Common Construction Materials Research Articles

Calculating Flanking Transmission for Improved Airborne Sound Insulation in Buildings

The complexities of airborne noise insulation in tropical buildings provide challenges for predicting the value of airborne noise in buildings. The analysis employs standardized metrics, the Weighted Sound Reduction Index (DnT,w), to evaluate the impact of wall, floor, and ceiling combinations on acoustic performance. Notably, the study addresses the persistent challenge of flanking transmission, contributing to disparities between predicted and measured values. This study focuses on common construction materials in Indonesia. The outcomes reveal that lightweight construction materials, such as lightweight brick walls, consistently exhibit superior sound reduction, emphasizing their potential benefits in tropical regions. Additionally, the choice of ceiling materials, particularly gypsum board over wooden ceilings, significantly influences acoustic outcomes

Assessment of sources and health risks of heavy metals in metropolitan household dust among preschool children: The LEAPP-HIT study

The most common construction material used in Taiwan is concrete, potentially contaminated by geologic heavy metals (HMs). Younger children spend much time indoors, increasing HM exposure risks from household dust owing to their behaviors. We evaluated arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb) concentrations in fingernails among 280 preschoolers between 2017 and 2023. We also analyzed HM concentrations, including As, Cd, Pb, chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), and manganese (Mn), in 90 household dust and 50 road dust samples from a residential area where children lived between 2019 and 2021 to deepen the understanding of sources and health risks of exposure to HMs from household dust. The average As, Cd, and Pb concentrations in fingernails were 0.12 ± 0.06, 0.05 ± 0.05, and 0.95 ± 0.77 μg/g, respectively. Soil parent materials, indoor construction activities, vehicle emissions, and mixed indoor combustion were the pollution sources of HMs in household dust. Higher Cr and Pb levels in household dust may pose non-carcinogenic risks to preschoolers. Addressing indoor construction and soil parent materials sources is vital for children's health. The finding of the present survey can be used for indoor environmental management to reduce the risks of HM exposure and avoid potential adverse health effects for younger children.

A hierarchical C-S-H/organic superstructure with high stiffness, super-low porosity, and low mass density

Herein, a hierarchical cementitious calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) superstructure with high Young's modulus, super-low porosity, and low mass density is reported. It has a very high Young's modulus at 47.5 GPa, three times higher than our reference synthetic C-S-H. Its specific surface area is merely 0.4509 m2/g, two orders of magnitude smaller than our reference synthetic C-S-H and the most common construction materials. In addition, the skeletal density of this composite is 1.96 g/cm3, much lower than C-S-H and hardened cement paste. In a density-Young's modulus diagram, this composite is located at the intersection of metals, ceramics, and polymers, approaching the carbon fiber region, implying lightweight and stiff characteristics. The cryogenic stability is also evaluated. It shows a satisfying applicability potential for cryogenic engineering with stable pore structure and nanoscopic mechanical properties. We confirm that the assembly of hierarchical C-S-H superstructure requires both hydrophilic amide and anionic carboxylic groups.

The Mechanical Performance of Polymer Concrete Incorporating Waste Tin Fibres

Concrete is the most widely used construction material in the world. It is now possible to construct structures out of concrete because this durable compound that consists of water, aggregate, and Portland cement not only gives us many scopes of design but also has a very high compressive strength at a low cost. This paper deals with alternative materials for the most common construction material, cement-based concrete and polymer concrete (PC), containing waste tin fibres. The study covers the fabrication of polymer concrete and the execution of three tests: compressive strength, flexural tensile, and splitting tensile. Tests were conducted to determine the mechanical properties of the PC, and the results were analysed and evaluated on several PC specimens with different ratios of waste tin fibre. The results showed that using waste tin as fibre reinforcement in PC would substantially enhance the overall mechanical performance. Specifically, the optimum amount of waste tin as reinforcement in PC was 0.16% for compressive and splitting tensile strengths, while 0.20% was the optimum fibre loading for the flexural tensile strength. In this case, a positive outcome was found at a constant resin-to-filler ratio of 40:60 by volume and a matrix-to-aggregate ratio of 1:1.35 by weight.

