E Jan 2016 LR

Civil@facebook
A Collection of FB Posts related

to Civil for the Past Month
Dames Point Bridge
The Dames Point Bridge (officially the Napoleon Bonaparte Broward Bridge) is a cable-stayed bridge
over the St. Johns River in Jacksonville, Florida on the Interstate 295 East Beltway. Construction began
in 1985 and was completed in 1989. The main span is 1,300 feet (396.2 m), and is 175 feet (53.3 m)
high. The bridge was designed by HNTB Corporation and built by Massman Construction Company.
$60 million penthouse sale at Faena House breaks Miami

record
Faena House apartment in Miami Beach goes for $4,794

per square foot. Previous condo record in Miami-Dade was
Builders line English Monthly | January 2016 | 54
$3,342 per square foot,

12,516-square-foot penthouse has eight bedrooms,
Rooftop pool.
Zhivopisny Bridge, Moscow, Russia

Very nice architecture , long span
hanged with the of central cable support
but it’s not hanging
An equipment for 2016
Amphibious multipurpose Dredger
Coupling Beams
C oupling beams greatly influence the behavior of coupled
wall systems. In order to ensure adequate coupling beam
behavior under earthquake-induced deformations and stresses,
intricate reinforcement detailing is required for reinforced
concrete coupling beams, typically in the form of diagonal bars
and extensive confinement reinforcement. Such reinforcement
detailing, however, creates major construction difficulties.
Furthermore, in slender coupling beams, where beam
span-to-depth ratios are on the order of 3.0, the effectiveness
of diagonal reinforcement is questionable because of its shallow
angle (less than 20 degrees) with respect to the beam longitudi-
nal axis. In this study, a design alternative for slender coupling
beams that puts less reliance on diagonal reinforcement was
experimentally investigated. The use of tensile strain-hardening,
high-performance fiber reinforced concrete (HPFRC) as a means

to reduce or totally eliminate the need for diagonal bars and sub-
stantially reduce confinement reinforcement was evaluated.
To validate this design alternative, six precast coupling
beams were tested under large displacement reversals. The
parameters considered were the coupling beam span-to-depth
ratio (2.75 and 3.3), presence of diagonal reinforcement, and
material type (HPFRC and regular concrete). Results from large-
scale tests indicated excellent damage tolerance, and strength
and stiffness retention capacity for slender HPFRC coupling
beams.
Civil@facebook
Awesome Construction
The Edifício Copan
T he Edifício Copan (Copan Building) is a 140-metre (459 ft.) tall,

38-story residential building in downtown São Paulo, Brazil.
Construction began in 1952 and, following some interruptions,
was completed in 1966. It is one of the largest buildings in Brazil.
The building was not named after the ancient Mayan city in
Honduras; the name is an acronym for its original developer,
Companhia Pan-Americana de Hotéis e Turismo (Portuguese for
"Pan-American Hotels and Tourism Company"). The building was
designed by Oscar Niemeyer's office in São Paulo; Niemeyer
personally designed the famous sinuous façade design. The
original project envisioned two buildings, the other being a hotel,
LIDIJA GROZDANIC but in the end only the residential building was built. Currently,
Architect Journalist. the building has 1,160 apartments, ranging from small studios
to large three-bedroom units, and 2,038 residents, served by 20

elevators and 221 underground parking spaces.
Marvellous Museum
José Manuel Pérez Latorre
T his awesome from the architect Wojtek

Gurak, a friend of ArchDaily and
photographer, recently shared with us his
photographs of the Pablo Serrano Museum
in Zaragoza, Spain. The expansion of the
Museum, designed by José Manuel Pérez
Latorre, was completed in March of this
year 2016.
Tower of Ring in Tianjin,
China.
This awesome tower Designed by

Eastern Design and built by Kawaguchi
& Engineers, the tower is situated in the
center square of Tianjin City, creating
striking contrasts between the stone of
the square and the hollow lightness of
the tower. Eastern Design calls the tower
Bligh street Sydney, Australia
The modern style office building is located in the Sydney central business
district overlooking Circular Quay, the Sydney Harbour and the Sydney
Harbour Bridge.
It is an ecologically sustainable development and was awarded six-star

green status by the Green Building Council of Australia. Green features
include a basement sewage plant that recycles 90 percent of the building

waste water, solar panels on the roof and air conditioning by chilled beams.
It is Australia’s first major high-rise building with a full double-skin façade
with external louvres. These conserve energy, eliminate sky glare and opti-
mise user comfort. The angle of the louvre blades is automatically adjusted
according to their orientation to the sun. A naturally ventilated, full height
atrium, on the southern side of the building, maximises natural light to each
office level.
The building also houses a childcare centre, two cafés and a basement car
park for 96 cars.
The large-scale aluminium sculpture at the top of the curving steps at the
entrance on the corner of Bligh and O'Connell streets is by New York-based
Australian James Angus. The developers describe it as "a complex network
of three-dimensional ellipsoidal surfaces drawn from shapes expressed in
the design of the building", adding that its brightly painted colour scheme
traces the underlying geometry of the sculpture.
The building was named the Best Tall Building Award in Asia & Australasia
for 2012
2016
Review “Property Market
A will get a
fter a prolonged
slowdown, the real
estate industry is
Qualitative Change”
now hoping that new measures
by the government such as
housing for all and opening up of
foreign direct investment along-
side softening of interest rates
could bring in the much-needed
push for the sector. Anshuman The year, meanwhile,
Magazine, chairman and man- proved to be a great
aging director, CBRE South Asia
on what 2016 has in store for the one for the corporate
industry. Excerpts:
real estate sector, with
Q: How would you describe
demand from corpo-
Anshuman
the current situation of the real
estate market in India in 3-4 rate occupiers remain-
lines?
ing strong throughout
A: This year marked a shift

in the housing segment in India,
with consumer outlook changing. The year, meanwhile, proved to be a What is your advice to them for buying
The home buyer, above all else, great one for the corporate real estate homes in 2016?
began to consider projects based sector, with demand from corporate A: The property market in 2016 is
on project delivery, pace of con- occupiers remaining strong through- expected to see a qualitative change.
struction and product quality. out. Backed by improving economic While home buyers will continue to
climate and consumer sentiments, the remain discerning in terms of qual-
retail real estate market saw the foray
ity products delivered without delays,
of international brands, the launch ofdevelopment firms are likely to turn
landmark retail developments and an their focus on quality construction
overall vibrant demand scenario in and on-timely delivery of their proj-
2015. ects. The RBI’s monetary easing mea-
Q: How do you see the real estate sures, meanwhile, are expected to be
market changing in 2016? Do you see fully passed on to end-users by 2016.
an improvement in buyer sentiment? It is hoped that the government will
By GuruPrasad
“In 2016, we Need for rationalisation of taxes in

expect the trend of real estate: Dhruv Agarwala, PropTiger.com
increasing demand
“G
for office space, to iven that the market is at a low level
and there’s a stock of unsold inven-
spread to other tory across major metros, there is
verticals of resi- pressure on developers to move the existing inventory and improve
their cash flows. So it is the right time for buyers to scout for property
dential segment.
“ that suits their budget and negotiate to get a better deal” says Dhruv
Agarwala, CEO, PropTiger.com.
continue to provide incentives to sec- “While the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has reduced interest rates,
tors such as construction materials, the stance of the banking sector has remained cautious on real estate
while aggressively driving the devel- funding, leaving the funding scenario largely unchanged. While private
opment of large scale urban infrastruc- equity players have started showing interest with the announcement
ture projects. of some large entity-level transactions, structured debt through NB-
Q: Interest rates have dropped a FCs continues to see momentum. Additionally, the recent relaxation in
bit over the last six months. Have the FDI norms is expected to lead to flow of funds in quality projects going
funding woes for real estate develop- forward” he added.
ers started to ease? Are there any new Q: What are your expectations from the Union Budget 2016 for
funding avenues for builders today?
the real estate sector?
A: The central government has
A: We are looking at a development-oriented budget which leads
recently eased foreign direct invest-
ment (FDI) norms across 15 major
to a revival in the investment cycle. Additionally, for real estate, there
sectors of the economy, including con- is a need for rationalisation of taxes, smooth flow of funds for con-
struction development, single-brand struction and better incentives for first-time buyers.
retail trading and duty free shops and Q: Which are the three top micro markets in India today from an
manufacturing, among others. Most investment perspective on which you would bet your personal monies
of these changes were carried out for for the medium to long term?
implementing structural reforms and
enabling more foreign capital to enter A: Each city has got a few pockets of excellence which with im-
the economy. While in last year the provement in infrastructure and the local economy would lead to

government had eased certain FDI higher demand and increase in prices. The cities of Hyderabad, Pune
norms, additional relaxations were and Chennai look good from a medium to long-term perspective.
announced this November to further
facilitate investments into the sector.
Q: What are your expectations from the Union Budget 2016?
What will be the impact of GST and real estate regulatory bill,
if cleared in 2016, on the real estate sector?
A: We are hoping that Union Budget 2016 will bring
big bang reforms to spur economic development. We
are very much positive that Union Budget 2016 will bring
major changes like implementing GST Bill and clearance of real
estate bill too. Once GST Bill is passed, it would boost trans-
parency and uniformity in real estate sector. The proposed
GST will reduce the burden on tax payers considerably. On
the other hand, real estate bill will act as a regulator of all the
operations and practices of real estate sector.
At the same time , “Stable prices, low interest rates to
“Major metropolitan cities
improve buyer sentiments” said Mr. Manoj Gaur, Gaursons
such as Delhi, Gurgaon, Mumbai,
India and president, CREDAI NCR
etc will continue to be the major
“ Yes. People looking for buying homes should take the focus of Indiana and NRI buyers as
benefit of the present scenario and invest in properties as markets for long term investments
prices are stable at this point of time and interest rates are “says Ashish Jerath, VP-Sales,
also less “ he added. Emaar MGF.
Q: How would you describe the current situation of the real “ In 2016, we expect the trend
estate market in India in 3-4 lines? of increasing demand for office space, to spread to
other verticals of residential segment. Two factors are
A: There is growing posi- expected to support this trend:
tivity in the real estate sec-
a) The pent-up demand of last two years is ex-
tor that can now hope for
pected to return to market, where buyer was in a wait
a new phase of growth, be and watch mode is expected to change. This will be
it in the commercial or the aided with developers going all out to make the best
residential segments. The offers to assist in conversion and RBI ensuring that the
government has taken var- rate cuts are passed on to home loan to its full extent.
ious steps to ensure that an b) Positive mood of economy and various economic
atmosphere of growth and and policy reforms taken this year are expected to
development is created for translate to enhanced buyer confidence in future
Manoj Gaur real estate sector. More- and translate to higher consumption in the economy.
over, the economic status of our country is also improving Home being one of the drivers of consumption is ex-
which will further boost the demand for properties. pected to benefit from this mood change.” he said.
Q: How do you see the real estate market changing in 2016?
Do you see an improvement in buyer sentiment? What is NCR like Yamuna Expressway, New Gurgaon, Golf Course
your advice to them for buying homes in 2016? Extension etc. too carry the same potential. Coming to other
parts of the country, there are few developing areas in South
A: Considering the developments and changes which are & West region, which are shinning high in realty market
taking place in the realty sector currently, property market which will pay off nicely in medium to long term.
is expected to improve in 2016. Reduction in interest rates
and increase in loan portfolios have been important factors Q: With these relaxations, properties in the prime loca-
changing the mood of home buyers. Stable prices along with tions of cities are expected to attract more funding. This is
reduced interest rates will definitely improve the buyer’s also expected to provide cash flow to tier-II cities, where
sentiments. People looking for buying homes should take development is predominantly less. The housing sector,
the benefit of the present scenario and invest in properties particularly the affordable housing segment, is also likely
as prices are stable at this point of time and interest rates to receive more foreign capital, in line with the Ggovern-
are also less. ment’s objective of developing ‘Housing for All by 2022’.
Bringing completed commercial properties within the ambit
Q: Interest rates have dropped a bit over the last six months. of FDI flow will help in the monetisation of completed as-
Have the funding woes for real estate developers started to sets, increasing liquidity for most developers. This is a tre-
ease? Are there any new funding avenues for builders to- mendous opportunity for foreign investors and in the long
day? run can significantly boost the share of foreign capital in
A: Reductions in interest rates are no doubt beneficial for India’s real estate sector.
home loan borrowers. But as far as developers are con- A: What are your expectations from the Union Budget
cerned there are no government funding for construction of 2016?
projects. The recent funding avenue could be FDI.
The following are the major budget announcement
Q: Which are the three top micro markets in India today expectations for India’s real estate sector: Apart from the
from an investment perspective on which you would bet above FDI relaxations, the same is expected in the multi-
your personal monies for medium to long term? brand retail trading segment as well. Further clarity is
A: National Capital Region has been developing day by day. awaited on the dividend distribution tax (DDT) for real es-
Regions like Noida, Greater Noida West, Noida Extension tate investment trusts (REITs) to begin functioning in 2016.
have witnessed unsurpassed growth in past few decades. Clarity on the recently proposed amendments to the goods
Properties in Noida have got very good price appreciation and service tax (GST) is expected in the upcoming Union
and the trend will continue in future also. New suburbs of Budget of 2016. - Courtsety : Economic Times
Shear walls are vertical elements of the horizontal
Shear walls
force resisting system.
The figure shows a typical shear wall. Shear walls
are typically wood frame stud walls covered with a struc-
tural sheathing material like plywood.
Shear walls have four parts:
Framing members
Sheathing
Nails
Hold-downs
The length of a shear wall is determined by the loca-
tion of the hold-downs
When the sheathing is properly fastened to the stud
wall framing, the shear wall can resist forces directed
along the length of the wall. When designed and con-
structed properly, shear walls will have the strength and
stiffness to resist the horizontal forces.
Green Concrete
Making cement for concrete involves heating pul-

