Building Construction Materials Research Articles

The Comparative Study of Treated Sewage Water on Mechanical Properties of High Performance Concrete M40 with Conventional Concrete

Concrete, the widely used building material in construction industry.Cement is the primary constituent of concrete, during its production releases the large amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere creating the serious environmental threats like air pollution. The paper discuss the ways to reduce cement composition as building material, so that the construction industry will be more environment friendly by replacing the cement with fly ash to an extent. Fly ash is waste product in thermal power plants creatingdisposal problems on landfills.Treated water effluent from STPs are used in the preparation of concrete makes benefits to the environment. The study investigates the water quality tests like Ph, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, COD,BOD, TSS. The Mix proportions was obtained for the preparation of M40 grade concrete and the Destructive (compressive strength )tests and nonDestructive Tests (rebound hammer, ultrasonic pulse velocity test )was conducted and analysed and compared with conventional M40 grade concrete test values for different ages of concrete 7,14,28 days

Escalation quality of wooden beams as building construction with densification technology

In this research has done the densification process of jabon wood and its measuring 5/7 cm into 5/5 cm by heat compression. The research objective determines the reliability of wood densification technology as improving the physical and mechanical wood properties. This research also used U steel as a tool press. The results showed that densification in jabon wood can improve its physical properties as indicated by the increase in specific gravity amounted to 28.95 percent; its density increased 26.83 percent; as well as water content declined of 32.68 percent. The mechanical properties of jabon wood shown by parameters like the strength perpendicular to fiber increased to 51.44 percent; MOE increased to 32.93 percent, and MOR increased to 36.14 percent. Treatment of densification on jabon wood has increased the strong class of jabon wood from strength class IV into a strength class III based on specific gravity and value of MOR rise to strength class II. Densified jabon wood is suitable for use as building construction materials and gives its aesthetic value because its color is more attractive. The architectural design of urban buildings can also use the densified wood material as it proves to

Impacto da absortância e transmitância das fachadas na eficiência energética e conforto térmico para habitação de interesse social

Este trabalho tem como objetivo apresentar uma discussão acerca da influência que a transmitância térmica e absortância térmica apresentam no conforto térmico e consumo de energia, caso haja a opção pelo uso de ar condicionado para promoção desta sensação em uma habitação de interesse social na cidade de Maceió, Alagoas. Atualmente há uma disseminação do pensamento para a utilização de materiais isolantes em construções de edifícios habitacionais, no entanto para climas quente e úmido, este pensamento é contestado por diversos estudos. A análise aqui realizada ocorreu com o auxílio do software EnergyPlus®, versão 9.3 para 42 configurações da edificação, com variação da Transmitância e da absortância térmicas, com o uso de ar condicionado e sem o uso deste dispositivo, para 1 ren/h, 5 ren/h e 10 ren/h. Os resultados obtidos quantificam o impacto financeiro no orçamento familiar nesta configuração de habitação, caso ocorra a opção pelo uso de ar condicionado e a influência que as propriedades analisadas apresentam no conforto térmico, com influência maior da absortância em relação à transmitância. Pretende-se então a partir desta pesquisa contribuir para a documentação e conscientização pelo uso de estratégias adequadas ao conforto térmico em condições similares às analisadas.

Architect Familiarity and Perceptions Surrounding Sustainable Design, LEED, and Engineered Wood Products in Arkansas

The sustainable building design movement has gained momentum within the United States in recent years. This has led to a proliferation of green building certification programs like Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and the development of engineered wood products (EWP) like cross laminated timber (CLT). Often, architects serve as the conduit between green building construction material and their use in construction. There is need to investigate the perceptions and practices of architects on the topic of green building certification and EWPs. In partnership with the American Institute of Architects (AIA), this study surveyed registered architects practicing in Arkansas to a) examine interest in and application of LEED certification and b) beliefs related to sustainability, affordability, and availability of EWPs. Results suggest a majority of architects surveyed have interest in the LEED program and have previously earned LEED-certification for a building design. Respondents rated the importance of improving human health and well-being as especially high but appear to doubt the ability of EWP to contribute to sustainable design. Analysis revealed that CLT use is significantly lower than that of more typical EWPs such as plywood panels and glue laminated timber. Architects also indicated that the affordability and availability of modern EWP represent significant barriers to their utilization within the state. To increase the rate of sustainable development, it will be necessary to highlight benefits to human and environmental health and generate interest amongst architectural clientele.

