It is important to remember that people, and all their actions, are part of the natural world. The materials used for building, energy, clothing, food, and all the familiar parts of our day-to-day world come from natural resources. To meet our needs and support our built environment, we need electricity which can be generated by using the resources of natural fuels. Most resources are not renewable; there is a limited supply. In obtaining resources, it is often necessary to drill oil wells, tap natural gas supplies, or mine coal and uranium. To put water to work on a large scale, storage dams are needed.

We know that any innovation introduced by people has an impact on the natural environment. That impact may be desirable to some, and at the same time, unacceptable to others. Using any source of energy has some environmental cost. It is the degree of impact on the environment that is crucial. Some human activities have more profound and lasting impacts than others. Techniques to mine resources from below the earth may leave long-lasting scars on the landscape. Oil wells may detract from the beauty of open, grassy fields. Reservoirs behind dams may cover picturesque valleys. Once available, use of energy sources can further impact the air, land, and water in varying degrees.

People want clean air and water and a pleasing environment. We also want energy to heat and light our homes and run our machines. What is the solution? The situation seems straightforward: The demand for electrical power must be curbed or more power must be produced in environmentally acceptable ways. The solution, however, is not so simple.

Conservation can save electricity, but at the same time our population is growing steadily. Growth is inevitable, and with it the increased demand for electric power. Since natural resources will continue to be used, the wisest solution is a careful, planned approach to their future use. All alternatives must be examined, and the most efficient, acceptable methods must be pursued.

Hydroelectric facilities have many characteristics that favour developing new projects and upgrading existing power plants: Hydroelectric power plants do not use up limited non-renewable resources to make electricity, They do not cause pollution of air, land, or water, They have low failure rates, low operating costs, and are reliable, They can provide start-up power in the event of a system wide power failure.

As an added benefit, reservoirs have scenic and recreation value for campers, fishermen, and water sports enthusiasts. The water is a home for fish and wildlife as well. Dams add to domestic water supplies, control water quality, provide irrigation for agriculture, and avert flooding. Dams can actually improve downstream conditions by allowing mud and other debris to settle out.

Existing power plants can be upgraded or new power plants added at current dam sites without a significant effect on the environment. New facilities can be constructed with consideration of the environment. For instance, dams can be built at remote locations, power plants can be placed underground, and selective withdrawal systems can be used to control the water temperature released from the dam. Facilities can incorporate features that aid fish and wildlife, such as salmon runs or resting places for migratory birds.

The value of water must be considered by all energy planners. Some water is now dammed and can be put to work to make hydroelectric power. Other water is presently going to waste. The fuel burned to replace this wasted energy is gone forever and, so, is a loss to our Nation. The longer we delay the balanced development of our potential for hydro power, the more we unnecessarily use up other vital resources.


Credits: http://go.engineer-ng.net/profiles/blogs/hydropower-to-the-environment-and-society

Electrical Engineers at Rochford Technologies Limited http://go.engineer-ng.net/forum/topics/electrical-engineers-at-rochford-technologies-limited

Cost Control Engineers at Novestech Nigeria http://go.engineer-ng.net/forum/topics/cost-control-engineers-at-novestech-nigeria

Site Engineers at Novestech Nigeria http://go.engineer-ng.net/forum/topics/site-engineers-at-novestech-nigeria

Team Lifewatch, after presenting their innovative solution alongside seven other teams from the Nigerian Universities and Polytechnics, in the World Citizenship category from the Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, (ABUAB) in Lagos won the national finals of the 2015 Microsoft Imagine Cup competition.

Microsoft Imagine Cup is the world’s premier technology competition for smart students all over the world.

Though every solution presented can perform their designed duty in solving problems, the panel of judges after severe scrutiny and review of the eight projects presented by the respective teams announced team Lifewatch as winner of the Nigerian national finals.

Team Lifewatch success was as a result of the their created solutions ability to address clear local issues, success in its appropriate market given the team’s existing plan and easy to use among other unique features

Accordingly, each team had pitched their project and answered questions from judging panel comprised of highly respected Nigerian IT experts and entrepreneurs.

