A Gantt chart is a graphical representation of the duration of tasks against the progression of time. A Gantt chart is a useful tool for planning and scheduling projects. A Gantt chart is helpful when monitoring a project’s progress.

How to Create a Gantt Chart Using Microsoft Excel

A Gantt chart is a popular type of bar chart that aims to show the timing of tasks or activities as they occur over time. Although the Gantt chart did not initially indicate the relationships between activities this has become more common in current usage as both timing and interdependencies between tasks can be identified.

Since the initial introduction of Gantt charts, they have become an industry standard as a key project management tool for showing the phases, tasks and activities that are scheduled as part of a project over time.

This video presentation is a step by step guide to creating a Gantt chart using Microsoft Excel 2007.

More explanation of Gantt Chart:

A Gantt chart is a type of bar chart that illustrates a project schedule. Gantt charts illustrate the start and finish dates of the terminal elements and summary elements of a project. Terminal elements and summary elements comprise the work breakdown structure of the project. Some Gantt charts also show the dependency (i.e, precedence network) relationships between activities. Gantt charts can be used to show current schedule status using percent-complete shadings and a vertical “TODAY” line as shown here.

Project management covers many fields of works, like construction management, engineering management, IT management, internet marketing, finance management… In order to get a project manager certificate or project management degree, you should enroll project management education classes. A right training course will assure the success in your project manager career.

Choosing the proper project management training course is based on some basic factors. Most importance is choosing a well-known school with a good reputation and second is finding a suitable project management training course that icluding all the project management skills.

Typically, project management class provide you all basic skills of project management, so that you can work in many fiels of business. Most important duty of a project manager is managing the projects within the schedule and budget with a high quality in the completed project. Most schools will offer a basic project management course. You can attent also distance learning course of project management from online colleges. management degree.

A project management course will provide four fundamental elements. These are interactive learning, qualified instructors, complete course materials and group working skills. The project management course also train you how resolve and settle disputes, how to manage risks and how to find effectively solving problems. Project management courses provide wide ranges of training materials and course objectives. A project management course will also train you four basic aptitudes. These are managing time, working within a budget, accessing resources, and staffing a project. In many cases, students learn these skills through simulated projects where they use software to coordinate all aspects of a project.

In order to be successful, a project management training course should also teach the skills that a project manager should be equipped. This includes leadership, motivation, time management, and organization. Project managers will manager employees and resources to fulfill the projects.

One thing you should take in account, project management course cannot replace your working experience. Training on the job is best way to get experience. When you combine what you have got from your project management course with actual experience, you will have assure your successful project manager career.

ASTM International (ASTM), originally known as the American Society for Testing and Materials, is an international standards organization that develops and publishes voluntary consensus technical standards for a wide range of materials, products, systems, and services. The organization’s headquarters is in West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, about 5 miles northwest of Philadelphia.

ASTM predates other standards organizations such as BSI (1901), DIN (1917) and AFNOR (1926), but differs from these in that it is not a national standards body, that role being taken in the USA by ANSI. However, ASTM has a dominant role among standards developers in the USA, and claims to be the world’s largest developer of standards. Using a consensus process, ASTM supports thousands of volunteer technical committees, which draw their members from around the world and collectively develop and maintain more than 12,000 standards.

ASTM International publishes the Annual Book of ASTM Standards each year in print, CD and online versions (Free Download). The ASTM Free Download only available by subscription and cost was based upon usage.

ASTM Index

Sec.01 IRON AND STEEL PRODUCTS

Sec.02 NONFERROUS METAL PRODUCTS

Sec.03 METALS TEST METHODS AND ANALYTICAL PROCEDURES

Sec.04 CONSTRUCTIONS MATERIALS

Sec.05 PETROLEUM PRODUCTS, LUBRICANTS, AND FOSSIL FUELS

Sec.06 PAINTS, RELATED COATINGS AND AROMATICS

Sec.07 TEXTILES

Sec.08 PLASTICS

Sec.09 RUBBER

Sec.10 ELECTRICAL INSULATION AND ELECTRONICS

Sec.11 WATER AND ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY

Sec.12 NUCLEAR, SOLAR, AND GEOTHERMAL ENERGY

Sec.13 MEDICAL DEVICES

Each ASTM Section is devised into Volumes. Join forum for detailed ASTM standards and testing methods in Volumes.

