Intermediate Floor Research Articles

Staff Safety Alert Banner Program Against Workplace Violence at an Urban American Hospital.

Workplace violence (WPV) in healthcare has become an issue worldwide, with increasing prevalence after the COVID-19 pandemic. Notably, WPV in any setting has individual and systemic repercussions. However, despite extensive literature reporting the prevalence of WPV in healthcare worldwide, effective, standardized prevention policies have not been established. We developed and piloted a WPV initiative at an urban hospital in the state of Maryland. Here, we aim to describe our program development methods and implementation. The 6-month program utilized a reporting tool developed within patients' electronic medical records (EMRs) to request the display of a Staff Safety Alert (SSA) banner to alert healthcare professionals of patients who engaged in violent behavior and are at increased risk of subsequent behavior. This tool was piloted on 21 patient care units. A review committee either approved or denied case requests filed by frontline workers, with holistic consideration involving patient status, potential biases, and communication flaws. Twenty-one banner requests were filed during the course of the pilot. Of which, eight were approved, and 13 were denied. The multi-trauma intermediate care floor filed the most case requests for a safety banner. Our pilot program offers a patient-centered intervention program where extensive personnel training and patient-focused considerations were applied prior to the approval or denial of a banner display. The SSA program was the initial step in institutionally combatting WPV in healthcare as staff are encouraged to officially document unsafe events followed by careful action in response.

A Methodology to Manage and Correlate Results of Non-Destructive and Destructive Tests on Ancient Timber Beams: The Case of Montorio Tower

Intending to safeguard architectural heritage, the assessment of the health of timber structures is crucial, though challenging, due to the organic nature of wood and to the uncertainties of its preservation state. To this end, useful support is provided by the ICOMOS guidelines, which provide conservation strategies based on thorough diagnosis and safety evaluations. In this context, the study summarized in this paper focuses on the medieval Tower of Montorio, which suffered considerable damage due to the strong earthquake that occurred in those area in September 2003. Its subsequent process of rehabilitation and restoration involved a widespread experimental campaign and the substitution of some timber beams. This circumstance has offered a rare opportunity to study these ancient elements in detail, although they are limited in number. Six beams made of oak and removed from an intermediate floor of the tower were evaluated through a comprehensive approach that included both non-destructive tests (NDT) and destructive tests (DT). Particularly, they were subjected to visual inspections, ultrasonic, sclerometric, and resistographic methods, and destructive four-point bending tests. Overall, the study presented here provides a useful qualitative comparison between them. Results highlighted that relying only on NDT might lead to an overestimation of mechanical properties and that combining NDT with DT is crucial for a more accurate assessment. Therefore, the need to deepen the research on correlations between NDT and DT to obtain reliable values of mechanical properties while respecting the conservation aim was confirmed.

Progressive Collapse and Post Impact Damage Assessment in a Regular Beam-Slab Building & Flat-Slab Building on the Intermediate Floor

Progressive collapse, where a localized member failure causes widespread structural collapse, has become a critical concern nowadays, due to its potential to cause significant financial losses and loss of human life. Triggers include natural disasters like earthquakes and floods, as well as accidents, attacks and explosions. Reinforced concrete flat slab structures, which are eminent for their architectural flexibility and have larger spans, are particularly susceptible to disproportionate collapse, due to the lack of floor beams, which can redistribute loads after a column failure, unlike moment frame buildings. This research examines how multi-story reinforced concrete flat slab buildings behave, under prescribed gravity load combinations, compared to conventional framed buildings. The effects of removing columns at specified locations from an intermediate floor of the multistorey building are also examined. However, this investigation covers both the column removal approaches to check a possibility of disproportionate collapse which are; static removal and dynamic instantaneous removal. Furthermore, the research also assesses the efficacy of perimeter beams, in minimising the risk of gradual collapse in flat slab structures, by scrutinising their ability to reduce joint displacement, chord rotation, and demand capacity ratio. ETABS v18 was used to analyze all the 18 models. The findings revealed that buildings are more prone to progressive collapse when corner columns are removed, as opposed to edge and interior columns, due to higher Demand-Capacity Ratios (DCR) and joint displacement. In comparison to dynamic analysis, the static evaluation exhibited greater DCR values and vertical joint displacement. Furthermore, since they have a more efficient load redistribution mechanism, traditional framed structures performed better than flat slab models. The simulations additionally indicated that, adding edge perimeter beams, substantially lowered the possibility of progressive collapse in flat slab structures. Moreover, the tested flat slab building models, with and without perimeter beams showed no indications of progressive collapse, when specified columns were removed from the intermediate floors, since the DCR values of the crucial columns stayed within the permissible range of 2.0. In conclusion, structures built in compliance with IS 1893:2016 code and designed to withstand seismic loads demonstrate stronger resistance against significant damage, brought about by column failures.