Share, Preserve, Adapt, Rethink – a focused framework for circular economy

The concept of circular economy has peaked in both popular and scientific discussion in the past few years. Notwithstanding, no specific definition for circularity in the context of existing buildings is available. This research details a framework of circular economy in the built environment, focusing on existing buildings. The paper employs a systematic literature review on circular economy within built environment. The majority of the reviewed articles date from 2016-2019, confirming the novelty of the research area. Based on the literature review, research on circular economy in the built environment has to date largely focused on designing to facilitate circularity in the future, or salvaging and recycling building materials for new construction. This paper suggests a literature-based framework comprising three complementary approaches to implementing circularity in the context of existing buildings: 1) Share; 2) Preserve; 3) Adapt, and; 4) Rethink. The transition toward a circular economy in the built environment requires structured approaches, like the one presented here. The presented framework allows researchers to expand their thinking on circularity in the built environment, while providing practitioners a selection of potential managerial approaches. The suggested circular approaches may be particularly useful for the longer-term strategy work of real estate owners and managers.

Pengaruh Penambahan Semen Sebagai Bahan Stabilisasi Tanah Terhadap Kecepatan Permeabilitas Pada Tanah Pasir Kelempungan

Sand loamy soil is often used as construction material for buildings and highways. The disadvantages of this soil are low density and high permeability that can reduce the quality ofroad construction. One way to improve thequality of the soil is to stabilize it with cement added material. This study aims to determine how much the velocity of permeability of subgrade and to the addition of the Portland Cement Composite (PCC) mixture with variationsof 2%, 4%, and 6%. Calculation analysis method uses SNI M.22-1990-F. From the permeability test with the variation of native soil without cement mixture, the coefficient value is 10.025 cm/hour, with the addition of 2% cement the coefficient value is 7, 132 cm / hour, the addition of 4% cement is obtained coefficient of 6.245 cm /hour, the addition of 6% a value of 5.208 cm / hour was obtained. So it can be concluded that along with the increase in cement content for the clay sand mixture, the coefficient value is getting smaller

Investigation of single-storey residential green roof contribution to buildings energy demand reduction in different climate zones of Iran

ABSTRACT The share of the building sector accounts for one-third of the total energy consumption in the final energy demand in the world, and they are, indeed, paramount factors for CO2 emissions. Energy consumption in developing countries piles up to 40%, while this is higher in Iran, and for this reason, energy saving in this sector plays a prominent role. This paper aims to study the effects of using green roofs (GR) on energy consumption and CO2 emission rate of a sample building in various climate, calls, dry hot, cold, and humid hot, which can correctly represent different climates of Iran. Simulations are done for the entire year using DesignBuilder, which is a popular tool in this regard. Besides, the building construction materials considered in the simulation are the most utilized in Iran, and 15 cm height grass is selected to be used in the roof. Results indicate 6.19%, 2.07%, and 9.45% energy consumption reduction and 238, 100, and 370 kg of emission reduction for Tehran, Tabriz, and Bandar Abbas, respectively. In addition, an economic analysis is conducted to explore the economic viability of green roof implementation. It has been concluded that, according to the tariffs for water and electricity in Iran, the application of green roofs is not economically viable in current economic conditions.

Investigation of Mixed-Mode I/II Fracture under Impact Loading Using Split-Hopkinson Pressure Bar

Mixed-mode fracture of construction building materials under impact loading is quite common in civil engineering. The investigation of mixed-mode crack propagation behavior is an essential work for fundamental research and engineering application. A variable angle single cleavage semi-circle (VASCSC) specimen was proposed with which the dynamic fracture test was conducted by using a Split-Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB). Notably, the mixed-mode crack propagation velocity could be detected by the synchronized crack velocity measuring system. With experimental results, the dynamic initiation stress intensity factors KI and KII were calculated by the experimental-numerical method. Additionally, the crack path of mixed-mode I/II fracture can be predicated precisely by using numerical method. Thus, a comprehensive approach of investigation on mixed-mode I/II fracture under impact loading was illustrated in this paper. The study demonstrates that the mixed-mode I/II crack would transform from complicated mode I/II to pure mode I during crack propagation, and several velocity decelerations induced crack deflection. The dynamic initiation fracture toughness of mixed-mode crack was determined by the experimental-numerical method. The VASCSC specimen has a great potential in investigating mixed-mode fracture problems with the SHPB device.

