The diploma thesis deals with superstructure of apartment building in brno, which is located in a row house construction. The goal of the diploma thesis is to design new supporting structures and minimize the load from these construction because of low reservs in the load capacity of the existing supporting walls. the thesis contains a technical report, analysis of statics, drawing documentation and visualization. The internal forces were executed by software scia engineer.

The subject of this diploma thesis is the building design and project documentation of a new kindergarten in Brno. It is a new detached building structure with two floors, designed on a flat plot no. 1510/1 in cadastre unit Brno – Komín. The building is constructed of clay masonry with contact thermal insulation, supported by strip foundations. Ceiling construction is made of prestressed hollow-core slabs. This object is roofed by a single-layer and double-layered, flat roof. This kindergarten is designed for 60 children divided into three sections. Two sections are located on the 1st floor together with food preparation and technical rooms. The third section is on the 2nd floor with headquarters and a common room. This project was developed using AutoCAD software. The focus during development was on the proposed layout design in accordance with the kindergarten’s operations.

This thesis deals with the design of brewery in Litomyšl. Brewery with beer production 2000hl per year and restaurant for 140 guests and kitchen have the main function of the building. The building is designed as one construction object and its built-up area is 472,2 square meters. The building has a partial basement, two floors and it has structural masonry system. A load-bearing walls of two floors are formed by clay masonry and the load-bearing walls of the basement are formed by permanent formwork. A roof of the building is a flat roof with a slope of 3 percent and the finish is made of modifed bitumen membrane.

Recent research interests in studying the performance of different seismic force resisting systems (SFRS) have been shifting from component- (individual walls) to system-level (complete building) studies. Although there is wealth of knowledge on component-level performance of reinforced masonry shear walls (RMSW) under seismic loading, a gap still exists in understanding the response of these components within a complete system. Consequently, this study’s main objective is to investigate the influence of the diaphragm’s out-of-plane stiffness on the seismic response of RMSW buildings. In addition, the study aims to synthesize how this influence can be implemented in different seismic design approaches and assessment frameworks. To meet these objectives a two-story scaled asymmetrical RMSW building was tested under quasi-static cyclic loading. The analysis of the test results showed that the floor diaphragms’ out-of-plane stiffness played an important role in flexurally coupling the RMSW aligned along the loading direction with those walls orthogonal to it. This system-level aspect affected not only the different wall strength and displacement demands but also the failure mechanism sequence and the building twist response. The results of the study also showed that neglecting diaphragm flexural coupling influence on the RMSW at the system-level may result in unconservative designs and possibly undesirable failure modes. To address these findings, an analytical model was developed that can account for the aforementioned influences, in which, simplified load-displacement relationships were developed to predict RMSW component- and system-level responses under lateral seismic loads. This model is expected to give better predictions of the system response which can be implemented, within the model limitations, in forced- and displacement-based seismic design approaches. In addition, and in order to adapt to the increasing interest in more resilient buildings, this study presents an approach to calculate the system robustness based on the experimental data. Finally, literature shows that the vast majority of the loss models available for RMSW systems were based on individual component testing and/or engineering judgment. Consequently, this study proposes system damage states in lieu of component damage states in order to enhance the prediction capabilities of such models. The current dissertation highlights the significant influence of the diaphragm out-of-plane stiffness on the system-level response that may alter the RMSW response to seismic events; an issue that need to be addressed in design codes and standards. / Dissertation / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Masonry spires are a typical part of church architecture. Since it is rare that masonry is used as a load-bearing material in the western world today, it is important to maintain and increase the knowledge of modelling masonry structures