Construction Technology Example

Construction Technology Example Construction Technology – Essay Example Media Footbridge Introduction The Media footbridge is a pedestrian walkway linking Trafford situated in the South to the new Media Development in Stafford situated in the North. The swinging footbridge cuts across the Manchester Ship Canal next to Salford Quays. The Media city is a fast growing region with offices for prominent broadcasting corporations like BBC, which will play a great role in molding the future of Salford Quays. The construction proposal was from Peel media while a collaboration of Gifford, Wilkinson Eyre Architects, and Bennett Associates were allotted the role of work on site survey and come up with a favorable design. The bridge is not only a footbridge but also a symbolic landmark anonymous to the Media City and Trafford Wharl. This paper focuses on the environmental, ecological, geotechnical, and hydrological considerations that designer and constructors of the Media Foot Bridge Salford, Manchester had to have in mind when deciding on the construction technolo gy to use. Development proposal endeavors to address the geotechnical restriction of the location, and allow pedestrians to access to the Media City Development, Imperial War Museum link to the present Lowry Bridge boosting access to the Manchester Ship Canal. The footbridge has a wharf at Manchester Ship Canal such that it can open or close when swung. Piers at every quayside offer access ramp to the bottom of the bridge. The most important part of the designing process was to decide how the bridge would open for transient vessels. The exact location of the site is Salford, within Manchester in an area currently under industrial use. The land encompasses the Manchester Ship Canal, Salford Quays within which a media City is being developed and Trafford Quay, which is currently under little significant utilization (Curran & Thompson, 2010, p. 5-6).Designing of such a bridge was vital since a fixed bridge would meddle with the public right of navigating over port Manchester, which wou ld require statutory authority. However, this opening bridge is appropriate since no controversies would arise and it construction only requires permission for planning. Peel Holdings, the client behind this project required the bridge to be greatly visible to act as a pointer to the region, maximise connectivity, as well as be distinctive, and thrilling (Bain Wright Partnership Limited, 2009, P. 16-19) The Manchester Ship Canal required the designers to consider the development potential of restraining docking of big vessels and the clearance amid the underside of bridge deck. The construction of the planned bridge does not necessitate evaluation by the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) as it does not fall under any of the two schedules of the EIA groupings. However, the planners had to confirm that the bridge passed test such as ability to cope with floods, was ecological friendly, and built in proper grounds. Archaeological Desk Study and Desk study of Water Quality Impacts w ere among the reports prepared to support the construction.Geotechnical results after location exploration showed the ground consist of Made Ground comprising of gravely clay and of about 1.0 and 5.0 drift deposits of organic sediment and thick gravels. The gravely clay encompasses of brick rubbles, concrete, ember, glass. Below the drift deposits was sandstone bedrock, approximately 13 meters under the ground level. The site also had evidence of other compound such as lead, and other hydrocarbons with similar chemical composition range of extractable petroleum. This called for proper care in order to reduce ground disturbance as well as appropriate disposal of both the ground and the canal silts. The bridge was designed in a manner to reduce its impact on existing structures such dock walls south of the site. Permo-Triassic Chester Pebble Beds Formation lying on Carboniferous Upper Coal characterizes the underlying ground. (Bain Wright Partnership Limited, 2009, P.4-10)Ecologically the site mainly comprises of short perennial vegetation common in urban settings. Assessments proved that construction of the bridge would not affect the role of the Manchester Ship canal as a wildlife strip. However, mitigation measures were recommended to ensure that the construction did not cause pollution. The designers were required to consider drainage aspects as well as treatment of wastewaters to diminish pollution. The site is reasonably far from Trafford Ecology Park thus no serious impacts were projected (Bain Wright Partnership Limited, 2009, p 17).The bridge received approval from Technical Approval of Highway Structures for fulfillment of features such as design suppositions, loading, as well as the analysis techniques. Construction Design and Management (CDM) assessed the risks the construction could have on the health and safety of constructors, user, and all those involved in the designing. The assessment was done throughout the designing and construction process t o ensure the project did not put the health or life of anybody at risk (Curran & Thompson, 2010, p.4).Hydrological results showed a key aquifer beneath but the site does not fall under a groundwater protection region. The water height of water in the canal is about 21.37m AOD. Flood risk assessment demonstrated that groundwater heights are above base of canal thus no anticipated pollution and had no residual flood jeopardy. Foundation not expected to expose underlying silt peat deposits (Bain Wright Partnership Limited, 2009, P. 16-18)In conclusion, the construction of Media Foot Bridge Salford posed no danger on environment, was ecologically friendly, and put into consideration the welfare of the society. The important role the development would play overweighed on the minimal risks it could possibly pose to the life of residents as well as the environment. The bridge design reduces its impact on existing structures such as the already present dock walls south of the site.Bain Wrig ht Partnership Limited 2009, Trafford Wharf Promenade: Planning Statement.Curran, P & Thompson, S 2010, Media City Footbridge, Salford Quays. Viewed 06 May 2012

