By Joakim Silva Q: Do you think that you could have gone as far in your field without an engineering degree? I would like to introduce myself to you as a trainee quantity surveyor in the Commercial Department of Midgard Ltd. I am now 26 years of age. After following the conventional route of education I was fortunate enough to attain a 2:2 university degree in Biochemistry with Management at Imperial College London. After graduation, I was unemployed with a £50,000 debt and did not know that my ideal job as a quantity surveyor existed at that point. At the end of the degree program, I did not know what I was passionate about or where I would fit into society in terms of career. I gained a vast amount of soft skills from my management year that would later apply in my profession. After graduation, I was volunteering at my local church providing food to the homeless and needy in society for 6 whole months! And I must admit I was eating the food too because I was so tight on finances at the time. In my quest for employment and a deeper meaning to life, I stumbled upon a job opening in my firm and was given the opportunity to work with a 3-month probationary period based on my performance without a degree in civil engineering or quantity surveying. Perhaps I had never seen the obvious in connecting the dots in my life but I developed a genuine passion for quantity surveying from discovering it and actually working as a quantity surveyor for my day job for 8-months. Prior to joining the firm I did a considerable amount of research about the projects Midgard was involved in, I made a financial statement for the firm to see where it was heading, which was promising, I liked the size of the company, and I also purchased the Quantity Surveyor’s pocketbook for some background reading into the profession. I discovered that quantity surveying is a practical and philosophical discipline originating in 1805-1815 during the Napoleonic wars. In 1828 separate trades contracting was discontinued for public works in favour of general contracting after enormous costs in construction works, most notably Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle. Estimating and costing was required in the construction industry, but quantity surveying itself was not an established profession under a general contractor. I am very fond of history and where things originate from, so it was a nice touch to learn this. Although I had my doubts as to the origins of quantity surveying because surely the ancient Egyptians and ancient Greeks required detailed planning and estimating for their constructions? Most recently I was approved for applying for a Level 6 apprenticeship scheme paid by the firm in Quantity Surveying with Commercial Management at the University of Westminster. I have an interview in two weeks to decide my fate and future in the profession, whether or not the university will accept me on their course. I believe completion of the course will enable me to become a Chartered Quantity Surveyor. I think that the opportunity given to me within the firm shows that you don’t have to have a background in civil engineering to go far and that the degree and the rest of your work experience can come after you discover, or in my case rediscover your passion. On a daily basis, I read technical drawings, estimate measurements using the on-screen takeoff software, prepare a bill of quantities for tender, make tender enquiries with subcontractors and assist the Senior Quantity Surveyor with those enquiries. I have particularly enjoyed the current construction project I am working on because it’s a live construction site. I get to physically go on site and see how the specifications and estimates result in something tangible. I love how piecing together elements of the construction process enables you to see how important steps result in a finished product: a building. In summary to answer the question: I am just at the beginning of my profession in quantity surveying without a degree and now I have the opportunity to get one through finding my passion. I have a tremendous amount of respect for civil engineers and architects, interior designers and the like, and I hope to meet you all one day. Kind regards, Joakim Silva

Sponsored by Jobsora In the context of the global COVID-19 pandemic, many employees were sent by employers to work remotely. This is due to a reduction in the risk of infection in public transport and in crowded places, such as office spaces. There is a separate category of workers called freelancers. They are already accustomed to work at home, without any problems they are engaged in independent organization of the process. But for those who are accustomed to the usual routine, interacting with colleagues and even their chair, it is extremely difficult to get used to the children running around and the lack of necessary tools. In this article, readers will be able to get the most effective recommendations. Do not despair, because the modern world with its mobile communications and access to the global network provides unlimited opportunities. Five critical steps 1. Ergonomics of the workplace. Here you need to be a little selfish, taking yourself the best table and chair. Children can draw in the kitchen, and one needs to give way to the main work force and source of income. Eliminate sources of unnecessary light, use an adjustable lamp with even illumination at dusk. Elbows should not hang from the countertop, otherwise the shoulders and shoulder girdle will be very sore. As you work at home, gradually adjust the parameters, do not tolerate inconveniences. It is not known how long the quarantine will last, and you can develop problems with vision or back during this time. An ideal option would be to work in a separate room, but not everyone has such housing conditions. Even if it comes to pulling the curtains and setting the screens, the presence of someone nearby should not distract. 2. Collecting working tools. Everything you need should be at hand. Drawing accessories, related documentation, books, disks with computer programs. Any departure from the workplace can distract. None of the members of the family will think that a real work process is now going on in the house. You can minimize distraction by solving tasks in stages. The less you leave your chair, the better. Pencils must be sharpened, the phone - charged, and a glass of water, and preferably a bottle, should be near. 3. Establish productivity. Here it is necessary to break down the task into its component parts, and then solve each of them sequentially. You won’t be able to figure it out without self-control. Here is an example of thinking: “I have almost done this stage, it is necessary a little more, and I can get up. Already done. I wonder what in the next part? I’ll fix it, set it to work, and then I’ll leave. Or maybe make a small segment to make it easier later? Yes, I'll do it". So you may not notice how eight hours fly by in half the time. You must constantly be the driving force and the driver in one person. If you do not pull yourself together, then the plans will be frustrated. If you are tired, no one stops you from going to bed during the day to restore strength. 