Oh! I Just Love Civil Engineers

 “Civil engineers just love pouring that grey stuff up against timber. You would think they had shares in a concrete supply company. Seriously, I continue to argue with civil engineers who just don’t get the fact that a fully welded pipe or restrained pipe does not need thrust blocks. There must be a problem in university teaching or text books, but try as I might civil engineers go on burying concrete blocks. I point to refineries where the pipes are above ground with no thrust blocks to no avail.”[i]- Strainer

Similar was my situation when I was trying to convince a highly placed civil engineer that a fully-welded pipe does not require a thrust block and you know what, he treated me as if I had lost my mind.

Consider this simple example: There is a pipe that starts from a point A and ends at point B; in between it takes two 90deg turns, one at point C and another at point D. For now, forget about the point E.

Fluid density: ρ, OD = d, Pressure inside pipe = P, Velocity = V

Condition: Pipe is flanged bolted with the equipments at point A and point B. Fluid flows in the pipe from A to B or B to A (doesn’t matter) at pressure P and Velocity V.

So What Now: Thrust will be generated at both the turns (points C & D) due to pressure force inside the pipe, i.e., Pressure * Area of Pipe and also because of fluid’s momentum, i.e., Mass flow * Velocity. The same needs to be calculated for both X and Y directions and accordingly the resultant force shall be computed[ii]. It must be noted that thrust force due to pressure inside the pipe is considerable large than that due to mass flow and velocity and hence the latter can be ignored for simplicity.

 If you look at the figure carefully then you will observe that both the Y-components of resultant thrust force are equally[iii] opposite to each other and hence shall get cancelled. But yes, in this case the stretch of pipe between points C & D shall be under tension and it would be really amazing to see if someone takes this mild steel pipe apart because of this tensile force!

And how do you think the X-components are gonna behave. Does it seem like that they are forming a couple about point E and are really on the verge of twisting this pipe, is it so? Well, think again then. Because first they will have to break the bolts which have tied this pipe with the equipments at A & B and only then will they have the luxury to form a couple, meanwhile they will have to languish alone, and as they say not in this life guys.

So what’s happening then: Well, these stupid X-components don’t get the point and thus they also put the pipes between A & C and D & B under tension. I hope there is no need to tell as to what will happen of them. Let them have fun in trying to tear the pipe, hahaha…

Now do you seriously think that we require a thrust block in a fully welded and fully restrained pipe and if you do, then pray tell me how?

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[i] Strainer (Mechanical), 16 Feb 11 17:51, http://www.eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=292032

[ii] This is an online calculator which is available for free along with the theory behind this calculation. http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/forces-pipe-bends-d_968.html

[iii] an assumption that pressure drop between points C and D is insignificant

Why did I write so? It was a mindless statement, delivered without due thought. How can I just write about movies, "which have nothing to do without reality." Did I have some concrete information for that? No, I didn't.

How did I realize my error? As I do not expect anyone else to read and "comment", so I read it "as usual", while trying to figure out why anyone else would come and read it.

Why am I writing this here, could have easily edited the earlier blog? Oh! come on do I need to explain this also and that too to myself. As they say, "vainglorious".

But, in future, I will try to make sure that I do not write hastily.

Anyways, my office hours were as usual boring and monotonous, but there's always a story to tell, though I do not write everyday, but today I would like to share something.

Mr. Eccentric was as usual whining about Rs. 3300, that I owe him, in his words, which in actuality belong to, as we have to come to call it, the Recreational Committee or is it Club or is it Council...oh! come on man what is it...whatever, the point is that I was avoiding him for quite a number of days, thinking that when he would actually need it, I will give him. But, today he asked me again. So, I decided to give him back.

While transferring the money to his account, the bank's portal asked me "Transaction remarks", and just to have some fun I wrote in it, "Bheekh", which in English means Alms. It doesn't sound so bad in English or does it? Only native English speakers can actually tell, but to me, in English, it surely doesn't. But to him in Hindi, it surely sounded like Hell. I also admit that it does sound bad in Hindi.

But this bad it would sound to him that I had never imagined, and that he would react like the way he did, surely was inconceivable by me. 

He quickly read it and then agitatedly asked me, "Yeh kya likha hai tune", "What is this that you have written?”. And, then suddenly started shouting angrily, "I will tell you in open forum", "I will bring this in front of everybody" and blah blah.

I have known this person since three and a half years, and we have since been quite friendly. But, after this incident and when I look back, I can remind myself of a few more, I can surely say that I cannot claim to have known him.

I don't know how he can behave like that; he behaved as if I actually meant to hurt him or genuinely tried to humiliate him. Have we not been friends long enough to understand each other at least that much and that friends never actually mean anything from their hearts, even though sometimes they might say very crude jokes, which might seem like nasty, though not intended to hurt? Can’t he remind himself of how many times he had said things to me of a similar nature? And, that I never actually took it the way he did today, because I have always believed that he never meant them, which indeed he did not (atleast that’s what I believe), same as I did not mean today. 

Whenever any of my friend says such a thing which might be bad but not deliberately designed to harm, I always ignore it saying "Koi baat nahin or jaane bhi do yaaron or dil pe mat le yaar", "No problem", for I know it's hard to have good friends.

But now it is certain that I shall refrain myself from being friendly with him anymore and would not talk to him except for professional matters.

And, I have also realized one thing after this incident that I will have to be very careful while making remarks or passing jokes, especially with whom, which as a matter of fact leads me to believe that I should adopt a silent way, because I don't know what I would say and how would it be taken up.

P.S: There’s sufficient reason for me calling him eccentric and it is not only due to this spat with him and certainly not because I do not like him, but we “all” agree with him being termed as such. While, that “all” may not actually include all, but I think finding exclusions may result being a futile activity.