Interior Partitions Research Articles

Interior Fabrications: rethinking the interior through hands-on prototyping

Exploring the intersection between design education and hands-on experience in real-world construction scenarios, this study seeks to address the gap between design concepts and their practical execution. An experimental seminar titled Interior Fabrications was invented to integrate construction knowledge with a theoretical investigation. First exposed to a range of tools and techniques through participation in a real-world design-build exercise, the students were then asked to deploy their skills within their own design work. Students considered how new typologies of interior partitions could impact spatial dynamics, the relationship between identity and the interior, and create new programmatic consequences. Physical engagement with materials and space allowed for new experimentation and ways of thinking about design, creating a stronger awareness and understanding of the built environment. The study focuses on the value of learning and experimenting through full-scale mock-ups of materials.

Built-In Environmental Construction Mechanism and Sustainable Renewal Strategies of Traditional Qiang Dwellings in Western China

Indoor air quality (IAQ) has a significant impact on human health, as people spend 90% of their time in various indoor environments. Therefore, research on IAQ is extremely necessary. However, current research on traditional Qiang residences in western Sichuan mainly focuses on the indoor thermal environment and heritage protection, with relatively little attention paid to IAQ. This study investigates the IAQ of traditional Qiang residences in western Sichuan, which have open fire pits as the core of daily life, exploring the impact of passive renovation strategies on the indoor air quality. Using simulation methods, this study employs passive strategies, such as increasing the size of windward windows, changing ventilation methods, relocating the fire pit, and enlarging interior partition openings, to improve and optimize the IAQ through natural ventilation. The results show that when the windward window sizes are 0.8 m × 1.9 m and 0.7 m × 1.55 m, the reduction in the indoor CO2 concentration is the greatest, with a maximum decrease of 0.024% at the 1.5 m plane. This paper proposes passive renovation strategies to improve the indoor air quality of Qiang residences in western Sichuan. These strategies effectively enhance the indoor air quality of Qiang residences and address the research gap on indoor air quality in regional Qiang residences in western Sichuan. The insights and methods presented contribute to the improvement of the indoor air quality in traditional buildings and support the sustainable development of traditional architecture.

Adaptation of rural residential buildings in a Mediterranean climate to climate change: A case study of La Rioja (Spain)

Climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing the building sector and rural areas in particular should be prioritised due to their special characteristics. In this work, ways to adapt rural residential buildings in a Mediterranean climate to climate change via energy renovation were studied, taking La Rioja (Spain) as a case study. Different energy renovation solutions were evaluated under different climate change scenarios considering the possible evolution of the climate zones. The energy and economic impacts of these energy-renovated buildings were compared to those of existing buildings. Nearly zero-energy buildings were achieved by changing the thermal envelopes and their corresponding interior partitions. The study discovered that, on the one hand, the heating energy demand was reduced while the cooling energy demand was increased, thus reducing the total energy demand; on the other hand, the best energy renovation solution entails compliance by nearly zero-energy buildings with current building thermal regulation for the current climate zone. This work can serve as a guide to establish and promote energy renovation policies that are effective in addressing climate change and are economically viable. Furthermore, the methodology developed and the results obtained can be extrapolated to other cold Mediterranean climate zones.

Dynamic identification methods and artificial intelligence algorithms for damage detection of masonry infills

