DIMENSIONS VOL.10, ISSUE 10, OCT 2018

A Journal of A N Prakash Construction Project Management Consultants Pvt. L td

IN This Issue

FROM THE MANAGING

DIRECTOR’S DESK

EDITOR’S NOTE

MILESTONES

TREE TRANSPLANTATION

THE SOUND OF SILENCE

WHY INVESTIGATE

BUILDING FAILURES?

GRANDMA’S CORNER

ADVANCED EXCEL

LESSONS

APPENDIX

Cover page photo: Habitat Illuminar (Tower 10), Bangalore

THE ISSUE OF DIMENSIONS IS FOR PRIVATE CIRCULATION ONLY

We have completed the assessment for the year 2017-18 (based on the

goal sheets) in consultation with

respective PICs and the

management team.

Subsequently we have arrived at the

increments and designation

changes for all the deserving

employees.

The assessment exercise revealed

many interesting facts:

• The organization is top

heavy.

• Has to be pruned to

achieve efficient structure.

• Knowledge possessed by

many engineers is not

commensurate with years of

experience.

• Many young engineers

possess good soft skills and hard skills.

• Engineers with good soft

skills and hard skills must be

recognized and rewarded.

To identify and recognize those who

have acquired or acquire soft skills,

we plan to introduce suitable

amendments to goal sheets to be

able to assess every individual.

I suggest that each one of you surf

the net, to know which are the most

desirable soft skills that are to be

acquired to be a successful

engineer.

One link to know what the desirable

soft skills are:

https://www.pmexamsmartnotes.com/11-essential-soft-skills-required-for-a-project-manager/

You may refer other web sites too to

find all the useful soft skills that can

help you in your career.

All the best.

During last month’s visit to Ramky 1

Galaxia, Hyderabad, when I

handed over to the SIC, KVVS

Ramakrishna, the prize check for the

Best Answer to the question asked in

the previous issue of Dimensions, he

explained the methodology recently

put into action to win the prize.

When all were free from their duties,

they would gather together and

discuss the question asked and one

who seemed to have given the best

answer was asked to send it. This is a

unique method devised by the SIC

and has proved to be successful.

The only drawback is explained in

this proverb: If you want to go fast,

go alone. If you want to go far, go

together. When time is critical, a

different method should be devised.

So, the best advice could be:

DIMENSIONS VOL.10, ISSUE 10, OCT 2018 2

A Journal of A N Prakash Construction Project Management Consultants Pvt. L td

MILESTONES

Welcome to New Employees

Vishwanath

joined as Project Engineer at

Himatsingka, Hassan, Karnataka

Yadavalli

Subbarayudu joined as Site

Engineer at Jayabheri – The

Capital, Vijayawada

: Kiran R joined

as Asst. Project Engineer at RVIT,

Bangalore

Bharath Kumar E

joined as Sr. Project Engineer at B

& B Opulent Spire, B’lore

Kishore J joined

as Junior Engineer, Trainee at

ADPL, HO

Balasubramanya B N, rejoined as

Sr. Project Manager at ADPL,

presently posted to a site at Jigani,

Bangalore

Birthdays – November

SURESHA R,

Bangalore HO, 22nd November

PRASAD B R, RVIT,

28th November

New Projects

Science Gallery Project - Bangalore

News from the Sites

Jayabheri – The Capital

Shaik Abid Ali, Safety Officer at

Jayabheri – The Capital, gave a

Tool Box talk which was very

inspiring, the Workers clapping

spontaneously several times

during the speech.

Parsons Nutritionals

’Project Hercules’ the latest

project by ANPCPMC at Parsons

Nutritionals, Harohalli was recently

inaugurated (on the 26th October)

Ravi HS, SIC of ANPCPMC at

Parsons, being commended by

the Client

Certificate of commendation

A Sapling being planted to

commemorate the event

Next project has just commenced

CMR Ekya School

Sreekumar K G, SIC at CMR Ekya

School, expected to be

completed in this year

DIMENSIONS VOL.10, ISSUE 10, OCT 2018 3

A Journal of A N Prakash Construction Project Management Consultants Pvt. L td

CMR Hostel

Shivraj H M, SIC of CMR Hostel, the

work to be handed over soon

Airaa School

R Vignesh (second from right), SIC

of Airaa School site interacting

with the PHE Consultant

Celebrations - Nemmadi Team

At the start of Lunch

Uday Prakash invited the

Nemmadi Team for lunch to

celebrate several records for

Home Inspections set in the

month of September 18.

ANP and Vani Prakash joined the

Nemmadi team for Lunch

Great effort in converting the

enquiries, good coordination,

full effort in inspecting; quickly

reviewing and reporting – all

these ensured the success.

4 inspections were

done in a single day,

10 inspections were

done in one week,

35 inspections

completed in one

month

Lunch at completing stages

Accolades

The third place in the BNI Top

Achievers of the Month for Aug

2018 has been bagged by R

Suresha of Nemmmadi.

Travel Experiences of ANP

A N Prakash had the

opportunity of meeting Rahul

Gandhi and Sanjeev Sanyal on the 13th of this month during his

travels.

Sanjeev Sanyal is the author of

the book ‘Land of the Seven

Rivers’. The book is about how

the country’s history was

shaped by its rivers, mountains

and cities.

