This mixed methods thesis provides a cumulative study of bamboo as a natural material and building product through the lenses of architectural and product design, engineering, manufacturing, agriculture, material science, environmental science, history, and culture. All case study work is based in the context of coastal Ecuador. The main goal of the thesis is to explore an identified need for a bamboo relief housing system that has the attributes of longevity and quality, but is also rapidly deployable via pre-fabrication. This exploration is performed with the methodology of an in-country applied product and process design, physical prototyping of elements and joints, mechanical performance testing, a case study house design, and a comparative cost analysis with an alternative bamboo relief home. Results of these methods include a successful on-site fabrication process for cross-laminated floor panels installed into culm-frame structure, adequate floor system bending data for design incorporation, and a cost-effective design proposal compared to bamboo disaster-relief precedence. This thesis has the potential to be built upon to the result of real-world environmental, economic, and social impact. / Master of Science / This thesis addresses the use of bamboo in coastal Ecuador from the perspectives of architectural and product design, engineering, manufacturing, agriculture, material science, environmental science, history, and culture. Specifically focused on is the need for post-disaster bamboo housing that is factory-built, and therefore quickly deployable when needed, but also designed for durability and longevity, providing people with safe and dignified living conditions in times of severe need. It is concluded that the proposed system has merit, but will require further research and testing to prove its exact role in Ecuador and/or elsewhere. Ultimately, this work is important to solving greater global environmental issues such as increasing atmospheric CO2, increasing natural disaster frequency and intensity, and increasing human population and the accompanying housing demand.

Thesis (MScEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Hybrid concrete construction (HCC) is a construction technique that makes use of both in-situ and pre-fabricated concrete products by making optimum use of the advantages of both these methods in the same project. Although the advantages of this building method is well recognised throughout the world and a feasibility study illustrated that HCC is a suitable building method in South Africa, it remains under-utilised in the country. HCC encourages early involvement from the project team and provides clients with the best value projects and a "win-win" situation for the project team during the project development. The objective of this study is to identify barriers that prohibit an increased utilisation of HCC for the South African construction industry. Additionally, it provides possible solutions to overcome these barriers. These proposed solutions are similar to the programmes and methods that are implemented in other countries to improve their HCC utilisation. Furthermore, drivers are identified in this study to implement these solutions in the industry and a proposed "change model" is developed for private companies to assist with the change process. This study is unique because current South African conditions are used to establish the barriers and solutions. Furthermore, it takes into account that not all countries have such progressive construction industries as the European markets and therefore it considers solutions and drivers that are suitable for less advanced industries such as South Africa. The model that is proposed is applicable to any industry regardless of its nature or country. Although the United Kingdom is not the widest user of pre-fabricated concrete products, their HCC research is extensive, making it a suitable comparative country for the South African construction industry. During the investigation, the procurement methods in South Africa were found to be traditional and do not allow for early involvement or partnering in the project team. To obtain early involvement, it is critical to initiate methods such as design-and-build, contract management or public-private-partnerships during the procurement phase. Decision and design assistance from the whole project team and software tools are essential when HCC is considered. Because the South African construction industry does not provide such support it is advised here to incorporate contractors from an early stage and to develop software tools that can assist during the decision making and design process of HCC structures. The industry does not provide the project team with sufficient training programmes that increase knowledge of HCC. Training programmes that are cognitive stimulating must be developed for the industry. Furthermore, a database is required to illustrate the utilisation of different pre-fabricated products and in different projects within South Africa. Labour-intensive construction regulations and green building techniques (not compulsory) are promoted in South Africa. Labour-intensive programmes should consider the negative impact it has on the labourers and consider HCC as