Research Article Critique

Research Article Critique Tonya L. Smith, RN Liberty University NUR 225 Research Article Critique The title of the research article I chose to critique is from the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. â€Å"Hypertension, orthostatic-hypotension, and the risk of falls in a community-dwelling elderly population: The maintenance of balance, independent living, intellect, and zest in the elderly Boston study†; this title fits well with the content presented in the research article. The independent variables are clearly defined as well as the dependent variables for the research being conducted.The content of the abstract is a very good overview of the content and it is consistent with the content. The abstract summarizes the objective, design, setting, participants, measurements, and results. Problem/Purpose The problem being investigated is the risk of falls in the elderly population related to the effects of controlled and uncontrolled hypertension and orthostatic hypoten sion. The authors do identify the significance of the problem as falls for being the leading cause of disability for the elder generations.Adequate background information is not provided to support the problem because the subject at hand â€Å"has not been investigated previously† (Gangavati, et al. , 2011, p. 383). Explanation of the purpose of this study being conducted is provided by the authors. Literature Review The previous research articles and their outcomes are briefly described with different amounts of time from 1-3 minutes after individual is standing before a decrease in blood pressure of 10-20mmHg would occur and be related to a fall.The purpose â€Å"was to assess the association between hypertension, OH using multiple definitions, and their combination and the risk of recurrent falls in a community-dwelling elderly population† (Gangavati, et al. , 2011, p. 384). The list of twenty eight references is used is this article. There are eight references date d up to ten years old, four references dated five years old or less, and sixteen references that are more than ten years old with one of them being twenty-three years old. The authors do very briefly summarize their review of the literature as to what is known and not known to the study.They do explain a need for further study from previous research with a lack of knowledge in definitions of orthostatic hypertension presented. Framework/Theoretical Perspective The study is based upon a specific situation theory regarding the relationship between falls and changes in blood pressure of the elderly population older than seventy. The authors connect their theory to the study by demonstrating a connection between a change in systolic orthostatic hypotension and standing for one minute.This change in systolic orthostatic hypotension would prove to be increasing falls for the elder population with uncontrolled hypertension. Research Question(s) OR Hypotheses The hypothesis was that the ris k of falls would be highest in people with uncontrolled hypertension and in those with orthostatic hypotension. The questions at hand of the research were to assess the association between hypertension, orthostatic hypotension using different definitions, and to assess their combination and the risk of falls in a community-dwelling elderly population. VariablesThe independent variables were the total number of individuals that were seventy years old or older living within a 5-mile radius of the study. These individuals would present with no hypertension, controlled hypertension, uncontrolled hypertension, and systolic orthostatic hypotension. The dependent variables are the blood pressure measurements, number of falls reported, and the amount of time standing from one to three minutes. The blood pressure measurements were taken at two different times at two minutes apart after five minutes of rest and an average of the two would be used in the analysis.The measurements of blood pres sure were obtained using a manual blood pressure cuff that was accurate for size. The number of falls was reported over a year of time and at the end of each month on a monthly falls calendar and only counted if they had experienced two falls. Demographics of Sample A few examples of the demographics used in the sample was 22% non-white, 64% female,70% receiving antihypertensive medications, 38% history of falls and 25% with a history of stroke. Research Design The research design used was prospective population-based study.Prospective designs are a type of longitudinal design that can be experimental or non-experimental and they are â€Å"studies that begin in the present and end in the future† (Schmidt & Brown, 2012, p. 158). This study was a non-experimental prospective study completed on a population of the elderly followed over a course of a year. This design was appropriate to obtain the necessary data. Subjects were not necessarily assigned to the group but they were c hosen depending on if they lived within five miles of the study, seventy years old or older, and the ability to meet certain criteria.There was no indication of a pilot study having been conducted. Sample/Setting The sampling criteria that had to be met were the individual had to be living in the five mile radius of the study and they had to remain in the area for three years. This research study used simple random sampling for the sampling method; with equal chances of being selected, less risk of bias, and ample representation of the population. People were chosen based on â€Å"ability to understand and communicate in English, ability to walk 20 feet without personal assistance, sufficient vision, and able to live in the area for at least 3 years† (Gangavati, et al. 2011, p. 384). Individuals were assessed with a baseline assessment that included medical history, fall history, cognition, medication, and in-clinic evaluations of balance, and muscle strength. Informed consen t was obtained from all participants by written informed consent. The setting of the study was the community; this setting fit well with the study’s objectives. Measurement, Methods & Instruments Kaplan-Meier curves and Multivariate Cox proportional hazard modeling were used to assess the risk of falls in participants with orthostatic ypotension. Fisher exact test was used for categorical variables. Wilcoxon rank sum was used for continuous variables. A manual sphygmomanometer was used to obtain blood pressure readings. The type of measurement used was physiological measure at the ordinal level of measurement. The authors did discuss the reliability of measurements being obtained with individuals who had been trained in appropriate blood pressure techniques and for potential sources of error. Data Collection The data was collected for the number of falls by mail.The one month calendar was mailed back at the end of each month charting number of falls. Measurements for blood pr essure were taken at 1 minute after standing and 3 minutes after standing, 2 blood pressures were taken while laying supine, and then again after resting 5 minutes. Data was collected by longitudinal design. The data was collected at home by the participant or the caregiver. Data Analysis The data analysis procedures were clearly described using description of follow-up time of truncation.The analysis listed characteristics of the groups and how they were compared. The data analysis procedures were appropriate for the type of data being collected because it was a systematic review of the data that was collected for the research study. Statistical Analyses The analysis included an alpha level of 0. 05 to determine statistical importance. This alpha level indicated that the researchers felt 95% confident in that the risk of falls in the population being tested would be related to uncontrolled hypertension and orthostatic hypotension. LimitationsThe limitations that were identified by this research study was a bias for number of falls through the use of a falls calendar and standing blood pressure was not measured beyond 3 minutes. The findings were also limited because of the population was a majority of Caucasians, and limited to community-dwelling adults. There was also limitation on knowledge of any medication changes during this time. Other limitations I can think of is we do not know if individuals were accurately checking the blood pressure each day or was it just in the preset of the study. Implication of FindingsThe implications for nursing were not clearly described in this study. Some implications for nursing that were not described are to become more aware of orthostatic hypotension upon standing of the elderly and to oversee compliance of hypertensive medications. Further study was suggested in order to confirm findings in a clinical trial setting. Generalization of Findings The authors did generalize the findings in this research study. They did not apply their findings beyond this study. It is not indicated in the study that they applied any findings to the population in general.Format I did not see any spelling, punctuation, or grammatical errors. The sentence structure was good. This research was difficult to interpret at first but after reading it a couple of times and breaking down the information being provided it was more logical. Overall Evaluation The steps of the research process were logically linked together. The hypothesis of this study did make sense based on review of the literature. The method used in this research prospective population-based study and the qualitative data collected did fit well with the intent of the study.The impression this research gave was that individuals over the age of seventy are going undiagnosed with orthostatic hypotension and those with uncontrolled hypertension are at a high risk for falls. Recognition of fall risk is an important subject for me; I can relate to the findings beca use I work with the geriatric population in a long term care facility. Awareness needs to be raised not only to geriatric nurses but all caregivers about the importance in acknowledging the high risk of falls related to hypertension or hypotension. References Gangavati, A. , Hajjar, I. , Quach, L. Jones, R. , Kiely, D. , Gagnon, P. , & Lipsitz, L. (2011). Hypertension, orthostatic hypotension, and the risk of falls in a community-dwelling elderly population: the maintenance of balance, independent living, intellect, and zest in the elderly of Boston study. Journal Of The American Geriatrics Society, 59 (3), 383-389. doi:http://dx. doi. org. ezproxy. liberty. edu:2048/10. 1111/j. 1532-5415. 2011. 03317. x Schmidt, N. , & Brown, J. (2012). Evidence-Based Practice for Nurses: Appraisal and application of research (2 ed. ). Valparaiso, IN: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

How and Why did Labor Unions Start Essay

Essentially, labor unions are associations of workers who are banded together for the purpose of improving their employment conditions and protecting themselves and their coworkers from economic and legal exploitation. Members of labor unions engage in collective bargaining with their employers, as well as general political activism. Labor unions are almost as old as America itself. Although primitive unions of carpenters and other tradespeople made an appearance in various cities in colonial America, the first national labor unions gained strength in the 1820s. During this time, workers banded together to reduce the working day from a grueling 12 hours to a more manageable 10 hours. In 1866, the Nation Labor Union persuaded Congress to cut the workday down to today’s eight hour standard. Labor Day, a holiday observed on the first Monday in September, is a creation of the organized labor movement. The day is intended to honor the achievements of American workers and the contributions they have made to the prosperity and strength of the United States. The first Labor Day celebration was organized by members of the Central Labor Union and held on 5 September 1882. Labor unions are legally recognized as representatives of workers in many industries in the United StatesLarger unions also typically engage in lobbying activities and electioneering at the state and federal level. Most unions in America are aligned with one of two larger umbrella organizations: the AFL-CIO created in 1955, and the Change to Win Federation which split from the AFL-CIO in 2005. Both advocate policies and legislation on behalf of workers in the United States and Canada, and take an active role in politics. The AFL-CIO is especially concerned with global trade issues. Although much smaller compared to their peak membership in the 1950s, American unions remain a prominent political factor, both through mobilization of their own memberships and through coalitions with like-minded activist organizations around issues such as immigrant rights, trade policy, health care, and living wage campaigns. To fight alleged employer anti-union programs, unions are currently advocating new â€Å"card check† federal legislation that would require employers to bargain with a union if more than 50% of workers signed forms, or â€Å"cards,† stating they wish to be represented by that union. The current procedure involves waiting  45 to 90 days for a federally supervised secret-ballot employee referendum on the subject.