4. Correct the psychological aspects. Psychologists advise constantly praising and encouraging yourself with exhausting homework. Made 50%, and that's half. And 51% is already more than half, and then start the countdown. You can’t call the work boring, unpleasant or uninteresting, constantly complaining about large workloads. Promise yourself a reward at the end of the day, for example, watching a movie, and then, enjoying, repeat that you really deserve it. It is extremely difficult to evaluate your own contribution; ask someone from the family, wife, husband or adult child to do this. 5. Introduce an effective schedule. Breaking the old regime is not worth it. If you are used to getting up at 7 in the morning in order to get to your usual place of work, then do not lose this ability. It’s easy to spoil yourself and then start waking up closer to dinner. It will be extremely difficult to return to the usual system. It is necessary to precisely regulate the lunch break, as well as to accurately think out breaks and occupation for these periods of time. You can water the flowers, just look out the window or do a little workout. But do not be distracted by movies or social media communication, it can drag on for hours. It is advisable for each type of work to provide an approximate deadline for execution. This requires planning the next business day every evening. If it turned out to be done faster, then this should be considered as an advantage. And even if it’s not possible to go outside under quarantine conditions, you can use this time to good use. What is usually spent on the road can be folded into a single package, and also add +2 hours daily. And it turns out that in 4 days we spend 8 hours of travel time spending and squeeze out the same amount of extra long daily time. In total, a five-day work week can be closed in three days. If the management allows. Or they can just raise your salary. The main stumbling blocks Those who try to create a working atmosphere at home most often complain of a number of inconveniences. Consider how to overcome them most effectively: Children and pets. You can explain everything to the child, but the cat lying on the keyboard cannot be reasoned with. You need to have a preventive conversation with the kids. One of the best ways is to completely immerse yourself in loud favorite music with headphones, and then just ignore requests. In 3-5 days, everyone will get used to this situation. The temptation to go on a smoke break or drink tea. Here you will need to establish strict prohibitions for yourself. This will help the smartphone timer. Earlier calls are not allowed to go anywhere. The lunch break can be arranged for the whole family, and drinking coffee is easily transferred to the desktop. Fast fatigability. It is caused by laziness, an uncomfortable chair and monotonous work against the background of sounds at home. Headphones and music will also help here. Constant distraction on people walking nearby. Here it is better to use a screen or put a partition. It can even be a piece of a large cardboard box, but moving objects should not fall into the field of view. Low labor efficiency. To eliminate it, you need to compare the process in the office and at home, and then draw the appropriate conclusions. Lack of computer programs, uncomfortable chair. Is it possible that this is just a desire to watch your favorite videos? What can be done in 8 hours is easily stretched to 12-14. These are questions to one’s own organization skills. You need to ask yourself questions, scold yourself inside, divided into a boss and a subordinate. Incomparable benefit When everything is set up and debugged, and the management no longer doubts the effectiveness of remote work, you can switch to a similar mode in cases of emergency. Outside of a pandemic, a seasonal illness may come, but experience will allow us to switch to a remote work in any force majeure circumstances. Also, before starting work in this mode, we do not suspect to what extent each of us is disorganized. Self-discipline and adherence to the rules will be useful, those will allow you to intensify self-control. And this is a step towards your own business or the beginning of work as a freelance professional.

Sponsored by Jobsora After the quarantine, things will return to normal (or whatever the new normal will look like). The compulsory stay-at-home laws will be repealed and some other restrictions will be lifted making a return to regular work for many employees across the USA and the World the next logical thing to do. It is therefore highly important for businesses to make proper plans for a reintroduction to life in the office. These back-to-work plans must ensure safety for the workers, encouragement for them as well as profitability for businesses. Failure to do so can prove dangerous to the health of the workers and the business itself. Not all businesses can be profitably operated through remote working, and the return to normalcy is a breath of fresh air for such organizations. But how can this transition back to office life be carried out in a safe yet productive manner? Ways to return to work after the quarantine Reconfigure office arrangement: When work resumes, businesses still need to follow social distancing and hygiene regulations that were effected during the pandemic. The work environment will have to be reconfigured to accommodate the new reality. Office seating arrangements will need restructuring. Companies may consider using transparent shields to divide office desks. Also separating entrances from exits at workplaces to keep social distancing laws in effect will go a long way in ensuring the safety of workers and customers. Ensure proper management of employee numbers: With the "6-feet distancing" regulations in place, normal office activities won't be as they were pre-Covid-19. Most workplaces won't accommodate all their workers at the same time. It is only wise to create an effective arrangement for rotating employees' work days. Ensure that the rotation is done in such a way that every arm of the business is still run effectively while worker distancing is still in check. Rotation will limit the risk of spreading viruses in the workplace because the more workers there are in the office at any given time, the higher the chances of contracting the virus. This mean that there will have to be a lot of shifts going on in different offices. Employees need to always be aware of their shifts on time so as not to cripple business activities. Managing employee numbers may mean that some employees will have to lose their current jobs and they will need to find work elsewhere. Continue some remote work: After the lockdown is over, it is advisable to carefully consider every role and decide if some activities can be carried out remotely at least for some months. Some companies will prefer to maintain remote working due to economic reasons while others may be forced to return to the work-from-home life of Covid-19 especially if