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Los Angeles Contractor Service with Schelske Construction Company

admin  Construction  , , ,

Los Angeles General Contractor
is an individual that contracts with another individual or owner for the construction, renovations, remodeling and demolition of building or other structure. A general contractor is defined as such if it is the signatory as the builder of the prime construction contract for the projects. Los Angeles Contractor is an individual that contracts with Beverly Hills General Contractor, Bel Air General Contractor, Malibu General Contractor, Brentwood General Contractor, Santa Monica General Contractor, Pacific Palisades General Contractor, Marina Del Rey General Contractor and Los Angeles region based contractors. Los Angeles General Contractor is responsible for the means and methods to be used in the construction execution, remodeling, renovations of the project.
Most contractors are required to be licensed in each state and may be required to take an oral and written exam. Los Angeles Contractor, Beverly Hills General Contractor and Bel Air General Contractor are Licensed and Insured construction company who contract, bid, negotiate a price or offers to construct, supervise, oversee, schedule, direct, alter, repair, install, improve, move, demolish, furnish labor, etc. In addition, there are various types: building (residential and commercial), electrical, plumbing, mechanical, highway. We work directly with the subcontractors and take care of the administration and organization of the various subcontractors. Under these conditions the owner takes on all liability for proper sequencing of the work, and dealing with the realities of construction.
Los Angeles Remodeling Contractor will care more and know better his own project than any other contractors who often manages many projects on a tight schedule. Subcontractor loyalty and discounted prices to Los Angeles Contractor and Bel Air Contractor are not a rule at all. Owner Builder can pick the best talent at the price that is only limited to his (her) negotiating skills.
Your construction contracting business is your livelihood, so Los Angeles General Contractor, Bel Air Contractor and Beverly Hills Contractor help you work smarter, not harder! You need specialized construction knowledge, specialized contractor tools and a whole lot of smart elbow grease to build your construction business right and keep it growing strong. You want to stay on the cutting edge, and ahead of your competition. Get the hard-to-find construction forms, contractor contracts, reference manuals, construction books, licensing guides and cost estimating software you’ve been looking for, fast and easy!
Beverly Hills General Contractor usually is responsible for the supplying of all material, labor, equipment and services necessary for the construction of the project. Beverly Hills Contractor, Bel Air Contractor, Malibu Contractor, Brentwood Contractor, Santa Monica Contractor, Pacific Palisades Contractor and Marina Del Rey Contractor are subcontract part of the Los Angeles Contractor that specializes in these types of work.

Beverly Hills Contractor is Licensed and Insured construction company who contract, bid, negotiate a price or offers to construct, supervise, oversee, schedule, direct, alter, repair, install, improve, move, demolish, furnish labor, etc. In addition, there are various types: building (residential and commercial), electrical, plumbing, mechanical, highway. We work directly with the subcontractors and take care of the administration and organization of the various subcontractors. Under these conditions the owner takes on all liability for proper sequencing of the work, and dealing with the realities of construction.
Beverly Hills Remodeling Contractor and Bel Air General Contractor are Licensed and Insured construction company who contract, bid, negotiate a price or offers to construct, supervise, oversee, schedule, direct, alter, repair, install, improve, move, demolish, furnish labor, etc. In addition, there are various types: building (residential and commercial), electrical, plumbing, mechanical, highway.

Construction usually is done or coordinated by contractors, who specialize in one type of construction such as residential or commercial building. Los Angeles Contractor takes full responsibility for the complete job, except for specified portions of the work that may be omitted from the general contract.

Los Angeles Contractor

Suneel Nettoo
Schelske Construction Los Angeles Contractors Services

How Automotive Windshields Are Repaired

admin  Automotive

Broken automotive windshields are no laughing matter. The term broken can be used lightly in some situations, and not so lightly in others. A broken windshield is considered to be a windshield that has a chip, crack, or spider web appearing crack within it. Damaged automotive glass can be a serious issue. If you do not get the problem rectified immediately, it can make it impossible for you to be able to operate your vehicle.

