Housing affordability for low-income earners in FCT, Abuja, Nigeria

The influx of population into FCT, Abuja for the last two decades had put challenges in the provision of housing, particularly affordable houses for the low-income earners. After several attempts by the government to solve these challenges, the result seems to remain the same. The government decides to adopt a new approach which is Public-Private Partnership (PPP) approaches. The approach was organized in such a way to give the Private Sector opportunity to participate in the provision of housing at an affordable cost for the FCT inhabitants with much emphasis on the low-income earners of the city whose income largely depends on the minimum wage. Therefore, this research tries to examine the level of achievement of the PPP program in terms of compliance and commitment in delivering adequate and affordable housing for the low-income earners. From the information gathered and analysed, the findings show there was a total failure from both the parties involved i.e public and private sectors. This is due to the fact that right from inception of the program, the partnerships failed to follow the policy guidelines as a process for its implementation. This alone had retard the achievement of the program without realizing its target goals in making houses available at an affordable price for the low-income groups. Most of the Organized Private Sectors that participated were more concerned about profit maximization than the initial agreement of the scheme. Therefore, this research seeks to address the loopholes of the scheme by making some recommendations and conclusion that can correct the existing challenges and future handling of similar schemes that aim at providing adequate and affordable housing for the low-income earners of FCT and Nigeria at large

Properties and optimization of TiN coating in Ti-51 at. %Ni, Ti-27at. %Nb and Ti-25at. %Ta alloys using magnetron sputtering for biomedical applications

Ti-based alloys belong to the categories of metals that are being used extensively in biomedical implants because they possess unique properties, such as high strength, corrosion resistance and biocompatibility. Among many Ti-based alloys, Ti-Ni alloys have been widely applied for biomedical applications. However, it has been discovered that Nickel is a toxic element that can cause hypersensitivity on human body. Hence, the need to develop Ni-free Ti-based alloys for biomedical applications is of paramount importance. P type Ti alloys, such as Ti-27at.%Nb and Ti-25at.%Ta consisting of non-toxic elements are some of the strong candidates for the replacement of Ti-Ni alloys. The aim of this research was to modify the Ti- 51at.%Ni, Ti-27at.%Nb and Ti-25at.%Ta alloys by applying TiN coating on the surface of the alloys to improve their corrosion resistance, wear resistance, surface hardness and biocompatibility. Titanium Nitride (TiN) was selected as the coating material deposited on the substrates through physical vapour deposition magnetron sputtering method with varying deposition parameters namely, temperature, power, bias voltage and Nitrogen flow rate. The Taguchi method of parameter optimization through design of experiment was adopted and Taguchi orthogonal array standard 9- run matrix L9(34) was applied to reduce the number of experimental runs to only 9 experiments. Microstructural and phase variation of the coated and uncoated Ti- 51at.%Ni, Ti-27at.%Nb, and Ti-25at.%Ta alloys was determined using scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive spectrometer and x-ray diffractometer. The surface hardness (344 ± 12.5 HV, 325 ± 26.5 HV and 359 ± 7.9 HV) adhesion strength, (2999 ± 149.5mN, 2110 ± 100mN, 2145 ± 12.3mN) and coating thickness (1.171p,m, 1.92p,m, 1.78p,m) were measured using micro hardness and scratch adhesion test equipment, respectively. Corrosion properties were evaluated using both electrochemical and immersion tests in simulated body fluids (SBF). Antibacterial test was performed on the coated samples using agar disc diffusion technique with Escherichia coli bacteria. Based on microstructural characterisation, all the alloys showed typical features and morphologies of Ti- 51at.%Ni, Ti-27at.%Nb, and Ti-25at.%Ta. The coating materials deposited on the alloys were found to be composed of TiN coatings. The coatings showed improvement of surface hardness: 88.8%, 30%, 35.5%, and adhesion strength: 10.7%, 30.6% and 15.9% for all coated alloys of Ti-51at.%Ni, Ti-27at.%Nb, and Ti- 25at.%Ta, respectively. The results of the bio-corrosion test showed that both the coated and uncoated alloys had excellent corrosion resistance after 28 days of immersion in SBF solution at a constant temperature of 37oC. Similarly, the electrochemical test conducted at 37oC in SBF solution, showed that the uncoated and coated samples had high resistance towards corrosion. The antibacterial test results indicated that the uncoated alloys exhibited sign of the presence of antibacterial activities with small inhibition zones formed around them. However, no inhibition zones were observed in the coated alloys due to the presence of the deposited TiN coatings that acted as a physical barrier between the alloys and their surroundings. Nevertheless, the TiN coated Ti-based alloys have tremendous potential as materials for biomedical applications

Assessment of Residents’ Level of Neighbourhood Satisfaction in Violence-Induced Segregated Urban Environments

