#XUFD: Degree of Risk is Minimal

Photo By: Crusaders

Xavier University Festival Days (XUFD) or also known as Xavier Days is undeniably one of the most sought festival not just in the university but also in the city of Cagayan De Oro. It is a four days grand celebration every December to honor the feast of St. Francis Xavier, the university patron saint. It is always an epic celebration packed with a nuf fun activities prepared by the students, the colleges and the administrations for all its guest –not only for the alumni and those who are connected to the XU Community but as well as for those purely outsiders.

In addition, each celebration embraces a specific theme and the theme for this year is “Xavier: Our Common Home” which delineates what Xavier University has become for all its students, faculties and administrators. This festival has also brought its entire guest to a journey of nostalgia and fond memories but then again, just like a home, did all guest felt safe and secured during and after the occasion?

Fortunately, it’s a big YES because 2 days after the event I personally interviewed Col Danilo Sotto, Chief Security Officer of Xavier University wherein he emphasized that there were no casualties and not even a single serious accident have been reported during the entire 4-days XUFD celebration. He claimed that overall, it was a very peaceful occasion!

However, below are the two main situations we have observed that makes the people involved at RISK to an impending disaster...

1. A CAREFREE WORKER

This was taken at the covered court during the 1st day of XU Days and as you can see in the photo, there’s a man wearing a blue shirt conveniently leaning/sitting at the edge of a pipe (I don’t exactly know how to call that) without a proper gear and without considering how high he was from the ground. Even though he might be doing it for so many times as part of his job, still, it doesn’t mean he’s not prone to DISASTER! What if, he might accidentally slipped and fall? That’s why we recommend that next time; he must take an extra care! Resting is okay but it must be in a proper place, kuya!

2. Crazy Crowd During the Last Night of #XUFD

CRAZY CROWD AT THE SOCCER FIELD DURING THE DANCE PARTY! Photo grabbed from XUFD FB Page

HAZARD: Snatching and Stampede, (Respiratory Disorder during the rave) 
EXPOSURE: At the main entrance of the University and at the soccer field during the Dance Party 
Vulnerability: 
a. As for Snatching – of course, it’s almost impossible to retrieve your belongings and most of the time, those wearing fancy things are prone to this simply because it easily catches the eyes of the pickpocketers or snatchers 
b. As for stampede – at worst, it can cause injuries and even death so anyone with lack of hazard awareness and caution are prone to this!

AT THE MAIN ENTRANCE OF THE UNIVERSITY

Recommendation:

The sudden influx of people into the main entrance of the university as well as in the soccer field for the dance party was basically a huge problem that must be addressed properly. According to Col Danilo Sotto, Chief Security Officer, they were already aware of it that’s why they strengthen their security to control the crowd. Also, no report of pick pocketing was recorded except that there were 2 people who lost their wallets but luckily, the two wallets were found and were given to the rightful owner without anything lost inside it!

As for pick-pocketing and snatching, we recommended that just like going to any other crowded places, they must always be cautious of their belongings, never entrust it to anyone and maintain social awareness in every situation!

As for stampede, I guess it must go hand in hand, not just for a single individual but for everyone. Let’s not panic and worsen the situation by pushing someone. At the main entrance, let’s observed utmost discipline – fall in line properly and even don’t hesitate to ask if there are other entrances! We observed that most people during the XU Days especially at night used only the main entrance where in fact, the new gate at the SEC Mall was also wide open and passable!

While at the soccer field, it’s not only prone to stampede but also respiratory disorders due to very alarming level of dust! So in case you have previous respiratory problems, it’s advisable to stay away from those specific areas.

Lastly, we must always remember, we cannot totally eradicate an accident or risk but at least with careful attitude, proper preparation and precaution, we can prevent injuries and the loss of lives! So, cheers for another safer Xavier Days next year everyone!

