Friday, May 18, 2012

QUALITY & SAFETY ARE THE GOAL IN PRACTICE

Every professional practice displayed has the intention of obtaining quality as virtue and it may depend on the performer, the design and the elements of the physical environment –Mariam (1988).

Obtaining of this facts requires research and methods depending on the purpose, for example when builders and carpenters complaints of quality of their structures and furniture; carpenters may suspect  poor application of skills practices such as inadequate processions of joints in the joinery work; and builders may have challenges from practical techniques for selection of foundation designs for building foundation structure due to lack of experience and knowledge in testing the soil stratum;  lack of experience in setting architectural building designs causing incorrect corners of the buildings that culminated to collapse of structures and poor mixtures of the materials use for construction of structures. Other technicians like electricians may try to improve their safety rules and regulations for the purpose of reducing risks in their electrical work which has deteriorated due to lack of activities.  
To improve the quality of practice needs constant work practice and utilization of the research method – action research through observation use as the tools to systematically describe the events, behaviors of the environment and the purpose to be address – Marshall and Rossman (1989, P.79).
Digging out the problems require researching techniques as Donald A. Shön wrote is The Reflective Practitioner – How professionals Think in Action, quote; “Production engineers use theories and techniques of statistical analysis and optimization to solve problems of product quality and production efficiency”.- Argyris and Shön, DA (1974).
Again he contested that, quote “construction engineers apply the results of research on soil conditions and building structures to select types of building foundations.”  Argyris and Shön, DA (1974) Theory in practice: increasing professional effectiveness.
I have to agree to this recitation and consider my documentation valid, assuming that - an occupation moves craft to profession as it approximates this model of technical problem solving, and it becomes science based as its techniques are grounded in the theories of basic and applied science.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

QUALITY IN CONSTRUCTION IS AN ACHIEVEMENT.

High standard work can be achieved for strength, durability, stability; pleasant appearance and building practitioners recommends quality as the object of the building practice.
In black cotton soil, quality work in building the foundation can be realized when soil investigation is conducted and the trail pits results can determine the foundation design which shall be in accordance to the soil capability
The recommended typesof foundation designs for black cotton soil include – the reinforced concrete with slab for shallow, strip or raft foundations and Pile foundation for deep foundations.
The swelling and shrinkage in black cotton soil around the built foundation walls can be isolated by consolidating a 20cm wide space at either sides of the foundation walls with hard core and 30cm space from the bottom.
 Quality is achieved by the building practitioner through competency and sequential process in applying procedures of work.