A project managers job is very essential to any affair since they are the ones that make  projects  successful tasks. Because that, it is important to get trained and to obtain some awareness on this career via some sort of training course like the PRINCE2 project management training module.

The PRINCE2 training module will help a project manager not only realize all the jobs he has to do but also how to do them with the greatest possibility of success.

The PRINCE2 project management training module gives the knowledge for project managers  to start, maintain and finish any project successfully.

Any project can be well managed as long as the project manager knows how to accomplish the stages involved in achieving success they will succeed. Prince2 project management training and education module  will help this to happen.

If you think about it daily life is all about project management anyway, all you have to do is realize that and you are already on your way to becoming a great project manager. Execute your natural ability of managing with the Prince2 project management training module and you will succeed.

Do you get problem pointing out what things you manage in your life like thinking of your kids, your pets, your bank account, paying your bills… You are managing all of things of your life. Everyday you begin a day, you go through your day and you finish your day with the knowledge and gratifying feeling that you succeeded in doing the things you wanted and had to do. There is no different with managing any project you just need the extra business training end of it, this is what training modules like the Prince2 project management training module involves.

Don’t wait to long until you join a certified training from Prince2 project management  module. Combine your natural ability of project management with the knowledge you got from the training and you will be successful at your project manager career.

If you are equipped to enhance your profession opportunities and are interested in construction project management career, an Distance Learning Degree in construction project management can be achieved on a very flexible schedule with the intention of facility pro you and your calculate commitments. You can take classes by night and on the weekends and complete tests online as it facility pro you – all in the comfort of your own family. You can even dedicate yourself to your online degree in construction project management by selecting construction project management courses all ears on topics like fiscal management, locate planning, contract administration, cost estimating and engineering or architectural sciences.

Construction project management has be converted into an increasingly standard career scale pro persons graduating from college now. This is partly since the industry has ongoing to recognize how invaluable solid construction project management pro construction project sites is – especially taking into account the growing complexity of major construction project projects and the many laws with the intention of should be taken into tab. The public who are hired into construction project management jobs are ultimately reliable pro the full project’s accomplishment or failure, which is why the not single requires a specialized degree, but furthermore exceptional interpersonal interaction and management skills.

Although these types of jobs can be complicated, they furthermore be inflicted with a positively distinguished level of compensation. A traditional or online learning degree in construction project management can help qualify you pro positions with the intention of shell out as much as $63,000 for every time, which was the industry mean pro persons jobs in 2008. When you link with the intention of with on-the-job construction project management training, your return the makings can boost dramatically as you move up the company ladder into higher-level positions. To help fast track your career, you may possibly furthermore search made known a part-time apprenticeship or internship while you are still working headed for your online degree in construction project management.

If you are equipped to start your search pro the preeminent apprentice curriculum offering an distance learning degree in construction project management, you can start by researching could you repeat that? Online universities offer variations of the distance learning degree. One valuable cut of criteria is with the intention of the teach you point out pro your online degree in construction project management should be an accredited distance learning university. This in effect earnings the teach has been evaluated by an self-determining group to determine with the intention of the curriculum, personnel, facilities and equipment are up to current university values. It furthermore earnings with the intention of you must be able to straightforwardly conveying your credits to a further university and with the intention of all companies requiring a traditional or online degree in construction project management pro extra hires will recognize your distance learning degree.

Have A Great Successful Job Interview is  the most challenged task for candidates. You will want to make the best impression of all when you have a job interview - after all, you do not get a second chance to make a first impression. When you are going for a job interview, this is your one chance to really shine. You will want to make the best impression possible. How do you go about this?

Take the following tips when you go for your next job interview so that you can make a positive impression and please your prospective employer as well as get that job:

Dress for success

Make sure that you are wearing your best clothes when you go for a job interview. You should wear a suit and tie if you are a man and a woman’s suit for a woman with low heels and stockings. Although most companies go for business casual nowadays, you do want to dress for success when you go for the job interview so that you can land the job.

Talk positively about your past jobs

Employers will most likely ask you about your past job experiences. Make sure that you talk positively about any experiences that you might have had when you were working. You should talk positively about them even if they were unpleasant experiences. Never talk bad about a past job or a past employer as it looks bad for you.

