Challenges of Car Pack Design in Nigeria

Problems of parking space in urban towns and in all places of large congregation is becoming a common issue around the world. Over the years engineers and architects have come up with a lot of solutions finding a way to create more parking spaces within minimum size of land by the design and construction of multi-storey car parks. This is line with the trend in modern cities all over the world of developing high-rise buildings as to overcome the challenges of urban over population, for optimal use of scarce land resources, as status symbol, etc. Standing on the advances made so far and the frequent problematics verified on existing multi-storey car parks, this research presents the design of a multi-storey car park for the mitigation of traffic challenges in public areas using Canaan land, Ota Nigeria as a case study. Canaan land, the seat of Faith Tabernacle in Ota, Ogun State of Nigeria is used as a case study because of the amount of vehicles that compete for parking space on Sundays or on other days of events. The research consist of the creation of the architectural drawings of the multi-storey car park with AutoCAD drafting and the modelling, structural analysis and design using the software Orion R16. The structural analysis and design were challenging but good results were obtained, approach for more innovative multi-storey car park identified

ENDOTOXIN LEVELS AND THEIR ASSOCIATION WITH RESPIRATORY OUTCOME IN TWO SASKATCHEWAN COMMUNITIES

There are a number of studies that investigate the association between endotoxin and respiratory outcomes, but few examine ambient endotoxin particularly in smaller industrial cities in Canada. In epidemiological studies of respiratory diseases, environmental factors are of major concern to health. The aims of this study are: (1) to assess ambient endotoxin levels in two communities in southern Saskatchewan (SK), Canada; and (2) to examine the association between ambient endotoxin levels and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) among older adult residents of the two communities. This work is part of the larger Air Quality and Lung Health Study conducted in the cities of Estevan and Swift Current, SK. Ambient environmental and personal respiratory health measures were collected in three periods (phases) of three month durations. To assess ambient endotoxin levels in the two communities, samples were collected in spring 2013 (Phase 1), fall 2013 (Phase 2), and spring 2014 (Phase 3). The phase sampling strategy was employed to account for potential seasonal variations in endotoxin. Consecutive full-week (7 day accumulation) particle mass size fractions (PM2.5 and PM10) were gravimetrically collected for each of the communities for the 3-month duration of each phase (1-3) and analyzed for endotoxin load (EU/µg) and endotoxin concentration (EU/m3). Geometric means were calculated for endotoxin load and concentration for each particle size fraction (PM2.5 and PM10), each community, and each phase. Differences were tested between particle size fractions, and between communities. The highest levels of endotoxin (EU/µg) found in Estevan were 0.02 (Phase 1), 0.03 (Phase 2) and 0.01(Phase 3), while endotoxin (EU/m3) were 0.04 (Phase 1), 0.07 (Phase 2) and 0.02 (Phase 3). Similar trends were found in Swift Current with 0.04 (Phase 1), 0.10 (Phase 2), and 0.05 (Phase 3) in endotoxin (EU/µg), while 0.07 (Phase 1), 0.13 (Phase 2), and 0.08 (Phase 3) were found in endotoxin (EU/m3). Estevan had no significant differences in endotoxin load (EU/µg) between size fractions for any of the phases. However, endotoxin load was significantly higher in the PM2.5 size fraction as compared to the PM10 for both Phases 2 and 3 for Swift Current. For both communities, in all phases, there was significantly greater endotoxin concentration (EU/m3) in PM2.5 as compared to PM10. Comparing communities, Swift Current had significantly greater endotoxin load (EU/µg) in the PM2.5 size fraction (in all phases) and the PM10 size fractions in Phases 2 and 3 as compared to Estevan. Similar trends were observed for endotoxin concentration (EU/m3) in PM2.5 where mean concentrations were greater in Swift Current as compared to Estevan for all phases, but the difference between communities was significant only in Phase 3 (p<0.0001). For PM10 only in Phase 3 were endotoxin concentrations significantly different between communities with Swift Current having higher mean levels (p<0.02). Endotoxin load and concentration were evaluated against pulmonary function measures (FEV1) in older adults in the two communities to test the association between ambient endotoxin levels and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) among older adult residents of the two communities. Twice daily (morning and evening) FEV1 were collected from older adults (>50 years) from both communities over the duration of each of the three phases. Weekly (7 days) morning and evening mean, minimum and maximum FEV1 were calculated to match endotoxin collection/analysis periods. Despite the relatively low levels of endotoxin in these communities, personal respiratory health measures revealed that there were significant associations in Swift Current Phase 3 measures between mean and max FEV1 and PM2.5 endotoxin load and concentration, and these were the highest levels that were measured for either community or any phase. Taken together these results indicate that endotoxin levels in ambient measures of particulate vary by size fraction with higher concentrations attributed to the smaller size fraction (PM2.5). Endotoxin in ambient air particulate has the potential to influence respiratory outcomes. Even at what is considered low levels a continuous exposure to endotoxin can be associated with respiratory health effects as was seen in Swift Current during Phase 3