Autograph by Sanjeev Sanyal

After their conversations during

the flight both Rahul Gandhi

and Sanjeev Sanyal

autographed the book ‘Land

of the Seven Rivers’ for ANP.

Autograph by Rahul Gandhi

Sanjeev Sanyal & his book ‘Land of

the Seven Rivers’

Supervision by Nemmadi

A residential building at

Kadugodi which was inspected periodically by

Nemmadi completed recently.

Residential building at Kadugodi

‘Gruhapravesham’ ceremony of

the residence in progress.

DIMENSIONS VOL.10, ISSUE 10, OCT 2018 4

A Journal of A N Prakash Construction Project Management Consultants Pvt. L td

Know Your Colleague - Md. Imran Ahmed

Md. Imran Ahmed

The only son of his parents,

Imran was unlucky to lose his

Father when studying in the 6th

standard. Since then, he was

taken care of by his

grandmother and his younger

sister by other kin staying

nearby.

Relatives being a great source

of support both financially and

emotionally, Imran decided

that he too should do his duty

by studying and working as

hard as he could.

Imran did a course in Civil

Engineering, studying at his

hometown, Mysore. He was

the captain of the college

cricket team, himself being a

fast bowler (he claims that he

was quite slim in those days).

In the early days of his career it

was difficult to make ends

meet but he struggled to meet

his commitments. He worked

for Nityananda Associates -

Mysore for 2 years, M-Far

Constructions for a year,

Intellect PMC for 4 years and

Vasoo Builders for nearly 1

year.

It was at this time that B R

Prasad, Project Manager of

ANPCPMC at RV College site,

seeing his potential for hard

and sincere work (as he

slogged for the Contractor),

recommended him to

ANPCPMC. He was selected

and since then he has

completed two works

successfully at Mysore –

Mercedes Benz Showroom and

Shahi Exports. Imran is now set to start another job at

Srirangapatnam.

Md. Imran Ahmed as SIC today

It took ten years or so of

struggle to reach here during

which period he saw to it that

his sister completed her studies

(B.Ed), got employment and

was married, all the while

taking care of his mother.

Lubna & Imran

It was only then that he turned

attention to himself. Imran’s

wife Lubna Sidikka is a

homemaker, committed to

taking care of their daughter &

Mother-in-law. Lubna has

totally supported Imran, asking

him not to worry about the

home and concentrate on the

work. Imran considers this as a

great consolation without

which he could not have

succeeded in his career.

Lubna in Arabic means storax tree

from which a balsam is obtained,

used in perfumes & medicine.

They have a five year

daughter Iqra (‘Read”) who

was born prematurely and was

in the ICU for a month or so,

making him value her all the

more.

His hobbies are playing cricket,

football and shuttlecock with

family members and a

compulsory visit to the Gym

every day.

Iqra & Imran

DIMENSIONS VOL.10, ISSUE 10, OCT 2018 5

A Journal of A N Prakash Construction Project Management Consultants Pvt. L td

TREE TRANSPLANTATION

by Achyutkumar A,

Nemmadi

Do we take a patient directly

from the ICU and send him

home by public transport? No,

that cannot be imagined at all

(unless, of course, the patient is

too poor and cannot afford to

pay, in which case that may

be his or her fate). In the usual

course of things, what is done

is that the person is sent to the

ward where he is given time to

recuperate. A special watch is

kept and all the vital signs are

closely monitored.

If such care is being given to

humans, why should a tree be

considered not worthy of such

treatment? Is it because it is a

dumb being? But, dumb or

not, all creatures have the

same physiological

characteristics and will not

survive a shock / stress it is

subjected to when

transplanted. But if you treat it

as a child that it is really is, then

you can save it while

transplanting. Read below

what you need to keep in

mind while going about the

work and you will have great

satisfaction that you have

saved a life.

Tree transplantation is useful

where construction of large

scale projects is to be done

without cutting of trees. Since

trees have established itself in

the soil for many years, it is not

possible to lift a tree overnight.

The method of transplantation

should be:

Initial Preparation

Root investigation, Diagnosis of

the tree and treating any

infected parts.

Soil Sampling, Testing & Site

Selection

The condition of the soil where

the tree has to be transplanted

is thoroughly checked &

necessary treatments done to

the soil after digging a pit.

There are large differences in

the environmental requirement

for each tree. The light

conditions, moisture, soil pH,

wind exposure & drainage

should be taken into

consideration. All plants

require space for root and

crown development, therefore

adequate distance from other

plants is necessary.

Root pruning and initiating

fresh root growth

It is needed to systematically

prune the roots in phases and

initiate fresh growth of roots

and make the plant adapt

itself gradually into a new routine whereby after cutting

the roots, the cut parts are

treated. It is a gradual process

and it takes about 3-4 months

to actually pack a tree into a

new system of living. Since

roots are cut in a phased

manner, labor is required all

through this period.

Tree packing, feeding and

monitoring for adaptation

This involves packing of trees,

timely feeding of the plant with

soluble fertilizers and watering.

There has to be regular

monitoring regarding fertilizer

schedules and the chemicals

like insecticides and pesticides.

Simultaneously expert staff is needed to sew packing

material properly and tightly

according to the root

requirement.