Effects of Hemp Fibers on Durability and Strength Properties of Concrete to be Used In Agricultural Buildings

Concrete is the most common construction material used worldwide. It is also commonly used in construction of agricultural buildings. With the rapid developments in technology, different building materials with superior properties are being researched in order to improve different properties of concrete and eliminate its disadvantaged aspects and to obtain lighter, insulated, more economical and useful construction materials. One of the applications to improve the negative properties of concrete with low tensile strength is to add various fibers into the concrete mixtures. Hemp stalks play an important role in recycling vegetable wastes. Therefore, it is highly significant to recycle or transform these materials. In this study, hemp fibers were supplemented into concrete mixtures in different ratios (1, 2.5 and 5%). Slump and unit weight tests were conducted on fresh samples and compressive strength, tensile strength, water absorption, freeze-thaw resistance, thermal conductivity and ultrasound pulse velocity tests were conducted on 28-day cured cube specimens. Compressive strength, specific gravity, ultrasound pulse velocity and thermal conductivity coefficients decreased, but tensile strengths and water absorption ratios increased with increasing hemp fiber ratios. Hemp fiber supplementation into concrete mixtures yielded a material with higher tensile strength, lower thermal conductivity and suitable for cold climate conditions

Compatibility of container materials with peritectic phase change material for high-temperature thermal energy storage

Compatibility of storage and container materials is a well-known problem for high-temperature thermal energy storage (TES) technology, which often limits the use of the most economic and best performing materials. Peritectic phase change materials (PCMs) were recently demonstrated as promising TES materials that provide an alternative for molten salts and metallic alloys PCMs. However, unlike molten salts and alloys, peritectic PCMs have not yet been explored in terms of corrosion. This work presents the first compatibility study between Li4(OH)3Br peritectic and common construction materials such as carbon steel and stainless steel 316. Mass gain, XRD, and EDX-SEM surface as well as cross-section analyses reveal that the studied peritectic is recommended for long-term use with carbon steel under air atmosphere and is fully compatible with SS316 under both air and argon atmosphere. Both experimental observations as well as chemical reactions analysis suggest that carbon steel should be used under air rather than inert atmosphere to maximize its compatibility with Li4(OH)3Br peritectic.

Experimental assessment of low temperature phase change materials (PCM) for refrigerating and air conditioning applications

Refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump sector represents between 25 and 30% of the global consumption of electricity and this figure is expected to rapidly grow due to the current trend of electrification. To increase the efficiency of these systems or to maximize the use of renewable energy, latent thermal storage systems are being studied and recommended. However, there is a lack of reliable design rules based on trustable data that could help the thermal experts to design efficient and cost-effective latent thermal energy storage. This paper follows a previous work recently published (Longo et al., 2022) where the thermo-physical and transport properties of a few low temperature PCMs (i.e. 2–9 °C of melting temperature) were measured and discussed. In the present work, the attention is focused on two other fundamental aspects: the PCMs’ compatibility with the most common construction materials and their thermal behaviour during the solid/liquid phase change. The collected results will contribute to add currently unavailable data in the literature and to highlight interesting insights on the performance of the selected PCMs.