Effect of the Incorporation of Marble Waste in the Properties of Clay Ceramic Bricks

Residues incorporation into construction building materials is a promising sustainable alternative for the correct disposal of this kind of material. Brazil is one of the largest world producers of ornamental stones. Nevertheless, the disposal of these residues usually is made outside the industry, which contributes to environmental pollution. This work aimed to evaluate the incorporation of residues from the marble industry into ceramic bricks. Specimens of clay ceramic containing 10, 20, 30 and 40 wt.% of marble residue were prepared and fired at 900oC. The evaluation of the ceramic bricks added with marble residue was based on linear shrinkage, water absorption and mechanical resistance. These properties were compared with Brazilian standards. It was concluded that the incorporation of marble residues, with up to 20 wt%, into the ceramic body is technically feasible and positively influences the properties of the material.

WITHDRAWN: An exploratory analysis on prejudice substitute of fine aggregate by glass powder and crumbed rubber on M30 concrete

Abstract The disposal of wastes in landfills is an important environmental challenge that many countries face around the world. As waste continues to be accumulating and the available capacity of landfill spaces is diminishing, agencies are increasing application and use of recycled materials such as crumbed rubber from tires and crushed waste glass in construction. The basic building materials in concrete construction are primarily aggregate and cement. The utilization of recycled materials can end up in reduced cost and increases the performance while all recycled materials are not matched correctly for concrete construction. From the literature review conducted, it can be concluded that crumbed rubber and crushed waste glass has the potential to be used as an aggregate in construction materials. In this study, the performance of crumbed rubber and crushed glass wastes materials as a valuable substitute for fine aggregates in partial replacement of natural sand in concrete mixes is investigated. An acceptable compressive strength was obtained with up to 8% volume replacement of fine aggregates with crumbed rubber and 20% volume replacement of fine aggregates with crushed waste glass.

Thermal, moisture and mechanical properties of Seacrete: A sustainable sea-grown building material

The ever-increasing global demand for concrete engenders concerning sustainability issues. In addition to the large CO2 emissions induced by the production of cement, the fabrication of concrete requires important mining and excavation for the extraction of specific minerals, sand, and aggregates, which can endanger local ecosystems. Seacrete (also known as “Seament” or “Biorock”) has previously been suggested as a potential alternative to traditional cementitious materials. Seacrete is artificial electrolytically precipitated calcium carbonate around a steel-frame cathode in which electrical current flows and that is submerged in seawater. Previous studies showed that it is ideal for the restoration of coral reefs and marine ecosystems. Furthermore, Seacrete is a very interesting sustainable concrete-like construction material for buildings and other human infrastructures. Indeed, it can be produced nearby all coastlines without any need for mining, extraction or transportation of additional material. In addition, the fabrication of Seacrete can easily be powered by low-intensity or local intermittent renewable energy sources. Previous publications pointed out that the mechanical properties and strength of Seacrete are similar to that of concrete, but no investigation has been conducted on other properties. For the first time, the current experimental study assesses the thermal and moisture properties of Seacrete. This article reports the density, compression strength, puncture resistance, specific heat capacity, thermal diffusivity, thermal conductivity, and water vapour sorption isotherms of two types of Seacrete, namely low-voltage and high-voltage Seacrete. Finally, this study emphasizes that all the aforementioned material properties of Seacrete are similar to that of concrete, confirming that the former can be considered for the construction of certain building elements and infrastructures.

