Commercial Construction & Renovation

MAY-JUN 2016

Commercial Construction & Renovation helps our subscribers design, build and maintain better commercial facilities by delivering content to meet the information needs of today's high-level executives.

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120 COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION & RENOVATION — MAY : JUNE 2016 FEDERAL CONSTRUCTION • REINFORCEMENTS Charles R. Goulding, attorney and CPA, is the president of R&D; Tax Savers, an interdisciplinary tax and engineering frm that specializes in R&D; tax credits. Michael Wilshere is a tax analyst with R&D; Tax Savers; and Andrea Albanese is a project Coordinator. These types of projects are excellent candidates for the R&D; Tax Credit. At the design stage, architects and engineers use high-tech analytical software to defne complex bridge geometrics, boundary limitations, and load conditions. During construction, superstructure designs often evolve based on actual conditions that fuctuate from what was predicted with CAD modeling software. After construction, analysis must be performed on a range of different parameters such as loading and soil conditions, pile behav- ior, suspension effects, creep and shrinkage analysis, etc. Smart bridges Modern technology is making bridges around the country increasing intelligent and self-aware. These bridges have the ability to collect data about their dynamics, conditions and traffc fow. Small sensors scattered throughout bridges continuously measure physical condi- tions such as erosion, vibration, and strain. This produces a stream of data that can be analyzed by intelligent software programs to provide detailed monitoring and alert engineers when maintenance is needed. In addition, automat- ic incident detection (AID) and innovative video technologies also are integrated across bridges, in order to achieve an optimized traffc fow. Tolling technologies Tolling technologies are also evolving. Payments, collections, traffc management, customer service, and enforcement all involve constantly developing technologies. The goal of most of these new integrations is to relieve congestion at the toll booths without the addition of new highways, lanes, and pavement projects. E-ZPass, which recently celebrated its 25th anniversary, was an exceptional breakthrough technology when it frst entered the market in the early 1990s. Since then, new vehicle identifcation technolo- gies have continued to evolve and improve. Some ideas on the horizon involve incorporating the use of social media to deliver tolling messages, charging per mile, and the integration of vehicle infrastructure and smart toll lanes that would have the ability to open and close based on traffc patterns. New and improved technologies can help the United States manage its growing infrastructure problems. Federal and state R&D; Tax Credits are available to help support and stimulate modern bridge design, construction, and maintenance innovation efforts. FC In 10 years, one in four of our nation's bridges will be 65 years or older.

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