Cineplex Case Study Essays - Loews Cineplex Entertainment

Cineplex: Case Study Company Background In 1979 Garth Drabinsky and Nathan Taylor formed Cineplex. From early on Cineplex saw itself as a niche player. They used small screens to show specialty movies and they employed this strategy not to challenge major chains, but to compliment them. Cineplex did well primarily because of their concept for carefully planned use of shared facilities. With this success they began to expand across Canada with a very rapid rate of expansion. During this expansion however they amassed a 21 million-dollar debt. Also, distributors became reluctant to supply Cineplex for fear of alienating the two largest Canadian chains. In 1983 to avoid bankruptcy, Cineplex reduced its debt by selling off some of its recently purchased assets. Darbinsky also took legal action to win back access to major releases. Son after this time he also purchased the Odeon chain so that he would be able to bid for early runs of movies. This gave Cineplex a major position in the industry. Through Darthbinsky's relentless tactics Cineplex Odeon was the second largest motion picture chain with 1,800 screens in over 500 locations. Now that Darthinsky owned one of North America's major theater chains he sought to change the movie going experience by changing the layout and atmosphere of the theaters to attract even more moviegoers. Drabinsky endeavored to use the size of his chain to obtain added clout with film studious and distributors. Drabinsky had no plans to slow his companies' rapid pace of expansion and he extended Cineplex Odeon's production activities through other branches of the entertainment industry. His unrelenting drive for growth placed tremendous pressure on the company's finances. As doubt grew about the financial health of Cineplex Odeon, Drabinsky reputation as a brilliant strategist was gradually subject to increased scrutiny. He realized his weaning support and ho sought to gain control by buying a large stake in the company. MCA, one of the controlling stockholders, blocked this successfully and forced Darbinsky from his leadership position with the company. When Darbinsky left he left a company carrying a massive $655 million dollar debt. Alan Karp assumed the leadership role and immediately began to cut costs and divest some of Cineplex Odeon's assets. He also took steps to increased concession revenues. In a short amount of time Karp was successful in cutting the debt by ? and was able to switch back to more of a strategic focus. He began to show interest in further growth. As of 1995 Cineplex Odeon reported a loss of $30 million for the 1st 6 months of the year. These numbers started to raise concerns about Karp's ability to turn things around. His attempt to merge with a major chain failed a few months earlier. Although the merger was called off Karp remained enthusiastic about the potential of the company. Analysis Financial I would rate their current financial condition as fair to poor. Return on Total Assets ? not significant Current Ratio ? .22891 (very poor) Long-term debt to equity ratio ? 81.85 Many of their financial ratios are significantly insignificant with profits being negative. SWOT Potential Resource Strengths 1. 85% percent of the company's U.S screens were in the top 15 U.S. markets, while 75% of its Canadian screens were in the top 10 Canadian Markets. 2. Cineplex recently spent $57.5 million in refurbishment and construction of new theaters. This included introducing DTS sound systems in many of its locations. 3. Now embraced a strategy of cautious growth and more sound financial management. 4. With its relatively large size Cineplex could use some muscle to get first run movies and demand bigger revenue splitting. 5. Had very strong concession sales. Potential Resource Weaknesses 1. Seemed to have no clear strategy or business plan ? at one point Karp stated ?that he had not even begun to consider what strategic benefits Seagram might bring to Cineplex?, something he should have been looking at. 2. Fair to poor financial condition with in the company. Weak balance sheet and excess debt. 3. History of overaggressive expansion ? weary shareholders and stakeholders may prevent or slow future mergers or acquisitions. Potential Company Opportunities 1. Alliances or mergers to expand coverage. Karp believed Cineplex was capable of running a theater chain twice as big. 2. The international exhibition business. 3. Vertical

La Vida de Frida Kahlo (The Life of Frida Kahlo) essays

La Vida de Frida Kahlo (The Life of Frida Kahlo) essays Frida Kahlo era una artista brillante de Mxico cuyas obras de arte reflejan su vida emocionalmente y fà ­sicamente dura. Mas conocido por sus autorretratos, la profundidad y el tono adicionados que Kahlo trajo a sus obras surrealistas ganaron la adulacin de sus contemporneos, incluyendo Andr Breton, reconocido como el padre de surrealismo. El simbolismo en su arte a veces puede desafiar un interpretacin singular; el igual es la verdad para las emociones expresadas por Kahlo. La vida de Kahlo fue marcada por los desafà ­os fà ­sicos que criaron el dolor emocional que ella se sentà ­a. Naci en Mxico en 1907, ella era un ni con poliomielitis. Esta enfermedad dej Kahlo con un pie derecho disfuncinado. A dieciocho an entre un autobà ºs y una carretilla de la calle causado una barandilla perforarse el abdomen, da tambin ella nunca podrà ­a tener ni de esta prdida serà ­an representadas en su trabajo. Ms de 4 veces, ella perderà ­a un embarazo por abortos. Sin embargo el dolor fà ­sico no puede comparar con el dolor emocional que trajo. La vida emocional de Kahlo fue puesta a tierra por su vida fà ­sica. Una relacin otro artista - Diego Rivera, traà ­do una unin, un divorcio y una re-unin, asà ­ como la mudanza constante para que Diego trabaje. Este mudanza constante combinado con su unin turbulenta, incit Kahlo para reflejar sobre su vida, las reflexiones que se manifestaron en su arte. Kahlo tenà ­a una sentida polà ­tica. Como una joven, ella apoy la partida comunista. Su asunto con Le ...