Compressive Strength Development for Cement, Lime and Termite-hill Stabilised Lateritic Bricks

This study evaluated the compressive strength of lateritic bricks stabilised with cement, lime and termite-hill, moulded with CINVA-Ram. The engineering characteristics and classification of the lateritic soil sample were determined, also the characteristic compressive strength of stabilised bricks as well as the unstabilised bricks were investigated after 7, 14 and 28 days of curing. The total number of bricks moulded was ninety and they were 290 mm x 140 mm x 90 mm in size. Each of the three stabilisers were added in varying proportions of 8%, 10% and 12% by weight of the lateritic soil for producing the bricks. Compressive strength test conducted after 28 days curing revealed that the cement stabilised bricks developed a rapid increase in strength than the lime stabilised and termite-hill stablised bricks. In all, the compressive strength increased with increasing proportion of the stabilisers. However, the unstabilised bricks developed strength which was more than the 10% termite-hill stabilised bricks after 28 days. It was deduced that cement stabilization is adequate where early strength is targeted on the field

Strength Characteristics of Concrete Beams Reinforced with Steel Bars of Equivalent Area but Different Diameters

Contractors occasionally substitute reinforcement bars during construction works, perhaps as a result of unavailability of the design-specified bars. As a result, this study have explored the basis, extent and the conditions for the mutual substitution of reinforcing bar groups of equivalent area but different bar diameters in reinforced concrete beams. A total of (20) concrete beams including the control beams were cast. These comprise (2) each of 100 mm×100 mm×500 mm and 150 mm×150 mm×750 mm beams as plain concrete (control beams) and (2) each of 100 mm×100 mm×500 mm and 150 mm×150 mm×750 mm beams were reinforced in turn with 20 mm, 16 mm, 12 mm and 10 mm bar diameters. The beams were subjected to centre-point loading using bending testing machine, in accordance with BS 1881-118 and with the load and compressive strain recorded to the point of failure. The results of the test beams showed that the greatest difference in the area of reinforcement between beams reinforced with 9Y12 bars (bar area = 1020 mm2) and 3Y20 bars (bar area = 943 mm2) is 7.5%. The results also showed that given the same area of steel in a cross section, the section with the greater number of bars has higher bending strength. It was also deduced that an increase in the area of reinforcement would cause a disproportionate increase in the strength of the beam

A new formulation for strength characteristics of steel slag aggregate concrete using an artificial intelligence-based approach

Studies examining nanoparticles (NPs) and hazardous elements (HEs) contained in suspended sediments (SSs) are vital for watershed administration and ecological impact evaluation. The biochemical consequence of titanium-nanoparticles (Ti-NPs) from SSs in Colombia's Magdalena River was examined utilizing an innovative approach involving nanogeochemistry in this study. In general, the toxicity and the human health risk assessment associated with the presence of some Ti-NPs + HEs in SSs from riverine systems need to be determined with a robust analytical procedure. The mode of occurrence of Ti-NPs, total Ti and other elements contained within SSs of the Magdalena River were evaluated through advanced electron microscopy (field emission scanning electron microscope-FE-SEM and high resolution transmission electron microscope-HR-TEM) coupled with an energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis system (EDS); X-Ray Diffractions (XRD); and inductively coupled plasma-mass pectrometry (ICP-MS). This work showed that enormous quantities of Ti-NPs were present in the river studied and that they displayed diverse eochemical properties and posed various possible ecological dangers. Ti-NP contamination indices must be established for measuring the environmental magnitudes of NP contamination and determining contamination rank among rivers. Finally, SS contamination guidelines must be recommended on an international level. This study contributes to the scientific understanding of the relationship of HE and Ti-NP dynamics from SSs in riverine systems around the world.Keywords Titanium-nanoparticles, Rutile and Anatase nano-minerals, Particle mode of occurrence, Size-dependent properties, Nanomineral–water interface, Surface particle geochemistry

Influence of Steel and Bamboo Fibres on Mechanical Properties of High Strength Concrete

This paper evaluated the influence of steel and bamboo fibres on high strength concrete. Samples of concrete cubes, beams and cylinders cast with varying proportions of steel and bamboo fibres were subjected to compression, flexural and splitting tensile strength tests respectively. A total of sixty three cubes of 100mm x 100mm x 100mm, fourteen beams of 100mm x 100mm x 500mm, and cylinders of diameter 100 mm and length of 150 mm were tested. The results revealed that concrete containing 1.0% bamboo fibre produced the greatest effect on flexural strength (81% increase in strength), and also on splitting tensile strength (101% increase). However, it was discovered that bamboo fibre has little or no impact on the compressive strength of high strength concrete. Steel fibre-reinforced concrete generally produced an appreciable increase in compressive, flexural and splitting tensile strengths than the bamboo fibre-reinforced concrete

