POLEFDN – A excel based construction program for pole foundation analysis

POLEFDN is a MS-excel based spreadsheet program that can be used for making analysis of a pole foundation on the assumption of the application of a inflexible round pier that is supposed free (unrestrained) at the top and exposed to lateral and vertical loads. The spreadsheet particularly makes calculation for the necessary embedment depth, the maximum moment and shear, the plain concrete stresses, and the soil bearing pressures.

This program stands for a workbook that comprises of the following six (6) worksheets:

• Doc - Documentation sheet
• Pole Fdn (Czerniak) - Pole foundation analysis for free-top round piers with PCA/Czerniak method
• Pole Fdn (UBC-IBC) - Pole foundation analysis for free-top round piers with UBC/IBC method
• Pole Fdn (OAAA) - Pole foundation analysis for free-top round piers with OAAA method
• Granular Soil (Teng) - Pole foundation analysis in granular soil with USS/Teng method
• Cohesive Soil (Teng) - Pole foundation analysis in cohesive soil with USS/Teng method

Given below, some useful features of the program :-

This program can deal with both horizontally and vertically applied loads. The vertical load may contain an associated eccentricity that leads to an additional overturning moment to be always assumed to add directly to the overturning moment formed with the horizontal load.

This program guesses that the top of the pier remains at or over the top of the ground surface level.

This program guesses that the actual resisting surface remains at or under the ground surface level. It takes into account any weak soil or any soil that is detached at the top.

The "Pole Fdn(Czerniak)" worksheet guesses that the inflexible pier rotates about a point situated at a distance, 'a', under resisting the surface. The highest shear in pier is supposed to be at that 'a' distance, whereas the maximum moment in the pier is supposed to be at a distance = 'a/2'.

The "Pole Fdn(Czerniak)" worksheet works out the "plain" (unreinforced) concrete stresses, compression, tension, and shear in the pier. The corresponding permissible stresses are also set on the basis of the strength (f'c) of the concrete. It is performed to check whether the steel reinforcing is actually necessary or not. The permissible tension stress in "plain" concrete is supposed to be equivalent to 10% of the value of the permissible compressive stress.

The "Pole Fdn(Czerniak)" worksheet measures the actual soil bearing pressures along the side of the pier at equivalent distances to 'a/2' and 'L'. The relevant permissible passive pressures at those locations are set for comparison.

As all overturning loads are protected with the passive pressure against the embedment of the pier, this program guesses that the pier functions in direct end bearing to withstand only the vertical loading. The bottom of pier bearing pressure is measured that contains the self-weight of the pier, assumed at 0.150 kcf for the concrete.

To download the program, click on the following link www.cesdb.com



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Published By
Rajib Dey
www.constructioncost.co
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Some outstanding ideas to design your home with Concrete

Besides, concrete, other materials like steel, fibre, plastic, glass, wood and other superior materials can also be used together with concrete to build up homes. Now-a-days, concrete is extensively utilized for the construction of commercial, residential, institutional, and industrial buildings due to it’s adaptability, cost-effectiveness and the easy accessibility of raw materials for production.

In recent times, concrete home construction is gaining popularity because of the factors like sustainability, green building, disaster resistance, energy conservation, and safety. To satisfy these requirements efficiently, the engineers offer some unique design ideas.

Concrete Home Design Ideas: Designers have provided different types of design ideas for the construction of concrete homes owing to its versatility and easy accessibility of construction materials. Motivations that put into effect or head over to new design ideas are dissimilar, as for example, some design ideas get inspiration from nature while some from energy efficiency, aesthetics, sustainability, and recycling materials.

Advantages of Concrete Homes:

1. Stable
One of the most outstanding properties of concrete is its strength which offers comfortable shelter from inclement weather, and minimizes property damage while safeguarding from severe weather and natural disasters.

2. Long-lasting
Future maintenance is not required for home as a result the construction cost is reduced significantly.

3. Adaptable
Concrete is a multifaceted material from which any shape and form can be developed. This features facilitates the designers to produce innovative designs on the basis of the demand of client and situations under considerations.

