Power Structure, Family Dynamics, and Cultural Assimilation Essay

Power Structure, Family Dynamics, and Cultural Assimilation - Essay Example While this dynamic structure could hamper them as a family unit, it is tempered instead by a family support network. A closer examination of the text will reveal how these elements hinge upon each other. An important factor in the family dynamic of the Garca is the power structure, which is usually manipulated through distance or an intermediary source. This initially arises from their cultural background in the Dominican Republic and from the fact that their family is connected to the Torre bloodline. The Garcas are an upper-class family on 'the Island'; they are accustomed to having servants and their remaining family there still do. The servants frequently serve as semi-authority figures to the children, as illustrated on the first page by the description "When their squabbles reach a certain mother-annoying level, they are called away by their nursemaids" (p. 3). This power through distance is illustrated in the government as well, as in the case of the secret police coming to interrogate Carlos (Papi) Garca. Carlos's response is the classic response to the power-distance, for, being the weaker side of the power balance, he escapes authority by being "absent" (i.e. hiding). This passive aggressive defense can be used as an attack, as when the three older sisters show their disapproval of Sofa's boyfriend by returning home from a group outing before the couple could get to the rendezvous. This scene exhibits a delicate balance of both sides of the power-distance equation: the parents maintained control of their children distantly by having them as a group, while the sisters returning without the youngest made her absence all the more obvious and assured swift punishment. The children here are forced to act as intermediary authorities for each other, yet the three oldest sisters decide that, for their sister's best interest, "we're staging a coup we are blowing the lovers' cover." (p. 127). This power structure is again exhibited in Sofa's marriage to Otto, for she distances herself physically and emotionally from her father's authority. He, in turn, responds by becoming emotionally absent from her life. The birth of Sofa's children, especially the son named after Carlos, serve as the intermediary catalyst for their relationship to begin healing. Lastly, chronologically speaking, Yolanda uses these lessons of distance to try and reassume control of her life by returning to the Dominican Republic. She will follow the examples of her family and her heritage to escape the cyclical patterns of her American life and return to her roots. The Garca family structure provides a vital element of support for its members, yet this same structure reveals the evolution of gender roles. This evolution is rooted in the traditional gender roles in the Dominican Republic, as revealed through Manuel's efforts to limit what Sofa reads. This assumption of male dominance and female submissive domesticity are reinforced by Ta Flor's argument that she herself is a queen, for " My husband has to go to work everyday. I can sleep until noon I'm going to protest for my rights" (p.121) It is this tradition that demands that Papi provide the principal financial support and therefore be the nominal head of the

Morality the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Essay Example for Free

Morality the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Essay For example, throughout the novel Huckleberry Finn , Mark Twain depicts society as a structure that has become little more than a collection of degraded rules and precepts that defy logic. This faulty logic manifests itself early, when the new judge in town allows Pap to keep custody of Huck. The law backs that Judge Thatcher up and helps him to keep me out o my property. The judge privileges Paps rights to his son over Hucks welfare. Clearly, this decision comments on a system that puts a white mans rights to his propertyhis slavesover the welfare and freedom of a black man. Whereas a reader in the 1880s might have overlooked the moral absurdity of giving a man custody of another man, however, the mirroring of this situation in the granting of rights to the immoral Pap over the lovable Huck forces the reader to think more closely about the meaning of slavery. In implicitly comparing the plight of slaves to the plight of Huck at the hands of Pap, Twain demonstrates how impossible it is for a society that owns slaves to be just, no matter how civilized that society believes and proclaims itself to be. In addition, childhood has been described by the author, as an important factor in the theme of moral education: only a child is open-minded enough to undergo the kind of development that Huck does. It was a close place. I tookup [the letter Id written to Miss Watson], and held it in my hand. I was a-trembling, because Id got to decide, forever, betwixt two things, and I know it. I studied a minute, sort of holding my breath, and then says to myself: All right then, Ill go to hellEm dash intended here? and tore it up. It was awful thoughts and awful words, but they was said. And I let them stay said; and never thought no more about reformingIt, describes the moral climax of the novel. Jim has been sold by the Duke and Dauphin, and is being held by the Phelpses spending his  return to his rightful owner. Thinking that being at home in St. Petersburg, even if it means Jim will still be a slave and Huck will be a captive of the Widow, would be better than being in his current state of peril far from home, Huck composes a letter to Miss Watson, telling her where Jim is. When Huck thinks of his friendship with Jim, however, and realizes that Jim will be sold down the river anyway, he decides to tear up the letter. The logical consequences of his action, rather than the lessons society has taught him, drive Huck. Huck decides that going to hell, if it means following his gut and not societys hypocritical and cruel principles, is a better option than going to everyone elses heaven. This is Hucks true break with the world around him. At this point he decides to help Jim escape slavery once and for all, and he realizes that he, Huck, will not be re-entering the civilized world: he has moved beyond it morally. Since Huck and Tom are young, their age lends a sense of play to their actions, which excuses them in certain ways and also heightens the profundity of the novels commentary on slavery and society. Huck and Tom know better than the adults around them, but they lack the guidance that a proper family and community should have offered them. Furthermore, Huck and Tom encounter individuals who seem good (Sally Phelps, for example), but Twain takes care to show us that person as a prejudiced slave-owner. Preacher be hanged, hes a fraud and a liar. The shakiness of the justice systems that Huck encounters lies at the heart of societys problems: terrible acts go unpunished, yet frivolous crimes, such as drunkenly shouting insults, lead to executions Sherburns speech to the mob that has come to lynch him accurately summarizes the view of society given in this book: rather than maintaining collective welfare, society is marked by cowardice, a lack of logic, and profound selfishness.

