Architecture, Structures and Construction最新文献

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is rapidly evolving in the EU and around the world, and it is used to calculate and assess the environmental impact of buildings throughout their life cycle. Many EU countries have decided to add new embodied carbon regulations in their building codes, and thus, the calculation of environmental impact is becoming mandatory. We present a decision support system based on Building Information Modelling (BIM) that provides architects and engineers with streamlined LCA information on highly uncertain designs at an early stage. The system is designed to be extremely simple and easy to comprehend, and it executes LCA calculations fast enough for real-time use. Our key contribution is to elaborate, comprehensively implement, and evaluate the new sustainability opportunity metric (SOM) that we had briefly introduced in our earlier work. Assigned to BIM model components, the metric intends to identify sustainability opportunities and risks by quickly evaluating numerous independent building elements despite early-stage design uncertainty. In this paper, we demonstrate the first fully integrated toolchain and tools prototypes as a plug-in for Revit. We develop the tool to conduct visualisation and usability experiments, and empirically evaluate it on five complex BIM-based high-rise projects.

Over time, electrical fires have been recurring disasters around the world. As a common preventive strategy, the use of a standard checklist has become a traditional technique widely adopted today. However, this procedure might not capture the full spectrum of risk levels or address interconnected issues, thus potentially compromising effective risk management. Conversely, allowing for prioritization and immediate remediation of fire hazards, the incorporation of expert knowledge and data-driven insights to gauge risk factors is noteworthy. In this context, the approach proposed, rooted in fuzzy Petri nets, optimizes resource allocation by focusing on the highest-risk elements, leading to a more substantial risk reduction. An enhanced methodology was implemented, considering the pre-fire conditions at the Brazilian National Museum. Simulation results indicate that simple corrections in the electrical installation could have significantly reduced the fire risk, possibly preventing the tragedy. These findings underscore the method's effectiveness, emphasizing the importance of thorough electrical risk management. It suggests that the catastrophe might have been avoided had the risks been appropriately addressed. The model emerges as an essential instrument for enhancing risk assessment and strategic resource allocation, especially vital in resource-constrained environments characteristic of developing countries like Brazil. However, it is important to clarify that the proposed methodology is based on expert systems, offering an alternative approach to risk quantification when statistical data and deterministic methods are unavailable. This methodology integrates expert judgment and fuzzy logic for qualitative risk assessments, enabling the identification and prioritization of risk factors despite the lack of quantitative data. While sensitivity analysis is not applicable in this context, validation can be achieved through consensus among expert groups who evaluate the model's assumptions and outcomes.

This work explores the integration of technologies in the practice of architectural design in Brazil. The objective is to contribute to the debate on the use of these resources in architectural offices, investigating the perception of professionals and end users regarding the adoption of these technologies. An experiment was conducted using digital technologies, BIM and Virtual Reality, during the creation of an architectural project for a single-family residence to evaluate the collaboration between the disciplines involved and, simultaneously, the construction monitoring. The experiment was carried out by the researchers themselves in the laboratories of the School of Engineering and the School of Architecture at the Federal University of Minas Gerais, UFMG, in a controlled environment for both the development of the architectural project stages using BIM technologies and the immersion in the virtual reality environment. The results indicate how the use of these technologies can assist architects, engineers, and users in making better design decisions and contribute to the implementation of digital technologies in professional environments.

Reevaluating the materials that shape our built environment holds significant importance for sustainable construction. This research introduces newly developed natural fibre pultruded profiles, composed of flax fibres and bio-resin, customised for specific properties and targeted applications. Engineered to withstand both bending and compression loads, these profiles have been subjected to rigorous mechanical testing to demonstrate their compression and flexural strength, as well as flexibility. The emphasis lies on the bottom-up design approach, guiding the creation of applications suitable for this innovative material in various lightweight structures. The paper presents a series of case studies showcasing the use of biocomposite profiles in diverse design and structural contexts. The initial focus was on active-bending structures, highlighting the material’s flexibility, showcased at a ten-metre span structure, the first large-scale demonstrator. However, given the material’s versatile properties, it is suitable for a wide range of other applications. Key case studies discussed include reciprocal, tensegrity and deployable structures, as well as modular planar or space frame systems. These profiles offer a sustainable and versatile alternative to traditional materials and composites, providing innovative and eco-friendly construction solutions while contributing to industry sustainability goals.

‘Mass housing’ has a very controversial heritage, often associated with policies of transformation that do not pay respect to characteristics or value. Additionally, they are frequently under market pressures that promote its demolition. This paper aims to highlight mass housing as having a special heritage that represents new visions and cultural values to be preserved. Mass housing could represent an explorative field for innovation and sustainability, leading cities towards energy transition. The topic is addressed through theoretical and critical observations on mass housing and its legacy in the contemporary, and through comments on project solutions concerning transformation strategies. In conclusion, the research showed an urban design solution utilizing the transformation of open spaces in a mass housing neighborhood near Naples (south Italy). The project converts empty and abandoned areas within the neighborhood into a new agro-urban landscape crossed by pedestrian and bicycle paths and surrounded by small rest areas where people can sit and enjoy the landscape and panoramic views. The project combines paths of innovation and sustainability to increase the urban quality of the district with the aim of supporting the recognition of mass housing as having a special heritage, including material integrity and inherent value, involved in the process of transformation that needs to be preserved.

