Williams Sonoma. Measuring the strategic readiness of intangible assets Essay Example for Free

Williams Sonoma. Measuring the strategic readiness of intangible assets Essay The marketing strategies that Williams-Sonoma is applying involve the extensive use of the internet to market its products to the masses. Online marketing and business provides numerous business opportunities across the globe since it is easily accessible to everyone. This creates opportunity for the company to access various customers as well as suppliers and even potential partners that they can do business with and ensure they provide quality products at affordable costs (Simonson, 1999). This as it has been seen has greatly contributed towards the success of the company. It has been able to increase its customer base, increase in sales of its products and in the long run an increase in its profitability. It is important to note that the internet is continuously growing day by day and there are lots of changes taking place. There are also a large number of people that are using and have easy access to the internet. It is apparent that over the next five years, Williams-Sonoma is likely to experience an increase in the number of customers that it serves (Marks, Frolick, 2001). Furthermore, there is a likelihood that the number of products that the company will provide to the customers will also increase. This means that in the next five years, Williams-Sonoma is likely to experience greater growth of its business and operations in general and may become a multinational company. Q2 Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   As a CEO of an organization, one must be in a position to formulate and implement strategies that will help in achieving the mission band vision of the organization. Making the decisions on what strategies to undertake require sufficient information on the market and other elements that affect the performance of the company (Kaplan, Norton, 2004). In this case study, Williams-Sonoma is seen as a company that is ready to take risks and adopt new strat5egies in marketing its products. From the case study, it is to be noted that the target group for the company is limited to customers that are high income earners considering that it offers high-end products only. Therefore, a recommended strategy would to provide variety or practice product differentiation in terms of affordability (Kanter, 2001). This can be achieved by ensuring that the products are of high quality although affordable. Apart from offering affordable prices and quality products, the other stra tegy that I would recommend as the CEO would be offering of discounts for the products bought. Those customers that buy at least three different items should be offered a certain percentage of discounts to make the products more affordable (Marks, Frolick, 2001). Furthermore, the other strategy that I would recommend would be to increase advertising on social media sites since these have been a great avenue through which companies are able to reach out to customers. Finally I would recommend that the company increases its amount of imported as well as merchandise that is unbranded. Q3 Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   One of the competitors of Williams-Sonoma is Crate Barrel. There is a lot of stiff competition for Williams-Sonoma due to the strategies which are applied by the competitors. In the case of Crate Barrel, the company is using the strategy of low affordable prices on its products as a way through which it is able to attract more customers (Marks, Frolick, 2001). It is to be understood that when the prices of products or even services are affordable, the demand is likely to be high and hence more customers and profitability in the long run. Williams-Sonoma on the other hand offers products at a very high price and hence only attracts the customers that are high income earners only (Kaplan, Norton, 2004). This means that Crate and Barrel has a larger customer base than Williams-Sonoma. The other strategy being used by the competitors includes the setting of their businesses in major locations unlike Williams-Sonoma. This means that the other competitors have been able to reach out to more clients hence becoming more competitive than Williams-Sonoma. Business location is of great importance for any given company. The location will determine the ease of access to the goods and the services of the company by the customers and hence affect the overall performance of the company. Q4 Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   The internet has become one of the avenues through which companies or organizations are able to do business especially marketing their products or even selling their products online. Different companies have employed the use of the internet in different ways and Williams-Sonoma is one those companies that has not been left out in the rush to make business through the internet. Williams-Sonoma is using the internet as a marketing tool for its products whereby it sells information to its customers such as information on recipes (Kaplan, Norton, 2004). The current use of the internet by Williams-Sonoma is the formulation of search for information on its products. The customers have to pay for the information that they get. However, for the future of the company, Williams-Sonoma can make use of the social media sites to promote its products to the numerous internet users available on social media. It would also benefit the company if it opens online stores where it can be able to sell its products online. References Kanter, R. M. (2001). The ten deadly mistakes of wanna-dots. Harvard Business Review, 79(1), 91-100. Kaplan, R. S., Norton, D. P. (2004). Measuring the strategic readiness of intangible assets. Harvard business review, 82(2), 52-63. Marks, W. T., Frolick, M. N. (2001). BUILDING CUSTOMER DATA WAREHOUSES FOR A MARKETING AND SERVICE. Simonson, I. (1999). The effect of product assortment on buyer preferences. Journal of Retailing, 75(3), 347-370. Source document

Sex in Woman on the Edge of Time Essay -- Woman on the Edge of Time Es

Sex in Woman on the Edge of Time  Ã‚   In Marge Piercy's book, Woman on the Edge of Time, sex plays a major role in both the utopia and the dystopia. The portrayal of sex in the novel comes from a feminist point of view. The main character, Connie, is caught between a utopian world and a dystopian world where the takes on sex are on different levels. By using a feminist approach, the two worlds of sex can be examined and contrasted. In the dystopia that is Connie's present life, sex is a painful and often a violent experience. Rape, prostitution, and other sexual abuse are a dominant part of the characters lives. In the opening scene of the book, the reader is immediately introduced to this issue. Connie has to open her door to her only close relative, Dolly, only to see that she has been beaten by her fiancà © who is also her pimp. Connie has had to live her entire life with the thought that sex is violent rather than an act of love. Piercy uses the feminist ideals that men are the cause of the pain for women in a very explicit manner. For example, Geraldo, Dolly's fiancà ©, sho...

