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Monday 8 May 2023

Glass Reinforced Concrete (GRC), Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete (GFRC) and Cornice

In the Middle East and Gulf countries, Glass Reinforced Concrete (GRC), Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete (GFRC) and Cornice panels are frequently used to give protection against weather and can survive extreme temperatures and climatic change. As high rise buildings are being built on water and gulf countries are populating the Arabian Sea. As a result, airborne moisture can damage and remove paint by penetrating the surface. 

As a result, the majority of Gulf nations outlawed painting exterior finishes. Therefore, GFRC or GRC panels—which are made of high strength Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete (GRC) and offer stunning architectural aesthetic and façade looks—are utilized as a replacement to cover the outer surface of buildings. These GFRC panels also offer water resistance and fire protection.

Some of the beautiful GRC, GRFC & Corniche panels photos taken from different under construction projects in UAE as follows,







How to Conduct Internal Audit as per ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System?


Introduction: 

Audit is a procedure or series of procedures used to assess an organization's management system, correct problems, and allow the system to continue operating in accordance with ISO standards. Numerous organizations have established the standards and have their own internal management systems that refer to or follow the ISO.

There are three types of Audits;

1. Internal Audits

2. External/Outside Audits

3. Independent/3rd Party Audits


1. Internal Auditing:

Internal audits, also known as first party audits, are carried out by lead auditors for certified ISO 9001 QMS. Internal auditors made sure that the organisation followed the prescribed processes. Internal auditors may be employees of the same company, but they take on the role of consultants during audits, focusing solely on whether the ISO is being complied with by the organization's processes, policies, rules, and standards. For the purpose of improving the process and ensuring that the ISO standard is followed, internal auditors identify any problematic areas and points.


2. External/Outside Audits:

External audits, also known as 2nd party audits, are carried out by external auditing companies to evaluate and assess the success of ISO implementation.


3. Independent/3rd Party Audits:

A third-party audit happens when a business decides to develop a quality management system (QMS) that complies with a set of requirements, such as ISO9001, and engages an impartial auditing firm to carry out an audit to confirm that the business has been successful in meeting these requirements. These independent organizations are typically referred to as certification bodies, and they are in the business of performing audits to check and verify that the QMS complies with all the specifications of the selected standard and does so consistently. Companies that they determine have met the criterion are subsequently given certification. In this process, three audit kinds are employed: certification audits, maintenance audits, and surveillance audits.

Internal Audit in Civil Construction Project in Pakistan

 Civil construction projects in Pakistan require significant investments and involve complex processes. These projects require a considerable amount of planning, execution, and monitoring to ensure that they are completed on time, within budget, and to the required quality standards. Internal audit plays a critical role in ensuring the successful completion of civil construction projects in Pakistan. In this blog post, we will discuss the importance of internal audit in civil construction projects in Pakistan and how it can help improve project management.

What is Internal Audit?

Internal audit is an independent and objective assurance activity designed to add value and improve an organization's operations. Internal audit helps an organization achieve its objectives by bringing a systematic, disciplined approach to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of risk management, control, and governance processes. Internal audit is an essential function in any organization, and it plays a critical role in ensuring that the organization operates efficiently, effectively, and ethically.

Internal Audit in Civil Construction Project

In civil construction projects, internal audit plays a crucial role in ensuring that the project is executed successfully. Internal audit helps to identify potential risks and issues that may affect the project's success. It provides a systematic and objective approach to assess the project's progress, identify gaps, and recommend actions to mitigate risks and improve project performance.

The internal audit function in civil construction projects is responsible for ensuring that the project is executed within the approved budget, meets the quality standards, and is completed on time. The internal audit function is also responsible for assessing the adequacy and effectiveness of the project management and control processes.

Benefits of Internal Audit in Civil Construction Projects

Internal audit provides several benefits to civil construction projects, including:

  1. Improved Project Management: Internal audit helps to improve project management by identifying potential risks and issues that may affect the project's success. Internal audit provides an independent and objective assessment of the project's progress, identifies gaps, and recommends actions to mitigate risks and improve project performance.

  2. Increased Efficiency: Internal audit helps to increase efficiency by identifying areas where resources can be optimized and by ensuring that the project is executed within the approved budget. Internal audit also ensures that the project is completed on time, reducing the risk of delays and cost overruns.

  3. Enhanced Governance: Internal audit helps to enhance governance by ensuring that the project management and control processes are adequate and effective. Internal audit provides an independent assessment of the project's compliance with laws, regulations, and policies.

  4. Better Risk Management: Internal audit helps to identify potential risks and issues that may affect the project's success. Internal audit provides an objective assessment of the project's risk management processes, identifies gaps, and recommends actions to mitigate risks.