The failure of non-structural components after an earthquake is among the most expensive earthquake-incurred damage, and may also have life-threatening consequences, especially in public buildings with very crowded facilities, because exposition is high and the risk increases accordingly. The assessment of existing non-structural components is particularly complex because in-depth in situ investigation is necessary to detect the presence of deficiencies or damage. This problem concerns interior and exterior partitions made of various materials (e.g., glass and masonry), as well as equipment and facilities in construction (building, industry, and infrastructure). Defining the boundary conditions of these components is of paramount importance. Indeed, external restraints (i) affect dynamic properties and, thus, the action experienced during an earthquake, and (ii) influence the capacity to detach the component before failure from the bearing structure (e.g., an infill wall connected to the main structural frame, or equipment connected to secondary structural members such as floors). The authors, therefore, conducted environmental vibration tests of an infill wall and refined a finite element model to simulate typical damage scenarios to be implemented on the wall. Selected damage scenarios were then artificially realized on the existing infill and further ambient vibration tests were performed to measure the accelerations for each of them. Finally, the authors used these accelerations to detect the damage by means of established OMA, as well as innovative machine learning techniques. The results showed that convolutional variational autoencoders (CVAE), coupled with a one-class support vector machine (OC-SVM), identified the anomaly even when the OMA exhibited limited effectiveness. Moreover, the machine learning procedure minimizes human interaction during the damage detection process.

High-performance lightweight aggregate concrete research and mechanical property analysis: A review

In the current era where prefabricated construction is dominant, under the trends of industrialization, mechanization, and green construction, a series of experiments and explorations have been conducted in a multidisciplinary approach of materials engineering, structural engineering, and civil engineering. This paper presents an overview of existing domestic and international research on high-performance lightweight aggregate concrete used for prefabricated interior partition walls. This includes: research and design of high-performance lightweight aggregate concrete and initial mechanical property analysis; determination of its significant optimization effect for preparing prefabricated interior partition panels; seeking ways to further enhance the performance of lightweight aggregate concrete-made interior partition panels and increase their applicability in building assembly. Taking into account engineering practical applications, the future application prospects of high-performance lightweight aggregate concrete in prefabricated interior partition panels are discussed, alongside further research directions and suggestions. The research outcomes of this paper are of great significance in promoting the development of industrialized construction and green buildings.

Research on A Kind of Lightweight Heat-insulating, Sound-insulating and Light-transmitting Concrete Interior Partition Wall Block

The new composite concrete with both lightweight, thermal insulation, heat insulation and light transmission properties is a new type of building The new composite concrete with both lightweight, thermal insulation, heat insulation and light transmission properties is a new type of building material with energy saving and consumption reduction functions. This paper integrates the research status of scholars in this field at home and abroad, realises the lightweight of blocks by studying the properties of lightweight aggregate concrete and porous concrete, and selects suitable light- transmitting materials, tests the light transmittance and mechanical properties of concrete blocks after adding light-transmitting materials, then analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of the sound insulation effect produced by adding soundproofing materials made from different materials to concrete blocks, and selects the best sound insulation effect by adding soundproofing materials to concrete blocks. concrete blocks, and selects the best soundproofing material for the comprehensive performance. Then we analyze the advantages and disadvantages of Then we analyze the advantages and disadvantages of adding different sound insulation materials into concrete blocks, and select the best sound insulation material with comprehensive performance. the same time of realising the three properties of light weight, sound insulation and light transmittance, we further study the effect of adding different thermal insulation materials on the thermal insulation effect of the blocks, and select the concrete blocks with the best thermal insulation performance.

Compartmentalization and ventilation system impacts on air and contaminant transport for multifamily buildings

Provision of acceptable indoor air quality in multifamily buildings (MFBs) depends on the interior air flows that impact dilution of contaminants, cross-contamination between units and building energy use. The airtightness of interior partitions and design of ventilation systems in MFBs determine the flows across building partitions. These flows change the total ventilation rate for the building and individual units, and impact the mixing of air and contaminants between apartment units or with common spaces. This study examines the changes in air flow and contaminant transport in MFBs using combined CONTAM/EnergyPlus models. Key parameters were systematically varied, including climate, apartment airtightness, and mechanical ventilation system type. Simulations were performed for mid-rise buildings with and without an enclosed common corridor, and a 20-story high-rise building. Contaminants simulated in the analysis were PM2.5, formaldehyde, water vapor, and CO2. Key results of this work are that current airtightness requirements in ASHRAE 62.2 sufficiently limit transport of key contaminants, independent of the type of ventilation system across all three building typologies, and significantly reduce energy use in colder climates. The results of this work are intended to assist codes and standards bodies in setting appropriate airtightness limits and ventilation system design guidelines for MFBs.

