Search Results (140)

Increasing mechanical design complexity and volume, particularly in component-based manufacturing, require scalable, traceable, and efficient design processes. In this research, a modular in-house automation platform using Autodesk Inventor’s Application Programming Interface (API) and Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) is developed to automate recurrent tasks such as CAD file generation, drawing production, structured archiving, and cost estimation. The proposed framework was implemented and tested on three real-world case studies in a turbocharger reconditioning unit with varying degrees of automation. Findings indicate remarkable time savings of up to 90% in certain documentation tasks with improved consistency, traceability, and reduced manual intervention. Moreover, the system also facilitated automatic generation of metadata-rich Excel and Word documents, allowing centralized documentation and access to data. In comparison with commercial automation software, the solution is flexible, cost-effective, and responsive to project changes and thus suitable for small and medium enterprises. Though automation reduced workload and rendered the system more reliable, some limitations remain, especially in fully removing engineering judgment, especially in complex design scenarios. Overall, this study investigates how API-based automation can significantly increase productivity and data integrity in CAD-intensive environments and explores future integration opportunities using AI and other CAD software. Full article

Livestock farming has been identified as a significant contributor to atmospheric pollution, underscoring the necessity for the design and management of housing systems to adopt mitigation strategies. In the context of civil engineering, green wall systems are proving to be effective solutions for air filtration and purification. Nevertheless, research related to their application in livestock buildings is limited. This study focuses on the design, implementation, and performance evaluation of a modular, mobile green wall system that has been specifically developed to test PM2.5 concentrations’ reduction in naturally ventilated, free-stall dairy barns in the Mediterranean region. To this end, PM2.5 concentrations and climatic parameters have been measured before and after the application of the green wall system. Based on one-way analysis of variance, PM2.5 concentrations after the application were significantly lower (p < 0.001) than those before the mitigation strategy. The results of this study showed that the overall efficacy of the green wall reached 44%. The implementation of green wall systems offers a promising strategy to improve air quality in livestock facilities and to design aesthetically pleasing barns with a positive impact on the surrounding landscape. Full article

This study presents the design, fabrication, and experimental validation of a two-finger robotic gripper featuring a 135° V-shaped fingertip profile tailored for lightweight waste collection in laboratory-scale environmental robotics. The gripper was developed with a strong emphasis on cost-effectiveness and manufacturability, utilizing a desktop 3D printer and off-the-shelf servomotors. A four-bar linkage mechanism enables parallel jaw motion and ensures stable surface contact during grasping, achieving a maximum opening range of 71.5 mm to accommodate common cylindrical objects. To validate structural integrity, finite element analysis (FEA) was conducted under a 0.6 kg load, yielding a safety factor of 3.5 and a peak von Mises stress of 12.75 MPa—well below the material yield limit of PLA. Experimental testing demonstrated grasp success rates of up to 80 percent for typical waste items, including bottles, disposable cups, and plastic bags. While the gripper performs reliably with rigid and semi-rigid objects, further improvements are needed for handling highly deformable materials such as thin films or soft bags. The proposed design offers significant advantages in terms of rapid prototyping (a print time of approximately 10 h), modularity, and low manufacturing cost (with an estimated in-house material cost of USD 20 to 40). It provides a practical and accessible solution for small-scale robotic waste-collection tasks and serves as a foundation for future developments in affordable, application-specific grippers. Full article

