Innovative Construction Method Research Articles

Constructing eRNA-mediated gene regulatory networks to explore the genetic basis of muscle and fat-relevant traits in pigs

BackgroundEnhancer RNAs (eRNAs) play a crucial role in transcriptional regulation. While significant progress has been made in understanding epigenetic regulation mediated by eRNAs, research on the construction of eRNA-mediated gene regulatory networks (eGRN) and the identification of critical network components that influence complex traits is lacking.ResultsHere, employing the pig as a model, we conducted a comprehensive study using H3K27ac histone ChIP-seq and RNA-seq data to construct eRNA expression profiles from multiple tissues of two distinct pig breeds, namely Enshi Black (ES) and Duroc. In addition to revealing the regulatory landscape of eRNAs at the tissue level, we developed an innovative network construction and refinement method by integrating RNA-seq, ChIP-seq, genome-wide association study (GWAS) signals and enhancer-modulating effects of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) measured by self-transcribing active regulatory region sequencing (STARR-seq) experiments. Using this approach, we unraveled eGRN that significantly influence the growth and development of muscle and fat tissues, and identified several novel genes that affect adipocyte differentiation in a cell line model.ConclusionsOur work not only provides novel insights into the genetic basis of economic pig traits, but also offers a generalizable approach to elucidate the eRNA-mediated transcriptional regulation underlying a wide spectrum of complex traits for diverse organisms.

Innovative Three-Row Pile Support System of Ultra-Deep Foundation Pit and Cooperative Construction Technology with Basement for High-Rise Tower Structures

This paper proposes the structural design and calculation model of stepped three-row pile and verifies its antioverturning and antisliding stability, based on the Xinghe Yabao deep foundation pit project in Shenzhen, China. The three-row pile model is constructed using finite element software, and the force and deformation of the piles are analyzed. The influence of the direction of the prestressing anchors on the support effect of the three-row pile is investigated by simulating the prestressing anchors in three directions: oblique, horizontal, and vertical. The results show that the combined support effect of the oblique anchor and the three-row pile is the most effective, resulting in the smallest deformation, followed by the horizontal anchor, and the vertical anchor produces the largest deformation. Finally, the innovative construction method of the three-row pile removal and the basement top-down construction method is proposed. The three-dimensional model of the tower building and the basement is established by the finite element software to simulate the structural grading load and the cooperative construction of the supporting structure and the basement structure. The research results have greater engineering application value and significant economic benefits, which could provide reference and guidance for the design and construction of deep foundation pits in similar projects.

Investigation into the seamless construction for hundred-meter scale super-length raft structure based on magnesia expansive agent concrete

This research introduces an innovative construction method based on magnesia expansive agent concrete for the seamless construction of hundred-meter scale super-length raft structures, corroborated by the on-site test. The basic principle of this construction method is to use the pre compression stress generated by magnesia expansive agent to offset temperature and shrinkage stress. A temperature-strain monitoring system was employed to gather data, affirming the technique’s applicability and safety. Through the examination of temperature and strain dispersion trends in super-length raft structure, recommendations for the configuration of temperature-strain sensors have been put forth. Through the scrutiny of the temporal evolution pattern of temperature, the specific temporal and spatial coordinates that warrant particular vigilance during the surveillance of the raft’s inner-surface temperature difference were identified. Upon evaluating the correlation between strain dispersion and strain-temperature differential in the raft’s thickness dimension, a novel temperature control index (the bottom-surface temperature difference) was introduced. The threshold for this metric was established at 30°C, derived from empirical test outcomes conducted on-site. Furthermore, the critical regions for monitoring the bottom-surface temperature difference were specified.

