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Showing posts with the label CIVIL ENGGINER

What happens when SuperPlasticizer is added to concrete

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  Every substance in concrete having average particle size less than 125 microns in known as “powder”.   If we examine finely grounded powder when it comes in contact with water, we will see flocculation of particles which means that in the presence of water some kind of charge get induced on various clinker phases. They get activated and start attracting. In order to break this flocculation and make paste more workable we can add more water.   How Superplasticizer Work ?     In case of cement powder, positive charge gets activated on aluminate phases while negative charge gets activated on silicate phases. SP (superplasticizer)   are essential negatively charged particles, Therefore upon addition of superplasticizers, aluminate phases will get negatively charged and negative charge of silicate phase will increase even further. Now as both phases become negatively charged they will start repelling each other instead of attracting causing cement particles to uniformly di

Hollow Core Slabs And Their Advantages

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  Hollow core slabs also know as “voided slabs” or “concrete planks” are prestressed precast concrete slabs panels having usually circular openings and are typically used in construction of floors and roof in multistory construction.   Advantages Hollow core slabs have major advantages and are used widely where prestressing technology is available. It has following advantages   These slabs provide economical and efficient floor and roofing systems The underside of slab can be used as a finished ceiling using paints and acoustical sprays. Due to presence of void through out the panel, it has excellent fire resistance. Voids act as insulator for sound as well as it reduces sound transmission from one apartment to another (in case when used in building). They are precast and prestressed concrete members with continuous voids which can accommodate electrical or mechanical runs.         Properties and Specification Thickness of hollow core slabs vary from 4 to

Raft Foundation Construction Tutorial

  Raft foundation In case of soils having low bearing capacity, heavy structural loads are often supported by offering raft foundations. Additionally if the structure is susceptible to subsidence on   being situated in mining area or because of unsure behavior of its sub-soil water condition, raft foundations needs to be preferred. Raft Foundations offers a cost-effective answer to troublesome site situations, where pile foundation is not advantageous and isolated column footing becomes impracticable.   Raft or mat foundations constitutes of thick reinforced concrete slab overlaying the complete construction space . The slab is strengthened with bars running at proper angles to one another each close to backside and top face of the slab. Generally it’s mandatory to hold the extreme column load by an arrangement of inverted primary beams and secondary beam. These beams are cast monolithically with the raft slab.   Learn about underwater concreting techniques   Technique of

How To Perform Slump Test On Concrete

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  Objective Slump test is used to measure the consistency of concrete mix. Indirectly it is used to check whether workability of concrete mix is up to desired level or not.   Equipment Used Slump Cone Tamping Rod Spatula Brush Procedure Cone is cleaned using a brush or maybe some water. It should nor wet or neither completely dry otherwise, it will alter mix water content. The cone is placed on a rigid surface and operator is required to hold in a firm position. Concrete is poured in three layers of almost equal height. All layers are tamped 25 times using tamping rod. When cone is full, excessive concrete is struck off using a spatula. Cone is then lifted in vertical position gently. Care should be taken in lifting as tilting can cause change in slump.     Measurement:   Slump is then measured immediately simply be measuring the difference between original cone height and specimen height.   Slump Characterization: Slump test does more than

Types Of Estimates In Quantity Surveying

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  What is an Estimate? An Estimate is what determines the probable cost of a project, which can be a building, a car or it even can be small lightning bulb.   Types Of Estimates In Use   Types of Estimates can be divided based on how project is quantified. Also the level of accuracy required will dictate which estimate is suitable for a particular project.   Three broad types of estimates are listed below   Detailed Estimate Assembly Estimate Unit Estimate Detailed Estimate Detailed Estimate determines the quantity and cost of each and every thing that is required for project.   Detailed estimating, also named as “Prime Cost”, “Bottoms Up” or “Grass Roots” estimates. As name indicates, these estimates requires a thorough and detailed analysis of all the tasks required to deliver a project or product.   It is obvious that these types of estimates are costly to produce because of the time and effort required. The accuracy however is the best among all th

Seeking a Building Contractor for Your Dream Home? Custom Home Builders Can Help You Meet Your Goals

  You can realise your building goals much more easily if you work with a builder who specialises in custom building. When you choose this approach, you can obtain the amenities you prefer while tailoring your home to your ideals and visions. It is important to break away from the mould if you want to build a house that is both functional and elegant.       Make Choices Based on Your Budget and Preferences That is why choosing a contractor from among the custom house builders in your area is important to home-building success. By making this choice, you can take control of the construction of your dream residence. When your work with this type of home builder, you are the one in charge of the materials and home building plans. Therefore, you can make choices based on your budget and preferences.   Custom homes are individually designed so that consumers can obtain the best possible return on investment. If you want to make sure you house will be as energy-efficient as it

