“Life cycle cost and extendingservice life of Structures”
By Hemant Vadalkar

1. Introduction : Most of our civil engineering projects are plannedand sanctioned based on the initial cost ofconstruction alone. Different design alternativesand corresponding cost estimates are worked outby the planners and design team. Generally, theoption having low initial cost of construction isselected by the owner. This may not necessarilybe the best and economical option if the life cyclecost is considered.

2. Life cycle cost analysis ( LCCA) technique isvery useful tool to decide most economical optionamong various alternatives. LCCA is a process ofevaluating the economic performance of a buildingover its entire life It considers total cost during theasset’s economical life span. For civil engineeringprojects, it can be used to select the bestalternative. The total life cycle cost consists of costof design and planning, initial cost of construction,cost of operation, replacement cost of somecomponents, cost of maintenance, cost of repairsor upgrades during the service life and cost ofdisposal. It can be applied to Roads, bridges,infrastructure projects, buildings or any civilengineering structure. Therefore, life cycle costanalysis must be considered to select the mostappropriate and economical option at the planningstage itself. Life-Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) canbe described as “An economic evaluation methodfor determining the most cost- effective option outof competing alternative.”

To read full article Click here

Review of Special confining links in column as per IS13920-2016 and ACI318-2014
By Hemant Vadalkar

From the past earthquake records and observations, it has been seen that many column failures during earthquake occurred due to buckling of main bars near beam column junction as there was no adequate lateral restain. Even during the structural audit and repair works, it has been observed that confining reinforcement has not been provided in the beam column junction of RCC frames. Either in the design or during construction, some how, the confining reinforcement is missing in the junctions of beam and column and near the joints. For anticipated ductile behaviour or framed structures, confining reinforcement plays very important role and can’t br ignored. The diamerter of confinement reinforcement, its spacing and detailing of joints must be paid special attention for improving performance of structure during earthquake. We need to create more awareness amongst structural engineers and site engineers regarding this important provision in the code.

To read full article Click here

Unfourtunate incident happened on 14 March 2019 when part of the deck slab of Himalaya foot bridge outside CSMT collapsed killing 6 people and injuring more than 30 people.

In one day, Chief engineer Vigilance from Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai provided the preliminary report. Is CE (Vigilance) competent to prepare such report? Why this CE (Vigilance) did not make this report earlier? Why did he wait till 6 people died?

MCGM suspended some junior officers and started departmental enquiry against some of their officers. Show cause notice was issued to the Structural audit firm Prof. D D Desai’s Asssociated Engineering Consultant and Analysts by MCGM. The question is who is to be blamed for the bridge collapse? It’s a system failure. The Electronic media, print media along with MCGM put the blame on the structural engineer Niraj Desai who audited the bridge and reported that bridge requires minor repairs. As usual, the structural engineer who has given the audit report had been made a scape goat. Police arrested him like a crimical and put him behind bars. FIR has been filed under stringent Sction 304 (II), culpable homicide not amounting to murder which attracts up to 10 years in prison. Any engineer has no intention to kill when he does his work. The humiliation and arrest of a professional without any technical inquiry was not warranged.

Structural audit process of all bridges in MCGM limit was initiated in Oct 2016.

To read full article Click here