Data Conversion and Migration Strategy

Data Conversion and Migration Strategy 1. Data Conversion Migration Strategy The scope of this section is to define the data migration strategy from a CRM perspective. By its very nature, CRM is not a wholesale replacement of legacy systems with BSC CRM but rather the coordination and management of customer interaction within the existing application landscape. Therefore a large scale data migration in the traditional sense is not required, only a select few data entities will need to be migrated into BSC CRM. Data migration is typically a ‘one-off activity prior to go-live. Any ongoing data loads required on a frequent or ad-hoc basis are considered to be interfaces, and are not part of the data migration scope. This section outlines how STEE-Infosoft intends to manage the data migration from the CAMS and HPSM legacy systems to the BSC CRM system. STEE-InfoSoft will provide a comprehensive data conversion and migration solution to migrate the current legacy databases of CAMS and HPSM. The solution would adopt the most suitable and appropriate technology for database migration, using our proven methodology and professional expertise. STEE-InfoSofts data migration methodology assures customers the quality, consistency, and accuracy of results. Table 11 shows STEE-InfoSoft data migration values proposition using our methodology. Table 11: STEE-Infosoft data migration values proposition Value Details Cost Effective STEE-InfoSoft adopts a cost-effective data migration solution. Minimal downtime can be achieved for the data migration. Extensive use of automation speed up work and makes post-run changes and corrections practical. Error tracking and correction capabilities help to avoid repeated conversion re-runs. Customization enables getting the job done the correct way Very Short Downtime Downtime is minimized because most of the migration processes are external to the running application system, and do not affect its normal workflow. It further reduces downtime by allowing the data conversion to be performed in stages. Assured Data Integrity Scripts and programs are automatically generated for later use when testing and validating the data. Control Over the Migration Process. Creating unique ETL (Extract, Transform and Load) scripts to run the extract and load processes in order to reduce the downtime of the existing systems. Merging fields, filtering, splitting data, changing field definitions and translating the field content. Addition, Deletion, Transformation, and Aggregation, Validation rules for cleansing data. 1.1. Data Migration Overview Data migration is the transfer of data from one location, storage medium, or hardware/software system to another. Migration efforts are often prompted by the need for upgrades in technical infrastructure or changes in business requirements Best practices in data migration recommends two principles which are inherent for successful data migration: Perform data migration as a project dedicated to the unique objective of establishing a new (target) data store. Perform data migration in four primary phases: Data Migration Planning, Data Migration Analysis and Design, and Data Migration Implementation, and Data Migration Closeout as shown in 1.1. In addition, successful data migration projects were ones that maximized opportunities and mitigated risks. The following critical success factors were identified: Perform data migration as an independent project. Establish and manage expectations throughout the process. Understand current and future data and business requirements. Identify individuals with expertise regarding legacy data. Collect available documentation regarding legacy system(s). Define data migration project roles responsibilities clearly. Perform a comprehensive overview of data content, quality, and structure. Coordinate with business owners and stakeholders to determine importance of business data and data quality. 1.2. STEE-Info Data Migration Project Lifecycle Table 12 lists the high-level processes for each phase of the STEE-Info Data Migration Project Lifecycle. While all data migration projects follow the four phases in the Data Migration Project Lifecycle, the high-level and low-level processes may vary depending on the size, scope and complexity of each migration project. Therefore, the following information should serve as a guideline for developing, evaluating, and implementing data migration efforts. Each high-level and low-level process should be included in a DataMigrationPlan. For those processes not deemed appropriate, a justification for exclusion should be documented in the DataMigrationPlan. Table 12: Data Migration Project Lifecycle with high-level tasks identified. Data Migration Planning Phase Data Migration Analysis Design Phase Data Migration Implementation Phase Data Migration Closeout Phase Plan Data Migration Project Analyze Assessment Results Develop Procedures Document Data Migration Results Determine Data Migration Requirements Define Security Controls Stage Data Document Lessons Learned Assess Current Environment Design Data Environment Cleanse Data Perform Knowledge Transfer Develop Data Migration Plan Design Migration Procedures Convert Transform Data (as needed) Communicate Data Migration Results Define and Assign Team Roles and Responsibilities Validate Data Quality Migrate Data (trial/deployment) Validate Migration Results (iterative) Validate Post-migration Results During the lifecycle of a data migration project, the team moves the data through the activities shown in 1.2 The team will repeat these data management activities as needed to ensure a successful data load to the new target data store. 1.3. Data Migration Guiding Principles 1.3.1. Data Migration Approach 1.3.1.1. Master Data (e.g. Customers, Assets) The approach is that master data will be migrated into CRM providing these conditions hold: The application where the data resides is being replaced by CRM. The master records are required to support CRM functionality post-go-live. There is a key operational, reporting or legal/statutory requirement. The master data is current (e.g. records marked for deletion need not be migrated) OR is required to support another migration. The legacy data is of a sufficient quality such so as not to adversely affect the daily running of the CRM system OR will be cleansed by the business/enhanced sufficiently within the data migration process to meet this requirement. Note: Where the master data resides in an application that is not being replaced by CRM, but is required by CRM to support specific functionality, the data will NOT be migrated but accessed from CRM using a dynamic query look-up. A dynamic query look-up is a real-time query accessing the data in the source application as and when it is required. The advantages of this approach are; Avoids the duplication of data throughout the system landscape. Avoids data within CRM becoming out-of-date. Avoids the development and running of frequent interfaces to update the data within CRM. Reduces the quantity of data within the CRM systems. 1.3.1.2. ‘Open Transactional data (e.g. Service Tickets) The approach is that ‘open transactional data will NOT be migrated to CRM unless ALL these conditions are met: There is a key operational, reporting or legal/statutory requirement The legacy system is to be decommissioned as a result of the BSC CRM project in timescales that would prevent a ‘run down of open items The parallel ‘run down of open items within the legacy system is impractical due to operational, timing or resource constraints The CRM build and structures permit a correct and consistent interpretation of legacy system items alongside CRM-generated items The business owner is able to commit resources to own data reconciliation and sign-off at a detailed level in a timely manner across multiple project phases 1.3.1.3. Historical Master and Transactional data The approach is that historical data will not be migrated unless ALL these conditions are met: There is a key operational, reporting or legal/statutory requirement that cannot be met by using the remaining system The legacy system is to be decommissioned as a direct result of the BSC CRM project within the BSC CRM project timeline An archiving solution could not meet requirements The CRM build and structures permit a correct and consistent interpretation of legacy system items alongside CRM-generated items The business owner is able to commit resources to own data reconciliation and sign-off at a detailed level in a timely manner across multiple project phases 1.3.2. Data Migration Testing Cycles In order to test and verify the migration process it is proposed that there will be three testing cycles before the final live load: Trial Load 1: Unit testing of the extract and load routines. Trial Load 2: The first test of the complete end-to-end data migration process for each data entity. The main purpose of this load is to ensure the extract routines work correctly, the staging area transformation is correct, and the load routines can load the data successfully into CRM. The various data entities will not necessarily be loaded in the same sequence as will be done during the live cutover Trial Cutover: a complete rehearsal of the live data migration process. The execution will be done using the cutover plan in order to validate that the plan is reasonable and possible to complete in the agreed timescale. A final set of cleansing actions will come out of trial cutover (for any records which failed during the migration because of data quality issues). There will be at least one trial cutover. For complex, high-risk, migrations several trial runs may be performed, until the result is entirely satisfactory and 100% correct. Live Cutover: the execution of all tasks required to prepare BSC CRM for the go-live of a particular release. A large majority of these tasks will be related to data migration. 