a building technique because the pre-fabricated elements are manufactured in a controlled and safe environment. It is advised that the toolkits that are used for green building accreditation, must be revised to accommodate the additional benefits such as less waste generation, that HCC offers to a project. Regardless of the country in which HCC is utilised, the environment must be acceptable for the innovation. By analysing the criteria that influences the use of HCC in a country and adding weighting functions to these criteria, the acceptability towards the innovation can be obtained. Furthermore, public clients and companies are recognised here as drivers of change. While public clients can commit to HCC for the cost, labour-intensive factories, green building methods, improved health and safety, training for labourers, private companies can utilise HCC to provide best value to a project. A model is proposed here for innovative companies that will allow them to change not only the company, but the industry towards a HCC "mindset". / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hibriede beton konstruksie (HBK) is ’n tegniek waarby beide voorafvervaardigde betonelemente en in-situ beton in dieselfde projek gebruik word ten einde voordeel uit beide metodes te trek. Alhoewel die voordele van die konstruksietegniek wel bekend is in talle lande van die wêreld en ’n uitvoerbaarheidsanalise getoon het dat HBK ’n voordelige konstruksiemetode vir Suid-Afrika is, is dit tans onderbenut in die plaaslike sektor. HBK bied vir kliënte projekte van goeie waarde en omdat dit vroeë betrokkenheid verg vanaf die projekspan, resulteer dit ’n "wen-wen" situasie tydens die projekontwikkeling. Die doel van hierdie studie is om die hindernisse te ondersoek wat veroorsaak dat HBK nie meer gereeld in Suid-Afrika gebruik word nie. Ten einde die effekte hiervan te verminder, word moontlike oplossings vir hierdie hindernisse voorgestel. Die oplossings is gebaseer op tegnieke en metodes wat geïmplimenteer word in ander lande waar HBK gebruik word. Rolspelers wat hierdie verandering na HBK kan dryf word geïdentifiseer en ’n model om verandering binne ’n maatskappy te lei word voorgestel om die rolspelers te ondersteun tydens die proses. Hierdie studie is uniek omdat dit inligting gebruik van die huidige situasie van die Suid-Afrikaanse konstruksie-industrie om die hindernisse en oplossings te identifiseer. Omdat nie alle konstruksie-industrieë so vooruitstrewend is soos in Europese lande nie, is die oplossings en rolspelers relevant vir enige land wat ’n industrie het wat soortgelyk is aan Suid-Afrika. Die model wat voorgestel word is ook relevant tot enige industrie afgesien van die land waar nuwe tegnieke geïmplimenteer word. Alhoewel dit bevind is dat die Verenigde Koningkryk nie die grootste gebruikers van HBK is nie, is hulle navorsing in die veld omvattend. Daarom word die Verenigde Koningkryk beskou as ’n voorbeeld om Suid-Afrika se konstruksie-industrie mee te vergelyk, asook om inligting van HBK te verkry. Tydens die studie is bevind dat die projekaanstellingsmetodes van projekte in Suid-Afrika tradisioneel is, aangesien dit nie toelaat vir vroeë betrokkenheid of vennootskappe binne die projekspan nie. Om vroeë betrokkenheid te verkry, is dit noodsaaklik om van ontwerp-en-bou, kontrakbestuur of publiek-privaat-vernootskappe gebruik te maak. Tans is daar geen hulp wat aan ontwerpers verleen word ten opsigte van besluitnemingsmodelle en ontwerpsagteware wanneer HBK oorweeg word in Suid-Afrika nie. Die behoefte aan sulke bystand dui daarop dat sagtewarepakkette ontwerp moet word wat toepaslik is vir Suid-Afrika se konstruksie-industrie. Die industrie bied nie doelgerigte en genoegsame opleidingsprogramme aan om die industrie se kennis van HBK te verbreed nie. Addisionele opleiding wat kognitiewe stimulasie sal bied vir die hele projekspan word aanbeveel. ’n Databasis wat HBK projekte insluit, moet geskep word om die industrie bloot te stel aan die verskillende moonlikhede. Arbeid-intensiewe konstruksie-regulasies asook groen konstruksietegnieke (nie wetgedrewe nie) word sterk bevorder in Suid-Afrika. Dit word hier aanbeveel, dat voorafvervaardiging se addisionele voordele in ag geneem word wanneer hierdie regulasies en tegnieke relevant is. Hierdie voordele sluit onder meer in: die veiligheid wat aan werkers gebied word in arbeid-intensiewe fabrieke en die vermindering van afval in HBK projekte. Afgesien van die land waarin HBK gebruik word, moet die omgewing ontvanklik vir die tegniek wees. Deur verskillende kriteria te analiseer wat die gebruik van HBK beïnvloed binne ’n land en geweegde faktore daaraan te koppel, kan die ontvanklikheid van die innovasie bepaal word. Laastens word publieke kliënte en maatskappye as die drywers (of katalisators) wat verandering kan meebring, beskou. HKB bied onder andere die volgende voordele aan publieke kliënte: koste-effektiwiteit, arbeid-intensiewe werk, groen konstruksie, beter gesondheid, veiligheid en opleiding vir werkers. Maatskappye kan gebruik maak van HBK om waarde tot hul projekte toe te voeg. ’n Model word hier voorgestel om innoverende maatskappye in staat te stel om nie net hulself nie, maar ook die industrie as ’n geheel te help om ’n gesindheidsverandering jeens HBK te skep.