verized limestone, clay, and sand to 1,450 °C with a fuel
such as coal or natural gas. The process generates a lot
of carbon dioxide: making one metric ton of commonly
used Portland cement releases 650 to 920 kilograms of it.
The 2.8 billion metric tons of cement produced worldwide
in 2009 contributed about 5 percent of all carbon diox-
ide emissions. Nikolaos Vlasopoulos, chief scientist at
London-based startup Novacem, is trying to elimi-
nate those emissions with a cement that absorbs
more carbon dioxide than is released during its
manufacture. It locks away as much as 100 ki-
lograms of the greenhouse gas per ton
Er.Rmdass, Salem
Concrete Articles Columnist
Pre cast
‘Concrete’
Quality
P
recast is a smart way to build any type of buildings, safely and affordably. Originally developed in the
Nordic countries, modular precast is one of the world’s most common and resource-efficient ways to
build. It ensures faster construction times, higher profitability and better quality. Still, requirements for
beautiful, modern buildings are not compromised.
Precast – a smart Building Method
Precast is an industrialized way to build. It means transfer of work from sites to factories. This improves
productivity and quality and shortens construction time of a building. In short, precast concrete lowers total con-
struction costs considerably.
Precast also has lower lifetime costs than any other building solution. It is possible due to consistent high
quality of industrially produced products. Precast minimizes e.g. structural and facade maintenance needs during
years.
With precast, logistics needs are minimal. Precast floors, walls, frames and foundations are transported to a
construction site ready-to-install. Logistics is arranged with just one delivery vehicle instead of several raw mate-
rial transfers back and forth.
Why use concrete construction for a prefabricated
WHY WHY PRECAST ? building?
Concrete construction is extremely fast, and very
durable. Buildings can be erected in any weather con-
Why use precast concrete? dition including harsh winters. Concrete, prefabricated
Precast concrete is the ideal solution for your next buildings have great fire ratings, are very sound, and
residential or commercial project. Precast concrete versatile.
provides durability, flexibility, and versatility both in the
design and construction stages of the project. Precast
concrete homes and building have great fire ratings and What is the difference between Precast concrete con-
often eliminate the costly process of fireproofing. struction vs. traditional construction?
Concrete construction is durable and long lasting,
and retains its value throughout time. Precast concrete
Why build a precast concrete home? construction lessens the construction process which
Concrete homes are extremely sound and durable. saves money on financing costs.
A total precast home is extremely mold and mildew re-
sistant compared to a traditional wood or brick home.
Total precast homes have no beams and columns in the How flexible is precast concrete design?
basement which provides long clear spans for a very Whether you use our wall panel system, or our
flexible design. Precast concrete homes have a very hollow core floor system, or if you build a total precast
high fire rating and provide a great storm shelter be- home, the design possibilities of concrete construction
cause of their strength. Precast floors are great when are endless. Call us today to learn more. You’ll be sur-
combined with radiant heat. prised at how versatile precast concrete is!
Precast offers a safer and healthier working environ-

All products for a complete building
ment. Material handling is easier and less scaffolding is
Precast suits well for any type of building: residential, needed. Precast technology works in virtually all environ-
commercial, industrial, public to name a few. There is a ments – cold, hot, moist or dry. Concrete hardens on site
suitable solution for both indoor and outdoor production. basically throughout the year, in temperatures from -15 to
The smart match can be found for different capacities, end +40°C. To avoid too fast or slow hardening in more hot,
product and labor needs. moist or dry climates, several curing and concrete mixing
Precast can be made into any shape or color and fin- solutions can be applied.
ished with several techniques. This together with longer Precast Concrete Elements Quality in Precast
spans gives architects and other designers more freedom Concrete Design
than ever.
Principles of Precasting

Precast can be used as the only building material, but
Experience has identified a series of detail consider-
it can as well be combined with steel or be utilized as a
ations critical to the success of precast operations. These
composite structure only. Use of precast in a building de-
must be studied if the advantages claimed for precast con-
pends largely on local building traditions and restrictions.
crete construction are to be achieved. They include those
The most common precast products are: given under the headings below.
• Façades from sandwich to cladding and gray walls In design
• Floors with hollow-core, half, ribbed or solid slabs 1. The producer must be consulted early in the
• Partition and internal walls from Acotec to solid design stage
walls 2. Elements must be designed for precasting, not
• Foundations with precast concrete piles modified from insitu practice.
• Frames with e.g. beams, columns, slabs, etc. 3. Design should be based upon tried and established
• Stairs, shafts and other special products precast practice, utilizing preferred dimensions where
Compared to cast-in-situ, precast uses less of every- possible.
thing – less cement, less water, less steel, and less labor. 4. Methods of connection and joint detail must be
It produces less waste on the site and in the factory. This suited to the conditions in which the work is to be carried
makes CO2 footprint of precast much smaller than in cast- out at site,
in-situ construction. 5. Connections must be arranged to ensure “Instant
Erectability” freeing expensive cranage for further duties.
6. Tolerance on fit must be clearly established, RELIANCE CEMENT STARTS
whether a high degree of accuracy and fit is intended or
whether wide tolerances are acceptable.
ONLINE RETAILING
7. Early validation of detail and establishment of
Reliance Cement Company (RCC), a subsidiary of Reli-
quality must be achieved by the erection of a mock up or ance Infrastructure, forayed in the online space to sell
model of the structure. cement in Uttar Pradesh. The cement e-tailing facility
is now available in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh
8. Detail should incorporate a safe method of erec-
tion. and Maharashtra. To provide superior service to
customers, e-tailing is the latest Next-Gen customer-
9. Handling arrangements must be suited to both
friendly initiative. The e-tailing facility is available for
production and erection requirements.
a minimum order of 25 bags to be delivered within
10. Interaction between elements must be such that
48 hours.
component parts of the structure complement each other,
Contact: Reliance Cement.
frame edge detail and cladding, for example.
Website: www.reliancecement.com
In production
1. Product standards must be established at an early 5. Concrete must be available on demand. Back-up
stage and made clear to production personnel by samples arrangements must be established to ensure supply in case
at the work place. of breakdown.
2. Moulds must provide optimum number of reuses, 6. The clear shed principle: production centres must
work in mould alteration being balanced against costs of be self-sufficient in handing equipment. Production teams
in-built provision for variety. must be able to strip and prepare moulds unhampered by
previous production.
3. Casting programmes and mould alterations must
be clearly established and adhered to by production and 7. Only finished products must be transferred into the
service departments. stackyard. All stock must be clearly identified and its in-
spection status clearly indicated.
4. Daily casting cycles must be maintained in order
that service over-heads and those of heating, lighting and 8. Works problems must not be passed on to the site
similar costs may be absorbed. such as by delivery of substandard products.
9. Constant feedback must be maintained on quality
and outputs, site to works and quality assurance depart-
ment to works.
10. Production personnel must receive clear instruc-
tion on the safety implications of security of embedded fix-
ings and fastenings.
In Transit
1. Vehicles must be suited to the loads they are to

transport and to the access conditions at site.
2. Routes to site must be clearly defined.
3. Cradles and stillages must be provided to support
elements at designed position, avoiding wracking and dam-
age.
In erection at site
1. Prior to commencement of erection a survey must
be carried out of the accuracy of foundations, fixings and
similar work carried out by the contractor, and corrective
work to be carried out before erection commences.
2. A method statement should be prepared, indicat-
ing the methods to be employed in erection and the respon-
sibilities of those concerned.
3. Site personnel must be instructed in erection tech-
niques tested during construction of mock-ups and models.
4. Shear walls and bracing members, whatever their
construction, must be installed as work proceeds.
5. There must be adequate access for the selected New technology
means of delivery to site.
6. An engineer or draughtsman fully conversant with
the design and detail should attend at site during early stag- in ‘Acotec’ wall
es of erection.
7. All temporary works and supports must be prop-
Lines
erly designed and detailed.
8. A named person must be made accountable for
the quality of the workmanship in jointing and weather- E lematic, a world-leading manufacturer
of precast concrete plants and produc-
tion lines, has launched new technology level
proofing.
choices to their Acotec wall production lines.
9. Erection should, as far as possible, be carried out
from the delivery vehicle, avoiding the build-up of a site Acotec line is meant for manufacturing of light,
stock of units vulnerable to damage. non-load bearing, room-high precast partition
wall panels. The new technology levels are
10. Handling must be carried out using spreader
beams and carefully designed lifting connections; All fix- called SEMI, PRO and EDGE, and they differ by
ings for braces and props must have been proved in the the degree of automation and capacity as well
works. as the required investment size. All the lines are
11. Adjustment to detail, cutting of elements or modifi-
quick and simple to install, run and maintain
cation of connections must not be allowed at site other than and require only very limited land area.
under the instruction of an engineer. Elematic Acotec production lines for light, non-
12. Clear and concise progress reports must be made load bearing, room-high precast partition wall
to production, site stocks of elements and any substandard panels cover the entire production process from
elements must be clearly identified and works informed ac- concrete batching all the way to storage yard
cordingly. management and beyond. They are all automat-
Quality Check in precast ed and very reliable as they consist of proven
As an industrially produced building material, precast components.
is always of the highest quality. In production of precast, se-
The SEMI line, with a production capacity of
lected raw materials are used following carefully designed
80m2 per hour, is an excellent choice for anyone
production process. The controlled environment enables
real time monitoring and easy adjustments. The outcome is starting up in the business. It features a smart
totally cured, finished and equipped. While precast comes combined restacker handler and automation
only harder during years, it doesn’t burn, melt, or rot. High only for the key processes. The PRO line of-