they are located in high threat areas or if a worker suddenly contracts the virus. After careful consideration, work that can be carried out remotely should remain that way for some time because going back and forth between working centrally and working remotely can take a heavy toll on the business. It is therefore advisable to keep both options open in case of any unforeseen eventualities. A good communication system will be highly beneficial to keep businesses running smoothly in this situation. Restore workplace motivation: A lot of things got changed when the world was hit with the virus. And due to the fact that many employees have been away from their places of work for a long period of time, restarting the office work life may be somewhat unsettling. Also, staff members may never see some of their colleagues again. It is important that business leaders maintain an atmosphere of positivity in the work environment to ensure maximum productivity. Management needs to attend to the concerns of employees in a sensitive manner especially during this period. Businesses need to be more human than ever before in relating with team members to get the best from them. Possible stepping stones The Covid-19 situation has helped many businesses create more productive work routines and also rethink what is important and what is not. For companies who the majority of their workforce can work remotely, it may help save the cost of acquiring large office spaces and other infrastructure. Another thing the pandemic did was to force companies to better the communication between employees and management. The importance of effective communication at work has been realized by many business leaders and it is only wise to not relax it post Covid-19. The quarantine has seen many organizations communicate much more frequently with their staff over the last couple of months than they did before the lockdown. Keeping the lines of communication open between leadership and staff will ensure increased productivity. Positive health practices have also been reinforced in many businesses as a result of the pandemic. How to avoid post quarantine stress The transition back to the regular office work may be very stressful if care is not taken. The secret to return to normal work in a stress free manner is to have effective short term and long term plans in place for the safety of workers and for the productivity of the organization. Many things have been learned over the last couple of months and new ways of doing things have emerged. Organizations should incorporate these lessons learned into their back-to-work plans. Should remote work take the day? Working remotely has been the only option for many businesses since the pandemic, but should this trend continue after the lockdown has been lifted? Should remote working take the place of working centrally? Truth is remote work should be seen as an option and not as a policy. Why it may be more productive to work from the office There are many reasons why it may be more profitable for companies to work in the office rather than work remotely. One of such reasons is a sense of community. Working in an office space creates an air of camaraderie and it goes a long way in ensuring that the work cultures of organizations remain entrenched in workers. When teammates only communicate via video calls or chat, it dampens work culture and that sense of community as a result of being physically in the same place is lost as well. There are more distractions working remotely than working in an office environment. Because of this, work that should take two hours to complete in an office setting without distractions may take well over five hours to accomplish when done at home due to various distractions and lack of supervision. For a lot of employees who can work efficiently without supervision, working remotely may not be so much of a bad thing but what of those who need to be monitored closely before they can deliver? Another reason why working in the office is more profitable than remote work is that work can be managed more easily and the productivity of workers can also be better evaluated. Workers can also be held accountable more effectively if they are working in an office. Remote work on the other hand may not be as easy to manage as many of the traditional management strategies won't work with a remote team. It is quite harder to hold remote workers accountable. Security issues are a major concern when it comes to working remotely. Theft of company hardware and sensitive data is a big source of worry. It may be more profitable to keep some sensitive information and hardware within the confines of an office building where they are relatively safe from physical theft and online hacking. Conclusion Returning to work in the regular office environment is of utmost necessity and the fact that remote working has helped manage some things during the quarantine shouldn't mean the demise of regular office work. Remote work should be seen as an option in running businesses and not a replacement of usual office work.

by Lochan Yadav Coning Of Wheel: The rim or flanges of the wheels are never made flat but they are in the shape of a cone with a slope of about 1 to 20. This is known as coning of wheels. The coning of wheels is mainly done to maintain the vehicle in the central position with respect to the track. When the vehicle is moving on levelled track then the flanges of wheels have equal circumference. But when the vehicle is moving along a curved path then in this case the outer wheel has to cover a greater distance than that of the inner wheel. Also as the vehicle has a tendency to move sideways towards the outer rail, the circumferences of the flanges of the inner wheel and will help the outer wheel to cover a longer distance than the inner wheel. In these ways, smooth-riding is produced by means of coning of wheels. Advantages of Coning of Wheels: Smooth riding - Help vehicle to negotiate curves smoothly Reduces wear and tear of wheel flanges. Damage is caused because of the friction action of rims with the inner faces of the rail top. It prevents, to some extent, the slipping of the wheels. It gives an option of lateral drift of the hinge with its wheels. Disadvantages of Coming of Wheels: Pressure on the outer rail is more while on the inner rail it is less. This results in wear of outer rail. Due to the centrifugal force, the horizontal components tend to turn the rail out and the gauge has a widening tendency. If no base plate is used under the voids sleepers under the edge of the rail are damaged. In order to minimize the above mentioned disadvantages, the Tilting of Rails is done. Tilting of Rails In order to minimize the disadvantages caused by coning of wheels, the rails are tilted inwards at an angle of 1 in 20. This reduces wear on the rail as well as on the tread of the wheel. Tilting of rails can be achieved by: Adzing of Sleepers Use of Canted Base Plate. Advantages of Tilting Of Rails The wear at the head of the rail is uniform, It maintains the gauge properly It increases the life of sleepers and rails.