Feasibility of Using Lightweight Load-Bearing Panel Systems in Duplex Apartments of Tall Buildings

As an inevitable result of the growing population in recent times, the requirements of housing facilities, land scarcity, and overexploitation of natural resources have created many problems. One solution for the lack of land is to have multi-storey apartment buildings. Hence, over the last few decades, the number of tall buildings has seen an exponential increase. The apartment spread over two floors, is considered upmarket due to the larger floor area. However, one factor that has been a huge obstruction to promoting duplex apartments is the higher cost. In this study, a novel concept is introduced where a proper load-bearing floor is needed only once on two floors. The duplex is double-height, using lightweight concrete panels supporting lightweight concrete floors. Recycled expanded polystyrene (REPS) based light-weight panels are used as the load-bearing walls, and the NERD slab system is introduced for the intermediate floor. The structural performance was assessed using the comparison of two finite element models for duplex and conventional concepts. It was observed that the duplex concept is structurally feasible in comparison with the conventional concept. The study emphasises that an approximately 30% dead load reduction in typical floor levels has occurred due to the lightweight beam slab system in between floors.

Checking the parameters of the internal environment by calculated simulation of measurements with a ball thermometer

According to the regulatory documents in force in the Russian Federation, the measurement of the normalized indoor environment indicators should be carried out with a ball thermometer. These norms also apply to the premises of the transport infrastructure buildings. In this paper, the values of the radiation temperature tr and the local asymmetry of the radiation temperature dtr as to the ball thermometer have been estimated by calculation. An ordinary room of an intermediate floor with a window in the outer wall with a width of 3.8 m and a height of 1.8 m, the bottom of which is located at a height of 1 m from the floor, in Belgorod, has been subject to consideration. The room is provided by an air heating. The values of the asymmetry of the radiation temperature at the boundary of the serviced area of the room, that is, at a distance of 0.5 m from the outer wall, at a height of 1.7 m and 1.1 m from the floor in the calculated winter conditions exceed the optimal ranges limited by norms. It is shown that with an increase in the resulting room temperature, the values of the radiation temperature asymmetry also increase. The presented distributions of the radiation temperature over the volume of the room indicate that in the calculated winter conditions, the optimal requirements for tr values are not met at the same heights of 1.7 m and 1.1 m from the floor. Acceptable conditions meet the requirements of the norms.

Verification of compliance with the requirements of the norms for the internal microclimate of a corner room

The article considers the buildings of the transport infrastructure that provides services to transport workers, e.g. medical and preventive, children's educational and educative institutions. The resistance to heat transfer of the windows was not increased for such buildings at the last change in the norms of thermal protection in the Russian Federation in 2018. In this regard, it is important to check compliance with the requirements of regulatory documents for radiation temperature and asymmetry of the radiation temperature at the boundary of the serviced area of the premises of such buildings. A literary review has shown that much attention is paid to these parameters in the world. Since the heat transfer resistance of the windows is much less than that of the outer walls, the influence of the outside air temperature on the temperature of the inner surface of the window is much greater than that of the walls. The proposed article considers a corner room of an intermediate floor with windows in the outer walls, occupying 35% of the area of the external enclosing structures, in Belgorod. The building is serviced by air heating. A comparison of the radiation temperature and the asymmetry of the radiation temperature with the same indicators in the ordinary room considered earlier showed that with windows of the specified size, the influence of the second window significantly reduces the radiation temperature and increases the values of the local asymmetry of the radiation temperature. At the same time, during the estimated winter period, not only optimal, but also permissible requirements of the regulatory document are not met at the border of the serviced area of the premises.

ПРОВЕРКА ВЫПОЛНЕНИЯ ТРЕБОВАНИЙ НОРМ К ВНУТРЕННЕМУ МИКРОКЛИМАТУ УГЛОВОГО ПОМЕЩЕНИЯ

The article considers the buildings of medical and preventive, children's educational and educative institutions. The resistance to heat transfer of the windows is not increased for such buildings at the last change in the norms of thermal protection in the Russian Federation in 2018. In this regard, it is important to check compliance with the requirements of regulatory documents for radiation temperature and asymmetry of the radiation temperature at the boundary of the serviced area of the premises of such buildings. A literary review has shown that much attention is paid to these parameters in the world. Since the heat transfer resistance of the windows is much less than that of the outer walls, the influence of the outside air temperature on the temperature of the inner surface of the window is much greater than that of the walls. The proposed article considers a corner room of an intermediate floor with windows in the outer walls, occupying 35% of the area of the external enclosing structures in Belgorod. The building is serviced by air heating. A comparison of the radiation temperature and the asymmetry of the radiation temperature with the same indicators in the ordinary room considered earlier showed that with windows of the specified size, the influence of the second window significantly reduces the radiation temperature and increases the values of the local asymmetry of the radiation temperature. At the same time, during the estimated winter period optimal and permissible requirements of the regulatory document are not met at the border of the serviced area of the premises