1.3.3. Data Cleansing Before data can be successfully migrated it data needs to be clean, data cleansing is therefore an important element of any data migration activity: Data needs to be in a consistent, standardised and correctly formatted to allow successful migration into CRM (e.g. CRM holds addresses as structured addresses, whereas some legacy systems might hold this data in a freeform format) Data needs to be complete, to ensure that upon migration, all fields which are mandatory in CRM are populated. Any fields flagged as mandatory, which are left blank, will cause the migration to fail. Data needs to be de-duplicated and be of sufficient quality to allow efficient and correct support of the defined business processes. Duplicate records can either be marked for deletion at source (preferred option), or should be excluded in the extract/conversion process. Legacy data fields could have been misused (holding information different from what this field was initially intended to be used for). Data cleansing should pick this up, and a decision needs to be made whether this data should be excluded (i.e. not migrated), or transferred into a more appropriate field. It is the responsibility of the data owner (i.e. MOM) to ensure the data provided to the STEE-Info for migration into BSC CRM (whether this is from a legacy source or a template populated specifically for the BSC CRM) is accurate. Data cleansing should, wherever possible, be done at source, i.e. in the legacy systems, for the following reasons: Unless a data change freeze is put in place, extracted datasets become out of date as soon as they have been extracted, due to updates taking place in the source system. When re-extracting the data at a later date to get the most recent updates, data cleansing actions will get overwritten. Therefore cleansing will have to be repeated each time a new dataset is extracted. In most cases, this is impractical and requires a large effort. Data cleansing is typically a business activity. Therefore, cleansing in the actual legacy system has the advantage that business people already have access to the legacy system, and are also familiar with the application. Something that is not the case when data is stored in staging areas. In certain cases it may be possible to develop a programme to do a certain degree of automated cleansing although this adds additional risk of data errors. If data cleansing is done at source, each time a new (i.e. more recent) extract is taken, the results of the latest cleansing actions will automatically come across in the extract without additional effort. 1.3.4. Pre-Migration Testing Testing breaks down into two core subject areas: logical errors and physical errors. Physical errors are typically syntactical in nature and can be easily identified and resolved. Physical errors have nothing to do with the quality of the mapping effort. Rather, this level of testing is dealing with semantics of the scripting language used in the transformation effort. Testing is where we identify and resolve logical errors. The first step is to execute the mapping. Even if the mapping is completed successfully, we must still ask questions such as: How many records did we expect this script to create? Did the correct number of records get created? Has the data been loaded into the correct fields? Has the data been formatted correctly? The fact is that data mapping often does not make sense to most people until they can physically interact with the new, populated data structures. Frequently, this is where the majority of transformation and mapping requirements will be discovered. Most people simply do not realize they have missed something until it is not there anymore. For this reason, it is critical to unleash them upon the populated target data structures as soon as possible. The data migration testing phase must be reached as soon as possible to ensure that it occurs prior to the design and building phases of the core project. Otherwise, months of development effort can be lost as each additional migration requirement slowly but surely wreaks havoc on the data model. This, in turn, requires substantive modifications to the applications built upon the data model. 1.3.5. Migration Validation Before the migration could be considered a success, one critical step remains: to validate the post-migration environment and confirm that all expectations have been met prior to committing. At a minimum, network access, file permissions, directory structure, and database/applications need to be validated, which is often done via non-production testing. Another good strategy to validate software migration is to benchmark the way business functions pre-migration and then compare that benchmark to the behaviour after migration. The most effective way to collect benchmark measurements is collecting and analyzing Quality Metrics for various Business Areas and their corresponding affairs. 1.3.6. Data Conversion Process Mapped information and data conversion program will be put into use during this period. Duration and timeframe of this process will depend on: Amount of data to be migrated Number of legacy system to be migrated Resources limitation such as server performance Error which were churned out by this process The conversion error management approach aims to reject all records containing a serious error as soon as possible during the conversion approach. Correction facilities are provided during the conversion; where possible, these will use the existing amendment interface. Errors can be classified as follows: Fatal errors which are so serious that they prevent the account from being loaded onto the database. These will include errors that cause a breach of database integrity; such as duplicate primary keys or invalid foreign key references. These errors will be the focus of data cleansing both before and during the conversion. Attempts to correct errors without user interaction are usually futile. Non-fatal errors which are less serious. Load the affected error onto the database, still containing the error, and the error will be communicated to the user via a work management item attached to the record. The error will then be corrected with information from user. Auto-corrected errors for which the offending data item is replaced by a previously agreed value by the conversion modules. This is done before the conversion process starts together with user to determine values which need to be updated. One of the important tasks in the process of data conversion is data validation. Data validation in a broad sense includes the checking of the translation process per se or checking the information to see to what degree the conversion process is an information preserving mapping. Some of the common verification methods used will be: Financial verifications (verifying pre- to post-conversion totals for key financial values, verify subsidiary to general ledger totals) to be conducted centrally in the presence of accounts, audit, compliance risk management; Mandatory exceptions verifications and rectifications (on those exceptions that must be resolved to avoid production problems) to be reviewed centrally but branches to execute and confirm rectifications, again, in the presence of network management, audit, compliance risk management; Detailed verifications (where full details are printed and the users will need to do random detailed verifications with legacy system data) to be conducted at branches with final confirmation sign-off by branch deployment and branch manager; and Electronic files matching (matching field by field or record by record) using pre-defined files. 1.4. Data Migration Method The primary method of transferring data from a legacy system into Siebel CRM is through Siebel Enterprise Integration Manager (EIM). This facility enables bidirectional exchange of data between non Siebel database and Siebel database. It is a server component in the Siebel eAI component group that transfers data between the Siebel database and other corporate data sources. This exchange of information is accomplished through intermediary tables called EIM tables. The EIM tables act as a staging area between the Siebel application database and other data sources. The following figure illustrates how data from HPSM, CAMS, and IA databases will be migrated to Siebel CRM database. 1.5. Data Conversion and Migration Schedule Following is proposed data conversion and migration schedule to migrate HPMS and CAMS, and IA databases into Siebel CRM database. 1.6. Risks and Assumptions 1.6.1. Risks MOM may not be able to confidently reconcile large and/or complex data sets. Since the data migration will need to be reconciled a minimum of 3 times (system test, trial cutover and live cutover) the effort required within the business to comprehensively test the migrated data set is significant. In addition, technical data loading constraints during cutover may mean a limited time window is available for reconciliation tasks (e.g. overnight or during weekends) MOM may not be able to comprehensively cleanse the legacy data in line with the BSC CRM project timescales. Since the migration to BSC CRM may be dependent on a number of cleansing activities to be carried out in the legacy systems, the effort required within the business to achieve this will increase proportionately with the volume of data migrated. Failure to complete this exercise in the required timescale may result in data being unable to be migrated into BSC CRM in time for the planned cutover. The volume of data errors in the live system may be increased if reconciliation is not completed to the required standard. The larger/more complex a migration becomes, the more likely it is that anomalies will occur. Some of these may initially go undetected. In the best case such data issues can lead to a business and project overhead in rectifying the errors after the event. In the worst case this can lead to a business operating on inaccurate data. The more data migrated into BSC CRM makes the cutover more complex and lengthy resulting in an increased risk of not being able to complete the migration task on time. Any further resource or technical constraints can add to this risk. Due to the volume of the task, data migration can divert project and business resources away from key activities such as initial system build, functional testing and user acceptance testing. 1.6.2. Assumptions Data Access Access to the data held within the CAMS, HPSM and IA applications are required to enable data profiling, the identification of data sources and to write functional and technical specifications. Access connection is required to HPMS and CAMS, and IA databases to enable execution of data migrations scripts. MOM is to provide workstations to run ETL scripts for the data migration of HPMS and CAMS, and IA databases. There must not be any schema changes on legacy HPMS and CAMS, and IA databases during data migration phase. MOM is to provide sample of production data for testing the developed ETL scripts. MOM business resource availability; Required to assist in data profiling, the identification of data sources and to create functional and technical specifications. Required to develop and run data extracts from the CAMS HPSM systems. Required to validate/reconcile/sign-off data loads. Required for data cleansing. Data cleansing of source data is the responsibility of MOM. STEE-Info will help identify the data anomalies during the data migration process; however STEE-Info will not cleanse the data in the CAMS HPSM applications. Depending on the data quality, data cleansing can require considerable effort, and involve a large amount of resources. The scope of the data migration requirements has not yet been finalised, as data objects are identified they will be added on to the data object register.