EFFECTS OF ORDINARY PORTLAND CEMENT ON THE SOIL-WATER CHARACTERISTICS CURVE OF LATERITIC SOIL

The lateritic soil, abundant in tropical and sub-tropical countries, is a common construction material used for various purposes, such as constructing transportation infrastructures, landfills, and other earthworks. The residual lateritic soil is usually located in the vadose zone (unsaturated zone) situated above the water table. Therefore, this paper investigates untreated and cement-treated lateritic soil behaviour in terms of Soil Water Characteristics Curve (SWCC), a key topic in unsaturated soil mechanics. The soil sampling was performed from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia campus, Johor Bahru, and then the collected soil was tested in the laboratory. The 3%, 6%, 9%, and 12% ordinary Portland cement (OPC) according to the dry soil weight were utilized, and then the necessary basic tests, compaction tests, and pressure plate tests were performed. The obtained data points from pressure plate extractor equipment were fitted using Fredlund and Xing and van Genuchten models. The results exposed that the used soil is plastic silt (MH) and A7-5 according to the Unified soil classification System (USCS) and AASHTO, respectively. The Maximum Dry Density (MDD) increased from 1.39 g/cm3 for untreated to 1.419 g/cm3, 1.447g/cm3, 1.46g/cm3, and 1.479g/cm3 for 3%, 6%, 9%, and 12% cement, respectively. Similarly, the Optimum Water Content (OMC) increased from 28% to 29.5, 30, 30.5, and 31% by adding 3, 6, 9, and 12% cement, respectively. Regarding the obtained SWCC results, the Air Entry Value (AEV) increased with the increasing cement content. Overall, the results revealed that the water holding capacity of lateritic soil increases with increasing cement content.

Engineered mycelium-based composite materials: Comprehensive study of various properties and applications

The need for increased development in sustainable materials has grown over the past few years due to the high cost and large carbon footprint of conventional materials in its production. This study highlights the possible use of mycelium as an alternative for common construction and packaging materials. Mycelium is the vegetative part of a fungi or the roots of the mushroom which can be used in producing bio-composite materials with agricultural waste (substrates) called mycelium-based composite material (MBC), whereby the mycelium acts as a natural glue binding the substrates. The oyster mushroom mycelium was used in producing MBCs with three different substrate types namely, bagasse (B + RH), coconut husk (CH + RH) and a mixture of coconut husk plus bagasse (CH + B + RH). Rice husk (RH) was added to all substrates for mycelium nutrients. Readymade and fully mycelium colonized oyster mushroom spawn in juncao grass (JG) was used as well. Four different combinations of MBCs of standard size according to ASTM D1037 standard were prepared to conduct the flexural, compressive and fire resistance tests. The results showed that B + RH and JG mycelium composites have better mycelium growth density and better flexural strength, 63.4 and 399.39 kPa, and compressive strength, 13.81 and 78.34 kPa, respectively. However, the dispersion of results for JG indicated that it had a non-homogenous growth of mycelium. Furthermore, based on the fire resistance test, B + RH performed the best as total heat penetration took more than 16 min, indicating it had low thermal conductivity than other composites and can be used as an insulating material. Other suitable end-applications have been derived for the best performing MBC, which were JG and B + RH.

Effect of Pineapple Leaf Fiber on the Physico-mechanical Properties of Gypsum Board

Gypsum is a common interior construction material, especially when used as a finishing element. However, interest in prospective uses of gypsum as a finishing component has diminished in recent years as a result of its weak mechanical strength and brittle character, which is essential in interior construction. Therefore, to overcome this challenge, the effect of pineapple leaf fiber on gypsum was investigated. Five different composite configurations of 2%, 3%, 5%, 10%, and 20% pineapple leaf fibre (PALF) with two PALF sizes of 5 mm and 15 mm were prepared and tested after 7 and 28 days of curing. The results of the tests show that materials reinforced with 2% PALF have significantly improved mechanical properties. The compressive strength of a gypsum composite increased by 12.4% when 2% PALF was added. Flexural strength increased by 59% when 2% PALF was added to the mixture. The study provided a means of making gypsum composites having greater mechanical strength than those made from fossil oil-based polymers. It also found relevant use of pineapple leaf, an agricultural waste.

Effects of fine Aggregates, Cicopowder-WP, and Styrene-Butadiene rubber on carbonation resistance in concrete

Reinforced concrete is the most common construction material used in buildings, bridges, and other infrastructure elements. Corrosion or rust plays a significant role in determining the durability of reinforced concrete. Corrosion decreases the safety and service lifetime of reinforced concrete, which, in turn, increases maintenance costs. Concrete is an alkaline media that forms a passive film over steel bars to prevent corrosion. Carbonation is the most prominent cause of a loss of alkalinity in concrete. Therefore, this paper investigates the effect of fine aggregates and additives on concrete’s resistance to carbonation or carbon dioxide (CO2) penetration in concrete. It is also examined whether the two sizes of fine aggregates, Cicopowder-WP (CICO), and styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) as additives can strengthen concrete. The results reveal that CO2 penetration in concrete decreases gradually by adding, in order of effectiveness, (1) fine aggregate (sand only), (2) two sizes of fine aggregates (sand and 5 mm), (3) CICO, and (4) SBR. Consequently, the compressive strength of concrete and the lifetime of the passive film increase gradually following the same sequence.

