Structural Design - Bridge Building

First year students in the Department of Civil Engineering at University of Stathclyde carry out a structural design project which includes building and testing a model to destruction. This enables the students to 'turn theory into practice' and links with the theme of 'learning from failures'.

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Five Respect Building Secrets For Women Civil Engineering Managers

Women Civil engineering managers stand out from the crowd. Respect is so hard to gain, but so easily lost. We all want respect, especially in our professional career, let alone women civil engineering managers in a male dominated industry. These five respect building tips for women can give them the edge.

1. Analyse your own strengths and weaknesses. When you are 'put on public display' as a manager, your every action will be scrutinised and judged. If you do not know what your strengths are, then you need to find them quickly. Women in particular can be labeled as 'floating around' or 'floundering' while they find a man to come in and do the job, which, whilst completely untrue, it is very real throughout the feelings of your staff. Recognise your problems, and head them off before they grow out of hand. For example, if you are good with directing and influencing people but poor on the follow-up and monitoring, then the ongoing results will show a problem. Work on the areas that you are not confident in, or that you may have poor results in. Realise there is nothing wrong with having weaknesses, your strongest point should be the ability to admit this fact, in other words, get additional help (from your staff) on those weak points. If you don't work on strengthening or managing your weaker skills, then ultimately they will be used against you when times get tough. Like all environments, 'get a few runs on the board' and prove yourself will certainly go a long way to secure your position.

2. Recognise the skills and strengths and weaknesses of your staff. Extracting this information might be difficult, but constant talks and getting to know your staff will reveal their traits very quickly. If you want a great cross section and honest opinions about people, then ask their colleagues what they think. You are not after the 'gossip', but rather the descriptive quality observations about the staff. By finding your staff strength and weaknesses, you can shape the whole team to perform better. As a woman you will have a different point of view of staff from your male counterparts. This should be used in the best way possible, that is, you may see something that others don't see. Respect is gained when you fit the team together that works well, or rectify or change a team with improved productivity.

3. Knowing when to be 'one of the boys' and when to stop the party. This is probably one the hardest things to master. Everyone likes to be 'accepted' both on a professional and personal level. In the civil engineering field the 'boys' and conversation can get a little rough and 'risque', especially towards women. Trying to fit in will often lead to trouble, and disrespect in the future. You gain most respect from being yourself, and having a laugh with everyone in a relaxed atmosphere until they perhaps start belittling each other or you. It is then time to excuse yourself and announce that you must get back to work as you have something urgent that you need to do. It is never good to partake of office gossip unless you are there to quench the fuel and disqualify the rumours. Sticking with this guideline early in the piece establishes you are a respectful person both for yourself and others. Cross this line early and you may have a hard time regaining credibility and respect.

4. Moderating dress sense. Regardless of your impression of the general office, the office will have a general impression on you based on your dress sense. You need to be recognised for your engineering and management abilities, not your designers clothes and fashion dress sense. This is always a difficult topic, as you will be judged no matter which way you look at it. Dress to skimpy or revealing and you will be judged with a less palatable reputation, however too conservative and you will be considered to strict and an absolute academic and a bore with no heart. It must be a fine balance, especially when surrounded by over zealous excitable professionals in the civil industry. Now I am not suggesting that the civil engineering world is all brawn and full of testosterone, but you have to be careful in a male dominated industry based on a construction background. Your dress standard is a tricky issue that needs careful attention.

5. Stating your authority should be related back to the overall management board. In difficult or precarious conversation it may be beneficial to restate the backing of the overall management board with this decision. The reason for this 'superficial statement' is that you are seen to be supported by the overall board, which may seem unnecessary at the time, it reaffirms in your staff's mind that the board is happy with your decision, especially as a women in the predominantly male industry. This helps avoid or reduce the descriptive adjectives that may be flung your way upon your meeting departures. Without offense, it is simply a respect building exercise as some men feel threatened or intimidated by females in positions of power. Respect is a two way street, show respect to your team and office staff, and they will invariably reciprocate that level of respect, especially if you are 'endorsed and backed' by the management board.

Your role as a civil engineering manager can be very rewarding and noticed when you have a team that respects you and works with you. In fact, you will probably stand out as a force to be reckoned with as a female in the male dominated industry. People will be happy to deal with a woman engineer that both listens, and delivers the engineering results on time to budget in a professional manner.

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Responsibilities of Nigerian Professionals in the Building Construction Industry

(1)The soil scientist:

The soil scientist work is to determine how suitable is the land for the purpose of which is going to be used for.They check the strength,ph content and gives report on the effects of building on such lands.They are important indeed to avoid settlement of land due to weight of building in the future. They use different ways to investigate soil conditions.For simple residential buildings on reasonable sites digging several holes about three spits deep, drilling holes up to 2 or 21/2m deep with a hand auger or driving a pointed steel bar about 1 1/2m into the ground are generally sufficient. With larger buildings or more difficult sites,the following methods are applicable.