Truman Capote Research

Truman Capote was best known for his vivacious and eccentric way of life, as well as his works in the 20th Century. While reading his first novel ever printed by him, Other Voices, Other Rooms, the characters and story line that Capote created was one that would clearly strike a touching insolence to many readers. Not only does Capote fascinate readers with his life, but also with the heart of life and nostalgia that is created when reading any of his work. Capote’s writing career began very prematurely and increased throughout the years of his life. Once Capote finished school, he began writing for The New Yorker and eventually started writing short stories. At the age of seventeen, magazines published many of his stories, which eventually ended up leading to him writing his first novel. Capote ended up writing his first novel, Other Voices, Other Rooms, in 1948 and it brought almost instantaneous awareness and disgrace. Although it was not one of his most accepted novels, it without doubt got him on the right path. Truman Capote was born on September 30, 1924, where his life began in New Orleans, Louisiana, where he spent very little of his life (Jacob197). At the age of only four years old, Capote’s parents were divorced. Capote’s mother, Lillie Faulk, then left him to be raised by her family while she went to go become a star (Pimpton 7). Her family lived in Monroeville, Alabama, where Capote spent most of his life living amongst his aunts, uncles, cousins and his friends. People actually consider that when Truman’s mother neglected him, it was the establishment of their relationship in the future (Biography). Throughout his life, Capote grew up being influenced by many of his family members and other peers that bounded him in the small town of Monroeville. It wasn’t until 1933, that Capote’s mother intended to bring her son to come live with her and her new husband Joe Capote in Manhattan, New York. Capote abandoned the countryside life in Monroe and traded it in for a life in Manhattan with his mother. Joe Capote later on adopted Truman, and by 1935, he changed his name from Truman Streckfus Persons, to Truman Garcia Capote (Biography). In Capote’s later years, he went on to be a success. He lived a glamorous life. He enjoyed to party and never gave a care in the world. He entertained many of the elite people in the world and on August 25, 1984, Truman Capote died of liver disease at his old friend’s house in Los Angeles, California. Other Voices, Other Rooms is the piece work that he relates to most. In his own words, Capote says, â€Å"this symbolized my hunt for my own father, whom I hardly ever saw, and the fact that the man old man is crippled and mute was my way of conveying my own incapability to correspond with my father; I was not only the boy in the story but also the old man†(Pimpton80). It was recorded as public knowledge that Capote engulfed his stories with his own life experiences, but it was made incredibly apparent in this particular novel, with his expression and approach. One particular example would be the un-canny similarity of the main character Joel to Capote himself, â€Å"†¦too pretty, too delicate and fair-skinned†¦and a girlish tenderness softened his eyes†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Capote4). Another method that Capote used a lot was his talent to describe a scene with incredible accuracy and portrayal, â€Å"A face shudder like a white stunning moth, smiled. She beckoned to him, shining and silver, and he knew he must go: unafraid, not hesitating, he paused only at the garden's edge where, as though he'd forgotten something, he stopped and looked back at the bloomless, descending blue, at the boy he had left behind. † (Capote231). Throughout his novels, Capote uses these strong metaphors and descriptive language to show that his character, Joel, came to the house as one person and leaving as another. One with new experiences with life. Many people knew Truman Capote as a literary genius (Biography). His work was different yet satisfying. Many of his characters are memorable, along with the places they lived and explored. Capote put us in his world and a large amount of readers enjoyed how he was able to grab your attention when you were reading. At times Capote may have been socially awkward, everyone remembers him as a very noteworthy author in American history. The beginning of Capote’s writing career began in his early years where he fell under the supervision of his instructor (Plimpton 470). Although he was very unsuccessful in school, and never attended college, many exams confirmed that he had incredible intellect. Many of his novels showed his intelligence by the way he would describe and lure readers into his stories. His personality was different and it got readers attention. Even as a child, Capote was regarded as â€Å"†¦Prim and proper Lord Faunteroy†¦Incredibly protective of his clothes [and look]† which made many believe is what had caused him to ultimately be publicly gay (Pimpton2). Although nobody knew Capote better then his friend Harper Lee; who actually based the character of Dill in her novel To Kill a Mockingbird on the young Capote (Pimpton 2). Despite the way he may have acted or done things, Truman Capote was nothing less then a mastermind. Many of his novels are remembered and loved by the various techniques used by Capote. He was truly unlike any other person in this world. Intelligent, different, and even socially awkward at times, Truman Capote is one of the most known and remembered authors of the 20th century.