Religious Initiates Essay

Arnold Friend uses Connie’s insecurities to make her come to him. First of all Arnold uses the word â€Å"Don’tcha† when asking Connie questions. If Connie answers no she seems stupid. Tt forces her to constantly agree with what Arnold is saying or asking. Connie is a normal teenage girl and is concerned about her looks. When Arnold first pulls up Connie is described as â€Å"Her heart began to pound and her fingers snatched at her hair, checking it, and she whispered, â€Å"Christ. Christ,† wondering how bad she lookedâ€Å". Soon after Arnold tells her â€Å"You’re cute† (3), and even later â€Å"I don’t like them fat. I like them the way you are, honey† (8). He is trying to boost her ego. He looks and dresses like boys she is attracted too. Connie â€Å"liked the way he was dressed, which was the way all of them dressed: tight faded jeans stuffed into black, scuffed boots, a belt that pulled his waist in and showed how lean he was, and a white pull-over shirt that was a little soiled and showed the hard small muscles of his arms and shoulders. He looked as if he probably did hard work, lifting and carrying things. Even his neck looked muscular† (5). Arnold has all the characteristics and qualities that her parents want for her to resist. When Connie questions who Arnold is, he claims they know each other and have the same friends by listing their names â€Å"Listen: Betty Schultz and Tony Fitch and Jimmy Pettinger and Nancy Pettinger,† he said in a chant. â€Å"Raymond Stanley and Bob Hutter—† (5). He speaks as if he is singing, â€Å"He spoke in a simple lilting voice, exactly as if he were reciting the words to a song† (5) much like dangerous sirens of Greek mythology. Arnold also makes sure to have music playing that Connie likes, â€Å"Bobby King† and comments â€Å"I listen to him all the time. I think he’s great† (4). He uses slang that was popular with Connie’s school friends last year on his car â€Å"MAN THE FLYING SAUCERS. It was an expression kids had used the year before but didn’t use this year. She looked at it for a while as if the words meant something to her that she did not yet know† (6). All these things are meant to make Connie feel comfortable and at ease with Arnold. If she is comfortable she will trust him, go for a ride with him, and he can do whatever he wants with her. Arnold Friend tries hard to lure Connie away. He romances her like a young lover complimenting how she looks, sharing her taste in music and friends. But she still refuses and he play his last card. He states â€Å"I’m the boy for you, and like I said, you come out here nice like a lady and give me your hand, and nobody else gets hurt, I mean, your nice old bald-headed daddy and your mummy and your sister in her high heels. Because listen: why bring them in this? † (10). It is at this point that she realizes she has no choice but to go with him. For all the annoyance, resentment, and bitterness she displays toward her family, in the end, she is willing to give up herself for them. She must go with Arnold to save her family and maybe herself. It is through She chooses to go with Arnold because she sees that as her only alternative. Connie is initiated â€Å"into evil, and in the ending of the story they discover Connie’s capitulation to the shallow values of a debased culture† (Wesley 255). Oddly enough if she, at 15, had been as â€Å"worldly: as she would have liked – she would have been strong enough and smart enough to resist. Arnold Friend is the embodiment of evil intent. He shows himself to Connie in a way that she would feel comfortable with – as a young smooth talking boy who wants to court her. He represents the internal and external conflict that Connie has inside. She resists his various temptations but surrenders herself in hopes of saving her family from harm. At the end of the story the reader does not know what really happens to Connie. The open ended conclusion let’s the reader reflect on their own conflicts, their own insecurities and weaknesses. And we, the audience have to wonder, if the evil in the world is going to get us too. Works Cited Dessommes, Nancy Bishop. â€Å"O’Connor’s Mrs. May and Oates’s Connie: An Unlikely Pair of Religious Initiates. † Studies in Short Fiction 31. 3 (1994): 433+. Questia. 22 Apr. 2006 . Oates, Joyce Carol. â€Å"Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been. † University of San Francisco. Celestial Timepiece: A Joyce Carol Oates Home Page. 25 November 2005. Wesley, Marilyn C. â€Å"Reverence, Rape, Resistance: Joyce Carol Oates and Feminist Film Theory. † Mosaic (Winnipeg) 32. 3 (1999): 75. Questia. 22 Apr. 2006 . Wesley, Marilyn C. â€Å"The Transgressive Other of Joyce Carol Oates’s Recent Fiction. † Critique 33. 4 (1992): 255-262. Questia. 22 Apr. 2006 .

Myth of the Lost Cause Why the Confederate Loss Was Not...

For over a century, many writers and historians theorized that the Confederate loss during the Civil War was, in fact, inevitable, and that they were only fighting a losing war against an overwhelming invading force. This idea shows the southern gentleman, in his honor, taking up arms against what was obviously a superior foe in order to preserve their state’s rights, their families, and their homes, with no hope of coming out the victor in the contest. This is a romantic notion of a time forgotten where gentlemen fought a barbaric would-be conquering force in order that their economic tyranny be forced upon the southern gentleman. This can be countered by the fact that they were only looking for a way to soothe their own defeat, that†¦show more content†¦Lee and Confederate President Jefferson Davis, though they differed, had strategies for winning the war. That they both had ideas on how to overcome the might of the United States is reason enough to dismiss the idea of a lost cause (Farwell, B.). General Lee preferred an offensive strategy that saw him marching his Army of Northern Virginia toward the enemy and facing him on their own ground if he could. Jefferson, however, sought a defensive war, having the Union smash against fortified southern forces again and again (Farwell, B.). According to both of these tactics, winning was possible, thus negating the myth. They hoped that the north would eventually tire of the fight and seek an end to hostilities, thus granting Confederate independence. Like their fathers and grandfathers before them, they sought to overthrow a more powerful foe and secure freedom. These men in their roles of leadership would have known better than to attack if winning was not a hope. There was hope from Confederate leadership that, like the French in the Revolutionary war, France or England would recognize the Confederate States as an independent nation. Such recognition from an international body would fo rce the union to withdraw and for the United States to see their opponents as an independent entity (Henry, S.C.). So why then does this myth persist? The northern army was never sure ofShow MoreRelatedSummary : Mountain View High School Jefferson Davis 1389 Words   |  6 Pages Jefferson Davis Cron, Adelle Mountain View High School Jefferson Davis was the first, and only, president of the Confederate States. His upbringing and actions as a young man led to a strong belief of state s rights and the innate right to own slaves. Davis was a strong spokesperson for these things in his early political career. His ability to attract and bring together the Confederacy combined with his military experience got him appointed to President of the Confederacy. His actionsRead MoreThe Most Controversial American Presidents9333 Words   |  38 PagesProclamation in 1863 and promoting the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution. Six days after the large-scale surrender of Confederate forces under General Robert E. Lee, Lincoln became the first American president to be assassinated. John Fitzgerald Jack Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. After Kennedys military service as commander ofRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 PagesSaddle River, New Jersey 07458, or you may fax your request to 201-236-3290. Many of the designations by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book, and the publisher was aware of a trademark claim, the designations have been printed in initial caps or all caps. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Robbins, Stephen P. Organizational behavior / Stephen P. Robbins, Timothy A. Judge. — 15th ed. p. cm. IncludesRead MoreContemporary Issues in Management Accounting211377 Words   |  846 Pagesa lifetime endeavour. But personal though his achievements may be, they are also reflective of a wider tradition of significant involvement in the practical sphere by senior British accounting academics. 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Ritual Objects of Ancient Taino