Answer questions straightforward

If you are asked a question that you do not understand, ask the interviewer to repeat the question and then answer in a straightforward manner. Job interviewers sometimes are vague with their questioning. If you answer questions in a straight forward manner and ask them to clarify what you do not understand, you have a better chance of giving a well informed and intelligent answer.

Remember your manners

Be sure to sit up straight, do not slouch and look the interviewer in the eye when you talk. Do not mumble your answers or look to the floor. Be sure to shake hands as this custom is always observed by both men and women. Remember your manners when you are in a job interview and that includes thanking the interviewer for taking the time to speak to you.

Toot your own horn

Never tell an employer anything negative about yourself. This is the time to toot your own horn and loud. While being self depreciating may be charming at a party, it can turn off a prospective employer. Do not brag, but be very detailed about your accomplishments and do not be afraid to list them.

Be confident, well groomed, informative and charming and you are sure to ace that job interview. And the most important for great Successful Job Interview is to Avoid the Job Interview Mistakes. Best luck!

What is FIDIC?

FIDIC – stands for “Fédération Internationale des Ingénieurs Conseils”
Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland
Further information at www.fidic.org

The Parties in a FIDIC Contract

Contracting Authority/ Employer

Contractor - Contract between Employer & Contractor under Red/ Yellow FIDIC

Engineer - Contract between Employer & Engineer

Engineer to administer FIDIC Contract on behalf of Employer

FIDIC Conditions of Contract-Types of Manuals

FIDIC “New Red Book”:

The Conditions of Contract for Construction:

“Which are recommended for building or engineering works designed by the Employer, or by his representative, the Engineer. Under the usual arrangements for this type of contract, the Contractor constructs the works in accordance with a design provided by the Employer. However, the works may include some elements of Contractor – designed, civil, mechanical, electrical and/or construction works”

FIDIC “New Yellow Book”

Conditions of Contract for Plant Design – Build

“Which are recommended for the provision of electrical and mechanical plant, and for the design and execution of building or engineering works. Under the usual arrangements for this type of contract, the Contractor designs and produces, in accordance with the Employer’s Requirements, plant and/or other works; which may include any combination of civil, mechanical, electrical and/or construction works”.

FIDIC “New Silver Book”:

Conditions of Contract for EPC (Engineering, Procurement, Construction)/ Turnkey Projects

“Which may be suitable for the provision on a turnkey basis of a process or power plant or factory or similar facility, or of an infrastructure project or other type of development, where (i) a higher degree of certainty of firm price and time is required, and (ii) the Contractor takes total responsibility for the design and execution of the project, with little involvement of the Employer. Under the usual arrangements for turnkey projects, the Contractor carries out all engineering, procurement, and construction EPC: providing a fully equipped facility, ready for operation at the “turn of a key”.

FIDIC “New Green Book” – the “Mini-Red Book”:

Short Form of Contract.
“Which is recommended for building or engineering works of relatively small capital value. Depending on the type of work and circumstances, this form may also be suitable for contracts of greater value, particularly for relatively simple or repetitive work or work of short duration. Under the usual arrangements for this type of contract the Contractor constructs the works in accordance with a design provided by the Employer or his representative (if any), but this form may also be suitable for a contract which includes, or wholly comprises, Contractor-designed civil, mechanical, electrical and/or construction works.

FIDIC “Pink Book” -Harmonised Conditions of Contract for Constructions

Issued after several Multilateral Development Banks (MDB) agreed certain modifications for some Clauses, for better reflecting their financing principles.
Used for construction and engineering works, designed by the Employer (as in the Red Book)
Allows the Bank to suspend payments to Borrower – Sub-Clauses 2.4, 14.7 and 16.1
Engineer’s Authority may be unilaterally changed by the Employer – Sub-Clause 3.1
Modifications concerning selection and activity of DAB

Basic Principles and Selection of FIDIC Documents – New Red Book

Design primarily undertaken by Employer or his agent
Works are to be re-measured
Employer appoints Engineer to administer contract on his behalf
Engineer has power to vary works, but not change contract
DAB appointed within 28 days of commencement date and has powers to resolve any dispute and change “determinations” of Engineer

Basic Principles and Selection of FIDIC Documents – New Yellow Book

The Employer provides project requirements as defined under item “Employer’s Requirements” (ER)
The “ER” are the basis for the contractor to design and build the project. Errors within the “ER” are the liability of the Employer.
The contract is for a fixed sum and not re-measured.
The contract is administered on behalf of the Employer by the Engineer,
Provision is made for variations by the Engineer.
The general conditions (clauses 1 to 20), except clauses 5 & 12, are principally the same as red book.