Suitability of mortars produced using laterite and ceramic wastes: mechanical and microscale analysis

Using industrial wastes and local materials as artificial aggregates in cement based materials remains a relevant measure for conservation of natural sources. In this study, novel cementitious mixes containing pulverized ceramic blended cement, ceramic aggregate and laterite were systematically combined to produce cement mortars. The mortar specimens were cured in water for a maximum of 28 days. At maturity, nondestructive tests, X-ray CT scan and ultrasonic pulse velocity, were performed on hardened mortars. Thereafter, a series of predefined properties, namely dry bulk density, compressive and flexural strength, water absorption coefficient (due to capillary) of the hardened mortars were determined. Finally, in order to understand the hydration mechanism of the materials as it relates to the strength properties, microscale tests, SEM and XRD, were used to examine the fragments of the selected mortars. From the results, a mortar sample containing 10% ceramic powder and 100% ceramic aggregate as replacements for cement and sand respectively, gave higher strength values than the reference and other mixes. Microstructural analysis of the best mix revealed that it has larger proportions of ettringite, portlandite and calcite than the reference mix, and this could be responsible for the strength gained. Thus, despite the apparent low reactivity of crushed ceramic material, this can improve bonding in cement-based mixture, when used at an appropriate concentration

Significance of Concrete Cover to Reinforcement in Structural Element at Varying Temperatures

This paper evaluated the significance of concrete cover for reinforcement in structural elements at varying temperatures. Sixty samples of 320 mm x 150 mm x 100 mm concrete beams reinforced with 10 mm main bars and 6 mm nominal reinforcement were cast in the laboratory in four batches. Each batch contains fifteen samples with concrete cover for reinforcement varied at 10 mm, 15 mm, 20 mm and 25 mm respectively. After 28 days of curing, the beam samples were subjected to simulated fire in the laboratory furnace at temperatures ranging from 50 oC (122 ºF) – 700 oC (1292 ºF) in steps of 50 oC. Thereafter, the samples were allowed to cool to room temperature. Subsequently, samples of reinforcement were removed from the beam samples and tested with the universal material testing machine. Results of tensile tests on reinforcements showed that ultimate tensile strength of steel decreased with increasing temperatures. The greatest loss in strengths of steel reinforcements was recorded for beams with 10 mm concrete cov-er, which reduced from a value of 592.0 N/mm2 at room temperature to 224.50 N/mm2 at a terminal temperature of 700oC (1292 ºF), which represented a 62% reduction in strength

Challenges of Car Pack Design in Nigeria

Problems of parking space in urban towns and in all places of large congregation is becoming a common issue around the world. Over the years engineers and architects have come up with a lot of solutions finding a way to create more parking spaces within minimum size of land by the design and construction of multi-storey car parks. This is line with the trend in modern cities all over the world of developing high-rise buildings as to overcome the challenges of urban over population, for optimal use of scarce land resources, as status symbol, etc. Standing on the advances made so far and the frequent problematics verified on existing multi-storey car parks, this research presents the design of a multi-storey car park for the mitigation of traffic challenges in public areas using Canaan land, Ota Nigeria as a case study. Canaan land, the seat of Faith Tabernacle in Ota, Ogun State of Nigeria is used as a case study because of the amount of vehicles that compete for parking space on Sundays or on other days of events. The research consist of the creation of the architectural drawings of the multi-storey car park with AutoCAD drafting and the modelling, structural analysis and design using the software Orion R16. The structural analysis and design were challenging but good results were obtained, approach for more innovative multi-storey car park identifie

Simulated Combined Earthquake and Dead Load Lateral Resistance Building Systems using Nigeria Seismic Data

This study investigated the effects of combined earthquake and dead load on a simulated lateral load resistance building systems. An eight-floor level steel building was modelled in SAP2000, and analysed using seismic information obtained from an earthquake which occurred at Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria. The study was based on a selected magnitude of earthquake by considering the highest magnitude ever experienced in Nigeria which was within 4 – 4.9 (light earthquake category).The building was analysed under bracing and shear wall systems, and it was checked for a maximum deflection and inter-storey drift not exceeding 500 mm and 2% respectively. From the analysis conducted, it was inferred that eccentric bracings are better than concentric bracings in dissipating energy under seismic conditions, short link eccentric bracings provide more stiffness than long link eccentric bracings hence in order to quickly achieve the requirements of a maximum deflection of 500 mm or below and a maximum inter-storey drift of two per cent or below, short links bracings were used which require lesser number of elements compared to long link bracing thus leading to a more economical solution