Traditional construction of timber houses in Tanzania has been prevalent for years; however, inhabiting these structures has been a challenge due to the instability of the buildings under various loadings. This instability, despite its lightweight, is mainly controlled by mechanical joints within timber members. Parametric Python scripts were developed in Abaqus (version 6.13) to have a reliable joint between timber volume modules and assess their response when subjected to wind forces. Two timber volume modules, each with a height of 3.0 m, were subjected to a horizontal displacement of 10 mm. Results show that the screwed fasteners between the modules result in high shear resistance due to the embedded fastener’s threads in timber members increasing the rope effect. Additionally, with weak fastener stiffness, the openings in the longitudinal wall had no effect on resisting shear compared to strong joints between modules. Longitudinal walls with doors and window openings showed a decrease in shear force to 21.95 kN, which is 44% less than the 39 kN of walls without openings. In addition, for a single door in the wall, the shear force decreased to 17.9%, indicating that major shear forces in the wall are affected by the window opening due to its large size and proximity to the point of load application. Furthermore, the stresses were concentrated in the corners of the openings, subjecting the structure to failure during its in-service life and demanding the use of cross-diagonal timber members between the corners to redistribute corner stresses. It is recommended that these types of houses be adopted due to less slip deformation (less than 10 mm) caused by wind speed of 24 km/h. Full article

The construction sector plays a key role in climate change due to its high energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Developing environmentally friendly building materials with low environmental impact is essential to improving energy efficiency. Insulation derived from agricultural waste is particularly promising due to its low ecological footprint, responsible resources use, and potential for integration into various construction systems. This study evaluates the potential of rice husk fiber as a thermal insulating material applied through the blowing technique in the Skylark 250 modular system. Rice husk fiber was morphologically and thermally characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), while its thermal behavior was analyzed by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) alongside a fire behavior assessment. Additionally, energy simulations were conducted to compare the thermal performance of rice husk fiber with other insulating materials when integrated into a building’s thermal envelope. The results showed an average thermal conductivity of 0.040 W/mK, a U-value of 0.17 W/m²K, and a heating demand of 9.56 kWh/m²-year when applied to the modular system. The material also exhibited good fire resistance, with a smoldering velocity of 3.40 mm/min. These findings highlight rice husk fiber’s potential as a sustainable insulation material for modular construction, contributing to energy efficiency and climate change mitigation. Full article

Hybrid building construction, in which the steel frame is filled with modular panels made of wood, is a relatively new technical solution. This type of structure allows the integration of large window surfaces. The aim of this study is to indicate the optimal glazing system, taking into account energy consumption, thermal comfort and economic indicators. A house made using new hybrid technology with an area of 152.4 m², located in Bialystok (Northeastern Poland) and in Kiruna (Northern Sweden), was selected as the reference object. Energy simulations of this building were performed with DesignBuilder v. 6.1.8.021 software. Due to the large format of the glazing, the assessment of the thermal environment was performed using the PMV index. An economic analysis aimed at selecting the optimal type of glazing was carried out. It was based on the most commonly used indicators such as LCC, NPV and IRR. The results of this study indicated that the selection of triple-glazed windows in the reference house reduced energy demand by over 22% for Bialystok and about 24% for Kiruna compared to double-glazed windows. Even greater effects can be achieved by using quadruple-glazed windows, as they provide energy savings of 36% and 39%, respectively, for these locations. The results of the analysis performed for a 2% increase in energy prices showed that triple and quadruple windows had a similar LCC value when the discount rate was lower than 2.5% for the Bialystok site. Quadruple-glazed windows were the best option for the Kiruna site when the discount rate was less than 5%. This research study found that, assuming a stable financial situation and a small increase in energy prices, it is recommended to use triple-glazed windows in the climate of Northeastern Poland. In more severe weather conditions, for example those characteristic of the area of Northern Sweden, quadruple-glazed windows are recommended. Full article