Even tiny dings that appear on this area of your vehicle can turn into larger problems down the road. When these small dings start to grow, they can block out your vision, which makes operating your vehicle a hazard in itself. Windshield replacement can help you fix a broken car windshield. Replacements are not the only solution to your problem though.

Smaller flaws that have not grown to be bigger messes can be rectified with simple repairs. These repairs can help you restore the strength of your vehicles glass, and help you avoid having to have this entire portion of your vehicle replaced down the line. Understanding the way that these repair services are carried out, will give you a general idea of what you can expect, if your vehicles windshield ever becomes damaged.

One of the first things that a repair service will do before fixing the problem is perform an evaluation of the damage. The repair personnel will examine the simple chip or crack. They will determine the size of the crack, and also look at the depth of it as well. Location is also a major factor that has to be considered when fixing this portion of your vehicle.

A lot of smaller flaws that are made to automotive windshields can be fixed by applying a resin to the surface of the chip or crack, and allowing it to dry. Be aware, that the only time that a repair service will use a resin to fix a chip or a crack that appears along your vehicles windshield is if the bottom layer of your glass has not been damaged.

Most of the modern day windshields that are placed on cars are made up of two glass layers. In between these two layers, there is a laminated rubber membrane. Resin repair services will only be able to fix damages that do not surpass the rubber membrane layer of your windshield. In the event that both layers of the part are damaged, you will need to look into having this entire portion of your vehicle replaced, as opposed to just having to patched up a little bit.

Some cracks that appear along the outer perimeter of your vehicles windshield can also be difficult to correct with a simple resin layer repair. Therefore, before hiring a repair service to fix your issue, it is important that you evaluate the state of the damage first. Be aware, that most companies that offer repairs will offer full replacements of the product as well. However, there are some companies that offer repairs that do not offer replacement services. Therefore, it is up to you to determine what type of service you believe you may require.

After you have personally determined that the only thing that needs to be done to your windshield is a simple repair, the repair process is fairly easy. A typical repair job will take about thirty minutes to complete. Using a special type of sunlight cured resin; the repair person will inject the epoxy onto the area that is cracked.

They will use special tools during the application process, in order to ensure that the repair is going to suffice. The tools that are used are designed to fix cracks and chips that do not pass the first layer of glass on the part. After the resin is applied to the area, you will need to wait a few minutes for the substance to dry, before using your vehicle.

The good thing about the resin is it dries clear. This will make it appear like there was never anything wrong with the product. The clear drying resin will match the remaining portion of your vehicles windshield. The sunlight is what is used to dry the resin, after it has been applied. Therefore, you will not have to do anything additional after having a repair service performed on this area of your vehicle. There are not a lot of people that realize how significant automotive windshields are, until they are forced to repair this portion of their vehicles. A broken windshield will make you a hazard on the road, aside from that it will ruin the beauty of your vehicle.

Buying Skoda Rapid Take A Look At The Hits And Misses

admin  Sales  , , ,

Skoda has launched several models in the market with a fair share of wins and losses. Skoda Rapid is the latest addition from the auto company, and it does work in its class sans a few hiccups. It would be unfair to describe Rapid without mentioning the fact that it is similar to Volkswagen Vento in many ways. Skoda has designed the car impressively with a good number of induced features. Also, the car has been launched in three diesel and five petrol variants and priced according to features loaded. While the three models are almost same in both petrol and diesel, there are two automated variants, Elegance Automatic and Skoda Ambition Automatic, which are only available in the petrol version.

The hits in new Rapid:
The first-rate design: Rapid works in C segment sedans because of its designing. Although the comparison with Vento is inevitable, the higher end models feature high class inclusions like Anti Lock Braking system, dual SRS airbags and front and rear fog lamps. It”s a well built and strong European car for the Indian roads.

