Value Engineering and Optimal Building Projects

The goal of any engineering design is to obtain an optimal solution to the design problem. This paper examines how value engineering contributes to the process of obtaining an optimal solution to the design problem for a building project. The factors that determine a building project and its costs are listed and these factors fall into two groups; one group relates to specific engineering systems, while the other group is general in character and relates to the whole building. Value engineering is effective because its procedures give opportunities for raising design issues associated with the latter group of factors as well as for providing for peer-review of the design. A summary of other methods of optimal design—such as design for manufacture and assembly (DFMA), concurrent engineering, and total quality management—is given, and these methods are compared with value engineering. Cost minimization in building construction is discussed with examples from the writer's experience on building projects in West Africa and the Middle East.     

An analysis of success factors and benefits of partnering in construction

Partnering is increasingly being used on construction projects. Partnering involves the parties to a construction project working together in an environment of trust and openness to realise the project efficiently and without conflict. Using a UK-wide postal questionnaire survey, the opinions of different types of organisation — consultants, contractors, and clients were assessed in relation to the success factors and benefits of partnering. The study shows that UK contractors and clients are more positive about partnering than consultants. The research also indicates that certain requirements must be met if partnering is to succeed. In particular, trust, communication, commitment, a clear understanding of roles, consistency and a flexible attitude are necessary. It is recognised that nothing will change without considerable effort from all parties. Respondents believe that partnering can bring significant benefits, including fewer adversarial relationships and increased end-customer satisfaction, to the construction industry if all parties involved in a project strive for its success.     

Preliminary Studies of the Chemical Composition and Sensory Properties of Sweet Potato Starch-Wheat Flour Blend Noodles

Preliminary studies of chemical composition and sensory properties of instant noodles from blends of wheat flour and sweet potato starch were carried out. Sweet potato starch was used to replace wheat flour at 30, 40, 50, 60 and 70%. Proximate, vitamin A, mineral analysis and sensory evaluation were carried out by standard methods. Results showed that the formulated noodles had higher carbohydrate (63.34 – 70.53%), moisture (4.34 – 4.97%) and vitamin A (11.62 – 35.00 mg/100 g) but lower protein (3.36 – 7.89%), fat (16.91 – 25.09%), calcium (0.73 – 0.89%), phosphorus (0.24 – 0.32%), iron (0.10 – 0.27%) and ash content (1.17 – 3.17%) than the commercial noodles from wheat flour. The noodles containing 30% sweet potato starch showed no significant difference (p > 0.05) from commercial noodles (100% wheat flour) in terms of colour, crunchiness, taste and general acceptability, with improved nutrient composition. It is concluded that production and consumption of wheat flour/potato starch blend noodles should be encouraged to increase the calorie and vitamin A intake in the diet, especially for children who are the major consumers of noodles; apart from helping to promote and improve the utilization of sweet potato tubers.     

RETRACTED ARTICLE:3D printing of surface characterisation and finite element analysis improvement of PEEK-HAP-GO in bone implant

The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology - Research and development of polyetheretherketone (PEEK) composites with high thermal conductivities and ideal thermal stabilities...     

Construction programme management theory and practice: Contextual and pragmatic approach

The combination of the economic pressures, maturity and limitations of project management and the dynamic nature of the construction industry clients’ requirements has triggered the need for the adoption and implementation of programme management as a de facto means of aligning, coordinating and managing a portfolio of construction projects to deliver benefits that would not be achievable if the projects were managed independently. Despite the benefits achievable in the practice of programme management, the awareness and understanding of its practice in the construction industry remains vague as a result of a lack of clarity and inconsistencies associated with its definitions. To fully understand the core essence of programme management, it is imperative that its quintessential definition, practice and context are clearly understood and documented. This research is based on a pragmatic synthesis of literature review and industrial questionnaire survey which establishes the relationship, similarities and differences between programme management and project management and subsequently draws comparisons of the practices relevant to programmes between programme and non-programme organisations. The research further highlights the implications of unawareness and lack of understanding that can affect the effective implementation and practice of programme management in the UK construction environment.     