At IISc – Young tree packed for

moving to a new location

After we have packed the

plant in the same environment

it needs external support to

remain in the same position

without falling down because

of wind pressure. Scaffolding is

required for about one and a

half to three months

depending upon the condition

of the tree, by which time it will

be able to stand by itself.

Lifting of trees

A crane is required to lift the

packed tree and usually a

trolley or truck is used to

transport the tree depending

upon its size. An excavator is

used for digging pits. Pruning

may be required depending

upon the size of the root ball,

the plant canopy, health of

the plant, species transplanted

or because of overhead wires

and spread of the road while

transplantation of the tree.

IISc – Tree being transplanted

Mechanical Support & Pruning

Mechanical support for trees is

necessary when the tree is tall,

slow to recover & heavily

foliaged. The support provided

to a tree should be removed

as soon as the tree can stand

alone. It takes about 30 to 45

days for the transplanted tree

to grow new branches &

foliage.

Post Transplantation Treatments

Insect infested stems or those

infected with disease should be removed during

transplanting and treatment

given. Any broken stems

during transplanting should be

removed cautiously.

Sometimes additional pruning

may be required to balance

the leaf area with the reduced

size of root system.

Thanks to Akthar Saifudeen for

contributing photos of trees being

transplanted at IISc , Bangalore to

make way for the new project (for

which ANPCPMC are the PMC.

DIMENSIONS VOL.10, ISSUE 10, OCT 2018

A Journal of A N Prakash Construction Project Management Consultants Pvt. L td

THE SOUND OF SILENCE

Thejesha MM, HO

In the last issue of Dimensions, the MD

had advised that we should ‘Listen’,

which also means that we should

watch for nonverbal cues that could

indicate what the speaker isn’t saying.

What is not said is often as important as what is.

In the present article this point is

elaborated upon.

Let’s first look at a communication

interaction from the sender’s and

receiver’s perspective.

A Sender's Perspective

Here are some things that get in the

way from a sender’s perspective, and

why it’s so critical to listen for what’s

not being said:

Sometimes, we don’t have the words

or vocabulary, nor the emotional self-

awareness, to express what we’re

feeling and get our needs out there.

Other times, we are afraid to express

our true thoughts or feelings

In both cases, the result is that we

either avoid a topic, or communicate

in vague terms that might seem

irrelevant to a listener and get glossed

over.

A Listener's Perspective

From a listener’s perspective, what

gets in the way?

We talk too much and don’t listen

enough.

We listen to respond instead of

listening to understand.

We’re not listening for word clues or

noticing body language that signify

there’s additional information that is

yet to be uncovered.

How to Listen Better for What's Not

Being Said

What then can one do to better listen

for what’s not being said?

First, be curious & quiet and listen to

understand (don’t think about what

you will say next).

Listen for the underlying issue or

emotion (a fight about dirty clothes

on the floor isn’t about the clothes on

the floor; there’s a larger issue at

play).

Ask clarifying questions to ensure you

understand before moving on from a

topic. Listen and clarify. Repeat, as

needed.

Trust your gut if you’re feeling like

you’re not getting the complete story.

Notice any body language changes

(i.e. change in position, facial

movements), which may be a cue or

clue to ask more questions.

Listen for any emotional clues that

signal there might be more to the

story.

When we communicate effectively,

we understand where another person

is coming from. If you don’t

understand where someone else is

coming from (you don’t need to

agree with them), it means you need

to ask more questions.

Ask yourself in your head during a

pause in the conversation: “What’s

not being said?”

There’s not a formula to learn how

to listen for what’s not being said, and

it will vary based on the person,

relationship, or situation. That said, the

strategies above are worth

considering.

Peter Drucker said, “The most

important thing in communication is

hearing what isn’t said.”

That is a great quote. But exactly

HOW do you listen to what’s not said?

Here are 9 concepts for hearing what

isn’t said:

Avoid Personal Bias – We are all

human we have biases, opinions,

impressions, and judgments. The only

way to avoid personal bias is to first be aware of it. You can’t stop them from

impacting your interpretation if you

don’t know what they are.

Listen with all of your senses – Don’t

merely hear what is being said. Look

at the person’s body language and

notice if there are inconsistencies

between what is said and their non-

verbal messages.

Stop talking. Stop thinking about your

response – Focus on the person. Don’t

try to imagine how you will respond.

Give them your full attention. Don’t

interrupt or finish their sentences for

them. Let them talk at their own pace.

Let them pause and think.

Remove distractions – In order to fully

listen, put away anything that could

distract. Turn off your phone and turn

it over. Don’t doodle. Don’t stare out

the window. These behaviors send the

message that what they are saying is

not important.

Put yourself in their shoes – Try to

understand the situation from their

point of view.

Listen to the volume and tone – The

words may not convey what is most

important, but the volume and tone

could give you important clues to

what the person is reluctant to share.

Listen for the underlying emotion and

values – Deep listening goes past the

facts. Try to imagine what emotion is

beneath. Attempt to see what

personal values are being supported

or violated.

Be curious – Instead of having an

expectation about how the discussion

will go, be curious.

Ask clarifying questions – Once the

person is finished what they are

saying, ask questions to ensure you

understand what they wanted to say.

The questions need to be neutral and without judgment. “You did what????”

is not a good way to keep the

conversation open.