A arquitetura residencial coletiva, representada pelos edifícios multifamiliares voltados para as massas que habitam as áreas urbanas, é o maior protagonista da arquitetura cotidiana, desde o início do século XX, período que desenvolveu, propagou e consolidou o repertório formal, normativo e estético dessa célebre tipologia. As motivações que impulsionaram o desenvolvimento dessa nova forma de moradia coincidiram com uma enorme carência social e com a emergência por alojamentos, fato que assolou grande parte da população migrante que chegava às cidades, somadas às consequências das Grandes Guerras na Europa. A esses indivíduos, desorientados, restaram absorver as imposições da habitação coletiva - rígida, padronizada e uniforme - oferecida, muitas vezes, sob a égide do estado socialista, preocupado prioritariamente com aspectos quantitativos, dimensionais e higiênicos. Essa conjuntura moderna é escrutinada ao início do trabalho, bem como o papel da escola Vkutemas e do taylorismo como agentes de transformação da arte, da cultura e da sociedade do século XX. Apesar das incontestáveis contribuições à racionalização e à ciência da edificação, após um século, acredita-se que as mesmas regras, essencialmente modernas e universalizantes, ainda dominem a produção imobiliária atual: repetição idêntica de apartamentos tipo, preceitos funcionalistas, exigências mínimas relativas à habitabilidade, normas dimensionais padronizadas. Esses critérios, álibis perfeitos para uma arquitetura direcionada a usuários desconhecidos, disseminam, ainda hoje, modelos de caráter universal, reforçados por estratégias mercadológicas que homogeneízam o comportamento e pouco favorecem o uso diversificado do espaço da habitação, condição indispensável ao sujeito contemporâneo, ao estilo de vida plural das novas estruturas familiares, às rápidas transformações sociais, tecnológicas e culturais do mundo contemporâneo. Com o propósito de devolver ao morador tipificado um espaço doméstico de manifestação espontânea, imprevisível e natural, adequado às novas formas de vida, o trabalho investiga, ao longo do século XX, mecanismos de flexibilidade arquitetônica capazes de promover a adaptabilidade, a transformação e a particularização do espaço residencial, preceitos indispensáveis à satisfação do usuário e às diferentes necessidades ao longo do seu ciclo familiar. A sistematização de um amplo instrumental de flexibilidade é o produto primordial deste trabalho, capaz de nortear a concepção de novo projetos e a adequação de estruturas preexistentes, no intuito de promover, a partir da modificação de usos e da redefinição programática, novas respostas para o bem-estar físico e emocional dos usuários. / The collective residential architecture, represented by the multifamily buildings directed to people who live in the urban areas, has been the greatest protagonist of the everyday architecture since the beginning of the 20th century, period when has developed, expanded and consolidated the formal, normative and esthetic collection of this famous typology. The motivations that propelled the development of this new way of dwelling house coincided with an enormous social lacking and with the need for accommodations, fact that devastated a large part of the migrant population that reached the cities, in addition to the consequences of the Great Wars in Europe. To these disorientated individuals was left over to absorb the collective dwelling impositions - stiffness, standardized, uniform - offered sometimes as assistance from a socialist state, worried mainly with quantitative, hygienic and dimensional aspects. This modern conjuncture is scrutinized at the beginning of the work, as well the role of the \"Vkutemas\" school and of the taylorism as transformation agents of art, culture and of the 20th century society. In spite of the incontestable contributions to the rationalization and to the science of building, after a century, one believes that the same rules, essentially modern and universal, still dominate the current property production: identical repetition of type flats, functional concepts, minimal requirements for inhabitable conditions, standardized size norms. These criteria, perfect alibi for an architecture directed to unknown users, spread even today models of universal mark, reinforced by marketing strategies that homogenize the behavior and much little favour the diversified use of the housing space, which is an essential condition for the contemporary individual, for the plural life style of the new family structures, for the fast social, technological and cultural transformations of the contemporary world. With the objective to give the typified resident back a domestic space of spontaneous manifestation, unforeseeable and natural, adequated to the new ways of life, the work investigates, over the 20th century, mechanisms of architectural flexibility able to promote the adaptability, the transformation and the particularity of the residential space, precepts indispensable to the user satisfaction and to the different necessities along his family cycle. The systematization of a broad instrument of flexibility is the main product of this work, capable of leading the conception of new projects and the adaptation of pre-existing structures, in order to promote, from the modification of uses and from the programmatic redefinition, new answers for the physical and emotional well-being of the users.

