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Ask An Expert

Is structure engineering troubling you?
Do you face problems in solving even the basic problems?

If yes then look no further as engineeringcivil.com along with Er. Gobind Khurana and Er. Abhimanyu has taken an initiative to help civil engineering students in structure related queries. We are thankful to Er. Gobind Khurana, Er. Abhimanyu and Vincent T. H. CHU for being a volunteer in helping other engineers in solving problems related to structure design in R.C.C and Steel.

Expert 1
Name – Er. Gobind Khurana
Qualification:
1. Bachelor of Civil Engineering From Thapar University Patiala
2. Master of Structure Engineering from Delhi University.
Work Profile: Currently working as Consultant for structural problems in R.C.C and STEEL Design.

Expert 2
Name – Er. Abhimanyu
Qualification:
Bachelor of Civil Engineering From Thapar University Patiala
Training at site in Unitech ( during 6 month summer training)
Work Profile : Presently working as associate design engineer for Fluor Daniel India Pvt Ltd. Area of work is structural steel design and concrete foundations for both static and dynamics analysis ( mainly in oil and gas industry)

Expert 3
Er. Vincent T. H. CHU obtained the degree of civil and structural engineering in the University of Hong Kong. He is the author of the monthly column “The Civil FAQ” in the Hong Kong Engineer published by the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers and is the author of the civil engineering monthly columns “The Civil Q&A” and “The Civil Corner” on the websites on World Federation of Engineering Organization and the University of Science and Technology (American Society of Civil Engineers – International Student Group) respectively. He is the recipient of the Ombudsman’s Award 2007 under complaint-related category and Young Engineer of the Year Award 2008 (Merit) organized by the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers. He is also the author of the engineering book “200 Question and Answers on Practical Civil Engineering Works”, “Civil Engineering Practical Notes A-Z” , “Ask Vincent Chu (Common FAQ on Practical Civil Engineering Works)” and “The Underlying Reasons in Practical Civil Engineering Works”.

So if you have any query regarding the concerned matter, just drop a comment and we will try to solve it as soon as possible.

3,932 comments on "Ask An Expert"

YUNUS says:

presently i am working on precast girder bridge. My question is regarding the barrier. After finishing the casting of slabs, i casted the barrier from slab expansion joint to the other expansion joint having span 20m. Within this 20m i didnt make any expansion or contraction joint in barrier. So is it in necessary to have expansion joint in barrier in every 4m or 6m interval. Let me know.

Allan says:

Usually at 6.00 mtr. interval.

chandrama prasad says:

what is the effect of mix design of con if the grade of cement changes from m53 to m43. support with exam

mohit prothia says:

Sir,
i hav completed my diploma last year and nw working with a company as a billing engineer. i just wanted to ask that at the beginning of my career i’m working in billing,would this profile help me in future or i should work on site 4 sumtime.plz give me an advice

chidanand says:

Dear sir’s/madams,
Please let me know, the construction water with containing more alkalinity is going to affect the concrete strength? Please answer me.
Thanking you.

Nitesh Kumar says:

Yes, it will affect. Usually for any concrete structure potable water is used.

sachin cholke says:

dear sir
currently i am working in silo project & i need ur help in removing quantity of silo. it whole circular building of 58 m height. i want procedure to remove slab & circular beam quantity.

R Suman says:

Sir,

curing the concrete by curing compound is suitable for all types of concretes? or any limitations were there?

shashikanth says:

well, it depends up on the type of curing you are doing like staeaming(enough for 3days)

Stalin says:

Dear Sir,

I have a couple of queries regarding blocks manufacturing:

1. Different Mix designs for Pavers
Pavers are graded as M10,15,20 etc. and also the standard mix design for this is available.
But if we use the same design to manufacture the blocks, the product is not cost effective.
So i want to know what are mix designs in practical to achieve the grades M10,20 etc. and at the same
time making them cost effective?
Following raw materials are available with us:
a. Crusher Dust
b. Grit (any size)
c. Sand
d. Cement

Also, what should be the mix for the 5mm layer of color on the bricks?
By what name do we get the color powder?

2. Use of Salty Water
As i have read across the internet,Salty water is not good for concrete products, especially in case of RCC as it erodes the steel structure.
The boring in our factory has salty water.
Now,if we get potable water from outside then our product will not be cost effective.

How can we use this salty water?
Is it ok if use sweet water for mixing and satly water for curing?
Is there any admixture which can neutralise the salts in the water?

3. Mix Ratio for Fly Ash Bricks
I have also heard of Fly Ash Bricks which are lighter and have a good strength.
What is the ideal ratio for manufacturing of fly ash bricks(with above mentioned raw materials)?

