Learning a language is not like study other subjects, such as, marketing courses, or even a business course. We will mainly look at the example of English courses, for the purpose of this article, because they are so popular. All these strategies and techniques can be applied to all languages. If you use the right techniques and technologies, you can speed up your learning by many times.
•Listening and Speaking.
Listening is one of the hardest things to learn with a language. Speaking will be much easier. You can practice speaking all of the time. I recommend you think about what you would say in English, whenever you are going to do something. This way, you can constantly improve what you would say in your mind. You can even say these things. Listening, on the other hand, calls for serious attention to those who are speaking around you. Use online, and other mobile techniques to push yourself to the next level
*Mobile Learning.
Studying all the time is the key to learning a language. Mobile learning with a iPod, or business phone (smartphone) will allow you to listen and practice on the go. If you want to be a part of live online classes, you should think about a good business mobile phone plan, so you have plenty of data and airtime for those online classes.
*Reading.
Reading is one of the best ways to help you improve your writing, speaking and listening skills. You will learn these all separately, but it is reading that brings them all together in a special way. There are certain patterns in any language, and they will appear in anything you read. They will automatically become a part of what you say, write, and understand as you listen.
*Make Friends.
Having a native speaker as your study partner is an excellent option. There will be someone who wants to learn your language. Language exchange does wonders for anyone wanting to learn a language. The best thing about it is very simple – it is free.
•Regularity.
Learning any language will call for regularity. 15 minutes a day of study will be more beneficial than 7 hours in one day. This is the most common error of anyone learning. Test yourself with new worlds in the morning, use your mobile study techniques, and keep doing it everyday.
•Enjoy.
Learning is always faster when you enjoy it. An excellent way to enjoy studying a language, is to find the right kind of accent you like. You might get this from a movie, for example. Whatever you do, you need to find a way to enjoy it.
You don’t have to feel like you are studying to get the benefits of it. Have a great time and change your life with amazing English skills.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Construction Risks Analysis and Management
Analyze and manage risks in construction is very important for project management. This help to avoid or limit risks in construction projects.
The construction risks can be broadly grouped under the following categories:
. Technical Risks
* Incomplete design.
* Inadequate site investigation.
* Uncertainty over the source and availability of materials.
* Appropriateness of specifications.
. Logistical Risks
* Availability of resources – particularly construction equipments, spare parts, fuel and labor.
* Availability of sufficient transportation facilities.
. Construction Risks
* Uncertain productivity of resources.
* Weather and seasonal implications.
* Industrial relations problems.
. Financial Risks
* Inflation.
* Availability and fluctuation in foreign exchange.
* Delay in Payment.
* Repatriation of funds.
* Local taxes.
. Political Risks
* Constraints on the availability and employment of expatriate staff.
* Customs and import restrictions and procedures.
* Difficulties in disposing of plant and equipment.
* Insistence on use of local firms and agents.
The construction risks can be broadly grouped under the following categories:
. Technical Risks
* Incomplete design.
* Inadequate site investigation.
* Uncertainty over the source and availability of materials.
* Appropriateness of specifications.
. Logistical Risks
* Availability of resources – particularly construction equipments, spare parts, fuel and labor.
* Availability of sufficient transportation facilities.
. Construction Risks
* Uncertain productivity of resources.
* Weather and seasonal implications.
* Industrial relations problems.
. Financial Risks
* Inflation.
* Availability and fluctuation in foreign exchange.
* Delay in Payment.
* Repatriation of funds.
* Local taxes.
. Political Risks
* Constraints on the availability and employment of expatriate staff.
* Customs and import restrictions and procedures.
* Difficulties in disposing of plant and equipment.
* Insistence on use of local firms and agents.
Concrete Mi x Design Secrets
In order to make a concrete mix design that works, you should master all the concrete theories in combination with experiences of concreting at work. Here is some important things you need to know when design concrete mixes.
