Author: Troy Marshall

Rescuing 17,000 Construction Photos: A Lesson in Persistence and Digital Backup

Over the past six years, I’ve taken more than 17,000 photos while visiting construction sites—capturing inspections, documenting conditions, and tracking construction progress. Every photo represents a moment in the life of a project. All of these images were taken on a Samsung Note 10 Plus, and I believed they were safely backed up to Dropbox.… Read More Rescuing 17,000 Construction Photos: A Lesson in Persistence and Digital Backup

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When 300 mm of Rain Falls: Understanding Its Impact on Road Construction and the Value of Good Records

When we hear that an area received 300 millimetres of rainfall, it can sound like just another number in a weather report. But in construction, that number represents something very real — 30 centimetres of water covering every square metre of exposed surface, or about 300 litres of water per square metre. Imagine leaving a… Read More When 300 mm of Rain Falls: Understanding Its Impact on Road Construction and the Value of Good Records

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How I Use Notion to Supervise Multiple Road Construction Sites

Supervising several road construction projects at once requires careful coordination, consistent reporting, and quick access to reliable data. To manage all of this efficiently, I’ve built a digital supervision system using Notion — a flexible platform that helps me organize site activities, monitor progress, and document field observations in real time. One Master Database, Multiple… Read More How I Use Notion to Supervise Multiple Road Construction Sites

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From Lab to Road: How Asphalt Becomes a Durable Surface

Asphalt paving doesn’t start when trucks arrive on site — it begins weeks earlier in the materials laboratory. Each step, from mix design to compaction, plays a crucial role in determining whether the finished pavement will perform for years or fail prematurely. 1️⃣ It Starts in the Materials Lab Before any asphalt reaches the road,… Read More From Lab to Road: How Asphalt Becomes a Durable Surface

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Field Insights: Conducting Density Tests After Rainfall – A Real-World Scenario

During the construction of a 1.2 km roadway, we reached a key milestone — the placement, grading, and compaction of a 150 mm thick limestone base course. The material had a specified Maximum Dry Density (MDD) of 2153 kg/m³, with an Optimum Moisture Content (OMC) of 8%. As preparations were made to carry out density… Read More Field Insights: Conducting Density Tests After Rainfall – A Real-World Scenario

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Using Digital Tools Like Notion and Microsoft Lists to Improve Construction Site Documentation

Introduction: The construction industry is rapidly evolving, not just in the way we build, but in the way we manage and document our work. As a field professional, I’m constantly looking for tools that make it easier to record daily activities, track progress, and stay organized—without slowing down work on site. Two digital products that… Read More Using Digital Tools Like Notion and Microsoft Lists to Improve Construction Site Documentation

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Notion — A Workspace That Finally Worked for Me

After trying SharePoint and Microsoft Lists, I reached a point of frustration—not with the tools themselves, but with how they were (or weren’t) being used. I was relying on them to manage tasks and communicate updates. As a result, key information wasn’t reaching the team, and I was constantly following up manually. That’s when I… Read More Notion — A Workspace That Finally Worked for Me

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Transforming Civil Construction Reporting with Microsoft Lists & SharePoint

Managing daily observations across multiple civil construction sites can be a complex endeavor. To streamline this process, we harnessed the capabilities of Microsoft Lists and SharePoint, creating an efficient system for data collection and reporting. 📝 Structured Data Collection with Microsoft Lists We utilized Microsoft Lists to capture daily site observations, employing various column types… Read More Transforming Civil Construction Reporting with Microsoft Lists & SharePoint

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