Construction work is dirty, but we don’t mind. You know who does mind, though? People that have to use the building after we’re done. Preventing track out from construction vehicles on a site involves throwing down a rumble strip down or some large stone, but preventing track-IN requires a little more finesse and creativity.
Read moreIs Electrified Concrete the Answer to Snow and Ice Buildup on Roads?
Snow and ice on roads is an expensive and dangerous problem, not only for cities, but for motorists and businesses. The cities have to pay for a fleet of trucks to dump salt and other chemicals on roads, as well as plow. Motorists get into an increased amount of traffic accidents in poor driving conditions and also have to deal with the after effects of all of that salt destroying the undercarriage of their cars. Businesses suffer legal claims from not being able to keep their sidewalks clear or increased costs from plowing and shoveling.
Read more[VIDEO] 6 Story Parking Garage Falls on Excavators During Demolition in Houston
If you weren’t convinced that the safest place to be when things start to go wrong during a demolition is the inside of an excavator after watching this 2.6 million pound smoke stack collapse in November, here’s exhibit number 2.
Read moreStructural Concrete in Taiwan High Rise That Collapsed in Earthquake Filled With Tin Cans
A devastating 6.4 magnitude earthquake rocked Taiwan on Saturday, February 6, killing a total of 116 and injuring many others. All but two of the deaths were caused by a collapse of the 17 story tall Weiguan Junlong (Golden Dragon) tower, the only high rise building to collapse in the city.
Read more[VIDEO] Horrific New York City Crane Collapse Caught on Tape
Crane collapses happen more than we’d like them to and they almost always caused fatalities, like the recent one that killed 107 in Mecca. On Friday morning, New York City experienced another crane collapse that killed one man and injured 3 others. An onlooker from a nearby building caught the accident on video with his cell phone.
Read more[VIDEO] Crane Operator Destroys Crane and Bulldozer Due to Stupidity
If you operate a crane and only know one thing, it should be weight distribution. If you don’t understand that, things like what happened in the video below happen.
Read moreCool Tools: Easily Climb and Work on Steel Columns With These Shoe Attachments
Column Climber
Steel workers have one of the most dangerous jobs on a construction site and, while safety has significantly improved in the past few decades, it often comes with a productivity decrease or cost increase. Depending on the job site, the use of ladders or lifts could be a safety hazard itself.
Read more9 Ways Contractors Got Arrested in 2015
Construction is a dangerous profession. Every day, we worry about people getting injured on the job and, all too often, people lose their lives. Apparently, that’s not the only thing contractors should be worried about... there’s also plenty of ways to get arrested. Below are 9 stories that involved contractors being arrested or convicted of a crime.
Read moreScientists Develop Roads That Can De-Ice Themselves
Photo by planetlight, CC BY 2.0
Ice and snow on roads cause increased traffic accidents and businesses and school to close. The most popular defenses against ice build-up is to salt or sand roads, sidewalks and driveways, but it’s expensive for cities to send out trucks to drop it. Not only that, but most of it gets picked up by cars or wash away when the snow and ice melts, causing it to need to be re-applied.
Read moreBoeing Develops Lightest Metallic Structure Ever
Boeing.com
The metallic structure is called microlattice and it is 99.99% air. In fact, it's so light that it can balance on top of a dandelion. The microlattice takes a queue from nature and mirrors bone structure to gain its strength, rigidity, and lightness.
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