A. What do you need to know before designing concrete?
1. What are the strength requirements?
- Compressive (on cube or cylinder specimen) strength
- Flexural strength
- Tensile strength
2. What is the placing method? By pump or direct pouring?
3. How far is the job site from the batching plant?
4. What is the structure for casting? Pavement, foundation, elevated slab, etc.
5. What are the projects specification?
- Maximum or minimum cement contents
- Maximum water/cement ratio
- Slump or consistency limit
- Minimum Strength requirement @28 days
- Material specifications (what is the maximum size of aggregate?)
6. Latest testing results of materials is needed in the preliminary selection of materials and design calculation
B. What are Design Precautions and Things to Remember when design concrete mixes?
1. Increasing the sand/total aggregate ratio, increases the water requirement at the same consistency.
2. Increasing the water/cement ratio decreases the strength of concrete at the same cement content.
3. Remember that adding 5 liters of water per cubic meter increases the slump by 2.5cm.
4. Remember that adding 5 liters of water per cubic meter decreases strength by approximately 4%.
5. Always follow recommended admixture dosage.
6. Always have “control” when performing trial mixes, always perform trial mixes with another mix using the same materials. This data can be useful in diagnostics if a problem occurs.
7. Always adjust batching quantities to the actual moisture condition of the aggregates.
8. Volume tolerance for 1m3 concrete is 1 ± 0.2m3.
9. Range of normal weight concrete is from 2,200 kg/m3 to 2,400 kg/m3
A. What do you need to know before designing concrete?
1. What are the strength requirements?
- Compressive (on cube or cylinder specimen) strength
- Flexural strength
- Tensile strength
2. What is the placing method? By pump or direct pouring?
3. How far is the job site from the batching plant?
4. What is the structure for casting? Pavement, foundation, elevated slab, etc.
5. What are the projects specification?
- Maximum or minimum cement contents
- Maximum water/cement ratio
- Slump or consistency limit
- Minimum Strength requirement @28 days
- Material specifications (what is the maximum size of aggregate?)
6. Latest testing results of materials is needed in the preliminary selection of materials and design calculation
B. What are Design Precautions and Things to Remember when design concrete mixes?
1. Increasing the sand/total aggregate ratio, increases the water requirement at the same consistency.
2. Increasing the water/cement ratio decreases the strength of concrete at the same cement content.
3. Remember that adding 5 liters of water per cubic meter increases the slump by 2.5cm.
4. Remember that adding 5 liters of water per cubic meter decreases strength by approximately 4%.
5. Always follow recommended admixture dosage.
6. Always have “control” when performing trial mixes, always perform trial mixes with another mix using the same materials. This data can be useful in diagnostics if a problem occurs.
7. Always adjust batching quantities to the actual moisture condition of the aggregates.
8. Volume tolerance for 1m3 concrete is 1 ± 0.2m3.
9. Range of normal weight concrete is from 2,200 kg/m3 to 2,400 kg/m3
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Construction Site Injury and Protecting yourself
Construction site accidents and injuries are often a common part of the workplace because of the dangerous equipment, chaos and deadline-driven environment that surrounds this industry. The following statistics were released from the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics on workplace safety and injury statistics:
* One of every five workplace fatalities is a construction worker.
In 2001, there was just over 1,200 fatal injuries in the construction industry, although this number excludes deaths on September 11. Also in 2001, there were 481,400 nonfatal injuries and illnesses in construction. Incidence rates for nonfatal injuries and illnesses were 7.9 per 100 full-time workers in construction, and 5.7 per 100 full-time equivalent workers in all private industry in 2001.
* Because only about 10% of construction companies employ more than 20 workers, the great majority have no formal job safety regulations or programs in place.
The “lost-workday” rate for construction workers in 1992 was five.7 out of every 100 workers (full time). This lost-workday rate was the highest of any major economic sector.
* Nationwide, about 15% of workers’ compensation costs are attributable to injuries in the construction industry.
Nearly all significant injuries in the construction industry result in workers’ compensation rights. Those limited rights, however may be supplemented by legal actions against others who have responsibility for various activities on the jobsite, including construction managers, general contractors, subcontractors, equipment manufacturers, etc. These rights depend upon the application of various complex laws and the individual circumstances of the accident.