The first-rate price: Comparing strictly with Vento, Rapid offers a much better driving and comfort experience. The price by Skoda is truly commendable as the company has taken ample care to ensure maximum luxury in its class.
The First rate Automatic Transmission: If there”s one thing in Rapid that is awe-inspiring, it”s the automated transmission. There are different modes for different styles of driving with ample attention to the comfort-on-drive factor.
The first-rate Diesel Engine: You get the automated transmission on petrol version, but you cannot overlook the superb performance of the diesel variants. The car moves smoothly in traffic with loaded diesel engine and creates a torque of 250Nm.

The Misses in New Rapid:
Unimpressive Petrol engine: If the diesel engine offers you power and dependable drivability, the petrol engine will surely not satisfy you at that level. One expected Skoda to empower the petrol variants to a little larger extent.
Absence of certain features: If you take a look at the C segment of sedans on the Indian market, you will find many misses in Rapid. There are no parking sensors and no steering mounted controls, something which you will surely find in other sedans.

Unimpressive After sales service: This is probably not the concern with Rapid, but with all Skoda cars. The after sales service of Skoda is not at par with Maruti or Hyundai, which scares the class of consumers who look for quality services. People living in smaller cities will feel the main difference.

Shortcomings of diesel variants: You won”t get a diesel model with automated transmission, which is another disadvantage.

Skoda has managed to hold the market with this car after being praised for the mighty Superb. For those who loved Vento, they will surely love Rapid because it”s almost same as Vento with praiseworthy dynamics, brakes and chassis. On the whole, Skoda rapid is certainly a decent sedan with a few flips. It should continue to have an upright share on road.

Aiding Your Dealership With Automotive Fixed Ops Magazine

admin  Automotive  , ,

If you have a dealership and you find you aren’t earning as much money as you had initially hoped, you could discover a couple of really sweet methods to change this! One of the coolest things you can do is use automotive consulting from fixed ops magazine. Fixed Ops magazine has a consulting service called Fixed Ops Consulting that can assist you create a customized business plan for your business requires.

More importantly, the Foxed Ops Consulting service could help teach the employees you have now so as to assist get and keep clients. Automotive training for your personnel is an incredible benefit. Not only will it aid them in your business and aid your company earn a lot more cash, but it’ll also help them understand the business also – enriching their lives for more education in the automotive industry.

The automotive consulting would assist your employees learn about how to get new customers and the way to keep the ones you have – the repeat sales, which are amongst the most vital sales you can get! How does something like this work? Do you need to pay Fixed Ops Consulting? How long does it take? This procedure is actually a really easy one.

They would come to your business and observe for many days at a time. This observation period will assist them see where you and your business requires help and where you are flourishing. Once the automotive consulting team takes in all this data, they will then come up with a business plan in order to fix any problems they see. This would perhaps include automotive training for your employees.

The auto industry is forever changing and if you have an employee that got their degree 20 years ago, odds are the rules have changed in the past 5 years. So it’s important to keep everyone on the up and up and keep them fresh! Upon changing what needs to be fixed and giving automotive training to your employees, they also keep what was working.

Don’t worry, they won’t change everything, just the things that need a changin’! Once they put the plan into play and everybody gets into the groove of things, the Automotive Consulting team from Fixed Ops magazine would return to your place of business and see how well the new business plan worked, they would even see if you are having an increase in earnings as well as new customers added to the pack.

Theyll also be available to make new suggestions and answer any questions or concerns you may be having about the business, business plan, or automotive training. Fixed ops Consulting looks at all aspects of your business – not just sales. They also look at customer service and the sales department also since this is the “core” aspect of your business.

If your sales people are extremely slack and do not really know how to “sell”, that’s okay. Your employees will not just get training but they will provide service advisor training or service manager training.

Digital Asset Management is Worth the Investment

admin  Business  , , ,

Digital assets consist of any media formatted in a digital manner. They can contain textual content, images or multimedia. Digital Asset Management (DAM) is therefore the centralization, cataloging and control of the digital assets. DAM can then be divided into four broad categories: brand asset management, library asset management, production asset management and digital supply chain services.

Now that we have the definition of DAM clear in our heads, think about what components of DAM take place in your business. Likely there is an IT department responsible for managing digital storage systems, and expanding them when the need arises. Graphic design and advertising may be carried out in a creative or marketing department. What are the annual technology and marketing budgets combined, including labor? What capital investments relating to technological upgrades are up for review this year? Now compare that number to the estimated annual cost of a DAM provider.

