Engineering Archives - Page 17 of 18

Don’t let summer storms wreak havoc on your parking lot!

Paving Consultants With summer just around the corner, and the thunderstorms that come with it following closely behind, there’s no better time than now to have McNeil Engineering come out and assist on paving consulting. Don’t get stuck with a flooded parking lot or a backed up drainage system. We know what it takes to keep your parking lot ready for clients and employees alike. Here’s what we can do for you:

Re-engineering of existing lots. Does your parking lot have a tendency to collect water better than your bathtub? Chances are good it’s time for some serious re-engineering. We have expertise in concrete, asphalt and even recycled paving systems. Whether your current lot isn’t functioning how it should or you just want a different look, we’re happy to help.

Drainage and slope solutions. Summer storms cause plenty of problems. From hail damage to flooding, you never know what our mountain storms will bring. Have lots of potholes in your lot? Cracking, weeds growing through? We know how to level your pavement, address flooding issues and get your drainage system working in no time flat.

Concrete parking structure evaluation. Does your facility utilize a concrete parking structure? Worried about structural issues? Leaks? We know all about parking structures too and can provide an evaluation.

Don’t get left out in the rain! Contact the paving consulting team at McNeil Engineering, today!

Project feature: 21 & View

21 and View At McNeil Engineering, we love highlighting work that our various departments have completed. Our structural engineering team recently finished work on a new sustainable, mixed-use apartment and commercial complex: 21 & View, part of the new Sugar House neighborhood in Salt Lake City.

Our landscape architecture team played a crucial role in creating a vision that could come to fruition. After surveying the area, the team decided to build on a piece of land that has a great view of the Sugar House Park below. Consisting of two buildings with 29 luxury apartments, the 21 & View project features 3,500 square feet of commercial space and an open-air walkway.

Not only is the location great, the structure was built with sustainable practices in mind, including a permeable parking lot, water-wise landscaping materials and an extremely efficient irrigation system. The site has bike racks, trash receptacles, raised planters and lighting that helps set a nice atmosphere once the sun goes down.

The view at 21 & View allows residents to get a close-up look of the beautiful Salt Lake City skyline, as well as the Wasatch and Oquirrh Mountain ranges. Now that the project is completed, it’s one of the most highly sought after complexes in the metro area.

We’re proud of what our team accomplished at 21 & View and look forward to working with you on your next project!

What can our civil engineering department do for you?

McNeil Civil Engineering Now that spring is here and temperatures are starting to rise, there’s no better time to start work on the projects you’ve been holding off on. Before you wade into the depths of the Internet trying to find the right team for the job, take a few moments to see what the civil engineering team at McNeil Engineering has to offer. We’d love the opportunity to work with you!

Site feasibility studies and due diligent analysis. Have a new project in mind? Maybe even a location that you’re thinking about? Our civil engineering team will do a thorough and in-depth job surveying the area, ensuring it’s perfect for what you have in mind. We don’t cut corners or try to speed our way through things. What’s important to you is equally important to us, and we guarantee we’ll keep you in the loop during every step of the planning process.

Sanitary sewer system design. Need an update or complete override of your existing sewer system? Or maybe you’re the owner of a new plot of land and want to know your facility will meet plumbing codes and save on water costs. The civil engineers at McNeil Engineering have years of experience and knowledge regarding sewer design. We’ll do our part to research every aspect of your property, always keeping sanitation requirements and employee safety in mind.

Subdivision design. Are you a developer or property owner looking to build a new subdivision? Don’t risk selecting a civil engineering partner that’s new to the area or willy nilly with their project designs. We’ve assisted in a number of subdivision and housing complex projects. In addition to design, we also provide 3D modeling and will assist you in attaining the permits, paperwork and approval needed from city and state agencies.

For more information on what the civil engineering team at McNeil Engineering can do for you, just click here. We look forward to hearing from you!

A look at Utah’s Infrastructure Report Card

Every four years, the American Society of Civil Engineers releases a National Infrastructure Report. Within that report is an overview of each individual state’s strengths and weaknesses. Utah ultimately received a C+ average, and that emphasizes that there are areas to improve on. Here’s a closer look at what the 2015 Utah Infrastructure Report found:

Utah’s report was unique in that it utilized a team of senior students from the University of Utah. As part of the capstone course, professional practice and design, the students were tasked with preparing a preliminary infrastructure report and finding relevant information and statistics that might have been overlooked in the past. After presenting their findings as part of a final project, the infrastructure report was then modified and presented before the Utah legislature’s Infrastructure and General Government subcommittee. This presentation gave lawmakers a good idea of how much money Utah needs to spend over the next 30 to 40 years in order to maintain and repair existing infrastructure, as well as to build new highways, canals and buildings.

Surprising fact: Utah’s population is expected to double in the next 40 years, and Salt Lake County will be right in the thick of it.

According to David W. Eckhoff, PhD, PE, Project Director of the Utah Infrastructure report card, there are three main areas that are critical for our state’s future: dealing with tremendous population growth, adequately planning and implementing sustainable infrastructure systems and maintaining future water supply.

Action is already being taken to keep Utah ahead of the curve. The infrastructure report recommends that the legislature fund a master planning study to prepare for what lies ahead. This kind of in-depth research plan will pull all of the state’s resources together and encourage coordination and cooperation within various departments and sectors. The idea? To formulate a holistic infrastructure plan for Utah’s future.

