Modern Building Design Research Articles

Sustainable Design Approaches in Malaysia’s Traditional Mosques and Houses

The traditional Malaysian mosque and Malay house concepts have been naturally developed for hundreds of years and proven to provide sustainable solutions for building in Malaysia, a country with a hot and humid climate. However, the fast pace of modern development has negatively affected the acceptance of the traditional building concept, especially in the current development of houses and mosques. However, the success of the sustainable design approaches in the traditional Malaysian buildings to ensure sustainable development for hundreds of years has been forgotten. As a result, mainstream modern design concepts have become a contributor to deteriorating environmental conditions due to various factors, including increased energy consumption. Hence, it is crucial to understand the sustainable design approach in traditional Malaysian buildings’ design and appropriately apply it to modern building design. Therefore, this study aimed to outline sustainable approaches in traditional mosques and Malay houses in Malaysia. The methodology used in this study was a combination of literature review and site observation on the selected case studies. Six main case buildings were selected for the traditional buildings, including three case studies for the traditional house and three for traditional mosques. This study found a long list of sustainable approaches in traditional Malaysian Mosques and Malay houses. The list of the approaches can be used as an initial reference or guideline in designing new modern buildings in Malaysia, mainly buildings with passive design strategies that contribute to sustainable Malaysia.

Application of Ventilation Technology of Bamboo Houses in Modern High-Rise Buildings

<p>The principle of L-shaped natural ventilation system of bamboo houses, traditional buildings in the hot-humid area of Lingnan, China, is now widely applied in the design of modern high-rise buildings. Taking the typical building case, the office building of Guangzhou Zhujiang Power Plant as an example, this article studies the natural ventilation system by the experimental method of combining actual measurement and simulation. It is concluded that the application benefits of the natural ventilation system in high-rise buildings can be improved by forming a complete ventilation path, increasing the area of air inlet and the distance between air inlet and air outlet.</p><p> </p>

High rise buildings stairwells pressure differential systems tests and improvement solutions

The task of fire pressure differential systems in a building is to prevent smoke from entering protected spaces such as stairwells and areas that should remain smoke-free in the event of fire. The required overpressure must consider leakage within the protected space. This article presents the results of testing to determine the impact of leakage of the protected space on the conditions for maintaining overpressure. The research was conducted in accordance with draft standard N161-prEN12101-6. The pressure distribution as a function of time was obtained for stairwells with different levels of leakage, using a constant flow aeration fan as well as systems with a variable airflow. Practical application: Designers of differential pressure smoke control systems are required to calculate aeration fan airflow volume. The leakage level of protected spaces should be taken into consideration given that European Standard EN12101-6 suggests that gap areas should be minimal. Consequently, modern building design and construction requires estimation of the leakage area in such protected spaces. The objective is to improve safety of buildings and reduce the system reaction time during a fire.

Bioclimatic practices in modern residential building design and construction in South-Eastern Nigeria

Bioclimatic practices in modern residential building design and construction in South-Eastern Nigeria

Strength analysis in regulatory design documents and computational software

Modern building design standards have a long history. During this time, they have undergone a number of changes, but some of their provisions and recommendations, once proclaimed, remain unchanged. And although they do not meet the modern possibilities of computational analysis, but continue to exist due to the established tradition. In this paper, attention is paid to only some of the mentioned conflicts, which are related to the software implementation of regulatory requirements. The first of them is connected with two different parts in the process of design justification: calculation of the stress-strain state and verification of the accepted cross sections. It is noted that when the calculation model adopted for computer analysis of the structure does not correspond to the model that was meant when compiling the regulatory document, there may be contradictions or inaccuracies that cannot be resolved without decoding the approach adopted in the standards. Unfortunately, such a decoding is not provided in our rationing system. Another group of conflicts is connected with conducting the structural analysis taking into account geometrical and physical nonlinearity declared by standards. The matter is there are some problems that cannot be solved when using nonlinear calculation, for instance, dynamic analysis using eigenmode decomposition with the subsequent summation of modal reactions. The problem of choosing an unfavorable combination of loads is also in this list. In the final part of the article some proposals are formulated. This proposals aimed at eliminating contradictions between the desire to develop simple and understandable design rules and the ability of modern computer to solve problems without the use of dubious simplifications.