Developing a data-driven filament shape prediction model for 3D concrete printing

With the growing global need for housing and infrastructure, 3D concrete printing (3DCP) has emerged as an innovative construction method offering several potential benefits including design flexibility, speed, and sustainability. However, enhancing the reliability of 3DCP involves managing a variety of parameters that influence various aspects of the 3D printed structure. Process parameters like nozzle velocity, nozzle diameter, nozzle height, and material flow velocity have a major impact on the structural stability and filament shape. This project aimed to develop fast and accurate data-driven models for predicting and classifying filament shape based on process parameters. A print experiment systematically varied process parameters across 144 samples. The resulting filament geometry (width, height, contact width) was measured and classified by quality. Models were trained on this data to predict filament width, contact width, filament height, and classify filaments. These models can be utilized with any buildable material - a material with a high enough yield stress to bear the weight of upper layers without significant deformation. This condition does not restrict this study’s scope as it is a prerequisite for all 3DCP applications. The models’ robustness and generalizability were confirmed through validation on literature data across various printable materials and setups. These data-driven models can aid in optimizing parameters, generating variable width filaments, and printing non-planar layers. By linking print inputs to filament outputs, this comprehensive modeling approach advances 3DCP research for more reliable and versatile concrete printing.

Experimental study of the static and hysteretic performance of grouted steel beam-column inter-connections for modular integrated construction

Modular Integrated Construction (MiC) has gained prominence as a construction method, and the integrity of its structural connections plays a critical role in ensuring the overall stability and safety of buildings. This paper presents an experimental investigation into the static and hysteretic performance of grouted steel beam-column inter-connections designed for MiC. The study examines eight full-scale specimens subjected to both monotonic and cyclic loading conditions, with a focus on failure characteristics, deformation behavior, loading-displacement curves, loading-strain curves, skeleton curves of hysteretic loops, stiffness degradation, and energy dissipation. Key findings of the study include the observation of weld cracking between beam flanges and columns in all specimens, highlighting the necessity of welding quality control to prevent such issues. Grouted connections exhibited superior integrity, with no gap opening or misalignment between upper and lower columns. Additionally, it was found that grouting could enhance the stiffness of certain connections. Removal of diagonal stiffeners significantly decreased peak bearing capacity, emphasizing their importance. The composite action brought about by bolts connecting ceiling and floor beams also proved influential. According to Eurocode 3, all grouted specimens fall under the classification of semi-rigid connections, with a distinction made for partial and full-strength connections. This research contributes valuable insights into the static behavior and hysteretic performance of grouted steel beam-column inter-connections for MiC, providing essential knowledge for the structural design and safety of buildings utilizing this innovative construction method.

Assessing the Performance of Permeable Pavement in Mitigating Flooding in Urban Areas

In the case of rapid urban development, the impact of extreme climates on the world is gradually increasing, resulting in frequent flood events. However, Taiwan is still in the stage of urban development, and it is necessary to develop more roads. Therefore, determining how to reduce the impact of road engineering on the environment is one of the major issues currently faced. Therefore, a demonstration road of a general pavement and a permeable pavement was built in Dahua North Street, Taoyuan City, Taiwan, and rainwater was stored in a central irrigation ditch and a permeable pavement through an innovative construction method for reuse in agricultural irrigation. In addition, monitoring instruments and management systems were built, and the flow law formula was established, with R2 greater than 0.9. The actual discharge and peak discharge of the permeable pavement and general pavement were analyzed. According to the data analysis results, it can be seen that the permeable pavement can effectively reduce the peak discharge of 60~75%, which not only can achieve the benefit of low-impact development but also can reuse rainwater. The patent application can be used as an example for the application of permeable pavement in Taiwan in the future.

RenderBench: The CPU Rendering Benchmark Suite Based on Microarchitecture-Independent Characteristics