How Strict Animal Shelter Policies Can Cause Pets

I Was Stressed so I Ate a Wall, Pooped White for a Week, Then Was Returned to the Animal Shelter Allison Gray in her article â€Å"How Strict Animal Shelter Policies Can Cause Pets to Suffer,† offers a harsh critique that animal shelters hold a very strict adoption process by not allowing unqualified pet owners to adopt. She argues that adoption shelters want to find the perfect owner, but the perfect owner does not exist by her claims. Therefore, pets are not adopted out and are left to suffer in animal shelters. With the guidelines for pet adoption already in place she states that most pets were not adopted out because prospecting owners had an intact pet at home, their current pet was overdue for vaccines and they wanted an outdoor cat. She exudes that it is the shelters harsh policies that are keeping pets from being adopted out and finding their forever home. In my view, however, it is the owners, and not the shelters fault that unwanted pets swarm animal shelters. While it is true that some shelters can be over zealous with adoption rules, it is still the owners fault that these animals ended up in animal control in the first place. According to the American Humane Society over 29% of pets are returned to animal shelters simply because a person’s place of residence does not allow pets (2). This means that the prospecting owner lied on the application to adopt. Steve Bruno in his article â€Å"Rescue Me† informs that â€Å"Rescue dogs suffer from disproportionately fromShow MoreRelatedDisaster Management : Preparedness, Response, Recovery, And Mitigation2071 Words   |  9 Pageslarger federal plan that is administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA. The first step to this plan is Preparedness. 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The Tragedy Of Macbeth By William Shakespeare - 1582 Words

If three crazy old ladies walked up to you and told you would be king would you trust them? Macbeth did and ultimately it led to his tragic demise. The tragedy of Macbeth was written by famous poet William Shakespeare in the earl sixteen hundredth. The play dramatizes the destructive physical and mental effects of radical ambition for people who seek authority for the benefit of an individual. Macbeth’s theme of ambition, lust for power, faith, and gullibility makes Macbeth his own antagonist, which is directly correlated to his death. But which factor contributed the most to his tragic end? By comparing different Genre of Plays, will help understand this question. Throughout The Tragedy of Macbeth, Macbeth is constantly deciding whether or not his action are justifiable. As a result of his mental battle throughout Shakespeare’s play, the demeaning mental consciousness of unrestrained ambition can be seen as one of the main themes the tragedy of Macbeth. These themes of ambition can be seen throughout many parts of Act 1 as the play progresses. My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical, Shakes so my single state of man That function is smothered in surmise, And nothing is but what is not. (Macbeth) You can see from this quote that Macbeth ambition convinces him that murder is okay. Even though the witches did not say anything about murder, the fact that Macbeth’s first thought was to kill the innocent and well renowned King Duncan in hopes of becoming king isShow MoreRelatedThe Tragedy Of Macbeth By William Shakespeare1205 Words   |  5 PagesThe first tragic story created in ancient Greece. Tragedies were written as a form of catharsis or purgation of emotions. In these types of plays, the audience finds characters in which they can relate to which is a tragic hero. The tragic hero creates his own failures based upon their own actions and produces a detrimental fate for himself. 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His ambition to gain a higher status as king ends with consequences to himself and the others in his path. Shakespeare adds dramatic irony, verbal irony, and situational irony to keep the readers at the edge of their seats as well as engaged in each lie and mishapRead MoreThe Tragedy Of Macbeth By William Shakespeare739 Words   |  3 PagesIn William Shakespeare’s play, The Tragedy of Macbeth, the Death of King Duncan of Scotland occurred at Thane Macbeth’s castle, Inverness, at around four in the morning in about the year 1300. Before the murder, Macbeth imagined seeing a bloody dagger floating before him, making it appear as if he was not totally sane. The reason the murder happened was because Macbeth had met three witches in the woods that prophesized to him that he would become king of Scotland. 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Fast Food Essay - 816 Words

