Ove Arup & Partners Nigeria Limited

Consulting Engineers

Statement of Industrial Training Experience at Ove Arup &

Partners Nigeria Limited (May 2014 to August 2014)
By Kenechi Chidolue
18 August 2014

1.

Page 1 of 3

INTRODUCTION
Cooperative Education Work Terms are a mandatory requirement for Engineering Undergraduates at the

University of Waterloo. These 4-month Work Terms are set aside to enable students gain real work experience
in their chosen field and exposure to the industry prior to graduation. The first of six Work Terms took place at
Ove Arup & Partners Nigeria Limited (OAPNL). It started on the 8 th of May, 2014 until the 22nd of August,
2014.

2.

STATEMENT OF EXPERIENCE

This report gives an overview of the technical roles played and experiences gained during my four month
industrial training at OAPNL. It is a summary of the activities planned and carried out in order to gain
experience in the field of civil engineering consulting. The body of the report is categorized based on the
departments I worked with during the work term.
2.1 Structural Engineering
The duration of my stay in this department was two months. In this time, I participated in reviews of live
projects and was introduced to the following concepts:
i. Structural Element Analysis: Hardy Cross Method of Moment distribution
ii. Reinforced Concrete Design; Limit States Approach and Factors of safety
iii. The design of structural elements according to BS 8110: Part 1, 1997:
Beams (design of tension and compression reinforcements, design against shear and torsion).
Design of steel columns (Stanchion) according to Eurocode

iv.
v.
vi.
vii.

Pile Cap design; Check for punching shear and Revit theory

Ribbed and Flat Slab design

Design of Strip Foundation using Influence Area method.

The design of retaining structures/walls and the reinforcements design using BS Codes
Manually estimating Centroid of Loads for raft foundations
Scheming of Architectural Drawings
Modelling of structural elements using OASYS GSA software.

2.2 Civil Infrastructure

I spent two weeks in this department and gained experience in:

/VAR/WWW/APPS/CONVERSION/TMP/SCRATCH_1/263219814.DOC

Ove Arup & Partners Nigeria Limited

August 2013

Ove Arup & Partners Nigeria Limited

Consulting Engineers

Statement of Industrial Training Experience at Ove Arup &

Partners Nigeria Limited (May 2014 to August 2014)
By Kenechi Chidolue
18 August 2014

i.

Page 2 of 3

Estimating Peak flow and Critical Flow (hydrological and hydraulic analysis) using hand calculations

and Excel Spread sheets.

ii. Sizing of Reinforced concrete drains and Design of Drainage System.
Design for reinforcements in drain members.
iii. Pavement Design: Design of Flexible pavements according to AASHTO 1993
2.3 Geotechnical Engineering
The duration of my stay in this department was one month. In this time I was introduced to and taught the
following concepts:
i.
Reading and Interpreting Borehole Logs, Cone Penetration Test Graphs and Standard Penetration Test
results.
ii.
iii.

Harmonizing and Interpreting Results of Borehole Logs and Cone Penetration Test Graphs
Introduction to Foundation Design;
Shallow and Deep Foundations
Estimating Bearing Capacity of soil
Estimating Ultimate Bearing Capacity for Shallow foundations using Meyerhofs Equations
Estimating Ultimate, Safe and Allowable Working Capacities of Pile foundations

iv.

Calculating Settlement for pile groups using T.J Tomlinson (2009)

v.

Pile Cap design according to BS 8110.

vi.

Geotechnical design of retaining walls

2.4 Site Visits

I spent a week on the Oando Wings Development in Victoria Island, Lagos. In this time I participated
in a Quarterly Health, Safety and Environment Evaluation of the site. I was opportune to witness the
laying of rebar and casting of various parts of the superstructure. At the onsite laboratory, I helped with
the Unconfined Compressive Strength Testing of concrete samples. I also participated in a Pile Load test
in Ikoyi, Lagos and helped take readings off the pressure gauges.
At the Flagstone Hotel Development in Abuja, I witnessed the drilling of a borehole and Standard
Penetration Tests take place.

/VAR/WWW/APPS/CONVERSION/TMP/SCRATCH_1/263219814.DOC

Ove Arup & Partners Nigeria Limited

August 2013

Ove Arup & Partners Nigeria Limited

Consulting Engineers

Statement of Industrial Training Experience at Ove Arup &

Partners Nigeria Limited (May 2014 to August 2014)
By Kenechi Chidolue
18 August 2014

3.

Page 3 of 3

CONCLUSION
In my time at OAPNL I have was exposed to various aspects of civil engineering design and gained

valuable experience in design practices and philosophies. Working here has also taught me the importance of
professionalism in the work place.
I leave as an enlightened aspirant to the profession.

/VAR/WWW/APPS/CONVERSION/TMP/SCRATCH_1/263219814.DOC

Ove Arup & Partners Nigeria Limited

August 2013