Buildings

Energy efficiency renovation of building stock is an essential aspect of the climate change mitigation strategies in many countries. A large proportion of building stock is historical buildings. For this building stock, developing technology for safe internal insulation of external walls is crucial, preventing possible moisture damage to the building structures. Internal insulation is a risky technique as it has a high impact on the hygrothermal behavior of the wall. This study assesses the hygrothermal performance of massive masonry walls with 17 interior insulation systems exposed to different external boundary conditions, including a steady-state cycle, dynamic dry cycle, wind-driven cycle, and drying cycle. During the steady state cycle, the highest increase of moisture was observed under capillary active materials ranging from 39 to 119% increase in absolute moisture, with the exception of cellulose with an increase of only 7%. All the vapor-tight insulation systems showed no increase in absolute moisture during the steady-state cycle, with the exception being mineral wool in combination with a vapor barrier that showed a 30% increase in ablute humidity. In addition, relative moisture changes in masonry were measured. Results show that tested insulation systems exhibit similar thermal performance while having different moisture performance. Vapor-tight and vapor-open insulation systems exhibit different hygrothermal behavior under various test cycles depending on material vapor diffusion resistance. Numerical simulations are sensitive to the hygrothermal properties of materials. Full article

Early studies on the COVID-19 pandemic suggest that the working from home (WFH) mandate and unusual caregiving arrangements have dramatically impacted the employment of women, especially those with young children. This study explores women’s perceptions of the WFH mandate arrangement. Data were collected from the female workforce in the Australian construction industry using an online questionnaire. The specific objectives were to (i) explore their WFH experiences; (ii) examine their perceived impacts of WFH challenges on work activities and performance; and (iii) explore the relationships among critical challenges, the respondents’ demographic characteristics and their overall satisfaction with WFH and preference for WFH after COVID. Although most respondents were new to the WFH arrangement, there is evidence suggesting that they were adapting well to the sudden shift to a WFH arrangement. Sixteen (out of twenty-two) challenges recorded positive perceived impacts on work activities and performance. The top three critical challenges were (i) mutual trust between you and your work supervisor; (ii) availability of suitable space at home; and (iii) information and communication exchanges via virtual meetings. The respondents also indicated positive satisfaction with a WFH arrangement along with perceived positive work performance while WFH. Most of them indicated high preference for WFH after COVID, which was positively correlated with the level of education attainment. The critical challenges identified together with a set of negative factors might be useful for employment organizations to re-optimize their WFH practices. Full article

Currently, the construction sector is witnessing a growing demand for lightweight solutions, which can be justified by the need to adopt high-performance solutions and the fact that the industry is struggling with a shortage of skilled labour. In this sense, this study focuses on a novel and flexible building wall system, constructed using an innovative extensible LSF profile. To enhance its functionality, a monitoring system comprising printed sensors was integrated into the wall. These sensors underwent a thorough verification process. To evaluate the hygrothermal performance of the complete LSF wall solution and validate the novel monitoring system, an extensive ageing test focused on heat/rain, freeze/thaw cycles was conducted on a large-scale wall prototype. Additionally, this research introduces a novel approach by simulating exceptional solar radiation conditions, surpassing the standard cycles outlined in EAD 040083-00-0404, for the first time in this kind of solution. The results cover the measurements taken inside the building system using the incorporated monitoring system. Additionally, supplementary external temperature and heat flow sensors were used to determine the thermal transmittance. Visual and thermography inspections were also carried out. The findings reveal no instances of failures or defects that could potentially impact the hygrothermal behaviour of the system. The hybrid LSF constructive solution leads to more stable temperatures on the inner surface. The presence of direct solar radiation can raise surface temperatures by up to 5 °C compared to surfaces not exposed to such radiation, even when a light-coloured surface is used. The monitoring system worked correctly. In conclusion, the innovative profile proved to be resistant to hygrothermal cycles and the monitoring system developed is efficient. Full article

