Papers by Keyword: Building

Abstract: The mathematical modeling of wildland fires impact on buildings have been carried out to study the effects of fires at different conditions of buildings ignition. The forest is modeling as a porous reactive medium. The formulation of this problem was developed using standard nonstationary three-dimensional Reynolds equations for flow in a multiphase reactive medium. These equations are solved numerically using finite volume method. The influence of meteorological conditions, properties of the forest and its state on the possibility of ignition of buildings located near forests is studied.

Abstract: The objective of this research work is to study the influence of different in-process contact materials (steel, aluminium and brass) and building contact materials (concrete and wood), and its hardness on the impact sensitivity of matchhead composition. The BAM fall hammer was used for measurement of impact sensitivity. The result demonstrated that the in-process and building contact materials, and its hardness imparted variation to the sensitivity between 3.33J and 15.892J. The least LIE was found at 3.33J for the steel at 115 HRB and 117 HRB; 3.72J for aluminium at 53 HRB; 4.7J for brass at 82 HRB; 12.16J for concrete at 35 RHN, and 13.14J for wood at 16 HRB. The limited impact energy was lowest when there was contact between steel and steel as in-process material and contact between concrete and concrete as building contact material. The impact sensitivity was higher for material with higher hardness for all building and in-process contact materials. Brass and wood is suggested to be used as process and building materials in order to reduce the risk of explosions due to impact sensitivity.

Abstract: Currently, dry mixes (CDM) play an important role in the development of the world market of building materials. The industry of construction and finishing materials in Russia is quite young: the first time the dry building mixes appeared on the Russian market in the late 1980s, the consumption structure of CDM in the domestic market the main share (70%) are in the adhesive and plasters. The use of other compositions, in particular mixtures for self – leveling floors, does not have significant volumes and often the reason for this is the lack of design solutions and the low level of qualification of specialists at different levels from workers to designers who do not own CDM technologies.

Abstract: Since ancient times, lime, lime pozzolanic, lime-cement, lime-clay binders, the compositions of which our ancestors found empirically, widely and everywhere used in construction. Even in the first half of the XX century, these binders occupied a significant place in the construction practice. The development of production and the relative availability of cement led to a significant reduction in demand for many clinker-free, including lime (Portland) binders. Today, the priorities of scientific and applied technological developments of both traditional building materials and materials of new generations are determined by the actualization of the concept and criteria of resource saving and energy efficiency.

Abstract: In the building, roof is a major element contributing to the space thermal load. Due to its importance, this component has been widely studies in the literature and under various climatic conditions. In this paper, a numerical study was carried out for the coupling of natural convection and surface radiation heat transfer in a triangular shaped roof with eave (Gabel roof) for cold climates. The numerical solution is obtained using a finite volume method based on the SIMPLER algorithm for the treatment of velocity-pressure coupling. Concerning the radiation exchange, the working fluid (air) is assumed to be transparent, so only the solid surfaces (assumed diffuse-grey) give a contribute to such exchange. Governing parameters on heat transfer and flow fields are Rayleigh number (Ra), aspect ratio (A) and eave lengths (e^*). Numerical results are obtained to display the isotherms, streamlines and the heat transfer rate in terms of local and average Nusselt numbers. We found that the production of several circular cells is proportional to the decrease of aspect ratio and the increase of Rayleigh number. In addition, the heat transfer is much more pronounced in the presence of thermal radiation.

Abstract: Smart materials are discussed in architecture to transfer the state-of-the-art technology and expand the horizon of building performance. Although the effects of smart material applications in building design are discussed in literature and publications from the context of an autonomous responsive system and an environment-control device, the notion of sustainability assessment of smart materials is not comprehensively discussed yet. Researches on the energy simulation, life cycle cost assessment, thermal behavior evaluation, and daylight assessment have been developed for some specific materials. However, the sustainable performance of building is evaluated with criteria of region-based building sustainability assessment tools. Although smart materials in building may contribute to energy demand reduction and be considered as innovative technology with multiple values, currently available sustainability assessment tools would not allow the adequate evaluation of smart materials in buildings. Therefore, this research reviews the possibility to evaluate smart materials in major sustainability assessment tools – BREEAM, LEED, and CASBEE and proposes the assessment criteria to embrace a smart material application in architecture as an opportunistic smart approach toward sustainability of buildings.