In-place Pile Foundation for a Tower-building Project

In-place Pile Foundation for a Tower-building Project CHAPTER 1 1 Introduction Pile foundations are used to carry a load and transfer the load of a given structure to the ground bearing, which is found below the ground at a considerable depth. The foundation consists of several piles and pile-caps. Pile foundations are generally long and lean, that transfers the structure load to the underlying soil (at a greater depth) or any rock having a great load-bearing ability. â€Å"The main types of materials used for piles are Wood, steel and concrete. Piles made from these materials are driven, drilled or jacked into the ground and connected to pile caps. Depending upon type of soil, pile material and load transmitting characteristic piles are classified accordingly.† (Pile Foundation Design: A Student Guide by Ascalew Abebe Dr Ian GN Smith). The objective of this project is to identify the design use of a cast-in-place pile foundation, for the tower-building project. The tower building project is called the Gemini Towers. The purpose of this construction (building) is to facilitate office spaces. This also resides on a rocky area. The building has been designed as per state-of-the-art designing concepts which are basically to attract foreign investors to invest in Oman. The Gemini Building has 1 basement, 1 ground and 19 floors. Cast-in-place concrete piles are shafts of concrete cast in thin shell pipes, top driven in the soil, and usually closed end. Such piles can provide up to a 200-kip capacity. The chief advantage over precast piles is the ease of changing lengths by cutting or splicing the shell. The material cost of cast-in-place piles is relatively low. They are not feasible when driving through hard soils or rock. 1.1 Aim The aim of this project is to design and propose cast in-place pile foundation for a tower-building project and study the efficiency for the same. To achieve this aim the following objective has to be achieved. 1.2 Objectives The objectives of this project are as following: To study the field soil condition, suitability of pile and investigate the soil. To study the advantages and efficiency of using cast-in-place pile for the building. To study the guidelines for the design of cast in-place structure according to BS 8004, 8110, 8002, etc. To design the pile foundation as per the guidelines and the soil conditions (analyse the load, calculate the moment and determine the length and diameter and reinforcement). To use computer structural designing program for performing design (CAD and STAD). 1.3 Methods The methods followed in preparing this project is by collecting the project plan and the soil investigation report. Then after that, research has been done on in-situ pile foundation type, to identify its characteristics. The next step is to study the pile designing criteria by referring to BS 8004, 8110 8002 codes to understand the guidelines, which shall be followed to accomplish the pile design. For this, the structural loads have to be analysed and identified using ultimate state design method. Then the design is processed depending on the data gathered on soil conditions, design loads and BS code guidelines. Thus, a proposal for the suitable pile will be prepared by identifying the reasons over the proposal. The commonest function of piles is to transfer a load that cannot be adequately supported at shallow depths to a depth where adequate support becomes available, also against uplift forces which cause cracks and other damages on superstructure. Chapter 2 Literature Review 2 Pile Foundation â€Å"Pile foundations are used extensively in bridges, high-rise buildings, towers and special structures. In practice, piles are generally used in groups to transmit a column load to a deeper and stronger soil stratum. Pile may respond to loading individually or as a group. In the latter case, the group and the surrounding soil will formulate a block to resist the column load. This may lead to a group capacity that is different from the total capacity of individual piles making up the group.† (Adel M. Hanna et al, 2004). â€Å"Pile foundations are the part of a structure used to carry and transfer the load of the structure to the bearing ground located at some depth below ground surface. The main components of the foundation are the pile cap and the piles. Piles are long and slender members which transfer the load to deeper soil or rock of high bearing capacity avoiding shallow soil of low bearing capacity. The main types of materials used for piles are Wood, steel and concrete. Piles made from these materials are driven, drilled or jacked into the ground and connected to pile caps. Depending upon type of soil, pile material and load transmitting characteristic piles are classified accordingly.† (Ascalew Abebe et al, 2005) 2.1 Functions of Piles The purposes of pile foundations are: to transmit a foundation load to a solid ground. to resist vertical, lateral and uplift load. â€Å"A structure can be founded on piles if the soil immediately beneath its base does not have adequate bearing capacity. If the results of site investigation show that the shallow soil is unstable and weak or if the magnitude of the estimated settlement is not acceptable a pile foundation may become considered. Further, a cost estimate may indicate that a pile foundation may be cheaper than any other compared ground improvement costs. Piles can also be used in normal ground conditions to resist horizontal loads. Piles are a convenient method of foundation for works over water, such as jetties or bridge piers.† (Pile Foundation Design: A Student Guide, by Ascalew Abebe Dr Ian GN Smith, 2003). 2.2 Classification of Piles 2.2.1 Classification of pile with respect to load transmission End-bearing. Friction-piles. Mixture of cohesion piles friction piles. 2.2.1.1 End bearing piles This type of piles is designed to transfer the structural load to a stable soil layer which is found at a greater depth below the ground. The load bearing capacity of this stratum is found by the soil penetration resistance from the pile-toe (as in figure 1.2.1.1). The pile normally has attributes of a normal column, and should be designed as per the guidelines. The pile will not collapse in a weak soil, and this should be studied only if a part of the given pile is unsupported. (Eg: If it is erected on water / air). Load transmission occurs through cohesion / friction, into the soil. At times, the soil around the pile may stick to the pile surface and starts â€Å"negative skin friction†. This phenomenon may have an inverse effect on the pile capacity. This is mainly caused due to the soil consolidation and ground water drainage. The pile depth is determined after reviewing the results from the soil tests and site investigation reports. 2.2.1.2 Friction piles (cohesion) The bearing capacity is calculated from the soil friction in contact with the pile shaft. (as in Figure 1.2.1.2). 2.2.1.3 Mixture of cohesion piles friction piles. This is an extended end-bearing pile, when the soil underneath it is not hard, which bears the load. The pile is driven deep into the soil to create efficient frictional resistance. A modified version of the end-bearing pile is to have enlarged bearing base on the piles. This can be achieved by immediately pushing a large portion of concrete into the soft soil layer right above the firm soil layer, to have an enlarged base. Similar result is made with bored-piles by creating a bell / cone at the bottom by the means of reaming tools. Bored piles are used as tension piles as they are provided with a bell which has a high tensile-strength. (as in figure 1.2.1.3) 2.3 Cast-in-Place Pile Foundation Cast-in-place piles are installed by driving to the desired penetration a heavy-section steel tube with its end temporarily closed. A reinforcing cage is next placed in a tube which is filled with concrete. The tube is withdrawn while placing the concrete or after it has been placed. In other types of pile, thin steel shells or precast concrete shells are driven by means of an internal mandrel, and concrete, with or without reinforcement, is placed in the permanent shells after withdrawing the mandrel. 2.3.1 Advantages Length of the pile can be freely altered to cater varying ground conditions. Soil removed during the boring process can be verified and further tests can be made on it. Large diameter installations are possible. End enlargements up to two or three diameters are possible in clays. Pile materials are independent during driving / handling. Can be installed to greater depths in the soil. Vibration-free and noise-free while installation. Can be installed in conditions of very low headroom. Ground shocks are completely nil. 2.3.2 Disadvantages Susceptible to necking or wasting in pressing ground. Concrete is not pumped under suitable conditions and cannot be inspected. The cement on the pile shaft will be washed up, if there is a sudden surge of waster from any pressure caused underground. Special techniques need to be used to ensure enlarged pile ends. Cannot be easily prolonged above ground-level especially in river and marine structures. Sandy soils may loosen due to boring methods and base grouting may be required for gravely soils to improve base resistance. Sinking piles may result in ground-loss, leading to settlement of nearby structures. CHAPTER 3 3 Load Distribution To a great extent the design and calculation (load analysis) of pile foundations is carried out using computer software. The following calculations are also performed, assuming the following conditions are met: The pile is rigid. The pile is pinned at the top and at the bottom. Each pile receives the load only vertically (i.e. axially applied). The force P acting on the pile is proportional to the displacement U due to compression. Therefore, P = k U Since P = E A E A = k U k = (E A ) / U Where: P = vertical load component k = material constant U = displacement E = elastic module of pile material A = cross-sectional area of pile (Figure 3 load on single pile) The length L should not necessarily be equal to the actual length of the pile. In a group of piles. If all piles are of the same material, have same cross-sectional area and equal length L, then the value of k is the same for all piles in the group 3.1 Pile foundations: vertical piles only 3.1.1 Neutral axis load The pile cap is causing the vertical compression U, whose magnitude is equal for all members of the group. If Q (the vertical force acting on the pile group) is applied at the neutral axis of the pile group, then the force on a single pile will be as follows: Pv = Q / n Where Pv = vertical component of the load on any pile from the resultant load Q n = number of vertical piles in the group (see figure 3.1.2) Q = total vertical load on pile group 3.1.2 Eccentric Load If the same group of piles are subjected to an eccentric load Q which is causing rotation around axis z (see fig 3.1b); then for the pile i at distance rxi from axis z: Ui = rxi . tanÃŽ ¸ ∠´ Ui = rxi ÃŽ ¸ => Pi = k . r xi . ÃŽ ¸ ÃŽ ¸ is a small angle ∠´ tanÃŽ ¸ ≈ ÃŽ ¸ (see figure 3.1.2). Pi = force (load on a single pile i). Ui = displacement caused by the eccentric force (load) Q. rxi = distance between pile and neutral axis of pile group. rxi positive measured the same direction as e and negative when in the opposite direction. e = distance between point of intersection of resultant of vertical and horizontal loading with underside of pile. (Figure 3.1.2 – Example of a pile foundation – vertical piles) The sum of all the forces acting on the piles should be zero ⇔ ⇔ Mxi = Pi . rxi = k . rxi . ÃŽ ¸ rxi = k . ÃŽ ¸ r2xi => => Mxi = From previous equation, Mz = ÃŽ £Mz Applying the same principle, in the x direction we get equivalent equation. If we assume that the moment MX and MZ generated by the force Q are acting on a group of pile, then the sum of forces acting on a single pile will be as follows: If we dividing each term by the cross-sectional area of the pile, A, we can establish the working stream ÏÆ': CHAPTER 4 4 Load on Pile 4.1 Introduction â€Å"Piles can be arranged in a number of ways so that they can support load imposed on them. Vertical piles can be designed to carry vertical loads as well as lateral loads. If required, vertical piles can be combined with raking piles to support horizontal and vertical forces.† (Pile Foundation Design: A Student Guide by Ascalew Abebe Dr Ian GN Smith) â€Å"Often, if a pile group is subjected to vertical force, then the calculation of load distribution on single pile that is member of the group is assumed to be the total load divided by the number of piles in the group.† (Pile Foundation Design: A Student Guide by Ascalew Abebe Dr Ian GN Smith) However, if a given pile group is subjected to eccentric vertical load or combination of lateral vertical load that can start moment force. Proper attention should be given during load distribution calculation. 4.2 Pile Arrangement â€Å"Normally, pile foundations consist of pile cap and a group of piles. The pile cap distributes the applied load to the individual piles which, in turn, transfer the load to the bearing ground. The individual piles are spaced and connected to the pile cap. Or tie beams and trimmed in order to connect the pile to the structure at cut-off level, and depending on the type of structure and eccentricity of the load, they can be arranged in different patterns.