both from a maintenance point of view and to build new masonry structures. The purpose of this master thesis is to look at and evaluate some different methods to model masonry spires exposed to common loads such as gravity, settlement and wind. The spire of the Salisbury Cathedral is used as a template regarding geometry and mechanical properties for the modelling methods. Two modelling methods are used in the master’s thesis. The first one is the limit analysis method applied to masonry. It is used to calculate a critical thickness for the masonry of the spire for a severe wind load. The second method is the Finite Element Method (FEM). The commercial finite element software Abaqus is used to create the model and the discretization used with the FE modelling is the macro-modelling approach. Concrete Damage Plasticity (CDP) in Abaqus is used as the material model and adapted to masonry. The finite element model consists of the spire itself along with the supporting structure beneath it down to the piers. Four different simulations (jobs) are run with varying wind direction and two of them have settling piers. The results from the finite element simulations indicate that the membrane stresses in the spire faces for the various jobs were not significantly different from one another. One of the jobs with settling piers could not be completed because the tensile stresses in the arches reached the tensile strength capacity of the material. The other simulation with a settlement that did complete did not have any significant difference in stress compared with the simulations without settlements. While the arches and the piers underwent plastic straining the spire itself did not. The stress levels there remained in the linear range for all the completed simulations. The finite element results also agree with the limit analysis. These findings call into question some of the modelling choices. The inclusion of the structure beneath the spire in the finite element model, as a way to study the effect of settlements, did not give more insight into the spire’s behaviour. Furthermore, the method to implement settlements was too inaccurate and another approach should be used to study the effect of settlements on the state of spires. Further work needs to be done on that topic. Improvements can also be made regarding how CDP was adapted for masonry. / Murade tornspiror är en vanlig takkonstruktion inom kyrkoarkitekturen. Eftersom det numera är sällsynt att murverk fungerar som lastbärande material i västvärlden, är det viktigt att upprätthålla och utöka kunskapen om murverkskonstruktioner för både underhåll och nybyggnation. Syftet med denna masteruppsats är att betrakta och utvärdera några olika modelleringsmetoder för murade tornspiror som är utsatta för några typiska laster såsom egentyngd, sättningar och vind. Katedralen i Salisbury används som en modelleringsmall i uppsatsen med avseende på katedralens geometri och materialegenskaper. Två modelleringsmetoder används i uppsatsen. Den första är gränsanalys tillämpad på murverkskonstruktioner. Den används för att beräkna en kritisk tjocklek för tornspiran under en stor vindlast. Den andra metoden är Finita Elementmetoden (FEM). Den kommersiella finita elementprogramvaran Abaqus används för finita elementanalysen och diskretiseringen som används för murverket i finita elementmodellen är makromodellering. Concrete Damage Plasticity (CDP) i Abaqus används som materialmodell och anpassas för murverk. Finita elementmodellen består utav själva tornspiran inklusive de bärande delarna under spiran och ned till pelarna. Fyra olika simuleringar ("jobb") körs med vindlast som angriper från olika riktningar och två av simuleringarna har pelare som sätter sig. Resultaten från simuleringarna visar att membranspänningarna i tornspirans väggar, för de olika jobben, inte skilde sig i någon betydelig grad från varandra. Ett av jobben med pelare som satte sig kunde inte köras klart eftersom dragspänningarna i valvbågarna överskred draghållfastheten på murverket i modellen. Den andra simuleringen med sättningar som kördes klart uppvisade inte några avsevärda skillnader i spänningar i tornspiran jämfört med simuleringarna utan sättningar. Medan plastiska töjningar uppkom i både valvbågarna och pelarna i modellen, uppkom de inte i tornspiran. Spänningsnivåerna i tornspiran var inom det linjära intervallet för alla simuleringar. Resultaten från finita elementanalysen stämde överens med resultaten från gränsanalysen. Analysresultaten ifrågasätter vissa av modelleringsvalen. Att inkludera de bärande delarna under tornspiran i finita elementmodellen, för att undersöka effekten av sättningar, gav inte en större insikt i hur sättningar påverkar tornspiran. Dessutom, var metoden för att tillämpa sättningar för oprecis och en annan metod borde användas. Mer arbete måste utföras vad gäller det ämnet. Sättet att tillämpa CDP för murverk kan också förbättras.