A Simple and Practical Tool for Indirect Determination of the Unconfined Compressive Strength of Most Common Construction Materials

Determination of the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) of construction materials in the laboratory is tedious and time-consuming. There have been many attempts to indirectly predict UCS using simpler tools and techniques. One of them is the nail gun. The scope of this investigation is to design a nailer which can be applied all construction materials whose UCS range from 1-100 MPa. In the research, rocks, bricks, and concretes prepared in different cement/sand ratios with different strength ranges were used as materials. The unconfined compressive strength of the materials used in the experiments was first determined by conventional compression tests. The nail penetration depths were determined by conducting experiments on the same materials using a nailer with two different energy levels. An empirical relationship was developed by using nail penetration depths, driving energies, and nail diameters as the independent variables and the UCS determined by the conventional method as the dependent variable. According to the empirical relationship determined by multiple regression analysis, the UCS of building materials can be estimated with significance level of 99% by the nail penetration method. The research also revealed that the UCS of rocks might have a coefficient of variation as high as 30%.

Performance recovery of a repaired 4‐storey reinforced concrete structure subjected to shake‐table testing

AbstractUnderstanding the effects of repair on reinforced concrete (RC) structures is critical to evaluating their performance in future earthquakes. In this research, a system‐level approach is taken by repairing a previously damaged ¼ scale 4‐storey RC structure and subjecting it to a series of dynamic excitations via shake table testing. The repair was undertaken using common construction materials with the primary motivation of restoring original performance. The performance of the repaired structure was compared to that of the original structure prior to repairs. It was found that overall initial stiffness of the structure was recovered to 66% of the original initial stiffness and was generally higher in floors where more intensive repair works were undertaken. Damping capacity was quantified via equivalent viscous damping ratio using three different methods. Regardless of the calculation method, the damping capacity recovery was around 80% for low‐moderate drifts and 100% for high drifts. While collapse was not induced in the structure, drift ratio demands of over 5% could be achieved both before and after repairs, suggesting a full practical recovery of deformation capacity. Structural strength of the repaired structure was found to be 17% higher than that of the original structure.

The Effect of Laser Shock Peening on the Thermophysical Parameters of Metals

Using Ti64 titanium alloy as an example, the article discusses the change in the thermophysical parameters of metals under the influence of a hardening method such as laser shock peening the essence of which is the formation of residual compressive stresses in the material under the influence of high-intensity laser radiation. The experiments are carried out with plates made of Ti64 titanium alloy, which is one of the most common construction materials in modern industry. One of the plates is a control specimen, and the surface of the second one is subjected to laser processing. The thermophysical parameters of specimens are determined using the infrared thermography method, the advantage of which is the ability to simultaneously measure two coefficients, thermal diffusivity and thermal conductivity of an explored material. The specimen is heated by the laser for some time, which can be perceived as a point heat source on the surface of the plate. Simultaneously with the laser action, the surface temperature of the specimen is recorded by an infrared camera. The thermophysical coefficients are determined as optimization parameters when matching experimental data with the analytical solution of the heat equation for a geometry similar to the experimental setup.

The design challenges of mechanically stabilized earth wall structures in extreme rainfall conditions for commercial operating owners

Mine owners demand that structures perform optimally at the primary point of commercial mining operations, which force the designers’ attention to the critical contributions of the material characteristics. The extreme rainfall conditions and high loads exerted on the structures, required careful consideration of the design methodology and parameters used to cause the least amount of disruption during the full operating life span of the Mechanically Stabilized Earth Wall (MSEW) structures, through the varying conditions present on site. To design the low risk MSEW structures in Liberia, where the most common backfill construction material used is often of a lower grade laterite, combined with a rainfall condition classed as monsoon (above 4,000mm rain fall per annum), generated a scenario that forced the design approach and choice of geosynthetic materials to exclude any compromised solutions. Simplicity in the construction installation using geosynthetics and gabion materials have satisfied design requirements and minimized risk to mine operators and management.

