Paddy Engineering Consultant

RCC (Reinforced Cement Concrete) RCC (Reinforced Cement Concrete) is the combination of using steel and concrete instead of using only concrete to offset some limitations. Concrete is weak in tensile stress with compared to its compressive stress. To offset this limitation, steel reinforcement is used in the concrete at the place where the section is subjected to tensile stress. Steel is very strong in tensile stress. The reinforcement is usually round in shape with approximate surface deformation is placed in the form in advance of the concrete. When the reinforcement is surrounded by the hardened concrete mass, it form an integral part of the member. The resultant combination of two materials are known as reinforced concrete. In this case the cross-sectional area of the beam or other flexural member is greatly reduced. You can also read the article on reinforced concrete beam behavior. Advantages of RCC Nowadays, RCC is used in most of the structures. The advantages of RCC (R...

Strengthening of reinforced concrete columns is needed when: 1. The load carried by the column is increased due to either increasing the number of floors or due to mistakes in the design. 2. The compressive strength of the concrete or the percent and type of reinforcement are not according to the codes’ requirements. 3. The inclination of the column is more than the allowable. 4. The settlement in the foundation is more than the allowable. There are two major techniques for strengthening reinforced concrete columns: 1 REINFORCED CONCRETE JACKET The size of the jacket and the number and diameter of the steel bars used in the jacketing process depend on the structural analysis that was made to the column. In some cases, before this technique is carried out, we need to reduce or even eliminate temporarily the loads applied to the column; this is done by the following steps: > Putting mechanical jacks between floors. > Putting additional props between floors. M...

PHYSICAL LOAD TEST ON STRUCTURES The procedure of load test presented here depends on ACI -2008 Chapter 20. In case there is doubt about the safety requirements of a structure, licensed design professional or building official can ask for a strength evaluation. In the start, methods simpler than the load test are considered and load test can be avoided if all involved parties are satisfied with the result of such evaluation. A load test is required to determine the serviceability of the structure when the presence / effect of the strength deficiency and its remedial measures are not fully known or when the required dimensions and material properties for analysis are not available. A load test is usually not made until the portion of the structure to be subjected to load is at least 56 days old. The test can only be performed at an earlier age if the owner of the structure, the contractor, and all involved parties agree. Load test is more suitable to clarify the doubts about the shear...

Orientation of building should be done for the climatic zone in which the building is situated. The purpose of orientation is to provide residents a comfortable living space throughout the year even under severe undesirable weather conditions. Here we will discuss about orientation of building for maximum comfort under hot and dry climatic conditions. Hot and dry climatic zones: Hot and dry climatic zones generally occur at This climatic condition generally occurs at latitude between 15 degrees to 30 degrees on both the hemispheres. Maximum day time summer temperature goes as high as 45 degree centigrade and relative humidity as low up to 20%. This type of climate is experienced in areas far from sea coasts and do not receive heavy rainfall. Thus, the humidity is very low. So, the buildings in this climatic zone should be orientated based on solar point of view so that the building receives maximum solar radiation during winter season and minimum radiation during summer season. Des...

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 ...

Concrete bleeding is defined as the appearance of water on the surface of concrete after it has consolidated but before it is set. This is a type of segregation where water appears at the concrete surface after placing and compacting, but before it is set. Water may also form a film under aggregate and reinforcing bar. Some bleeding is useful for finishing operations and to reduce plastic shrinkage cracking. Problems due to Concrete Bleeding Concrete bleeding can cause problems including the followings. 1. It can delay in finishing. 2. Bleeding of concrete can cause high water-cement ratio at the top. 3. It will result in poor bond between two layers. 4. It can result in poor pump ability. Concrete Bleeding Causes Bleeding of concrete occurs due to the causes stated below. 1. The lack of fines, 2. Too much water content in the mix. Bleeding Remedies Remedies for bleeding of concrete are as follows. 1. More fines, 2. Adjust grading, 3. Entrained air, 4. Reduce w...

It is quite usual for many to use the term cement and concrete interchangeably. In fact the two are not the same. Concrete is a mixture of a few items, of which cement is an important constituent. The other usual constituents of concrete are aggregates and any type of cement plus water. Cement acts as a binding agent that keeps together all the elements of concrete. Aggregates are usually inert coarse materials like crushed stone, gravel and sand. The nature of aggregate selected varies with the application of the concrete. So, concrete and cement are not same. There are differences between cement and concrete which we will be discussed in this article. Cement Cement is a binding material that is made by grinding calcined limestone and clay into a very fine powder. It contains mostly calcium and silicon. Different combinations of the calcium silicate, calcium aluminate and calcium aluminoferrite determines the drying time and the color of the cement. Cement is the binding agent use...