Tips to Help You Master Time Management

  You may not realize this, but even the most organized people in the world sometimes find it a challenge to manage their time. Yet this should not discourage you from working on your own time management abilities. The simple fact is that the better you are at managing your time, the more you will get done in a day. People who are more productive also have higher self esteem, which serves them when they are relaxing as well as when they are working. There are ways you can consciously develop your time management abilities, and we will discuss some of them here.   Do your best, but don’t expect to be perfect. So many people confuse being good at time management with being perfect. When you try to do things perfectly, they often end up turning out very imperfectly. It’s a simple truth. The more focus you put on being perfect, the less focus you will have on actually managing your time well and getting your work done. Nobody’s schedule is perfect. Nobody’s skills are perfect. All you

Skills You Should Know in Construction Management Training

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  Construction restoration as a career is very satisfying   and rewarding. The process of restoration can be made simpler by combining art with science. With the advent of new technology, its usage proves to be useful and successful. New techniques and methods have been formulated which makes the work   slightly easier. Also the new procedures give a long lasting effect to the buildings. To create something new is not as tedious as maintaining and upgrading a structure that is in existence is. This is so because in olden times the materials that were available were different and probably are not found any more. So using the right materials becomes very important. With a creative bent and skills one can make this a full time profession.   Over time buildings do not remain the same as they were when they were built. Restoration becomes necessary when the state of the building or its art has failed and needs replacement with the current and modern features.   Restoration of heritage b

Construction Restoration

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  Construction restoration as a career is very satisfying   and rewarding. The process of restoration can be made simpler by combining art with science. With the advent of new technology, its usage proves to be useful and successful. New techniques and methods have been formulated which makes the work   slightly easier. Also the new procedures give a long lasting effect to the buildings. To create something new is not as tedious as maintaining and upgrading a structure that is in existence is. This is so because in olden times the materials that were available were different and probably are not found any more. So using the right materials becomes very important. With a creative bent and skills one can make this a full time profession.   Over time buildings do not remain the same as they were when they were built. Restoration becomes necessary when the state of the building or its art has failed and needs replacement with the current and modern features.   Restoration of heritage b

Hydropower financing:current trends and key issues

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  In the late 2000s the power sector in many countries experienced a major revolution.   The old vertically-integrated, nationally owned power utilities were unbundled and the concept of freestanding independent power generating companies (IPPs) was established.   This trend was part of a wider process of encouraging more private participation in the ownership and development of infrastructure, including hydropower and multi-purpose water projects.   With this arrangement most projects were developed using the BOOT model (build-own-operate-transfer) under which a special purpose private company finances the scheme (usually on a non-recourse basis) and assumes virtually all of the project risks.   In return it owns the infrastructure for the duration of the concession.   While this formula worked well for the thermal power sector, it quickly became apparent that the situation is more complicated when it comes to major water resources projects.   In general the experience with projec

Learn More about Construction Management

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  A lot of people don’t know that construction management is truly important because this deals with the planning, control of the project and coordination. It is also about completing a task with regards to clients, accomplishing supplies and orders to be able to finish the project on the deadline. There are responsibilities assigned to the construction management team that is why oftentimes, companies look for construction management software to be able to make the job done easily. This department in a construction firm merely deals with the following:   1.       cost management   2.       planning   3.       time management   4.       quality management   5.       contract administration   6.       safety   7.       project controls   All these things are important in a construction firm that is why a lot of companies are looking for the best project manager. It is not really hard to become a successful and high paying construction manager simply becau

Cost Effective Decorating Ideas for Your Home

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  With some creative ideas you can decorate your home regardless of your budget. Using low price   items and simple styles you can decorate your home even though it would be nice to be able to hire someone else to design your home decor and purchase expensive things from overpriced stores. When you have to work with a tight budget, you simply have to be a little bit more innovative. We’ll talk about a few low cost home decoration tips to help you get started here in this article.   One of the most important factors to consider is lighting and how it can affect the look of a room. Brightness and the design of light fixtures whether lamps or overhead lighting can have a powerful impact on the rooms atmosphere just as the position of them. High priced designer lamps are not a requirement when trying to achieve a certain effect that you are looking for. Flea markets, yard sales and other bargain shops are great places to find good used lamps in a variety of price ranges. The furniture