† (Pile Foundation Design: A Student Guide by Ascalew Abebe Dr Ian GN Smith) (Figure 2.2 Pile Foundation Design: A Student Guide by Ascalew Abebe Dr Ian GN Smith)) In this section, considering pile/soil interaction, calculations on the bearing capacity of single piles subjected to compressive axial load has been described. During pile design, the following factors should be taken into consideration: Pile material compression and tension capacity. Deformation area of pile, bending moment capacity. Condition of the pile at the top and the end of the pile. Eccentricity of the load applied on the pile. Soil characteristics. Ground water level. 4.3 The behaviour of piles under load Piles are designed in line with the calculations based on load bearing capacity. It is based on the application of final axial-load, as per the given soil conditions at the site, within hours after the installation. This ultimate load capacity can be determined by either: The use of empirical formula to predict capacity from soil properties determined by testing. or Load test on piles at the site. When increasing compressive load is applied on the pile, the pile soil system reacts in a linear elastic way to point A on the above figure (load settlement). The pile head rebounds to the original level if the load realises above this point. â€Å"When the load is increase beyond point A there is yielding at, or close to, the pile-soil interface and slippage occurs until point B is reached, when the maximum skin friction on the pile shaft will have been mobilised. If the load is realised at this stage the pile head will rebound to point C, the amount of permanent settlement being the distance OC. When the stage of full mobilisation of the base resistance is reached (point D), the pile plunges downwards without any farther increase of load, or small increases in load producing large settlements.† (Pile Foundation Design: A Student Guide). 4.4 Geotechnical design methods In order to separate their behavioural responses to applied pile load, soils are classified as either granular / noncohesive or clays/cohesive. The generic formulae used to predict soil resistance to pile load include empirical modifying factors which can be adjusted according to previous engineering experience of the influence on the accuracy of predictions of changes in soil type and other factors such as the time delay before load testing. From figure 4.1b, the load settlement response is composed of two separate components, the linear elastic shaft friction Rs and non-linear base resistance Rb. The concept of the separate evaluation of shaft friction and base resistance forms the bases of static or soil mechanics calculation of pile carrying capacity. The basic equations to be used for this are written as: Q = Qb + Qs Wp Rc = Rb + Rs Wp Rt = Rs + Wp Where: Q = Rc = the ultimate compression resistance of the pile. Qb = Rb = base resistance. Qs = Rs = shaft resistance. Wp = weight of the pile. Rt = tensile resistance of pile. In terms of soil mechanics theory, the ultimate skin friction on the pile shaft is related to the horizontal effective stress acting on the shaft and the effective remoulded angle of friction between the pile and the clay and the ultimate shaft resistance Rs can be evaluated by integration of the pile-soil shear strength Ï€a over the surface area of the shaft. Ï„a = Ca + ÏÆ' n tanφ a Where: ÏÆ'n = Ks ÏÆ'v ∠´ Ï„a = Ca + KS ÏÆ'v tanφa where: p = pile perimeter L = pile length φ = angle of friction between pile and soil Ks = coefficient of lateral pressure The ultimate bearing capacity, Rb, of the base is evaluated from the bearing capacity theory: Ab = area of pile base. C = undrained strength of soil at base of pile. NC = bearing capacity factor. CHAPTER 5 5 Calculating the resistance of piles to compressive loads 5.1 Cast in Place Piles – Shaft resistance These piles are installed by drilling through soft overburden onto a strong rock the piles can be regarded as end-bearing elements and their working load is determined by the safe working stress on the pile shaft at the point of minimum cross-section, or by code of practice requirements. Bored piles drilled down for some depth into weak or weathered rocks and terminated within these rocks act partly as friction and partly as end-bearing piles. The author Duncan C. Wyllie, gives a detailed account of the factors governing the development of shaft friction over the depth of the rock socket. The factors which govern the bearing capacity and settlement of the pile are summarized as the following: The length to diameter ratio of the socket. The strength and elastic modulus of the rock around and beneath the socket. The condition of the side walls, that is, roughness and the presence of drill cuttings or bentonite slurry. Condition of the base of the drilled hole with respect to removal of drill cuttings and other loose debris. Layering of the rock with seams of differing strength and moduli. Settlement of the pile in relation to the elastic limit of the side-wall strength. Creep of the material at the rock/concrete interface resulting in increasing settlement with time. The effect of the length/diameter ratio of the socket is shown in Figure 5.1a, for the condition of the rock having a higher elastic modulus than the concrete. It will be seen that if it is desired to utilize base resistance as well as socket friction the socket length should be less than four pile diameters. The high interface stress over the upper part of the socket will be noted. The condition of the side walls is an important factor. In a weak rock such as chalk, clayey shale, or clayey weathered marl, the action of the drilling tools is to cause softening and slurrying of the walls of the borehole and, in the most adverse case, the shaft friction corresponds to that typical of a smooth-bore hole in soft clay. In stronger and fragmented rocks the slurrying does not take place to the same extent, and there is a tendency towards the enlargement of the drill hole, resulting in better keying of the concrete to the rock. If the pile borehole is drilled through soft clay this soil may be carried down by the drilling tools to fill the cavities and smear the sides of the rock socket. This behaviour can be avoided to some extent by inserting a casing and sealing it into the rock-head before continuing the drilling to form the rock socket, but the interior of the casing is likely to be heavily smeared with clay which will be carried down by the drilling tools into the rock socket. As mentioned in Duncan C. Wyllie, suggests that if bentonite is used as a drilling fluid the rock socket shaft friction should be reduced to 25% of that of a clean socket unless tests can be made to verify the actual friction which is developed. It is evident that the keying of the shaft concrete to the rock and hence the strength of the concrete to rock bond is dependent on the strength of the rock. Correlations between the unconfined compression strength of the rock and rock socket bond stress have been established by Horvarth(4.50), Rosenberg and Journeaux(4.51), and Williams and Pells(4.52). The ultimate bond stress, fs, is related to the average unconfined compression strength, quc, by the equation: Where ÃŽ ± = reduction factor relating to, quc as shown in Figure 5.1b ÃŽ ² = correction factor associated with cut-off spacing in the mass of rock as shown in Figure 5.1c. The curve of Williams and Pells in Figure 5.1b is higher than the other two, but the ÃŽ ² factor is unity in all cases for the Horvarth and the Rosenberg and Journeaux curves. It should also be noted that the ÃŽ ± factors for all three curves do not allow for smearing of the rock socket caused by dragdown of clay overburden or degradation of the rock. The ÃŽ ² factor is related to the mass factor, j, which is the ratio of the elastic modulus of the rock mass to that of the intact rock as shown in Figure 5.1d. If the mass factor is not known from loading tests or seismic velocity measurements, it can be obtained approximately from the relationships with the rock quality designation (RQD) or the discontinuity spacing quoted by Hobbs (4.53) as follows: 5.2 End Bearing Capacity Sometimes piles are driven to an underlying layer of rock. In such cases, the engineer must evaluate the bearing capacity of the rock. The ultimate unit point resistance in rock (Goodman, 1980) is approximately. N = tan2 (45 + / 2) qu = unconfined compression strength of rock = drained angle of friction Table 5.2a Table 5.2b The unconfined compression strength of rock can be determined by laboratory tests on rock specimens collected during field investigation. However, extreme caution should be used in obtaining the proper value of qu, because laboratory specimens usually are small in diameter. As the diameter of the specimen increases, the unconfined compression strength decreases a phenomenon referred to as the scale effect. For specimens larger than about 1 m (3f) in diameter, the value of qu remains approximately constant. There appears to be fourfold to fivefold reduction of the magnitude of qu in the process. The scale effect in rock is caused primarily by randomly distributed large and small fractures and also by progressive ruptures along the slip lines. Hence, we always recommend that: The above table (Table 5.2a) lists some representative values of (laboratory) unconfined compression strengths of rock. Representative values of the rock friction angle are given in the above table (Table 5.2b). A factor of safety of at least 3 should be used to determine the allowable point bearing capacity of piles. Thus: CHAPTER 6 6 Pile Load Test (Vesic’s Method) A number of settlement analysis methods for single piles are available. These methods may be broadly classified into three categories: Elastic continuum methods Load–transfer methods Numerical methods Examples of such methods are the elastic methods proposed by Vesic (1977) and Poulos and Davis (1980), the simplified elastic methods proposed by Randolph and Wroth (1978) and Fleming et al. (1992), the nonlinear load–transfer methods proposed by Coyle and Reese (1966) and McVay et al. (1989), and the numerical methods based on advanced constitutive models of soil behaviour proposed by Jardine et al. (1986). In this paper, three representative methods are adopted for the calibration exercise: the elastic method proposed by Vesic (1977), the simplified analysis method proposed by Fleming et al. (1992), and a nonlinear load–transfer method (McVay et al. 1989) implemented in program FB-Pier (BSI 2003). In Vesic’s method, the settlement of a pile under vertical loading, S, includes three components: S = S1 + S2 + S3 Where: S1 is the elastic pile compression. S2 is the pile settlement caused by the load at the pile toe. S3 is the pile settlement caused by the load transmitted along the pile shaft. If the pile material is assumed to be elastic, the elastic pile compression can be calculated by: S1 = (Qb + ÃŽ ¾Qs)L / (ApEp) Where Qb and Qs are the loads carried by the pile toe and pile shaft, respectively; Ap is the pile cross-section area; L is the pile length; Ep is the modulus of elasticity of the pile material; and ÃŽ ¾ is a coefficient depending on the nature of unit friction resistance distribution along the pile shaft. In this work, the distribution is assumed to be uniform and hence ÃŽ ¾ = 0.5. Settlement S2 may be expressed in a form similar to that for a shallow foundation. S2 = (qbD / Esb) (1-v2)Ib Where: D is the pile width or diameter qb is the load per unit area at the pile toe qb = Qb /Ab Ab is the pile base area Esb is the modulus of elasticity of the soil at the pile toe Ñ µ is Poisson’s ratio Ib is an influence factor, generally Ib = 0.85 S3 = (Qs / pL) (D / Ess) (1 – Ñ µ2) Is Where: p is the pile perimeter. Ess is the modulus of elasticity of the soil along the pile shaft. Is is an influence factor. The influence factor Is can be calculated by an empirical relation (Vesic 1977). Is = 2 + 0.35 √(L/D) With Vesic’s method, both Qb and Qs are required. In this report, Qb and Qs are obtained using two methods. In the first method (Vesic’s method I), these two loads are determined from a nonlinear load–transfer method, which will be introduced later. In the second method (Vesic’s method II), these two loads are determined using empirical ratios of Qb to the total load applied on pile Q based on field test data. Shek (2005) reported load–transfer in 14 test piles, including 11 piles founded in soil and 3 piles founded on rock. The mean ratios of Qb /Q for the piles founded in soil and the piles founded on rock are summarized in Table 3 and applied in this calibration exercise. The mean values of Qb /Q at twice the design load and the failure load are very similar. Hence, the average of the mean values is adopted for calibration at both twice the design load and the failure load. In the Fleming et al. method, the settlement of a pile is given by the following approximate closed-form solution (Fleming et al. 1992): Where: n = rb / r0, r0 and rb are the radii of the pile shaft and pile toe, respectively (for H-piles, Ï€ro2 = Ï€rb2 = Dh, h is the depth of the pile cross-section) ÃŽ ¾G = GL/Gb, GL is the shear modulus of the soil at depth L, and Gb is the shear modulus of the soil beneath the pile toe. Ï  = Gave/GL, Gave is the average shear modulus of the soil along the pile shaft p is the pile stiffness ratio p = Ep / GL; ÃŽ ¶ = ln{[0.25 +(2.5Ï (1 – v) –0.25) ÃŽ ¾G] L/r0}; É ¥L = (2/)1/2(L/r0). If the slenderness ratio L/r0 is less than 0.5p1/2 (L/r0) the pile may be treated as effectively rigid and eq. [7] then reduces to: If the slenderness ratio L/r0 is larger than 3Ï€p1/2, the pile may be treated as infinitely long, and eq. [7] then reduces to: In this case, GL’ is the soil shear modulus at the bottom of the active pile length Lac, where Lac = 3r0p1/2. In the nonlinear load–transfer method implemented in FB-Pier, the axial –Z curve for modelling the pile–soil interaction along the pile is given as (McVay et al. 1989) In-place Pile Foundation for a Tower-building Project In-place Pile Foundation for a Tower-building Project CHAPTER 1 1 Introduction Pile foundations are used to carry a load and transfer the load of a given structure to the ground bearing, which is found below the ground at a considerable depth. The foundation consists of several piles and pile-caps. Pile foundations are generally long and lean, that transfers the structure load to the underlying soil (at a greater depth) or any rock having a great load-bearing ability. â€Å"The main types of materials used for piles are Wood, steel and concrete. Piles made from these materials are driven, drilled or jacked into the ground and connected to pile caps. Depending upon type of soil, pile material and load transmitting characteristic piles are classified accordingly.