Selection of FIDIC Documents – Risk Management

All contracts contain risks for both Contracting Authorities/ Employers and Contractors – There is no risk-free contract
FIDIC attempts to rationalise and allocate responsibilities for main risks
A key requirement is for the Contract Parties to fully understand the FIDIC General and Particular Conditions of Contract that set out their Responsibilities and Risks within a Project
Every risk given to the other party has its cost, no Party assumes a risk for free.

Main differences from previous FIDIC editions

The Engineer is no longer to act impartially, but is acknowledged to be the representative of the Employer
The Contractor is entitled to require the Employer to provide a proof of funds availability
Disputes Adjudication Board (DAB)

Dear friends,

Project management consists of more than just a large building project and can encompass small projects as well. No matter what the size of your project, you need to have some sort of project management. How you manage your project has everything to do with its outcome. Whether you are a project manager who is in charge of a large company project or you have a small project that you need to complete, you need to know the basics of project management.

Trying to get a project off the ground can be daunting as can the problems that can come with the project. You might run into snags during your project that may cause you some headaches. Project management can be one challenge after another.

I have experienced plenty of meltdowns during my project management days. There were many times when I didn’t think that I could get the project off of the ground and many times when I felt just like giving up. How often has that happened to you? I found that the skills that I learned in project management were those that I used for just about all tasks that, although not as daunting as the projects I handled at work, were projects just the same.

A friend of mine suggested that I write down my experiences of being a successful project manager for others to see. I put this off over and over again until I realized that it was a project, just like others that I had tackled and started to write it down.

As I started writing the book, I discovered some of the mistakes that I made during the past with regard to project management as well as techniques I used in management style. I began to realize that my book might be able to help those who are struggling with projects or are taking on tasks that can seem to be daunting. As I am so familiar with that feeling, I began to feel that maybe this could be a way to help others avoid some of the mistakes that I made and gain control over their projects.

Do not feel overwhelmed again!

If you have been feeling overwhelmed when it comes to work and a bit disorganized, you can benefit from this book. Once you learn the secrets to project management, you can learn not only how to successfully manage your projects at work, but also to manage individual projects.

Project Management Made Easy!

You can learn quite a bit about project management and not feel so overwhelmed simply by reading this book. This book teaches you how to take a project from start to finish and, using your own techniques and management style, complete the project. Whether you work as a project manager or have a bunch of unfinished projects on your plate, Project Management Made Easy! will help you.

1) This book will help you whether you have a project that you are trying to complete that is daunting or are in charge of projects at work. If you look at every task as a chore, you can learn how to manage them much easier with the skills taught in this book.

2) Instead of worrying about how you are going to complete a project, you can do so easily when you use this book. You will learn how to use your own personality to its fullest with the tools in this book.

Here is what you will learn inside this guide….

• Project management styles

• Financing for project management

• Making your management style work for you

• How to break down a project

• How to work with others
  • And much more!

How Much Is Project Management Made Easy! Worth To You?

This book will help you understand your own project management style and give you the tools that you need to successfully manage any type of project on your own. You no longer have to worry about how you are going to get things done or feel out of control all of the time. Whether you have trouble completing projects at home or if you are in charge of large, business projects, this book will end up saving you time, money and make your days a lot less stress filled. How much is that worth to you?

If your time is anything like mine and I think it is, your time is worth more than $9. You will save that much money by not having to spend it all on your computer.

This book will give you a freedom you have not felt in a long time.

Is that fair or what?

Look at it this way - $9 really is a drop in the bucket compared to the time and money you can save yourself by avoiding all the other books and tutorials out there. Why spend a fortune learning how to manage your projects, when you can do so for a much better price.

Here’s How To Order To Right Now!

