Georgia Engineer (August | September 2016)

G E O R G I A

ENGINEER

®

Volume 23, Issue 4 August | September 2016

ATLANTA INVESTS $300 MILLION IN WATER INFRASTRUCTURE & BUILDS 30-DAY SUPPLY

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G E O R G I A

ENGINEER Publisher: A4 Inc. 1154 Lower Birmingham Road Canton, Georgia 30115 770-521-8877 E-mail: rfrey@a4inc.com Editor-in-Chief: Roland Petersen-Frey Managing Editor: Daniel Simmons Art Direction/Design: Pam Petersen-Frey

Contributing Authors Birgitta Foster Roger Grant Sam Kapasa Fabian Kurmann Joseph Michelli Tom Ravenscroft Jessica Walker Sandy Welfare

The Georgia Engineer is published bi-monthly by A4 Inc. and provides a source of general engineering information to advance the business of engineering companies governmental agencies, municipalities, counties, department of transportation, businesses, and institutions including the university system. Opinions expressed by the authors are not necessarily those of the Georgia Engineer or its publisher nor do they accept responsibility for errors of content or omission and, as a matter of policy, neither do they endorse products or advertisements appearing herein. Parts of this publication may be reproduced with the written consent of the publisher. Correspondence regarding address changes should be sent to the publisher via e-mail to rfrey@a4inc.com or by dropping us a note at the address mentioned above. Subscriptions are available by going online at www.thegeorgiaengineer.com

AUGUST | SEPTEMBER 2016

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CONTENTS

ON THE COVER: Once filled, the former Bellwood quarry just a few miles from the Capitol in Northwest Atlanta will provide a minimum of 30 days of water reserve, equating to 2.4 billion gallons of water. This water reserve also will provide an alternative source to the Chattahoochee River in case of possible contamination or a serious threat on the city’s water supply.

INFRASTRUCTURE INSPECTION ROBOTS

Academics at US universities Northeastern in Boston and Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh are developing a flying robot that can automatically inspect, analyze, and assess damage to infrastructure. p8

ATLANTA INVESTS $300 MILLION IN WATER INFRASTRUCTURE AND BUILDS 30-DAY SUPPLY

The City of Atlanta acquired its first dependable public water system in 1875, nearly 30 years after Atlanta was established. p10

BUNDLING BRIDGE PROJECTS INTO ONE PROJECT

Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act is the first federal law in more than ten years to provide long-term funding certainty for surface transportation. Section 1111 of the FAST Act addresses bridges specifically, with the purpose of saving time and costs by encouraging states to bundle multiple bridge projects into one project. p14

ON GLASS PLATES OVER THE GORGE

In Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon in China the test operation of the highest and longest glass bottom bridge in the world begins. Safety was demonstrated, inter alia with sledgehammers.

p20

p18 WOMEN IN TECHNOLOGY

Women in Technology Atlanta’s Executive Director Sandy Welfare, has a conversation with Stephanie Espy, local author of STEM Gems and MathSP Founder. p18

Stephanie Espy

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GEORGIA ENGINEER August | September 2016

CONTENTS 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8

Infrastructure Inspection Robots

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Atlanta Invests $300 Million in Water Infrastructure and Builds 30-Day Supply BIM and the Future of Communication Protocol (a British view) Bundling Bridge Projects into One Project

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Should the Customer Have a Say in Employee Pay? Women in Technology

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On Glass Plates Over the Gorge Case Study Technology Square Georgia Engineering News

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p8 p20

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ADvERTISEMEnTS

Amason . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Amec Foster Wheeler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Burns & McDonnell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Cardno . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Columbia Engineering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Crom Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Georgia 811 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Inside Back Cover Georgia Power Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 Hayward Baker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Back Cover Oxford Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Primacq Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Reinforced Earth Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 RHD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 STV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 THC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 United Consulting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Inside Front Cover

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INFRASTRUCTURE INSPECTION

ROBOTS

Academics at US universities Northeastern in Boston and Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh are developing a flying robot that can automatically inspect, analyze, and assess damage to infrastructure.

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named the Aerial Robotic Infrastructure Analyst (ARIA), the system uses a lightweight rotating laser scanner mounted on a micro air vehicle (MAv) to inspect a bridge or a building. The intelligent system then utilizes state-of-the-art planning, modeling, and analysis software to automatically identify issues, track projects’ progress, and assess the need for further action.

Funded by the national Science Foundation’s national Robotics Initiative, the research is expected to greatly improve the speed and reduce the cost of inspecting infrastructure.

Speaking to northeastern’s Web site, Jerome Hajjar, chair of civil and environmental engineering at the university, says: “Consider bridge inspections. Until now, they were predominantly done by people with cameras crawling on stretches of scaffolding that would be built for the purpose, taken down, and then reconstructed a little further along the bridge—an expensive process.

“The MAvs, which are programmed to fly and navigate autonomously, can safely and efficiently address places that are difficult or dangerous to reach as well as those that have to be inspected repeatedly.”

The MAvs themselves are around 50cm across and in addition to the laser scanner, they are equipped with three video cameras, a GPS to monitor its position, and wireless communications to transmit data to an operator on the ground.

By Tom Ravenscroft

GEORGIA EnGInEER

THE MAvS, WHICH ARE PROGRAMMED TO FLY AnD nAvIGATE AUTOnOMOUSLY, CAn SAFELY AnD EFFICIEnTLY ADDRESS PLACES THAT ARE DIFFICULT OR DAnGEROUS TO REACH AS WELL AS THOSE THAT HAvE TO BE InSPECTED REPEATEDLY. – JERRY HAJJAR, NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY

However, this is much more than an inspection drone. Hajjar is developing algorithms that will allow the robots to determine the nature and the severity of any damage located. The ARIA will also be able to compare any damage to previous images and scans to provide a condition report from excellent to failed.

Hajjar explains: “We want to know not simply whether the damage is there but if it matters. That’s why the simulation is so important. In the case of a bridge, for example, the system would simulate the behaviour of a bridge subjected to loads. How much does the bridge deflect under particular loads? How much stress on the members is too much? How will the damage the MAv has detected affect that?”

Hajjar aims to continue developing the ARIA so that it can start making automatic repairs once it has discovered a problem. He continues: “I think modest repairs are actually quite feasible. The most common repair is to drill a hole in the crack tip, which changes what we call the ‘stress concentration’ from infinite, meaning that it’s going to keep propagating, to a much more dulled-out lower-stress version. It enables the bridge to handle the fatigue stresses for a much longer time.” v AUGUST | SEPTEMBER 2016

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Atlanta Invests $300 Million in Water Infrastructure and Builds 30-Day Supply

By Jessica Walker | Department of Watershed Management The City of Atlanta acquired its first dependable public water system in 1875, nearly 30 years after Atlanta was established. A 350-foot dam and reservoir at

Poole Creek was completed, and 120 people were employed to lay a water main to the city. When Mayor William A. Hemphill took office in 1891, he recognized the need for a new water system and directed the effort to build a water works system that used the Chattahoochee River 10

as its source. Soon after, a site was selected for the river water pumping station and was connected to the largest reservoir in the South by a 30-inch water main. In 1893, City Engineer Robert M. Clayton and Water Works Superintendent William G. Richards planned and completed the system, which included settling basins, filters, and a pure water pumping station for Atlanta’s second water system.

One of those main transmission lines is still in use today, operating only part of the year due to its fragility.

Now more than 120 years later after much expansion and many improvements to the water system, Mayor Kasim Reed recognizes the need to have a water contingency plan in place for the first time in Atlanta’s history. Named as the top priority project for the Department of WaterGEORGIA EnGInEER

shed Management, the Water Supply Program will enhance Atlanta’s current water conveyance and storage system while providing the projected 280 million gallons of water per day necessary to sustain the drinking water system in the future.

