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Hello, I am Jefy Jean A, a freelance content writer, and blogger. I am pursuing my M.Tech from IIT ISM, Dhanbad. I can create authentic and well-researched content that would drive visitors to your website and turn them into your customers. Right now I focus on technical blogs and SEO optimised articles. I would be more than happy to venture into other genres like health and fitness, travel, lifestyle, home decor, food recipes, etc. as I believe in exploring new arenas and opportunities. If I am not researching or writing an article I would be in the kitchen trying out all the recipes that catch my eyes on YouTube. If you are in search of some insightful and irresistible content mail me your writing requirements to jefy98aj@gmail.com.
water conservation

Wastewater Treatment- Stages and Process full details

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Wastewater treatment is an area where a lot of experts have carried out in-depth research. According to The United Nations World Water Development Report (WWDR), about 80% of wastewater is released into the water bodies without proper treatment on a global scale.

In the previous blog, I showed you some innovative ways to conserve water. Today we are going to dig deeper into the journey of wastewater through a wastewater treatment plant.

In the first section, let me introduce you to the wastewater treatment process.

Wastewater Treatment Process

The method of removing pollutants from wastewater or sewage and converting it into an effluent that can be added to the water cycle is known as wastewater treatment. In wastewater treatment plants, pollutants in wastewater are reduced to a degree that nature can accommodate.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to explain what happens at each point of the treatment process and how contaminants are neutralised or removed to help keep our rivers and streams safe. 

Also check out some rainwater harvesting methods.

Wastewater Treatment Stages

Wastewater Treatment Process
Wastewater Treatment Process

As shown in the diagram, the three main stages in the treatment of wastewater are:

  • Primary Treatment
  • Secondary Treatment
  • Tertiary Treatment

Let’s analyse what happens in each of the stages in detail.

Primary Treatment of Wastewater

Wastewater reaching a treatment plant through pipes first undergoes primary treatment irrespective of its source. About 60% of the suspended solids are removed from the wastewater during primary treatment along with aeration or stirring in the water to put oxygen back. It includes the following steps:

1. Screening

  • The majority of the floating materials are removed from the wastewater using screens of 10 mm openings and settling tanks.
  • The floating materials include stone, rocks, sticks and even dead animals. Solid materials make up about a third of the wastewater. 
  • As a result, eliminating solid waste at the initial stage makes subsequent treatment procedures easier. Also, they may cause problems later in the treatment process if they are not removed.
  • Solid waste is collected and disposed of in landfills after the screening process.

2. Sedimentation

  • The sewage then flows through the grit trap or grit chamber which collects sand, cinders, and small stones at the bottom.
  • The wastewater is then directed to sedimentation ponds, settling tanks, or clarifiers after the settled grit have been removed.
  • Organic and inorganic matter, as well as suspended solids, are removed in this process.
  • The suspended particles begin to fall to the bottom and form a solid mass known as sludge.

3. Sludge Removal

  • In the sedimentation tanks, sludge (the organic solid component of the sewage) settles out of the wastewater.
  • Mechanical scrapers in the tank’s base continuously move accumulated sludge to a hopper, where it is pumped to sludge treatment facilities.
  • The thickening step removes some of the water before the sludge is processed in digesters.

4. Scum Removal

  • Lighter materials rise to the surface as sludge settles to the bottom of the sedimentation tanks.
  • Grease, oils, plastics, and soap are among the ‘scum.’
  • Scum is skimmed off the surface of the wastewater by slow-moving rakes.
  • Scum is thickened before being poured into the digesters with the sludge.

Around 90% of suspended solids, 55% of faecal coliforms, and 50% of biological oxygen demand are removed during the primary treatment process. The waste must be subjected to secondary treatment in order to be completely free of toxic substances. Let’s see how to do that.

Wastewater Treatment Stages
Source: researchgate.net

Secondary Treatment of Wastewater

  • Secondary wastewater treatment is designed to significantly degrade the biological content of the waste by aerobic biological processes, and it operates at a deeper level than primary treatment.
  • During secondary wastewater treatment, about 85% of the organic matter in sewage is eliminated.
  • The method entails combining the wastewater with bacteria and oxygen at high pressures.
  • Bacteria digest organic matter with the aid of oxygen.