Traditional media is going the way of the Dodo Bird. Slowly but surely, businesses are realizing traditional media methods of communication with consumers is not as efficient as it once was. Print media is still used for marketing, but now being mirrored in digital forms available on the web. Television advertisements are still useful, but with the growing number of North Americans downloading their entertainment, cable television subscriber numbers are dropping.

Thankfully we still read, on the other hand digital books and magazines are emerging as eco-friendly ways to get our book fix. Paper flyers are outdated and unpopular. Radio ads can still be useful, but usually on with a dynamic website to consumers to follow up with. In reality any business that has not realized the changing world of marketing is likely not viable at the moment.

Those businesses who have pulled through and attempted their own digital marketing products will know the process of achieving the ideal brand is long, tedious and expensive. The expense is not just in equipment and software, it’s also in time. It takes time for staff to search for the right content, gain permission for access from coworkers, create the finished product, usually through a process of trial and error.

The dreaded bottleneck of output occurs and company-wide frustration ensues. Valuable hours are spent and overtime is paid just to get the product finished and out. The rush to finish by a deadline can sometimes result in a sub-par end product. Consider having a DAM system in place. A DAM system is a central place where all digital assets are kept for everyone to access when needed. Completed projects are also centralized for global use. No searching, no permissions, no time wasted.

One of the most important aspects of branding is consistency. Consumers recognize your brand by its colors and esthetics, relating it to the quality of your product or service. If your brand is inconsistent your product will be viewed as inconsistent, or worse unrecognizable. Having a DAM in place means total brand consistency. One central repository containing all digital forms of your brand in all variety of sizes and formats, negates the need for individual employees to keep possibly outdated copies of branded materials such as letterheads and logos.

How To Go About With A Diy Battery Desulfator Project

admin  Automotive  

If you’ve had your car for a relatively long time then you’re probably aware that car batteries last only for a period of about two to four years. But, did you also know that you don’t have to throw your car battery away as soon as it goes dead? What if we tell you that there’s a way for you to bring your battery back to life and get it working as if it was brand new? Wouldn’t it be nice if you could extend your battery’s life and not have to buy a new one for at least a few more years?

The good thing is that this is actually possible. Most car batteries can actually be reconditioned and made to work like new with a device called a battery desulfator.

What causes a battery to go dead in the first place?
It is important to learn the answer to this question before you can even begin to understand how a battery desulfator works. A battery’s lead plates normally come into contact with the sulphuric acid content of its electrolytes whenever the battery goes into a discharge. The resulting compound is known as lead sulphate. When the battery is recharged, the lead sulphate is once again broken down into separate lead and sulphur components. However, some of the lead sulphate crystallizes on the battery’s lead plates and does not get broken down. Over time, the crystallized sulphate accumulates until it covers a majority of the lead plates, leaving no room for it to react with the electrolytes and create an electrical charge. This is when we say that a battery is -dead.-

A battery desulfator brings your battery back to life and gets it back to working like new by breaking down the crystallized lead sulphate and clearing up the battery’s lead plates. This way, the lead on the plates can react with the electrolytes properly and your battery can once again hold an electrical charge. Battery desulfation and reconditioning can be done at an automotive shop for a fee, but you can save on the cost by reconditioning the battery yourself. Of course, you’ll have to have your own desulfator for this purpose.

Where to get a battery desulfator
Desulfators can be bought from any automotive store, but why spend that much money when you can actually make the device for much less? The materials needed in making your own battery desulfator can be easily found in your junk box or somewhere around your house. And even if you don’t have them handy, these materials can be bought at very low prices from your local hardware or electronics shop. As for the process itself, you can get some good schematic diagrams and instructions online.

Aside from DIY battery desulfator guides and diagrams, the internet is also rife with reconditioning guides, so the process of both making your own desulfator and reconditioning your own battery is definitely easy enough for you to undertake. As soon as you have completed your desulfator project, you can practice reconditioning an old battery and then perform the process on your existing battery in order to prolong its lifespan.