Examine the Causes of World War II

Examine the Causes of World War II Many of the seeds of World War II in Europe were sown by the Treaty of Versailles that ended World War I. In its final form, the treaty placed full blame for the war on Germany and Austria-Hungary, as well as exacted harsh financial reparations and led to territorial dismemberment. For the German people, who had believed that the armistice had been agreed to based on US President Woodrow Wilsons lenient Fourteen Points, the treaty caused resentment and a deep mistrust of their new government, the Weimar Republic. The need to pay war reparations, coupled with the instability of the government, contributed to massive hyperinflation which crippled the German economy. This situation was made worse by the onset of the Great Depression. In addition to the economic ramifications of the treaty, Germany was required to demilitarize the Rhineland and had severe limitations placed on the size of its military, including the abolishment of its air force. Territorially, Germany was stripped of its colonies and forfeited land for the formation of the country of Poland. To ensure that Germany would not expand, the treaty forbade the annexation of Austria, Poland, and Czechoslovakia. Rise of Fascism and the Nazi Party In 1922, Benito Mussolini and the Fascist Party rose to power in Italy. Believing in a strong central government and strict control of industry and the people, Fascism was a reaction to the perceived failure of free market economics and a deep fear of communism. Highly militaristic, Fascism also was driven by a sense of belligerent nationalism that encouraged conflict as a means of social improvement. By 1935, Mussolini was able to make himself the dictator of Italy and transformed the country into a police state. To the north in Germany, Fascism was embraced by the National Socialist German Workers Party, also known as the Nazis. Swiftly rising to power in the late 1920s, the Nazis and their charismatic leader, Adolf Hitler, followed the central tenets of Fascism while also advocating for the racial purity of the German people and additional German Lebensraum (living space). Playing on the economic distress in Weimar Germany and backed by their Brown Shirts militia, the Nazis became a political force. On January 30, 1933, Hitler was placed in a position to take power when he was appointed Reich Chancellor by President Paul von Hindenburg The Nazis Assume Power A month after Hitler assumed the Chancellorship, the Reichstag building burned. Blaming the fire on the Communist Party of Germany, Hitler used the incident as an excuse to ban those political parties that opposed Nazi policies. On March 23, 1933, the Nazis essentially took control of the government by passing the Enabling Acts. Meant to be an emergency measure, the acts gave the cabinet (and Hitler) the power to pass legislation without the approval of the Reichstag. Hitler next moved to consolidate his power and executed a purge of the party (The Night of the Long Knives) to eliminate those who could threaten his position. With his internal foes in check, Hitler began the persecution of those who were deemed racial enemies of the state. In September 1935, he passed the Nuremburg Laws which stripped Jews of their citizenship and forbade marriage or sexual relations between a Jew and an Aryan. Three years later the first pogrom began (Night of Broken Glass) in which over one hundred Jews were killed and 30,000 arrested and sent to concentration camps. Germany Remilitarizes On March 16, 1935, in clear violation of the Treaty of Versailles, Hitler ordered the remilitarization of Germany, including the reactivation of the Luftwaffe (air force). As the German army grew through conscription, the other European powers voiced minimal protest as they were more concerned with enforcing the economic aspects of the treaty. In a move that tacitly endorsed Hitlers violation of the treaty, Great Britain signed the Anglo-German Naval Agreement in 1935, which allowed Germany to build a fleet one third the size of the Royal Navy and ended British naval operations in the Baltic. Two years after beginning the expansion of the military, Hitler further violated the treaty by ordering the reoccupation of the Rhineland by the German Army. Proceeding cautiously, Hitler issued orders that the German troops should withdrawal if the French intervened. Not wanting to become involved in another major war, Britain and France avoided intervening and sought a resolution, with little success, through the League of Nations. After the war several German officers indicated that if the reoccupation of the Rhineland had been opposed, it would have meant the end of Hitlers regime. The Anschluss Emboldened by Great Britain and Frances reaction to the Rhineland, Hitler began to move forward with a plan to unite all German-speaking peoples under one Greater German regime. Again operating in violation of the Treaty of Versailles, Hitler made overtures regarding the annexation