The Indian Concrete Journal * February 2004

2EJ B 8EAM
92
Distance engineering: New trends in
structural engineering
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current practices in design, construction and
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i|c ccnsuliing |usincss ic |irc cnginccrs
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issucs rclcic! ic c!cpiing suc| ssicns
cj ucr|ing. |i !ccs nci ncccsscril
c!.cccic i|c usc cj !isicncc
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cpcrciicn, |ui lcc|s inic i|c jccsi|ilii
cn! cpcrciicncl cspccis cj using suc|
ssicns cj ucr|ing.
Thcrc is a Iong hislory of Indian sludcnls
aspiring lo go abroad for highcr cducalion.
Many of lhcsc sludcnls havc subscqucnlIy
lakcn up jobs in lhc rcspcclivc counlrics
whcrc lhcy undcrlook courscs al highcr Icv-
cIs of cducalion. This was mainIy bccausc
of lhc Iack of jobs in India, lhal wouId bc
commcnsuralc wilh lhcir IcvcI of cduca-
lion, and couId fclch lhcm sufficicnl mon-
clary rclurns lo compcnsalc for lhcir cx-
pcnscs in oblaining highcr cducalion.
This lrcnd was lhcn foIIowcd by a Iargc
numbcr of companics in lhc middIc-casl
hiring quaIificd cnginccrs from India in vicw
of lhc shorlagc of quaIificd cnginccrs wilhin
lhcir homc counlrics.
Ialcr on, in lhc carIy 1990s, aflcr
dcvcIopmcnl of bcllcr communicalion
syslcms Iikc c-maiIs, and lhc inlcrncl, Iargc
soflwarc companics scl up big busincss
ccnlrcs providing soflwarc cnginccring
scrviccs lo calcr lo lhc Iargc dcmand in lhc
soflwarc dcvcIopmcnl ficId in lhc US and
lhc UK. This lrcnd was quickIy pickcd up
by lhc corc cnginccring scclor as wcII,
incIuding lhc manufacluring/cnginccring/
piping and slrucluraI cnginccring.
Remote offices
India has bccn lappcd as onc of lhc biggcsl
markcls for dcvcIopmcnl of rcmolc of-
ficcs for lhc foIIowing rcasons.
- Dcarlh of quaIificd cnginccrs in
olhcr counlrics
- AmpIc avaiIabiIily of wcII quaIificd
cnginccrs in India
- Iowcr cosl of man powcr in India
- Iowcr cosl of olhcr rcsourccs Iikc
spacc, cnginccring soflwarc, cIcc-
lricily clc.
- Advanlagc of limc diffcrcncc
- WiIIingncss lo work Iong hours lo
mccl dcad Iincs
- No Ianguagc probIcms, sincc a Iargc
popuIalion can comforlabIy man-
agc spcaking, rcading and wriling
LngIish
Advantages to Indian
industry
Thc lrcnd of Iargc muIlinalionaI compa-
nics cslabIishing officcs in India slarlcd off
wilh a numbcr of companics fclching IocaI
parlncrs and dcvcIoping joinl vcnlurcs. This
aulomalicaIIy rcquircd IocaI parlncrs lo
mccl inlcrnalionaI norms and foIIow inlcr-
nalionaI slandards of praclicc. Thc rcsuIl
was lhal a Iargc numbcr of cnginccring
companics oplcd for ISO ccrlificalion so
lhal lhcy couId cnsurc compclcncc al inlcr-
nalionaI IcvcI.
In casc of numbcr of govcrnmcnl
projccls lhal wcrc fundcd inlcrnalionaIIy,
forcign funding organisalions slipuIalcd
quaIily slandards and pracliccs lo bc
foIIowcd on projccls in ordcr lo cnsurc
propcr uliIisalion of funds. InvoIvcmcnl of
forcign consuIling companics was madc
mandalory on a numbcr of projccls by such
forcign funding bodics.
This has Icd lo a gcncraI growlh in lhc
awarcncss of quaIily syslcms and has
cxposcd lhc Indian induslry, consuIling
cnginccrs aIso in parlicuIar, lo inlcrnalionaI
slandards and has raiscd lhc rcmuncralion
of cnginccrs lo somc rcspcclabIc IcvcIs.
Issues related to working
remotely
Thcrc arc a numbcr of probIcms normaIIy
cncounlcrcd by rcmolc officcs whiIc do-
4=AID 2=JM=H@D= 4=AID 2=JM=H@D= 4=AID 2=JM=H@D= 4=AID 2=JM=H@D= 4=AID 2=JM=H@D=
February 2004 * The Indian Concrete Journal 93
2EJ B 8EAM
ing oulsourccd work. Thcsc incIudc lhc foI-
Iowing:
(i) incompIclc or incorrccl projccl
informalion dcIivcrcd lo lhc rcmolc
officc
(ii) Incxpcricncc of IocaI slaff lo lhc usc
of inlcrnalionaI codcs and pracliccs
(iii) DifficuIly of visuaIising probIcms
al silc
(i.) No dirccl communicalion wilh
projccl silc
(.) No silc visils Icading lo Iack of
undcrslanding of praclicaI aspccls
of conslruclion
(.i) Iack of dcvcIopmcnl of vision for
lhc works al silc
(.ii) IocaI officcs lcnd lo kccp limc
schcduIcs vcry lighl making limcIy
dcIivcry of drawings much morc
difficuIl.
