What a strong construction team looks like

When it comes to construction projects, a huge part of their success is dependent on the skills, efficiency, and trustworthiness of the workers. With a strong construction team, the plans of architects and engineers can be realized with minimal issues. On that note, Reddy Kancharla shares a few insights on what makes a strong construction team with everyone.

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A strong construction team always emphasizes safety protocols.

While all the effort and know-how in a team are important, they arguably pale compared to the value placed on everyone's safety and well-being. Reddy Kancharla notes that safety protocols on a project site should never be overlooked nor underestimated. All the good construction teams follow and enforce all relevant protocols, and they make sure everyone else in the area is aware of the proper safety measures.

A strong construction team always integrates collaborative practices.


With collaborative practices, Reddy Kancharla refers to aspects of construction that include procurement routes, co-location, problem resolution procedures, as well as information management processes. Since construction brings together diverse roles and disciplines, these collaborative practices are important for better coordination.

A construction team has a solid management group.

Foremen or construction managers greatly determine the lifecycle of construction projects. This is why it's always important to have dependable foremen and managers. It's also important to have someone in charge of working with external vendors and ensuring that the various crews and teams are on track and within budget. Members of the management team should have more than just skills and experience; they should also have a good track record in managing complex projects, Reddy Kancharla adds.

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Always communicate

Communication is always at the heart of good management. Your team can bring the project through successful completion when they see people are in charge, talk to them, and motivate them to get the job done.

Reddy Kancharla has more than 25 years of experience in civil construction, geotechnical consultation, and construction quality assurance and control. He also has a decade of senior management experience. For similar updates, follow this Twitter page.

How skyscrapers are built to last

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It’s always an awe-inspiring experience to just look at a skyscraper and marvel at its presence, says Reddy Kancharla. Because they serve as a symbol of greatness for the community, these are also built to last many years.

How do civil engineers build them to last? Here are some key elements:

1. Tube systems

Over the years, tube systems have evolved with a number of innovations here and there. The really tall skyscrapers make use of this technology, and these operate on the principle that, as a building goes higher, it requires a much larger footprint. Also, as you run along its length vertically, the structure tapers off slightly towards the top. Skyscrapers that are sure to last for many years are able to withstand their own weight because these are constructed with wider bases, notes Reddy Kancharla.

2. Sway mechanisms

Very tall buildings generally sway in the wind, which is simple enough to understand with a little knowledge of physics and wind dynamics. In order for a skyscraper’s occupants to feel less of the sway, many skyscrapers are fixed with dampeners installed near the top of the building. These concentric steel plates stacked on top of each other react to the wind by swinging in the opposite direction, at the same frequency as the wind, so that movement is reduced.

3. Cabling systems

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As beautiful as they are, skyscrapers are primarily a venue where corporate activity needs to thrive, shares Reddy Kancharla. They also need to be able to contribute to the economic pace, rather than become a hindrance to it. A skyscraper won’t be of any help if people complain of long lines on elevators and if these take a lot of time to bring people to their respective floors and work stations. Today, skyscrapers make use of light cabling systems to speed up transport. Elevators are also designed to cater to serving specific floors to avoid delays.

Reddy Kancharla has been involved in many projects over the years. These include various high-rise developments in New York City, the USTA National Tennis Center, Yankee Stadium, the Giants/Jets Stadium, and Terminals 1, 4, 5 and 7 of the John Fitzgerald Kennedy Airport. For more about his work, visit this page.

What civil engineering is all about

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Many industry practitioners like Reddy Kancharla have made a name for themselves in civil engineering. However, a lot curious minds would like to know more about this branch of engineering. Mr. Kancharla explains this in this blog.

Civil engineering is the branch of engineering that is concerned with civil works. Mostly, this is everything you see that has been built around us in the communities that we live in. Look outside your window and you are likely to see your neighborhood’s row of houses. These are all connected by roads. Further up the horizon, you will see big bridges and tall buildings. All of these are the result of civil engineering.

The people responsible for the creation of all of these are called civil engineers. They design, create, and connect the world around us, quite literally. They are tasked with the huge obligation of making bare land livable for people, by making community-ready surroundings available to them.

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If you are a civil engineer, you belong to any one of a multitude of jobs and types of engineering. Civil engineers come from various backgrounds, but they undergo a lot of years of study, which includes learning, training, and getting qualifications.

If you wish to be a civil engineer, you must be mentally prepared, because you will surely have your work cut out for you. You will have to undergo a required set of challenging academic subjects and graduate from your course. Later on, you will need to acquire a license to practice your trade. Some civil engineers can take up to 16 years in finishing their studies alone! This means that if you intend to be a civil engineer, you really have to be committed to your dream.

Reddy Kancharla has a master's degree in civil engineering with a professional career spanning 25 years in civil construction. He has a broad comprehension of engineering theories, principles, and practical solutions of engineering problems relating to civil engineering and the construction industry, and developing and implementing quality systems per ISO standards. For more information, visit this page.

Toward a better normal: Practical tips for a healthy and safe construction site

Now that many construction projects have resumed, governing authorities and construction firms have made it a priority to ensure the safety of all workers and stakeholders. Reddy Kancharla explains that a lot of project sites have changed for the better. He shares these practical tips for healthier and safer workplaces.

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Follow local health policies
States might have different protocols to address the situation under their jurisdiction. Firms must always be updated with the rules to ensure smooth operations. Aside from regular testing, physical distancing, and sanitation protocols, many areas are still prohibiting large meetings and gatherings in enclosed spaces. However, many authorities are encouraging flexible hours at work to lessen the number of people in a project site. Extra barriers should also be installed to limit close contact between co-workers.

