Arun C
Civil engineering makes the world or the world made civil engineering is debatable. In present state it
is clear that civil engineers make the world. They can be considered as messengers of God as their duty
includes Srishti
Sthithi and Samharam . In this context we find civil engineers as creators with
their innovative ideas for starting up the project with construction work to serve humanity on
challenging and inhospitable topographical and geographical conditions. Sometimes they can be seen
as sustainers of their creation in the form of maintenance engineering and retrofitting structures and
projects such that the existing facilities are sustained to server the humanity. And finally they can be
destroyers of structures and projects that pose threat to the occupants and neighborhood. This field of
engineering is so vast as it evolved over years and has contributed at large to other disciplines viz
biotechnology, space research, sub surface exploration, etc. This is complimented with adoption of
concepts and ideas from other areas of science viz physics, mathematics, biological sciences, etc It is
interesting to find the evolution and development of engineering and its application to mankind.
Past
In the early days of mankind when man started living in colonies the basic needs apart from food and
clothing viz. housing became a requirement. Till day whatever knowledge early man had, was used to
defend themselves from wild animals and from other threats. This might be start of engineering which
started with development of weapons to defend themselves. Later when requirement of dwelling and
comforts arose, this engineering which is the application of science might have divided into
engineering for civilian purpose and other for defense purpose got evolved. First class of knowledge
evolved as civil engineering and later got evolved as military engineering.
Archeological evidences regarding various civilizations available in various parts of the world indicate
the growth of civil engineering. Early Mohenjadaro and Harappa civilizations indicate the
developments in transport facilities and housing facilities available which may be the start of city and
town planning. The attraction of Egyptian civilization is the pyramid which points on high rise
construction and use of cementing materials for construction. In addition to this the forts, places of
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worship and palaces that are dotted across India indicate application of expertise in material science,
physics, mathematics and astronomical survey, etc in civil engineering. Security trenches with facility
to control water level and watch towers of old forts indicate the best application of structural dynamics,
use of local materials, soil mechanics and high precision construction.
This technology started growing along with the needs and sophistication in lifestyle of human being
and got separated into mechanical engineering and civil engineering. Later mechanical engineering
again divided to mechanical engineering and electrical engineering. Civil engineers concentrated
mainly on the construction of roads, water supply facilities, buildings, drains, while mechanical
engineers were concerned with the automobile and vehicle that ply on the roads and electrical
engineers for facility that support the buildings that civil engineers build and mechanical engineers
fabricate.
Present
With the advent of three basic disciplines in engineering (mechanical, electrical and civil engineering)
and its sub disciplines, civil engineering projects are becoming more unconventional and challenging
compared to historic projects. In present day some of the sub disciplines in civil engineering are
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These sub-disciplines in civil engineering are interrelated in various aspects and are contributing in
large to civil engineering as well as other areas of technology. One of the best contributions of civil
engineering to other technological fields is contribution of structural engineering for space research is
the optimal design of Rocket launching towers and design of endoscope stem. The property of this
material is to be as thin as possible so that it can pass through the mouth and stomach as well as it
should be strong enough to be pulled out against the pull down muscular forces from digestive tract.
The contribution of environmental engineering to control and contain the pollutants emitted from
factories and automobiles efficiently, effectively and economically helps in preserving the nature and
avoiding damage to the ecology. Efficient modes of transport which are well planned and laid with
latest technology not only provides easy mode of transport but also contributes to national development
by reducing the transportation cost of men and materials. The Golden Quadrilateral project, North South, East
conditions a can be considered as one of the marvels of civil engineering which articulates the skill of
survey, construction, environmental, geotechnical engineers in addition to immense contribution of
transportation engineers.
Moreover by these conventional developmental projects, technology is rapidly growing with the needs
of human beings with financial, aesthetics and environmental constraints. Hence civil engineering
projects are moving towards more rapid and reliable technology with the aid of smart materials,
artificial intelligence and conventional field, R& D. Research in the field of earthquake resistant
technology is one of the vast growing areas where smart materials and artificial intelligence are used
hand in hand. The technology which uses active control devices to resist the earthquake forces and
limiting the displacement of the structure to zero displacement during earthquake unites civil
engineering with mechanical, electrical and electronics engineering.
Future
This topic is most intricate as the technology is rapidly growing and what ever I deliberate here will be
outdated within days or even hours. However civil engineering projects are now not only on earth
surface, as it has shown its presence in space, sub surface and sub marine and even extraterrestrial. The
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recent advance in material sciences, managerial sciences and communication engineering is influencing
civil engineering projects at large. Now technology is for self-healing buildings and structures that are
capable to retrofit against the sudden accidental damages and stresses. Technology is not only for
higher and stronger but is mainly developing on safer, deeper and lighter. This advancement mainly
provides sleek, slender and eye catchy elements and structures which are safe against natural and
unnatural calamities with amenities above and below the surface of ground or water level. Moreover
the environmental and architectural issues of comfort, space, energy and ecological disturbances are the
great constraints for future civil engineering. These constraints are complimented with user-friendly
and sturdy softwares that can simulate live scenario with good graphical user interface for visualizing
and creating the outputs.
Recent development in disaster prediction and mitigation points out the influence of Geographical
Information System, Electronics, Instrumentation on civil engineering apart from Mechanical
engineering. Intra site and inter site men and machinery planning and tracking can be made easier and
handy with the aid of WAP and GPRS technology. These technologies will aid in increasing the safety
of workmen and material in addition to delivering the projects conforming to the stipulations of time,
cost and quality.
Even though all the fields of engineering that are evolved from civil engineering are growing in
exponential rate, civil engineering is becoming more and more complex and challenging with
unmatchable projects and complicated stipulations. Hence civil engineering is going to be the most
marvelous profession with the aid of latest technology, management and information science.
No development will occur without the aid of basic support facility which eventually has to be
provided by civil engineering. Due to this fact we civil engineers should delete the word
IMPOSSIBLE in our professional dictionary. Any structure or project is possible in civil engineering
if there is will and resources to support as this the engineering discipline that can move mountain or dry
up an ocean.
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FOR
CIVIL ENGINEERS?
Vamsi Krishna Sridharan
(Batch of 2000)
Project Officer, Environmental Engineering Research Centre
vamsikrish2003@yahoo.com
What would you say to an offer you couldn t refuse (The Godfather, 1974)? What would you - a
Civil Engineering psenti-semite waiting for the right core company, or one already sitting pretty cool
in Infosys or Oracle, or waiting with fingers crossed for the US app. results to come through, or a third
or second yearite who is still fresh enough to wonder about what you can do in Civil Engineering - say
to a field which involves programming (yes, we all love that, don t we?), hard-core Civil Engineering
(are you kidding me?), and a whole array of applications? What would you say if you can be a
Physicist, a mathematician, a programmer and an Engineer all in one? What would you say to CFD?
The truly democratic setting in India ensures that there will always be widespread public outcry for
Environmental concerns. Issues such as the tragic arsenic problem in the Bengal groundwater belt, or
the parliamentary concern over brine outfall on coastal fisheries in Tamil Nadu, or the Yamuna action
plan, or New Delhi s increasing pollution levels have been scrutinized keenly and rightly so.
One only needs to read the newspaper to realize that these are
problems endemic to the entire world. Consider the benzene
slick on the Songhua River in China, or the contamination of
surface and groundwater sources by new carcinogens such as
PCBs, TCE and NAPLs raising ruckus in the developed
world, and only now beginning to be comprehended in
nations like India.
Fig. Mixing of a tracer in a river to
simulate contaminant plume from
sewage or effluent disposal
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Consider the arsenic poisoning of groundwater in West Bengal and Bangladesh through years of
groundwater drawdown and neglect, and the millions facing the prospect of
painful disease and death due to it. The real dangers of the Union Carbide
plume, the Chernobyl Plume are still fresh in all our minds. El-Nino
initiates forest fires in Indonesia, whose smoke plumes disperse to cover
whole nations of South-East Asia every five years, disrupting normal ways
of life.
Let us come down to earth somewhat. How many thousands of slum dwellers in our showcase cities of
Hyderabad, Bombay and Bangalore suffer each year from cholera and malaria because of sewage
contaminated drinking water supplies?
The problems are widespread, and require our immediate attention as Civil Engineers. But, how do we
analyze them? What tool do we have at our disposal that can answer the critical questions of (i) where
is the contamination occurring? (ii) how is it behaving spatially and temporally? (iii) how can its
effects be mitigated?
All the above problems fall under the broad class of advection-diffusion-reaction problems, or
transport-fate problems.
uS
x
vS
y
wS
z
D xx
S
x
x y
QR
D yy
S
y
D xy S
y z
D zz
S
z
D yz S
z x
D zx S
QO
(1)
Where S is the contaminant concentration, u, v and w are instantaneous velocity vectors in the x, y and
z direction, and Di,j are diffusivities (speed of transport of a contaminant through a surface). QR is a
source term due to reactions, and QO can include other sources such as external fluxes.
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v
y
w
z
0
(2)
These partial differential equations that describe the movement and fate of such plumes are usually
very difficult to solve except for the simplest cases. Hence, numerical modeling, or CFD is resorted to
by industry, planning bodies of governments such as the Ministry of Environment and Forests in India.
CFD is a burgeoning area in fluid mechanics today, as it provides a tool to solve complex problems
which were otherwise approximated by simplistic models. The scope for challenging work in this area
is vast, as it combines practical Engineering and kindling Mathematics and Physics in a unique manner.
Currently, CFD is being offered as an elective in the final year in Mechanical Engineering and
Mathematics in BITS. For a Civil Engineer planning to enter areas such as Fluid Mechanics,
Environmental Engineering and Hydrology, one can explore this option as viable for the future.
Imagine how relevant it would be for a Civil Engineer who is in tune with the ground applications to
work on the problem, than for a mathematician who works on the problem as the end in itself.