Submitted in fulfillment for the Master of Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering and Surveying, Durban University of Technology. Durban. South Africa, 2015. / Beam and block slab systems have become a preferred suspended flooring technology in South Africa. Their structural efficiency and relatively low cost makes them suitable for low to medium cost developments. Like all other structural components, they are required to demonstrate sound structural integrity. Concerns were raised by some manufacturers and users in Durban (South Africa) about (a) the lack of basic technical information which makes it difficult to identify methods of improving efficiency and effectiveness of these flooring systems in general, (b) the efficiency and effectiveness of concrete masonry rebated filler blocks - with respect to the load carrying capacity and protecting the structural topping from fire, (c) what constitutes acceptable quality of a deliberately roughened precast concrete surface, (d) interfacial tensile bond strength of special connections and (e) an alternative rib that can span 5 metres without temporary props. These issues were investigated by the student. Thus, this project aimed at improving the structural efficiency and effectiveness in designing, manufacturing and constructing beam and block slab systems was undertaken in Durban, South Africa, between 2012 and 2013. Pilot studies (involving questionnaires), interviews with manufacturers, site visits, and testing of non-structural and structural components were also undertaken. The first aim (in order to address concern (a)) was to provide users of beam and block slab systems with basic technical information about the possible ways to improve efficiency and effectiveness in the design, manufacturing and construction of beam and block slab systems by undertaking an exploratory (pilot) study to better understand users of these systems concerns. The second aim (to address concern (b)) was to investigate, by conducting a series of strength to weight ratio tests, how efficient or inefficient these filler blocks are, examine the structural integrity with respect to the integrity of the manufacturing methodologies and the product thereof, and formulate a method to quantify the fire-resistivity of concrete masonry rebated filler blocks to the structural topping with respect to confining fire. The third aim (to address concern (c)) was to determine what constituted acceptable quality of a deliberately roughened precast concrete surface through a literature review and by conducting a survey to learn about the construction methodologies used by manufacturers. Site visits were undertaken to validate information given by the contractors. The fourth aim (to address concern (d)) was to determine interfacial tensile bond strength through physical testing of deliberately roughened concrete ribs which are sometimes used in special connections. The fifth aim (to address the last concern (e)) was to make an assessment by undertaking a basic comparison study between one local beam and block slab system that uses a shallow rectangular precast pretensioned rib to beam and block slab systems used in the United Kingdom and propose an ideal section (precast pretensioned rib) that spans up to 5 metres without temporary props. With respect to the first aim, it was found that the lack of technical knowledge, including access to critical information about the design philosophy, manufacturing and construction standards of these flooring systems leads to reluctance in selecting them. The outcome of the second aim is that all concrete masonry rebated filler blocks tested were found to be effective because they supported more than the required construction load but some were shown to be inefficient as more materials, such as binders, are wasted in producing over-strength filler blocks and also, undertaking trial mix designs and the testing of samples prior to batch production will reduce costs. A method is formulated in the thesis that could also show that concrete masonry rebated filler blocks provide significant protection to the structural topping thereby preventing fire progression. With respect to the third aim, although a broom or brush is effective in providing a surface roughness (Rz) of 3 mm, it is not always efficient when considering factors like the variation in uniformity, appearance of laitance and roughening frequency, which are not addressed by the South African codes. The outcome of the fourth aim is that connections should be designed such that they do not rely purely on the tensile bond strength but through reinforcing bars (or ties) taking the full tension load causing delamination. With respect to the fifth aim, a basic comparison study indicates that T-section beams are more efficient than common rectangular ribs (±150 mm wide x ±60 mm deep) since they can eliminate completely the use of temporary props for spans of up to 4.51 m. Consequently, further research is underway to design an inverted T-section rib by using high strength precast pretensioned concrete that can span up to 5 m without using temporary props.

Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The global quest for sustainability has intensified the requirement for waste recycling in a number of countries. Waste recycle includes Construction and Demolition Waste (CDW), which emanates from the demolition of buildings and other civil engineering structures. In Europe, the United States, China, and Australia, waste recycling has proven to be successful, both structurally and functionally. In particular, the consideration and /or use of CDW in pavement layers remain on the increase. However, in Southern Africa the use and/or application of CDW and its allied practice is limited; the abundant natural aggregates, the lack of knowledge and technical expertise besides the availability of suitable CDW remain the prominent reasons for its limited consideration. In this research, recycled material infers to Construction and Demolition Waste pertaining to Recycled Concrete and Masonry (RCM). The quality and the type of RCM vary from region to region and as a result, quality control measures aimed at limiting the inconsistency are usually required. Results revealed that secondary crushing influences the physical and mechanical behaviour of RCM aggregates; this information remains insightful in terms of material gradation, performance and viability. The compaction protocol followed and its findings revealed