Abstract
In addition to a basic definition of precast concrete and how it differs from standard concrete applications, this paper also addresses a number of other relevant points. Those points include, but are not limited to, the construction process, necessary equipment, and effects on construction schedules. It is hoped this brief overview will provide readers with a better grasp of the nature of precast concrete and its applications.

From the Paper
"The purpose of this paper is to provide a general overview of some of the major aspects and characteristics of precast concrete, a form of concrete in which pieces are not cast in place but are instead manufactured in bulk. Precast concrete offers a number of advantages including strength, modularity, and quality control during production."

Tags:precast, concrete, description

Abstract
The paper evaluates the benefits associated with the use of alternative mixtures of concrete in the building industry as opposed to traditional mixes of aggregate and Portland cement. Binders such as fly ash and aggregates such as post-consumer glass are discussed and evaluated in terms of the credit they can provide builders in a LEED accreditation system.

From the Paper
"Concrete is one of the most widely used materials in the construction industry, and for good reasons. Concrete is an incredibly versatile material, capable of being formed into nearly any shape imaginable, possessed of great strength (assuming appropriate mixes), and is resistant to degradation including mold, fire, and rot. Traditional concrete mixes have a long history of success in a variety of industries and applications. But despite these obvious benefits, there has been increased concern..."

Tags:concrete, alternative, mix

Abstract
The following paper talks about using concrete to build homes, commercial buildings bridges, and roads.

Tags:concrete, homes, buildings

Abstract
This paper discusses a the history of precast concrete It explores its uses, types, capabilities and the impact of new technology on this conventional construction material. The author also mentions the expansion of its uses over time.

From the Paper
"Webster's New World Dictionary defines precast concrete as concrete in the form of blocks, pillars, bridge sections etc. that have been cast into form before being put into position. While precast concrete did not become popular as building ..."

Tags:architecture, building, construction materials, technology, design, precast concrete

Abstract
This paper examines how Luis Rodriguez?s poem, "The Concrete River", is his communication of his experience of the concrete, urban habitat. It looks at how, just like the 1960s and 1970s poets described the city as a concrete jungle, Rodriguez picks a metaphor familiar to his heritage and describes the city as the surrogate substitution of what would bring life to him if he lived somewhere else. It evaluates how Luis?s description of the meaningless of urban life for a poor Latino could not be more vivid.

From the Paper
"The poet begins by building the parameters of his life. The world is covered with dust, and even the attempt to relax under the shade tree cannot help him escape form the reality of dying - death. The trees too are having the life strangled out of them by ivy. Yet he is with his friends, homeboys, and they are living for, and bowing down to the only hope they have. Spray paint can fumes are the subject of their homage. They have long since stopped looking for meaning in the concrete world around them, and now bow to the hallucinogenic prosperities of aerosol propellant."

Tags:latino, heritage, city, urban

Abstract
This paper discusses how concrete gravity dams are effective in most part due to their extreme size and weight, which counters all external forces, and how, used for many things, dams such as these can generate enormous amounts of hydropower and create massive reservoirs when necessary. Although dams do pose a certain amount of risk on the environment and those living around them, the positive aspects of dams seem to outweigh this risk.This paper explores the design behind concrete gravity dams, including but not limited to hydropower uses, effective external and internal forces, dam site selection, and many other related topics.

From the Paper
"Throughout the history of dams, many failures have been attributed to weaknesses in the concrete used in the construction of the dam. Because the concrete is the main component in most large dams, it is important that it meets certain standards. Concrete is susceptible to deterioration, especially if it is constantly freezing and thawing (Jansen 109). It is important, when designing a concrete gravity dam, to recognize that the concrete will become saturated over time. When the Saint Francis Dam collapsed in 1928 less than two years after it had been built, it was found that the engineers had not implemented into the design the idea that the concrete would become saturated and therefore become less effective. For this reason, among others, the resultant vector of the forces acting on the dam was misplaced (outside of the middle third of the foot) and the dam eventually collapsed (Jansen 181). In later investigations, the concrete was also found to have a void ratio of 14%, which would increase the degree of saturation (Jansen 179). "

Tags:hydropower, reservoir, penstock, trashrack, silt, dredge, dredging

Abstract
This paper discusses the development of Pierre Schaeffer's musique concrete. It discusses the history of the composition and production of his music and aims to clarify some of the confusion surrounding the debate of musique concrete. The paper also looks at the scientific and philosophical content and information regarding factors that affect the perception of music and the composition of music.

Table of Contents:
Statement Of Thesis
Methodology
Importance Of The Study
Introduction
Literature Review
Recommendations For Future Research

From the Paper
"The problem arises from the contemporary understanding of the term as being a type of machinery process instead of the view of artistic creation musically. From a reflective view, it appears that technological advances in music are viewed suspiciously as were the early rock and roll musicians and composers when the Beatles arrived in the United States in the 1960s and music of this genre became 'noise' to the more traditional school of thought during that time. Rock and roll music was viewed as a cult type culture and the music was not viewed as music by the traditionalist among musicians and composers of that time. This debate has been ongoing however: "To state the obvious, music and dialogue are perceived as being an almost entirely artistic enterprise, though sfx is fundamentally understood as being a technical matter. Its postulation: sound designers are technicians, writer and composers are artists.""

