Focus on Sustainable Bearing Structures

Abstract:

Targeting at a factor 20 reduction of the environmental load of buildings in 2040, it is necessary and logical to start by reducing the environmental load of the most important aspects of a building. The bearing structure is responsible for the second largest part of the environmental load of the building; the energy consumption is responsible for the greater part, assuming the life span of a building is 75 years (van den Dobbelsteen & van der Linden, 2000)[2]. The bearing structure consists of the foundation, columns, beams, floor and roof structure, and sometimes walls and facades. The horizontal elements of the bearing structure, comprising of the floor, roof structure and beams, are causing about 80% of the environmental load of the total bearing structure. Particularly the floor & roof structure play a very remarkable role (Arets, 2000). Therefore, optimization of the floor structure will lead to an important environmental improvement of the whole office building. The question which structural material is ecologically or economically best, depends on the span the building design needs. For each floor type, for structural spans between 4.8 and 16.8 m, the environmental load and cost have been determined, resulting in a clear overview of best solutions for different spans.

• Periodical: Applied Mechanics and Materials (Volumes 405-408)
• Pages: 1182-1186
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.405-408.1182
• Online since: September 2013
• Authors: Francis Deng, Zhang Hong
• Keywords: Bearing Structure, Environmental Cost, Environmental Impact (EI), Environmental Load, Sustainability, Sustainable Building

References

[1] Milieuvergelijkingen van draagconstructies (Environmental comparison of bearing structures, ), Master thesis, Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Department of Building Engineering, The Netherlands Arets, M.J.P. (2001).

[2] Finding the most effective sustainable measures. Proceedings Sustainable Building 2000 Maastricht, The Netherlands, 667-669, van der Dobbelsteen, A.A.J.F. & van der Linden, A.C. (2000).

[3] The Population Explosion, Hutchinson: London, UK, Ehrlich, P. & Ehrlich A. (1990).

[4] , Development of a new adaptable and demountable structural system for utility buildings. Proceedings Sustainable Building 2000 Maastricht, The Netherlands, 378-380, van Herwijnen, F. (2000).

[5] , Algemene constructieleer - deel III: Hout, Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, The Netherlands, Hogeslag, A.J. (1995).

[6] brochure IXO-floor, Amersfoort, The Netherlands, IXO-Sustainable Technology (2001).

[7] Can the world be saved? Ecological economics, vol. 1, 289-302, Speth, J.G. (1990).

[8] Environmental related issues in precast demountable construction. Master thesis, Straatman, R. (2000).

[9] Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Department of Building Engineering, the Netherlands.

[10] Our common future, Oxford University Press, Oxford/New York, World Commission on Environment and Development (1987).