Urban violence has resulted into segregation of urban dwellers along neighbourhood divides in many cities of the world. It is well documented that neighbourhood satisfaction is a vibrant contributor to the overall wellbeing of urban dwellers; yet, investigative research on how satisfied are residents in such violence-induced segregated urban environments- a neighbourhood scenario where different ethnic, religious or ethno-religious groups previously co-existed but later parted as a result of inter-group violence, seems not to have been given sufficient attention as a specific matter of concern in neighbourhood studies. Exploring the attributes of the physical and social environment as well as neighbourhood facilities and public utilities, this study examined the level of neighbourhood satisfaction in the segregated Jos city of Nigeria, through a measure of central tendency and spread, employing SPSS-22. The study discovered that residents experienced low degree of satisfaction in both homogenous and mixed neighbourhoods identified in the city. Analysis however revealed significant differences between the two types of neighbourhood in terms of elements examined in relation to the three key attributes employed for the examination. Keywords: neighbourhood satisfaction, violence-induced, segregated urban environment, homogenous neighbourhood, mixed neighbourhood DOI: 10.7176/CER/12-6-07 Publication date:June 30th 2020

Optimizing the Impact and Yield Strengths of Cattle Horn for Engineering Applications

Cattle horns are one of wastes materials littering our environment, yet they have potential value in engineering. The work examined the engineering application of cow horn’s impact and yield strength. The physical and mechanical properties were examined to determine their levels of impacts and yield strengths. The horn structure contains keratin with lamellae tubules lapping over each other along the growing direction. The horn microstructures, density, water absorption, compression, flexural, hardness and impact test were examined.  The samples have density of 1.303 g/cm3 to 1.376 g/cm3 along the body parts. The cow horns impact resiliencies vary along the parts due to animal maturity and ages. Cow horn withstands compressive stress and bending stress of 1,018.96 MPa and 981.4MPa respectively. The average values of hardness property for longitudinal and transverse are 51.735 N/mm2 and 41.795 N/mm2. The sustainability of the samples was analyzed using L25 Taguchi orthogonal array by examining chemical compatibility, temperature and pressure as variable factors. The properties variations of the horns are attributed to the concentration of keratin substance along the body parts. The work identified an appropriates applications area using an impact and fatigue analysis which provided opportunities to use the material to produce sustainable engineering applications

Public Dialogue in Disaster Situations and Physical Planning Inadequacies: Focus on the Devastating June 16, 2018 Bauchi Rainstorm

Bauchi experienced a catastrophic disaster event on 16 June, 2018. Consequently, there have been public discussions and irritations about the event and the inadequacies of public-sector town planning practitioners. 130  residents of Bauchi metropolis were sampled randomly and their concerns documented. The study revealed that poor housing conditions, urban poverty, corruption in planning authorities, substandard infrastructural provision and the non-adherence to development control regulations were the major human and administrative contributions to the catastrophic outcome of the disaster. Keywords: Disaster, Physical planning, Rainstorm, Public, Dialogue, Inadequacies

Comparison and definition of State DOT's practices in selection of materials for pavements

Title on disc surface: PMSP, Pavement Material Selection Practices : an interactive database illustrating material selection practices in 24 state DOTs.; "August 2004."; Includes bibliographical references (p. 163-166).; Final report.; Prepared by Infrastructure Management and Engineering Inc., sponsored by the Ohio Dept. of Transportation in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration under state job no.; Harvested from the web on 12/7/05This report presents the details of a study conducted by Infrastructure Management and Engineering (INFRAME) to review Ohio Department of Transportation's (ODOT's) current pavement material selection practices and suggest improvements where necessary. The present study was initiated by ODOT's Office of Materials Management as part of its continuing effort to improve the quality and cost-effectiveness of the materials used to construct pavements in Ohio. This report synthesizes the state-of-thepractice review of pavement materials selection procedures and criteria in Ohio and other State Department of Transportation. The study was conducted in three parts: (i) a review of the literature, (ii) a survey of state DOT.s, and (iii) a critical review of ODOT practices, including recommendations for improvement. The results of the literature review and the survey of the states (presented as an interactive computer database) will primarily be of interest to the ODOT technical staff who are involved in the day-to-day details of the materials selection process. The critical review of ODOT's practices will be of interest to ODOT managers responsible for charting the future course of the program. No significant changes in ODOT's material selection procedures are needed. Indeed, a review of ODOT's procedures, in comparison to the practices presented in the published literature and described in a survey of states agencies (conducted as a part of this study), conveys an extremely positive impression, which reflects favorably upon the department as a whole. The Office of Materials Management provides necessary support services and at the same time constantly strives to identify areas in need of improvement. The principal recommendations of the study are that two asphalt materials (foamed asphalt and warm mix asphalt), several recycled materials, and an improved aggregate test procedure (the Micro Deval procedure) be further evaluated to determine their potential for providing better performing and/or more economical Ohio pavements.This report presents the details of a study conducted by Infrastructure Management and Engineering (INFRAME) to review Ohio Department of Transportation's (ODOT's) current pavement material selection practices and suggest improvements where necessary. The present study was initiated by ODOT's Office of Materials Management as part of its continuing effort to improve the quality and cost-effectiveness of the materials used to construct pavements in Ohio. This report synthesizes the state-of-thepractice review of pavement materials selection procedures and criteria in Ohio and other State Department of Transportation. The study was conducted in three parts: (i) a review of the literature, (ii) a survey of state DOT.s, and (iii) a critical review of ODOT practices, including recommendations for improvement. The results of the literature review and the survey of the states (presented as an interactive computer database) will primarily be of interest to the ODOT technical staff who are involved in the day-to-day details of the materials selection process. The critical review of ODOT's practices will be of interest to ODOT managers responsible for charting the future course of the program. No significant changes in ODOT's material selection procedures are needed. Indeed, a review of ODOT's procedures, in comparison to the practices presented in the published literature and described in a survey of states agencies (conducted as a part of this study), conveys an extremely positive impression, which reflects favorably upon the department as a whole. The Office of Materials Management provides necessary support services and at the same time constantly strives to identify areas in need of improvement. The principal recommendations of the study are that two asphalt materials (foamed asphalt and warm mix asphalt), several recycled materials, and an improved aggregate test procedure (the Micro Deval procedure) be further evaluated to determine their potential for providing better performing and/or more economical Ohio pavements