Sponsored by Jobsora It's a new world order, and the way we live is changing faster than we could ever have imagined. Who could have foreseen that the businesses that will survive in the first quarter of 2020 will only be those with activities that can be carried out remotely? This is a change we never saw coming, and which many businesses were not prepared for. But the change is here, and it's only right that companies learn to adapt to the new trend. The tides have changed quickly in the labour market, and while some opportunities are disappearing, others are surfacing. Now, it's all about the issue of value. Those that are less valuable to their companies are losing their jobs. Some roles are vacant and need competent persons to take them up. These, amongst other trends, are what we will be looking at in this article, as the world is trying so hard to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. In the past month, a lot of countries suffering high casualty rates CoronaVirus. This led to a lockdown that changed the labour market as we know it. There is a reduction in the need for physical labour, and more for intellectual labour. This simply tells of one thing, the future we have been waiting for, is here. Effect of the Lockdown on Labor Market In a recent report, several millions of jobs are at risk if the lockdown continues for months. In fact, the study was specific to reporting that about a fifth of all workers are under threat. This is indicating to the fact that some sectors of the economy that are not regarded as essentials may hit rock bottom. The good news, however, is that several people are adapting their skillset and expertise to taking on new roles. While there is a drastic job loss in several wholesale, retail, hotel, restaurant and pubs businesses, the digital infrastructure of the world is fostering remote jobs. However, in spite of these shift in the way we work, the economy is still taking a hit. This is simply telling of the importance of the labour market. Your job is important to the growth and sustenance of the country. The crash in the labour market is synonymous to the crash in the economy, and this calls for real-time evolution in the way the labour market functions. For countries that are mainly driven by the labour market, the lockdown has resulted in the state stepping in to ease the pressure on families. But, there is only a limit to how long this can persist. The effect is currently detrimental on the labour market, which lays emphasis on the drastic change to the future of work. There is no telling that the section of the labour market faring efficiently in this period is the remote section of jobs. The world has changed, a new way of life, and doing business is emerging, startups are springing up, and companies are working entirely remotely. The labour market is fast-changing, and many don't seem to recognize this fact. This is a shift, and you, as a job seeker, need to be ready. Realities of Jobs during COVID-19 Pandemic The way we work has changed forever. Those that are not ready for this shift will be left behind, except they learn to adapt to the change. This change is happening in real-time, and very few are noticing it. Remote work is what are holding several companies together. While this change has not been easy so far, we keep learning ways to make things better. People are redoing their schedules to match up with the new conditions they have to work with. It started out being a difficult thing to pull through. However, time has helped workers with adjusting. The truth is, the skill set required to land a job at this moment is different from what used to be expected. Now, to be on the earning side, you need the basics of a computer, internet connection, smart devices, etc. You need soft skills, programming knowledge, writing knowledge. Most of these factors weren't necessary in the pre-Covid world. One thing is, however, sure, the Covid world and the post-Covid world requires these skills. The workflow of companies has been facilitated with the presence of emails, video conferencing platforms, chat rooms, amongst others. Several companies are resigning to the fact that they wouldn't be resuming back to work when the COVID-19 pandemic is over. If companies can work entirely remotely at this time, then there is no need to rent or have a physical space for meetings. The internet infrastructure over the year has developed to a level where it can facilitate these needs. Another major shift is the fact that the 8-hours work period will be obliterated. This is because workers are online all the time. Now, this may have a downside, in that it's easy to lose track of time apportioned to work. The onus will then lie on the worker to set up a system that fits in work, with family time, with personal time, leisure, etc. The boundary has to be set by the individual, as the traditional work time boundaries are no longer there. This makes it harder for workers to maintain a good quality of life, which means it's time to learn how to balance work with the usual way of life in whole different settings. What now is the Future of Work? In the past years, there have been many speculations about what the future of work will look like, how robots and other automated systems will replace people. These speculations went further to foresee a future of more collaborative teams, the need for emotional intelligence, amongst other factors that depict the need for smarter humans in the workplace. All these speculations and forecasts certainly didn't put the Covid-19 pandemic in perspective. A couple of months ago, no one would believe there can ever be a disease outbreak that will put the world on its knees and result in total lockdown. While many agreed that this is a revolution and the pieces of evidence are seen in the way we are currently doing work, and how others are planning to work post-covid, it is still left to be globally established; what would you need to work in the future. No matter how vague the future is right now, some factors and elements are bound to influence the way we work in the future. • Digital Transformation There is bound to be innovation and evolution in the way the internet fosters working. The science-fiction world we have always seen on TV is bound to come at us faster than we ever imagined. The digital transformation of the world is bound to be accelerated. Information will be available to anyone and everyone. This will result in getting jobs done faster, and with more flexibility. Also, due to the increased focus of the agenda, there is no need for extensive PowerPoint presentations, leading to a drastic reduction in the time spent meeting. • Drastic reduction in the number of middle managers and consultants Intermediaries and consultants have been an intrinsic part of the traditional way of working, for a long time. However, this is bound to change as we head forward into the future. There will be a reduced need for project managers, nor executive assistants, and the roles of managers will be gone. Rather than managers, more and more organizations will adopt 'leaders'. • Reduced Business Trips Business trips have always been a getaway from office work, but this is changing, as communication between potential partners, investors, and colleagues will be digital. Right from your living room, you can reach out to, communicate with, and win over the signature of investors and partners in other countries. This revolution is upon us. • Increased use of remote and freelance workers The gig economy has fared well so far. However, there is bound to be a surge in the number of people working from home. Companies will be looking to cut down on staff, in favour of hiring freelance workers when needed. Other than this, most full-time workers would also need to work from home. This is a new dawn for remote working. Final Take The change that is happening to the world is as visible as it can get, even the blind can see it. It is, however, pertinent that you prepare yourself for the future, no matter how uncertain it seems. You need to be familiar with digital skills and tools to survive in the future that is upon us. Once you have yourself skilled up and ready to take on a job, begin your search for remote jobs on Jobsora.