Animal Assisted Therapy in Nursing Homes and Elderly patients

Animal Assisted Therapy in Nursing Homes and Elderly patients Video ratings are another metric that demonstrate direct viewer feedback. They are displayed at the bottom right hand corner of videos along with video views. Here, we can see the number of likes or dislikes the video has received over time. For an in-depth view of these ratings, one needs to click on the bar graph. This helps compare likes, dislikes, comments and favourites of the video from its publication. Along with the total number of views of ones’ video, ratings can help to determine what video content is liked or disliked by one’s audience. Ratings feedback is often a better indication of engagement as compared to just views, as ratings require more action from one’s audience than simply watching one’s content. Feedback in the form of likes or dislikes can help our search rankings, as YouTube takes these factors into account when deciding our videos’ rank in the search results.

Russian Economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Russian Economy - Essay Example However, as to how oil prices influenced Russia's GDP growth, measures have to be limited to indicators with the share of the oil industry in the overall GDP, specifically on the value added of the sector as measured by trade margins, and finally extrapolate on how these influenced the other sectors that make up Russia's GDP. Some manifestations of the Dutch disease, defined as the negative growth impact on domestic industries due to inflationary pressures on domestic spending brought by the high exchange rate of the Russian currency, have been observed in the 1990s. The ruble which traded on the average at about 540 rubles to the dollar in 2006, started to recover its value in 2004, reached just before 1998 when it traded 400 rubles to the dollar. In 1998, the ruble was devalued to 220 rubles to a dollar and economists observed that it influenced the high growth rates recorded in manufacturing industries, machinery, metallurgy, chemicals and textiles until 2001. The negative effects of the competitiveness of oil exports and the way it affected the ruble, has revealed the vulnerability of Russian industries which was just making its transition from being centrally planned and managed by the State to being market-led where the reflection of real prices and costs would have to take precedence. This vulnera bility has in a way roused Russian authorities to make the necessary changes in its macroeconomic policies - not just in the energy sector which for better or for worse, would take a big part in the economic future of the country, but also in the field of fiscal policy and public spending, to attract the necessary investments and uplift the standard of living of citizens that would boost consumer spending. GDP and oil prices One estimate of the actual contribution of the oil sector (which includes gas) was placed at a high of 18.9% in 2002, due to the sharp increase in oil prices and its volume of value added to exports. This is the largest increase since 1999 among the economic sectors. The value of total trade margins of oil and gas almost doubled by 2000 to 997.3 billion rubles from just 552.3 billion rubles in 1999. While it slowed by down to 942.7 billion rubles in 2001, trade margins of the sector again was up to 1.15 trillion rubles in 2002. However one comprehensive study on the influence of high oil prices on Russia's GDP growth by Shinichiro Tabata, analyzed the contribution of the oil and gas sector (under industry) included not just under goods production (manufacturing), but also under trade (already mentioned above in the analysis of trade margins) as well as under taxes (net taxes on products). He noted that during the period of the recovery from the financial crisis in 1998, the industrial sector's contribution which includes oil and gas, "was remarkable". The trade sector has become the largest contributor to Russia's GDP growth since 2002. Since some values on trade margins and taxes of oil and gas were not yet available for the years after 2002, the analysis of the contribution of oil and gas sectors would have to be confined only until the period of 2002. The total contribution of oil and gas to the growth of GDP grew from 0.3 in 1999 (when GDP grew by 6.3%) and hit a high of 2.2% in 2000 (when GDP was clocked at 10%). When

The Cultural Dominance of the Christians Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Cultural Dominance of the Christians - Essay Example Historically, they are almost a blank, we only know that at the end of this period of rapine and death the region now called Europe was utterly changed† (Doren cited in Riley). It was fundamentally the cultural dominance of the Christians that had enabled Europe to survive through this political instability. Another reason they are remembered as the dark ages is the fact that little if any, first-hand account of that period could ever be found. That was so because owing to the lack of education, reading and writing were not the virtues of the people of that era. It was the Christian church that learned during the Dark Ages. After the fall, instead of Rome’s City of Man, people accepted Augustine’s City of God. The converts had little concern with the materialistic world. They could sacrifice their status to attain spiritual wellbeing. The limited academic progress of society was the consequence of Christians’ lack of interest in science. Ans. Before explaining who the Historical Jesus was, it is advisable to mention that the Jesus Christ and the Historical Jesus was the same person. Some people consider the Jesus of Nazareth different from the historical Jesus. â€Å"The general consensus among non-evangelical scholars has been that the Jesus presented in the Bible, and the one who actually walked on the earth are two distinctly different people. The Bias of the Gospel and Epistles authors is often cited as the problem† (â€Å"The Historical Jesus†). The historical Jesus was provided with certain powers by God Almighty like he could bring a dead person back to life with due permission from God.

The Risk and the Unkown of the Genetically Modified Foods Research Paper

The Risk and the Unkown of the Genetically Modified Foods - Research Paper Example Although resistance to change is something that is innate in almost each and every individual, oftentimes this resistance to change and predisposition to a level of conservatism act as a built-in evolutional mechanism that serves to protect the human beings from the unknown. True, humans have long sought to push the boundaries and experiment well outside the zones of comfort and recommendation. Such pushing of the envelope has given us the age of jet travel, space exploration, advanced science, and many other inventions and realities that we would not otherwise have. Yet, the fact remains that pushing the envelope and seeking to engage in something that is unknown is a process which only certain individuals within society have been comfortable at performing. Due to such an understanding, it becomes obvious that expecting all of society to engage in an activity that might be entirely outside of their comfort zone is neither ethical nor advantageous. This is very much the situation wit h regard to the use of GMOs within food supplies around the globe. With the rapid advance of science, scientists and researchers have been able to genetically modify a host of different plants and organisms as a means of tweaking the way in which they produce. This level of scientific manipulation has been able to provide the world with heartier and more productive crops; however, the fact of the matter is that the true levels of drawbacks that are exhibited within these genetically modified organisms are not fully understood. Due to the level of incomplete knowledge that exists with regard to GMOs within food, many nations around the world have banned them entirely. However, the United States and several other developed nations have not. As a means of analyzing the potential drawbacks and negatives that GMO might exhibit within a nation’s health and food supply, this particular analysis will focus upon several of these determinants and seek to provide relevant and up-to-date information as a means to prove why GMO should be restricted from the food supply until a further level of knowledge is able to be derived with regard to its overall health impacts. Perhaps the first and most obvious reason that GMO food exhibits a clear and definitive concern to the human population is with regard to the unknown level of impact that GMO necessarily poses to human health. Shockingly, very little independent research has been performed on GMOs to determine the level of impact, if any, that they might have with regard to human health. Moreover, seed company agreements forbid the sale or use of any of their seeds for the process of independent research, all but stymieing any attempt that an independent researcher might make in order to draw a level of inference with regard to whether or not GMOs are harmful, beneficial or neutral. However, the fact that seed manufacturers are so particular about including the caveat that their products cannot be sold or utilised for i ndependent research sheds a level of particular doubt in the mind of the reader with regard to the overall health concerns that use of GMO might present for any society’s food supply. Moreover, another particular level of the unknown that exists with regard to the use of GMO in food is the fact that many of the GMO food sources currently in the market have been proven to have a built-in resistance to certain types of antibiotics. For instance, Amflora, a type of

International expansion proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

International expansion proposal - Essay Example The company is wholly owned by publicly traded Limited Brands Company; operating 1,017 company-owned stores and 18 independently owned stores, with annual sales of $6 billion and an operating cost of $1 billion as of 2012. The company has hierarchic system of governance with Sharen, Jester Turney as the CEO and President of Victoria’s Secret Megabrand and Intimate Apparel while Lori Greely as the CEO of Victoria’s Secret stores. (Website:www.victoriassecret.com/victorias-secret-sport). Victoria’s Secret intends to diversify its market by opening new branches in China; the world’s most populous country with population of over 1.35 billion people, second largest country in the world by land area after Russia and a socialist country espousing communism (Meng, 2011). Economically, it is the second-largest economy in terms of nominal Growth Domestic Product [GDP] totalling approximately $8.227 trillion by 2013 as per International Monetary Fund [IMF]. Reasons f or expansion to China To tap into the growing market of the China’s women population 48.73%, and demographic distribution of 13.3% and 42.8% on 0-14 years and 15-59 years respectively. Tap into the industrialization advantage in China to reduce cost of production Maximize profitability with the competitive exchange rate To maintain the competitive standards of Victoria’s Secret and brand image as a global outfit To tap into China’s skilled and multi-talented fashion designers, workforce, view point and knowledge to ensure growth as a company To tap into China’s economic wellbeing and favourable trading environment Tap into China’s favourable climatic environment and Sporting culture of basketball, tennis, swimming and martial arts Internal Analysis Value Victoria’s Secrets has with time strengthened value on its products starting with lingerie to diversify to sporting attires, swimming costumes, bras, panties, sleeping gowns, clothing and sh oes. The launch of â€Å"PINK†, a new lingerie line targeting 15-22 years old with products such as underwear, sleepwear, loungewear, beauty products and accessories; will create value in the new Chinese market more so through their product lines such as Angels, Very Sexy and Body by Victoria, intended to transition buyers into more adult product lines. The competitive exchange rate of the dollar and the Chinese Yuan, gives the company a competitive advantage of price and cost leadership giving the company capability to mitigate threats in the market (Barney & Hersterly, 2010). Rarity The uniqueness of design and the PINK product line creates the competitive advantage in the Chinese market coupled with the new accessories and fragrance lines which will match with the economies age distribution. The company’s customer service experience coupled with loyalty cards promotions and effective marketing strategies such as their catalogue, sporadic arts in fashion publications and referrals/word of mouth will help conquer the new market. In addition the company has employed social media marketing with incorporation of sites such as Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest account; expanding its website to feature behind-the-scene contents of its catalogue, in the Victoria’s Secret Direct, which are the strategies we can apply in the new market to lure the youthful and techno-savvy population. Imitability Most of the products by the

