ConstructionPro Network takes a look at interesting blog posts from the past week.
Cost overruns on government projects
ConstructionPro Network learned of this article from the Gordian Group blogsite. The article itself is found on The Daily Caller website, a 24-hour news publication founded by Tucker Carlson and Neil Patel. Based on a September 2015 newsletter published by the Cato Institute, the article blames “deception and mismanagement” by Congress, federal managers and contractors, for the spiraling costs on government projects, including infrastructure, defense, energy and transportation. To cure the situation, the study recommends increased transparency, more details early in the project, input from independent engineers and economists, and benchmarking of costs and schedules of proposed projects against past projects during the planning phase. Click here for the full article. The Cato Institute Tax & Budget Bulletin can be accessed here.
Two alerts for contractors working on federal projects
At the Gravel2Gavel blog site, Pillsbury attorneys Julia Judish and Rebecca Rizzo posted a six-page client alert on two recent federal contracting developments. The first is the Department of Labor’s Final Rule on Executive Order 13665 which amends Executive Order 11246 prohibiting “pay secrecy policies and actions,” which goes into effect January 11, 2016. The second is President Obama’s Labor Day executive order that will require federal contractors and subcontractors to provide their employees on government contracts with up to 7 days of paid sick leave per year. This new requirement will be for new contracts entered into on or after January 1, 2017. Read post and access the report.
What went wrong? Diagnosing building envelope distress
This very informative article at the Building Design & Construction website by John J. Hoffmann, FAIA and Deborah J. Constantin, AIA includes five case studies that uncover common situations that lead to construction defects, with valuable lessons learned for both architects and contractors. The first case study involves one of the most frequently encountered construction defects: leaks and window installations. The authors cite two examples, one pointing to the varying rates of contraction and expansion of the different materials, and the second where filling a gap with caulk was not the right thing to do. The four other case studies include hidden leaks in concrete, the effects of insufficient air entrainment of cast-in-place concrete, improper roof installation and venting, and design errors, construction omissions and securement methods of glazed curtain walls. Article and 10-question quiz qualifies for 1.0 AIA credit. Click here for the full article.
BIM: The 10 workflows of construction #9
Rob McKinney at the ConAppGuru blog started his “Ten Workflows for Apps on Construction Project” series this past April. This week, there is a two-part series on BIM by guest author Skyler Thomas, BIM Business Development Manager for Topcon Positioning Systems. Part 1 provides a compact overview of BIM and its collaborative benefits. Part 2 provides a rundown of eight free or paid apps that contractors can use with their BIM models to improve their personal and field productivity. For part 1, click here. For part 2, click here.
This’s week’s CivilBlog covers bricks, stairs, concrete tests, prestressed concrete
- 9 factors affecting dynamic cone penetration test results (DCPT)
- Quality requirements for burnt clay fly ash building bricks
- 10 different types of stairs commonly designed for buildings
- Advantages and disadvantages of prestressed concrete
Read all these posts and more here.