The program includes a five mile tunnel system and the transformation of a granite quarry into a water storage facility.

Once filled, the former Bellwood quarry, just a few miles from the Capitol in Northwest Atlanta, will provide a minimum of 30 days of water reserve, equating to 2.4 billion gallons of water. This water reserve also will provide an alternative source to the Chattahoochee River in case of possible contamination or a serious threat on the city’s water supply.

Currently, Atlanta serves 1.2 million customers daily and has three to five days of raw water storage. The Hemphill, Chattahoochee, and Atlanta-Fulton County water treatment plants ensure the City of Atlanta, including the world’s busiest airport, has access to safe, clean drinking water with the Chattahoochee River as the source of raw water.

Imagine a day without water to drink, take a bath, brush your teeth or for medical care and fire protection. Ensuring the reliable delivery of drinking water and redundant water storage represents a triple bottom line for Atlanta through employment opportunities, environmental protection, and economic development. If the city were to lose water service, it would cost the business community $100 million a day impacting Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport and major corporations like Coca-Cola.

The $300 million investment in the Water Supply Program will address the city’s aged infrastructure by reducing corrective and emergency maintenance of existing raw water delivery pipelines and AUGUST | SEPTEMBER 2016

bolstering operational reliability with improved automation and system redundancy. The new five-mile conveyance and storage system will closely follow the path of the original cast-iron raw water transmission lines built in 1893, 1908, and 1924 that have far exceeded their design life and one steel water main built in 1975 that deliver water from the Chattahoochee River intake to the Hemphill water treatment plant.

Tunnel Boring Machine Five Mile Journey An $11.6 million tunnel boring machine (TBM) will excavate rocks underneath the

city to create a tunnel ten feet in diameter, connecting the Chattahoochee River and the Hemphill and Chattahoochee water treatment plants to the quarry. Vertical shafts at the water treatment plants will include pump stations to withdraw water from the tunnel system for treatment and distribution.

The almost 30-foot, 57,000-pound front main beam was one of the first and largest sections of the TBM to arrive.

Trucks will bring 1 million pieces of the massive 400-foot machine to Atlanta from Ohio. Crews will assemble the TBM underground on the quarry floor. Construction of the machine is anticipated to be complete this September.

Watershed Management recently announced a public campaign to name the TBM at H2O4ATL.com. Submissions for the naming campaign are open to Georgia residents, and the final name will be announced in September during the TBM launch event.

The Water Supply Program is scheduled for completion by December 2018.

Not only will the program secure the city’s water supply for the next 100 years, but it will also serve as the focal point for the new Westside Park, slated to be the largest park in Atlanta and connecting to the Atlanta BeltLine.

Additional projects to secure Atlanta’s water supply are also included in Watershed Management’s $1 billion Capital Improvement Program, including utilizing cast-in place liners to renew 12,000 linear feet of the original 30, 36, and 48-inch cast iron raw water transmission mains. A portion of the original system will remain in place after completion of the Water Supply Program to provide redundancy and further enhance reliability.

The 72-inch steel main prone to failure during cold weather months will be renewed as well.

Also, The Hemphill Reservoir Number 1 Embankment Project will return the 180-million gallon reservoir to active service for the Hemphill Water Treatment Plant. Together with Hemphill Reservoir number 2, a total of five days’ water supply will be provided for water treatment and distribution. The project includes minor repairs to the embankment and the construction of a permanent drainage system.

As Atlanta continues to grow and thrive as a sustainable City, delivery of clean, safe drinking water remains a top priority. Through Mayor Reed’s vision, this massive undertaking will address Atlanta’s goal of achieving flexibility in system operations and a sustainable water infrastructure for future generations. v 11

BIM and the Future of Communication Protocol (a British view)

By Sam Kapasa | Ginger Group

BIM has the potential to improve communication in three vital ways, writes Samuel Kapasa, an architectural assistant at Group Ginger, in his visual essay, which was one of the winners of this year’s JCT essay writing competition.

BIM allows for the assembly of diverse skills and professions into an integrated system. It is becoming an increasingly integral factor of construction within the UK. As the construction sector is set to grow significantly by 2025, it’s no surprise that the UK Government Construction Strategy has boldly mandated Level 2 BIM on all public sector projects.

This will have a profound impact on the interaction and correspondence between parties. The Joint Construction Tribunal (JCT) itself highlights the importance of communication protocol and the role BIM plays concerning this. I therefore ask the question: “What possibilities exist within communication protocol?” and more specifically: “What can BIM do to make this more efficient?”

Following my experience of the construction industry as an architectural assistant and further research, I believe there are three key areas of significant potential for the future of communication within BIM. 1. Communication to clients (Client accessible live BIM formats) Primarily, there is an opportunity for greater client interaction with BIM systems than is often the case. For instance, if clients benefit from the output of BIM, how much more could they benefit from 12

access to an appropriate format of the model throughout the design process?

BIM has the potential to appear intimidating and inaccessible to clients.

However, by utilizing an interface, which transposes a complex and detailed model into a simple 3D format, the client can have an overview of design progress in a familiar format. This can take the form of a mobile phone application, which could utilize cloud processing to visualize the BIM model.

Resourcing cloud servers would allow clients a real-time interrogation of the building model. This format of the model

can be restricted to prevent an overload of information. Key elements of the clients’ objective and brief can be prioritized within this paired down version of the model, which can highlight elements of the brief. Having a traceable means of monitoring brief achievement is another element of avoiding disparity between brief and design throughout the process.

2. Communication of cost (Intelligent time/cost evaluation) Furthermore, as architects, engineers, and contractors, how honestly do we fill out GEORGIA EnGInEER

time-sheets? To what effect does any inaccurate recording of information have on time-based contracts of work?

The record of time is not only a significant means of costing time specific works, it also allows for an analysis of efficacy within practice. Projects where significant time is spent within BIM have an untapped resource regarding the intelligent recording of where in a project time is specifically spent.

To illustrate, BIM integrated time and cost evaluation makes it possible to interrogate which elements of the design process have impacted the program. This knowledge would be valuable regarding any negotiation where such issues have affected the time sensitive program of design. Hence, intelligent time and cost evaluation would allow for an accurate demonstration of where most time (and thus cost) has been allocated on the design model.

ment of BIM technology, the infrastructure for these systems is readily available today. This visual essay is a means of exploring just some of the ways in which BIM technology and protocol can expand in order to increase communication efficiency.

The communicative integration of clients, cost, and competition are three key domains which present great opportunity within the construction industry.

As development occurs on both software and legislative levels, BIM has the potential to aid collaboration at a contractual level as well as construction.

Consequently, developing intelligent communication systems within BIM supports its very ethos of collaboration. As the construction industry becomes more integrated, we will continue to see that the sum is indeed greater than its parts. v

Building information modeling (BIM) is a process involving the generation and management of digital representations of physical and functional characteristics of places. Building information models (BIMs) are files (often but not always in proprietary formats and containing proprietary data) which can be extracted, exchanged or networked to support decision-making regarding a building or other built asset. Current BIM software is used by individuals, businesses and government agencies who plan, design, construct, operate and maintain diverse physical infrastructures, such as water, wastewater, electricity, gas, refuse and communication utilities, roads, bridges, ports, tunnels, etc. Definition from WikipediaÂŽ

3. Communicating in competition (Demonopolizing the BIM proprietary market)

In addition, BIM is a powerful means of specification within the construction industry. However, proprietary systems without access to software and BIM skills often leads to specification where proprietors have information readily available for consultants in 2D and 3D formats. In the same way, this effect within BIM specification can result in difficulty for smaller product proprietors.