Parametric form findings of free-form space structures and qualitative assessment of their aesthetics are among the concerns of architects. This study aims to evaluate the aesthetic aspect of these structures using ML algorithms based on the expert’s experiences. First, various datasets of forms were produced using a parametric algorithm of free-form space structures written in Grasshopper. Then, three multilayer perceptron ANN models were adjusted in their most optimal modes using the results of the preference test based on the aesthetic criteria including simplicity, complexity, and practicality. The results indicate that the ANN models can quantitatively evaluate the aesthetic value of free-form space structures. Full article

This research describes a detailed analysis of the enactment of a lean Tool, the Last Planner System during pandemic period which helps in optimizing resources for better coordination among all stakeholders in a pandemic period. The LPS, as it is known, focusses on minimizing factors such as uncertainties, barriers, and variability to make construction projects more flexible for better project management. These include variations and deviations, supervision, delays in approvals, change resistance, and subcontractor dedication, which are all related to various stakeholders in the project. Following that, a Design Science Research technique is used to evaluate the effect of applying the LPS in buildings to address and achieve the objective of reducing the impact of setbacks created by the stakeholders such as architects, consultants, clients, project management team, etc., during the implementation of the LPS during any pandemic so as not to reduce the progress of execution. An action strategy is being used to attain this goal, and four case studies are documented which concern the implementation of the LPS in the building of the Boy’s Hostel, Research Scholar Quarters, Faculty Housing, and Girls’ Hostel at Chennai, Tamilnadu, India. Data was gathered by observation of site activities, interviews, documentation analysis, and a questionnaire survey and grouped into various factors. While adopting the LPS tool in research, the factors affecting the implementation in the COVID-19 pandemic period were found. Further, these factors were analysed, measured, ranked, and validated for adopting in projects. Full article

For almost three decades, Slovakia has been undergoing reform processes related to restructuring industry and in expectation of the sustainability of the industrial structure with an important link to the landscape. The aim of this article is the presentation of the development models of the industrial clusters in synergy with the economic dimension, landscape, settlement structure, and sustainability. The background of the article is an evaluation of industry and its impact on the landscape between the 19th and 21st centuries. The development of industry influenced the territorial and spatial development of towns and landscapes, forcing a new identity on them. Development mirrored the rate of innovation in the domain of technologies and construction. The issues examined herein required the application of a combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods, including a creative method called SCAMPER. Our scheme and models of industrial parks and cooperation clusters are a result of theoretical and field research and reflect variable mobility and sustainability. The conclusions of the research indicate a turnover in the original order of importance in the industrial activity: environment–man–production. This is the contribution of evolution and the building of eco-friendly industrial structures. Full article

Shrinkage cracks severely affect the safety of wood structures. Therefore, the moisture stress distribution of shrinkage cracks should be analyzed, and the interface crack depth of wood components predicted. In this paper, the equilibrium conditions, physical conditions, geometric conditions, and coordination equations of the disk humidity stress under a moisture content gradient Δw are deduced by referring to the elastic analytical solution model of temperature stress. Moreover, the humidity stress distribution equation is established, which is verified via the finite element method. The critical water content and shrinkage crack depth prediction models are further deduced based on the humidity stress distribution. The usability of the model is further verified using the test data of actual engineered wood components. The results demonstrate that the moisture stress is not determined by the initial moisture content W_i, equilibrium moisture content W_e, or member size but by moisture content gradient Δw. The shrinkage crack prediction model of wood components in cross-section can be applied to actual engineering prediction to provide a theoretical basis for the reinforcement measures and safety evaluation of wood structures. Full article

Mobile service robots often have to work in dynamic and cluttered environments. Multiple safety hazards exist for robots in such work environments, which visual sensors may not detect in time before collisions or robotic damage. An alternative hazard alert system using tactile methods is explored to pre-emptively convey surrounding spatial information to robots working in complex environments or under poor lighting conditions. The proposed method for robot-inclusive tactile paving is known as Passive Auto-Tactile Heuristic (PATH) tiles. These robot-inclusive tactile paving tiles are implemented in spatial infrastructure and are aimed to allow robots to pre-emptively recognize surrounding hazards even under poor lighting conditions and potentially provide improved hazard cues to visually impaired people. A corresponding Tactile Sensing Module (TSM) was used for the digital interpretation of the PATH tiles and was mounted onboard a mobile audit robot known as Meerkat. The experiment yielded a 71.6% improvement in pre-emptive hazard detection capabilities with the TSM using a customized Graph Neural Network (GNN) model. Full article