By wining the national finals, the team made up of four smart technology students from ABUAB, Raymond Obinaju, Adeyemo Oluwaseum Kayode, Ahion Kevin and Sobola Timilehin David has qualified for semi-finals enabling them to compete for a spot in the World finals if they scale through in the semi-finals.

Other competing teams will include, Teamx-Dev, Team Inspre, Teamx-, Team Yurix, Team Lifewatch, Team FlairTech, Team Paradigm, among others. The wining team from ABUAB had presented a health solution called AsthmaVisor.

The solution is a phone app,synthesized with an external hardware to provide real-time monitoring of asthmatic patients.

According to the team leader, Raymond Obianuju who was full of excitement after the announcement of the result said that the product is configured to monitor the patient’s environment and give early warning signals if a threat to the patient’s health exists.

If the patient eventually has an attack, he explained that that it would send emergency messages as well as the patient’s pre-defined emergency contacts, alerting them of the situation and providing the location where the patient was last seen.

“I am happy that my team won the national finals.The journey to semi-finals has just begun. We will make it to the global stage by the time we win semi-finals. There are positive signals that we will make it to the global finals given the innovative solution we have”, he said.

Addressing the students after the panel of judges had announced the result at the Idea Hub, Sabo, Yaba, Lagos, where the competition was held, Shina Oyetosho, Developer and Platform Evangelism Lead, Microsoft Nigeria told the gathering that everybody was a winner. You have just started the journey to the global stage, he said.

“It does not end here. You all have amazing solutions but there has to be one winner. It is not about what happens here but what happens after this. The fact that you did not win does not mean that your solution is not good. Use it to change the world. Use it to solve world toughest problems”, Oyetosho who is passionate about start-ups said.

As Microsoft enters the final code hunt challenge for the 2015 edition of the software competition, for the second year in a row, there appears to anxiety among the semi-finalists students struggling to make it the World Finals that will be held in Microsoft’s home of Seattle, from July 27 to July 31, 2015


Credits: http://go.engineer-ng.net/forum/topics/2015-microsoft-imagine-cup-abuab-qualifies-for-semi-finals

The construction industry in Nigeria, as is the case with other developing nations, is dominated by foreign construction firms. But as time has gone by, some indigenous firms have grown both financial and technical capacity to stand stiff competition from these foreign firms.

The capital intensive industry has seen the rise of the local players who have shown that they have what it takes to at least compete with the foreign players in terms of design execution and delivery to name a few.

Here are some of these local players that are performing exceptionally well in the construction industry in Nigeria in no particular order.

1. EL – ALAN CONSTRUCTION COMPANY

EL-ALAN Construction Company (Nigeria) Limited was founded in April 1982 as a private limited liability company and today is one of the fastest growing and most dynamic construction and civil engineering companies in Nigeria. For over three decades El-ALAN has delivered high quality integrated construction solutions.

The company’s initial focus was renovations and sub-contract work through which they quickly gained a name for themselves. Its success and reputation today are built on the consistent delivery of quality, speed, efficiency and overall client satisfaction.

El Alan has expanded its operational and service offering to cater to a wide spectrum of construction needs in both the public and private sectors. Its portfolio of work comprises successful projects in the residential, commercial and industrial spaces, working with clients across all sectors and with differing budgets.

They are an associated member of a group of companies that provide services across all areas of the construction industry. Through associated companies, they have access to world-class ideas, skills and innovative technology which puts us in a unique position where we are able to offer integrated and value-added services to our clients.

The company has forged alliances with world-class local and foreign partners, active in various segments of the construction industry. These relationships enable them to diversify its service offering beyond first class construction expertise to include other value-added services. Accordingly, it is able to proffer comprehensive solutions that meet clients’ needs from design and build to building maintenance and facilities management.


2. DANTATA AND SAWOE CONSTRUCTION COMPANY

Dantata and Sawoe has been operating for over 35 years and are among the top rated Construction Companies in Nigeria. With a staff strength of over 4.000 employees including over 80 Expatriates the company has built a solid name in the construction industry today.