Secondary wastewater treatment reduces common biodegradable pollutants to acceptable levels, allowing for cleaner release into the nearby water bodies. It is done in one of three ways:

1. Biofiltration

Sand filters, contact filters, and trickling filters are used in biofiltration to ensure that any excess sediment is extracted from the wastewater.

  • A trickling filter consists of a bed of stones that is about 6 feet tall.
  • Sewage coming out of the sedimentation tank is permitted to pass through this stone sheet.
  •  The bacteria congregate on these stones and begin to multiply and evolve until all of the organic matter in the sewage has been consumed.
  • Following the process, the clean water is piped out and directed to another sedimentation tank.

2. Oxidation Ponds

  • Oxidation ponds, also known as lagoons or stabilisation ponds, are large, shallow ponds that use the interaction of sunlight, bacteria, and algae to treat wastewater.
  • Algae use the sun’s energy, as well as carbon dioxide and inorganic compounds released by bacteria in the water, to grow.
  • During photosynthesis, algae release oxygen, which is needed by aerobic bacteria. 
  • Mechanical aerators are often used to provide even more oxygen, reducing the size of the pond needed.
  • Dredging is needed to remove sludge deposits in the pond.
  • Filtration or a combination of chemical treatment and settling will kill any residual algae in the pond effluent.

3. Activated Sludge Process

  • The air and sludge are allowed to come into close contact with the bacteria during this process and then passed into the settling tank.
  •  The sewage from the settling tank is first sent to an aeration tank, where bacteria are added to the air and sludge.
  • The entire setup is left alone for several hours, during which time the bacteria decompose the organic matter into toxic by-products. 
  • The sludge, which has been activated by billions of bacteria, is returned to the aeration tank to handle fresh sewage.
  • The previously treated wastewater is pumped to the sedimentation tank, which filters out any bacteria.

We have seen the primary and secondary treatment of wastewater. Now it’s time to see what happens in the tertiary treatment of wastewater.

Tertiary Treatment of Wastewater

The aim of tertiary wastewater treatment is to improve the water’s quality to meet domestic and industrial standards, as well as to meet specific criteria for water discharge safety. It can be done by ion exchange, reverse osmosis, chemical precipitation, membrane filtration etc. In the case of municipally treated water, the tertiary treatment also includes the elimination of bacteria, ensuring that the water is safe to drink.

In some cases, quaternary treatment is also done. This stage deals with contamination levels of a few parts per million to billions of parts per billion, and it often includes oxidation or fine filtration.

Wastewater Treatment
Wastewater Treatment

Shall we wrap up?

Conclusion

Wastewater treatment refers to the purification of sewage from various sources and converting it into a reusable form. It involves mainly 3 stages namely primary, secondary and tertiary.

Primary treatment involves screening, sedimentation, sludge and scum removal. Secondary treatment deals with the removal of biological contaminants using oxidation ponds, trickling filters or activated sludge process. Finally, the Tertiary treatment converts water into a reusable form.

The management of wastewater is inextricably related to the availability of clean and adequate water sources. Far from being anything to discard or neglect, wastewater will play an important role in meeting the increasing water demand in rapidly expanding cities, improving energy production and industrial growth, and promoting sustainable agriculture.

Also see : Concepts of green building – 4 comprehensive concepts explained.

civil engineering, Earthquake Engineering

Earthquake Engineering- A Comprehensive Guide

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Earthquake Engineering though not a mainstream engineering branch, is a widely researched topic now. Though all of us wouldn’t have experienced an earthquake most of us must have seen news and videos about the tremendous loss it causes. Looks scary, right? That’s exactly what makes Earthquake Engineering a subject of immense possibilities and research.

In this blog let me walk you through what is Earthquake Engineering and the relevant topics in Earthquake Engineering.

What is Earthquake Engineering?

Earthquake engineering is a branch of civil engineering that considers the impacts of earthquakes while designing and analysing engineering structures. The ultimate aim is to make such structures more earthquake resistant. 