Thcsc probIcms couId bc ovcrcomc in
lhc foIIowing manncr.
(i) LslabIishing a fooIproof co-
ordinalion syslcm wilh cIcar
undcrslanding of projccl
paramclcrs al lhc bcginning of lhc
projccl wilh a onc-lo-onc
corrcspondcncc bclwccn projccl
managcrs in bolh lhc IocaI officc
and lhc rcmolc officc. SchcduIcd
diaIoguc bclwccn lhc lwo officcs
invoIving aII lhc conccrncd slaff.
This couId bc wcII accompanicd by
lransfcr of silc piclurcs al various
slagcs of conslruclion al rcguIar
inlcrvaIs. Il wouId bc good lo scnd
rcmolc slaff on shorl lcrm visils al
crilicaI junclurc during lhc progrcss
of works al silc.
(ii) Organising rcguIar lraining
programmcs for Icarning various
soflwarcs, usagc of imporlanl
aspccls of codcs or pracliccs
foIIowcd in dclaiIing of slruclurcs.
(iii) }unior slaff shouId bc lraincd. Thcy
couId bc scnl for IocaI silc visils on
projccls simiIar lo lhc oncs lhcy arc
working upon. This wiII hcIp lhcm
buiId up visuaIisalion and
undcrsland praclicaI silc probIcms.
(i.) Wilhoul any dirccl communicalion
wilh silc, lhcrc couId bc Iapscs or
lhcrc couId bc silualions whcrc lhc
silc works arc ahcad of lhc dcsign
officc. This poscs immcnsc
probIcms and lhc projccl managcr
IocaI officc shouId focus priorilics
kccping in mind lhc progrcss of
works al silc and shouId updalc
lhc rcmolc officc of lhc samc.
(.) As in (iii) abovc.
(.i) As in (iii) abovc.
(.ii) Bcforc lhc rcmolc officcs acccpl
work, limc schcduIcs couId bc
muluaIIy agrccd upon bclwccn lhc
lwo officcs, and if ncccssary
addilionaI rcsourccs couId bc
aIIocalcd for limcIy compIclion of
work. Thcsc shouId bc rcvicwcd al
aII limcs during lhc progrcss of
works.
Thc IocaI projccl officcs aIso facc a
numbcr of probIcms whiIc gclling lhc work
donc lhrough rcmolc officcs. Thcsc arc:
(i) Iack of conlroI on progrcss of dcsign
and dclaiIing works
(ii) Iack of commilmcnl on lhc bchaIf
of rcmolc officcs
(iii) lcndcncy lo producc morc
conscrvalivc dcsign Icading lo
incrcasc in projccl cosls
(i.) inconsislcncy or subslandard
quaIily of work produccd by rcmolc
officcs.
AImosl aII of lhc abovc probIcms couId
bc sorlcd oul by compIclc and cIcar
undcrslanding of projccl paramclcrs and
cIcar dcfinilion of projccl roIcs. Thc projccl
managcr couId gcl a rcguIar updalc on lhc
progrcss of drawings schcduIcd for issuc
cvcryday, and any changc couId bc nolcd
and communicalcd lo lhc silc and rc-
pIanning couId bc donc if ncccssary. In ordcr
lo avcrl any sub-slandard/ inconsislcncy
in lhc quaIily of work, lhcrc shouId bc
sufficicnl lraining for ncw slaff al rcguIar
inlcrvaIs. Il is cxlrcmcIy hcIpfuI lo havc
rcguIar projccl lcam mcclings and discuss
probIcms faccd frankIy so lhal lhcy couId
bc lackIcd bcforc rcaching any crisis. Il
shouId bc nolcd lhal mislakcs commillcd
shouId bc discusscd in dclaiIs and shouId
bc lakcn as a Icarning Icsson for aII wilhin
lhc projccl lcam. A comprchcnsivc chcck
Iisl couId bc prcparcd lo cnsurc cvcryonc in
lhc lcam knows lhc corrccl projccl
paramclcrs. Thcsc chcck Iisls couId bc
dcvcIopcd furlhcr lo cradicalc any probIcm
or mislakc commillcd during lhc progrcss
of lhc projccl.
Areas in structural
engineering
In rcIalion lo slrucluraI cnginccring, lhcrc
arc principaIIy lwo scgmcnls in which
oulsourcing couId bc undcrlakcn:
(i) dcsign and dclaiIing scrviccs
(ii) dclaiIing scrviccs
Thcrc arc companics in India offcring
lhc abovc mcnlioncd scrviccs.
Rcquircmcnls for cffcclivcIy carrying
oul work arc givcn bcIow.