A zemà ­ (also zemi, zeme or cemi) is a collective term in the Caribbean Taà ­no (Arawak) culture for sacred thing, a spirit symbol or personal effigy. The Taà ­no were the people met by Christopher Columbus when he first set foot on the island of Hispaniola in the West Indies. To the Taà ­no, zemà ­ was/is an abstract symbol, a concept imbued with the power to alter circumstances and social relations. Zemis are rooted in ancestor worship, and although they are not always physical objects, those that have a concrete existence have a multitude of forms. The simplest and earliest recognized zemis were roughly carved objects in the form of an isosceles triangle (three-pointed zemis); but zemis can also be quite elaborate, highly detailed human or animal effigies embroidered from cotton or carved from sacred wood. Christopher Columbuss Ethnographer Elaborate zemà ­s were incorporated into ceremonial belts and clothing; they often had long names and titles, according to Ramà ³n Panà ©. Panà © was a friar of the Order of Jerome, who was hired by Columbus to live in Hispaniola between 1494 and 1498 and make a study of Taà ­no belief systems. Panà ©s published work is called Relacià ³n acerca de las antigà ¼edades de los indios, and it makes Panà © one of the earliest ethnographers of the new world. As reported by Panà ©, some  zemà ­s included bones or bone fragments of ancestors; some zemà ­s were said to speak to their owners, some made things grow, some made it rain, and some made the winds blow. Some of them were reliquaries, kept in gourds or baskets suspended from the rafters of communal houses. Zemis were guarded, venerated and regularly fed. Arieto ceremonies were held every year during which zemà ­s were draped with cotton clothing and offered baked cassava bread, and zemi origins, histories, and power were recited through songs and music. Three-Pointed Zemà ­s Three-pointed zemà ­s, like the one illustrating this article, are commonly found in Taà ­no archaeological sites, as early as the Saladoid period of Caribbean history (500 BC-1 BC). These mimic a mountain silhouette, with the tips decorated with human faces, animals, and other mythical beings. Three-pointed zemà ­s are sometimes randomly dotted with circles or circular depressions. Some scholars suggest that three-pointed zemis imitate the shape of cassava tubers: cassava, also known as manioc, was an essential food staple and also an important symbolic element of Taà ­no life. The three-pointed zemis were sometimes buried in the soil of a garden. They were said, according to Panà ©, to help with the growth of the plants. The circles on the three-pointed zemà ­s may represent tuber eyes, germination points that may or may not develop into suckers or new tubers. Zemi Construction Artifacts representing zemà ­s were made from a wide range of materials: wood, stone, shell, coral, cotton, gold, clay and human bones. Among the most preferred material to make zemà ­s was wood of specific trees such as mahogany (caoba), cedar, blue mahoe, the lignum vitae or guyacan, which is also referred to as holy wood or wood of life. The silk-cotton tree (Ceiba pentandra) was also important to Taà ­no culture, and tree trunks themselves were often recognized as zemà ­s. Wooden anthropomorphic zemà ­s have been found all over the Greater Antilles, especially Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica, and the Dominican Republic. These figures often bear gold or shell inlays within the eye-inlets. Zemà ­ images were also carved on rocks and cave walls, and these images could also transfer supernatural power to landscape elements. Role of Zemis in Taino Society Possession of the elaborated zemà ­s by Taino leaders (caciques) was a sign of his/her privileged relations with the supernatural world, but zemis werent restricted to leaders or shamans. According to Father Panà ©, most of the Taà ­no people living on Hispaniola owned one or more zemà ­s. Zemis represented not the power of the person who owned them, but the allies the person could consult and venerate. In this way, zemis provided a contact for every Taino person with the spiritual world. Sources Atkinson L-G. 2006. The Earliest Inhabitants: The Dynamics of the Jamaica Taà ­no, University of the West Indies Press, Jamaica.de Hostos A. 1923. Three-pointed stone zemà ­ or idols from the West Indies: an interpretation. American Anthropologist 25(1):56-71.Hofman CL, and Hoogland MLP. 1999. Expansion of the Taà ­no cacicazgos towards the Lesser Antilles. Journal de la Socià ©tà © des Amà ©ricanistes 85:93-113. doi: 10.3406/jsa.1999.1731Moorsink J. 2011. Social Continuity in the Caribbean Past: A Mai son-Perspective on Cultural Continuity. Caribbean Connections 1(2):1-12.Ostapkowicz J. 2013. ‘Made †¦ With Admirable Artistry’: The Context, Manufacture, and History of a Taà ­no Belt. The Antiquaries Journal 93:287-317. doi: 10.1017/S0003581513000188Ostapkowicz J, and Newsom L. 2012. â€Å"Gods †¦ Adorned with the Embroiderers Needle†: The Materials, Making and Meaning of a Taà ­no Cotton Reliquary. Latin American Antiquity 23(3):300-326. doi: 10. 7183/1045-6635.23.3.300Saunders NJ. 2005. The Peoples of the Caribbean. An Encyclopedia of Archaeology and Traditional Culture. ABC-CLIO, Santa Barbara, California.Saunders NJ, and Gray D. 1996. Zemà ­s, trees, and symbolic landscapes: three Taà ­no carvings from Jamaica. Antiquity 70(270):801-812. doi: :10.1017/S0003598X00084076

Essay about Alexander the Great - 1815 Words

Humanity has known a few distinguished consolidators of civilizations. Alexander the Great is one of them, and the first to accumulate power in his hand beyond any conqueror’s dream. His feats served as guidelines for other rulers like Cesar Augustus and Napoleon, who, by means of outstanding military prowess, conquered and ruled most of the civilized world of their times. Alexander was born in 356 B.C., as the son of King Philip II and Olympias. He was taught by the great philosopher, Aristotle, inspiring him in the fields of, philosophy and medicine. Although he had a broader view of humanity than that of Aristotle’s perception, that all non-Greeks, should be treated as slaves. Alexander, after the death of his father, King†¦show more content†¦This grand army consisted of 32,000 foot soldiers, and 5,000 calvary. His first confrontation with the Persian army, was at the Granicus River. The Persians were planning to lure Alexander across the river, but their line broke. The victory at Granicus allowed Alexander to take on western Asia Minor, while most civilizations waited for Alexander with open arms. Alexander went on to move south through Ionia and liberate the Greek cities from Persian rule. He then confirmed his position as the great liberator of civilized men. Alexander had convinced himself of being divine and godlike, not to mention invincible. Alexander often compared himself to his hero and idol, Achilles. Throughout his life, he was faced events that proved to him that he was indeed favored by the gods. One example was his expedition to the city of Gordian. The city was named after a Macedonian named Gordius, whom supposedly had arrived in a wooden cart. In the wooden cart, was a knot the was extremely difficult to untie. The person who were to untie the knot was said to eventually become the ruler of all Asia. Results of studies done by Michael Wood indicated that Alexander drew his sword, and hacked the knot open to reveal the ends inside undone and the legend fulfilled (Wood 49). A thunder storm at Alexanders encampment that night confirmed that Zeus had approved. In November of 333Show MoreRelatedAlexander The Great Of Alexander Essay988 Words   |  4 PagesAlexander became king of Macedonia after his the passing of his father, King Philip II. Within this essay, the information of Alexander will come from three different sources,and be compared to find the similarities in the history of Alexander amongst them. Alexand lived from 356 B.C.E. to 323 B.C.E., dying at the age of thirty-two. The three sources used have many similarities and broaden the history of Alexander, as they include more into the timeline of his life. 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So searching and profound was Aristotle’s work that in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries A.D. much of the Christian church regarded his teachings as being divinely inspired. No subject was untouched by his contemplation. Philosophy, botany, geographyRead MoreAlexander the Great 1054 Words   |  4 PagesAlexander the Great once said, â€Å"There is nothing impossible to he who tries†. Alexander’s whole life seems to be based off this one quote. From the day he was only a young child till he transitioned into one of the greatest of men, which conquered and ruled the largest empire that ever existed in the world. He accomplished and influenced so much in the world that he is still not forgotten. From his achievements and his positive contributions to the world he is still remembered as a hero. AlexanderRead MoreAlexander The Great Essay846 Words   |  4 PagesKonark Raithatha Alexander the Great Acted as ruler of Macedonia from 336 to 323 B.C. Alexander the Great unified Greece, regenerated the Corinthian League and occupied the Persian Territory. Alexander the Great was born in the Pella region of Macedonia on July 20, 356 B.C., to parents King Philip II of Macedon and Queen Olympia, daughter of King Neoptolemus. The youthful leader and his sibling were upraised in Pella s royal court. While growing up, alexander the dark-eyed and curly-headed hardlyRead MoreAlexander II And Alexander The Great1642 Words   |  7 Pagessomeone who is good at planning tactics; Philip II and Alexander the Great would not fall under this name because they were not good at planning tactics, they were disputed to be the best at planning them. Alexander III the Great was born in 356 BC in the capital of Macedonia; Pella. Growing up Alexander watched his father turn Macedonia into a great military power . Philip II was the first to create an unstoppable Macedonian army and his son Alexander woul d