A good engineer is not just a theorist who knows theoretical and building mechanics, resistance of materials to the letter and has engineering software complexes at his fingertip. But it also means a good engineer has to be an expert in building materials and construction technology. Construction process starts with an idea, design consideration, definition of requirements which a building or a structure must meet. Whereas all these issues initiate a quite understandable question: “What to build from”. In order to provide a correct answer to this question, one needs deep knowledge of brick, concrete, metal, about the way these materials are produced and later used at a site.
In my opinion each student of our University can grow a great engineer. One of the essential steps on this way became the excursion to the concrete mixing station which was held on March, 28. On that bright Saturday morning a group of 35 students (education profile: “construction of unique buildings and structures) visited the concrete mixing station. Company’s employees were glad to meet the guests, and technologist Alexey Evdokimov told students about principal technologies of concrete production with great pleasure. A young specialist – by the way Alexey graduated from Saint Petersburg state university of architecture and civil engineering – he was really excited to tell about components of concrete mix, types of raw materials and means used during its production. Our students studied the places where original components were mixed and the way how concrete mix contents was provided in accordance with strict requirements. The station was studied inside out.
During the excursion the students learnt a lot of interesting things which really impressed them, like the following information. This station which can seem quite small regarding the size and produces 100 cub. m. per hour is recorded in Guinness Book of World Records: during 49 hours concrete mix had been transported continuously to the site for concreting the lower three-meter down level of the base slab of the Lakhta-centre tower – total required volume of concrete 19600 cub. m. In the end the students visited the room where automated production control is maintained from.
Having thanked the personnel of the station for the excursion the students started their way back. Good mood was provided for the whole weekend at least. Each was enwreathed in smiles. Excursions likewise instil confidence in that the knowledge acquired by students will be helpful in future and will give an opportunity to take a step closer to the dream – the dream of being proud to become an engineer!
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