Internal Audit Process in Civil Construction Projects

The internal audit process in civil construction projects involves the following steps:

  1. Planning: The internal audit function develops an audit plan, which includes the scope of the audit, the audit objectives, and the audit methodology.

  2. Fieldwork: The internal audit function performs fieldwork, which includes collecting and analyzing data, reviewing documents, and interviewing stakeholders.

  3. Reporting: The internal audit function prepares an audit report, which includes the audit findings, recommendations, and management responses.

  4. Follow-Up: The internal audit function follows up on the implementation of the audit recommendations and assesses their effectiveness.

Conclusion

Internal audit plays a critical role in ensuring the successful completion of civil construction projects in Pakistan. Internal audit helps to improve project management, increase efficiency, enhance governance, and better risk management. The internal audit process in civil construction projects involves planning, fieldwork, reporting, and follow-up. By incorporating internal audit into civil construction projects, organizations can ensure that the project is executed successfully and their objectives are followed as per ISO 9001.

Thursday 4 September 2014

Drawing Instruments

  1.  Case of drawing instruments 
  2.  Drawing surface (boardor table) 
  3.  Drafting edge(T-square, parallel edge)  
  4. Triangles (30°, 45° ) 
  5. Scales (inch) 
  6. Drawing Pencils (H,2H,3H)  
  7. Drafting Tape 
  8. Eraser 
  9. Dry cleaning pad  
  10. Erasing Shield
  11. Drawing Sheet (regular, scholar)

Introduction

What is Engineering Drawing ?

A fully developed language in its own right: A  graphical language that Engineers understand all over the world irrespective of the native tongue. Communication between "DESIGNER and MANUFRACTURER". 

Engineering Drawing Requirements 

Unambiguous and Clear  
Complete 
Language Independent
Conforms to standards 
Drawing surface(Board or Table)

Drawing surface (board or table):

Drawing board is rectangular in shape and is made of strips of well-seasoned soft wood about 25mm thick. 
One of the edges of the board is used as "working edge" on which the T-square is made to slide. It  should, therefore, be perfectly straight.

Use of drawing board

 The flat surface of the board is used to hold the drawing sheet while the drawing is being made.

Cares in handling of drawing board

The following are the cares for handling the drawing
  board:
1) handle the drawing board carefully,so that top flat surface of the board should not be spoiled.  
 2) fasten an extra sheet on the board to keep the board clean.


Drafting edge (T-square, parallel edge)

 It consists of two parts, the stock and the blade, joined together at right angle to each other by means of screws and pins.
 The stock is placed adjoining the working edge of the board and is made to slide on it as and when required.
T-Square
The t-square is used for drawing horizontal lines, (the stock of the t-square is held firmly with the left hand against the working edge of the board, and the line is drawn from left to right. The pencil should be held slightly inclined in the direction of line (i.e. to the right, while the pencil point should be as close as possible to the working edge of the blade.)
The working edge of the t-square is also used as a base for set-squares to draw vertical, inclined or mutually parallel lines. 

Cares in handling of T-square

Care in handling of T-Square
1) clean the blade of t-square with moist cloth to remove pencil graphite lead.
 2) t-square should be hang on the nail against the   wall or table when it is not being used.
 3) do not use t-square as a hammer.
 4) do not use the edge of the t-square as a guide for cutting the paper with a knife.



Triangles (30o, 45o)

Triangles
Set squares are used for drawing all straight lines except the horizontal lines which are usually drawn with t-square.Vertical lines can be drawn with the t-square and the set-square.  

The two set squares used simultaneously along with the t-square will produce lines making angles of 15, 75, 105 degrees.
Parallel straight lines in any position as we as lines perpendicular to any line from any given point within or outside it can be drawn with the two set squares.
A circle can be divided in six, eight, twelve and twenty four parts by using set squares and t-square.


Types of set- squres

1)Thirty-sixty degree set-square
 2) forty five degree set-square

Sizes of set-squares

The set –squares can be available in different suitable lenghts,
  but thirty-sixty degree set-squares of 250mm and forty five  degree set-squares of 200mm are more suitable for general work.
 
Different Scales

Scales

all measurements of lenghts or distance on a drawing are made with the scales.
the scales are either flat and triangular and the material used in their construction may be wood,metal etc.

Uses of scales

The following are the uses of scales:
 1) it is used to prepare drawing.
 2) it is ued to set off dimensions.
 3) it is used to measure distance directly.