Abstract: In order to monitor the current state of buildings and structures effectively the author proposes development and maintenance of constantly updated electronic databases of buildings and structures to manage the safety of buildings and structures operation, which provides an opportunity to receive information on technical condition of the facility in real time mode, which allows increasing the effectiveness of buildings’ owners, operating organisations, state supervisory and control bodies for safe operation as well as simulates emergency situations and predicts the behaviour of structures with regard to their repair and reconstruction.

Abstract: Partially restrained beam-column connections can be used in the gravity load system of building structures to develop moment frame action to enhance collapse prevention for low-ductility steel lateral systems. The benefit from such reserve lateral strength and stiffness is illustrated for a low-rise building with steel braced frames designed in accordance with Canadian provisions for seismic force resisting systems of the Conventional Construction category. Preliminary results from a comprehensive cyclic test program recently completed on beam-to-column joints with bolted double web angle acting with top and seat angles are presented. The test program included 23 full-scale beam-to-column sub-assemblages subjected to combined gravity shear forces and cyclic rotational demands. Experimental observations on the deformation patterns and failure modes are presented together with representative hysteretic moment-rotation responses of bolted double web angles without and with top and seat angles.

Abstract: Numerous existing steel framed buildings located in earthquake prone regions world-wide were designed without seismic provisions. Slender beam-columns, as well as non-ductile beam-to-column connections have been employed for multi-storey moment-resisting frames (MRFs) built before the 80’s. Thus, widespread damage due to brittle failure has been commonly observed in the past earthquakes for steel MRFs. A recent post-earthquake survey carried out in the aftermath of the 2016-2017 Central Italy seismic swarm has pointed out that steel structures may survive the shaking caused by several main-shocks and strong aftershocks without collapsing. Inevitably, significant lateral deformations are experienced, and, in turn, non-structural components are severely damaged thus inhibiting the use of the steel building structures. The present papers illustrates the outcomes of a recent preliminary numerical study carried out for the case of a steel MRF building located in Amatrice, Central Italy, which experienced a series of ground motion excitations suffering significant damage to the masonry infills without collapsing. A refined numerical model of the sample structure has been developed on the basis of the data collected on site. Given the lack of design drawings, the structure has been re-designed in compliance with the Italian regulations imposed at the time of construction employing the allowable stress method. The earthquake performance of the case study MRF has been then investigated through advanced nonlinear dynamic analyses and its structural performance has been evaluated according to Eurocode 8-Part 3 for existing buildings. The reliability of the codified approaches has been evaluated and possible improvements emphasized.

Abstract: First the Canterbury earthquake series of 2010/2012 and then the Kaikoura Earthquake of 2016 have significantly impacted the building stock in central and southern New Zealand, subjecting a wide range of buildings and building components to earthquake shaking ranging from moderate to severe. The economic and social costs of these earthquakes have been severe, but the lessons learned on how buildings and building systems designed and detailed to New Zealand provisions have performed have been invaluable. We have learned more about this from these earthquakes then from the many reconnaissance trips undertaken to overseas earthquakes over the 50 years of the New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering. This paper focusses on the performance of steel framed buildings in two major New Zealand cities, Christchurch and Wellington, with greatest emphasis on multi-storey buildings, but also covering light steel framed housing. It addresses such issues as the magnitude and structural impact of the earthquake series, how the various systems performed against the design expectations and briefly covers some of the research underway to quantify where there were differences between the observed performance and the expected performance.