The Development of Amazon.com in Europe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Development of Amazon.com in Europe - Essay Example They expanded their Seattle distribution center, and added a center in Maryland. This allowed them to offer speedy delivery to customers in the east and in the west. In 1997 they added additional product lines, music and DVDs, but in 1998 it was evident that other online companies such as Buy.com, BarnesandNoble.com and CDNow were offering serious competition. Amazon.com chose to expand quickly to offset competition, adding several product lines. By 1999 in addition to books and music, the company offered video, drugstore, auctions, electronics and toys, software and video games, home improvement, lawn, patio, health, beauty, kitchen, and in 2000 partnered with ToysRUs and launched a computer category (Hammond & Chiron). By that time, their distribution centers had been increased throughout the country. The addition of cell phones, used products, and e-book store increased their volume. The company utilized Six Sigma (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control) to improve their i nventory and record accuracy, finding their errors reduced by 50% in a year. With global marketing the way of the future, however, Amazon chose to expand into the European market and found it necessary to meet different challenges. Challenges Addressed in Amazon.eu It was quickly evident that methods that were successful in the United States would not work in Europe. The first challenge was to standardize and improve supply chain processes across Europe in the areas of vendor management, sales and operations planning, customer backlogs, and inventory management. Tom Taylor, Director of European Supply Chain Operations managed to meet these challenges by 2003 (Hammond & Chiron 209). In the meantime, other challenges had to be addressed beyond their acquisition of major online companies in Germany and the UK. For one thing, Germany had only one wholesaler and France had none so different acquisition methods had to be found. Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.de offered only books in 1998, adding music in October 1999 and auctions and zshops in November 1999. Amazon quickly became a leading online bookstore in UK and Germany. In September 2000 Amazon entered the French market with Amazon.fr built from scratch and offering books, music, video, and DVD produc t lines all at the same time. Amazon Japan was launched in November 2000 and the international segment of Amazon was beginning to represent a significant portion of Amazon's total revenue. Europeans, however, were less likely to have credit cards, less experience with mail-order shopping, and were more conservative in their shopping habits. In 2000 German retailers were not allowed to discount the price of books, and some online privacy issues were more sensitive in Europe than in the U.S., necessitating an agreement between EU and US government on treatment of personal and confidential data.

Childcare past, present, and future Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Childcare past, present, and future - Essay Example This task explores childcare in the past present and future. The role of women and the family structure have shifted significantly in the past two decades. Currently, over fifty percent of mothers with preschool offspring are employed outside their homes while a majority of these women are single parents. Thus, many parents rely on their non family members to provide the needed childcare supports while they are working. All through history, families engaged the services of friends or non family members to watch over their kids. In US, child care movement emanated from the reform and welfare movements of the 19th century (Berenbeim 112). Day care was informed by the need to care for working class and immigrant children while their impoverished parents worked. The present day care centers evolved from day nurseries that began early in 1840s in Boston. The early childcare facilities including nurseries cared for children of widows of merchant and working wives who were disadvantaged and economically deprived group in community (Bridgman 89). Settlement facilities were established in an effort to promote care for immigrant siblings. Child care was founded as a communal service to alleviate the child care challenges of parents who had to labor and to prevent children from wandering the streets (Bridgman 56). Child care is a subject of significant public interest for various reasons (Childrens Defense Fund 2). The dramatic rise in the participation of the labor force by mothers is the key factor affecting the demand for care. Presently, majority of US families with children have the mothers, in the salaried labor force. Correspondingly, trend affecting the need for child care is the fraction of mothers who are the primary sole financial supporter of their kids either because of separation, divorce or they never married. Additionally,

British English Dialectology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

British English Dialectology - Essay Example Indeed, the precise condition of these variables has been a basis for debate for students. If the graduates were considered as forms of Caribbean Standard English, varying English tongues, or enunciations of British English linguistics could have been imposed among its variables. While one cannot take note of the fact that there are variations to be made between the numerous Caribbean varieties, the general imprint as stated by David Cystal, is one of a compilation of expressions close affiliated with framework and language (Pietsch, Kortmann & Wagner, 2005, p. 5). This is a perspective shared by Loreto Toddsince he clearly claims that there are inadequate collective-core facets to allow people to regard us to consider them as a logically standardized philological group. Several universal syntactic outlines have been seen in all the variables, even if variations in enunciation or presaging reduce the similarities less understandable. According to leading English dialects and scholars , there is adequacy in regularity between the creolized English of one part of the Caribbean and another for there to be a prospective Caribbean English for writers to make use of with influence, whatever listeners they are focusing on having a huge impact on. The following paper will look into the various variables that have come to define a characteristic of a particular diversity of English. The essay will be followed by an immediate survey of the literature done on British English linguistics, whether in enunciation, grammar or bilingual dictionary. A. Variables that define a characteristic of British English dialectology I. Geographical variation Demographical variation is additionally complex by the fact that every zonal will adjust in register in accordance with the environment of the language (Pietsch, Kortmann & Wagner, 2005, p. 12). It is currently generally believed that the linguistic condition in the Carribean could be best defined in terms of a variety with wide Creole , or the basilect at a single end and average English, or the Creole at the other. In between are to be discovered the language outlines or mesolects. The Barbadian writer George laming, composing a majority of these literary works concerning English writers’ who support the thesis that the language these works were composed in English, a West Indian language. Whilst African and Indian author composing in English define personalities whose beliefs would not on the whole be in English, West Indian authors do not have to confront a similar issue (Gorlach & Schneider, 1997, p. 140). Nevertheless, renowned literature composers claimed that that it is English that is not regulated, imported, learned English, but that of the submerged surrealist experience and sensibility that has consistently been present. It is currently increasingly coming to the surface and affecting the idea of short-term Caribbean people. Even so, if the word Caribbean implies to a broad range and diverse fie ld, the people have a joint experience and resembling worries when it comes to the issues of uniqueness and linguistics (Pietsch, Kortmann & Wagner, 2005, p.20). II. Social variables Such a range of variables can be affiliated with a detailed place or field instead, more astonishingly it also might be affiliated with a definite communal group. It could be male or female, youthful or aged are aspects that define the social variable of the

Gender Strategies Essay Example for Free

Gender Strategies Essay Gender strategies refer to a literary strategy and a manner of analyzing literary works. As a strategy, gender strategies pertain to the infusion of differing gender expectations and roles given a patriarchal social context. Men hold a higher position relative to women. This also extends to hints of feminism with literary works showing the efforts made by women to attain defy the patriarchal system and achieve equal status with men or women characters placed in positions of power. As an analytical tool, gender strategies refer to the differentiation between masculine and feminine character traits. The differences in the perspectives of men and women develop with the influence of culture. This also considers the way that the image of women in the literary work captures the difficulties in living in a patriarchal society and the challenges to attain equality. Another line of analysis is by expanding literary themes beyond the male and female to consider the homosexual perspective represented by literary works. (Meyer, 2002) Gender strategies worked in the play ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (Shakespeare, 1997). Patriarchal belief and male dominance is one defining theme of the play. Egeus used the law compelling daughters to marry the man chosen by their fathers with refusal punishable by death to force Hermia, his daughter, to marry Demetrius, the man that Egeus wants his daughter to marry. There was also a hint of feminism, with Hermia defying her father and the law by eloping with Lysander. Titania, the queen of the fairies, also holds an equal position with Oberon, the king of fairies by refusing to agree to make her Indian changeling a knight of Oberon. In analyzing the play, the patriarchy experienced by the characters reflects on the Athenian culture that gives men higher status than women do. The male characters, Egeus and Oberon, make the decision and enforce these decisions on the women characters. The women characters, Hermia and even the fairy queen Titania, suffered difficulties in resisting the dominant male characters. References Meyer, M. (2002). The Bedford introduction to literature (6th ed. ). New York: St. Martins Press. Shakespeare, W. (1997). A midsummer nights dream. In G. Blakemore-Evans J. J. M. Tobin (Eds. ), The riverside Shakespeare (pp. 256-283). Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

