Category Archives: International Journal of Environmental Studies and Safety Research

Stabilization of Omu-Aran Lateritic Clay Soil with Cement-Milled Eggshell Waste

Adewara Sunday O.; Gana A.J; Abolusoro S.A. & Obayanju T.O

Department of Economics, Landmark University Omu-Aran, Kwara State

Department of Civil Engineering Landmark University, Omu-Aran, Kwara State

Department of Agriculture, Landmark University Omu-Aran, Kwara State

Email: phildebo123@gmail.com; oladewara02@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

Clayey soils with high content of clay particles cannot be used for either construction due to their weakness. In order to overcome the identified weakness several techniques have been tried to make the soil suitable for construction. The study used combination of cement and egg shell powder to analyze the properties of clayey soil. Components of Eggshell are magnesium, carbonate, protein and calcium. This research work was carries out in investigate the properties of an Omu- Aran lateritic clay soil stabilized with eggshell powder. A varying percentage of 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8% of eggshell powder, cement and eggshell powder (ratio 1:1) and cement were added to the lateritic clay soil in order to stabilize it. Various laboratory tests which include the basic geotechnical test (such as particle size distribution, density specific gravity, natural moisture content and Atterberg limit) and strength test (i.e. CBR and U C S) were carried out on the sample. The results of the laboratory test showed that there was a significant improvement in the properties of the stabilized specimen. The results also showed that for this study, when cement is mixed with eggshell it was the most effective out of the three varying binder forms that were used.

Keywords: Stabilization, Omu-Aran Lateritic clay soil, Cement-Milled Eggshell Waste.

Effects of Time Overrun on Construction Projects within Jos Metropolis, Nigeria

Joshua S. Mangvwat, ¹ Ola S. Olumide, ² Ajalah M. Yahaya³, Paul W. Zakka³ and Fredrick O. Job³

¹ Department of Quantity Surveying, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, University of Jos

²Department of Estate Management, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, University of Jos

³Department of Building, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, University of Jos

ABSTRACT

This study was carried out to determine effects of time overrun on construction projects, contractors, clients and consultants within the study area. Using survey method, 11 contractors that completed 26 public construction projects within Jos metropolis were purposively selected to reflect direct active exposure to construction contracts with government ministries. Thirty construction professionals on these projects were randomly selected and interviewed. The most common effects of time overrun are delayed completion, supplementary agreement, strained relations among stakeholders and budget shortfalls characterized construction projects. Regression analysis shows that a unit change in time overrun led to increase in cost by a factor of 0.04.  To ameliorate the effects of time overrun, the research recommends that clients engage competent hands to manage projects sites while ensuring they fulfill their own obligation of prompt payment to contractors thereby improving time performance.

Key words: Time, Overrun, Effects, Cost, Construction Projects

An Overview of Entrepreneurial Skills and the Challenges of Professionals in the Construction Industries

Dauda Ali¹ & Muhammad Balteh²

¹Department of Architectural Technology, Federal Polytechnic Bauchi

²Department of Building Technology, Federal Polytechnic Bauchi

Email: dauda2292@gmail.com; nbalteh@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

This paper examines the importance of integrating the knowledge of professionalism and entrepreneurial skills towards achieving a sustainable development in Nigeria and Africa as a whole. Economic empowerment of citizens is the primary goal of any nation. It is a key way to ensure that individuals are empowered so as to lower the level of unemployment. When graduates set up small businesses in application of their prime knowledge and the knowledge of entrepreneurship, it ensures prosperity and competiveness. This will re-engineer the economy of a Nation in the presence of available resources and business opportunities.  The society is increasingly imposing a transitional change in the nature of economic activities in almost every sector. In the construction sector such a transition is desirable due to its large use of energy, materials, and job opportunities. Sustaining these activities of the industry will benefits the regions and countries they operate in. The Nigeria construction industry is no exception and is under great pressure to move towards global sustainability, and entrepreneurs are believed to be able to play a large role in this transition by introducing new products, services delivery and new business practices. It is observed that main challenges facing professionals are technological knowledge and development, entrepreneurial skills, quantity and quality of demand.