Comparative environmental life cycle assessment of partition walls: Innovative prefabricated systems vs conventional construction

Prefabrication is increasingly recognized as an alternative to conventional on-site construction, offering potential environmental benefits. However, these benefits are context-specific, requiring precise studies for optimal solutions. This paper presents the life-cycle environmental performance of an innovative prefabricated interior partition wall and benchmarks it against a conventional system, providing a replicable model for other novel partition walls. Detailed data collected directly from direct sources were utilized to conduct a cradle-to-gate with options Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), presenting a conveniently described method that can be widely replicated in the construction sector. The adapted LCA method presented in this study contributes to sustainable construction, providing a straightforward and robust approach to assessing the environmental impacts of innovative partition walls compared to conventional walls. For the specific scenario studied, the life-cycle impact assessment results generally indicate a superior environmental performance of the innovative prefabricated interior partition wall compared to the conventional system, resulting in impact reductions ranging from 10 to 60% across evaluated categories. For both systems, the production of materials plays a predominant role in the impact contributions. Furthermore, exploring alternative scenarios yielded significant environmental benefits, particularly in cases considering higher incorporation of recycled materials. Therefore, the direct comparison of the environmental performance of innovative partition walls against traditional solutions emerges as an environmentally sustainable path in the short and medium term. This aligns with the ongoing progress towards decarbonizing the building sector, not only in choosing more environmentally friendly solutions but also in improving the environmental performance of products through assertive changes.

Service Life Prediction and Life Cycle Costs of Light Weight Partitions

This study investigates the life expectancy (LE) and life cycle costs (LCC) of three alternatives of interior partitions in residential units: gypsum board, autoclaved concrete block, and hollow concrete block partitions. The aim is to examine the sustainability and cost-effectiveness of these partitions in various service and occupancy conditions. Three different service conditions were analyzed: Standard (constructed without faults), Inherent Defect Conditions (with initial, non-progressing defects), and Failure Conditions (developing defects over time). To analyze the impact of occupancy conditions, six ‘negative occupancy factors’ were identified that accelerate partition deterioration, including non-ownership, poor maintenance, high residential density, the presence of young children, the presence of domestic animals, and the density of furniture. These factors define four occupancy condition categories: light, moderate, standard, and intensive. The research found that hollow concrete block partitions are the most durable, exceeding 100 years in light or moderate conditions. Gypsum board partitions, while cost-effective, have a lower life expectancy, needing replacement in 11–27 years in intensive conditions. Autoclaved concrete blocks offer moderate durability, with similar costs to hollow blocks in normal conditions. Overall, the study highlights the influence of service and occupancy on the lifespan of interior building components, and provides recommendations for partition type selection that are based on specific conditions. These recommendations are a pivotal outcome, highlighting the study’s significant contribution to the understanding of the long-term performance and sustainability of building materials in residential construction.

Corrugated veneer joinery and construction material and its sound insulation properties

The article presents a new joinery and construction material made of corrugated veneer. The material under consideration can be used to create lightweight internal enclosing structures of residential premises (interior partitions) and for interior decoration. Within the framework of this study, the tasks related to the determination of sound insulation properties and characteristics of a new joinery and building material and the search for ways to improve its design are considered. The analysis of the regulatory requirements for interior partitions of residential premises and the requirements of standards for the experimental determination of the degree of isolation of air noise by enclosing structures in field conditions is carried out. Methods for determining the sound insulation properties and characteristics of various materials and structures, as well as equipment used for research, have been studied. An experimental installation has been developed to evaluate the effectiveness of insulation from air noise of samples of the proposed joinery and construction material. Samples of the material necessary for the experiment were made, and an experiment plan was drawn up. It has been established that the highest efficiency of isolation from air noise is achieved in the high frequency range from 4800 dB and above. In the area of low and medium frequencies, the sound insulation of the material under study is not effective enough, which requires the use of additional sound insulation layers. The assessment of ways to improve carpentry and construction material to improve its sound insulation properties in the low and medium frequencies has been carried out.