† (Pile Foundation Design: A Student Guide by Ascalew Abebe Dr Ian GN Smith). The objective of this project is to identify the design use of a cast-in-place pile foundation, for the tower-building project. The tower building project is called the Gemini Towers. The purpose of this construction (building) is to facilitate office spaces. This also resides on a rocky area. The building has been designed as per state-of-the-art designing concepts which are basically to attract foreign investors to invest in Oman. The Gemini Building has 1 basement, 1 ground and 19 floors. Cast-in-place concrete piles are shafts of concrete cast in thin shell pipes, top driven in the soil, and usually closed end. Such piles can provide up to a 200-kip capacity. The chief advantage over precast piles is the ease of changing lengths by cutting or splicing the shell. The material cost of cast-in-place piles is relatively low. They are not feasible when driving through hard soils or rock. 1.1 Aim The aim of this project is to design and propose cast in-place pile foundation for a tower-building project and study the efficiency for the same. To achieve this aim the following objective has to be achieved. 1.2 Objectives The objectives of this project are as following: To study the field soil condition, suitability of pile and investigate the soil. To study the advantages and efficiency of using cast-in-place pile for the building. To study the guidelines for the design of cast in-place structure according to BS 8004, 8110, 8002, etc. To design the pile foundation as per the guidelines and the soil conditions (analyse the load, calculate the moment and determine the length and diameter and reinforcement). To use computer structural designing program for performing design (CAD and STAD). 1.3 Methods The methods followed in preparing this project is by collecting the project plan and the soil investigation report. Then after that, research has been done on in-situ pile foundation type, to identify its characteristics. The next step is to study the pile designing criteria by referring to BS 8004, 8110 8002 codes to understand the guidelines, which shall be followed to accomplish the pile design. For this, the structural loads have to be analysed and identified using ultimate state design method. Then the design is processed depending on the data gathered on soil conditions, design loads and BS code guidelines. Thus, a proposal for the suitable pile will be prepared by identifying the reasons over the proposal. The commonest function of piles is to transfer a load that cannot be adequately supported at shallow depths to a depth where adequate support becomes available, also against uplift forces which cause cracks and other damages on superstructure. Chapter 2 Literature Review 2 Pile Foundation â€Å"Pile foundations are used extensively in bridges, high-rise buildings, towers and special structures. In practice, piles are generally used in groups to transmit a column load to a deeper and stronger soil stratum. Pile may respond to loading individually or as a group. In the latter case, the group and the surrounding soil will formulate a block to resist the column load. This may lead to a group capacity that is different from the total capacity of individual piles making up the group.† (Adel M. Hanna et al, 2004). â€Å"Pile foundations are the part of a structure used to carry and transfer the load of the structure to the bearing ground located at some depth below ground surface. The main components of the foundation are the pile cap and the piles. Piles are long and slender members which transfer the load to deeper soil or rock of high bearing capacity avoiding shallow soil of low bearing capacity. The main types of materials used for piles are Wood, steel and concrete. Piles made from these materials are driven, drilled or jacked into the ground and connected to pile caps. Depending upon type of soil, pile material and load transmitting characteristic piles are classified accordingly.† (Ascalew Abebe et al, 2005) 2.1 Functions of Piles The purposes of pile foundations are: to transmit a foundation load to a solid ground. to resist vertical, lateral and uplift load. â€Å"A structure can be founded on piles if the soil immediately beneath its base does not have adequate bearing capacity. If the results of site investigation show that the shallow soil is unstable and weak or if the magnitude of the estimated settlement is not acceptable a pile foundation may become considered. Further, a cost estimate may indicate that a pile foundation may be cheaper than any other compared ground improvement costs. Piles can also be used in normal ground conditions to resist horizontal loads. Piles are a convenient method of foundation for works over water, such as jetties or bridge piers.† (Pile Foundation Design: A Student Guide, by Ascalew Abebe Dr Ian GN Smith, 2003). 2.2 Classification of Piles 2.2.1 Classification of pile with respect to load transmission End-bearing. Friction-piles. Mixture of cohesion piles friction piles. 2.2.1.1 End bearing piles This type of piles is designed to transfer the structural load to a stable soil layer which is found at a greater depth below the ground. The load bearing capacity of this stratum is found by the soil penetration resistance from the pile-toe (as in figure 1.2.1.1). The pile normally has attributes of a normal column, and should be designed as per the guidelines. The pile will not collapse in a weak soil, and this should be studied only if a part of the given pile is unsupported. (Eg: If it is erected on water / air). Load transmission occurs through cohesion / friction, into the soil. At times, the soil around the pile may stick to the pile surface and starts â€Å"negative skin friction†. This phenomenon may have an inverse effect on the pile capacity. This is mainly caused due to the soil consolidation and ground water drainage. The pile depth is determined after reviewing the results from the soil tests and site investigation reports. 2.2.1.2 Friction piles (cohesion) The bearing capacity is calculated from the soil friction in contact with the pile shaft. (as in Figure 1.2.1.2). 2.2.1.3 Mixture of cohesion piles friction piles. This is an extended end-bearing pile, when the soil underneath it is not hard, which bears the load. The pile is driven deep into the soil to create efficient frictional resistance. A modified version of the end-bearing pile is to have enlarged bearing base on the piles. This can be achieved by immediately pushing a large portion of concrete into the soft soil layer right above the firm soil layer, to have an enlarged base. Similar result is made with bored-piles by creating a bell / cone at the bottom by the means of reaming tools. Bored piles are used as tension piles as they are provided with a bell which has a high tensile-strength. (as in figure 1.2.1.3) 2.3 Cast-in-Place Pile Foundation Cast-in-place piles are installed by driving to the desired penetration a heavy-section steel tube with its end temporarily closed. A reinforcing cage is next placed in a tube which is filled with concrete. The tube is withdrawn while placing the concrete or after it has been placed. In other types of pile, thin steel shells or precast concrete shells are driven by means of an internal mandrel, and concrete, with or without reinforcement, is placed in the permanent shells after withdrawing the mandrel. 2.3.1 Advantages Length of the pile can be freely altered to cater varying ground conditions. Soil removed during the boring process can be verified and further tests can be made on it. Large diameter installations are possible. End enlargements up to two or three diameters are possible in clays. Pile materials are independent during driving / handling. Can be installed to greater depths in the soil. Vibration-free and noise-free while installation. Can be installed in conditions of very low headroom. Ground shocks are completely nil. 2.3.2 Disadvantages Susceptible to necking or wasting in pressing ground. Concrete is not pumped under suitable conditions and cannot be inspected. The cement on the pile shaft will be washed up, if there is a sudden surge of waster from any pressure caused underground. Special techniques need to be used to ensure enlarged pile ends. Cannot be easily prolonged above ground-level especially in river and marine structures. Sandy soils may loosen due to boring methods and base grouting may be required for gravely soils to improve base resistance. Sinking piles may result in ground-loss, leading to settlement of nearby structures. CHAPTER 3 3 Load Distribution To a great extent the design and calculation (load analysis) of pile foundations is carried out using computer software. The following calculations are also performed, assuming the following conditions are met: The pile is rigid. The pile is pinned at the top and at the bottom. Each pile receives the load only vertically (i.e. axially applied). The force P acting on the pile is proportional to the displacement U due to compression. Therefore, P = k U Since P = E A E A = k U k = (E A ) / U Where: P = vertical load component k = material constant U = displacement E = elastic module of pile material A = cross-sectional area of pile (Figure 3 load on single pile) The length L should not necessarily be equal to the actual length of the pile. In a group of piles. If all piles are of the same material, have same cross-sectional area and equal length L, then the value of k is the same for all piles in the group 3.1 Pile foundations: vertical piles only 3.1.1 Neutral axis load The pile cap is causing the vertical compression U, whose magnitude is equal for all members of the group. If Q (the vertical force acting on the pile group) is applied at the neutral axis of the pile group, then the force on a single pile will be as follows: Pv = Q / n Where Pv = vertical component of the load on any pile from the resultant load Q n = number of vertical piles in the group (see figure 3.1.2) Q = total vertical load on pile group 3.1.2 Eccentric Load If the same group of piles are subjected to an eccentric load Q which is causing rotation around axis z (see fig 3.1b); then for the pile i at distance rxi from axis z: Ui = rxi . tanÃŽ ¸ ∠´ Ui = rxi ÃŽ ¸ => Pi = k . r xi . ÃŽ ¸ ÃŽ ¸ is a small angle ∠´ tanÃŽ ¸ ≈ ÃŽ ¸ (see figure 3.1.2). Pi = force (load on a single pile i). Ui = displacement caused by the eccentric force (load) Q. rxi = distance between pile and neutral axis of pile group. rxi positive measured the same direction as e and negative when in the opposite direction. e = distance between point of intersection of resultant of vertical and horizontal loading with underside of pile. (Figure 3.1.2 – Example of a pile foundation – vertical piles) The sum of all the forces acting on the piles should be zero ⇔ ⇔ Mxi = Pi . rxi = k . rxi . ÃŽ ¸ rxi = k . ÃŽ ¸ r2xi => => Mxi = From previous equation, Mz = ÃŽ £Mz Applying the same principle, in the x direction we get equivalent equation. If we assume that the moment MX and MZ generated by the force Q are acting on a group of pile, then the sum of forces acting on a single pile will be as follows: If we dividing each term by the cross-sectional area of the pile, A, we can establish the working stream ÏÆ': CHAPTER 4 4 Load on Pile 4.1 Introduction â€Å"Piles can be arranged in a number of ways so that they can support load imposed on them. Vertical piles can be designed to carry vertical loads as well as lateral loads. If required, vertical piles can be combined with raking piles to support horizontal and vertical forces.† (Pile Foundation Design: A Student Guide by Ascalew Abebe Dr Ian GN Smith) â€Å"Often, if a pile group is subjected to vertical force, then the calculation of load distribution on single pile that is member of the group is assumed to be the total load divided by the number of piles in the group.† (Pile Foundation Design: A Student Guide by Ascalew Abebe Dr Ian GN Smith) However, if a given pile group is subjected to eccentric vertical load or combination of lateral vertical load that can start moment force. Proper attention should be given during load distribution calculation. 4.2 Pile Arrangement â€Å"Normally, pile foundations consist of pile cap and a group of piles. The pile cap distributes the applied load to the individual piles which, in turn, transfer the load to the bearing ground. The individual piles are spaced and connected to the pile cap. Or tie beams and trimmed in order to connect the pile to the structure at cut-off level, and depending on the type of structure and eccentricity of the load, they can be arranged in different patterns.