The integration of 3D printing with smart infrastructure presents a transformative opportunity in urban planning, construction, and engineering, enhancing efficiency, flexibility, and sustainability. By leveraging additive manufacturing alongside digitalization, artificial intelligence (AI), and the Internet of Things (IoT), this technology enables the creation of customized, lightweight, and sensor-embedded structures. This work analyzes both the advantages and challenges of applying 3D printing in smart infrastructure, focusing on material optimization, rapid prototyping, and automated fabrication, which significantly reduce construction time, labor costs, and material waste. Applications such as 3D-printed bridges, modular housing, and IoT-integrated urban furniture exhibit its potential in contributing towards resilient and resource-efficient cities. However, despite these benefits, significant challenges hinder large-scale adoption. Issues of scalability, particularly in the fabrication of large and load-bearing structures, remain unresolved, requiring advancements in high-speed printing techniques, material reinforcement strategies, and hybrid construction methods. Furthermore, regulatory uncertainties and the absence of standardized guidelines create barriers to implementation. The lack of comprehensive building codes, certification protocols, and quality assurance measures for 3D-printed structures limits their widespread acceptance in mainstream construction. Overcoming these limitations necessitates research into AI-driven process optimization, multi-material printing, and international standardization efforts. By assisting towards overcoming these challenges, 3D printing has the potential to redefine urban development, making infrastructure more adaptive, cost-effective, and environmentally sustainable. This work provides a critical evaluation of the current capabilities and limitations of 3D printing in smart infrastructure towards achieving full-scale implementation and regulatory compliance. Full article

The purpose of this paper is to explore the possibilities of bringing house development to a more sustainable and ecological level using the idea of the circular economy (CE) in the construction industry. Housing is an essential aspect of the economy and the building industry. The development of this sector is driven by an increasing urban population and the need to modernize existing residential buildings. Contemporary home situations should address reducing their detrimental impact on the natural environment. This is achievable by minimizing the consumption of natural resources and construction waste. This assumption is part of the core CE work, which allows for the recirculation of building materials. To discuss the underlying topics, this assumption was explored by employing a non-reactive desk research method. The review of scientific articles and studies covered the following topics: (i) the definition of CE, (ii) the shearing layers concept in building, and (iii) design for disassembly (DfD) in home construction. The second stage of evaluating the project “Domus Ex Machina” includes the following: (i) modular dimensions, (ii) prefabricated production, and (iii) adaptive designs and systems. In the discussion, this research identified several barriers to efficient CE adoption in the construction industry. The discussion highlights potential impediments to the application of the CE in housing contexts, including (i) storage and logistics issues, (ii) cost concerns and implementation challenges, (iii) policy inconsistencies across regions, and (iv) market demand and supply chain restrictions. The final paper conclusions demonstrate the significance of implementing the CE idea in housing building, hence reducing the negative impact on the environment. Full article

Against the backdrop of global climate change, extreme weather events, such as heavy rainfall, typhoons, tsunamis, and rising sea levels, have become frequent, posing unprecedented challenges to human society. As an important strategy for coastal cities to respond to climate change, climate-induced evacuation is influenced by complex and diverse factors. This study delves into the driving mechanisms of population migration willingness, revealing the dynamic balance of push, pull, and resistance factors and their interaction with individual value orientations affecting migration decisions. By constructing a Logistic Regression Model, this research quantitatively analyzes the significant impacts of personal circumstances, family characteristics, living conditions, risk perception, compensation relocation, and supportive policies on climate-induced migration willingness, using Shanghai as a case study. The findings indicate that age, education level, household size, housing type, risk perception, and compensation policies are key factors. Building upon the multidimensional capital interaction mechanisms and dynamic threshold response patterns identified in the research, this study proposes a three-phase progressive policy framework: initially, establishing an integrated human–material–social capital framework to implement tiered relocation incentive programs, which address decision window constraints through cognitive empowerment and asset replacement strategies; subsequently, creating a dynamic compensation adjustment mechanism by developing policy toolkits aligned with inverted U-shaped utility curves while enhancing synergistic effects between cultural cognition transformation and vocational training; and ultimately, innovating an institutional–cultural co-governance paradigm that rebalances public service dependency and place attachment through spatial equity redistribution. Specific recommendations encompass designing modular risk education curricula, establishing social network transplantation mechanisms, piloting climate citizenship regimes, and constructing cross-border governance knowledge platforms. These multidimensional interventions encompassing capital restructuring, threshold responsiveness, and cultural adaptation offer valuable policy insights for resolving the “development resilience–migration inertia” paradox in coastal cities. Full article

