Civil Projects

Civil Projects

Thumb rules for designing a Column layout | Civil Engineering

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Guidelines to be followed for making a column layout

In this article, we will go through the essential thumb rules to be followed for giving a column layout. Of-course columns have to be designed in accordance to the total forces acting on the structure, but apart from that, it is essential for every Civil engineer and Architect to remember a few thumb rules so that they are prevented from making mistakes.

You can hire me for your structural design need. Contact me.

Three thumb rules to be followed are as follows:

  1. Size of the Columns
  2. Distance between Columns
  3. Alignment of columns

Minimum Size of RCC columns

The size of the columns depends on the total load on the columns. There are axial loads and lateral loads. Large beam spans induce bending moment not only in the beams, but also in columns which are pulled by the stresses in the beams. It is important to use advanced structural design software like ETabs or Staad pro. I highly recommend every structural designer learn these software. The thumb rules are for general designing in very small projects.

For this general thumb rule, we will assume a structure of G+1 floors high, using standard 6″ walls.

Minimum size of an RCC column should not be less than 9” x 12” (225mm x 300mm) with 4 bars of 12 MM Fe415 Steel.

These days the minimum I use in my projects is 9″ x 12″ (225 mm x 300mm) with 6 bars of 12 MM Fe500 steel. You can never go wrong with strong columns. I also recommend use of M20 grade concrete for the structure (ratio 1 part Cement : 1.5 parts Sand : 3 parts Aggregate with 0.5 parts water by volume). I recommend use of 8 MM stirrups at a distance of 150 MM center to center throughout the length of column.

This setup of 9″ x 12″ RCC columns is safe for G+1 Floors. There are a lot of other considerations, but this is just a thumb rule.

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New Scenario of Building Construction | Technological Advancement

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Architecture and Civil Engineering | Technological Advances

Technology has really changed the world. Architecture and Civil Engineering have developed immensely with developing Technology. It’s amazing how the scenario of the world has changed in just a matter of 50 years.

Amazing Video. Must watch. Gives you the feeling of being proud of being an Architect or a Civil Engineer…!

Do you feel proud for being a Civil Engineer or an Architect??

 Just have a look at how construction technology has done wonders in the field of construction. Engineers and Architects have taken the technological advances pretty well.

I have always seen a conflict between Civil Engineers and Architects. Both of them have their own egos and think one is superior than the other.

I am presenting some of the patent dialogues from a Civil Engineer and an Architect…

Civil Engineer: I am the one who makes a structure stand on the ground successfully.

Architect: All you do is put some steel into the design made by ME. So, I am the creator and the entire credit goes to me.

Civil Engineer: Architects are crazy. They just draw lines and make weird shapes and forms and think that it could be brought into reality. Do  they know how much trouble it is to give a structural design for such a building?

Architect: Civil Engineers always keep cribbing about the rights and wrongs. They should learn to respect creativity. They should be able to respect the designer’s ability to design something unusual and exciting. It is so difficult for them to break away from their routine box designs.

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RCC Building Design and Construction | Structural Design

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Step by step procedure to RCC building design | Design of RCC Structures

A building is composed of various structural components such as Foundations, Plinth beams, Columns, Beams, Slab, Staircase, Doors and Windows.

RCC Building Design
RCC Building Design

Design of Foundation | RCC Building Design

Foundation design is the structural component from where the RCC design is initiated. The foundation design guide discussed earlier includes in detail the design procedure for isolated column footing. Column footing is the most commonly used type of foundation. It serves a variety of different buildings.

  • Design of Foundation – the most commonly used foundation is Column footing.
  • Calculation of loads in Foundation Design Calculation of loads is very important for the purpose of structural design. This article outlines the thumb rules for the calculation of various loads in foundation design.
  • Types of Foundations This is a generic article on different types of foundations. It covers some commonly used shallow foundations and also explains pressure distribution under a foundation.

Design of Beams | RCC Building Design

Beams are mainly classified into two types:

  1. Doubly reinforced beam (most commonly used in RCC Construction)
  2. Singly reinforced beam
    A series of articles have been written for the design of Singly reinforced sections. The articles include basic definitions and formulas, understanding stresses and modular ratios, assumptions for singly reinforced sections, Design method 1, Design method 2, Moment of resistance and a number of solved numerical examples.

Design of Columns | RCC Building Design

Design of RCC columns

The article discusses the classification criteria for a column,  and design of different types of reinforcements for columns which include longitudinal, transverse and helical reinforcements.

Thumb rules for designing a Column Layout

The articles important thumb rules to be followed for column layout design. Three important thumb rules have been discussed.

  1. Size of the Columns
  2. Distance between Columns
  3. Alignment of columns

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Retrofitting old Foundations | Civil Engineering

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Retrofitting the Foundations of Old Structures

The level of deterioration of the foundation determines whether the building can be improved or needs to be demolished. Repairing and retrofitting of the building elements should be done at the initial stages of the deterioration. This would save time as well as costs of construction.

In case the deterioration is not paid attention to, it can lead to excessive damage of building components which may result into excessive retrofitting costs.

Failure of Structure due to ignoring the need for retrofitting
Failure of Structure due to ignoring the need for retrofitting

Small cracks in Buildings

In case there are cracks having occurred on the building are small, the building can be declared to be in a sound condition. It involves nominal repairs and lower repair costs which would save your time as well.