† (Pile Foundation Design: A Student Guide by Ascalew Abebe Dr Ian GN Smith) (Figure 2.2 Pile Foundation Design: A Student Guide by Ascalew Abebe Dr Ian GN Smith)) In this section, considering pile/soil interaction, calculations on the bearing capacity of single piles subjected to compressive axial load has been described. During pile design, the following factors should be taken into consideration: Pile material compression and tension capacity. Deformation area of pile, bending moment capacity. Condition of the pile at the top and the end of the pile. Eccentricity of the load applied on the pile. Soil characteristics. Ground water level. 4.3 The behaviour of piles under load Piles are designed in line with the calculations based on load bearing capacity. It is based on the application of final axial-load, as per the given soil conditions at the site, within hours after the installation. This ultimate load capacity can be determined by either: The use of empirical formula to predict capacity from soil properties determined by testing. or Load test on piles at the site. When increasing compressive load is applied on the pile, the pile soil system reacts in a linear elastic way to point A on the above figure (load settlement). The pile head rebounds to the original level if the load realises above this point. â€Å"When the load is increase beyond point A there is yielding at, or close to, the pile-soil interface and slippage occurs until point B is reached, when the maximum skin friction on the pile shaft will have been mobilised. If the load is realised at this stage the pile head will rebound to point C, the amount of permanent settlement being the distance OC. When the stage of full mobilisation of the base resistance is reached (point D), the pile plunges downwards without any farther increase of load, or small increases in load producing large settlements.† (Pile Foundation Design: A Student Guide). 4.4 Geotechnical design methods In order to separate their behavioural responses to applied pile load, soils are classified as either granular / noncohesive or clays/cohesive. The generic formulae used to predict soil resistance to pile load include empirical modifying factors which can be adjusted according to previous engineering experience of the influence on the accuracy of predictions of changes in soil type and other factors such as the time delay before load testing. From figure 4.1b, the load settlement response is composed of two separate components, the linear elastic shaft friction Rs and non-linear base resistance Rb. The concept of the separate evaluation of shaft friction and base resistance forms the bases of static or soil mechanics calculation of pile carrying capacity. The basic equations to be used for this are written as: Q = Qb + Qs Wp Rc = Rb + Rs Wp Rt = Rs + Wp Where: Q = Rc = the ultimate compression resistance of the pile. Qb = Rb = base resistance. Qs = Rs = shaft resistance. Wp = weight of the pile. Rt = tensile resistance of pile. In terms of soil mechanics theory, the ultimate skin friction on the pile shaft is related to the horizontal effective stress acting on the shaft and the effective remoulded angle of friction between the pile and the clay and the ultimate shaft resistance Rs can be evaluated by integration of the pile-soil shear strength Ï€a over the surface area of the shaft. Ï„a = Ca + ÏÆ' n tanφ a Where: ÏÆ'n = Ks ÏÆ'v ∠´ Ï„a = Ca + KS ÏÆ'v tanφa where: p = pile perimeter L = pile length φ = angle of friction between pile and soil Ks = coefficient of lateral pressure The ultimate bearing capacity, Rb, of the base is evaluated from the bearing capacity theory: Ab = area of pile base. C = undrained strength of soil at base of pile. NC = bearing capacity factor. CHAPTER 5 5 Calculating the resistance of piles to compressive loads 5.1 Cast in Place Piles – Shaft resistance These piles are installed by drilling through soft overburden onto a strong rock the piles can be regarded as end-bearing elements and their working load is determined by the safe working stress on the pile shaft at the point of minimum cross-section, or by code of practice requirements. Bored piles drilled down for some depth into weak or weathered rocks and terminated within these rocks act partly as friction and partly as end-bearing piles. The author Duncan C. Wyllie, gives a detailed account of the factors governing the development of shaft friction over the depth of the rock socket. The factors which govern the bearing capacity and settlement of the pile are summarized as the following: The length to diameter ratio of the socket. The strength and elastic modulus of the rock around and beneath the socket. The condition of the side walls, that is, roughness and the presence of drill cuttings or bentonite slurry. Condition of the base of the drilled hole with respect to removal of drill cuttings and other loose debris. Layering of the rock with seams of differing strength and moduli. Settlement of the pile in relation to the elastic limit of the side-wall strength. Creep of the material at the rock/concrete interface resulting in increasing settlement with time. The effect of the length/diameter ratio of the socket is shown in Figure 5.1a, for the condition of the rock having a higher elastic modulus than the concrete. It will be seen that if it is desired to utilize base resistance as well as socket friction the socket length should be less than four pile diameters. The high interface stress over the upper part of the socket will be noted. The condition of the side walls is an important factor. In a weak rock such as chalk, clayey shale, or clayey weathered marl, the action of the drilling tools is to cause softening and slurrying of the walls of the borehole and, in the most adverse case, the shaft friction corresponds to that typical of a smooth-bore hole in soft clay. In stronger and fragmented rocks the slurrying does not take place to the same extent, and there is a tendency towards the enlargement of the drill hole, resulting in better keying of the concrete to the rock. If the pile borehole is drilled through soft clay this soil may be carried down by the drilling tools to fill the cavities and smear the sides of the rock socket. This behaviour can be avoided to some extent by inserting a casing and sealing it into the rock-head before continuing the drilling to form the rock socket, but the interior of the casing is likely to be heavily smeared with clay which will be carried down by the drilling tools into the rock socket. As mentioned in Duncan C. Wyllie, suggests that if bentonite is used as a drilling fluid the rock socket shaft friction should be reduced to 25% of that of a clean socket unless tests can be made to verify the actual friction which is developed. It is evident that the keying of the shaft concrete to the rock and hence the strength of the concrete to rock bond is dependent on the strength of the rock. Correlations between the unconfined compression strength of the rock and rock socket bond stress have been established by Horvarth(4.50), Rosenberg and Journeaux(4.51), and Williams and Pells(4.52). The ultimate bond stress, fs, is related to the average unconfined compression strength, quc, by the equation: Where ÃŽ ± = reduction factor relating to, quc as shown in Figure 5.1b ÃŽ ² = correction factor associated with cut-off spacing in the mass of rock as shown in Figure 5.1c. The curve of Williams and Pells in Figure 5.1b is higher than the other two, but the ÃŽ ² factor is unity in all cases for the Horvarth and the Rosenberg and Journeaux curves. It should also be noted that the ÃŽ ± factors for all three curves do not allow for smearing of the rock socket caused by dragdown of clay overburden or degradation of the rock. The ÃŽ ² factor is related to the mass factor, j, which is the ratio of the elastic modulus of the rock mass to that of the intact rock as shown in Figure 5.1d. If the mass factor is not known from loading tests or seismic velocity measurements, it can be obtained approximately from the relationships with the rock quality designation (RQD) or the discontinuity spacing quoted by Hobbs (4.53) as follows: 5.2 End Bearing Capacity Sometimes piles are driven to an underlying layer of rock. In such cases, the engineer must evaluate the bearing capacity of the rock. The ultimate unit point resistance in rock (Goodman, 1980) is approximately. N = tan2 (45 + / 2) qu = unconfined compression strength of rock = drained angle of friction Table 5.2a Table 5.2b The unconfined compression strength of rock can be determined by laboratory tests on rock specimens collected during field investigation. However, extreme caution should be used in obtaining the proper value of qu, because laboratory specimens usually are small in diameter. As the diameter of the specimen increases, the unconfined compression strength decreases a phenomenon referred to as the scale effect. For specimens larger than about 1 m (3f) in diameter, the value of qu remains approximately constant. There appears to be fourfold to fivefold reduction of the magnitude of qu in the process. The scale effect in rock is caused primarily by randomly distributed large and small fractures and also by progressive ruptures along the slip lines. Hence, we always recommend that: The above table (Table 5.2a) lists some representative values of (laboratory) unconfined compression strengths of rock. Representative values of the rock friction angle are given in the above table (Table 5.2b). A factor of safety of at least 3 should be used to determine the allowable point bearing capacity of piles. Thus: CHAPTER 6 6 Pile Load Test (Vesic’s Method) A number of settlement analysis methods for single piles are available. These methods may be broadly classified into three categories: Elastic continuum methods Load–transfer methods Numerical methods Examples of such methods are the elastic methods proposed by Vesic (1977) and Poulos and Davis (1980), the simplified elastic methods proposed by Randolph and Wroth (1978) and Fleming et al. (1992), the nonlinear load–transfer methods proposed by Coyle and Reese (1966) and McVay et al. (1989), and the numerical methods based on advanced constitutive models of soil behaviour proposed by Jardine et al. (1986). In this paper, three representative methods are adopted for the calibration exercise: the elastic method proposed by Vesic (1977), the simplified analysis method proposed by Fleming et al. (1992), and a nonlinear load–transfer method (McVay et al. 1989) implemented in program FB-Pier (BSI 2003). In Vesic’s method, the settlement of a pile under vertical loading, S, includes three components: S = S1 + S2 + S3 Where: S1 is the elastic pile compression. S2 is the pile settlement caused by the load at the pile toe. S3 is the pile settlement caused by the load transmitted along the pile shaft. If the pile material is assumed to be elastic, the elastic pile compression can be calculated by: S1 = (Qb + ÃŽ ¾Qs)L / (ApEp) Where Qb and Qs are the loads carried by the pile toe and pile shaft, respectively; Ap is the pile cross-section area; L is the pile length; Ep is the modulus of elasticity of the pile material; and ÃŽ ¾ is a coefficient depending on the nature of unit friction resistance distribution along the pile shaft. In this work, the distribution is assumed to be uniform and hence ÃŽ ¾ = 0.5. Settlement S2 may be expressed in a form similar to that for a shallow foundation. S2 = (qbD / Esb) (1-v2)Ib Where: D is the pile width or diameter qb is the load per unit area at the pile toe qb = Qb /Ab Ab is the pile base area Esb is the modulus of elasticity of the soil at the pile toe Ñ µ is Poisson’s ratio Ib is an influence factor, generally Ib = 0.85 S3 = (Qs / pL) (D / Ess) (1 – Ñ µ2) Is Where: p is the pile perimeter. Ess is the modulus of elasticity of the soil along the pile shaft. Is is an influence factor. The influence factor Is can be calculated by an empirical relation (Vesic 1977). Is = 2 + 0.35 √(L/D) With Vesic’s method, both Qb and Qs are required. In this report, Qb and Qs are obtained using two methods. In the first method (Vesic’s method I), these two loads are determined from a nonlinear load–transfer method, which will be introduced later. In the second method (Vesic’s method II), these two loads are determined using empirical ratios of Qb to the total load applied on pile Q based on field test data. Shek (2005) reported load–transfer in 14 test piles, including 11 piles founded in soil and 3 piles founded on rock. The mean ratios of Qb /Q for the piles founded in soil and the piles founded on rock are summarized in Table 3 and applied in this calibration exercise. The mean values of Qb /Q at twice the design load and the failure load are very similar. Hence, the average of the mean values is adopted for calibration at both twice the design load and the failure load. In the Fleming et al. method, the settlement of a pile is given by the following approximate closed-form solution (Fleming et al. 1992): Where: n = rb / r0, r0 and rb are the radii of the pile shaft and pile toe, respectively (for H-piles, Ï€ro2 = Ï€rb2 = Dh, h is the depth of the pile cross-section) ÃŽ ¾G = GL/Gb, GL is the shear modulus of the soil at depth L, and Gb is the shear modulus of the soil beneath the pile toe. Ï  = Gave/GL, Gave is the average shear modulus of the soil along the pile shaft p is the pile stiffness ratio p = Ep / GL; ÃŽ ¶ = ln{[0.25 +(2.5Ï (1 – v) –0.25) ÃŽ ¾G] L/r0}; É ¥L = (2/)1/2(L/r0). If the slenderness ratio L/r0 is less than 0.5p1/2 (L/r0) the pile may be treated as effectively rigid and eq. [7] then reduces to: If the slenderness ratio L/r0 is larger than 3Ï€p1/2, the pile may be treated as infinitely long, and eq. [7] then reduces to: In this case, GL’ is the soil shear modulus at the bottom of the active pile length Lac, where Lac = 3r0p1/2. In the nonlinear load–transfer method implemented in FB-Pier, the axial –Z curve for modelling the pile–soil interaction along the pile is given as (McVay et al. 1989)

