Suryakanta 
Sleepers The members which are laid transverse to the rails, to support the rails and to transfer the loads from rails to the ballast, are called sleepers. Functions of Sleepers The main functions of sleepers in a railway track are as under: These hold the rails to proper gauge in all situations i.e. exact gauge … Read more
What is Ballast? The granular material i.e. broken stones, shingles, gravels, etc., placed below and around the sleepers, to transmit wheel load from sleepers to formation and also to provide proper drainage, is called ballast. What Are the Functions Ballast in Railway Track bed? The primary reasons for using ballast are as follow: It provides … Read more
Gravity Dams – Advantages & Disadvantages The rigid dam which is constructed either with stone or brick masonry or mass concrete, is called a solid gravity dam. As solid gravity dams resist the overturning moments due to all external forces (such as water pressure, slit pressure etc) by its own weight only, these are known … Read more
FUNCTIONS AND DESIGN REQUIREMENTS OF COMPONENTS OF EARTH DAM The main components of the earth dam are described below: Cut off Core Casing Internal drainage system and foundations Slope protection Surface drainage Impervious blanket 1. Cut off The cut off is required, To reduce loss of stored water through foundations and abutments To prevent sub-surface … Read more
WATER BOUND MACADAM The concept of water bound macadam road was suggested by John Macadam, who was a Scottish engineer. The road whose wearing course consists of clean crushed aggregates, mechanically interlocked by rolling and bound together with filler material and water laid on a well compacted base course, is called water bound macadam (W.B.M) … Read more
Components Contributing Settlement of Soil Total settlement ρ in mm, which is the response of stress applied to the soil, may be calculated as the sum of three components ρ = ρi + ρc + ρs Where, ρ = Total settlement, mm ρi = Immediate or distortion settlement, mm ρc = Primary consolidation settlement, mm … Read more
BASIC COMPONENTS OF AN EARTH DAM An earth dam consists of three basic components, i.e. Foundation Core or (membrane) Shell Transition Filter Internal Drain Toe Drain 1. Foundation It consists of either earth or rock and provides a support for the embankment and resists both vertical and horizontal loads. It also resists under seepage on … Read more
Advantages & Disadvantages of Earth Dams The dams which are built of rock, gravel, sand, silt or clay in various combinations by placing, rolling or tamping these materials, are called Earth Dams or Non-rigid Dams. Advantages of Earth Dams In spite of the structural incompressibity of earth and water, many earth dams have been constructed … Read more
Timber Classification The terms timber and wood are often used synonymously, but they have distinct meanings in the building industry. Wood is the hard, fibrous material that makes up the tree under the bark, whereas timber may be defined as a wood which retains its natural physical structure and chemical composition and is suitable for … Read more
Piles are structural members that are made of steel, concrete, or timber. They are used to build pile foundations, which are deep and which cost more than shallow foundations. Despite the cost, the use of piles often is necessary to ensure structural safety. The following list identifies some of the conditions that require pile foundations: … Read more