Experimental and numerical investigation on heat transfer performance of a solar double-slope hollow glazed roof

The glazed roof has been widely used in modern building design. Compared with ordinary glazed roof, hollow glazed roof has better thermal insulation performance, which can improve the indoor thermal environment effectively. In order to study the effects of physical parameters on heat transfer performance of hollow glazed roof. In the present work, according to the actual size of the building, an entity model of a double-slope hollow glazed roof was built based on the similar theory. The heat transfer performance of double-slope hollow glazed roof with different slope angles in hot summer and cold winter regions was experimentally studied. Results indicate that as the roof slope decreases, the effect of reducing the inner surface temperature of the roof is relatively obvious. When the roof angle decreases from 45° to 30°, the peak temperature of the inner surface decreases by about 12.2%. Then through the established numerical model, further studied the influence of related parameters on the heat transfer performance of the roof by FLUENT software based on the experimental data. The numerical results show that changing the thickness of the roof hollow layer has a more significant impact on the roof's heat transfer performance than changing the thickness of the roof glazing layer. When the thickness of both is increased by 12 mm, the peak temperature of the roof inner surface of the former decreases by 5.5%, and the latter decreases by 1.7%. Moreover, when the thickness of the inner and outer glazing is changed (that is, outside thick, inside thin and inside thick, outside thin hollow glazed roof), the roof heat transfer performance is hardly affected.

Study on heat transfer performance of a solar double-slope PCM glazed roof with different physical parameters

The glazed roof has better lighting performance and is widely used in modern building design. However, its poorer heat insulation performance can decrease indoor thermal comfort. Therefore, the interlayer of insulating glazed roof is injected with phase change material (PCM) to improve the indoor thermal environment of building and reduce the energy consumption, while obtain sufficient indoor light. Based on enthalpy method, a numerical heat transfer model of double-slope PCM glazed roof was established and verified in this paper. The heat transfer performance of double-slope hollow glazed roof and double-slope PCM glazed roof were compared. Finally, the design of double-slope PCM glazed roof in hot summer and cold winter area was optimized by further studying the roof angle, phase change layer thickness, glazing layer thickness, the melting temperature and phase change latent heat of PCM. The results show that the suitable melting temperature is 26–30 °C under the typical climate of hot summer and cold winter in Wuhan. Increasing the thickness of phase change layer and glazing layer can improve the thermal insulation performance of the roof, but the former effect is more significant. Moreover, a smaller roof angle within a certain range can reduce the amount of solar radiation received by the roof, and a larger latent heat energy of PCM can absorb more solar radiation to improve the heat transfer performance of the roof.

The Application of Sundanese Vernacular Concept to The Design of Modern Building - Case Study: Aula Barat (West Hall) of Bandung Institute of Technology, West Java, Indonesia

As a reaction to the monotonous expression of typical International Style architecture, vernacular architecture is often applied to the design of modern buildings. Unfortunately, most of these applications are limited to copy existing vernacular architectural elements. This research aims to elucidate the application of Sundanese vernacular concepts in modern building designs. In line with this purpose, the Aula Barat (West Hall) Bandung Institute of Technology designed by Maclaine Pont was chosen as the case study. The analysis showed that the Sundanese vernacular concept was presented through the shape of the roof, which is similar to the vernacular house and mosque in the Sundanese village; while the modern lamella construction provides a wide-span structural system. This research complement existing research about Sundanese vernacular architecture, by exploring in-depth how to designed modern buildings that fit new functions and to its zeitgeist, but at the same time embodied the local expressions. It is expected that in the future modern buildings are no longer designed in the form of frozen vernacular architecture. The results of this research can also be a valuable input for stakeholders and architectural conservationists, as well as a source of knowledge for the laypeople.