of Austria. While these were generally rebuffed by the government in Vienna, Hitler was able to orchestrate a coup by the Austrian Nazi Party on March 11, 1938, one day before a planned plebiscite on the issue. The next day, German troops crossed the border to enforce the Anschluss (annexation). A month later the Nazis held a plebiscite on the issue and received 99.73% of the vote. International reaction was again mild, with Great Britain and France issuing protests, but still showing that they were unwilling to take military action. The Munich Conference With Austria in his grasp, Hitler turned towards the ethnically German Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia. Since its formation at the end of World War I, Czechoslovakia had been wary of possible German advances. To counter this, they had built an elaborate system of fortifications throughout the mountains of the Sudetenland to block any incursion and formed military alliances with France and the Soviet Union. In 1938, Hitler began supporting paramilitary activity and extremist violence in the Sudetenland. Following Czechoslovakias declaration of martial law in the region, Germany immediately demanded that the land be turned over to them. In response, Great Britain and France mobilized their armies for the first time since World War I. As Europe moved towards war, Mussolini suggested a conference to discuss the future of Czechoslovakia. This was agreed to and the meeting opened in September 1938, at Munich. In the negotiations, Great Britain and France, led by Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain and President Édouard Daladier respectively, followed a policy of appeasement and caved to Hitlers demands in order to avoid war. Signed on September 30, 1938, the Munich Agreement turned over the Sudetenland to Germany in exchange for Germanys promise to make no additional territorial demands. The Czechs, who had not been invited to conference, were forced to accept the agreement and were warned that if they failed to comply, they would be responsible for any war that resulted. By signing the agreement, the French defaulted on their treaty obligations to Czechoslovakia. Returning to England, Chamberlain claimed to have achieved peace for our time. The following March, German troops broke the agreement and seized the remainder of Czechoslovakia. Shortly thereafter, Germany entered into a military alliance with Mussolinis Italy. The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact Angered by what he saw as the Western Powers colluding to give Czechoslovakia to Hitler, Josef Stalin worried that a similar thing could occur with the Soviet Union. Though wary, Stalin entered into talks with Britain and France regarding a potential alliance. In the summer of 1939, with the talks stalling, the Soviets began discussions with Nazi Germany regarding the creation of a  non-aggression pact. The final document, the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, was signed on August 23, and called for the sale of food and oil to Germany and mutual non-aggression. Also included in the pact were secret clauses dividing Eastern Europe into spheres of influence as well as plans for the partition of Poland. The Invasion of Poland Since  World War I, tensions had existed between Germany and Poland regarding the free city of Danzig and the Polish Corridor. The latter was a narrow strip of land reaching north to Danzig which provided Poland with access to the sea and separated the province of East Prussia from the rest of Germany. In an effort to resolve these issues and gain  Lebensraum  for the German people, Hitler began planning the invasion of Poland. Formed after World War I, Polands army was relatively weak and ill-equipped compared to Germany. To aid in its defense, Poland had formed military alliances with Great Britain and France. Massing their armies along the Polish border, the Germans staged a fake Polish attack on August 31, 1939. Using this as a pretext for war, German forces flooded across the border the next day. On September 3, Great Britain and France issued an ultimatum to Germany to end the fighting. When no reply was received, both nations declared war. In Poland, German troops executed a blitzkrieg (lightning war) assault combining armor and mechanized infantry. This was supported from above by the Luftwaffe, which had gained experience fighting with the fascist Nationalists during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). The Poles attempted to counterattack but were defeated at the Battle of Bzura (Sept. 9-19). As the fighting was ending at Bzura, the Soviets, acting on the terms of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, invaded from the east. Under assault from two directions, the Polish defenses crumbled with only isolated cities and areas offering prolonged resistance. By October 1, the country had been completely overrun with some Polish units escaping to Hungary and Romania. During the campaign, Great Britain and France, who were both slow to mobilize, provided little support to their ally. With the conquest of Poland, the Germans implemented Operation Tannenberg which called for the arrest, detainment, and execution of 61,000 Polish activists, former officers, actors, and intelligentsia. By the end of September, special units known as  Einsatzgruppen  had killed over 20,000 Poles. In the east, the Soviets also committed numerous atrocities, including the murder of prisoners of war, as they advanced. The following year, the Soviets executed between 15,000-22,000 Polish POWs and citizens in the  Katyn Forest  on Stalins orders.