Impact of thickness, void content, temperature and loading rate on tensile fracture toughness and work of fracture of asphalt mixtures- An experimental study using the SCB test

Asphaltic concrete mixtures are among the most common construction materials for the pavement of roads. As a multi-phase composite mixture with randomly distributed aggregates inside the mastic part, the mechanical properties of such materials can be influenced by different factors. Cracking and induced fracture is among the common degradation and failure modes in these construction mixtures that often takes place in cold regions. In this research, the effects of some influencing parameters including temperature, air void percentage and loading rate are investigated experimentally on the fracture toughness (KIc) and work of fracture (WIc) of hot mix asphalt material. Edge notched semi-circular bend (SCB) specimen was employed to conduct mode I fracture experiments. The thickness of SCB samples were considered as variable and the HMA mixtures were tested with two SCB thicknesses of 30 and 60 mm. The experimental results showed that both fracture toughness and fracture work are increased by increasing the thickness. However, the effect of thickness on the fracture work was much more significant than the KIc value. Also, the fracture and cracking resistance parameters were increased by decreasing the temperature and air void content. Both KIc and WIc values were also increased by increasing the loading rate in the investigated range of 1 to 8 mm/min. The most influencing parameters on the change of fracture resistance parameters were the temperature, loading rate, air void content and thickness, respectively.

Microscopy in the Study of Asbestos-Containing Joint Compound and Patching Products, Including Spackling

Drywall (wallboard, plasterboard, gypsum board) became the common construction material for interior walls in buildings in the later 1940s. Joint compound (mud, spackling, taping compound, joint treatment material) and patching products such as spackle or spackling were used to seal the seams between the boards and cover cracks and nail indentations. Most joint compounds from the 1940s into the later 1970s contained chrysotile asbestos in various formulations. Analyses by microscopy determined the chrysotile asbestos content of samples of Bondex, Georgia-Pacific, and Reardon products to be 1–5%, 3–8%, and 1–2% asbestos, respectively. Information compiled from several sources, including corporate responses to the U.S. EPA Asbestos Information Act of 1988 and other documents, suggest that asbestos-containing joint compounds and patching products from the 1930s into the late 1970s contained chrysotile in the range of 0.5% to 23%, with one company having a few formulations with asbestos levels as high as 45.2%. Although there were no documents showing that amphibole asbestos was intentionally added to joint compounds, there is some evidence of amphibole asbestos fibers in certain joint compound products, probably as accessory minerals with added chrysotile, talc, or limestone. No amphibole asbestos fibers were found in a Georgia-Pacific joint compound product tested using the acid/base digestion preparation procedure. During simulation testing, the asbestos level in the breathing zone of a worker during the mixing of Bondex Joint Compound ranged from 6.9 to 12 asbestos fibers per cubic centimeter of air (F/cc) (phase contrast microscopy modified by transmission light microscopy). The level was below detection during application. During sanding, the asbestos level in the breathing zone of the worker ranged from 1.9 to 5.5 asbestos F/cc. The simulations showed results that were within the ranges reported in the scientific literature for airborne asbestos levels caused by dry mixing and sanding of asbestos-containing joint compound. The sale of joint compound and spackling sold for consumer use with intentionally added asbestos was banned by the Consumer Product Safety Commission in 1977.

Natural radioactivity and radiological risk assessment due to building materials commonly used in Erbil city, Kurdistan region, Iraq.