4. Eco-Friendly
The materials necessary to develop concrete are accessible in local areas. Recycled materials like recycled aggregate, pozzolanic cementitious materials like fly ash and silica fumes are utilized to build up concrete.

It results in decreasing CO2 emission throughout cement production since a smaller quantity of cement is required for production.

5. Advantages throughout life-cycle of the Structure
Concrete homes offer various advantages and benefits all through their life span. As for example, chills inside area of the house and consequently curtail energy consumption, and give protection against disasters like fire; hurricane; earthquake; and flood.

Besides, concrete contains low volatile organic compound and it does not impact indoor air quality. Finally, it can be recycled to develop recycled concrete aggregate.

To get some of the most outstanding and award-winning design ideas for construction of concrete homes, click on the following link theconstructor.org



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Published By
Rajib Dey
www.constructioncost.co
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Types of plasticizers commonly used and their benefits

Plasticizers & super-plasticizers facilitate concrete to enhance it's workability.

Due to it’s strong fluidity, shotcrete is highly beneficial. When the homogeneous mix is applied pneumatically, it simply conforms with even rugged surfaces whereas maintaining the initial resistance to compression to offer good structural support from the beginning.

A family of chemical polymers like plasticizers and super-plasticizers are liable for the material’s fluidity. These are also called water reducers to minimize the total water-to-cement ratio, providing it a more ‘liquid’ consistency devoid of diluting the mix with water.

These additives are normally added all through the mixing process and allow the concrete mix to become yielding until application keeping its consistency unchanged.

Plasticizers and super-plasticizers provide a temporary dispersing effect, that produces a comprehensive hydration of each cement particle, making the fluidity of the mix better.

This mix is amalgamated with volcanic fly ash to form the type of hydraulic concrete, a fully hardy and weatherproof material along with extremely erosive salt water.

Plasticizers: first steps - First generation of plasticizers is known as Lignosulphonates. It belongs to a byproduct originated from wood processing that is frequently applied in recent times to form a workable mix with only basic raw materials.

These additives, known as Mid-Range Water Reducers [MRWR] affix themselves to the surface of a cement particle, that bears both positive and negative charges. Plasticizer polymers, which are negatively charged, neutralize the positive charges on the cement surface, transforming the entire surface completely negative.

It causes a physical effect that allows the negatively charged cement particles to keep away each other, providing a dispersing effect to develop better water infiltration. This mix can now function well devoid of adding more water, and allows for a cutback in the overall amount of water necessary, reducing the water-cement ratio by around 10%.

But these additives can defer the curing process, which may sequentially produce further complicacies. If curing is not done within a certain timeframe, a greater amount of hydrostatic pressure could amass in a formwork column over a long lasting period, causing the formwork to burst.

The second generation: Plasticizers 2.0: This type of plasticizer can significantly lessen the water-to-cement ratio of around 25%. Polysulfonates like naphthalene and melamine offer same type of working mechanism to the first generation of plasticizers, producing an electrical dispersing albeit of superior intensity.

These polymers conform to the cement particles, charging them negatively to form repulsion among related particles, allowing water to flow and hydrate the mix in an efficient manner.

This similar repulsion activity also activates major air occlusion, raising the workability of the mix but at the same time developing pockets of air that reduces its resistance and settle its structural integrity.

This type of polymer may also put other challenges, since it provides a very narrow window of ‘workability’: as soon as the cement is hydrated, it is likely to develop a crust-like byproduct that makes application complicated.

Super-plasticizers: the third generation - Super-plasticizers stands for the additives which bring huge benefits along with a water-to-cement ratio curtailment of around 40%.

Polycarboxylates alias High Range Water Reducers (HRWR) function on the base of sterical in spite of electrostatic repulsion. A major steric effect is steric hindrance for which a chemical reaction can’t occur. In this case it stops cement particles from agglomerating.

Polycarboxylates stands for complex co-polymers which are applied to satisfy several functions, and comprise of a negatively charged ‘backbone’ molecule with polymeric side chains.

