Infrastructure Keeps Us Moving

It’s been said that transportation infrastructure is the backbone of a country's economy. Year after year, we hear about plans to modernize and reinvest in these systems in order to create jobs, increase wages, strengthen the economy, reduce the costs of goods, and most importantly, keep us safe.

When transportation departments and engineers look to develop or modernize existing roads and highways, one of the biggest challenges is how to do so with minimal impact to the local community. Such concerns include the timing of closures, impact on traffic, noise, emissions, and wildlife.

One way to minimize the concerns that people have with roadway development or expansion is for agencies to involve suppliers early. CRH and other product manufacturers encourage this to minimize schedule and traffic interruptions. Often, we can provide systems-based solutions in the manufacturing plant or through delivery and logistics that can shorten schedule. Having the products and materials sourced locally and available to arrive on-site quickly can turn a week-long ordeal into a two-night breeze.

Similar to roads and highways, the challenges a construction team faces when constructing or replacing a bridge are based around logistics and minimizing impact to the people in the area. Speed is often the biggest challenge, as closing a major roadway can have a significant bearing on how goods and services are delivered and how easily people can travel. Additionally, safety is an important concern on bridge renovation and demolition sites. There may be blasting, work around utilities, work at heights, work over water, and welding and cutting.

One solution for bridge construction is a cast-in-place system that requires a substructure be completed prior to fabrication. Using forms, ready mixed concrete is trucked in where it cures on site. Depending on your project’s requirements, bridge size, and proximity to a precast manufacturing plant, ready mixed concrete may be the logical solution.

Project Spotlight: Diverging Diamond Interchange in Ft. Myers, Florida

Preferred Materials, a CRH Company, supplied over 2,500 cubic yards of concrete for a total of 6 bridges and 135,000 tons of asphalt for the  I-75 and University diverging interchange, which was the first in the state of Florida.

For this fast-paced project, Preferred also provided logistics and services which included paving over a steel temporary bridge, an innovative approach that provides smooth rides and minimizes the impact of lane closures, traffic shifts, and temporary detour routes. 

Water is quite literally the essence of life. The United Nations predicts that the world's population will reach 8 billion by 2024 and more than 9 billion by 2040. Whether it's water for drinking, cleaning, agriculture, or economic productivity, every one of these people needs clean water for survival. And, as water is such a finite natural resource, we must take care to move it, capture it, and treat it in manners that reduce the possibility of adding pollutants or wasting it. 

Whether you are involved with a wastewater, stormwater, or potable water project, working with a product manufacturer who can supply more than the individual products is important. CRH works with developers, architects, and general contractors early on water projects to find a systems-based approach to meet the needs of the entire project team and the public while following all best management practices (BMPs).  

Wastewater

Wastewater is any water contaminated by human influence, and with the growing population placing a higher demand on natural resources, wastewater treatment is more important than ever. Wastewater needs treated before it is released back into nature to minimize the impact on the environment, wildlife, and human health.

Sewage

Sewage must be moved miles to wastewater treatment plants. Pipes, manholes, and lift/pump stations are all integral to the conveyance of it. CRH manufactures these products in addition to dry wells, wet wells, and septic tanks to meet your needs. 

Food Service Establishments

Fats, oils, and grease (FOG) that are created from commercial restaurants and kitchens can damage the public sewer system. For the health and safety of the public, grease interceptors are used to separate the FOG from other liquid and solids. CRH grease interceptors include innovative, high-performance features which, when combined with BMPs, will significantly reduce the amount of FOG entering the sewer system. Additionally, proper ventilation and regular maintenance will reduce bacterial growth and acidic PH levels which are common in wastewater applications.

Stormwater

Reducing Runoff

As we continue to build homes, businesses, multi-use developments, highways, and more, the water runoff that used to percolate into the ground no longer has a natural place to go. It’s essential that developers incorporate stormwater management best practices into their projects to mitigate the effects of development.