Obesity is a major food epidemic. This food epidemic has become so global that it is a leading death cause in America. Many Americans have vouched for a sedentary lifestyle due to their unhealthy eating habits. What they do not realize is the unhealthy food choices that they make now will affect them in the future. The food industry is a major contributor to this. The food industry is affecting the health of future generations due to how easy it is for people to access and their over consumption of processed food. Although not everyone eats fast food products, fast food companies are finding innovative ways to advertise their food to make people feed into what they are selling. Fast food restaurants have become mainstream in the past†¦show more content†¦The consumer at the end of the day will always go to a fast food restaurant that flourishes. When people gravitate towards food that they see on the go for their nutrients it causes health issues. Consumers all around America are punishing themselves for getting into a trap that they can not escape. This is how obesity is started, and this is exactly what the food industry wants. Without a doubt, there are grocery stores and foods that provide healthy food options, but not everyone in America has the sufficient income for this option. We should definitely strive for better food, but it’s elitist and wrong headed to forget that price and availability matter (Maiello). Buyers should be aware that healthy and organic food costs a lot more than processed food. People that are able to provide better for themselves and their children because of well income are at a higher advantage than those who can not. Those who can not afford healthy and organic food gravitate towards cheaper processed foods that lead them to make bad food choices. Obesity in adults has increased 60% and obesity in children has tripled in the past 30 years (â€Å"Obesity in America†). This statistic shows how global this food epidemic is due to adults and children eating a diet of packaged, processed and refined foods. Obesity in adults is at its highest, followed by the younger g enerations. The health of the future generations such asShow MoreRelatedFast Food Essay936 Words   |  4 PagesFood is a necessity in life. In making the right choices, we can have a healthy life. Sadly, America is not making those healthy choices. Contrary to our education and information about junk food, the fast food industry is still ever growing to this day. The fast food industry in America is an excellently funded, well-oiled machine that will not stop until we make better choices as consumers. Big business is winning, profits are garnered but unfortunately Americans are losing years of their livesRead MoreFast Food is Unhealthy Food Essay1686 Words   |  7 Pagesliterature on the causes of food poisoning is full of euphemisms and dry scientific terms: coliform levels, aerobic plate counts, sorbitol, MacConkey agar, and so on. Behind them lies a simple explanation for why eating a hamburger can now make you seriously ill: There is shit in the meat.†Ã‚   ―  Eric Schlosser,  Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal According to Morgan Spurlocks documentary  Super Size Me, one in every four Americans visits a fast food restaurant each day. AmericaRead MoreEssay on Fast Food Industry968 Words   |  4 Pagesworld has become so fast paced that everything is rushed. Almost every aspect of life has become industrialized. Food and the way it is prepared is no exception to this world that always appears to be in fast forward. The fast food industry has revolutionized how and what people eat. The public has begun to consume more fast food and the problem is that people do not know what they are eating. If the concept of a nutritious meal is thrown out the window for the convenience of fast food then the healthRead MoreThe Effects of Fast Food Essay691 Words   |  3 PagesIs fast food getting to be a problem? Many people love fast food but do not even now what it does to their body. There is getting to be more and more evidence that fast food is bad for people. Just about every day there is somebod y that is going to the hospital because of all the fast food they eat. People may not like fast food because it is unhealthy, targets children, and exploits animals. Schlosser and Wilson explain, â€Å"If you took the 13 billion hamburgers that Americans eat every year and putRead MoreFast Food Obesity Essay1165 Words   |  5 PagesThroughout the years, fast food is becoming more and more of an outlet for many people that are short on change, in a rush but still need to grab a bite to eat, or even who are just too lazy to cook a meal. Fast food is very cheap, yet when we eat it we don’t necessarily realize the price we pay when we are starting to gain weight. Who is to blame? The person that is addicted to fast food, or the fast food restaurants? I agree fast food is cheap, yet delicious. I understand that it may get addictingRead MoreThe Fast Food Industry Essays1646 Words   |  7 PagesThe dagger of the people is always twisting and changing the fast food world. Fast food itself has always been changing due to social, economic, and health concerns. To begin I will cover the origins of fast food, followed by a brief discussion about McDonalds as well as Burger King. This will be accompanied by a brief discussion on Taco Bell, with our final subject covering healthier fast food options. The origins of the fast food death machine: The machines gears were forged by the company knownRead MoreFast Food and Food Handler Wear Essay1858 Words   |  8 Pagestemperatures 2. Food cannot be refrozen once it is thawed because? Dangerous bacteria can grow on thawed food 3. What is the minimum temperature for transporting hot food and hot food holding items? 