quality precast does not breed any harmful microbes, ei- fers a higher capacity of 100m2 per hour with
ther. automated functions for all main processes. The
Your precast consultant fully-automatic Acotec EDGE offers a top-rate
Elematic offers all precast production technologies
capacity of 120m2 per hour.
needed for any type of building construction. As a cus-
tomer, you get an access to the whole knowledge network
related to precast. We can
• Consult you in investment and production need defi-
nition including precast product detailing,
• Train you in precast wall and floor design in the Pre-
cast Academy
• Make optional factory definitions based on your
project scope and investment level
• Take care of the complete production plant or single
line delivery and set-up
• Maintain, optimize and renew your production to Production capacity of 80m2 per hour
stay competitive.
Jon Nunan
Precast Specialist
Precautions of
Pre cast
P
recast concrete is simply concrete that is cast
somewhere other than where it will be used.
Most precast products are cast in a factory using a wet-
port massive pieces of their concrete work. Other times,
it’s just simpler to cast the concrete in place as the precast
advantages are outweighed by convenience, such as with
cast method, but others are cast on site-such as tilt-up pan- concrete slabs and floors.
els. There are lots of reasons-mostly advantages-why one Precasting offers contractors an opportunity to make
would precast, and we’ll get into those, but the biggest neg- more money-to increase the scope of the types of concrete
ative of precasting is that the resultant concrete item must work they can offer their customers. To begin precasting,
be moved. Concrete is heavy-typically about 150 pounds you will need a shop large enough to accommodate the
per cubic foot-so concrete elements don’t have to be very size of the pieces you intend to precast (or a yard if you
big before moving them becomes unrealistic. intend to precast outside), material storage areas or bins,
Some decorative contractors, such as those that pre- molds, a mixer sized for the precast products you are mak-
cast concrete countertops, stretch the boundaries on what’s ing, a way to consolidate the concrete in the molds, and a
too big or heavy to move, developing special rigs to trans- material handling system.
Quality Precaution when use Precast
If you are going to manufacture precast products in
your shop, you should consider doing your own quality
control. Large precast operations have big labs and de-
velop intricate quality procedures, testing all aspects of
the concrete both before and after casting and develop-
ing extensive QC tools like fishbone charts and scatter
diagrams and Pareto charts. You may not need to get to
that level, but some basic testing and analysis can save
you money both in production costs and higher quality
precast products.
Starting with good materials is the first step. All ag-
gregate is not acceptable for use in concrete. If there are Entrained air content can be measured with a
organic materials, shale, chert, or other soft materials in pressure meter. Shield Engineering
your aggregate, you can't produce good concrete. Reac-
The temperature of your concrete is another impor-
tive aggregates can lead to alkali-silica reaction that can
tant thing to test. Cold concrete can set very slowly and will
destroy your concrete. The best defense may be simply
mean waiting longer to strip the molds. Hot concrete gains
to require that the aggregate meets ASTM C 33, "Stan-
strength faster, but the ultimate strength will be lower. High-
dard Specification for Concrete Aggregates." It's your ag-
er temperatures can also reduce air entrainment and work-
gregate supplier's responsibility to assure that you are
ability. Hot concrete can lead to cracks as thermal gradients
getting good aggregate.
develop.
Test concrete workability by Entrained air content is something you'll have to con-
performing a slump test. trol for concrete that is to be used outside where it will be
exposed to freeze-thaw cycles. Without any air entraining
agent, well-consolidated concrete will have an air content
of about 2% (this will be entrapped air, not entrained). For
concrete that is to be used outside, you will want an air con-
tent around 5 to 6%. This is achieved using an admixture
called an air entraining agent-basically a soap that makes
the concrete froth when mixed. But you need to be careful to
control the air content since too much can reduce strength.
Air content can be difficult to control and can change from
temperature changes, changes in admixtures, and differ-
ent handling methods. Air content is measured with either
a pressure meter or a volumetric meter (also called a roll-a-

meter). You can also monitor air content pretty easily just by
running unit weight tests (ASTM C 138).
Triparish Testing and Inspection Finally, you may also want to monitor the strength of
Sampling the fresh concrete is critical and the sim- your concrete. For cast-in-place concrete, 6x12-inch cylin-
plest test is slump. Although not always the best mea- ders are standard. You would probably want to send those
sure, slump does indicate workability, which Adam Nev- cylinders to a lab for testing. You can also make 2-inch
ille, in his book "Properties of Concrete," defines as "the cubes, following ASTM C 31. Either of these will tell you the
amount of useful internal work necessary to produce compressive strength of the concrete, which is an important
full compaction." Slump can vary dramatically, though, indicator. Checking your concrete's compressive strength at
when admixtures are used. various ages, may help you decide when the precast prod-
uct can be put into service and might also allow you to fine
The best use for slump is to give you some indica- tune your mixes.
tion of whether the mix will flow easily into the forms
and to monitor different batches of the same mix de- 3 Rules for Successful Precasting
sign. All else equal, different slumps indicate different There are three rules for successful precasting:
amounts of water, but slump variations can also indicate 1. Weight/size-the weight and size of the unit cast must be
changes in entrained air content, aggregate moisture, or something that you have the equipment to handle and move
temperature. and it can't be too big to move into place at the job site.
2. Pull-out-the shape of the precast unit must be such
that it can be stripped from the mold or the molds must ADVANTAGES
have the flexibility to handle the shape.
OF PRECAST CONCRETE
3. Repetition-the more times you will make the same
unit, the more effective precasting is as a manufacturing The concrete of superior quality is produced as it
process, although some custom jobs also lend themselves is possible to have better technical control on the
to precasting, especially countertops and furniture. production of concrete in factory.
Manufacturing Precast Products It is not necessary to provide joints in the precast
This is an important aspect of precasting: getting construction.
used to the idea that you are a manufacturer rather than The labour required in the manufacturing process
a contractor. As a manufacturer, you will need to set up of the precast units can easily be trained.
work flow procedures, configure your production area,
and establish quality control methods. Of course, you do The moulds employed for preparing the precast
those things on a construction job site too, but since a job units are of steel with exact dimension in all direc-
site is a temporary operation, you may be content to work tions. These moulds are more durable and they can
around small inconveniences that in a precasting opera- be used several times.
tion could cost you time and money.
The precast articles may be given the desired shape
Material handling is an im- and finish with accuracy.
portant part of the operation-we
talked about that a little in relation The precast structures can be dismantled, when
to materials. But you also have to required and they can then be suitably used else-
be able to handle molds and the where.
finished product. Lifting systems The transport and storage of various components
need to be safe, easy to use, and of concrete for cast in situ work are eliminated
not damage the finished product.
when precast members are adopted.
Some proprietary systems have
Commercially made lifting been developed to minimize your The work can be completed in a short time, when
inserts are engineered to meet
load requirements. space requirements, such as precast units are adopted.
Verti-Crete. Forklifts and overhead cranes are the most
When precast structures are to be installed, it is evi-
common material handling equipment. Used equipment
is often a good buy when you are starting a new opera-
dent that the amount of scaffolding and formwork
tion since you can usually get it immediately and at a bet- is considerably reduced.
ter price than buying new.
Often, lifting inserts are cast into the concrete prod-
ucts. Select inserts that are simple to install and use. There
WHY USE PRECAST CONCRETE?
are many commercially manufactured inserts available made

There are many benefits associated with the use of from reinforcing steel, steel cable (prestressing strand), or
precast concrete components. Of course these require plastic. For precast products that will be outdoors, steel should
proper design, use of the correct materials and manu- be galvanized to prevent corrosion. An advantage of commer-
facturing processes with skilled and knowledgeable per- cially manufactured insets is that they have been designed for
sonnel. Benefits available include:- their rated load. Home-made lifting inserts are cheaper but if
one fails, falling precast concrete is very dangerous. Some
Quality , Durability, Dimensional accuracy, Tight precast products may lend themselves to the use of special
tolerances, Speed of construction,Reduction of on site clamps or slings designed just for that product.
labour, Reduction of on site activity, noise, and distur-
bance, Reduction of on site waste, Low life cycle cost, Size your mixer to match the size of your castings and
Minimal maintenance Non , Combustible, Fire rated, Not the type of concrete you plan to cast.
subject to rot, Acoustic insulation, Thermal inertia reduc- Coat your molds with a form release agent prior to casting
es lifetime energy costs, Sandwich panels available for concrete. Be careful with block outs, since some materials can
insulation,. Large spans available from prestressing react with some form release agents. The best release agents
These impact on all parties providing benefits for are reactive releases that form a metallic soap to aid in mold
the architect, engineer, builder, developer, and owner. removal. Some plastic or melamine molds may be slick enough
The benefits are many, including financial gains from to demold without a release agent.
shorter construction times and earlier occupation. Proper consolidation of your precast products is the only
way to get good surface finishes and the required strength and How are fire ratings calculated in concrete?
durability. In precasting it is much easier to test and perfect The most common practice is to follow the PCI Man-
your consolidation methods than it is on a job site. Any con- ual MNL 124, “Design for Fire Resistance of Prestressed
crete mix will typically have about 20% entrapped air coming Concrete.”
out of the mixer. Consolidation gets that air out, increasing the
concrete density which improves bond, increases strength, What is the relationship between the Engineer of
and reduces permeability-it also eliminates surface voids and Record and the Precast Specialty Engineer?
bubbles. The Engineer of Record is responsible for the struc-
A good way to consolidate precast, especially smaller ture in its entirety and delegates the design of the com-
products, is with vibrating tables. The better vibrating tables ponents to the specialty engineers involved in the project.
eliminate any dead spots and can consolidate the concrete in This is the case in precast/prestressed concrete as well
seconds. Some even come with a foot pedal to turn the vibra- as many other products (wood, steel etc.). This relation-
tion on, and with controls to adjust both vibration frequency ship is well defined by the National Council of Structural
and amplitude to fine tune it for a specific product. Other vi- Engineers Association (NCSEA).
brators used are internal pencil vibrators (stingers) and form What are the benefits of precast in terms of fire?
vibration (external vibrators mounted on the outside of the
Precast/prestressed concrete is non-combustible
forms).
and provides endurance against fire as in any type of
Curing the precast products is critical to getting the qual- concrete. The use of precast/prestressed concrete floors
ity you want. Protect your precast products from the sun and and walls provides excellent compartmentalization in
wind during curing and make sure they have adequate mois- multi-family or office structures.
ture. One good curing method is simply to leave the concrete
What are some key things to look for when in-
in the forms. But if you must strip, especially in hot dry weath-
specting precast?
er, maintain high humidity in the curing area.
Good bearing conditions i.e. bearing pad is in cor-
PRECAUTION DOUBTS FOR STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING
rect location, surface is uniform Structure is plum, well
What happens when a prestressed strand is cut in a aligned
finished piece of concrete?
Welding of connections is appropriate and complete
Visually or safety wise, nothing immediate would hap- to stage of construction
pen. The structural capacity of the member could be affected
Loads being applied at time of inspection are appro-
if any type of reinforcing is cut (prestressed or mild reinforc-
priate to intended design
ing). A structural engineer should be consulted before cutting
any type of reinforcement. For further detail, refer to PCI’s Erection Manual
MNL 127 and Tolerance Manual MNL 135. Any specific
questions should be answered by a structural engineer.
What kind of testing has been done in cracking of
DIS - ADVANTAGES precast?

OF PRECAST CONCRETE Refer to PCI Committee on Quality Control Per-
formance Criteria “Fabrication and shipping cracks in
prestressed…” PCI Journal Volume 28 and 30. For a more
If not properly handled, the precast units may be
complete list see PCI’s Design Handbook MNL 120.
damaged during transport.
What are the minimum requirements for joints
It becomes difficult to produce satisfactory connec- between precast products?
tions between the precast members.
Criteria for joint sizes can vary considerably depend-
It is necessary to arrange for special equipment for ing on the product type, size and building movements.
lifting and moving of the precast units. Typically, joints in structural products are 1” and archi-
tectural products are ¾”. However, there are a number
The economy achieved in precast construction
of considerations like building expansion joints, building
is partially balanced by the amount to be spent
isolation joints etc. that will dictate joint widths. Please see
in transport and handling of precast members. It
PCI Design Manual MNL 120 and PCI Tolerance Manual
becomes therefore necessary to locate the precast MNL 135 for further information.
factory at such a place that transport and handling
charges are brought down to the minimum possible How to Maintain Precast Structures
extent. Precast Concrete is a durable and long lasting building
product. If properly maintained it will stand the test of time.
The beauty of precast concrete with its variety of Maintenance & Protection Recommendations
colours and textures, together with its versatility and
After a building or structure is erected, it should be
function, is an integral component of the building
cleaned as required. Precast expands and contracts.
envelope. By following a simple program of inspection and
Ensure the precast joints are properly sealed.
maintenance precast concrete can guarantee the designed
service life of a building. The precast structure should be power-washed every
four to six years (based on the effects of the environment
To ensure the continued performance of the wall sys- such as acid rain) to maintain its original appearance.
tem and to maintain the warranty, visual inspections should
be carried out at regular intervals. It is recommended that Damaged (i.e. split or cracked) caulking should be
these inspections be carried out annually. replaced by: Removing damaged caulking, Cleaning area
with solvent to remove oil debris , Applying primer as
Attention should be paid to the caulked joints, surface required. Re-caulk with matching caulking as per manu-
appearance and connections. Any signs of deterioration facturer’s instructions. Follow applicable by-laws regard-
should be documented at once with a copy of the written ing use of sandblasting or acid cleaning procedures.
report sent to the manufacturer. Any applicable defects
reported within the warranty period shall be remedied by If using acid to clean surfaces, pretest a sample to
the manufacturer. ensure units will not be damaged by the treatment.
The owner is urged to maintain this annual inspection Precautions should be taken to avoid damaging or
program past the warranty period in order to optimize the staining precast units by: Ensuring access equipment does
life of the structure. not scratch or chip precast surfaces.
P
hilips Lighting has launched a dynamic web-enabled LED home lighting

system in India – Philips Hue. It has redefined the possibilities of LED Philips Lighting
technology by integrating the digital light source with the Internet of Things
concept. The personal wireless lighting system – Philips Hue allows users to announces
create and control home lighting using their smartphone or tablet.
‘Hue’ in India
The Philips Hue range for India will include – Hue Starter Kit which includes
the bridge and three Hue lamps, Hue Go, Hue
Beyond – the luminaire family, Friends of Hue –
LightStrips and Bloom. Philips Hue can be set up
in minutes. The bridge in the Hue starter kit can
be plugged into the Wi-Fi router and the three
Hue lamps can go into the existing holders.
Harsh Chitale, CEO, Philips Lighting – South Asia,
said, “This will change the way people have
interacted with lighting till now. Connected LED
lighting redefines the possibilities with lighting
taking it beyond illumination and creating value
to enhance our lives.”
Incredible Engineering
China rotated a 17,000-ton bridge