Archaeology Clubs for Amateurs

Archaeology Clubs for Amateurs Archaeology clubs and societies are one of the best ways for aspiring amateur and professional archaeologists to get started in their passion: find a group of people who also want to learn about archaeology or work as volunteers on archaeological digs. Even if youre not in school, or ever plan to be a professional archaeologist, you too can explore your passion for the field and even get trained and go on excavations. For that, you need an amateur archaeology club. There are numerous local and regional clubs throughout the world, with activities that range from Saturday morning reading groups to full-fledged societies with publications and conferences and opportunities to work on archaeological excavations. Some amateurs write their own reports and give presentations. If you live in a fairly good-sized city, chances are there are local amateur archaeology clubs right near you. The trouble is, how do you find them, and how do you pick the right one for you? Artifact Collector Groups There are, at heart, two kinds of amateur archaeology clubs. The first kind is an artifact collector club. These clubs are primarily interested in artifacts of the past, looking at artifacts, buying and selling artifacts, telling stories about how they found this artifact or another. Some collector groups have publications and regular swap meets. But most of these groups are not really invested in archaeology as a science. This is not to say that collectors are bad people or not enthusiastic about what they do. In fact, many amateur collectors register their collections and work with professional archaeologists to identify unknown or endangered archaeological sites. But their primary interest is not in the events or people of the past, it is in the objects. Art Versus Science To professional archaeologists (and many amateurs), an artifact is far more interesting within its context, as a part of an ancient culture, as part of the entire collection (assemblage) of artifacts and studies from an archaeological site. That includes intensive artifact studies, like where an artifact came from (called the provenience), what kind of material it was made from (sourcing) when it was used (dating), and what it might have meant to people of the past (interpretation). Bottom line, by and large, collector groups are more interested in the artistic aspects of archaeological artifacts: nothing wrong with that, but thats only a tiny aspect of the totality of learning about the cultures of the past.   Avocational Archaeology Groups The other type of archaeology club is the avocational club. The largest of these in the United States is the professional/amateur run Archaeological Institute of America. This type of club also has newsletters and local and regional meetings. But in addition, they have strong ties to the professional community, and sometimes publish full-fledged publications with reports on archaeological sites. Some sponsor group tours of archaeological sites, have regular talks by professional archaeologists, certification programs so you can get trained to volunteer at excavations, and even special sessions for children. Some even sponsor and help conduct archaeological surveys or even excavations, in conjunction with universities, that amateur members can take part in. They dont sell artifacts, and if they talk about artifacts, it is within context, what the society who made it was like, where it came from, what it was used for. Finding a Local Group So, how do you find an avocational society to join? In every American state, Canadian province, Australian territory, and British county (not to mention almost every other country in the world), you can find a professional archaeological society. Most of them keep strong ties with the avocational societies in their region, and they will know who to contact. For example, in the Americas, the Society for American Archaeology has a special Council of Affiliated Societies, in which it maintains close contact with avocational groups that support professional archaeological ethics. The Archaeological Institute of America has a list of collaborating organizations; and in the UK, try the Council for British Archaeologys website for CBA Groups. We Need You To be perfectly honest, the archaeological profession needs you, needs your support and your passion for archaeology, to grow, to increase our numbers, to help protect the archaeological sites and cultural heritage of the world. Join an amateur society soon. Youll never regret it.