that the initial material grading lightly changed after compaction. However, the 10% FACT results showed that the RCM aggregates exhibit less degradation due to crushing when dry than when they are wet. It is eminent that compaction and/or densification are a cheaper method to improve the pavement layer structural capacity. However, this is reliant on material characteristics, quality, and type. With this cognisance, an experimental program in line with RCM aimed at assessing the mechanical behaviour was developed. The experimental variables include mix composition, mixing and compaction moisture as well as degree of compaction and/or compactive effort. In general, the laboratory evaluation and analysis of the results showed that the mix composition in addition to compaction moisture and the degree of compaction were influential to the obtained shear strength, resilient modulus and Poisson Ratio. Particularly, mix composition exhibited relatively higher influence on the resilient modulus while the compaction moisture effect on the Poisson Ratio dominated other investigated variables such as mix composition and the degree of compaction. Shear strength and resilient response results show that RCM exhibits significant shear strength due to its cohesion, and satisfactory resilient modulus. Pavement analysis and design using multi-layer linear-elastic model and transfer functions in pavement layers where RCM is used also revealed that this material could perform satisfactorily. It was deduced that RCM is a viable material type to consider in the construction of pavement layers that carry low to moderate levels of traffic. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die globale beweging na meer onderhoubare aktiwiteite het gelei tot die ʼn toename in vereistes met betrekking tot herwinning van rommel. Rommelherwinning sluit materiaal van bouwerke en ander siviele strukture in. In Europa, Amerika, China en Australië het die herwinning van afval materiaal tot groot sukses gelei. Spesifiek die gebruik van geselekteerde bourommel in padlae bleik om toe te neem. In Suid -Afrika word die materiaal net in enkele geïsoleerde gevalle gebruik as gevolg van die onderbreking van tegniese kennis met betrekking tot die toeganklikheid en bruikbaarheid van die materiaal. Ook, tans geniet die gebruik van gebreekte klip voorrang omdat die verbruiker glo dat daar nog baie van hierdie materiaal beskikbaar is. In hierdie navorsing verwys bourommel spesifiek na herwinde beton en boustene. Die “kwaliteit” van boustene in verskillende gebiede varieer en as ‘n gevolg moet kwaliteitskontroles toegepas word om hierdie te beperk. Resultate in diè navorsing het gewys dat sekondêre klipbreking/vergruising die fisiese en meganiese gedrag van “bourommel aggregaat” beïnvloed. Die 10% FACT (Fynstof Aggregaat Breekwaarde) resultate het ook gewys dat geselekteerde bourommel minder degradasie ondervind as dit droog is in vergelyking met nat materiaal. Goeie kompaksie van die tipe materiale word erken as een van die goedkoopste maniere om die gedrag daarvan in plaveisellae te verbeter. Dit is wel afhanklik van materiaal karakteristieke, kwaliteit en tipe materiaal. Hierdie faktore is ingesluit in die eksperimentele plan wat eienskappe soos mengsel komposisie, meng en kompaksie voginhoud sowel as graad van kompaksie insluit. Die resultate van die laboratorium analise het gewys dat die mengkomposisie, vog tydens kompaksie en graad van kompaksie ʼn invloed op die skuifsterkte, veerkragsmodulus en die Poisson verhouding het. Veral die mengkomposisie het ʼn merkwaardige invloed op die veerkragmodulus gehad, terwyl die voginhoud tydens kompaksie die grootste invloed op die Poissonverhouding gehad het. Die skuifsterkte (agv hoë kohesie) en veerkragsmodulus van geselekteerde bourommel dui aanvaarbare resultate vir die gebruik in paaie, spesifiek in padlae waar lae spanningsvlakke ondervind word,soos deur liniere elastiese berekeninge gewys is.

Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Certain regions within the Western Cape Province are at risk of a moderate intensity earthquake. It is therefore crucial that infrastructure in these areas be designed to resist its devastating effect. Numerous types of structural buildings exist in these seismic prone areas. The most common types are either reinforced concrete framed buildings with masonry infill or unreinforced masonry buildings. Many of these buildings predate the existence of the first loading code of 1989 which provided regulations for seismic design. The previous code was superseded in 2010 with a code dedicated to providing guidelines for seismic design of infrastructure. A concern was raised whether these buildings meet the requirements of the new code. A numerical investigation was performed on a representative reinforced concrete framed building with masonry infill to determine whether the building meets the new code’s requirements. The results from the investigation show that the stresses at critical points in the columns exceed the codified requirements, thus leading to local failure. After careful review it was discovered that these local failures in the columns will most likely lead to global failure of the building. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In sekere streke in die Wes-Kaap bestaan daar risiko van matige intensiteit aardbewings. Dit is dus noodsaaklik dat die infrastruktuur in hierdie gebiede ontwerp word om die vernietigende uitwerking te weerstaan. Gebous met verskillende tipes strukturele uitlegte kom in hierdie gebied voor. Die mees algemene struktuur tipe is gewapende beton-raam geboue met baksteen invol panele sowel as ongewapende baksteen geboue. Baie van hierdie geboue is gebou voor die eerste las-kode van 1989 wat regulasies vir seismiese ontwerp voorsien in gebruik geneem is. Die vorige kode is vervang in 2010 met ’n kode toegewy tot die verskaffing van riglyne vir seismiese ontwerp van infrastruktuur. Kommer het ontstaan of hierdie geboue voldoen aan die vereistes van die nuwe kode. ’n Numeriese ondersoek is uitgevoer op ’n verteenwoordigende gewapende beton geraamde gebou met baksteen panele om te bepaal of die gebou voldoen aan die nuwe kode vereistes rakende sismiese ontwerp. Die resultate van die ondersoek toon dat die spanning op kritieke punte in die kolomme die gekodifiseerde vereistes oorskry, wat tot plaaslike faling lei. Na verdere onderssoek is dit bepaal dat die plaaslike faling in die kolomme waarskynlik tot globale faling van die gebou sal lei.