Facades play a pivotal role in the performance of a building, serving various environmental, structural and operational functions. As climate-induced extreme events become more frequent, developing resilient facades is becoming crucial. Although facades can contribute significantly to the total post-disruption losses, their resilience is not sufficiently addressed in current design approaches. In response to this research gap, this study proposes a multi-criteria decision-making methodology to select optimal facade designs using resilience criteria: resilience loss and economic loss. The framework addresses the complexity of facade design, considering multiple hazards such as earthquakes and heatwaves. For seismic hazard, the facade’s resilience is defined as its ability to mitigate damage. In the case of heat hazard, resilience is assessed based on the ability to keep indoor conditions within a comfortable thermal range. To demonstrate the applicability of the proposed methodology, a case study of an 18-story office building in Izmir (Turkey) is used to compare alternative facade packages. These packages identify the facade design cases, each coupled with a dataset of seismic and thermal fragility curves. Numerical simulations are conducted to derive seismic and thermal resilience curves for each facade package, along with resilience criteria. These criteria are embedded into a practical decision-making process to enable the selection of the optimal design case based on project specifications.

Climate change has become a worldwide problem, and many conventional construction materials contribute to carbon emissions. Therefore, the need for sustainable infrastructure has progressed with the increasing use of various plant-based natural fibers for structural applications. This study assesses the feasibility and performance of using natural fiber rope-based reinforcement in foamed concrete structures. The flexural behavior of foamed concrete beams reinforced with the roselle fiber rope-based reinforcement is investigated using finite element (FE) analysis-based numerical and code-based simplified analytical approaches. In the FE model, beams are discretized along the length and depth with a multi-fiber model approach. The nonlinear constitutive behavior of the concrete is taken as per the design standards, and the material properties of natural fiber-based reinforcement, i.e., roselle fiber and roselle fiber rope, are obtained experimentally. The bond-slip behavior between reinforcement and concrete is also implemented using Eligehausen’s law. Furthermore, the influence of the elastic modulus of the reinforcement, span length, and reinforcement ratio on the flexural capacity and deflection of the beams is investigated. The study provides an understanding of roselle fibers and roselle fiber rope in terms of tensile strengths and stiffness to explore their suitability as reinforcement materials. Moreover, it is shown that roselle fiber rope-based reinforcement increases the load-carrying capacity of reinforced foamed concrete beams by approximately 90% (depending upon the elastic modulus of the reinforcement) compared to plain foamed concrete beams. This significant improvement underscores the potential of roselle fiber ropes as an alternative to steel or synthetic fiber-based reinforcement in concrete beams subjected to relatively low-magnitude loads, providing a clear conclusion and recommendation based on the findings of the study.

After the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965) religious architecture represented a pivotal era of transformation within the Catholic Church. This liturgical reform aimed to deepen the engagement of worshippers in the liturgy, fostering a more direct connection between the congregation and the celebrant. Architects responded by radically reimagining the design and aesthetics of sacred spaces and embracing innovative materials and construction techniques such as reinforced concrete. This shift enabled the creation of bold, symbolic structures characterized by simple geometric forms, fluid spaces, and enhanced transparency, utilizing natural light to evoke sacred atmospheres. An outstanding example of this architectural paradigm is the Church of the Holy Family in Salerno, Italy, designed by Paolo Portoghesi and Vittorio Gigliotti, starting in 1968. Built entirely in reinforced concrete, this church embodies the fusion of technical innovation with spiritual exploration, typifying ecclesiastical postmodernism. Despite their architectural significance, many postconciliar churches face challenges today, including insufficient conservation efforts and inadequate community recognition. This research focuses on the Church of the Holy Family in Salerno, investigating its evolution, technological advancements, and conservation needs. A comprehensive Conservation Plan is proposed to safeguard this architectural heritage, integrating analyses of degradation and restoration interventions. By addressing these aspects, this study aims to ensure the preservation of this postconciliar religious architecture within contemporary urban and social contexts.

One of the most significant and crucial issues in geotechnical engineering works, such as earth dams, embankments, and landfills to name a few, is slope stability assessment. Better methods are required to anticipate slope collapse because of its fatal effects. The goal of this research is to create a straightforward machine learning (ML) model for examining slope stability under seismic conditions. Four ML algorithms are examined, including Logistic Regression (LR), Quadratic Discriminant Analysis (QDA), Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LGBM), and Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA). The models are trained and tested on the database containing 700 slopes. Tenfold cross-validation is utilized for parameter tuning, model training, and performance estimation of machine learning models using the training set. The best model is interpreted using the SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) method, which is built on game theories. Among the studied models, the LGBM model is the most accurate based on ranking technique. Most influential features for slope stability prediction under seismic conditions are detected by the SHAP method as follows: peak ground acceleration, friction angle, and angle of inclination.

Seismic damage to building services systems, that is, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems in buildings related to energy and indoor environments, affects the functionality of buildings. Assessing post-earthquake functionality is useful for enhancing the seismic resilience of buildings via improved design. Such assessments require a model for predicting the time required to restore building services. This study analyzes the downtime data for 250 instances of damage to building services components caused by the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake in Japan, presumably obtained from buildings with minor or no structural damage. The objectives of this study are (1) to determine the empirical downtime distribution of building services components and (2) to assess the dependence of the downtime on explanatory variables. A survival analysis, which is a statistical technique for analyzing time-to-event data, reveals that (1) the median downtime of building services components was 90 days and, 7 months after the earthquake, the empirical non-restoration probability was approximately 32%, (2) the services type and the building use are explanatory variables having a statistically significant effect on the downtime of building services components, (3) the log-logistic regression model reasonably captures the trend of the restoration of building services components, (4) medical and welfare facilities and hotels restored building services components relatively quickly, and (5) the 7-month restoration probability was observed to be highest for electrical systems, followed by sanitary systems, then heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems, and finally life safety systems. These results provide useful information to support the resilience-based seismic design of buildings.