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Modular Buildings as a Potential for Small Trade Development in a Sustainable City
The development of retail stores is determined by many factors, including the availability of retail space. The construction of a new building requires time, resources, and permits. This article aims to examine the possibilities of implementing small modular retail facilities built on the principles of vending machines, which do not require constant service and social space, by examining important groups of factors: architectural and structural, production, environmental, and costs. A vending machine in modular construction technology provides new opportunities for the development of a retail network in previously inaccessible places. The research presented in this article was conducted based on a literature review and interviews with experts, on the basis of which, using the network thinking methodology, critical factors were isolated and analysed in detail. The research results show the benefits of using modular technology, meeting the assumptions of the circular economy in terms of reducing the carbon footprint and improving the construction stage and investment costs, while taking into account the aesthetics of the surroundings. The results can contribute to the popularisation of the use of modular facilities, which can complement the development of downtown areas, making cities more sustainable.
Analiza wrażliwości ustroju nośnego konstrukcji nawystąpienie oddziaływania o charakterze wyjątkowym
W artykule przedstawiono wrażliwość elementówkonstrukcyjnych budynku na oddziaływanie o charakterze wyjątkowym.Podjęto się analizy awarii budynku mieszkalnego po uderzeniusamochodem ciężarowym. W obliczeniach uwzględnionoróżne symulacje obciążeń ze względu na prędkość poruszającegosię pojazdu. Celem przeprowadzonych badań i analiz byłowskazanie uszkodzeń konstrukcji nośnej obiektu wynikającychz oddziaływań wyjątkowych. Wnioski wynikające ze skutków katastrofywskazują na konieczność uwzględniania zdarzeń wyjątkowychoddziaływania pojazdów na konstrukcje budynków lubteż wyznaczenia stref bezpiecznych w obrębie dróg.
Numerical Simulation of the Impact of Water Vapour and Moisture Blockers in Energy Diagnostics of Ventilated Partitions
Current trends towards saving energy and designing sustainable buildings result in most designers focusing on achieving the best thermal parameters, thereby neglecting a careful moisture analysis. Excessive moisture content in building partitions degrades the mechanical properties of materials, reduces thermal insulation properties (which leads to an increase in the demand for thermal energy) and worsens the microclimate in rooms. Modern digital solutions help create appropriate models of partitions that work for many years in good environmental conditions. According to the analysis of air parameters, 1 m3 of air at 20 °C contains approx. 17.3 g of water. When the temperature of the air reaches the dew point temperature, water vapour condenses. The dew point depends on air temperature and relative air humidity; for instance, at the same air temperature of 20 °C, the dew point temperature at 40% relative air humidity is 6 °C, whereas at 90% relative humidity, it is over 18 °C. This means that the higher the value of relative humidity in the room at a certain temperature, the lower the temperature that will cause condensation. The article presents a numerical analysis of the insulation work of flexible materials within the layers of ventilated partitions in an 8-year simulated period of varying environmental conditions. The aim of the article is to analyze different models and variants of ventilated partition operation with respect to the advisability of using a vapour barrier to avoid the problem of destruction of thermal insulation and finishing layers of a ventilated roof.
Modele pracy termoizolacji w obszarze wieńca w dachach z kratownic prefabrykowanych
Artykuł podejmuje problematykę zapewnieniaciągłości termoizolacji w obszarze wieńca w dachach wykonanychz kratownic prefabrykowanych, stanowiących coraz popularniejszerozwiązanie w budownictwie mieszkaniowym. W pracyzidentyfikowano kluczowe wyzwania techniczne, główniezwiązane z trudnościami w integracji warstw termoizolacyjnychz konstrukcją dachową i elewacją. Przeprowadzono analizę wybranychwariantów rozwiązań termoizolacyjnych, oceniając ichefektywność cieplno-wilgotnościową oraz pozostałe aspektyistotne dla poprawności i trwałości zastosowanych rozwiązań.Wyniki badania podkreślają znaczenie właściwego projektowaniadetali konstrukcyjnych, które pozwalają zminimalizować stratyciepła i zapobiec potencjalnym problemom związanym z zawilgoceniem.Artykuł dostarcza praktycznych wskazówek dlaarchitektów i inżynierów, wspierając ich w tworzeniu bardziejefektywnych, trwałych i zgodnych z nowoczesnymi standardamirozwiązań budowlanych.