Large scale damage

For older buildings where the foundations of the building have been severely affected, all large retrofit work is then subject to professional assistance. This would require the evaluation of geotechnical and structural conditions of the structure.

Surveys to be carries out:

Majorly two important surveys are to be carried out:

  1. Technical Survey
  2. Historical Survey

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Window Air conditioners and Split Air conditioners | Electrical Engineering

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Window Air conditioners and Split Air conditioners | Working and their Application

In this article, we will discuss “Window Air conditioners” in general. We are quite familiar with room air conditioners. As the name itself suggests, these air conditioners are mounted in the windows and hence the name.

Window Air conditioners comprise of the following parts:

  1. The compressor
  2. The condenser fan
  3. Condenser and evaporator

These components are all enclosed in a single cabinet. This unit is then installed in a window frame or a hole that specially casted during the construction for the purpose of installing Window air conditioners.

While we design the location and installation of Window air conditioners, we need to keep in mind a few important things that would affect the functioning of the window air conditioner. The air being blown through the condenser must pass freely through without restriction. We must therefore make sure that the condenser is not obstructed (for example by a neighboring wall).

Capacities of air conditioners

They come in cooling capacities from 0.5 to 2 tons in various tonnages, adequate for a room between 5 and 20 square meters in size. Larger spaces may be handled by using multiple units of this type.

Window air conditioners are easy to install and convenient to use and economical in cost, they could be noisy for some applications.

Probably the single biggest reason for inefficiency in Window ACs is a dirty filter. Usually most of us don’t pay attention to the maintenance of Window ACs which are accompanied by cleaning the AC filters to keep up the performance of the Window Air conditioners. Even if covered by maintenance contracts, dust is such a severe problem in most areas that the filter needs cleaning even between preventive maintenance visits by your supplier.

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Types of Air conditioning Systems | Electrical Engineering

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Study of types of air conditioning Systems in Engineering

Studying different types of air conditioning systems is a part of Engineering. It helps us understanding the working and functioning of HVAC systems. For designing HVAC systems in an Auditorium or a Mall, the engineer has to be aware of various types of air conditioning systems along with its advantages and disadvantages.

Today, various types of air conditioning systems are available in the market. They can be broadly classified as follows:

  1. Central air conditioning systems
  2. Non central air conditioning systems

Central AC Systems are further subdivided into two categories:

  1. Ductable Packaged Air-conditioners
  2. Central Plants

Non-Central AC products are further classified as:

  1. Window ACs
  2. Split ACs

In this article, we will discuss the basic terminology of what are Central AC systems and Non-central AC products.

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Guide to Compass Surveying | Open and Closed Traverse

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Compass Survey | Guide to Surveying and Levelling

Compass Survey is also known as Angular Surveying.

The branch of surveying in which the position of the object is located by angular measurements taken by the compass is known as “Compass Surveying”.

Purpose of Compass Surveying

When the area to be surveyed is relatively large, then the area cannot be divided into triangles.

For example:

Towns, colonies etc.

When the survey work is to be completed quickly

When the area is full of obstacles which prevent chaining.

Compass Surveying is unsuitable in areas having magnetic rock, iron core, power lines etc which attracts a magnet.

Traversing

A traverse is formed by joining the points on the ground by means of series of connected straight line.

There are two types:

  1. Open traverse
  2. Closed traverse

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Problems facing the Earth

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Problems facing the Earth

We all human beings share a beautiful planet, Earth, which is home to millions of species of plants, animals and aquatic life. Our planet is astoundingly a perfect design, where plants create oxygen, which in turn keeps animals alive and keeps the planet cool.

But our planet has been facing some serious problems which have been created by inexhaustible human greed to exploit nature for personal comforts. Hundreds of thousands of acres of rainforests have been cut away to make way for roads and buildings.

Lumber is a major source of revenue to some countries. With vast swaths of forests disappearing, and seemingly unabated poaching of wild animals has wiped out many species from the face of the earth. The diversity and balance of this planet we call home is being severely threatened by man.

Problems on Earth
Problems on Earth

Oil is known as the blood of earth. Since the discovery and large scale production of oil in the last 150 years, human civilization has progressed at a rocket speed.

But humans have over exploited this natural resource, and this fuel is running out fast. As humans demand for more and more oil for their motor vehicles, the blood of earth is being sucked up using large pumps.

Human greed does not realize that planet earth cannot survive without its blood, its oil.

There are many manmade disasters threatening human kind. Man has made extremely distinctive nuclear weapons, which have the capacity to destroy humankind and send civilization back to the stone age. Global warming is another huge problem, where indiscriminate use of oil is warming up the atmosphere, in turn disturbing the ecology of the planet.

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Digital Showroom Design | Interior Design

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Interior Design of a Digital Showroom

In the increasing competitive business photography labs, there is a need to constantly evolve strategies to corner as much market share as one possibly can. Apart from quality of prints and service offered to customers, discerning lab owners strive to offer that little extra which can make a difference in retaining customer loyalty.

The owner of Xpress Digital at Madurai had this in mind when approached the Architect for the project.

Digital Showroom
Digital Showroom

The client brief enlisted space for studio with makeup room, a machine room, a work station, separate booking and delivery counters and a spacious waiting area. Acting on this brief, the design duo set out to customise the requirements by subdivide the linear hall of 86sqm into smaller sub spaces.

In the process of customization, their first task was to do away with the conventional linear counter, which separate the work space from the visitor.

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