Therefore, professional bodies could possess a role in creating opportunities for smaller proprietors to compete within a national arena. These ‘BIM workshops’ would seek to enable product and system providers to familiarize themselves with BIM appropriate formats.

In fact, the progression of government BIM targets within the construction industry must consider proprietors both small and large in order to support a truly digitally build Britain.

In summary, although these proposals are suggested for the future developAUGUST | SEPTEMBER 2016

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Bundling Bridge Projects into One Project FAST Act encourages states to bundle multiple projects to save time, costs

By Bala Sivakumar | HNTB

Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act is the first federal law in more than ten years to provide long-term funding certainty for surface transportation. Section 1111 of the FAST Act addresses bridges specifically, with the purpose of saving time and costs by encouraging states to bundle multiple bridge projects into one project. These new funding provisions have opened up opportunities to speed delivery of bridge replacement projects and thus could make a significant dent in the growing number of deficient bridges nationally.

turally deficient bridges and more than 70 percent of its functionally obsolete bridges are locally owned bridges. Section 1111 increases the amount of federal spending for local infrastructure, including the amount of funding available for locally owned bridges. The act makes more federal-aid highway dollars available to counties through a Surface Transportation Block Grant Program. It also opens up funding under the National Highway Performance Program (NHPP) for locally owned bridges that are on the federal-aid highway system.

Approvals streamlined

The FAST Act seeks to streamline the environmental review process for bridge repair projects by exempting “common

post-1945 concrete or steel bridge[s] or culvert[s] from individual review.” It also allows the use of programmatic agreements for environmental review (CEs) to process bridges as a group.

Creating efficiencies

Ultimately the new rules create efficiencies and allow at-risk bridges to be replaced without delays or excessive reviews.

It also confirms that certain emergency reconstruction projects are eligible for emergency exemptions or expedited procedures under specific environmental laws.

There are three steps interested state DOTs can take now:

•

Prioritize bridge projects. As a first

More funding available

Nearly 90 percent of the nation’s struc-

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•

Seek outside resources to supplement staffing shortfalls. A program manager or general engineering consultant can help develop best practices in ABC and/or alternative delivery, draft procurement documents, oversee construction according to specific delivery methods and augment staff where needed. Further, bridge designers might find cost estimating and

scheduling assistance beneficial.

What the future may hold

States are likely to see benefit from embarking on bundled bridge programs as they afford the best opportunities for cost savings and program efficiencies. These bundled programs are likely to be fast tracked to capitalize on the funding currently available from this bill. v

About the Author

Bala Sivakumar has more than 34 years of bridge engineering experience, Bala’s expertise includes design, evaluation and rehabilitation of complex and routine bridges, Accelerated Bridge Construction, weigh-in-motion studies and seismic analysis and retrofit. He is recognized nationally as an expert in load and resistance factor design and evaluation of bridges. Contact him at bsivakumar@HNTB.com. step, owners should work with partners to analyze existing at-risk bridges and prioritize those that can offer the most immediate returns on investment. Consider bundling by geography and streamline the projects by combining design and construction phases in each contract bundle. •

Consider innovative design and construction methods, such as Accelerated Bridge Construction. The federal share payable could increase to 100 percent when such methods are used in the project. In the past few years, we have seen DOTs consider advances in bridge design and construction that are helping owners do more in less time and reduce overall project costs.

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Should the Customer Have a Say in Employee Pay? Mercedes-Benz USA says absolutely yes.

Consultant Joseph Michelli, author of a new book about the luxury brand's customer experience transformation, offers five tips to move your compensation structure in that direction.

Today’s consumers expect (no, demand) an extraordinary service experience. Providing it is no longer optional. With a hypercompetitive global economy spawning endless options for consumers—who, not incidentally, come to the table pre-armed with reams of Internet research—players who can’t continuously up the ‘delight’ ante might as well hang it up now. All leaders know this in theory...but how many are willing to bet their paychecks on their ability to knock the customer's socks off?

Well, few are willing, perhaps—but according to consultant Joseph Michelli, who worked with Mercedes-Benz USA on its journey to transforming its customer experience, more and more companies are moving in that direction.

“Customer-driven compensation makes people uncomfortable,” admits Michelli, best-selling author of Driven to Delight: Delivering World-Class Customer Experience the Mercedes-Benz Way (McGraw-Hill; December 2015; ISBN: 978-0-07-180630-5; $27.00). “We’re used to thinking in terms of financial performance; it feels normal to have your income tied to sales or to overall profitability. To have it tied to what the customer thinks about how well you served him or her— well, that's scary because it feels arbitrary, or unpredictable.”

Yet, this is a trend whose time has come. Indeed, in healthcare, the U.S. government has gotten in on the act. With its Value-Based Purchasing initiative (part 16

of the Affordable Care Act), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) already link a percentage of reimbursement to how well a healthcare organization scores on a standardized patient survey. Many private insurance companies are following the same ‘pay-for-service-performance’ formula.

Bold leaders in other industries are following suit in their own organizations.

As Michelli’s book describes, Steve Cannon, president and CEO of MBUSA, worked with his dealer partners to make customer-centric changes to their compensation structures.

Essentially, MBUSA renegotiated to shift a portion of the dealer’s guaranteed margin and instead make it contingent on the dealer’s performance in key elements of MBUSA's customer experience initiative. In the words of Harry Hynekamp, general manager, customer experience, “...a sizable portion of the dealer margin structure was anchored to performance on customer experience standards, training that affects customer experience delivery, and use of the latest technologies and standards for customer care.”

The bottom line? On April 15, 2014, Mercedes-Benz USA paid out $44 million in leadership bonuses to the top-performing 70 percent of dealerships in customer experience.

“This is what accountability looks like when creating a customer-centric culture,” notes Michelli. “Yes, people need a strong, compelling vision to buy into the change, but the ‘money’ piece is what solidifies their commitment. The idea is to create true partnerships with your employees, to share risks and rewards in a very concrete way—and it’s hard to get more concrete than the numbers on your bonus check.”

Whether yours is an employer/employee, franchisor/franchisee, or distributor/dealer business model, Michelli says the following tips will help you integrate the customer experience into your own compensation structure: Get buy-in for the new customer experience performance measurement system. There are three crucial keys, says Michelli: 1) Be ready to demonstrate the relevance of the items being measured to the well-being of the business, 2) Ensure that those who are being measured can create positive changes in the metrics, and 3) Make sure rewards and consequences associated with desired performance levels are fair.

Niles Barlow, then general manager, strategic retail development at MBUSA, is quoted as saying, “We really capitalized on having a very high functioning dealer board. We used the word ‘co-creation’ a lot. We co-created much of the aligned compensation and performance package.

It’s a lot about vision, openness, transparency, and an understanding that dealers want to make money first and sell cars second, whereas Mercedes-Benz USA GEORGIA EnGInEER

wants to sell cars first and make money second. That may seem like a small nuance, but dealer profitability is absolutely key, and we needed to design that into the dealer margin.”

Don't expect the change to be smooth and easy. Effective negotiations are complex and often fraught with conflict. There will be fear. Pushback will occur. Extra effort and patience are absolutely necessary. In general, change is hard for everyone, notes Michelli. It implies that there must be something you are not doing well enough and suggests that your life is going to be disrupted. These are things no one wants to face.

“When money is involved, even more effort has to be exerted to keep all parties constructively moving forward, manage overt conflict, and quell passive resistance,” he says. “Executives and employees become frustrated, the directions of the change initiatives are challenged, and meetings become contentious. In the end, though, when effective leaders present a compelling vision, craft solutions that are win/wins, and achieve a tipping point for buy-in, negotiated agreements are successful.”