DIMENSIONS VOL.10, ISSUE 10, OCT 2018 7

A Journal of A N Prakash Construction Project Management Consultants Pvt. L td

Listen to how something is said. We

frequently concentrate so hard on

what is said that we miss the

importance of the emotional

reactions and attitudes related to

what is said.

Why is communication important?

What if you wanted something (or

someone), but kept denying it when

you were asked? How would you let it

be known that you were omitting

something, and that you really meant

something else? That is the core of the

difficulty of communication.

Most of us have been there at some

point in time, when we say one thing,

but the other party takes it the wrong

way. They missed a clue, or they have

a different sense of humor and missed

the sarcasm. Then there’s everyone’s

favorite answer to the question

“What’s wrong?” If they say

“Nothing,” then you know something

is wrong.

Being able to hear what has not been

said is crucial to understanding what

they mean, even if it’s not what they

said. Communication is the term we

use to describe the action of moving

an idea or an emotion from one

person to another. If you missed part

of it, you don’t have the whole story or

the whole picture.

Where can I apply this in my life?

Think about all the times in your life

when you blew it. Someone said

something and you just didn’t get

what they were trying to

communicate.

Or perhaps you have more

experience at saying the wrong thing,

or otherwise not getting your true

intent communicated despite your

words.

Common Barriers to Listening

There are many things that get in the

way of listening and you should be

aware of these barriers, many of

which are bad habits, in order to

become a more effective

listener. Barriers and bad habits to

effective listening can include:

Trying to listen to more than one

conversation at a time, this includes

having the television or radio on while

attempting to listen to somebody talk;

being on the phone to one person

and talking to another person in the

same room.

You find the communicator

attractive/unattractive and you pay

more attention to how you feel about

the communicator and their physical

appearance than to what they say.

You are not interested in the

topic/issue being discussed and

become bored.

Not focusing and being easily

distracted, fiddling with your hair,

fingers, a pen etc. or gazing out of the

window or focusing on objects other

than the speaker.

Identifying rather than empathizing -

understanding what you are hearing

but not putting yourself in the shoes of

the speaker. Effective listening

involves opening your mind to the

views of others and attempting to feel

empathetic.

Sympathizing rather than

empathizing - sympathy is not the

same as empathy, you sympathize

when you feel sorry for the

experiences of another, to empathize

is to put yourself in the position of the

other person.

You are prejudiced or biased by race,

gender, age, religion, accent, and/or

past experiences.

You have preconceived ideas or

bias - effective listening includes

being open-minded to the ideas and

opinions of others, this does not mean

you have to agree but should listen

and attempt to understand.

Previous experiences – we are all

influenced by previous experiences in

life. We respond to people based on

personal appearances, how initial

introductions or welcomes were

received and/or previous

interpersonal encounters. All of us

carry such baggage which bogs us

down.

Preoccupation - when we have a lot

on our minds we can fail to listen to

what is being said as we're too busy

concentrating on what we're thinking

about. This is particularly true when we

feel stressed or worried about issues.

Having a Closed Mind - we all have

ideals and values that we believe to

be correct and it can be difficult to

listen to the views of others that

contradict our own opinions. The key

to effective listening and interpersonal

skills more generally is the ability to

have a truly open mind - to

understand why others think about

things differently to you and use this

information to gain a better

understanding of the speaker.

Non-Verbal Signs of Ineffective

Listening

Generally, signs of inattention while

listening include:

Lack of eye contact with the speaker – listeners who are engaged

with the speaker tend to give eye

contact. Lack of eye contact can,

however, also be a sign of shyness.

An inappropriate posture - slouched,

leaning back or ‘swinging’ on a chair,

leaning forward onto a desk or table

and/or a constantly shifting

posture. People who are paying

attention tend to lean slightly towards

the speaker.

Being distracted - fidgeting, doodling,

looking at a watch, yawning.

Inappropriate expressions and lack of

head nods - often when a listener is

engaged with a speaker they nod

their head, this is usually an almost

subconscious way of encouraging the

speaker and showing attention. Lack

of head nods can mean the opposite

– listening is not happening. The same

can be true of facial expressions,

attentive listeners use smiles as feedback mechanisms and to show

attention.

DIMENSIONS VOL.10, ISSUE 10, OCT 2018 8

A Journal of A N Prakash Construction Project Management Consultants Pvt. L td

WHY INVESTIGATE BUILDING FAILURES?

Suhas NM, Nemmadi, Reference: Journal of Construction

Engineering and Management, Vol. 128,

No. 1, February 1, 2002

Gangaram Building Collapse

A building under construction

in Bengaluru belonging to N.

Gangaram, collapsed on 12

September 1983 resulting in 123 dead

and over 120 injured. This building

collapse is considered as one of the

worst tragedies of Bangalore city.

Gangaram Building Collapse

The seven-storey building, which had

been planned to be a hotel and

shopping complex, was located next

to Kapali Cinema theatre on Subedar

Chatram Road, near the Majestic

area. Construction had started in 1981

and on 12 September 1983 at 3.25

pm, it collapsed, killing construction

workers, customers of the nearby

Gangaram bookstore, pedestrians

and two people who were watching

cinema in the adjacent theatre.

Deaths totaled 123 and there were

over 120 injured. The son of N.