Most of these additives can be amalgamated jointly, and blended with other types like air-entraining, accelerating and retarding additives
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Published By

Rajib Dey

www.constructioncost.co

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How bubble deck technology is used in construction work

Bubble Deck belongs to the original combination method of connecting air, steel and concrete in two-way structural slab. Hollow plastic balls is embedded into the slab and reinforced with steel. The end result eliminates up to 35% of concrete that contains carrying effect at the time of restoring the two-way span strength. It can be used with most of the buildings particularly open floor design : educational, commercial, hospital and other organizational buildings.

Bubble Deck contains the following properties :-

Shear strength - 80% of solid deck slab
Deflection - Similar to solid slab
Weight - 40% below solid slab
Fire Resistance – 65% of solid slab

Bubble Deck slab belongs to a biaxial voided concrete slab in which high density polythene hollow sphere substitute the incompetent concrete in the middle of concrete slab.

Materials for building up the bubble deck

Steel: The steel reinforcement of MS or HYSD is applied.

Plastic Sphere: Void sphere formed with recycled high density polyethylene. It contains adequate strength & rigidity. It does not make any reaction.

Concrete: The concrete is formed with standard Portland cement with highest aggregate size of ¾ inch.

Bubble Deck Manufactured Components: It stands for a structural vacuumed smooth slab system that reduces dead weight of a floor slab by 33% facilitating longer span among column supports and forms an entire range of other cost and construction benefits.

The system acts as an alternative of all other supporting structure like beams or walls. The entire floor slab extents in two directions directly into pre-cast or in-situ reinforced concrete column.

Benefits of Bubble Deck:

Structural:
a. Less weight
b. No beams are necessary
c. Only few columns are essential
d. Make your choice for shape
e. Bigger Span

Construction
a. Fewer work on job site
b. Light weight, less equipment is necessary
c. Simple and does not require heavy jobsite work

Economy:
a. Huge savings for materials (slabs, beams, columns, foundation), up to 50%
b. Needs fewer carrying cost
c. Requirement of concrete is reduced up to 35%
d. Lower workforce, no carpentry, no beams and workers with less skill can be employed

Environmental:
a. Less material consumption (cement, aggregate, steel)
b. Less energy consumption (throughout production, transportation and lifting on construction site)



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Published By
Rajib Dey
www.constructioncost.co
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Details about High Performance Concrete (HPC)

Now-a-days, High Performance Concrete (HPC) is gaining popularity. HPC denotes superior concrete performance throughout wet stage (mixing & placing process); with greater strength in hardened stage together with a greater strength in long-run as compared to normal concrete.

The HPC is comprised of different chemical cum mineral admixtures and fibres. In HPC, the proportions are designed, or engineered, to create the strength and durability required for the structural and environmental requirements of the project.

High-strength concrete contains a specified compressive strength of 8000 psi (55 MPa) or higher. Special mixing, placing, and curing practices are required to develop and manipulate high-performance concrete. Normally, comprehensive performance tests are essential to show compliance with specific project requirements.

High-performance concrete is mainly utilized in tunnels, bridges, and tall buildings due to its strength, stability, and high modulus of elasticity. It is also been applied in shotcrete repair, poles, parking garages, and agricultural applications.

High-performance concrete characteristics are developed for particular applications and environments; some of the properties that may be required include:

• High strength
• High early strength
• High modulus of elasticity
• High abrasion resistance
• High strength and permanence in rigorous environments
• Low permeability and diffusion
• Defiance against chemical attack
• High resistance against frost and deicer scaling damage
• Toughness and impact resistance
• Volume stability
• Ease of placement
• Compaction devoid of segregation
• Inhibition of bacterial and mold growth

High-performance concretes are developed with cautiously chosen high-quality materials and optimized mixture designs; these are batched, mixed, placed, compacted and cured with reference to the superior industry standards.

Normally, such concretes will contain a low water-cementing materials ratio of 0.20 to 0.45. Plasticizers are normally utilized to produce these concretes fluid and workable. High-performance concrete almost always contains a greater strength as compared to normal concrete.

High-early-strength concrete, also known as fast-track concrete, attains its specified strength at an initial age as compared to normal concrete. The time period in which a specified strength should be attained may vary from a few hours (or even minutes) to several days. High-early-strength is achieved by employing conventional concrete ingredients and concreting practices, although sometimes special materials or techniques are necessary.