EVALUATING THE COMPARATIVE SERVICE QUALITY OF HYPERMARKETS IN JAKARTA, INDONESIA

EVALUATING THE COMPARATIVE SERVICE QUALITY OF HYPERMARKETS IN JAKARTA, INDONESIA - Service Quality, Hypermarket in Jakarta, Comparative Service Qualit

Other title: Investigate feasibility of Ground Penetrating Radar to measure in-place density of new asphalt pavement

"February 2018."; "FHWA/OH-2017-28"--Technical report documentation page.; Includes bibliographical references (Final report, pages 45-45).; Final report.; Sponsoring agency: Ohio Department of Transportation, Office of Statewide Planning & Research; State Job No. 135158Final report (11 unnumbered pages, 45 pages) -- [Fact sheet]: Use Ground Penetrating Radar to quickly and non-destructively measure density on new asphalt pavements (2 unnumbered pages).Density of asphalt mixtures is one of the most important properties to monitor during construction of Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) pavements. Many highway agencies routinely specify and measure in-situ asphalt mixture density or air void and use it as a basis for acceptance. Traditionally, density of a newly constructed asphalt concrete layer has been measured in the laboratory using randomly selected core samples extracted from finished pavement. This study investigates the applicability of Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) for assessment of in-place density of HMA mixtures. GPR measurements were made at two ongoing construction projects in Ohio. Core samples were simultaneously collected and tested in the lab. An analytical model called the 'ALL model' proposed by the University of Illinois researchers was used to derive density values from GPR measurements. The analysis of data indicated that results from core samples and GPR measurements are statistically comparable. Based on the results obtained, it can be concluded that GPR has the potential to map the density of in-place asphalt mixtures in comparison with core densities

Effectiveness of crack sealing on pavement serviceability and life : final report

Title from cover.; "June 2011."; Executive summary report (2 p.) laid in.; "FHWA/OH-2010/14 [i.e. 2011/15]"--Technical rept. documentation p.; Includes bibliographical reference (p. 67).; "State Job No. 134364 ... Prepared in cooperation with The Ohio Department of Transportation and The U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration."This report presents the details of a study to evaluate effectiveness of Ohio Department of Transportation's prevailing crack sealing program. Evaluation was performed through field monitoring a large number of crack sealed and control sections. Field monitoring included collection of performance data for over five year period after crack sealing. The data collected was used to address the following specific issues: Do existing crack sealing practices within ODOT enhance pavement performance? What is the optimum timing of the treatment? Does crack sealing extend pavement life? Is crack sealing a cost effective treatment? The analysis revel that crack sealed pavements, in general, performed better than the control sections on a 5-year cycle. Regardless of pavement type, aggregate type used in the surface layer, and the prior pavement condition crack sealing always results in performance gain. Maximum performance gain can be achieved by treating pavements with Pavement Condition Rating ranging from 66 to 80. The performance prediction models indicate crack sealing treatment can extend the service life of pavements by up to 3.6 years. The cost analysis using a common metric such as the Net Present Value illustrates that crack sealing, as a maintenance strategy, is economically viable for pavements in the prior PCR range of 66-70. From a practical point of view, it is hereby recommended that ODOT develops a policy to allow crack sealing as a strategy for pavement preventive maintenance for all pavements in the prior PCR range of 66 to 80