Compare and Contrast Two Types of Business Ownership Term Paper

Compare and Contrast Two Types of Business Ownership - Term Paper Example The owner of a sole proprietorship type of business only needs to register his/her name and get a good location, and the business can begin after this process. He is fully liable for all the debts and profits incurred; if a sole proprietor gets into a financial crisis, the creditors can sue the owner of the business, and if this lawsuit is successful, the business owner will pay all the debts. Sole proprietorship has no entity separate from the owner; this means that if the business owner signs a contract, it will only be under his name. Advantages of a sole proprietorship business include the facts that formation of the business is quite inexpensive and easy, carrying very minor formalities since it involves only one person. Employment tax is not charged on sole proprietorship types of businesses and owners exercise a lot of freedom since they may â€Å"freely mix business and personal assets† (Spadaccini, 2007, p.5). However, despite being the easiest type of business to sta rt, sole proprietorship has a number of disadvantages. These include the facts that sole proprietors cannot raise capital by selling interests from the business, business liabilities and other personal liabilities for debts and losses are unlimited, and it is quite impossible for the business to continue, if the owner passes away. Sole proprietorship can either be terminated by contract or if the owner dies. In case the sole proprietor gives up the business, sells it, or passes away, the existence of the business ceases (â€Å"Types of Business Ownership,† n.d.). Spadaccini defines partnership as â€Å"a business organization formed when two or more persons or entities come together to operate a business for profit† (2007, p.5). Partnership can be formed through... This report stresses that the partnership type of business ownership has a number of advantages. This comes from the facts that, just like sole proprietorship, the kind of business is very inexpensive and easy for the partners to start, since they are able to consolidate their resources together. The business involves very minor formalities and does not hold any annual general meetings. Taxation is very fair on partnerships involving small businesses, and the business is free from charges such as minimum taxes that are usually charged on Limited Liability Companies and corporations. The author of the paper talks about partnerships which have a number of disadvantages. These include partner’s subjection to unlimited personal liability, which is very common, except in cases where the partnerships and liabilities are limited. Partnership types of businesses also experience disputes from time to time arising from differences among the different partners and finally â€Å"Individu al partners bear responsibility for the actions of other partners†. There are various similarities and differences between sole proprietorship and partnership types of business ownership. This essay makes a conclusion that sole proprietorship and partnership types of business ownership share a number of similarities. However, the ways in which both businesses are formed and the way they operate are different.

King Lear by W. Shakespeare and A Brave New World by A. Huxley Essay

King Lear by W. Shakespeare and A Brave New World by A. Huxley - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that irony, or what happens when something is said, or done, and what happens is the opposite of what was supposed to happen is found in â€Å"King Lear† by Shakespeare, and â€Å"A Brave New World† by Albert Huxley, in more than one place, and in more than one form. In King Lear, a King that does not wish to be King any more splits his kingdom between his three daughters and then attempts to retire. Unfortunately, in splitting his kingdom, he has made a big mistake and must accept the penalty that comes with it. Joining the Lear family is the Earl of Gloucester, with his two sons, Edgar and Edmund, one who is the legal heir to the house, and the other that wants it because he thinks he should have it. In A Brave New World, society is no longer brave, or new, or true to each other. Instead, it has been replaced with a system that, from top to bottom, ensures only the good of what is known as the world-state, but not any one pe rson in it. Throughout both of these stories, there is what is known as spoken irony, or a character saying something opposite of what was meant as they were saying it. There is also irony in different situations when what actually happens is the opposite or different from what someone set out to do. Finally, there is also dramatic irony, when the characters end up doing something that may come back to haunt them. Irony happens right away in the first scenes of King Lear in the form of dramatic irony when Lear commits a rather large error that will cost him dearly.... Though the words of the other two daughters could be used as verbal, or spoken, irony in this case, it is the interaction between Cordelia and Lear that puts the biggest irony on the scene. Dramatic irony happens again right after this when Edmund, the bastard son of Gloucester, schemes to have what he feels he deserves. He says, â€Å"Wherefore should I stand in the plague of custom/and permit the curiosity of nations to deprive me/for that I am some twelve or fourteen moon-shines lag of a brother?† (I.ii. 2-6). Edmund plans to take what he wants, even though he is not the rightful heir, and now everyone reading knows this, but everyone else around him in the play has not been informed. Another example of dramatic irony happens in A Brave New World. Linda, the mother of the savage, tells Bernard and Lenina that her son had a father named â€Å"Tomakin† (Huxley 182). Huxley even tells the readers that â€Å"Yes, Thomas was the D.H.C.’s first name† (Huxley 182). The readers know, then, that the Director actually fathered a child. He had been seen almost from page one telling students and new workers to the central hatchery â€Å"for you must remember, in those days of gross viviparous production, children were always brought up by their parents and not in state conditioning centers† (Huxley 38). It is ironic that the Direct of the Central Hatcheries actually had sex with emotional involvement and fathered a child when he claims that the whole process is â€Å"gross† and a thing of the past. Situational irony, or a situation in which the opposite effect happens than intended, occurs so many times in both of these stories that examples must be chosen, and not listed.