This research addresses the issue of evaluating CPU rendering performance by introducing the innovative benchmark test suite construction method RenderBench. This method combines CPU microarchitecture features with rendering task characteristics to comprehensively assess CPU performance across various rendering tasks. Adhering to principles of representativeness and comprehensiveness, the constructed benchmark test suite encompasses diverse rendering tasks and scenarios, ensuring accurate capture of CPU performance features. Through data sampling and in-depth analysis, this study focuses on the role of microarchitecture-independent features in rendering programs, including instruction-level parallelism, instruction mix, branch prediction capability, register dependency distance, data flow stride, and memory reuse distance. The research findings reveal significant variations in rendering programs across these features. For instance, in terms of instruction-level parallelism, rendering programs demonstrate a high level of ILP (instruction-level parallelism), with an average value of 5.70 for ILP256, surpassing benchmarks such as Mibench and NAS Parallel Benchmark. Furthermore, in aspects such as instruction mix, branch prediction capability, register dependency distance, data flow stride, and memory reuse distance, rendering programs exhibit distinct characteristics. Through the application of the RenderBench method, a scalable and highly representative benchmark test suite was constructed, facilitating an in-depth exploration of CPU performance bottlenecks in rendering tasks. By delving into microarchitecture-independent features, this study provides profound insights into rendering program performance, offering valuable guidance for optimizing CPU rendering performance. The application of ensemble learning models, such as random forest, XGBoost, and ExtraTrees, reveals the significant influence of features like floating-point computation, memory access patterns, and register usage on CPU rendering program performance. These insights not only offer robust guidance for performance optimization but also underscore the importance of feature selection and algorithm choice. In summary, the results of feature importance ranking in this study provide beneficial directions and deep insights for the optimization and enhancement of CPU rendering program performance. These findings are poised to exert a positive impact on future research and development endeavors.

Exploring the risk propagation mechanisms of supply chain for prefabricated building projects

Prefabricated building (PB) is an innovative construction method with significant advantages in environmental protection, energy saving, productivity increase, and quality improvement. The complexity of the prefabricated building project supply chain (PBPSC) also induces risks leading to the failure of PBP. Existing researches consider risks isolated and ignores the interactions between stakeholders of PBPSC that can lead to risk propagation and management failures. This study integrated epidemic models with complex networks to explore risk propagation mechanisms in PBPSC. The hierarchical structure of PBPSC was transited into a complex network for analyzing the features of the risk propagation process and the risk propagation capacity of initial infection nodes. The analysis results indicated that risk propagation and risk recovery were medium and often overlooked, which caused risk propagation in PBPSC. When major PBP contractors and construction enterprises were affected by risks, risk propagation was more likely to occur in PBPSC. This study was a meaningful attempt to analyze the risk propagation mechanisms from the perspective of complex networks in PBPSC. Based on the analysis results, this study revealed the critical risks and propagation characteristics of PBPSC for exploring the risk propagation mechanisms and response strategies to improve the risk response capacity of PBPSC.

Numerical investigations of the load‐bearing and fatigue behavior of orthotropic composite slabs for road bridges

AbstractFatigue damage to existing steel bridges occurred due to the large increases in traffic loads and the notch sharpness in the details of orthotropic steel roadway slabs. The development of the orthotropic‐composite‐slab (OC‐slab) provides an alternative durable and lightweight composite construction. As part of the AIF‐FOSTA research project P1265 [1], the orthotropic‐composite‐slab for road bridges is currently being investigated at the Technische Universität Dresden. The project aims to develop fundamentals for the design of OC‐slabs with dowel strips. The investigations create important foundations for the establishment of the innovative construction method as an economical and durable alternative. The papers [2] and [3] give an overview of the construction and the load bearing behavior of the OC‐Slab, the paper [4] details about the experimental test program. This paper describes the numerical investigations carried out. They complement the experimental tests and provide additional knowledge about the load‐bearing and fatigue behavior of the OC‐slabs with dowel strips. The focus is on the presentation of the numerical simulation of the beam test and the determination of the ultimate and fatigue strength of the structure.

Transportation scheduling for modules used in modular integrated construction

ABSTRACT Modular integrated construction (MiC) is an innovative construction method that is widely used in practice, but high transportation cost is an obstacle to its wider implementation. This paper is motivated by the real-world need for a scientific approach for MiC transport scheduling, and addresses the practical problem of how to achieve on-time door-to-door MiC delivery in an economical manner. An innovative integer programming model is formulated with the objective of minimising the total transportation costs, including trailer rental, fuel costs, and worker salaries. A case study based on Hong Kong data validates that the developed model can be efficiently solved for problems of practical size. The results also demonstrate that the derived MiC schedule plan can reduce transportation costs by 58.7% compared with a just-in-time (JIT) strategy, thus bringing great economic benefits to off-site construction practitioners. Useful managerial implications related to on-site MiC storage areas are derived through sensitivity analysis. Overall, this paper sets the ground for the application of mathematical programming methodology to the off-site construction field. Future research may be devoted to MiC transport scheduling under uncertainty.