Oscar Wilde Constanly Mocks Victorian Society Essay Example for Free

Oscar Wilde Constanly Mocks Victorian Society Essay Act III offers happy resolution to the problems of identity and marriage that drive much of the humor in the previous acts. Wilde continues to mock the social customs and attitudes of the aristocratic class. He relentlessly attacks their values, views on marriage and respectability, sexual attitudes, and concern for stability in the social structure. Wilde attacks social behavior with the continuation of speeches by his characters that are the opposite of their actions. While Cecily and Gwendolen agree to keep a dignified silence, Gwendolen actually states that they will not be the first ones to speak to the men. In the very next line she says, Mr. Worthing, I have something very particular to ask you. Wilde seems to be saying that people speak as if they have strong opinions, but their actions do not support their words. If actions truly do speak louder than words, Wilde has made his point: Society, literally, speaks volumes, but the words are meaningless. Wilde continues his criticism of societys valuing style over substance when Gwendolen says, In matters of grave importance, style, not sincerity is the vital thing. Lady Bracknell discusses Algernons marriage assets in the same light. She says, Algernon is an extremely, I may almost say an ostentatiously, eligible young man. He has nothing, but he looks everything. What more can one desire? Indeed, in a society where looks are everything and substance is discounted, Algernon is the perfect husband. What else do aristocrats value? They seem to esteem the appearance of respectability. Respectability means children are born within the context of marriage. Wilde once again mocks the hypocrisy of the aristocrats who appear to value monogamy but pretend not to notice affairs. Jacks speech to Miss Prism, whom he believes to be his mother, is humorous in both its indignant defense of marriage and also its mocking of the loudly touted religious reformers virtues of repentance and forgiveness. He says to Miss Prism, Unmarried! I do not deny that is a serious blow†¦. Mother, I forgive you. His words are all the more humorous when Miss Prism indignantly denies being his mother. It was not at all unusual for aristocrats to have children born out of wedlock, but society turned its head, pretended not to know about those children, and did not condemn their fathers. The gulf between the upper class and its servants is explored in the scenes with Merriman and Prism. When Lady Bracknell unexpectedly shows up at Jacks, Merriman coughs discretely to warn the couples of her arrival. One can only imagine his humorous thoughts as he watches the wealthy tiptoe around each other and argue about what should be important. When Lady Bracknell hears the description of Prism and recognizes her as their former nanny, she calls for Miss Prism by shouting Prism! without using a title in front of her name. Imperiously, Lady Bracknell divides the servant from the lady of the manor. Wildes audience would recognize this behavior on the part of the servants and the upper class. The stuffy class distinctions defined the society in which they lived. In an age of social registers, Lady Bracknell laments that even the Court Guides have errors. In the next breath, she discusses bribing Gwendolens maid to find out what is happening in her daughters life. In Act III she also reveals that her aristocratic brothers family entrusted their most precious possession — Jack — to a woman who is more interested in her handbag and manuscript than in what happens to the baby in her charge. Wilde seems to be questioning the values of a society that believes in social registers, hires other people to neglectfully watch its children, and uses bribery to keep track of the children who are not missing. The death of Bunbury gives Wilde the opportunity to speak of aristocratic fears and have some continued fun with the upper classs lack of compassion about death. The 1885 Trafalgar Square riots brought on ruling-class fears of insurrection, anarchism and socialism. Wilde humorously touches on these fears when he allows Algernon to explain the explosion of Bunbury. Lady Bracknell, fearing the worst, exclaims, Was he the victim of a revolutionary outrage? I was not aware that Mr. Bunbury was interested in social legislation. If so, he is well punished for his morbidity. Evidently, to Lady Bracknells acquaintances, laws that protect the welfare of those less fortunate are strictly morbid subjects. In fact, this attitude seems to contradict the upper-class concern for reform. However, in reality, Wilde is confirming the upper-class definition of social reform: conforming to the status quo. In Act III Wilde makes a comment on the value of being homosexual with a veiled reference to Lady Lancing. When Lady Bracknell asserts that Cecily needs to have a more sophisticated hairstyle, she recommends a thoroughly experienced French maid who can make a great deal of change in a very short time. She explains that such a change happened to an acquaintance of hers, Lady Lancing, and that after three months her own husband did not know her. Jack uses the opportunity to make a pun on the word know, using it in an aside — a comment only the audience can hear. Jack interprets know to mean they no longer had sex, insinuating Lady Lancings preference for the French maid. He says, And after six months nobody knew her, indicating that the homosexual experience made a new woman of her. Although homosexuality would have been seen as immoral to Wildes audience, Jack indicates that being homosexual might be a good thing — almost as a social commentary — directly to the audience. It seems a double life is necessary after one is married, whether it be bunburying or the homosexual life Wilde was experiencing in an increasingly public way. Wilde continues his assault on family life in Act III by mentioning its strange qualities in several conversations. It appears rather strange, for example, that Lady Bracknell cannot even recall the Christian name of her brother-in-law, Algys father. Algernons father died before Algernon was one, so stranger yet is Algernons comment, We were never even on speaking terms. He gives that as the reason he cannot remember his fathers name. Further assaulting family life, Wilde has Lady Bracknell describe Lord Moncrieff as eccentric but excuses his behavior because it was the result of the Indian climate, and marriage, and indigestions, and other things of that kind. Marriage is lumped together with things such as indigestion. In explaining Lord Moncrieffs marriage, Lady Bracknell says that he was essentially a man of peace, except in his domestic life. Her description invites suspicion that the local constabulary might have visited because of domestic disturbances. Family life and domestic bliss do not get high marks in Wildes estimation. When Miss Prism humorously resolves the problem of Jacks lineage, Wilde takes his hero of unknown origins and paints him as the aristocrat who will now be assimilated into his rightful place in the social structure. Through the sad melodrama of Jacks handbag parentage, Wilde exaggerates the Victorian clichà © of the poor foundling who makes good. As soon as Jack is known to be a member of the established aristocracy, a Moncrieff in fact, he is seen as an appropriate person for Gwendolen to marry. They will, according to Wilde, live happily ever after in wedded bliss and continue the aristocratic blindness to anything that truly matters. The tag line of the play, spoken by Jack, is a familiar convention in Victorian farces. In discovering that he has been telling the truth all along — his name is Ernest, and he has a brother — Jack makes fun of the Victorian virtues of sincerity and honesty and asks Gwendolen to forgive him for speaking nothing but the truth. He now realizes the importance of being the person he is supposed to be. Wilde is saying perhaps that a new kind of earnestness exists, one that is different from the virtues extolled by the Victorians. Maybe it is possible to be honest and understand what should be taken seriously in life rather than being deceptive, hypocritical, and superficial. Some readers believe, however, that the ending shows Jack mockingly redefining Victorian earnestness as just the opposite: a life of lies, pleasure and beauty. Critics debate the interpretation of the last line. A curious stage direction occurs in Act III, revealing the concern Wilde had for the staging of his play to compliment his ideas. As his couples come together and move apart, he emphasizes the choreography of the pairs. He has them speak in unison, both the women together and the men together. It matters not who they are; they are interchangeable. Marriage is simply an institution that is a gesture, like a christening. The unison speaking is very stylistic, not meant to be realistic at all. It reveals Wildes attitude that what is important in Victorian marriage — names — really should not be as important as other considerations. In the end, Wilde leaves his audience thinking about the trivial social conventions they deem important. Their Victorian virtues perhaps need redefining. Institutions such as marriage, religion, family values and money should perhaps have new interpretations. The character of people, rather than their names and family fortunes, should weigh most heavily when considering their worth. Wilde was able to use humor to skewer these attitudes and convince his audience about the importance of being earnest.