135 (F) degrees 4. The appropriate freezing method for destroying the anisakis parasite in fish is? -4 f degrees and held for 7days 5. What type of jewelry may a food handler wear while preparing food? Plain band 6. A women runs out of the bathroom in a fast food restaurant, andRead MoreFast Food Nation: The Inconvenient Truth of Fast Food Essay572 Words   |  3 Pages ‘Fast Food Nation’ by Eric Schlosser traces the history of fast food industry from old hot dog stands to the billion dollar franchise companies established as America spread its influence of quick, easy and greasy cuisine around the globe. It is a brilliant piece of investigative journalism that looks deep into the industries that have profited from the American agriculture business, while engaging in labor practices that are often shameful. In Fast Food Nation, Schlosser goes beyond the factsRead MoreEssay on Fast Food Addiction667 Words   |  3 Pagesï » ¿Fast Food is Our New Addiction Obesity is increasing rapidly because of the fast food. Showing and telling people how unhealthy to eat the fast food is extremely hard because it is now the popular culture for the societies those are dominated by the fast food industries. High profit and low cost is the primary reason why there are many Burger Kings and McDonald’s in the world (Kenway, â€Å"Junk food: The New Tobacco†). Yet some readers may challenge my view by insisting that the fast food industriesRead MoreNutrition and Fast Food Industries Essay examples671 Words   |  3 Pages To get a feel for Peter Elbow’s â€Å"believing game,† write a summary of some belief that you strongly disagree with. Then write a summary of the position that you actually hold on this topic. Zinczenenko arguments says that fast food companies are making people fat. Fast food industry is vulnerable. They are marketing product with proven health hazards and no warning labels. It will results in to make children more sick, obese and angry. His arguments are strong enough to convince the situation according

Materials Design Project Mix Design and Steel Selection

Question: Discuss about theMaterials Design Project forMix Design and Steel Selection. Answer: Introduction This report involves analyzing materials design of a 100m span steel arch bridge construction project. The main elements of the report include concrete mix design, steel selection and material specifications. This project is very informative and useful in engineering practice because it provides essential knowledge and skills on how to select suitable materials for different engineering applications. It helps in understand various factors to consider when selecting materials for a project and how material properties can be manipulated to improve these properties. Concrete Mix Design The concrete used in this project comprise of cement, coarse aggregates (gravel or broken stones), fine aggregates (sand) and water. The main difference in composition is cement. The available options are: flyash-cement and slag-cement. The concrete designed here will be reinforced with steel components. Some of the factors that have been considered when designing the two mixes include: the water-cement ratio has to be moderate; air content has to be moderate; permeability has to be low; ultimate strength has to be at least 40 MPa. These factors are among the most important ones when designing concrete mix for bridge construction (Xi, Shing and Xie, 2001). Flyash-cement mix design: The chosen fly-cement mix design is as follows: water: flyash-cement: fine aggregate: coarse aggregate = 1: 2.5: 5: 6.25 Water-cement ratio, flyash proportion of cementitious material and total cementitious material were assumed to be 0.4, 30% and 450 kg/m3 respectively Proportion of all ingredients per m3 of concrete is as follows: Cement = (70/100) x 450 = 315 kg/m3 Flyash = (30/100) x 450 = 135 kg/m3 Water = (1 x 450)/2.5 = 180 kg/m3 Fine aggregate = (5 x 450)/2.5 = 900 kg/m3 Course aggregate = (6.25 x 450)/2.5 = 1125 kg/m3 Slag-cement: The chosen fly-cement mix design is as follows: water: cement: flyash: fine aggregate: coarse aggregate = 1: 3: 5: 5.5 Water-cement ratio, slag proportion of cementitious material and total cementitious material was assumed to be 0.4, 50% and 450 kg/m3 respectively. The slag proportion has been selected based on recommendations of making mass concrete (Slag Cement Association, 2004). Proportion of all ingredients per m3 of concrete is as follows: Cement = (50/100) x 450 = 225 kg/m3 Slag = (50/100) x 450 = 225 kg/m3 Water = (1 x 450)/3 = 150 kg/m3 Fine aggregate = (5 x 450)/3 = 750 kg/m3 Course aggregate = (5.5 x 450)/3 = 1825 kg/m3 Comparison Between the Two Mixes Based on the two mixes, both of them are capable of attaining the desired concrete strength. In relation to heat of hydration, flyash-cement reduces the rate of heat generated when making and placing concrete, which reduces rise of concretes internal temperature (Thomas, 2007). During massive concreting, heat loss rate is usually low hence peak temperature rise depends on composition and quantity of flyash-cement used. Therefore increasing the volume of fly ash in cement reduces temperature rise of concrete. This is very useful in mass