The Bhutan Middle Management Hotel Program (BMMHP) is pleased to announce the engagement of Dr. Daniel G. Fuchs (PhD)

admin  Management  , , ,

The Bhutan Middle Management Hotel Program (BMMHP), is pleased to announce the arrival of Professor Daniel G. Fuchs, International Hospitality Expert, Consultant, as guest lecturer and visiting professor between 13th and 17th February, 2012.

The Bhutan Middle Management Hotel Program is a small program for existing personnel of the Bhutanese hotel industry, in and around the country. This program is sponsored by Jacobs and Elysium Foundation from Switzerland and in partnership with the HWZ University of Applied Science Zurich, also based in Switzerland and is under the patronage of the Tourism Council of Bhutan. It offers the course to 30 in-service personnel of the Bhutanese hotel industry, free of cost to the candidates. This program, albeit, is offered at the Royal Institute for Tourism and Hospitality (RITH).

There are 30 participants from different hotels from Bhutan. Some are from 5 star hotels and some are from 4-2 star hotels. The participants are selected, but still have differences in their capacity to learn in the class. The backgrounds of these Middle-Management participants are primarily from Housekeeping, Front Office, F&B and Accounting.

Dr. Fuchs will give lecture in Food and Beverage Management for a week, starting from 13th -17th February 2012.

Professor Daniel G. Fuchs is very excited about his involvement with this very unique program and he is saying: “To be selected for such a prestigious and innovative program is an honor. I sincerely believe that this is right way to empower local managers to grow and develop which in turn facilitates the development of the country. This will ultimately benefit the people of Bhutan. Tourism handled and managed the right way is such an excellent engine for growth, especially when managed in a sustainable way. To visit Bhutan has been a dream of mine for a very long time and I am sure my time in the Kingdom of the Thunder Dragon will be exciting and hopefully rewarding for the participants of the program.”

Dr. Urs Drsteler, Pro-Rector HWZ University of Applied Sciences for Business Administration Zrich, Switzerland is being quoted, that this is an innovative Approach to train Bhutanese Hotel Managers.

Dr. Urs Drsteler says:” Tourism is and will remain a very important foreign currency provider for Bhutans economy. The number of tourists visiting Bhutan is relatively small, but has been increasing over the last few years. In spite of the different annual growth path in the sector, the hotels and tourism provide interesting long term career opportunities for young Bhutanese, such as heads of food and beverage, front desk, accommodation, operational management, finance, recreational activities, etc. To cope with the present and future needs in the four and five star hotels, as well as to upgrade the management of family operated hotels, Bhutan needs a new generation of highly skilled local hotel managers.”

As a Swiss national himself, Professor Daniel G. Fuchs is proud and honored to have been invited to join this great program and he is very thankful to the following persons, who do play a major role in this unique program and helping the Hotel and Tourism Industry of Bhutan, by educating Middle Management Staff of various Bhutanese Hotels and moving this industry forward.

Ms. Marianne Frei, President of the Society Switzerland-Bhutan (SSB) / Lecturer, Counselor and Officer for Admissions, University of Teacher Education, Zurich, Switzerland.

Prof. Dr. Urs Drsteler, Head of Faculty for Business Administration of HWZ University of Applied Sciences, Zurich, Switzerland.

Mr. Dhurba Chhetri, Program Administrator for the Bhutan Middle Management Hotel Program at the Royal Institute for Tourism & Hospitality in Motithang, Thimphu.

As an incentive and recognition for the outstanding graduates, the Program will be sending the three best participants to Switzerland or in one of the regional countries on an exposure trip in their professional areas.

Let us hope, that future visitors of Bhutan might have an enjoyable encounter with one or the other graduate of the Bhutan Middle Management Hotel Program.

Canoe Construction – Some Common Materials Used

admin  Construction  ,

The most widely used canoe construction materials at the present time are polyethylene, aluminum, Kevlar and fiberglass. Polyethylene is becoming increasingly popular for new canoe construction because it is bendable, lightweight and cheaper than aluminum.