further expand the efficiency and power ofRead MoreAlexander The Great : Why Is Alexander Considered Great?1669 Words   |  7 PagesALEXANDER THE GREAT Why is alexander considered great? Alexander III of Macedon or commonly known as Alexander the Great was the conqueror and king of the Persian Empire which is the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon. He was born on the 20/21st July 356 BC in Pella, the ancient capital of Macedonia. While in reign from 336 to 323 B.C, he united the Greek city-states and led the Corinthian League. He also became the king of Persia, Babylon and Asia as well as created Macedonian colonies in the regionRead MoreAlexander The Great : Alexander The Great And The Persian Empire930 Words   |  4 PagesAlexander the Great was skilled and respected military leader. After inheriting the throne from his father, King Philip II, Alexander would go on to conquer the Persian Empire, unite Greece and spread Hellenistic views across Greece. Alexander being the son of a king was born into royalty. In fact, he had the pleasure of having the great Aristotle as his teacher. It was Aristotle’s job to teach Alexander what he need to know in order to lat er conquer the Persian Empire and to teach him the importanceRead MoreAlexander The Great651 Words   |  3 PagesAlexander The Great is one of the most famous icons of ancient history. He had conquered more territory than anyone else. Alexander was born in Pella the capital of Macedon in July of 356 BC. His mother was Olympias and his father was Philip II ruler of Macedon. From the age of 13-16 Alexander was tutored by the famous Aristotle. Aristotle had taught him about geography, medicine, zoology and lots of other things. 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Geometric Design Of Rural Roads Engineering Essay Free Essays

It is a good known fact that route accidents in South Africa are serious causes of concern. Harmonizing to the latest accident statistics at that place has been an addition in the figure of human deaths. Harmonizing to the article on the Arrive Alive web site ( Road decease toll ‘unacceptable ‘ ) [ 1 ] dated 3 January 2010, Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele is disappointed with the route decease toll, stating that one human death on the state ‘s roads is one excessively many. We will write a custom essay sample on Geometric Design Of Rural Roads Engineering Essay or any similar topic only for you Order Now Preliminary statistics released by the section on 2 January 2010 revealed that 1050 people had died in route related incidents during December 2009. N3 Road safety is non merely a major concern for South Africa but so a concern that requires the immediate attending of other states worldwide. The Commission for Global Road Safety has during June 2006 presented a study titled â€Å" Make Roads Safe † [ 2 ] that could hold an consequence on the manner we approach route safety. The study aims to concentrate on political and public attending and relates to the planetary route traffic hurt epidemic that claims the lives of 1.2 million people and hurts around 50 million yearly. Table: Gay period figures – December 2008 State Clang Fatalities Drivers Passengers Pedestrians Sum General practitioner 206 69 58 105 232 KZN 194 44 95 109 248 WCP 104 35 38 51 124 ECP 117 36 56 53 145 FST 83 30 42 35 107 MPU 131 65 52 44 161 NWP 81 28 38 40 106 LIM 132 59 80 35 174 NCP 24 9 19 5 33 1073 371 478 471 1331 Beginning: Traffic Focus March 2008, p38, â€Å" Fatal Road Accident Statistics † by Cielie Karow ( RTMC ) The study besides indicates that unsafe roads have a important impact on developmental aims, particularly because of the huge economic and societal cost of route clangs to low and in-between income states. South Africa is in this class. It is of import that the cognition gained by high income states be transferred and implemented in South Africa. The N3 path is a popular path during vacations and with high volumes of rider and cargo traffic on the roads, there is prone to be serious and fatal accidents. Road fury, velocity and driver behaviors are non the lone cause of these accidents. Holiday periods are by and large during the rainy season and route elements, particularly drainage, contribute to accidents. Superelevation There are changing point of views and sentiments among civil technology professionals on the use of superelevation values given in the TRH 17 [ 3 ] and SANRAL ‘s Geometric Design Guidelines [ 4 ] . The geometric design considerations need to be reviewed particularly when it relates to route surface drainage at points where the route has no crossfall during development of superelevation. Presently the SANRAL Drainage Manual, 5th Edition Final Revision, p5-2 [ 5 ] recommends that the flow deepness during a 1:5 twelvemonth storm should non transcend 6mm. This is in contrast to the Highway Drainage Manual ( FHWA-TS-79-225 ) [ 6 ] recommendation of 4mm. Harmonizing to Highway Surface Design ( Transit New Zealand ) Manual [ 7 ] , the critical deepness for aquaplaning scopes from 4mm to 10mm depending on Sur and paving surfacing. The surface H2O deepness hence, should be restricted to 4mm for all but particular state of affairss where superelevation produces long, curved flow waies. There are three common particular state of affairss where surface H2O deepness may go critical, viz. , horizontal alliance curvature, intersections and inclines and superelevation development. 2.2 Why is the research being undertaken? Standards for superelevation where steep perpendicular classs have a direct consequence on drainage on horizontal curves have non been developed harmonizing to the TRB [ 8 ] . Drain jobs associated with superelevation has resulted in an addition ( particularly at route broadenings ) in vehicular accidents and a thorough survey of the surface H2O flow waies on route surfaces due to superelevation demands need to be farther investigated, researched and analysed. The proposed analysis and context of the research proposal will place the factors such as velocity impacting the vehicle kineticss at crisp or decreased horizontal curves where flow waies of surface H2O are debatable and can take to aquaplaning. Driver behavior during aquaplaning in concurrence with the geometric design of the roadway are factors considered in the research. This survey will be done under heavy vehicular traffic conditions during inauspicious conditions conditions. ‘Context Sensitive Design ‘ ( CSD* ) [ 9 ] for the geometric design of safer roads will be addressed in the research survey. 2.3 How will the consequences add to the organic structure of cognition? The TRH 17 papers was compiled to be a design guideline for the geometric design of rural roads in penchant to criterions. An aim of the TRH 17 was to continuously amend the bill of exchange papers, through audience between the governments, treatment with practicians and ongoing research. This has non happened. It is common pattern by geometric interior decorators to utilize the TRH 17 papers for the design of rural roads without oppugning the values obtained in the tabular arraies and graphs. The cogency of the guidelines should be judged by the geometric interior decorator in each specific state of affairs every bit good as the effects of going from the values suggested. Similarly SANRAL ‘s Geometric Design Guidelines have been developed to help design advisers. The inceptions of the guidelines stem from AASHTO [ 10 ] . Currently there is no criterions developed for SA and these guidelines are authority specific. Literature reappraisal The literature reappraisal will depict the current province of cognition on the component and will be researched. Applicable literature listed hereunder have been identified. * † Context sensitive design ( CSD ) asks inquiries foremost about the demand and intent of the transit undertaking, and so every bit addresses safety, mobility, and the saving of scenic, aesthetic, historic, environmental, and other community values. CSD involves a collaborative, interdisciplinary attack in which citizens are portion of the design squad. † 3.1 Reference certification Refer to list of mentions ( 11.3 List of Mentions ) . How will the literature reappraisal nexus with the job statement and research aims? The literature reappraisal gives a background and base cognition to develop in this research survey. Case survey As portion of the on-going committedness towards route safety, convenience and mobility, N3TC conducted a comprehensive route safety audit in 2006 [ 11 ] which highlighted velocity as the chief cause of accidents at assorted locations along the N3 between Cedara and Heidelberg. Sections where velocity bounds are posted necessitates forbearance, appropriate decreases in velocity and full concentration on the portion of drivers. Accidents in these countries frequently occur because drivers lose control due to rushing, every bit good as the high velocity derived functions between heavy and light vehicles. Mist and inauspicious conditions conditions have a important impact of driver conditions. Van Reenen ‘s Pass is one of the most beautiful subdivisions of the N3 exceeding the escarpment between the Free State and Kwazulu-Natal renowned for its slippery and unstable roads ( peculiarly as a consequence of the frequent brumous conditions ) .The route is steep, really steep in topographic points, and turns and turns as it follows the cragged terrain. The conditions is risky