César Pelli

Introduction

The purpose of this report is to give some information about the Argentinean architect César Pelli known for designing some of the tallest buildings in the world and other major urban landmarks. The data was collected from Wikipedia.

His Life

César Pelli was born in Tucuman, Argentina, in 1926. He obtained a degree in Architecture at Universidad Nacional de Tucuman. After graduating, Pelli married fellow student Diana Balmori, who has become an accomplished landscape and urban designer. For the next two years Pelli served as director of design at OFEMPE, a government organization sponsoring and building subsidized housing in Tucumán. In 1952, an Institute of International Education scholarship led Pelli to the University of Illinois School of Architecture in Champagne-Urbana, where he earned a Master's degree in Architecture in 1954.

For the next ten years, Pelli worked as a designer with the firm of Eero Saarinen & Associates in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and Hamden, Connecticut. Pelli credits Saarinen as one of his greatest influences.

In 1964, Pelli took the position of director and vice president of design with Daniel, Mann, Johnson, & Mendenhall (DMJM) in Los Angeles. Four years later, he served as partner for design at Gruen Associates in Los Angeles.

He worked for several architecture offices before opening his own studio in New Haven, Connecticutin 1977. His firm, currently known as Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects, was first called Cesar Pelli&Associates. Since the firm's inception, Pelli has designed each of its projects, although he actively solicits input from the more than 60 architects and designers who are employed in his studio. In 1984, he resigned his post at Yale, devoting full attention to his firm, but continues to lecture on architecture.

Achievements and Projects

The most famous project designed by Pelli was the Petronas Twin Towers. They were the tallest buildings in the world from 1998 to 2004 until surpassed by Taipei 101. The American Institute of Architects awarded him with a gold medal. In 2006 he received an award from CEMEX for his outstanding achievements in support of the profession of architecture.

Conclusion

Cesar Pelli was acclaimed by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) in 1991 as one of the ten most influential living American architects. He has designed some of the most remarkable buildings--ranging from high-rise office towers to private homes--in the late 20th century.

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C%C3%A9sar_Pelli

http://www.bookrags.com/biography/cesar-pelli/

DESCRIPTION OF A FIELD: CIVIL ENGINEERING

Job Description

Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings.

Areas of employment

Civil engineering focuses on every kind of infrastructure which includes water works, sewers, dams, railroads, highways, bridges, tunnels, irrigation canals, river navigation, airport runways, industrial plant buildings, skyscrapers, etc.

Areas of specialization

Civil engineers face a variety of issues in their working lives. They find innovative ways to help society:

• Sustainability
• Planning
• Funding

Tools and technologies

Civil engineers often make use of Geotechnical software, finite element analysis tools, software for surveying and roadway design and 3D modeling systems for steel structures.

Areas of expertise

Many civil engineers manage people and projects. Others may work in design, construction, research, and teaching. There are many specialties within civil engineering, such as structural, hydraulic, land development, construction, environment, and transportation.

Conclusion

Civil engineers work at the branch of engineering which focuses on the design, construction, and maintenance of public works. They can be consulting engineers who advise on projects and design them, or contracting engineers who turn their plans into reality and maintain the structures once they are built.

References:

http://www.ice.org.uk

http://www.engineeringcivil.com

http://www.bls.gov

http://en.wikipedia.org

The Concrete Slab Process

A concrete slab is a common structural element of modern buildings. Floors and ceilings are often constructed with horizontal slabs of steel reinforced concrete.

In situ concrete slabs are built using formwork where the wet concrete is poured. If the slab is to be reinforced, the rebars are positioned within the formwork and held away from the bottom and sides of the formwork by using plastic tipped metal or plastic bar chairs. After that, the concrete is poured in.

Steel reinforcing is usually placed in the slab at both top and bottom edges. However, it is the bottom reinforcement that is doing all the work, as the top layer is primarily used to control concrete shrinkage cracks.

After the concrete has been placed, it needs to be cured. This is achieved by spraying or ponding the concrete surface with water, thereby protecting the concrete mass from ill effects of ambient conditions.

Finally, once concrete is cured and gains enough strength, the formwork can be removed.

              Formwork.                        Concrete poured in.                  Concrete being cured.