Growing demands for self-powered, low-maintenance devices—especially in sensor networks, wearables, and the Internet of Things—have intensified interest in capturing ultra-low-frequency ambient vibrations. This paper introduces a hybrid energy harvester that combines elastic buckling with magnetically induced forces, enabling programmable transitions among monostable, bistable, and multistable regimes. By tuning three key parameters—buckling amplitude, magnet spacing, and polarity offset—the system’s potential energy landscape can be selectively shaped, allowing the depth and number of potential wells to be tailored for enhanced vibrational response and broadened operating bandwidths. An energy-based modeling framework implemented via an in-house MATLAB^® R2024B code is presented to characterize how these parameters govern well depths, barrier heights, and snap-through transitions, while an inverse design approach demonstrates the practical feasibility of matching industrially relevant target force–displacement profiles within a constrained design space. Although the present work focuses on systematically mapping the static potential landscape, these insights form a crucial foundation for subsequent dynamic analyses and prototype validation, paving the way for advanced investigations into basins of attraction, chaotic transitions, and time-domain power output. The proposed architecture demonstrates modularity and tunability, holding promise for low-frequency energy harvesting, adaptive vibration isolation, and other nonlinear applications requiring reconfigurable mechanical stability. Full article

The growing adoption of wind energy has resulted in an increasing number of decommissioned wind turbine blades, which pose significant disposal challenges due to their size, material composition, and environmental impact. Recycling these blades has thus become essential. To this aim, this study explores the potential of using recycled wind turbine blades in post-disaster housing applications and examines the feasibility of re-purposing these durable composite materials to create robust, cost-effective, and sustainable building solutions for emergency housing. A case study of a post-earthquake relief camp in Hatay, Türkiye, affected by the 2023 earthquake, is used for analysis. First, the energy consumption of thirty traditional modular container-based post-disaster housing units is simulated with a dynamic building simulation tool. Then, the study introduces novel wind turbine blade-based housing (WTB-bH) designs developed using the same simulation tool. The energy consumption of these (WTB-bH) units is compared to that of traditional containers. The results indicate that using recycled wind turbine blades for housing not only contributes to waste reduction but also achieves 27.3% energy savings compared to conventional methods. The novelty of this study is in demonstrating the potential of recycled wind turbine blades to offer durable and resilient housing solutions in post-disaster situations and to advocate for integrating this recycling method into disaster recovery frameworks, highlighting its ability to enhance sustainability and resource efficiency in construction. Overall, the output of this study may help to present a compelling case for the innovative reuse of decommissioned wind turbine blades, providing an eco-friendly alternative to traditional waste disposal methods while addressing critical needs in post-disaster scenarios. Full article

This research explores the development of a modular prefabricated concrete housing prototype, focusing on sustainability and flexibility. Supported by industry collaboration, it examines three key hypotheses: (1) a rigid geometric modular layout optimizing standardized panels while allowing spatial customization and adaptability, (2) a mixed construction system combining panels with pillars and beams for greater design flexibility, and (3) prefabricated concrete panels with integrated thermal insulation to enhance comfort. An analytical framework was developed based on modularity, flexibility, and sustainability, informed by an extensive literature review and applied to contemporary collective housing case studies. Insights from this analysis guided the development of a housing prototype that integrates modularity, adaptable construction, and sustainable principles. The proposed design follows the principles of design for assembly and disassembly (DFA/DFD), increasingly relevant in modern construction. The findings suggest that combining concrete solutions with thermal insulation, structured around a regular geometric grid, enables diverse housing typologies while ensuring cost efficiency through prefabrication. This approach challenges the monotony of conventional housing, offering visually engaging and functionally adaptable alternatives. It promotes architecture that balances efficiency, sustainability, and aesthetic value while addressing modern housing needs. Full article