Wings of Desire Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Wings of Desire - Movie Review Example The movie opens in a gloomy city of Berlin, a city which at this time was recovering from the 1945 bombing and various years of neglect. The angels are then revealed to the viewers. Dressed in black garments, the two, Damiel and Cassiel, have melancholic and benevolent expressions from their faces. Their role is to watch over the city of Berlin and ensure that its inhabitants are safe. We learn that these two are invisible to the inhabitants, but children and other angels are able to see them. Damiel and Cassiel seem to the audience as caretakers of people’s memory. We see them taking down notes and listening to the thoughts of the people. They also travel around the city watching the inhabitants’ actions and extensively studying them. Most of their days are spent serenely whereby they only observe people, but, are not able to interact with them. They are emotionless in that, they are unable to experience joy or pain. This sums up the life of an angel in Berlin. On a normal day, we see Damiel meeting an artist Marion. Damiel gets enchanted and smitten by her beauty. The company that Marion works for reveals that it is out of money, hence, they must be forced to disband. This really upsets Marion. As Damiel watches her, he starts developing human feelings and he makes a decision; that he wants to start living as a human. Damiel is really moved by what marion is going through, hence, decides to be part of her life, share in her pain, and console her in times of distress. As this happens, Cassiel assumes an otherwise opposite trait; he walks around unsmiling and unmoved by events of humans. Perhaps, Cassiel was disturbed by his friend’s continued fondness of the human beings. From this, we learn of the extreme juxtaposition between these two major characters of the movie. While Damiel is enthusiastic, honest and exploitative, Cassiel is dry and wary, and devoid of passion. He is not attracted at all to the human side unlike his friend wh o aspires to lead a human life; however the viewer can begin to note his frustration with the life that he is leading (Willcock 76). The movie depicts the exact nature of human beings in the contemporary life. Angels in the movie keep witnessing human emotions and with time, they become enchanted by it. They start experiencing the sweetness of simple pleasures like a cup of tea and a cigarette stick. From the viewpoint of the angels, the city of Berlin is seen in a tinge of white and black, which is beautiful, yet unreal. Later, when these angels join humans, the color shifts from black and white into a natural looking color and into a harsher rhythm. Through these changes, we see the movie having enigmatic, wistful, somber, dreamlike and meditative tones. Later, Damiel falls from grace by dropping into the world, and we see him roaming about the berlin streets looking for his love Marion. As Damiel does this, his friend Cassiel remains in his black and white world of angels and sti lls retains his sulking mood. Later, unable to hold it longer, Cassiel also becomes human and drops to the Berlin world. Cassiel later meets Marion and Damiel at a concert in Nick Cave. They clown around and the

Literature Review On Clay Bricks Environmental Sciences Essay

Literature Review On Clay Bricks Environmental Sciences Essay Brick is a core material that is commonly used to build the wall of a building. Clay bricks are the most common brick type. It is made from sand and clay and uniformly burnt at temperatures between 800 °C and 1200 °C. Surface finishes are sometimes applied, e.g. glazed bricks. Glazed bricks are still being produced in large quantity and can be obtained from major English brick manufacturers and suppliers. Calcium Silicate bricks is manufactured from sand-lime (calcium silicate). The bricks are pressed under great pressure and steamed in an autoclave. The bricks are smooth, fine textured and light in colour. The colour of the brick is produced from material source, composition and firing temperature. The size of bricks over time has changed considerably. Some early medieval bricks were 13 inches by 6 inches by 2 inches. By the late 15th century a brick 9.5 inches by 4.5 inches by 2 inches became the norm and a charter in 1571 stipulated bricks by the measurement of 9 inches by 4.5 inches by 2.25 inches. By the 18th century, 8.25 inches by 4 inches by 2.5 inches brick was introduced. Modern bricks are 8.5 inches by 4 inches by 2.5 inches which is following metrication translated to 215mm by 102.5mm by 65mm. Modern bricks are the bricks that are most used in buildings nowadays. 2.1.2 Defect of Size Oversized bricks are caused by poor material selection and preparation or underfiring. Undersized bricks are caused mainly by poor material preparation, faulty moulds and overfiring. 2.1.3 Defect of Shape There are many grounds which contribute to defects in shape. These are including poor preparation of moulds or moulding technique, faults in stacking, rough handling and uneven drying. If the bricks are considerably over burnt, incipient fusion takes place and the bricks, called burrs, will come out of the kiln or clamp and get stuck together. Burrs are suitable only for hardcore purposes. 2.1.4 Defects of Body Faults in the raw material can give rise to defects such as cracking, bloating and laminations. Cracking and warping of bricks, causing incipient weakness, may be due to exposure of green bricks to direct sunlight or rapid drying winds. Similar effects will be produced by putting green bricks into the kiln too soon. Large cracks maybe caused by rain getting onto hot bricks. 