concrete because it lowers chances of cracking, which results from high heat gradients. Slag-cement reduces concretes excessive temperature rise that is related too risk of cracking and internal stress of concrete. Nevertheless, this is achieved by use of large proportions of slag (at least 50%). Construction of the bridge will require substantial amount of concrete to be made and placed at once and therefore the mix design used should reduce the large amount of heat that will be produced as a result of hydration process. In this regard, slag-cement is the recommended mix for this project. Design Considerations The location of this structure puts it at risk of sea water and/or chemical attacks, specifically chloride corrosion. These risks can be prevented by considering different design factors aimed at improving durability of the structure. Some of these factors are: Use of quality and adequate concrete cover to protect reinforcing bars. The concrete used should be of high quality, which also means low ratio of water to cementitious material. This helps in reducing penetration rate of chloride salts besides inhibiting growth of carbonation. The ratio of water to cementitious material should not exceed (National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, 1995). This can be achieved by increasing the amount of cement in concrete; using higher quantities of cementitious materials (such as slag); reducing the quantity of water in concrete by use of super plasticizers and water reduces. Most importantly is that the concrete must be properly consolidated and cured. Adequate concrete cover the concrete cover depth of the structure should be sufficient to reduce diffusion rate, porosity and cracks. This will reduce the possibility of chloride ions penetrating through the concrete. In this project, concrete cover should be at least 75 mm (Kepler, Darwin and Locke, 2000). Use of mineral admixtures these materials contain silica, which prevents chloride corrosion by reacting with chloride hydroxide. These materials also improve concrete workability and durability, and reduces heat hydration. Mineral admixtures that can be used for this purpose include blast-furnace slag, flyash and silica fume. Using flyash as a cement replacement has been proved to be very effective in reducing chloride carrion (Bargaheiser and Butalia, 2003). Flyash-cement mixes reduces rates of chloride ingress and permeability (Bouzoubaa and Foo, 2005), as long as the right proportions of flyash-cement are used and the concrete is cured properly. Flyash also boosts chloride binding, thus increasing the structures resistance against chloride penetration. Use of concrete overlays they create a layer of low permeability over concrete especially on bridge structures. These overlays will block chloride ions from reaching concentration levels that can cause corrosion. Overlays with low permeability also reduce penetration of water into the structure, thus decreasing mobility of chloride ions. Low-slump and silica-fume are the most suitable overlays for this project (Kepler, Darwin and Locke, 2000). Use of concrete sealers they reduce reinforcement corrosion by averting capillary action, thus inhibiting penetration of chloride ions and water into the concrete. Use of corrosion-resistant steel reinforcing bars. These bars have two microstructures. The bars are manufactured by adding elements such as nickel, phosphorous, copper and chromium, which create a protective layer against chloride corrosion (Sudhir and Anurag, 2012). Last but not least, it is also important to ensure that the concrete used has a design strength of at least 35 MPa with a maximum water-to-cement ratio of 0.4. These are the recommended values for any structure that is exposed to external chlorides and moisture (Portland Cement Association, 2016). Material Specification The main materials for this project are concrete and steel. For the structure to perform its intended purpose effectively, these materials should have desired properties and join flawlessly to create an integrated system. Several criteria should be used for material selection and specification. The selection for different materials is as follows Aggregates since high-strength concrete is required for this project, the aggregates need to be strong and durable. Their strength and stiffness should be compatible with cement paste. The most suitable coarse aggregates are those with smaller maximum size. Fine aggregates need to be coarser considering that the total percentage of fines in cementitious materials is high (National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, 2001). The nominal sizes of aggregates should be optimal so as to balance between the amount of cement used and overall concrete strength. Also, both fine and coarse aggregates should be measured by weight instead of volume so as to get more accurate results. Water this is a very important ingredient in concrete making. Besides using the right proportion of water, the water must be of good quality. It has to be portable so as to mix with concrete properly. Nevertheless, non-potable water can be used as long as the water (and its impurities) does not affect the properties of concrete. Cementitious materials all these