Several recent projects in building science have examined the hygric performance of building materials. Most building materials adsorb from and desorb water vapour to their environments. This phenomenon could be used to help control relative humidity fluctuations in buildings, experienced during periods of moisture production such as cooking, washing or bathing. They could also be used to reduce the need for mechanical ventilation and air conditioning to remove excess moisture. To understand how a building material responds to transient changes in relative humidity, testing is required.<p> This thesis outlines the testing performed on gypsum board, a common wall and ceiling finishing material used inside buildings. The effect of paint coatings on the gypsum boards and heat and mass transfer coefficients of the air passing over the gypsum bed was tested. The data produced from these experiments was used to validate several numerical models through an International Energy Agency/Energy Conservation in Buildings and Community Systems (IEA/ECBCS), Annex 41: Whole Building Heat, Air and Moisture Response. The validated models are important for simulating the process of adsorption and desorption in building materials to predict failure in the building envelope and expected indoor air conditions.<p> A sensitivity analysis is also presented which examines the effects of the sorption isotherm and vapour permeability of the gypsum and paints as well as the heat and mass transfer coefficients the boards are exposed to. The sensitivity range used was determined from the tests performed on the gypsum boards and paints which were also performed during the work of Annex 41.<p> The results of this thesis produced a high quality data which can also be used to validate future numerical models. All information required for validation of future models is available such as dimensions of test section, test conditions, material properties and the experimental data.<p> The results show that when designing for passive humidity control in buildings using gypsum boards, the most influential factor is the type of coating or paint applied to the surface. The sensitivity analysis showed that material properties such as vapour permeability and the sorption isotherms, for the expected temperature range, should be well known for increased accuracy of the simulation. The material properties were determined from inter-laboratory testing at 14 different institutions to achieve confident values.<p> The effect of increasing the heat and mass transfer coefficients, over the range of coefficients studied in this thesis, showed negligible differences in the results. The simulated results had very good agreement between the models and were mostly within experimental uncertainty of the measurements.

Several recent projects in building science have examined the hygric performance of building materials. Most building materials adsorb from and desorb water vapour to their environments. This phenomenon could be used to help control relative humidity fluctuations in buildings, experienced during periods of moisture production such as cooking, washing or bathing. They could also be used to reduce the need for mechanical ventilation and air conditioning to remove excess moisture. To understand how a building material responds to transient changes in relative humidity, testing is required.<p> This thesis outlines the testing performed on gypsum board, a common wall and ceiling finishing material used inside buildings. The effect of paint coatings on the gypsum boards and heat and mass transfer coefficients of the air passing over the gypsum bed was tested. The data produced from these experiments was used to validate several numerical models through an International Energy Agency/Energy Conservation in Buildings and Community Systems (IEA/ECBCS), Annex 41: Whole Building Heat, Air and Moisture Response. The validated models are important for simulating the process of adsorption and desorption in building materials to predict failure in the building envelope and expected indoor air conditions.<p> A sensitivity analysis is also presented which examines the effects of the sorption isotherm and vapour permeability of the gypsum and paints as well as the heat and mass transfer coefficients the boards are exposed to. The sensitivity range used was determined from the tests performed on the gypsum boards and paints which were also performed during the work of Annex 41.<p> The results of this thesis produced a high quality data which can also be used to validate future numerical models. All information required for validation of future models is available such as dimensions of test section, test conditions, material properties and the experimental data.<p> The results show that when designing for passive humidity control in buildings using gypsum boards, the most influential factor is the type of coating or paint applied to the surface. The sensitivity analysis showed that material properties such as vapour permeability and the sorption isotherms, for the expected temperature range, should be well known for increased accuracy of the simulation. The material properties were determined from inter-laboratory testing at 14 different institutions to achieve confident values.<p> The effect of increasing the heat and mass transfer coefficients, over the range of coefficients studied in this thesis, showed negligible differences in the results. The simulated results had very good agreement between the models and were mostly within experimental uncertainty of the measurements.