into place after its Construction
C
hina have astonished the
world with another engi-
neering masterpiece. They built a
the overpass would not be feasible as
it would disturb the high speed railway
track below it in Wuhan City. So the Chi-
finished, the overpass will be 256
meters long and spans 11 railways,
including the 1,428 mile-long Beijing-
section of a gigantic overpass and nese then built the flyover section that Guangzhou service.
slowly rotated it into place once it would go over all of the railway station After weeks of construction,
was completed. This is the first time parallel to the rails. Then, in a remark- the 17,000 ton structure was slowly
this technique was used in Asia and able act of engineering, they lifted the brought into place.
the second worldwide. The idea 17,000 ton structure 15 meters, slowly
was used back in 1968 to construct rotated it 106 degrees, and connected it Engineers took 90 minutes to
the Kingsgate Bridge, across the to the highway lane in 90 minutes. swivel the structure into place and
River Wear in Durham, when they experts say that it should be open
Swing bridges are essentially mov- to traffic in just a month! With the
built the two halves of the bridge on able bridges that are held in place by a
the river’s bank then swung them country’s high speed rail network being
vertical locating pin and a support ring, the largest in the world, engineers
90 degrees into place. which enables the structures to swivel looked into history for an intuitive
A traditional construction of around horizontally. Once completely solution, and boy did they pull it off.
Er.C.BALAMURUGAN, M.E (Struct)., PGDFF
Renovation Works To a
Residential
Building
An Experienced
O
ur Engineers should have well aware of Modification , Renovation Con-
Engineer has struction works also. Herewith Er.C.BALAMURUGAN, M.E (Struct).,
given a Work
PGDFF., Asst. Executive Engineer, TNPWD has given a Work detail for
Modification works to a Residential Buildings.
detail for Scope of Work:
Modification To modify the existing house plan shown in Annexure I as per the requirements,
works to a based on functional utility and Vasthu compliance. The modifications to be carried out
are shown in Annexure II.
Residential Observations on Morphology of The Building
Buildings. • The Existing building is a load bearing structure partially G+1 in the eastern
side and G+2 the near portion of the building. The age of the building is approximately
20 years founded on open wall strip footing.
‘‘The building is in good condition
and can be modified and renovated
as per the scope. The staircase
waist, ferro cement handrails and
parapets are in corroded conditions
and needs extra attention.
”
Model : Er. Jayanthi

• The building is in good condition and can be modi- outer wall is to be raised over Grade beams of size 9”×12”
fied and renovated as per the scope. The staircase waist, interconnecting under reamed pile of dia 12” driven up to
ferro cement handrails and parapets are in corroded condi- 12’0”.
tions and needs extra attention.
A support steel joist RHS 300×200×6mm@45.24
• Sunshades in the eastern portion of the Hall are kg/m is inserted to support wall-C above first joint
also corroded due to AC drain Vent. The rear side wall in RHS 300×200×6mm@45.24 kg/m is inserted to support
the south side of the building does not have proper founda- wall-C above floor.

tion and therefore to be reconstructed with suitable foun-
IV. The wall-D is also to be demolished/removed to
dation.
create master bed in the south west corner of the build-
Proposed Modifications ing. The super structure two storeys above, supported on
I. Removal of 9” wall-A in the GF hall for 9’0” length 9” wall of wall-D are to again support from the steel joist
and inserting a support steel joist RHS 300×200×6mm@45.24 RHS 300×200×6mm@45.24 kg/m to be fixed beneath the
kg/m below the First floor slab. RCC slab.
II. Removal of toilet in the front bed room of GF to • All steel joists are to be rested over steel bed
increase the carpet are of the living room. The 4” wall por- blocks RHS 200×100×5.0mm@22.26kg/m of 600mm
tion denoted as wall –B is a non load bearing wall and can length.
be removed without any additional support. However tem- The rear side wall in the south side of the building
porary supports are to be given underneath the slab while is not properly founded and therefore to be reconstruct-
carrying out the demolition work. ed with a under reamed pile foundation, since the soil
III. A new staircase is proposed to be constructed in underneath is clayey.
the GF bed room adjacent to dining, which requires an ad- Sequential Steps in Execution¬¬
ditional head room of 8’0” over first and second mid land-
1. The RCC slabs supported on walls under
ings. To achieve this, the RCC slab over that bed room is to
demolition proposals are to be properly supported with
be partially demolished. The wall-C in GF is to be removed
steel propos with jacks and span arrangements.
so as to extent the staircase 2’0” beyond wall-C and a new
House Plan
Another option is printing the exterior and interior
artwork off HousePlansPlus.com to draw changes and
write notes. That can be attached to an email to us at
Modification
inquiries@houseplansplus.com
Understand the process
Most designers will get back to you in one business
Tips.. day. Sometimes, during the busy season, it may take

two days. Designers handle request in the order they
are received.
Many times people pass on a house plan design be- It will take about a day or so for the designer to
cause it does not meet their exact needs. What they may develop a written proposal for your approval. It will in-
not have known is how easy it would have been to modify clude the work to be done, time to do so and costs.
those plans. Here are some useful tips to help build your
dream house. If you accept the proposal, you will be required to
purchase a PDF of the unmodified plan before work will
Create a budget to purchase your house plan, modify begin. That will be sent to you as a basis to discuss your
and build it. changes with the designer.
This is the essential step. That will give you a great The designer will later submit artwork of the modi-
idea how much you can spent to create your dream home. fications. That will include sketches of the front, side
Have a clear idea of what you want. and rear elevations. That also will include outlines of
When you talk directly with a designer they will ask the floor plans and new foundation if requested.
many, many questions. Upon final approval by you, the designer will send
Do you want to change roof lines? Do you want to the final working drawings in a PDF format to you. That
add or delete exterior features like brick, siding, porches will allow you to email the prints to builders, banks, and
or patios? Do you want to change the orientation of the tradesmen.
garage? If you want to add depth or length, where; on
each end, one end or in the middle?
Don’t be afraid to ask if something can be done. Try
to be as clear as possible to communicate in writing to the
designer.
Designers love to chat with potential customers.
They do need, however, a starting point in writing. You
have several options:
Create a list of changes. You can use our on line form
to provide the designer with general ideas.
2. The wall portions and RCC slabs to be removed are

ear marked with dimensions.
Design Procedure for Steel Joist
3. A wedge of Wall is cut for a length of 600mm and Span of joist: 3m
250mm depth to insert steel bed blocks in their respective Total UDL for G+2 wall load and slab load:70kN/m
positions.
Mmax =wl2/8, =70×32/8 =78.75kN-m
4. Steel Bed blocks RHS 200×100×5.0mm @22.26kg/m
of 600mm length are placed in position. M/f=Zxx 7875×100/1650 =477cm3
5. On setting the bed blocks, a sheet of tarfelt paper From Tata Structural Steel table choose RHS
is placed over the bed blocks, over which steel joists RHS 300×200×6mm @45.24kg/m whose Zxx=491.35cm3
300×200×6mm@45.24 kg/m are inserted in position by us-
ing screw jacks. Then the damaged wall areas are plastered Steel Bed blocks RHS 200×100×5.0mm @22.26kg/m
in CM 1:5 have been designed distribute a shear of 105 kN safely
over a length of 600mm load bearing wall.
6. After achieving proper strength and ensuring the
slabs started gaining support of inserted joists after 7 days, Courtsey : Kattumanap Poriyalan
steel props may be carefully removed.
PILLERLESS
PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE
santiago calatrava: peace bridge in calgary, canada
T he city of calgary in canada has welcomed its newest addition spanning the bow river, the ‘peace bridge’
by valencian architect and engineer santiago calatrava. the single span helical footbridge gently arcs across
the water, sheltering users with a glass roof along its 126 meter length. adjacent to the prince’s island park in
the downtown district, the structure will provide pedestrians and cyclists with connecting routes between the
urban center and memorial drive.
Pathways defined with curbs separate modes of movement, allowing bicycles to maneuver safely within a
central bike lane and foot traffic travels along the elevated sidewalks placed on either side.
Contents January 2016 Volume1 Issue 7
59
Dragon Bridge
64
14
Precaution of
Precast
Precast Qualty Cheack and User
36
Precautions when use.
36
14 44
Modification Works To a
Residential Building 10
An Experienced Engineer has
given a Work detail for ‘‘Property Market will get a
Modification works to a Qualitative Change’’
Residential Buildings.
64
All’s well that ends
Honeywell
Dilip Sinha is the GM of Honey-
well Middle East,e shares his
Experience.
Contents
Novemer 2015 Volume1 Issue 5
56
26 50
Damages of Glass Fibre Advantages of

Concrete Beams Fly Ash Bricks
40 56
Pre cast ‘Concrete’ A Collective Rerview on
Quality Building Damages due to
Various Disasters
46 Owned By:
Prompt Publication
43/19, Aziz Mulk First St, Thousand lights ,
Shotgun Chameleon House Chennai - 600 006, Tamil nadu, India
E: englishbuildersline@gmail.com,
Venice, Biennale Mob: 98417 43850, W: www.buildersline.in
RC Structural
Nece s sit y o f P ro vid in g

RC Stru ctu ra l s la b s an d
Beams ssi ty of Providing RC Structur

al slabs and Beams
he re the Ne ce
W e can an aly sis

d Floor Level)
at Plinth level (GF-Finishe
d also cer-
be ari ng ca pa city so ils met with, the Architects an
1. Wherever low/poor uctural slabs & Beams
be liev e tha t it is mu ch safer to provide RC Str
tain Builders think an d ation and
flo or lev el) in ord er to avoid settlement of found
d
at plinth level (GF-Finishe
tio n of cra cks in walls.
consequent forma ndation structure. we
co nc ern ed , wi th ex pe rience and expertise in fou
2. As we are heavily.
ll the be ha vio ur of po or bearing soil when loaded
know we
‘‘The cost of providing RC Structural Slabs & Beams increases the
cost of the foundation system by more than 50% ”
Therefore, the provision of RC structural slabs and
Beams at plinth level will not be a fool-proof solution
to avoid foundation settlement and consequent cracks.
It is nothing but and added expenditure spent on the
construction of structure.
3. Instead, the following measures will prevent
the settlement of foundation systems and facilitate in
avoiding wall cracks effectively.
a) The foundation soil at a depth of 2.00 m to
2.70m (if it is a poor bearing soil-say soft/medium clay) is
to be artificially strengthened by Geogrids/Geotex layers
followed over by Quarry dust:Gravel Mix 1:3 or cement :
Quarry dust 1:10 mix in 4 or5 layers of 200 mm thick and the conventional method for flooring etc without RC struc-
by this the SBC of soil at 2.00m/1.80m level is improved tural slabs & Beams and control/contain the expenditure
to 200kN/m2 from 100kN/m2 on foundation system besides preventing the soil-founda-
tion settlement and consequent cracks in walls very soil
b) Provide one more layer of Geogrid/Geotex over engineering way.
and then the PCC 1:5:10 for 100 mm
- Er.C.BALAMURUGAN
c) Over which you provide the foundation system-
as designed-combined strip Raft/combined/isolated foot-
ings as the case may be.
d) instead we may straight way provide under
ROPE-LESS
reamed piles with pile cap.
4. over the ground level also, after providing the
ELEVATOR
RC grade beams designed at-200 mm below ground lev-
el, fill up the height upto to the bottom of FF level (Pinth T hyssenKrupp unveils MULTI, the world's first rope-
less elevator system, a first scale model launched
with four cabins in loop operation. The MULTI system,
level-may be of 450mm/600mm/750mm/900/1000mm
with two 10 m shafts and four cabs, applies linear
as the case may be according to your requirements) with
motor technology based on the magnetic levitation

layers of Geogrids/Geonets and Quarry dust:Gravel mix train Transrapid, enabling horizontal movement and
1:3 in layers of 200 mm at a time- compacted semidry- transforming conventional elevator transportation into
ing with mechanical means. By these artificial exercises, vertical metro systems.
the soil at plinth level will have a SBC of 250 to 300 kN/
m2 with well compaction over which if you provide your It increases transport
capacities and efficiency
conventional flooring (with PCC & Grano- with the chosen
while reducing the eleva-
tiles), there is no chance of foundation soil settlement,
tor footprint and peak
causing cracks in the walls etc. loads from the power sup-
5. Instead of strengthening and compacting the soil ply in buildings.
very effectively, even if you provide RC structural slabs Contact: ThyssenKrupp
and beams with nominal rebars, there is every possibil- Elevator.
ity of foundation soil settlement. The cost of providing Tel: 022-4042 9429.
RC Structural Slabs & Beams increases the cost of the Fax: 022-4042 9430.
foundation system by more than 50% www.thyssenkrupp-eleva-
tor.com
6. Let us analyse, choose appropriate foundation
type, artificially strengthen the soil as described and do
Brick foundation repair
USA based company has found

a new soluiton for poor foundation
S
ome of the common problems associated with bricks and masonry are also signals that you may have
problems with your foundation. You might notice the following issues if you have brick or masonry in your
home or business:
Vertical Corner Cracks - These are

cracks that occur if there is a drying
and shrinking of the soil around the
structure.
Bulging Bricks or Masonry - This oc-

curs when there is a corrosion of the
shelf angle. It also happens if there is
excessive rain that comes down the
side of the structure due to poor gutter
and downspout quality. This causes an
oversaturation of the ground area the
brick wall and therefore support is lost.
Stair Step Cracks - This occurs when

settlement happens of the foundation
of the structure.
Compaction - Settling and sinking in

your foundation will cause bricks to This Foreign technology will adapt shortly in India by
compact down on one another under Civil Contractors when renovation works
the weight of the structure.
to contact a foundation repair expert. be installed for your foundation. ECP