This paper presents a study on the seismic performance of rectangular hollow section (RHS) X-joints subjected to in-plane bending moment (IPBM). The study began by testing two RHS joint specimens with varying brace-to-chord width ratios (β) under quasi-static cyclic IPBM loading. The results showed that the final failure mode of the specimen with the large β value (β = 1.0) is the tearing of the weld near the brace root, while the specimen with the medium β value (β = 0.83) failed due to the tearing of both the weld and the adjacent chord face. The seismic performance of the X-joints depended considerably on the β value. The increase in β remarkably improved the strength of the X-joints but at the cost of energy dissipation capability, deformability and ductility. Our experimental results also demonstrated that the current code equations remarkably underestimate the flexural strength of RHS X-joints, while the modified equations that take the weld size into account can predict it well. In addition, the reason behind the experimental observation can be further explained by FE analysis and the proposed elastic-support plate analytical model. Full article

This paper analyzed the factors that influence the seismic resilience of urban building groups and studied the laws that influence internal factors and external factors. Based on the data from the first national comprehensive risk survey of natural disasters, a refined classification study of urban building groups was carried out. Based on the existing evaluation methods of seismic resilience of individual buildings, the recovery time was selected as the resilience evaluation index to calculate the effect of internal factors on the seismic resilience of urban building groups. Then, we studied the quantitative relationship between external factors (i.e., disaster relief capacity, population density, and economic level) and the evaluation indicators of seismic resilience of urban building groups, and we proposed the kilometer grid coefficient. Based on that, we proposed a calculation method of the effect of external factors on the seismic resilience of urban building groups. Considering the influence of internal and external factors, the evaluation model for the seismic resilience of urban building groups was established. And the model was applied in a typical city. This paper proposes a method to evaluate the seismic resilience of urban building groups, which can master the functional recovery time of urban building groups after an earthquake. Based on the proposed model, we can optimize the functional recovery path and emergency rescue path of the disaster area, as well as improve the resilience of urban building systems and the construction of resilient cities. Full article

Vernacular dwellings carry both material and spiritual connotations, playing a significant role in preserving and developing regional culture. While current research on vernacular dwellings has primarily focused on the cultural center, there is a critical knowledge gap regarding the “differentiation” of dwellings in border areas. This knowledge gap poses risks to the sustainable development of vernacular dwellings. Therefore, this study employs a space syntax approach to analyze the spatial configuration of the Tibetan vernacular dwellings of the semi-agricultural and semi-pastoral areas in Gannan prefecture, China, which is situated in the Tibetan border area. The findings reveal the following key insights: (ⅰ) disparities exist in the spatial organization of “sacred–secular” node spaces and the structural characteristics of buildings, resulting in a misalignment between physical center spaces and psychological center spaces; (ⅱ) variation in cultural intensity contributes to distinct characteristics, i.e., “prototype”, “transition”, and “mutant”, among dwellings in different counties; and (ⅲ) the continuous development and adaptation of dwellings hinge on the homogeneity and differentiation of regional culture. The crux of achieving sustainable dwelling development lies in preserving the diversity of dwellings. This study offers a more comprehensive understanding of the relationship between the spatial configuration of vernacular dwellings in the Tibetan border area and their sociocultural connotations. Consequently, it provides valuable guidance for promoting the sustainable development of these dwellings. Full article