SWOT and PEST Analysis of Infrastructure Project

SWOT and PEST Analysis of Infrastructure Project ECONOMIC AND INDUSTRY OUTLOOK Indian Construction Industry was almost similar to the construction industry evolution in other countries: founded by Government and slowly taken over by enterprises. After independence the need for industrial and infrastructural developments in India laid the foundation stone of construction, architectural and engineering services. The objective of such an imposition was to develop local design capabilities parallel with the inflow of imported technology and skills. This measure encouraged international construction and consultancy organizations to set upjoint venturesand register their presence in India. In India Construction has accounted for around 40 per cent of the development investment during the past 50 years. Around 16 per cent of the nations working population depends on construction for its livelihood. The Indian construction industry employs over 3 crore people and creates assets worth over20,000 crore. Total sales of construction industry have reached 42,885.38 crores in 2004 05 from21,451.9 crores in 2000-01. The Indian construction industry comprises 200 firms in the corporate sector. In addition to these firms, there are about 1, 20,000 class A contractors registered with various government construction bodies. There are thousands of small contractors, which compete for small jobs or work as sub-contractors of prime or other contractors. PEST ANALYSIS POLITICAL FACTORS SEZ Act to Boost Infrastructural Development: SEZ is the new destination for real estate investors. Currently 150 SEZs are approved out of which 85 SEZs are in the IT/ITES area and 10-15 SEZs in the electronics area.130 SEZs are developed by real estate developers which constitute  of about 50% of the total SEZ area. IT SEZ should be developed and made operational within the period of six months from the date of notification. Thus, 130 approved SEZs would result in investment of US$10 bn to US$ 12 bn immediately. Cement Prices Reduced for State Infrastructure Projects The continued thrust on infrastructure development will provide impetus to the healthy growth in demand, protecting the bottomline of cement companies to an extent. The reduction in the CST and in freight rates on diesel and limestone will be marginally positive for some companies. FDI Liberalization to Augment Industry Growth Recent amendments by the government have made accessibility to the required capital much easier. Opening of FDI in construction and allowing developers to raise capital in international markets has led to developments of larger projects benchmarked against international standard REITs to Positively Affect Real Estate Business The proposed introduction of REMF (Real Estate Mutual Fund) and REIT (Real estate Investment Trust) will boost real estate investments from the small investors point of view. This will allow small investors to enter real estate market with contribution as less than Rs 10,000. The concept of REIT is on the verge of entering India and would be structured as a company dedicated to owning and in most cases operating income producing real estate such as apartments, shopping centers, offices warehouses. ECONOMIC FACTORS Growth in Construction Activity Stimulating GDP Growth India is witnessing tremendous growth expansion of construction activities and construction is largest component of GDP. It has been growing at a rate over 10% in the past few years when GDP growth is around 8%.Within construction; sectors such as roads, railways, housing and power have been keen drivers. Rate Hikes Unlikely To Slow Down Growth It has been analyzed that residential prices have increased by about 15- 20% on average in the last one year. There has been strong growth in demand supported by rising disposable incomes, low interest rates, and fiscal incentives on both interest and principal payments and increasing urbanization. SOCIAL FACTORS Shifting Consumption Pattern to Fuel Industry Growth The consumption pattern of Indian households is undergoing a gradual, but steady change. The share of food and beverages, which used to constitute almost 50% of household spend until 2003 is expected to fall to 45% by FY08. We expect the share of discretionary items to consistently rise given the rising affordability and changing aspiration levels. Increased exposure to western lifestyles (through media as well as overseas travels) has altered the consumption pattern of Indian people. Rising Urbanization to Boost Industrial Growth Urban infrastructure consists of drinking water, sanitation, sewage systems, electricity and gas distribution, urban transport, primary health services, and environmental regulation. Many of these services are in the nature of ‘local public goods with the benefits from improved urban infrastructure. The urban population in India will grow by 85 million over the next 10 years. Green buildings in India The green building movement has gained tremendous momentum during 3 to 4 years, ever since the Green Business Centre embarked on achieving the prestigious LEED rating for their own centre at Hyderabad. The Platinum rating for green building has sensitized the stakeholders of construction industry. There is tremendous potential for construction of green buildings in India. The estimated market potential for green building will be about $ 400 million in 2010.There will be favorable policies of the government would provide the right impetus for advancing the green building movement in India. TECHNOLOGICAL FACTORS Low Technology Adoption to Hinder Growth The poor state of technology adopted by the construction sector adversely affects its performance. Upgrading of technology is required both in the manufacturing of construction material and in construction activities. As a large number of construction materials are manufactured in the unorganized sector, effective monitoring and regulation of the production of these materials to ensure proper quality becomes difficult. Use of low-grade technology in the construction sector leads to low value addition and low productivity, apart from poor or substandard quality of construction and time overruns in projects. The non-availability of quality construction tools is the main reason for this. Besides, the construction sector also lacks information about new technology. Construction as per Indian Requirements The construction needs to be done as per Indian standards and requirements which will demand considerable changes form the international requirements. The infrastructure requirements of India are much different as the population spread, increasing urbanization, increasing slums, the small space for roads, the water problems are more. Ready-Mix-Concrete Being Experimented With The Ready mix concrete business in India is in its infancy. For example, 70% of cement produced in a developed country like Japan is used by Ready Mix concrete business there. Here in India, Ready Mix concrete business uses around 2% of total cement production. Much of construction done in India is very slow paced. The concrete making process at site takes much time with variation in quality. The increasing use of ready mix not only saves on time but allows the better quality. It will also eliminate the storage space at site, eliminate Procurement / Hiring of plant and machinery, reduce wastages of basic material, noise and dust at site will be reduced. Also organization at site will be streamlined. This will improve the rate at which infrastructure can be built in India. ABOUT THECOMPANY Lanco is one of the fastest growing Integrated Infrastructure Enterprises of India, operating across a synergistic chain of Strategic Business Units (SBUs) comprising Power, EPC, Construction, Renewable, Resources, Non-Power Infrastructure, Property development and CSR. Lanco Infratech Ltds current market capitalization is approximately Rs. 15,000 Crores (USD 3.33 billion). Out of the total Share Capital, the promoters holding is about 68 %. The gross revenue of Lanco as on March 2010 was over Rs. 8200 Crores (USD 1.8 billion). Lanco is fast emerging as one of the top three private sector power developers in India with 2092 MW under operation, 7153 MW under construction, and 11070 MW of projects under development. In a strategic move that provides increased fuel security for its current power generating assets and its future power portfolio expansions, Lanco through its step down Australian subsidiary, Lanco Resources Australia, has acquired Griffin Coal Mining Company and Carpenter Mine Management. Griffin coal, based out of Collie in Western Australia, owns the largest operational thermal coal mines in Western Australia, producing over 4 mtpa of coal which can be ramped up to over 15 mtpa in the near term, post development of evacuation infrastructure. Lanco has strategic global partnerships with top-notch companies which include: Genting, Harbin, GE, Dongfang, Doosan etc. Today, Lanco is one of Indias largest Power Traders in the private sector. A people driven organization, Lanco operates from 20 States in India and has international operations in Australia, China, Indonesia, Nepal, Singapore, United Kingdom and USA with a human resource base of about 6500 people. Lanco has an Order book of Rs 25,425 Crores as of September 2010. Lanco is also a privileged member to the World Economic Forum and it has been acknowledged as an elite member of the top two hundred â€Å"Global Growth Companies†. As part of its business strategy, the company has chalked out an ambitious growth plan Lancos Vision 2015: to build a High Performance Organization with an operating capacity of 15000 MW in Power. Lanco also envisages aggressive growth plans for EPC with a strong Order book growth. VISION OF LANCO An India without poverty, where the internationally agreed millennium development goals are met and people with dignity and respect, using their full potential to access the opportunities and exercise choices for their own development -a society that constantly moves to inspire people. MISSION OF LANCO To work towards developing rural and urben communities in order to reduce poverty and contribute effectively towards reduction in loss of environment resources. To improve human development indices through projects and programs at the local, state and national level. Mission†¦. Development of society through enterpreneurship Vision†¦. Most admired integrated infrastructure enterprise VALUES OF LANCO Integrity We choose to be honest in all our Business Interactions and Transactions and remain steadfast even when challenged. We strive for consistency between what we think, what we Say and what we do. Humility Respect We are consistently humble in our approach to and interactions with people. We treat every person with respect at all times, unconditionally. AWARDS EPC-World Awards 2010 for â€Å"Outstanding contribution in Power Energy sector (Generation)†. 8 th Construction World- Annual Awards 2010 for Fastest Growing Construction Company (Large Category)- 1stRank 7thConstruction World- Annual Awards 2009 for Fastest Growing Construction Company (Large Category)- 3rdRank Aban Power Company Ltd TERI Corporate Award for Environmental Excellence and Corporate Social Responsibility June 2009. IKU II IEEMA award for Excellence in Fast Track Commissioning of Small Hydro Projects February 2009 PRSI Confers Golden Jubilee Award for the â€Å"Most Impressive Public Relations Initiatives† August 2008 Clarion Power Corporation Ltd FAPCCI Award for Excellence in Renewable Energy 2007. Construction World NICMAR Awards 2007 for the Second Fastest Growing Construction Company (Medium Category) in India. LANCO Institute of General Humanitarian Trust (LIGHT) TERI Award 2006-07 for Excellence in Corporate Social Responsibility. PRSI National Award for House Journal (English) First Prize PRSI Confers Golden Jubilee Award for the â€Å"Most Impressive Public Relations Initiatives† Award for Excellence in Bridge Engineering 1999 from the Indian Institute of Bridge Engineers. SWOT ANALYSIS STRENGTHS Employment and training opportunities in the field of construction. Private sector housing boom and commercial building demands Construction of the multi building projects on the feasible locations in the country. Good structured national network facilitates the boom of construction industry. Low cost well- educated and skilled labour force is now widely available across the country. Sufficient availability of raw material and natural resources in the country is supportive for the industry. Real estate development is on high and it is attracting the focus of the industry towards construction. WEAKNESS Distance between construction projects reduces business efficiency. Training itself has become a challenge. Changing skills requirements and an ageing workforce may emphasize the skills gap. Improvement in long-term career prospects is highly required to encourage staff retention and new entrants. External allocation of large contracts becomes difficult. Lack of clearly defined processes and procedures for construction and its management. Huge amount of money needs to be invested in this industry. OPPORTUNITIES Continuous private sector housing boom will create more construction opportunities. Public sector projects through Public Private Partnerships will bring further opportunities. Developing supply chain through involvement in large projects is likely to enhance the chances in construction. Renewable energy projects will offer opportunities to develop skills and capacity in new markets. More flexible training delivery techniques are now available. Financial supports like loan and insurance and growth in income of people is in support of construction industry. THREATS Long term market instability and uncertainty may damage the opportunities and prevent the expansion of training and development facilities. Current economic situation may have an adverse impact on construction