Keywords: construction industry, entrepreneurial skills, opportunities, professionals, sustainability

Risks Identification and Estimation in Public Private Partnership (PPP) Housing Projects in Nigeria

¹Yakubu N. Sanda          ²Natalia A. Anigbogu    ²Yohana D. Izam    ³Joshua S. Mangvwat

¹Department of Estate Management, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, University of Jos, Nigeria)

²Department of Building, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, University of Jos, Nigeria

³Department of Quantity Surveying, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, University of Jos, Nigeria

Email: sanda_yakubu@yahoo.com; natashaanigbogu@yahoo.com; ydmizam@gmail.com; mangvwat@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

The first step in developing a sound risk management plan is to identify risks and determine their potential impact on project objectives. However, one of the most difficult activities in project management is determining what those risks are, and how they should be prioritised. This study examined risk identification and estimation in PPP housing projects in Abuja, Nigeria. Data was obtained through questionnaire survey and the information was analysed using mean rating and charts. The study suggests that both private and public parties should be responsible for identifying risks; personal and corporate experience, brainstorming and experts’ interviews were the techniques frequently used in risk identification; risk analysis is mainly done by in house staff who lack the basic knowledge of risk management; and the techniques frequently used in risk analysis were return on investment, probability analysis and internal rate of return. The study recommended inclusion of risk management in the curriculum of institutions responsible for training project managers and encouraging construction firms to employ the services of experts risk analysts in risk identification and estimation in their respective organisations so as to enhance the process towards effective risk management in construction projects.

Keywords: Risk, identification and estimation, PPP, housing, Nigeria

Suitability of Gum Arabic as a Plasticizer in Self-Compacting Concrete: Fresh Concrete Properties

¹P.W. Zakka, ²P.D Bang, ³H. S. Yohanna, ¹O.F. Job and ¹ N.A. Anigbogu 

¹Department of Building, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, University of Jos

²National Film Co-orperation of Nigeria (NFC), Jos

              ³ Department of Building, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Bells University Otta

ABSTRACT

In the production of self-compacting concrete, superplaticizers and viscosity modifying agents play an important role in the performance of the concrete. However, these superplarticizer as well as viscosity modifying agents are expensive and their environmental friendliness cannot be guaranteed as most manufactures keep their composition secret. Gum arabic is an abundant and available material found in about 12 states in Nigeria, and is non-reactive or harmful to the environment. The study therefore investigated empirically its suitability as a plasticizer in self-compacting concrete. The research identified the most suitable mix proportion for the self-compacting concrete using gum arabic as a plasticizer. The study made use of a fine/coarse aggregate content of 55:45% content which represents a 1:2 ½: 2 Mix. The water/cement of 0.40 and 0.45 were used as well as a superplasticizer content of 0.9 and 1.5% the weight of cement were used. It was observed that the concrete made with a water cement ratio of 0.45 and a gum arabic content of 0.9% the weight of cement had a slump flow of 560mm, a V-funnel of 9 secs, an L-box value of 0.65 and 0% segregation. The concrete made with a water/cement ratio of 0.40 and a gum Arabic content of 1.5% had a slump flow of 590mm, a V-funnel time of 7 secs, an L-box value of 0.76 and 0% segregation. The concrete made with a water/cement ratio 0.45 and a gum arabic content of 0.9% the weight of cement had a slump flow of 660mm, a V-funnel time of 5.5 secs, L-box value of 0.80 and 0% segregation. The concrete made with a water/cement ratio of 0.45 and a gum arabic content of 1.5% the weight of cement had a slump flour of 680mm, a V-funnel time of 5 sec, L-box value of 0.80 and 0% segregation. The concrete made with 0.45 w/c and a gum arabic content of 1.5% the weight of cement meets all the criteria for self-compacting concrete while the other three mixes met 75% of the requirements. Gum arabic has a low viscosity and thus alters the viscosity of water and improves the workability and flow of self-compacting concrete. The samples of the fresh self-compacting concrete belong to the slump flow class SF1 with a slump flow range of 520-700mm. The viscosity test showed that the concrete belongs to the VF1 class, since their time of flow through the V-funnel was less than 10s. The concrete made with a water cement ratio of 0.45 had more passing ability than the one made with a water/cement ratio of 0.40. There was no form of segregation observed in any of the concrete mixes. The concrete made with a water/cement ratio of 0.40 had a lower slump flow and flowability than the one made with a water/cement ratio of 0.45. The SCC made with Gum Arabic as a plasticizer meets the minimum standard required for SCC after its properties were evaluated.