Drawing Pencils 

Drawing pencils are available in vanous grades of  hardness or softness. Hard pencils range from grades H. 2H to 9H(the hardest). Soft pencils range from grades B. 2B to 6B(the softest).
Between H and B pencils are the HB and F. All of these pencils are available in the market.
With HB. 2B. and H pencils, the student can easily make vanations in the lightness or darkness of his lines even if the pressure of the pencil on the paper is the same for each grade pencil.


Pencil Points

Pencil points may be sharpened into three different shapes: 
  A the conical, 
  B the chisel, and 
  C. the elliptical.

The conical pointed soft pencil can make different thicknesses of lines by varying the pressure of the pencil against the paper surface. A hard pencil with a similar point can make different thicknesses of lines by varying the shape of its point. A dull point makes a broad line while a fine point makes a fine line.
This is why soft pencils are preferred to hard pencils in sketching.
  The chisel point, on the other hand, makes wide lines depending on the width of the point. It is generally used in shading a penciled outline drawing. 








Sunday 24 August 2014

Dimensioning

General Principles

A drawing should provide a complete set of sizes for making a component.

Dimensions provide information on a drawing such as -

  • Angles
  • Diameters
  • Lengths
  • Positions


Dimensioning Standards

A - The drawing outline should be drawn with 0.7mm thickness.
B - Dimension and projection/extension lines are thin continuous lines 0.35mm thick.
C - All dimension lines are clearly placed outside the outline of the drawing.
D - The projection lines should not touch the drawing but a small gap should be left.
E - The projection lines should continue past the dimension line.
F - Arrowheads should be triangular and of uniform size and shape and filled in.
G - Arrowheads must touch the projection line to which they refer.
H - Begin by dimensioning the view which gives the clearest understanding of the component shape. 
I - Place dimensions outside the shape of the component wherever possible.
J - Position the shortest dimension nearest to the component to prevent dimension lines crossing.
K - Use a similar spacing between dimension lines to ensure a neat diagram.
L - Measure horizontal sizes from left to right and write the distance on top of the dimension line.  Angled sizes are shown in a similar manner to horizontal sizes.
M - Measure vertical sizes from bottom to top and write the distance vertically to the left of the dimension line.
N - Small sizes are shown with the arrows placed outside.
O - Place the largest sizes on the outside of the dimensional grid.
P - Sizes from a datum line are logically set out.


Dimensioning Circles


Dimension circles as shown. Holes are always dimensioned as diameters.




















Dimensioning Angles 

Dimension angles as shown.







Tuesday 19 August 2014

Architectural Design of Hosue

Considerations for Architectural Design of a House

The arrangement of various rooms in a building plan for easy and comfortable living of the occupants is called architectural design of  the building.
Every effort is made to utilize full natural resources such as wind, sun etc. 
Maximum facilities are to be provided within the funds and the space available. However it is almost impossible to provide all the comforts and facilities with in restricted resources. 

Following points are to be kept in mind while designing the house architecturally.

Plot size: 

Plot size is measured in Sft., Sq.Yds., Marlas or kanals with the following conversion.
          1Marla=225 Sft.
   =25 Sq. Yds.
          1 Kanal=20 Marlas
            =4500 Sft.
                 =500 Sq. Yds.

Rectangular plot is preferable with the ratio of longer to shorter side roughly equal to 1.85
Standard size of 10 Marla plot=35 x 65
Standard size of 1 Kanal plot = 50 x 90

How to divide a plot according to desired Construction?

Plot is to be divided into central constructed block and open spaces left  at least on three sides. 
Bye- laws of the controlling authorities for the urban construction must be observed in all respects.
For example, for a 10 Marla house, the most common restriction on the covered area is that it should not be greater than 60% of the total plot area and 10 ft. wide open spaces should be left on front and back side and minimum of 5 ft. open passage is to be provided in at least one side. 
With in a certain constructed area covered area may be increased by increasing the number of storeys. Most important factor to decide about the covered area is the finance. 

The covered area may roughly be found out from the following relation knowing the average cost of construction per unit area.
Total covered area (A) = Available Funds/Construction cost per unit area.

Modern Design of House

Bedroom with Attached Bath:

This room should be located on open side or back periphery of the constructed block to maintain good natural ventilation and light. Bedroom should be made as independent and private as possible but it should have easy access to all the common places in the house.It should be prevented from direct sun and rain. Minimum size of a bedroom for a small house is at least 100 Sft, e.g. 8’-6” x 12’-0”. Reasonable size is 180 Sft. Like a bedroom of size 12’ x 15’. The bathroom to be provided should have minimum size of 30 Sft. And atleast one side of it must be towards the open side for better ventilation. Sometimes a small portion called dressing is also provided close to the bath, passage of the bathroom in this case is through the dressing. Area of the dressing room may be kept smaller even about 25 Sft. One or two cupboards or wardrobes must be provided in each bedroom or in the attached dressing.