Orientador: Wesley Jorge Freire / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Agricola / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-10T15:14:00Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Milani_AnaPauladaSilva_D.pdf: 3076744 bytes, checksum: 90564ecb142bc32caa265925c34b592f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008 / Resumo: No Brasil existem sérios problemas ambientais no que se refere à constante geração de resíduos agroindustriais e a falta de tecnologias e materiais de construção energeticamente eficientes. Buscando um material alternativo de construção que minimize esta degradação ambiental e reduza os custos energéticos do produto final, no presente trabalho foram pesquisadas diferentes misturas de solo-cimento-cinza de casca de arroz, de forma a resgatar o uso da terra crua como elemento construtivo sustentável e proporcionar à cinza residual de casca de arroz uma destinação final adequada. O principal objetivo da pesquisa foi estudar as características de diferentes misturas de solo-cimento-cinza priorizando a máxima incorporação de cinza residual aliado ao mínimo consumo do estabilizante cimento para obtenção de um material que atenda às solicitações usuais de paredes de vedação, bem como submeter o material solo-cimento-cinza a avaliações de desempenho na construção de paredes monolíticas para habitações, quer sejam urbanas ou rurais. Para tal, foram realizados o peneiramento da cinza de casca de arroz e o estudo de dosagem das misturas de solo-cimento-cinza através de ensaios de compactação normal de Proctor e de ensaios de compressão simples e de ultra-som. A partir deste estudo preliminar, as misturas de solo-cimento-cinza que melhores resultados apresentaram foram utilizadas para a determinação de suas outras características físicas e mecânicas sendo, posteriormente, selecionadas para a construção de uma edificação protótipo, cujos desempenho estrutural, desempenho térmico e desempenho físico das paredes monolíticas de solo-cimento-cinza de casca de arroz foram avaliados e analisados tecnicamente. Pôde-se concluir que o solo arenoso, quando substituído por 7,5% de cinza (em massa) e estabilizado com 10% de cimento, apresentou-se como um material alternativo de construção de boa qualidade, de baixo custo e com potencialidade para construção de componentes construtivos em habitações de interesse social / Abstract: The environmental concern related to the indiscriminate extraction of Brazilian natural resources and the ceaseless agricultural and industrial waste generation became a serious problem demanding for a quick solution. So this work was done in order to minimize the environment degradation by using rice husk ash added to mixtures of soil and cement aiming at the obtainment of an alternative construction material. For this purpose, a sandy soil was treated with different amounts of cement and rice husk ash before being submitted to physical and mechanical tests. The rice husk ash preparation consisted of grinding and sieving later followed by physical characteristics determination in laboratory conditions. The different mixtures of soil, cement and rice husk ash were firstly tested for compaction and unconfined compression and afterwards by many others physical and mechanical tests in order to determine their main characteristics. The soil-cement-rice husk ash mixture presenting the best results in terms of mechanical strength, water absorption and ultrasonic wave velocity was utilized for the construction of a prototype building whose structural, thermic and physical performances of the soil-cement-rice husk ash monolithic walls were technically analysed. The results showed that the sandy soil partially substituted by 7.5% of rice husk ash and stabilized with 10% of cement was the best treatment, pointing out its promising use as an alternative material for rural construction / Doutorado / Construções Rurais e Ambiencia / Doutor em Engenharia Agrícola

Orientador : Wesley Jorge Freire / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Agricola / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-04T02:41:28Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Milani_AnaPauladaSilva_M.pdf: 1388298 bytes, checksum: 29b07ee608ddbe854bae23bf9715ab1a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2005 / Resumo: No Brasil existem sérios problemas ambientais no que se refere à extração indiscriminada de recursos naturais e à constante geração de resíduos agroindustriais. Buscando soluções que minimizem esta degradação ambiental, o presente trabalho pesquisou misturas de solo + aglomerante mineral + resíduo agroindustrial, sendo utilizado, como recurso natural, a terra; como estabilizante, o cimento e a cal; e, como resíduo