Solutions for Brick & Masonry Prob-
My Foundation Repairs can definitely Steel piers or push piers can be in-
lems (Cracking and Compaction)
assist you with finding a foundation stalled beneath your foundation in both
Foundation repair by My Foundation repair specialist in your area. This is residential and commercial situations
Repairs recommend inspecting your the first step in finding a solution for to add support and strength to prevent
brick home or business frequently. If your brick and masonry problems. further foundation problems to occur.
you notice changes in the quality of the They also recommend keeping your These piering products are easy to
mortar of the condition of the bricks, gutters and downspouts in good work- install with portable equipment. They
if you notice cracking in the mortar ing order as that keeps water away can be load tested on site and then the
or bricks, it would definitely be wise from your walls to protect your brick load can be immediately transferred
and masonry. over. You will have piece of mind and
your home or business’ value will be
Having a professional inspect your restored. If cracks have occurred they
home will lead to a diagnosis of your can be filled with either a cement grout
brick and masonry problems. If it is or epoxy resin based on the site and
found that your brick and masonry location of the crack. This can prevent
problems are due to foundation settle- water from entering the cracks and
ment and sinking it might be recom- making it’s way to your basement or
mended that an underpinning solution crawlspace.
n
alamuruga
B
Er. C.
T E AND
CR
IN CON
E
H USAG
S
FLY A ICKS
L BR
WAL
ADVANTAGES OF FLY ASH BRICKS

F
ly ash bricks are nowadays mostly used for
construction and gaining its popularity over
builders and engineers because of its high strength,
material is embedded with myriad beneficial features and
so is being utilized as a significant building material for the
construction purposes. This type of concrete is much dense
uniformity and less consumption of mortar plastering. and smooth. Below listed are few of the advantages and
Fly ash bricks are light weight material compared to disadvantages of fly ash concrete.
clay bricks, so it is suitable for multi storey building, less
The significant benefits of using fly ash in concrete
weight means less stress on building, safety assured.
Fly ash in the concrete mix efficiently replaces Portland

It’s a proven fact that Fly ash bricks which is made
cement that in turn can aid in making big savings in con-
with the BIS standards are 100 % reliable and long
crete material prices.
lasting than normal red clay bricks of any other conven-
tional building material. Using fly ash is economical and It is also an environmentally-friendly solution, which
environment friendly. There is no emission of green- meets the performance specifications. It can also contrib-
house gases during production. Required operational ute to LEED points.
area is smaller than any other brick producing unit. It improves the strength over time and thus, it offers
Using fly ash in concrete creates a denser mix that greater strength to the building.
provides a smoother surface. Increased density and also the long-term strengthening
Fly ash is the residue that is left from burning coal, action of flash that ties up with free lime and thus, results in
and this is formed when the gaseous releases of the coal lower bleed channels and also decreases the permeability.
is efficiently cooled. It is somewhat like a glass powder The reduced permeability of concrete by using fly ash,
that is fine in nature. However, the chemical constitu- also aids to keep aggressive composites on the surface
ents of this residue might vary from one other. Fly ash where the damaging action is reduced. It is also highly re-
has several industrial applications and is widely found sistant to attack by mild acid, water and sulfate.
in power plant chimneys. The material is also used as It effectively combines with alkalis from cement, which
substitute cement by mixing it with lime and water. The thereby prevents the destructive expansion.
Jehangir B Gai
Builder cannot compel consumer to opt

for alternative flat instead of cash refund
The allotment letter stated that possession would be given latest by
December 2009. In case of delay, the builder had agreed to
compensate the flat purchaser by paying damages at the rate of
5% per sq ft per month for a period of 12 months.
W
The builder contested the com-
hen a project is aban-
plaint. He questioned the jurisdiction of
doned by the builder,
the National Commission. The builder
can the flat purchaser
also claimed the Bhagats were inves-
insist on a refund of the amount paid
tors and not bonafide flat purchasers.
by him? Or would the builder be en-
The builder argued that the agreement
titled to insist that the customer should
provided that he would be entitled
opt for another flat in some other
to offer an alternative flat, but the
project? In a recent judgment dated
Bhagats had not accepted this offer.
January 4, the National Commission's
Bench of Justice J M Malik and Dr S The failure to construct Na polean
M Kantikar, has held that the flat pur- I project was due to circumstances
chaser would have the right to get his of work, they found that no construc- beyond its control, so it would be
money back along with interest and tion was being carried out.They re- incorrect to consider the delay as a
compensation. corded this in a letter, followed by two deficiency in service. The National
reminders. The builder responded, Commission overruled all the objec-
Case Study: Reshma Bhagat and tions. It held the complaint to be main-
her son Tarun sold a plot of land owned saying possession would be given
tainable as jurisdiction would have to
by them in Bangalore. The money had by October 2010 and he would pay
be determined according to the value
to be invested to avoid capital gains compensation for the delay as per the
of the reliefs claimed, which was Rs
tax, so they booked a flat in Delhi in a agreement.
1.4 crore.Regarding offer of alterna-
project called Napolean I, undertaken The Bhagats claimed that the tive flats, the commission held that

by Supertech Ltd. The flat was a 7-star agreed com pensation for delayed nobody could force a consumer to
luxu rious 4BHK apartment with ser- possession was too low, and demand- accept another flat. Such a clause in
vants quarters in Czar Suites, admea- ed penal interest at a rate equal to the agreement would be arbitrary and
suring 2,490 sq ft super built up area, banks levying on corporate hourses un-enforceable. The builder alsofailed
costing Rs 73,84,300. for loans advanced. to produce any evidence to show why
The allotment letter stated that the project had been delayed.
The builder later admitted he had
possession would be given latest by not constructed any 4 BHK flats in Na- Accordingly , the commission
December 2009. In case of delay, the poleon I project, and instead offered a directed the builder to refund the en-
builder had agreed to compensate the similar flat at another location. This was tire amount of Rs 63,99,727 along with
flat purchaser by paying damages at not acceptable to the Bhagats, who interest at 18% pa from the date of
the rate of 5% per sq ft per month for sought a refund of the entire money payment till refund.
a period of 12 months. An agreement paid by them, along with interest. As the Impact: A builder cannot compel
was also executed. buil der refused to comply , they filed a the flat purchaser to opt for any oth-
Till September 2008, the Bhagats complaint before the National Commis- er flat in lieu of the one agreed to be
had paid Rs 63,99,727, nearly 87% of sion, claiming a refund of their money sold. The customer would have the
the agreed amount. When they went along with interest, compensation and right to get a refund of his money ,
in March 2009 to inspect the progress costs, totalling about Rs 1.4 crore. along with suitable compensation.
It is also helpful in reducing the heat of hydration. The 3. Thermal properties
pozzolanic reaction in between lime and fly ash will signifi- These bricks have got thermal conductivity
cantly generate less heat and thus, prevents thermal crack- around 0.90-1.05 W/m2 ºC (20-30% less than those of
ing. concrete blocks). These bricks do not absorb heat; they
It chemically and effectively binds salts and free lime, reflect heat and gives maximum light reflection which
which can create efflorescence. The lower permeability of causes less heating of huge structures.
fly ash concrete can efficiently reduce the effects of efflo- 4. Sound insulation
rescence.
It provides an acceptable degree of sound insu-
Fly ash is used in many countries because of its advan- lation. The sound produced at one side of a wall made
tages. There are also some disadvantages of using fly ash in using fly ash bricks do not let the sound waves pass
concrete. These pros and cons are described in brief below.
The advantages of using fly ash in concrete includes the
followings.
1. Appearance
The bricks have the appearance which is very pleas-
ant like cement; Due to smoothness and finish on their sur-
face they require no plastering for building work. These are
compact, uniformly shaped and free from visible cracks.
They are lighter in weight than ordinary clay bricks and are
less porous. The color of these bricks can be altered by the
addition of admixtures during the process of brick making.
The size of these bricks can vary but they are generally
available in the same sizes of the normal clay bricks. easily to the other side of the wall due to its compact-
2. Structural Capability ness. Hence they may be considered for the abatement
of the noise pollution.
These bricks do not cause any extra load on design
of structures due to its comparable density and thus provide 5. Fire and vermin resistance
better resistance for earthquakes and other natural calami- Fly ash bricks have a good fire rating due to the
ties. Compressive strength of fly ash sand lime bricks is av. absence of fire catching materials. It has no problems
9.00 N/mm2 (as against 3.50 N/mm2 for handmade clay of vermin attacks or infestation.
bricks). The bricks possess high compressive strength which 6. Durability and moisture resistance
eliminates breakages/wastages
Fly ash blocks are highly durable. When their
during transport and handling. When a structure is formed joints are properly joined, the bricks are ready to be di-
using fly ash bricks the possibility of cracking of plaster is re- rectly painted with the paints available in the market or