Doppelstöckige Rindertransporte und die Grenzen des Tierschutzes

Double-deck cattle transports are regularly carried out within the country, throughout the EU as well as to non-EU countries. Herein, lengthy transports of one week and more are frequent. Particularly for adult German-Holstein cattle, double-deck transports are problematic as the animals' size renders it increasingly difficult to load them in compliance with animal welfare regulations. Due to their height, the cattle's head or back may collide with the roof or intermediate floor constructions leading to injuries. According to the European Animal Welfare Transport Regulation, it is prohibited to arrange or carry out animal transport in the case bears the risk for injury or unnecessary suffering of the animals. Both the European and the National Animal Welfare Transport Regulations represent the rules and regulations for the commercial transport of animals. The space requirements above the animals (ceiling height) are not clearly defined in the text of this regulation. In 2011, the European Commission responded to an enquiry concerning this question and recommended a ceiling height above the animals of at least 20 cm beyond the withers of the largest individual.This article provides an overview of the animal welfare challenges associated with the double-deck transport of cattle and presents possible solutions.

Minimum thickness of solid concrete floor slab with column line beams to avoid walking vibration discomfort

AbstractIn this study, an attempt has been made to evaluate the minimum slab thickness of reinforced concrete (RC) solid floor slab with column‐line beams to minimize vibration discomfort when subjected to human walking‐induced excitation. An elastic time history finite element analysis methodology has been adopted for the study. An intermediate floor panel of a multistory building has been modeled using appropriate material properties, element dimensioning and stiffness modifiers. The developed model was subjected to a walking excitation using a time history function. The finite element modeling and time history analysis scheme has been validated against experimental study described in the design guide by Fanella and Mota. The study was then focused on studying the walking‐induced vibration characteristics of the floor slab using the span length and slab thickness as the study parameters. The acceleration data obtained for the central point of the slab was subjected to fast fourier transform (FFT) to convert the response to the frequency domain. Comparisons were then made to obtain the minimum slab thickness for each span length using both frequency and acceleration criteria following ACI serviceability limit and the design guide limit by Fanella and Mota. It was observed that a combination of the two limits were needed to determine the minimum slab thickness. The findings will help engineers to design slabs with adequate thickness to minimize human walking‐induced vibration related discomfort.

Seismic performance of a high-rise building by using linear and nonlinear methods

In this paper, the seismic behavior of the existing reinforced concrete tall building is investigated by using the linear and nonlinear dynamic methods. The selected existing reinforced concrete structure was designed according to Turkey Seismic Code-2007. The performance analysis according to the Turkey Building Earthquake Code-2019 is realized in a 41-story reinforced concrete shear wall-framed structure in Istanbul where active fault lines are located. For high-rise building, firstly, spectrum analysis according to mode superposition methods of linear computational methods used within the scope of strength-based design is performed. Turkey Building Earthquake Code-2019 advises a nonlinear deformation-based design approach to determine more accurately the behavior of high-rise building, as in the earthquake regulations of other developed countries. In addition, the nonlinear time history analyses of building were performed. At the end of the study, torsional irregularity is seen on the normal floors and intermediate floor; stiffness irregularity was found on second floors. In addition, it has been observed in some of the oblique columns of the building that load bearing capacities were exceeded due to creep, axial compressive loads and severe damages occurred. According to the Turkey Building Earthquake Code-2019, the high-rise reinforced concrete shear wall building is not expected to satisfy life safety performance levels under design earthquake.

Investigate the carbon footprints of three intermediate flooring systems: Cross-laminated timber, solid concrete, and hollow-core precast concrete

This paper evaluates and compares the embodied energy and embodied carbon using a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach for three different intermediate floor structures, all of which use prefabricated materials-cross-laminated timber (CLT), precast hollow-core concrete, and solid concrete-to decide which floor construction materials have less environmental impact for use in the construction of a semi-detached house in the UK. The Inventory of Carbon & Energy (ICE) and the Carbon Calculator tool were used to calculate the carbon footprint from "cradle to grave" to determine whether the use of a CLT solution provides improved environmental performance over the traditional concrete solutions. The carbon footprint results indicate that the use of a hollow-core precast concrete floor system emits less carbon than the other two systems, although the concrete requires more fossil fuel input than the timber during the manufacturing process, so based on this, the footprint from cradle to gate for the timber was expected to be the less than that of the concrete. However, the results show the opposite; this is because of the differences in the material quantities needed in each system.