Employee Engagement Essay -- Human Resource Management

Introduction The employee engagement has become a hot topic of discussion in the corporate world. There is no single accepted definition of engagement or recognised approach for measuring or raising it. HRM Practitioners have involved in quite a lot of study to understand employee engagement and its impact on the performance of the organisation. According to them, employee engagement is a level of commitment and involvement of employees towards their organisation and its value. An engaged employee works with his/her colleagues to improve their productivity within their job, for the ultimate benefit of the organisation. This paper critically reviews MacLeod Report (2009), ‘Engaging for Success’ and analysis it’s suitability as an engagement model for the organisations to adapt. Also, this paper suggests an alternative engagement model, which can be applied and adopted by the organisation for achieving their strategic objectives. Employee Engagement The employee engagement is a relatively new term in the corporate world. Due to the global nature of work and diversity of workforce, it has become a key part of competitive advantage for many organisations. The engagement at work was conceptualized by Kahn (1990:694) as the â€Å"harnessing of organisational members’ selves to their work roles; in engagement, people employ and express themselves physically, cognitively and emotionally during role performances†. The other related construct to engagement in organisational behaviour is the notion of flow. Csikszentmihalyi (1975, 1990) defines flow as the ‘holistic sensation’ that people feel when they act with total involvement. Thus employee engagement is the level of commitment and involvement, which an employee has towards ... ...selid, M.A. 1995. ‘The impact of human resource management practices on turnover, productivity and corporate financial performance’, Academy of Management Journal, Vol 38, pp635-670. Kahn, W.A. (1990), ‘Psychological conditions of personal engagement and disengagement at work’, Academy of Management Journal, Vol 33, pp692-724 MacLeod, D. and Clarke, N. (2009), Engaging for success: enhancing performance through employee engagement, London: Department for Business, Innovation and Skills Osterman P (1994), ‘How Common is Workplace Transformation and How can we Explain who Adopts it? Results from a National Survey’, Industrial and Labor Relations Review,47. Pil, F.K. and McDuffie, J.P. (1996), ‘The adoption of high involvement work practices’, Industrial Relations,Vol 35:pp423-455 Vodafone Site: http://www.vodafone.com/start/responsibility/employees.html

ADHD and Autism

ADD and Autism I chose this topic of ADD and autism because I had heard of these two disorders many times before and had always wondered what they were. The subject of why children act differently than others had always interested me since I was little. I have experienced and interacted with a young boy that had autism before and I found that the way he interacted with me and others around him was fascinating. Before researching, I knew that ADD and autism weren't sicknesses like the flu or a cold. Some are born with it, you can't catch or spread it.I knew it had something to do the brains and its genes. I knew that if you had ADD or autism, it would affect the way you learn and behave. Going into this topic, I knew I was most interested in knowing how children act when they are diagnosed with these disorders. How they act compared to children without ADD or autism. I also wanted to know what it was like when they become adults. Does the disorder â€Å"go away'? Or are there ways to cure or calm the symptoms down? I also wanted to research this topic because I wanted to know the difference between the two.I was always confused between ADD and autism and if someone asked me what the difference was, I don't think I loud be able to give a good answer. My thesis going into this research paper is that ADD and autism seem very similar, almost the same, but as I go deeper into the topic, you will see that they are quite different. When we think of ADD and autism, we Just think of it as problems or disorders that make children not â€Å"normal†. My argument is that though these two disorders bring difficulties, they are very different.Different in the way they are caused, how they are diagnosed, what symptoms each ones possesses, and how each one is handled. How they are handled by parents, teachers and doctors. Before researching, I wrote some questions to help me stay focused on what I wanted find out. Some questions that were most helpful dealt with the symp toms in a child with autism or ADD, how parents should deal with their children, how you can detect children with autism/ADD and the difference between the two. These were helpful because there was the most information about those questions.It gave me the opportunity to write more about my topic. Some of my questions weren't as helpful as others. There was only little information I could find about that particular subject so I couldn't write about it as much as the others. When I began to research about ADD and autism I chose three sources for each one. Each one was different. I chose one that talked about what ADD/autism was and how it is caused. Another one explained what the symptoms are when children have these disorders. I also used a source with a real life story about parents and their child who had ADD.This helped me so I could see from a real life perspective, what it was like to live with someone who had ADD. There wasn't a specific order in which I wanted to research, lik e ADD or autism first, so randomly, I started with ADD. I started with the basics. What it was and how it was caused. Then I moved onto the symptoms of a child with ADD and how to can detect and treat disorder. Then I did the same for autism. After I researched about what each one was, I found an article comparing the two. That was very helpful because that was what my research was about: comparing ADD and autism.For this project, I had some struggles getting all my thoughts collected and organized. At times I felt lost and unprepared. I tried to read all my sources as thoroughly as I could in order but I felt like time was rushing against me so I stopped at parts and went and read other resources and went back to the previous one, so it got kind of disorganized. I still was able to label and take notes on each source well and correctly so that was a plus. The research paper outline was a big help for me because it Just made everything much more organized and clear so I knew how I w as going to write and present my paper.What ADD? We all know that ADD is something that kids have sometimes which causes them to act differently but not all people know what it is exactly. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, also known as ADD is a common condition affecting children, teenagers ND even sometimes adults (WebMD). About four million children suffer from ADD. This condition comes with learning disorders causing the children to have a hard time during school (Quietist: Children). Over the years, experts have questioned whether kids outgrow ADD.That made them come to the conclusion that the disorder may be more common in adults than thought otherwise (WebMD). Studies show that children with the disorder generally have problems concentrating or paying attention. They get easily bored, frustrated with the tasks at hand or have difficulty following directions. I feel bad for children with the disorder because it wasn't their fault they act like that. People like teacher s and parents get frustrated and annoyed at these children because they can't sit still or listen the first time.They know that the children are diagnosed with the disorder but they don't fully understand. Another problem that children mainly tend to have with ADD is that they move constantly and are impulsive. They don't have the control to stop and think before they act. This interferes with the child's ability to function at school and home. Even though kids that don't have ADD sometimes have learning and behavioral disabilities, these symptoms are more prominent in a child with the disorder. Adults with ADD don't have the exact same symptoms as a child with the disorder. They may have difficulty with time management, organizational skills, goal setting, and employment. † The problems they face aren't all dealing with work and profession. Adults might also face problems with personal subjects like relationships, self-esteem, and addictions. The symptoms of children with ADD are normally categorized into three groups: inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness. Inattention has to deal with when the child gets easily distracted or has difficulty following directions. When someone is talking they don't seem to be listening.Hyperactivity symptoms are like when he or she can't sit still. They squirm or fidget constantly and talk excessively. Lastly, impulsively says it in its name. The children don't have control basically. It's hard for them to wait their turn and constantly interrupt others (WebMD). I can understand how dealing with children with ADD can be difficult and frustrating but I think if more people were aware of what the hillier are going through, they could be more understanding. How ADD is caused There is no specific scientific explanation for how ADD is caused.