Tags:technician, writer, composer

Abstract
The paper discusses the fact that roads invariably require bridges to cross over roads and rivers, and as strong as the bridges may seem to be at the time of their construction, engineers have not been able to build corrosion-proof bridges. The paper highlights the problems associated with corrosion of steel reinforced concrete bridge girders as they are vitally important to travelers and to engineers. The paper also reviews the numerous studies that have been conducted, and provides recommendations for better predictability vis-a-vis when a bridge is due to be replaced.

Outline:
Table of Contents
List of Figures, Nomenclature, Introduction
Hypothesis of Theoretical Considerations
Procedure
Results
Discussion of Results
Conclusions
Recommendations

From the Paper
"This paper provides a strong engineering and safety background into the problems associated with corrosion and bridges. The procedure used in this paper is presented through the careful examination of the existing literature. Some of the literature may be a few years old but the past is prologue; what went before is as relevant as what is going on today. Other literature presented is quite contemporary, and all of the materials presented in this paper are relevant. Especially relevant are studies that have been conducted six, seven, eight and more years ago; compared and contrasted with what engineers and scientists are saying in the latest bulletins and research documents. For example, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) offered standard specifications for highway bridges in the 1990s that seem to be practical and yet have clearly not provided a workable solution to the ongoing problems of corrosion.
In the article titled "Reliability of Reinforced Concrete Girders Under Corrosion Attack," the authors (Frangopol, et al, 1997) embrace the AASHTO strategy; first, the effects of corrosion "on both moment and shear reliabilities" are carefully investigated; second, a "reliability-based design approach" that is based on minimization of "total material cost including corrosion effects" is taken into consideration. This article suggests that taking into consideration the environmental stressors on concrete (due to corrosion), along with the AASHTO standards, can then be plugged into "reliability-based optimization software." That software is a product of the combining of general-purpose optimization software and a Monte Carlo simulation-based evaluation program.
Hence, the procedure for coming up with reliable estimates of the life expectancy of concrete girders comes in two phases, according to this research. Phase one spans the time from construction to corrosion initiation; phase two, from corrosion initiation to time when "unacceptable levels of section loss have occurred." But is this procedure proactive or reactive? The answer - it is indeed reactive, and it is also outdated. But nevertheless it should be researched and understood because it is part of the literature. Science cannot predict future conditions and dynamics based on models and hypotheses alone. A foundation for the projections of the future is based on evidence from the past. "

Tags:materila, structure, engineering

Abstract
Aristotle differed from his teacher, Plato, in his emphasis on the supremacy of observation and on concrete reality. The paper shows how Aristotle sought to learn all that was possible about the reality perceivable by the senses and the logic he developed was an effort directed at this end. The paper describes how he sought to develop a universal method of reasoning in order to learn everything possible about reality and in his work "Categories" he sets out a scheme to describe particular things by identifying them in terms of their properties, states, and activities. The paper compares Aristotle's philosophies to those of Plato's, which have come to be known as Platonic Ideas.

From the Paper
"Aristotle was originally one of Plato's students, but he came to disagree with what he called the "other-worldliness" of his teacher. For Plato there were two worlds, the world perceived by the senses, and the world of the Forms, the ideals of which the objects in this world are only pale imitations. Aristotle disputed this, asking how, if the Forms are the essences of things, the Forms could exist separated from things, and how, if the Forms were the cause of things, they could exist in a different world? Aristotle made a distinction between form and matter, but he said that these two features of reality could be distinguished only in thought, not in fact. The forms are not separate entities but are embedded in particular things in this world. Every object has both form and matter. Form is universal in that many particulars may have the same form. Form is the thing's essence or nature and is related to its function. The object's matter is what is unique to that object, the object's "thisness," and it stands as the principle of individuation. For Aristotle, reality is composed of a plurality of substances."

Tags:Paronymous, Forms

Abstract
This paper discusses how there is a great deal of difference between the preschool-aged child and the elementary-aged. Jean Piaget identified this developmental stage as "concrete operational" and identified onset to completion as between the ages of six and ten. his paper explains this theory and examines how it applies to understanding childhood development.

From the Paper
"As a child grows he or she is able to confront issues specifically related to an age appropriate difficulty. They receive input from the people who are important to them and, based on what they believe is success or failure of the goal associated with that stage, the next stage is confronted. People develop throughout their lifetime. It is how the individual perceives the world as well as the way in which the people around them respond that provides the impetus for change and development. There are physical, cognitive, social, and moral characteristics concerned with different developmental stages."

Tags:childhood