Train workers to enforce a health and safety plan
Even medical professionals are still discovering new information about the novel coronavirus. Now that many industries are reopening, employees should be informed about what they should do to keep their workplace safe. Project sites should have a designated health officer or a trained personnel that people can contact when there are safety concerns. Even with this point person, Reddy Kancharla says that workers should regularly receive training that will allow them to assess potential risks in the project site.

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Keep the site clean
Now that safety protocols are more stringent, project sites should be regularly cleaned and disinfected to provide a safe environment for workers. Entrances, bathrooms, sanitation stations, and meeting areas should be regularly disinfected. Aside from encouraging employees to practice good hygiene, it's also important for firms to assure their people that the place they go to every day is clean.

Reddy Kancharla has more than 25 years of experience in civil construction, geotechnical consultation, and construction QA/QC, and more than a decade in senior management for civil engineering firms. Subscribe to this Twitter page for more updates.

How is virtual reality changing the construction industry?

In recent years, the use of virtual reality has gone beyond entertainment and gaming. This technology is now being used in construction and engineering. Civil engineer Reddy Kancharla discusses how VR can advance processes in construction projects.

Upgrade client experience

Thanks to advancements in technology, clients can check on their collaborators and projects in real time. Using virtual reality allows them to see the visual rendering in their projects and later on, the progress in the construction sites. Now that people are more concerned about their safety, this presents a better alternative that will lessen the need for frequent site visits and inspections.

Train the workforce

Just as VR is being used in other industries such as education and military to train people, this technology can be used to train those who work on-site. According to Reddy Kancharla, preparing manpower to become familiar with the manual and technical processes in construction projects with constant trainings will help them work on-site safely. Doing this through VR will help them visualize and apply what they have learned before they enter the worksite.

Detect issues early on

No construction project is similar which is why it's important to be one step ahead when it comes to detecting issues. Reddy Kancharla shares that using virtual reality can help point out problems in a site. While 3D modeling provides a detailed and accurate look at a project, VR can help engineers examine the details as if they were in the site. This process can help them pinpoint potential issues as well as find the right materials to use. This walk-through process allows teams to cut costs and stay efficient.

Reddy Kancharla has more than 25 years of experience in civil construction, geotechnical consultation, and construction QA/QC, and more than a decade in senior management for civil engineering firms. Subscribe to this Twitter page for more updates.

Engineering marvels – Some design elements of the Burj Al Arab

When it comes to setting standards in engineering and design, one cannot help but look at the iconic structures that proudly represent their countries of origin. One such example is the Burj Al Arab, Dubai's prized hotel. In this blog post, Reddy Kancharla talks more about the world's most luxurious hotel.

The initial planning and design stages of the Burj Al Arab faced the challenge of building something simple, easily recognizable, and iconic. In the mind of architect Tom Wright, since Dubai had the elements of sun, sand, and sea, he knew that he wanted the final structure to look like a majestic sail, as though it was rising from a yacht on the ocean.

With this objective in mind, there was a huge hurdle. If this were to rise from the sea, it needed an island base to stand on, shares Reddy Kancharla. Seeing that Dubai had no islands out in the ocean, the design team decided to build an island first.

Seeing that the need was for them to establish a low rise island, the team first explored using a base of rocks. However, weather conditions in the Arabian Sea proved to be too challenging, that even rock-solid foundations like the island they had in mind could not withstand. The solution they came up with was a set of concrete hollow blocks. Instead of going against strong ocean currents, these were designed to absorb forces, which only dissipated as the water entered smoothly and out of the blocks. Reddy Kancharla notes that this technology was never used in Dubai in the past.

Soon enough, the team had a water challenge, which saw that the ocean found its way into the hotel's sand base. Their solution was to create a triangular steel wall 20 meters deep into the ground, which was strengthened with a concrete sealant, making the island protected from flooding.

These are only a few examples that prove how much of an engineering marvel the Burj Al Arab truly is, but truly, this brilliantly crafted structure has more stories to tell.

Reddy Kancharla has a master's in civil engineering with a professional career spanning 25 years in civil construction, construction QA/QC, and geotechnical consultation. He has a broad comprehension of engineering theories, principles, practical solutions to engineering problems relating to civil engineering and the construction industry, and developing and implementing quality systems per ISO standards. For more articles like this, visit this page

Record-breaking architecture around the world

As the saying goes, records are made to be broken. This age-old adage rings true for both physical capabilities of man, as well as his capacity to create. Over a century ago, the tallest building in New York only measured at 391 feet. Today, the New York skyline has several buildings that are over 1,000 feet tall. According to Reddy Kancharla, setting a world record often falls upon the size of a structure, as well as its uniqueness.

Image source: worldrecordacademy.org

The Palace of the Romanian Parliament has the record for the biggest administrative building in the world with a floor area of 365,000 sq/m. It also holds the record for being the heaviest building in the world.

Now, take a look at Henri Coanda International Airport, which is also a Romanian structure in Bucharest. It isn’t the biggest, busiest, or even close to being the airport with the most traffic on earth. But it does hold the record for being the first guitar-shaped airport terminal in the world.

These two are prime examples of what it takes to become a record-breaking piece of architecture. While one is celebrated for its dominance in size and weight, the other is known for being the first of its kind in terms of design.

Reddy Kancharla believes that this idea of creating record-breaking architecture will always be man’s measure of how far he can push the limits of what is possible in the world of architecture, as well as a test to come up with new designs that derive inspiration from other objects in the world.

Image source: worldrecordacademy.org

Having obtained his bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from the Osmania University in Hyderabad, India and his master of science degree in Civil Engineering from Texas Tech University at Lubbock,Reddy Kancharla also logged more than 25 years of experience in projects involving civil construction, geotechnical consultation, construction QA/QC, including ten years of senior management experience. For more insightful reads on architecture, visit thiswebsite .