This document reports on a research project aimed at developing a concrete acoustic barrier made from Recycled Aggregate (RA) Concrete. The research project was undertaken in response to the needs expressed by the Victorian concrete recycling industry. The industry, the scientific community conducting research into relevant disciplines, and the community at large, represented by Victorian government agencies, are of the opinion that there is a need to devise a higher value utilisation application for selected concrete recycling products. This document outlines the rationale and objectives of the research project which involves the examination of Recycled Concrete (RC) Aggregate, the design and examination of RA Concrete, and finally the development of an acoustic barrier made from RA Concrete. The literature review presented in this report examines aspects of concrete recycling and concrete technology pertaining to traditional and alternative constituent materials for concrete production. Firstly, the importance and influence of fine and coarse aggregate on basic properties of concrete is introduced. Secondly, an account on the use of alternative materials in concrete technology, especially of coarse recycled aggregates and supplementary cementitious materials (SCM) is described. Thirdly, some of the physical and mechanical properties and how the use of RC Aggregate and SCM changes these properties are discussed. Fourthly, a number of commonly used techniques and neutron scattering techniques to investigate aggregate and concrete properties are introduced and discussed. Fifthly, the porosity of aggregate and concrete including durability are specifically discussed and testing methods are reasoned. The literature review also discusses the use of no-fines concrete; its physical, mechanical and acoustic properties. Finally it presents an account of the use of concrete in transportation traffic noise attenuation devices. This document continues with an outline of a methodology that was adopted in this research project. It outlines experimental work aimed at examining the properties of RC Aggregate which amongst other properties includes porosity, particle size distribution, water absorption, shape and density. It continues examining RA Concrete properties and includes, among other properties, compressive strength, porosity and durability as well as sound absorption of acoustic barrier. The methodology introduces standard and purposely modified test procedures used in the examination of aggregates, concrete and acoustic barrier. An account of various research techniques is presented, spanning from simple visual observations to more sophisticated neutron scattering techniques. The summary of test procedures follows a description of test specimen composition and their sizes, and a suite of tested specimens. It also introduces statistical methods used to analyse test results. After a detailed description of the aggregate, concrete and RA Concrete acoustic barrier, the document outlines a summary of data generated through the experimental program of this research project. The data on fine aggregate, on selected 14/10mm coarse RC Aggregate, on concrete made from natural and recycled aggregate and on acoustic barrier are presented and discussed. Test results of various physical, mechanical and acoustic properties of aggregate, concrete and barrier are reported, analysed and discussed. The data from observations, visual assessment and scientific experimentation of specific properties are then crossed analysed in a search for relationships between properties of fine and coarse aggregates and properties of concrete made from such aggregates. A cross analysis of data on ?less-fines? RA Concrete and on the acoustic performance of barrier is examined, and the relationship between the volume of interconnected voids in a porous part of ?less-fines? concrete, and the sound absorption of acoustic barrier is discussed and reported. The document then presents a synthesis of the literature review results, project aims adopted within the experimental program and test results in the three main areas of this research project. These areas include recycled concrete aggregate, recycled aggregate concrete and acoustic barrier made from RA Concrete. Finally, conclusions reached through the course of this investigation are summarised and recommendations are proposed in relation to the RA Concrete acoustic barrier. The main conclusion is that selected RC Aggregate can be used in the production of concrete of a compressive strength of 25MPa, if the moisture content and water absorption in the aggregate are closely monitored, and the foreign material content is kept below 1.5%. The author concludes that acoustic barrier made from selected RC Aggregate has unique sound absorption characteristics that can easily be tunable by a selection of appropriate aggregate and by specific concrete mix designs. Recommendations for further research are also proposed.

This research investigates the application of the AISC Direct Analysis Method for stability bracing design of columns, beams, beam-columns and frames. Emphasis is placed on out-of-plane flange bracing design in metal building frame systems. Potential improvements and extensions to the 2005 AISC Appendix 6 stability bracing provisions are studied and evaluated. The structural attributes considered include various general conditions encountered in practical metal building design: unequal brace spacing, unequal brace stiffness, nonprismatic member geometry, variable axial load or bending moment along the member length, cross-section double or single symmetry, combined bending and axial load, combined torsional and lateral bracing from girts/purlins with or without diagonal braces from these components to the inside flanges, load height, cross-section distortion, and non-rigid end boundary conditions. The research addresses both the simplification to basic bracing design rules as well as direct computation for more complex cases. The primary goal is improved assessment of the demands on flange bracing systems in metal building frames.

published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Civil Engineering / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

No description available.

