Nanotechnology

      

         Nanotechnology is one of the youngest discipline of science. Literally speaking "nano" means "a billionth of a meter", so the technique or technology employed to manipulate matter at this level is called "Nanotechnology". What a civil engineer is responsible for the building and designing of structure that is durable, comfortable and economical with construction and maintenance. The materials used in construction are concrete, steel, cables, glasses, paints etc. Materials used in construction works has properties like elasticity, density etc., which further influences life, strength and even the economy of construction. Maintenance of the structure is also serious concern for a civil engineer. Earthquakes, acid rain, chemical activity of materials in construction etc. affects the strength and durability parameters of the structure. But the structure has to withstand these all with acceptable damage(non-structural). To cope with such challenges we need to apply nanotechnology to enhance the material properties like:-

1. Concrete properties can be improved using CNT.
2. Temperature dependent properties of steel can be enhanced.
3. High strength cables are made.
4. Self-cleaning glasses are made.
5. Hydrophobic and heat insulating paints are produced.
6. Nanosensors are used for SHM. and many others.
USA has spent more than 20 billion on Nanotechnology.

Presentation on "Nanotechnology in Civil Engineering" is below:- 

Disaster Management

       

      Literally speaking natural disaster is the effect of a natural hazard (e.g., flood, tornado, hurricane, volcanic eruption, earthquake, heat wave, or landslide). Disaster management is increasingly a global enterprise for international organizations, Governmental institutions, and arguably individuals. Disasters are either caused by natural phenomena or human action. Natural disasters can be also exacerbated by human error during reaction and mitigation .Examples of natural disasters   internationally mitigated include earthquakes, volcano eruptions, severe droughts, floods, and indeed tsunamis.

           

            Disaster management is a vast domain that includes treaties, laws, policies, equipment, and training implemented by the United Nations down to community civil defense organizations. Organizations can be characterized by their roles in disaster management such as policy making, types of disasters they respond to, funding sources and benefactors, information sharing, training and preparation, response personnel and equipment, damage assessment, response and recovery, and control. Local government should provide them with economical as well as human resources. Disasters on a continuum include small-scale events localized. Small disasters are relevant, often posing unique problems, they typically are locally mitigated.

        

             Disaster management begins with preparations. Preparations range from earthquake proof building codes to public alerts. Preparations also include training. Training not only familiarizes people with disaster management duties, but also identifies where additional preparations might be needed. For disaster management training, situational awareness depicting a scenario both analog and digitally can be used to exercise participants. Analog procedures could be as simple as having participants use a map and phone to react to scripted events. Digital procedures might be as complex as simulations portraying a disaster and participant mitigation efforts distributed in real-time across dedicated communication lines.

        

          The training should reflect the real disaster were it to occur. Then only we can bail out of such devastating situation. Disaster management training is often conducted with the use of localized and distributed simulations.

Presentation on "Nanotechnology in Civil Engineering" is below:-