| .: Research :. | |
|
this is basically what I do... |
|
A knowledge-enabled system for coordinating the design of co-located urban infrastructure Our urban infrastructure is decaying at a rate that far exceeds our ability to replace. Larger proportions of infrastructure budgets are being allocated to infrastructure renewal than to the development of new infrastructure. Infrastructure rehabilitation projects – especially in old urban areas – are becoming essential for sustaining their vitality. With the increasing number of these projects taking place, designs should become more effective and be conducted in a more coordinated fashion. Traditionally, buried infrastructure was located with very little regard to important aspects like the need for maintenance, the need for replacement, disruption to community, etc… These needs are very difficult to perceive in an insular design environment that only takes into consideration the current requirements of the system being designed. Novick (1990) identified seven key issues that should be studied to find long-range solutions to the problems facing urban infrastructure. One of these issues involves “The preparation of new design approaches that focus on ease of inspection, repair, and reconstruction in place, all under traffic”. As such, there is a need to embed knowledge from the lessons we have learned from the past to enhance the process of designing co-located urban infrastructure in order to improve the design, construction and operation of urban streets and the congested mass of utilities buried underneath. This enhancement should take into account sustainability issues like life cycle costs and long term impacts on the environment, businesses and surrounding communities. Subsurface Utility Engineering in Ontario
Description: The objective of this study is to measure the effectiveness and efficiency of using Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE) on large infrastructure projects in Ontario. SUE is a technique that employs advanced geophysical technologies like ground penetrating radar and radio frequency electromagnets for the accurate location of buried utilities. Some benefits of SUE include construction accident mitigation, decreased amount of redesign, as well as project cost and time savings. This technology has been successfully deployed in the United States for more than 10 years. It is now being used for the first time in Canada here in Ontario.
Project Collaborators: The Ontario Sewer & Watermain Contractor's Association
Related Literature: Evaluating an Emerging Market in Subsurface Utility Engineering - ASCE JCEM
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|