#CETE40 #XavierDays2015 #XavierOurCommonHome #XUFD

Civil Engineers’ Analogy of Spider Web

15 YEARS AGO…

Somewhere in the wild …                                                                                                                         

Friend1: Bai, nay gahi na laway oh, sure jud ko, iring iring ni, unta marka puntok…                 

Me: Saba diha! Tan.awa gali iyang  porma sa iyang supot oh, putik layo ranas airing iring bai.. ang iring iring na damang, ang pag construct sa iyang supot eng.ani ang porma oh….

 Analogy of Spider Web For Civil Engineers

When was the last time you ever stopped to really look at a spider web in a very inquisitive way?

Well, in my case, it was probably about 15 years ago… back then, hunting and playing with spiders in the province is one of the best recreational activity of most young boys of my generation and one of my personal favorite childhood memories too. During those days of my life, I also reached to the point wherein I wondered and somehow asked myself and my playmates of how a small creature like the spiders can weaved those frigging webs so perfect; why are they creating it circular, not triangular, square, trapezoidal or what? But naturally for a 7 year old child, I didn’t care much of it.

However, it all changed when I reached college, more specifically when I started studying major subjects in the field of Civil Engineering. It is like I entered a never-ending tunnel where at the same time I was bombarded with a lot of concepts, designs, theories of structures and even failure. All I can do and will always do is to digest everything so fondly until I reached the end of it. Well, if there’s really an “end” of it because like what they always said, “Learning is a never ending process!”

Anyways, while I was trudging that tunnel the other week, something cool happened and this is how it was...During our CE50 Reinforced Concrete Design class, we were grouped into 5 and given a tasked to draw a design/concept that will reflect the 6 most essential Principles that must be considered in designing and constructing a structure in order to eradicate the failure of it as much as possible.

In our group,  we got a long list of possible concepts but the spider web stands out from the rest and by then, I can’t help myself but reminisced the things happened 15 years ago. Indeed, it was a great flashback to my childhood! After deciding, Mr. Batino drew our design while the rest of the members discussed thoroughly the most appropriate analogy that can be extracted from it…

Our own Drawing of Spider and the Spider Web During our class

First is LOGIC. In the principle of structure the simplest concept is that big members carry big loads, and small members carry small loads and just like in the spider world, bigger spiders create thicker and stronger web for bigger and heavier loads (the insects that they were trying to capture). On the other hand, smaller spiders create softer and weaker web for smaller and lighter insects. Logically, bigger and heavier insects can easily penetrate and destroy the smaller and softer webs and just like in the structure if a smaller member carries a load higher than its capacity, eventually it will fail.

Second is INTEGRITY. Structural integrity has two faces – the issues of honesty and wholeness. In the structural design, loads are truly resisted should be honestly expressed visually and there is a violation of that principle if a bite is taken out of the wholeness of a structural system. This is also applicable in the spider web in a way that spiders created their webs with full of honesty, wholeness and sense of ownership. If they create their webs without those criteria, then they were just fooling themselves and they will not be able to hunt and capture their prey. It will be an epic fail for them and same goes to the engineers who will neglect those criteria.

Third is ECONOMY. Structures shouldn’t be overpriced and just like spider webs it shouldn’t also be oversized beyond the true load requirements. In the building, heaviest loads should be places as near as the bottom of the building as possible, whereas, spider webs are designed such that the center of it is where the most web patterns are concentrated to cater the heaviest possible load.

Fourth is CONTINUITY. Structures are more like spider webs, there must be clean, smooth, direct, uninterrupted paths for forces provided for load propagation. However, in the building, it must be all the way into the bearing soil and geology and in the spider web; it must be through all the way to the center of the web.

Fifth is REDUNDANCY. Structures are spider webs, it must provide multiple supports. If one fails, the other members may also carry the load. And lastly, PRIORITY, basically, the sequence of structural failure must be controlled. If one part of the spider web fails, it will not automatically destroy everything in an instant and gives more escape time. Definitely, buildings should be like that as well.