Development of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for human metallothionein-1 in plasma and urine

The development of a sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for human metallothionein-1 is reported. Metallothionein was purified from postmortem human liver and used to raise high-titer antibodies in rabbits. The assay was specific for human metallothionein-1 (MT-1), and there was no significant cross-reaction with human metallothionein-2. The detection limit (sensitivity) of the assay was 5 ng/ml, and the added MT-1 could be fully recovered from plasma and urine. The normal reference range for MT-1 was 32 +/- 16 ng/ml in plasma and 10 +/- 6 ng MT-1 per micromole of creatinine in random samples of urine. No significant differences were found between the values for males and females. The concentration of MT-1 was greatly increased between 24 and 48 hours after surgery, indicating that the protein behaves like an acute phase reactant in human subjects.     

Duration of human singleton pregnancies in Ibadan, Nigeria

Analysis of gestation length in an obstetric population of indigenous African women revealed a mean pregnancy duration of 274.8 days, which is similar to values recorded in women of African descent elsewhere, but about 1 week less than what generally has been reported in women of European ancestry and Japanese women. Factors associated with lower pregnancy duration among these women include increasing maternal age and gravidity, and the birth of a male infant. It is concluded that mean pregnancy duration in Nigerian women is shorter than the 280 days normally used in obstetric calculations. The consistent finding of a shorter length of gestation in these and other black women suggests earlier maturity of the fetoplacental unit. Earlier institution of antepartum fetal monitoring in women of African descent, particularly women > 30 years old and those with high parity, may reduce the risks of fetal morbidity and mortality attributable to postmaturity in their offspring.     

Professional ethics in the South African construction industry

Professional codes of conduct have developed to reflect the parameters of normative behaviour within which members of the professions should operate. The professional responsibilities and obligations of members toward their peers, their clients and the general public are usually delineated within these codes of conduct. An overview of business and professional ethics within construction is provided and the ethical issues facing South African construction professions are summarized. Specifically, this paper addresses ethical issues with regard to the breach of professional responsibilities and obligations to clients and the general public, as evidenced from a questionnaire survey of architects, contractors, quantity surveyors and consulting engineers. The survey findings indicate that, notwithstanding noticeable breaches, the professions take their responsibilities and obligations seriously, and regard a balance between their obligations to clients and the general public as paramount. Breaches in professional responsibilities include conflicts of interest and the divulging of confidential and proprietary information to a third party; both professionals and clients are guilty of such breaches.

Les codes de bonne conduite professionnels se sont développés de façon à refléter les paramètres du comportement normatif dans le cadre duquel les membres des professions libérales doivent exercer leurs activités. Les responsabilités et les obligations professionnelles des membres vis-à-vis de leurs pairs, de leurs clients et du grand public sont habituellement définies dans le cadre de ces codes de bonne conduite. Un panorama général de l'éthique professionnelle et des affaires dans le secteur du bâtiment est fourni et les problèmes éthiques auxquels sont confrontées les professions du bâtiment en Afrique du Sud sont y sont résumés. Cet article aborde plus précisément les problèmes éthiques concernant le non-respect des responsabilités et des obligations professionnelles à l'égard des clients et du grand public, suite à une enquête par questionnaire auprès d'architectes, de promoteurs, de métreurs-vérificateurs et d'ingénieurs d'études. Les résultats de cette enquête indiquent que, nonobstant d'évidentes violations, ces professions prennent leurs responsabilités et leurs obligations au sérieux, et considèrent comme primordial un équilibre entre leurs obligations envers leurs clients et envers le grand public. Les manquements aux obligations professionnelles incluent des conflits d'intérêts et la divulgation d'informations confidentielles à un tiers. Les professionnels comme les clients sont coupables de tels manquements.

Mots clé architectes, éthique des affaires, codes de bonne conduite, ingénieurs d'études, éthique, éthique personnelle, éthique professionnelle, responsabilité professionnelle, métreurs-vérificateurs, Afrique du Sud