Build a Bridge – Over the Weekend
Innovation in Construction
The civil engineers of the world knew all about this for years now I’m sure, but I’m just a simple lay person. It took a recent feature article in the NY Times to open my eyes about this fascinating, new work in construction (of all things!).
It appears that for the past few (very few!) years, a highly innovative approach to bridge construction has been underway. It is called A B C or Accelerated Bridge Construction. With this innovation, all the elements of the bridge are fabricated offsite and away from the roads and traffic. Then, when all is ready, the bridge is put in place in a matter of a few (very few!) days.
The article I referred to, called Did Someone Order An Instant Bridge? talks about how the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (DOT) finished a bridge in one day. ONE DAY! It was accomplished over a weekend with minimal disruption of traffic.
Done the traditional way, that bridge would have taken months. And they have been able to bring it down to this – like I said, fascinating!
In addition to minimal disruption, this innovation is said to have improved work zone and worker safety (just the reduction in time of workers on site would do that!) and improved product quality due to the controlled environment and easier access to build the bridge. Offsite.
The US Appears to be Lapping it up!
Of course, I had to explore this some more! Here’s a great primer on A B C for anyone interested in learning more about it. Turns out that more and more state DOTs are using this method, or considering using it.
In Utah, they have actually transformed their thinking and now their default position for any bridge construction is to consider A B C first. They have used some form of A B C in 19 projects and 77 bridges. In one case—in Salt Lake City—construction time was reduced by 120 days, saving drivers an estimated $4.2 million in terms of construction delays. Wow!
The concept is to fabricate entire bridge spans off-site and move them into place with self-propelled modular transports (SPMTs).
Here’s an awesome time-lapse video of an A B C project in the state of Oregan. It lasts just over 1 minute. But what’s really awesome is the way that bridge is constructed – in no more than four days!
My hats off to the civil engineers that created this innovation. Multitudes of bridges (about a fourth of the 600,000 bridges) are in disrepair in the US and I can see how this is a boon to state governments, not to mention the people using said bridges. The federal government has provided funds for just this purpose. That’s even better!
Oh dear, as for Construction in India…
Now, here’s what I was thinking. Has anyone watched anything being constructed in India? If you have been here, of course, you have. And it doesn’t take months. It takes years….long years. So, on your second, third and fourth trip here, you will see the same construction project still very much ‘in progress’. For sure, the disruption around it has not gone anywhere. 😦
Traffic is entirely disrupted, people’s lives are disrupted, businesses along the way are disrupted…but what does anyone care?
Okay, let’s ‘Think Positive’
Imagine if India could adopt this approach!
There are no real reasons why it cannot. Cost is ultimately lower. Availability of technologies is not an issue especially with an increasing number of global infrastructure firms and collaborations operating in this country. If this innovation is needed anywhere in the world, it would be here.
Just think about some of the recent technologies that this country has adopted quickly – simply leap-frogging years of testing, research and development by other countries – just because it was late to the party. The best example I can provide is that of mobile phones. Today, India has more mobile phones and a more pervasive use of this technology than any Western country that started or actually developed it.
Well, couldn’t the same thing apply to construction of bridges?
I checked to see if there were any examples or leads where there was some experimentation or even talk of using A B C in India. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any.
Yet, bridges (including “fly-overs”) are being constructed in virtually every city, big and small. And huge numbers more are yet to be built.
Anyone who Thinks this Way, Deserves to get Elected!
I can only hope that somewhere in India – whether in the public sector or private industry – this paradigm-shifting option is being seriously explored and scoped out. [Progressive Gujarat would be a good place to start].
Think what a panacea it could be if India could indeed build a bridge. Over the weekend.
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Credits:
Photo: Ashlyak at ml.wikipedia [CC-BY-SA-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons
What’s Your Sunday Like?
After a tough week at work, my Sundays in Bombay are turning out to be well-planned days of sublime perfection. Let me take you through my “itinerary” and see if I can entice you to do something similar. Of course, you may be on to something even better for your Sundays, in which case, you can just ignore this!