2.1.5 Defect of Appearance These defects are caused primarily by faulty wires in the case of wire-cut bricks. Dark spots are caused by the presence of unevenly distributed iron sulphide in the clay. 2.2 Types of Brickwork Defects 2.2.1 Introduction: Most parts of a building are built using bricks. Nowadays, brickwork defects are commonly found in buildings. This problem is getting more serious as days go by. Brickwork defects may cause a lot of problems to the occupants. The main problem encountered in building with traditional outside bearing wall of brickwork and concrete inside bearing structure is caused by differences in the temperature and moisture-induced movement. Cracks may be discovered in walls and solutions have to be found to alleviate this problem. (Verhoef, 2001) Brickwork defect which occurs in buildings has a variety of reasons. This is perhaps not surprising when one considers the wide range of different bricks and techniques in the construction of building, differences in the construction sites and the varied occupational or owner usage of the completed building. Brickwork will deteriorate and decay if not properly maintained. Such deterioration can be caused by a number of factors and can take various forms. The main signs that the brickwork is afflicted are surface growth and staining, efflorescence, loosed brick becoming dislodged, cracks appear through the bricks or mortar and etc. (Moses Jenkins, 2007) In this sub chapter, the different types of the brickwork defect will be determined. This chapter gives an overview of various types of brickwork defects and understanding the brickwork defects. By identifying the different types of the brickwork defects, it will be easy for the occupants or owners to find out the causes of the defects and subsequently take the suitable remedy methods to address the problem. 2.2.2 Brick Wall Settlement Any movement in a structural  brick wall will risk having the bond courses in the wall broken. Any movement in a  brick veneer wall which has broken or loosened the connections between the veneers to the underlying structure is potentially dangerous and risk collapsing the masonry. 2.2.3 Bulging Brick Wall This is likely to be a bond-brick or bond-course failure. This defect is potentially extremely dangerous and immediate action must be taken. If not, it will cause the building to suddenly collapse. 2.2.4 Cracks and Bulges in Brick Walls Frost and earth loading can push a below-grade brick foundation wall inwards. The wall is often bulged inwards as well as showing horizontal and step cracking and loose bricks will surface over the bulged area. The damage occurs from slightly above ground level to roughly the frost line. 2.2.5 Cracks and Loose Bricks Normally, crack and loose bricks are caused by frost, settlement, expansion, diagonal and stair-stepped. These defects often happen at building corners where the roof spillage is concentrated. 2.2.6 Loose Bricks and Missing or Lost Mortar This is the movement where the mortar is severely washed-out by roof spillage or other water movement against the foundation. Loose and lost bricks may also occur where wood blocks, originally set into a wall to permit nailing of interior components, is damaged by insects or decay. Similarly, if the wood joists are damaged and bent excessively or collapsed (insect damage, rot, fire), the collapsing joist can, as its in-wall end moves, damage the foundation or building wall. Fire cuts on wood joists in brick walls were intended to minimize this damage source by angling the end of the joist where it was set into the wall pocket. 2.2.7 Spalling Bricks Spalling is caused by water and frost, such as water leaking into a brick structure at any entry point: a crack, a brick which has lost its hard surface, or at openings by window and door penetrations. It is best to also beware of caulking bricks. 2.2.8 Exfoliating-Rust Damage to Bricks Masonry wall will have these defects when brick walls have been improperly caulked where caulking should have been omitted. The most common example of this defect is the damage that occurs to a brick wall when a steel lintel over a window or door is caulked tightly between the brick and the steel. Moisture penetrating the brick wall through cracks or mortar joints is trapped around the steel lintel. Rust developing on steel lintels has tremendous lifting power as the rusting exfoliating metal expands, sufficient to crack and damage bricks around the lintel. Improper Repair Mortar  on Brickwork During repair works, tuck pointing or re-pointing bricks can cause surface spalling of bricks if the mason uses a too hard mortar with high portland content or mortar on soft bricks in a climate exposed to freezing weather. The high portland content means that the mortar will be not only harder, but more waterproof than the surrounding bricks. Water trapped around the hard mortar can freeze leading to surface spalling of the bricks. This is particularly likely to be seen when a wall has been tuck pointed using hard high-portland mortar where originally a soft high-lime mortar was used and where the original bricks were soft. Salts on Brickwork Salts are a major cause of deterioration. Salt can enter bricks through contaminated water ingress. In coastal areas, salt can come from the sea and, in winter, the nearby application of road salt is a constant threat. Salt is damaging because it creates a steady expansion of crystals within the bricks. This can eventually force the structure of the brick apart. The source of salt can occur from within the bricks themselves or from the application of contaminated mortars or renders. Brick lined chimney flues are also vulnerable as sulphates can be introduced when flu gasses condense. This is a common defect where a chimney has been sealed without adequate ventilation. 2.2.11 Efflorescence on brickwork Efflorescence appears as a white powdery deposit on the brick. It is a phenomenon that soluble salt dissolved in water are carried, deposited and gradually accumulated on brick surfaces to form an unsightly scum. Without water, efflorescence cannot occur. The soluble salts may be originated from the raw material of bricks. But in most cases, efflorescence is caused by salts from the external sources such as ground water, contaminated atmosphere, mortar ingredients and other materials in contacts with the bricks. To minimize the risk, (it can never be completely avoided in brickwork exposed to weathering) the building detail should be designed, as far as is possible, to avoid saturation. In other words, good overhangs, copings and sills with drips, need to be considered. Efflorescence can be helped on its way by sponging down the wall with clean water (avoiding substantial wetting) or dry brushing with soft brushes. Any other treatment should be avoided as it may disfigure the bricks.    