A arquitetura residencial coletiva, representada pelos edifícios multifamiliares voltados para as massas que habitam as áreas urbanas, é o maior protagonista da arquitetura cotidiana, desde o início do século XX, período que desenvolveu, propagou e consolidou o repertório formal, normativo e estético dessa célebre tipologia. As motivações que impulsionaram o desenvolvimento dessa nova forma de moradia coincidiram com uma enorme carência social e com a emergência por alojamentos, fato que assolou grande parte da população migrante que chegava às cidades, somadas às consequências das Grandes Guerras na Europa. A esses indivíduos, desorientados, restaram absorver as imposições da habitação coletiva - rígida, padronizada e uniforme - oferecida, muitas vezes, sob a égide do estado socialista, preocupado prioritariamente com aspectos quantitativos, dimensionais e higiênicos. Essa conjuntura moderna é escrutinada ao início do trabalho, bem como o papel da escola Vkutemas e do taylorismo como agentes de transformação da arte, da cultura e da sociedade do século XX. Apesar das incontestáveis contribuições à racionalização e à ciência da edificação, após um século, acredita-se que as mesmas regras, essencialmente modernas e universalizantes, ainda dominem a produção imobiliária atual: repetição idêntica de apartamentos tipo, preceitos funcionalistas, exigências mínimas relativas à habitabilidade, normas dimensionais padronizadas. Esses critérios, álibis perfeitos para uma arquitetura direcionada a usuários desconhecidos, disseminam, ainda hoje, modelos de caráter universal, reforçados por estratégias mercadológicas que homogeneízam o comportamento e pouco favorecem o uso diversificado do espaço da habitação, condição indispensável ao sujeito contemporâneo, ao estilo de vida plural das novas estruturas familiares, às rápidas transformações sociais, tecnológicas e culturais do mundo contemporâneo. Com o propósito de devolver ao morador tipificado um espaço doméstico de manifestação espontânea, imprevisível e natural, adequado às novas formas de vida, o trabalho investiga, ao longo do século XX, mecanismos de flexibilidade arquitetônica capazes de promover a adaptabilidade, a transformação e a particularização do espaço residencial, preceitos indispensáveis à satisfação do usuário e às diferentes necessidades ao longo do seu ciclo familiar. A sistematização de um amplo instrumental de flexibilidade é o produto primordial deste trabalho, capaz de nortear a concepção de novo projetos e a adequação de estruturas preexistentes, no intuito de promover, a partir da modificação de usos e da redefinição programática, novas respostas para o bem-estar físico e emocional dos usuários. / The collective residential architecture, represented by the multifamily buildings directed to people who live in the urban areas, has been the greatest protagonist of the everyday architecture since the beginning of the 20th century, period when has developed, expanded and consolidated the formal, normative and esthetic collection of this famous typology. The motivations that propelled the development of this new way of dwelling house coincided with an enormous social lacking and with the need for accommodations, fact that devastated a large part of the migrant population that reached the cities, in addition to the consequences of the Great Wars in Europe. To these disorientated individuals was left over to absorb the collective dwelling impositions - stiffness, standardized, uniform - offered sometimes as assistance from a socialist state, worried mainly with quantitative, hygienic and dimensional aspects. This modern conjuncture is scrutinized at the beginning of the work, as well the role of the \"Vkutemas\" school and of the taylorism as transformation agents of art, culture and of the 20th century society. In spite of the incontestable contributions to the rationalization and to the science of building, after a century, one believes that the same rules, essentially modern and universal, still dominate the current property production: identical repetition of type flats, functional concepts, minimal requirements for inhabitable conditions, standardized size norms. These criteria, perfect alibi for an architecture directed to unknown users, spread even today models of universal mark, reinforced by marketing strategies that homogenize the behavior and much little favour the diversified use of the housing space, which is an essential condition