Building Materials Industry Research Articles

CO<sub>2</sub> Emission Analysis of Light Aggregate Concrete Block in China

The development and application of light aggregate concrete blocks are considered as one of the key issue that promote the energy saving and emission reduction in construction and building materials industries. In this paper, the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of light aggregate concrete blocks during the whole life cycle were analyzed based on life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. The results demonstrated that the amount of GHG emissions of the light aggregate concrete block was 174 kg/m3 in the system boundary of ‘from cradle to gate’. The direct GHG emissions was 51.31 kg/m3 accounting for 28.46% of the aggregate emission, while the indirect GHG emissions was 124 kg/m3. The cement production and the concrete block production were the main contributors to the total emissions. According to the sensitivity analysis, the GHG emissions amount was quite sensitive to the amount of cement and ceramsite consumption.

Methods of Event History Analysis in the Assessment of Crisis Impact on Sectors Related with the Real Estate Market in Poland

Abstract The subject of the article is the use of methods of event history analysis to assess the fall of prices and the subsequent increase of share prices of companies operating in the construction industry, developers (real estate) and building materials industry compared to other industries. The 328 examined companies were listed on the continuous market and the parallel market on the Stock Exchange in Warsaw. Share prices were observed in the period from 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2009 which was based on the earlier observations of stock quotes and the WIG index, the latter reaching its minimum in February 2009. The closing price of a share was taken into account. The 60% decrease and 80% growth in shares prices in particular sectors were analysed. What was assessed was the risk of fall in share prices and their chance for recovery. Additionally, the intensity of the increase of share prices and the probability of failure to reach the limit were examined.

A study on the oil-based drilling cutting pyrolysis residue resource utilization by the exploration and development of shale gas.

Based on the requirement of national energy conservation and environmental protection, attention has been given to building an environment-friendly and resource-saving society. Shale gas oil-based drilling cutting pyrolysis residues (ODPRs) have been used as the main research object to developing new technology which can convert the residues into a harmless and recyclable material. Using the test data of ODPR, we analyze the development prospect in the building material industry and provide a scheme to utilize this particular solid-waste efficiently. Theoretically speaking, the ODPR resource utilization such as admixture of cement, making sintered brick, and non-fired brick, by the exploration and development of Fuling shale gas is feasible.

LLC «Rzhevkirpich» impact on the environment and environmental management of the territory

A sharp increase of anthropogenic impact on the environment has created a real threat to the ecological crisis. A huge variety of natural resources use in human activities led to the use of a systematic approach to the environmental management analysis, as well as to environmental management. This paper considers Rzhev brick factory impact on such environmental components as air, hydrosphere, soil and lithosphere. Currently, the production of bricks is one of the leading sectors of the building materials industry, accounting for more than 50% of the total production of wall materials. From the environmental point of pollution occurs at all stages of production: raw materials preparation (crushing, grinding, sifting, etc.), mixing of starting components into a homogeneous good shape commodity (preparation of press-powder with the use of emaciated and burnable additives, hydration, heating and mixing) and production with the help of various methods of pressing. As a result of the analysis the authors suggest a complex of measures to minimize negative impacts on the environment and health of workers and the public. As brick plants are widely distributed on the territory of the Russian Federation and as they are quite often located in urban areas, the market for brick production develops, the authors think that the subject is very relevant and important from a practical point of view.

Phosphogypsum recycling in the building materials industry: assessment of the radon exhalation rate

Phosphogypsum can be classified as a Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM) residue of the phosphate fertilizer industry. One of the main environmental concerns of its use as building material is the radon exhalation. The aim of this study is to measure the radon exhalation rate from plates and bricks manufactured with phosphogypsum from three installations of the main Brazilian producer, Vale Fertilizantes, in order to evaluate the additional health risk to dwellers. A simple and reliable accumulator method involving a PVC pipe sealed with a PVC pipe cover commercially available with CR-39 radon detector into a diffusion chamber was used for measuring radon exhalation rate from phosphogypsum made plates and bricks. The radon exhalation rate from plates varied from 0.19 ± 0.06 Bq m−2 h−1, for phosphogypsum from Bunge Fertilizers, from 1.3 ± 0.3 Bq m−2 h−1, for phosphogypsum from Ultrafertil. As for the bricks, the results ranged from 0.11 ± 0.01 Bq m−2 h−1, for phosphogypsum from Bunge Fertilizers, to 1.2 ± 0.3 Bq m−2 h−1, for phosphogypsum from Ultrafertil. The results obtained in this study for the radon exhalation rate from phosphogypsum plates and bricks are of the same order of magnitude than those from ordinary building materials. So, it can be concluded that the recycling of phosphogypsum as building material is a safe practice, since no additional health risk is expected from the radiological point of view.