Rising sea levels are one of the results of global warming. As the atmospheric temperature of the Earth continues to increase, the polar ice continues to melt thus making the sea-level rise. Along with many others, a major impact of this is the increase in major flooding and erosion in low-lying, unprotected coastal land. A solution to protecting land from flooding and erosion is the implementation of coast defences. This involves the use of hard and soft engineering to mitigate the effects of the energy transfer that occurs between ocean waves and the land. Soft Engineering Solutions Some examples of soft engineering in coastal defence systems are beach nourishment, dune regeneration and cliff stabilisation. Beach Nourishment Beach nourishment is the process of manually adding truckloads of sand and shingle to the shoreline to either restore or create a beach. This man-made beach can be used not just as a tourist attraction, but as a technique in absorbing wave energy which reduces the impact of the ocean on the land resulting in less erosion. The benefits of this type of coastal defence are that it is commonly considered to improve the look and quality of the shoreline, therefore having a positive effect on the quality of life in the area. Beach nourishment can also be viewed as sustainable as it often involves the re-use of unwanted materials. The sand and shingle are often sourced from areas where it is unneeded and considered as waste. As an example, during the construction of the British Airways i360 on Brighton beach in the UK, 7200 tonnes of shingle and gravel were excavated to make room for structural foundations in the form of 4150 tonnes of reinforced concrete. The excavated material was then transported to another beach and used as a form of beach nourishment. The negative side of beach nourishment is that the procedure produces a high amount of CO2 emissions. Dependant on the size of the beach, many large vehicles are required to transport the shingle from other parts of the country. Due to long-shore drift, the new sand and shingle is moved along the coast and taken away from the proposed area. The life span of beach nourishment is between 1 and 10 years so the process must be performed regularly which makes this coastal defence strategy expensive and unsustainable. Dune Regeneration Dune regeneration is an alternative form of a soft engineered coastal defence. Dune regeneration involves creating or restoring sand dunes around the shoreline. The purpose of these dunes is to provide a barrier between the waves and society and to absorb wave energy. Vegetation is planted in the dunes to help stabilise the dune, also further increasing its ability to absorb wave energy. In order to allow these plants to grow without being disturbed by human activity, the dunes are sometimes temporarily fenced off, or wooden walkways are built over them so humans can avoid stepping on the sand. Similarly to beach nourishment, dune regeneration is accepted socially and environmentally as it often improves the sight of the coast while re-using unwanted materials. However, dune regeneration also provides extra vegetation which improves the sustainability of the coastal defence. The negative impacts of dune regeneration are also similar to that of beach nourishment as the transportation of materials produces CO2 emissions while also having a low life span. Hard Engineering Solutions Examples of hard engineering in coastal defence systems include the likes of sea walls, rock armour, groynes and cliff fixing. Sea Walls Sea walls are large, normally concrete, walls that protect either flat land from flooding or lower parts of cliffs from erosion. The job of a sea wall is to absorb the impact of waves and redirect the wave energy back into the sea. Sometimes sea walls are curved, this is to improve the ability of deflecting waves. A benefit of a sea wall is that they have a lifespan of around 30 to 50 years, meaning they can be considered as a long-term solution to minimise the erosion caused by rising sea levels. Sea walls can also have a secondary function; they can be used as public walkways. One example of this is Brighton’s long stretch of a sea wall that spans over 4 km from Brighton Marina to Saltdean. This sea wall is well used by the public for recreational activities such as walking, cycling and basketball whilst also being used for businesses such as small cafes which bring in tourism. A negative to a sea wall is that they are very expensive to build; £200,000 to £500,000 for 100m in length. So even though the sea wall has a long lifespan, the initial cost of construction is very high. Another debatable negative to a sea wall is that some people will argue that it will ruin the look of the area. However, there are also people that think the sea wall improves the look of the area, so this is not a strong point to make. Groynes Groynes are also a form of hard engineering in coastal defences. Groynes are fence-like structures that are built at right-angles to the shoreline leading into the sea. Their purpose is to break up waves and reduce the waves energy before they reach land therefore reducing erosion. Groynes are usually made from wood but over time, stone groynes are increasing in popularity. Stone groynes are more expensive however they are less prone to decay therefore having a longer lifespan. Groynes are also useful in trapping material being transported by long-shore drift. With this in mind, the combination of groynes and some form of soft engineering would be ideal as the groynes would preserve the beach materials therefore improving the beaches lifespan. The main disadvantage of groynes is that while protecting the local area, they also increase the erosion in areas further along the coast. As the groynes trap material, beaches further along the coast receive less material through long-shore drift resulting in bare land without a beach to absorb the impact of the waves. One example of this is Mappleton, Holderness Coast UK where the rate of retreat inland is between one and two metres every year. In order to protect an area of the coast, another part of the coast must be sacrificed which reduces the sustainability of the use of groynes. Summary Overall, the most sustainable form of coastal management against rising sea levels is a mixture of hard and soft engineering. Without taking expense into account, the combination of a seawall, stone groynes and beach nourishment seems the best solution. The seawall and the stone groynes already have a long life span due to their material and when combined with beach nourishment, the need to resupply the beach with new materials will not occur very often as the groynes help keep the shingle in place. If the cost is an issue, then wooden groynes would be more suitable, and the beach nourishment is not necessary, but the construction of a sea wall seems to be the best solution even though it is expensive. In general, a long term solution would be the ideal choice as it sustains the coast for future generations.