Be prepared to GIVE in order to GET. To ‘get’ the shift of a sizable portion of the dealers’ fixed margin into the variable customer performance-based column, Mercedes-Benz offered to ‘give’ an all-new leadership bonus (the aforementioned bonus that would go to the aforementioned top 70 percent of ‘customer pleasers’). Funding for this new bonus came from the stash of so-called ‘breakage money’—tens of millions of dollars originally earmarked for dealers as a percentage of their variable margins but not paid out to those who did not meet the quarterly performance criteria. (In the past MBUSA had retained this unused money.)

“This gave dealers another reason to elevate their game and delight customers,” explains Michelli. “It also showed MBUSA leaders were willing to make their own sacrifices for the good of the customers.”

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Share proven best practices with customer-facing partners so they can affect performance and reap the rewards. Mercedes-Benz USA team members developed Best Practice Guides to improve dealer performance on the sales and service Customer Experience Indexes (CEIs) (and ultimately on the J.D. Power SSI and CSI studies). For example, on the sales side, a best practice is "Completion of Negotiation in Less than 15 Minutes." The guide cites J.D. Power Sales Satisfaction Index results to show that overall customer satisfaction drops dramatically as negotiation time increases.

Ellen Braaf, then MBUSA product manager, after-sales service programs, after-sales business development, notes: “We used to say to dealers, ‘You need to improve the customer experience,’ but we didn’t do a great job of telling them how to do it or what was in it for them. Now, based on the data from the CEI, we can cull the best practices that lead to significant increases [on our internal performance tool the CEI]. We can show how greeting a customer within two minutes can improve your result on metrics like the CEI or a J.D. Power survey by 130 points.

“Because we have the margin behind us, dealers can see that if they make small changes, or in some cases big changes, across multiple areas of the customer experience, the benefits for customers and for the financial well-being of the dealerships are significant,” she adds.

Offer training to make sure employees ‘get it.’ However, if you’re a franchisor or distributor, it may be advisable to have your franchisee or dealer partner foot some of the cost—if not up front, at least eventually. In addition to tools like the Best Practice Guides, MBUSA leaders offered additional in-store consulting to approximately 120 of the more than 370 Mercedes-Benz dealers. In those cases, Mercedes-Benz USA staff originally provided that coaching to the dealerships at no expense. However, as the in-store coaching program has evolved, that

arrangement has changed.

Ellen Braaf notes, “We’ve contracted with J.D. Power and Associates to provide customer experience assistance to dealerships that are not making the leadership bonus and not performing satisfactorily on customer experience targets as evidenced by the CEI. We have now shifted the cost of the services to the dealerships.

We realized that we couldn’'t subsidize enhanced tools to help some dealers perform well enough to earn the leadership bonus and in the process knock out other dealers.”

The good news, says Michelli, is that when partners and employees grasp the true gravity of the customer experience— and when they’re given the tools and the incentives to actually effect a change—they are almost always willing to do their part.

“Many companies are great at setting customer experience goals, but not so great at creating a line of sight between those goals and individual performance,” he says. "They often don’t align incentives directly to performance and/or they don’t coach or train to develop the right skills.

And they don’t take action on individuals who are chronic underperformers—even in the face of coaching and training. This creates an accountability gap that negates even the best corporate intentions.

“Linking pay to the customer experience closes that gap, and quickly,” he adds. “It forces everyone—leaders, partners, and employees alike—to really think about the issues and how to solve them.

You’ll see change start to happen. And in the end, the customer delight you create will become its own reward and keep the momentum going.”

About the Author:

Joseph A. Michelli, PhD, CSP, is an internationally sought-after speaker, organizational consultant, and New York Times number-one best-selling author. He is a globally recognized thought leader in customer experience design. For more information, please visitwww.josephmichelli .com. v 17

Women in Technology

By Sandy Welfare | Executive Director | Women in Technology Women in Technology Atlanta’s Executive Director Sandy Welfare, has a conversation with Stephanie Espy, local author of STEM Gems and MathSP Founder.

Stephanie graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley), with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemical engineering. She has worked as a chemical engineer both in the U.S. and in England. She is the founder of Math Strategies and Problemsolving (MathSP), and the author of a new book, STEM Gems: How 44 Women Shine in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, And How You Can Too! The White House states that women and minorities comprise 70 percent of college students but less than 45 percent of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) degrees, representing a largely untapped talent pool. Experiencing this first hand herself compelled Stephanie Espy to do her part to encourage and inspire girls’ interest in STEM. SW: Stephanie, you are establishing yourself as one of Georgia’s STEM Crusaders.

Did you always know that you wanted to be an engineer?

SE: Growing up, I was surrounded by family members who were engineers themselves, including my parents. My Dad is an electrical engineer with degrees from the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) and Stanford University.

My Mom, an environmental engineer with a math degree from the University of California, Los Angeles and an engineering degree from Georgia Tech. My brother Matthew majored in applied math and 18

economics at Harvard University, and my older sister Jennifer studied electrical engineering at Georgia Tech. And I have many uncles, aunts, and cousins who became mathematicians, scientists, and engineers—one of whom is profiled in my book, STEM Gems.

SW: Do you think your STEM DNA from your family helped fuel your engineering interest?

SE: Certainly it was an important early foundation for my interest. But it’s important for girls to know that anyone can go into STEM. Many of the women that I highlight in the STEM Gems book don’t come from STEM families or back-

grounds like me. Some are the first in their families to enter into a STEM career.

I truly believe that any girl can be a STEM Gem. SW: Did you show an early acumen for the field?

SE: Well, my Mom was my most influential role model when it comes to women in STEM. She always made sure that I was engaged in challenging activities and programs that strengthened my STEM foundation. But, things really started to click for me in high school.

SW: You went to Southwest DeKalb High School. What happened to bring your GEORGIA EnGInEER

STEM interest into clearer focus?

SE: Chemistry’s hands-on experiments were eye-opening and thrilling. In math, I was able to understand the beauty of the language, and how it builds upon itself and forces you to think critically and logically.

SW: You then went on to attend MIT and UC Berkeley, getting your bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemical engineering from those schools. You told me something about how your experiences there really motivated you to do more to try and address the STEM gender gap.

SE: My college classes were male dominated. My first internship was at a chemical plant that used plastics in a wide range of applications from everyday products to performance-critical products used to help make airplanes and cars safer. And I was one of two female engineers in the entire operation.

SW: When you left college, you went on to work as an engineer across the U.S. and in England, but you also founded an Atlanta company called Math Strategies and Problem-solving (MathSP). What is MathSP? SE: MathSP provides tutoring (or what I call academic coaching) and test prep services in the metro Atlanta area to middle school, high school, and college students, and we are the only company specializing in STEM subjects to help Georgia’s students become more STEM fluent.

influenced her, what influenced her as well as her challenges, successes, and advice to girls and young women considering a similar STEM career. Furthermore, the book gives actionable, tangible steps for girls and young women to learn how to create their own unique paths, starting today.

SW: 44 women from across the country, including one in Canada, all who have established themselves as leaders in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math! So this must really give kids the ability to envision the possibilities?

SE: Yes, indeed. STEM Gems highlights 44 innovative and inspiring women who are not just working, but thriving in STEM today. The women profiled range from CEOs, to educators, to scientists, to advocates, to entrepreneurs. Their stories are each inspiring in their own right, but they have more in common than just a passion for STEM. These women are also just as passionate about inspiring the next generation of young women toward a career in STEM. I focused on women who are thought leaders in their fields. I paid attention to the newsmakers and the ones who should be newsmakers. I combed STEM organization and higher education

Web sites for innovators and risk-takers, women making a difference and women challenging the status quo with new ideas.

SW: And now you are helping your own daughter see the possibilities of STEM. SE: Absolutely! STEM Gems is for all the girls and young women across the nation, including my daughter, to educate and inform them about women in STEM. The gender gap is real in the field. But it doesn’t have to be. Not anymore.

