As consistent and strong as wood, concrete, and steel have been for the past centuries, researchers and scientists are continually trying to improve them or create a better replacement product. Many have tried, but none have yet to succeed on a large scale. The latest scientific breakthrough takes a look at the geometry of a structure, rather than simply the material itself. Read more
Slurry seals that provide extra sealant to pavement are a great way to save municipal dollars and extend highway life, state several industry experts. Read more
Researchers at Disney have developed quasistatic cavity resonance (QSCR) technology to wirelessly deliver kilowatts of power to mobile receivers within cabinets, rooms or even warehouses. Read more
As part of its national efforts to educate and improve the Canadian building industry through the introduction of Lean principles, the Lean Construction Institute of Canada (LCI-C) announced today the framework for a new Canadian Lean Construction Certification Program. Read more
Under the Clean Water and Wastewater Fund (CWWF) and Public Transit Infrastructure Fund (PTIF) provinces and territories receive an allocation, prioritize eligible projects and submit them for federal funding. Projects are required to be completed by March 31, 2018 (March 31, 2019 in the territories) unless an extension is granted by the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities. Extensions can be granted up to March 31, 2019. Read more about CWWF extensions or read more about PTIF extensions
Weight restrictions will be in place on all provincial gravel roads starting at noon Friday, Feb. 24. Read more.
The federal government has announced unprecedented investment to renew Canada’s aging public infrastructure. However, there have been delays in rolling out the funds to get the much needed projects off the ground and the deadline for Phase I is approaching fast. The Canadian Construction Association (CCA) has expressed concerns regarding the March 18, 2017 deadline to several government ministers and is advocating for extension. Read more
Metamaterials are materials engineered to have a property not found in nature. They are composites, usually involving metals or plastics, plus super-small or super-thin materials derived by nanoengineering. They derive their properties not from the properties of the base materials from which they are made but from their newly designed structures. Read more
An engineering and materials science professor at Rutgers University has created an eco-friendly, lightweight concrete using reactive hydrothermal liquid-phase densification (rHLPD), according to Phys.org, which notes that the process models generative design behavior of shellfish to create organic ceramics while submersed in water. Read more
This Ottawa Construction Association article provides a great summary of the user-facing changes, internal process changes, as well as the portability, fingerprinting and sponsorship-related improvements that the Public Services and Procurement Canada’s Industrial Security Sector is taking. Read more