This is an architectural thesis on weaving. The city is a massive textile, a patchwork of buildings, infrastructure and people. We alter the urban environment within the confines established by lot lines, streets and zoning similar to the weft on a loom, conforming to the rules of the warp. The proposed design aims to incorporate the demands of a globalized world while retaining the identity and scale of the traditional Washington building type - the rowhouse. The architectural project, located near Fourteenth and U Streets, Northwest, in Washington, DC is a hybrid of programs - a textile school, a gallery and bar for the Textile Museum, artist studios, a restaurant, leaseable space for offices and residences as well as a public garden. This complex design reflects the evolving nature of cities and a building's ability to adapt to new demands and technology; similar to the ancient art of weaving's ability to transcend centuries of evolution while retaining its inherent qualities. / Master of Architecture

Masonry construction is labor-intensive. Processes involve little to no mechanization and require a large number of crews made up of workers with diverse skills, capabilities, and personalities. Relationships among crews are tight and very dependent. Often crews are re-assembled and the superintendent is responsible for assigning workers to crews and allocating crews to different tasks to maximize workflow. This dynamic environment can influence the motivation of workers and impose pressure and stress on them. Workers, unlike other resources, have their own needs and requirements beyond the financial compensation for their work. Workers place a great value on requirements such as certainty about work assignments, matching assignments to career development goals, and work satisfaction. If managed properly, workers may bring considerable benefits to both the project and the contractor. A project that links workers to career goals not only allows contractors to develop more qualified staff for its future projects, but also gives the worker opportunities for career growth and development. Additionally, job satisfaction and efficiency increases from suitable worker assignment and consideration of tasks. Therefore, the study of sustainable labor management practices is of interest in masonry construction and other labor-intensive industries. A mixed-integer programming (MIP) model enables the integration of workers needs and contractor requirements into the process of labor allocation. Furthermore, the model can be used to quantify strategies that maximize productivity, quality of work, and the well-being of workers. Developing such a model is a necessary task. To plan and manage masonry construction, the contractor has to take into account not only multiple workers with different characteristics but also rules for crew design and makeup and project requirements in terms of personnel needs. Providing an analytical description of all the needs and requirements is challenging. Therefore, to determine labor management practices that indeed maximize production and maximize workers satisfaction, the model needs to realistically represent the realities in masonry construction sites and staffing practices, while remaining computationally manageable such that optimization models can be derived. This dissertation proposes a decision support system (DSS) for sustainable labor management in masonry construction that takes into consideration information on workers and job characteristics with the intention of assisting decision makers in allocating crews. Firstly, semi-structured interviews were conducted with masonry practitioners to gather perspectives on labor requirements, rules for crew design, and drivers for crew makeup. Secondly, a model that incorporates realities was implemented. The model supports masonry contractors and superintendent in the challenging process of managing crews, that is, to determine the composition of each crew and the allocation of crews to maximize productivity and workflow while considering workers’ preferences and well-being. With the DSS, project managers and superintendents are not only able to identify working patterns for each of the workers but also optimal crew formation and investment and labor costs. Data from real case study is used to compare the schedule and allocation on the site with the one proposed by the model. The comparison shows the model can optimize the allocation of crews to reduce the completion time to build the walls while maximizing the utilization of masons and outlining opportunities for concurrent work. It is expected that the DSS will help contractors improve productivity and quality while efficiently managing masonry workers in a more sustainable way. The contributions for the masonry industry are two-fold. Firstly, the proposed model considers a set of rules that masonry practitioners typically use to design crews of masons and analytically captures the realities of masonry construction jobsites when managing labor. Secondly, it attempts to quantify and mathematically model the practices that contractors use for crew makeup and evaluate labor management allocation both in terms of contractor requirements and worker needs. Literature review indicates that the existing models for labor allocation have not taken into consideration masonry site realities. An optimization framework, which combines masonry site realities from the semi-structured interviews is proposed. The framework results in a MIP model that is used to solve a crew scheduling and allocation problem. The model is formulated to determine which masons are in a crew and to assign crews to the different walls in a project. Additionally, it is used to evaluate crew design strategies that maximize productivity.

