CONST MTRLS & TESTING: TIMBER

courtesy of Smith Currie

Wood has benefited mankind for so many things. In construction, wood cut down to be used as a construction material is termed as timber. With the movement to save the earth, designers are strongly discouraged to use timber in construction but can take alternative materials which can be shaped and designed as timber.

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courtesy of James Latham

There are three kinds of timber used in construction:

1. Cocolumber, from palm trees, is the softest type of lumber used in construction. They are commonly used for scaffolding although the steel alternative is rising popularity nowadays. Cocolumber would usually have discrepancies on the standard sizes and contractors would need to watch for tapered ends.
2. Rough lumber is the type which would still need planing. This type of timber is used most commonly to covered places like studs for partitions where they are covered by other materials. With their cheaper cost, most designers use this kind of lumber for those parts of the structure which would not be seen exposed.
3. Finished lumber is the smoothly planed lumber that we mostly see exposed on sight inside of outside a structure. This type of timber has been cut and planed carefully for aesthetic purposes more than structural.

Seasoning of lumber is vital for construction. Seasoning is lessening of removing the moisture from timber. There are two ways of seasoning:

1. Wet seasoning where timber is left into water for a few days to remove its sap and then dried.

2. Dry seasoning is the method where timber is left exposed to reduced its moisture content before being used in construction.

CONST MTRLS & TESTING: METALS

courtesy of the Balance

Metals are one material in construction which gives more strength to the concrete. As concrete is strong in compression yet weak in tension, metals help with their high tensile strength.


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courtesy of the Balance

There are different kinds of metals with the various specification of structures. In terms of reinforcing steel bars, RSB, there are also numerous grades offered according to the design used. The most commonly used grades are grade 40 (grade 270) and grade 75 (grade 415); however, commercial grade is also available at grade 33 (grade 230). Grades of steel bars are designated colors in the manufacturing plants. These colors are also combined for those bars which are weldable. Non-weldable bars use one color on both ends.

Rebar diameters also vary from plain rebars of 6 and 8mm diameters commonly used for glassblocks laying and other minor construction work. 10mm to 12mm deformed rebars are used for stirrups and lateral ties and also for slab reinforcement. The bigger sizes from 16mm to 25mm diameters are more used on load bearing structures. Special diameters starting 28mm to 50mm are used for high strength designs. 

CONST MTRLS & TESTING: CONCRETE

Concrete is the combination of cement with aggregates, both fine and coarse, with enough proportion of water. Although more commonly called cement, it is technically called concrete.

There are two ways to check proportioning of materials in concrete.

1. Nominal mix which would be following an arbitrary set of proportions already had been checked. This kind of mix is possible for the lower strength requirement of concrete from 5N/mm2 to to 20N/mm2. 

courtesy of the Balance

2. Design mix is the one to be designed as per required in the structure. This is the mix used for high rise structures as they needed higher strength of concrete.

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Different kinds of concrete are also stipulated in ASTM 150 whereby Type I is the concrete used for all general works and the others - Type II until V - are for special situations. Apart from these 5 main types of concrete, there are also special types of concrete.
 
Workability is one aspect which needs to be given attention with concrete. Workability is the east of working with concrete - transporting, batching, placing, etc. Since workability is in direct proportion with water content, proper proportioning should be done not to sacrifice strength of concrete.

courtesy of Taracon Precast

Pre-cast concrete is a type of concrete which is fabricated from the plant as per specification and then later transported on site. These concrete members usually carry enormous amount of strength which is impossible to attain on site.

Pumped concrete, on the other hand, is concrete which is used for the higher floors of a structure.This type of concrete has high workability, which means it has more amount of water than usual, the strength is just compensated with the use of additives.

CONST MATRLS & TESTING: MASONRY

courtesy of Firth

Masonry units, in this case talks about concrete masonry units (CMU). Being fire resistant and economical, CMUs are commonly used for construction these days. There are two kinds of CMUs:

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1. Solid concrete blocks which do not have any holes in them. These blocks are laid like bricks.