Following the appointment of its first aristocratic Grand Masters in the 1720s and in the wake of its connections to the scientific Enlightenment, ‘Free and Accepted’ Masonry rapidly became part of Britain’s national profile and the largest and arguably the most influential of Britain’s extensive clubs and societies. The new organisation did not evolve naturally from the mediaeval guilds and religious orders that pre-dated it, but was reconfigured radically by a largely self-appointed inner core. Freemasonry became a vehicle for the expression and transmission of the political and religious views of those at its centre, and for the scientific Enlightenment concepts that they championed. The ‘Craft’ also offered a channel through which many sought to realise personal aspirations: social, intellectual and financial. Through an examination of relevant primary and secondary documentary evidence, this thesis seeks to contribute to a broader understanding of contemporary English political and social culture, and to explore the manner in which Freemasonry became a mechanism that promoted the interests of the Hanoverian establishment and connected and bound a number of élite metropolitan and provincial figures. A range of networks centred on the aristocracy, parliament, the magistracy and the learned and professional societies are studied, and key individuals instrumental in spreading and consolidating the Masonic message identified. The thesis also explores the role of Freemasonry in the development of the scientific Enlightenment. The evidence suggests that Freemasonry should be recognised not only as the most prominent of the many eighteenth century fraternal organisations, but also as a significant cultural vector and a compelling component of the social, economic, scientific and political transformation then in progress.

O emprego de processos construtivos inovadores sem o domínio da tecnologia apropriada e sem a observância de requisitos mínimos de desempenho, conduz de maneira geral, a edifícios com sérios problemas patológicos. Por estas razões, a Alvenaria Estrutural, que tem sido empregada com prioridade na construção de edifícios habitacionais, nos últimos anos no Brasil, tem apresentado aqueles problemas com indesejável extensão e gravidade. Este trabalho procura estabelecer a tecnologia mais adequada para a construção de edifícios em Alvenaria Estrutural Não Armada, em especial, para a que utiliza o bloco sílico-calcário. Procura-se também salientar os aspectos ainda não suficientemente conhecidos e que necessitam, por isto, ser pesquisados. São apresentadas as principais características dos materiais empregados. O elemento construtivo essencial do processo - a parede resistente - é sistemicamente analisado sob diferentes abordagens. Como complemento, a análise é extendida para o edifício. No estudo, é enfatizado o mais comum e menos compreendido problema patológico da alvenaria sílico-calcária: as fissuras por retração na secagem. A tecnologia construtiva apropriada é estritamente condicionada pela necessidade de que seja evitada a ocorrência destas fissuras. Em resumo, este trabalho objetiva colaborar para o projeto e a construção de edifícios competentes e duráveis, o que, infelizmente, não tem sido a regra, quando processos inovadores são empregados. / Pathological buildings problems certainly occur when innovative constructive processes are employed without knowing their own technology and without getting to minimum performance requirements. Based on these reasons, the engineered masonry which has been mainly employed on housing constructions in Brazil during the last years, shows up severs pathological problems. This study aims to describe the most appropriate known technology for unreinforced engineered brickworks, mainly for that one employing calcium silicate bricks. Therefore, the important parameters which are not yet suitably known are pointed out, thus requiring further research. The materials main characteristics are introduced. The bearing wall which is the most important constructing element is systemically analised under different approaches. Coming at the end the concepts are extended to the whole building itself. Emphasis is given in this study to drying shrinkage cracking as the most usual problem in calcium silicate brickworks and to its mechanisms not yet fully understood. The correct building technology avoids the cracking problems by using the mentioned materials and processes. Summarising , this study intends to cooperate for the correct and durable housing buildings which unfortunately are not usual nowadays when innovative constructive processes are applied.