Jeff Wilson Everyday DIY Blog

Bentonite is a type of clay having the unusual characteristics of cohesion, binding, sealing, and thickening. It is usually gray in color and when processed has the consistency of fine powder, similar to cement or flour. When bentonite is installed below grade as a waterproofing membrane, it becomes hydrated with the moisture that is naturally present in the soil and forms an impermeable barrier that absorbs and expels water and most chemicals, such as acids and salts (sodium bentonite). Bentonite can expand and contract an infinite number of times and is capable of absorbing seven to 10 times its own weight in water, swelling up to 18 times its dry volume. However, for bentonite to function properly as a waterproofing barrier, it is extremely important that this barrier remain under a constant minimum pressure of 30 to 60 pounds per square foot (PSF).

AEC professionals have a new technology platform to support the old-fashioned notion of planning ahead. Building Information Modeling (BIM) is bringing a sea change to the industry's workflow by facilitating a previously impossible degree of planning, coordination, and communication.

What is "cloud computing" or "software as a service", and what do these terms mean for the AEC industry? While many people have heard of the term "cloud computing", or can conceptualize how working online can be considered working in "the cloud", many in the design and construction industry are still unclear about what this means for the future of our work.

Theodore (Ted) E. Scott is the Managing Member of Stormwater Maintenance, LLC, in Hunt Valley, Maryland. He has provided our audience some insights into the inspection, maintenance, and repair of storm water systems. There are three categories of these systems that we’ll investigate: surface basins, underground structures and drainage systems.

With the United States trying to pull itself out of a recession, something must be done to create more jobs. Some believe the green job market is the key to the future. And so, I have taken some well spread out snapshots examining the prospect of the green job market in this country.

Glue laminated construction (glulam) products are large manufactured structural products used in commercial and residential applications. The idea of laminating lumber with glue for use as beams was originally conceived on job sites in Europe over 100 years ago. This engineered wood product is composed of multiple laminations of kiln-dried, end-to-end or finger-jointed lumber, each bonded together with phenolic resin, a high-strength waterproof adhesive. This process allows for longer and wider structural wood members.

After a three year renovation, the William Oxley Thompson Memorial Library reopened in the Summer of 2009. The ambitious project created an architectural jewel on the campus of The Ohio State University. The results of the $109 million, 340,000 square foot renovation project include seating for 1,800 people, over 200 computers with wireless internet access, additional meeting and study rooms, an art gallery, and a new cafe. The library also now consolidates the University’s 250,000 volume rare book collection.

In most cases, property owners are required by regulation to maintain pond embankments and outfall works as related to structural integrity and dam safety. Proper maintenance also lessens the liability of pond and lake ownership by reducing the likelihood of failures that can impact downstream property. Owners or property managers may believe that proper maintenance is occurring only to later learn that they need expensive repairs. This situation illustrates that many contractors providing routine maintenance, such as landscapers, are not trained to properly identify issues that can be problematic or lead to increased cost of ownership.

Much focus is being given in the design and construction industry to making projects greener. As an architect myself, I feel an obligation to be conscious of the impact my work and the work of my peers has on the future of our environment. Architects, engineers, builders, and facility owners play a vital role in creating a greener future. Architecture 2030 estimates that in the US alone, buildings are responsible for 48% of greenhouse gas emissions annually and consume 76% of all electricity generated by power plants.

When downtown Columbus’ City Center Mall opened its doors in 1989, millions of people swarmed through them in the early weeks. Its collection of high-end department stores, boutiques, and casual restaurants kept it bustling for several years. Flash forward fifteen years, and it started to become a ghost town inside, one major retailer after another leaving many of its vast indoor spaces vacant.

Visible from the Cincinnati riverfront, Daniel Libeskind’s Ascent at Roebling's Bridge towers over the Covington, Ky. skyline. Completed in 2008, the concrete and glass curtain wall clad structure is 300’-0” tall and 310,000 square feet. Twenty-two stories (one lobby, a secure parking level, an amenities level, and 19 floors of luxury condominiums) of multifamily program are included in Libeskind's first U.S. high-rise.

I recently had the opportunity to visit Bing Thom’s much talked about and long-awaited Arena Stage renovation and expansion project in Washington, D.C. With slightly more than two years of construction completed, the $125 million, 200,000 square foot project is in the final stages and is due to open its doors on schedule for the inaugural 2010/11 theater season later this fall.