Drawing Room:

Preferable size is about 215 Sft with a minimum of 110 Sft. It should be made well-ventilated and lighted and should have direct approach  from the main entrance of the building. A powder room having a minimum size of 12 Sft is to be attached with the drawing directly or through the living room. The powder room is to be fitted with a W.C., a wash hand basin and hangers

Living Room:

It is sometimes referred to as common room or TV Lounge. Living room should be central place of a house and direct access to all other components should be available from here. This place should be the most comfortable and graceful part of the house. This room should give an impression of being open. If greenery is visible from inside the living room, the architectural appearance is improved and for that large glazed windows on suitable sides may be recommended. This room is generally the biggest place in the house having an area ranging from 215 to 325 Sft.

Dining Room:

This room having a minimum size o about 150 Sft. Should be located adjacent to the drawing and the living room. Kitchen should also be connected to the dining room for easy working. Sometimes a pantry (having about 50 Sft area) in-between the kitchen and the living is provided to store the kitchen articles and the cooked food temporarily. This room should have cupboards and shelves.

Kitchen:

Reasonable size for the kitchen is about 80 Sft but it depends upon the plot size, number of members of the family and the way in which the kitchen is used. Ventilation should be very good and space may also be provided for exhaust fan.


Store or Box Room:

It is a small (about 50 Sft) room present in the interior of the building to store articles.

Stair Case:

Position of the stairs is also very important which may be provided in a separate stair hall or directly in the living.  If the stair hall is to be provided, it should preferably have one opening to the outside and one to the living room. Natural light should always be available for the stairs.

Verandah:

It may be 6’-0” to 10’-0” wide and should be located on either the front or the back of the building.


Servant Room:

For one kanal or bigger house, a servant room may be provided having a size about 100 Sft. If it is on the ground floor, it should be independent and on the back side of the house but if it is on the top floor, preferably it should have a separate approach. A bathroom should also be provided with it.

Car Porch:

Car porch is constructed in front of the building to park the car. It is generally a roof provided over pillars, boundary wall or already constructed walls  open from two or three sides.


Lobby:

It is small place or hall at the main entrance which is connected to the living room and the drawing room.


Corridor:

It is covered passage inside a building to provide approach to a room without disturbing the working of the other rooms.  Corridors should be avoided as far as possible.

Important Points:

Doors and windows should be minimum as they increase the cost and utilize the available space yet they should provide adequate means of ventilation and light. Area covered by windows should not be lesser than 15 to 20 % of the floor area of the room.
Windows and doors on opposite faces provide better cross ventilation
Proper attention should be given to the orientation of the  plot with respect to North. The side of the building towards the south or the south-east is generally very hot in summer.
Ground floor plan and first floor plan should be so adjusted such that most of the walls of first floor comes directly above the walls beneath because providing beams increases the cost.
Further towards the south and southwest,  as  the light is usually excessive, windows are generally made narrow with proper sun shades.
For maintaining good ventilation inside the building, longer side of the building , should be exposed to the wind direction. Wind normally blows from the south-west direction. Hence if the face of the building is towards the south-west or North-East direction, it is advantageous.

Drawing Types

Types of Drawings:

  1. Proposal drawing or proposal sketching
  2. Perspective
  3. Submission drawing
  4. Working drawings
  5. Completion drawing

Proposal and Perspective:

First architect collects data and requirements for the building such as the funds available, plot size, use of the building, number of stories desired, north direction, plot level especially in comparison with the road level, required room sizes, etc. Then he makes a number of proposals keeping in mind the by-laws of the controlling authorities.
For proposals, plan and elevation are drawn on a very small scale like 1/8 or 1/16 while the section is usually not needed.
Plans and elevations, in these drawings, are made attractive even by coloring and, if needed, perspectives are also drawn to impress the client. 
The proposals are then discussed with the client and changes are made according to his wishes. 
Sometimes, if the client dislikes the proposals altogether, new proposals are to be made. 
Offering of proposals is continued till the client is satisfied with a certain plan. 

Submission Drawing:

Submission drawings are actually legal documents used to approve the plan from the controlling authorities  like CDA, LDA etc.
Plans (Ground floor plan, first floor plan and so on), an elevation and a section is drawn in these drawings. Plans are most commonly drawn on 1/8 scale. Site plan is required in submission drawings for plots greater in size than 10 marlas. Site  plan shows the block of actual building or the constructed portion as compared to the total plot area. It is drawn on a very small scale like 1/16 or 1/32. If site plan is included in the drawing, the main plans are only drawn for the constructed portion without showing the open spaced and the boundary wall. Various services are also shown in the site plan, e.g. if sewerage line is passing, two or three man holes of the main line are shown and then connection for the plot is indicated. 

