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."
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."
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). "
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.""
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."
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."
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. "
Abstract The paper notes that America's roads, highways and freeways invariably require bridges to cross over canyons, rivers and other uneven terrain, and, as strong as the bridges may seem to be at the time of their construction, the best of the best of engineers have not yet been able to build corrosion-proof bridges. The paper discusses the numerous studies that have been conducted as to how to best repair the damage to concrete slab / steel girder bridges, and notes that their results, taken in their entirety, provide solid background for further research into these issues.
From the Paper "According to a brief article in the journal Advanced Materials & Processes, a potentially effective and reliable way of protecting against steel rebar corrosion that seems inevitable in concrete bridges is by using zinc-hydrogel anode 4727. This product may provide "long-term electrochemical protection" against the deterioration of the steel rebar in the concrete, the article states. When this "pressure-sensitive" zinc-hydrogel solution is applied an "iconic current" is conducted. Wires run through the rebar grid once the concrete is covered thoroughly with the adhesive gel."
Abstract This paper is a review of "The Rose that Grew from Concrete." The author reviews a collection of poems by Tupak Shakur, the rapper who died young under tragic circumstances. The collection of 100 autobiographical poems are used to demonstrate Skakur's background. This compilation serves as a commentary on the life that he and so many of today's black youth had come from, gangs, drugs and the concrete jungle.
From the Paper "First, this symbolic and metaphorical poem presents the image of a rose growing from a crack in the concrete, where one would normally see a few stray weeds or on a busy street nothing at all. Everyone has seen little weeds that sprout up between the cracks in the sidewalk, maybe even a dandelion or blade of grass, but this poem depicts an elegant and gorgeous rose, and implied vivid red petals and perhaps thorns, sprouting up from between the cracks, which when taken on face value seems somewhat nonsensical. However, if one carefully examines these first two lines and takes into account the autobiographical nature of this poem they will see that what Tupak is saying is that he is a rose who has not been given the opportunity to grow and in it's beauty is somewhat out of place but, despite that continues to grow from between the cracks in the concrete. With his "thorns" inevitably created as a product of his environment Tupak has been able to flourish where no one else he knew could, as has this exquisite rose. This is a very beautiful line because it shows that in the midst of our forest of stone something beautiful can still strive."
An investigation of juvenile delinquency and its relationship to unresolved grief due to the death of a parent or parents from ages 7-11 years using Piaget's concrete operational stage of development.
Abstract The purpose of this dissertation is to investigate unresolved grief in children ages 7-11 years, an age range that corresponds to Piaget's concrete operational stage, due to the death of a parent(s) and if and or how it manifests into delinquent behavior. To this end, this dissertation employs a historical-comparative methodology to answer the guiding research questions. The dissertation is guided by the following specific research questions: 1.What is the incidence of juvenile delinquency among children who have experienced the loss or one or both parents during Piaget's concrete operational stage, ages 7-11 years? 2. What treatment interventions have been proven effective in helping children resolve the grief associated with the loss of one or both parents? 3. Are there cultural, gender and socioeconomic differences among children that affect their coping abilities? 4. What specific differences exist between adults and children in terms of coping skills and how can clinicians use this information to facilitate grief resolution?
Outline
Abstract
Key Word Definitions
Chapter 1: Introduction
Statement of the Problem
Purpose of Study
Importance of Study
Scope of Study
Rationale of Study
Overview of Study
Chapter 2: Review of Related Literature
Chapter 3: Methodology
Description of the Study Approach
Data-gathering Method and Database of Study
Preliminary Bibliography
Chapter 4: Data Analysis
Chapter 5: Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations
From the Paper "The study of "resilient" and "invulnerable" children has provided researchers with a new and different focus in the primary prevention of mental illness in adults. Resilient children are those who, because of stressful life events, are at risk of developing later psychological dysfunctions, but do not. As examples: every teenage parent does not quit school and live on welfare; most behaviorally disordered children do not become dysfunctional adults; not all high school dropouts fail to make a good living; and many adjudicated delinquents do not become adult offenders (Brown & Felner, 1991). Based on the wide range of stress-producing factors that may occur throughout childhood and even prior to birth (e.g., in utero cocaine addiction), it is understandable that past research would provide limited coverage. For example, Garmezy and Rutter volume ( 1989) provided an understanding of the neurochemical and physiological aspects of stress, a description of stress-producing factors that occur during infancy and early childhood, and an understanding of coping mechanisms associated with resiliency-all considered within the context of childhood development (Brown & Felner, 1991)."
Abstract This paper discusses contemporary poet Paul Zimmer's book "Crossing to Sunlight", and takes four of his poems to demonstrate how his use of rich language, simile and metaphor, and concrete imagery blend together and manifest as accessible and readable poetry that everyone can enjoy.
From the Paper "Paul Zimmer's eleventh book, Crossing to Sunlight, is a compilation of previously published work, plus over twenty new poems. His book may be enjoyed by dipping into its pages at random, or by reading from beginning to end. If the latter choice is made, the book has a distinct autobiographical feel to it. The poems appear to map Paul Zimmer's life from childhood through to present day. They deal with everyday emotions with their tone inducing feelings of sympathy, empathy and at times, sheer unbridled pleasure in the reader. Zimmer achieves this by his use of accessible language and fresh, yet believable simile and metaphor, all firmly anchored with concrete imagery."
Precast/prestressed concrete is a type of reinforced concrete in which the steel reinforcement has been tensioned against the concrete, resulting in a self-equilibrating system of internal stresses (meaning tensile stresses in the steel and comprehensive stresses in the concrete) which improves the response of the concrete to external loads. Concrete is strong and ductile in compression, but it is weak and brittle in tension. Its response to external loads is improved by applying a precompression (Collins and Mitchell, 1991, 1).
Bljuger (1988) states that precast construction is essentially a matter of transferring most of the work from the construction site to the prefabrication plant. This makes for superior working conditions so that both labor productivity and ..."
Concrete is a stonelike material obtained by allowing a carefully proportioned mixture of cement, sand, gravel (or some other aggregate), and water to harden (Winter & Nilson, 1972, p. 1). The bulk of concrete consists of the fine and coarse aggregates (p. 1). The cement and water interact chemically to bind them together (p. 1). One mode in which the substance finds common usage is as precast prestressed concrete. This building material can be employed in the construction of a variety of different structures.
In general, during the mixing of concrete, more water is added than is necessary for the binding reaction to occur (Winter & Nilson, 1972, p. 1). This extra water gives the concrete an initially liquid character (p. 1). In liquid form, concrete can..."