Learn more about STEM Gems at www.STEMGemsBook.com.

Learn more about MathSP at www.MathSP.com.

Women in Technology (WIT) was founded in 1992 and serves as a passionate advocate for women and girls at every stage of their STEM careers—from the classroom to the boardroom. WIT utilizes its programs, connections, volunteer opportunities, and events to enable the development of the WIT community through recognition, thought leadership, and foundation efforts. WIT is driven to help women and girls write their own stories of success throughout the full lifecycle of their careers and continued evolution as STEM leaders. www.mywit.org v

SW: It was during this time, that you felt drawn to write your STEM Gems book.

Tell me more.

SE: STEM Gems exposes girls and young women to the many and varied options within STEM through the stories of 44 inspiring women doing amazing things in STEM. Each woman shares her personal journey to her respective STEM field, who AUGUST | SEPTEMBER 2016

19

On Glass Plates over the Gorge

By Fabian Kurmann | VDI

In Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon in China, the test operation of the highest and longest glass bottom bridge in the world begins.

Safety was demonstrated, inter alia with sledgehammers.

A Test of Courage: The highest glass floor bridge in the world in China has been completed and is ready for intrepid visitors.

For people with vertigo, it is a real nightmare: in about 1,000 feet above the bottom of Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon in south central China’s highest glass-bottomed bridge in the world depends. Through glass floor panels, tourists can look into the depths of the abyss and cross the bridge. From July to October, the trial operation will start, as the first visitors of the canyon can visit the bridge.

A proper glass bridge it is not as Jens Schneider, a professor of structural engineering at the Technical University of Darmstadt, Germany, explains: “With this bridge, the main supporting structure is a suspension bridge with steel cables, into which the glass plates are placed.” The supporting structure must be made of steel per the expert or glass building to tide over all the range of 385 m can. Schneider: “Steel cables are up to a factor 15 tensile strength more than glass.”

20

GEORGIA EnGInEER

With Closed Eyes and Trembling Knees Over the Glass

Even if you would have the properties of glass improved by thermal processes or used the more stable glass fibers, the steel would be superior in a project of this dimension. “Such if you wanted to build a bridge made entirely of glass, the elements would be so thick that the weight would become a problem again.

So you need the combination of materials of glass and steel, similar to reinforced concrete,” says Schneider.

The Israeli designer and architect Haim Dotan andDesigned designed the world's longest and highest pedestrian bridge with a glass floor. Normally, a bridge is a connection between point A to point B. Unlike in Zhangjiajie glass floor bridge: “It is a heart that brings people together, an event and for me a dream in nature. A dream of music in the clouds and a dance between heaven and earth,” says Dotan, who sees himself as a philosopher. The bridge will be a venue for events such as fashion shows and dance performances by his imagination. Even sports activities are planned. The depth for bungee jump would be about 850 feet (280 m).

Sledgehammer demonstration

To demonstrate how secure the glass panes are workers used sledgehammers on the disk on which they stood.

Whoever throws himself with a rubber rope into the abyss, the view through the huge slices of glass is probably no challenge. But many of the first visitors crossing the 3.05 m x 4.42 m large glass panels did so with closed eyes and shaky knees.

In October last year a glass panel came loose at a nearby Skywalk, also a kind of footbridge, and people panicked, and the bridge had to be closed.

“The report of China’s splintered glass path caused a chaos” said Joe Chen, director of Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Tourism Management.

AUGUST | SEPTEMBER 2016

For this reason, prior to the opening of the new bridge, the safety of the approximately 4.6 cm thick, transparent bridge elements were demonstrated. Workers with sledgehammers struck a glass panel without breaking it, then about 20 people jumped up and down on the same panel without breaking it. Even a fully loaded car crossed the cracked site of the bridge intact.

“We have demonstrated the test to show the world that safety glass actually is very stable,” said Chen.

Even the Sledgehammer is no Danger to the FLoor Plates of Glass

Why even splintered panes still carry effortlessly explains glass expert Jens Schneider: “The security does not come through the thickness, but by a layer structure of laminated panes and transparent polymer layers.” In the case of the Canyon Bridge there are three 16-mm discs, between each of which a layer of polymer is applied. Even at a weight of 40 t when the discs were held on a test stand.

Even if you strike the panels with a hammer : “It’s only the topmost layer that will break,” says structural engineer Schneider. “The glass fragments are held together by the adhesive strength of the polymer layers.” To destroy a glass panel with a sledgehammer, you’d have to take out, then remove the polymer film, the uppermost fragments—and repeat this procedure for each layer. Due to temperature fluctuations and material defects, a panel could break, according to Schneider, but with three independent layers, safety is assured.

“From January 2017, the 250 million yuan (about € 33.5 million) bridge will go into regular service” reveals Joe Chen. “Then up to 800 people can be on the bridge concurrently.”v 21

Case Study Technology Square Technology Square is a more than 1.3 million-square-foot mixed-use development project in Midtown Atlanta. The first phase of the project was completed in 2003 at a cost of approximately $380 million. It is anticipated to grow in size dramatically by 2018, with the completion of a new mixed-use tower featuring lab, office, and retail space.

The Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) led the initiative to accommodate its expansion and to revitalize an eight-block area near its main campus that was in dire need of capital investment. Eight buildings and over 3,000 decked parking spaces were constructed on land assembled by members of the development team. The Georgia Tech Foundation partnered with private sector real estate developers and a nonprofit entity to raise equity for the project, with additional capital obtained from state appropriations, fundraising, and project revenue bonds.

Planning for the project that would become Technology Square, commonly called Tech Square, began shortly after the 1996 Summer Olympics. The event sparked interest in development opportunities near Atlanta’s urban core and highlighted the need for reinvestment in areas experiencing prolonged periods of economic stagnation. One such area surrounded the intersection of Fifth and Spring streets in Midtown, covering approximately eight city blocks.

Georgia Tech had an interest in redeveloping this particular area because the abandoned buildings, surface parking lots, and otherwise underutilized real estate assets within it were directly across Interstate 75/85 from its main campus.

Participating in a comprehensive urban 22

revitalization initiative therefore offered a means of supporting the institute’s future growth, improving connectivity to the Midtown business community, and creating an environment conducive to innovation and sustainable economic growth.

These factors encouraged the Georgia Tech Foundation to study the feasibility of real estate development in Midtown, followed by successful efforts to acquire land therein, despite the fact that a development concept was not yet in place.

Several stakeholders influenced the physical form and character of the proposed project throughout the planning process. Midtown Alliance, a nonprofit organization governed by a board of business and community leaders, created a comprehensive master plan for the area, Blueprint Midtown, in the late 1990s.

The Atlanta City Council subsequently adopted the plan and formed a munici-

pal service district to help fund its implementation. Both of these actions provided Midtown Alliance with significant influence over design reviews and rezoning decisions within its jurisdiction.

Midtown Alliance leveraged its advantageous position to encourage the inclusion of pedestrian-friendly design elements in Tech Square and improved connectivity to public transportation.

Members of the development team responded by modifying the project concept at various points to address the organization’s concerns, along with others raised by municipal planners. Compromises were required to align public sector objectives with university facility needs and the return expectations of prospective investors. Several different master plans were evaluated simultaneously as the transaction moved forward.

Initial Funding and Occupancy

Relatively modest plans on the part of GEORGIA EnGInEER

the Georgia Tech Foundation to construct an executive education building, along with a hotel and conference center, quickly expanded in scope. They grew to include a new building for the institute’s Scheller College of Business and research space for a number of other colleges and university-affiliated entities. The governor of Georgia agreed to fund another 200,000-square-foot building for broadband technology research.