Gangaram, the owner of the building,

was among the dead: his body was

not found until the 30th day of rescue

work.

If one tries to find any records of the

causes of the disaster, we draw a

blank. It is possibly available in the

court records because the State

Government ordered a judicial

enquiry and the owner of the building

and three contractors were arrested.

During investigation, one reason for

the collapse was identified as

"structural violations". Charges were

filed against Gangaram and the

Contractor, but all six accused were

acquitted by Karnataka High Court on

22 February 2005. The court observed

that the witnesses were not properly

cross-examined by the prosecution!!!

So, what happened and why? What

are the lessons learnt? How can we

prevent a repeat of such a disaster?

These questions remain unanswered for there is no investigation done into

this or even if it is done, it is not

available to the public.

Why Conduct Disaster and Failure

Studies.

Buildings, bridges, and other man-

made structures are not supposed to

collapse or suffer damages during

construction or while in service. But

sometimes they do, and for different

reasons: fires, earthquakes, high winds

or storm surge, errors in design and

construction, flaws in materials, and

manmade disasters, including terrorist

attacks.

Extreme events such as these test

buildings and infrastructure in ways

and on a scale that cannot easily be

replicated in a laboratory - buildings

and infrastructure are built without

being tested at full scale. The “real

world” is the laboratory for buildings

and infrastructure and disaster and

failure events provide valuable data

on their performance under real world

conditions.

Imagine not utilizing such an

opportunity to study failures for the

purpose of preventing future

disasters!! But that is exactly what

happens if the truth is swept under the

carpet.

The study of disaster and failure events

is essential to improve the

performance of buildings and

infrastructure, the safety of building

occupants, and the associated

evacuation and emergency response

procedures.

The results of disaster and failure

studies also help assess the adequacy

of codes and standards, current

practices, and the state-of-

knowledge in these areas. In addition,

the results of studies help minimize

future risk and increase safety through

improved codes, standards, and

practices.

Efforts to reduce construction failures

by studying their causes has led to a

meaningful reduction in occurrence.

Hence trying to reduce the incidence

of construction failures should be a

continuous process.

Causes of failures fall into five general

areas:

• Design deficiencies

• Construction deficiencies

• Material deficiencies

• Administrative deficiencies

• Maintenance deficiencies.

Six factors that could help prevent

structural accidents:

• Good communications and

organization in the construction

industry

• Inspection of construction by

structural engineers

• Increasing the general quality of

design

• Improving the structural

connection design details and

shop drawings

• Proper selection of architects and

engineers

• Timely dissemination of technical

data.

Main causes of construction failure

are:

• Formwork failures and collapses

• Inadequate temporary bracing

• Overloading and/or impact

during construction

• Failure to have a qualified person

in charge

• Designs not reflecting the actual

construction loads and field

conditions

• Construction sequences not

consistent with design

considerations

• Improper definition of

responsibility

• Financial pressures to complete

the project early • Incomplete connections -

installing a few bolts and

intending to complete the bolting

process later

• Failure to use the materials

specified or prefabricated

elements being damaged during

their handling and erection

DIMENSIONS VOL.10, ISSUE 10, OCT 2018 9

A Journal of A N Prakash Construction Project Management Consultants Pvt. L td

• Unauthorized modifications to the

construction specified in the

contract document

• Supporting members damaged

by other contractors as they are

installing their work (e.g., duct

work/plumbing)

• Poor communication, failure to follow design plans, failure to

follow recommended industry

practice, and carelessness

• Inadequacy of the system during

erection

• Lack of common sense, including

intoxicated, drug impaired

workers, or improper safety

equipment

• Poor communication between

the designer and contractor

• No consideration for soil

conditions

• Incorrect crane operations

• Incompetent supervisors

• Nature, gross design error,

terrorism, or contractor

negligence

• Inadequate original design,

which is unknown to the

contractor

• Insufficient or improper checking

of the shop drawings

• Decisions from those with

insufficient knowledge or

education

• Lack of proper inspection

• Unreasonable schedule

• Inadequate training and

education

• Unknown or erroneous

geotechnical information.

Lessons learnt from 9/11 with specific

reference to WTC 7

The office building known as WTC 7

was a more typical New York City

skyscraper compared with the super-

tall twin towers that had been hit by

jets and jet fuel. Building seven stood

for nearly seven more hours after the

nearby north tower collapsed.

Crumbling at 5:20:52 p.m. ET after a

long day of terror, WTC 7 was never attacked, but it, too, collapsed. This

building's collapse was the first known

instance of the total collapse of a tall

building primarily due to fires. In 1945

an Air Force bomber accidentally flew

into the Empire State Building one

foggy morning, and the skyscraper

built in 1931 did not collapse.

The collapse of WTC 7 highlights the

importance of designing fire-resistant

structures for situations where sprinklers

are not present, do not function (e.g.,

due to disconnected or impaired

water supply), or are overwhelmed.

The WTC 7 fell on 9/11 because of "a

fire-induced progressive collapse...the spread of local damage, from an

initiating event...." The building met

the New York City building codes of

1968 — regulations written over thirty

years before 9/11.

The age of a building code should not

matter, however. On the south end of

the World Trade Center site, a 23-story

Gothic skyscraper never collapsed

although it was heavily damaged on

9/11. The steel frame of the 1907

building built at 90 West Street was

reinforced with heat-resistant terra

cotta, tile, and concrete.

