Engineering stories
Civil contractors face tougher bids as procurement shifts towards quality, sustainability and whole-of-life value for ratepayers.
Low productivity in construction is pushing firms towards robotics, 3D printing and modular building as McKinsey says the sector lags on R&D.
The technology could help rescuers triage casualties remotely, after UniSA scientists showed drones can read heart and breathing rates from three metres away.
Property owners facing subsidence can now avoid major rebuilds as resin injection offers a cheaper, less disruptive way to steady sinking foundations.
Better safety and quality control in prefab building could speed up cheaper, more durable projects as Victoria unveils a world first code.
A 220-metre timber tower could clean contaminated reservoir water while opening one-eighth of Central Park to swimming and sailing.
The faster method could help ease Auckland’s housing shortage, though Fletcher says the first panelised homes will not yet cost less.
Fuel shortages could be eased by better storage and contingency planning after the Marsden to Wiri rupture, Infrastructure New Zealand says.
Freight services are easing pressure on the alternate road, with up to 2000 trucks a month expected to be taken off it during the rebuild.
New Zealand projects claimed three prizes as the inaugural IPWEA Australasia awards recognised public works judged best across the region.
Freight pressure on the inland route should ease, with up to 2,000 trucks a month set to shift back to rail after the Kaikoura quake.
Computerised controls are making strand-jack lifts safer and more economical for bridges, mines and rigs handling loads of up to 1,400 tons.
Owners of leaky homes can now join the claim for longer, after judges extended the opt-in window to five months and awarded costs.
Construction activity remains strong nationwide, with ready-mix concrete output topping 1 million cubic metres in the June quarter.
Mass timber is gaining traction because it can match concrete on strength while cutting build times, waste and carbon emissions.
The 2020 opening is set to bring more than NZD $320 million in economic benefit to Canterbury over eight years and support local events.
Industrial plants can now log and block USB devices after malware spread via removable media helped trigger outages and sewage floods.
The 52-metre scheme would replace the Leader’s Building and could briefly make central Wellington home to a record-breaking timber tower.
Freight services on the Main North Line remain months away, with only 10 kilometres left to repair after the 2016 earthquake.
Fire-proof replacements are under way at two Auckland high-rises after council checks found combustible panels similar to those blamed in Grenfell.