AVALIAÇÃO FÍSICO-MECÂNICA DE SOLOS PARA EXECUÇÃO DE PAREDES AUTOPORTANTES EM TAIPA DE PILÃO

Projects based on innovative building systems have become increasingly urgent when itcomes to designing sustainable buildings. The relevance of this demand has led to studies that overcome the paradigm of civil construction, which insists on the use of non-renewable materials such as cement and steel. In this context, the construction method called rammed earth has been introduced as an important alternative, adopting soil as the main component in its constitution, which impacts on the cost-benefit ratio, since it allows a direct reduction in energy consumption and improves the thermal andacoustic comfort. In this context, this research sought to physically and mechanically evaluate 3 (three) soils extracted from municipalities located in the western region of Santa Catarina, in order to perform, experimentally and on a real scale, self-supporting walls in rammed earth, this being a highly innovative construction method that has gained visibility in Brazil through projects based on sustainable buildings.

Barriers to modular construction systems implementation in developing countries’ architecture, engineering and construction industry

PurposeThis study aimed to identify and assess the barriers to implementing modular construction systems (MCS) in developing country's architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry, targeting built environment professionals from Nigeria and South Africa.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopted a quantitative research method, using a structured questionnaire to seek the opinions of the professionals on the identified categories of barriers.FindingsResults indicated that all identified categories of barriers were statistically significant using a one-sample t-test at p = 0.05 significance level which indicates they are critical towards the implementation of MCS in developing countries. Assessment of the opinion of the professionals using the Kruskal–Wallis scale showed that they hold similar views on the barriers to the adoption of MCS. Pearson correlation shows a high correlation coefficient amongst the barrier categories and an acceptable level of significance (p = 0.05).Research limitations/implicationsThis study is limited to two significant African countries (Nigeria and South Africa) selected based on the gross domestic product (GDP). Further studies can consider developing countries outside Africa and investigate broader respondents.Practical implicationsThe study provides implications on the barriers affecting MCS in developing countries for the academia, industry and government to have an insight into the barriers and make informed decisions and policies.Originality/valueThe research satisfies the need to study the barriers affecting the MCS in developing countries that can mitigate housing deficits. This innovative construction method has been adopted and implemented in developed countries, and the result has been positive.

Promoting the Application of Off-Site Construction in China’s Residential Building Industry from the Angle of Ecosystem

Off-site construction (OSC) is an innovative construction method. However, OSC is not widely applied in residential buildings due to many barriers. Therefore, this paper aims to unravel this puzzle and interpret the slow development of OSC. The paper develops a new analytical lens based on the ecosystem concept. By deconstructing some ecosystem concepts, the paper conceptualizes China’s residential building industry ecosystem (RBI-ECO) and proposes three hypotheses. The results show that the current structure of RBI-ECO does not support OSC development. Firstly, the performance of different types of enterprises is imbalanced. Secondly, there is a lack of cooperation between enterprises except for daily communication of projects. Moral risks, competition, and a fragmented supply chain are the primary causes. These barriers in RBI-ECO limit the implementation of OSC. In order to promote the application of OSC, the government can implement mandatory policies and concrete measures, establish a designer-led mechanism, motivate enterprises to transform into comprehensive enterprises, and enhance learning and education for OSC enterprise managers.

A Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Model for Selecting the Best Project Delivery Systems for Offsite Construction Projects

