It’s pretty amazing the work that can get done when a lot of resources and money are thrown at one project. Past examples of this include a gigantic sinkhole that was repaired in Japan in just under a week, the complete emergency rebuild of Atlanta’s I-85 overpass that was completed a month ahead of schedule, and this video of 116 excavators working side by side to demolish a 1,640 foot long overpass overnight.
Read moreThe 18 Craziest Construction Videos of 2017
Cameras are EVERYWHERE these days. They’re on sites documenting the full construction process of your project, they’re on projects taking 360 degree progress footage, and most importantly, they’re in your pocket on your smartphone. Having a camera in your pocket at all times can be a good or bad thing, especially for employers, because not only can it make lives much easier for communication and documentation purposes, but it also gives people the chance to show the world when things go absolutely terribly.
Read more[VIDEO] Crane Collapses While Lifting Concrete Wall
With cranes being on many construction sites, it’s easy for workers to get complacent. Hundreds or thousands of construction materials can be lifted by cranes throughout the project, but all it takes is one time for a disaster to occur.
Read moreThe 7 Best Construction Timelapse Videos in 2017
In regards to timelapse videos, it was a big year for sports arenas and the city of Atlanta, Georgia. These types of videos have become more popular in recent years due to the wide availability of documentation services available. Not only that, but civilians who own drones have also taking a liking to their area’s construction sites.
Take a look below at our 7 favorite construction timelapse videos from 2017:
Read moreThe 11 Best Demolition Videos of 2017
This year saw more videos with environmental considerations taken into account, especially over waterways. Instead of imploding entire bridges, the part that spanned over top of the waterway were manually removed. I've also grown an appreciation for in-depth footage of demolitions that occurred under some interesting conditions. Some of the videos below show some extreme creativity to overcome obstacles.
Read more[VIDEO] Wheeled Crane Tips Over onto Florida Road
[VIDEO] Man Driving Stolen Construction Machine Leads Police on a Slow Speed Chase
A lot of construction equipment is stolen from construction sites every year. Some are looking to sell it or a quick buck, but others are just looking to take it on a joy ride and cause mayhem in the streets. Earlier this year, a teen stole a bulldozer, ran over a police car, and lead officers on a 3 hour long chase in Illinois. Last year, a man in Florida stole a backhoe and also led police on a 3 hour long slow speed chase, dragging the hammer attachment and sending sparks flying over the road the entire time.
Just last week, another police chase ensued when a 29-year-old man stole a SkyTrak telehander, similar a Lull, in Central Texas. Travelling around 20 miles per hour, the man refused the stop when police officers attempted to pull him over.
After backup was called, officers were able to subdue him with a non-lethal projectile and pull him out of the machine. According to the Lorena Police Department, he was medically cleared, transported to the nearby county jail, and charged with two third degree felonies: theft of more than $30,000/under $150,000 and evading arrest while in a vehicle.
For contractors, the lesson is to secure your equipment, so you can save the police and yourself a lot of time.
The video below was shared by the Lorena Police Department on Facebook.
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[VIDEO] Second Attempt at Pontiac Silverdome Implosion is Successful
On Sunday, demolition contractors tried to bring down the upper portion of the Pontiac Silverdome, former home to the Detroit Lions, but several of the explosives didn’t ignite and the structure was still upright after the smoke cleared. After videos of the failed demolition were posted online, the internet had a field day.
Read moreFormer Detroit Lions Stadium Implosion Fails to Bring Down Structure
The Pontiac Silverdome was the home to the NFL’s Detroit Lions from 1975-2001 and NBA’s Detroit Pistons from 1978-1988. After the Lions opened their new Stadium in 2002, the Silverdome was passed around several times before it closed for the last time in 2013. Earlier this year, the building was condemned and the first round of demolition by implosion was scheduled for Sunday, December 3.
Read more[Timelapse] Watch 8 Years of Construction of the Louvre Abu Dhabi in 3 Minutes
Construction timelapse videos make extremely complicated and long projects look much easier to build than they actually are. The recently opened Louvre in Abu Dhabi took 8 years to complete, but you can watch the full process in only 3 minutes.
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While still new in the construction industries, robots are typically designed to perform a specific task in a highly precise and efficient way, like the rebar tying robot, Tybot or the brick-laying robot Hadrian X. More recently, though, robots are being imagined as platforms for 3rd party companies to develop hardware and accessories to attach to the base robot, like the Boston Dynamics robotic dog, Spot. I recently came across a new robot, called Baubot, which hopes to one day perform tasks using every tool on a typical jobsite.