Back to the arsenic problem. The concentration levels of arsenic in groundwater in a specified aquifer
with set boundary conditions of shape and water head, and forcing parameters of well discharge and
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recharge and surface water flow, and initial conditions of contaminant sources can be modeled using
plume models such as the one above, but accounting for chemical transformations as well.
Comprehensive maps of arsenic in groundwater are already available through sampling and satellite
imagery.
However, numerical models can augment such maps by providing data on movement and fate of such
contaminants, thereby helping plan remediation, such as bio-remediation siting, monitoring flowrates
of wells in the aquifer and controlling surface water interaction with groundwater in hotspots of high
concentration and source points. This technology could thus potentially save millions of lives.
Thus, applications of CFD in this niche purpose of the solution of the transport-fate equation itself are
far-reaching and with direct human and ecological consequences. However, CFD comes with its own
set of caveats. A numerical code such as the one above has its limitations. One who places implicit
trust in CFD is easily lulled into believing that it is the Holy Grail. Several issues need to be
considered: (i) Modern algorithms are sophisticated and hence require computer intensive handling.
We do not have either the computing power or the time required for sophisticated analysis, and hence,
can be satisfied only with approximate , or partial results. For instance, it is still impossible to resolve
all scales of motion in a turbulent process. (ii) Results always contain errors associated with numerical
approximations and inherent artifacts of the algorithms used to obtain them. It is a common and
somewhat unethical practice in commercial software today to give you the best looking results more
often than the correct results . An implicit understanding of the CFD black box is essential to make
sense of modeling results.
Being an ardent fan of Formula 1, I have to close this essay with a somewhat unrelated, but fascinating
application of CFD
designed using CFD today. Infact, the new regulation for 2008 known as the Central Downwash
Generating (CDG) Wing introduced in order to aid overtaking has been developed using CFD analysis
of the air-flow pattern over an F1 car. Something to think about.
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Using plastic globes to create voids in the concrete floor slab results in
dramatic reduction of dead weight as much as 50% allowing much longer
spans and less supporting structure than traditional solutions. This Bubble
Deck is a prefabricated system manufactured in panels. The balls are held in
place by an upper and a lower layer of steel reinforcing mesh. The bottom
layer of mesh is set in concrete. Because the slab will be lighter than a
conventional concrete deck, it will also reduce the load on the entire structure.
The primary appeal of this technology is friendliness which will reduce carbon
dioxide emissions during cement production.
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S e r e n d ip it y
Nothing could ever change my decision for reasons pretty obvious as it is the most common feeling for
any first yearite entering the campus. And my preferences and interests being greatly influenced by the
numerous taunts of my relatives ( why civil! ), old college friends ( any other degree anywhere is
better ) and some seniors ( you should put civil at the bottom ), etc
students and also seniors in my very first semester made an huge impact on this decision of mine i.e to
just affirm it again and again. When I came back for the second sem and went for registration, the
foremost thought was
half the task accomplished, a little more hardwork and you are out of this!!!
I did not know who were more disinterested in doing the projects-our seniors or
we first yearites!! Frankly speaking, it was just a mechanical participation, at least from my side, just to
ensure that I was involved in something. I never bothered to learn anything or use the opportunities that
could be exploited working for a National festival. Finally, my first year was nearing to completion and
the very thought that my days as a student of Civil Engg. might soon end, delighted me. Then came
my happiest moment (for atleast then), when I had to fill the transfer application. After submitting it
and when I was leaving home for the summer vacation, I did not know which made me happier
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so hard to take. I read the letter again and again only to realise that all my dreams were just shattered
intto pieces. I could not get rid of the discipline that I disliked (for reasons unknown), but was offered
another degree along with it.
At that moment, I felt for an instant that I should have never gone to BITS.
Serendipity
what it was. But it took me one more semester to realise that this is the most fortunate accident that
happened to me in BITS
Civil Engg!!!
I spent the first semester of the second year mulling over the fact that I cannot avoid Civil Engg . I
consoled myself time and again with the fact that just one more year and it would be over... . When I
was doing Analysis Of Structures & Transport Phenomena-1 in the second semester, honestly
speaking, I had no clue what so ever about the structures that I would analyze with that knowledge.
More importantly, I kept on wondering as to why I had to study them. But well, no other go.
and as a custom, I got involved in one of the projects, which was to analyze
the causes of the collapse of The World Trade Centers that happened in the previous year. Initially, I
did not involve myself much with it, because I felt
as someone had deliberately crashed the planes into them to cause deaths of thousands of people and it
is better to analyze the reason as to why someone had done it and the security aspects of it! Later
when I learnt the intricate details of the design that went into the construction of such towers, I was
amazed. Though I always knew it was part of Civil Engineering to raise such high and huge buildings
and bridges, it was just wonderful to know how it all happened. Thousands of steel rods/plates,
concrete material and millions of nuts and bolts with the help of few equations formed a 110-storey
imposing tower. It is so amazing
all the roofs we live under stand still because of the mechanics
behind few equations we learn and all those towers, pyramids and the seven wonders, everything.
No, I am not saying that I suddenly developed interest in Civil Engg. from that very moment
but
something has changed. I guess it was the new respect for what Civil Engg. represents. And I realized
one thing, that every branch of engineering has its own mysteries to offer and whether or not one
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wants to unveil them is purely up to oneself. I never ever felt that old bitterness to associate myself
with Civil Engineering after that.
It is all in the mind, the way you perceive things. Sleepwalking through the courses is not the way;
learning the purpose behind each course and what it has in store for us is important. Everyone is not
meant for everything but everyone is supposed to find out what he/she is meant for. And I think that is
not possible until we give everything a fair chance. This is not philosophy, it is a fact that I learnt by
experience.
Some of the courses (like AOS..:) ) that I thought would never ever make any sort of sense to me
seemed to be really interesting. The best part of this branch is that, it is so easy to relate to the real
world
and when you can do that with anything, you feel that you are really learning something.
Certainly, it is a different kind of joy. Grades, marks and tests may be the criteria that motivate us to
do a course, but ultimately what matters is whether or not we have understood and learnt the purpose
behind it.
Each branch of engineering is a wonder by itself. We need to give it a fair chance to decide whether
or not we fit into it. If we find we do, nothing should stop us from pursuing our passions in that area.
Job is one of the most common reasons cited when it comes to making a decision over branch
preferences
but we should realize that every single person is different and all of us cannot do the
same thing just because it fetches us a good job. Civil Engineering has numerous opportunities, just
like any other branch, if someone has the passion and perseverance to look out for them. Ultimately,
it comes down to choosing our own personal interests and what you really feel you should be doing.
Whatever be the advancements and opportunities in other branches of engineering, this branch has its
own significance in serving one of the most basic needs of humanity.
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SOIL LIQUEFACTION
Sriharsha. V
2001A2PS759
harsha759@yahoo.co.in
During earthquakes, soil failures especially soil liquefaction can cause devastating effects on structures,
such as land-sliding, lateral spreading, large ground settlement and so on. This phenomenon has been
observed for many years. In fact, many of the structural failures in ancient earthquakes can be
associated with soil liquefaction based on the knowledge we possess today. But this phenomenon was
not brought to the attention of engineers until after the Niigata earthquake and the Alaska earthquake,
both of which occurred in 1964 and demonstrated lots of typical soil liquefaction effects. Since then,
engineers and scientists all over the world have carried out careful observations and in-depth research
on this phenomenon. The mechanism of this phenomenon has been studied and principles drawn from
these studies have been applied to practical engineering designs and construction. However, due to the
complex nature of soil and liquefaction, this phenomenon is far from thoroughly understood.
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During earthquakes, when the shear wave passes through saturated soil layers, it causes the granular
soil structure to deform and the weak part of the soil begins to collapse. The collapsed soil fills the
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lower layer and forces the pore water pressure in this layer to increase. If the water pressure cannot be
readily released, it will continue to build up until it can sustain the total weight of the soil layer above,
thus the upper layers of soil are ready to move and behave as a viscous liquid. It is then said that soil
liquefaction has occurred. The above figure shows the shear deformation of soil caused by dynamic
earthquake load.
Although soil liquefaction is usually followed by significant structural failures, it does not happen
everywhere. There are some places that are more susceptible to soil liquefaction. Generally, the
chances of soil liquefaction during earthquakes increases with increase in the ground water level and
slackening of the soil. The degree of ground deformation caused by soil liquefaction always depends
on the age, density and depth of the soil. The slope of the ground as well as the characteristics of the
structure sitting upon the ground will also affect the soil deformation caused by liquefaction.
Several techniques have been developed to do this job. One is to place two accelerometers at the site,
one at some depth in the soil and other one in the surface layer. If the ground acceleration recorded at
the surface level is significantly smaller than that recorded by the one underneath, and the upper layer
ground exhibits apparently longer period of motion, it can be determined that soil liquefaction has
occurred to some extent at this site. This technology has been used at the Higashi-Kobe Bridge which
is near the epicenter of the 1995 Kobe earthquake.
Soil liquefaction is a common phenomenon during earthquakes. Its effects on structures are devastating
and it occurs in many forms. The mechanism of soil liquefaction is very complicated due to the nature
of soil, which renders it difficult to fully understand. Because of the consequences it can bring to
structures, soil liquefaction should be an important factor considered in earthquake design.
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Soil is a material that has the one of the most diverse forms and most complex properties. Much
research has been performed to study this material, both computational and experimental. But only
little work has been done to understand the properties of that part of soil at the soil-structure interface,
which has different properties as compared to the ordinary soil that could play a decisive role in the
behavior of both the soil and the structure during such severe loads as earthquake, including soil
liquefaction. This may be a future focus of study. One other possible field of study concerning soil
liquefaction is to combine this phenomenon with the other commonly observed phenomena during
earthquakes, such as soil-structure separation and soil softening.