(i)Excavating trial holes about 1 1/2m deep deep outside the perimeter of the building.

(ii)Drilling boreholes by percussion or rotary methods.The percussion method uses a steel bit with a chisel point screwed to a steel rod.The rotary method employs a hollow rod with a rotating bit and a core of strata is forced back up the hollow rod.

(iii)Load testing often using a reinforced concrete slab about 1.20 to 1.50m2 and 300mm thick,to which loads are added at about 2 hour intervals and the amount of settlement is determined with a level .The safe bearing capacity of the soil is found by dividing half the load applied prior to appreciable settlement into the area of slab.

(2)lawyers:

Lawyers are needed right from when you want to purchase your land,they help in all legal dealings. From contracts to agreements between you and the "omo onile" landowners; you need them .It is the job of a lawyer to find out the true owner of the land because the person selling to you may actually not be the right person to do so, they will do a thorough scrutiny on the agreement papers and give their legal advice on your investment.The money you pay for this service may be worthwhile considering the possibility of loosing your money if you refuse to contact them.

(3)Land Surveyors:

These people map out the the area or plot of your land.They see to it that your land is properly demarcated from your neighbour with their instruments and skill they will give you the accurate length of your plot .There drawing is what you take to the architect for design of your building. You also needs survey plan for validation of your land when you want to register it.

(4)Architects:

They liase with you i.e the clients on one on one to achieve the type of building you want .Architects give professional supports to the clients not only on the design of the building ,the execution ,but general support even the viability of the building .The work of an architect is extensive because they are generally closer to you clients than every other building professionals. He is in the best position to know what meets your dreams and how to help achieve it. He conceives or dream and put pen to paper and sketch out what you have in mind,gives you to criticise to suit what you want properly, and make the necessary adjustments .He is the bridge between you and the other professionals and artesans on site ,by his position he is the head of the building team.

(5)Quantity Surveyor:

This professional estimates and see to it that you won't embark on a project that is beyond your financial means .They cost and determine the amount of money you will require to build your house so that you don't end up abandoning your project midway. This people are very important unfortunately Nigerian of today do not see the need for them and that is why we have abandoned projects dotting our landscape. It is nice to have a beautiful and befitting house .It also helps to promote the architects that designed it for you when your house is very beautiful, though for small projects your architect can give you an idea of what your building will cost ,but you may not really get the perfect and non-sentimental estimate as to what a quantity surveyor will give you. The quantity surveyor has nothing to lose if the house is very ugly his job is to make sure you have a financial understanding of what you are about to embark on. On big projects ,they maintain and award money to artesans and labour based on the input each worker is putting.

(6)Civil or Structural Engineers:

The civil or structural engineer in building industry is to see to it that, the stability or structural disposition of your building is not compromised. I mean they give calculations and recommends based on the Architect's drawing, what kind of reinforcement or iron or any other structural elements that can make your house stable and will not collapse. And they come out with the drawings on this to help the builder on site to carry out is work effectively.

(7)Mechanical Engineer

These people see to the mechanical aspects of the building especially large projects they give out detailed drawings and specified on plumbing work in the building, the plumbers work with them and help carry out instructions for the good of the project.

(8)Electrical Engineer

As the word implies they see to it that there house is properly lightened. Dangerous electrical connections has led to the death of several people. I will advise you have the electrical engineer in your plans when embarking on a building project. They give instructions to the electrician on large project sites.

(9)The Builders

These are one of the most important professionals in the building industry, unfortunately, the Nigeria of today is a case of dog eats dog. A situation where you claim you can do the work of somebody else and no law to discourage you against such impersonation that is what we are seeing in the building industry at presence. "Collapse of buildings" The builder is trained to carry out or execute on site or transform or bring into reality on site the drawings and intentions of every other building professionals, may it be the Architects, the Civil Engineer, the Mechanical Engineer and the Electrical Engineer. His duty is to see to every artesans or workers on site carries out is job effectively. Unfortunately every jobless person with some money in Nigeria are now claiming to be building contractors and people out of ignorance do not even know the difference.

Even other professionals too are jostling for each others job. A situation where a town planner or a surveyor lays claim to the fact that he can design a house plan for you or when a quantity surveyor is doing the work of a builder will not give you the best you deserve. A building contractor yes, is important in a construction industry but their work is not to bypass any professional rather they are to work with the professionals or consult with them to carry out the project effectively except if the contractor is a professional himself. They are probably the one to finance the building project at times, but to get a very good job you must insist on knowing the professional they will be working with.

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Contour Crafting - House Building Prototype Robot

This is a prototype of an amazing robot that will be able to construct homes in as little as 24 hours. Uploaded with permission by Dr. Behrokh Khoshnevis. You can learn more about the technology at www.contourcrafting.org



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOlRI_Hm1Po&hl=en

AutoCAD Scale Reclamation