The topic of my thesis is the design of a kindergarten in Rajhrad. The building is one storey with a flat roof. In the middle of the building there are technical facilities, a kitchen, a director's office and facilities for staff. On the sides there are classrooms with bathrooms and cloakrooms. The load-bearing masonry is designed of Heluz ceramic blocks. The perimeter masonry is insulated with the ETICS contact insulation system. The roof structure is made of prefabricated floor slabs SPIROLL. The building is covered by a green flat roof. The building will be heated by a gas condensing boiler. It will have an air handling unit located on the roof along with photovoltaic panels. Intelligent LED lighting will be deployed throughout the building. The third part deals with the comparison between masonry construction and the more environmentally friendly clay construction. Specifically, it compares the CO2 production of masonry and clay construction of the same building using the SBToolCZ methodology. The results obtained showed that the clay building produces approximately 30% less CO2 than the masonry building. I created my thesis using ArchiCAD and DEKsoft software.

In order to have safe and economy construction, different sources of uncertainty should be properly characterized and considered in structural design and verification. Commonly, reliability analysis is being used to evaluate the consistency of design process, including the uncertainty. A full probabilistic approach is an appropriate tool to consider the aleatory portion of uncertainty. However, in dealing with epistemic uncertainty in reliability analysis, modern mathematical tools such as fuzzy logic is required. Unreinforced masonry (URM) is known as sustainable building material and is on the top of worldwide building materials consumed in residential buildings. In this thesis, based on the available information on material, probabilistic models including the involved uncertainty for masonry properties has been provided for reliability study. Furthermore, a new experimental procedure for initial shear and friction coefficient, which theoretically reduces epistemic uncertainty, has been introduced. The unreinforced masonry walls that are important structural members in typical masonry buildings have been chosen as the cases of reliability study. Different verification methods for combination of in-plane shear and compression according to various codes has been collected and direct deterministic equations to predict the capacity has been extracted. In order to identify uncertainty (inaccuracy in design models), the observed (experimental results) load-carrying capacity are compared with predicted values and then the relevant uncertainty in models has been derived. Several reliability analysis using only stochastic method and using fuzzy-randomness technique has been conducted. The effect of uncertainty on assessed reliability has been highlighted. Additionally, the distinction between linear and non-linear application of partial safety factors has been investigated. Finally, by means of 3D graphs the actual reliability level of various masonry walls designed according to the latest German National Annex code DIN EN 1996-1-1 /NA :2012-05 on different load situation has been illustrated. / Analyse von unbewehrten Mauerwerkskonstruktionen mit unscharfen Daten Ingenieurmethoden zur Überprüfung von unbewehrten Mauerwerkswänden unter Scheibenschub (Probabilistische und Fuzzy-Methoden) Um sichere und ökonomische Konstruktionen zu planen, sollten die Datenunschärfe mit ihren verschiedenen Quellen bzw. Ursachen richtig charakterisiert und bei der Tragwerksplanung bzw. dem Nachweis berücksichtigt werden. Üblicherweise wird eine Zuverlässigkeitsanalyse angewendet, um einen konsistenten Tragwerksentwurf einschließlich der Unschärfe zu beurteilen. Eine vollständige probabilistische Näherungslösung ist ein brauchbares Werkzeug, um aleatorische Unschärfe zu berücksichtigen. Für die Erfassung der epistemischen Unschärfe bei der Zuverlässigkeitsanalyse sind moderne mathematische Werkzeuge wie z.B. die Fuzzy-Set-Theorie erforderlich. Unbewehrtes Mauerwerk (URM) ist als nachhaltiges Baumaterial bekannt und weltweit an der Spitze der verbauten Baumaterialien in Wohngebäuden. In dieser wissenschaftlichen Arbeit, die sich auf die verfügbaren Informationen über das Material stützt, werden probabilistische Modelle, einschließlich der zugehörigen wahrscheinlichkeitsbasierten Unschärfen der Mauerwerkseigenschaften, für die Zuverlässigkeitsstudie zur Verfügung gestellt. Außerdem wurde ein neues experimentelles Verfahren für die Ermittlung der Haftscherfestigkeit und den Reibungsbeiwert eingeführt, um die (epistemische) Unschärfe zu reduzieren. Unbewehrte Mauerwerkswände, die wichtige Tragglieder in typischen Mauerwerksgebäuden sind, wurden für die Zuverlässigkeitsstudie ausgewählt. Verschiedene Nachweismethoden für die Kombination von Scheibenschub und Druckbeanspruchung wurden nach verschiedenen Normen zusammengestellt und deterministische Gleichungen, zur Ermittlung der Tragfähigkeit herausgearbeitet. Um Unschärfe zu identifizieren (Ungenauigkeit der Modelle), werden die beobachtete Tragfähigkeit (experimentelle Ergebnisse) mit rechnerischen Werten verglichen, und daraus relevante Aussagen zur Modellunschärfe abgeleitet. Verschiedene Zuverlässigkeitsanalysen wurden zunächst mit stochastischen Methoden und danach mit einem fuzzy-randomness basierten Vorgehen geführt. Die Auswirkung der Unschärfe auf die bewertete Zuverlässigkeit wird herausgestellt. Zusätzlich wurde der Unterschied zwischen der linearen und nichtlinearen Anwendung zur Bestimmung von Teilsicherheitsfaktoren untersucht. Schließlich wird mithilfe von 3D-Graphen das Zuverlässigkeitsniveau von verschiedenen bemessenen Mauerwerkswänden nach dem letzten deutschen nationalen Anhang, DIN EN 1996-1-1/NA:2012-05, für verschiedene Lastsituationen dargestellt.