General Information Height to structural top: 192 m Lifts: 30 Floor area: 103,000 m2 (1,110,000 sq ft) Type: Office Tower Design/Structural Engineer: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP Location: Rondo ONZ 1, Warsaw, Poland 🇵🇱 website: https://rondo1.pl/en/about-building 👉 Visit Structures Insider's homepage for more stories.👈 The office complex consists of two buildings: A 40-storey glass tower (Building B) parallel to Aleja Jana Pawła II Avenue and the 10-storey Building A, with a matt opaque glass façade, along Świętokrzyska Street. Rondo 1 offers office and commercial space tailored to the highest standards. Premises for lease can be arranged in any manner to fully meet the needs of the most demanding tenants. The form of this 40-storey office tower was determined following an in-depth study of the emerging office market in Warsaw. By off-setting the elevator core, the plan has been able to accommodate both the open office arrangement preferred by many European and American financial tenants and the cellular office arrangement prevalent in Germany. The atrium separating the elevators from the body of the tower ensures the absolute security of the tenant spaces and provides for a breath-taking reception experience on each floor. You May Also Like: Mercury City Tower Mercury City Tower is 29m higher than the Shard in London, UK, making it the second tallest tower in Europe. The skyscrapers its copper-coloured cladding is what makes it unique. The building was originally designed to be surfaced in reflective silver glass in order to mirror the buildings surrounding but eventually came to be wrapped in equally reflective bronze-tinted glass. Read more... Unique award-winning architecture Rondo 1 was the first tall building in Europe to obtain the LEED® Gold environmental certificate for "Existing buildings". The LEED® certificate for "Existing buildings" involves ongoing verification of the building’s performance parameters and demands continuous performance improvements in order to meet the evolving and ever more stringent requirements of the certification system. Among other things, the process evaluates the sustainability of the location, efficient use of water and energy resources or the materials used. The LEED® Platinum certificate defines the building as a green structure - more energy-efficient, environmentally responsible and user-friendly. Rondo 1 is committed to sustainable development, maintaining green terraces, using environmentally-friendly cleaning products and promoting sustainability among its tenants. Sources: https://web.archive.org, https://rondo1.pl RECOMMENDED VIDEO FOR YOU

Every kind of business company or enterprise needs to have commercial property insurance, whether the company owns the building or they have just leased it from someone else. Commercial property insurances are basically used to cover any kind of commercial property, and these insurances protect the physical assets of the company from different financial damages such as fire accidents, theft, vandalism, explosions, burst pipes, storms, earthquakes, and other natural disasters, etc. Businesses that use millions or billions of dollars worth of equipment, commercial property insurances can be really expensive for them. Businesses can deduct the cost of the premiums of commercial property insurance as expenses. While determining the rate of how much a company will have to pay for commercial property insurance, the values of the assets of the business, the value of the building, etc., are the primary key factors. Before going for commercial property insurance, a company should have a statement of the value of all its physical assets that are located on the property. And this information about their assets will help them determine what should be the exact replacement value for them, and what level of coverage the business should have. Things That Are Covered By Commercial Property Business Every kind of property and asset that are essential parts of your business is usually covered in this insurance. Your building, everything in it, also the things that are just outside it are covered by the commercial property insurance. The covered items will include- ● Business Equipment ● Furniture ● Computers ● Landscaping and fences ● Important Documents ● Inventory ● Exterior Signs ● Other’s property Along with the mentioned items, other important assets will also get covered by the insurance, and you will need to make sure that they are covering everything per your expectations and needs. This is extremely crucial for filing commercial claims. Factors that Needed to be Considered While you are going for a commercial property insurance to insure the assets of your business, you need to consider some factors. As these factors will have huge effects on your insurance coverage and insurance premiums, you need to have a clear knowledge about them, and then you can know what’s coming your way while you are trying to have a commercial property insurance coverage. Knowing these factors will help you find the perfect policy based on your needs, and then you will know what kind of coverage you will get and how much your coverage will cost you. These factors are: Type of the Property Your property will have some unique needs, and you must choose an insurance policy that will take those needs into consideration. Your property building can be an apartment complex, office complex, shopfront, factory unit, or any form of recreational or leisure centre. You must know the defined boundaries of the property, so you can be sure of what responsibilities you will have in terms of securing your personal cover. Securing insurances can be an easy task while you are ensuring your apartments, office complexes, or townhouses. But if you are conducting your business from a more singular environment, like a factory, or a garage or shopfront, you will need to consider a fair bit more. The Business’s Nature What kind of business you will be operating within the property is needed to be considered. Your policy will differ based on the business type, on whatever small or large business you have. You will need to consider what assets regarding your business need to be protected and if you have any other concerns regarding the industry. Potential avenues for business litigation need to be in your mind too. You need to make certain that your policy covers all the potential or foreseeable concerns for your business, and you need to think about all the concerns before meeting the agency critically. For instance, if you are insuring a barbershop, you need to address everything that can disturb the cash flow, such as broken mirrors, plumbing issues, faulty lights, and chairs, etc. You will also need to keep