materials should be obtained from reliable sources. Recommended cement for this project is Portland cement. Quality flyash should be used so as to achieve the desired strength and durability. Chemical admixtures the level of chlorides (if any) in these materials should be very low. The admixtures should also not affect useful properties of other materials when they react. Steel mild steel is the most recommended steel because of its high strength and durability properties. If necessary, the steel shall be specially manufactured by adding extra layers aimed at improving its strength and corrosion resistance. All steel components, including reinforcing bars, should have high strength, bond well with concrete, and have high tensile strain and have adequate thermal compatibility. Material selection is aimed at ensuring that the materials used for this project have adequate abrasion resistance, compressive strength, chloride ion penetration resistance, modulus of elasticity, scaling resistance, shrinkage, freezing/thawing durability, etc. (Caldarone et al, 2005). Most importantly, all these materials should be tested before being used. Fabrication Process for Main Steel Arches of a Bridge Fabrication of main arches is a very important process in this project. This is because the process will determine the ultimate characteristics of the steel arches. This process will take place before assembling the steel components to form one integrated system. The fabrication process of main arches starts with preparation. Here is where basic steel sections and plates are taken to the fabrication factory. The materials are selected based on the design specifications of the bridge arches. The suitable sections for this structure are plate girders. These sections comprise of a web plate and two flanges that have been fabricated together by welding (SteelConstruction.info1, 2015). Their design allows them to resist high applied forces at very low self-weight. On arriving at the factory, the materials go through shot blasting so as to achieve a clean and suitable finish for subsequent processes. This is followed by cutting of the materials so as to get the desired shape or size. The cutting can be done by circular saws, plasma cutting, and flame or gas cutting. The materials are then drilled and punched so as to make it easier for quick bolting and connections with other components on site. This is followed by an interesting process called bending, which creates the desired bends and curves. The bending can be done by section bending, plate bending, or tube bending. After bending, what follows is press breaking. This entails pressing the steel components along their length, for lengthier components. Thereafter, the components go through tee splitting (if necessary) then tubular sections are profiled so that they can fit perfectly into curved surfaces. The next and very crucial process is welding. This is used for preparation of joints on the components, which facilitate quick and accurate connections on site. The type of welding suitable for this project is submerged arc welding (Steel-Insdag, 2000). This process is effective in welding long steel structural components that are to be assembled to form high strength systems. After welding, the components go through non-destructive testing to check whether any unacceptable defects, including inclusions and cracks, were created as a result of welding. Lastly, fabrication process ends with hot dip galvanizing or paint coating. This last process provides fire resistance, corrosion resistance, aesthetic finish, and also saves time and cost on site (SteelConstruction.info2, 2015). All fabrication processes are done in accordance with design specifications of the components. Structural Steel Components Requirements The different requirements for steel used for hot dip galvanized steel components are as follows: Chemical composition the steel should be of particular grades so as not to affect the performance of hot dip galvanized steel components. It is recommended that the yield strength of steel should not exceed 460 MPa (ArcelorMittal Europe, 2010). This is largely determined by the percentage of carbon, phosphorous and silicon in steel. Mechanical properties these include elongation at fracture, reduction of area, uniform elongation, Youngs modulus of elasticity and tensile strength, which collectively determine yield stress of steel. The steel should be adequately ductile so as to avoid excessive deformation during hot dip galvanizing process. Weldability the steel should have good weldability so that the process does not affect its toughness and strength. This is usually determined by the purity of steel during production. Therefore the steel should be sufficiently pure. The fabrication process should also not have affected toughness or brittle fracture of steel. If these two factors are affected, the steel becomes susceptible to defects during hot dip galvanizing due to additional stresses. Steel components with finer grains these components have improved structural properties than those with coarser grains. The size of grains influences weldability and strength of concrete. Casting process used hot dip galvanizing also works well with steel components cast