Online damage detection of earthquake-excited structure based on near real-time envelope extraction

A robust real-time damage detection technique of earthquake-excited structures based on a new demodulation technique for nonlinear and non-stationary vibration signals through the identification of signal envelopes in real time is presented. In the present work, the need for the detection of envelope in a vibration signal in real time is addressed by reformulating the concept of Hermitian interpolation functions to a recursive Hermitian polynomial, which is a key entitlement of the present work. Once, the near real-time demodulation is achieved, the proposed framework proceeds to the newly developed error-adapted framework by addressing the errors accrued between the standard and generalized eigen perturbation formulation in the context of real-time estimation of proper orthogonal modes and linear normal modes. In the adaptive framework, the error is modeled as a feedback, which is constructed to account for the truncation in the order of eigen perturbation. In addition to the improved accuracy due to the envelope extraction, the proposed error-adapted eigen perturbation further improves the detectability over the currently available eigen perturbation–based real-time algorithms. To ensure robustness of the proposed algorithm, a new real-time damage indicator based on the maximum of principal eigenvector of the evolving transformed covariance matrix is proposed. The proposed modules together not only improve the detectability of the damage detection in real-time but also enhance the overall performance in presence of non-stationary excitation, that often mask the damage information in the higher energy zones of the amplitude and frequency-modulated response. Simulations for the proposed framework is performed by considering a 5 degrees-of-freedom linear and base-isolated nonlinear structural system driven by non-stationary stochastic excitations with damage simulated at intermediate floor at a particular time instant. Evidence of the near real-time demodulation and/or envelope removal from the signal and improved damage identification is also provided. An examination of the proposed framework using experimental data further validates the robustness of the proposed scheme.

Design of prefabricated reinforced concrete structures: comparative analysis of prefabricated reinforced concrete floor slab

The article describes application of precast, cast-in-situ and composite structures on construction site. Importance of Analysis of Russian (SP) and European design standards (EuroCodes) is underlined. Historical review of Russian codes for composite reinforced concrete structures is given. Methods of composite structures calculating according to current Russian Codes are given. Ultimate and service limits states are listed for describing structures. Advantages and disadvantages of cast-in-situ, prefabricated and complex technologies are discussed. Comparison of prefabricated, monolithic and complex technologies is given on example of intermediate floor slab. Examples of sections of prefabricated reinforced concrete composite structures are summarized. Composite structures detailing is given on example of real project of Parking building of Okhta-Mall shopping and entertainment center, Saint-Petersburg. Constructive solutions are presented that increase the bearing capacity and resistance to progressive collapse of structures. Manufacturing photos of prefabricated ready-made reinforced concrete slabs as a part of future composite slab are presented. Examples of detail drawings for composite concrete slabs, executed in accordance to Eurocode, are given. Suggestions for improving the existing Code of Practice are given. Reference to similar scientific papers is presented related to composite reinforced concrete elements. Article is developed with financial and technical information support of AFRY Oy Finland.

Axon guidance at the spinal cord midline-A live imaging perspective.

During neural circuit formation, axons navigate several choice points to reach their final target. At each one of these intermediate targets, growth cones need to switch responsiveness from attraction to repulsion in order to move on. Molecular mechanisms that allow for the precise timing of surface expression of a new set of receptors that support the switch in responsiveness are difficult to study in vivo. Mostly, mechanisms are inferred from the observation of snapshots of many different growth cones analyzed in different preparations of tissue harvested at distinct time points. However, to really understand the behavior of growth cones at choice points, a single growth cone should be followed arriving at and leaving the intermediate target. Existing ex vivo preparations, like cultures of an “open‐book” preparation of the spinal cord have been successfully used to study floor plate entry and exit, but artifacts prevent the analysis of growth cone behavior at the floor plate exit site. Here, we describe a novel spinal cord preparation that allows for live imaging of individual axons during navigation in their intact environment. When comparing growth cone behavior in our ex vivo system with snapshots from in vivo navigation, we do not see any differences. The possibility to observe the dynamics of single growth cones navigating their intermediate target allows for measuring growth speed, changes in morphology, or aberrant behavior, like stalling and wrong turning. Moreover, observation of the intermediate target—the floor plate—revealed its active participation and interaction with commissural axons during midline crossing.