Thermal properties and Life Cycle Assessment of new eco-sandwich panel for building thermal insulation

Lightweight eco-materials are in high demand in many sectors, such as aerospace, industry, and building due to their several characteristics. The present paper is an experimental investigation of the thermal characteristics of novel sandwich panels made with local and ecological materials namely agglomerated cork for the core and bio-composite materials for the skin. Three configurations (symmetric, asymmetric, and two layers) were studied with different cork core thicknesses. Density values have been measured and compared. Thermal characterization consists of determining thermal conductivity and specific heat using a HFM apparatus; whilst thermal diffusivity and thermal effusivity have been calculated using the experimental findings. The panels are lightweight and thermally insulating. The values of thermal conductivity are in the range 0.071 and 0.102 W.m−1.K−1. The comparison between experimental results of thermal conductivity to theoretical values highlights the accuracy of method for multi-layer thermal characterization and the good adhesion between layers. Finally, a life cycle assessment of the new sandwich panels has been carried out and compared with common insulation materials. The sandwich panels are efficient in terms of embodied energy and CO2 emissions compared to commercialized insulators and some insulators based on recycled or natural materials, the embodied energy for symmetric configuration with 4 cm cork core are 79.73, 94.75, and 89.35 MJ/FU corresponding to an embodied carbon 5.33, 6.32, and 6.01 CO2/FU respectively. They can be classified in the middle between synthetic and natural insulators. Based on the findings, it was concluded that utilizing these sandwich panels as construction materials for interior paneling or partition walls could offer benefits in terms of being environmentally sustainable and cost-efficient.

Experimental Investigation of Sheathed Cold‐Formed Steel Sigma Studs Under Compression Loading

AbstractCold‐formed steel sections are used to form various components of low‐and medium‐rise buildings. Such sections are commonly constructed with sheathing board, providing thermal and acoustic separation between interior partitions. In contemporary projects, these sheathing boards have been used to provide bracing and increasing lateral stiffness. The strength and stiffness of sheathing‐braced structural assemblies is governed by connections between framing elements and sheathing components. This paper describes an experimental investigation of stability and strength of sheathed cold‐formed steel lipped sigma wall studs under compression loading. A total of 35 experimental tests conducted covering various parameters including, sheathing plasterboard thickness, stud and track thickness, plasterboard configuration and density. Sheathing density and thickness are found to be significant in impacting the compression strength of the sheathed cold‐formed steel lipped sigma studs. A clear pattern was noted between plasterboard material and thickness on the stability and strength of the sheathed stud. It is found that higher density boards provided the greatest restraint against buckling, as did increased thicknesses. Isolating direct loading of the sheathing, and Composite action between the stud and sheathing are shown to be significant in determining the strength and controlling limit state of the stud.

Mechanical and energy absorption properties of 3D-printed honeycomb structures with Voronoi tessellations

3D printing technology is the new frontier in building construction. It is especially useful for making small structures within a short period. Full construction, including interior partitions and exterior façades, can be achieved with this technology. This paper proposes a parametric Voronoi tessellations model for quickly generating and fabricating 3D-printed hexagonal honeycomb partitions for interior design. Comprehensive experimental testing was conducted to characterize the mechanical properties and investigate the energy absorption characteristics of the proposed 3D-printed hexagonal honeycomb while comparing it to alternative hexagonal honeycomb structures. The tests included tensile testing (ASTM-D638) of the printed Polylactic Acid (PLA) material, especially with the almost total absence of conducted research that reported mechanical properties for 3D printed material with low infill percentages such as 10%. In addition, an in-plane quasi-static axial compression testing of the lightweight honeycomb structures was also conducted on the printed structure with the same low infill percentage. Compared to non-Voronoi honeycomb structures, the Voronoi honeycomb resulted in superior mechanical and energy absorption properties with energy absorption values ranging from 350 to 435 J and crash force efficiency being 1.42 to 1.65.