For example, in most construction projects, many different contractors are involved. Full damages can be recovered if any contractor other than the direct employer is responsible for the injuries from an accident. Likewise, if a defective tool, machine, or other product causes injury, an injured worker can be fully compensated.
OSHA is a Federal organization that offers workers information on occupational safety and health, and construction workers should know how to contact OSHA if an unsafe work environment exists. If a workplace hazard exists and action is not taken quickly, an employee should contact an OSHA area office or state office via a written complaint. If the OSHA or state office determines that there are reasonable grounds for believing that a violation or danger exists, the office will conduct an inspection.
A workers’ representative has a right to accompany an OSHA compliance officer during the inspection. A union representative, if one is available, chooses the representative otherwise employees will choose the representative. Under no circumstances may the employer choose the workers’ representative. A detailed inspection by an inspector can occur of either the entire work area or of a limited area of a workplace operation. At the end of the inspection, the OSHA inspector will meet with the employer and the employee representatives to discuss the abatement of any hazards that may have been found. These need to be corrected or serious penalties and legal liabilities may arise.
* One of every five workplace fatalities is a construction worker.
In 2001, there was just over 1,200 fatal injuries in the construction industry, although this number excludes deaths on September 11. Also in 2001, there were 481,400 nonfatal injuries and illnesses in construction. Incidence rates for nonfatal injuries and illnesses were 7.9 per 100 full-time workers in construction, and 5.7 per 100 full-time equivalent workers in all private industry in 2001.
* Because only about 10% of construction companies employ more than 20 workers, the great majority have no formal job safety regulations or programs in place.
The “lost-workday” rate for construction workers in 1992 was five.7 out of every 100 workers (full time). This lost-workday rate was the highest of any major economic sector.
* Nationwide, about 15% of workers’ compensation costs are attributable to injuries in the construction industry.
Nearly all significant injuries in the construction industry result in workers’ compensation rights. Those limited rights, however may be supplemented by legal actions against others who have responsibility for various activities on the jobsite, including construction managers, general contractors, subcontractors, equipment manufacturers, etc. These rights depend upon the application of various complex laws and the individual circumstances of the accident.
For example, in most construction projects, many different contractors are involved. Full damages can be recovered if any contractor other than the direct employer is responsible for the injuries from an accident. Likewise, if a defective tool, machine, or other product causes injury, an injured worker can be fully compensated.
OSHA is a Federal organization that offers workers information on occupational safety and health, and construction workers should know how to contact OSHA if an unsafe work environment exists. If a workplace hazard exists and action is not taken quickly, an employee should contact an OSHA area office or state office via a written complaint. If the OSHA or state office determines that there are reasonable grounds for believing that a violation or danger exists, the office will conduct an inspection.
A workers’ representative has a right to accompany an OSHA compliance officer during the inspection. A union representative, if one is available, chooses the representative otherwise employees will choose the representative. Under no circumstances may the employer choose the workers’ representative. A detailed inspection by an inspector can occur of either the entire work area or of a limited area of a workplace operation. At the end of the inspection, the OSHA inspector will meet with the employer and the employee representatives to discuss the abatement of any hazards that may have been found. These need to be corrected or serious penalties and legal liabilities may arise.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
8 Space Saving Ideas for Your Apartment
If you are about to move into an apartment from a bigger home don’t despair. There are plenty of ways that you can save space so that you don’t need to throw away half of your belongings. It is a good idea to hire a professional removalist company to move your furniture and possessions for you as it is likely that they will have to navigate many flights of stairs, or pack furniture into an elevator to get it up to your apartment. You should also make sure that you change your home insurance over to cover your new apartment.
Built in robes
Every bedroom should have built in robes. This frees up a lot of space, which is important in a bedroom because the bed does take up so much room, and you do want to have space for bedside drawers and perhaps a chest of drawers too. Any unused space along the walls of your apartment might also be candidates for building fixed cupboards on to, especially at the end of a hallway that would just normally be a dead end.
Extra kitchen storage
If you are renovating the kitchen cabinets in your apartment make putting in as much storage space as possible one of your priorities. If you put in an island bench in your kitchen then have lots of cupboards underneath that go right around the entire underside of the bench. Also make use of the space at head height and have cupboards fixed above your benches.