in mind the possibility of an expansion in your business, as well as your business property. If your business is likely to face rapid growth, and if you expand the staff number and property, it will affect your insurance coverage, and you need to discuss this possibility with your insurance company beforehand. Location and Environmental Concerns You will always need to consider turbulent weather conditions while insuring your commercial property. You need to assess the local climate, tall trees around you, the average rainfall of the place, and other environmental issues before getting your policy, and make sure that your policy covers all these possibilities. Also, your geographic location can affect your coverage costs, as it depends a lot on your location how much you can get affected by certain problems. If your property is in a big city, it is likely that you will face more complex problems, and your coverage cost will go up. The Construction and Age of The Property The way your building and other landscapes of the property were constructed, the purposes they serve, how long ago they were constructed, etc. info will have a huge impact on your insurance coverage policy. Your cost and policy will change based on those. If your building is old and has the risk of facing asbestos exposure, you need to make sure that your policy covers that. Final Words Suppose you have a small or large business, and you want to insure your commercial property. In that case, you will need to make sure that you are properly aware of all the mentioned factors beforehand, as these factors will have a huge impact on the policy you get and the cost too. There are some other small factors, too, such as the amount of protection you have taken for fire safety, theft safety, etc.

by Lochan Yadav Gradient Any departure of track from the level is known as grade or gradient. An up or rising gradient is one when the track rises in the direction of movement whereas a falling or down gradient is one when the track falls in direction of the movement. Purpose of providing gradient: To provide a uniform rate of rise or fall to the track. To reduce the cost of earthwork. To reach different stations at different elevations etc. Types of gradient The gradient used on railway 🚂 track can be classified into four categories as follows: Ruling gradient Momentum gradient Pusher or helper gradient The gradient at station yards 1) Ruling gradient: The steepest gradient allowed on the track section. It determines the max load that the locomotive can haul that section. The steep gradient needs more powerful locomotives, smaller train loads, lower speed, resulting in costly hauling. As a rule rising gradients should be followed by falling gradients. With this arrangement, the amount of energy used up in climbing is saved in descending. In plains: 1 in 150 to 1 in 200 In hilly regions: 1 in 100 to 1 in 150 2) Momentum Gradient: The gradient on a section which is steeper than the ruling gradient acquires sufficient momentum to negotiate them are known as momentum gradient. For a momentum grade no obstacle like signal etc , Should be provided at critical points. 3) Pusher gradient: As stated above a ruling gradient limits the maximum weight of a train which can be hauled over the section by a locomotive. If the ruling gradient is so severe on a section that it needs the help of an extra engine to pull the same load then this gradient is known as the pusher of helper gradient. In Darjeeling Railways 1 in 37 pusher gradient is used on Western Ghat BG Track. 4) Gradient at stations: at stations gradient are provided sufficient low due to the following reason: To prevent movement of standing vehicles on the track due to the effect of gravity combined with a strong wind or gentle push etc. To prevent additional resistance due to grade on the starting vehicles which is about twice at the start than a vehicle in motion. On Indian Railways, the maximum gradient permitted is 1 in 400 in station yards while in station yards a gradient of 1 in 100 is recommended. 🌠Grade compensation on curves: If a curve is provided on a track with a ruling gradient, the resistance of the track will be increased. In order to avoid resistance beyond the allowable limits, the gradients are reduced on curves. The reduction in gradient is known as grade compensation for curves. The recommended values for grade compensation are as follows. BG track: 0.04% per degree of curve MG track: 0.03 % per degree of curve NG track: 0.02 % per degree of curve

Post from: Lochan Yadav What is Bituminous Road The bituminous road consists of their surface with bituminous materials which is also called as Asphalt. It is a sticky dark viscous liquid obtained from natural deposits like crude petroleum. Different Types of Bituminous Surfaces 1.Prime Coat : It is the first application of low viscosity liquid bituminous material over an existing porous surface like WBM base course. The main object of priming is to plug in the capillary voids of the porous surface using a low viscosity binding material. Mainly SC or MC cutbacks are the suitable grades chosen on the porosity of the surface. Functions : The most important function is to improve the adhesion between the existing previous base and wearing surface. To bind the dust and loose particles together to form a hard and tough surface. It provides a temporary seal to prevent the surface water from penetrating through the surface. 2.Tack Coat : The application of bituminous material over an existing impervious pavement surface which has already been treated by a prime coat. Tack coat is generally of higher viscosity at the rate of kg/10m2 depends on the type of surface. Functions: It is provided to improve the adequate bond between the existing impervious base and wearing surface. 3.Seal Coat: Seal coat is mainly applied on the impervious surface of bituminous pavements as a topcoat. A pre-mixed sand bitumen (hot mix) seal coat is commonly used over the premixed carpet. The main function of the seal coat is to seal against the ingress of water and to develop skid resistance texture. Functions: To provide a watertight surface. It improves visibility at night and develops a skid-resistant texture. To improve the wearing resistance of an existing road surface. 4.Surface Dressing : It is the process in which two or more coats of bituminous materials are applied to a prepared base. This coat consists of bituminous binders sprayed on which chipped aggregates are properly rolled. Functions : It prevents the removal of binding material & prevents the damage of road due to waterproofing effects. Roads can be easily cleaned & washed as it reduces dust nuisance. A smooth surface of the road reduces the wear and tear of tyres.