The most remarkable feature of the new California Academy of Sciences is its living
roof, which incorporates native California grasses and other plants. The primarily flat
roof features three large undulating hills that curve over large spheres and barrel vault.
The roof is framed in steel and consists of a concrete slab upon which soil and vegetation
will be placed. Architect Renzo Piano of I taly describes the roof as lifting up a piece of
the park and putting a building under it. The primary objectives of the buildings design
are to better integrate the academy into its setting in the park and to set a new standard for
the architecture of civil buildings by employing sophisticated building technologies that are
energy efficient and environmentally benign. The design is also intended to underscore the
academys commitment to ecological sensitivity and the principles of sustainable design.
This new building is scheduled to open to the public in late 2008 and will cost
approximately $392 million.
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Civil Engineering, as the name suggests, is a science that deals with the comfort of the public.
Resources like space, energy and environment are becoming more precious day by day. The role of a
civil engineer is to make optimum use of these resources to improve the quality of life of the people.
As the technology revolution expands, as the world's population increases, and as environmental
concerns mount, your skills will be needed. There is no limit to the personal satisfaction you will feel
from helping to make our world a better place to live.
design, construction,
Environmental Engineers design physical, chemical, and biological processes to manage and purify
the wastes. This is more like recycling the earth itself!
Geo-technical Engineers conduct analysis based on the principles of mechanics and mathematics
engineering to design facilities like tunnels, deep foundations, and pipelines.
As a Structural Engineer, you will develop and utilize knowledge of the properties and behavioral
characteristics of steel, concrete, aluminum, timber and plastic as well as new and exotic materials to
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design structures that safely perform their purpose. They must support their own weight and resist
dynamic environmental loads such as hurricanes, earthquakes, blizzards, and floods.
Transportation Engineering: The quality of a community is directly related to the quality of its
transportation system. Your challenge will be to find ways to meet the increasing travel needs on land,
air and sea. You will design, construct, and maintain all types of facilities, including highways,
railroads, airfields, and ports. Traffic control, mass transit systems, and new transportation methods
also form a part of this discipline.
foreseeing the
development pattern and coordinating projects such as projecting street patterns, identifying park and
recreation areas, and determining areas for industrial and residential growth to build a near perfect
world.
Water Resources Engineers deal with issues like quality and supply of water, flood prevention, freshwater protection and management, wastewater treatment etc. You might be involved in the design,
construction, or maintenance of hydroelectric power facilities, canals, dams, pipelines, pumping
stations, locks or seaport facilities.
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unlikely that yesterday's technologies will suffice for tomorrow's challenges. Here are some sad truths
about today s world resources:
The deterioration of major infrastructural setups of yesteryears will continue to provide us with
a sustained level of work.
Population and economical growth are expected to boost the rate of waste production.
Considering land shortage and environmental constraints, waste management projects will be
around for the foreseeable future.
Supplies are depleting faster than they are being renewed. In all the major nations (in terms of
users and producers of food) such as China, India and the US, water tables are falling and an
increasing number of rivers are sucked dry before they even reach the sea.
Land-use patterns continue to put more people and property at the risk of natural disasters.
Global warming, which has been heavily influenced by human activity, has increased the
severity and frequency of hurricanes and other weather abnormalities.
Projection of the present trend of vehicle usage reveals a rather ugly and unsustainable situation
in the future, both in terms of traffic congestion and air pollution.
Well, the good news is, it is up to us civil engineers to save the world!
Today many civil engineers design not structures but software systems to manage construction.
We have practitioners who never actually build things.
Civil engineering involves the creation of and management of man made habitat.
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The variety of positions appeals to me, she says. Her projects have included
computer-system development, working with electrical contractors on signals
and lighting, environmental construction requirements, design of structures,
work with material suppliers and more. Communication skills are paramount for
civil engineers. We deal with highly technical issues. Trying to put those into
words that the public understands can be challenging, she says. Besides,
nobody wants a road in their own back yard, but everyone wants the most
efficient way to reach their destination. It s always a balancing act.
--- a senior woman civil engineer
On a personal note, I would like to encourage every student of Civil Engineering to know the
challenges in the discipline and then take an informed decision about his/her future. Graduation
is merely a brief introduction of what engineering is all about. Instead of dispersing at this stage
towards a different discipline or industry, take a step vertically which would give you more
freedom and domain expertise. No engineering discipline is independent of the others. A popular
example, IT is a tool to handle tasks more efficiently and effectively. Only a blend of knowledge
across technologies and disciplines would make you a perfect engineer and give you the edge over
others. Good luck saving the world!
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Satish Sankaran
1998B4A2437
bits_satish2001@yahoo.co.in
Most of you reading this might not be familiar with wood structures. But in the United States, it is quite
a common sight. More than 90% of the residential buildings here are made of wood. I am working for a
Structural Engineering Company in US which mostly designs residential structures. Since there is no
code in India for designing wood frames, the reason being the cost and availability, I feel that this
article might get you an idea of how wood structures are designed in US. I shall be giving a brief idea
about the various terminologies and methods used in this design.
One of the main reasons for using wood in the design of structures is that it is readily available and its
relatively simple construction which can take very less time for constructing (I have known people who
have constructed 3000 sq.ft two storey house in just 3 days).
The basic analysis of the structure and the load path does not change when compared to any design
involving steel or concrete. There are various types of framing system that can be used in wood
buildings. The most common type of wood-frame construction uses a system of horizontal diaphragms
and shearwalls to resist natural forces. You can consider the shearwall building as a box system, which
can resist the lateral forces, which is now referred to as bearing wall systems. One important aspect of
wood design is the connections between wood to wood and wood to masonry elements about which I
will be talking in detail.
Cities and counties across the United States typically adopt a building code to ensure public welfare
and safety. For wood structures, we are to refer National Design Specification for Wood Construction
(NDS)
Building codes place restrictions on the materials of construction based on the occupancy, area, height,
number of occupants, and a number of other factors. The choice of materials affects not only the initial
cost of a building, but the recurring cost of fire insurance premiums as well. The fire-resistive
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requirements are very important to the building designer. Wood, unlike steel and concrete is a
combustible material, and certain types of construction do not permit the use of combustible materials.
Wood is also used in another type of construction known as heavy timber.
In ordinary building design, one normally distinguishes between two major types of design criteria: (1)
vertical (gravity) loads and (2) lateral forces. Although certain members may function as vertical-load
carrying members or only as lateral-force-carrying members, often members may be subjected to a
combination of vertical loads and lateral forces. Vertical load refers to gravity effects (dead load, live
load, snow load) and lateral force refers to wind and seismic effects.
In US, residences are classified as single family or multifamily. Single family homes are either tract
homes or custom homes. Tract homes are built from
typical plans and have typical features. Models are
built in multiple numbers. These houses have fixed
prices. Some variations in plans, elevations, etc, may
be optional and cost of such change is added to the
cost of typical plan model, because there is additional
cost involved due to deviation from standard plan,
model may or may not involve any additional material
or labor. Custom homes are built as per the client s requirement. These houses are unique and
economy may not be the governing criterion. These houses are usually multi million dollar homes.
Gable: Roof design in which all the rafter/truss join in the centre to form a peak, with the two sides of
the roof slopping down from that peak.
Ridge: The highest point of the sloped roof
Hip: The external angle form where two adjacent roof slopes rise
and meet.
Valley: The depressed angle formed by the meeting of two inclined
sides of a roof.
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Lateral bracings
Blockings
Beam and Header: Design of the beams and headers is for the gravity loads. For calculation purpose,
the tributary of the beam is half the span on both sides. Lumber, lam or steel beam is selected
depending on the load on the beam. Type of lumber is generally specified by the architect.
Post: Posts are provided below every beam & girder truss. Depending upon the height and axial load
coming on the post, the post is designed as single or multiple.
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Trimmers / Studs and Stud Walls: Trimmer/Stud is provided below every header.
Continuous footing: Continuous Footings are used below all the bearing walls. All external walls are
designed as bearing walls. Therefore, for taking the gravity loads from external bearing walls,
continuous footing at the perimeter of the house is provided. This Footing is generally termed as
Perimeter Continuous Footing. When there is a bearing wall available on interior side of the structures,
there has to be continuous footing for that wall i.e. interior continuous footing is provided for interior
bearing wall. This Footing is generally termed as Interior Continuous Footing. Generally the size of
footing for bearing wall is same as that for exterior wall footings for that structure.
Column footing: Footings are designed to resist the load coming from superstructure. The bearing
capacity of soil for the design of the footing is found in the soils report. Generally two types of footings
are provided. When there is a column in interior bearing wall or exterior wall, then the continuous
footing of the wall is made wide depending upon the load on the column and soil bearing capacity. This
type of footing is termed as Widened Column Footing. In case of interior column without bearing wall,
we need to provide isolated footing to transfer load carried by column to soil. Depending on the soil
bearing capacity and load on column, the size of footing is decided. This type of footing is termed as
Isolated Footing.
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What contributed you to select Water Resource Engineering as your master s degree?
Water is required for everybody. It is one of the most basic necessities in life. Thus, with the prime
intention to contribute something to the society., I chose this.
Can you share the golden experiences on the projects you have undertaken so far?
Every project is a learning exercise. I love and also enjoy doing projects with students, especially
BITSians, as all of you are intelligent!
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Would you throw light on the developments and prospects in your field?
It is not only water resources engineering in particular, but Civil Engineering in general is expanding in
every dimension. This increased scope is attributed to the developing infrastructural facilities.
How would you direct your students to pursue their masters in water resource engineering?
It depends on the student. A student knows what he/she wants better than anyone else. Students have
very good thinking power and are well matured to handle things efficiently. I cannot tell Water
Resources is the greatest thing among all because, as a teacher I can only advice but not propagate
ideas.
Can you suggest few top universities in India or abroad offering masters in your field?