2.2.12 Thermal Movement on Brickwork Every materials expand or contracts as the temperature of the material changes, typically expanding as its temperature increases and contracting as its temperature decreases. Different materials expand and contract at different rates when they undergo similar changes in their temperatures. Brick veneer can expand and contract approximately. When determining the expansion or contraction of a brick veneer, it is important to remember the effects of the sun on materials. The energy from the suns rays raises the temperature of a material well above the air temperature. On a day when the air temperature is 32 ° F, the energy from the sun can raise a walls temperature to above 100 ° F. 2.2.12.1 Thermal expansion failures in Structural or Veneer Brick Walls A separate factor that can cause very large movements and extensive damage to brick structures or brick veneer walls is the thermal expansion which occurs across a long or tall brick wall when that wall is heated by intense sun exposure. The photographs show significant thermal expansion damage in a long brick structure. Significant breaks and gaps  at vertical brick mortar joints due to thermal expansion and perhaps some frost and water damage. Figure1: Significant breaks in mortar Horizontal sliding breaks  in brick mortar joints,  exposing reinforcing wire to rust, exfoliation, and additional damage from those forces as the exfoliating wire produced still more pressure on the mortar joint. Figure2: Horizontal breaks in mortar Step cracking  following mortar joints near the building corners and where the wall movement was resisted by first story intersecting brick walls abutting at right angles the middle section of the long brick wall. Figure3: Step cracking in mortar Cracks and broken bricks at the intersections of brick walls and openings. Figure 4: Cracks and broken bricks (InspectApedia, 2007) 2.2.13 Moisture Movement on Brickwork Moisture affects all porous masonry materials, including bricks, mortars and concrete masonry units but in very different ways. These effects must be considered when a combination of these materials is used, such as when bricks rest on a concrete foundation, brick veneer units are used with block back up, and when brick and architectural concrete products are used in the same Wythe bands of precast concrete or architectural concrete block in a brick veneer. After their initial mixing or casting, mortar, poured-in-place concrete and concrete masonry units shrink as the curing of the Portland cement proceeds. This is an unavoidable consequence of the curing of concrete products and is accommodated in design. 2.2.14 Sulphate Attack on Brickwork Most ordinary clay bricks contain sulphates of sodium, magnesium or calcium. These salts are soluble in water, calcium sulphate being less soluble than the other two. Normally, these sulphates are seen as the harmless efflorescence which affect appearance only and need simply to be brushed away. In theory, most brick walls with mortars based on OPC (Ordinary Portland Cement) are liable to sulphate attack. The most vulnerable walls are earth-retaining walls and parapet walls but sulphate attack is a problem also on rendered, and facing brickwork. On rendered brickwork, sulphate attack is manifested by cracking of the rendering, the cracks being mainly horizontal and corresponding to the mortar joints below. The rendering may adhere quite well to the bricks early in the attack but areas are likely to become detached as the expansion of the underlying brickwork causes severance of the bond between the two materials. (Eldridge, 1976) 2.2.15 Lime Staining on Brickwork Lime staining occurs when calcium hydroxide is deposited on the face of brickwork. Lime staining will quickly absorb carbon dioxide from the air and becomes calcium carbonate. It is virtually insoluble and can only be removed by expert which is a costly treatment. The calcium hydroxide can come from three main sources: calcium hydroxide caused by the hydration of Portland cement from hydrated lime added to mortar from brickwork in contact with wet concrete 2.2.16 Porosity on Brick Porosity is an important characteristic of bricks. In contrast to other moulded or pre-cast building materials, the porosity of bricks is attributed to its fine capillaries. By virtue of the capillary effect, the rate of moisture transport in the brick is ten times faster than in other building materials. Moisture is released during day-time and re-absorbed during night-time. The ability to release and re-absorb moisture by capillary effect is one of the most useful properties of brick that helps to regulate the temperature and humidity of atmosphere in a building. This distinctive property makes bricks an admirable building material, particularly suitable for buildings in the tropics. On the other hand, all porous materials are susceptible to chemical attacks and liable to contamination from weathering agents like rain, running water and polluted air. 2.2.17 Crack in Brick Faces / Firecracks The finished appearance of clay brick can vary greatly; this is because it is dependent on clay and the manufacturing process. Some products contain cracks of varying degree (sometimes referred to as firecracks) as an inherent feature. Firecracks are usually visible on the product as delivered. However, firecracks can be masked by the texture and surface sands used in the manufacturing process which becomes visible after the bricks are laid as a result of natural weathering of exposed brickwork. 2.2.18 Dampness of the Brick Wall More or less permanent dampness showing more clearly on the internal wall surface from ground level up to a height of about 750mm, but may be higher in severe cases or if the outer face is covered with a non-porous finish. The decorations may be damp, blistered or discoloured, or, if dry, may have been pushed off the wall by a film or salts which will often be seen as a fluffy crystalline growth. The possible causes of dampness in the brick wall are lack of DPC (damp proof course), by-passing of the DPC, and failure of the DPC material. 