Intellectual property law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Intellectual property law - Essay Example matic tale making from time to time use of Lionel’s suggestions as to how to depict the characters and how to give more poignancy to the atmosphere. Brad is awarded the first prize, and pays for a round of beer for his mates. By popular request, he eventually sings Killing me Softly composed by Roberta Flack. Fiona, a regular customer of the Red Lion, makes a video recording of the night’s events. She downloads the 123 minute long recording on to her computer and, using this material, produces a 12 minute video showing the best parts of the literary improvisations and the whole performance of Killing me Softly. She eventually uploads the video onto Metube, a very popular video file-sharing website on the internet. Afterwards she makes a transcription of Brad’s improvisation and saves it as word document on her computer. Over the next few days Fiona becomes more and more convinced that Brad’s tale is a really good tale, and that it is worth spending time working on it. She develops the tale and writes a grotesque science fiction novel. She presents the resulting novel at a writing competition. Although she doesn’t win, a publisher is very enthusiastic and offers her a contract to publish the novel. Fiona signs the contract and submits the manuscript. A few months later Brad shows up at the Red Lion carrying a copy of Fiona’s book. After having read parts of the book, the audience realises that there are striking similarities with the tale that was developed during the contest. Brad feels it has been plagiarised. He scans the book and uploads a large amount of it on to his personal website, posting rude ironic comments on Fiona’s creativity. Review in detail all the potential copyright infringements. Your answer should include discussion of the nature of the infringements concerned. In addition, you should identify who allegedly owns the copyright, and who allegedly infringed

Lewin's Model of Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Lewin's Model of Change - Essay Example It is also comprehensive and relevant that it has not required revisions – unlike others – to remain relevant to its subject. The major concepts of this theory are unfreeze, change, and refreeze (freeze) (Gerth, 2013). This stage comprises readying the organization to acknowledge that change is inevitable. Preparation involves dislodging the existing status quo before starting to construct a new strategy of operating (Gerth, 2013). Crucial to this is creating a powerful message demonstrating why the status quo cannot continue. This is the most convenient to develop when the organization can attest to declining revenue, worrying client satisfaction surveys, poor financial results, etc. These indicate that things must change in a way that all stakeholders can understand (Schunk & Meece, 2014). Successful preparation of the organization requires starting at its core – the people in charge of driving the change should confront the notions, values, behaviors and attitudes that presently define it. After the risk created in the unfreeze phase, the change phase is where the organization starts resolving its risk and looking for new approaches to doing things. People start behaving and believing in ways that back the new dimension. The shift from the unfreeze stage to this phase does not occur overnight (Schunk & Meece, 2014). Employees take time to accept the new dimension and proactively participate in the transition. The Change Curve, an affiliate change model, concentrates on the specific concern of personal changes in a dynamic environment and is appropriate for comprehending this particular issue more comprehensively (Schunk & Meece, 2014). As the changes happen and people have accepted the new methods of working, the organization is primed for refreezing (Schunk & Meece, 2014). The superficial signs of this phase are a stable company chart, uniform job descriptions, etc. The refreeze phase should also

Waiting for the Barbarians Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Waiting for the Barbarians - Essay Example The book waiting for the Barbarians is one such book written by a linguistic and novelist Coetzee that highlighted some tentative strategies in the question of torture. In the book, he admits torture to be a threatening and a dark fascination on his life. While bringing out the vivid theme of torture in the dark African country, Coetzee faces many dilemmas, for instance, in the dark chamber where his moral judgment is challenged whether to find a middle way between ignoring the obscenities or being part of the obscenities. In as much as torture is necessary in many instances, the question, which the paper attempts to address, is whether torture was necessary while waiting for the Barbarians. The elite unit of colonel Joll and their treatment to the Barbarians is a case in point where torture gets exhibited. He is an administrative officer in charge of running the empire where he get rumors that the natives of the land (Barbarians) are coming back to fight for their land. He is not ha ppy with the idea; therefore, conducts an expedition in the land beyond the frontier. He organizes himself and arrives in one of his government outposts where he is determined to gather