Virginia polytechnic institute and state university (Virginia tech)
Louisiana State University
University of Purdue
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Smitha Peethambaram
smitha_0402@yahoo.co.in
Portals, often referred to as Web portals for their typical implementation as websites, allow
organizations to publish data, reports, and applications from one central location.
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The recent maturity of Web-portal software provides a new approach to geospatial application
integration. Since all portlets in a portal follow the same model -- essentially extensible markup
language (XML) content exchanged via hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) -- any Web service or
"digital feed" that fits the model can be part of the same Web page. Few databases remain that do not
support some kind of direct Web-services access method, thereby opening the portal playing field to
databases as well. And because many business applications (such as for electronic document
management, enterprise resource management, and asset management) have openly published APIs
(application programming interfaces), even critical enterprise-scale business processes are candidates
for inclusion into a geospatial Web portal. A major advantage of integrating data and applications
through a Web portal (rather than custom coding) is the portal's inherent reliance on IT standards such
as Web services, XML, and HTTP. In fact, as far as the portal is concerned, it makes no difference
whether a dataset (geodatabase or otherwise) is hosted on a Unix/Oracle platform, a Windows/SQL
Server platform, an open-source alternative, or any other combination. Just stick to the XML and
HTTP standard.
Putting GIS into the Hands of Users: Because they also rely on single sign-on standards, Web
portals can keep track of who belongs to which communities and exactly which privileges each user
enjoys within each community. As the administrator, you may have the right to edit spatial and
nonspatial data, while a colleague may be limited to editing only tabular data or simply viewing the
data. Knowing who's who, enables data owners to maintain local control without curtailing enterprise
access. A county planner who needs to consolidate information from a variety of sources can do so
with a portal, but without needing the data suppliers to establish any centralized common
infrastructure.
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Conceptually, the mechanism behind portlet-to-portlet integration is quite simple. Portal developers set
up their portal servers -- middleware that filters browser requests and returns portal pages -- to
recognize data or keys common to more than one portlet. For instance, a mouse click on any feature on
the map triggers a message to the Web server with the selected feature s identification (ID) number
parameter. A map server somewhere in another office receives the ID and returns a new map image
with feature highlighted. Elsewhere, an entirely different machine running a database also waits for the
ID number. Send that machine an ID, and it will return purely tabular parcel details.
The Benefits of Portals: In a desktop environment, ESRI ArcView users are well-versed in selecting
points in a map view and seeing associated tables, charts, and graphs automatically redraw that new
data selection. Likewise, in a Web browser, map features and their associated attributes can be linked
in the same dynamic HTML page, exclusive of any portal technology structure of the database or its
location and platform.
In other words, portal users access specifically interpreted information rather than raw data. They
would choose to access a thundershower map portal built from a collection of weather-information
portlets rather than a database table called "storms" on the region's aviation server.
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The concept of integrating a map interface and spatial search capability with a Web portal contains the
potential to open up a new horizontal implementation of GIS across public and private sector
information domains. Better definitions and examples of portals will help demonstrate to clients or
managers that portal technology can improve organizations' efficiency and outreach by making
enhanced information readily available on the Web. The lack of geospatial portals on sites serving
organizations as diverse as airlines, telecoms, and county governments points to an open opportunity in
the geospatial marketplace. Going forward it will be interesting to watch how the open source and
commercial GIS software vendors compete to meet the needs of this space.
872 crore rupees was spent on cleaning the Yamuna since 1994. H owever, the
pollution level in the water has increased since then.
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Civil @ Waterloo
Abir Mukherjee
2000A2A3497
abirmkj@gmail.com
It is a well-known fact that after a B.E. in Civil Engineering most graduating students would consider
two options
either to take a job and begin a career or to pursue higher studies. Apart from this, there
are a few who fall into a third category of those who join the IAS, IES or choose a different path in
their career. This article is targeted primarily to those who wish to pursue higher studies in Civil; it
might also be helpful to someone who is on the lookout for various options.
Talking of higher studies, it is not hidden from anyone that the USA is the preferred destination for all,
and not without good reason. The US schools (that s what they call the universities there!) offer quality
education with fewer restrictions as to the language, work permits, lifestyle etc. as compared to many
others over the world. Added to this is the fact that there are already a lot of Indians in the USA and it
substantially increases the level of comfort of a student traveling abroad for the first time.
However, things change over time. With the US schools having lesser funding opportunities and
greater security restrictions owing to terrorist threats, people are on the lookout for other places that
provide an equally good, if not better opportunity for pursuing higher studies. When I started the
school-hunt, I purposely tried to find out universities outside the US simply because I was (and still
am) afraid that the US would soon be saturated, and hence, provide little opportunity. And in my quest,
I came across the University of Waterloo in Canada.
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Masters programmes here differ in that they are thesis-based rather than course-based as in the USA.
While this means doing fewer courses, it also requires some intense research work, and would provide
the students with a good opportunity to have some research experience.
Another strength of UW is its strong links with the alumni. Similar to BITS, there are a number of
alumni who are well-placed in the industry and are in touch with the current students through the
authorities. Some of them have distinguished themselves in their field, and often come down for
seminars etc.
Structures, Mechanics and Construction Engineering constitute the next largest set of funded projects
in the current year. Some of these projects include structural analysis of nuclear power plants, study of
building designs for abnormal loading, construction using FRPs (fibre reinforced polymers), fatigue
design for metal structures and studying structural vibrations under wind and earthquake loads.
one each on intelligent transport systems and infrastructure management dealing with
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pavement materials, design and management. There are also a couple of projects on Geotechnical
Engineering.
The Future
I will limit this section by saying that a lot of interest is being generated in Environmental Engineering
and Water Resources Engineering today. This observation is borne out by the fact that the largest
research group at UW is the Environment and Water Resources Engineering. However, this does not
exclude opportunities in Structures, Construction Engineering, Transportation and Geotechnical
Engineering. Recent explorations have revealed oil and mineral deposits in western Canada and have
increased the demand for civil engineers across all fields for development. However, the nature of the
job has probably changed from those of the traditional civil engineer.
Without getting into a further discussion on this issue, I suggest a few websites that might be of
interest:
http://www.civil.uwaterloo.ca/nre/NREvaziriRealloc.pdf
http://www.graduatingengineer.com/futuredisc/civil.html
http://www.transworldeducation.com/articles/engciv.htm
http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos027.htm#outlook
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Deepika Katta
2003A2PS740
If you have the heart of a homesteader and can endure a seven-month journey inside a container,
the size of a minivan, perhaps you will be among the first settlers of one of humanity's next
frontiers: Mars!!!
The most interesting question has become whether one day humans will occupy Mars. If we answer
that question in the affirmative, we must then ask how humans will begin their sojourn there. The latter
question can be answered with help of civil engineers. Thanks to scientists and engineers of Mars
Homestead Project, many of them from MIT, who explored the issues involved in designing and
constructing habitats on the surface of Mars through a simultaneous consideration of structural
engineering and architecture. The goal was to design self-sustaining habitats for humans living in
extreme conditions in an effort to facilitate the development of a viable community that would be safe,
efficient, and capable of expansion. This represents a collaborative effort in which civil and aerospace
engineers are working with architects to propose a possible solution for structural design on Mars.
A good life, according to the Mars Homestead Project, means having sufficient space for colonists to
tend to gardens, seek out peace and quiet in libraries and greenhouses, and tinker with their all-terrain
vehicles inside their own garages!
The primary requirements for the design of a settlement on Mars are safety, efficiency, expandability,
and habitability. Habitability is the hardest goal to quantify but is no less important to the success of a
settlement.
On average, Mars is about 1.5 times farther from the sun than the earth, which makes it a much colder
place. The average surface temperature is -60 degrees centigrade. Without a thick atmosphere to
insulate the surface, the diurnal temperature variation is also much greater, making temperatureinduced stresses a significant structural problem.
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Mars is smaller and has a lower overall density than the earth, resulting in a surface gravity that has
only 38 percent the strength of the earth s, or about 3.7 m/s2 Ironically, this does not make construction
easier. The required interior pressure is about an order of magnitude greater than the weight of the
materials necessary to enclose the space. Thus the major structural problem on Mars is holding the
buildings down, not holding them up against gravity, as on earth.
Mars has a very weak magnetic field and a thin atmosphere, providing only slight protection against
cosmic radiation. Despite its thin atmosphere, Mars has dynamic weather. To establish a permanent
presence on Mars, a realistic approach would be to maximize the use of martian materials and to
implement building techniques that were simple, well understood, and properly tested. Furthermore,
the use of simple construction would be important because the replacement of failed parts would take
years.
Masonry is the only readily available resource on the martian surface, and it is simple to produce and
extremely durable. The most abundant materials on the surface of Mars are regolith and rocks. The first
settlers could manufacture bricks using regolith. It may be possible to make bricks, fiberglass and
plastic from materials found on the planet's surface and in its atmosphere. Settlers could use CO2 in the
Martian atmosphere to help produce the ingredients necessary to make plastic. With pitched-brick
vaults incorporating arches that lean on one another and self-supporting domes, a wide variety of
spaces could be constructed without the need for centering, greatly simplifying the process.
Masonry s low tensile strength, however, poses a challenge that would have to be overcome. In order
to balance the interior pressure, the only option would be to cover the masonry structures with as much
as 10 m of regolith depending on the density of the material used. However turning settlers into cave
dwellers would be highly undesirable!! Therefore, to allow access to the surface and views of the
outdoors, a hybrid solution has been proposed that would rely on masonry structures acting in
compression, combined with inflatable structures acting in tension. The masonry would be used to
house programmatic elements that required such larger enclosed volumes as social spaces and science
laboratories. On the other hand, the inflatables would form segments that required access to the surface
and could be accommodated in smaller compartmentalized spaces-for example, private quarters,
greenhouses, air locks, and workshops. Maintaining pressure within Martian homes will be paramount.