Hidden laundry
If you don’t have your own laundry you can always have your washing machine and dryer tucked away behind big folding doors along one wall. Create as much storage space as possible in here too. You can buy things like ironing boards that are attached to the wall, which fold up when not in use, so look for other space saving items like this.
Tuck it away
Use each inch of space you have in a clever way. Like the folding ironing board, look for space saving ideas in homeware shops, at the hardware or in shops that are dedicated specially to storage solutions.
Arrange your furniture
When you arrange your furniture in your home make sure that you don’t have it blocking the flow of traffic through the space or so that it looks overcrowded. You can make your apartment look bigger simply by arranging your furniture in a efficient way.
Down size
You might find that you need to down size some of your furniture of appliances. If you are living by yourself or just a partner you might not need to have such a large fridge. If you have just moved to an apartment because the kids have finally grown up and moved out of home then you won’t be needing the chest freezer or such a large washing machine any more. You also might find that you are now living in an area where you will go out when entertaining, rather than having people over all the time, so you don’t need to have as much furniture to accommodate everyone.
Roller blinds
Curtains can take up a fair bit of space along the wall so install roller blinds instead which simply roll up out of the way.
Convertible furniture
Some furniture can convert and do two jobs instead of one. This helps saves a lot of space. For example you can get tables that convert to coffee tables and lounges that fold out into beds.
There are plenty of space saving ideas for apartment living, you just need to think a little creatively.
Monday, January 2, 2012
What is shotcrete?
Introduction to shotcrete or sprayed concrete
Shotcrete is mainly used in Underground construction projects as preliminary or permanent structural support. By Underground constructions, we mean the construction of structures like road-rail tunnel, hydropower plant, mines, parking, subway, metro, storage area etc.
However shotcrete is as well as an economical tool to realize stabilization work (slope), swimming pools, waterways, concrete repairs, inner lining and architectural structures. About 90% of the shotcrete applied goes into Underground construction projects. Total volume of shotcrete worldwide applied yearly is more than 12 millions cubic meters
Shotcrete or gunite was invented by Mr. Carl Ethan Akeley (1864-1926) in 1910. For attractions of a park, this American Architect was mandated to realize in concrete the reproduction of a dinosaur. Considering the sizes of the structure, he had the idea to develop a “cement gun” machine allowing the spraying of a cementitious mortar. Shotcrete was created!
Probably a symbolic coincidence, but the same year, Mr. Kaspar Winkler founded Sika. Since that time Sika has greatly contributed to the development of the shotcrete technology. By shotcrete technology development, we mean the continuous development of chemical additives and admixtures for shotcrete and as well the development of spraying equipments.
Fields of shotcrete application
Shotcrete is mainly used in Underground construction projects as preliminary or permanent structural support. By Underground constructions, we mean the construction of structures like road-rail tunnel, hydropower plant, mines, parking, subway, metro, storage area etc.However shotcrete is as well as an economical tool to realize stabilization work (slope), swimming pools, waterways, concrete repairs, inner lining and architectural structures. About 90% of the shotcrete applied goes into Underground construction projects. Total volume of shotcrete worldwide applied yearly is more than 12 millions cubic meters
What is shotcrete?
As per the American Concrete Institute (ACI), shotcrete can be defined as a mortar or concrete, pneumatically projected at high velocity through a pressure resistant conveying line onto a surface, where it is compacted on impact.
Cement, sand, aggregate, water, additives and admixtures are the components entering in the production of the shotcrete mix.
Compared to normal concrete, shotcrete differs mainly from three points:
- The maximal size of the aggregate used.
- The way to place it.
- The mixture of shotcrete can be dry or wet.
Regarding terminology we can describe Gunite as sprayed mortar while Shotcrete as a sprayed concrete.
By gunite we means a cementitious mixture of which the particles size is limited to 8 mm.
For shotcrete we consider the use of aggregates of which the maximal size is 16 mm. However, in the last 10 years there is a tendency to limit the maximal aggregate size to 12 mm.