The Birth of the Concepts of Multiple Rooftops Greening and its Significance in the History of Rooftop Greening

The purpose of this study is to grasp the concepts of rooftop greening and to clarify the birth of multiple rooftops greening and its concepts and significance in history of rooftop greening. Some 157 examples of rooftop greening were collected from technical books and contests and were analyzed from the viewpoint of place of rooftop greens, spatial relations of rooftop green, accessibility to the rooftop greens, mobility between rooftop greens, presence of natural vegetation, water environment and existence of neighboring ground green spaces. The data set was analyzed through cluster analysis and Hayashi's quantification methods typeⅢ and chronological table on the history of technologies and governmental policies. As a result, it was made clear that the concept of greening the rooftop appeared early works in history of rooftop greening. Afterwards, the concept of rooftop green on the intermediate floor also became popular in 1980s and surrounding natural environments were taken into account in 1990s. After the birth of multiple rooftops greening, rooftop greens became closed to the ground, easier to access, connected visually and biologically and improved between the upper and lower rooftops. In the case of Across Fukuoka of 1995, all concepts were introduced. In conclusion, it’s considered that multiple rooftops greening showed the new concept of continuities.

Contributions to the consolidation of wooden floors to structures with load-bearing masonry walls

The consolidation of wooden floors is a common intervention in the practice of building rehabilitation. The necessity of this type of works comes from the sensitivity of wood to biological degradation, the existence of a significant number of heritage buildings in which the construction of the slabs was done without ensuring compliance with the requirements of the normal exploitation (limiting the deformations), the occurrence in operation of the need to increase the capable loads. It is required, in case of consolidation at earthquake of the buildings with wooden floors, the creation of rigid slab (rigid in horizontal plane). The consolidation solutions that can be adopted are different, trying to respond to the diversity of situations/particularities which are encountered in practice. The paper briefly reviews the solutions currently used for the rehabilitation of wooden floors, then presenting a solution for the consolidation of a wooden floor belonging to an intermediate floor acted by gravitational actions, respectively a solution for achieving the rigid slab of an attic, of a multi-storey building.

SCENARIO METHODS FOR FORMING SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE OF APARTMENT BUILDINGS

The article is devoted to the problem of preventing the moral aging of multifamily housing. The development of sustainable housing architecture facilitated by increasing the adaptability and transformability of architectural and planning decisions of such housing.The purpose of the study is to analyze the role of scripting methods in shaping a sustainable multi-family housing architecture. Scenarios for housing market trends are difficult to follow by extrapolation methods. Scenarios are to be created on a variant basis. The diffusion of scripting methods in architecture leads to the transformation of modern typology of buildings into an alternative methodology for their formation, based on the use of time-based models. The scenarios of possible changes in the housing architecture classified as follows. Among that are e the possibility of dividing the base apartments into parts that become independent small-sized apartments. In second - apartments and suites that are optimal for mass housing, providing the ability to combine individual apartments of a smaller size options. In third - realized the possibility of internal transformation of individual dwelling cells with a decrease in the number of rooms, or vice versa - with an increase in the size of the rooms while reducing their number in the apartment. At lust – the transformation of separate apartments on the first floors into non-residential premises with dismantling of internal partitions and redevelopment of space; the possibility for creating large halls on the first, intermediate or upper floor. Methods of creating adaptive housing architecture are within the current global movement for the formation of sustainable architecture, which, in the course of careful forecasting and design, tailored to fit the functional needs of parts of the home to changing needs. Adaptability of apartments to different scenarios of family development depends on the chosen structural system of a dwelling house. Possibilities of transformation of the space of the apartment considered taking into account planning cells with different wide step of bearing walls (steps: 6, 6.6, 7.2, 9 m). These studies, which carried out at an earlier stage of architectural development, are still relevant because architects continue to design homes, even with the use of prefabricated buildings, mainly based on the current sales situation, without taking into account the projected changes.

Fundamental Study on Effectiveness Evaluation of Rope Response Reduction by Intermediate Transit Floor Using Risk Information

Fundamental Study on Effectiveness Evaluation of Rope Response Reduction by Intermediate Transit Floor Using Risk Information

Fundamental Study on Effectiveness Evaluation of Rope Response Reduction by Intermediate Transit Floor Using Risk Information

Fundamental Study on Effectiveness Evaluation of Rope Response Reduction by Intermediate Transit Floor Using Risk Information

Fundamental Study on Vibration Behaviour of Elevator Rope Using Intermediate Transfer Floor of High Rise Buildings

Fundamental Study on Vibration Behaviour of Elevator Rope Using Intermediate Transfer Floor of High Rise Buildings