Paddy Engineering Consultant

Gable roof A Gable roof may also be called a peaked or pitched roof. They are very popular in the USA, and many people recognize them through the fact they have triangular shapes. They are a near perfect design for places that see a lot of rain, and are vital for places where it snows yearly because the snow falls off instead of sitting and putting pressure on the roofing structure. They are also rather simple to build, which often makes them cheaper. Gable roof Hip roof A Hip roof has a ridge at the top, and from the ridge descend four flat sides. The sides of the roof are equal in length and height. A hip roof is known for being harder to build than a gable roof, but it is far more secure as there are shorter lengths of structure in a way that supports the roof’s center of gravity a little better. This also means they are durable and strong; so they are good at standing up to high winds. They slope in a manner similar to a Gable roof; so it will also allow water and snow to...

Steel truss   and  wood truss,  both are used frequently in structural design. Here are some of the key advantages of using steel trusses over wood trusses listed below. You can also consider this as steel truss and wooden truss n  comparison table .  Steel truss Wooden truss Steel Truss Wood Truss Steel truss is stronger than wooden truss. It is weaker than steel truss. It is light and can be built in any shape. It is heavier than steel truss and all shapes are not possible. Steel truss can be used in any span. Wooden truss is suitable up to 15 meter span. Better fire resistance. Little resistance to fire. Termites cannot harm steel trusses. Wood trusses easily get harmed by termites etc. Less wastage. More wastage. Movement of different  steel truss members  is easy. Movement is not easy for  wood truss members . Less wastage of time. More time wastage.

Adding just a little color to any room in your home can be a small step towards BIG decorative improvements. Color has the ability to create the illusion that a room is either bigger, smaller and than it is in reality. What a powerful tool ! Before you add any color to rooms in your home, it’s important to determine what exactly you are trying to achieve and for what audience. You’re going to want to take into account your social experiences, especially if you enjoy hosting many guests at one time on a regular basis. Similarly, it’s important to factor children or teenagers into the equation because these age groups usually call for décor with a bit more durability and vibrancy. Funny enough, the same rules apply when you are looking to pick paint colors for your ceiling. While it might not be the first paintable space that comes to mind, painting your ceiling can give any room an entirely new dimension and overall feel. The following are a few things to consider when you’re gettin...

What is sustainability in construction and civil engineering? Sustainability in construction and civil engineering is the optimization of construction activities in a way that does not have harmful effects on resources, surroundings and living ecosystem. It is a way of minimizing harmful environmental impacts of construction projects. Construction involves activities like use of building materials from various sources, use of machineries, demolition of existing structures, use of green fields, cutting down of tress etc. which can impact environment in one or more ways. Why is sustainability important in construction? Construction has a direct impact on the environment due to following reasons: 1. Generation of waste materials 2. Emissions from vehicles, machineries 3. Noise pollution due to use of heavy vehicles and construction machineries. 4. Releases of wastes and pollutants into water, ground and atmosphere. Sustainability assessment of construction projects is essenti...

Cork Flooring Cork flooring is very eco-friendly like bamboo flooring because it is sustainable. Hardwood flooring tends to rely on trees, many of which are cut from forests that are not replanted. Cork flooring and Bamboo flooring are sustainable and can be harvested every ten years without damaging the trees, and Bamboo is actually a grass that grows every five or ten years. Cork is highly adaptive, very easy to maintain, it has antibacterial properties and has great sound and heat insulation. Bamboo Flooring With Bamboo flooring, you find your floor is very easy to maintain and clean. Just like cork, it is a strong material, though bamboo is the strongest. Bamboo flooring is closer to hardwood flooring, as the material is very strong and durable, which means it will last a very long time. Aesthetically, Bamboo flooring is better looking and has a more modern feel to it when it is added to a home, whereas cork has a retro feel about it. Bamboo flooring is also easier to refi...