Moving stormwater runoff from impervious surfaces through a drainage system is key to getting it where it needs to go, whether it be a harvesting system, treatment tank, or a downstream creek. Such a conveyance system needs to be designed and implemented according to local requirements, and depending on the need, might include reinforced concrete pipes, inlets, catch basins, manholes, ditches, depressions, or swales, to just name a few.

Controlling runoff volume from developed sites is key to preventing habitat degradation and erosion of local channels. Capturing and controlling the release of runoff can prevent these problems while recharging groundwater and replenishing local aquifers. Depending on local requirements, stormwater and greywater can also be harvested and reused, reducing municipal water consumption for landscape irrigation, toilet flushing, and cooling towers. CRH offers such solutions which can also help meet low-impact development (LID) requirements or earn points towards LEED credits.

Consistent service with zero downtime is important for our daily lives, whether we’re talking about the internet at our home or office, generators at a major hospital, or electricity at a school. And, because of the infrastructure needed to produce and deliver dependent services, utilities and power are expensive to build and maintain.

Power and Energy

The disruption of power can cost the economy billions in the form of lost production capacity, loss of data, idle workers, and more. Whether we’re talking about a regional power grid or a data center, major outages can be caused by capacity, storms, changing specifications, outdated technology, and terrorism, among other things. Utility equipment failure is another cause that often comes without warning.

For projects with underground power infrastructure, select products that both protect and provide access to below-ground utility lines and equipment. Underground concrete electrical vaults, which are also referred to as splice boxes and switchgear vaults, are an alternative to running electrical cables above ground and across poles. Such vaults come in a variety of configurations and offer the rigidity and protection that critical infrastructure housing needs.

For above-ground lighting and energy considerations such as light pole bases, cast-in-place systems involve ordering specific bolts, setting rebar cages, pouring concrete, and the cost of having an electrician on site several times. CRH offers pre-manufactured pole bases and foundations that are often more cost and time efficient because they are in stock and ready for pickup the day you need them. And, because they are constructed in a controlled environment, they can meet clearly defined technical specifications.

Rail is the most economical means of moving freight and industrial products across the country. Trains transport more goods than other form of transportation throughout the United States. However, even as the infrastructure system ages and funding gets cut, the demand for rail is expected to increase as road congestion goes up.

In order to keep up with increasing demand, freight line maintenance is an ongoing battle. The rail lines look for systems that can supplement heavy loads since new intermodal facilities are not being constructed. Additionally, older traditional systems are suffering from differential settlement, leading to operational issues and failure.

A challenge for rail lines is upgrading such older systems, including at-grade crossing surfaces so that they can handle increased truckloads – all with minimal impact on traffic. Transit and passenger lines experience similar challenges especially with minimizing traffic delays in densely populated areas.

Another common challenge is dealing with incidental spills that occur during transfer operations, locomotive maintenance, or tanker car spills, among other situations. Railroad track pans and spill systems often contain hazardous materials either in-line (between the rails) or on the sides of the tracks.

The Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) estimates that the United States needs to spend nearly $35 Billion on airport capital development between 2019 and 2023. Over half of this development is intended to accommodate growth in passenger and cargo activity. Thirty-eight percent of the development is intended to rehabilitate existing infrastructure, maintain a state of good repair, keep airports up to standards for the aircraft that use them and increasing traffic demand.

Whether the airport project requires minor interior renovations to a terminal, a large design-build endeavor requiring runway, facility, and building upgrades, or even building entirely new terminals and parking facilities, airport infrastructure projects can benefit from having a supplier involved early to provide guidance. Site layout planning can impact cost, productivity, and safety, and logistics planning around material delivery on congested sites can be difficult.

During the 2016 expansion of the Tampa International Airport, the aviation authority needed a team that could complete terminal expansions quickly to minimize the impact on the flying public. Skanska Building USA was selected as General Contractor for major portions of the work, and they consulted with the CRH team to create innovative product solutions.

CRH works closely with developers, architects, and general contractors early for these types of projects to help ease the challenges that can come with such large and high-profile projects. Our team of product experts can offer everything from design assistance and logistical support to a full suite of products that work together as a vertically-integrated system.