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Design of Beam

1. Estimation of constants. -For the specified set of stresses, determine KC, JC and RC.

2. Kc= M~cbc/M~cbc+~st

3. Jc= 1-(Kc/3)

4. Rc= 0.5*L*Kc Jc

5. Estimation of bending moment. Suppose appropriate values of overall depth and breadth of beam, and find out the effective span. Work out the self-weight and total U.D.L. and maximum bending moment in the beam.

6. Design of the section. Workout the effective depth of the beam with the following expression:

7. d= [(M)/ (RC*b)] 0.5

8. Reinforcement. Workout the area with the formula.

9. Shear Reinforcement. Workout the maximum shear force in the beam.

10. Verify for Development length at the end.

11. Ld<= (M1/V) +L0.

Design of column:

1. Find out the allowable stresses in concrete, longitudinal bars and ties.
2. Determine the super impose load that should be borne by the column.
3. Find out the area from the following expression - P= ~cc *Ac+~sc*Asc.
4. After getting details about the area, find out the dimensions of column. If it is a square of side b, then b=Ag.
5. For the specified end conditions, find out the effective length of column. Measure lef/b ratio to determine whether the column is short or long.
6. If lef/b ratio<12 it will be designed as short column or else as long column; define the area of steel Asc.
7. Determine the diameters of bars utilized as ties and find out its pitch according to the rules.

DESIGN OF FOOTING: The width B of the footing will obviously be equivalent to [W+W‟]/qo. The thickness is measured based on the bending moment as well as punching shear.

1. Depth for bending moment.
d= [M/B*Rc] 0.5
2. Depth for shear.
3. tv=V/B*d
4. Steel Reinforcement. Ast=M/tjcd

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Published By
Rajib Dey
www.constructioncost.co
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Some useful tips on reinforced concrete design

While designing the reinforced concrete members, it is necessary to check the steel reinforcement in jobsite prior to arrange concrete. Besides, ensure the concrete foundations, beams, columns, etc. are constructed as per design norms. Often, it is observed that steel beam stirrups employed in reinforced concrete design, are not installed properly.

The beam stirrups are extensively utilized in residential construction. In order to produce perfect architectural design and satisfy building occupant requirements, the sizes of concrete beam are made thinner and their lengths are increased.

In our experience, this has been the result of architectural design and. The higher cost of foundation components like drilled piers is also a major concern. To lessen the requirement of extra piers, the lengths of concrete beam are raised and it leads to the application of steel stirrups.

Concrete beams differ in depth. The shear strength of the beam will be increased by making beam deeper. For insufficient depth, steel stirrups should be included to raise the shear strength of the beam. These stirrups generally belong to one piece of steel that is twisted into a rectangular shape. Often small diameter steel like #3 and #4 rebar is applied. The stirrup normally wraps around the bottom and top bars of the beams.

It is essential to indicate the size, distance and position along the length of the beam where the stirrups will be assigned. Besides, the dimensions of stirrup should also be indicated in the sections in order that the stirrup is manufactured before installation.

Stirrups are suitable for the areas of high shear, like bearing points and under large point loads.

The installer should take proper care for fabrication of the stirrup from one piece of steel and sufficiently overlap each end (speak to the Structural Engineer or refer to the ACI code for variations). Sometimes, the stirrup is not pre-fabricated and the installer attempts to produce the stirrup in the field, once the horizontal bars are already in position. It is normal since the stirrup is built up from two pieces with insufficient lap splice.

The method is simple to set up a stirrup simultaneously the horizontal reinforcement is being installed. To avoid last-minute modifications, it is recommended to consult with the Structural Engineer with any confusion regarding size, shape, spacing and installation of stirrups before inspection.



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Published By
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www.constructioncost.co
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SO-Foundation, a powerful construction program for finding out the bearing strength of shallow foundation

Soil Office, the leading developer of various geotechnical engineering software, has created SO-Foundation. It is a powerful construction program that can be used to compute bearing strength of shallow foundations in view of both “shear failure” and “settlement”.