In a major earthquake, an earthquake (or seismic) engineer attempts to construct structures that will not be affected by slight shaking and will prevent significant damage or failure. Earthquake engineering is a scientific area concerned with reducing seismic risk to appropriate socioeconomic levels to protect society, the natural environment, and the built environment from earthquakes.

Also See : Prefabrication in construction – Advantages – Disadvantages

Also See : Cellular light weight concrete -Manufacturing process – Properties

Earthquake Engineering Objectives

The main objectives of earthquake engineering include:

  • Anticipate the effects of powerful earthquakes on urban areas and civil infrastructure.
  • Design, construct and maintain structures so that they function as expected and per building codes when exposed to earthquakes.

Isn’t it amazing that a properly designed structure need not be extremely strong or costly? Instead, it just has to be carefully designed to withstand seismic forces while sustaining a minimum amount of damage. In this blog, I will show you how exactly this can be done.

Earthquake Engineering Relevant Topics

Let me give you a brief description of earthquake engineering’s relevant topics.

  • Seismic Performance in Earthquake Engineering
  • Seismic Vibration Control in Earthquake Engineering

Earthquake Engineering- Seismic Performance

The ability of a structure to maintain its key functions, such as protection and serviceability, during and after an earthquake exposure is referred to as earthquake or seismic performance. If a structure does not threaten the lives and well-being of those in or around it by partially or fully collapsing, it is considered secure.

Earthquake Engineering- Seismic Vibration Control

The term “seismic vibration control” in Earthquake Engineering refers to a range of technological methods for reducing seismic vibrations in both building and non-building structures. There are three types of seismic vibration control devices: passive, active, and hybrid.

  • Passive control devices have no feedback capability between them, structural elements and the ground
  • Active control devices incorporate real-time recording instrumentation on the ground coupled with earthquake input processing equipment and actuators inside the structure.
  • Hybrid control devices combine the functionality of active and passive control systems.

Due to reflections, as ground seismic waves reach up and begin to penetrate a building’s foundation, their energy flow density drops dramatically: usually by up to 90%. The residual portions of the incident waves after a major earthquake, on the other hand, also have significant destructive potential.

There are a variety of ways to monitor seismic waves once they reach a superstructure to mitigate their damaging effects and increase the building’s seismic efficiency, for example:

  • Dissipating wave energy within a superstructure using properly designed dampers.
  • To spread wave energy over a wider frequency range.
  • By absorbing the resonant portions of the entire wave frequencies band with mass dampers.
Earthquake Engineering
Losses due to Earthquake

Let’s see how to apply these principles in the construction field.

Earthquake Resistant Construction

Earthquake resistant construction refers to the use of seismic design to ensure that buildings and non-built structures withstand earthquakes to the best of their abilities and in accordance with relevant building codes.

Detailing of the members and their relations should be as straightforward as possible to achieve good workmanship. Earthquake design, like any other form of construction, entails the construction, retrofitting, or assembling of infrastructure using the materials available.

  • Adobe Structures
  • Timber frame structures
  • Light frame structures
  • Reinforced Masonry Structures
  • Reinforced concrete structures

Adobe Structures

  • About a third of the world’s population lives or works in Adobe structures.
  • Adobe mud bricks are one of the most popular and oldest building materials.
  • Adobe is widely used in some of the world’s most vulnerable areas, including the Indian subcontinent, and other parts of Asia.

The following are important factors to consider when improving the seismic efficiency of adobe construction:

  • Construction quality.
  • Box-like and compact layout.
  • Seismic reassurance.

Timber frame structures

  • Timber framing has been used in many parts of the world for thousands of years.
  • The use of timber framing in buildings provides the building’s full skeletal framing, which has structural advantages because the timber frame if properly designed, lends itself to better seismic survivability.
Timber framed structure
Timber framed structure

Light Frame Structures

  • Rigid plywood shear walls and wood structural panel diaphragms provide seismic resistance to light-frame structures.
  • For all engineered wood structures, special provisions for seismic load-resisting systems include consideration of diaphragm ratios, horizontal and vertical diaphragm shears, and connector/fastener values.
  • Collectors, or drag struts, are often used to distribute shear along a diaphragm length.