duced due to lower thickness of joints and plaster and basic with the cement paint without plaster. The bricks, usu-
material of the bricks, which is more compatible with cement ally, are rectangular faced having sharp corners, solid,
mortar. compact and uniformly shaped. The bricks are said to
absorb the moisture approximately 6-12% than that of
20-25% for handmade clay bricks thus they help reduc-
ing dampness of the walls.
7. Toxicity and Breath-ability
There are no positive evidences and studies that
suggest about toxic fume emissions or the indoor air
quality of structures built with fly ash bricks. Although
scientists in some part of world have claimed about the
radioactive emissions by these blocks.
Fly ash as a raw material is very fine so care has to
be taken while its handling and transport to avoid any
kind of air pollution in the view of occupational safety.
Once it is flue,
Fig.it6can
Fireremain airborne
resistance for long periods
of concrete
Fly Ash bricks DisadvantageS
1. Bonding is lower due to smooth finish, this can be 6. The quality of fly ash to be utilized is very vital. Poor
easily quality often has a negative impact on the concrete.
corrected by using a cement:sand mortar of 1:4 and 7. The poor quality can increase the permeability and
proper thus damaging the building.
curing. Also the quality of sand needs to be checked. 8. Some fly ash, those are produced in power plant is
Use of fly ash bricks is dangerous bocause of the fol- usually compatible with concrete, while some other
lowing reasons:- needs to be beneficiated, and few other types cannot
1. smoth surface doesnot stick plaster properly actually be improved for using in concrete. Thus, it is
very much vital to use only high quality fly ash to pre-
2. brick when cut by machine for electric pipes, it
vent negative effects on the structure of the building.
transform into pieces
9. The aforesaid is few advantages and disadvantages
3. not a water absorber. a good and tough building
of fly ash concrete. This type of concrete offers many
needs plenty of water.
advantages and as mentioned above it also has some
4. not so much difference in cost it we compaire it disadvantages. There are various other advantages of
with good clay brick utilizing fly ash concrete such as it is much easier to
5. sudden dammage in the wall will leads to a big place with reduced effort and it is also able to have
hole. improved finishing to the structure with such type of
There are also some disadvantages of using fly ash concrete. Fly ash concrete can certainly add greater
that should be considered. strength to the building.
of time, causing serious health problems relating to the annually by the numerous thermal power plants, which
respiratory system. But block manufactured from fly ash could cause serious contamination of land, groundwater
has no such problems. and air but due to practice of fly ash bricks now it is safe
8. Sustainability and sound.
We can conclude that fly ash is a cocktail of un- 9. Build ability, availability and cost
healthy and hazardous elements like silica, mercury, iron The compressive strength of fly ash blocks is so high
oxides, calcium, aluminum, magnesium, arsenic and that it eliminates breakages/wastage during handling and
cadmium. It poses serious environment and health haz- gives a neat finish, with lower thickness of joints and plas-
ards for a large population who live in the nearby area of ter. The construction technique does not change in the
the plants. But the brick is better off, during the process case of fly ash bricks and remains as same as in the case
of brick making the toxins associated with fly ash gets of regular bricks which ensures easy change of material.
changed into a non-toxic product. The mixing of with lime Masons do not require additional training while construc-
at ordinary temperature leads to the hydration of calcium tion. Though these bricks are abundantly and widely avail-
silicate and formation of a dense composite inert block. able closer to thermal power plants all over the country
Thus it has the potential of being a good building mate- for obvious reasons, finding dealers in all major cities and
rial. In India about 100 million tons of fly ash is produced towns wouldn’t be a problem.
10. Applicability
The blocks are easily available
in several load bearing grades which are
suitable for use in various construction
practices
• Load bearing external walls, in low
and medium size structures.
• Non-load bearing internal walls in
low and medium size structures.
• Non-load bearing internal or
external walls in high-rise buildings.
Precast Concrete Stairs
for Easy Construction
T hose intending to have long lasting and tempting staircases
may opt for precast concrete spiral stairs. These stairs not only
attract others but also help to enhance the value of any property in a
big way. Following advantages of these stairs make them different than
others:
Long lasting – Stairs made by mixing concrete, steel and other hard
materials last for years to come. Those interested to have durable stairs
must opt for concrete as the core material for making these stairs. The
Builders line English Monthly | December 2015 | 24
building owners need not spend or repair these stairs time and again.
One time investment for theses stairs is enough to enjoy life long enjoy-
ment and convenience.
Little maintenance – Those having concrete staircases need not
maintain them with vigorous efforts. Simple cleaning is enough to
maintain these stairs in effective and positive manners.
Attraction – Building owners that have installed concrete stairs;
especially the precast concrete spiral stairs take pride as these stairs
tempt the onlookers to much extent. Nicely painted concrete stairs at-
tract the visitors that appreciate the same.
Multiple Designs and colors – Beautiful designs and colors of con-
crete stairs please and make the owners take pride. Those desirous of
having them in their buildings are advised to select the most attractive
and enchanting colors and designs of the stairs.
Ease of cleansing and painting – Smooth structure of the concrete
staircases eases the owners as far as cleansing and painting is con-
cerned. You need not bother about the same as the experienced paint-
ers and cleaners are available. If feasible, the house owners can ac-
complish these two tasks at their own too.
Quick Interview
All’s well that ends

Honeywell
Dilip Sinha is the GM of Honeywell
Middle East, looking after the Environ-
mental & Combustion Controls busi-
ness unit. He shares his experience.
Dilip Sinha
Q: What excites you about working in this but it can’t be used, no customer or guest will want to
region? live there.
I’ve been travelling around the Middle East Energy is such a big cost. So designers and consul-
since 1990. It is growing rapidly. In the UAE, tants are taking care right at the design stage to have the
growth over the next five to six years will be best energy management systems, room controls and
driven by Expo 2020; Qatar is driven by invest- automation, and have energy dashboards to know what
ments for the upcoming FIFA 2022 World Cup. energy is being used and saved, and to use the facility
These are all places where Honeywell is well es- most efficiently.
tablished. The area is an attractive proposition for
the MEP sector to grow profitably and expand its How can MEP get itself noticed?
operations. While MEP itself may be hidden, convenience and
What can MEP contribute most effectively to comfort are not hidden. And its quality and reliability is
so important – be it a thermostat or a full building man-
the local built environment?

agement system.
MEP has seen a significant increase in its
influence over the past 25 years. The scale of Technology is different and information travels fast.
the opportunity has changed, and the demands The younger generation, and a wider range of users, are
of stakeholders – government, investors, owners so interested in hi-tech – not just for the sake of it, but
etc – on MEP have grown. because of the comfort and convenience it can offer at
our finger tips.
MEP contractors must ensure the correct
products and systems are used in the way they The luxury sector, which is a characteristic of the
were designed for optimum performance. The ef- region, has always welcomed this technology. But the
ficiency of these systems has to be significant to mid-market segment is growing rapidly and wants those
ensure energy conservation and sustainability. smart solutions, but at competitive prices. It is a chal-
lenge for clients to decide what fits into their budget and
In a land obsessed with iconic buildings, how what doesn’t, but at Honeywell, we have all the solutions
can MEP professionals raise their profile? for all budgets.
When you look around the UAE, you see all What is the role of research and development in
these iconic structures – but they’re not just pic- MEP?
tures. All property developers, facilities manag-
ers, owners and operators want properties that This is one of the biggest things for Honeywell –
can be managed. If you build an iconic structure, we have more than 18,000 engineers engaged in R&D
PSM
‘‘ If you build an iconic structure, but it can’t be

used, no customer or guest will want to live there’’
in the business, developing the Q: Is it cost effective to retro- 2) The cost of energy has gone
latest technology and solutions fit old buildings with new MEP up. Everyone is now conscious of con-
across the globe. Things are chang- technology? serving energy – be it lighting or HVAC.
ing so fast today that unless you can There has been a huge amount of When energy costs were lower, it was
think what is expected you will be construction here in the past 10 years, more about comfort and convenience.
left as a follower not a leader. Our but this region has lots of buildings Now we’re more educated about
customers must get the best and dating back 20 to 40 years. So there these issues, and the future needs of
latest solutions. If they move ahead is a good retrofit market already, but it society.
and we stay behind, that won’t be will grow significantly and it will be an It’s also important to remember
possible. important part of our business. the bottom line – someone’s paying
So we stay close to our There are two considerations: for that. So if you can make a retrofit
customers to understand their investment that will pay back in two
changing needs. Pre-development 1) What were the types of prod- or three years, that’s great, because
and during development, we hold ucts originally fitted, regarding their that’s going to run for 10 years. It
forums with our customers, both for- efficiency and productivity – have serves the both the property owner’s
they run out of steam or are they ro-

mally and informally. That’s a very financial needs and the efficiency and
important role. Development is an bust enough to continue? How are longevity of the building itself. said
internal thing, but it is an outcome of they performing today? And how well Mr.Dilip Sinha
communication with customers. have they been maintained?
Er.Rammamurthy
A COLLECTIVE REVIEW ON
BUILDING
DAMAGES
DUE TO VARIOUS DISASTERS
E arthquake, cyclone, landslides and rainfall are the major disasters which affects the human
life and economy of the country to the greatest extent. Our country is prone to all kind of the
above said disasters frequently. The north east zone i.e Gujarat is prone to earthquake, Uttarkand is
prone to landslide, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Pondicherry is prone to cyclone and Assam is prone
to heavy rainfall. Almost every year we are facing the calamity in one or in another form. In this
paper a collective review about the building damages and effects on human life due to earthquake,
cyclone, landslides and rainfall are discussed.
The most commonly observed damage to RC structures is in the form of cracking and falling of in-
fill walls. The infill walls are very vulnerable and damage to these walls result in significant economic
loss and human casualties. However, the most striking failures are the structural failures of modern
multi-storey buildings. Since buildings with sound construction should not have experienced any
major damage for the level of ground motion experienced, the damage is due to inherent weakness
in the structural system, design, detailing, poor material quality and unsound construction practice. In
this paper, the effects and causes due to various disasters such as earthquake, cyclone, rainfall and
landslides are discussed with related case studies.
“Buildings destroyed due to a large earthquake
is the most primitive activity on earthquake
protection strategies
”
EARTHQUAKE On Buildings a ‘soft storey’ at the ground floor, which is highly vulner-
able to earthquakes. Additionally, rigid continuous beams
Due to earthquake, the damage spread not only to and relatively less stiff columns created and undesirable
cities close to the epi-center but also to major cities far strong-beam and weak-column system. Disasters like
from the epi-center. Among the multi-storey build- earthquakes cause many casualties every year. In many
ings that collapsed, most had the ground storey left cases people are trapped in collapsed buildings and have
open for parking with few or no infill walls between to be rescued. Mostly, time plays a very critical role in
the columns. This created a top-heavy structure with this process. Furthermore, resources are short and have
insufficient strength and stiffness in the open ground to be employed efficiently to save as many lives as pos-
storey. Most buildings with complete infill walls in the sible.
ground storey withstood the earthquake without col-
lapse. Typical structural systems and major reasons Without doubt, field investigation for buildings de-
of damage of RC structures are explained in this sec- stroyed due to a large earthquake is the most primitive
tion based on the field investigation. activity on earthquake protection strategies. A lot of ways
of field investigations have been carried out all over the
RC Structures in Ahmadabad world after large earthquakes. The Earthquake Engineer-
In Ahmadabad 300 km away from the epicen- ing Research Institute (EERI) proposed the guidelines for
ter, sixty-nine reinforced concrete buildings of five post earthquake investigations for the purpose of improv-
stories (ground floor plus four stories) and eleven
stories (ground floor plus ten stories). About 80 per-
cent of these buildings were built using earthquake
design codes. Although local geotechnical conditions
and site amplification seemed to have influenced the
damage patterns in Ahmadabad which is located on
thick alluvial deposits along the Sabarmati River, the
maximum recorded peak ground acceleration was as
less as 0.11g at the basement of passport building.

Most of the properly designed buildings survived with
minor damage but many five and eleven-storey build-
ings having “soft storey” at the ground floor sustained
heavy damage. These buildings were not designed
for lateral loads as required by Indian Standard 1893
and no concept of ductile detailing recommended in
Indian Standard 13920 was seen. The typical con-
struction in Ahmadabad consists of reinforced con-
crete moment-resisting frame structures with un-re-
inforced brick or stone infill walls.
Ahmadabad Municipal Corporation has the
floor surface index rule that limits the total covered
area on a construction site. If the area is not sur-
rounded by walls at the ground floor, balconies at the
higher floors can be surrounded by walls and it is not
counted. Therefore on the ground floor, no walls are
provided and only columns are present. This makes
ing the science and practice of earthquake engineering
and earthquake hazard reduction. According to the field
guide published by EERI (1996) it is crucial to conduct an
The Swimming Pool Illusion
overall building survey on a block-by-block basis, in ad- Swimming Pool allows visitors to look down into
dition to identifying damage to individual structures. a seemingly full pool of water with fully clothed
visitors walking around the bottom of the pool.
A block-by-block basis survey is indispensable, From below, the blurry vision of looking up when
when damage distribution of buildings in the whole re- underwater is recreated using a thin piece of glass
gion must be noticed, especially, a prompt making deci- with water running over top of it.
sion for various countermeasures immediately after an
event requires information about damage distribution in
the whole region, which is possible to be prepared only
by block-by-block survey. A painstaking survey, which
needs the long time for the investigation for individual
structures, is unsuitable in this case. Success in a block-
by-block basis survey depends on standards support-
ing an exact judgment of damage degree of buildings,
because many investigators would participate in the
survey. However, it cannot be said that the common
understanding about building damages has been formed
among researchers and related organizations. Table 1
shows examples of damage scale of buildings. Although
building damages are described by using the word
phrase of the resemblance for the scale definitions, it
terized by the quantity of the volume and height reduc-
is delicately crossed in the sense. The building damage
tion. Obviously, damage type 5 has a higher volume
descriptions end up being in incoherence in proportion
and height reduction than damage type 4. Since the
to investigations in great variety on the basis of ununi-
number of collapsed storeys can only be determined re-
fied standards on damage. That would be continuing
liably if the height of a floor is known, this discrimination
by the reason why a well-coordinated and standardized
is very fuzzy if it is unknown. As a consequence, they
damage scale has not been prepared yet.
are merged as well. Damage type number 10 (over-
The important type of earth damages are hanging elements) cannot be recognized if only aerial
data are used. As a result, the following damage types
1. Pancake collapse of one storey are distinguished in the classification process:
2. Pancake collapse of more than one storey 1. Unchanged
The difference of a pancake collapse one storey and 2. Inclined plane

a pancake collapse of more than one storey is charac-
3. Multi layer collapse
4. Outspread multi layer collapse
5. Pancake collapse of one sto-
rey
6. Pancake collapse of more than
one storey
7. Heap of debris on un-collapsed
storeys
8. Heap of debris
9. Overturn collapse, separated
10. Inclination
2.1.2 Earthquake Hazard Information
In the building contest, we test model buildings Dragon Bridge
on a shake table using accelerations and frequencies
that are similar to those associated with actual earth- The world’s largest dragon-shaped bridge over the
quake shaking that affects buildings. Many types of Han River, Vietnam, covered in over 2,500 LED lights
building, structure or ground failure are observed in ac- – and it breathes fire
tual earthquake damage. Many of these failure modes
are also visible in the shake table testing of model build-
ings. Others, such as poor connection to foundation,
fallen objects, or ground failure can be simulated with
appropriate modification of the model building and the
shake table testing. Photos of some building damage
form some notable earthquakes and some associated
intensity maps are shown below. The examples are
classified by the dominant mode of failure observed.
SHEAR REINFORCEMENT / STUDRAILS