Analysis of Building Construction Materials and Environmental Technology of Labrang Monastery

Labrang Monastery is the only main monastery of the Gelug Sect of Tibetan Buddhism in Gannan area. From the perspective of building materials and technology, this paper carries out literature research and fieldwork in order to comb and summarize the main construction of monastery buildings and common building materials. Furthermore, it systematically analyses the architectural phisics, (acoustics, optics and thermotics) of monastery buildings via methods such as research, servey and data analysis. These above have positive referential value for the protection and renovation of Labrang Monastery and the modern design of regional religious buildings as well.

Model of Green Building: The Malaysia Energy Commission Diamond Building

Green building is a very popular building type in the current building market. Green building is energy-saving, low-carbon, environmental-friendly builds. Most buildings in today’s society are influenced by green buildings. There are many ways to achieve green building. The Malaysia Energy Commission Diamond Building is a model of green building design. The purpose of this paper is to study architectural design of the building and learn how the designer skillfully combines green building with modern architecture. The study was carried out by visiting the building and collecting information about the building. Investigations revealed the building uses novel building structures and cooling systems. The architects used low-carbon materials to save a lot of energy for the building. The green landscape surrounding the building provides a cool and comfortable working environment for the staff. Finally, the Malaysia Energy Commission Diamond Building provides a useful reference for the sustainable design of modern buildings.

Computational analysis of metamaterials - an initial study

The seismic protection of buildings is a key part of the design of modern buildings. The use of existing seismic wave absorption devices are experiencing ageing problems over the years. For this reason, various alternative configurations, behaving as isolators have been proposed, including the use of metamaterials type of pentamodes. The aim of this work is to study the pentamodes regarding their use in various applications and particularly for the anti seismic design. Therefore, at first, an analytical approach of metamaterials, in static problems is presented. Results are then presented through the use of finite elements for various types of boundary conditions and for three different materials used in metamaterials systems. From our analysis, it can be concluded the optimum dimensions of the pentamode rod in order to have similar behaviour with isolators. Moreover, the pentamodes configuration which are made with metallic materials result that their use should be applied in the seismic protection design and aircraft structures, while the pentamodes which are manufactured from polymers are preferable to be used in applications of biomechanics.

Performance-Based Wind Engineering of Tall Buildings Examining Life-Cycle Downtime and Multisource Wind Damage

AbstractStructural performance against wind hazards is necessary in modern tall building design. In current wind engineering practice, most efforts focus on structural safety, such as the avoidance...

Key Risks and Challenges During Modern Building Designs in the Construction Industry

Although the field of project management has undergone significant improvement, new challenges often make it hard for project managers to meet expectations when planning modern building designs. This article traces such challenges that the project manager must face during modern building projects, as modern building designs are complex and much riskier than traditional ones. Project managers can face different challenges throughout a project, such as a project complexity, a lack of communication, and changes in planning. These risks were studied using a risk matrix, and solutions were provided. The most dominated solution was mitigation, which illustrates that avoiding a risk entirely is highly unlikely. There are specific methods of mitigation based on the given risks, and applying these solutions can help to complete a project on time and to stay within the budget.

Utilização do aço para o projeto e construção de edifícios leves e modernos

utilização do aço para o projeto e construção de edifícios leves e modernos

Full-scale construction and testing of stress-laminated columns made with low-grade wood

Stress lamination is a simple construction technique widely used in timber bridge decks. This study presents a new application of stress lamination for making timber columns. Using prestressing rods and friction forces instead of glue, numerous connections and twenty-five full-scale columns were built with low-grade wood and structurally tested. The results show how stress-laminated columns display comparable buckling performance to solid timber and glulam columns. A six-month testing period with novel connection details further confirms how prestress losses can be reliably controlled. This work highlights the broader potential and performance of stress lamination in modern timber engineering and building design.

Processing human biogas using drying agent

Biogas production in cow dung supersedes other bio-waste product. Human waste is one of the lowest biogas sources. More so, the nature of the human excretal deposition matters. There are higher biogas productions in pit latrines than in water closet (WC) system. However, it is known that WC users are the majority in modern building design. The main disadvantage of the WC system ingenerating biogas is that the solid excretal is broken into pieces by water dissolution and collision with the sewage pipe. The chemistry of the event is that the little biogas produced has high percentage of moist. In this research we deployed drying agents to process the biogas from WC system.