Off-site construction (OSC) is an innovative construction method that transfers most of the site-based work to a more controlled environment. Construction waste minimization, speedy schedules, higher sustainability, and better quality are some of the perceived benefits of OSC. Therefore, significant research attention has been given to OSC. However, minimal research attention has been given to procurement management in OSC, which could impact its pace of adoption. Existing studies on the procurement methods of OSC projects have overlooked several criteria related to OSC that impact the selection of the appropriate procurement methods (i.e., design-build, construction management, etc.). In addition, the literature lacks decision-making tools to assist OSC practitioners in selecting the appropriate procurement method. In this regard, this study contributes to the body of knowledge by (1) identifying the criteria that impact the selection of OSC procurement methods; (2) developing a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) model to select the appropriate OSC procurement methods. The developed MCDM model uses a hybrid approach of analytic network process (ANP) and evidential reasoning (ER). The ANP, which considers the interdependencies among the collected OSC procurement criteria, is used to calculate the relative importance weights through questionnaire surveys. The ER method evaluates various OSC procurement methods in accordance with the criteria importance weights. The results indicate that project quality, cost control, and funding arrangement are the prominent selection factors. On the other hand, the model reveals that the integrated project delivery (IPD) and construction management (CM) methods have the highest utility scores. The MCDM model has been validated by comparing the results with similar studies. The present study could assist OSC practitioners in selecting the appropriate procurement method for OSC projects.

Innovative FRP-Reinforced Self-Bearing Arches

The architectural beauty of curved structures is recognized worldwide. Owing to their balanced form, vaults, domes, and arches were largely adopted over the last centuries. Currently, the erection of new curved masonry structures is dramatically reduced. However, strengthening existing arches is often required to prevent their collapse under static or seismic force. Present limitations regarding such constructions include the antiquated and expensive erection technique employed for curved members. Moreover, the assembly of provisional supporting structures (scaffolding) is generally time- and cost-consuming. Accordingly, the following research provides an innovative construction method that focuses on overcoming the drawbacks of the scaffolding-based approach. A fast lift-up technique was developed to reduce the time and costs of traditional construction techniques. Specifically, the required number of blocks that constitute the arch in this study was aligned side by side on the floor and then connected using a bonded strip of composite material (i.e., FRP—fiber-reinforced polymer). The middle block was then lifted. Thus, each corresponding block could be rotated around the contact point with the adjacent block. When all blocks left the floor, an arch shape was achieved. To validate the proposed method in terms of mechanical performance, an experiment was conducted, as reported herein. A traditional masonry arch built using scaffolding was tested for comparison, and two types of reinforced arches were tested until failure. The first was traditionally built and then reinforced, whereas the second was built using the proposed innovative technique. The specimens were instrumented and tested under a centered or eccentric vertical point load. In all cases, the composite application prevented failure of the hinged joints, as is typical of unreinforced arches, resulting in significantly increased loadbearing capacity, which registered scatters of |11|% and |28|% for the centered and eccentric loads, respectively, when comparing the traditional reinforced arch with the innovative solution.

Simplified assessment for one-part 3D-printable geopolymer concrete based on slump and slump flow measurements

A combination of three-dimensional (3D) printing and one-part geopolymer concrete is an innovative and sustainable construction method to prevent environmental degradation. To perform well in a 3D printing application, one-part geopolymer concrete requires rheological specifications that will generate concrete that is printable. However, measuring rheological properties and interpreting the rheological results is time-consuming. It needs to have a standardized field-friendly method to assess the printability of one-part geopolymer concrete before printing. This study introduces a simplified way of predicting the printability of one-part geopolymer concrete for 3D printing with the use of a slump and slump flow diagram. Nineteen (19) mixtures of one-part geopolymer concrete with various water/binder ratios and different content of sodium tetraborate pentahydrate (borax) added were studied. The slump and the corresponding slump flow of these concrete mixtures were measured. Then, the actual printings were carried on to assess the printability of these mixtures. The open time of concrete was also determined. After 3 days of curing, the compressive strength of the concrete was evaluated. The investigation indicated that the mixtures with a slump in a range of between 15 mm and 30 mm accompanied by a slump flow of between 210 mm and 240 mm were found to be well-suited for 3D printing. Furthermore, the results figured out that to achieve a desirable open time for successful 3D printing, the borax content of 2–4% should be added while the appropriate water/binder ratio of higher than 0.34 should be used.