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF PRECAST CONCRETE FLOOR SLAB WITH CAST IN SITU AND STRUCTURE STABILITY OF GKB UPN "VETERAN" EAST JAVA


 
 
 
 Gedung Kuliah Bersama was modified into ten floors, constructed using precast pretension slabs, namely hollow core slabs on the second to five floors and cast in situ slabs, namely steel deck on floors six to ten. Gedung Kuliah Bersama is located at the UPN “Veteran” East Java in the city of Surabaya. Geologically and tectonically, Surabaya City is in an active fault zone, so that the tectonic activity that occurs can cause damage to building structures and construction materials. Pushover analysis is an analysis that can be used to determine the pattern of structural collapse when an earthquake occurs. Based on the results of the analysis, precast pretension slabs (hollow core slabs) with segments of 1500 mm × 7000 mm × 150 mm with PC Wire reinforcement ϕ7-121 mm and cast in situ (steel deck) slabs with a thickness of 120 mm with wiremesh reinforcement M8-150 mm. The difference in the bending strength of the two types of slabs is 38.73%. The results of the pushover analysis show that the structural performance at the Damage Control (DO) level shows that the building is able to withstand the earthquake that occurs and the risk of casualties is very small.
 
 
 

Monte-Carlo simulations of external dose contributions from the surrounding ground areas of residential homes in a typical Northern European suburban area after a radioactive fallout scenario

The emissions of ^{137}hbox {Cs} into the environment from the nuclear accidents in Chernobyl in 1986 and Fukushima in 2011 led to the need to decontaminate large areas to avert radiation doses to the population in the affected areas. To be able to perform cost-effective and sustainable remediation, knowledge is needed about how radiation doses can be minimized through optimized interventions such that the greatest possible reduction in radiation dose is obtained with the smallest possible negative impact on the area. Theoretical calculations have been performed to determine how radiation doses in single family houses in a typical Swedish residential suburb arise from a hypothetical ^{137}hbox {Cs} deposition on the ground. The intention was to highlight how remediation of different parts of the surroundings affects the radiation dose to the residents in a particular property. A Monte Carlo model of the houses and the environment in a suburban area was set up to allow calculations of the dose contributions from different contaminated ground areas such as their own property, neighbouring properties, streets and surrounding recreational areas. Calculations were performed for eleven observation points inside different rooms of the house and one observation point in the garden outside the house, for four houses in the neighbourhood, and for two types of building construction material. The influence of the time spent in different rooms of the house and the contamination of areas surrounding the house was studied. The results show that in general the main dose contribution originates from their own property, but that a significant part (30–80%, depending on the observation point) can come from other areas, showing the importance of considering the surroundings in remediation actions. More detailed analysis of the results showed that the dose contribution from a source region is in general highly dependent on the position of windows in a brick house, whereas for a wooden house the distance to the source region is also of relevance.

Properties of Sand Cement Brick Containing Quarry Dust (SCBQD) and Bacteria Strain

Sand cement brick among favorable building material for low cost house construction due to its low price. Technology development in building material already explored varies waste to be added in improving properties of building materials. Beside that addition of bacteria in building material also proven in literature to improve its properties. In this research addition of bacteria in the cement sand block containing quarry dust (SCBQD) was studied. Several properties namely, compressive strength, depth of carbonation, initial rate of suction (IRS) and water absorption were studied. SCBQD is made from sand, cement, quarry dust and chipping using industrial mix design. In this study, 3% of Enterococcus faecalis (EF) and 5% of Bacillus sp (BSP) bacteria was added in the SCBQD mixes. Three SCBQD mixes were prepared including the control mix without bacteria, SCBQD with 3% EF and SCBQD with 5% BSP. Natural fine aggregate was replaced partially with the quarry dust. 100 mm SCBQD cubes were used to conduct compressive strength, depth of carbonation, initial rate of suction and water absorption test at 7, 14 and 28 days. The experimental results showed that the compressive strength value of SCBQD with addition of bacteria was increased for all curing ages. At 28 days of curing, the compressive strength value for control SCBQD containing quarry without any addition of bacteria is 3.30 MPa, while SCBQD containing quarry dust with addition of 3% of EF bacteria is 3.57 MPa and for SCBQD with 5% of BSP bacteria the value is 4.90 MPa. On the other hand, SCBQD containing 3% EF and 5% BSP gained lower IRS and carbonation depth. Depth of carbonation at 28 days was decreased 9.3% and 20% for SCBQD containing 3% EF and 5% BSP, respectively. Meanwhile, 28-day IRS was reduced 12.9% and 22.6% for SCBQD containing 3% EF and 5% BSP, respectively. In overall, the result shows that, SCBQD with 5% BSP as proven positive and better results when compared to control SCBQD and SCBQD with 3% EF bacteria which is absorb of 12.02% in water absorption. The findings showed that bio-SCBQD containing industrial waste and bacteria has good potential to be used as building material.