2.2.19 Brick Growth and Expansion Gaps in Brickwork Bricks undergo long-term permanent expansion over time. This expansion continues for the life of the brick, but the majority of the growth occurs early in its life. Most general purpose bricks have a coefficient of expansion in the range of 0.5-1.5mm/m (millimeters per meter) over fifteen years. Designers can use the values of the coefficient of expansion to accommodate for the growth of bricks by the size and spacing of the control joints. The provision of control gaps or articulation joints between parts of the structure during construction will accommodate movements within the structure over time. Numerous sources of movement exist and include: The change in size of building materials with temperature, loading conditions and moisture content The differential change in size of building materials (for example, cement products shrink over time, whilst clay bricks expand slowly over time) Foundation and footings movement Frame movement Frame shortening Temperature movement Internal horizontal and vertical movement 2.3 Causes of the brickwork defects 2.3.1 Introduction: Brickworks are used primarily in the construction of walls. To construct the brick wall required many skills, design, experience, selection of material, and technique. Lack of all expertise may cause the brickwork defects or failure of the building. The defects that occur in brickwork maybe the result of inherent faults, deficiencies in production, design, materials or workmanship, and attack by environmental agents. After the brickwork has been constructed, it maybe meets of various requirements, climate, loading, and occupational in use. It is not surprising that defects happened or occurs frequently. In this sub chapter, the causes of the brickwork defects will be list out. To find out the actual causes of the brickwork defects will be easily for the occupational to take the right remedies immediately and reduces the brickwork defects happen. 2.3.2 Selection of bricks The choice of bricks is often influenced by the price but the quality required must also be carefully considered in order to avoid defects developing during the service life of the material. Therefore, the selection of suitable bricks for any particular purpose has often to be a trade-off between appearance and durability requirements on the one hand, and cost on the other. This is not always possible to assess the quality of bricks by the colour, variability of colour of bricks of the same source and method of production can often be an indication of strength and durability variations. 2.3.3 Storage of bricks Bricks on site are rarely kept under adequate cover. Defects in the bricks resulting from the lack of adequate protection on the site are rarely apparent before use. However, bad weather conditions can be detrimental to bricks in that saturation by rain can be responsible for both subsequent efflorescence and decoration defects. 2.3.4 Soluble Salts in Bricks Under burnt bricks contain a high salt content. The salts come from the raw clay from which the bricks are made, or are formed in the burning process. Most clay bricks contain some soluble salts, but the types and amounts vary appreciably. The effect of the soluble salts on both efflorescence and the more serious problem of disintegration of bricks themselves are largely governed by the strength and pores structure of the bricks. 2.3.5 Sulphate attack Sulphates are salts which are naturally present in industrial waste, gypsum product, clay bricks, flue condensates and in some ground waters. In persistently damp conditions, sulphate will react slowly with tricalcium aluminate forming a compound called calcium sulphoaluminate. This reaction causes the cement mortar or render of the brickwork to expend and eventually disintegrate. 2.3.6 Solar Radiation While drying out of soil by trees is the most common reason for cracking in brickwork, some clay are also very susceptible to drying out by direct solar radiation. The northern facing wall is the most likely to be affected and stepped diagonal cracking is the most common symptom, usually occurring at the north east and north west corner of the building. (Loveder, 2000) 2.3.7 Migration of moisture The movement of moisture beneath a building can produce the phenomenon known as long term dome and saucer effect. The dome effect is a slow heaving of the soil caused by movement of moisture from the perimeter of the house to its centre, and the saucer effect is moisture moving in the opposite direction, from the centre towards the perimeter. The dome effect causes the walls to tilt outwards and the restraining influence of the roof produces horizontal cracks on the outside wall. These will be wider on the outside surface rather than the inner. 2.3.8 Planting of tree Some of the brickwork defects may cause by big trees roots that plant nearby the building area. When planning to plant trees, the idea to be considering is the strength of the footings under the house. If lack of strength, the roots of the trees maybe grow into the ground under the building and cause the brick wall settlement and cracking. 2.3.9 Uneven settlement of foundations Where a particular heavy load is placed on the foundation such as a large column, movement may occur as moisture is squeezed out of the soil or the soil readjusts itself. This consolidation will stop when the soil has finally compacted enough to support the load. Brick wall or masonry wall may crack which may result from movement during compaction. 2.3.10 Excessive vibration Damage caused by vibration from earth tremors, heavy traffic or pile driving is fairly rare, however if the vibration is great enough to actually cause the foundation to move, brickwork cracking or defect can occur. The crack will show up irregularly if the sources of the vibration cannot be removed. (Loveder, 2000) 2.3.11 Additional building Building an addition building onto a house or add more storey of houses can impose a load intensity on the soil different that which is there already and so cause differential settlement. Even if the loading intensities are similar, the difference in time between when the two settlements occurred can be enough to create the brick wall cracks. 