agroindustrial, a casca de arroz. O principal objetivo da pesquisa foi estudar os efeitos da adição de combinações de cimentocasca de arroz e de cal-casca de arroz nas propriedades físico-mecânicas de um solo predominantemente arenoso e outro solo predominantemente argiloso, bem como avaliar a viabilidade técnica da confecção de tijolos de solo-cimento-casca de arroz e solo-cal-casca de arroz. Para tal, foram realizados o fracionamento, peneiramento e pré-tratamento (em solução de cal) da casca de arroz; estudo de dosagem das misturas de solo-aglomerante-casca de arroz através de ensaios de compactação normal de Proctor e ensaio de compressão simples. A partir deste estudo preliminar, as misturas de solo-aglomerante-casca de arroz que melhores resultados apresentaram em termos de desempenho mecânico foram utilizadas para a confecção de corpos-de-prova e tijolos para posterior caracterização físico-mecânica. A avaliação dos corpo-de-prova de solo-aglomerante-casca de arroz consistiu na aplicação dos ensaios de compressão simples, de tração na compressão diametral, aos 7 e 28 dias, de absorção d¿água e de ultra-som. Já os tijolos de solo-aglomerante-casca de arroz foram submetidos aos ensaios de compressão simples aos 7, 28 e 60 dias, de absorção de água e de ultra-som. Depois de determinadas e estatisticamente analisadas as principais características físicas e mecânicas das misturas de solo-aglomerante-casca de arroz, pôde-se concluir que o solo arenoso, adicionado de 12% de combinações de cimento-casca de arroz, apresentou-se como promissor material para utilização na fabricação de tijolos prensados a serem utilizados em construções e instalações rurais / Abstract: The environmental concern related to the indiscriminate extraction of Brazilian natural resources and the ceaseless agricultural and industrial waste generation became a serious problem demanding for a quick solution. So this work was done in order to minimize the environment degradation by using rice husk added to mixtures of soil and cement or lime aiming at the obtainment of an alternative construction material. For this purpose, two different types of soil, a sandy soil and a clayey one, were treated with different amounts of cement, lime and rice husk before being submitted to physical and mechanical tests. The rice husk preparation consisted of grinding, sieving, and pre-treatment with lime solution followed by physical analysis in laboratory conditions. The different mixtures of soil, cement, lime and rice husk were tested for compaction and unconfined compression. The specimens molded according to the treatments applied to the mixtures were subsequently submitted to compression testing at 7 and 28 days old as well as to water absorption and to ultrasonic pulse velocity tests. The soil-cement/lime-rice husk mixtures presenting the best results in terms of mechanical strength were utilized for specimen molding and brick manufacturing, the specimens being tested for both the compression and the splitting tensile strength at 7 and 28 days old as well as to water absorption and ultrasonic pulse velocity tests. On the other hand, the bricks were tested to compression at 7, 28 and 60 days old, to water absorption and to ultrasonic pulse velocity. The obtained data were then statically analyzed and the results showed that the sandy soil added of 12% of the cement and rice husk combination was the best treatment in terms of physical and mechanical properties, pointing out its promising use as an alternative material for brick manufacture to be used in rural construction / Mestrado / Construções Rurais e Ambiencia / Mestre em Engenharia Agrícola

The specification of building material is required in multiple phases of engineering and construction projects towards holistic BIM implementations. Building material information plays a vital role in design decisions by enabling different simulation processes, such as energy, acoustic, lighting, etc. Utilization and sharing of building material information between stakeholders are some of the major influencing factors on the practical implementation of the BIM process. Different meta-data schemas (e.g. IFC) are usually available to represent and share material information amongst partners involved in a construction project. However, these schemas have their own constraints to enable efficient data sharing amongst stakeholders. This paper explains these constraints and proposes a methodological approach for the representation of material data using semantic web concepts aiming to support the sharing of BIM data and interoperability enhancements in collaboration workflows. As a result, the DICBM (https://w3id.org/digitalconstruction/BuildingMaterials) ontology was developed which improves the management of building material information in the BIM-based collaboration process.:Abstract 1. Introduction and Background 1.1 Building Information Modeling for collaboration 1.2 Information management in AEC using semantic web technologies 2 DICBM: Digital Construction Building Material Ontology 2.1 Building Material Data in IFC 2.2 Overview of the building material ontology 2.3 Integration of external ontology concepts and roles 2.4 Material Definition 2.5 Material, Material Type, and Material Property 2.6 Data Properties in DICBM 3 Conclusions Acknowledgments References

