Application of Geogrids on the Geotechnical Properties of Subgrade Materials under Soaked Condition

Highway construction is one of the main engineering design and construction in civil engineering in many countries all over the world. Existing studies have shown that civil engineers engaging in highway construction have several challenges during road construction especially as it is related to the topography of the site ,inadequate subgrade soil and high water table, inspite of this challenges ,the application of geogrids as a geotechnical property is imperative to improve the subgrade of soils with soaked condition. Soil samples were labeled (A, B& C) at random. These samples were taken to the Laboratory for experiments to identify and determine the Grain size analysis, atterberg, compaction and California bearing ratio by placing the geo-grids at varying depths and in single layer under soaked conditions (48hrs) to determine the strength of the soil samples. The geogrids were introduced in three independent single layers i.e. 2/5, 3/5 and 4/5 the distance from the base of the mould. Samples A, B&C (3%, 9% &6%) respectively, shows that the strength of subgrade is considerably increased by introducing geo-grids reinforcement in the soil. It is found that geo-grids placed at 3/5 the distance from the base showed higher CBR value(15.1%,14% & 12.2%) than when placed at 2/5 (12.8%,11% & 8.8%) and 4/5(11%, 10% & 8.3%) distances from the base. The differences in the behavior of the soil under soaked conditions improve on increasing the number of layers of geo-grids. As a subgrade stabilizer it has shown great effect of improvement. It can be used to improve poor lateritic materials due to its low maintenance, corrosion resistance and increment in the service life of road pavement. This application of geogrids is a means to improve the strength of basic engineering and geotechnical properties of poor subgrade soils under soaked condition. This  will reduce land wastage, uneconomical design of road construction. Geo-grids should be employed as a modernized form of improving road construction on poor subgrade materials. Keywords: geogrids, CBR, highway construction, soaked conditions, reinforcement, subgrade

Computation of River Discharge from Formulated Rating Equation in Hydrological Catchments with Inadequate Data: River Omi, South Western Nigeria, as Case Study

River discharge is an important hydrological parameter in any water resources management. Most rivers in Nigeria, with sizeable catchment areas, are poorly gauged and are noted to have histories of frequent flooding experience. Since Stage or Gauge, which is the height of water surface at a relative datum, can be easily measured, it is possible to formulate a rating equation which can predict discharge with a known gauge-depth. This Paper develops a mathematical relationship between gauge heights and discharge, using River Omi, South Western Nigeria, as a case study. Series of gauge-discharge relationships were established on River Omi from measured values and past records. The water velocities were measured using ultrasonic current meter and geometrical parameters were measured at the gauging station. The stage-discharge relationship, over a period of time, was plotted and a rating equation generated. The generated rating equation: Q = 0.1828*(G-0.14)0.78, has a coefficient of regression of 97%. The formulated equation was calibrated and validated with discharge data obtained from 2007 to 2012. The rating equation performed better at depth below 0.6 m with less than 1% variation between the simulated and measured discharge. This formulated equation can be adapted to other river catchments with similar hydrological characteristics. It should be noted that below gauging depth of 0.14 m, the rating equation cannot be used. Keywords: River Discharge, Rating Equation, Gauge Depth, River Omi, Regression

CAUSES AND PANACEA TO PROBLEM OF CULTISM IN THE NIGERIAN EDUCATION SYSTEM

The Nigerian education system is bedeviled with a myriad of malaise, hampering effective teaching and pleasant learning, chief among which is cultism. The overall effect of cultism leaves much to be desired in the education system, as education is an instrument par excellence for achieving national development. The trust of this paper, therefore, is to investigate the crushing effect of cultism, on the Nigerian education system. The paper traces antecedents of cultism; its pervasiveness at particular level(s) of the education system; causes of cultism; as well as panacea to the cankerworm, with a view to salvaging the Nigerian education system and making it the bastion of development, as affirmed by the National Policy on Education, which considers education as an instrument par excellence for national development. Among other things, the paper proffers panacea in form of recommendations which include mass re-orientation against violence in Nigerian schools, emphasising moral and religious teaching; provision of welfare/recreational facilities in-school(s); as well as enacting and enforcing stricter laws, among other measures.  Article visualizations

Corporate Governance-Firm Performance Relationship: Empirical Evidence from African Countries. A Principal Components Analysis

This study investigated the relationship between corporate governance and firm performance, with evidence from Africa countries. The review of empirical studies from African countries had established a relationship between corporate governance and firm performance without consensus on a particular kind of relationship; while the result of the analysis using data on the return on assets, returns on equity, price earnings ratio, Tobin’s Q and constructed Performance Index as measures of firm performance and ownership structure as a measure of corporate governance revealed that corporate governance has a positive significant relationship with firm performance in Nigeria. The study concluded that though the agency costs of firms are very high, sound corporate governance is usually responsible for the positive performance of firms across African countries. Keywords: Corporate Governance, Agency theory, Firm Performance. DOI: 10.7176/EJBM/12-17-07 Publication date:June 30th 202

Performance of tropical maize hybrids under conditions of low and optimum levels of nitrogen fertilizer application grain yield, biomass production and nitrogen accumulation