2. Hollow concrete blocks whereby reinforcing bars are placed through the holes provided.

courtesy of Globalsistersreport.org

CMUs may contain minimal gravel but cement aggregate ratio should be 1:6 where aggregates contain 60% fine and 40% coarse.

PARKS IN BAGUIO CITY: THE CHILDREN'S PARK

The Children's park was once the best amusement place for children when malls and fastfoods were yet to come. A lot of renovations have been made to this park but so many of the children's playing equipment are still around. There were bike rentals for small toddlers inside the park before which were taken out, so all bikers use the roads connecting the parks instead. 

A pair of two concrete elephants stood in the entrance of the park. They were there since 1970s and though they have been painted now, they still stand as the welcome symbol of the park. 

The big slide was already taken out and was replaced by a newer version of play place for children along with others. However, the swings, with their big chains and loops are still used until now. 

Although malls and food establishments are always packed with people during summer especially weekends, the Children's Park still has a portion of the children's population. Traditional style picnics with straw mats or cartons are still observed in this park. Local folks carry sports equipment like balls and badminton rackets.

How to reach the park?

The park is located at the left side of the Burnham Lake (Coming from Rose Garden). Although there is no jeepey route to take one to the entrance of the park, visitors can still take their vehicle or taxi and drive all the way to the back of the park.

Establishments near the park?

The park is next to the City Library, the Athletic Bowl and the skating rink. From Kisad road, a small exit gate has been placed for anyone who would like to have access to the Childen's Park. Children's Park is just across the hotels in Kisad - Kisad Hotel, Burnham Suites, Venus Hotel, City Travel Hotel and the Lourdes Church. At the far side of the park is Baguio's Orchidarium.

 Children's Park is one of the well-known parks in Baguio City.

PARKS IN BAGUIO CITY: THE BURNHAM LAKE

The Burnham Lake is the center of all the Parks downtown Baguio City. Surrounded by trees and green landscape for picnics around the lake, this lake is one of those spots to be visited in the city. Along the lakeside are short benches for couples and families to sit while watching boaters. 

The boats have evolved from the flat yellow boats rented out before into swans. These swans are often watched by spectators on Panagbenga. Rental of boats is by the hour with or without a rower. 

 The lake is about 3 meters deep, inhabited by tilapia, koi, and carps. Although fish are not that visible especially during the summer as the water turns greenish brown due to algae growth and mud constantly stirred by the boat ores.

 The newest addition to the park is the installation of city bird houses. These bird houses are situated right across the Rose Garden exit. As only Maya birds seen over the area, the city is trying to develop the park to be habitable for our winged friends once again. Crows are heard more commonly near the skating rink area where fewer people stay.

A mural of the ancient native way of living is placed at one end of the lake. It is a 1.5m by 3m (approximate size) stone carved with Cordilleran way of life.

How to reach the park?

The Burnham Lake is just a walk away from the surrounding parks downtown. Jeepney lines also have the main route surrounding the park. By taxi, one should direct the driver as the Burnham Lake.

Establishments near the park?

Establishments are farther from this park as it is surrounded by the other parks. Ganza Restaurant is being shared by the Rose Garden and The Burnham Lake from one side and reaching the other end of the Lake leads you to Solibao Restaurant.

The Burnham Lake is just one of the downtown parks in Baguio City.

CORNERSTONE 97

As graduates of Civil Engineering Batch '97 in St. Louis University, the members have chosen the logo as their standing symbol for brotherhood, harmony and solidarity. Designed by Benchie Alcantara who was inspired with the long and winding horizontal structures represented by the school logo and the high-rising skyscrapers founding the number 9.

The cogwheel stands for the continuous journey to the success not just by a few but everybody within themselves, within the batch, and sharing throughout the legacies and the community. As the cogwheel turns, its notches mesh with other wheels' to become one, to become a part of a stronger fusion of parts in constructing a whole.

Bibo SEA!

Viva CORNERSTONE 97!