A Trench Fill Foundation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

A Trench Fill Foundation - Assignment Example Since the ground condition has firm clay, therefore there is a need to consider the depth of foundations. Clay exhibits the property to shrink or contract depending on the moisture content present in it (Kenneth, 1993:25). At the same time, if the surrounding area has trees, there is a possibility that the trees would absorb the moisture from the clay and hence, the foundation may experience settlement to a significant level. For this case, it is essential to consider the depth of the foundation. A trench fill foundation is thus ideal for this type of site condition. Research suggests that â€Å"trench fill foundations are quicker to prepare than deep strip foundations. This means that there is less disruption once the building work starts and not as much labour time will be needed. It is less likely that subsidence will occur in cases where there may be changes in the soil's substrata† (Mosley & Bungey, 2000, 48).   The site has different ground conditions and has different soils. Thus, it has a weak bearing capacity. For this purpose, the ideal foundation would be strip, grid or mat foundation. In this case, the suggested foundation is mat foundation. Because of varying ground conditions, majority of the isolated footings would have large areas and thus, it would become uneconomical (Terzaghi et.al, 2006, 256)l. According to the British Code, â€Å"Where the subsoil is very weak the load needs to be spread over a greater area. This is achieved by casting a slab of concrete over the whole ground area and thickening the slab where walls are to be placed†(Perry & Perry, 2009, 118). The design of any reinforced concrete structure aims at a suitable and economical design and for this purpose, mat foundation is ideal. A mat foundation is often used by designers when isolated footings may overlap with one another (Fleming et.al, 2005: 198). A mat foundation is considered to be that type of foundation, which is placed over the entire area. It comprises of reinforced concrete slab, which would be laid over the uneven ground and thus, it would bear the load of the entire structure.   Mat foundation is also ideal for this type of ground condition because of differential settlement. The aim of the mat foundation is to minimize differential settlement (Coduto, 2001, 289). The massive loading of the structure can cause the soil to compress and thus, the structure may experience settlement. For this purpose, the mat is used as an option in order to distribute the entire loads of the buildings and to remove differential settlement.   

Business Case Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business Case Analysis - Essay Example The accounting industry was controlled by the Big Six firms. These six firms in 1994 obtained $33 billion of the total $43 billion in revenues that the industry generated. One of the advantages of forming Nexia International was that it increased the market presence and branding value of the company. The use of a branding strategy can help attract a lot of business because it creates a reputation and recognition that can be used to gain a competitive advantage. A second advantage of the creation of Nexia International was that the company expanded its reach and clientele base. Accounting services to a certain extend are homogeneous products that can be easily transferred to other marketplaces. A disadvantage of the formation of Nexia International is that the company increased its overhead due to the fact that the company needed more employees, managerial talent, and physical infrastructure to handle the expansion. Another disadvantage associated with Nexia International is logistica l challenges and constraints. Nexia International faces many strategic challenges. The company has not figured out how to effectively take advantages of its resources to serve an international clientele base. One of the issues that have made things harder for the company is the fact that the different Nexia firms across the world are not communicating or cooperating well with each other. On many instances instead of giving a referral to a Nexia establishment in another country the firm that gets the contract prefers to create a subsidiary in the country to keep the contract themselves. The executive management team of the company lacks the authority to intervene with the network partners. The international management team has little influence over the actions of the members of the network. The efforts of the offices of Nexia across the world do not seem to be coordinated. In the case study I did not see any evidence or statements in regards to the marketing, public relations, and ad vertising efforts of the company. For the company to build its brand value and attract many customers the firm has to change its marketing strategy. The company has to become more aggressive and proactive in its marketing efforts. Due to the intense competition in the accounting industry Nexia International has to differentiate itself to ensure that the firm is able to attract and keep more customers. The biggest threat to the company’s effort is the existence of the Big Six firms. These firms are taking the majority of the business away from small and medium size accounting firms such as Nexia International. Nigel Hodges has the opportunity to transform Nexia International to convert the firm in one of the industry leaders in the mid-tier category. I was astonished when I read that the company does not have the capability at all its locations to prepare computerized financial statements and audits. A firm that generated $562 million in 1994 had sufficient income to make the necessary investment to improve the software and information technology capabilities of the company. During the 1990s the cost of technological computers solutions was higher than in the 2012, but there is not excuse for the lack of compliance by Mr. Hodges in keeping up with the technological trends in the accounting industry. The firm has to make the capital investments necessary to update the information system of the company. If the firm lacks the cash