The Georgia Tech Foundation decided to densify development by selling deed-restricted land to local real estate developers Kim King Associates and Gateway Development Services to facilitate the construction of office and retail space for the private sector. These developers were brought into the transaction to spread land costs over a greater amount of usable space and to avoid state regulations preventing profit-driven tenants from occupying buildings financed with tax-exempt debt.

Thus, private capital was used to finance a portion of the 483,993-square-foot Centergy One building and 50,000 square feet of street-level retail space.

Georgia Tech’s decision to move its Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC) and Venture Lab business incubator to the project from another location on campus dramatically enhanced the climate for innovation.

The former was created to foster the growth of technology-driven companies throughout Georgia by providing executive training, networking opportunities ,and incubator space, while the latter was created specifically to aid Georgia Tech faculty, staff, and students in entrepreneurial endeavors. These programs and services attracted a diverse group of companies to Tech Square shortly after its delivery, many of whom were interested in collaborating with the institute.

Market-rate office space available within the Centergy One building also leased up rapidly as a result of the project’s unique character and attractive AUGUST | SEPTEMBER 2016

package of amenities. Stabilized occupancy was reached in late 2005, with annual gross rents exceeding $28 per square foot on average. The development team recruited a number of state-level economic development agencies to the building to create a synergistic tenant mix conducive to the commercialization of new ideas.

and character of Tech Square.

The project also benefited from Georgia Tech’s reputation for working effectively with industry, which it earned through its successful co-op programs and collaborative research initiatives.

These activities gave many private sector firms confidence that they would benefit from locating in close proximity to the institute and its affiliated entities.

Georgia Tech’s willingness to move mission-critical academic units and research centers to Tech Square was also important. It demonstrated a long-term commitment to the project and a willingness to help faculty members overcome fears of moving to a once undesirable urban area.

Learning from Tech Square

Continuing Evolution

Tech Square has continued to evolve and change since the completion of its first phase. One of the most notable improvements came in 2007, when I75/85 was capped to remove a physical barrier separating Georgia Tech’s main campus from Midtown for over 50 years. The green space, bike lanes, and sidewalks incorporated into the design of the Fifth Street Bridge greatly improved access to Tech Square. A trolley service was also put in place to complement two Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) stations already serving the area.

A Reputation for Collaboration

Georgia Tech supported the development of Tech Square in several ways. A master plan created by the institute in the late 1990s explicitly recognized a need to expand the campus beyond its existing boundaries through the formation of public-private partnerships and the construction of mixed-use facilities.

Both of these recommendations ultimately influenced the capital structure

Tech Square’s success must also be evaluated within the context of the broader economic transformation that took place in Midtown over the course of several decades. Speculative real estate developers were attracted to the area as early as the mid-1980s due to the submarket’s proximity to the interstate system and convenient access to urban amenities such as Piedmont Park and the city of Atlanta’s arts district. The construction of a number of office towers during this time period made Midtown a viable alternative for companies in search of space long before the idea of Tech Square was conceived. Even the Georgia Tech Foundation recognized these attractive spatial attributes by buying land in the submarket before it had a clear vision for its future use.

This case study is an excerpt from Case Studies in Innovation District Planning and Development, published July 2016 by the NAIOP Research Foundation and written by Dustin C. Read, Ph.D., J.D., Assistant Professor of Property Management and Real Estate, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia v 23

24

GEORGIA EnGInEER

PETER ORAM JOInS GS&P AS SOUTH DIvISIOn vICE PRESIDEnT

High-Performing Leader to Provide Operational Leadership, Guide Staff Development, and Enhance Client Service and Satisfaction

Georgia

Engineering

News

Gresham, Smith and Partners, a leading

multi-disciplinary design and consulting firm for the built environment, announces Peter Oram has joined the firm as Division Vice President of the firm’s South Division. He replaces Rodney Chester, P.E., who will now serve exclusively as Senior Vice President of Firmwide Operations. Oram will be based in the firm’s Atlanta office.

“Peter is a proven leader with more than 30 years of experience and demonstrated high performance in management and operational leadership for multi-office and multi-discipline organizations,” commented James Bearden, chief executive officer, Gresham, Smith and Partners.

“GS&P’s South Division is experiencing outstanding growth and performance. I feel confident Peter will provide the leadership necessary to continue this smart, sustainable growth by focusing on operational efficiencies, the development of our staff, and the development of solutions that positively impact our communities and result in success for our clients.”

In this role, Oram will oversee the operational performance of GS&P’s South Division offices in Atlanta, Birmingham, Chipley, Florida, and Tallahassee, Florida AUGUST | SEPTEMBER 2016

Transportation and Water Resources staff in the firm’s Dallas, Tampa, and Miami offices also report to the South Division.

He will work to foster collaboration firmwide among GS&P’s multi-discipline and multi-market services with the endgoal of division growth and the successful delivery of exceptional and high-quality solutions for clients.

“GS&P has a proven reputation for providing a combination of high quality technical solutions with effective, responsive, and professional client service. I’m looking forward to working with our clients and staff as we push ourselves toward continued growth and advancement —not only in the South division, but across the firm,” added Oram.

Oram joins GS&P from AECOM where he most recently served as Vice President and Business Unit Leader managing more than 400 employees in multiple office locations. His areas of technical expertise include water and wastewater distribution and collection systems, pump stations, facilities, and treatment plants.

In addition to infrastructure asset management, he also has significant experience in the evaluation, planning, and implementation of buried infrastructure improvements using trenchless technolo-

Peter Oram

gies.

Oram is a member of numerous industry and professional organizations.

Among those are the American Water Works Association, the Water Environment Federation, North America Society for Trenchless Technology, and the Georgia Association of Water Professionals. He earned his Civil Engineering qualifications from the University of the West of England. v

Baker Barrios Architects Introduces New Entertainment Practice and Appoints Michael Frohnappel as Principal

Baker Barrios Architects announced today the appointment of industry-leading design expert Michael Frohnappel as the company's newest principal. In this role, Frohnappel will oversee the firm's hospitality practice and lead expansion initiatives to introduce a new entertainment studio in an effort to support external growth opportunities with theme parks, destination entertainment districts and resorts, and major branded attrac25

tions worldwide.

“By adding this level of talent to our firm, Frohnappel and his experience will significantly broaden our hospitality and entertainment market to better serve our growing list of clients; this is a natural evolution of our firm and our expertise,” said Timothy Baker, Principal. “Mike is a rec-

Merrick & Company Opens South Carolina Office

ognized leader in entertainment/attraction venues as well as destination retail, food, and beverage districts. His depth of experience will bolster Baker Barrios’ ability to deliver innovative place-making projects locally and regionally, nationally and internationally."

Frohnappel holds a bachelor's degree

in architecture from the E. Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design at the University of Arkansas. He is an active member of the American Institute of Architects, NCARB, the Themed Entertainment Association, and the International Association of Amusement Parks & Attractions. v

In Support of the Firm’s Energy & Chemicals Initiative

Merrick & Company, a global engineering, architecture, design-build, surveying, and geospatial solutions firm, has opened an office in Greenville, South Carolina. The new office was formed in response to market demand from the process and industrial market including chemicals and allied products, power, oil & gas, bio-derived products, and life sciences. The new location will allow Merrick to provide regional clients with the highest level of professional services.

“Merrick has long-planned to be a part of this community, and with our new space and staff, we are excited to expand our capabilities and services to this thriving region for decades to come,” said Dave Huelskamp, President and CEO of Merrick.

Managing the office is John Shaw, PE,

Local Environmental Engineer Earns Envision Sustainability Professional Certification

Lisa Muzekari, PE, ENV SP, Environmental Department Manager at Thomas & Hut26

John Shaw

who offers 30 years of experience in delivery of specialty chemicals, bio-derived chemicals, pharmaceuticals, fibers, and food & beverage facilities. He has extensive experience leading project development and execution efforts in the process industries.