Reinforced masonry structures

  • Reinforced masonry is a building method in which steel reinforcement is inserted in masonry mortar joints or put in holes and then filled with concrete or grout.
  • This can be achieved using a variety of methods and techniques in which the reinforced hollow unit masonry is the most common form.
  • The shear strength of the wall must be greater than the flexural strength to achieve ductile action in masonry.
Reinforced Masonry structures
Reinforced Masonry structures

Reinforced concrete structures

Steel reinforcement bars (rebars) or fibres are inserted into reinforced concrete to strengthen a brittle composite. It can be used to make beams, columns, floors, and bridges, among other things.

Prestressed concrete is a form of reinforced concrete that is used to overcome the natural weakness of concrete in strain. It can be used for beams, floors, and bridges with longer spans than ordinary reinforced concrete allows. 

Post Tension - slabs
Post Tension – slabs

Prestressing tendons are used to apply a clamping load to the concrete compression member, resulting in compressive stress that compensates for the tensile stress that would otherwise be applied by a bending load. A typical reinforced concrete frame should have ductile joints to avoid catastrophic failure in response to earth-shaking.

Now you have seen the basic aspects of Earthquake Engineering. How do you feel about it? Let’s know in comments.

green building

Green Airport Concept, Features and Examples Full Guide

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Green Airport has been in the news for quite some time as more and more airports are going green. According to studies by ATAG, the global aviation industry produces 2% of all anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions. When it comes to climate change, the aviation industry is under increasing pressure to clean up its act, but gas-guzzling planes aren’t the only culprits. 

As airports grow, so does their carbon footprint and emissions. As new terminals, ground transportation vehicles, and facilities are built, the energy demand increases. 

As a result, many airports around the world have incorporated greener elements into their designs and operations strategies, as well as pledged to support environmentally sustainable initiatives thereby transforming  into green airports. Before we dig into the details about various green airports around the globe I will show you what exactly a green airport is.

What is the Green Airport concept?

Green airport is an airport that complies with the latest sustainability criteria, reduces the effects of airport activities on the environment, and mitigates the impact of climate change on related facilities and operations.

In this blog let me take you on a trip to various green airports in the world and we will analyse the key features that make each one a green airport.

Green Airports in the world

A number of airports around the world have begun to implement “green” programmes in order to make their buildings greener and more environmentally friendly. Here are 5 such airports that have earned international recognition for their sustainable and green initiatives.

1. Boston Logan International Airport, US

  • The world’s first air terminal to receive the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design accreditation is located at Boston Logan International Airport. 
  • Its Terminal A has heat-reflective roofing and pavement surfaces, as well as water-saving low-flow bathroom fixtures.
  • One of the airport’s runways was resurfaced with environmentally friendly asphalt that could be heated at a lower temperature during the construction process which would result in a 2,000t reduction in carbon emissions over the lifetime of the project. 
  • The airport’s offices are topped with a fleet of 6ft tall wind turbines that generate about 3% of the energy required for operations.

Seems like Boston Airport is pacing really fast towards being a green airport, right? Let’s look at the other ones which are turning into green airports.

2. Galapagos Ecological Airport, Galapagos Islands – World’s first completely Green Airport. 

  • Built to operate entirely on solar and wind energy, with windmills providing 65% of total energy and photovoltaic panels on walkways providing 35%
  • Steel pipes taken from oil extraction fields were used to build 80% of the infrastructure.
  •  Wood and metal structures from the airport’s previous home, Seymour, were reused, and furniture was made with environmentally friendly materials.
  • A desalination plant is also present at the airport, which collects seawater and purifies it for use in the terminal. 
  • The wastewater is then pumped back into the treatment facility for future use by travellers.
Green Airport
Green Airport

3. Singapore Changi Airport, Singapore

Singapore’s Changi Airport is not only one of the best in the world, but it also has a reputation for being environmentally friendly.

  • With skylights to enhance natural light, air conditioners located closer to the floor, and an abundance of greenery.
  • The recently opened Terminal 4 features a green wall with over 20,000 plant species, which lowers the temperature of the airport and increase air quality.
  • Energy-efficient motion sensors and lighting, water-efficient fittings, and roof-mounted solar panels are among the other features installed at Changi.