Areas of Needed Change –

Recommendations made after a

study of the disaster

• Increase structural integrity to

prevent progressive collapse

• Enhance fire endurance,

including ratings and testing of

spray-applied materials

• Create new methods for fire

resistant design, including burnout

without collapse

• Improve active fire protection

systems such as sprinklers, alarms

• Improve building evacuation and

emergency communication

procedures and design

• Improve emergency response,

including command and control

• Improve procedures and

practices, including code

compliance and documentation

• Education and training ("for fire

protection engineers, structural

engineers, architects, and

building regulatory and fire

service personnel")

After the 9/11 attacks on the World

Trade Center, since a proper and thorough investigation was done into

the causes of failure, it was possible to

make the following changes to the

International Codes:

• Elevators are required in high-rise

buildings more than 120 feet tall

so firefighters can get to, and

fight fires, without walking up from

the ground floor with heavy

equipment;

• An additional stairway for high-

rises that are more than 420 feet

tall;

• In lieu of the additional stairway,

an option to provide enhanced

elevators that can be used by the building occupants for

emergency evacuation without

waiting for assistance from

emergency personnel;

• A higher standard for fire

resistance in high-rise buildings

more than 420 feet tall;

• More robust fire proofing for

buildings more than 75 feet tall.

• Shafts enclosing elevators and

exit stairways that have impact

resistant walls;

• Self-luminous exit pathway

markings in all exit stairways that

provide a lighted pathway when

both the primary and secondary

lighting fails; and

• Radio coverage systems within

the building to allow emergency

personnel to better communicate

within the building and with

emergency staff outside.

WTC Collapse - 9/11

What if all were in denial mode as it

happened during the Gangaram

Building collapse?

None of the changes in the building

codes could have happened and we

would have gained nothing by the

incident. What a loss it would have

been!!

It requires conviction and courage to

look the issue in the eye!

If you want to see how 9/11 building

collapse happened, see it online

at https://www.cs.purdue.edu/cgvlab

/papers/

popescu/popescuWTCVIS07.mov

DIMENSIONS VOL.10, ISSUE 10, OCT 2018 10

A Journal of A N Prakash Construction Project Management Consultants Pvt. L td

A Monthly column by Mary A

Guest Writer of the month: A N Prakash

Ginger & Jaggery

Ginger & Jaggery

Ginger

Native to Southeast Asia, ginger is

common in food and medicine

around the world. The ginger plant is

rich in natural chemicals that can

promote your health and wellness.

Benefits

Anti-inflammatory

Inflammation is one of your body’s

natural self-preservation functions.

Germs, chemicals, and poor diet can

cause too much inflammation and

harm your body.

Consuming ginger may help prevent

and heal inflammation. One study

found that ginger could reduce

allergic reactions, in which

inflammation can play a role.

Another study also showed that

people who took daily ginger

supplements had less muscle pain

after working out. Muscle pain can be

caused by inflammation.

Antioxidant

The antioxidant properties of ginger

may help to prevent:

• Heart disease

• Neurodegenerative diseases,

such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and

Huntington’s

• Cancer

• Symptoms of aging

Antioxidants fight reactive oxygen

species (ROS), which cause oxidative

stress and damage your cells. Your

body naturally makes ROS, but some

lifestyle choices, like drinking large

quantities of alcohol, smoking, or

experiencing chronic stress can make

you produce too much ROS. Consuming foods and drinks with

antioxidants, like ginger water, can

help prevent and fight the negative

side effects of ROS.

It was found that ginger could prevent

or slow down kidney failure. Ginger

may also slow the growth of tumors

and may help control some types of

cancer.

Balance blood sugar

Ginger can improve fasting blood

sugar in people with diabetes. These

and other findings show promise that

ginger can help treat health concerns

caused by chronic diabetes.

Cholesterol

A study showed that ginger reduced

heart disease markers like arginase

activity, LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, and

triglycerides in rats give a high-fat diet.

Weight loss

Ginger water may help promote

weight loss when combined with a healthy diet and exercise.

Hydration

This benefit is mostly because you’re

taking your ginger in water. Staying

hydrated is very important for

supporting every aspect of your

health. Many of us simply don’t drink

enough water each day. Starting your

day with a glass of ginger water, or

finding another regular time to drink

one each day, will help you hydrate.

Jaggery

Jaggery is unrefined sugar derived

from concentrated raw sugarcane

juice. However, it can also be made

using different other sources like nolen

gur or date palm and coconut sap.

Jaggery that is made from the juice of

raw and concentrated sugarcane is

the one that is commonly used.

Jaggery is made by boiling the juice

of sugarcane and then heating it for

producing thick crystals. Jaggery

consists of sugar in the form of sucrose

and is widely used in different food

products in the form of a sweetener. It

is considered healthier in comparison

to refined sugar because there are

different plant minerals and

phytochemicals preserved in jaggery.

Health Benefits of Jaggery

Rich in iron

Jaggery is quite rich in its content of

folate and iron and therefore it helps

in the prevention of anemia. It also

offers instant energy preventing

weakness and fatigue of the human

body

Filled with minerals

Jaggery is packed with minerals and

antioxidants like selenium and zinc

and these help in preventing free-

radical damage. These minerals and

antioxidants also help in boosting the

body’s resistance to different

infections.