The software applied Hansen, Meyerhof, Vesic, Terzaghi and Eurocode methods to find out the shear failure. The are also several options to work out elastic and consolidation settlements.

The software also provides complete detailed reports.

Features - General

- Provides information on near about 20 soil layers.
- User can get notification on the common ranges concerning input parameters.
- Pressure isobars are computed and produced under footings.
- Defines bearing strength of shallow footings (Spread, Continuous and Mat) with various dimensions in view of both shear failure and settlement (Elastic and Consolidation).
- Estimate settlement according to the tolerable pressure.
- Estimate modulus of subgrade reaction.
- Estimate and creation of modulus of subgrade reaction contour on the footing surface.
- Export results to MS Excel format.
- Demonstration of calculation report containing adequate details.
- Formation of profiles for the preferred settings.
- Saving files with a smallest size.

Shear failure:

- Utilization of 5 methods, Eurocode, Hansen, Meyerhof, Terzaghi and Vesic.
- Modification of general factor of safety.
- Strength reduction factors are attributed for friction angle and cohesion, independently.
- Water effect is used with 2 methods.
- Inclusion of large footing effect in calculations.

Settlement:

• General
- Modification of permissible settlement by user’s will.

- Valid depth in settlement calculation is defined as the least amount of below:
a. Pressure isobars (based on each of the methods Boussinesq, Westergaard and Approximate 2V:1H) or a multiple of foundation width.
b. Depth of the rigid layer.

To download the software and gather more information, click on the following link soiloffice.com

Watch the following video for online demonstration.

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Published By
Rajib Dey
www.constructioncost.co
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Simplify your concrete estimating process with Concrete Foundation Estimator 1.1.1

Progress Builders, a full-service, Design-build company, working on residential construction market, just introduced Concrete Foundation Estimator 1.1.1 compatible with iPhone, iPad and iPod touch devices.

This newest construction app will be a very resourceful and exceptionally influential productivity tool for all contractors and owner-builders.

Concrete Foundation Estimator 1.1.1 was purposely intended to enhance and make the process simpler for estimating and bidding on concrete jobs. This construction software facilitates the Concrete Foundation Estimator to produce professional, editable, easy-to-follow construction bids, estimates, and quotes, together with the all or any part of the following:

• Concrete demolition of existing slabs and footings
• Excavation volume and cost using manual labor or machinery
• Extracted soil hauling and dumping fees
• Crushed concrete hauling and dumping fees
• Materials cost and volume for
• Footings
• Stem walls
• Piers
• Slabs
• Reinforcement
• Shear walls
• Anchor bolts
• All thread retrofits
• Concrete ready-mix or in bags
• Volume, cost and waste %
• Labor for piers, reinforcement assembly and concrete pouring
• Cost of concrete pumping
• Adjustable Workman's compensation rate
• Sales tax in your area for all materials
• Job overhead
• Custom fields to add to estimate

The Concrete Foundation Estimator contains an in-built portfolio page that saves all projects. One will be able to recover and revise estimates instantly, create revisions, make PDF quotes as well as spreadsheets editable in excel. There also exist some in-built Tutorials containing tricks for how to accumulate values from the plans and demonstrated explanations for each section.

While making estimation, you should not have to repeatedly find materials and labor cost. "CFE includes predefined settings which can be changed at your own level of price, time and materials utilized. The users have to get through all sections and update predefined values. You don’t have to update material or labor cost on a regular basis.

Estimator 1.1.1 supports iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch as well as iOS 8.0 or later.

Concrete Foundation Estimator 1.1.1 will cost $4.99 USD and can be access all through the world via the App Store in the Business category.

Downloadable link

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Published By

Rajib Dey

www.constructioncost.co

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Use of Excel Spread Sheet by a Quantity Surveyor for Material Stock Taking

This video will provide you use of Excel Spread Sheet by a Quantity Surveyor for Material Stock Taking On-Site.wmv.

We provides accurate material takeoffs for some or all phases of Construction including elevation plan, concrete foundation, site concrete and cast-in-place concrete both for private and public biddings. We generate accurate quantity take-off from plan sheets on any structure in spite of size.

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Published By

Rajib Dey

www.constructioncost.co

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