4. Stockholm Arlanda Airport, Sweden- First Green Airport to achieve carbon neutrality

  • The only airport in the world with an environmental permit that includes a limit on carbon dioxide emissions.
  • In this green airport, hangars and airfield buildings are heated with a special biofuel system to conserve energy. 
  • A collection of wells connected to an underground aquifer collect water and sends it to the terminal’s air conditioning system in the summer.
  •  This approach is often used to heat cement pads near the airport’s hangars, preventing ice from forming on the doors and ramps.

5. Delhi Indira Gandhi Airport, India

  • The 5.4 million-square-foot Terminal 3 at the airport features well-lit departure lounges, 1,200 low-power LCD displays, 300 rainwater harvesting stations, and erosion-control storm drains. 
  • Passengers are transported between terminals and baggage claim using battery-powered vehicles.
  • Indira Gandhi Airport recently received two awards for its environmental stewardship,     
  1. Wings India Award for the ‘Most Sustainable and Green Airport,’ 
  2. ACI’s designation as the world’s best airport with over 40 million passengers a year.

Through this blog, we have taken a closer look at some green airports that are setting a precedent for other aviation hubs to emulate by sustainable practices and the use of renewable fuel sources. What do you think of these features and what other energy-saving measures and sustainable practices can be adopted to uplift our airports to the status of a green airport? Let me know in the comments.

Best Engineering colleges, civil engineering

Best Engineering Colleges in India- 10 Best Colleges Full Details

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Best Engineering Colleges in India is a topic that every engineering aspirant would love to know. One of the most prestigious and sought-after courses pursued by students in India would be Engineering. Many engineering colleges in India offer undergraduate and postgraduate engineering programs across various disciplines.

Students worldwide study at India’s top-ranked engineering colleges and institutes, which annually produce more engineers than most other countries. In this blog let’s have a look at the 10 best Engineering Colleges across the country.

Let me show you what Engineering is and which are the popular Engineering Colleges in India opted by students.

In layman’s terms, Engineering can be defined as the application of basic scientific principles and maths to find solutions to the problems faced by society.

Top 15 Engineering Colleges
Best 10 Engineering Colleges
CollegeDetailsLocationStateScore out of 100NIRF Rank
IIT MadrasMore DetailsChennaiTamil Nadu89.931
IIT  DelhiMore DetailsNew DelhiDelhi88.082
IIT BombayMore DetailsMumbaiMaharashtra85.083
IIT KanpurMore DetailsKanpurUttar Pradesh82.184
IIT KharagpurMore DetailsKharagpurWest Bengal80.565
IIT RoorkeeMore DetailsRoorkeeUttarakhand76.296
IIT GuwahatiMore DetailsGuwahatiAssam74.907
IIT HyderabadMore DetailsHyderabadTelangana66.448
NIT TiruchirappalliMore DetailsTiruchirappalliTamil Nadu64.109
IIT IndoreMore DetailsIndoreMadhya Pradesh62.8810
IIT (BHU) VaranasiMore DetailsVaranasiUttar Pradesh62.5411
IIT (ISM) DhanbadMore DetailsDhanbadJharkhand62.0612
NIT SurathkalMore DetailsSurathkalKarnataka61.3013
Anna UniversityMore DetailsChennaiTamil Nadu59.8914
Vellore Institute Of TechnologyMore DetailsVelloreTamil Nadu59.3215

Now let’s have a closer look at the best 10 Colleges

Best Engineering Colleges in India

1. IIT Madras- One of the best Engineering Colleges in India for 5 years in a row

IIT Madras boasts of a vibrant residential campus situated in Chennai, which provides an unparallel environment for the personal and professional growth of students. 

  • Ranked as the top engineering institute in India for 5 years in a row (2016-2020) by the NIRF.
  • Has a deep technology startup ecosystem, excellent campus infrastructure, generous alumni support, and involvement
  • Offers UG and PG degree programs, M.S. and Ph.D. research programs across 16 departments.
  • Placements: Average – Rs. 8 L.P.A/- Highest – Rs. 95.8 L.P.A/-
  • Admission/ Entrance Exam:  JEE Advanced and GATE

Also read: BE Civil engineering subjects semester wise complete details.