at times with high air currents capable of blowing trains, light vehicles and light trucks onto their sides. Snow has on a figure of occasions wholly closed the Van Reenen ‘s Pass, whilst mist and rain on a regular basis cut down visibleness and render the route faithlessly unsafe. It is of peculiar involvement the visibleness of a figure of skid Markss on the route surfacing and guardrail replacing. Traffic, in peculiar heavy traffic, increases yearly as the economic system grows. Trucks unrelentingly ‘grind ‘ up and down Van Reenen ‘s Pass twenty-four hours and dark, while during extremum traffic periods every bit many as 3000 vehicles per hr use the base on balls. Using September 2004 to August 2006 statistics [ 12 ] , the day-to-day norm traffic was 9100 vehicles, of which 2600 were big trucks ( 5 axles or more ) , about a 3rd of all vehicles. During the month of December 2007 recorded at the Van Reenen ‘s Pass, the mean day-to-day traffic reached 11000. The velocity derived functions between trucks in low cogwheel and the powerful new coevals of light vehicles is highly awful, both up and down the base on balls. High velocity derived functions ( 76 % of drivers exceed the velocity bound on the base on balls ) and failure to accommodate velocity in relation to fortunes, have contributed to 70 % of all accidents on the base on balls over this period. Th e consequences do non portray a pretty image and from a route safety point of position, Van Reenen ‘s Pass is the individual most unsafe subdivision of the N3. N3TC has identified and addressed route safety on Van Reenen ‘s Base on balls from three points of position, viz. technology, instruction and enforcement [ 13 ] . N3TC has implemented intercessions to cut down the figure of accidents on the base on balls but presently the greatest causes of accidents is by vehicle softness ( inoperative brakes in peculiar ) , rear-end hits due to high velocity derived functions, unsafe inter-lane tactics and driver freak out in utmost conditions conditions. Elementss impacting safety at superelevation The drainage conditions of the roadway in relation to the vehicle kineticss need to be farther investigated as superelevation along crisp horizontal curves with decreased sight distances presents a important degree of driver concentration. The driver tends to rectify the vehicular way. The surface stormwater run-off flow way along the horizontal curve effects natural braking forces which in bend can take to seaplaning ( or aquaplaning ) . Aquaplaning occurs when H2O force per unit areas build up in forepart of a traveling Sur ensuing in an uplift force sufficient to divide the Sur from the paving. During high strength rainfall events, a H2O movie builds up on the surface on the route. The hazard of vehicle aquaplaning additions as the deepness of this movie increases. The loss of maneuvering and drag force produced during aquaplaning may so do the vehicle to lose control, particularly when a guidance Sur is involved. Rainfall strength is the most of import environmental factor in hydroplaning. The hazard of dynamic aquaplaning is straight relative to the deepness of H2O in the route surface. This deepness is affected by a broad scope of factors that are contributed to by the environment such as the geometric design, paving design, drainage design and care and by the status of the vehicle. The geometry of the route has a big consequence on the H2O deepness and is the factor over which the geometric interior decorator has the most control. The length of clip H2O is able to remain on the route will act upon the deepness it achieves. Longer flow waies intend more clip to roll up rainfall and consequence in higher movie deepnesss. Changes in superelevation, reduced horizontal alliance and droop curves are some of the job countries where the incline is low or where H2O has to flux a long manner over the paving before being intercepted by a drainage system or dispersing into the next terrain. Superelevation alterations can ensue in long curving flow waies which may be debatable. Steeper longitudinal inclines can besides increase the flow way length and ensuing deepness. The paving texture deepness effects the H2O deepness by leting some of this H2O to flux between the sum or in channels supplying flow waies to let H2O in forepart of the Sur to be forced out under force per unit area. Porosity can besides be considered as some pavings such as open-graded porous asphalt allow H2O to run out through them, taking it off from the surface. Wheel path depressions have a important consequence on the drainage patterns increasing H2O deepness and concentrating flow. The N3 has changing pavement surfacing of which an analysis will be done sing the flow way on these surfaces. Pavement drainage solutions is indispensable to guarantee that no H2O is able to pond on the trafficable route surface, peculiarly in sag countries. This is critical in order to cut down the aquaplaning hazard. Vehicle features and behaviors are besides of import factors in aquaplaning. The velocity at which a vehicle needs to go to get down aquaplaning is determined by H2O deepness but besides by the vehicle ‘s weight and Sur features. The vehicle weight determines how much uplift force is needed to bring on separation and it follows that a lighter vehicle will aquaplane at a lower velocity. Higher Sur force per unit areas increase the aquaplaning velocity by cut downing the contact country between Sur and route, increasing the vehicle ‘s weight to country ratio. Tyre pace deepness besides affects aquaplaning the same manner as pavement texture, with deeper pace traveling the H2O off from the country of contact more efficaciously. While minimal tyre pace deepness and maximal velocity are both specified by jurisprudence, minimal weight and Sur force per unit areas are non. These are vehicle maker recommendations specific. In drumhead, drainage demands versus vehicle kineticss are the cardinal factors to be considered in the development of superelevation standards at decreased horizontal curves to minimise aquaplaning on the N3. Practical considerations such as Sur deepness, paving features and drainage solutions will be evaluated along the path. The assorted literature reviewed amplifies the demand for safer roads and the N3 is considered to be the most traveled path in South Africa. Research background Significant roadway debasement such as shining of sums, hemorrhage of bitumen and rutting depletes the clash supply available for cornering. This depletion consequences from the usage of a part of the clash supply to supply the necessary braking force required to keep velocity on the downgrade. The velocity of the vehicles on the roadway and the vehicle kineticss will necessitate to be analysed as differing vehicles have different clash forces exerted on the roadway. It can non be assumed that the relevant design standards for a auto is similar to that of a truck or frailty versa. As the Independent Engineer, my old audit studies [ 14 ] on the N3 has indicated the assorted surfacing failures. Skid Markss are significantly prevailing and N3TC/SANRAL/DOT accident studies will necessitate to be investigated as portion of the research survey. It is noted from the TRH 17 that the design vehicle is a individual unit truck. This unwanted combination consequences in a important lessening in the border of safety ensuing from roadway class, particularly for heavy vehicles. On long or reasonably steep classs, drivers tend to go faster in the downgrade than in the upgrade way. Additionally, research has shown that the side clash demand is greater on both downgrades ( due to braking forces ) and steep ascents ( due to the grip forces ) . Downgrades on horizontal curves may be debatable, and that accommodation for it may be desirable in some instances. There are no guidelines as to how this accommodation should be made for two-lane or multilane divided or undivided roadways. Some accommodation in superelevation rates should be considered for classs steeper than 5 % . This accommodation is peculiarly of import on roadways with high truck volumes and on low-speed roadways with intermediate curves utilizing high degrees of side clash demand. The superelevation alteration proposition high spots that this accommodation be made by utilizing higher design velocities standards for the geometric design of the roadway. More unequivocal counsel on this accommodation, every bit good as accommodation for other elements of the horizontal curve, is needed. The design velocity versus minimal curve radii of horizontal curvature needs farther probe to guarantee safety on crisp horizontal curves taking the other related factors like superelevation, etc into consideration. The article published in the Pretoria News, â€Å" Wet conditions causes a spike in route accidents † [ 15 ] refers to the important addition in roadway accidents during showery conditions. The drainage demands and vehicle kineticss in relation to superelevation design of the roadway will be investigated and researched. I have consulted assorted professional applied scientists, engineers [ 16 ] and independent advisers [ 17 ] in the transit industry. The response received was favourable in footings of the demand for farther probes of superelevation in relation to drainage demands and vehicle kineticss for roadway geometric design. Research jobs and purposes I am presently the IE ( independent applied scientist ) and have audited