RISKY BUSINESS | John P. Bachner
Diversify to increase profit, decrease risk

So here you sit, reading this column in hopes of learning something that will be of value, especially in today's economy. But all I can recommend is what you've probably already heard: diversify. Consider how you can expand upon an existing service you already provide to clients, especially those with whose representatives you have cultivated solid relationships. Client representatives like that typically are those most willing to help you try something new, and those most forbearing when not everything goes as planned.

BEYOND WORDS | Bill Siegel, P.E.
A day on Capitol Hill: an engineer adventure
Spending a day on Capitol Hill talking with legislators and staff may not seem all that productive for a bunch of engineers from a privately held company. Even some of our own people were skeptical of the value in this challenging economic climate. Yet, as I look back, it was one of the most singularly rewarding professional and personal experiences for me and my team.

INSIDERS VIEW | Jason Burke, P.E.
Recovery preparations Web Exclusive
Congratulations are certainly in order for any business still surviving—if not thriving—now that some industry sectors have begun to level off and become less volatile. The government's largesse doesn't hurt either. Apparent success notwithstanding, most of the firms that I have spoken with recently are still "seeing how the next few months work out." Unfortunately, this is counter to good business practices. In fact, those firms that have managed to make it this far must be doing something right, even if some simply do not know what it is.

Improving project efficiency
The changing dynamics of today's engineering and construction market are having an impact on already thin profit margins. Economic conditions combined with increased regulatory demands, the rising cost of claims, and the ongoing retirement of a large group of experienced professionals present significant challenges to corporate growth in the near future. In addition, engineering and construction firms are exclusively dependent on project delivery to achieve profitability. And individual project profitability can be hindered by a wide range of internal and external factors, including rising materials costs and contractor-caused delays. If a firm is not aware of problems early (before they affect projects) and equipped to respond accordingly, the results can be devastating.

Three-tiered approach to pavement rehabilitation
A combination of finite element method (FEM) analysis, traditional pavement design methods, and forensic analysis can reveal information about a pavement's history and its future performance that can not be determined with traditional evaluation methods alone. Engineers and researchers recently applied this three-tiered approach to the rehabilitation evaluation and design of Runway 9-27 at Houston Airport System's (HAS) George Bush Airport (IAH). The results of the investigation demonstrate the utility of a new generation of tools for site-specific pavement evaluation and rehabilitation design, and suggest a change in the way engineers approach these projects in the future.

Geocellular wall system offers site solution Web Exclusive
When it comes to combining eye-pleasing form with functional performance in building erosion control and earth retention structures, few have mastered the art better than Japanese engineers and contractors. A case in point is a 660-foot-long retaining wall that separates the site of an experimental urban housing development in Chiba Prefecture, about 25 miles east of Tokyo, Japan, from adjacent rice fields lying below the town.

NPDES Update: Green stormwater management
Stormwater management is an increasingly challenging aspect of brownfield redevelopment, particularly in today's sustainably-minded business environment.

NPDES Update: Top 10 SWPPP omissions
Writing plans to control erosion and sediment on construction sites started even before the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits went into effect in 1992. So why is it that so many of the plans currently designed are not in compliance with the regulations?

Support for elevated rail lines
The merger of the Union Pacific and Southern Pacific Railroads in 1996 was expected to increase rail traffic significantly along the Central Corridor route through Wichita, Kan. Options considered to accommodate increased rail traffic and alleviate disruption of street traffic included construction of a rail bypass. But, the most feasible solution consisted of improving the existing train routes by elevating the tracks and enhancing rail traffic flow through Wichita's active downtown corridor. Street traffic flow was also enhanced with the elevated rail lines passing above cross streets with grade separation structures.