information from the local band of uncivilized Barbarians (Coetzee 34). The Barbarians represent an omniscient and present outside threat to the colonel who cannot sit back and wait for the attack. They are seeking to trample security of Colonel Joll and safety of the empire, a factor that does not make the colonel calm and instead uses every means possible to prevent the attack, which is likely to affect the strength of his empire. Instead of using peaceful means, he captures prisoners in a dubious way, which makes him wonder whether there was an army to attack his kingdom. This is because he finds the natives to of similarity to nomadic heathens rather than the barbarian army he suspected. However, he does not stop at this point questioning his intelligence by committing a series of torture on the natives to â€Å"confess† the details and whereabouts of the Barbarians. Although the magistrate is not happy with the way, he handles things he does not intervene or make an attempt of stopping since he understands the barbarian manner. In as much as their confessions and the nature of torture were too much, the truth behind the confessions was only because of torture. This leaves many questions whether the torture was necessary as one prisoner it killed one a prisoner and left another partially black haired woman partially blind (Coetzee 44). The torture of the barbarian girl is another instance where questions arise on the need for torture. She is one of the captives of colonel Joll who gets subjected to punishment with the aim of getting information. The torture vicariously eliminates the validation behind torture as the little girl is left partially blind. Coetzee, for instance, laments, â€Å"the true challenge is how to play the game by the rules of the state, how to establish own authority, how to imagine torture and death on one own terms.† (Coetzee 13) This is a moral question, which makes Coetzee wondering the reasons behind the colonel’s action, where he kills one of the captives, based on his own terms. The magistrate sympathizes with the little girl taking her to his house where he offers her a job as a cook. At a tender age, she receives sexual assault at the magistrate’

Company Valuation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Company Valuation - Essay Example On the other hand, non-merging firms had a strikingly better record than merging firms from the standpoint of the original shareholders. Further analysis suggested that firms engaging in pure conglomerate type mergers grew most rapidly, while firms engaging in pure internal growth grew most profitable, although growth by conglomerate type merger was more profitable than growth by other types of merger. Merger tends to be for growth, not for profitability. However, also merger is the result of the internal and external pressures and opportunities confronting the firm. Changes in the environment in which a firm has been operating may include merger by competitors and may cause the firm's managers to experience increased uncertainty. This increased uncertainty produces a desire to merge in order to reduce uncertainty. Merger occurs if the desire to merger is accompanied by managerial ability and willingness to carry through an actual merger. Two processes are at work. Mergers occur when the relationship between firms and their environment is disturbed by changes in latter. They have suggested that the amount of competition that is acceptable is limits. Aaronovitch and Sawyer have advocated an approach to merger that "the costs of rivalry" generated by the process of oligopolistic rivalry which fall on the firms involved and would be reduced if rivalry were reduced .The costs in question are those of undesired excess capacity, research and development and promotion and marketing. The major destabilising force to which Aaronovitch and Sawyer have drawn attention is the intensification of international competition. They have examined the relationship b-n indices of international competitiveness and merger activity. The expectation that there would be more mergers the worse the balance on current account and the higher the level of imports was confirmed. No generally agreed theory has been developed. The profit and growth maximisation hypotheses has been recast in terms of their effect on share prices and hence the probability of takeover. Interest on the effects of merger has for the most part been motivated by welfare considerations, although more recently their role in shaping the longer term evolution of the socioeconomic system. Cook and Cohen have pinpointed the general difficulty in the introduction to their detailed case studies: "mergers are a reaction to a changing situation. Judgement depends upon comparing the effects of what actually happened with the effects of what might have happened. Sensitivity analysis is the process of varying the assumptions underlying a decision to determine the decision's sensitivity to those assumptions. It enables managers to assess how responsive NPV is to changes in key variables that are used to calculate it (Drury 1996). Some of the factors that influence the NPV of multinationals are taxes, exchange rates, estimating the terminal value of a project using different methodologies, political risk and the real operating options (Buckley 2000). NPV is calculated using the estimated