Empirical investigation of interzonal air leakage and airborne sound transmission correlation in multi-unit residential buildings

In the context of suite compartmentalization in multi-unit residential buildings, knowing the airtightness of individual pressure boundaries (e.g. floor, corridor wall, suite wall, etc.) is imperative for the diagnosis and remediation of issues such as regulating ventilation air delivery and managing pollutant transfer. However, conventional quantification methods, such as the pressure neutralization method, are cumbersome to complete. The feasibility of an acoustic testing approach, which leverages the relationship between increased air leakage rate and decreased airborne sound transmission loss was examined. Limited studies have explored this relationship in building enclosure elements, and no attempts were made to assess the correlation in interior partitions. In-situ measurements were conducted across twelve suite partition walls from three multi-unit residential buildings to obtain experimental correlations between the two parameters. The area-normalized air leakage rate at 50 Pa (q50) varied among specimens of the same composition, demonstrating the importance of air-sealing details for the overall partition airtightness. The variation in q50 was best reflected by the area-normalized sound transmission loss at 630 Hz; a non-linear model and the inclusion of air pressure differential information also improved the models’ accuracy. While the root-mean-square error of 0.56 L/s/m2 in q50 prediction suggests this acoustic approach needs further refinement to verify compliance with increasingly stringent compartmentalization targets, the current study demonstrates the application and potential benefits of the acoustic approach in a real-world context. Further data could improve the model so that it could be suitable for screening partitions with similar construction and in pre- and post-retrofit comparisons.

Cost Estimation Model Based on Building Information Modeling and Virtual Reality for Customizing Presold Homes

Presold homes refer to houses that are sold before construction has begun or while the construction is still underway. To facilitate the selection and purchase of houses by clients, construction companies usually use sample houses, models, or videos to show the appearance of new houses being constructed. Clients have numerous opportunities to participate in the spatial planning and spatial allocation of the houses because these houses have not yet been constructed, and clients can direct the style and materials used for interior partition walls and furnishings. However, when discussing housing styles with their clients, construction companies often depend on their imagination to create three-dimensional images depicting the interior layout of houses. Construction companies can neither immediately present new styles when clients request changes to partition walls or styles nor estimate the costs of the changes. Consequently, clients cannot immediately decide on such changes, which then leads to poor communication between the two parties. Accordingly, this study designed a system that integrates building information modeling (BIM) and virtual reality (VR). Through this system, clients can change and immediately view house styles in immersive VR and decide on whether the changes meet their demands. Furthermore, the designed system is linked to a unit price database for materials. When clients make alterations in the system, it automatically calculates the costs of the changes and then helps the client determine whether the changes are within their budgets. The results of this study indicate that the designed system can accurately and rapidly achieve cost estimation. Furthermore, the proposed system ensures consistency between BIM and virtual environment information, thereby promoting the application of BIM in the stages of a building life cycle subsequent to building design.

Characterization and under Water Action Behaviour of a New Plaster-Based Lightened Composites for Precast.

Plaster is a construction material widely used for the production of prefabricated parts in building construction due to its high capacity for hygrothermal regulation, its good mechanical performance, and its fireproof nature, among other factors. Its historical use has been linked to ornamental elements, although more recent research is oriented towards the industrialisation of plaster composites and the design of prefabricated parts for false ceilings and interior partitions. In this work, the behaviour against water of four new plaster-based composite materials is studied, using additions of two types of super absorbent polymers (sodium polyacrylate and potassium polyacrylate) and a lightening material (vermiculite) in their manufacturing process. In addition, the transmission of water vapour through the samples was studied together with the water absorption capacity of the samples in order to check the suitability of the use of plaster-based materials exposed to these environments. The results of this study show that composites with the addition of super absorbent polymers as well as vermiculite significantly improve their water performance compared to traditional materials up to 7.3% water absorption with a minimal (13%) reduction in mechanical strength compared to current materials with similar additions. In this sense, a plaster material is obtained with wide possibilities of application in the construction sector that favours the development of sustainable and quality buildings, in line with Goal 9 for Sustainable Development included in the 2030 Agenda.