The company owns a fleet of over 1000 mobile vehicles, trucks and construction equipment’s plus own Aggregate Crushing and Asphalt Mixing Plants makes them self-sufficient and has enabled them over the years guarantee quality performance in all its projects.

Over the years the company has constructed several hundred kilometres of highways and township roads and dozens of bridges and flyovers. D&S has been known in the market as a reliable partner for the Government as well as for Private Investors and Developers.


3. SETRACO NIGERIA LIMITED

Setraco Nigeria Limited is a leading engineering construction company with over 35 years working experience in delivering value-added civil and infrastructural projects. With projects executed successfully in over 20 states, and current presence in 15 states, Setraco has played a key role in developing Nigeria’s infrastructure.

Setraco was established in 1977 and started by constructing township and district roads in what was then Bendel State. Over the years the company has rapidly grown to become one of the largest construction companies in Nigeria specialized in roads and bridges. With a presence today in over 15 states; Setraco has played a key role in developing Nigeria’s infrastructure.

Setraco ensures that all projects are successfully completed to specification and in line with the company’s sense of responsibility towards its clients and host communities.

Setraco's success is built upon its diverse and qualified workforce, which at times has reached over 11,000 employees from all corners of Nigeria and from 23 various nationalities across 6 continents. By recruiting the best professionals and technicians from all disciplines, Setraco is able to take on and deliver complex projects in difficult terrains and challenging environments.

Over the years Setraco has vertically integrated its organisational structure to include a Design & Soil Investigation Department, a Production Department and a Procurement Department covering both local and overseas purchases.

Combined with thhe fleet of modern and periodically updated equipment, worth over 200,000,000 USD, and its state of the art workshops around the country, Setraco has ensured that it has the necessary resources to meet the needs of the Nigerian Infrastructure Sector.


4. COSTAIN WEST AFRICA

Costain West Africa Plc was incorporated in 1948. As a private limited company in Nigeria, it took over the various works being undertaken by John Holt and Company (Liverpool) Limited’s building department. John Holt established a world-class reputation in building and civil engineering, open-cast mining, dredging and other construction related activities throughout the world.

Over the last 60 years, Costain West Africa Plc has executed a wide range of building and civil engineering projects, throughout Nigeria for private organizations, Federal and State Governments. It has been able to leverage the experience and strength of the Costain Group's worldwide activities.


Costain West Africa Plc went public on the 13th of March, 1974. Its shares were quoted on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) subsequently. Costain West Africa Plc was the first construction company to be quoted on the NSE. It is now independent of the Costain UK Group.

Costain West Africa Plc offers committed project leadership with a focus on client satisfaction. The company is determined to be a leader in the construction industry. This shows in the way they look after their clients and the quality of their construction.

The Costain West Africa brand has become synonymous with Sub-Saharan Africa. The company understands local markets and adopts an approach that considers management expertise, teamwork and professionalism. It is complemented by the strength and experience of its operations in Africa.


5. MONIER CONSTRUCTION COMPANY

MONIER CONSTURCTION COMPANY (NIGERIA) LIMITED is one of the early entrants in Nigeria's construction industry having been present since 1955 and incorporated in 1957 as a Building and Civil Engineering contractor with Head Office in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Monier parades state of the art equipment in Road Construction, Building and other key sectors of the Construction Industry the Company, at the time of incorporation in 1957, was wholly owned German Company, but with the passage of time Nigeria investors acquired interests in MCC. Today, MCC is truly Nigerian, owned by Nigerians and managed by Nigerians.

Monier has maintained a healthy presence in the South East, South-South and other parts of the country, where they have completed and delivered quality projects on schedule and budget.

The company prides itself in consistently delivering quality projects on schedule and budget, using the best available cost effective and environment friendly technology under the control of experienced and highly motivated work force.

