By Usama Fareed
The bench making story
We were given task to make bench using Ferro cement
technology.
 Final year (Urban engineering)
Students are you interested
in giving something to your
university as souvenir; you
are now in final year this is
the time to give back to your
university, said Mam Madiha
in starting lab of Advance
technologies.
Yes for sure, all students
responded positively (it was
exceptional case, mostly
students cutoff form any idea
which need their contribution
in form of Money:-).
We were given task to make
bench using Ferro cement
technology. We selected a
unique design in which all
structural components were
present like beam, slab,
column, and back (which act
like cantilever).
Material used: Steel bars, fine
aggregate, cement, water,
wire mesh, steel bars
Designing: We assume the
section, and did analysis for
that section, which was
found satisfactory. For Ferro
cement component we used
manual of Ferro Cement for
calculating moment.
Reinforced Concrete Design
(third year course) really
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helped us in doing analysis
and design.
Quantity and Cost
Estimation: After designing
we calculated the quantities
and then did cost estimation
on the basis of QE. In this
process two subjects assist
us, Quantity and Cost
Estimation, and Engineering
Drawing.
Formwork: we were surprise
to see the planks which we
had to use as formwork; it
was packing material of
machines. But we still
managed and made the form
work out of it, and for
strengthening we used steel
strips.
Reinforcement: We were
given with bended steel bars;
first we straighten them and,
cut into desired lengths, and
also cut the wire mesh of
desired size. Then we bended
steel bars as needed in the
design. This part given us
experiences how to make
things useful out of used
material using odd things.
Erecting: In the erection
phase we erected the form
work and reinforcement all
+1 Story
together, and did oiling on
the form work to make it
prepared for pouring. In this
phase we come to know that
ho difficult is to provide the
concrete cover.
Pouring: for pouring we first
sieved fine aggregate, using
the wire mesh since small
sieve takes too long for
sieving. We used horizontal
mixer for mixing which gives
batch of 100KG max. We
started pouring, and
compacted the material using
temping rod and then
vibrator, and in the end
leveled the surface using
float. The material’s
compressive strength was
found to be 2080psi, and
water cement ratio used was
65%. We cast slab, beam, and
column monolithically, and
then casted the back.
We had to face a problem of
using vibrator which resulted
in swelling of legs and back,
due to weak formwork
material. We encounter that
problem; will be discussed
under heading of disaster
management. In all the four
processes discussed above,
course of Principle of
Engineering Construction placement by doing
really helped us. excavation for leg’s base. And
bench was transferred using
Curing: after pouring we did fork lifter, and placed in the
seven days curing using sand urban lawn.
piles technique, and wetted
jute bags for the curing of It was really good chance for
back. us to get practical work
experience and design
Disaster Management: As in experience. Construction of
pouring section it is discussed bench covered all the
that due weak formwork subjects right from start of
material and excess use of first year (Engineering
vibrator swelling occurred in Drawing) till the final year
back section and one of the
subject (Disaster
two legs. We had two options management). We always
to counter swelling in the leg, heard that practical work is
one is to disintegrate the very different from what we
excess material from one leg study, and we experienced
and make it level, and the this thing in the construction
second was to apply plaster
work. ■
in such a way that both legs
give similar look. We went for
the second option, because it
took less time and give new
aesthetically good look to our
bench. In the same way we
had same problem with the
back, but this time we went
for the first option because
the second one was resulting
in short space for sitting.

Plastering and Painting:

Plastering needs accuracy
and experience, in our case
we don’t had both, so we
took help from mason and
get work completed in half
day. After plaster work we
left bench for two days to
cure, after that paint work
was done.

Placement: Bench was made

in front of Concrete lab, and
we had to transfer it to our
department lawn. We first
prepare surface for

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