2. IIT Delhi

Situated in Delhi, the capital of India, it is one of the finest institutions in India.

  • Offers various disciplines including Engineering, Physical Sciences, Management, and Humanities & Social Sciences.
  • Placements: Average – Rs. 17.53 L.P.A/- Highest – Rs. 27.07 L.P.A/-
  • Admission/ Entrance Exam:  JEE Advanced and GATE

3. IIT Bombay- Best Engineering Colleges in India (QS Ranking)

Located in Powai, Mumbai the strategic location offers the advantage of being in the financial capital of the country while enjoying the serene natural beauty of the campus which shares borders with the Sanjay Gandhi National Park.

  • With an overall score of 79.9, it was Ranked 1st in India and 49th globally in Engineering and Technology in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings.
  • Placements: Average – Rs. 10 L.P.A/- Highest – Rs. 182 L.P.A/-
  • Admission/ Entrance Exam:  JEE Advanced and GATE

If you wish to dig into your ideas in the lap of nature like Newton did once, then IIT Bombay is your place.

4. IIT Kanpur

A premier institute located in the city of Kanpur with the motto of creating, disseminating, and translating knowledge in science, engineering, and allied disciplines.

  • IIT Kanpur has some of the unique innovations to its credit including the first solar-powered Indian-made UAV and India’s first nanosatellite Jugnu.
  • Offers a host of interdisciplinary programs like Cognitive Science, Nanotechnology, Nuclear Engineering, etc.
  • Placements: Average – Rs. 10 L.P.A/- Highest – Rs. 100 L.P.A/-
  • Admission/ Entrance Exam:  JEE Advanced and GATE

Also read: Civil engineering subjects; Skills mastered and Applications.

5. IIT Kharagpur

Spread over 2100 acres of campus at Kharagpur, this premier institute welcomes its students not only with libraries and classrooms but also with lush greenery, lakes, lawns, stadiums, tennis courts, hockey, football, and cricket grounds, as well as a gym and a swimming pool.

  • Offers about 30 micro-specialisation courses including intellectual property rights, quality engineering, management, law, social science, and foreign languages.
  • At the end of your B.Tech, the institute molds you into something more than a techie.
  • It boasts of notable alumni like Sundar Pichai
  • Placements: Average – Rs. 10 L.P.A/- Highest – Rs. 42 L.P.A/-
  • Admission/ Entrance Exam:  JEE Advanced and GATE

6. IIT Roorkee-Oldest among best engineering colleges in India

With 174 years of rich heritage, IIT Roorkee is the oldest technical institution in Asia. It is located at Roorkee in Uttarakhand.

  • Has 21 academic departments which cover engineering, applied sciences, humanities & social sciences, and management programs.
  • Also ranked 12th among management schools in India by the National Institutional Ranking Framework in 2020
  • Placements: Average – Rs. 10 L.P.A/- Highest – Rs. 80 L.P.A/-
  • Admission/ Entrance Exam:  JEE Advanced and GATE

7. IIT Guwahati

With the mighty Brahmaputra river flowing on one side and hills on the other, IIT Guwahati has probably the most beautiful campus in India.

  • Hosts Param-Ishan which is the fastest and most powerful supercomputer in northeastern, eastern, and southern regions of the country.
  • Offers B.Tech, B.Des, M.Tech., M.Des., MA, M.sc., and Ph.D. programs over 11 departments.
  • Placements: Average – Rs. 14.6 L.P.A/-
  • Admission/ Entrance Exam:  JEE Advanced and GATE

8. IIT Hyderabad

Located in Hyderabad, it is the first institute to launch an executive MTech Programme in Data Science for working executives and professionals.

  • Offers courses in liberal arts and creative arts including macroeconomics, introductory psychology, Japanese, French, German language, etc.
  • Placements: Average – Rs. 10 L.P.A/- Highest – Rs. 35 L.P.A/-
  • Admission/ Entrance Exam: JEE Advanced and GATE

9. NIT Tiruchirappalli

Located at Trichy, Tamil Nadu the 800 acres campus of NIT Trichy is one of the largest academic campuses in India.

