This thesis is concerned with the study of aspects of the thermal performance of the courtyard house form in hot dry climates. It attempts to establish the relationships between the variation of the parameters of the form and its corresponding thermal performance. Solar radiation is considered the main source of thermal excitation in the physical model upon which the study is based. The parameters of the form which are included in the model are: geometrical (proportions, size and orientation) and physical (reflectivity of its surfaces). The investigation is carried out by developing a mathematical model which simulates the interactions taking place in the physical model at the external surfaces of the courtyard's envelope. It enables the generation of detailed data on the irradiation load on the surfaces. Using Cairo as an example of a typical hot dry region, the model is implemented on a computer and used to systematically evaluate the initial and final irradiation load on the form's surfaces. The analysis of the investigation leads to an identification of the effect of each of the geometrical and physical parameters on the irradiation load and of the ranges within which these parameters significantly affect the irradiation load. Satisfactory thermal design for hot dry climates calls for minimizing the irradiation load in summer and maximizing it in winter. On this basis, a systematic assessment of the consequences of changing any parameter on the departure from the optimum form can be carried out.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:657909 |
| Date | January 1978 |
| Creators | Mohsen, M. A. K. A. |
| Publisher | University of Edinburgh |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Source | http://hdl.handle.net/1842/18461 |
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