To address the growing need for sustainable and resilient building materials, the seismic performance of a full-scale moment-frame housing system constructed entirely from recycled Tetra Pak panels (thermo-stiffened polymeric aluminum or TSPA) was evaluated. The study presents an innovative approach to utilizing waste materials for structural applications, emphasizing the lightweight and modular nature of the system. The methodology included material characterization, finite element modeling (FEM), gravitational loading tests, and biaxial shake table tests. Seismic tests applied ground motions corresponding to 31-, 225-, 475-, and 2500-year return periods. Drift profiles and acceleration responses confirmed the elastic behavior of the system, with no residual deformation or structural damage observed, even under simultaneous peak ground accelerations of 0.37 g (x-direction) and 0.52 g (y-direction). Notably, the structure accelerations were amplified to 1.10 g in the y-direction (at the top of the structure), exceeding the design spectrum acceleration of 0.7 g without compromising stiffness or resistance. These results underscore the robust seismic performance of the system. The finite element model of the housing module was validated with the experimental results which predicted the structural response, including natural periods, accelerations, and drift profiles (up to 89% accuracy). The novelty of this research is that it is one of the first to perform shaking table seismic testing on a full-scale housing module made of recycled materials (Tetra Pak), specifically under biaxial motions, providing a unique evaluation of its performance under multidirectional seismic demands. This research also highlights the potential of recycled Tetra Pak materials for sustainable construction, providing an adaptable solution for earthquake-prone regions. The modular design allows for rapid assembly and disassembly, supporting scalability and the circular economy principle. Full article

Modular construction provides numerous benefits over traditional methods, especially when combined with digital technologies, offering a faster, safer, leaner, and more sustainable construction environment. This literature review follows the PRISMA method to assess recent advancements in digital-oriented modular construction towards a sustainable and climate-neutral built environment, identifying research trends and gaps based on three pillars: digital tools, building solutions, and environmental sustainability. This review examines the integration of digital technologies with modular construction methods, extending the analysis to circular and bioclimatic efforts, renewable energy sources, and passive building design strategies. While most articles focus on BIM uses, there is an increasing emphasis on IoT applications that leverage real-time data to achieve sustainability goals. However, no full-scale automated Digital Twin was found in this context. Additionally, Building Energy Modelling (BEM) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) tools are frequently discussed, reflecting the push for climate-friendly housing. Despite the interest in parametric and generative design, the integration of machine learning and artificial intelligence applications for sustainable modular construction strategies remains underexplored. Only a few papers acknowledged reaching nZEB requirements despite the great emphasis on passive building solutions and renewable energy sources that contribute to this goal. However, material circularity has yet to achieve its full potential for sustainable modular construction. Moreover, there is some interest in off-grid modular buildings, although further research should be undertaken to analyse the modular construction feasibility for sustainable off-grid communities. Furthermore, the findings highlight the potential of digitalisation in modular construction to enhance efficiency and ensure environmental sustainability within the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) sector. Full article

The rising demand for housing continues to outpace traditional construction processes, highlighting the need for innovative, efficient, and sustainable delivery models. Off-site construction (OSC) has emerged as a promising alternative, offering faster project timelines and enhanced cost management. However, current research on cost models for OSC, particularly in automating material take-offs and optimising cost performance, remains limited. This study addresses this gap by proposing a new cost model integrating Digital Twin (DT) technology and AI-driven decision models for modular housing in the UK. The research explores the role of DTs in enhancing cost estimation and decision-making processes. By leveraging DTs and AI, the proposed model evaluates the impact of emergent technologies on cost performance, material efficiency, and sustainability across social, environmental, and economic dimensions. As proposed, this integrated approach enables a cost model tailored for OSC systems, providing a data-driven foundation for cost optimisation and material take-offs. The study’s findings highlight the potential of combining DTs and AI decision models to enhance cost modelling in modular construction, offering new capabilities to support sustainable and performance-driven housing delivery. The paper introduces a dynamic, data-driven cost model integrating real-time data acquisition through DTs and AI-powered predictive analytics. This dynamic approach enhances cost accuracy, reduces lifecycle cost variability, and supports adaptive decision-making throughout the OSC project lifecycle. Full article