Today because of changes in the zoning plans, structural problems, building obsolescence and owner&rsquo / s wishes, old buildings are being demolished to erect newer, larger and taller ones. The objective of this study was to investigate the process and feasibility of building deconstruction. A literature survey was conducted on two unpublished theses at Middle East Technical University (METU), and publications available on web sites and international conference proceedings. Case studies were conducted on building deconstruction and demolition processes, and recovery of used building materials (UBMs) in Ankara. Information related to these issues was obtained through informal interviews with demolition contractors, demolition teams, merchants of UBMs and building contractors. Information regarding the official procedure of demolition was gathered from &Ccedil / ankaya and Yenimahalle Municipalities. This study confirmed that recovery and reuse of UBMs is a continual practice in Ankara. In the light of case studies and interviews, it was possible to determine the problems in building deconstruction, such as building systems, materials, components and connections that give rise to difficulties during the deconstruction of buildings. It was also observed that UBMs are being reused either as it is or after modifications, and waste timber components are sold for fuel, while only metals are recycled to be used in new production. On the other hand, reinforced concrete components such as slabs, columns and beams can neither be reused nor recycled, and thus they are wasted. The findings of the investigation indicated that building deconstruction practices were found to be feasible and profitable job. The success of building deconstruction is dependent on type of tools used, sufficient time, and worker ability and experience, whereas the feasibility of deconstruction depends on the quality, quantity, type and condition of materials, components and connections used in a building.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Tufts University, 2003. / Adviser: Daniel C. Jansen. Submitted to the Dept. of Civil Engineering. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 146-152). Access restricted to members of the Tufts University community. Also available via the World Wide Web;

Thesis (PhD) - Swinburne University of Technology, 2006. / Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Civil Engineering, Swinburne University of Technology - 2006. Typescript. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (doctoral)--Helsinki University of Technology, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 146-154). Also available on the World Wide Web.

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 96-100). / Concern for environmental degradation has been a motivating factor in the efforts to reuse or recycle construction and demolition waste. The intention is not only to reduce environmental desecration, but also to recycle the construction and demolition waste into potential building materials to be reused elsewhere. This study investigated the supply and demand of recycled construction materials in the Western Cape, and aimed to determine the perception held by important stakeholders about these materials. A qualitative analysis of the case study results revealed that poor waste management plans implemented on construction and demolition sites have affected the quality, supply and price of recycled materials. In addition to this it was also revealed that the negative perceptions regarding recycled materials were the major barriers to creating an established secondary market. Inadequate knowledge and experience were major contributors to resistance to change of perceptions. A case study was conducted on Malans Quarries Recyclers in order to determine the supply of raw materials (construction and demolition waste) reaching the recycling plant; the supply of recycled materials to the end user (consumer); and the recycling process that takes place. A sample of fifteen respondents from a variety of large, medium and small construction contractors, as well as consultants and civil engineering companies, completed a questionnaire to determine the demand for and perceptions about these materials. The qualitative analysis of the results of the questionnaires showed that the majority of respondents still preferred to use primary materials over recycled materials. However, it appears that the gap between respondents who prefer to use primary materials, and those who utilize recycled materials, has narrowed in comparison to results obtained in previous studies. It seems that there may be more usage of recycled materials in the future. The results also revealed that tax cuts, could be a good economic incentive to encourage the use of recycled material. The questionnaire results also revealed that the majority of the respondents believed that landfill taxes where not effective in discouraging the illegal dumping of waste, and that the lack advertisements, and difficulties in obtaining recycled materials played a crucial role in the under-use of recycled materials.

This study is a report of the results of an investigation into the extent to which native materials were used in the antebellum buildings of Harrison County, Texas; the way in which they were used; and the aesthetic implications of their use. It was hoped that this research might fill a gap in the art and architectural history of Texas, since nothing has been written on this specific subject except a few articles and unpublished papers dealing with certain houses individually or with log construction in general.