In earthquake-prone areas, pile-anchor structures are widely employed for slope reinforcement due to their reliable performance. Current research has primarily focused on static and quasi-static analyses of slopes reinforced by using pile-anchor structures, with limited investigation into their dynamic response. In this work, the finite element method (FEM) is used to study the dynamic behavior of a pile-anchor slope system, and the extended finite element method (XFEM) is used to simulate the progressive failure processes of piles. Three different reinforcement schemes, which include no support, pile support, and pile-anchor support, are considered to examine the performance of the pile-anchor structure. The simulation results suggest that the pile-anchor structure displays a reduction of 39.6% and 40.6% in the maximum shear force and bending moment of the piles, respectively, compared to the pile structure. The XFEM is utilized to model the progressive failure process of the piles subjected to seismic loading. We find that crack initiation in the pile body near the slip surface, for both the pile supported and the pile-anchor supported conditions, occurs when the peak ground acceleration arrives. Crack growth in the piles completes in a very short period, with two distinct increments of crack area observed. The first increment occurs when the peak ground acceleration arrives and is significantly larger than the second increment. Consequently, for the seismic design of piles, it is necessary to strengthen the pile body around slip surfaces. The novelty of this paper is that we realize the simulation of crack initiation and propagation in piles subjected to seismic loading. Full article

The surrounding rock and high water pressure in weak watery strata have adverse effects on the mechanical properties of tunnel support structures. In order to optimize the anti-drainage design of tunnels in weak watery strata and evaluate their structural safety, this paper relies on the Taidacun Tunnel of the China–Laos Railway to carry out field monitoring research. A dual-field fluid–solid coupling calculation model is established to optimize the tunnel’s waterproof and drainage design, combined with a bending moment curvature model to evaluate structural safety. The main conclusions are as follows: Under the action of high water and soil pressure, the structural safety margin of the water-rich fine sand section of the Taidacun Tunnel is small, and waterproof and drainage design optimization is required. Combined with the proposed average pressure reduction coefficient, the influence of the water level and annular blind pipe spacing on the water pressure of the lining is proved, and then the optimal annular blind pipe spacing in the water-rich area of the tunnel is determined. A structural safety evaluation method based on the bending moment curvature model is proposed. Two models of elastic beam and moment–curvature beam are used to analyze the mechanical characteristics and optimization effects of the structure under optimal annular blind pipe spacing. Full article

To control the deviation of a long-span concrete-filled steel tube (CFST) arch bridge during construction monitoring, a practical method for controlling tower deviation is studied and established. The form of construction of this bridge is an intermediate double-arch bridge, which differs from conventional bridges, thus requiring the urgent resolution of the issue of unbalanced middle piers. Therefore, the mechanical characteristics and construction process of an intermediate long-span, dual-coupled steel pipe arch bridge are meticulously examined by using a 1:10 scale model, with particular focus on discussing the deflection of the buckle tower during the installation of the arch rib segments. Construction control is implemented using a novel tower deflection control method that addresses unilateral torsion problems and difficulties in controlling the deflection of the tower. The model results are compared with the finite element analysis output, demonstrating that this new approach can resolve unbalanced tower deviations by maintaining absolute values within 0.5 mm. After correcting these deviations,the measured results from the model bridge tower align with the calculated analytical results and even surpass the theoretical expectations for tower deviation. This remarkable new method accurately resolves real-world bridge tower deviations. Full article

Emergency exit signs are a mandatory and essential element for the prevention and planning of evacuation in all types of buildings. In recent decades, some achievements have been made in emergency exit signs research, but there is a lack of literature reviews on the subject. This study focused on exploring the research status and development trends in emergency exit signs using a visualization analysis of bibliometrics. The findings of this paper are as follows: First, through co-authorship analysis, we identified countries, institutions, and authors that have made outstanding contributions in the research area. Second, through co-citation analysis, we revealed important journals, documents, and authors in the research field. Third, through keyword co-occurrence analysis, we found research focuses include sign effectiveness, research methods, and research content. And the research frontiers include virtual reality, visibility, and emergency evacuation. The study can serve as a reference for relevant researchers studying emergency exit signs. Full article