Credits: http://go.engineer-ng.net/profiles/blogs/top-5-nigerian-construction-companies

You just got accepted into the University which is the college of your dreams? or that safety school? it doesn’t matter, you have decided to spend your next few years there to study engineering. However, you don’t have a clue what you are doing. You don’t know which field of engineering is right for you, you have no idea how difficult it is to find internships. How exactly do you get through your first year of college life as an engineering student? These are suggested steps that could guide you throughout your stay in college

1. Quit procrastinating

This is the most common vice that limits Engineering students in achieving their goals. As a student of this highly tasking discipline, you are going to realize that you have a lot less time on your hands. If you want your 4.0 GPA, to actually contribute to your club, to obtain internships in the future, to have time for your friends and time to yourself, time to have fun, and time to clean laundry – you need to quit procrastinating. Not only are classes going to get harder in the university, but you are going to have other responsibilities (perhaps even more important than grades) that will consume your time. In this discipline, time is very essential.



2. Explore the different disciples in engineering

Overtime it’s been proven that a lot of first timers do not know much about different types of engineering and probably have no idea which field is right for them. Those who know their engineering fields and are adamant that they want to be a chemical engineer may find themselves questioning their choice after taking organic chemistry classes. Regardless of your knowledge of the various types of engineering, it’s important to keep an open mind.

There are many factors to consider while choosing an engineering specialization: future job demand, programs at your college, your own interest, etc. Most schools offer introductory courses which can expose you to a few of the different types of engineering. We think the best way to find what is absolutely right for you is to be directly involved with engineering clubs, have a professor tell you about his/her research, or talk to engineering upperclassmen about their classes. The earlier you identify what interests you the better; this way you waste less time taking the wrong classes and have more opportunities to join programs related to your chosen field.

Remember that leaving engineering is also an option. University is supposed to expose you to all different fields, in addition to the different types of engineering. Perhaps you may find your true passion in medicine or even literature.



3. Choose your college friends

It is believed that most people can be happy in any school that they go to, provided that they find meaningful people as college friends. These people are going to grow with you and they will be very influential in your life for the next four years. Your first few weeks of college life are going to be filled with extremely friendly people. Take advantage of that. No other time in college will people be so open to meeting you. However, remember that the friends you make in the first weeks will not necessarily be the college friends that remain with you a few years later.



4. Seek out additional opportunities for growth

In high school, having a high GPA defined success (more or less). That changes tremendously in college. It is not to say that grades aren’t important, but that other parts of life will come into play. Landing an internship is probably more important than obtaining A’s in every one of the classes. Learning soft skills such as communication (by communication, I don’t just mean having the ability to talk to the opposite gender) will greatly expand your network of influential people. Speaking of networks, having a group of influential people around will help you greatly in your future. See what I mean? It’s no longer just about the grades; it's also about your reputation as a hard worker, your ability to sweet-talk an interviewer, and your desire to improve yourself.

5. Don’t dismiss other subject areas

Something that is common within the engineering community is that they think we're the best on campus. Engineering students then to think that they are the smartest bunch because our engineering predecessors invented the modern world. We think we’re the most hard-working because while the “arts and crafts” (A.K.A. arts and sciences) people are hanging out, we’re studying how electrons work. Don’t do that. It’s good that you invented the first flying refrigerator machine, too bad you didn’t listen to your business major college friends about how there is no market for that.

Lastly, going crazy after leaving home (forever) is part of the first-year experience. But don’t go too crazy. Remember, you only have a few years at a university, so be sure to make the most out of them. I’m not telling you not to have fun – by all means, your first year of college life is when you’re supposed to go crazy – but don’t make choices you’ll regret. There are a lot of opportunities, people to meet, and most of all, distance to grow; it’d be a shame to waste four years throwing ping pong balls around in a basement.

Credits: http://go.engineer-ng.net/profiles/blogs/a-guide-for-first-year-engineering-students-in-the-university

When you decide to purchase a used car it can be very confusing just for the mere fact that it had been used by someone before you, so you don’t know how it was used and under what conditions it was also used.

There are so many things to consider that it can be a daunting experience. This is even truer if you are considering buying a car for the first time.

There are many things to look for when purchasing a used car but one important factor is to give the car a physical check before making your final decision. Here are a few general pointers on how to physically check out a used car before you buy it.