the everyday route care points of the N3 for the past 3 old ages. As such, I have entree to some informations to analyze as portion of the survey. Assorted subdivisions of the N3 are presently being upgraded or rehabilitated to better the quality and lifetime of the route due to vehicular traffic additions. There is important freight motion. This has resulted in an addition in vehicular accidents. My point of view on the design considerations adopted on the N3 is subjective as driver safety factors and other extenuating hazards of vehicular accidents need to be farther investigated. From a geometric design analysis point of view, road-widening and general roadway rehabilitation are designed harmonizing to the bing roadway conditions and drainage jobs associated with superelevation is prevailing. Ponding has been recorded and ocular grounds is prevailing in certain countries. The general stormwater design standards should be viewed and analysed otherwise from the Kwazulu-Natal conditions as opposed to the Free-State and Gauteng conditions as the overflow rainfall strength and clip of concentration varies significantly. This survey will sketch and place the undermentioned conditions with specific superelevation standards development on the N3 path: Superelevation standards at steep gradients ( turn overing to cragged terrain ) with reduced/sharp horizontal curves ; Drain jobs associated with superelevation ; Flow waies on route surfaces due to superelevation ; and Speed and Vehicle kineticss at crisp horizontal curves. Steep classs at crisp horizontal curves presents a unsafe state of affairs for traffic. The two scenarios where this status is prevailing is at broken-back curves on cragged terrain ( Van Reenen ‘s Pass specifically and other identified countries ) with multi-lane, 2-way roads ( whether it is divided or undivided ) and/or high velocity downgrade at/before perpendicular droop curves. At these locations, the perplexing factors of vehicle â€Å" off-tracking † , pavement incline ( crossfall ) , and pavement clash tests the drivers ability to supply right vehicle positioning without compromising control of the vehicle. It has besides been recorded that air current has been a cause of accidents as the vehicles can non ‘grip ‘ onto the roadway ( particularly at ‘Windy Corner ‘ on the Van Reenen ‘s Pass. From old design considerations, accident-related jobs have arisen where, as a consequence of Reconstruction, bing main roads have been rebuilt utilizing the 8 % -10 % superelevation rates in conformity with current guidelines. The rate of superelevation development is nevertheless non reviewed or adjusted. Research methodological analysis The research attack has a both qualitative and quantitative attack. The theoretical research will consist of mathematical analysis with mold and simulation. The current geometric design guidelines for rural roads ( TRH 17 and SANRAL ‘s Geometric Guidelines ) will be used as base certification for values in the research input. Case survey subdivisions of the N3 will be decided upon and N3TC, SANRAL and the DoT ( both national and provincial ) will be informed of the research survey. Data aggregation and statistical information will be sourced from the relevant governments with anterior consent. This research would necessitate: the reappraisal of current design guidelines ; the development of an action program to accomplish the research objectives ; the aggregation of statistical informations ( from SANRAL, N3TC, etc ) and other relevant information ; elaborate ocular appraisal and rating of the roadway subdivision ; Falling Weight Deflection ( FWD ) measurings will be performed at 50m intervals instead on the left and right exterior wheel paths along the subdivision identified ; rut and siting quality measurings will be measured in both wheel waies every bit good as texture deepness along the outside wheel way as portion of the FWD measurings ; Measurements of the stormwater sheet flow overflow deepnesss will be measured utilizing conventional agencies ; vehicle kineticss will be physically and theoretically analysed ; the rating of the effects of assorted options contextualized in geometric design guidelines and campaigner standards taking into consideration the CSD attack ; and the readying of extenuating hazards, route safety steps and concluding geometric design standards for superelevation, drainage demands taking into consideration the velocity and vehicle kineticss at sharp/reduced horizontal curves. The accident studies sourced by SANRAL/N3TC/DoT ‘s archives will be of import for the research survey. The possible restrictions could be the hold in recovering these accident studies and ocular appraisals will be carried out as an option . Research aims The aim of this research is to: analyse the velocity and vehicle kineticss at crisp horizontal curves ; develop drainage criterias for flow waies or deepnesss on route surfaces due to superelevation ; develop superelevation standards for steep classs on crisp horizontal curves by placing and analysing drainage jobs associated ; design safe roads from a geometric design point of view by taking factors such as clip, cost, quality, CSD into consideration ; and develop an independent package tool to help geometric interior decorators and governments in the civil technology industry. It is noted that other standards associated with the design of horizontal curves such as tangent-to-curve passages, the demand for paving broadening, and minimal curve radii would besides be considered in the development of the standards. The standards will be based on quantitative informations obtained from theoretic considerations and simulations and verified by existent field observation. The identified countries for the existent field observations will be done by going the path and monitoring of the N3. Accident statistics will be indispensable as fact-finding mention for the background of the research survey. Plan of research activities Activity The activities to set about the research proposal will be to: expand literature survey ; collate statistical informations ; get permission for design informations from confer withing technology houses and SANRAL/N3TC/DoT archives ; coordinate with SANRAL/N3TC with regard to experimental countries identified ; analyse the design guidelines ( geometric and drainage ) for rural roads ; fix the roadway mold and simulation for the assorted superelevation standards taking into consideration the drainage demands and vehicle kineticss ; Analyse the sheet flow way ( hydraulic analysis ) for the drainage demands ( perpendicular class versus route width – at sharp/reduced horizontal curves ) – the Rational Method will be used ; Investigate the CSD of route rehabilitation undertakings in relation to geometric design considerations for future route rehabilitation and major building undertakings ( It is noted that the De Beer ‘s Pass will be constructed as an option to the Van Reenen ‘s Pass ) ; Analyse research findings and observations utilizing relevant package ; Synthesize the research findings, observations and consequences ; and Write the study. Timeframe This research would take 18 months to finish. Potential end products The possible end products for the research survey will be to: Reduce or increase the superelevation values or rates, dependent on research end products, with regard to vehicle kineticss and roadway breadths ; Analyse the drainage flow waies as superelevation rates or values in relation to the drainage demands and vehicle kineticss will find the standards to be adopted for safe driver conditions ; The velocity versus vehicle kineticss analysis at crisp or decreased horizontal curves will supply suited guidelines for future rehabilitation and road-widening undertakings ; CSD findings and observations to be adopted in future route rehabilitation and major Reconstruction undertakings ; and Produce an independent package plan which will be exhaustively researched, tested and developed as a tool for geometric interior decorators and governments in the civil technology industry. This package can be integrated utilizing current technology package utilised by confer withing technology service suppliers, authorities establishments and assorted organisations will be investigated. Research results The result of this research will help design advisers in finding a much easier and safer design attack to plan rehabilitation, road-widening and major building undertakings, by placing job countries and supplying appropriate design values. The recommended standards would be documented in the concluding study and besides presented in a signifier that could be used by assorted governments. Presentations will be made at national and international conferences, seminars or symposiums associating to geometric design of roads. Workshops and talks will be conducted or presented through educational institutes, CESA and other governments in the civil technology industry. The research survey will be published as an article in transit diaries and the research sum-up will be published in several magazines. I am of the sentiment that I envisage national acclamation for the research and part of the research outputs to constructing the cognition base in South Africa. Key mentions and certification 11.1 Governments, Institutes and other beginning of mention Department of Transport ( National and Provincial ) ( DoT ) Road Traffic Management Corporation ( Pty ) Ltd ( RTMC ) South African National Roads Agency Limited ( SANRAL ) N3 Toll Concession ( Pty ) Ltd ( N3TC ) Council for Scientific and Industrial Research ( CSIR ) Transport Research Board ( TRB ) American Society for Civil Engineers ( ASCE ) Consulting Engineers South Africa ( CESA ) Durban University of Technology ( DUT ) University of Stellenbosch ( SUN ) Aurecon SA ( Pty Ltd ( AURECON ) WSP SA Civil and Structural Engineers ( WSP ) 3D Compu-Systems ( 3DCS ) 11.2 Design Guidelines and Standards Technical Recommendations for Highways ( TRH 17 – Geometric Design of Rural Roads – Draft 1988 ) SANRAL Geometric Design Guidelines SANRAL Drainage Manual ( 5th Edition – to the full revised ) Design of Highway Drainage Manual ( FHWA-TS-79-225 ) AASHTO – A Policy on the Geometric Design of Highways and Streets 5th Edition ( 2004 ) How to cite Geometric Design Of Rural Roads Engineering Essay, Essay examples