The effect of curing in soil and compound on compressive strength of concrete quality fc’ 25 MPa

Concrete is a material that dominates high-rise building construction materials, because concrete materials are easy to obtain and able to withstand very large loads. In addition, concrete can be made in various forms so that according to needs and can beautify the shape of a building, easy to maintain, durable and relatively cheap prices. But in the implementation of using concrete, there are times when found concrete needs to be perforated on its appearance for the purposes of supporting facilities for building functions such as sanitation, gas, hydrants and others. To increase the compressive strength of concrete so that it meets the desired requirements in addition to the quality of the material, the casting process is also required after the casting. This treatment can be done by several methods, among others: immersion in water, wrapped in wet burlap sacks, watering with water, spraying by compounding, and can also be done by landfilling. Through treatment is expected to be obtained the quality of concrete as planned. Because with the maintenance of concrete, the security of the building structures made of concrete will be assured security. Beside that, concrete is required for minimum usage of 50 years. Therefore the research was carried out with the title “Effect of Soaking (Curing) in Soil and Compound on Compressive Strength of Concrete Quality Fc ’25” MPa by using 40 cylindrical concrete specimens and each treatment consisted of 8 test specimens with 300 high dimensions mm and a diameter of 150 mm. Results of a strong test of concrete press performed after the concrete aged 14 days and subsequently converted to a 28-day old concrete produce : Strong high average press that is on concrete with the treatment of using water immersion with a strong press of 23.78 MPa, while the lowest average press is in concrete with the treatment of using a strong burlap sack with a tekasn of 21.88 MPa. Concrete elastic modulus testing using 4 specimens produces an average modulus of elasticity of 24919.59 Mpa.

Roadmap for Decarbonization of the Building and Construction Industry—A Supply Chain Analysis Including Primary Production of Steel and Cement

Sweden has committed to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to net-zero by 2045. Around 20% of Sweden’s annual CO2 emissions arise from manufacturing, transporting, and processing of construction materials for construction and refurbishment of buildings and infrastructure. In this study, material and energy flows for building and transport infrastructure construction is outlined, together with a roadmap detailing how the flows change depending on different technical and strategical choices. By matching short-term and long-term goals with specific technology solutions, these pathways make it possible to identify key decision points and potential synergies, competing goals, and lock-in effects. The results show that it is possible to reduce CO2 emissions associated with construction of buildings and transport infrastructure by 50% to 2030 applying already available measures, and reach close to zero emissions by 2045, while indicating that strategic choices with respect to process technologies and energy carriers may have different implications on energy use and CO2 emissions over time. The results also illustrate the importance of intensifying efforts to identify and manage both soft and hard barriers and the importance of simultaneously acting now by implementing available measures (e.g., material efficiency and material/fuel substitution measures), while actively planning for long-term measures (low-CO2 steel or cement).

Experimental Investigation of Thermal and Mechanical Properties of Clay Reinforced with Typha australis: Influence of Length and Percentage of Fibers

This study presents the elaboration and characterization of a composite material based on Typha australis and clay for the use of an innovative building material in construction. For this purpose, various percentages ranging from 0 to 55% with a pitch of 15 were used. The aim is to find a better compromise between the thermal and mechanical properties of this composite material. According to this, the influence of the length of the 1 cm and 3 cm fibers was studied. As Typha australis is very porous, the hydric properties of the material studied in this work show that its porosity increases the rate of water absorption following a logarithmic law and the mass loss of the composite material evolves exponentially as a function of time. The mass increases when the percentage of fibers is low. The thermophysical property of Typha australis is 0.06 W/m K. That property allows us to state that Typha australis can be used for thermal insulation. The thermophysical properties of the composite material show that the thermal conductivity decreases as the percentage and length of fibers increase. In fact, the thermal conductivity of the clay is 1.03 W/m K while the mixture of clay with 55% of 1 cm fibers gave a thermal conductivity of 0.146 W/m K. The mixture of clay with the same percentage of 3 cm fibers gave a thermal conductivity of 0.113 W/m K. Nevertheless, the fibers have a negative effect on the mechanical properties and the increase in the length of the fibers improves the flexural strength.