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) in building materials industry

Environmental issues are becoming more relevant nowadays. The industry is developing and this leads to intensive consumption of natural resources. This fact should make manufacturers think about optimization of the production. The knowledge of life cycle of products to be produced may help to optimize different stages of production. The life cycle assessment (LCA) is a useful tool to reveal information about products in many fields of human activity, and, specifically, in building materials industry. When life-cycle data is available, there appears an opportunity to make relevant changes in the way of extraction, manufacturing, installation and maintenance of products, and, in the end, disposal, recycling or reuse. The paper is concerned with the theoretical aspects of life cycle assessment application in industry of building materials and provides general information on what the LCA is, its origin and development, and possibilities for application.

Features of performance of concrete and reinforced concrete structures of industrial facilities operated under impact of increased and high temperatures

Currently, the Normative base of Ukraine has moved to European standards. The process of harmonization with the Eurocodes was completed, new national normative documents of DBN and DSTU were developed and put into effect. At the same time it was turned out that the big section “Concrete and reinforced concrete structures intended for work in conditions of increased and high temperatures” is absent in the Eurocodes. By order of the Ministry of Regional Development, Construction and Housing and Communal Services of Ukraine, the development of a normative act is provided for the replacement of SNiP 2.03.04-84 with DBN with a change in status. Heat-resistant concretes in the elements of thermal aggregates are used in the iron and steel industry (blast furnaces, air heaters, coke batteries, etc.), non-ferrous metallurgy (graphite furnaces, fluidized bed furnaces, etc.), oil refining and petrochemical industry (tubular furnaces, vertical sectional furnaces, etc.), in the industry of building materials, and in various sectors of industry. These norms and rules apply to the design of concrete and reinforced concrete structures designed to operate under conditions of systematic exposure to increased (50 to 200 °C inclusive) and high (above 200 °C) process temperatures.

Physicochemical, mineralogical and radiological properties of red mud samples as secondary raw materials

The main goal of the presented research was the preliminary investigation of possibility of red mud - Hungarian dump sites Almasfuzito (sample A) and Ajka (sample B) - application as a pigment or as a raw material for use in the construction materials industry. Also, the aim of this work was the characterization of red mud as industrial waste generated by the Bayer process in the aluminum industry - which may cause environmental problems if appropriate treatment is not carried out. The main mineral phases of both red mud are hematite (Fe2O3), calcite (CaCO3), gibbsite (Al(OH)3) and they consists of particles of median particle size 2.1 mm (sample A) and 2.5 mm (sample B) and have a characteristic red color, which was the reason for its testing for use in the industry of building materials as a pigment for standard concrete mixtures. The radionuclides content in the samples was determined by gamma spectrometry, and the radiological hazards originating from 238U, 232Th, 40K in the samples, were assessed through the radium equivalent activity, and the external radiation hazard index. The absorbed dose rate and the annual effective dose were calculated in accordance with the UNSCEAR 2010 report and the results are presented in this paper.

Program-oriented approach to resource saving issues in construction materials industry

The construction as a sector of the economy is one of the largest consumers of energy resources, and the building materials industry is today one of the most energy-intensive construction industry. At the enterprises of the building materials industry the different approaches and methods are used to solve resource and energy problems. Energy saving is considered not as an complex approach in the enterprise activity, but as activity for the implementation of specific energy-saving projects, which have limitations in time and in resources. The authors suggest to use a softwareoriented approach to solving the problems of resource and energy saving. For practical application of program-oriented approach we offer to use a structuring method of the decision-making, not previously used to solve problems of resource and energy saving.

Производство кубовидного щебня – инновационный этап развития промышленности строительных материалов

Производство кубовидного щебня – инновационный этап развития промышленности строительных материалов

Process Improvement for Liquid-Phase Metal Reduction from Steelmaking Dump Slags

Background/Objectives: This work was aimed at experimental studying the laboratory process and the results of liquidphase carbon (coke) reduction of the steelmaking slag conducted to obtain the metal and oxide phases which can be used in the metallurgical industry and building materials industry. Methods: The slag from the slag dumps of Zlatoust Metallurgical Plant (the Russian Federation) was an object of the study. The composition of the experimental samples of metal and slag was determined by electron probe microanalysis. Findings: The conducted experiments give grounds to assert that the process allows recovering almost completely iron, chromium and nickel contained in the slag. Major part of manganese, as well as some other components, including valuable elements – tungsten, molybdenum, titanium and vanadium, also passes into the molten metal. It has been shown that liquid-phase recovery of slag is acceptable to be carried out at temperatures of about 1500-1550°C. In this case, the slag reduction time (after heating the mixture up to the operating temperature) should not exceed 30 minutes. For a more complete recovery of valuable metals it is recommended to use the moment of the ‘boiling’ (intensive separation of gaseous carbon oxides) period completion as an indicator of the isothermal time end. Improvements/Application: Useful products of the recovery process are liquid metal and heavy metal-depleted oxide melt consisting mainly of calcia, silica, magnesia and alumina which may be used in cement manufacturing.

