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U.K. agency to increase flood protection
The number of properties in England and Wales at significant risk of flooding could increase from 570,000 in 2009 to over 900,000 by 2035 at current levels of flood-defense investment; the Environment Agency says it is planning for the long haul, saying it is already planning to manage a predicted 1 meter rise in sea levels, and a predicted 10 percent increase in wave heights and wind speeds, both of which will increase the threat from coastal surges
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ASCE holds its 5th ASCE Forensic Engineering Congress
The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) says that the unifying theme of the event will be a reflection on a quarter century of construction pathology — understanding why and how structures fail
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H1N1-induced work-from-home may clog Internet
Telecommuting is a good idea — up to a point; if, as a result of a pandemic, too many people decide to work from home, this could threaten to overwhelm the Internet, rendering it useless as a way for communicating and conducting transactions vital to public safety and the economy
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The brief
Vetting a chip with a hidden agenda is not easy, and chip makers cannot afford to test every chip; also, today only Intel and a few other companies still design and manufacture all their own chips in their own fabrication plants; other chip designers — including LSI Corp. and, most recently, Sony — have gone “fabless,” outsourcing their manufacturing to off-shore facilities known as foundries
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Earthquake-proof airport terminal in Istanbul airport
Large swaths of Turkey are earthquake prone; the 1999 Kocaeli earthquake, for example, killed 17,000 people, injured 50,000, and destroyed 27,000 buildings, leaving 500,000 homeless; estimates of property losses range from $3 billion to $6.5 billion; engineers claim they have made the terminal at Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport earthquake-proof
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Washington State will put seismic sensors on viaduct
Alaskan Way Viaduct in Washington State is crumbling, but it still carries more than 100,000 cars per day, and remains the city’s second-busiest north-south arterial after Interstate 5; until a $4.2 billion replacement project opens in 2015, the state will place sensors that on the viaduct which will close the elevated roadway at the first sign of seismic activity
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Louisiana levee to use stabilizing fabric
The 1,600-foot earthen levee, which runs south from the Old Estelle Pump Station, has failed twice, once in the early 1990s and again in 2007 when two sections totaling 600 feet long slumped badly; Army Corps of Engineers will use geotextile fabric to stabilize known trouble spots before raising the levee from 10 feet to 14.5 feet
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Despite concerns, development still heads to the coast
Many scientists predict that by 2100, sea levels would rise more than one meter; still, Florida has opened more vulnerable areas along the Atlantic coast to construction — and has done so more than any other state
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Aussies worry about rising sea levels
About 80 percent of Australians live in coastal areas, and a new parliamentary report recommends new laws banning further development in coastal regions
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New material makes buildings more fire resistant
New material, called “liquid granite,” is fire resistant to temperatures in excess of 1,100oC; it reduces the fire risk in buildings because, unlike concrete, it does not explode at high temperatures
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A new Amsterdam neighborhood floats on a lake
The Dutch experiment with a new concept for addressing over-crowding, flooding, and rising sea-level problems: floating neighborhoods
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NRC rejects Westinghouse's new nuclear reactor design
In what must be seen as a setback for the nuclear power industry, the NRC said that a key component of Westinghouse’s new reactor design might not withstand events like earthquakes and tornadoes
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Landslide detector to be developed
Researchers are working in developing an early-warning acoustic sensor for the detection of landslides; current devices available for the early detection of slope failures are costly and technically limited
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Computer models predicts power outages during hurricanes
Researchers develop computer model that can estimate how many power outages will occur across a region as a hurricane is approaching; having accurate estimates, prior to the storm’s arrival, of how many outages will exist and where they will occur, will allow utilities to better plan their crew requests and crew locations
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More headlines
The long view
Helping Strengthen America’s Critical Infrastructure
Everyday life depends on a robust infrastructure network that provides access to running water, communications technology and electricity, among other basic necessities. The experts who keep our national infrastructure secure and resilient also need a strong network to share their knowledge and train the next generation of professionals capable of solving complex infrastructure challenges.
AI and the Future of the U.S. Electric Grid
Despite its age, the U.S. electric grid remains one of the great workhorses of modern life. Whether it can maintain that performance over the next few years may determine how well the U.S. competes in an AI-driven world.