Fashion and Social Media

Psychology of Clothing Youngstown State University November 21, 2013 The fashion industry is uniquely positioned to take full advantage of the power of social media. Being an exceedingly visual and expressive industry with an engaged consumer base, the increased publicity and interactivity that social media provides lends itself particularly well to brands in the industry. Twitter, one the leading social media sites. Has also established a presence at major events in the fashion world.An example is Fashion Week, where the fashion house Barberry broke barriers and instilled innovation by live-tweeting photographs of models Just before they stepped on the catwalk at London Fashion Week. It gave individuals an unparalleled look behind the scenes, which in return made â€Å"#Barberry' the second most trending topic on Twitter at that time. Other leaders within the fashion industry are taking to the idea twitter and social media as a whole to expand the relevance of the industry on their take. They are tons of professionals within our industry who can accommodate just about any individuals' style and taste.For the purpose of this paper the focus as on four leaders within the fashion industry. Cosmetic Brands M. A. C cosmetics (@MACcosmectics) and Amiability Cosmetics (@Maybelline) Creative Director of ELL Magazine Joe Zee (@mrJoezee) and finally the website and blob dedicated to everything beauty, Into the Gloss (@lntoTheGloss). Over the past several months, there were key significances with each, first M. A. C cosmetic's re launch Of VIVA Glam, since the first campaign was unveiled in 1994 which features a beautifully creamy shade of deep red where all proceeds went to aids research. But the biggest part of he re launch was when M.A. C cosmetic's revealed via twitter that Rueful was returning to front the one that started it all: Viva Glam 1. Next is Amiability New York Cosmetics, Something very admirable is that they actually reply back to their followers in rega rds to questions, concerns and the whole nine. Also they rewet pictures of individual wearing products for their line as well. Something on trend is the innovation of plums colors which are perfect for the fall and also globalization is a trend with the recent opening of a corporate branch in Lagos, Nigeria which events arm the red carpet opening party trending that night.Next is Ell Creative Director Joe Zee. I'd like to call him Fashion's Approachable Ambassador because given his status within the fashion industry he really connects with his followers by tweeting things within his every life as well as live tweet photos from front row runway shows and event parties within the fashion industry and oncoming trends and sneak peeks within ELL magazine's upcoming issues. Lastly is into the gloss, being an individual who loves makeup would preferable loved work within the beauty part of the fashion industry, I take a lot in from this twitter page, which is no secret my favorite.They are always ahead with the latest trends and innovations regarding all things beauty with an editorial feel. The instant update regarding the latest breakthrough trends are something waiting for. Using twitter in the fashion industry is a win / win for both the individuals and the fashion Houses or leaders. Brands use it to expand and reach to the specific target market using social networking sites like Twitter. Twitter and Social media in the fashion industry is important basically cuts out the middle man while creating a direct communication method between the buyer and seller.The fashion industry literally have uncovered a one of the secrets to success through consumer driving inspiration and testing trends. Which ultimately allows the ability to identify and capitalize on what's currently trending and hot in the industry early, which can make all the difference to a fashion brand or retailer's predominance in the industry, with the ability to amplify the buzz. The best thing about this twitter assignment was the ability to really identify with what part of the fashion industry o wanted to be a part of by following certain people, whether that be Journalist, photographer, marketing or beauty for example.Twitter is the ultimate form of communication with brands and leaders because, like mentioned before they really respond back to their followers creating a one-on-one feel and instilling inspiration to that follower as well, so I would suggest if anything use twitter as platform for professional reasons to get your name out there and be a part of communities full of individuals with similar interest and for that reason alone, is why I will continue to use twitter.

Dependent Variable Definition and Examples

Dependent Variable Definition and Examples A dependent variable is the variable being tested in a scientific experiment. The dependent variable is dependent on the independent variable. As the experimenter changes the independent variable, the change in the dependent variable is observed and recorded. When you take data in an experiment, the dependent variable is the one being measured. Common Misspellings: dependant variable Dependent Variable Examples A scientist is testing the effect of light and dark on the behavior of moths by turning a light on and off. The independent variable is the amount of light and the moths reaction is the dependent variable.  A change in the independent variable (amount of light) directly causes a change in the dependent variable (moth behavior).You are interested in learning which kind of chicken produces the largest eggs. The size of the eggs depends on the breed of chicken, so breed is the independent variable and egg size is the dependent variable.You want to know whether or not stress affects heart rate. Your independent variable is the stress, while the dependent variable would be the heart rate. To perform an experiment, you would provide stress and measure the subjects heartbeat. Note in a good experiment, youd want to choose a stress you could control and quantify. Your choice could lead you to perform additional experiments since it might turn out the change in heart rate after exposure to a decrease in temperature 40 degrees (physical stress) might be different from the heart rate after failing a test (psychological stress). Even though your independent variable might be a number that you measure, its one you control, so its not dependent. Distinguishing Between Dependent and Independent Variables Sometimes its easy to tell the two types of variables apart, but if you get confused, here are tips to help keep them straight: If you change one variable, which is affected? If youre studying the rate of growth of plants using different fertilizers, can you identify the variables? Start by thinking about what you are controlling and what you will be measuring. The type of fertilizer is the independent variable. The rate of growth is the dependent variable. So, to perform an experiment, you would fertilize plants with one fertilizer and measure the change in height of the plant over time, then switch fertilizers and measure the height of plants over the same span of time. You might be tempted to identify time or height as your variable, not the rate of growth (distance per time). It may help to look at your hypothesis or purpose to remember your goal.Write out your variables as a sentence stating cause and effect. The (independent variable) causes a change in the (dependent variable). Usually, the sentence wont make sense if you get them wrong. For example:(Taking vitamins) affects the numbers of (birth defec ts). makes sense(Birth defects) affects the number of (vitamins). probably not so much Graphing the Dependent Variable When you graph data, the independent variable is on the x-axis, while the dependent variable is on the y-axis. You can use the DRY MIX acronym to remember this: D - dependent variableR - responds to changeY - Y-axis M - manipulated variable (one you change)I - independent variableX - X-axis

An Occurence at Owl Creek Bridge essays

An Occurence at Owl Creek Bridge essays What makes Ambrose Bierce a realist Author "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" can be considered a work of realism for two reasons. The first is Bierce's utilization of his own military background giving this story a sense of realism. Bierce also conveys his pessimism after leading the reader to believe otherwise. This story provides social critique of the south during the Civil War. Bierce goes to great lengths to describe the opening sequence in terms of its military arrangement. He provides brilliant images of group formations and soldier stances like "a single company of infantry in line, at 'parade rest' the butts of the rifles on the ground, the barrels inclining backward against the right shoulder, the hands crossed upon the stock". He also takes the time to describe exactly how fortified the Owl Creek Bridge is. He shows his military experience by describing a road that stretches out of site and assuming that "Doubtless there was an outpost farther along". The procedures of a military execution were explained thoroughly including the code of conduct: "In the code of military manners silence and fixity are forms of deference". Bierce earned the nickname "Bitter Bierce early in his life for his pessimism. This is not evident in this story until the end. The third and final part begins with a sequence of miraculous occurrences allowing Peyton Farquhar to es cape from his hanging. The description of these events leads the reader to believe that Bierce is a Romantic author rather than a realist. The rope breaks dropping him into the creek. He then uses his "superhuman strength to remove the rope from around his neck. Peyton is then blessed with better senses seeing the veins on leaves in the forest and hearing gnats and dragonfly wings in the distance. Then he sees the eye of a marksman on the bridge through the range on the rifle. Amazingly, this marksman misses what should be an easy target and allows Farquhar to...