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Materials such as brick and stone will have to be lined or sealed with plastic or fiberglass, and
sufficiently reinforced with soil or other materials to prevent the buildings from exploding. The homes
will have airlocks throughout to shield inhabitants from areas that have lost pressure. Photograph at the
Mars Homestead Project website shows an English home resembling Bilbo Baggins' burrow as
described in J.R.R. Tolkien's novel, The Hobbit.
Designing which of these techniques would be optimal for construction on Mars will be part of the
research necessary in the coming years. One of the most important challenges would be to find an
appropriate mortar to hold the individual masonry units in place during construction and to smooth out
stress concentrations between masonry units. A second challenge would be the high labor intensity of
masonry construction, hardly consistent with the high cost of labor on Mars. Thus, the majority of work
would have to be automated. Humans could perform a few critical tasks, and robots could complete the
bulk of the work. A third challenge would be sealing the structures against air leakage, which is
achieved by glazing the entire construction.
That is why Martian architecture will likely be dominated by domed and rounded structures. Mars'
atmospheric pressure is a fraction of that found on Earth. Round or cylindrical shapes will distribute
pressure from inside a Martian structure along its surface.
Humans on Earth typically choose to live outside of caves, and near sources of sunlight and water -something they will also want to do on Mars. Advances in material science and nanotechnology,
combined with in situ resource utilization, continue to reduce the mass required for space structures.
All of these developments are bringing the cost of sending humans to Mars down to more acceptable
levels. By maximizing the use of resources available on Mars, we will soon be able to make humanity a
multiplanet species. Civil engineers have an important role to play in this endeavor and there is much
that remains to be done!
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Total
Unconnected
31.3.95
31.3.96
31.3.2000
129652
109739
111003
115800
13852
Below 1000
459465
173837
175637
182837
276628
589117
233576
286640
298637
290480
With a view of redressing the situation, Government has launched the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak
Yojana on 25th December, 2000 to provide all-weather access to unconnected habitations (A
Habitation is a cluster of population, living in an area, the location of which does not change over time.
Desam, Dhanis, Tolas, Majras, Hamlets etc. are commonly used terminology to describe the
habitations. An unconnected habitation is one which is located at a distance of at least 500 metres or
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more from an All-weather road or a connected habitation). The Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana
(PMGSY) is a 100 percent centrally sponsored scheme, which started with an initial budget of 60,000
crore and increased to more than 1, 00,000 crore now.
The primary objective of the PMGSY is to provide connectivity, by All-weather Roads (with necessary
culverts and cross-drainage structures, which is operable throughout the year), to the eligible
unconnected habitations in the rural areas, in such a way that all unconnected habitations with a
population of 1000 persons and above are covered in three years (2000-2003) and all unconnected
habitations with a population of 500 persons and above by the end of the Tenth Plan Period (2007). For
the hill states (North-East, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Uttaranchal) and the Desert
Areas as well as the Tribal areas, the objective would be to connect habitations with a population of
250 persons and above.
The PMGSY will also permit the upgradation of the existing roads in those districts where all the
eligible habitations of the designated population size mentioned above have been provided all-weather
road connectivity. In upgradation works, priority should be given to thorough routes of the Rural Core
Network, which carry more traffic.
NHDP (Phase III) was launched in 2005 for upgradation and 4 laning of 10,000 km of selected high
traffic density, providing connectivity to the state capitals and national highways, providing
connectivity to the important cities in the state at an estimated cost of Rs. 55,000 crore (at 2005
prices). This project would be implemented on public private basis.
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The NHDP (Phase IV) which is yet to be launched includes widening of 20000km of the National
Highways to two lanes with very good paved shoulders. The government has also decided to convert
the 6500km National Highways whose traffic density is extremely high into 6 lanes.
North
NHDP Total
South &
(Phase (km)
East West
III)
Corridors
Total
Length
5,846
7,300
4,015
17,16
Already 4Laned
5,202
798
6,000
Under Implementati
on(km)
644
2,487
44
3,175
Balance
length
1,865
3,089
4,954
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Rufus kumar
2001B1A2805
A dam is a barrier across flowing water that obstructs, directs or retards the flow, often creating a
reservoir, lake or impoundment. Most dams have a section called spillway, over which or through
which the water is intended to flow. Dujiangyan dam on the Minjiang River, a tributary of the Yangtze
is the first dam built.
Intended purposes include providing water for irrigation or town or city water supply, improving
navigation, creating a reservoir of water to supply for industrial uses, generating hydroelectric power,
creating recreation areas or habitat for fish and wildlife, flood control and containing effluent from
industrial sites such as mines or factories. Multi-purpose dams serve more than one of these purposes.
TYPES OF DAMS
Arch Dams
Buttress Dams
Embarkment Dams
Gravity Dams
ARCH DAMS
Arch dams are made from concrete. They are curved in the shape of an
arch, with the top of the arch pointing back into the water. An arch is a
strong shape for resisting the pushing force of the water behind the
dam. Arch dams are usually constructed in narrow, steep sided valleys.
They need good rock for their foundations, and for the sides of the
valleys, to resist the forces on the dam.
Elatzar Dam in Madrid, Spain
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Variable radius dams - have upstream and downstream curves of systematically decreasing radii with
depth below the crest.
BUTTRESS DAMS
Buttress dams are made from concrete or masonry. They have a watertight upstream side supported by
triangular shaped walls, called buttresses. The buttresses are spaced at intervals on the downstream
side. They resist the force of the reservoir water trying to push the dam over.
The buttress dam was developed from the idea of the gravity dam, except that it uses a lot less material
due to the clear spaces between the buttresses. Like gravity dams, they are suited to both narrow and
wide valleys, and they must be constructed on sound rock.
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Sefid-Rud (Iran)
EMBARKMENT DAMS
Embarkment dams are made mainly from natural materials. The
two main types are earthfill dams and rockfill dams. Earthfill
dams are made up mostly from compacted earth, while rockfill
dams are made up mainly from dumped and compacted rockfill.
The materials are usually excavated or quarried from nearby
sites, preferably within the reservoir basin.
A cross-section (or slice) through an embarkment dam shows that it is shaped like a bank, or hill. Most
embarkment dams have a central section, called the core, made from an impermeable material to stop
water passing through the dam. Clayey soils, concrete or asphaltic concrete can be used for the core.
Rockfill dams. They can have a core or an impermeable cover on the upstream face. Materials used for
the cover include reinforced concrete and asphaltic concrete. Embarkment dams are usually chosen for
sites with wide valleys. They can be built on hard rock or softer soils, as they do not exert too much
pressure on their foundations.
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GRAVITY DAMS
A gravity dam is made from concrete or masonry, or sometimes both. It is
called a gravity dam because gravity holds it down to the ground stopping the
water in the reservoir pushing it over. A cross-section (or slice) through a
gravity dam will usually look roughly triangular. Gravity dams are suited to
sites with either wide or narrow valleys, but they do need to be built on sound
rock. Grand Coulee Dam in Washington (at the right) is a gravity dam.
CONSIDERATIONS
The best place for building a dam is a narrow part of a deep river valley; the valley sides can then act as
natural walls. The primary function of the dam's structure is to fill the gap in the natural reservoir line
left by the stream channel. The sites are usually those where the gap becomes minimum for the
required storage capacity. The most economical arrangement is often a composite structure such as a
masonry dam flanked by earth embankments. The current use of the land to be flooded should be
dispensable.
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local tim e)
USA
m ained unrecovered
debris
a truck
World Trade Centre Oklahoma City Federal Building it might be some other building today..!
Terrorism has spread wide in today s world leaving all corners in terror and fright!!! There has to be
some end to it. With terrorism claiming new victims everyday, the construction industry needs to
develop the technology to protect structures from sabotage.
The design of civilian or commercial buildings to withstand the effects of a terrorist blast is unlike the
design of military installations or the design of embassies, which occupy secure sites with substantial
keep-out distances surrounding the assets; unfortunately, this is not possible for most civilian
structures.
The keep-out distance is vital in the design of blast resistant structures since it is the key parameter that
determines, for a given charge weight, the blast overpressures that load the building and its structural
elements. The degree of fenestration is another key parameter as it determines the pressures that enter
the structure. The smaller the door and window openings the better protected the occupants are within
the structure.
Designers of civilian structures are caught in a dilemma. Many of the features that make the structures
desirable work spaces are the same features that make them more vulnerable to attack. Situated on
urban sites, civilian structures are limited in their ability to restrict terrorist access to a prescribed keepPage 45
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out distance. Hence, the role of the blast engineer is further complicated by architectural criteria that
directly contradict the blast-mitigation objectives. Attention must be given to the behavior of the
structural elements to improve their redundancy, toughness, and ductility and to provide adequate
means to guarantee the keep-out distance available to the site.
As for the bombings, the terrorist threats range from the large truck bomb to the mid-size car bomb to
the small package or letter bomb. For these assaults, the source can originate either external or internal
to the structure. Irrespective of the bomb size, there will always be some localized damage and some
unavoidable deaths.
The threat for a conventional bomb is defined by two equally important elements, the bomb size, or
charge weight, and the standoff distance, the minimum guaranteed distance between the blast source
and the target. The incident peak pressures are amplified by a reflection factor as the shock wave
encounters an object or structure in its path. Reflection factors depend on the intensity of the shock
wave and for large explosives at normal incidence these reflection factors may enhance the incident
pressures by as much as an order of magnitude.
Structural hardening should actually be the last resort in protecting a structure; detection and
prevention must remain the first line of defense.
The two parameters that most directly influence the blast environment that the structure will be
subjected to are the standoff distance, the only parameter that anyone has any control over and the
bomb's charge weight. Regardless of the selected charge weight, the maximum attainable standoff or
keep-out distance must be secured around the entire perimeter of the building. Several
recommendations can be made to maintain and improve the standoff distance for the building under
consideration:
Use anti-ram bollards or large planters, placed around the entire perimeter.