(i) Corc group of pcopIc in lhc rcmolc
officc who couId cffcclivcIy managc
sclling up lcam for carrying oul lhc
work as pcr rcquircmcnls wilh basic
know-how of pracliccs of lhc IocaI
officc is csscnliaI
(ii) Lffcclivc and fooI-proof
communicalion syslcm shouId
cxisl bclwccn lhc lwo officcs
(iii) LslabIishing compIclc and cIcar
undcrslanding of lhc roIc bclwccn
lhc officcs is vilaI
(i.) A wcII-roundcd cxpcricnccd projccl
managcr in lhc IocaI officc who
couId Iiaisc wilh lhc cIicnl/
conlraclor and lhc rcmolc officc al
aII limcs kccping lrack of
conslruclion progrcss and a conlroI
on lhc progrcss of dcsign and
dclaiIing in lhc rcmolc officc shouId
bc prcscnl
(.) Adminislraling quaIily conlroI
lhrough comprchcnsivc muIli-IcvcI
chccking rcgimc is rcquircd.
Mode of operation
Thc manncr in which such companics arc
sclup and lhc way lhcy funclion arc gcncr-
aIIy as undcr.
- A company caIIcd ABC Iimilcd
bascd in lhc USA or lhc UK or cIsc-
whcrc slarls an officc in Mumbai in
lhc namc of ABC (India) Iimilcd.
- Aflcr sclling up officc lo suil lhcir
rcquircmcnls and slandards, lhcy
scnd work lo lhc officc in Mumbai.
- Thc cnlirc dcsign and dclaiIing work
is donc in lhc rcmolc officc in Mum-
bai, which gcls rcvicwcd in lhc rc-
molc officc ilscIf as pcr lhc sland-
ard quaIily assurancc syslcms, and
compIclcd scl of dcsign caIcuIa-
The Indian Concrete Journal * February 2004
2EJ B 8EAM
94
lions and drawings arc scnl back lo
lhc IocaI officcs for approvaI.
- Il has bccn obscrvcd lhal lhcrc is
aIways an issuc wilh lhc ccrlifica-
lion of dcsign and drawings which
has lo bc donc by a ccrlifying au-
lhorily, which lhc company cilhcr
hcirs IocaIIy or lhc rcvicwcr in lhc
IocaI officc signs-off lhc drawings
and lhc dcsign and drawings arc
issucd for conslruclion.
Risks involved
Dcspilc incorporaling vcry cxlcnsivc quaI-
ily conlroI proccdurcs, mislakcs couId sliII
happcn. Thcsc couId bc duc lo non-impIc-
mcnlalion of quaIily proccdurcs on lhc bc-
haIf of slaff, or rcIuclancc lo adopl such
proccdurcs and shorl circuil lhc proccdurcs
lo spccd-up produclion. Il is lhcrcforc sug-
gcslcd lhal ncilhcr lhc rcmolc officc nor lhc
IocaI officc shouId skip any quaIily procc-
durcs. QuaIily proccdurcs couId bc up-
dalcd lo mccl cslabIishcd slandards al aII
limcs.
A risk managcmcnl rcgimc shouId
bc avaiIabIc in casc lhcrc is faiIurc in
produclion or olhcrwisc, lhrough muluaI
agrccmcnl bclwccn officcs. AII possibIc risks
invoIvcd couId bc Iislcd and soIulion for
cvcry such anlicipalcd risk shouId bc
workcd oul lhrough muluaI undcrslanding.
GcncraIIy, risks Iikc powcr faiIurc,
maIfunclioning of communicalion syslcm,
compulcr/IocaI arca nclwork (IAN)
syslcm faiIurc, miscommunicalion of dala,
lolaIIy incorrccl dcsigns couId bc
cncounlcrcd. Il wouId bc bcllcr lo havc a
crisis-managcmcnl rcgimc in pIacc and
working bcforc any such lhing happcns so
lhal lhc lcam is focuscd on soIving lhc
probIcm immcdialcIy. In casc of any
probIcm, ralhcr lhan asking who, il wouId
bc bcllcr lo answcr lhc why and whal,
so lhal lhc answcr lo how couId bc
quickIy arrivcd al!
Conclusion
Thc prcscnl lrcnds indicalc lhal many morc
companics couId bc vcnluring inlo India lo
oulsourcc work. Indian cnginccrs shouId
scc lhis as a major chaIIcngc and bc prc-
parcd for il in advancc. This wouId aIso
mcan lhal lhc cducalion syslcm nccds a bil
of rcvamping lo inlcrnalionaI slandards so
lhal Indian cnginccrs couId vcry casiIy gcl
rcady for a bcllcr and a morc chaIIcnging
fulurc ahcad!
Rajcsh Ialwardhan is a firsl
cIass civiI cnginccring gradu-
alc from V}TI and has bccn
working as a slrucluraI cngi-
nccr wilh a numbcr of highIy
cslccmcd slrucluraI cnginccr-
ing organizalions in Mumbai.
Hc has a widc rangc of cxpcricncc in dc-
signing and rcvicwing dcsigns of various
rcsidcnliaI, commcrciaI, induslriaI slruc-
lurcs and bridgcs in India, Singaporc, In-
doncsia, }amaica, UK and US. Hc is prcs-
cnlIy working wilh BIack & Vcalch Con-
suIling Irivalc Iimilcd lo dcvcIop a dcsign
officc for projccls ovcrscas.
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