This dissertation deals with the design of the object designated as a technical service center in the town Ivančice. According to the requirements of the client the object contains the following sections: facilities for 25 people, electricians room with the storeroom, premises for the manager, the accountant and the field worker, necessary sanitary facilities, material storeroom, workshop and garages. The building is wheelchair accessible. The main vertical load-bearing constructions are built from brick blocks, the ceiling construction is monolithic reinforced concrete, the load-bearing construction of the roof is made up of wooden rafters. Workshop, garages and warehouses are located in the adjoining steel assembled hall which is sheathed in polyurethane panels.

In order to have safe and economy construction, different sources of uncertainty should be properly characterized and considered in structural design and verification. Commonly, reliability analysis is being used to evaluate the consistency of design process, including the uncertainty. A full probabilistic approach is an appropriate tool to consider the aleatory portion of uncertainty. However, in dealing with epistemic uncertainty in reliability analysis, modern mathematical tools such as fuzzy logic is required. Unreinforced masonry (URM) is known as sustainable building material and is on the top of worldwide building materials consumed in residential buildings. In this thesis, based on the available information on material, probabilistic models including the involved uncertainty for masonry properties has been provided for reliability study. Furthermore, a new experimental procedure for initial shear and friction coefficient, which theoretically reduces epistemic uncertainty, has been introduced. The unreinforced masonry walls that are important structural members in typical masonry buildings have been chosen as the cases of reliability study. Different verification methods for combination of in-plane shear and compression according to various codes has been collected and direct deterministic equations to predict the capacity has been extracted. In order to identify uncertainty (inaccuracy in design models), the observed (experimental results) load-carrying capacity are compared with predicted values and then the relevant uncertainty in models has been derived. Several reliability analysis using only stochastic method and using fuzzy-randomness technique has been conducted. The effect of uncertainty on assessed reliability has been highlighted. Additionally, the distinction between linear and non-linear application of partial safety factors has been investigated. Finally, by means of 3D graphs the actual reliability level of various masonry walls designed according to the latest German National Annex code DIN EN 1996-1-1 /NA :2012-05 on different load situation has been illustrated. / Analyse von unbewehrten Mauerwerkskonstruktionen mit unscharfen Daten Ingenieurmethoden zur Überprüfung von unbewehrten Mauerwerkswänden unter Scheibenschub (Probabilistische und Fuzzy-Methoden) Um sichere und ökonomische Konstruktionen