The public parking lot at the corner of the building must be secured to guarantee the
prescribed keep-out distance from the face of the structure.
Street parking should not be permitted on the near side of the street, adjacent to the
building.
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The injury to the lower floor inhabitants will be equally severe, especially at these short standoffs. In
general, three sizes of charges can be discussed.
To protect against a small charge weight, a nominal 300 mm (12 in.) thick wall with
0.3% steel doubly reinforced in both directions might be required.
For intermediate charge weight protection, a 460 mm (18 in.) thick wall with 0.5% steel
might be needed.
Glazing
Glazing, a pressure sensitive element, is the first building component likely to fail in response to the
initial blast pressure that engulfs the building. It has been described as the first weak link. Commonly
used annealed glass behaves poorly when loaded dynamically. The failure mode for annealed glass
creates large sharp edged shards, resembling knives and daggers. Thermally Tempered Glass (TTG)
and Polycarbonate lay-ups can be made in sheets up to about l-in. thick and can resist pressures up to
about 200 to 275 kPa (30 to 40 psi). Unlike annealed glass, TTG breaks into rock-salt sized pieces that
will inflict less injury on the occupants.
Floor Slabs
The reinforced-concrete flat-plate structural system supports the gravity loads within the building. It is
an economical solution, which provides for maximum use of vertical space, particularly for buildings
in areas with height restriction. This allows for mechanical systems to pass unobstructed, and permits
easy forming and fabrication of the slab system.
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Columns
The columns of the typical building are primarily designed to resist gravity loads in which no special
accounting for ductility demands has been taken. For blast consideration, the distance from the
explosion determines, to a great extent, the characteristics of the loading on the structure. The potential
for direct lateral loading on the face of the columns, resulting from the blast pressure and impact of
explosive debris, requires that the lower-floor columns be designed with adequate ductility and
strength. The possibility of uplift must be considered, and, if deemed likely, the columns must be
reinforced to withstand a transient tensile force.
Transfer Girders
The presence of transfer girders in a blast-designed building must be handled with utmost care.
Transfer girders typically concentrate the load-bearing system into a smaller number of structural
elements. This load-transfer system runs contrary to the concept of redundancy desired in a blast
environment.
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This seems like some highway engineer's fantasy now, but such driver-aiding technologies can be
implemented in reality through Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), improving communications
among vehicle, highway, and driver by using sophisticated computers, electronics and satellites to
improve safety, mobility, air quality and productivity of personal & commercial travel. All these are
fostered by Geographical Information System (GIS), Global Positioning System (GPS), Electronic
Data Interchange (EDI), Mobile Communications (MC), Digital Maps, Smart Cards, Computers &
Sensors, Radio Frequency Identifiers, Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) and others.
The goal is to make driving safer, more energy-efficient and more environmentally responsible by
ensuring smoother traffic flow and reduced congestion, reduced fuel consumption, reduced emissions,
encourage use of public transport, improve highway safety, reduced delays and increased efficiency.
Metropolitan Cities of Developing countries like India are met with new and heavy demands on their
Transportation Systems due to increase in Population as well as in Industrial and commercial activities.
This has led to heavy growth in Intermediate and Private Transport.
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Traffic detection
Traffic detection plays a major role in the ITS, which is facilitated by Inductive
Loops Detection System, Close Circuit Television, Wide Area Video
Detection System, Infrared Laser Detection System and many such
technologies.
The main goal of ATIS(Advanced Traveler Information Systems), one of the major ITS functional
areas is to improve the efficiency and safety of the transportation system by providing motorists with a
variety of information, thus allowing them to make intelligent decisions concerning their route and
mode of transportation.
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ITS in Transit
APTS(Advanced Public Transit Systems) technologies are a collection of technologies that increase the
efficiency and safety of public transportation systems and offer users greater access to information on
system operations. The implementation of APTS technologies is transforming the way public
transportation systems operate and changing the nature of the transportation services that can be
offered by public transportation systems. The goal is to provide public transportation decision-makers
more information to make effective decisions on systems and operations and to increase traveler s
convenience and ridership.
Conceptual Layout
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Positioning System (GPS) which can send & receive signals from the master hub. Request is
processed by the master hub & the processed data is transferred to the nearest taxi available in
that area gets the message.
Signal Coordination using TRANSYT (Ex. Mantralaya & Bandra in Mumbai), SCAT
(SOUTH COAST AREA TRANSIT)/SCOOT
Sky Bus
This is a suspended technology which will solve the problem of traffic
congestion and pollution in metros and big cities. This is eco-friendly and
cost effective too.
This shows ITS for sustainable transportation systems development aiming at efficient,
comfortable, economical, safe, pollution free and tension free travel. As can be seen from the case
studies implemented in India, the full-fledged ITS system is yet to be established. However the
initiation made in this direction will directly prove beneficial for further implementation of ITS
in India.
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Pep up your spirits with the latest grandeur to BI TS - Student Activities Centre sweetly called SAC, true to its name, an enclosed space for myriad of activities which are hep and happening in the campus. Occupying an area of
55,000 square feet, SAC is all set to rock the campus providing a major hub
for all the student activities by the end of April.
The architectural design was proposed by Mr.Sanjay Moondra who is working for AAYAM CON SULTANTS, I ndore.
SAC has 20 rooms to cater the needs of all the clubs, departments and also the
student
union programs ( unfortunately there is no place here for assocs...!) I t
Busy with the on-going projects and conferences all over the world, but still affable to every Bitsian
when
neededin a..depicts
virtuoso
of this professional
professor,
Dr. A.K.Sarkar.
His cycles
studies
is
spread
green the
area,
providing
an adequate
parking
facility for
and works touch the pinnacle of knowledge, always eyeing the rural development of India. This is
evident from all those frames adoring the walls of his big square chamber in fd1.
This is the snippet from his interview..
SAC features
A multipurpose hall next to the entrance, engaging an area of 4100
square feet for housing tournaments, meetings and various other needs
Another hall with three TT tables giving an added advantage to hold simultaneous competitions during BOSM
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The pyramidal shape of various blocks was designed to facilitate high absorbance of energy. The most significant feature is the steel frame roofing for multipurpose hall, TT room and Badminton courts, which have a large span.
This kind of roofing is done for the large spanned structures, that cant be supported with conventional RCC sections, which demand a greater depth that is
undesirable in architectural and aesthetical point of view.
SAC is centrally located among the hostels and faculty houses, thus providing
a different kind of ambience. Gear up this summer to find your own interest
spot and get enamoured by the glory of our new Student Activities Centre..!
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Busy with the on-going projects and conferences all over the world, but still
affable to every Bitsian when needed
professional professor, Dr. A.K. Sarkar, whose studies & works are mostly
dedicated to the the rural development of India. This fact is evident from all
those frames adoring the walls of his big square chamber in fd1.
Here s the snippet from his interview...
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Can you tell us something about the projects you have undertaken?
i) Strengthening of National Highway: It was undertaken while I was working in Kharagpur. This was
a consultancy project involving Bihar, Orissa and Bengal. It dealt with the study of existing situation of
roads. It involved a lot of field work and I really enjoyed it.
ii) Rural Accessibility: As nobody was interested to do this project, I took it up when I was working
with CSIR. That was my first project in rural transportation and that changed my total life. I developed
a technology for quantification of rural roads. That gave me a lot of satisfaction. With the increased
interest in this field I also happened to present a paper by which I was drawn into the International
Labor Organization, London in the year 1999.
iii) PMGSY: A seminar was organized in Bhuvaneshwar in the year 2002. We (BITS) got very much
involved in it and thus after a few days we were offered to become one of the seven Principal Technical
Agencies (PTA s) of PMGSY. Through this programme, we did many projects, one of which is
Performance evaluation and modeling . It was a huge project (20 Lakhs). This is evident from the
roads of Pilani that are now being developed as a part of PMGSY.
iv) Other Projects: I am negotiating a project on Effect of roads on mobility and health in Dubai
which is being funded by Swiss development agency. We also developed a webpage for TRL.
I am sure that within two years BITS-Pilani will be recognized as a pioneer in transportation field. We
will soon be in the limelight.
How do you see the future developments and prospects in this field?
Future developments
they are already booming..!! When I opted this field, I knew that the need of
more experts would arise. But, I never expected this kind of thunder..! After the construction phase of
roads, maintenance and repair have their huge importance. So, the boom in this sector is going to last.
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your interest. In other universities, if the jobs in the respective field get exhausted, there is very less
scope to get into other fields unlike the case with BITSians.
.
Would you suggest any changes that will further enhance the standard of civilities in BITS?
It is to be accepted that practical knowledge is slightly lacking here. Field visits will certainly give
some exposure. In this competitive world, students are not in a position to afford time for thinking.
Projects increase the scope to develop by bridging this gap (if taken seriously).
How would you direct your students to take transportation as their masters?
I will tell everyone to go for it and also suggest to go abroad for masters (if affordable) taking the
advantage of this brand equity of BITS. The exposure students get at US is great due to their
democratically open universities.
when I
saw only six students in the class, out of 56 students who got registered. I knew I am not that bad as a
teacher. I really couldn t take it. So I went straight to the director and had a long discussion regarding
this.
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Non-motorized transport is not getting proper place in planning process. It is instead considered
nuisance on roads ignoring their contribution to the society. My dream is to have total connectivity
across the nation by both motorized and also non-motorized vehicles.
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S P
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V E N I
S E V A N
CONCRETE
Y N T
C G I
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N
C
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S
A
T
I
L
E
R
Y
W
H
E
R
E
U
R
A
L
X
P
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V
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B. Naga Lalitha
2002A2PS326
I was walking along the concrete sidewalk towards a concrete bench. The heat of the day was intense
as it radiated off the concrete building that lined the concrete pavement. I paused momentarily to lean
against a concrete lamp post and concentrated my slurry of thoughts into a more rigid mass. After a
while I continued my walk.