industry. Political and security conditions in the region and Late legislative enforcement measures are always threats to any industry in India. Infrastructure safety is a challenging task in construction industry. Lack of political willingness and support on promoting new strategies. Natural abnormal casualties such as earth quake and floods are uncertain and can prevent the construction boom. Inefficient accessibility in planning and concerning the infrastructure. Competitors are emerging in the industry by leaps and bounds. METHODOLOGY To Start with, the historical growth of vehicles is examined based on the traffic surveys conducted in the past along the study corridor. Having examined the accuracy and reliability of data, we further analyze the motor vehicle registration statistics at the state level to establish a relationship between the economic variables and the registration data, as a proxy for the traffic growth. The relationship provides the elasticity values by vehicle type, which are then compared with the results of other studies of similar nature carried out in the recent past. The comparative picture provides us the required validation and modification of the estimated elasticity values. Finally, based on the future economic growth prospects in terms of income growth, per capita growth and population growth are considered for estimating the future traffic growth rate by vehicle type. Traffic Studies are carried out: To obtain the knowledge of the type and volume of traffic at present and to estimate future traffic that the road is expected to carry. To determine the facilities provided on the roads such as traffic regulation and control, intersections, so that improvement on the basis of traffic density may be carried out. To design the geometric features and pavement thickness on the basis of traffic surveys. Traffic survey and studies are done as a part of the study to assess the base year traffic pattern. Different traffic studies : A comprehensive 7 day traffic volume count at toll plaza locations. Origin-destination (OD) survey at 2 suitable locations. A comprehensive 1 day number plate registration survey at toll plaza locations. Comprehensive surveys between the alternate routes covering both existing and future responsibilities. Calculation of: Average daily traffic (ADT). Annual average daily traffic (AADT) considering the seasonality variation. A comprehensive 7 day traffic volume count at toll plaza locations: The main objective of classified traffic volume count was to access the traffic characteristics on project road section in terms of hourly variation, peak hour traffic, average daily traffic, traffic composition and directional distribution. The survey was carried out by vehicle counting and classifying the vehicle passing the survey station. The counts were made separately for motorized and non motorized vehicles. In addition toll exempted vehicles i.e. government, ambulance, fire vehicles etc. were classified separately. Traffic Volume is the number of vehicles crossing a section of road per unit time at any selected period. The commonly used units are vehicles per day and vehicles per hour. The various methods available are: Manual methods Combination of manual and mechanical method Automatic devices Moving observer devices Photographic methods Generally manual method is used. This method employs a field team to record traffic volume on the prescribed record sheets. In this method the fluctuations of traffic volume during the hours of the day and the daily variations are observed. Origin-destination (OD) survey at 2 suitable locations: Origin and Destination survey for road section was obtained by carrying out by police assistance. Data of origin and destination of the trip was collected in the survey; a zoning system was order to analyze the origin destination data. Origin destination data was used to identify the zones that contribute to the traffic on the road. Growth of traffic on the road will depend upon the economic developments in the influence areas of the road. TheOrigin -Destination survey was carried out with the primary objective of studying the travel pattern of passenger and goods traffic along the study corridor. The results of this survey forms a useful input for estimating the growth rates for traffic projections, identification of toll plaza location and planning for toll collection system. The various applications of OD survey may be summed up as follows: To locate expressway or major routes along the desire lines. To judge the adequacy of parking facilities and to plan for future. To locate intermediate stops of public transport. To establish preferential routes for various categories of vehicle including by pass. Methods for collecting the OD survey data: Road-side interview method License plate method Return post card method Tag-on-car method Generally road-side interview method is used in which vehicles are stopped at previously decided interview stations by a group of persons with the help of police assistance and the answers to prescribed questionnaire are collected on the spot. A comprehensive 1 day number plate registration survey at toll plaza locations: Registration plate survey is carried out at all toll plaza locations to know that how much traffic is influenced by the local traffic. Because if the person is staying inside the radius of 20 kms from the toll plaza location then he has to pay only 50 percent of the toll tax according to the government policy. Comprehensive surveys between the alternate routes: The main objective of this survey is to analyze the alternative routes and leakage of traffic on the project road because it will directly affect your toll revenue. Average daily traffic (ADT): Average daily trafficorADT is the average number ofvehiclestwo-way passing a specific point in a 24-hour period, normally measured throughout a year. ADT is not as highly referred to as the engineering standard ofAADTwhich is the standard measurement for vehicle traffic load on a section of road, and the basis for most decisions regardingtransport planning, or to the environmental hazards of pollution related to road transport. Annual average daily traffic (AADT): Annual average daily traffic or AADT is a measure used primarily intransportation planningandtransportation engineering. It is the total volume of vehicle traffic of ahighwayorroad for a year divided by 365 days. AADT is a useful and simple measurement of how busy the road is. It is also sometimes reported as average annual daily traffic. One of the most important uses of AADT is for determining funding for the maintenance and improvement of Highways. AADT is calculated by multiplying Seasonal variation factor in ADT. Formula for calculating Annual average daily traffic (AADT) from ADT is as under: Annual average daily traffic (AADT) = Factor * Average daily traffic Seasonal Variation of traffic (correction factor) The flow of traffic on the road varies significantly during different months of the year. As monthly flow data is not available, petrol and diesel sales are collected from petrol stations along the highway to calculate the correction factor. This data is analyzed compared to the month of ADT the annual average variation factor valuated to arrive at AADT from ADT as recorded. REASEARCH AND FINDINGS For completion of the project â€Å"Strategies involved in opting an infrastructure project (highway) through traffic study† The aim of the project is to analyze and interpret the traffic study reports based on which highway projects are bid. Interpretation of the report is very critical as it helps in assessing the revenue generation for the entire concession period, based on which a bid is made. In order to complete my project, I was asked to thoroughly analyze the report on â€Å"Kota-Jhalawar road section on NH-12 and Aligarh-Kanpur road section on NH-91† KOTA-JHALAWAR ROAD SECTION ON NH-12 TRAFFIC SURVEYS Proposed number and locations of traffic survey stations have been identified after detail reconnaissance. The Traffic Engineer has trained the post-in-charges and monitors the training of surveyors by them. Survey and count sheets have been spot checked on a regular basis and data registered in the field office. Data to be collected from includes: The type of traffic surveys and the minimum number of survey stations were as under:- CLASSIFIED VOLUME COUNT The classified traffic volume count surveys have been carried out for 7 days (continuous, direction-wise) at the selected survey stations indicated below. Keeping in view the vehicle classification system given in IRC codes (IRC 9 1972, IRC SP: 19 2001) the following generalized classification system have been used in recording the classified volume count. Motorized Traffic Non-Motorized Traffic: 2-Wheeler Bi-Cycle 3-Wheeler Cycle-Rickshaw Passenger Car Animal Drawn Vehicle (ADV) Utility Vehicle (Jeep, Van etc.) Hand Cart Other Non-Motorized Vehicle Bus LCV Truck MCV: 2-Axle Rigid Chassis MCV: 3-Axle Rigid Chassis MAV Semi Articulated (For Procedure of Traffic Analysis refer Annexure I ) ORIGIN-DESTINATION SURVEYS: We have carried out O-D and Commodity Movement Surveys at locations given below in accordance with IRC: 9-1972. The roadside interviews were on random sample basis as per TOR. The trip matrices were worked out for each vehicle type information on weight for trucks was summed up by commodity type and the results tabulated, giving total weight and average weight per truck for the various commodity types. The sample size for each vehicle type was indicated on the table and also in the graphical representations. The data derived from surveys has also been analyzed to bring out the lead and load characteristics and desire line diagrams. Three Locations identified for O-D surveys are as under:- Near Kebal Nagar Village(Both Direction) †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.265.000 Near Devarighata (Both Direction) †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..320.000 Near Chandrabhaga river Toll Plaza†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..337+500 TURNING MOVEMENT SURVEYS The turning movement surveys for estimation of peak hour traffic for the design of major intersections were carried out for the Study. The details regarding composition and directional movement of traffic have been compiled. The methodology for the surveys was in accordance with IRC: SP: 41-1994. The data derived from the survey was used to analyze and to identify requirements of suitable remedial measures, such as construction of underpasses, flyovers, interchanges, and grade-separated intersections along the project road alignment. Intersections with high traffic volume requiring special treatments either presently or in future were identified. Locations comprising major intersections have been identified during detail reconnaissance. Data for turning movement survey is vital in identifying the section for operation as toll road. Details are presented in Annexure to chapter 6. Identified Location of Turning Movement Count (TMC) stations are as: Sangod Kanwas Junction †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.291.000 Chechat Rawat Bhata Road †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.304.600 Link Road of SH 9A Ram Ganj Mandi †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦315.500 Bagher Mandawar Junction †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.67+683 Mandawar Teendhar Junction †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦346+539 AXLE LOAD SURVEYS The axle load surveys have been done using load cell. The axle load data was collected axle configuration-wise. The number of equivalent standard axles per truck was calculated on the basis of results obtained. The results of the survey have been used for VDF. Furthermore, the data from axle load surveys was analyzed to bring out the Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) and Single Axle Load (SAL) Distributions by truck type (axle configuration). SPEED-DELAY SURVEYS Appropriate field studies such as moving car survey to determine running speed and journey speed. The data was analyzed to identify sections with typical traffic flow problems and congestion. Recommendation was made for suitable measures for segregation of local traffic, smooth flow of through traffic and traffic safety. These measures have included the provision of bypasses, under-passes, flyovers, grade separated intersections and service roads. Speed delay survey was done for whole project highway. TRUCK TERMINAL SURVEYS The data derived from the O-D, speed-delay, and other surveys was analyzed to assess requirements for present and future development of truck terminals at suitable locations en-route. ROAD INVENTORY SURVEYS Detailed road inventory surveys have been carried out to collect details of all existing road pavement features along the existing road sections. The data collected through road inventory surveys was sufficient to meet the requirements. The data are presented in the format given as â€Å"Road Inventory Data Sheet† (IRC-SP- 19-2001). The headings are given below. Terrain (flat, rolling, mountainous) Land Use (agricultural, commercial, forest, residential etc) @ every kilometer; Name of Village Carriageway width, surfacing type and condition @ every 500m and every change of feature whichever is earlier; Shoulder surfacing type and width and condition @ every 500m and every change of feature whichever is earlier; Height of embankment or depth of cut @ every 200m and every change of feature whichever is earlier. Submergence Details of cross road The data have been collected in sufficient detail, compiled presented in tabular form. The data have been stored in computer files using utility packages, such as EXCEL etc. SUBGRADE CHARACTERISTIC STRENGTH The testing of soils for classification mechanical characteristics has been as per terms of reference. â€Å"Testing of three sub-grade soil samples for each design section or three