Beauty treatment

Jaggery proves to be highly beneficial

when used for beauty treatment. It

comes loaded with several natural

properties ensuring the health of the

skin for a very long span of time. It is

rich in its content of different minerals and vitamins and thus offers proper

nourishment to the skin. Proper

nourishment for the skin means

healthy and glowing skin. Jaggery is

also effective in preventing and

treating different skin problems like

pimples and acne

Digestive process

It is quite effective in maintaining

proper functioning of the digestive

system. Properly functioning digestive

system means proper prevention of

digestive issues and improvement in

digestion at the same time. Jaggery

stimulates the secretion of digestive

enzyme and therefore speeds up the

procedure of digestion. Proper

digestion helps in regulating bowel

movement

Improves metabolism

The high mineral content of jaggery

and high levels of potassium helps in

GRANDMA’S CORNER

DIMENSIONS VOL.10, ISSUE 10, OCT 2018 11

A Journal of A N Prakash Construction Project Management Consultants Pvt. L td

the management of weight. This is

done by reducing the retention of

extra water in the human body. The

potassium content of jaggery

maintains electrolyte balance,

improves metabolism and builds

muscles help in weight loss.

Filled with iron

Jaggery is one of the richest sources

of iron and therefore it should be

eaten in combination with foods that

are rich in vitamin C. This helps in the

absorption of iron within the body.

Jaggery is considered one of the best

sources of getting long, smooth,

strong, black and healthy hair.

Water retention

Minor health issues like water

retention, migraine, bloating and

cough and cold that are experienced

by individuals on a regular basis can

easily be dealt with the help of

jaggery. The only thing that needs to

be done is mixing jaggery with warm

water or adding it in tea for reaping

instant benefits.

Released hormones

Women who experience mood swings

prior to having their periods can

greatly benefit from having jaggery.

Mood swings are the cause of

fluctuating hormone levels in the

body. Jaggery helps in the release of

happy hormones called endorphins.

These relax the body making women

feel better.

Improves nervous system

Jaggery also helps in preventing

major issues faced with the nervous

system of the body. It contains several

natural properties which are of good

help in keeping the nervous system

functioning properly. This in turn helps

individuals in staying healthy and

normal.

Prevents respiratory issues

Having jaggery on a regular basis can

help in prevention of different

respiratory issues like bronchitis and

asthma. Experts are of the view that

taking jaggery in the form of a natural

sweetener in perfect combination

with sesame seeds can be highly beneficial for the respiratory system in

human beings. Jaggery contains

properties that help in regulating the

temperature of the body and this is

something that is highly beneficial for

the patients of asthma. It is also worth

noting that jaggery contains anti-

allergy properties as well

Joint relief

For the ones who tend to suffer from

pains and aches in their joints, having

jaggery can offer the much required

relief. If experts are to be believed,

jaggery when taken along with ginger

can work wonders in alleviating joint

pain.

Having a glass of milk along with

jaggery on a regular basis can also

help in strengthening the bones and in

preventing bone and joint problems

like arthritis.

Uses of Jaggery

Jaggery by many people is used as a

lining to coat the walls of earthen

ovens. In many rural parts of India,

jaggery has for decades been used a

toothpaste. Inferior quality jaggery

mixed with a little dust of tobacco

and is used to clean the teeth.

Jaggery is also used in cattle feed

during winters as it helps them keep

warm. It also increases the milk yield.

Side-Effects & Allergies of Jaggery

Consuming high amount of jaggery

for a long time can lead to increase in

weight. If not consumed in

moderation, it may lead to increase in

blood sugar levels. Consuming

jaggery for a long period can result in

intestinal worm infestation.

IMLI SONTH CHUTNEY / TAMARIND

GINGER & JAGGERY CHUTNEY

TAMARIND GINGER & JAGGERY CHUTNEY

A sweet and tangy chutney with a hit

of spice - perfect accompaniment

to samosas, dahi bhalla and

other chaat.

INGREDIENTS

2tsp jeera (cumin seeds); 5-6 whole

black peppercorns; 8-10 cloves; 2-3

large sticks of cinnamon;

100 gms imli (dried tamarind, peeled

but with the seeds); 200 gms jiggery; 1

whole dried red chilli;

½ tsp sonth (dried ginger powder); 1

tsp kala namak (called black salt, but

actually looks pink); ¼ tsp table salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Toast jeera, pepper and

cloves in kadhai on medium

heat until fragrant and 2

shades darker, approximately

2 minutes. Turn off the heat.

2. In a saucepan, place the

toasted masalas, whole red

chilli, cinnamon, tamarind,

jaggery and 4 cups of water.

Set this on high heat and

bring to a boil, stirring to

ensure that the jaggery has

melted and the tamarind also

becomes soft and pulpy.

3. Once it comes to a boil,

reduce the heat to medium

and cook for about 10

minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Take it off the heat, allow to

cool slightly and then pass

through a sieve -- pressing the

solids against the sieve to

release as much liquid and

pulp as possible.

5. Discard the solids and set the

liquid back to heat, adding

the salts and ginger powder.

Cook on medium-high heat

until reduced and thickened

to the consistency of warm

honey, approx 8-10 mins.