I was directed under a large concrete archway. The entrance was very steep with two concrete statues
of vicious looking dogs guarding the way. The door led to a large room. The walls were made of
concrete blocks arranged in an off-set pattern. My mind tried to trace an escape route in the mortar
trails between the bricks, but I kept running into dead ends much like the situation I was in, there were
no concrete answers
Buildings, bridges, dams, water tanks, pathways, statues what else! Every structure is made of
concrete. We feel it in every step of our life. The hardened history of concrete is never bothered much.
If we scratch some of the facts, they will surely surprise us.
Digging into the past, the age of cement dates back to 12 million years. Natural cement was created
when the earth was undergoing intense geologic changes. It was this natural cement that humans
started to use. Natural deposits of cement compounds formed due to reactions between lime stone and
oil shale during spontaneous combustion almost 10 million years ago were traced in Israel during late
1970s .It is not a wonder for Egyptians to use gypsum and lime mortars, the ingredients of cement in
the construction of pyramids in 3000 BC. Cementitious materials were used in the construction of the
famous Great Wall of China. The structures in Italy built with Pozzolana cement around 300 BC still
exist today. A mortar mixture of one part lime to four parts sand with animal milk, blood and fat
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admixtures were used in their construction. The hidden fire in the heated lime when it is mixed with
water was discovered in seventeenth century. The use of stucco or the hydraulic cement for exterior
plastering was started in the eighteenth century itself. Thus, usage of hydrated lime mortar in
constructions faced different phases of evolution till 1843, the year in which the era of Portland cement
started. The idea of steel reinforcement was lighted in 1871 and by 1889 the first concrete reinforced
bridge was built. It took a century to bring in fiber reinforced concrete into picture. Concrete in its
present form is the youngest of these three basic structural materials of construction, the other two
being masonry and steel.
Concrete is a strong artificial stone. It is virtually all natural, environmental friendly and recyclable.
Concrete is not as likely to rot, corrode, or decay as other building materials. It is a non-combustible
material. It is resistant to wind, water, rodents and insects. The importance of concrete in the modern
society cannot be underestimated. Concrete is a composite material made up of filler and binder. The
binder (cement paste) glues the filler together to form a synthetic conglomerate. It allows the architects
and engineers to choose not only its mode of production, but its material properties as well.
Concrete does have some limitations despite its numerous advantages. Concrete has a relatively low
tensile strength, low ductility, low strength-to-weight ratio, and is susceptible to cracking. Concrete
remains the material of choice for many applications regardless of these limitations. Fiber Reinforced
Concrete evolved to solve some of the problems associated with the properties like toughness and
tensile strength. Even the advent of FRC dates back to 1940s. More recently after numerous tests and
evolution micro fibers, such as those used in traditional composite materials have been introduced into
the concrete mixture to increase its toughness, or ability to resist crack growth. The choice of fibers
varies from synthetic organic materials such as polypropylene or carbon, synthetic inorganic such as
steel or glass, natural organic such as cellulose or sisal to natural inorganic asbestos. FRC has started to
find its place in many areas of civil infrastructure applications where the need for repairing, increased
durability arises. The main disadvantage associated with the fiber reinforced concrete is fabrication.
The process of incorporating fibers into the cement matrix is labor intensive and costlier than the
production of the plain concrete. The real advantages gained by the use of FRC overrides this
disadvantage.
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The evolution of concrete has many stages. Light weight concrete is used for the construction of
multistoried buildings, shell roofs, pre-cast elements, folded plates etc. High Strength concrete or micro
silica concrete or condensed silica fume concrete though it is more brittle than ordinary concrete, finds
extensive importance in case of high rise buildings since the sizes of column and amount of steel will
be reduced to a greater extent and thereby decreases great burden of cost. High Performance Concrete
is very different from conventional reinforced concrete. It provides a quick way of supporting loads on
a structure. It is used when construction should be a very quick process. It has an ability to reach an
adequate maturity in 24 hours rather than 7 days for regular concrete. It is a mixture whose properties
include increased strength and better performances in the areas of durability, ductility, density, mixture
stability and chemical resistance, to name only a few.
Because of the rapid developments of concrete construction and technology, with every passing year
the use of concrete for tall buildings is becoming a constant reality. The mouldability of concrete is a
major factor in creating exciting building forms with elegant aesthetic expression. Compared to steel,
concrete tall buildings have larger masses and damping ratios that help in minimizing motion
perception. A heavier concrete structure also provides better stability against overturning caused by
lateral loads.
There is a great difference in the structures from the past to the present and we can expect a greater
difference in future. Although steel will continue to be the structural material of choice for many tall
buildings for its strength and ductility, we may expect to see more and more concrete and composite
high-rise structures shaping the skylines of major cities of the world in the forthcoming years.
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Ashvini Kumar
2002B2A2647
An inter-continental highway interlinking the whole world was 20th century mankind s dream, as the
project is so vast and the cost of completing it is so enormous and rifts caused by demands of
individual nations and environmental issues were so wide that it was never realized. If the Peace King
tunnel were built under the Bering strait, a network of roads and railways connecting Cape of good
hope in South Africa to the southern extremity of Chile in Southern America will be complete with the
under water seabed tunnel connecting Europe and Africa already under construction across Gibraltar
strait.
The construction of the Peace King tunnel under the Bering Strait, linking the continents, would be the
largest civil engineering project on the earth with an estimated price tag of almost $200billion and
would be recorded as the greatest test in the history. Various natural resources and raw materials in vast
amounts are buried in Alaska and Siberia, which are not being used due to difficulty in transportation
and the harsh climatic conditions. By being connected to North American continent through a tunnel,
Russia could benefit by mobilizing material capital and technology from U.S and Canada. This would
have a strong economic impact. This article focuses on the plan of the project, difficulties and
environmental issues and its financial impact.
Plan for tunnel connection under bering strait between Siberia & Alaska
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Terminals on both shores will have passenger and cargo transit stations with amenities such as a lounge
and a service area for customs and immigration. They are designed as multi terminal complexes to
connect to the existing transportation network. A manmade island would be created with to house the
ventilation systems, emergency exists and tourist attractions. 85km tunnel would require about 4-6
ventilation systems of which two would be on the artificial island and the remaining will be on the two
Diomede islands in the Bering strait.
Difficulties in Construction
The Bering Strait is in the polar climatic zone of Arctic Circle with winter temperatures of -20 to -50
deg Celsius. Almost half of the year there is no sunlight and the strait is a part of a route that ice bergs
travel. The Bering Strait is ice bound every year from around September or October until the end of
June in the following year. Connecting two continents by a bridge requires complicated techniques
owing to the numerous floating icebergs crashing to the bridge during the winter and transportation by
car is almost impossible for more than half of the year due to the harsh polar climate. So it would be
appropriate to construct a tunnel rather than bridge to connect the two continents.
The Bering Strait is 53 mile wide and 55 m (180 feet) at its deepest and is expected to be a very
complicated place to work. The actual time possible for the construction will be only 5 ~ 6 months a
year which increases the construction period of the project. At present, there is no ground transport to
Wales, which is the proposed tunnel excavation point in Alaska. With the Siberian side facing the same
problem, it would face difficulties in transportation of manpower which raises the cost of construction.
Large scale excavators and various pieces of heavy equipment must be shipped by sea.
It is possible that environmental groups will oppose the tunnel construction and demand the
preservation of Polar Regions ecosystem and preservation of polar bears and seals. The population in
the remote areas of Siberia and Alaska is expected to escalate owing to increase in jobs and
environmental disruption brought about by increases in population is also a concern. The World Bank
and other investors are under pressure environmental groups not to invest in the development of
wilderness areas.
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Financial Impact
There would be economic benefits all over the world if Peace King tunnel were completed. Various
natural resources and raw materials in vast amounts are buried in Alaska. Ten percent of world s coal
reserves are in Alaska. It is also rich in minerals such as zinc, gold, copper, silver and lead, and has
massive reserve of oil and natural gas. Once oil and gas pipelines are built with the construction of the
Peace King tunnel, these regions will develop and solution will be found to the problem of mankind s
lack of resources.
If Peace King tunnel were completed, it would transform previously inaccessible areas of the world in
Alaska and Siberia into tourist attractions. Alaska is fully loaded with the natural resources, but its
economic development is limited due to lack of reasonable transport. If Peace King tunnel were to be
constructed Alaska s natural resources and raw materials will play a major role in world market.
Various underground resources in Siberia and Eurasia could be exported to Canada and U.S by
inexpensive railroad.
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!!!
What motivated you to continue in civil engineering field after finishing bachelors?
Civil has always fascinated me, right from my childhood. I feel Civil Engineering is the only branch
that offers you an opportunity, to do something good for the society, in terms of providing shelter to
people, developing a nation s infrastructure and economy, disaster management, and most importantly
whatever you do as a Civil Engineer, lasts in the memories of the people forever. In simple terms,
anything related to Civil lasts the longest. This scenario isn't the same when it comes to our softwares,
electronics or machinery. We have to realize the fact that, this technology that people are enjoying
today, couldn t have been made possible without our substantiating Mother Discipline . This is what
motivated me to go with CIVIL.
--- Sri Harsha.V
I love Civil Engineering, and I didn't feel that doing something totally unrelated after 4 years of really
hard work, and effectively wasting those 4 years of my life was the way to go. Of course, I did not have
any pressing family reasons to take up a software job immediately. If life gives you the opportunity to
do whatever you want, go for it. This is my personal opinion, and I'm not trying to influence anybody.
"...to go with civil when all your friends went into software side?" is an incorrect statement. I had one
friend going into computer science, one into GIS, one went into NGO work and then finance, 2 into
Civil Engineering firms, several in management, and a few into higher studies in Civil Engineering. It s
an individual's personal choice to do what he/she likes. If you like software, or have a need to get
a software job at this time of your life, do it, by all means. In Civil Engineering, I love fluid mechanics,
and Environmental Engineering and Water Resources. I feel these areas have direct impact on human
life, and give me the best avenues to do research that contribute to human betterment.