Business Plan Final Essay Example for Free

Business Plan Final Essay Castle’s Family Restaurant Business Plan: Stage III The purpose of this business plan is to understand the restaurants business and its operations to improve its customer service and its employee relations. The Castle Family Restaurant has eight restaurants that operate under one regional manager that also acts as the Human Resource Manager for the restaurants. The goal is to develop a plan that can decrease the travel time of the regional manager so; that he, Jay Morgan, can save on gas due to high gas prices since each restaurant is located in the northern California area. The objective is to introduce a HRIS application and one vendor that can assist in the developing of the HR department and ease the transitioning of one individual HR manager to multiple employees. There are restaurants with profits in mind and provide the same food and service while the Castle’s Family believes in family, partnerships and developing relationships with one another for a great customer service. Introduction The Castle’s Family Restaurant has eight restaurants in northern California with about 300-340 employees. Most of the employees are part time with about 40% of them full-time. This business plan is to determine strategies that will eliminate the Human Resource position from Jay Morgan, so that he can reduce his travel time to all eight locations and to develop an HR department for the restaurants. In addition, the business plan is to enable Jay Morgan to concentrate on his operation manager duties. The factors that cause many issues to the Castle’s Family restaurant business are having one individual with so many responsibilities. Therefore, hiring an HR manager to schedule, recruit, hire and assist the employees in their needs will help in creating order. In addition, the restaurant must hire an assistant to help in the administration work; it will decrease the amount of  paperwork for the general manager. And each restaurant must have a manager to overseas the employees and the operation of the restaurant. The managers will conduct meetings monthly to provide the sales, revenues and customer services of each restaurant. Managers can communicate through emails, phone calls if they have questions for each other, or have any concerns. A needs assessment must be conducted to determine if an HRIS is needed for the company. In order to have a successful restaurant business every factor must be considered. For example, customer service to the customers is a big factor becau se that is what brings in the revenue. For a restaurant to have a successful business they must have the right food for their customers to enjoy and to assist the customers any way they can. In the last year, there had been some speculation into how the government will help the small restaurants and that the fiscal will prevent any type of savings in when tax time comes around. These HRIS and vendor application that will be stated in this business plan is there to develop and help maintain the restaurant’s H R department and increase growth in the company. We have acquired an HRIS system that will help in developing the HR department to provide easy process for the employees. The Sage HRIS application is an innovative way to ease the transition from traditional HR to a strategic HR. The Sage applications provide variety of options to assist in the HR process. For example, the payroll application should be implemented to help the restaurant establish tax, earnings, and deduction codes to perform critical payroll functions and to modify the system to the restaurant’s needs. This is the first time Castle’s Family Restaurant is developing a HR department, having the right tools to run a department the right way will allow less mistakes to be made; with eight different locations, adding the sage application will help in the transitioning all locations into one. Furthermore, it is critical for a company to have leadership to help establish the employee’s strengths and improve their weaknesses. In addition, the sageâ€⠄¢s time and attendance can help manage the employee’s attendance and work time. The system enables you to collect, analyze, and take control of employee’s attendance and labor data. The  application will help the company in providing perks to employees that always come to work on time. In addition, the performance management application tracks employee’s performance; help identify their critical skills to help the employees in their career development. Furthermore, I have compare and contrast a vendor that would benefit your company. These two vendors provide great services but one match your company’s true values and its missions. The Castle’s Family Restaurant need a vendor that can help in developing long lasting relationship and demonstrates positivity so that individuals can be their best. Furthermore, automation is viable to reduce the need of human errors that can results in more major consequences. Automation errors can occur at any time, the solutions are easy to fix, and automation provide easy data that can be change, delete and edit. The type of HRIS that the Castle Family Restaurant should implement is the Sage application as I have stated before. In order for such application to be developed a vendor must be selected to help in the process. The sage application is a best fit for the company because it has a group of team that can help in assisting in any technical difficulties. When developing new HR department, errors will consist and questions will need to be answered. Therefore, a new training program will need to develop to increase each employee’s skills and performances in the Human Resources Department. The Sage application has the career enhancement training; they have created a system that can help in detecting IT skills, leadership’s skills, etc.; that can benefit your restaurant. The application has an easy to read system. The vendors that I have selected are the ADP and the Rideau Recognition Solutions. The ADP provides all services for domestic international, small or large companies, it does not matter where you operate, and they are there to assist in developing the business. The Rideau Recognition Solutions provide services that inspire employees to succeed to the vendor’s belief. Their expertise is to help their clients build positive relationships with their people to reflect the company’s values and increase customers’ expectations. The Rideau main purpose and their definition of a business are being inspirational and providing inspiration to others. While  ADP is well recognized company that can assist in developing an HR department, and have the tools to performed the job, but because of the deep meaning and relationship that can develop with the Rideau Recognition Solutions and the restaurant being a family company; I believe that the Rideau is the best solution for the Castle’s restaurant. I have recommended that your company, The Castle’s Family Restaurant, to choose the Sage HRIS application and the Rideau Recognition Solution as your vendor. They have the right tools that can establish the restaurant business, and their tools can assist in the development of the HR department. In the restaurant business there will be a lot of risks such as food poising, slip and fall and property damages. Once these types of risks occur this is where the HR department comes in to assist in resolving the situation. This why there should be training when these disadvantages come to light. The sage applications have the proper tools to help decide the professional way to handle such situations. The HRIS application provides professional training to each individual HR employee. While these risks can occur, another problem that cans cause small businesses disadvantage are the fiscal cliff which this year small business operators tax rate has increase by 5 percent. Furthermore, knowing these disadvantages will allow you, the Castle’ Restaurant to prepare yourself as a restaurant. In addition, using these vendors and HRIS system will permit better training; and develop great communication between the HR department and the employees and managers for great customer service. It is important to know the negative factor and a positive factor on owning a small business restaurant and to prepare for any tactics on a professional level. In conclusion, I recommend the Sage as your HRIS application and the Rideau Recognition Solution as your vendor. The Castle’s Family Restaurant has been operating on one person basis, with eight restaurants to oversee. There are many duties to maintain to assure a  smooth business; with such issues that can arise in each restaurant, developing an HR department to oversee these tasks will reduce risks that can occur. I have concluded that the Sage HRIS and Rideau Recognition Solution are the chosen application and vendor for your company to help in the developing your restaurant business. The application and vendor will and can assist you in many different factors and help improve employee communication. References Frumkin, Paul. â€Å"How ‘fiscal cliff’ deal impacts small restaurateurs, franchisees.† Nations’s Restaurant News. Jan 9, 2013. Retrieved on 8/24/2013 < http://nrn.com/latest-headlines/how-fiscal-cliff-deal-impacts-small-restaurateurs-franchisees> Business Plan Final. (2016, Apr 29).

Check order instruction and attachment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Check order instruction and attachment - Essay Example First, people are allowed to enroll for membership either online or through conventional means. BUSC also makes itself known by visiting schools and recreational areas to initiate new members into its program. Going by organisational practices in BUSC’s premises, I gathered that BUSC’s packages are designated into divisions so that there are Divisions 1, 2, 3 and 4 so that an individual can therefore decide which group he will join. BUSC neither recognizes specific age group limitations nor denies participation to some people because of age. This is underscored by the fact that the Club’s philosophy makes it plain that no child is denied participation because of financial constraint. BUSC also factors the adult and has an array of services tailor-made for this group, as is attested by the presence of the Parent/Player Corner. The activity age is appropriate since different age groups have specific needs, yet parents have always wanted their entire families to accompany children in their outdoor activities. This means that the activity age becomes helpful in satisfying both adults’ and children’s needs. By the phrase children, it is meant, anyone who has not attained the legal age or is still under the care of his parents. The Ballistic United Soccer Club has a strong mission, objective and value standpoint which coalesces into its organisational culture. This culture dictates the conduct of its personnel, clientele and BUSC personnel-public relations and therefore wards off cases of professional and personal misconduct within BUSC premises. There are also strong safety measures and trained personnel who can handle different forms of crises which may occur in BUSC’s site. This means that chances for distractions such as criminal cases, criminality, negligence and tortuous cases are limited. Ballistic United Soccer Club has had considerable success in engaging all participants. The fact that the Club has managed the participants for about 5 decades

American Government and History Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

American Government and History - Assignment Example There were a series of events including tax resistance against British colonists that led to the formation of a congress that adopted the Independence Declaration. This resulted to the foundation of The United States of America. With constitution amendment, abolishment of retrogressive practices like slavery and the emergence of the Manifest Destiny Doctrine a stable government was formed. This paper seeks to assess the history of the American government. 1. The term government refers to a system through which policies of a state are enforced to control its citizens. The government includes legislators, administrators and arbitrators. These positions are acquired through political discourses. 3. Sovereignty is "an attribute of a state in the form of its complete self-sufficiency in the frames of a certain territory that is supreme in its domestic policy and independence in the foreign one" (Story 88). This enables a state to have authority over another. 4. Hegemony refers to a type of leadership where there is imperial dominance.The ruler uses the implied power to geopolitically mediocre states. Rebellion is thus eliminated without direct military action Theocracy is a means of rule that has raised a lot of debate between the religious rulers and political leaders on who has more power. It is a type of government who are led by religious persons who are divinely guided in their state activities. The source of power is from a supreme being that is God. These leaders must be members of a clergy. Some of the benefits of this type of leadership is it creates a sagacity of community that is more established. There is also an infallible word of law with strict rules, and a respectable and notable leader since authority is from God (Storey 96). However, there are disadvantages that come as a result of theocracy, and they outweigh the advantages. According to Storey (98), perversion of the theocracy by

Religious Plurality as the Major Issue Surrounding Christianity in Research Paper

Religious Plurality as the Major Issue Surrounding Christianity in Africa - Research Paper Example I will try to cover different religions that exist in this continent. What are the major issues related to it? I will try to analyze them in the light of past and present so that a theme could be developed that connects the historical and contemporary world. In order to do so, we have to peep into the traditional religions of Africa as well as into Islam, this is predominantly the current religion of Africa. I will also try to analyze how religion affects the continent today and what are the defining factors. An analysis of the issues surrounding religion is not possible in isolation. A number of other factors have their own strong impact ( (Deagan) on it such as development, culture, democratic environment, health and security, conflicts, arms and reconstruction. Any study done without taking into consideration all these facts will not be based on reality. In short, we can say it will be inconclusive. So I will do a detailed analysis and will draw a conclusion based on all these factors. We cannot deny the social importance of religion. Religion is an important strand of society. It provides a value system that underpins the foundation of society. Without a common value system of which religion is an important thread, the concept of society is not possible. African history is very vast and old. Africa has a religious plurality. Religious plurality means sharing of different religious traditions by the same family, immediate or extended, similar ethnic groups and nations. Many religions exist side by side. Members of the same family may follow different religions. If we take a closer look we can categorize the religions in Africa into three tiers, Traditional religions, Christianity and Islam. After the Second World War self-concept of Africans has changed due to political, intellectual changes around them. The recorded history of Africa dates back to 3000 BC in Egypt. People worshipped gods like Isis,  Horus, Osiris, Ra, and Hapi. This was the case in Egypt. In West Africa, the trend was to worship the single godlike sky god.  

Critical Review of Contemporary NPD Issues Essay

Critical Review of Contemporary NPD Issues - Essay Example Both the research findings acknowledge that the scale of a company’s operations is irrelevant to the chances of favorable outcomes related to the application of innovation, as Laforet (2011) suggests that the innovative capabilities of small and medium enterprises are comparable to that of large organizations. Another finding asserts that ideation has paradoxical managerial impacts by presenting both negative and positive consequences of the said process in organizations. The scale of the company however, does impact the choices it makes related to innovation, for example, why would a business wish to expand its ideation and innovation capabilities in the first place? Certainly as represented by the findings of the articles which are assessed, it can be noted that large organizations in comparison with small and medium enterprises realize the need to create a strategic fit between their resource capacities and assets as a comprehension of their ideation capabilities is directl y related to the distribution of resources which ultimately allows the formulation of an idea into an innovation. On the other hand, the objectives of a small or medium sized business in engaging in new product development maybe entirely associated with its objective of seeking success or to achieve short-term gain. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to critically analyze the competing ideologies of how New Product Development and Innovation should take place and how it actually takes place, which is either by entirely basing the framework of innovation at an organization upon the components of the ideation process or by engaging in an innovative practice by implementing system wide innovation procedures. Furthermore, the paper will also discuss the managerial implications of the articles’ findings by determining the variables and factors that are dependent upon the success of measures such as NPD, process improvement and ideation potential. Factors affecting innovation: Acc ording to Bjork et al. (2010) the foundation of innovation is idea generation or ideation which is dependent upon the level of creativity and inventiveness of the employees and groups within an organization. Once this principle is recognized by the management, it should try to develop channels through which employees can successfully voice their ideas, such channels can range from technology centered pathways or the utilization of teams that should range across functional departments of an organization. Cooper (2008) favors computer-based ideation techniques such as webpages which can allow external parties to supply ideas related to new products, such facilities are readily used by organizations such as Procter and Gamble which are at the forefront of an ideation revolution. Procter and Gamble’s Connect and Develop ideation model is an example of an open system that invites and welcomes idea stimulation from a range of contributors. Laforet (2011) presents a more traditional and conventional view of the factors that may influence innovation, this