1. Check the cars form:

* Make sure that the car is on level ground before checking it out. This is to ensure that you will be able to clearly check the tires and to see if there is anything sagging on the car.
* Carefully check the paint job of the car, taking note of any rust spots, dents or scratches. Look at the sides of the car from end-on for waviness; that indicates paint work. Run your finger along the edges of the joints between panels; roughness indicates residue left from masking tape.
* Check the trunk of the car to make sure it is still in good condition. It should not show any sign of rust, or water entry due to cracks or holes. Wear inside of the trunk indicates usage of the car.
* Check the tires. The tires should be worn evenly and they should match. Look at the surface of the tire for feathering (bad alignment). Bad alignment can be caused by worn steering/suspension components, the pothole down the street or frame damage. Also check the spare tire and compare the tread to the other tires if it is a full spare.
* Never buy a frame damaged car. Check the saddle (connects the front fenders and holds the top of the radiator). It should not be welded on either side, it should be bolted in. Inspect the bolt heads at the top of the fenders inside the hood; scratch marks indicates that the fenders have been replaced or realigned (after a crash). Look for welds inside the door jambs.
* If you are able, try to get under the car when it is safely raised and inspect the exhaust system or any under-body rust. Look for any black spots on the exhaust system because this can indicate leaking. This is also a good time to inspect for frame or unibody damage.
* Check the exhaust with your finger. Greasy grime means important problem. Turn the car on. White vapour (not in a cold climate) is a bad sign too.

2. Checking under the hood:

* Check under the hood of the car for any indication of dents, damage or rust as these can all be signs that the car was either poorly taken care of or damaged. Each fender, just inside where the hood joins, should have a decal with the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) of the car; if it is missing, that fender was replaced
* Check the hoses and belts. They should not have cracks. The radiator hoses should not be soft.
* Inspect the engine for any sort of leaks, or corrosion. On the engine block, look for any dark brown oil stains, this will indicate that there is a leak in a gasket, and could possibly lead to an expensive repair in the future. Check the brake fluid, and reservoir to make sure it is not leaking. The belts should look new (i.e. not have cracks or signs of drying). Old belts can snap, and if you do not know how to replace them, it will cost between N10,000 - N20,000 depending on which belt goes bad
* Remove the oil filler cap. A foam residue on the inside indicates a leaking head gasket. Forget that car. Look at the condition of the coolant in the overflow jar; filthy brown coolant means it's never been flushed and often means a leaky head gasket.
* Pull the transmission dipstick; the fluid should be pink or red. An old car may be dark but it should not look or smell burnt. It should also be full (check with the engine running)
* Check the timing belt. This is the most important belt in the engine, and is also the most costly to replace. If the car is equipped with a steel timing chain, you don't have to worry about this. Normal lifespan of a timing belt is from 60-100+ thousand miles; this depends on the manufacturer.



3. Checking inside the car:

* Go inside the car. Check the seats and upholstery of the car for any tears, rips, stains, or other type of damage
* Check to make sure the air-conditioning of the car is working well by turning it on. If air conditioning is a must, buy a car with R134 coolant. Most cars fitted with R134 are 1993 or newer and have a sticker on the AC Condenser.
* Check the odometer of the car for the mileage. This is important because the mileage indicates the car’s age. On the average, a normal driver will drive between 10,000 to 15,000 miles (16,000 to 24,000 km) a year; however, this depends on many factors. Remember, cars age by time and mileage. Buying a 10 year old car with very low miles is not necessarily a good thing because it may have been altered or accidented.
* Some cars have computers on board. Bring with you an inexpensive computer to check for errors. At any auto store they have inexpensive devices with prices around N10,000.
* For a car that has an on board computer, pay attention to the warnings right when you start the car or when you turn the key or the start button
* Verify the lights and all the regular functions of the car when not moving. This include: any sensors for parking, back parking camera, radio, CD, music installation, etc.