Le séchage des matériaux de construction et des sols a une grande importance sur leurs propriétés finales et est un enjeu critique du point de vue économique et énergétique. Ces matériaux contiennent des grains de toutes tailles (incluant une fraction colloïdale) et de l'eau. Nous étudions les phénomènes physiques essentiels à l'origine de ces propriétés de séchage à partir d'une séparation d'échelle plus nette que dans les matériaux réels entre les tailles caractéristiques de l'échantillon, des pores et des éléments dans le fluide interstitiel. Des milieux poreux 3D sont observés à l'aide de l'IRM et de la tomographie au rayon X, et des milieux poreux modèles à l'aide d'une caméra et d'un microscope confocal. Trois catégories de fluides interstitiels saturant initialement la structure poreuse ont été étudiées : un liquide pur, des suspensions de particules rigides et des suspensions de particules molles. Le séchage d'un liquide pur met en évidence un régime d'évaporation où le taux de séchage est constant. L'eau s'écoule par pompage capillaire pour approvisionner en eau la surface libre où l'évaporation a lieu. Comme l'évaporation est localisée à la surface libre, des simulations par éléments finis mettent en évidence la sensibilité du taux de séchage à la configuration locale de l'interface eau/air. Les suspensions de particules ralentissent toujours la cinétique de séchage en comparaison de l'eau seule. A faible fraction volumique, les particules migrent vers la surface lors du séchage d'un milieu poreux et ralentissent la cinétique de séchage en formant une zone compactée. Les particules molles peuvent se comprimer et augmenter ainsi le nombre de particules par unité de volume ce qui influence la longueur de diffusion de la vapeur d'eau. A fraction volumique élevée, la viscosité du fluide empêche l'écoulement ainsi les cinétiques de séchage sont très lentes et les particules ne se déplacent pas / Drying of building materials and soils plays a major role in their final properties and is a main economics and environmental issue. In this thesis, we study the drying of complex porous media to better understand the impact of particles in the interstitial fluid. With a clear scale separation between the sample, pores and particles sizes, we observe water and particles distributions by camera, MRI, X-ray tomography and confocal microscope. We show that the fluid evolution and the drying kinetics are coupled. We study three kinds of fluids: pure liquid, hard and soft particles suspensions. The drying rate of pure water remains constant and generally persists until the majority of water is evaporated. The fluid flows through the porous network, due to capillary depression, to provide water to the free surface where evaporation occurs. We show, by Finite Elements Method, that the drying rate is very sensitive to the shape of the air/water interface. Particles suspensions always slow down the drying kinetics compare to pure water. At low volume fraction, particles migrate towards the surface and drying rate is linked to the increases of the compacted area. Soft particles can compress, thus the compacted area may shrink and influences drying rate. At high volume fraction, viscous dissipation is high and limit the fluid flow therefore particles do not migrate and the drying kinetics is slow

In this dissertation I assess craft production during China’s contentious Northern Wei (or Beiwei) Dynasty (398-494 CE) from both technological and cultural perspectives. The Northern Wei were a “foreign” Xianbei ethnic group who imposed their rule over north China for almost a century. I combine materials analyses of architectural ceramics excavated at royal building sites in the dynasty’s capital city of Datong with historical texts to understand the environmental, political, ethnic, religious, and technological forces that shaped production. I conclude that production processes reflect the complex interaction of new political and religious ideas and practices with longstanding craft traditions. Analyses of mineral and chemical composition of architectural ceramic samples by petrographic thin section and instrumental neutron activation