---Vamsi Sridharan
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Do you think the CDCs being taught here are enough for a student to directly enter a civil job
and excel there??? What do you personally feel based on your experience?? If your answer
to this question is "NO", then what do you think can be done from the part of the students to
overcome the deficit?
Well, 8 CDCs might not be able to help a student enter a civil job, but if the student is determined
enough to learn in depth on his own, it is very much possible. Let me cite a small example, in reference
to the above. We in BITS, are not taught much of Railway Engineering, but my interest in Railways
motivated me to learn some basics. When in campus interviews, I was asked to draw the sketch of
switch and a turnout, I haven t taken more that a few seconds to put it on paper. This is something that
was never taught to us. It depends on the student to keep himself updated, in this aspect. What is
essential is being covered in our CDCs, the rest depends on the student to take initiative, and faculty is
always there to help in case of any doubts. I would advise my juniors not just to rely on books and
classes, because the present industry demands are not met by bookish knowledge.
--- Sri Harsha.V
I have gone into research and higher education. My personal opinion is that the 8 CDCs are enough to
give you a solid foundation, either in a job or in higher studies. Both the environments look for
analytical ability, fast thinking and creativity, something that BITS creates in you through student
activities and rigorous math and physics courses. If you pay attention to the analytical courses in BITS
that are enterprising , you will succeed. It doesn't matter a damn if you learnt 8 CDCs or 88.
I have realized that we at BITS like to complain a lot that this is not right and that is not right. After
coming out, I realized that we are much more better than most undergraduates in the world in terms of
exposure and overall development, and analytical ability. We must work hard at what we do. We have
a very student-friendly faculty, probably the most approachable department in BITS. From what I see,
they are doing their bit in introducing new courses, and organizing more seminars. Attend these and
meet new people, and learn what you can do with your life being a Civil Engineer from BITS,
something to be proud of. The desert development cell is a brilliant idea, for instance. You will see the
worth of your degree once you get out of BITS. It s worth the heavens!!!
---Vamsi Sridharan
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Dr. A.P. Singh obtained his B.E (Hons.) Civil, M.E. (Civil)
What made you come back to BITS to work as a professor from being a student? How would you
describe this feeling?
I know very well how important role a teacher can play for the society. Infact my whole family is
associated with this profession and this motivated me to choose this profession.
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reach Pilani, who was very fond of traveling places. Then finally reached Pilani on 27th of June and
applied for civil engineering right on 28th, the next day itself. I had no time to judge other disciplines,
neither did I want to..!
What has (not) changed the most in BITS since you were a student here?
From the infrastructure point of view, lot of changes took place. IPC was there even then however,
computation facility has been improved tremendously now. Also the water table which was at 180 feet
is now 220 feet. There was the same rush in C not even in our student days.
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interested students can take various electives and project type course offered by the Institute to fill the
deficiency if any.
How well would you recommend your students to take MS in this field?
In my opinion, Water and Environmental Engineering, and Transportation Engineering have lot of
scope these days.
MS universities:
OHIO university for environmental and water resources
Purdue university, USA
University of California
Stanford university
Louisiana State University
Golden Books/Jounals...
Surface Water Quality Modelling-----Steven C. Chapra
Environmental Planning, Management and Development
Asit K.Biswas
HIGHRISE 2006
I give all the credit to the Faculty of Civil Engineering Department. It was a wonderful
experience, taking electives in Civil Engg. The classes on GIS, Soil mechanics, Hydrology, and
Hydraulics were highly useful in my higher studies. I have realized that one can pursue a great
career in Civil Engineering; there is no necessity to get perturbed and think about jumping into
software streams. Also, for those who possess good software skills, there is a plethora of
opportunities to use them in Civil Engineering applications. Once again, I would like to thank all
my professors for being very patient with my endless number of questions (in the study material)
during the class meetings. I am still learning
..
Thanks
Good Luck and God Bless!
Pavitra Rammohan.
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Everybody travels, whether it is to work, play, shop, do business, or simply visit people. Historically,
people have traveled and goods have been moved by road, water, rail and also by air. Whilst the birth
of the road is lost in the mists of antiquity, there is no doubt but that the trails deliberately chosen by
early man and his pack animals were the forerunners of today s road. As civilization developed and
people s desire for communication increased, the early trails became pathways and the pathways
evolved into recognized travelways. Many of these early travelways - termed ridgeways - were located
high on hillsides where the underbrush was less dense and walking was easier; they were also above
soft ground in the valleys and avoided unsafe wooded areas.
The invention of the wheel in Mesopotamia in 5000 BC and the subsequent development of an axle
that joined two wheels and enabled heavy loads to be carried more easily, gave rise to wider travelways
with firmer surfacings capable of carrying concentrated loads, but with less steep connecting routes
down to/up from valleys and fordable streams. Thus trackways evolved were created along the
contours of lower slopes i.e. they were sufficiently above the bottoms of valleys to ensure good
drainage but low enough to obviate unnecessary climbing. The trackways eventually became wellestablished trade routes along which settlements developed, and these gave rise to hamlets and villagessome of which, eventually, became towns and cities.
Not withstanding the many examples of early man-made roads that are found in various parts of the
world, it is the Romans who must be given credit for being the first professional road-makers. Started
in 312 BC, the roads were built with conscripted labour and commonly constructed at least 4.25 m
wide to enable two chariots to pass with ease and legions to march six abreast. It was common practice
to reduce gradients by cutting tunnels. Most of the great Roman roads were built on embankments 1m
or 2m high so as to give troops a commanding view of the countryside and make them less vulnerable
to surprise attack; this had the engineering by-product of helping to keep the carriageway dry.
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The terms road and street began to come into wide usage in England in the 16th and 17th centuries, with
the word road possibly coming from the verb to ride and implying a route along which one could
progress by riding, whilst street likely came from a Latin word meaning constructed.
The end of World War 1 resulted in a major impetus being given to commercial road transport, when a
myriad of motor trucks became available for non-military uses and thousands of trained lorry drivers
were returned from the army to the civilian workforce.
Overall, the first 40 years of the 20th century were years of evolutionary development rather than
revolutionary change for roads. Initially, the emphasis was on laying the dust using, mainly, tar and
bitumen surfacings, and then on reconstructing existing roads. Research was carried out into highway
engineering, soil mechanics, and bituminous and concrete technology , which marked the beginning of
the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) at Harmondsworth, Middlesex.
After World War 2, road technology took a giant step forward with momentous research programmes,
which included the development of special test tracks to study pavement materials, design and
construction. The outcomes of these research programmes, and the development of associated roadmaking and traffic-management techniques, were major influences for road development on the
international scene, especially in the 1950s.
The motorway and trunk road network is now the backbone of any country s transport infrastructure,
and the country s economic health and quality of life depend upon the system being well built, well
managed, and well maintained.
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optimization techniques are also increasing. To overcome the difficulties of the classical optimization
techniques to solve the complex problems, evolutionary algorithms have taken the centre stage in
solving the problems more efficiently.
Evolutionary algorithms are stochastic search methods that mimic the metaphor of natural biological
evolution. Evolutionary algorithms operate on a population of potential solutions applying the principle
of survival of the fittest to produce better and better approximations to a solution. At each generation, a
new set of approximations is created by the process of selecting individuals according to their level of
fitness in the problem domain and breeding them together using operators borrowed from natural
genetics. This process leads to the evolution of populations of individuals that are better suited to their
environment than the individuals that they were created from, just as in natural adaptation. Some of the
modern heuristic approaches are simulated annealing, tabu search, genetic algorithms, differential
evolution, evolutionary strategies, particle swarm optimization and ant colony optimization etc.
Starting in the early 1990s, evolutionary algorithms have been applied and demonstrated for system
optimization in the context of civil engineering problems.
Numerous studies over the past decade in almost all the major fields of Civil Engineering show not
only the viability of applying evolutionary algorithms to these challenging problems, but also shows
the efficiency and robustness enabled by these techniques. In addition to single objective optimization,
these evolutionary algorithms are playing a major role in determining the solutions for the
multiobjective optimization problems with multiple competing objectives. The structure of these
algorithms readily support efficient search for pareto optimal solutions to a multiobjective optimization
problem. This is currently an active area of research in the evolutionary computation research
community and the results and findings from those efforts are already making their way into
multiobjective analysis of civil engineering application problems. Another scenario commonly
encountered in these problems is optimization under uncertainty or noisy conditions. Again, the typical
structure of the evolutionary algorithm based search procedures facilitates these methods to be readily
suitable for convenient adaptation to search under noisy conditions.
A branch of research is focused on developing search methods that perform robustly in the presence of
noise and dynamic variations. While this topic is still in its infancy, several promising methodological
advances have been reported by researchers. In addition, there are several promising features in
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evolutionary algorithms which would evolve in the near future. Rapid progress in integration of
evolutionary algorithms in civil engineering has been made in the past decade, the full potential is yet
to be reaped. As this young and promising field of evolutionary computation continues to grow and
new contributions are realized in this research community, the researchers in working in this field
could push the boundaries of analysis and solution of complex problems by appropriately bridging the
gap between these two disciplines. One could readily draw a parallel between this emerging
opportunity for cross fertilization and the interfacing of operations research and their applications in
our disciplines since the 1960s. Using that as a guideline, the researchers could anticipate what new
areas would be important and proactively influence and shape the direction of a beneficial integration
of evolutionary algorithms into the civil engineering discipline.
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We hope you really enjoyed reading this magazine. Please feel free to put forward your
comments and valuable suggestions to
f2003513@bits-pilani.ac.in(sravani_250@yahoo.co.in)
f2003740@bits-pilani.ac.in(deepika.740@gmail.com)
HIGHRISE 2006