zu planen, sollten die Datenunschärfe mit ihren verschiedenen Quellen bzw. Ursachen richtig charakterisiert und bei der Tragwerksplanung bzw. dem Nachweis berücksichtigt werden. Üblicherweise wird eine Zuverlässigkeitsanalyse angewendet, um einen konsistenten Tragwerksentwurf einschließlich der Unschärfe zu beurteilen. Eine vollständige probabilistische Näherungslösung ist ein brauchbares Werkzeug, um aleatorische Unschärfe zu berücksichtigen. Für die Erfassung der epistemischen Unschärfe bei der Zuverlässigkeitsanalyse sind moderne mathematische Werkzeuge wie z.B. die Fuzzy-Set-Theorie erforderlich. Unbewehrtes Mauerwerk (URM) ist als nachhaltiges Baumaterial bekannt und weltweit an der Spitze der verbauten Baumaterialien in Wohngebäuden. In dieser wissenschaftlichen Arbeit, die sich auf die verfügbaren Informationen über das Material stützt, werden probabilistische Modelle, einschließlich der zugehörigen wahrscheinlichkeitsbasierten Unschärfen der Mauerwerkseigenschaften, für die Zuverlässigkeitsstudie zur Verfügung gestellt. Außerdem wurde ein neues experimentelles Verfahren für die Ermittlung der Haftscherfestigkeit und den Reibungsbeiwert eingeführt, um die (epistemische) Unschärfe zu reduzieren. Unbewehrte Mauerwerkswände, die wichtige Tragglieder in typischen Mauerwerksgebäuden sind, wurden für die Zuverlässigkeitsstudie ausgewählt. Verschiedene Nachweismethoden für die Kombination von Scheibenschub und Druckbeanspruchung wurden nach verschiedenen Normen zusammengestellt und deterministische Gleichungen, zur Ermittlung der Tragfähigkeit herausgearbeitet. Um Unschärfe zu identifizieren (Ungenauigkeit der Modelle), werden die beobachtete Tragfähigkeit (experimentelle Ergebnisse) mit rechnerischen Werten verglichen, und daraus relevante Aussagen zur Modellunschärfe abgeleitet. Verschiedene Zuverlässigkeitsanalysen wurden zunächst mit stochastischen Methoden und danach mit einem fuzzy-randomness basierten Vorgehen geführt. Die Auswirkung der Unschärfe auf die bewertete Zuverlässigkeit wird herausgestellt. Zusätzlich wurde der Unterschied zwischen der linearen und nichtlinearen Anwendung zur Bestimmung von Teilsicherheitsfaktoren untersucht. Schließlich wird mithilfe von 3D-Graphen das Zuverlässigkeitsniveau von verschiedenen bemessenen Mauerwerkswänden nach dem letzten deutschen nationalen Anhang, DIN EN 1996-1-1/NA:2012-05, für verschiedene Lastsituationen dargestellt.

The subject of this thesis is the development of a project documentation of a mixed-use building situated in Kroměříž. The building has four above-ground floors and a basement. In the basement there are cellars, a workshop, a warehouse, a technical room and an underground garage. On the first floor there are shops, café with the capacity of twenty people and a pharmacy. There are also two handicap accessible apartments. The second to fourth floors are made out of residential units of which there are eight. The roof structure is designed as a warm flat green roof or terrace. The external and internal vertical structures are made out of Heluz ceramic pieces. Horizontal structures are made out of reinforced concrete.