This paper presents a user-centred design method for developing prototype housing designs in the Paipe community of Abuja, Nigeria, addressing the challenges posed by rapid urbanisation in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). UCD is a qualitative methodology that prioritises end users in the design process. This study employs qualitative methods to collect data through interviews, field surveys, and site analysis using a single case study. The UCD approach was used to develop a profile of residents and identify their needs and preferences. Thematic analysis of the data led to the creation of design specifications and prototype designs. Two design options were developed: a cluster design based on field survey observations and an enclosed modern design based on residents’ preferences. This study contends that user-centred design (UCD) is essential for sustainable housing provision in LMICs, aligning with the United Nations’ adequate-housing programme. Full article

The public’s support for emergency infrastructure projects, which will affect the government’s credibility, social stability, and development, is very important. However, there are few systematic research findings on public support for emergency infrastructure projects. In order to explore the factors influencing the public’s support and the degree of influence of each factor on the public’s support, this paper employs K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN), a learning curve with m-fold cross-validation, grid search, and random forest to study the public’s support for emergency infrastructure projects and its influencing factors. In this paper, a prediction model of the public’s support for emergency infrastructure projects is developed based on KNN from data drawn from a questionnaire survey of 445 local residents concerning Wuhan Leishenshan Hospital, China. Two optimization algorithms, the learning curve with m-fold cross-validation and the grid search algorithm, are proposed to optimize the key parameters of the KNN predictive model. Additionally, quantitative analysis is conducted by using the random forest algorithm to assess the importance of various factors influencing public support. The results show that the prediction accuracy and model stability of the KNN prediction model based on the grid search algorithm are better than those using a learning curve with m-fold cross-validation. Furthermore, the random forest algorithm quantitative analysis shows that the most important factor influencing the public’s support is government attention. The conclusions drawn from this paper provide a theoretical reference and practical guidance for decision making and the sustainable development of emergency infrastructure projects in China. Full article

This study investigates the influence of various factors on the performance of ternary binders, utilizing statistical approaches. The research focuses on the influence of varying compositions of Portland Cement-Calcium Aluminate Cement-Calcium Sulphate (PC-CAC-CŜ), types and amounts of mineral powders, and chemical admixtures in ternary binders. Using the Taguchi design, the study required a limited number of experimental trials, utilizing a standard orthogonal array of seven factors across three levels. These factors encompassed binder composition (C1-C2-C3), mineral powder types (limestone, quartz, slag), replacement ratio (0%, 25%, 50%), retarder (0%, 0.1%, 0.2%), superplasticizer, viscosity modifying agent (stabilizer) and accelerator (0%, 0.05%, 0.1%). Measurements on hydration kinetics, dimensional stability, compressive strength, and microstructural analyses like X-ray diffraction were conducted. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was employed to interpret the continuous data derived from heat of hydration curves, length change curves and X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns. Results indicated that retarder quantity and binder type significantly impacted paste workability. Higher powder content led to reduced strength, whereas increased accelerator improved strength. A strong correlation was observed between accelerator content and the dimensional stability. The primary hydration product’s formation was predominantly influenced by the PC-CAC-CŜ ratio, accelerator, and cement substitutions. Full article

In response to the construction sector’s contribution to the climate crisis and exacerbation of social inequalities, we explore sustainable alternatives in building construction, informed by the illustrative case study of the Polycare construction system. First, through a Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) method, we show that the ecological footprint of circularity-oriented buildings based on polymer concrete is significantly lower than that of conventional cement concrete buildings. Despite the drawbacks of polymer concrete, its high-performance properties and the possibility to integrate secondary materials in its recipe can result in a reduced carbon footprint. When coupled with design-embedded modularity that facilitates circular processes (e.g., the disassembly and reuse of building components), buildings similar to those in the case study demonstrate potential for transitioning towards comprehensive sustainable building practices. Further, we discuss how this sustainability potential could be enhanced, drawing from interviews with Polycare’s stakeholders and key literature findings. In this direction, we provide a set of proposals anchored in the argument that threefold “circularity, localisation, and openness” is vital for sustainable and affordable alternatives, with openness being a crucial element for fostering innovation, adaptability, and scalability in building processes. Full article