SWOT and PEST Analysis of Infrastructure Project SWOT and PEST Analysis of Infrastructure Project ECONOMIC AND INDUSTRY OUTLOOK Indian Construction Industry was almost similar to the construction industry evolution in other countries: founded by Government and slowly taken over by enterprises. After independence the need for industrial and infrastructural developments in India laid the foundation stone of construction, architectural and engineering services. The objective of such an imposition was to develop local design capabilities parallel with the inflow of imported technology and skills. This measure encouraged international construction and consultancy organizations to set upjoint venturesand register their presence in India. In India Construction has accounted for around 40 per cent of the development investment during the past 50 years. Around 16 per cent of the nations working population depends on construction for its livelihood. The Indian construction industry employs over 3 crore people and creates assets worth over20,000 crore. Total sales of construction industry have reached 42,885.38 crores in 2004 05 from21,451.9 crores in 2000-01. The Indian construction industry comprises 200 firms in the corporate sector. In addition to these firms, there are about 1, 20,000 class A contractors registered with various government construction bodies. There are thousands of small contractors, which compete for small jobs or work as sub-contractors of prime or other contractors. PEST ANALYSIS POLITICAL FACTORS SEZ Act to Boost Infrastructural Development: SEZ is the new destination for real estate investors. Currently 150 SEZs are approved out of which 85 SEZs are in the IT/ITES area and 10-15 SEZs in the electronics area.130 SEZs are developed by real estate developers which constitute  of about 50% of the total SEZ area. IT SEZ should be developed and made operational within the period of six months from the date of notification. Thus, 130 approved SEZs would result in investment of US$10 bn to US$ 12 bn immediately. Cement Prices Reduced for State Infrastructure Projects The continued thrust on infrastructure development will provide impetus to the healthy growth in demand, protecting the bottomline of cement companies to an extent. The reduction in the CST and in freight rates on diesel and limestone will be marginally positive for some companies. FDI Liberalization to Augment Industry Growth Recent amendments by the government have made accessibility to the required capital much easier. Opening of FDI in construction and allowing developers to raise capital in international markets has led to developments of larger projects benchmarked against international standard REITs to Positively Affect Real Estate Business The proposed introduction of REMF (Real Estate Mutual Fund) and REIT (Real estate Investment Trust) will boost real estate investments from the small investors point of view. This will allow small investors to enter real estate market with contribution as less than Rs 10,000. The concept of REIT is on the verge of entering India and would be structured as a company dedicated to owning and in most cases operating income producing real estate such as apartments, shopping centers, offices warehouses. ECONOMIC FACTORS Growth in Construction Activity Stimulating GDP Growth India is witnessing tremendous growth expansion of construction activities and construction is largest component of GDP. It has been growing at a rate over 10% in the past few years when GDP growth is around 8%.Within construction; sectors such as roads, railways, housing and power have been keen drivers. Rate Hikes Unlikely To Slow Down Growth It has been analyzed that residential prices have increased by about 15- 20% on average in the last one year. There has been strong growth in demand supported by rising disposable incomes, low interest rates, and fiscal incentives on both interest and principal payments and increasing urbanization. SOCIAL FACTORS Shifting Consumption Pattern to Fuel Industry Growth The consumption pattern of Indian households is undergoing a gradual, but steady change. The share of food and beverages, which used to constitute almost 50% of household spend until 2003 is expected to fall to 45% by FY08. We expect the share of discretionary items to consistently rise given the rising affordability and changing aspiration levels. Increased exposure to western lifestyles (through media as well as overseas travels) has altered the consumption pattern of Indian people. Rising Urbanization to Boost Industrial Growth Urban infrastructure consists of drinking water, sanitation, sewage systems, electricity and gas distribution, urban transport, primary health services, and environmental regulation. Many of these services are in the nature of ‘local public goods with the benefits from improved urban infrastructure. The urban population in India will grow by 85 million over the next 10 years. Green buildings in India The green building movement has gained tremendous momentum during 3 to 4 years, ever since the Green Business Centre embarked on achieving the prestigious LEED rating for their own centre at Hyderabad. The Platinum rating for green building has sensitized the stakeholders of construction industry. There is tremendous potential for construction of green buildings in India. The estimated market potential for green building will be about $ 400 million in 2010.There will be favorable policies of the government would provide the right impetus for advancing the green building movement in India. TECHNOLOGICAL FACTORS Low Technology Adoption to Hinder Growth The poor state of technology adopted by the construction sector adversely affects its performance. Upgrading of technology is required both in the manufacturing of construction material and in construction activities. As a large number of construction materials are manufactured in the unorganized sector, effective monitoring and regulation of the production of these materials to ensure proper quality becomes difficult. Use of low-grade technology in the construction sector leads to low value addition and low productivity, apart from poor or substandard quality of construction and time overruns in projects. The non-availability of quality construction tools is the main reason for this. Besides, the construction sector also lacks information about new technology. Construction as per Indian Requirements The construction needs to be done as per Indian standards and requirements which will demand considerable changes form the international requirements. The infrastructure requirements of India are much different as the population spread, increasing urbanization, increasing slums, the small space for roads, the water problems are more. Ready-Mix-Concrete Being Experimented With The Ready mix concrete business in India is in its infancy. For example, 70% of cement produced in a developed country like Japan is used by Ready Mix concrete business there. Here in India, Ready Mix concrete business uses around 2% of total cement production. Much of construction done in India is very slow paced. The concrete making process at site takes much time with variation in quality. The increasing use of ready mix not only saves on time but allows the better quality. It will also eliminate the storage space at site, eliminate Procurement / Hiring of plant and machinery, reduce wastages of basic material, noise and dust at site will be reduced. Also organization at site will be streamlined. This will improve the rate at which infrastructure can be built in India. ABOUT THECOMPANY Lanco is one of the fastest growing Integrated Infrastructure Enterprises of India, operating across a synergistic chain of Strategic Business Units (SBUs) comprising Power, EPC, Construction, Renewable, Resources, Non-Power Infrastructure, Property development and CSR. Lanco Infratech Ltds current market capitalization is approximately Rs. 15,000 Crores (USD 3.33 billion). Out of the total Share Capital, the promoters holding is about 68 %. The gross revenue of Lanco as on March 2010 was over Rs. 8200 Crores (USD 1.8 billion). Lanco is fast emerging as one of the top three private sector power developers in India with 2092 MW under operation, 7153 MW under construction, and 11070 MW of projects under development. In a strategic move that provides increased fuel security for its current power generating assets and its future power portfolio expansions, Lanco through its step down Australian subsidiary, Lanco Resources Australia, has acquired Griffin Coal Mining Company and Carpenter Mine Management. Griffin coal, based out of Collie in Western Australia, owns the largest operational thermal coal mines in Western Australia, producing over 4 mtpa of coal which can be ramped up to over 15 mtpa in the near term, post development of evacuation infrastructure. Lanco has strategic global partnerships with top-notch companies which include: Genting, Harbin, GE, Dongfang, Doosan etc. Today, Lanco is one of Indias largest Power Traders in the private sector. A people driven organization, Lanco operates from 20 States in India and has international operations in Australia, China, Indonesia, Nepal, Singapore, United Kingdom and USA with a human resource base of about 6500 people. Lanco has an Order book of Rs 25,425 Crores as of September 2010. Lanco is also a privileged member to the World Economic Forum and it has been acknowledged as an elite member of the top two hundred â€Å"Global Growth Companies†. As part of its business strategy, the company has chalked out an ambitious growth plan Lancos Vision 2015: to build a High Performance Organization with an operating capacity of 15000 MW in Power. Lanco also envisages aggressive growth plans for EPC with a strong Order book growth. VISION OF LANCO An India without poverty, where the internationally agreed millennium development goals are met and people with dignity and respect, using their full potential to access the opportunities and exercise choices for their own development -a society that constantly moves to inspire people. MISSION OF LANCO To work towards developing rural and urben communities in order to reduce poverty and contribute effectively towards reduction in loss of environment resources. To improve human development indices through projects and programs at the local, state and national level. Mission†¦. Development of society through enterpreneurship Vision†¦. Most admired integrated infrastructure enterprise VALUES OF LANCO Integrity We choose to be honest in all our Business Interactions and Transactions and remain steadfast even when challenged. We strive for consistency between what we think, what we Say and what we do. Humility Respect We are consistently humble in our approach to and interactions with people. We treat every person with respect at all times, unconditionally. AWARDS EPC-World Awards 2010 for â€Å"Outstanding contribution in Power Energy sector (Generation)†. 8 th Construction World- Annual Awards 2010 for Fastest Growing Construction Company (Large Category)- 1stRank 7thConstruction World- Annual Awards 2009 for Fastest Growing Construction Company (Large Category)- 3rdRank Aban Power Company Ltd TERI Corporate Award for Environmental Excellence and Corporate Social Responsibility June 2009. IKU II IEEMA award for Excellence in Fast Track Commissioning of Small Hydro Projects February 2009 PRSI Confers Golden Jubilee Award for the â€Å"Most Impressive Public Relations Initiatives† August 2008 Clarion Power Corporation Ltd FAPCCI Award for Excellence in Renewable Energy 2007. Construction World NICMAR Awards 2007 for the Second Fastest Growing Construction Company (Medium Category) in India. LANCO Institute of General Humanitarian Trust (LIGHT) TERI Award 2006-07 for Excellence in Corporate Social Responsibility. PRSI National Award for House Journal (English) First Prize PRSI Confers Golden Jubilee Award for the â€Å"Most Impressive Public Relations Initiatives† Award for Excellence in Bridge Engineering 1999 from the Indian Institute of Bridge Engineers. SWOT ANALYSIS STRENGTHS Employment and training opportunities in the field of construction. Private sector housing boom and commercial building demands Construction of the multi building projects on the feasible locations in the country. Good structured national network facilitates the boom of construction industry. Low cost well- educated and skilled labour force is now widely available across the country. Sufficient availability of raw material and natural resources in the country is supportive for the industry. Real estate development is on high and it is attracting the focus of the industry towards construction. WEAKNESS Distance between construction projects reduces business efficiency. Training itself has become a challenge. Changing skills requirements and an ageing workforce may emphasize the skills gap. Improvement in long-term career prospects is highly required to encourage staff retention and new entrants. External allocation of large contracts becomes difficult. Lack of clearly defined processes and procedures for construction and its management. Huge amount of money needs to be invested in this industry. OPPORTUNITIES Continuous private sector housing boom will create more construction opportunities. Public sector projects through Public Private Partnerships will bring further opportunities. Developing supply chain through involvement in large projects is likely to enhance the chances in construction. Renewable energy projects will offer opportunities to develop skills and capacity in new markets. More flexible training delivery techniques are now available. Financial supports like loan and insurance and growth in income of people is in support of construction industry. THREATS Long term market instability and uncertainty may damage the opportunities and prevent the expansion of training and development facilities. Current economic situation may have an adverse impact on construction