Radiometric monitoring of construction materials is required for estimating the interior and exterior exposure to ionizing radiation emitted by terrestrial radioactive elements in building materials. Using gamma-ray spectroscopy, the activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K in fifty-two samples from eighteen different building materials commonly used in Erbil city, Kurdistan region, Iraq, were evaluated to assess possible radioactive dangers to human health. The activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K ranged from 1 ± 0.1 (gypsum board) to 130 ± 11 (granite), 1.3 ± 0.2 (gypsum) to 66 ± 8 (ceramic sample), and 18.74 ± 4 (gypsum) to 1061.708 ± 40 (granite) with an average of 28 ± 5, 20.7 ± 4, and 340.8 ± 18 (average ± standard deviation), respectively. Radiological indicators (activity concentration index, alpha and gamma index, hazard indices, interior absorbed gamma dose rate and the corresponding yearly effective dosage rate, and excess lifetime cancer risk) were computed to assess the health risks associated with these building materials. Consideration was given to the indoor annual effective dosage for common construction materials, the radon surface expiration rate, and the indoor radon concentration. The mean values of activity concentration were then inputted into the RESRAD-BUILD computer software to calculate a resident's long-term radiation exposure. The dosages were measured over a range of 0 to 70years. From 0 to 30years, there was a significant change in dosages; however, from 30 to 70years, the dosages were reasonably consistent. This research demonstrates that granite samples are not safe for dwellings with poor ventilation (especially those without windows). In general, other investigated construction materials in the buildings are deemed safe for the population, since the computed values for these parameters fall within the well-being restrictions or criterion values.

Three-dimensional simulation of conjugate heat transfer using the hybrid lattice Boltzmann-finite difference method

This paper presents a three-dimensional numerical study of natural convection and conduction thermal phenomena using MRT-lattice Boltzmann and finite difference approaches. Conduction is examined using a simple conjugate heat transfer technique, which is predicated on the assumption of continuity of heat flux and temperature at the solid/fluid interfaces, instead of utilizing the conventional method based on the solution of the conduction equation. Several parameters such as Rayleigh number and thermal conductivity related to common construction materials are also investigated to explore their effects on the evolution of heat transfer. The obtained results show that augmentation of the Rayleigh number increases the quality of heat transfer by around 35–293% for various values of thermal conductivity ratio (solid/fluid). While the increase in thermal conductivity ratio enhances the heat transfer rate by about 212–685%, where the maximum rate of heat exchange is still the same for the thermal conductivity ratio ≥1000. Entropy generation is also examined in this paper to evaluate the efficiency of our studied system. The performed investigations indicate that the rate of entropy generation due to heat transfer, friction, and total entropy generation varies significantly with increasing Rayleigh number and thermal conductivity of the solid.

From Marshall Plan to “Hilton in the wild”: The Transnational History of a Cooperative Housing Block in Esat, Ankara

This paper concerns the planning, design, and construction history of a postwar multifamily housing block in Ankara, Turkey, viewed from the perspective of the transnational and local networks behind its realization. Built by the Mintrak Building Cooperative (1957-1962) founded by executive engineers and managers of TürkTraktör, Turkey’s first tractor manufacturing company established as part of the Marshall Plan (1948-1952), the block is one of the local examples of the International Style built throughout the country. It was the tallest housing block in the Esat neighborhood, with a reinforced concrete structural framework, pilotis, and a terraced roof with communal spaces. Besides adopting the formal characteristics and common construction materials of its time, as this paper suggests, the building is emblematic of the postwar housing production from policy and development to design, construction, and domestic culture. Built as part of a workers’ housing cooperative advocated by postwar housing policy yet founded by the executives and US-educated employees of a transnational company, the block exemplifies postwar Americanization in Turkey in terms of transnational and local exchanges and their urban, architectural, and social imprints. Through content analysis based on archival sources, official reports and architectural drawings as well as oral testimonies collected from cooperative members and residents of the building, this paper questions the transnational extent of the Marshall Plan, to which a local housing cooperative could represent. It provides an in-depth analysis of the technocratic making of the housing block, through all different stages of its development, from founding “the cooperative in the wild” to building “Esat’s Hilton,” as its initiators and residents called it. In this respect, the paper argues that the block is a transnational prototype of US-guided local modernization, based on the US-promoted self-help model that introduced an autonomous organization to housing production in Turkey.