By: Brian Hval Why are US houses in hurricane risk areas not built to withstand them? I understand the argument about using local resources (timber vs brick) but why are do building codes not insist on stronger structures that can withstand strong winds? But codes do insist! Engineers constantly evaluate the need for building stronger and safer structures to resist hurricanes and other extreme wind events. But these structures also need to be economically practical. Past experience forms the foundation of all building codes. There are mandatory requirements for residential construction permits (and associated framing inspections). But codes change with time as more severe weather occurs or better construction methods evolve. A lot of lessons were learned from Hurricanes Andrew and more recently Maria. And building requirements updated accordingly! Jurisdictions have found that for a small percent increase in cost, homes can easily be made stronger. They are more likely to survive high wind events with little or no damage: Wind extremes such as hurricanes Earthquakes Fires such as wildfires The insurance industry has found small inexpensive changes in design details can greatly strengthen building structures. Stronger homes are more damage resistant. Less damage means smaller claims. Lower claims mean lower premiums. A big cost-benefit to the homeowner that quickly pays for the small cost of improving the structure. Some examples: Anchor bolts - spaced evenly around the house perimeter. These tie a wood frame securely to a concrete foundation. Hurricane clips - metal reinforced roof joists resist the roof peeling off during a wind event. Very simple structural shapes securely connect roof trusses to the framing of the building walls. Concrete or metal siding - dramatically increase fire resistance as opposed to wood which catches fire or even fire-resistant vinyl which melts! Metal roofing - improves both wind and fire resistance. In very windy areas the metal roofs are double screwed to prevent them from lifting off the plywood sheathing below. A good example of how building requirements change from lessons learned comes from the notorious violent winds which can sweep through the Crowsnest Pass in Alberta Canada. A few years ago a wind storm destroyed a trailer park. The wind rolled the trailers over and over until the entire community was piled up in a huge heap of tin. The loss was staggering even for those who were insured. This loss triggered a requirement for all mobile homes to be securely chained from the steel frame to a concrete slab poured beneath the home. None have blown away since. Building standards specify the minimum requirements. Homeowners may choose to exceed these standards. For some, this gives greater peace of mind and may well be worth the extra cost of building it stronger. But before building it better, check with your local building permit office to make sure they understand what you are trying to do. That way the inspectors and you will be on the same page. No one wants a surprise that may require you to make further costly changes to your dream castle! Author:Brian Hval

The Fortune 500 is an annual list compiled and published by Fortune magazine that ranks 500 of the largest United States corporations by total revenue for their respective fiscal years. The list includes publicly held companies, along with privately held companies for which revenues are publicly available. The concept of the Fortune 500 was created by Edgar P. Smith, a Fortune editor, and the first list was published in 1955. Find below the most stunning and futuristic headquarters among the top 500 companies on the list of Fortune magazine. 👉 Visit Structures Insider's homepage for more stories.👈 ExxonMobil: Houston Campus Energy Centre ExxonMobil's state-of-the-art campus north of Houston serves as home to its Upstream, Downstream, Chemicals and XTO Energy companies and their associated service groups. The facility opened in 2014 and accommodates more than 10,000 employees and visitors. Apple: Apple Park Cupertino, California Nicknamed ‘the spaceship’ because of the scale of the circular building, it measures 1 mile in circumference, with a diameter of 461 m (1,512 ft). Designed by Norman Foster and engineered by ARUP it can accommodate 14,200 parking spaces and more than 12,000 staff Amazon: Amazon Spheres, Settle The latest addition to Amazon’s is the $4 billion Seattle headquarters. The Spheres, three conjoined glass bubbles that seem to have alighted among the downtown office towers, provide the company’s employees with their very own cloud forest. Five levels of unorthodox workspaces—from a treehouse meeting room, complete with bouncy bridge, to deck chair recliners that imply their own pool—climb through a lush green habitat of more than 40,000 plants, including two densely verdant living walls, a forty-foot-high Australian tree fern, and an 18-ton ficus named Rubi. Source: Architectural Record Drop us a question in Quora What is Quora?: Quora is a question-and-answer website where questions are asked, answered, and edited by Internet users, either factually, or in the form of opinions. AT&T: AT&T Tower (Minneapolis) Rising 33 stories and marking the downtown Minneapolis skyline, the AT&T Tower is the third and final phase of Ryan’s International Centre development. Featuring green and silver reflective glass, it is a dramatic complement to International Centre I and II, which reside next door. Elaborate atriums, skyways and three levels of heated underground parking intimately link the AT&T Tower with its companion towers. A sense of community and an effective master critical path schedule made it possible to complete this project a month ahead of schedule. With its high-quality assets and amenities, and sustainable, money-saving design features, AT&T Tower is an attractive building for both tenants and investors. Source: www.ryancompanies.com