Synergistic recycling of calcined clayey sediments and water potabilization sludge as geopolymer precursors: Upscaling from binders to precast paving cement-free bricks

The building materials industry is facing relevant challenges in terms of sustainability requirements. The same challenge is expected for other anthropogenic activities such as reservoir management. In this study, in the light of industrial ecology approach, two wastes, namely clayey sediments and water potabilization sludge, generated through reservoir life cycle, were used in a synergistic way in the synthesis of sustainable geopolymer binders. In order to guarantee a productive equilibrium between the different yearly evolution of building materials demand and wastes production by the basin, precast materials have been regarded as optimum potential application. In this regard, calcination conditions, mix design and curing conditions were preliminarily optimized. Particularly, geopolymerization kinetics were evaluated by means of mechanical and microstructural characterization of pastes to assess the influence of early age curing conditions and mix design on the engineering performance and, afterwards, the product was upscaled to a typical precast concrete element. The whole set of results demonstrated the feasibility of the proposed recycling route, revealing highly promising perspectives for further studies and broader application field.

The Impact of Second Generation National Health Insurance on Stock Prices- based upon Supplementary Premium Charges on Dividend Income

<p>The purpose of this study is to explore the influences of second generation National Health Insurance (NHI) on the stock prices of listed companies in Taiwan. We employed the Event Study methodology to analyze the impact on listed companies’ stock prices during the period of NHI Act amendment. Moreover, with a seemingly unrelated regression model, we discovered whether or not the new National Health Insurance system exerts different influences on different industries.</p><p>The main results are as follows. First, the second generation NHI affects the stock prices of listed companies during the NHI act revision period. Secondly, the second generation NHI has different influences on industries. One possible reason is that the second generation NHI’s charges of supplementary premium on dividend income makes investors feel pessimistic about this new insurance policy. This issue alters investment decisions and has a negative influence on Building Material and Construction Industry.</p><p> </p>

ПРОЕКТНОЕ УПРАВЛЕНИЕ КАК ИНСТРУМЕНТ РАЗВИТИЯ ИНЖИНИРИНГОВОГО ЦЕНТРА, СОЗДАННОГО НА БАЗЕ ВУЗА

Today, the domestic economy is going through difficult times associated with the instability of the geopolitical situation in the world, a strengthening of the sanctions policy of Western countries to-wards the Russian Federation, limited access to foreign investment and other factors that directly affect the speed and quality of economic development of the state. However, Russia today is on the path of innovative development, so the generation and usage in industry innovation is a priority. Recognition of necessity of innovative development of Russia determines the importance of improving and obtaining good results in such a relatively young activities for our country as project management and engineering. In this paper, the influence of project management as a form of innovative management in the development of the engineering centre, based at the University. Steady growth in demand for engineering services, which contribute to qualitative and effective implemen-tation of the latest technological solutions in production, largely due to the significant complexity of scientific results in scientific, research and innovation. Therefore, the use of the principles and methods of project management creates the conditions for high performance implementation of innovation projects, which include the creation and development of engineering centers, including in the field of building materials industry.

АНАЛИЗ НАУЧНО-ТЕХНИЧЕСКОГО ПОТЕНЦИАЛА ПРЕДПРИЯТИЙ ПРОМЫШЛЕННОСТИ СТРОИТЕЛЬНЫХ МАТЕРИАЛОВ В КОНТЕКСТЕ ОЦЕНКИ НЕОБХОДИМОСТИ ПРОВЕДЕНИЯ ТЕХНОЛОГИЧЕСКОЙ МОДЕРНИЗАЦИИ В ОТРАСЛИ

The most important condition for the effective functioning of the enterprises of construction materials industry is technological progress, which is an integral part of the technological modernization. The determining factor in assessing the need for technological upgrading in enterprises is an analysis of indicators of scientific and technological capacity of enterprises. For the choice of optimum indicators of scientific and technical potential it is necessary to consider specifics of the industry. The article describes the method of determining its own indicators, based on the analysis of standardized systems and specific indicators for the building materials industry. The process of evaluating indicators of innovation activity is one of the dominant factors influencing the enterprise readiness for technological upgrading. The choice of indicators is carried out on the basis of a set of indicators of innovation activity of domestic and foreign experience. Estimation of innovative activity of the enterprise is the initial step in the analysis of scientific and technological potential. Only in the complex analysis of all indicators of scientific and technical potential it is fully possible to estimate the capacity of the entities and to speak about feasibility of carrying out technological upgrade.