A comparative study of life cycle carbon emissions and embodied energy between sun-dried bricks and fired clay bricks

This study presents a comparison of the life cycle carbon emission (LCCO2) and embodied energy calculation between two kinds of bricks, sun-dried and fired clay, as means of evaluating the energy and climate impact of each brick type and the economics of production. Focus is paid to the differences across the whole production chain between sun-dried clay bricks, which represent the traditional norm, and fired clay bricks, which are the most widely-used walling materials in conventional buildings. A case study was carried out in Dakhla Oasis in the Western Desert of Egypt. The results of this study show that if sun-dried bricks are used instead of fired bricks, a reduction of up to 5907 kg CO₂e (in CO₂ emissions) and 5305 MJ of embodied energy for every1000 bricks produced could be achieved. The paper concludes by offering alternative scenarios for brick-making and suggestions for improving sun-dried brick production. The methodology used in this study contributes to the development of an investigative-comparative way to assess choices between building materials. It also intends to help inform local homeowners and building practitioners not only in Egypt, but also globally, about resource depletion, energy consumption, and harmful emissions from fired industrial bricks as a common building construction material.

Raman imaging for measuring homogeneity of dry binary blend: Combining microscopy with spectroscopy for technologists.

Expanding the capabilities of Raman scattering as an analytical tool for engineering applications can optimize the technological output immensely. Understanding the homogeneity of any blended mix is one such significant parameter in the family of composite building construction materials that needs an appropriate tool for its measurement. Raman spectromicroscopy has been established here for the purpose of studying the chemical homogeneity at the microscopic scale of a dry binary blend used in the building constructions as an example. In this study, two waste stone powdered materials, obtained from western Indian stone fields, have been characterized in their respective unmixed forms using Raman spectroscopy up to an extent so that the same can be developed as a microscopic tool to clearly "see" the chemical homogeneity of a mixture. A step-by-step study has been carried out by first, simply making a physically separated and identifiable boundary of the two materials followed by obtaining a Raman line image. The Raman line map could clearly identify the boundary, which otherwise was not possible to appreciate visibly. The same recipe has been extended to study the homogeneity of a binary mixture (blended in 1:1 ratio), using a Raman area map. The novelty of the work lies in the advancement in the analytical tool's family to see the chemical homogeneity of building construction materials at the microscopic level. Chemical imaging using Raman spectroscopy has been demonstrated as a simple tool to understand the homogeneity of the dry binary blend, which was not possible by other simple techniques. Using Raman area mapping proves to be a quick, valuable, and effective tool for measuring the homogeneity of the blended mixes at the microscopic scale and important for application in building construction materials.

Mechanical behaviour of bamboo at elevated temperatures – Experimental studies

The growing demand for sustainable load-bearing materials drives the need for understanding the various design considerations these pose within the modern built environment. Engineered bamboo is a material with outstanding physical and mechanical properties, in addition to producing a minimum carbon footprint. However, extensive research is needed before engineered bamboo can be used with the confidence conferred to other more conventional building construction materials. When aiming for higher and larger bamboo-based structures, load-bearing behaviour during and after fire becomes a key consideration. This paper describes the outcomes of a comprehensive study conducted to understand the mechanical behaviour of bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens species) at elevated temperatures; more specifically investigating the reduction of compressive and tensile strength, as well as the Modulus of Elasticity (MoE) up to 250 °C. Findings from this work show that at 200 °C, bamboo retains 20%, 42% and 70% of the compressive strength, tensile strength and modulus of elasticity at ambient, respectively. The results presented herein, which provide thorough understanding of strength and elasticity reduction at elevated temperatures, enable the development of stress-strain constitutive models that will constitute the basis for designing fire-safe bamboo structures.