industry. Political and security conditions in the region and Late legislative enforcement measures are always threats to any industry in India. Infrastructure safety is a challenging task in construction industry. Lack of political willingness and support on promoting new strategies. Natural abnormal casualties such as earth quake and floods are uncertain and can prevent the construction boom. Inefficient accessibility in planning and concerning the infrastructure. Competitors are emerging in the industry by leaps and bounds. METHODOLOGY To Start with, the historical growth of vehicles is examined based on the traffic surveys conducted in the past along the study corridor. Having examined the accuracy and reliability of data, we further analyze the motor vehicle registration statistics at the state level to establish a relationship between the economic variables and the registration data, as a proxy for the traffic growth. The relationship provides the elasticity values by vehicle type, which are then compared with the results of other studies of similar nature carried out in the recent past. The comparative picture provides us the required validation and modification of the estimated elasticity values. Finally, based on the future economic growth prospects in terms of income growth, per capita growth and population growth are considered for estimating the future traffic growth rate by vehicle type. Traffic Studies are carried out: To obtain the knowledge of the type and volume of traffic at present and to estimate future traffic that the road is expected to carry. To determine the facilities provided on the roads such as traffic regulation and control, intersections, so that improvement on the basis of traffic density may be carried out. To design the geometric features and pavement thickness on the basis of traffic surveys. Traffic survey and studies are done as a part of the study to assess the base year traffic pattern. Different traffic studies : A comprehensive 7 day traffic volume count at toll plaza locations. Origin-destination (OD) survey at 2 suitable locations. A comprehensive 1 day number plate registration survey at toll plaza locations. Comprehensive surveys between the alternate routes covering both existing and future responsibilities. Calculation of: Average daily traffic (ADT). Annual average daily traffic (AADT) considering the seasonality variation. A comprehensive 7 day traffic volume count at toll plaza locations: The main objective of classified traffic volume count was to access the traffic characteristics on project road section in terms of hourly variation, peak hour traffic, average daily traffic, traffic composition and directional distribution. The survey was carried out by vehicle counting and classifying the vehicle passing the survey station. The counts were made separately for motorized and non motorized vehicles. In addition toll exempted vehicles i.e. government, ambulance, fire vehicles etc. were classified separately. Traffic Volume is the number of vehicles crossing a section of road per unit time at any selected period. The commonly used units are vehicles per day and vehicles per hour. The various methods available are: Manual methods Combination of manual and mechanical method Automatic devices Moving observer devices Photographic methods Generally manual method is used. This method employs a field team to record traffic volume on the prescribed record sheets. In this method the fluctuations of traffic volume during the hours of the day and the daily variations are observed. Origin-destination (OD) survey at 2 suitable locations: Origin and Destination survey for road section was obtained by carrying out by police assistance. Data of origin and destination of the trip was collected in the survey; a zoning system was order to analyze the origin destination data. Origin destination data was used to identify the zones that contribute to the traffic on the road. Growth of traffic on the road will depend upon the economic developments in the influence areas of the road. TheOrigin -Destination survey was carried out with the primary objective of studying the travel pattern of passenger and goods traffic along the study corridor. The results of this survey forms a useful input for estimating the growth rates for traffic projections, identification of toll plaza location and planning for toll collection system. The various applications of OD survey may be summed up as follows: To locate expressway or major routes along the desire lines. To judge the adequacy of parking facilities and to plan for future. To locate intermediate stops of public transport. To establish preferential routes for various categories of vehicle including by pass. Methods for collecting the OD survey data: Road-side interview method License plate method Return post card method Tag-on-car method Generally road-side interview method is used in which vehicles are stopped at previously decided interview stations by a group of persons with the help of police assistance and the answers to prescribed questionnaire are collected on the spot. A comprehensive 1 day number plate registration survey at toll plaza locations: Registration plate survey is carried out at all toll plaza locations to know that how much traffic is influenced by the local traffic. Because if the person is staying inside the radius of 20 kms from the toll plaza location then he has to pay only 50 percent of the toll tax according to the government policy. Comprehensive surveys between the alternate routes: The main objective of this survey is to analyze the alternative routes and leakage of traffic on the project road because it will directly affect your toll revenue. Average daily traffic (ADT): Average daily trafficorADT is the average number ofvehiclestwo-way passing a specific point in a 24-hour period, normally measured throughout a year. ADT is not as highly referred to as the engineering standard ofAADTwhich is the standard measurement for vehicle traffic load on a section of road, and the basis for most decisions regardingtransport planning, or to the environmental hazards of pollution related to road transport. Annual average daily traffic (AADT): Annual average daily traffic or AADT is a measure used primarily intransportation planningandtransportation engineering. It is the total volume of vehicle traffic of ahighwayorroad for a year divided by 365 days. AADT is a useful and simple measurement of how busy the road is. It is also sometimes reported as average annual daily traffic. One of the most important uses of AADT is for determining funding for the maintenance and improvement of Highways. AADT is calculated by multiplying Seasonal variation factor in ADT. Formula for calculating Annual average daily traffic (AADT) from ADT is as under: Annual average daily traffic (AADT) = Factor * Average daily traffic Seasonal Variation of traffic (correction factor) The flow of traffic on the road varies significantly during different months of the year. As monthly flow data is not available, petrol and diesel sales are collected from petrol stations along the highway to calculate the correction factor. This data is analyzed compared to the month of ADT the annual average variation factor valuated to arrive at AADT from ADT as recorded. REASEARCH AND FINDINGS For completion of the project â€Å"Strategies involved in opting an infrastructure project (highway) through traffic study† The aim of the project is to analyze and interpret the traffic study reports based on which highway projects are bid. Interpretation of the report is very critical as it helps in assessing the revenue generation for the entire concession period, based on which a bid is made. In order to complete my project, I was asked to thoroughly analyze the report on â€Å"Kota-Jhalawar road section on NH-12 and Aligarh-Kanpur road section on NH-91† KOTA-JHALAWAR ROAD SECTION ON NH-12 TRAFFIC SURVEYS Proposed number and locations of traffic survey stations have been identified after detail reconnaissance. The Traffic Engineer has trained the post-in-charges and monitors the training of surveyors by them. Survey and count sheets have been spot checked on a regular basis and data registered in the field office. Data to be collected from includes: The type of traffic surveys and the minimum number of survey stations were as under:- CLASSIFIED VOLUME COUNT The classified traffic volume count surveys have been carried out for 7 days (continuous, direction-wise) at the selected survey stations indicated below. Keeping in view the vehicle classification system given in IRC codes (IRC 9 1972, IRC SP: 19 2001) the following generalized classification system have been used in recording the classified volume count. Motorized Traffic Non-Motorized Traffic: 2-Wheeler Bi-Cycle 3-Wheeler Cycle-Rickshaw Passenger Car Animal Drawn Vehicle (ADV) Utility Vehicle (Jeep, Van etc.) Hand Cart Other Non-Motorized Vehicle Bus LCV Truck MCV: 2-Axle Rigid Chassis MCV: 3-Axle Rigid Chassis MAV Semi Articulated (For Procedure of Traffic Analysis refer Annexure I ) ORIGIN-DESTINATION SURVEYS: We have carried out O-D and Commodity Movement Surveys at locations given below in accordance with IRC: 9-1972. The roadside interviews were on random sample basis as per TOR. The trip matrices were worked out for each vehicle type information on weight for trucks was summed up by commodity type and the results tabulated, giving total weight and average weight per truck for the various commodity types. The sample size for each vehicle type was indicated on the table and also in the graphical representations. The data derived from surveys has also been analyzed to bring out the lead and load characteristics and desire line diagrams. Three Locations identified for O-D surveys are as under:- Near Kebal Nagar Village(Both Direction) †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.265.000 Near Devarighata (Both Direction) †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..320.000 Near Chandrabhaga river Toll Plaza†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..337+500 TURNING MOVEMENT SURVEYS The turning movement surveys for estimation of peak hour traffic for the design of major intersections were carried out for the Study. The details regarding composition and directional movement of traffic have been compiled. The methodology for the surveys was in accordance with IRC: SP: 41-1994. The data derived from the survey was used to analyze and to identify requirements of suitable remedial measures, such as construction of underpasses, flyovers, interchanges, and grade-separated intersections along the project road alignment. Intersections with high traffic volume requiring special treatments either presently or in future were identified. Locations comprising major intersections have been identified during detail reconnaissance. Data for turning movement survey is vital in identifying the section for operation as toll road. Details are presented in Annexure to chapter 6. Identified Location of Turning Movement Count (TMC) stations are as: Sangod Kanwas Junction †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.291.000 Chechat Rawat Bhata Road †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.304.600 Link Road of SH 9A Ram Ganj Mandi †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦315.500 Bagher Mandawar Junction †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.67+683 Mandawar Teendhar Junction †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦346+539 AXLE LOAD SURVEYS The axle load surveys have been done using load cell. The axle load data was collected axle configuration-wise. The number of equivalent standard axles per truck was calculated on the basis of results obtained. The results of the survey have been used for VDF. Furthermore, the data from axle load surveys was analyzed to bring out the Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) and Single Axle Load (SAL) Distributions by truck type (axle configuration). SPEED-DELAY SURVEYS Appropriate field studies such as moving car survey to determine running speed and journey speed. The data was analyzed to identify sections with typical traffic flow problems and congestion. Recommendation was made for suitable measures for segregation of local traffic, smooth flow of through traffic and traffic safety. These measures have included the provision of bypasses, under-passes, flyovers, grade separated intersections and service roads. Speed delay survey was done for whole project highway. TRUCK TERMINAL SURVEYS The data derived from the O-D, speed-delay, and other surveys was analyzed to assess requirements for present and future development of truck terminals at suitable locations en-route. ROAD INVENTORY SURVEYS Detailed road inventory surveys have been carried out to collect details of all existing road pavement features along the existing road sections. The data collected through road inventory surveys was sufficient to meet the requirements. The data are presented in the format given as â€Å"Road Inventory Data Sheet† (IRC-SP- 19-2001). The headings are given below. Terrain (flat, rolling, mountainous) Land Use (agricultural, commercial, forest, residential etc) @ every kilometer; Name of Village Carriageway width, surfacing type and condition @ every 500m and every change of feature whichever is earlier; Shoulder surfacing type and width and condition @ every 500m and every change of feature whichever is earlier; Height of embankment or depth of cut @ every 200m and every change of feature whichever is earlier. Submergence Details of cross road The data have been collected in sufficient detail, compiled presented in tabular form. The data have been stored in computer files using utility packages, such as EXCEL etc. SUBGRADE CHARACTERISTIC STRENGTH The testing of soils for classification mechanical characteristics has been as per terms of reference. â€Å"Testing of three sub-grade soil samples for each design section or three