La tesi è rivolta allo studio comparativo delle tecniche costruttive datate tra tardo antico e romanico (fine IV-XII secolo), con particolare attinenza agli edifici di culto milanesi. L'obiettivo principale è stato quello di delineare le linee evolutive delle tecniche costruttive e identificare la presenza di caratteri tecnici particolari che avessero valore di indicatore cronotipologico. Il quadro complesso e articolato degli studi pregressi sulle più note basiliche medievali milanesi ha reso necessaria l'indagine, per la presenza di ipotesi interpretative contraddittorie e la frequente carenza di indagini aggiornate sotto il profilo metodologico. Per questa ragione, la prima parte del lavoro è stata rivolta alla definizione della storia degli studi editi riguardanti temi di carattere archeologico e architettonico, che hanno costituito la base di riferimento per l'individuazione delle campionature murarie da analizzare. Nell'ambito di questa stessa sezione si è resa poi indispensabile la stesura di una parte destinata alla trattazione del metodo utilizzato che, per quanto riguarda l'analisi del materiale da costruzione in laterizio, ha previsto l'applicazione, in via sperimentale su un raggio di indagine così esteso, del metodo mensiocronologico al materiale di recupero. La seconda parte della tesi ha riguardato l'analisi dei principali contesti architettonici esaminati (S. Giovanni alle Fonti, S. Tecla, S. Simpliciano, S. Nazaro Maggiore, S. Ambrogio, S. Eustorgio), affrontata con schede apposite destinate all'inquadramento dei dati storico-archeologici pregressi, delle campionature murarie esaminate, in pietra e laterizio, e dei risultati delle analisi metriche. Ogni fase costruttiva individuata è stata poi approfondita in sezioni specifiche nelle quali sono confluiti i risultati raggiunti. La terza ed ultima parte del lavoro, è stata infine rivolta alla trattazione delle cronotipologie dei tipi costruttivi elaborate (in opus latericium, opus latericium spicatum e opera di spolia), a quella dei principali indicatori cronotipologici individuati e alle loro modalità di trasformazione nel tempo. Il lavoro di ricerca ha aperto molteplici prospettive di approfondimento, relative ai singoli monumenti trattati ma anche a problematiche di più ampio respiro nel settore dell'edilizia medievale, che sono state trattate nel capitolo conclusivo. / The thesis is dedicated to the comparative study of construction techniques dating from late antiquity and Romanesque (end of 4th-12th century), with particular attention to the religious buildings in Milan. The main objective was to represent the evolutionary lines of the construction techniques and to identify the presence of technical characteristics that have a specific age-typology meaning. The contradictory interpretative hypotheses and the lack of up-to date - in terms of methodology - investigations within the complex and extensive literature on the most known medieval basilicas in Milan has inspired this investigation. For this reason, the first part of the work treats the definition of the history of the published studies on the archaeological and architectural subjects, which have represented the reference for the identification of the masonry samples to be analyzed. As part of this section it was necessary the drafting of a description of the method used. With regard to the analysis of structural clay material, such process provided for the application - on an experimental basis on a so extensive investigation - of the metric-age analysis method to the recovered material. The second part of the thesis concerned the analysis of the main architectural complexes examined (S. Giovanni alle Fonti, S. Tecla, S. Simpliciano, S. Nazario Maggiore, St. Ambrose, St. Eustorgio), performed through dedicated files for the classification of former historic-archaeological data, of the masonry and the stone and brick samples tested, and of the results of the metric analysis. Each identified construction phase was then further investigated in specific sections where the results are gathered. The third and final part of the work concerns the discussion of the developed age-typologies of the construction materials (opus latericium, opus spicatum latericium and works in spolia), the main age-typology indicators identified and the different ways they changed over time. The research has opened up many scenarios for further studies, in relation to the individual monuments treated but also to broader issues in the sector of the Middle Ages building activity, as discussed in the final section.

The diploma thesis deals with the project of hotel with restaurant situated in Valašské Klobouky. The building has two above ground floors and partial basement. Accommodation capacity is forty-three beds, restaurant capacity is sixty seats. The object is made of free rectangles and has a gable roof. There is a restaurant, reception and rooms on the first floor. On the second floor, there are only rooms. The external and internal vertical structures are made of Heluz ceramic pieces, horizontal structures are made of reinforced concrete. External thermal insulation composite system is designed. The diploma thesis has the form of project documentation for construction.

The subject of this thesis is elaboration of design documentation in the stage of documentation for the construction of mixed-use building in Karviná. It is a new building which is functionally and despositionally divided into commercial part, residential part and garage part. This mixed-use building disposes with four above-ground floors and one basement. On the first floor there is a commercial part, and the next three floors are intended for living. The basement is reserved for parking. The building is designed as a combination of frame and wall system and it is based on foundation pads and strips. The roof is designed flat and green.