Wayne Wajciechowski, who also brings over 30 years of experience, will serve as Merrick’s Director of Business Development supporting the new office and the process

Lisa Muzekari

and industrial market.

With the addition of the Greenville office to the firm’s other regional delivery locations, two in Georgia, one in North Carolina, and two in Tennessee, Merrick now maintains 20 offices that serve clients in the energy & chemicals, sustainable infrastructure, national security, and life sciences markets. v ton, was recently announced as an Environmental Sustainability Professional (ENV SP) of the Institute for Sustainability Infrastructure (ISI). Thomas & Hutton is a proud member of the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure and strives to utilize the best sustainable practices in its projects to nurture improvements in the sustainability of our physical infrastructure.

The ENV SP certification is a credential that once earned, indicates excellence in the most innovative infrastructure sustainability resource available, Envision, which is a product of the ISI with a goal of dramatic GEORGIA EnGInEER

and necessary improvement in the performance and resiliency of our physical infrastructure across the full spectrum of sustainability.

Muzekari is an environmental engineer with more than 24 years of experience. She has managed a practice group focusing on environmental planning, permitting, design, and compliance. She is recognized in

her field for providing environmental assessments, permitting, planning, and compliance strategies for municipal and private clients. Her areas of expertise include water, wastewater, and reuse water projects; air permitting/modeling; environmental assessments; stormwater management; spill prevention control and countermeasures planning; hazardous waste management;

process safety management plans; risk management programs; and solid waste evaluations.

Muzekari earned a both a Bachelor’s of Science and a Master’s of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of South Carolina. She is a licensed Professional Engineer in South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia. v

Atkins Wins Major Hong Kong Airport Contract

UK-based consultancy Atkins, has won what it calls a “major, strategic” consultancy service contract at Hong Kong International Airport, one of the world’s busiest airports.

The contract, for airfield facilities design of the planned three-runway system, will allow the airport to handle 102 million passengers, 8.9 million tons of cargo, and 607,000 aircraft movements per year by 2030.

Prof Dr Uwe Krueger, Atkins’ chief executive officer, said: “This significant contract win further strengthens our 20 year relationship with the Airport Authority Hong Kong and will allow us to assist our client in further developing the world class passenger facilities at the airport.

“We’re committed to continuing to support HKIA in improving its competitiveness for the benefit of passengers and the region’s economic development.”

Atkins’ scope of services includes the detailed design of a new third runway and associated taxiways, taxi lanes, and aircraft parking aprons complete with associated airfield and apron systems, utility services, and modification of the existing north runway.

This contract also includes the associated construction stage design services.

Several other contracts to facilitate HKIA’s mid- and long-term expansion are being undertaken by Atkins including the detailed design for the second phase of the Midfield Development and the detailed design of 650 hectares of reclaimed land in preparation for the construction of the 3RS. AUGUST | SEPTEMBER 2016

Hong Kong Int’l Airport The announcement of the contract win came as Atkins posted good financial results for the year ending 31 March 2016.

It said that revenue was up six percent to

£1.86bn, while underlying operating profit rose 10.5 percent on the year before, with a eight percent margin target achieved. v 27

Caterpillar Planning MyHSR Push for Drone Corporation Selects Technology CH2M as Technical Advisor for Kuala Caterpillar is planning a major push on drone technology for major UK infrastruc- Lumpur-Singapore ture projects. The world’s biggest construcHigh-Speed Rail tion equipment manufacturer has agreed a strategic partnership with drone outfit Redbird, which specializes in acquisition and analysis of aerial data collected by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

“Caterpillar is positioning itself to play a big role on infrastructure projects such as HS2,” a spokesman for Finning, Cat’s UK dealer, told CM. “It sees the drone technology tying together the whole production journey on a civil engineering site. The drones will be used for everything from measuring quantities of materials, to optimising haul roads, to real-time mapping of earthworks operations and linking up with machine control technology.”

Costain sets up framework for drone suppliers Interserve, Arup, Berkeley are among construction’s licensed drone operators £2.3m grant for Skanska-backed aerial 3D printing drones. The US equipment giant has already begun discussions with leading UK construction companies about the potential for UAVs, the spokesman added. Caterpillar is also pushing drones in the quarrying sector, and is appearing at this week’s Hillhead quarrying exhibition, demonstrating the technology’s ability to measure stockpiles of aggregates.

Emmanuel de Maistre, CEO of Redbird, said: “Our UAV solutions have been developed with leading construction companies and quarry operators in the USA for the past two years, helping them extract real value out of drone data. This collaboration with Caterpillar will bring tangible benefits to construction sites and quarries, helping customers work faster and safer.” v 28

MyHSR Corporation Sdn Bhd (MyHSR) has selected CH2M as its technical advisor for the iconic cross-border project, Kuala Lumpur–Singapore High-Speed Rail (HSR) project.

Following the recent signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on the project by both the Malaysian and Singaporean governments, MyHSR has proceeded to award its Technical Advisory Services tender to CH2M. CH2M, with its sub-consultant PwC, will support MyHSR to develop the project, including working on the planning and design of the Malaysian section of the project, and assisting with the project management aspects of the project.

MyHSR Corporation CEO, Mohd Nur Ismal Mohamed Kamal welcomed CH2M into the project, “We have a challenging task ahead and with this appointment, we would be better equipped. We expect CH2M to bring its global expertise and its experience working on HSR projects for the KL-SG HSR.” Added CH2M Programme Director Mark Loader, “CH2M is an established member of the Malaysian engineering community, with a continued presence in Kuala Lumpur since the 1960s. We understand the challenges associated with delivering this nationally significant programe based on our depth of experience with High Speed 1 and 2 in the UK. Our team will bring a partnership approach to MyHSR, combining international rail expertise with our local understanding to provide the leadership and capabilities to ensure the project is delivered successfully.” v

New Research on Asphalt Mix Paves way for an Easier, Cleaner, Ride Rolling down the road could get a lot easier —and greener— thanks to research on better asphalt mixes by a specialist at Danish consulting engineer, COWI. The PhD candidate Huan Feng devised a mathematical model for assessing novel pavement types that cut a road’s rolling re-

Soeren Adamsen sistance, requiring less fuel to propel cars and trucks.

Results on a pilot project by the Danish road authority, Vejdirektoratet, indicate that fuel consumption on an optimized road—one that uses smaller stones in the asphalt mixture—can be reduced by up to five percent without undermining the road’s ability to grip.

COWI says the modeling breakthrough is better than time-consuming lab tests, and could cut CO2 emissions from the road transportation sector, which is responsible for 25 percent of energy consumption in Denmark. The engineer says that a third of that energy is actually used to overcome rolling resistance on roads.

“The project focuses on establishing a scientific background for novel pavement types and asset management solutions that minimize the rolling resistance for cars and trucks, and eventually attains the goal of reducing CO2 emissions from the transportaGEORGIA EnGInEER

tion sector,” said Huan Feng.

COWI argues that with the increasing demands for heavy loads, large traffic volume, and new tendering schemes, pavement design is now moving towards more mechanistic methodologies to achieve longer-lasting and higher-performing pavements.

However, it will take further studies to determine fully on the viscoelastic behaviour of the asphalt when changing the mix design, Huan Feng points out.

“A road consists of many layers and we have only focused on the top three to four centimeters, which is the strongest and most

Five Lessons the Built Environment Can Learn from Pokemon-Go

What can professionals working in the built environment learn from Pokemon Go? asks BIM+ editor and Pokemon Go player Tom Ravenscroft.

Pokemon Go, the augmented reality (AR) smartphone game where people explore their city to find imaginary animals, has taken the world by storm. An estimated 65 million people are playing the game daily – to put that in context that’s around the same number as are using Twitter.

