Concrete perfomance in fire compared to other building materials Essay

Concrete perfomance in fire compared to other building materials - Essay Example al. 2006) The reason why concrete is the prime choice with regards to fire safety standards is because of its resistance and low conduction of heat. There have been numerous works performed that display this behavior of concrete to high temperatures (Kodur et. al 1997) and this paper aims to add to the pool of knowledge by comparing the performance of concrete with other building materials such as wood, aluminum and steel. This will be achieved by subjecting the four building materials in different setups and evaluating the performance of each material. The following characteristics will be measured: fire resistance, combustibility, fire load contribution, temperature, restorability and integrity after fire. Rating will be given for each of the construction material after the collation of the said parameters. That concrete leads in the said properties will be given evidence in this project. Timber or wood is known as one of the oldest construction materials known to man. It comes from felled trees and processed before utilization by cutting, strengthening and polishing to name a few steps. The most common trees that are used as timber are pine, cedar and hemlock. Fir and spruce also serve the same purpose as several hardwoods. The advantages of using wood include: flexibility, warmth, provides good insulation, safe, lightweight but strong and durable (Roadmap 2008). Disadvantages include: prone to rotting, termite and fire damage (Redmond 1971). Aluminum is a metal alloy in the form of iron, tin or copper and can be found abundantly in nature (Lauritzen 2008). It provides high strength to weight ratio. It also has good stress or fatigue resistance. The advantages of using aluminum in construction include flexibility, lightweight, formability, durability, low maintenance, good insulation and fire resistance (AFSA 2006). Steel is commonly made up of iron and

Improving Organisational and Employee Performance Term Paper - 1

Improving Organisational and Employee Performance - Term Paper Example For a business organization with the aim of remaining competitive, there is always room for improvement in terms of organizational and employee performance. The need to improve productivity and performance has emerged to be one of the most essential things in the modern business environment. When employees are completely and creatively engaged in a business organization will have a superior performance in the market. The main challenge in improving organizational and employee performance is finding ways through which an organization maximizes engagement, retention, commitment, and overall satisfaction of their employees.One of the ways through which a company can enhance the performance of their employees is through recognition. This is very effective because it always makes employees feel appreciated. There is nothing as motivating as the feeling that an individual is part of a team and that they are appreciated members of the teams which they belong to. Research has proved that emp loyees with satisfaction with the level to which they are appreciated by the organizations they work for can be up to four times more motivated as compared to those who are not appreciated at all (Van Knippenberg 2000, p. 366). Ways through which a company can show recognition of their employees include verbal gratitude, involvement in decision making, training, giving the time off, acknowledging birthdays, organizing celebrations, acknowledge individuals and teams at staff meetings (Crossman & Abou-Zaki 2003, p. 376). However, companies such as The Boston Consulting Group, whose competitiveness is based on their affordability, have always had a hard time motivating their employees. However, other businesses such as Audi supermarket have minimized their expenditure in motivation through using rewarding through on-job training by the more experienced staff.  Ã‚