Numerical and surrogate modeling of drying processes in building envelopes under variable climatic conditions
Decision-support tools for diagnosing and selecting the optimal method of repairing buildings
This study introduces an innovative algorithm that leverages Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS) and the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP) for the optimization of building repair methodologies. Focusing on multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM), it showcases a methodology for evaluating and selecting the most effective repair strategy for building elements, balancing various conflicting criteria. The research applies TLS for rapid and accurate geometric data acquisition of engineering structures, demonstrating its utility in structural diagnostics and technical condition assessment. A case study on a single-family residential building, experiencing floor deformation in a principal ground-floor room, illustrates the practical application. Maximum deflection and floor deflection distribution were measured using TLS. Utilizing FAHP for analysis, the decision model identifies the most advantageous repair method from a building user’s perspective. This approach not only provides a systematic framework for selecting optimal repair solutions but also highlights the potential of integrating advanced scanning technologies and decision-support methods in the field of building materials and structural engineering.
Application of Experimental Studies of Humidity and Temperature in the Time Domain to Determine the Physical Characteristics of a Perlite Concrete Partition
These days, the use of natural materials is required for sustainable and consequently plus-, zero- and low-energy construction. One of the main objectives of this research was to demonstrate that pelite concrete block masonry can be a structural and thermal insulation material. In order to determine the actual thermal insulation parameters of the building partition, in situ experimental research was carried out in real conditions, taking into account the temperature distribution at different heights of the partition. Empirical measurements were made at five designated heights of the partition with temperature and humidity parameters varying over time. The described experiment was intended to verify the technical parameters of perlite concrete in terms of its thermal insulation properties as a construction material used for vertical partitions. It was shown on the basis of the results obtained that the masonry made of perlite concrete blocks with dimensions of 24 × 24.5 × 37.5 cm laid on the mounting foam can be treated as a building element that meets both the structural and thermal insulation requirements of vertical single-layer partitions. However, it is important for the material to work in a dry environment, since, as shown, a wet perlite block has twice the thermal conductivity coefficient. The results of the measurements were confirmed, for they were known from the physics of buildings, the general principles of the formation of heat and the moisture flow in the analysed masonry of a perlite block. Illustrating this regularity is shown from the course of temperature and moisture in the walls. The proposed new building material is an alternative to walls with a layer of thermal insulation made of materials such as polystyrene or wool and fits into the concept of sustainable construction, acting against climate change, reducing building operating costs, improving living and working conditions as well as fulfilling international obligations regarding environmental goals.
Influences of a variety of reinforcements on the durability of reinforced bitumen sheets operating at variable temperatures
This manuscript provides an overview of the most commonly-produced bitumen roofing sheets, focusing on the types of reinforcements used for their production and the reinforcements’ effects on the durability of tensile mechanical properties of roofing sheets under thermal loads. The paper includes the analysis of working conditions of roof coverings in the mid-European transitional climate, i.e., exposed to temperatures passing through 0 °C for three seasons in a year, periodic exposure to negative temperatures reaching −15 °C and positive temperatures up to +70 °C, justifying the above-mentioned emphasis on thermal load. It draws attention to technical problems related to the cooperation of roofing sheets with roofing substrates, with particular emphasis on concrete substrates. For the purposes of the work, the analyses were carried out with regard to the assessment of the service life of roof coverings made of various reinforcements working in conditions of variable temperatures and thus exposed to the transfer of thermal movements of substrate plates. The analyses also included the impact of different coefficients of thermal expansion of the materials in contact with other materials within roof coverings on the incidence of damage to cover layers. Particular attention was paid to the conditions resulting from the production process of roofing sheets effect on the durability of roof coverings made of these materials. Additionally, there were set directions for further work to calculate the impact of stresses, arising in layers of roof coverings during their operation in changeable negative and positive temperatures, on the incidence of mechanical damage to these coverings.