4. Use of CaCl2 to accelerate curing
I have read about CaCl2 acting as an accelerator for curing.
Is it true?
What purity of CaCl2 and in what proportion should we add in the mix?

5. Use of Lime and Gypsum for manufacturing of bricks
Can we replace cement with lime and gypsum in manufactruing of bricks?
We generally add 7% cement in our bricks.
How much Lime and Gypsum should we add to achieve the same result?
What is the purity of lime required?

6. Bricks using Dust, Sand, Grit and Cement/lime-gypsum
What is the mix design for bricks without fly ash?
How do they rate in comparison to fly ash bricks?
Are there any indian standards?

7. Factors to be considered for new mix design.
How to design raw mix for a particular strength?

8. Compressive Strength of Hollow Blocks
recently i had sent the hollow block produced at our factory to one of the testing labs.
The put the hollow block upside down i.e. hollow portion down and flat on top and checked the compressive strength
Is this the write method?
Because the hollow block masonry is done with hollow portion up
So if we check the strength with hollow portion up we have fill the voids with sand, right?

Await your reply.

Thanks & Regards,
Stalin

CH.UmaMaheswar says:

how to calculate unit weight of ms chequered plates

Nguyen Ngoc Truc says:

Dear sir,
I am now a PhD. student. I am paying attention to saline soils but the books on this field is not so much. Could you tell me some books in this are or some one related?
Thank you very much.
N.N. TRUC.

N.N Truc says:

Dear sir,
I am paying attention to saline soils but the books on this field is not so much. Could you tell me some books in this area or some one related?
Thank you very much.
N.N. TRUC.

nusrat fayaz bhat says:

sir,how to control cracks in r.c.c works

Nitesh Kumar says:

Excessive amount of cement may also cause cracks in R.C.C structure…you must have proper designing and proper curing as well.

kumar saurabh says:

Sir,
I have some problems with concrete cube testing…….
1. Is there any co relation between weight of cube and strength……… i have encountered several cube of varying weight of same mix eg 8340, 8845, 8624, 7986.etc
2. what is the correct time to stop ctm machine while testing cube….. we are advised to go for ultimate strength when cube sustains no more load even if there are large crack or even one side of cube get broke…………. is there any code IS for this which explains every thing clearly

DEVI SINGH says:

I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THE REDUDENT BEAM SOLVING METHODS PLZ SIR .
GIVE THE DESCRIPTION ABOUT THAT TOPIC.

Md.Yusuf Ali says:

Dear Sir,
I am a sub-assistant engineer civil working at costal belt of Bangladesh for rural piped line water supply schemes. It is problem for me that in this project area has no saline free water for RCC construction. Sir please tell me how can use this saline water for construction work?

Harsh Mahajan says:

sir can you give some idea about acceptance Criteria for concrete

apurba says:

firstly u observe concrete workability, cohesiveness. if the criteria comply with IS:4926 then u can accept it.

Nitesh Kumar says:

Primarily, concrete acceptance depends on its strength, it is measured in laboratory by cube test. And it depends upon mix design of concrete, which may vary in order to importance of structure.

Madhusudan says:

Mix Ratio for Fly Ash Bricks
I have state manufacturing of Fly Ash Bricks
What is the ideal ratio for manufacturing of fly ash bricks
we have the following raw material easly available
Sand, Dust (crusher dust), cement and flyash

MUKAMANA Esperance says:

In addition I Wonder how house can be builtin a river,lake or columns of a bridge can be built in deep of a river.

L Marieswaran says:

Dear Sir,
I am a Junior Engineer working at cement plant at Jhansi and I want to know the meaning of the following content

Dismantling shall be done manually using hand operated chisel with flat face hammer. The weigh or hammer shall be generally limited to 15 labs.

In that content I want to know “what is meaning of 15 labs”

shivananda says:

hello sir, i need to know the reinforcement details for a cantiliver slab, two columns beside at corners of one side of rectangular slab(planned slab), the area of cantiliver slab is 4.6 mt X 1.9 mt. and the beam details at the sides (4 sides) of the cantiliver slab. i hope u will give me idea to tackel the problem. i have designed but help me sir. please…
thank you..

N.Jagadeesh Babu says:

dear sir,
I am working as a Facility Engineer in a MNC company.
my query is to know the load calculations of slab.eg. on an existing slab if i want to lay an concrete platform of 150mm thick of size 1.5mx1.5m to house an mechanical equipment weighing 500kgs kindly guide me the load factor to calculate and design of concrete platform including the tor steel Fe415 to be used

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