After that activity, I realized that a spider web is no longer a mere web but an intricately designed work of art and an engineering marvel and the spiders are no longer just mere spiders but for me, they’re engineers in their own awesome way. I was not able to recognize that earlier, it seems that those spiders of my childhood are more like the past engineers but just like the past engineers, we must not only focused ourselves to the spider web, but we must learn and seek for more from what they have discovered in the past, from what they have taught us! We must be able to surpass and build something greater than what they have built!

Lastly, I think it’s nice to think that you too will have a sort of spider web in life.  It might not be a spider web of course but something that you think is special and you can extract a very artistic and inspiring analogy out from it. By that, I believe it will blow your mind and surely changed your initial perception of that thing. Sounds over rated, right? But yes, that’s how I see it, #thexuixuiWay and I know that’s how you are going to see it too…

P.S

I wrote this in a way that it’s not very technical in the field of Civil Engineering so that even non-civil engineering people might be able to understand it somehow! I just really hope so… :’)

Year 2030 (After 15 years) …

Somewhere in the wilder place …                                                                                                                         Friend: Hey, Xui! Look at that friggin’ spider web over there... jeez, it’s so artistic!

Me: Indeed! *chuckles while reminiscing CE50 Class in my head

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Are Disasters a concern for Civil Engineers?

Are Disasters a concern for Civil Engineers?

 Mark Lowill Almeda

Growing up in the Philippines without experiencing at least a single typhoon is like a child trying to catch a balloon racing to the sky – it’s almost impossible! Typhoons are natural disasters and they’re even more “natural” to experience here in the country but obviously it will never be “natural” not to minimize the extensive damage of it, especially, unlike earthquakes, typhoons can be directly measured and people can still prepare themselves before it reaches at their respective places. But then again, why is it, nowadays natural disasters like typhoons have been escalating into a larger, more damaging and costlier tragedies not only in terms of property but as well as lives? Is it because the general public is too insouciant? Is it because the government and the civil engineers failed to perform well on their duties and responsibilities in terms of combating natural disasters?

Well, it must go hand-in-hand for both parties and for civil engineers; they too play a very critical role before, during and after a natural disaster. First, civil engineers’ responsibility is to make sure that communities are safe and prepared for any future natural disasters – they need to plan ahead and “build smart” structures. They need to create sea walls, proper drainage and minimize the vulnerability of every structure even if its systems have been aged and deteriorated.

At Park Point Residences, Ayala Center Cebu City! 
Civil Engineering Student of Xavier University Plant Tour August 2014

Meanwhile, in the aftermath of a typhoon like for example typhoon Sendong, the general public’s initial reaction is to cast blame on the government who failed to warn them ahead and even to civil engineers who failed to build and design sufficient structures preventing the extensive damage of the said typhoon. But as victims of natural disasters, the immediate concern is not on who to blame but of survival. Obtaining basic necessities is the highest priority and as civil engineers, the second responsibility in the aftermath of a natural disaster is to help in providing those needs. It doesn’t necessarily mean that they automatically need to donate food, clean water, shelter and clothing but more on making sure that every highways and roads are passable for a quicker and faster relief operation and creating temporary shelters for evacuees.

Third, as civil engineers they were not only responsible for creating structurally capable skyscrapers and bridges but as well as in repairing damage buildings and other infrastructures after a natural disaster occurred which is equally important as providing access to food and water.

Lastly, as civil engineers they were responsible for preventing the catastrophic results from repeating in the future. This might be done by cultivating the newly gained knowledge from the previous natural disasters and by inspecting and making new building codes like what is usually happening in our National Building Codes of the Philippines (NBCP) – it is always updating, providing only the best codes for the betterment of the country’s safety.

To sum it up, the message I’m trying to convey here is obvious: Disasters are part of every Civil Engineers concern and their most essential duty and responsibility is to remember always who they were serving for!

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