Flat Plate with Stud Rails 2.2 CYCLONE
Cyclonic disturbances are classified depend-
AMSYSCO provides shear reinforcement for punching ing upon the wind speed around the circulation centre.
shear and anchorage zone bursting containment. Satellite cloud imageries are used along with other me-
The column shear reinforcement is a substitute for teorological features to estimate the intensities and the
drop caps, structural shear heads or extra rebar- wind speed associated with these intense systems. The
stirrups. satellite cloud configurations, expressed by ‘T’ numbers,
The potential for reducing the slab thickness while have unique relationship with wind field of a cyclonic
maintaining punching shear criteria is a key benefit of disturbance. The strong winds, heavy rains and large
the shear reinforcement system. The other systems storm surges associated with tropical cyclones are the
are either costly to form or introduce unneeded con- factors that eventually lead to loss of life and property.
gestion that may affect concrete consolidation. The expected impacts in association with storm of dif-
ferent categories/intensities are summarized below.
The anchorage zone reinforcement can replace 2.2.1 Damage Caused by Very Severe Cyclonic

hairpins and bursting bars at the post-tensioning Storm ‘Nargis’
anchorages. The benefits are a faster installation, the
elimination of drop heads and column capitals. This affects the location with relatively unidi-
rectional winds i.e. winds blowing from only one side,
and the lee side is somewhat protected. An eye pas-
sage brings with it rapid changes in wind direction,
which imposes torques and can twist the vegetation or
even structures. Parts of structures that were loosened
or weakened by the winds from one direction are sub-
sequently severely damaged or blown down when hit
upon by the strong winds from the opposite direction.
A partial eye passage can also do considerable dam-
age, but it is less than a total eye passage. As tropical
cyclones have a circular shape, an eye passage over a
location exposes it to the maximum possible duration
of destructive winds. The higher wind is also associ-
ated with convectively active eye-wall region and has
higher wind gusts that outside it. The gustiness effect
is amplified over land where friction reduces sustain- which are more flexible, lower in damping, and lighter
able wind but not the peak gust. This widens the gap in weight than older structures, the natural frequency of
between the peak and the lull of the gusts even more, vibration may be in the same range as the average fre-
creating strong negative pressure forces on lee-side of quency of occurrence of powerful gusts and therefore
buildings especially damaging metal sheet and wooden large resonant motions induced by the wind may occur.
structures. Strong wind also exposes roofs to strong This must be taken into consideration in design of cy-
lifting forces. The typical damage to buildings is due to clone resistant buildings. Many of the overhead com-
failure of roofing systems. Loss of roof irrespective of munication networks are susceptible to damage when
the material used, leads to water damage of the walls. the winds reach 85 Kts (158 kmph), This is especially
When the roofs get blown off, the exterior walls lose the case for secondary telephone lines.
the support provided by the roofing systems and col-
Microwave towers are susceptible to misalign-
lapse even in lesser wind intensity. Winds are stronger
ment when winds reach 85 Kts (158 kmph). This af-
in the right semi-circle with reference to the direction
fects local telephone, cellular service and long distance
of motion of the cyclonic storm in the Northern Hemi-
service. Microwave and radio towers are susceptible
sphere. Occasionally, very strong winds are also en-
to destruction when winds reach 100 Kts (186 kmph).
countered to the left side of the storm with respect to its
At higher wind speed even larger antennas are also
motion. The total damage is significantly greater than
vulnerable and are blown off. Even large satellite com-
that from the relatively unidirectional winds of a near
munication dishes can be damaged in cyclones with
miss with comparable intensity.
sustained wind speeds of 135Kts (251 kmph).
Under the action of wind flow, structures expe-
Coastal roads/locations are vulnerable to dam-
rience aerodynamic forces that include the drag force
age from inundation/waves run up. The most detri-
acting in the direction of the mean wind, and the life
mental hazards to roadways are uprooted trees, power
force acting perpendicular to the direction. The struc-
poles and lines, and debris falling on roads and block-
tural response induced by the wind drag is commonly
ing them. This becomes a serious problem when winds
referred to as the ‘along wind’ response. It has been
reach 80Kts (149 kmph) or more.
recognized that in the case of modern tall buildings
( To be Continued ....)
T he fibers run parallel to each other, transmit-

Light transmitting
concrete
ting light between two surfaces of the concrete
element in which they are embedded. Thickness
of the optical fibers can be varied between 2 µm
and 2 mm to suit the particular requirements of
The concrete mixture is made from fine materials only:

light transmission. Optical fibers transmit light so
it contains no coarse aggregate. The compressive
effectively that there is virtually no loss of light
strength of over 10,000 psi is comparable to that of
conducted through the fibers; in fact, it’s even
high-strength concretes. However, due to the
possible to see colors through the concrete.
manufacturing process, elements for structural
Originally, the fiber filaments were placed applications have not yet been produced.
individually in the concrete, making production
time-consuming and costly. Newer, semi-auto-
matic production processes use woven fiber fabric
instead of single filaments. Fabric and concrete
are alternately inserted into molds at intervals of
approximately 2 to 5 millimeters. Smaller or
thinner layers allow an increased amount of light
to pass through the concrete. Following casting,
the material is cut into panels or blocks of the
specified thickness and the surface is then
typically polished, resulting in finishes ranging
from semi-gloss to high-gloss.
A COLLECTIVE REVIEW ON PART 2
BUILDING
DAMAGES
DUE TO VARIOUS DISASTERS
2.3 RAINFALL of the surge places great stress on the
Rains (sometimes even more than 30 cm per 24 hrs) associated with walks. The debris like uprooted trees,
cyclones are another source of damage. Unabated rains give rise to unprec- fences and parts of broken houses, act
edented floods. Rain water on the top of storm surge may add to the fury of as battering rams and cause further
the storm. Rain is a serious problem for the person who becomes shelterless damage. The sand and gravel carried
due to a cyclone. It creates problems in post cyclone relief operations. by the moving currents at the bottom
On the infrastructure front, the most critical problem after passage of the surge can cause sand papering
of any tropical cyclone is the restoration of water distribution system. Strong action of the foundations. The huge
winds along with heavy rains accompanied with floods/storm surge associ- volume of water can cause such pres-
ated with the cyclones, devastate the critical parts of the power generation and sure difference that the house “floats”
distribution systems. Even the strongest port and airport facilities, fuel and and once the house is lifted from the
water storage tanks, high voltage transmission tower, etc., are vulnerable to foundations, water enters the structure
damage. Rainfall is generally very heavy and spread over a large area thus that eventually collapses.
leading to excessive amount of water, which leads to flooding. Soil erosion 2.4 LANDSLIDE
also occurs on a large scale. Heavy rains log the ground and cause softening The term ‘landslide’ includes
of the ground due to soaking. This contributes to weakening of the embank- all varieties of mass movements of hill
ments, the leaning over of utility poles or collapse of pole type structures. slopes and can be defined as the down-
2.3.1 Storm Surge ward and outward movement of slope
Storm surge is the single major cause of devastation from tropical forming materials composed of sepa-

storms. Though, the deaths and destruction are caused directly by the winds ration by falling, sliding and flowing,
in a tropical cyclone as mentioned above, these winds also lead to sudden either slowly or quickly from one place
inundation and flooding of coastal regions. The surge is generated due to to another. Although the landslides are
interaction of air, sea and land. When the cyclone approaches near the coast, primarily associated with mountainous
it provides the additional force in the form of very high horizontal atmospheric terrains, these can also occur in areas
pressure gradient and which leads to strong surface winds. As a result, sea where an activity such as surface ex-
level rises and continues to rise, as the cyclone moves over shallower waters cavations for highways, buildings and
and reaches a maximum on the coast near the point of landfall. Storm surge is open pit mines takes place. Landslide
inversely proportional to the depth of sea water. The depth varies from about is a general term for a wide variety of
500 m at about 200 N in the north central Bay to about 5 m along the West down slope movements of earth mate-
Bengal-north Orissa coast. Because of the vast shallow continental shelf, the rials that result in the perceptible down-
storm surges get amplified significantly in these areas. The northward con- ward and outward movement of soil,
verging shape of the Bay of Bengal provided another reason for the enhanced rock, and vegetation under the influence
storm surge in these areas. There is another cause of sea level rise, viz., as- of gravity. The materials may move by
tronomical tide, which is well known. The rise due to high tide may be as high falling, toppling, sliding, spreading, or
as 4.5 m above the mean sea level at some parts of Indian coast. The worst flowing. Some landslides are rapid,
devastation is caused when the peak surge occurs at the time of high tide. As occurring in seconds, whereas others
the leading edge of the storm surge crashed against the coastline, the speed may take hours, weeks, or even longer
An Useful Research
Damages of
GLASS FIBRE CONCRETE BEAMS
G
lass fibre is a recent introduction
in the field of concrete technolo-
gy. Glass fibre has the advantage of im-
were cast with concrete containing
glass fibre and tested under static load-
ing. Comparison was made between
initiates, it is necessary to increase the
tensile strength. To increase the tensile
and flexural strength, fibres are added
proved properties of flexural strength. conventional concrete and glass fibre in concrete. The addition of fibres to
Therefore the cracking resistance of concrete on their performances relating concrete will result in a composite mate-
concrete structures in enhanced. It is to their flexural strengths. rial that has properties different to that
demonstrated that, in many cases, addi- INTRODUCTION of un-reinforced concrete. The extent
tion of glass fibres into normal concrete of this variation depends not only on the
improves the high flexural strength, fire Generally, concrete is strong in com- type of fibres, but also on the fibre dos-
resistance and offers an economical pression and weak in tension. Concrete age.
solution for fire-safe construction and is brittle and will crack with the applica-
tion of increasing tensile force. Once Fibres suitable of reinforcing con-
seismic conditions. Glass fibres of 45
mm strands were added to the concrete concrete cracks it can no longer carry crete have been produced from steel,
by volume fraction to determine the tensile loads. In order to make concrete glass and organic polymers. Many of
flexural strength characteristics. Beams capable of carrying tension at strains the current applications of FRC involve
of size 1800 mm x 150 mm x 200 mm greater than those at which cracking the use of fibres ranging around 1-5%,
by volume of concrete.
Research Scholar, Dr. M.G.R. Educational and Research
Institute University, Chennai and Asst. Professor and
Professor and Past Vice-President, Indian Concrete
Institute, Adhiparasakthi , Engineering College,
Melmaravathur. Dr. Thandava Murthy
Construction Expert
Concrete
Chandramouli et al (2010) had con-

ducted experimental investigation to
study the effect of using the alkali resis-
tance glass fibres on compressive, split
tensile and flexural strength on M20,
M30, M40 and M50 grades of con-
crete.
The incorporation of fibres into
a brittle concrete can have the effect of
controlling the growth and propagation
of micro cracks as the tensile strain in
the concrete increases. Care is needed
in using fibre as additive in concrete.
Naaman (1977) described the range of
tensile properties currently achievable
using HPFRCC (High Performance Fibre
Reinforced Cement Concrete) focusing
in particular on the trade-off between
strength and strain capacity and the
importance of large strains. Different
types of fibres are available for differ- compared with those of ordinary fibres with structural concrete.
ent applications but not all fibres can be Portland cement composites. It was MATERIALS USED C E M E N T
used in concrete. The use of fibres in shown that by adjusting the compo- - Ordinary Portland cement (53 grade)
concrete has increased with the devel- sition of the matrix, there is a poten-
FINE AGGREGATE - River
opment of fast-track construction. In tial for developing highly durable fi-