Applications of plastics in civil engineering building construction are many. The prime reason for this is the property of plastics which makes it durable, non-corrosive, low cost and many others. There are two types of Plastics, namely Thermoplastic and Thermosetting plastics distinguished by the physical property. Thermoplastics: This type can be softened by heating after they have been cured and remoulding cycle can in theory be repeated an indefinite number of times but in practice some defects may eventually take place. The curing process is that by which the shape is moulded by heat and pressure to form the hard shape. Thermosetting Plastics: The shape is first prepared by softening under heat and then cured with the use of further heat. After this stage, no further heat will deform the moulded shape once chemical decomposition has occurred. In general these plastics have giant three dimensional molecules. APPLICATIONS OF PLASTICS IN CIVIL ENGINEERING: Plastics are m...

There are three types of joints in concrete construction, viz. construction joint, expansion joint and contraction joints. Learn more about Joints in Concrete Structures. Materials for joints in water retaining structures and water tight structures (1) Materials for joints in water retaining structures and water tight structures for sewage and effluent treatment shall be resistant to aerobic and anaerobic microbiological attack and resistant to attack by petrol, diesel oil, dilute acids and alkalis. (2) Materials for joints in water retaining structures for potable and fresh water shall comply with the requirements of BS 6920. Joint filler Joint filler shall be firm, compressible, single-thickness, non-rotting filler. Joint filler for joints in water retaining structures and watertight structures shall be non-absorbent. Bitumen emulsion Bitumen emulsion for joints in water retaining structures and watertight structures shall comply with BS 3416. Bitumen emulsion for surfa...

A steel-concrete composite column is a compression member, comprising either a concrete encased hot-rolled steel section or a concrete filled tubular section of hot-rolled steel and is generally used as a load-bearing member in a composite framed structure. Typical cross-sections of composite columns with fully and partially concrete encased steel sections are illustrated using figures shows three typical cross-sections of concrete filled tubular sections. Note that there is no requirement to provide additional reinforcing steel for composite concrete filled tubular sections, except for requirements of fire resistance where appropriate. In a composite column both the steel and concrete would resist the external loading by interacting together by bond and friction. Supplementary reinforcement in the concrete encasement prevents excessive spalling of concrete both under normal load and fire conditions. In composite construction, the bare steel sections support the initial constructio...

Concrete admixtures are used to enhance the properties of concrete for applications in concrete works with special requirements. Concrete admixtures are used to modify the properties of concrete to achieve desired workability in case of low water cement ratio, and to enhance setting time of concrete for long distance transportation of concrete. So, it is of much importance for a civil site engineer to know about the properties of admixtures for better selection and application in concrete works. Selection of Concrete Admixtures: Concrete admixtures shall be selected carefully as per the specifications and shall be used as recommended by the manufacturer or by lab testing report. The quantity of admixtures to be used for specific application of admixtures are recommended by the manufacturers. For use in large construction projects, the quantity of the admixture to be used shall be obtained from tests reports for concrete mixed with admixtures at various percentage admixtures use. Th...

For a good structure, bricks should be good and well burnt. In a construction site, sometimes we need to check if the bricks are of good quality or it is not. We should be able to identify good bricks without any extra instrument. To do that, we need to know the characteristics of good bricks. What Are The Characteristics of a Good Brick? There are some specific characteristics of a brick that can be used to identify if the bricks are good or bad. Here are 5 characteristics of good bricks enlisted below that will help you to check if the bricks are really of good quality. 1 Bricks should be of same color, size and shape. 2 Collision of 2 good bricks will produce a metal sound. 3 A good brick won’t break if it is given to fall from approximate 1 meter height. 4 The upper surface of the brick should be plane and without any crack. 5 Bricks should be soaked into water for atleast 12 hours.

Good construction practices and techniques should be followed to prevent occurrence of structural damages that may occur during occupancy and with age of the structure. A structure has to go through different stages in construction process. Each and every stage of construction is important to make sure that the structure being constructed will not experience damage under any general circumstances. Development of cracks in structure is the first sign of damage. Structural damage does not only reduces strength of the structure but it may also make it unfit for use to the extent that the structure collapses. It is very important for the civil engineers to ensure good construction practices are followed at every stage of construction to prevent structural damage and failure of the structure. Following are the good construction practices and techniques that shall be followed for good quality and durable construction of structure: 1. Masonry work: Masonry work in a structure should be ...