Publications
by the People of PT&C

PT&C employees are worldwide leaders in and respected contributors to their fields. Whether it's nuclear science, civil engineering, military engineering, environmental engineering, cost estimating and analysis, forensic engineering, or one of the many other fields to which our engineers contribute, the people of PT&C are constantly deepening our understanding and advancing the state of the art, to the benefit of scientists, engineers, governments, businesses, and our clients around the world. Here is a sampling of some publications by PT&C staff:

Bridging the Oversight Gap Tracy Rookard-Everett. The Military Engineer, November-December 2009. This article describes the advantages of an effective cost engineering and controls sytem to bridge the gap between project owners and contractors.

"Unsealed Tabs on Asphalt Composition Shingle Roofs Following Hurricane Ike…Is it Wind Damage?" Van Fisher. PT&C Forensic Consulting Services, P.A. 2009. This article helps insurance adjusters determine whether unsealed tabs on asphalt composition roofs have been caused by wind damage or improper installation.

Rational Basis for Application of Productivity Factors in a DOE/EPCC Construction Cost Estimate. Chris Thomson. Cost Engineering, July 2009. This article describes a case study in which PT&C was contracted to conduct a review of all line items in a detailed cost estimate by an engineering, procurement and construction contractor for construction of a nuclear waste processing facility.

Achieving Value for Money...A Systematic Approach...on Large and Small Projects. Tracy Rookard-Everett. Defence Management Journal, Summer 2009. This article explains how the application of cost engineering practices — such as scope development, cost estimating, schedule development and management, and value analysis and engineering — achieves maximum value for the money.

Achieving Value for Money...A Systematic Approach...on Large and Small Projects. Tracy Rookard-Everett. The PPP Journal, June 2009. This article explains how the application of cost engineering practices — such as scope development, cost estimating, schedule development and management, and value analysis and engineering — achieves maximum value for the money.

M&A Plans and Other Strategic Growth Initiatives: Business Management Reality for the New Economic Reality. Gary Meyer. Financial Executives Research Foundation & Merrill DataSite, May 2009. This article, heavily quoting PT&C's Gary Meyer, describes how PT&C continues to prosper in tough economic times and how it plans to grow.

Establishing a First Class Project Controls Organization for Managing Large Complex Projects. George B. Bradshaw. 2008 AACE International Transactions, 2008. This paper highlights the importance of establishing the project controls organization and functions early in the project life cycle of a large complex project.

New Nuclear Power Plants – Learning from History to Understand Costs and Mitigate Risks. George B. Bradshaw. 2007 AACE International Transactions, 2007. This paper presents a brief history of nuclear power; discusses the industry woes in the 1980s, as well historical cost drivers; provides an overview of current regulatory, governmental and industry initiatives; and summarizes a few of the major risk areas for the next generation of nuclear power projects.

Thermography is Hot. Darice S. Jamison. The Military Engineer, September/October 2007. This article describes the use of infrared thermography to reveal flaws and weaknesses In buildings, allowing for better informed decisions regarding repair and reuse of those buildings.

Fueling the Future with Greener Gas. Becky Cuadra George. Greenville, March 2006. This article describes the environmental and economic benefits of a biodeisel manufacturing plant in South Carolina.

The Design-Build Project. Tom Humphries. Cost Engineering, June 2002. This article describes the benefits and keys to success of the design-build system of project delivery, where a single entity takes a product from inception to completion, then delivers to the buyer.

United States Department of Energy Life Cycle Baseline Reviews: Ten Basic Questions a Reviewer Should Ask. Tim Jamison. The Journal of Cost Analysis & Management, Winter 2001. This article lists and explains ten questions that should be asked by a reviewer conducting a life cycle baseline (LCB) review, in order to ensure that the LCB will be defensible.

Contingency Analysis, Putting the guess work to work. Ken Kawasaki. AACE Certification. This article formalizes the "guess work" of estimating the cost of unforseen contingencies when developing estimates, budgets, bids, etc.

Parametric Modeling of Decontamination and Decommissioning Costs Using MCACES Gold. Mike Deiters. Cost Engineering, March 1997. This paper describes the use of MCACES Gold estimating software by the US Army Corps of Engineers to develop parametric decontamination and decommissioning cost models and credible baseline estimates for the US Department of Energy's Richland Operations Office.

Prudency, Project Management and the Utility Industry. George Bradshaw. Project Management Institute, October 1996. This paper explores why certain nuclear utilities have been more successful than others, and identifies workable and prudent practices for larger nuclear utilities.

Abstract: Simple Techniques for Estimating the Age of Ground-Water Contamination: A Case Study. Tim Jamison. Virginia Water Resources Conference of the Virginia Water Resources Research Center and the Virgnia Lakes Association, April 1995. This abstract summarizes a talk given by the author, discussing how to determine the age of ground-water contamination through the analyses of contaminants' chemical and physical changes over time in a given environment.

The U.S. Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act: An Environmental Legacy of the Cold War. Chris D. Watson. ASME's International Conference on Nuclear Waste Management and Environmental Remediation, Septemeber 1993. This paper describes the regulatory structure, required documentation, and some of the technical approaches used to meet the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act's (UMTRCA) Title I requirements for managing and executing projects to remediate residual contamination resulting from the processing of uranium ore.

Achieving Project Goals in Contrasting Environments: The Value of a Strong Management Philosophy. George B. Bradshaw. Project Management Institute, October 1987. This paper focuses on management principles that have been used successfully on two major nuclear construction projects to reach defined goals. On both projects, the project manager directed efforts to develop a firm schedule, advertises his intentions that it would be achieved, and overcame numerous obstacles to project completion.