Click here for an instant download of this material. Once your credit card is approved, you will be taken to a special download link where you will have instant access to the ebook.
Special Offer - $9 for next 20 orders only!

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Purchase Online with a Credit Card by Secure Server

Click Here NOW to download your copy! It doesn’t matter if it’s 2:00 a.m. in the morning!

Sincerely,

Hungsika - Founder of Civil Engineer BLOG

P.S. Starting, managing and completing a project is not difficult, once you learn the secrets to successful project management. If you have longed to learn more about how to be an effective project manager, or just want help managing the projects in your daily life, you can learn from this book.

Aggregate

Aggregates for shotcrete my contain river sand, crushed sand and crushed stone with particle sizes up to 16mm, normally up to 9.5mm.

Here after is a typical and recommended gradation of combined aggregates for shotcrete that will resulted in perfect mix design.:

Water Cement Ratio

The water-cement ratio for wet shotcrete normally falls within a range of by weight and 0.40 to 0.55 for wet-mix shotcrete.

Dry mix design shall only include water content enough for the hydration process of cement needed for strength development.

In dry-mix shotcrete, the moisture content of the fine and coarse aggregates should be such that the aggregate-cement mixture will flow at a uniform rate, without slugging or hose plugging. The optimum moisture content is generally within the range of 3 to 6 percent. The sand should be dried or wetted as required to bring the moisture content within that range. Large fluctuations in moisture content should be avoided.

A crude but effective test for determining proper predampening is the “ball-in-hand” test. A small amount of mix is placed in the hand and squeezed tightly. When the hand is opened, the mixture may crumble into discrete particles which indicates too little predampening moisture and is usually light gray. If the material holds together, or cracks but remains essentially whole, there is enough moisture. If moisture comes off on the hand, there is too much moisture in the mix.

Unit Weight of Concrete

The unit weight of good shotcrete is usually between 2230 to 2390 kg/m3, about the same as conventional concrete.

Cement Content

OPC cement with surface Blaine above 4500 cm2/gr is most suitable for shotcrete. Typical and recommended cement contents is:

* It is in the best interest of the end user to perform trial mixes and shotcrete trial to determine the suitable cement content, to meet other parameters, above table is used only as a guide in preliminary design and shall be decided in the results of trial mixes and trial application.

Proportioning

Shotcrete design for wet process can be designed like conventional concrete but these mixes contains higher volume of fine aggregate and cement. Shotcrete process can be designed by absolute volume method or by weight.

Shotcrete design for dry process is designed using the bulk densities of the materials, usually the water content is not included in the calculation.

What is a project? A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result. The temporary nature of projects indicates a definite beginning and end. The end is reached when the project’s objectives have been achieved or when the project is terminated because its objectives will not or cannot be met, or when the need for the project no  longer exists.

What is a project Management? Project management (PM) is the art  of creating the illusion that any outcome is the result of a series of predetermined, deliberate  acts when, in fact, it was dumb luck… Harold Kerzner also defines Project Management as a “Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling”.

Project Management Institute – PMI – defines project management is a methodical approach to planning and guiding project processes from start to finish which are guided through five stages: initiation, planning, executing, controlling, and closing. Project management can be applied to almost any type of project and is widely used to control the complex processes of software development projects.

Arcording PMBOK, Project Management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet project requirements. Project management is accomplished through the appropriate application and integration of the forty-two logically grouped project management processes comprising the five process groups.

Wikipedia definition of Project Management “PM is the discipline of planning, organizing, and managing resources to bring about the successful completion of specific project goals and objectives. It is often closely related to and sometimes conflated with program management”

It is also found on Project Management Help website, PM is a carefully planned and organized effort to accomplish a specific (and usually) one-time objective, for example, construct a building or implement a major new computer system. Project management includes developing a project plan, which includes defining and confirming the project goals and objectives, identifying tasks and how goals will be achieved, quantifying the resources needed, and determining budgets and timelines for completion. It also includes managing the implementation of the project plan, along with operating regular ‘controls’ to ensure that there is accurate and objective information on ‘performance’ relative to the plan, and the mechanisms to implement recovery actions where necessary. Projects usually follow major phases or stages (with various titles for these), including feasibility, definition, project planning, implementation, evaluation and support/maintenance.

Source: Project Management Definitions