Increase in composite binder activity

The binder of portland cement (51-59 wt.%), fly ash of thermal power stations (3644 wt.%), limestone crushing waste (4-9 wt.%) and dry hyper plasticizer (0.2 wt.%) has been created. It can be used in the building materials industry for production of high-strength concrete. The composite binder is obtained by co-milling of the components in vario-planetary mill to a specific surface area of 550-600 m2/kg. The technical result is the possibility of obtaining a composite binder with significant replacement of cement with industrial waste, cost-effective and superior to portland cement for construction and technical properties, increased activity. This allows producing concrete for walling with a compressive strength of 100 MPa, while using more than 50% of industrial waste.

Antecedents of Entrepreneurial Processes of Causation and Opportunity Recognition in Building Material Retail Trade in Nigeria

Entrepreneurial opportunity has been a highly contentious construct among entrepreneurial scholars. Some argue that opportunity is objective - it exists independent of entrepreneurs and it can be exploited through the causation process (consistent with opportunity as discovery) which is based on rational decision model. Some argue that opportunity cannot exist independent of entrepreneurs. The basic objective of this study is to conduct a quantitative study to examine the antecedents of causation and study the impact of causation on opportunity recognition. The antecedents examined in this study are: entrepreneur’s education, entrepreneur’s special education, entrepreneur’s personality traits, and entrepreneur’s management skills. The population for this study was Nigerian entrepreneurs dealing in building materials. A questionnaire was designed and sent to 1,950 Entrepreneurs in the Building Material Industry Trade. Results of the study indicate that (1) the antecedents influence causation process and (2) causation process influences entrepreneur’s ability to recognize opportunities. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2016.v7n3p66

DEVELOPMENT AND INVESTIGATION OF THERMAL INSULATION FROM HEMP-POLYLACTIDE FIBRES

In the last two decades intensive grow of industry of building materials from renewable resources is observed. Such situation is related to some aspects: global warming, environmental pollution, impact on human health, environmental impact of materials at their end-of-life. In current study development of thermal insulation materials from hemp and polylactide fibres are analysed. While main parameter for thermal insulation materials is thermal conductivity, rational density of composite 40 kg/m3 was chosen. For experiments 11 compositions were prepared. One composition was prepared just with hemp and polylactide fibres, five compositions with different amount of hydrophobic agent and 5 compositions with different amount of fire retardant. Experimentally thermal conductivity, sound absorption coefficient, short-term water absorption, fire resistance, water vapour transfer properties and compressive strength were determined. Rational amount of hydrophobic agent and fire retardants was chosen.

Influence of fly-ashes on properties of ordinary concretes

Abstract Influence of fly-ashes on properties of ordinary concretes. Care of the environment in accordance with the principles of sustainable development introduces the possibility and need for waste recycling. The construction and building materials industry has the greatest potential for reuse of waste. The article presents the results of investigations of selected properties (consistency, water absorbability, compressive strength and tensile strength after 28 and 56 days of curing, depth of penetration) of ordinary concretes and concretes containing fly-ashes - calcareous and siliceous ash − in their composition. To make the samples, the Portland cement CEM I 42.5 R and natural aggregate with graining of 0-16 mm were used. The concrete with siliceous and calcareous admixtures was made in three lots where the ash was added in the quantity of 15, 20 and 30% of the cement mass. After the tests, it was stated that the fly-ash admixture does not increase the air content in the mix, it increases the compressive strength in time and the siliceous ash improves the splitting tensile strength.

Innovative Development of Building Materials Industry of the Region Based on the Cluster Approach

The article discusses issues of innovative development of building materials industry of the region based on the cluster approach. Determined the significance of regional cluster development of the industry of construction materials as the effective implementation of the innovative breakthrough of the region as an important part of strategies for strengthening innovation activities may be to support the formation and development of cluster structures. Analyses the current situation with innovation in the building materials industry of the region based on the cluster approach. In the course of the study revealed a direct correlation between involvement in innovative activities on a cluster basis, and the level of development of industry of construction materials. The conducted research allowed identifying the factors that determine the innovation process, systematization and classification which determine the sustainable functioning of the building materials industry in the period of active innovation. The proposed grouping of innovations for the construction industry taking into account industry-specific characteristics that reflect modern trends of scientific and technological progress in construction. Significance of the study lies in the fact that the proposals and practical recommendations can be used in the formation mechanism of innovative development of building materials industry and the overall regional construction complex of Russian regions by creating clusters of construction.