Analysis of the Causes of the Destruction of Plaster on the Interior Partitions of an Apartment Building

Analysis of the Causes of the Destruction of Plaster on the Interior Partitions of an Apartment Building

Dynamic life cycle assessment of the recurring embodied emissions from interior walls: Cradle to grave assessment

The construction sector is recognized as being one of the main generators of CO₂ emissions and consumption of resources. Lately, special attention has been directed to the search for strategies that optimize and mitigate the embodied impact of constructive systems. In this research, the widely used life cycle assessment is applied to analyze the embodied emissions of several constructive systems used as interior partition walls (IPW), from a “cradle to grave” perspective. The study includes dynamic parameters in the design of scenarios for calculating the recurrent embodied emissions. The aim of the research is to assess the influence of these parameters on the variability of the accumulated results and to identify the constructive systems with optimal environmental performance. The results show the importance of maximizing the service life of systems and buildings in order to reduce the associated emissions, since the impact can be reduced by up to 60% over a 120-year perspective for the same system. This parameter's direct influence on the accumulated environmental performance was observed when an IPW with high initial impact but with longer service life consideration (IPW 26 – scenario 28 with 506 kg CO2 eq) could be just as suitable as an IPW with lower impact but shorter service life (IPW 27 – scenario 22 with 500 kg CO2 eq). It is also concluded that the initial embodied emissions of the construction systems are determinant in the cumulative impact, therefore highlighting the importance of material selection and optimization and the need for improvement in production processes.

Solution of a nonlocal problem for hyperbolic equations with piecewise constant argument of generalized type

This paper proposes an effective method for solving a nonlocal problem for a system of second-order hyperbolic equations with piecewise constant time argument of generalized type. The method is based on the introduction of functional parameters that are set as the values of the desired solution along the lines of the domain partition with respect to the time variable. With the aid of the functional parameters and new unknown functions, the considered problem is reduced to an equivalent problem for a system of hyperbolic equations with data on the interior partition lines and functional relations with respect to the introduced parameters. We have developed a two-stage procedure to approximately solve the latter problem: firstly, we solve an initial-value problem for a system of differential equations in functional parameters; then, we solve a problem for a system of hyperbolic equations in new unknown functions with data on the interior partition lines. We have obtained some conditions for the convergence of approximate solutions to the exact solution of the problem under study in terms of input data and proved that these conditions guarantee the existence of a unique solution of the equivalent problem. Finally, we have established coefficient conditions for the unique solvability of the nonlocal problem.

Fabrication of LLDPE based biodegradable composite incorporated with leather shavings and buffing dust: An approach for waste management

AbstractThe aim of this study is to fabricate biodegradable composite films from leather shavings (LS) and leather buffing (LB) blended with linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) by twin‐screw extrusion process with blow molding mechanism. Various quantities of leather fiber is used to fabricate the composite films and as prepared films were characterized by FTIR, TGA, DSC, SEM, OTR, biodegradability, water absorption, and mechanical properties respectively. FTIR analysis is performed to validate the chemical bonding between LB/LLDPE and LS/LLDPE. TGA and DSC studies are used to determine the thermal stability whereas SEM analysis is used to examine the surface morphology of fabricated composite films. Oxygen gas barrier properties of LB/LLDPE and LS/LLDPE composite films are enhanced by 11.32% and 15.17% respectively compared to pure LLDPE film. Tensile strengths (TS) of the composite materials are augmented by 228.75% and 313.73% while elongation at break is decreased by 57.85% and 50.09% for LB/LLDPE and LS/LLDPE respectively compared with pure LLDPE film. Water absorption capacity is increased by 4.54% and 3.36% whereas weight loss percentage is improved 7 and 5 times respectively for LB/LLDPE and LS/LLDPE composite. Hence, the fabricated composite films can be used as cost‐effective, biodegradable, and flexible composite films for packaging and interior partitioning.