4. Testing the car while driving:

* Test drives the car before making any final decisions. This is perhaps one of the best ways to know the condition of the car. Hence, a buyer should make all effort to do a test drive first before coming to any decisions
* Be sure to check the brakes of the car by pressing down hard enough on the brakes to decelerate rapidly, but not enough to slide. Try this going around 30 mph (48 km/h) in an area without traffic. You should not feel any vibration from the brake pedal, or hear any squealing or strange noises. Brakes that pulsate indicate the need for having the rotors resurfaced or replaced and new pads installed. It should not swerve; this can be caused by a bad brake caliper or worn steering components.
* Check for small trepidation at 45 / 55 / 65 / 75 mph (121 km/h). Slight trepidation during a small speed interval may mean wear at the direction mechanical parts which may cost between N40,000 to N150,000 to repair. These may include joints / arms etc. This may go together with uneven wear at the front tire(s).
* Check for sounds, trepidation or clunking noise when making a 90 degrees turn. Do this at low speed. This means again, wear at the front direction level: joints need to be changed.



5. Reaching your decision:

* Check out the car's service history which should give you some information regarding the performances, repairs, and problems of the car. Ideally, the current owner would have kept a record of the times when the car needed servicing and should be willing to show you this information. Some cars do not have maintenance records because they maintained them at home. This should be fine as long as they can prove they maintained the car properly. There are instances where used cars are sold because of past accidents or negative experiences.
* Bring someone who knows cars. It is a good idea to bring along a trusted friend with a good background of automotive know-how to check things that you are not sure of. If you do not have a trusted friend in the auto industry you can pay a mechanic to complete an inspection on it for around N10,000 - N15,000. Make sure this mechanic has good reviews so you will not get scammed into thinking the car is a lemon.
* Do not pay sticker price. A used car is a negotiable item. Do not feel the need to pay the price they are asking. The dealer bought this car at a low price, and is turning around and selling it for much more than they purchased it with the notion that they might have to lower that sticker price. Depending on the quality of the vehicle, feel free to offer a price. Be sure that it is a reasonable offer. If the dealer is asking N1.5 million, do not offer N1million. It is merely an insult by doing this. If the car is over N1million, try to negotiate at least N150,000 off of the car. You can pre-qualify yourself with your budget or bank. That will determine what you can spend for a car. Try to buy a car that is less than they tell you. Most people try to buy more car than they can really afford. Remember, no matter how good that car is today, it is going to require maintenance in the future. Use parts of the car that are unflattering to your advantage. If a car is not the colour you are looking for, tell the dealer "I really like the car, but I don't like that it is green, that is the only thing holding me back from buying it" The dealer will see that you want it, and find some way to get you into that car.
* If purchasing from a private sale it can be beneficial to the price negotiation to bring a pen, paper and cell phone with you. As you make your inspection of the car be sure to record all items which are damaged or will require replacement. If needed also remind the buyer that you will be taking the vehicle to your own personal mechanic so they do not think the list is for theirs. After you have collected a list of what you believe the car will require you can telephone auto parts stores to check the price and availability of replacement parts. Once you know how much the car will cost to repair if you buy it you can make an informed decision on what you would like to pay as well as increase the likelihood that the seller may reduce their asking price. Be careful while doing this because some sellers may think its rude by doing this and thus could end into a no sale.

Hence before you buy a used vehicle make sure that you have done all the above mentioned steps to be on the safe side before you purchase it.

Credits: http://go.engineer-ng.net/profiles/blogs/things-to-look-out-for-when-buying-a-tokunbo-vehicle

Seems the 'insert image/picture' is faulty. The first picture is for Step 1, while the second pix is for Step 2. Thanks!

There are a lot of things that make Android a great platform and one of those things is the flexibility or ’tweakability’ of the operating system. If you are looking for certain functions that you can’t see or your phone doesn’t have, there’s probably an app or tweak somewhere waiting to solve your problem.

A thousand and one tweaks are out there but this is one of the easiest and the most effectual, it will significantly speed up your phone or tab performance in a blink of an eye without the help of a third party software, complicated rooting or other annoying hacks.

As fast as the new flagship phones are, they can be faster whether it’s an old rickety android device sporting the out-of-date Gingerbread or the recent Lollipop. So keep calm and follow the instructions below.

Step 1

Here you will need to access the disabled/hidden Developer options, to do that you got to Settings then scroll down and tap the about phone option, you’ll see general information on the device, software and a bunch of other things, tap the Build number seven times and not one tap more. Now go back out to the main settings menu you’ll find the Developer options near the bottom of the list.