2.3.12 Approach of design Design of brick wall is very important. The designer must have the knowledge about the brick experience in chosen the types of brick to be used. The designer must be fully aware of the clients needs. Defects often occur because of a lack of understanding of the different types of bricks and the method of construct the brick wall. 2.3.13 Lack experience of worker Workers in the masonry construction is not in strict accordance with the construction and standards, masonry mortar is not full, especially in vertical mortar joints are not full, and even produce dense seam, seam permeability. In addition, the dry brick on the wall, mortar in the brick water was absorbed, causing low strength of mortar, brick and mortar separation, so that the overall stiffness of masonry fell, gray mortar joints crack. 2.3.14 Overloading Cracks of brickwork may result from overloading of the ground on which the building rests, or of the building itself or parts of it. Releasing the load does not necessary allow the masonry wall to revert to its original state since the overloading may have been partially accommodated by a permanent compaction of the bricks. The forces responsible for the overloading may be of external origin, such as excessive wind, or may be internal, such as those arising from the installation of excessively heavy equipment for which the masonry wall was not designed. A change of occupational may have same results. 2.3.15 Lack of maintenance Maintenance must be taken for all the building to minimize the cost of repair work for seriously defects happen. Lack of maintenance will make a small cracks or defects on brickwork change to more serious and serious. 2.3.16 Improper soil analysis and preparation When a builder chooses an area of land to build on, it is important to do some sort of soil analysis and preparation. The analysis will provide the developer and/or builder with enough information to choose the adequate soil preparation and construction strategy that should be used to develop the land. Improper soil analysis and preparations can be very damaging to a housing development. For example, a builder can discover that the land soil is made up of expansive soil. If this is the case, houses need to have a foundation that will be able to support the changing pressure and consistency of the soil. This is because expansive soil will swell when wet and then shrink once it dries. If one builds on this type of soil and is not aware of it, there will inevitably be issues to handle. There will be crack in the brick wall or masonry wall. The repair of this is very costly and very intrusive. Unfortunately, the reality is improper soil analysis and preparations happen all the time. 2.3.17 Negligence of construction Negligent construction is an unfortunately common occurrence. A builder has to be very careful when choosing a contractor or subcontractor. A builder will sometimes use one contactor for various projects. A contractor may have skills to install floor tiles but not the know how to build a brick wall. The responsibility can fall on several parties when there is a defect, and thats up to your attorney to determine. 2.3.18 Movement of the ground Mining subsidence, landslips, earthquakes, or moisture changes of shrinkable clay soil may cause the movement of the ground. The brick wall of the building will be crack because the wall of building has become displaced from the rest without any change in actual size of the materials. In theory, this is possible to reconnect the displace parts to bring the building back to its original condition but in practice this seldom can be done. 2.3.19 Acid rain Acid rain is precipitation that is much more acidic than normal rainfall, and the acid rain is usually caused by pollution such as sulfur and nitrogen emissions. Several different mechanisms are operant in the deterioration of brick masonry through the action of acid rain. The bricks are susceptible to acid rain through the selective dissolution of their glassy phase. The mortar is affected mainly by the reaction of the calcareous components. The soluble salts resulting from these reactions, in solution with rain water or condensed moisture, will migrate through the porous matrix of the masonry. In the places where the water evaporates the salts will be deposited. Repeated dissolution and re-crystallization of these salts leads to the mechanical disruption of the masonry structure. Since the salts will concentrate in the more porous material, either the brick or the mortar will be more seriously affected, depending on their relative porosity. 2.3.20 Environment Two aspects of the environment have been considerably which is wind and temperature. This is because they cause loading to be applied to the structure. The strong wind may cause the brick wall or the whole building move, this may cause cracking to the part of the building. The high temperature applied to the brickwork may cause spalling and brick prolong to high temperature can lead to surface vitrification. (Swoden, 1990) 2.4 Remedies method of the brickwork defects in building 2.4.1 Introduction: As known early, brickwork is one of the largest parts of most of the building. The strength, stability, and durability of brickwork are very important. If lack of all those factor, the brick wall or masonry wall maybe fall down or collapse suddenly. If the brickwork occurs any cracking or defects, the right method of remedies must be taken immediately. This is to ensure that the occupational or owner use the building under safety and healthy purposes. Brickwork will deteriorate and decay if not properly maintained. Such deterioration can be caused by a number of factors and can take various forms. The main signs that brickwork is suffering are surface growth and staining, efflorescence, loosed brick becoming dislodged, crack appears throw the bricks or mortar and etc. So, the right remedy must be taken to ensure the brickwork do not decay and deteriorate. (Moses Jenkins, 2007) In this sub chapter, the remedies method for various types of defects will be list out. This is to avoid the brickwork defect getting serious in building in construction industry. The defects of brickwork must be repair immediately, if not the defects will be more serious. For example, cracking can be due to expansion or shrinkage the clay brickwork itself. 