By gunite we means a cementitious mixture of which the particles size is limited to 8 mm.
For shotcrete we consider the use of aggregates of which the maximal size is 16 mm. However, in the last 10 years there is a tendency to limit the maximal aggregate size to 12 mm.
Shotcrete development can be summarized from its start to nowadays as follows:
Dry process –> dry process with powder accelerator –> wet process with Alkali liquid accelerator –> wet process with Alkali free accelerator.
Dry process –> dry process with powder accelerator –> wet process with Alkali liquid accelerator –> wet process with Alkali free accelerator.
Civil Engineering Projects
A civil engineering project is a project which involves the construction and renovation of a structure or significant alteration in the environment. An example of a built civil engineering project might be a hydroelectric dam which is used to generate power which providing flood and irrigation control, while an environmental alteration might involve beach nourishment to protect a coastline.
While many people link the discipline of civil engineering with public works projects, civil engineering projects can also take place in the private sector, as when a firm constructs a major office tower or when a homeowner requests the services of an engineering company to repair damage caused by a natural disaster.
Civil engineering projects are taking place on a very diverse scale all over the world. Some examples of civil engineering projects include: updating a city’s sewage processing system to accommodate a growing population, building a canal, constructing a bridge, widening a roadway, wetlands restoration, and earthquake retrofitting of private homes so that they will meet local building codes. There are many disciplines within the very broad field of civil engineering, and projects also typically involve input from other experts as well as a civil engineer, with an engineering firm supervising the civil engineering project to ensure that it is done correctly.
The term “civil engineering” was coined to differentiate this very old branch of the field of engineering from the even older military engineering, which involved the application of math and science to military problems. Developing earthworks to serve as fortifications is an example of military engineering, for example, while creating earth walls to contain livestock falls under the purview of civil engineering. Some notable civil engineering projects such as the Great Pyramids, the Parthenon, and the Great Wall of China have lasted for thousands of years.
Civil engineering utilizes math and science to serve the human population in some way. Civil engineers are very concerned with the safety and efficiency of every civil engineering project, and they are also engaged in making projects which are designed to be lasting, which means that they must be flexible enough to accommodate changing usage needs in addition to being very sturdy and built to meet or exceed safety requirements.
A civil engineering project can involve starting from scratch to meet a need or solve a problem, as when civil engineers construct a wind farm which is used to generate renewable energy. It can also involve renovating, retrofitting, and updating existing projects to address changing uses and damage, in addition to correcting or fixing structures which were built with techniques now deemed outdated, or which failed due to faulty construction.
What is Project Management?
Construction projects management requires knowledge of modern management as well as an understanding of the design and construction process. Construction projects have a specific set of objectives and constraints such as a required time frame for completion. While the relevant technology, institutional arrangements or processes will differ, the management of such projects has much in common with the management of similar types of projects in other specialty or technology domains such as aerospace, pharmaceutical and energy developments.
Generally, project management is distinguished from the general management of corporations by the mission-oriented nature of a project. A project organization will generally be terminated when the mission is accomplished. According to the Project Management Institute, the discipline of project management can be defined as follows:
""Project management is the art of directing and coordinating human and material resources throughout the life of a project by using modern management techniques to achieve predetermined objectives of scope, cost, time, quality and participation satisfaction"
By contrast, the general management of business and industrial corporations assumes a broader outlook with greater continuity of operations. Nevertheless, there are sufficient similarities as well as differences between the two so that modern management techniques developed for general management may be adapted for project management.
A working knowledge of general management and familiarity with the special knowledge domain related to the project are indispensable. Supporting disciplines such as computer science and decision science may also play an important role. In fact, modern management practices and various special knowledge domains have absorbed various techniques or tools which were once identified only with the supporting disciplines. For example, computer-based information systems and decision support systems are now common-place tools for general management. Similarly, many operations research techniques such as linear programming and network analysis are now widely used in many knowledge or application domains.
