is 120mm), Sarnamatic automated welding machine must always be use.

12. For hand welding, use the Leister Triac hand welder, 40mm wide nozzle for straight weld and 20mm wide nozzle for corners and detail work. The three stages are:

• Spot weld the overlap.
• Pre-weld: Weld the rear overlap area so that a 35mm opening remains for the finishing weld.
• Final weld: Sarnafil PVC hand roller should be guided at a distance of 30mm parallel to the air outlet of the welding nozzle. Always roll the hand roller fully across the seam.

13. Testing of welded seams:

• Visual seam check: Shiny surface and even quality of welding beads.
• Mechanical seam check: Use a screwdriver to slide along the welded seams to check for voids and any welding defect.
• Peeling test: At the overlapped cut the membrane into 50mm width strip and firmly peel it. Tearing point should be located beyond the effective welding seam.

14. For perimeter fixation around the roof edge or near the parapet wall, Sarnafil F 610-12 Felt membrane must be secured with Sarnafil U bars and PVC welding cord against tearing and peeling off by wind uplift.

Upstands, Flashings & Roof Details

15. Followed by the upturn membrane, Sarnafil F 610-12, hot-air welded overlap 40mm with Sarnafil F 610-12 Felt, covering Sarnafil U bars and fully adhered to the parapet wall with Sarnafil approved adhesive.

16. It can be terminated with metal strip fastened through the membrane and sealed with an approved sealant at a height at least 150mm. Or alternatively, make a groove line by saw cutting on the required height and tucked in with Sarnametal sheet (PVC coated) where the upturn membrane Sarnafil F 610-12 can be welded on it.

17. For corners, vent pipes, drains and other roof details, please refer to Sarnafil installation handbook procedures.

Water Ponding Test

18. Carry out flood test 48 hours minimum after completion of the waterproofing works. Restrict water run-off from membrane area by plugging drains and creating dams or dikes. Flood restricted area to depth of about 100 mm and maintain at this depth for 48 hours. Any punctured or defective areas shall be made good by an approved method and retested.

19. The membrane shall be cleaned and inspected before proceeding with the remaining built-up protection measure.

Construction Risk Management

2010-12-14T21:50:00.003+01:00

Risk Management

Construction professionals need to know how to balance the contingencies of risk with their specific contractual, financial, operational and organizational requirements. In order to achieve this balance, proper risk identification and risk analysis is required. The risk management process entails identifying construction risks and exposures, and formulating an effective risk management strategy to mitigate the potential for loss.

Many construction professionals look at risks individually with a myopic lens and do not realize the potential impact that other associated risks may have on their business operations. Using a holistic risk management approach will enable a firm to identify all of the organization’s business risks. This will increase the probability of risk mitigation, with the ultimate goal of total risk elimination.

Risk Transfer & Indemnification

The two most problematic areas for construction professionals to effectively manage are contractual risks and the insurability of projects. Contract reviews and insurance facilitation are critical components on an effective risk mitigation and management program. Insurance facilitation assumes the probability that accidents will occur and seeks an efficient way of distributing and/or transferring the risk.

In many instances the ultimate loss is transferred to the insurer, using conventional insurance as the risk transfer method. In other instances, the use of contractual risk transfer methods, utilizing indemnification provisions, are used. However, in most cases, the combination of insurance, risk financing, and contract indemnification provisions are used.

Indemnification can be viewed from the perspective of worker safety and avoidance of accidents, with an emphasis on the exculpatory aspects of indemnification. However, sometimes escaping liability and the associated consequences can create problems with the misuse of indemnification provisions. Particularly, with the broad form or intermediate form, which can exculpate the indemnitee from his/her own wrongdoing or negligence.

Problems with indemnification provisions can occur, for example, if a prime contractor removes the indemnification provision from all of its subcontract agreements. This minimizes the prime contractor’s responsibility, and could minimize the incentive for the prime contractor to properly control project operations. This could also increase the potential for injuries to workers at the project jobsite.