Innovative Top-Down Construction Method with a Sequential Peripheral Wall

Innovative Top-Down Construction Method with a Sequential Peripheral Wall

Collapse mechanisms of multi-story steel-framed modular structures under fire scenarios

Modular building is an innovative construction method and imposes unique assembly requirements. Modular structures may exhibit different global responses and unexpected resisting mechanisms under loading scenarios. However, there is limited research dealing with collapse behavior of steel-framed modular structures exposed to fire. This paper studies numerically the fire-induced collapse behavior of the modular framed steel structures. A six-story modular structure is designed. Finite element analysis is conducted to investigate global deformation, load transfer pattern, structural resisting mechanisms and collapse process of the structures exposed to fire. A series of parametric analysis is conducted to study influences of load ratio, cross-sectional dimensions of columns and fire locations. Results show that the modular structure designed based on Hong Kong building code survives against single module fire, but collapses during traveling fire. The overturning action, bracing effect and double-beam system are developed under fire scenarios. A geometrically unstable system is developed against traveling fire. Moreover, damage spreads from the columns close to the fire compartment to those far away. The robustness of modular structures is greatly influenced by its load ratios and cross-sectional dimensions of the columns. The findings can be adopted as valuable tools for recognizing the vulnerable structural components and critical loading mechanisms of modular structure exposed to fire. A practical design method is proposed to evaluate the final collapse state of the modular structures exposed to fire with good accuracy and efficiency and this provides a practical solution for the structural engineers to process the collapse state of modular structures.

Post-COVID-19 modular building review on problem-seeking framework: function, form, economy, and time

AbstractModular building is an innovative and sustainable construction method and a notable architectural, engineering, and construction trend. Owing to the new constructability and sustainability, significant research efforts have been focused on the engineering aspects of modular building. Since the global outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, space utilization has changed radically, and a rethinking of modular building design has become essential. However, current literature lacks a comprehensive understanding of occupants’ newly developed requirements and the relevant changes associated with engineering developments. Therefore, this study aims to review the current status of residential modular building design and construction, define its problems, and identify the key factors necessary for modular design and construction during the post-COVID-19 period from the perspective of architectural design. A total of 220 articles were selected from the Scopus database, out of which 94 papers were selected for a systematic review. The findings indicate that the present academic research primarily focuses on the technical aspects of optimizing architecture and on modularized plans to facilitate cost-effective factory production. Modular residential design has rarely considered people and cultural factors. Therefore, the authors derived 15 problems by adapting four architectural programming frameworks; function, form, economy, and time. The identified problems are mapped for future development with 11 problem-solving proposals. The proposed method contributes to developing new insights into COVID-19’s impacts on dwelling environments and can help introduce modular residential design responses that enhance the quality of life by creating better residentials in the post-pandemic.

Assessment of the outcomes of innovative construction technologies in slum upgrading: A case of Mathare Valley, Nairobi

Affordable housing was one of the four pillars of Kenya’s big four agenda of 2018. Rapid rural-urban migration and the high cost of formal housing units have led to the proliferation of informal settlements commonly referred to as slums. Provision of decent housing is still a challenge in Kenya due to continuous population growth and high demand for low cost housing. The aim of this paper was to assess the outcomes of innovative construction in housing in slum upgrading in Mathare valley. Post-occupancy survey approach was used to establish existing technological challenges on the walls, roof and floors of the upgraded units. Structured questionnaires were administered to the slum residents. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze data and results were presented in tables. Results indicated that the upgrade improved the houses structural envelope of walls, floors and roofs. The respondent’s perception of the scheme in terms of quality and acceptability was significant though deterioration of the structural envelope with time was evident. The upgrade improved the physical infrastructure and livelihoods as compared to the previous situation characterized by poor sanitation, degradable roofs, and walls and inadequate of social amenities. The relationships between residents were improved as compared to the previous situation. Better communal facilities such as roads, drainage and toilets were realized. The previous houses were made of assorted degradable materials which were substituted with fairly permanent elements during the upgrade. In conclusion, innovative construction technologies improved the social, economic and physical aspects of the project but certain aspects remained unchanged. The innovative construction method should focus on pro-poor approaches like improvement of the existing structures in lieu of demolition. The residents should be involved in assessing and determining their needs to ensure construction of houses suits their interests. Effective monitoring is critical to avoid displacement and minimize political interference and corruption.