Reducing Exposure To Hazardous Substances â€Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Reducing Exposure To Hazardous Substances? Answer: Introduction The current assignment focuses on the concept of occupational health and safety. The safety concerns of the employees working within an organization are pivotal to maintaining the organizational culture. In this context, the risks could be divided into a number of types such as chemical, biological, psychological and environmental hazards. The current study focuses on assessment and risk management through implementation of effective regulations and codes or practise. The assignment takes into consideration two different scenarios such as hazard due to exposure to different chemical substances and impact of noise pollution on the health of the workforce. Surfboard manufacture: A number of preventive measures need to be employed for ensuring the health and safety concerns of the employees working within an organization. As commented by Rothmore and Boucaut (2015), healthy employees help in enhancing the productivity of the organization. For the present assignment, the hazards associated with employee health management within a surfboard factory had been taken into consideration. The manufacturing of the surfboard exposes the workers to a wide range of hazardous chemicals such as fibreglass, resins, solvents and paints. Though, the manufacturing unit had provided the workers with additional preventive measures such as plastic goggles and face masks the staff was still sceptical. The same could be attributed to the absence of sufficient number of trained staffs within the factory outlet. There are two main types of polyurethane foam used for the manufacturing of the surfboards such as Toluene Diisocyanate (TDI) and Diphenylmethane Diisocyanate (MDI). In this context, TDI is used more frequently compared to MDI due to its flexibility options. The use of TDI can result in a number of health risks to an individual such as asthma and other respiratory distresses owing to hypersensitivity (Gibson and Warren, 2017). As commented by Carvalho and Melo (2015), exposure to the strong smell of TDI beyond the threshold level can result in the irritation of the e yes and the nose. Reports and evidences have also pointed out at the direct link of TDI with inducing malignancy within an individual. Control hierarchy In order to prevent or reduce the health risks due to exposure to a number of hazardous chemicals in a surfboard manufacturing factory a number of steps could be taken which could be enumerated with the help of a control hierarchy. Some of the basic steps of the hierarchy are-implementation of suitable measures, introduction of technical measures to reduce the exposure to harmful chemicals, implementation of effective organizational policies and framework and use of protective equipments. The suitable measures include substitution of the hazardous materials with a less harmful one. In this context, the TDI could be could be substituted with MDI which have been found to possess comparatively lesser health risks. As commented by MacIntyre et al. (2014), empanelment of technical measures including regular checking and monitoring of machineries to be physically handled can reduce the rate of accidents. In this respect, some of the organizational policies and frameworks which could be implemented over here are Workplace Health and Safety Regulations, 2011. The implementation of such guidelines helps in maintaining the organizational culture by promulgating training process of the employees along with provision of protective equipments. Regulations and codes of practise managing work environment and facilities The rules and regulations implemented in the context of a workplace play a crucial role in ensuring the optimum management of the work environment. Most of the policy and frameworks are covered under the act of Workplace Health and Safety, 2011. The implementation of the Construction Work Codes of practise provides a number of safety guidelines for ensuring health and safety of the workers engaged in the manufacturing process of the surfboards (safeworkaustralia, 2017). As commented by Cooklin et al. (2015), conducting performance checks and maintenance of hand equipments can reduce the risk of untoward incidents within a manufacturing setup. Aircraft noise: Assessment of risk from aircraft noise The second section of the assignment focuses on the control measures of noise pollution and its adverse effects on the health of an individual. In this context, the problems faced by the workforce and apprentices of the aircraft maintenance have been highlighted over here. The noise inside the workshop regularly exceeds 85 decibels, whereas on the runway the noise level can exceed 140 decibels and above. The exposure to high levels of aircraft noises can generate a huge number of responses within an individual. Some of the adverse effects are sleep disturbance, annoyance, learning impairments in children as short term outcomes(Basner et al. 2014). On the contrary, some of the long term effects include high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, which might have much serious consequences. As mentioned by Warner and Hadley (2015), the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) limit for industrial noise is set at 90 decibel. Therefore, crossing limits equivalent to 140 decibel can cause severe pain within the individual often causing Tinnitus. The tinnituses are high frequency whistling sounds or buzzing sounds in the ear or the hippocampus of the brain (Orford et al. 2014). Thus, such uncomfortable conditions might further develop into hearing losses within individuals. Determination of risk rating with and without control measures (refer to attached risk assessment template) Without ear muffs: likelihood severity Rare (1) Remote (2) Occasional (3) Frequent (4) Almost certain (5) Catastrophic (5) 6 8 10 10 23 Major (4) 8 12 14 16 24 Moderate (3) 7 11 13 15 20 Minor (2) 3 6 7 15 18 Negligible (1) 1 1 2 4 5 Table 1: Risk assessment matrix (Source: researcher) RPN Risk level 1-3 Low 4-12 Medium 15-25 High Table 2: analysing the risk level With ear muffs: likelihood severity Rare (1) Remote (2) Occasional (3) Frequent (4) Almost certain (5) Catastrophic (5) 1 1 6 8 12 Major (4) 4 3 7 9 14 Moderate (3) 2 4 9 10 15 Minor (2) 2 5 12 12 17 Negligible (1) 3 7 13 14 19 Table 2: Risk assessment matrix (Source: researcher) Analysis: Thus, on comparison of the data with and without the use of eat cuffs considerable reduction in the amount of damage caused has been noted. In this respect, the severity of the incidents have been divided into five major parameters such as negligible, minor, moderate, major and catastrophic. The severity has been cross checked against the likelihood of the events which ranges from rare, remote, occasional, frequent, and almost certain. The occurrences of fatal or catastrophic incidents along with moderate to major hearing impairments have been considerably controlled with the use of the ear cuffs. There has been considerable reduction in the rate of almost certain losses with the use of ear cuffs. Therefore, the aircraft workshop needs to implement a number of effective codes of practise and regulations in order to control the rate of hearing loss from the production of such huge level of noises. Additionally, the implementation of noise controlling technologies within the aircrafts can also help in controlling the hearing damages caused to the workforce from such exposures. Conclusion Thus, a number of effective strategies and practices need to be implemented within the workplace in order to control the adverse effects of the same over the health of an individual. For the current assignment two different scenarios had been taken into consideration i.e. the surfboard manufacturing factory along with the aircraft maintenance workshop. The surfboard manufacturing unit exposes the employees to a number of harmful chemicals from the direct handling of the machineries. Therefore, some of the effective methods which could be employed over here include implementation of alternate or substitutes. This can help in reducing the damage caused to individual healthcare. Additionally, providing the employees with sufficient training and guidance can also help in reducing the chances of accidents. The performances of risk ass essments have also highlighted that use of ear muffs can help in reducing the damage caused by exposure to high levels of noise. 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