2.4.2 Remedies of efflorescence Efflorescence can be minimized by laying dry bricks and by speeding up the drying process after the bricks have been laid by providing good ventilation. The salts that cause efflorescence are soluble in water. Hosing with water will cause the salts to dissolve and be re-absorbed into the brickwork, and then reappear when the brick wall dries out again. Acid or alkaline treatments are not recommended as they increase the salt content of the wall. The best method is simply brush off the deposit with a stiff dry bristle brush after the wall has dried out. Then sponge the surface with a damp synthetic chamois or high suction sponge. Use very little water and rinse sponge frequently in fresh water. 2.4.3 Sand-Blasted Bricks   Which have been cleaned of old paint, algae, or stains using high pressure sand blasting or possibly even very high pressure water blasting can be permanently damaged by loss of the harder surface of the bricks which had been provided by their original firing. Once the softer internal brick has been exposed, the bricks will be more inclined to absorb water and to suffer water and frost damage. Sandblasting brick is considered a poor practice in building renovation and maintenance. 2.4.4 Remedies of sulphate attack The effects of sulphate attack manifest themselves as expansion of the jointing mortar. On rendered walls the signs are horizontal cracking of the rendering with portions falling off. Advanced stages of attack may make the structure unsafe. When rebuilding is necessary, the bricks use should be of low sulphate content and the mortar should be of a mix of 1:1:6 sulphate-resistance Portland cement: hydrated lime: sand. In addition, care should be taken to exclude all conditions of dampness. On rendered walls, the rendering should be removed and the brickwork allowed to dry before reapplying a weaker mix of sulphate-resistance cement, lime and sand. 2.4.5 Tackling Decay Where decay has occurred, take action to rectify the damage will be necessary before this leads to greater problems. The use of chemical treatments to stabilize brick should only be considered with extreme caution. Whilst the defects may be effective initially, there has been insufficient research carried out on the possible long term damage such treatments could have. Chemical sealants can trap moisture within the brick just as effectively as the claims to keep water out. 2.4.6 Cleaning Cleaning soiled brick buildings should be undertaken carefully. In the past, the use of inappropriate cleaning techniques has resulted in considerable damage being done. If considered essential small scale tests should be employed to assess the effectiveness and likely damage which could be caused before any large scale work is carried out. There are some guides when doing the cleaning works:- Do not re-clean brickwork with the same chemicals unless recommended by the cleaning chemical manufacturer. If there is deterioration, or suspected deterioration, in the mortar joints, additional water and chemicals need

The Genre of The Tempest Essay -- Papers

The Genre of The Tempest The Tempest is customarily identified as the William Shakespeare's last piece. These marginal issues aside, The Tempest is the forth, final and finest of Shakespeare's great and/or late romances. Along with Pericles, Cymbeline and The Winters Tale, The Tempest belongs t the genre of Elizabethan romance plays. It combines elements of Tragedy (Prospero's revenge/Loss of a royal son) with those of romantic comedy (the young lover Ferdinand and Miranda) and, like one of Shakespeare's problem plays, Measure for measure, it poses deeper questions that are not completely resolved at the end. The romantic gesture is distinguished by the inclusion (and synthesis) of these tragic, comic, and problematic ingredients, and further marked by a happy ending(usually concluding in a masque or dance) in which all, or most, of the characters are brought into harmony. The term romance is given to the comedies written at the end of Shakespeare's career. Pericles, Cymbeline, The Winters Tale and the Tempest. They were written between 1608 and 1612 and are different in style to his earlier comedies. Whilst love and marriage are they key themes in these plays, they focus primarily on the separations and reunions of families and culminate in homecomings, reconciliation's, rebirth and redemption. The romances are, characteristically, set in mythical worlds, and include elements from myths and fairy tales. For example: Long journey, Sea journeys, shipwrecks, storms, magic, lost or stolen children, a wicked/evil family member. The romances were heavily influenced by court masques, lavish entertainment consisting of song , dance,... ...so be seen to embody regeneration and spiritual development, for through his magic he brings about the repentance of Antonio and Alonso, and the marriage which is to achieve the regeneration. Through Prospero also, the disparate styles are united. He is the symbolic figure in which the tragic events are rooted, for he is both victim of revenge tragedy and the hero who suffered from a fatal flaw. So too is he the instigator of the play's romance. With his magic wand we find he has caused the shipwreck of the first act, which initially seemed to be rooted in realism. The mixture of styles in both plays are, then, successfully combined. They work together to produce a unified whole; separately and collectively combing to 'exert [an] energy' which enhances and balances the moral message of Shakespeare's last plays.