Step 2

This is where the magic begins, tap the new Developer options menu you just enabled and scroll until you see the following settings

Windows animation scale

Transition scale

Animator duration scale



Seen? Note that all the three option are set to ‘’1x’ by default, tap each of them and change to ‘’0.5x’’ then you’ll see the difference. This makes the device to speed up all transition animation and as a result giving a smoother and faster user experience.

This tweak is totally harmless and simple. Thank me later and let me know if you want more tweaks posted in the comment section.

Credits: http://go.engineer-ng.net/profiles/blogs/2-steps-to-make-your-android-device-performance-faster

Buildings which are physical structures are sometimes subjected to fire hazards that could burn the whole or part of the building thereby posing risks to occupants of the building and the building/physical structure itself.

But of concern is the largely ignored risks that inhabiting a burnt building without a structural integrity test being done pose to the human population and the environment.

Most people erroneously believe that only the parts of the building exposed to the fire should be avoided and go ahead to inhabit such buildings after merely cleaning up assuming that the only damage done is the visible damage.

Apart from structural elements like the roofing materials, blockwork and interiors that usually get weakened and damaged beyond re-use, the concrete structure support members also get affected by the fire but due to their reinforced nature, they manage to stay intact physically but would have suffered thermal capable of making changes that could lead to an imminent failure of the building.

It is a fact that concrete forms the critical mass and bulk of a building/physical structure and if such structure is exposed to a fire, the concrete would be affected by the action of fire on the building with the resultant effect not being the most desired.

Reinforcement concrete in buildings (pillars, columns, beams) should typically have a fire resistant covering in the form of a partial impregnated concrete with a suitable monomer or some other expensive means to reduce the concrete exposure to fire hazards but it does not totally eliminate the possibility of the concrete structure being acted upon by fire.

The behaviour of concrete in fire depends on its mix proportions and constituents and is determined by complex physicochemical transformations during heating. Normal-strength concretes and high-performance concretes micro structurally follow similar trends when heated, but ultra-high-performance concrete behaves differently.

A key property unique to concrete amongst structural materials is transient creep. Any structural analysis of heated concrete that ignores transient creep will yield erroneous results, particularly for columns exposed to fire.

Failure of structural concrete in fire varies according to the nature of the fire; the loading system and the type of structure. Failure could occur from loss of bending or tensile strength; loss of bond strength; loss of shear or torsional strength; loss of compressive strength; and spalling of the concrete.

The above stated facts reveal that the exposure of concrete structures to fire definitely causes a change in the characteristics of the concrete structure which indicates that failure of the structure becomes imminent, the time of eventual failure depending on the duration and intensity of the the fire the concrete was exposed to.

According to Mr. Abdur-Rahman Agbede, a civil engineer based in Lagos, inhabiting a building that had been exposed to fires is not safe and should be discouraged as such buildings have to be certified fit for habitation or use by a qualified structural engineer after the fire.

Agbede said a typical fire destroys the interior, roofing materials and weakens blockwork that it encounters but leaves the building reinforcement structure (pillars, columns, beams, etc) intact, even though it would have suffered internal stress that requires its ability to bear the design load and other applied forces after the fire.

The proper way to go after a fire according to Mr. Agbede is to invite a qualified structural engineer after the removal of other structural material and debris to conduct a Concrete Strength Test to determine the strength of the concrete and advice accordingly on the result of the concrete strength test that will be determined in the lab.

He said that in very mild fires, the fire resistant covering in the structure could protect the concrete from the hazards of the fire but it was only in the place of a qualified structural engineer to pronounce such buildings safe for habitation.

He generally advised that in the case of any fire incident in a building, it is advisable for house owners or inhabitants to seek the services of a structural engineer to do the right check on the building and not make any unscientific assumptions that could further endanger their lives and the environment.

From all of the above stated, it is proper to say that any building exposed to fire or close enough to a burning building as could impact on the concrete structures of the building should be examined and certified fit for human habitation by qualified professionals and the concerned authorities.

Credits: http://go.engineer-ng.net/profiles/blogs/why-it-is-unsafe-to-reside-in-a-burnt-building