6. Take off the heat and allow to

cool (at which point it will

thicken more) and transfer to

a clean glass jar for storage.

7. The chutney keeps well for 4-5

weeks in the fridge and is best

served with samosas, dahi

bhalla, papri chaat etc.

DIMENSIONS VOL.10, ISSUE 10, OCT 2018 12

A Journal of A N Prakash Construction Project Management Consultants Pvt. L td

ADVANCED EXCEL LESSONS

By Uday S Prakash

Vlookup (short for 'vertical' lookup) is a built-in Excel function that is designed to work with data that is organized into columns.

For a specified value, the function finds (or 'looks up') the value in one column of data, and returns the corresponding value

from another column.

The Vlookup function can also be used to return a closest match to the lookup value if an exact match is not found.

↓

→ INTERSECTION ROW

COLUMN

COLUMN 1 COLUMN 2 COLUMN 3 COLUMN 4 COLUMN 5TABLE HEADER → Name Age Sex Height Weight

ROW1 ANP 70 M 175 70ROW2 VP 65 F 160 60ROW3 USP 60 M 180 80ROW4 BLS 55 M 180 75ROW5 BRS 50 M 170 85ROW6 BNS 45 M 165 65

When to use VLOOKUPIf we need to find a value related to any data in COLUMN 0, in other COLUMNS for example:What is the height of BRS?; BRS → COLUMN 0, Height →COLUMN 4vlookup takes 4 variables

Value you want to look up, BRSrange where you want to lookup the value, TABLEthe column number in the range containing the return value, COLUMN3Exact Match or Approximate Match EXACT

=VLOOKUP(B48,$B$43:$F$49,4,FALSE) 170

VLOOKUP

DIMENSIONS VOL.10, ISSUE 10, OCT 2018

A Journal of A N Prakash Construction Project Management Consultants Pvt. L td

APPENDIX

Question of the last Month was:

In the Article titled ‘Love Food, Hate

Waste’, Jenny Costa the Founder of

‘Rubies in the Rubble’ is seen

welcoming a dignitary to her facility. Who is this visitor? (The first correct

answer wins the prize but we shall be

publishing in the next issue of the

newsletter the names of all who have

answered correctly.)

Answer to Question of the last month:

Charles, Prince of Wales

There were five correct replies and

they are given below in the order of

their submission. So, the prize goes to

Siva Rama Krishna A of Jayabheri –

The Capital site.

Sl.

No.

Date Time Submitted by

1 1-

Oct

9:41

am

Siva Rama

Krishna A,

Jayabheri - The

Capital,

Vijayawada

2 1-

Oct

9:57

am

Vyas V S, HO

3 1-

Oct

10:05

am

Swastika P, HO

4 1-

Oct

12:34

pm

Mohd. Rizwan R,

HO

5 3-

Oct

1:16

pm

Sangmesh C,

Ramky 1 Galaxia,

Hyderabad

Suhas NM from Nemmadi sent this

Kaizen Story: Tiger in the toilet

Once a stranded tiger entered the

washroom in a corporate office and

hid in a dark corner. Since there were

people outside the washroom through

the day, the tiger was afraid to come

out.

Many people frequented the

washroom, but the frightened tiger

didn’t touch anyone. However, after

four days it couldn’t bear hunger

anymore, so it caught a man who

had come in, and ate him. This man

happened to be an Assistant General

Manager in the organization, but

nobody noticed his disappearance.

Since nothing untoward happened,

the tiger became bolder and after

two days caught another man and

ate him. This man was the General

Manager of the organization. Still,

nobody worried over his

disappearance (Some people were

even happy that he was not seen in

the office).

Next day, the tiger caught the Vice

President who was a terror in the

organization. Again nothing

happened. The tiger was very happy

and decided that this was the perfect

place for him to live. The very next

day the happy tiger caught a man

who had entered the washroom while

balancing a tray of teacups in one

hand.

The frightened man fell unconscious.

Within fifteen minutes a huge hue and

cry ensued, and everyone in the office started looking for the man. The

search team reached the washroom,

flushed out the tiger and saved the

unconscious man. He was the tea

supplier in the office.

Moral of the story:

It is not the position, but our usefulness

to others that makes us lovable

and respected.

Acknowledgement: From the book “Tiger

in the toilet” by K. Ajayakumar

The quote ‘Always be Useful’ is by

Darius Foroux. Darius is inspired by

Ralph Waldo Emerson, who said: “The

purpose of life is not to be happy. It is

to be useful, to be honorable, to be

compassionate, to make some

difference that you have lived and

lived well.”

Because research shows that the

more productive you are, the higher

impact results you achieve, and the

bigger impact you make.

The more impact we make, the

happier we feel, and the more value

we create. You see? It all feeds off

each other—one enhances the other.

Question of this month

Who are the persons in the picture

below and what is being whispered?

Hint: The question is related to one of the

articles of this issue.

The first correct answer will receive the

prize and the names of all those who have

given the correct replies shall be published

in the next issue.

Editorial team

Roy Zacharias, Editor

Editorial Board: R Suresha, Divya K

We welcome your valuable suggestions,

comments and articles. Mail it to:

academy@anpcpmc.com

Publication of comments and articles are

subject to editorial control and discretion.