Numerical analysis of heat transfer and surface condensation risk in the plinth zone of basement-included building
Numerical analysis of the ground temperature function depending on edge thermal insulation parameters for shallow slab foundations
Implementation of the Results of Experimental Studies with the Use of the Sclerometric Method of Plane Elements in Wooden Buildings
Wood is one of the basic building materials. It is a completely biodegradable raw industrial commodity, the resources of which, with proper forest management, are virtually inexhaustible. Additionally, its acquisition and processing does not require large inputs of fossil fuels. At the same time, forest areas which we obtain wood from neutralize the negative effects of producing and acquiring other raw materials, as one hectare of pine forest (the most popular in Poland) can absorb approx. 20–30 tons of CO2. Wood is characterised by low thermal and electrical conductivity, having simultaneously high sound insulation, which perfectly meets the requirements of the present market and its regulations. This study aimed at verifying the technical parameters of wood, i.e., its bending strength, with the use of an innovative method of the correlation between the bending strength measured along and across wood fibres. The procedure was envisaged as effective for testing the strength of beams in historic buildings, in which—due to their valuable structure—only a limited number of sample holes can be made. The aim of this experiment was to create tables and diagrams, from which, based on the correlation between the side and the head of the beam, using in situ tests and the sclerometric method, it will be possible to derive the bending strength of existing wooden beams. In the study of spruce and pine wood, a correlation between the recess from the side and the recess from the head was found, ranging from 0.64 to 0.76, with an average of 0.72 for spruce elements, and 0.66–0.84, with an average of 0.70 for pine elements. This means that when testing an element fixed in a building, measuring the parameters from the head of the beam with a Schmidt hammer (often such elements are more easily accessible, i.e., on the building facade), the obtained values should be multiplied by 0.72 for spruce elements and by 0.70 for pine elements to obtain the strength of the beam. The authors of this article indicate that the confirmation of this observation requires conducting further research on various types of wood. It should also be noted that the material collected from one batch of sawn timber had a different structure, which was proved by analysing it using SEM imaging. Modeling wood numerically is, to some extent, a simplified issue that assumes wood to be an orthotropic, homogeneous (homogeneous) material. In fact, wood is an anisotropic, very heterogeneous material. The analysis of wood (on the technical scale, construction wood) as an anisotropic material is practically impossible. Adopting wood as an isotropic material is too simplistic. Therefore, the most appropriate methods of strength testing are destructive methods, as all non-destructive methods should not be used without verifying the results with other methods. The results obtained by non-destructive testing pose great difficulties in their interpretation. Obtaining reliable results of experiments entails collecting a large number of research samples. The method described in this paper will allow for obtaining the necessary data for effective expertise assessment regarding the safety level of structural elements in historic wooden load-bearing structures, which is crucial for making conservation decisions.
Diagnostics and Renovation of Moisture Affected Historic Buildings
The work concerns issues related to the diagnostics of moisture in historic buildings. Moisture content is one of the basic physical properties of materials. Excessive and undesirable growth of moisture in masonry causes considerable damage to masonry wall assemblies. It reduces the load-bearing capacity of structural elements, causes difficulties with heating and contributes to the development of mould and fungi. The article describes diagnostic procedures, provides available drying methods for walls in buildings and the applied method of renovation based on the example of damage caused by moisture in an examined historic facility.
Biocementation as a Pro-Ecological Method of Stabilizing Construction Subsoil
The principle of sustainable development imposes an obligation on societies to manage natural resources rationally and to care for the quality of the environment, by, among other things, reducing CO2 emissions. Alternative ways of stabilising building substrates by increasing their shear strength (cu) are increasingly being sought. This paper presents how microorganisms can influence cu and thus the load-bearing capacity of building substrates. Tests were performed in a triaxial compression apparatus in three variants. The first variant of testing was carried out on cemented soil samples, which were cemented in situ. The next two series of tests were performed on reconstructed samples, i.e., natural soil and soil inoculated with a solution of Sporosarcina pasteurii bacteria. The results obtained show that carbonate cementation increases the shear strength of the soil; in addition, this biomineralization-induced cementation gives higher cu results than natural carbonate cementation.
Water Level Rise and Bank Erosion in the Case of Large Reservoirs
The article presents an analysis of the complex mechanism of abrasion of shorelines built of non-lithified sediments as a result of rising water levels in the reservoir, along with its quantitative assessment. It allows forecasting the actual risks of coastal areas intendent for urbanization with similar morphology and geological structure. The task of the article is also to point out that for proper assessment of abrasion it is necessary to take into account the greater complexity of the mechanism in which abrasion is the result of co-occurring processes of erosion and landslides. During the analysis, the classic Kachugin method of abrasion assessment was combined with an analysis of the stability of the abraded slope, taking into account the circular slip surface (Bishop and Morgenster–Price methods) and the breaking slip surface (Sarma method). This approach required the assessment of the geotechnical properties of the soil using, among other things, advanced in situ methods such as static sounding. The results indicate that the cliff edge is in limit equilibrium or even in danger of immediate landslide. At the same time, it was possible to determine the horizontal extent of a single landslide at 1.2 to 5.8 m. In the specific cases of reservoir filling, the consideration of the simultaneous action of both failure mechanisms definitely worsens the prediction of shoreline sustainability and indicates the need to restrict construction development in the coastal zone.
Multi-criteria diagnostics of historic buildings with the use of 3D laser scanning (a case study)
The protection and use of historic buildings is a difficult and costly task. Most often, these objects are under conservatory protection and any interference in their structure requires appropriate consent. On the other hand, conducting construction works on historic buildings carries a high risk of their damage or even destruction. Therefore, proper prior diagnostics is an extremely important factor affecting the scope and manner of works to be conducted. The paper presents the use of 3D scanning to determine the deflection of the ceiling under the Column Hall of the historic Palace, the floor of which showed elasticity, recorded during changing service loads. After identifying the places with the greatest deflections, based on data from 3D laser scanning, test holes were made and wood samples from the ceiling were taken to perform moisture content and mycological tests. An endoscopic inspection camera was inserted into test holes, providing the basis for recognizing the structure of the ceiling, i.e. arrangement of layers as well as dimensions and spacing of ceiling beams. Strength calculations were made with the limit state method resulted in the determination of the maximum permissible service load on the ceiling. The presented course of action in diagnostics of the analysed historic building may be an example of a preliminary procedure to be taken before deciding on changes in the manner of use of historic buildings or the functionalities of their individual parts.
Geoenvironmental Hazards in Development Planning
The usability of the natural environment for settlement can be analysed based on geoenvironmental conditions: groundwater levels, terrain elevations, subsoil construction suitability. They are all important elements of urban development planning. Developing a method for selecting areas with favourable construction conditions and determining future urban development trends based on geoenvironmental conditions is essential for proper formation of space for construction purposes. This article presents a proprietary approach to determining geoenvironmental indicators and the ongoing correlational changes in these indicators, which are the basis for choosing optimal areas for construction. The selected geoenvironmental factors influence the development and spatial growth of cities. The research area is located within a small agglomeration inhabited by up to 20,000 residents. Direct results concerning geoenvironmental data and urban development were obtained from an area of 9 km2. Within this area, data were collected on subsoil conditions, terrain elevations, groundwater levels, and the spatial pattern of development throughout the historical evolution of the agglomeration up to the present day. The analysis also identified the points in the city’s development history when local flooding or other environmental hazards occurred, which may have resulted from improper urban growth tendencies. Interpretation of the resulting graphs, particularly the interactions between geoenvironmental conditions (indicators) and development during the studied periods, can support urban planning processes.