Keywords: Suitability, Gum Arabic, Plasticizer, Self-Compacting Concrete, Fresh, Properties.

Determinants of Rural-Out Migration in the River Benue Basin

Ayila S. Ngutsav¹;Patience Adzande²; Sylvester Iorliam²; Jonathan Ogwuche³; Timothy T. Gyuse² & Fanan Ujoh⁴

¹Department of Economics, Benue State University, Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria.

²Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Benue State University, Makurdi, Nigeria.

³Department of Geography, Benue State University, Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria.

⁴Urban Base Consulting, Abuja.

ABSTRACT

This study examined the determinants of rural out migration in Benue Basin. The study used survey research design. A sample size of 851 respondents was used for the analysis comprising of migrants in the Benue Basin across the five states viz: Adamawa, Benue, Nassarawa, Kogi and Taraba states. The study used percentages, graphs and binary logistic regression for the analysis.  It was found that rural out migration in the Benue Basin is determined by both push and pull factors and household characteristics of people.  It was also found that sex, age, household size, education, conflict, death of family member, lack of credit services, lack of basic social amenities at the sending communities and lack of job (search for job) were strong and significant determinants of rural out migration in Benue basin at 5% level of significance.  The study therefore recommended that government should develop the rural areas in terms of formulating policies that would advance the education and health care facilities in rural areas and ensure provision of other basic facilities like electricity and portable water in the rural areas of the Benue basin while there should also be improvement in the establishment of information centers for providing reliable information and opportunities at the sending and host communities.

Keywords: Determinants, Internal Migration, Migration and Rural out Migration

Evaluating the Features of Buildability and Maintainability of Architectural Designs in Jos Metropolis, Nigeria

Yohana D. Izam, Ajalah M. Yahaya, Ndame E. Chuku, Grace P. Wang, Paul W. Zakka, Johnson Binbol

  Department of Building

University of Jos, Jos

  Email: ajalahyahaya@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

The construction industry is faced with challenges from design, construction and maintenance of a facility. The study investigates the characteristics of buildability and maintainability analysis of architectural designs with a view of promoting effective project delivery and maintenance. Relative Importance Index (RII) and ranking method were used to determine the most important factors or features of buildability and maintainability that improves and promotes efficient project delivery. The study reveal that the five (5) top buildability and maintainability factors are as follows: personnel skill, handling, details, dimensional/modular coordination and conversion. The study also identified lack of awareness of clients, unskilled professionals using foreign technology and adopting such technological advancement on current designs, lack of good law/enforcement on building practice in Nigeria, problem of monitoring and supervision by relevant government agency, compromising of building standards and the use of inferior materials in construction as some of the factors affecting the implementation of buildability and maintainability analysis in architectural designs. The study concludes that most approved building project designs in Jos metropolis contain one or more buildability and maintainability problems, thus, the research recommends an enlightenment campaign for key project stakeholders with respects to the adoption of buildability and maintainability principles and practices so as to take advantage of its benefits in improving project delivery.

Keywords: Architectural designs, Buildability, Construction, Maintainbility, Project Delivery

Analysis of Delay Factors at the Pre-Contract Phase of Public Private Partnership Project in Abuja, Nigeria

*Elvis Chuku Ndame and Audu Ibrahim Isa Dakas

Department of Building, Faculty of Environmental Sciences

University of Jos, Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria

Email: elvislondonn@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

Public Private Partnership has been used for infrastructural development globally and time delays occur in all phases of PPP project implementation. Previous studies focused on causes of delays in the construction phase and the planning and design phases of non PPP projects. This study analysed delay factors at the pre-contract process of PPP projects in Nigeria. Questionnaire and interviews were used to solicit the perception of the public party respondents and private party respondents on the severity of the identified factors. The data was analysed using descriptive and non-parametric statistics to determine the severity of each factor on a 5 point Likert scale. The result shows that the first three (3) most severe public party factors responsible in causing delays are “pursuit of personal interest by top-level management team over public interest”, “lack of strategic planning”, and “incessant changes in public party requirement during bidding” while the private party factors are “lack of transparency in communication during the pre-contract process”, “inadequate scheduling of the project by the private party”, and “high level of tolls proposed by private party”. The finding is good justification for many public party procurers who usually ignore the interest of the general public by putting their self-interests first, and change their requirements during bidding that really delay the pre-contract process. Public sector clients should sanitize the top management team to ensure that adequate team coordination amongst the management are met. Proper communication channels by the private sector should be adequately adhered to and the private stakeholders should be more transparent in communicating amongst the team during the whole pre-contract stages of PPP. 