by continuous casting process instead of ingot casting. Additionally, the best components are those that went through refined rolling processes, including self-tempering, quenching and thermochemical rolling. The zinc coating used should also be of the right type and adequate thickness so that the hot dip galvanized steel structural components can effectively protect the system against corrosion. For this to be achieved, the corrosive environment has to be analyzed first before determining the most suitable zinc coating and thickness. In general, the following types of steel are suitable for hot dip galvanizing: plain carbon steel (below 1100 MPa), hot-rolled steel, cast steel, cold-rolled steel, weathering steel and stainless steel (American Galvanizers Association, 2015). Testing for Impact Characteristics To test the impact characteristics of the steel used in hand rails, various samples of hand rails would be taken to the lab for testing. These tests would be carried out so as to determine the resistance of hand rails to failure. This would be done by applying force(s) on the samples then measuring corresponding impact energy or strength. The results would provide impact energy or strength just before failure of the hand rail samples, which would represent the impact characteristics of the steel that was used in hand rails. The test that would be used is Izod test. This is a destructive test that would fracture the hand rails and determine their toughness or quantity of energy that the hand rails would have absorbed by the time they were fracturing. As stated before, this test would be done by taking hand rail samples to a materials testing laboratory. The values obtain would provide different characteristics of steel used in the hand rails. Some of these include: fracture mechanism, ductility, yield strength and transition from ductile to brittle, (AZom.com, 2005). The test would also help in understanding the static strength of steel, impact performance and/or resistance, post-breakage characteristics, and the amount of loads the hand rails can support. Thus it would be easier to determine whether the steel used in hand rails meet the requirements of performance standards, codes, specifications and norms. Specifications for Different Types of Steel There are four main types of steel, which are classified based on their composition. They include carbon steels, stainless steels, alloy steels and tool steels. Carbon steels are the commonest type of steel. Carbon steels are also sub-divided into different groups: low carbon steels (easy for shaping and lower hardness), medium carbon steels (strong, ductile and low ear tear properties), high carbon steels (very strong), and ultra-high carbon steels (extremely strong and more brittle). Stainless steels include austenitic, martensitic, duplex, precipitation hardening and ferritic stainless steels. These steels have higher ductility, work hardening rate, hardness strength, cryogenic toughness, corrosion resistance, hot strength and moderate magnetic response (AZoM.com, 2001). Alloy steels comprise of alloying elements, such as silicon, manganese, chromium, copper, aluminium, titanium and nickel. These elements manipulate the properties of alloy steels, including ductility, formability, strength, corrosion resistance, weldability and hardenability (Bell, 2016). Tool steels are usually suitable for making drilling and cutting equipment. They contain cobalt, tungsten, vanadium and molybdenum so as to increase their durability and heat resistance. Hot dip galvanizing is a very important process for increasing damage resistance of steel. Some of the specifications for this process are: the proportion of carbon, phosphorous, manganese and silicon in steel should be below 0.25%, 0.04%, 1.3% and 0.04% respectively; products to be galvanized should be delivered, stored and handled properly; coating applicator must be certified; the process should be done in accordance with set guidelines, the surfaces have to be prepared by pre-cleaning before actual hot dip galvanizing process, the actual process has to follow acceptable guidelines, the coating must provide acceptable adhesion and surface finish properties, finished products have to be inspected and tested, and damaged coatings should be repaired (American Galvanizers Association, 2002). For high strength bolts to perform optimally, they must comply with certain specifications. Some of these specifications are as follows: they should have high tensile strength, must undergo proof load tests and have high proof strength, full size bolts must undergo wedge tests, zinc coating thickness must be specified and checked if the bolts are galvanized, they must undergo rotational capacity tests, must be of the right property class, and must have high yield strength. References American Galvanizers Association, May 2002, Suggested specification for hot-dip galvanizing, Colorado: AGA. American Galvanizers Association, 2015, Design guide: the design of products to be hot-dip galvanized after fabrication, Centennial, CO: AGA. ArcelorMittal Europe, 2012, Corrosion protection of rolled steel sections using hot-dip galvanization, Luxembourg, ArcelorMittal. 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