Sand
fact, nearly 65% of the fibre produced bre – cement composites, even with
E – glass, which is probably the most COARSE AGGREGATE - 20 mm
worldwide is currently used in concrete.
sensitive to corrosion of the man – (angular)
It offers increasing toughness and duc-
tility, tighter crack control and improved made high strength fibres. AR GLASSES FIBRE - 45 mm
load-carrying capacity. Muthuswamy Bentur and Kovler (1997) (strands)
and Thirugnanam (2013) described the have observed that the use of low CEMENT
experimental work on Hybrid Fibre Re- percentages of synthetic fibres is Cement is the most important
inforced High Performance concrete us- significantly effective in floor slab material in building construction. The
ing three types of fibres namely, steel, applications. Low fibre content is name “cement” refers to the material
glass and polyester fibres of a reputed defined as less than or equal to 0.3 manufacture from limestone and clay
brand. Slica fume was added as a min- percent by volume of concrete. Sid- and made available in powder form,
eral admixture to partially replace the dique (1997) has stated that the ef- which when mixed with water can set
cement in concrete and a super plasti- fectiveness of fibres in controlling to hard durable mass even under wa-
cizer was used to get the desired work- shrinkage and thermal cracking in ter. In India, from early times, from
ability. Banthia et al (1997) studied the cement based materials is well rec- early times, hydraulic lime was used
performance of E-glass and AR-Glass ognized. Chawla and Tekwari (2012) for the construction of ancient irrigation
fibre reinforced composites with the Ce- outline the experimental investiga- works in India. John Smeaton, a Brit-
mentitious matrices. The results were tion conducted on the use of glass ish engineer, who in 1756, patented the
AR-GLASS FIBRE :
India needs to worry! China EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAMME
to build 1,100 MW dam in PaK Conventional concrete of M25 grade according to a
classification adopted by IS: 456 (2000) was used in this investi-
on Jhelum river gation using glass fibre as reinforcement with varying percent-
I
ndia needs to worry more as China is
building 100 MW dam in Pakistan-occu-
pied Kashmir, despite former’s strong objection
ages of 0 to 1.5. The basic materials were tested to evaluate
their properties. The rheological properties such as slump and
compaction factor and testing of cement, testing of aggregates
for the same. Dam on the Jhelum river will be and testing of beams were studied.
constructed by China’s company, Three Gorges PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF MATERIAL :
Corporation (CTGC). On January 7th company Testing for cement
announced that it won the right to develop a The physical properties of cement were evaluated as
hydropower project in PoK. per the provisions contained in IS: 4031 (1988). The fineness
CTGC is “a clean energy group focusing on large- of cement has an important bearing on the rate of hydration
scale hydropower development and operation.” and hence on the rate of gain of strength and also on the rate of
It manages the development and operation of evaluation of heat. Finer cement offer a greater surface area
the Three Gorges Project, the world’s largest hy- for hydration and hence faster and development of strength.
dropower project in terms of installed capacity. The fineness of grading has increased over the year.
But now it has got nearly stabilized. Different cement
artificial production of cement obtained by heating a is ground to different fineness. Maximum number of particle
mixture of lime and clay. As the resulting material looked in a sample of cement should have a size less than about 100
like the stone in Portland, he called it Portland cement. micron. The particle size fraction below 3 micron has been
The modern method of manufacture was later patented found to have predominant effect on the strength at one day
by Joseph Aspdin in 1824. Manufacturing of cement was while 3-25 micron faction to a major influence on the 28 days
started in India in 1904 but was fully established only in strength. Increase in fitness of cement is also found to increase
1912. Till then, for many years, cement was imported the shrinkage of concrete.
from England. Nowadays in India, most cement mar-
keted in bags is only a mixture of Portland cement and
pozzolana like fly-ash. Tamil Nadu Submits
GLASS FIBRE 12 Smart City Proposals
Glass fibre is available in continuous or chopped
lengths. Fibre lengths of up to 35 mm are used in spray
applications and 25 mm lengths are used in premix
applications. Glass fibre has high tensile strength (2-4
A ccording to an official release the Govern-
ment of Tamil Nadu has submitted 12 smart
city plans to the Ministry of Urban Development.
GPa) and elastic modulus (70 – 80 GPa) but has brittle These include Tiruchirapalli, Tirunelveli, Dindigul,
stress-strain characteristics (2.5 – 4.8% elongation at Thanjavur, Tiruppur, Salem, Vellore, Coimbatore, Ma-
break) and low creep at room temperature. Claims have durai, Erode, Thoothukudi and Chennai. With this, 97
been made that up to 5% glass fibre by volume has been cities have submitted plans to the Centre. Telananga
used successfully in sand-cement mortar without balling. has requested that Hyderabad be replaced by an-
It is suitable for use in direct spray techniques and premix other city while Uttar Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir
processes and has been used as a replacement for asbes- are still to nominate one city each. The Ministry of
tos fibre in flat sheet, pipes and a variety of precast prod- Urban Development has already set up three teams
ucts. Glass Fibre Reinforced concrete (GRC) products are of two experts each for evaluatingthe proposals.
used extensively in agriculture; for architectural cladding
and components; and for small containers.
The viscosity of the molten glass is very important
manufacturing success. During drawing (pulling of the
glass to reduce fibre circumference), the viscosity should
be relatively low. If it is too high, the fibre will break dur-
ing drawing. However, if it is too low, the glass will form
droplets rather than drawing out into fibre. Glass fibres in
cement mortar have been tried in applications like archi-
tectural features, panel walls, tunnel lining, etc.
Miriam Sitz
House of the Month : Architectural Record
Shotgun
Chameleon
Venice, Biennale
The Perforated steel screen provides

privacy and shade for both interior
and exterior living spaces on the
second floor which face the street Rear View of the House
An environmentally efficient design-build home in Houston

responds to its urban context
Z
ui Ng is a great architect in Venice.His pavilion exhibition Rebuilding After Katrina (organized
flexible design for the Shotgun Cha- by Architectural Record for the Biennale), was never
meleon house dates back to the 2006 constructed. Nevertheless, the idea stuck with Ng for
Venice Biennale, where he exhibited plans almost a decade and in 2015, he built the home in Hous-
for his post-Katrina New Orleans prototype. ton’s historic Fourth Ward neighborhood for himself and
The Shotgun Chameleon, a part of the U.S. his young family.
The designer says he fell in love with

the site, which lies in the midst of “a
constantly evolving urban fabric,”
where older homes compete with new

condominiums and residential towers.
“The house had to reconcile with all
the contradictions around it,” he says.
Studying the vernacular architecture of

New Orleans, Ng noted how owners
of old shotgun houses often rent out
their front rooms—which have their
own entries—for extra income. That
observation prompted him to add an external staircase
The Mian entrance and external to the Shotgun Chameleon, making the building easily
staircase are situated on the side of divisible into a duplex or live-work space.
the house
Much of the design-build project’s modest budget (less
than $300,000
BOWING TREE WALL DECAL for 2,000 square feet) went to the con-
crete foundation and steel-frame structure, filled in with
Sliding galss doors connect the sec- Double -height ceilings on the sec-
ond floor living / Dining room to the The south - Facing balcony out on ond story flood the living and dining
balcony, creating an expand living the street areas with light
space
2-by-6-inch studs and plywood. Multiple Faced with a diversity of architectural styles and a rapidly evolving
windows in every room foster cross-ven- neighborhood, the Shotgun Chameleon takes a subtle and smart ap-
tilation: breezes flow through the south- proach to fitting in. “In Chinese, we have this saying: Slow water cuts
facing porch and balcony to ventilate the rocks. Rather than confronting conflict head-on,” says Ng, “the philoso-
house passively, while wooden slats on phy is about moving slowly to mediate dissonance all around.”
the sides and a perforated stainless-steel he said.
screen on the front afford privacy.
Ng calculated the angle of the roof over

the balcony to shield the interior from the

high summer sun but allow lower winter
rays in. Other energy-efficient choices—a
tankless water heater and mini-split air
conditioners minimize energy consump-
tion. Spray foam insulation and low-E,
argon-gas-filled windows help maintain
comfortable temperatures inside.
With 16-foot-high ceilings, the second floor

living and dining room opens up to the
balcony via sliding glass doors, creating
an expanded living space. “We wanted
to sustain the culture and history of the
area,” Ng says, “so we built the porch
and balcony to be able to interact with our
neighbors.”
Image courtesy : Paul Hester

P Vincent T. H. CHU
A
R
T
7
Expert Speaks..
Useful Questions & Answers on Practical Civil Engineering Works
Pumping Station
27. What is the difference among cement plaster,

cement render and cement screed? Under what
situations should each of the above be used?
The purpose of plastering, rendering and screeding
is to create a smooth, flat surface to receive finishes like
paint, wallpaper etc.
Plastering is the intermediately coating of building
materials to be applied on the internal facade of con-
crete walls or blockwalls. Rendering is the intermediate
coating for external walls only. Screeding is the coating laid
on floors to receive finishes like tiles, carpet, and marble...
Hence, these terms differ basically from the locations What is the general advice on the design?
at which they are applied. Due to different locations of Corbel beams are defined as z/d<0.6 where z is the dis-
application of plasterwork, the proportion of material com- tance of bearing load to the beams’ fixed end (or called
ponent for plaster and render is different. For example: shear span) and d is depth of beams. The design philoso-
(i) Cement plaster phy is based on strut and tie system. To establish the design
model, it is firstly assumed the failure surface,
Undercoat- cement:lime:sand (by volume) = 1:4:16
Finishing coat - i.e. shear cracks extending to 2/3 of depth of beam. Ex-
cement:lime:sand = 1:12:30 periment results verified that the failure cracks extended
only to 2/3 of beam while the remaining 1/3 depth of con-
(ii) Cement render
crete contributed as concrete strut to provide compressive
U n d e r c o a t - strut force to the bearing loading.
cement:lime:sand (by volume)
Horizontal links are normally provided to corbel beams
= 1:2:6
because experimental results indicated that horizontal links
Finishing coat - were more effective than vertical links when shear span/
cement:lime:sand = 1:3:6 depth is less than 0.6. For shear span/depth>0.6, it should
28. In the design of cor- be not considered as corbel beams but as cantilevers.
bel beams in a pumping In designing corbel beams, care should be taken to
station, why are shear avoid bearing load to extend beyond the straight portion of
links designed inthe top tie bars, otherwise the corners of corbel beams are likely
to shear off.
2/3 of the section?
P
A
R
T
7
Expert Speaks..
29. Given a 1m high staircase resting on solid

concrete, would it be adequate to design nomi- The commonly used angles of inclination for screw
nal reinforcement for the staircase? pumps are 30o, 35o and 38o. For screw pumps of rela-
For the design of staircase, there are three main sce- tively high lifting head, like over 6.5m, angle of inclination
narios: of 38o is normally used. However, for relatively lower head
and high discharge requirement, angle of inclination of 30o
(i) Stairs spans longitudinally
shall be selected. In general, for a given capacity and lifting
This kind of stairs refers to stairs spanning between head, the screw pump diameter is smaller and its length is
landings only without any side supports. In this case, the longer for a screw pump of 30o inclination when compared
staircase should be designed as a beam between two end with a screw pump of 38o inclination.
supports
To increase the discharge capacity of screw pumps, a
(i.e. landing) and the main reinforcement is provided at larger number of flights should be selected. In fact, screw
the bottom of staircase slabs. pumps with 2 flights are more economical that that with 3
(ii) Stairs spanning transversely This kind of staircase is flights in terms of efficiency and manufacturing cost. More-
supported by sidewalls only and it may also be supported over, the discharge capacity is also determined by the
by stringer beams. For the case of sidewalls, it acts as a screw pump diameter and sizes of 300mm to 5000mm are
cantilever beam and the main reinforcement are provided available in current market.
the top surface of slab. For the case of staircase supported
sideways by both sidewall and stringer beam, it should be
designed transversely with end supports as sidewall and 31. What are the components of a waterproofing
stringer beam and reinforcement is provided at the bottom system in the roof of a typical pumping station?
of the staircase. In the design of a waterproofing system at the roof of a
(iii) Stairs resting on solid support For stairs resting on pumping station, normally the following components are:
solid supports, only nominal steel reinforcement is provid- (i) Above the structural finish level of the concrete roof,
ed to control thermal and shrinkage cracking. a screed of uniform thickness is applied to provide a smooth
30. In selecting screw pumps in polder scheme surface for the application of waterproofing membrane.
projects, what are the factors that affect the de- (Screed of varying thickness can also be designed on
sign capacity of screw pumps? the roof to create a slope for drainage.) The screed used for
providing a surface for membrane should be thin and pos-
sess good adhesion to the substrate. Moreover, the screed
aids in the thermal insulation of the roof.
(ii) Above the screed, waterproofing membrane is pro-
vided to ensure watertightness of the roof.
(iii) An insulation board may be placed on top of wa-
terproof membrane for thermal insulation. In cold weather
condition where the loss of heat at the roof is significant,
the insulation board helps to reduce these losses. On the
contrary, in summer the roof is heated up by direct sunlight
and the insulation layer reduces the temperature rise inside
the pumping station.
More Q & A Comes..

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