  • Has been retaining its No.1 position among all NITs for 5 years in a row in the “India Rankings 2020” released by NIRF.
  • Best among all NITs.
  • Bagged the  “University of the Year” award in the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry awards in 2017
  • Placements: Average – Rs. 9 L.P.A/- Highest – Rs. 70 L.P.A/-
  • Admission/ Entrance Exam:  JEE Mains and GATE

10. IIT Indore 

It is located in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, and is one of the newly established IITs.

  • Despite being a relatively young IIT, it has proved its stature with higher rankings, 98% placement rate, 100% Ph.D. holding faculty, and 8.19% surge in the graduation rate.
  • Placements: Average – Rs. 16 L.P.A/- Highest – Rs. 36.48 L.P.A/-
  • Admission/ Entrance Exam:  JEE Advanced and GATE

Also see: Basics of civil Engineering -Simple and in depth guide.

So you have got an idea about the best colleges in India. Let me know which is your dream college and why you wish to study in that particular college. Comment below.

architectural finishes, BUILDING CONSTRUCTION

Monolith- The Technology, Merits and Demerits Full Guide

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Monolith is a well-known concept in the world. The technology is used to construct high-rise buildings and skyscrapers. The monolithic structure can withstand high loads (up to 8 points) without being broken, which makes it a suitable candidate to be used in seismic zones.

Let’s look at what monolithic houses are, their benefits and drawbacks, and the construction process.

The Technology of Monolith building

Monolith
Monolith

The technology’s essence lies in pouring reinforced concrete sections of a monolithic house during erection. Since there is no load on this part of the wall, any sound (brick, block, sheet) or low-strength material (wood, PVC panel with insulation, glass) may be used to fill the gaps between slabs.

In this technology a few variants of the frame are used:

Steel rods of various diameters are used to make the reinforcement cage for a monolithic building. Many of the frame’s components are welded or bound together. However, since it takes more time and effort, the last bonding technique is rarely used.

Formwork construction

Circular or stay-in-place formwork is used for this housing. A framework structure is a large sound panel (panel formwork) or prefabricated pouring form (tunnel formwork) that prevents the concrete mixture from flowing and allows the shape to be saved during the setting time.

There are various types of formwork construction in use:

  • Horizontal
  • Vertical
  • Creeping
  • For rounded elements

In apartment buildings, monolithic houses with stay-in-place formwork are more popular. There are single-story monolithic cottages.

Concrete mixture and grouting

Concrete mixtures may be manufactured immediately on the building ground in a mixing batch or a special concrete goods plant, depending on the monolithic construction scale. In the second case, concrete is transferred to the moto mixer.

Works with setting concrete

The concrete is densified after it has been filled into a formwork. This phase is required to remove airlocks, which impede the mixture’s efficiency. The per vibrator or external vibrator is used to densify the concrete mixture. The smoothness of the surface of the walls and ceiling is influenced by the consistency of the densification of the concrete mixture, which in turn affects the fine finish budget.

Form stripping

After the concrete has reached the required strength, the formwork is removed and passed on to the next stage of grouting.

Merits and Demerits of Monolith Building

Monolith Building
Monolith Building

Monolithic houses have both benefits and drawbacks. Let’s make a distinction between them.

One of the prime benefits would be the speed of construction. Monolithic buildings, which are similar to brick houses in design, are constructed faster than the previous ones. Equality of design is also a compelling point.

The majority of houses are constructed in a specific pattern that is characterized by their constructional peculiarities. A monolithic building, on the other hand, has no bounds. Plans for such houses can be varied, multilevel, and have ceilings of varying heights, which is not typical of block or brick houses.

The complete absence of open joints in a monolithic house has a range of benefits, including:

  • Increase in sound isolation level
  • Thermal insulation improvement
  • Extension of house life
  • Increase in strength
  • Protection from cracking
  • Lowering of construction weight

You should pay attention to its disadvantages also Monolithic structures permit the easy propagation of sound and vibrations making soundproofing of the rooms a difficult task. Also, it demands a large amount of finishing work.