Submission Drawing (contd.):

Location plan is also drawn to indicate the location of the plot, on a scale like 1/64. It is a part plan of the total scheme; one or two main roads with their names and neighbouring plots are shown.
Doors, windows and ventilators are marked by D1, D2, …, W, W2, … and V1, V2, … in the plans. The sizes of these components and other related details are given in the form of a table called Schedule of Openings.
Statements of Areas or Schedule of Areas is also prepared in tabular form in which total area of the plot, covered area, allowable covered area, ground floor covered area and first floor covered area etc. are given.
Submission drawing should have the name and complete address of the owner and further it should be properly signed by the owner. The drawing should also be signed by a licensed architect. 

Working Drawings:

Working drawings are those drawings which are used for carrying out construction at the site according to the design. Examples of the working drawings are as follows:
Architectural working drawings
Structural working drawings
Foundation plan
Reinforcement details
Plumbing works (plumbing means the water supply and its disposal inside the building)
Details of doors and windows
Bathroom and kitchen details
Electrification plan

Working Drawings (contd.):

After approval of the plan, through the submission drawing, architectural working drawings are made in which all the details are given which are necessary for the at-site construction. 
The section are drawn on enlarged scales and as many number of section are used as needed to clearly explain the structure. 
On blown-up scales, stair details and details of kitchen and bathrooms etc. are also shown. 
Further, position of various types of furniture is also indicated in the plans.

Completion Drawing:

After construction of the building, drawings are made according to the actually constructed features called completion or as-built drawings. 
These drawings are then submitted to the authorities to get the completion certificate and only after the approval the owner can legally occupy the building.


Roof Details
Floor Detail
Perspective of a building with Two Rooms and a Verandah
Isometric View of the Building After Cutting the Plan
Plan of the Building
Cutting Plane for Section AA

Isomeric View of the Building
After Cutting the Section AA
SECTION AA
Section AA of the Building
ELEVATION
Elevation of the Building



Schedule of Opening


Friday 14 February 2014

How to Determine the Water absorption of the Brick (ASTM C-67-80)


Objective: 

Water Absorption Test on Bricks There are following objects for determining the water absorption of the brick.
(1) To finding the capacity of water moisture that a brick can store.
(2) Finding the standard water moisture of the brick. Good brick store water moisture not more than 15% of their weight.


Apparatus:

 Following apparatus are used to determination of water absorption of brick.
(1) One weighing machine.
(2) Small towel.
(3) Water bowl.

Signifience:

Water absorption of bricks depends of brick following factors.
(1) Chemical composition of brick clay.
(2) Porosity which is due to voids in the brick which are result of impurities. More or large voids cause more water absorption. The number and size of these voids greatly affect strength of brick. Generally water absorption may vary from 10-15% according to voids.


Test Specimen:-

The test specimen shall consist of a brick.


Procedure:-

Dry the test specimen to a constant weight in the ventilated oven at 110-115 degree centigrade.when cooled weighs each specimen. This weight is known as dry weight (W1).
It can be assumed that heating for 72 hours at these temperatures will assure constant weight. Store the bricks unstacked with separate placement in a ventilated room for a period of 4 hours with a current of air from an electric fan passing over them for a period of at least 2 hours. Cool the specimen at room temperature. Submerge the dry specimen in clean water at 15.5-30 degree centigrade for 24 hours. Remove the specimen, wipe off the surface water with a damp cloth and weigh specimen. Weighing of any one specimen shall be completed within five minutes after removing the specimen from water bath. This will be known as wet weight (W2).
The percentage of water absorption can be calculating using the following relation.

Water absorption percentage= (W2-W1/W1)100
   Where,
                                           Dry weight = W1
                                           Dry weight = W2  
Sr. No.
Sample name
W1(g)
W2(g)
W2-W1/W1
(W2-W1/W1)×100
1
S
3257
3539
0.086
8.6
2
P
3117
3548
0.138
13.8
3
RK
3180
3530
0.11
11


Precautions:-

1- First of all remove the dust on the brick surface carefully.
2- Wife off the surface of wet specimen with a damp cloth carefully.
3- Temperature and time duration should be accurate in the experiment, decide by the ASTM.
4- Water should be neat and clean and free from different impurities.

Note: Readings of the above table is obtained in laboratory after performing this job.