for the contemporary individual, for the plural life style of the new family structures, for the fast social, technological and cultural transformations of the contemporary world. With the objective to give the typified resident back a domestic space of spontaneous manifestation, unforeseeable and natural, adequated to the new ways of life, the work investigates, over the 20th century, mechanisms of architectural flexibility able to promote the adaptability, the transformation and the particularity of the residential space, precepts indispensable to the user satisfaction and to the different necessities along his family cycle. The systematization of a broad instrument of flexibility is the main product of this work, capable of leading the conception of new projects and the adaptation of pre-existing structures, in order to promote, from the modification of uses and from the programmatic redefinition, new answers for the physical and emotional well-being of the users.

The master's thesis, framed as a sociological case study, aims it's interest at the theme of neighborhood evolution at a pre-fabricated panel building area. The subject of interest is the reflection of neighborhood evolution given by the original residents of the research locality. The research locality is represented by the most populated street in Hradec Králové, Edvarda Beneše boulevard, which drew considerable attention both of lay and academic public at the time of it's emergence due to unique architectonic and urbanistic design. The defined research problem is the question asking about current state and underwent changes of a neighborhood situated at specific environment of a block-of- flats area located in a contemporary city, specifically in the most populated area of Hradec Králové statutory city. Also three separate research questions were formulated. They ask specifically about the current state of the neighborhood, it's underwent changes during time and the role of it's physical a geographical situatedness. The aim of the thesis was to perform complex exploration of current state and evolution of the studied phenomenon, both in social and physical dimension. The thesis doesn't provide description of the current state and evolution only, but it also identifies local relevant factors...

Stone column treatment is commonly used to mitigate liquefaction hazard in sandy soils. Research and experience indicate that this method is effective for clean sands but that it may not be effective for silts and sands with fines contents greater than 15-20%. An alternative to the stone column method involves supplementing stone column treatment with pre-fabricated vertical wick drains installed prior to the stone columns installation. Although this method is used in practice, there has not been a formal academic study of its effectiveness. This thesis evaluates seven different case histories where wick drains were used and one where wick drains were not used, for comparison purposes. The site locations varied as well as the soil properties and treatment plans. CPT testing was done at 3 sites and SPT testing was performed at the other 5 sites. CPT data were correlated to SPT data to facilitate comparisons. One of the case histories includes a unique study in which three different variations of the stone column treatment were applied at the same site, providing a direct comparison of the effectiveness of each method. A 26% area replacement ratio (Ar) with drains was determined to be more effective overall than a 26% Ar without drains and more effective in increasing low initial blow counts than the 34% Ar without drains. The areas with drains were more likely to exceed the minimum project criteria consistently throughout the site. Significant scatter were observed in the results and probable causes for the scatter are noted. Final blow count coefficients of variation ranged from 28% to 77%. Increased fines contents required increased Ar in order to maintain similar average final blow counts. Site improvements were evaluated separately and collectively. Individual site results were compared to clean sand curves developed by Baez (1995). Sites with average fines contents less than 20% which were improved using drains and an 11-15% Ar treatment were comparable to clean sand sites without drains and with 5-10% Ar. To achieve similar improvement at sites with 40-46% fines necessitated drains and Ar values of 23-26%. Design recommendations are provided.