Sunday is normally a day for rest and relaxation. But before you get to the R&R part, it helps to have accomplished something more. That way, the R&R when you get to it is that much more meaningful and momentous. You know, the yin and the yang.
For the past several weeks, every Sunday has turned into a time for my yoga marathon session. I’ve made it into one of my healthy habits.
A couple of months or so ago, I achieved the feat of doing 100 Surya Namaskars during one session. It was a one-off “trial” – after which we were left feeling exhausted but awesome (not to mention earning me some nice bragging rights).
Not to waste this awesomeness on just that one trial, I along with my yoga buddy and teacher have been getting down to doing those 100 Surya Namaskars every Sunday since then. Best decision we made!
For this, we allot roughly two hours and do them in bite-size chunks of 10. That sounds so much easier….just 10 sets of 10.
Perhaps this is more for the yoga practitioner than the novice. But consider this! Merely a year ago, my experience with yoga was non-existent. I had the stiffest body in the universe. And no real (working) knowledge of yoga.
100 Surya Namaskars – is it tough to do, you ask? DUH.
But, what is that feeling you get at the count of 100, while sweaty and achy all over? Total over-the-top exhilaration!
I want YOU to feel this way too. Very little compares to this fabulous feeling of accomplishment. And because it is an expanded workout, so too our gains in all these areas are expanded (greatly):
- Physical stamina, check.
- Flexibility, check.
- Toned arms, legs, abs, everything. Check.
- Mental peace of mind, check.
- Emotional strength and well-being, check.
- A test of will power and determination, check.
- A sense of accomplishment. Oh, yes!
Here’s a one minute video that shows the Surya Namaskar variation we perform. It’s not the best (like my yoga teacher’s!) but it is good.
The way I feel lately…my body is a temple and these are my Sunday services where I worship at its alter. Yeah!
The best thing to do is to make it a habit. Grab a yoga video (or buddy). Start at 20 Surya Namaskars, or 10. Or one. Just start. And then build up. Sunday works for me for an extended yoga session because I have no set deadlines and nowhere I need to be (well, sort of). Here’s the thing, notwithstanding the many benefits you gain for body and soul by following this regimen, I would highly recommend that you follow-up the tough work-out by planning to reward yourself well soon after. 🙂
Only then will it truly be a holistic Sunday!
And so… the curious Bombay-Sunday-Personal-Yogathon habit is formed:
- Stretch-your-limits-yoga from 8 to 10, followed by a refreshing shower.
- Then my appointment with Aamir Khan that starts at 11 sharp, at least for the next few weeks. This gets even better when joined by good friends.
- During this, a cool drink or two (chilled Pinot Grigio if you have it, otherwise a skinny, i.e. homemade, mojito with fresh mint, lemon, soda and rum…yummy!), after which your body is ready for a filling lunch.
- This is followed by a most welcome afternoon nap, which I float into oh so naturally, barely a page turned of the latest book in my hands.
- Evening is for a heavenly back rub or a massage if you can get it. Bliss!
- Wrap it up with a bit of writing (like now), and it’s time for bed, looking forward (well…) to Monday.
This is why Sundays were created!
So, can you see how nicely – even easily – such a habit can be cultivated? It’s easy when you know how awesome you are going to feel each step of the way. By describing the yin and the yang, I am hoping to turn some of you into regular yoga practitioners. I can’t help it…I’m becoming a fanatic about this.
So, what’s your Sunday like? If you decide to push yourself and give something like this a try, I guarantee you won’t regret it!
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Interested in my yoga journey (and what could be yours)? Here are some of related posts. You can see how far I have come (and how far you can go), in a little over a year.
Step 1 – Just Starting Out
Step 2 – In Awe
Step 3 – Progress
Step 4 – Stretch Goal
Step 5 – Accomplishment
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Photo Credits:
Yoga Pose by: By Tia Tran [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons
The Yin and Yang of Life Anywhere 