So what are the recommendations? Legislature should fund a master planning study, including all infrastructure elements to come up with an optimal plan for the future. This will obviously require coordination and cooperation to create a holistic infrastructure plan for Utah’s future. The overall cost is estimated at 60 billion dollars over the next 20 years.

While a B+ average is positive overall, there’s plenty of room for improvement. “Say you’re a top notch high school student. You got by with an A- average, but you’re going to college next year and it’s a whole new situation. That’s what we’re trying to say about Utah. We have a good grade, but we’ll have to do a lot of homework in the future,” said Eckhoff.

Curious about what else is in the report? You can read it for yourself, here.

LDS Temple: Fort Collins, Colorado

LDS Temple Fort Collins Our work at McNeil Engineering takes us all over the western United States. Here’s a look at a project our Structural Engineering department recently completed in Fort Collins, Colorado.

For the new LDS Temple in Fort Collins, McNeil Engineering was the Specialty Structural Engineer of Record for the precast concrete façade on the building’s exterior. These concrete panels created the exterior building enclosures and were individually engineered by our very own Matthew Roblez, S.E. SECB out of Sandy, Utah.

This project required help from an entire team of folks, not only in the U.S. but also outside of the country. The concrete panels were fabricated in Mexico City, Mexico by the Pretecsa Corporation. Once the panels were finished, they were carefully transported to the job site in Colorado.

The communications process in and of itself was quite a feat. The general contractor on the project was based in Salt Lake City and the erectors were based at the job site in Fort Collins. Thanks to modern, web-based technology, we were able to keep in touch with everyone from Mexico to the Rocky Mountains in order to get the job done.

Drones make all the difference

Drones for Engineering We’ve all heard about the use of drones for military applications, news gathering purposes, even package delivery, but did you know we regularly utilize them at McNeil Engineering, too? Here’s a quick look at how the DJI Phantom Quadracopter (with a mounted GoPro camera) has made our work easier.

Our goal has always been to give customers a comprehensive view of each and every work site. We know their time is valuable and it isn’t always feasible to keep tabs on ongoing construction. Utilizing a drone has enabled us to take an entire work site and upload it digitally to a client’s computer. By combining aerial videos with our 3D Laser scanning capabilities, engineers and architects can make accurate measurements and decisions, while company owners can view entire projects from the comfort of their own office or home.

The process is relatively simple. We mount a GoPro camera to our quadracopter drone and then make a circular pass of the work area. This takes place during the survey phase of the project and documents everything on the ground. Video recording gives our customers a unique perspective that they wouldn’t receive from 2D renderings, and is great for providing visual answers to questions.

Want to see our quadracopter in action? Check out this video of a recent ALTA survey we completed. If you think our drone would be a great fit for your company’s next project, contact our knowledgable team! Whether you need land surveying, laser scanning, Civil and Structural Engineering, or have a roofing or paving project in the pipeline, we’re here to assist you.

Responsive and sustainable planning and design services

Architecture Floor Plan We know that how your facility looks and functions makes all the difference. That’s why McNeil Engineering is committed to providing our clients with top-notch landscape, roofing and paving project services. Here’s a brief overview of what we can do for you:

Landscape architecture. Our Landscape Architecture and Land Planning division is a service-oriented department that offers award-winning planning and design services throughout the Western U.S. Our staff includes landscape architects, planners and graphic designers.

Roofing consulting. We are experts in roofing design, repair, and maintenance. Need an evaluation of your existing roof’s current condition? Wondering if a roofing job was done right? Need a replacement roof, or construction management assistance? We’re here to help. From condensation and humidity analysis to roof overbuild design, our roof consulting team is second to none.

Paving consulting. Our expertise doesn’t end at roofing, we’re actually pros in the world of pavement too! We are a full-service paving consulting firm with knowledge in all aspects of concrete, asphalt and recycled material pavement systems. Looking for a repair estimate? Need someone to manage an upcoming project? We can help!

Construction administration. We can help you with a project every step of the way, from design to bidding oversight to quality assurance monitoring. Our goal is to provide the construction oversight needed so that a roofing, paving or landscape project is completed in a quality matter, on time and on budget.

Questions? We are here to explore all of the ways we can help you with your next project.

Matt Roblez Assesses the Growth of 3D Printing Implementation

As a civil engineering professional who has earned board certification and licensure as a structural engineer, Matt Roblez is always looking for the next innovation that will help improve his ability to perform his job. In addition, as the Owner and Principal of McNeil Engineering, Roblez notes that while rare, major revolutions in technology, can vastly shape the way business is achieved within his industry. According to Roblez, 3D Printing may be one of those revolutions…

Matt Roblez Encourages Female Entrepreneurship

Matt Roblez is one diverse professional who has not only championed the challenges of civil engineering, but has also been recognized for his ability to serve as a business leader. In fact, Roblez is the Owner and Principal of McNeil Engineering—a comprehensive firm. However, Roblez is not just known for his entrepreneurship in the civil engineering field; he has also earned the title of “the MK Bandit,” for his success as a Mary Kay representative…

Click Here to Read More

Matthew Roblez Reacts to Self-Healing Concrete

“Civil and structural engineer Matthew Roblez offers his comments on the development of concrete that can fix its own structural damage over time.”

PHILADELPHIA, PA, July 18, 2013 /24-7PressRelease/ — As a structural and civil engineer, Matthew Roblez works with concrete a great deal when designing and building roads, bridges, and other such structures. Concrete’s greatest asset as a building material is that it can be easily and readily molded into any desired shape before hardening, making it simpler and more efficient to work with than regular stone….