Assessment of the influence of façade location and orientation in indoor environment of double-skin building envelopes with perforated metal sheets

Double-skin perforated sheet façades, enclosures consisting of perforated screens, air chambers and glass/wall sheets, are features of modern building design that are winning greater acceptance. A detailed analysis of their suitability across Europe is first performed here. A reference building both with and without the protective double-skin perforated sheet envelope is subjected to a comparative test of solar energy gains with regard to the environment. Additionally, the results of a preliminary survey are presented on the visual perceptions of different patterns of perforated metal sheets. Then the behaviour of these configurations is addressed, through a complete “Energyplus® model” (design builder). A test campaign on a reference perforated screen mounted on a service building of reference was fully monitored over one year, supported by thermographic data recorded for additional validation purposes during the same period. The new parametric energy assessment takes additional variables into account, such as orientation and location of the façade, demonstrating that the real performance for such enclosures greatly depends on them. Accordingly, the influence of different combinations of perforated screens on cooling, heating and lighting loads demonstrates the suitability of a previously optimized configuration in terms of relative energy savings.

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN METHOD OF MODERN BUILDINGS IN HISTORICAL TOMSK

Pre-project studies in modern building design in the historical and architectural urban environment is relevant to architects, as the city-planning requirements are systematically updated and complicated. A special attention is paid to the analysis of international documents, which formulate objective approaches to preservation of the unique architectural and artistic images of the urban environment. The purpose of this study is to concretize the list of research works for identification of the architectural design standards in the historical environment. The events and the standards are formulated on the basis of the structural analysis of the Russian and foreign experience of modern design organizations. A number of proposed analytical studies include the data systematization in terms of town planning regulations established by cultural heritage sites, photographic recording of landscape, graphical analysis of streets in order to identify common patterns in the historical development of the architectural environment and styles. On the examples of Achinskaya Street in Tomsk and a new construction project the process of developing such standards is clearly demonstrated. The presented design method can be used in the design and estimate documentation for new building construction within the protection zones, development control zones and will meet the requirements for the Federal Law of Cultural Heritage Objects (Historical and Cultural Monuments) of Peoples of the Russian Federation.

Full scale testing and development of wood-steel composite shear walls

Modern building designs often feature open floor plans and large shear wall openings, which can be difficult to achieve using light-frame construction. This study explores a new type of shear wall, called the Wood-Steel Composite Shear Wall (WSCSW) that has high shear strength per unit length, good ductility, and a relatively narrow 2:1 aspect ratio. The WSCSW is constructed of a thin gauge steel web plate surrounded by a stiff wood-steel composite boundary frame. Under lateral load, the web plate buckles and then provides resistance through tension field action. The conceptual development of the system is presented for two full-scale prototype designs that have different base connection design philosophies. One design featured an elastic boundary condition to increase shear deformation of the web plate, while the other featured an inelastic boundary condition to minimize the amount of wall overstrength. Both prototypes were experimentally tested using a cyclic loading protocol and the test results were analyzed. It was found that the shear strength per unit length of the WSCSWs is 3 to 6 times larger than that of code-approved wood frame shear walls. Additionally, Equations are presented to predict the WSCSW shear strength and tension field angle within 10% of the experimental results. The investigation into the base connection designs determined than an elastic hold-down design is more desirable than an inelastic one to force greater shear deformation of the web plate.

Acoustic design of today's library

Modern libraries are very different from past libraries, offering multiple services and having wildly different acoustic requirements. Reviewed are new uses and functional requirements: more than just a traditional information resource, the library features information sharing, collaboration, dissemination and production as a media centre. A brief history of library design is provided. Over decades, library design philosophy has evolved which has provided its own challenges. Modern building design presents more challenges; adding in the new users and uses—which even vary by age group, the acoustic designer now faces enormous challenges. Acoustic design measures are reviewed and found wanting: new measures are needed. Case studies show the variety of uses, novel design solutions and highlight how a detailed knowledge of actual users and uses is required to allow all the functions to more-or-less comfortably co-exist.