 Keywords: Public private Partnership, Pre-contract process, Delays, Projects

The Effect of Seasonal Variation on the Concentrations of Gaseous and Particulate Matter at Marksino Quarry and its Environs in Akamkpa L.G.A of Cross River State

                          Asira, Enim Enim & Adalikwu, Stephen Adie

                               School of Sciences

      Cross River State College of Education, Akamkpa

Email: enimas1965@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

The study was carried out determine the effect of seasonal variation on the concentratios of gaseous and particulate matter at Marksino quarry and it environs in Awi community in Akamkpa local government area of Cross River State. Ambient air samples were collected from the drilling/blasting and crushing areas the quarry and its environs (Cross River State college of Education gate and Mbarakom junction). All active sampler were used for all parameters except ground level ozone that idiometric method was used. Sampling involved used of pumps to pull air through the filter. Average time for sampling for samples   was twenty four hours per week and sixty hours per week for idiometric method. Statistically tools used for analysis were mean, standard deviation, analysis of variance, and correlation coefficient. Results obtained revealed that CO (5.50 ±0.90ppm) SPM (0.950±0.04ppm) recorded significantly (p≤0.05) higher concentrations than other pollutants at both dry and rainy seasons. However, significantly(p≤0.05) higher concentrations of CO₂(2.51±0.80ppm), CO(5.50±0.90ppm), NO₂(0.150±0.02ppm) ,PM_1.0(0.295±0.03ppm), PM_2.5(0.170±0.01ppm), PM₁₀(0.650±0.00ppm), and SPM(0.950±0.04ppm) were recorded during dry season than  rainy season, CO₂(1.50±0.05ppm), CO(3.50±0.30ppm), NO₂(0.08±0.00ppm), PM_1.0() ,PM_2.5(0.1305±0.05ppm),and SPM(0.580±0.04ppm). The concentrations of all the pollutants were found to be significantly(p≤0.05) higher than WHO recommended permissible limits except ozone(O₃) and sulphur dioxide(SO₂), hence the areas in the study are highly polluted by gaseous and particulate matter.

Flood and Socio-Economic Development in Nigeria: A Focus on 2012 Flood Disaster

Abanyam, Noah Lumun & Samaila Buba

Department of Sociology, Taraba State University, Jalingo. Taraba State, Nigeria

Department of Geography Federal University of Kashere, Gombe State Nigeria

Email: noahlumun@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

Flood is one of the most disastrous environmental problems that severely affect human beings and other sectors of development on the planet. Diseases \and economic losses are a major developmental challenge for many least developed countries battling with flood. This study is an investigation of Flood and Socio-Economic Development in Nigeria. Functionalist theoretical perspectives was considered in analyzing the study. The study found that climate change, heavy rain fall, release of water from dams, poor planning, indiscriminate dumping of waste and lack of drainage system are factors that causes flooding in Nigeria. Flood is also found to affect other sectors of development in Nigeria and is associated with the loss of lives and properties as well as disastrous health implications. Flood affect agricultural supplies, exacerbating malnutrition problems leading to loss of production, food shortages and destruction of storage facilities. Flood causes damages to homes, schools, businesses, and transportation system and paralyzes socio-economic activities. It was recommended that drainage system should be constructed and regularly inspected and monitored to take note of any failure with a view of effecting repairs. Enlightenment campaigns should be step up by the government, National Orientation Agency and other related bodies with the view to put an end to the habit of dumping refuse in drainages. That government should dredge river channels to widen it up and give the channel the ability to contain excess water. The study concludes that all hands must be on deck, both the government, Non-Governmental Organization, Community Based Organizations, the Mass Media and the general public corroborate in order to control and prevent (averts) the catastrophic effects of flood on socio-economic development in Nigeria.

Key words: Flood, Socio-economic Development.