Aluminum Canoe Construction

Aluminum was, until recently, the usual preference for material to use for canoe construction but it has recently been overtaken by polyethylene. Even though aluminum is very tough and hard-wearing, and is one of the lighter metals, it is much heavier than polyethylene. It can stand up to being dragged on the bottom and will not be damaged by exposure to the UV rays from the sun as polyethylene can be. Aluminum canoes do need to be fitted with buoyancy chambers and they can be difficult to operate especially for unskilled paddlers. Additionally they may be heavy to carry and dent when knocked with plenty of force. Mending holes is also easier said than done and cannot be completely covered up.

Where Could You Use an Aluminum Canoe?

For flat water and for recreational use an aluminum canoe may be perfect, particularly if you don’t need to move it very far on your own. For people who lack storage space inside, an aluminium canoe is obviously be a more suitable option than polyethylene because it will not suffer damage from the sun’s rays or deteriorate from the weather.

Places Not to Use your Aluminum Canoe

Aluminum canoes aren’t good for white water paddling or for rivers with many sharp rocks and should not be used when you may be on an extended trip and will need to carry the canoe.

Aluminum Alloy Canoes

Canoes made of aluminum alloy are lighter and tougher than all aluminum and some may be even lighter than polyethylene. However, make sure that you are aware of the actual weight of any aluminum canoes as they may vary a great deal.

Polyethylene Canoe Construction

Polyethylene is light and flexible, is robust and is one of the most widely used canoe construction material. It’s comparatively easy to repair and inexpensive although it is vulnerable to damage from jagged edges like rocks, branches etc. However, it’s elasticity does present a problem so measures need to be taken in order to construct a more rigid canoe. One method is to use aluminum which provides a stiff framework and this is the type of construction seen in canoes made by Coleman and marketed under the name Ram-X.

An alternative way to provide some rigidity is by using a thick layer of polyethylene foam between two layers of material. This is how Old Town canoes are made and is called CrossLink 3. The polythene foam ensures natural buoyancy and this construction method can better endure damage from abrasion than pure polyethylene.

Some disadvantages occur when polyethylene is used unfortunately. It isn’t buoyant so most polyethylene canoes require buoyancy chambers. This material is extremely vulnerable to damage by abrasion and this is the most frequent cause for a canoe being irreparably damaged. Canoes that are made from polyethylene are normally low priced and you can save some money by picking a self-assembly model.

Locations to Use a Polyethylene Canoe

For calm rivers and lakes and water with no jagged rocks, a polyethylene canoe made with a rigid support as in the Coleman canoes is probably an excellent option. For more extreme conditions a Crosslink 3 construction is recommended as it will have increased durability and strength and can stand up to abrasion damage and jagged edges better.

Purchase Original Automotive Parts Every Time

admin  Automotive  ,

The automotive industry in India is the sixth largest passenger market in the world. In the coming future, it is going to see a very large growth. According to an estimation done by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers the annual sales are expected to increase by 4 million by the year 2015. It has already overtaken Brazil in the manufacturing of cars. Entry of foreign market players is also expected to rise in the demand. The current generation of cars combines luxury that provides all the amenities of comfort.
The automotive parts are quite important in any vehicle. They include fasteners, springs, wheel bolts, nuts and many more. It is necessary to keep them in good condition always so that it gives good performance and sustains for a long period. The automotive parts of a vehicle vary from one to another. Most of the time, we purchase the spare parts of an automobile without having sufficient knowledge about these parts. Sometimes, the automotive parts manufacturers might provide a loose part to the customers. In the later period it becomes very difficult as the customer faces numerous problems.
The most important part in any vehicles is its brakes. If they fail to work properly then it can result in dangerous consequences that are an accident can take place. You should always change your brake oil within a period of two years. Changing the brake oil frequently, not only helps to keep the brake in shape but you can also use it for a long period of time. Experts also recommend that brakes of a car should be changed after every 40000 miles. Moreover, second hand brakes should never be purchased at all. One should always purchase new brakes whenever that has been used for a prolonged period of time. It is not necessary that you should always purchase the branded parts but whatever parts you purchase should be durable. You might even take a person who has a good knowledge about automobiles while you go to purchase the parts.
Taking extra precaution by the car owner can also help to reduce the damage done on the brakes. For instance: it is better not to take out the car in rainy season or during snow fall until and unless it is an emergency. The reason for this is that the dust and the water on the road often stick to the brakes and thereby making them less flexible. If we apply this simple precaution then certainly we do not have to visit the service centre or the repair shop frequently.
Like the automotive parts in a vehicle, the hardware of a computer should also be checked properly before purchasing them. While purchasing a second hand computer it is necessary that the hard disk should be checked properly. You should be first of all sure that all the parts are working properly and should then make the final purchasing decision. You can check the logo of the manufacturers of hardware parts before purchasing the computer parts.