Nitrogen (N) is the most limiting mineral nutrient in the soils of the major maize producing areas of West and Central Africa. Low soil N and sub-optimal application of N fertilizers lead to N deficiency and poor grain yield (GY) in maize. Maize varieties with improved grain yield under low soil N and increased performance under optimal N availability could be beneficial to low input agriculture. This study evaluated the performance of a selection of experimental and commercial hybrids under suboptimal and optimal N fertilizer applications. Significant differences were observed among the hybrids, as well as significant interactions between hybrid and N level for GY and other measured attributes, with the severity of variation increasing as the level of N decreases. Mean GY reductions across the years was 76.5% at no-N and 35.4% at low-N. Depending on N treatment, GY varied from 0.48 to 4.42 Mg ha-1, grain N content from 0.17 to 1.26 g plant-1, total N content at harvest from 0.33 to 2.00 g plant-1, above ground biomass at silking from 30.6 to 91.2 g plant-1 and at maturity from 39.9 to 191.1 g plant-1. Number of kernels was the GY component most severely reduced by N stress and had significant (p = 0.001) positive correlation with GY at all N levels. Six hybrids (4001/4008, KU1409/4008, KU1409/9613, 4008/1808, 4058/Fun 47-4, and 1824/9432) which showed consistent above average grain yields under no-N, low-N, high-N and across N levels were found and their use could further be investigated

Participation of cocoa farmers in farmers field school in Idanre Local Government area of Ondo State, Nigeria

This study investigated the participation of cocoa farmers in farmers’ field school (FFS) in Idanre local government area of Ondo state. A multistage sampling procedure was employed for the survey of the farmers. The data collected was analysed using descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages and means. The analysis of the socio-economic characteristics of the farmers revealed that about one-third (36.7 percent) of the cocoa farmers were aged 51 years and over, indicating an aging workforce, while 48.3 percent of them were married. About 29.2 percent of the respondents had secondary school education, 44.2% had household sizes of between 3 and 5, and 30.8% had farm sizes of between 2 and 2.9 hectares. Major factors determining participation in FFS were age, level of education, credit sources and extension contacts. Farmers participated highly in land preparation while level of participation is low in control of pests and diseases. Severe constraints faced were lack of skilled trainers and time-consuming sessions. There was a significant relationship between socio economic characteristics and participation in FFS. There is the need to strengthen farmer-based groups to serve as platforms for disseminating extension services information to farmers which could engender the participation of members in farmers’ field school. Moreover, the relevant authorities should provide farmers with credit facilities to enable them to purchase productive resources such as land.

An effect evaluation of the psychosocial work environment of a university unit after a successfully implemented employeeship program

Purpose: This study examined whether a successful implementation of an intervention could result in an effect evaluated independently from a process evaluation. It achieved this by evaluating the effects of an intervention, the ‘employeeship program’, designed to strengthen the psychosocial work environment through raising employees’ awareness and competence in interpersonal relationships and increasing their responsibility for their everyday work and working environment. Design/methodology/approach: An employeeship intervention program was developed to improve the psychosocial work environment through reducing conflict among employees and strengthening the social community, empowering leadership, and increasing trust in management. An earlier process evaluation of the program found that it had been implemented successfully. The present effect evaluation supplemented this by examining its effect on the psychosocial work environment using two waves of the organization’s internal survey and comparing changes in the intervention unit at two points and against the rest of the organization. Findings: The intervention was effective in improving the psychosocial work environment through reducing conflicts among employees and strengthening the social community, empowering leadership, and increasing trust in management. Research limitations/implications: More attention should be paid to developing and increasing positive while simultaneously reducing negative psychosocial experiences, as this employeeship intervention demonstrated. Practical implications: An intervention focusing on employeeship is an effective way to achieve a healthier psychosocial work environment with demonstrable benefits for individuals and the working unit. Originality/value: Although organizational-level interventions are complex processes, evaluations that focus on process and effect can offer insights into the workings of successful interventions

Impact of Emotional Intelligence on Diversity Management in Nigeria Breweries in Oyo State, Nigeria

Cases of ethnic bias and other forms of discrimination still take places in organizations during hiring, promotion and other employer-employee relation practices. Hence, managements are faced with the big challenge of managing its diverse workforce and emotional intelligence of their employees. This study investigated the impact of emotional intelligence on diversity management in Nigeria Breweries Oyo State. A total of 100 staff in Nigeria Breweries Oyo State in which 55 (55.0%) were male while 45 (45.0%) were female. The study was a survey which employed Descriptive research design and questionnaire was used to obtain the relevant data. The collected data were analyzed using Pearson rho Correlation and Regression Analysis with the application of statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 21.0. The results showed that that there is joint significant relationship between emotional intelligence on diversity management It was recommended that emotional intelligence concept would integrate the development programs and job-related training provided to employees to improve their skills, providing a foundation for practicable knowledge

Regional 3D geophysical investigation of the Sudbury Structure

This paper is © 2019 Society of Exploration Geophysicists. The posting is available free of charge and its use is subject to the SEG terms and conditions: https://seg.org/Terms-of-UseThe 3D geologic and structural setting of the Sudbury Structure was predicted by an integration of surface and subsurface geologic data with 2.5D modeling of high-resolution airborne magnetic and gravity data using 3D GeoModeller software. Unlike other CAD-based 3D software, GeoModeller uses the field interpolator method, whereby contacts of rock units are assumed to be equipotential surfaces, whereas orientation data determine the gradient and direction of the surfaces. Contacts and orientation variables are cokriged to generate 3D continuous surfaces for each geologic unit. Our 3D geologic model was qualitatively evaluated by forward computing the predicted gravity response at 1 m above topography and by comparing this response to the measured gravity field. Large-scale structures within the Onaping Formation and Archean basement, which overlie and underlie the Sudbury Igneous Complex (SIC), respectively, were not the cause of the linear gravity high in the center of the Sudbury Structure. We suggested that the deformation of the initial circular SIC may have commenced under the Sudbury Basin due to the reversal of the normal faults related to the Huronian rift system during the Penokean orogeny, therefore resulting into a north verging fold at the base of the SIC in the south range. This new interpretation was consistent with the magnetic and gravity data and honoured most of the significant seismic reflectors in the Lithoprobe seismic sections.NSERC, Vale, Sudbury Integrated Nickel Operations, KGHM International, Wallbridge Min- ing, and the Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovatio