Building Materials For Housing Research Articles

Effect of Compost Dosing on the Growth of Nyatoh (Palaquium sp) Seedlings in the Nursery

The growth of Nyatoh (Palaquim sp) seedlings is very slow so they need to be given treatment to speed up their growth in the field. Nyatoh (Palaquim sp) seeds are endemic to South Sulawesi and make good quality wood for house building materials. This research aims to determine and analyze the interaction of giving compost fertilizer on the growth of Nyatoh (Palaquium sp) seedlings in the nursery, as well as knowing and analyzing the appropriate dosage according to the growth needs of Nyatoh (Palaquium spp) seedlings in the nursery. The research method used was an experimental method with 3 repetitions. Nyatoh seeds which are available in the form of polybags are approximately 2 months old in the nursery, then seeds with a uniform height of around 15 cm are selected for a total of 90 seedlings. Next, compost fertilizer is prepared from fermented cow dung, then weighed at a dose of 30 gr/seed coded (P1), 40 gr/seed (P2), and 50 gr/seed (P3). Initial growth measurements (first week) were carried out when the seeds were mixed with compost for each Nyatoh seedling. Then the next measurement was carried out in the 4th week (final measurement) on 90 Nyatoh seedlings in the nursery.The results of the research showed that the interaction of giving compost fertilizer to Nyatoh seedlings had a very significant effect on the increase in height and number of leaves of Nyatoh seedlings in the nursery, with a calculated F value of 14,955 > F table value of 4,459 and F calculated 12,043 > 4,459. The treatment of providing compost fertilizer at a dose of 40 gr/seed (P2) had a very significant effect on the increase in height and increase in the number of leaves of Nyatoh seedlings in the nursery.

Re-emergence and influencing factors of mountain-type zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis in the extension region of Loess Plateau, China.

To understand the epidemiological distribution characteristics of mountain-type zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis (MT-ZVL) in Yangquan City, Shanxi Province, China, from 2006 to 2021, to explore the influencing factors leading to the re-emergence of the epidemic, and to provide a basis for the formulation of targeted control strategies. Case information spanning from 2006 to 2021 in Yangquan City was collected for a retrospective case-control study conducted from June to September 2022. A 1:3 matched ratio was employed. A questionnaire was utilized to gather data on basic information, demographic characteristics, awareness of MT-ZVL knowledge, residence, and dog breeding and living habits. The study employed a multifactorial conditional stepwise logistic regression model to analyze the influencing factors. A total of 508 subjects was analyzed. Risk factors for MT-ZVL included the use of soil/stone/concrete as building materials (OR = 3.932), presence of nearby empty/stone stack houses (OR = 2.515), dog breeding (OR = 4.215), presence of stray dogs (OR = 2.767), and neighbor's dog breeding (OR = 1.953). Protective factors comprised knowledge of MT-ZVL (OR = 0.113) and using mosquito repellents (OR = 0.388). The findings indicate significant associations between environmental and behavioral factors and MT-ZVL incidence in Yangquan City, Shanxi Province, China, from 2006 to 2021. These results underscore the importance of public awareness campaigns and targeted interventions aimed at reducing exposure to risk factors and promoting protective measures to mitigate the re-emergence of MT-ZVL outbreaks. House building materials, presence of neighboring empty houses, breeding domestic dogs and distribution of stray dogs surrounding the home are risk factors for MT-ZVL. Awareness of MT-ZVL and implementation of preventive measures during outdoor activities in summer and autumn are protective and may reduce the risk of MT-ZVL.

DETERMINING THE IMPACT OF ROHINGYA FORCED MIGRATION ON THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT OF TOURISM DESTINATION IN BANGLADESH

Rohingya forced migration has damaged the tourism destination in Bangladesh. The research focuses on the impact of Rohingya influx on tourism destination in Cox’s Bazar district in Bangladesh. The environmental aspects of the tourism destination have been highlighted in this study. This research has been conducted using mixed method approaches consisting of both qualitative and quantitative data. The primary data has been collected through qualitative and quantitative approaches. Qualitative data has been collected using Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and In-depth interviews. Three distinct groups have been focused on as samples for the study, including tourist experts, host communities, and Rohingya experts. Questionnaire survey has been conducted to gather quantitative data regarding the Rohingya forced migration's impact on tourism. Key Informant Interview (KII) has also been used to check the quantitative data accuracy of this study. The study found majority (64 %) of the respondent strongly agreed that forest cover has been decreasing due to the Rohingya influx, and it has been destroying the beauty of tourist destinations. The water channel is an integral part of the environment in the tourist destination. Almost 55% of the respondents strongly agreed that Rohingya is the primary source of water pollution. Almost 45 % of people strongly agreed, and 41.5% agreed that Rohingya is the main causes for solid waste pollution in tourism destination at Cox’s Bazar. In addition, more than fifty percent of the local people agree that house building materials, domestic and market waste, and solid wastes generated from Rohingya people are responsible for the destruction of the tourist harbor. The study has also identified that Rohingya are responsible for the destruction of tourism based local economy in Cox’s Bazar district, Bangladesh. Research findings of this study could be used to mitigate the impact of Rohingya migrants on the tourism environment in Bangladesh.

Sistem Penentuan Prioritas Penerima Rehab Rumah Dhuafa Menggunakan Metode TOPSIS Berbasis Web


 
 
 The process of selecting candidates for home rehabilitation of Dhuafa in Desa Ulee Nyeue, Kec. Banda Baro, Aceh Utara still using a manual process and by a subjective assessment. In this study the authors designed a decision support system to determine the candidates for home rehabilitation of Dhuafa in Desa Ulee Nyeue, Kec. Banda Baro using TOPSIS method. The criteria we used in the decision support system process are the area of the house, house building materials, type of floor, occupation and income. In this decision support system, it is supported by a method in making decisions, that is a web- based Topsis method which can support data processing. The sample data analyzed by using Topsis method in this research obtained that several people who had the priority to receive the housing rehabilitation of dhuafa assistance based on the preference value of each alternative are Fatimah Ben, which has a value of 0.534110001, Habsah with a value of 0.481135666 and Mawardi with a value of 0.629027038. Habsah with a value of 0.481135666 and Mawardi with a value of 0.629027038. The final result of this research is that the system built can help the selection team for home rehabilitation of dhuafa in Desa Ulee Nyeue, Kec. Banda Baro, Aceh Utara to make the process of determining more accurate.
 
 

The Application of Building Information Modelling Method for Carbon Emission Analysis: A Case Study of Housing in Peat Lands

The construction sector is the largest contributor to carbon emission, especially from housing development activities, which has been on high demand due to the continuous increase in the population. This study aims to analyze the amount of carbon emission produced from house building materials on peat soil, using the Building Information Modeling method. The construction of houses on peat land is different from that of hard soil, because it requires to strengthen the foundation and to minimize the load on the superstructure of the building which was performed by choosing the type of material that is suitable for the location, and is also environmentally friendly. The carbon emission was calculated using a quantitative approach, where the volume of the material used was multiplied by its emission coefficient. The volume of material was obtained using the Building Information Modeling method, while the emission coefficients were acquired by utilizing the inventory data from ICE University of Bath and several literature studies. The results showed that the types of materials that produced the largest emissions were cement, mild steel, and wood, which had 14,051.90 KgCO_2eq/house, 9,565.89 KgCO_2eq/house, and 7,865.75 KgCO_2eq/house, carbon value respectively. After redesigning the building and replacing light steel with wood, the emission reduction was 5.01% from a total of 42,523.33 KgCO_2eq/house or 2,109 KgCO_2eq/house with a saving of Rp. 154,397.04 or 10.87/house. Based on data from Central Bureau of Statistics of the City of Palangka Raya, the number of houses built in Palangka Raya City reached 918 units with an average building area of 45 - 70 m², it is estimated to save Rp. 141,397,482.72 or $ 9,978.66. It shows the importance of environmentally friendly innovations in designs and the selection of low-emission materials, which has a positive impact on finance and climate sustainability. This finding is expected to provide insights for the government in the implementation of housing construction policies that prioritize environmental factors which reduce the level of carbon produced during the construction process and its operation.

Embodied Energy and Embodied Carbon Consumption Analysis of 36-Type Simple House Building Materials

Housing is a basic necessity for everyone. Each country seeks to fulfill its citizens' housing needs. One of which is done by the Indonesian government, whose program is one million houses for the needy. The negative impact of this program is in the form of extensive land exploitation and environmental damage due to construction implementation. Building material is the main element in construction activities, where the material production process consumes much energy and produces carbon dioxide (CO2). The choice of environmentally friendly material will reduce embodied energy and carbon during the building's life cycle. This study calculates the amount of embodied energy and embodied carbon on building materials used in the residential buildings of type 36 simple houses of great interest to Indonesian people. The results showed that Brick Stone, Zink Roof, Cement, and Timber materials are the dominant materials that consume more than 70% embodied energy and produce embodied carbon, around 80% of total energy. The total embodied energy in building materials is 127,714.66 MJ with carbon as much as 10,257.48 KgCO2. Based on the building area, the embodied energy is 3,547.63 MJ /m2, and carbon is 284.93 KgCO2 /m2. A large amount of energy and carbon produced by buildings will impact the high pollution of the environment, contributing to global warming.

Natural Fiber Waste from Palm Oil Tree: An Overview of Potential Usage for Indonesia’s Affordable House Building Materials

The palm oil plantation in Indonesia is an overgrowing industry that also poses significant environmental waste problems. The industry produces numerous unused biomass wastes such as EFB (Empty Fruit Bunch), PKS (Palm Kernel Shell), tree trunks, fronds, etc. On the other hand, the national housing backlog number in 2019 had reached 7.6 million units. The government had launched several housing programs to tackle this ever-repeating issue. Yet, all of the plans failed to solve the housing shortage. A new approach is needed to provide a cheap, affordable, and more environmentally friendly affordable house. Previous studies proved that palm oil fiber waste could be altered into building materials such as lumber and other biocomposites like particleboard, fiberboard, plywood, etc. Consequently, by using the construction scheme in the RSH affordable house program released in 2002, palm oil fiber waste should be able to displace conventional wood in most of its parts. That is why there is no reason to halt implementing palm oil fiber waste as building materials, especially to build an affordable house. Therefore, the burden of Indonesia's never-ending housing backlog problems should be eased by converting its over-abundant palm oil fiber waste as its building materials new renewable sources. Keywords: affordable house; alternative materials; bio-composite; palm oil fiber waste

Schistosoma mansoni and soil transmitted helminths co-infestation among the 5-14 years old and risk factors in Buyende district, Uganda

Background: Schistosomiasis is a water-based disease transmitted by schistosomes. Schistosomes usually co-infest their hosts with soil transmitted helminths (STHs) parasites due to overlapping poverty-related factors favoring their distribution. This leads to severe morbidity, which may result into complications such as; long-term physical and mental growth retardation, poor cognitive development, disability as well as deaths. Efforts to achieve the elimination target are still a challenge mainly because of drug resistance and sanitation-related behavioral patterns. The objective of the study was to determine the co-infection prevalence of Schistosoma mansoni and STHs parasites among children, 5–14 years and the associated risk factors in Buyende district. Methods & Materials: Stool samples from 400 children distributed in nine purposively selected villages of Kagulu sub-county in Buyende district were processed for S. mansoni and STHs before a face–face standardized interview guide was administered to ascertain factors responsible for perpetuating the parasites in the communities. Results: The prevalence of co-infection of S. mansoni and STH was 5%, mostly co-infected with hookworms. Mono infection of S. mansoni was 10.8%, hookworm (14.3%), E. vermicularis (0.8%). There was a strong association between; school status (AOR = 17.51, 95% CI = 5.35–50.96, p < 0.001), education of the care take (AOR = 2.44, 95%CI = 1.56–4.23) p-value <0.001), the house building material from where the respondent resided (AOR = 1.61, 95% CI = 1.02–1.40), frequency of swimming per week (AOR = 2.44, 95% CI = 1.56–4.23, p < 0.002) and risk of being co-infected with Schistosoma mansoni and STH. Conclusion: Illiteracy of care takers and children not attending school being the critical risk factors should prompt an increased health education with information, education and communication (IEC) materials urgently for intervention especially among individuals of low socio-economic status in fishing communities.

Determination of optimal thermal inertia of building materials for housing in different Chilean climate zones

In recent years, several studies on residential energy consumption and new strategies for its reduction have been carried out. The literature reports that thermal inertia can have an influence on energy demand and, to a greater extent, on the thermal comfort of the buildings. The performance of thermal inertia in buildings located in different regions or countries has been analysed, comparing structures or materials having high and low thermal inertia through energy simulations or empirical studies. However, the optimal thermal inertia of a building according to different climates has not been established. In this study, optimum values were determined for the different properties that define thermal inertia (thermal conductivity, specific heat capacity, and density) that would allow to maintain the indoor annual operative temperature within the thermal comfort range (18–24°C) of a standard dwelling. Energy simulations were carried out in DesignBuilder using climate data from 10 cities in different Chilean climate zones. The results show the minimum thermal conductivity as optimal regardless of climate (0.025 and 0.03 W/(m∙K)), while the optimal density ranges fluctuate between 1800 and 2500 kg/m3 varying according to the climate zone. Finally, it was determined that specific heat capacity was not influential in the thermal comfort of the analysed dwelling.

MENGENALI KEARIFAN LOKAL RUMAH VERNAKULAR MELALUI BENTUK DAN BAHAN BANGUNAN PADA RUMAH DI KUALA TRIPA, ACEH

Infrastructure development, both buildings and roads, often result in changes in the surface condition of the landscape and lead to calamity. As happened in the residential area of ​​the watershed Kuala Tripa, Aceh, lately kept flooded. The house is constructed on the ground ignores environmental character and threaten the sustainability of neighborhoods Kuala Tripa in the long term. Kuala Tripa form of physical environment is swamp, major rivers, and estuaries. Settlement of Kuala Tripa has a vernacular house that shows harmony and conformity with the environment. The occupancy adaptations can be identified by the shape and material of construction. Studies using qualitative descriptive methods to find local wisdom in the form and vernacular house building materials to be adapted and applied to the current construction. The results of the study on people's understanding of the architecture and building construction, the use of local building materials and the introduction of the local environment indicates that the potential of the vernacular architecture of Kuala Tripa can be used for residential development of the present and the future. Values ​​in local wisdom and technology skills through shape and material the Kuala Tripa vernacular house building can be used as the basis for the development of the built environment today so adaptive to the environment and respond to disasters.

Farmers' Rural-To-Urban Migration, Influencing Factors and Development Framework: A Case Study of Sihe Village of Gansu, China.

Farmers are the major participants in rural development process and their willingness to settle in urban areas directly affects the implementation of rural revitalization strategy. Based on Ostrom’s institutional analysis and development (IAD) framework, we analyzed farmers’ willingness to settle in urban areas and its influencing factors by binary Logistic regression and cluster analysis of survey data of 190 rural households in Sihe village of Gansu Province of China. The results show that: (1) In Sihe village, farmers’ willingness to settle in urban areas was low in general and influenced by their neighbors’ decisions or behaviors. Households willing and unwilling to migrate to urban areas both presented significant spatial agglomeration. (2) The factors influencing farmers’ willingness to settle in urban areas were analyzed from six aspects: individual characteristics, family characteristics, residence characteristics, cognitive characteristics, institutions, and constraints. The main influencing factors were found to be age, occupation, number of non-agricultural workers in the family, household cultivated land area, annual household income, house building materials, degree of satisfaction with social pension, homestead and contracted land subsidies, income constraints, and other constraints. (3) Individual heterogeneity and difference in economic basis determined the difference in farmers’ willingness to settle in urban areas. Institutions and constraints played different roles in the migration willingness of different groups of farmers (Note: More details on the sample as well as further interpretation and discussion of the surveys are available in the associated research article (“Village-Scale Livelihood Change and the Response of Rural Settlement Land Use: Sihe Village of Tongwei County in Mid-Gansu Loess Hilly Region as an Example” (Ma, L.B.; Liu, S.C.; Niu, Y.W.; Chen, M.M., 2018)).

CASE BASE REASONING UNTUK MENENTUKAN KEBUTUHAN BAHAN BANGUNAN RUMAH

Building materials is an important factor to built a house, to estimate funds the needs of build a house, consumers or developers can estimate the funds needed to build a house. To solve these problems use case base reasoning (CBR) approach, which method is capable of reasoning or solving the problem based on the cases that have been there as a solution to new problems. The system built in this study is a CBR system for determine the needs of house building materials. The consultation process is done by inserting new cases compared to the old case similarity value is then calculated using the nearest neighbor.&#x0D; The first test by inserting test data then compared with each type of home then obtained an accuracy of 83.6%. The second test is done by K-fold Cross Validation with K = 25 with the number of data 200, the data will be divided into two parts, namely the training data and test data, training data as many as 192 data and test data as many as 8 data. K-Fold Cross Validation method. This CBR system can produce an accuracy of 85.71%

CASE BASE REASONING UNTUK MENENTUKAN KEBUTUHAN BAHAN BANGUNAN RUMAH

Building materials is an important factor to built a house, to estimate funds the needs of build a house, consumers or developers can estimate the funds needed to build a house. To solve these problems use case base reasoning (CBR) approach, which method is capable of reasoning or solving the problem based on the cases that have been there as a solution to new problems. The system built in this study is a CBR system for determine the needs of house building materials. The consultation process is done by inserting new cases compared to the old case similarity value is then calculated using the nearest neighbor.&#x0D; The first test by inserting test data then compared with each type of home then obtained an accuracy of 83.6%. The second test is done by K-fold Cross Validation with K = 25 with the number of data 200, the data will be divided into two parts, namely the training data and test data, training data as many as 192 data and test data as many as 8 data. K-Fold Cross Validation method. This CBR system can produce an accuracy of 85.71%

Socio-Economic Characteristics of Farming Community and Food Security Situation in Punjab, Pakistan

Despite the availability of ample food and reasonably low food prices, food insecurity prevailed in many developing countries in 1970s. The paradigm shift in 1980s from supply to demand side of food security underlined the entitlement or access to food as the center of mainstream research. Current study is the findings of the data collected from household level survey regarding socio-economic and food insecurity conditions in the Punjab province of Pakistan. The descriptive analysis and cross tabulation of the household data revealed that household assets, house building material, size of agricultural farms, ownership of tractor, farm livestock were associated with food security conditions of the farming community. The data results also confirmed that the poorer families made major expenditure on the food out of total household expenditure every month. It was also revealed that households in the irrigated regions of Punjab have better entitlement as compared with households surveyed from Thal (desert) and rain-fed regions. The daily consumption of eggs, milk and various forms of meat was found below daily recommended nutritional requirements in most of the households. This study confirms the findings of the earlier surveys made in this regard and highlights the demand side of food insecurity issues in Punjab province of Pakistan. Food security policies in Pakistan should focus entitlement and food access of farming households. The household and farm assets need to be built for reducing vulnerability of poorer farming community to food insecurity in Pakistan.

Sustainable Building Materials for Low-cost Housing and the Challenges Facing their Technological Developments: Examples and Lessons Regarding Bamboo, Earth-Block Technologies, Building Blocks of Recycled Materials, and Improved Concrete Panels

There is a huge demand for affordable urban housing in the countries of the Global South. Using locally available and/or produced building materials for housing can reduce the buildings impact on the environment. Climate conditions and natural disaster risks, which differ by region, determine the applicability of the sustainable building materials and building structures. This article focuses on five groups of building materials: bamboo, compressed earth blocks and stabilized soil blocks, interlocking blocks of recycled materials, and improved concrete panels. In all cases, technological development and exchange of knowledge with local communities are desired. In order to produce more sustainable building materials, local communities can be trained and educated with regard to house building. Making use of a local workforce and involving local resident’s in house building is beneficial for the communities. This article summarizes the main benefits and limitations of the materials and focuses on their applications in urban areas.

Non-timber Forest Products, Their Vulnerability and Conservation in a Designated UNESCO Heritage Site of Arunanchal Pradesh, India

The Apatani, non-nomadic tribe, have evolved an ecologically sustainable system of rural forestry in Ziro Valley, a proposed heritage site of UNESCO. They have been using non-timber forest products (NTFPs) grown in homestead and nearby forests for a very long period. The present study was aimed at identification of priority NTFPs and uses, their availability status and availability trend, conservation need, and sustainability interventions. Qualitative methods of research like, exploratory survey, questionnaire survey, focus group discussion, semi-structured interview of key informants, etc. were employed for data collection. The Apatani used 112 priority NTFPs for food supplement, herbal medicine, house building material and other purposes. However, on the basis of ecological importance such NTFPs were categorized as very low, low, moderate, high, and very high vulnerable species. Twenty vulnerable species like Antiitari ayi (Actinidia callosa), Biiling (Choerospondias axillaris), Henchi (Rubus niveus), Jojuru ayi (Coccinia grandis), Ngiilyang Khiiko (Centella asiatica) etc. should be conserved and seventeen not vulnerable species at this stage like, Padii hamang (Cardamine hirsute), Sankhe (Quercus griffithii), Bije (Phyllostachys manii), Hiigu hamang (Oenanthe javanica), Kiira (Quercus dealbata ), etc. could be commercialized. However, a balance needed to be struck between commercialization and conservation by adopting a comprehensive policy based on scientific and traditional Apatani knowledge for harvesting and regeneration of NTFPs. Homegardening or community farming is recommended for sustainable supply of commercially important species to be domasticated.

沖縄における住宅構造材の歴史的変遷に関する一考察

沖縄における住宅構造材の歴史的変遷に関する一考察

Medicinal Value and Nutrient Status of Indigenous Fruits in Bangladesh

Fruit plant genetic resources are the wealth of a country since they are sources of food, feed, cloth, house building materials, vitamins, minerals and medicine. Bangladesh, by virtue of the favourable agro-climatic conditions, characterized by tropical and sub-tropical environments, has a large number of fruit plant genetic resources. Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated countries in the world, with a population of 165 million. It possesses a good number of minor fruits often growing in the homesteads, roadsides, hills and forests. They are hardy in nature, adapted to the local climate and productive even under adverse soil and climatic conditions and resistant to disease and pests. According to World Health Organization (WHO), per capita requirement of fruits is 115 g but in Bangladesh it is only 78 g, which is much below than the minimum requirement. On the other hand, from November to April most of the fruits are not available in this country. In Bangladesh, most of the minor fruits produced fruits during November to April. Nearly 80% of the population lives in rural areas and are highly dependent on home gardens for their livelihood. Producing minor fruits is a source of livelihood for many farmers and serves as safety net during the time of hardship and natural disaster. Those are considered as an important dietary source of fiber, bioactive compounds and phyto-chemicals and compared to other fruits, it possess high antioxidant activity and are naturally rich in a variety of phytochemicals, particularly phenolic compounds. Apart from nutritive value, these are particularly more important for medicinal properties especially in Ayurvedic medicine. Many of these fruits have processing qualities like preparation of jam, jelly, candy, chutney, sauce, pickles, juice, syrup, squash, beverage, canned and cut fruits which help build entrepreneurships. These fruits also contribute to poverty reduction and livelihood enhancement as well as ensure household food and nutritional security adding women participation through employment and income generation. The producers, sellers and workers involved in minor fruit production, packaging and selling may improve their livelihoods from this sector.

A case for houses to be constructed of fibre reinforced polymer components

A summary review is presented on the state of the present UK house-building industry and the role that modern methods of construction can play in meeting the expected higher demand for houses offering a reduced carbon footprint. The past uses of fibre reinforced polymers (FRPs) are presented and their advantages and shortcomings as house-building materials are given. It is shown that housing units of FRP materials would be lightweight, flexible and energy efficient. To therefore meet the UK's dual needs for low-cost housing and sustainable construction the authors make the case for the development of open-building systems constructed of FRP components made by the pultrusion process method.

An experimental study of the shielding characteristics of the dwelling house building materials against gamma radiations in the Central Region of Syria

Abstract The shielding properties of the concrete and blocks used for the construction of dwelling houses in the Central Region of Syria (CRS) were measured and studied. The concrete used for the ceiling construction was found to have optimum shielding properties with 0.182 cm −1 (or equivalently 0.0859 cm 2 g −1 ) for the linear (mass) attenuation coefficient [L(M)AC]. In addition gamma radiation is attenuated by 73.221% on average, while the blocks used for the walls have smaller LACs (0.082 cm −1 for the bare blocks, and 0.118 cm −1 for the coated ones). Although the LACs for the blocks are smaller than those for the concrete their shielding properties are good to protect from the gamma radiations coming from radioactive or nuclear accidents (78.630% attenuation), even Chernobyl – like disasters, because of their big width (10–12 cm). The LACs were measured by an ionization chamber and simple theoretical calculations have been made to predict the concrete LACs. The calculations showed an average LAC for the six samples equal to 0.1664 cm −1 with 8.47% error with respect to the experimental values. The average LAC for the concrete used for ceiling construction in the CRS was found to be comparable or even better than the average of some international values for the reactor shielding concretes, which are about 0.163 cm −1 .