For the past week, I have been playing the game and Pokemon Go clearly has some interesting urban benefits as it encourages players to explore the cities they live in. It also has health benefits, as an average man playing the game for seven days would burn 1,795 calories, and a woman would burn 1,503.

But what can those working in the built environment learn from the global phenomenon?

Augmented reality is today, not tomorrow.

While many will have heard and understood the term virtual reality (VR), up until two weeks ago the term augmented reality (AR) was only being used by the very digitally savvy. Pokemon Go has changed all of AUGUST | SEPTEMBER 2016

expensive part and it is the top layer that decides how it feels to drive on the road. But when you change the mixture in the top layer it also has an impact on the lower layers, and this impact needs to be investigated as well before any final conclusions can be made,” said Huan Feng.

Thomas Mejer, vice president at COWI Highways and Airports International, said the findings would be a step towards a more sustainable transportation sector worldwide.

“There is a great need for new infrastructure, not least in Africa where we have

several projects,” he said. “We are aiming at the most sustainable solutions and reducing CO₂ emissions while maintaining high performance and durability are key components to achieve that.”

Huan Feng’s model captures the viscoelastic properties of asphalt mixtures at real traffic loading frequencies, making it possible to assess the internal mechanical response of the material at meso-scale inside the flexible pavement structure. It allows users to see the effect of variations in aggregate gradation, shape, and air void content on a road’s viscoelastic behaviour. v

this, dramatically increasing awareness of AR. For example, during a CPD last week, given by an employee of 3D printer Hobs Studio, as soon as AR was mentioned an architect said: “You mean like Pokemon Go?” The group then understood what AR was.

Of course, there is a possible negative consideration of this increased awareness. The AR used in the game is extremely basic, a lowest form of the technology. There is a risk that people won’t see beyond the game to the huge potential of AR. In fact, the technology is already being used in the built environment. Many contractors and architects are experimenting with AR as a visualization tool, and earlier this year Aecom utilized mixed reality as part of the design process for the Serpentine Pavilion.

the game.

Although this may seem trivial, after all I am only playing a game, the implications for those in the built environment keen to utilize any software that requires an accurate location are more serious. Before these location-based technologies can truly be used on site, GPS and 4G coverage is going to need to improve.

Technology and connectivity may not be up to the task Pokemon Go’s servers have repeatedly failed since the game was launched, leaving many users (including myself) dissatisfied. Given the unprecedented popularly of the game, this may be a reasonable failing. And while Pokemon Go’s popularity doesn’t seem to be wavering, when people start using technology, they (however unreasonably) expect it to work. For those trying to introduce new technology into a business, it is essential that it instantly works well, otherwise people will not buy in.

My experience has also been that GPS and 4G signals have not been good enough.

I’m using an iPhone 6 and have often been unable to play the game—I’m sure the screens below are familiar to anyone playing

Technology can be dangerous Last Thursday, the BBC published a story entitled “Pokemon Go: Is the hugely popular game a global safety risk?” and there have been numerous stories in the press since Pokemon Go was released of users getting injured while playing the game, for example, “Man jumps into traffic playing smartphone game.” Last week the first case of a Pokemon Go-related death was reported:“Teenager shot dead while hunting creature.”

Tragic events of course, but there is an important lesson for the built environment.

Building sites are dangerous places. With increasing numbers of smart phones and tablets being used on site, the safety of users needs to be a serious consideration. Maybe we will need to consider warning markings on the floor, or even location activated digital warnings?

Haters gonna hate Pokemon Go has been downloaded at a faster rate, and has more daily users, than any previous mobile game. It is clear there is a very large audience, both male and female, that is hungry to engage with digital 29

technology. Contractors, architects, engineers, and other built environment professionals should be thinking about how to use AR to attract these digital natives into the industry in the same way the CIOB is utilising Minecraft to educate young people about the construction industry.

However, another clear trend has been the huge amount of negativity, scepticism and mocking of those playing Pokemon Go. A large number of news stories are focusing

Putin Gives Blessing to $4bn US Plan to Build ‘Russian Magic’ Theme Park

“The Magical World of Russia,” a $4bn theme park designed and financed by two Californian companies, has been approved for construction in the Kaluga oblast, 180km southwest of Moscow.

Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, met Anatoly Artamonov, the governor of the Kaluga region, last week to discuss the plans. Kaluga is an economically dynamic region of Russia, and the proposed site would be close to a rail line and an airport.

Development of the park, which will cover 540 acres, will be overseen by the Goddard

Russia Would Like to Build 70km Hyperloop on its Pacific Coast

The government of Russia has announced a desire to build a 70km Hyperloop line on its Pacific Coast to link the port of Zarubino with China’s Jilin province, but wants China to help fund it.

The link would be part of Russia’s plan to 30

on the negative elements of the game. I have been asked ‘what’s the point’ and simply told ‘it’s just stupid.’ Construction is traditionally very conservative, and I’m sure that those trying to implement digital processes in their companies, whether BIM or VR/AR etc, are facing the same scepticism.

and Facebook among numerous others have

Utilizing new technology can be profitable Of course, we already know this, as Apple

gage with VR and AR, should definitely use efits of harnessing new technology.v

Group, a hospitality and entertainment design company that has been responsible for rides at a number of US theme parks. It recently worked on the $2bn Galaxy casino resort in Macau, which opened in 2011, and the $3.2bn Studio City scheme, also in Macau, which opened last year.

“Using Russian folklore, legends, and history, we are actively working to make this a theme park that will reflect the culture and lore of Russia—and one that will be built to a quality level equal to, or better than, any other world-class theme park today” says Gary Goddard, Goddard Group chairman Finance is to be arranged by The Moschanko Investment Group, a Los Angeles-based company that has been trying to arrange the construction of a theme park in Russia since 2011.

Gennady Moshkovich, the chief executive of the group, told the LA Times that the

blessing from Putin was “very, very, very important. It’s enormous.”

Artamonov told Russia’s Tass news agency that the scheme would also include a science section, an interactive entertainment area, and the world’s biggest aqua park. Construction could begin in 14 months, with completion of the entire resort taking place in about five years. Two other theme park projects are already in progress in Russia.

DreamWorks’ Moscow theme park, Dream Island, is scheduled to enter the construction stage later this year, and to be inaugurated in 2018 as part of a larger, $2.1bn project that also includes parks in St. Petersburg and Yekaterinburg.

Construction of the second, also in Moscow, is being undertaken by NBC Universal, and is due to begin in 2017. v

develop a series of transport corridors between its Primorye region and northeast China.

The Hyperloop concept, proposed by the high-tech entrepreneur Elon Musk, envisages passengers in pods being whisked along a vacuum tube at near the speed of sound. Two companies in the US – not Musk’s – are racing to test and commercialise the technology.

Maksim Sokolov, the transport minister, told Russian journalists about the plan on the sidelines of the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF). He said: “I have already held talks with Hyper-

loop company. We have suggested the investors consider the construction project of the zone within the international transport corridor Primorye-2.” Sokolov did not say which company he had talked to. The port of Zarubino would be one terminus of the loop (Wikimedia Commons).

According to Sokolov, building the system will be cheaper than laying a conventional high-speed rail line. The project’s cost has been estimated at about $500m. He added that the ministry would try to interest China in co-financing the link as part of its Silk Road grand strategy. v

demonstrated. However, Nintendo’s share value doubling since the game’s launch is a

reminder of how utilizing new technology can revitalize a business.

Those attempting to get their compa-

nies to take BIM seriously, and indeed enPokemon Go as a prime example of the ben-

GEORGIA EnGInEER

AUGUST | SEPTEMBER 2016

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GEORGIA EnGInEER