analysis show that artisans selected and processed raw clay materials to achieve certain technical properties, such as low-shrinkage, required for final products. They maintained and refined established techniques such as using molds to facilitate forming of the clay body, and employed downdraft kilns to maintain steady firing temperatures, as shown in thermal expansion tests. They also introduced new techniques such as methods of burnishing roof tiles to increase water resistance. Decorative changes, such as the appearance of lotus patterns on roof tile ends, reflect the expansion of Buddhist influences, underscoring that royal building materials also carried significant political and ritual power in addition to their functionality. These Beiwei materials also reveal details about craft organization: inscriptions found on roof tiles complement details from historical texts, suggesting that ethnic Han artisans worked in construction projects for their new Xianbei rulers. The lack of skilled artisans at this time of constant warfare forced the rulers to adopt a special household-based structure to control and maintain non-Xianbei artisans at a certain social level. With time, these artisans were able to use their skills to gain economic independence and a certain level of management over their production. Architectural ceramics reveal intertwined economic, social, and political variables that played crucial roles in the technological choices and organization of production during this key transitional period of China’s early medieval history.

abstract: Learning from the anatomy of leaves, a new approach to bio-inspired passive evaporative cooling is presented that utilizes the temperature-responsive properties of PNIPAm hydrogels. Specifically, an experimental evaporation rate from the polymer, PNIPAm, is determined within an environmental chamber, which is programmed to simulate temperature and humidity conditions common in Phoenix, Arizona in the summer. This evaporation rate is then used to determine the theoretical heat transfer through a layer of PNIPAm that is attached to an exterior wall of a building within a ventilated cavity in Phoenix. The evaporation of water to the air gap from the polymer layer absorbs heat that could otherwise be conducted to the interior space of the building and then dispels it as a vapor away from the building. The results indicate that the addition of the PNIPAm layer removes all heat radiated from the exterior cladding, indicating that it could significantly reduce the demand for air conditioning at the interior side of the wall to which it is attached. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Built Environment 2018

The subject of the thesis is a price comparison of a variant technical solution of a specific building. The thesis consists of two parts. The theoretical part describes the basic terms used in the processing of calculation and budget, price theory, types of prices and software used for budget. The practical part consists of the proposal of variable technical solutions and their comparison based on the chosen criteria. The conclusion is the evaluation of various variable technical solutions and the selection of the most suitable technical solution regarding the purpose of the building.

Today, the world's natural ecosystems are threatened by increased extraction of raw materials andgreenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere. One of the drivers of this problem is the impact fromindustries through their production. A possible strategy to reduce pressure on natural ecosystems is toincrease the use of industrial ecosystems. The circular economy is an approach that supports the reuseof products by reusing, recycling and minimising waste. Like a natural ecosystem, waste can beused as an input material for new production. Today, the construction industry contributes to a largeamount of waste, requires a large amount of extracted materials and generates high levels ofgreenhouse gas emissions. One of the world's most widely used construction materials is concrete. Byreusing and recycling concrete, the need for virgin material and waste sent to landfill can be reduced. The aim of the study is to contribute to a better understanding of the current economic barriers andhow different activities could be improved to create economic profitability and stimulate the reuse andrecycling of concrete. Through a literature study of previous research regarding economic barriers ofreuse and recycling of building materials, different circular strategies for the management of concrete,and EU and Swedish legislation, regulations, and certifications for circular economy in theconstruction industry, relevant interview questions could be