Types of Glass, Uses and Properties.

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Generally all types of glass is produced by mixing silica with other additives such as sodium potassium carbonate, lime, manganese oxide and subjecting the mixture to very high heat. Silica is the main constituent of glass but to make it durable, lime or lead oxide is added. Glass items are manufactured by blowing, flat drawing, pressing and rolling.

Properties of Glass.

Glass is strong and durable, inert to the atmosphere, good electrical insulator, absorbs, reflects or transmits light, available in many colours and easy to clean.

Types of glass and their use.

Potash Lime Glass:

Mainly a mixture of potassium silicate and calcium silicate. Also known as hard glass. It is used in the manufacture of glass articles that have to withstand high temperatures.

Common Glass:

It is basically a mixture of sodium silicate, calcium silicate and iron silicate. It is brown, green or yellow in colour. Used mainly in the manufacture of bottles.

Soda Lime Glass:

Consists of sodium silicate and calcium silicate. It is fusible at low temperature and this property makes it easy to form to required shape. It is used in the production of items such as laboratory tubes and window panes.

Potash Lead Glass:

Consists mainly of potassium silicate and lead silicate. It has bright lustre and great refractive power. Used in the manufacture of artificial gems, electrical bulbs, lenses, prisms and so on.

Special Glass:

This type of glass is produced by altering the basic ingredients and adding a few more. Examples of special glasses includes; Fibre glass, Foam glass, Bullet proof glass, Structural glass, Wired glass, Ultraviolet ray glass, Perforated glass and so on

USA Defeat Netherlands to Win Women’s World Cup

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USA Defeat Netherlands to Win Women's World Cup
USA Win 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup

Goals from Megan Rapinoe and Rose Lavelle ensured that USA Defeat Netherlands to Win Women’s World Cup for the second consecutive time.

Netherlands defended resolutely in the first half hoping to catch USA on the break. The USA were very careful and first half ended 0-0. The Netherlands continued with the same approach in the second half, allowing the USA to do the attacking.

However, luck ran against them in the 58 minute when the VAR adjudged Barcelona defender Stefanie van der Gragt’s to have fouled Alex Morgan in the 18 yard box. Indeed the defender’s high boot caught the striker as was shown in the replays.

Penalty was awarded to USA and Megan Rapino coolly slotted home to give the USA a one goal lead. The Netherlands had no choice but to come out of their shells. But 8 minutes later Rose Lavelle scored the second goal after a fine run to end Netherlands hopes of wining the cup.

The match statistics reflected very much the nature of the game. USA had 13 shots in total while Netherlands had 3 shots. Of the 13 shots by the USA, 4 shots were on target while 2 of Netherlands 3 shots were on target.

You can watch match highlights and to see how USA Defeat Netherlands;

USA definitely is the best team of the tournament. They had already laid down a daunting marker after they demolished Thailand 13-0 in their first match.. USA’s Megan Rapinoe is the golden boot winner and best player of the tournament. USA has now won the title for the fourth time.

In the 3rd place playoff, Sweden defeated England 2-1.

SEE HERE to view FIFA Women’s 2019 Quarter final results. To view Semi Final, Third Place and Final results CLICK HERE.


Column Design with Excel

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Column design 1

Column design with excel, named RCC 52 is a free program you can use to carry out your column design. This program was created with Microsoft Excel by the Reinforced Concrete Council United Kingdom. It designs to British Standard (BS) 8110. RCC 52 can really aid your design as it can design up to six columns at once.

How to use column design with excel; RCC 52.

The program is very easy to understand and use. you enter data in blue cells.

In the first rows of the spreadsheet you can enter project name, title, name of design, date, page and so on.

At the second set of rows you enter strength of concrete and steel, factors of safety and cover to reinforcement.

In the third set of rows, enter proposed column dimensions and and number of reinforcement bars.

In the bar arrangement section, you enter the highest bar diameter you want to use.

Directly under the column chart is the load cases section. There are six load cased which means six columns can be designed at once. You can design vertical row of columns from top to bottom. you will be required to enter pre-calculated load and moment acting on the columns.

Column design

By using the generated column chart with the bar arrangement table, you will know which columns have valid design. You can keep trying out several column dimensions, and number of reinforcement bars until an economic design is achieved.

You can watch video on how Column Design with Excel works; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gcxiFNeMkI

To download column design with excel spreadsheet; CLICK HERE.

For information on how to obtain and use Pad footing/foundation Design with excel, READ THIS ARTICLE.

PAD FOOTING/FOUNDATION DESIGN WITH EXCEL.

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PAD FOOTING/FOUNDATION DESIGN WITH EXCEL is a free excel program you can use to design pad footings to BS8110. It is named RCC81. It is a free excel program developed by the reinforced concrete council UK.

Pad footing/foundation design with excel
Pad footing/foundation design with excel

For us Civil/ Structural engineers, manual design can become very tasking and time consuming. However, structural analysis and design software have made the task easier but most are expensive. This one is FREE.

How to use RCC 81; Pad footing/foundation design with excel.

The excel program is very easy to understand and use. You enter data in blue cells. Part of data required include; strength of concrete and steel, bearing pressure of soil, factors of safety, proposed dimensions of pad footing and column dimensions, calculated axial loads and moments acting on the pad footing.

The program will check if pad footing dimensions chosen are suitable or not. It will even suggest pad footing dimensions that can work. You will also be able to view design status. If your design fails, it will state the reason why, so you will know which input value to adjust. When design status is valid, the program will calculate reinforcement required for the foundation footing.

You can watch video on how the program works click HERE

To download pad footing/ foundation design with excel (RCC 81), click HERE.

Basic Structural Elements of Building

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The basic structural elements of buildings will be discussed under five subheadings including; slab, beam, column, wall and roof.

Slab.

Slab is the large flat horizontal element of a building. (Pavement) and usually spans between beams or walls. Slabs can be made of wood, concrete, or interlocking blocks or bricks, although slabs made of concrete are the most common. In storey buildings, slabs are usually supported on beams or columns.

Beam.

Beams are horizontal load bearing members. In its basic form, the main function of a beam is to transfer slab and wall loads to the columns. Depending on the type of building in terms of strength and materials, beams can be made of wood, concrete, reinforced concrete or steel.

Column.

Columns are the vertical load bearing members of a building and their main function is to transmit beam, slab, wall, roof, as well as live loads safely down to the foundation of the building. Depending on strength requirements and specifications, columns can be made of wood, reinforced concrete or steel.

Wall.

Walls are usually vertical members and can be built of wood, bricks, blocks or concrete. Walls within a building would be constructed to have openings for doors and windows where appropriate. Walls can be load or non load bearing. A simple example of a load bearing wall is a situation where the wall directly supports the roof of a building.

Roof.

Roof is the upper covering of a Building. Its main function is to protect the building from rain and heat from the sun. Roofs can either be flat or pitched.