Disasters In Bridge Design And Construction

admin  Construction  , , ,

A country’s infrastructure is essential to its success, and having a network of transport systems in place is vital not only for the industry, but for safety too. Bridge construction forms a major part of access routes in every country in the world; from simple wooden bridges in the foothills of rural Wales, to the world famous engineering masterpieces such as the Golden Gate Bridge. The structures may be very different but they serve the same purpose, to provide safe and swift access.

In wealthier parts of the world such as Europe and the UK, the need for bridges is often a matter of convenience, for saving time and improving access and traffic flow from one area to another. In more remote parts of the world, bridges can form a vital connection to essential supplies, and without them certain sections of the population would be at risk in the event of a natural disaster or during times of conflict.

For example, during a study of the Turkish infrastructure, it was noticed that a fault line separated the country along what happened to be an economic divide. In the event of an earthquake this would endanger the lives of some of the poorest of the population as there would be no direct route for supplies and aid. This study led to the construction of a bridge that would ensure that such help would be able to reach these areas should such a disaster occur.

Designing and constructing any bridge is a feat of engineering excellence, but building bridges to withstand the rigours of some of the toughest natural environments is a marvel all of its own. Hurricanes, extreme tides, earthquakes and tornadoes are all elements that need to be accounted for when designing a bridge, and do not forget that human error needs to be accounted for too.

Some of the most notorious bridge disasters involve collapse due to impact from boats and trains. In these accidents, the piers or pilings have given way from the force of the collision and caused the rest of the structure to give way. Other bridge failures have been blamed on superstructure failure due to bad workmanship, such as poor welding, or the use of low quality materials. The final way that bridges can fail spectacularly is in the miscalculation of sums by the engineers themselves.

The mathematics involved in bridge construction involves complex equations that have to account for natural variations in the properties of the chosen construction materials and the way these materials will function in the chosen environment. Add this to the effects of a speeding train, hundreds of vehicles or the marching feet of pedestrians, and the numbers in bridge building become very complex indeed. Many bridges that have appeared structurally sound on paper have behaved in a very different manner in real life.

Some of the most spectacular of these bridge failures have been attributed to what is known as a sinusoidal wave which causes harmonic motion. There is well aired footage of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge which collapsed after the not so harmonic motion caused total structural failure. Basically, small vibrations caused by movement on the bridge accumulate until what appears to be a solid structure has a fluidity that resembles the movement of a wave in water. In some cases, this movement subsides if the causes of the vibrations cease, but in other cases, once the process is underway, the movement becomes self- perpetuating until collapse occurs.

A similar occurrence happened when the Millennium Bridge was opened to the public in 2000. As pedestrians crossed the river the vibrations of the footsteps caused the bridge to sway slightly, and as it did, those crossing had a tendency to walk in time with the movement which served to feed the harmonic motion. Fortunately the bridge was closed without there being any injuries, and over the course of a couple of years the design was modified slightly to prevent such an event happening again. The conclusion is that there will always be a fine balance between engineering genius and pushing the limits of physics itself whilst engineers strive to provide easy or essential access to remote areas and popular destinations alike in the name of technological advancement.