developed. The interviews represent theresult and answer questions regarding current economic barriers for reuse and recycling of concreteand opportunities for future profitability, as well as exploring the environmental suitability ofdifferent circular strategies in the concrete industry. A total of 10 interviews were conducted withdifferent stakeholders in the concrete and construction industry. The main economic barriers identified in the study regarding reuse of concrete are due to lack ofmarket interest, difficult logistics involving transport and storage of elements, getting an economicflow in the business model, increased labour and quality certification. The most essential economicbarriers to the recycling of concrete are due to a potential risk for the material to be classified as waste,increased transport of materials, planning of material supply, higher cost of recycled materialcompared to virgin material, and regulations that promote high-value reuse. Identified opportunitiesthat can contribute to improved future profitability for both reuse and recycling of concrete arecircular strategies and business models, the ability to demonstrate reduced climate impact,regulations and standards, and new work methods. The interviews have also indicated that different circular strategies for the management of concreteare suitable in different types of projects. The upcycling of materials should not be favoured at anycost if it can be proven that the method of recycling contributes to the need for less virgin material.Circular strategies in the concrete industry should beneficially be included in a CE at the societal level.In this way, synergies can be created, and the use of resources can benefit both the environment andthe economy. / Idag hotas världens ekosystem genom allt fler uttag av naturens egna råvaror och ökadeväxthusgasutsläpp till atmosfären. Industrier har stor påverkan på detta problem. En möjlig strategiför att minska påfrestningar på naturliga ekosystem är att i högre utsträckning utnyttja industriellaekosystem. Cirkulär ekonomi är en metod som stödjer återanvändning av produkter genom attåterbruka, återvinna och minimera mängden avfall. Likt ett industriellt ekosystem kan avfall användassom ingående material vid nyproduktion. Idag bidrar byggindustrin till en stor mängd avfall, kräveren stor mängd utvunnet material och genererar höga växthusgasutsläpp. Ett av världens mestanvända byggmaterial är betong. Genom att återbruka och återvinna betong kan behovet avjungfruligt material och avfall som behöver deponeras minskas. Syftet med studien är att bidra till en bättre förståelse av nuvarande ekonomiska hinder och hur olikaaktiviteter kan förbättras för att skapa ekonomisk lönsamhet och stimulera återbruk och återvinningav betong. Genom en litteraturstudie bestående av tidigare forskning av ekonomiska hinder medåterbruk och återvinning av byggmaterial, olika cirkulära strategier för hantering av betong, samt EUoch svenska lagar, regleringar och certifieringar för cirkulär ekonomi i byggbranschen kunde lämpligaintervjufrågor tas fram. Intervjuerna ligger till grund för resultatet och besvarar frågor vad gällerdagens ekonomiska hinder för återbruk och återvinning av betong och möjligheter för framtidalönsamhet, samt utforskandet av lämplighet för olika cirkulära strategier i betongindustrin. Totaltgenomfördes 10 intervjuer med olika aktörer inom betong- och byggindustrin. De främsta ekonomiska hinder som identifierats i studien vad gäller återbruk av betong beror påavsaknad efterfrågan, försvårad logistik som innebär transportering och förvaring av element, att fåett ekonomiskt flöde i affärsmodellen, ökade arbetsmoment och kvalitetssäkring. De mest väsentligaekonomiska hinder vad gäller återvinning av betong beror på risken att materialet kan klassas somavfall, ökad mängd transporter av material, planering av materialåtgång, den högre kostnaden föråtervunnet material jämfört med jungfruligt material och regleringar som förespråkar återanvändningav högt värde. Identifierade möjligheter som kan bidra till förbättrad framtida lönsamhet för bådeåterbruk och återvinning av betong är cirkulära strategier och affärsmodeller, möjligheten att påvisaminskad klimatpåverkning, regler och standarder samt nya arbetsmetoder. Utifrån intervjuerna har det även framkommit att olika cirkulära strategier för hantering av betong ärlämpliga vid olika projekt. Att upcycla materialet bör inte till varje pris eftersträvas om det kan bevisasatt metoden för återvinningen kan bidra till ett behov av en lägre mängd jungfruligt material.Cirkulära strategier inom betongindustrin bör fördelaktigt inkluderas i en CE på samhällsnivå. Då kansynergier skapas och användning av resurser kan främja både miljö och ekonomi.