Specifically, project management in construction encompasses a set of objectives which may be accomplished by implementing a series of operations subject to resource constraints. There are potential conflicts between the stated objectives with regard to scope, cost, time and quality, and the constraints imposed on human material and financial resources. These conflicts should be resolved at the onset of a project by making the necessary tradeoffs or creating new alternatives. Subsequently, the functions of project management for construction generally include the following:
1. Specification of project objectives and plans including delineation of scope, budgeting, scheduling, setting performance requirements, and selecting project participants.
2. Maximization of efficient resource utilization through procurement of labor, materials and equipment according to the prescribed schedule and plan.
3. Implementation of various operations through proper coordination and control of planning, design, estimating, contracting and construction in the entire process.
4. Development of effective communications and mechanisms for resolving conflicts among the various participants
Generally, project management is distinguished from the general management of corporations by the mission-oriented nature of a project. A project organization will generally be terminated when the mission is accomplished. According to the Project Management Institute, the discipline of project management can be defined as follows:
""Project management is the art of directing and coordinating human and material resources throughout the life of a project by using modern management techniques to achieve predetermined objectives of scope, cost, time, quality and participation satisfaction"
By contrast, the general management of business and industrial corporations assumes a broader outlook with greater continuity of operations. Nevertheless, there are sufficient similarities as well as differences between the two so that modern management techniques developed for general management may be adapted for project management.
A working knowledge of general management and familiarity with the special knowledge domain related to the project are indispensable. Supporting disciplines such as computer science and decision science may also play an important role. In fact, modern management practices and various special knowledge domains have absorbed various techniques or tools which were once identified only with the supporting disciplines. For example, computer-based information systems and decision support systems are now common-place tools for general management. Similarly, many operations research techniques such as linear programming and network analysis are now widely used in many knowledge or application domains.
Specifically, project management in construction encompasses a set of objectives which may be accomplished by implementing a series of operations subject to resource constraints. There are potential conflicts between the stated objectives with regard to scope, cost, time and quality, and the constraints imposed on human material and financial resources. These conflicts should be resolved at the onset of a project by making the necessary tradeoffs or creating new alternatives. Subsequently, the functions of project management for construction generally include the following:
1. Specification of project objectives and plans including delineation of scope, budgeting, scheduling, setting performance requirements, and selecting project participants.
2. Maximization of efficient resource utilization through procurement of labor, materials and equipment according to the prescribed schedule and plan.
3. Implementation of various operations through proper coordination and control of planning, design, estimating, contracting and construction in the entire process.
4. Development of effective communications and mechanisms for resolving conflicts among the various participants
Submittal Review Process in Construction Management
Definite processing time is required by most projects for approval of all submittals, shop drawings, and samples. The Submittal Review procedures can seem very cumbersome and time consuming, however, there are substantial reasons for review steps by all parties. The designer is ultimately responsible for the design of the facility to meet occupancy needs and must ensure that the products being installed are suitable to meet these needs. Any change in material or fabrication needs to be reviewed for its acceptability with the original design. Both the architect and contractor need to be able to coordinate the installation of the product with other systems.
Each level must review, add information as necessary, and stamp or seal that the submittal was examined and approved by that party. After the submittal reaches the primary reviewer, it is returned through the same steps, which provides an opportunity for further comment and assures that each party is aware of the approval, partial approval, notes, or rejection. Obviously this approval process is cumbersome and time-consuming.
Typically, the architect will review the submittal for compliance to the requirement in the construction documents. Revisions may be noted on the submittal. Colors and other selection items will be made by the architect during this review. Sometimes the architect will reject the entire submittal and other times will request resubmittal of some of the items. The architect also will make corrections, which normally do not need to be resubmitted, but that do need to be applied to the product. While the architect and engineers review products for performance and design intent, the contractor must review the product for preparation and installation.
The contractor should manage the submittal process just like any other process in the construction cycle. The submittal process requires lead-time consideration to produce the submittal, shop drawing (engineering), review and revise and the shop fabrication period. Careful planning is necessary to ensure that the products are ordered and delivered within the construction schedule, so as not to delay any activities. The contractor must prioritize the submittal process, submitting and obtaining approval for materials needed for the first part of the project.
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