Modular Wall Research Articles

AN ALTERNATIVE STUDY OF ADAPTIVE PARTITION DESIGN FROM COW DUNG

The use of cow dung as a local and organic building material in Indonesia has been carried out in various forms because it has similar characteristic of cement. The choice of using cow dungs is based on recent sustainable issues and the effects on the built environment such as farming sector and natural resources. One of the solutions to the sustainable issues that occur is the adaptive building concept, where this concept will focus on the user life cycle, building materials, and construction such as wall or partition panels. The cow dung material will act as an adaptive medium and it will be constructed as partition wall. This paper presents the design of an adaptable construction with modular partition wall from cow dung mix. The result is a sustainable cow dung partition wall that applied in an apartment layout unit which can adapt to different user life cycle and demands.

Summer and winter performance of an innovative concept of Trombe wall for residential buildings

Passive solutions in buildings are being recently rediscovered since they allow rational use of solar radiation, promoting energy savings. Trombe walls, although initially conceived for sole winter heating, if properly managed, can be also used in a Mediterranean climate where the risk of indoor overheating occurs. This study introduces an innovative configuration of a modular Trombe wall that can be easily integrated into existing buildings, providing benefits in both the winter and summer seasons. Simulations with DesignBuilder were performed to evaluate the energy savings in a hot Mediterranean climate. Proper ventilation strategies, developed as a function of climatic parameters, were investigated to exploit Trombe Wall in reducing also summer thermal needs. Results demonstrated that a well-managed Trombe wall can be regarded as an interesting solution to achieve energy savings both in summer and winter. The implemented ventilation strategies allow for reducing electric demand for air-conditioning by 10.5% compared to a traditional envelope configuration and, assuming proper management of the shading system and natural ventilation, cooling needs can be limited by 9.5%. The proposed system is profitable with a discounted payback lower than 6 years, allowing for reducing CO2 emission of about 185 kg per year by considering two reference rooms of an existing building.

Analysis and Valuation of the Energy-Efficient Residential Building with Innovative Modular Green Wall Systems

The installation of green wall systems on the residential buildings is a complex technological process, the parameters of which vary depending on design solutions, methods of performing work, instrumental and technical support, professional skills of the work performers and many other factors. The authors used the life cycle approach for the assessment of the energy-efficient residential building with integrated greening systems. The aim of the study was to evaluate an energy-efficient residential building with an innovative modular green wall system and to compare it with existing technological solutions. We show that the life cycle approach provides the choice of a decision that is also optimal in conditions of risk, which indicates the effective use of the green wall system. The results of the work are presented by the development of technology with modular green systems, which will expand the practice of technological design, experimental construction and the renovation of buildings, to improve the quality of the urban environment by implementing rational construction and technological solutions and appropriate work methods. This study will be helpful for researchers in green construction to develop their future research studies and for various residential green building owners.

Seismic performance of high-rise dual modular wall-frame systems

Hinged walls (HWs) were frequently used to control lateral deformation profiles of moment-resisting frames (MRFs) under earthquakes. In high-rise hinged wall-frame systems, the seismic moment demand and required stiffness of the walls are too large that it is difficult for the walls to stay in elastic range and making the MRF deform uniformly under major earthquakes. To reduce the seismic moment demands applied on the wall, this paper proposed a modular hinged wall with buckling-restrained braces to strengthen MRFs and convert the MRFs to a dual system (MHWBBF). The modular hinged walls are composed of different number of modular HW segments with/without buckling-restrained braces (BRBs) and used to form various study cases. Nonlinear time history analyses using 10 ground motions considering two intensity levels were performed for the purpose of investigating the seismic performance of different study cases. The results indicate that the proposed MHWBBF works as expected, which is mainly because: (1) the usage of modular HW segments can significantly reduce the seismic force demands on the walls; (2) the usage of BRBs can effectively reduce the structural displacement responses and inter-story drift differences among different HW segments.

Fire performance analyses of modular wall panel designs with loadbearing SHS columns

Modular Building Systems (MBS) are still in the phase of developing its popularity in the industry, with emerging novel designs. Initially, MBS walls and floors had been highly influenced by the Light-gauge Steel Frame (LSF) designs made of Cold-Formed (CF) steel studs, either as loadbearing or non-loadbearing types which have been extensively researched all over the world. However, recently the MBS practice in the industry tends to incorporate Square Hollow Section (SHS) steel columns for their improved structural performance and convenience at the manufacturing stage despite of the limited research knowledge in terms of the Fire Resistance Level (FRL). Moreover, catastrophic failures and fatal accidents are common with steel-based structures in case of a fire. Hence, the fire performance of loadbearing modular walls with SHS columns have been identified as a critical research gap. Firstly, Finite Element Models (FEM) were developed for the original modular wall, a Light-weight Timber Frame (LTF) wall and some LSF walls. The FEM analyses results very well matched with the full-scale experimental results so that the FEM techniques were confidently used to study the effect of variables chosen based on material availability options, cost reduction and construction practice. Structural and Insulation FRLs have been evaluated for the chosen parametric walls, where the produced graphs of structural and insulation FRLs can be referred to determine the adequate thickness of column sheathing and the Insulation Ratio (IR) respectively. The choice of non-loadbearing stud type can be evaluated against other limitations related to energy, cost and construction practice.

Assessment of an innovative plug and play PV/T system integrated in a prefabricated house unit: Active and passive behaviour and life cycle cost analysis

This paper aims to examine the integration of a hybrid photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) solar system in an energy efficient, environmentally friendly, and technologically advanced prefabricated housing unit, to be considered as a cost and energy-saving solution of green construction. The study focuses on the energy production potential of the active solar system, in relation to the energy requirements of the housing unit, before and after the system's integration. For the energy and economic assessment of the proposed unit, a numerical investigation is developed in TRNSYS environment, in which the thermal and electrical behaviour of the coupled system – prefabricated house integrating the PV/T device - is conducted through dynamic simulations performed under Mediterranean and semi-continental climate conditions. Simulations are performed by considering the proposed prefabricated house with two modular wall units with and without integrating PV/T panels. A life cycle cost analysis is also developed to determine the viability of the enterprise, based on the only changing parameter between the reference (without PV/T) and the proposed case (with PV(/T). The results of the energy simulations and the life cycle cost analysis of the system are intended to assess the impact of the PV/T modules integration on the energy, economic, and comfort performance of the prefabricated building unit.Simulation results show that the proposed configuration leads to primary energy savings up to 548% for Larnaca, Cyprus, and up to 180% for Bolzano, Italy. It is observed that the energy savings are mainly due to the active effect of the proposed system (electricity production by solar renewable energy) that allows obtaining simple pay back periods ranging from 6.1 to 9.1 years for the simulated scenarios.

Analysis of the thermal performance of the novel assembled Chinese solar greenhouse with a modular soil wall in winter of Yinchuan, China

In order to improve the thermal insulation and storage performance of Chinese solar greenhouses in winter, a novel assembled Chinese solar greenhouse (ACSG) without energy supplement in cold climatic areas was designed to evaluate and compare its thermal performance with that of conventional Chinese solar greenhouse (CSG). The thermal properties of both greenhouses were tested in field on cold winter days in Ningxia, China. The results indicated that the land utilization rate of ACSG was 19.3% higher than that of CSG. On a typical sunny day (the lowest outdoor temperature was −22.0°C) and typical cloudy day (the lowest outdoor temperature was −19.7°C) during the experiment, the minimum indoor temperature of ACSG was respectively 1.7°C and 2.0°C higher than that of CSG. The results for 24 consecutive days (the average outdoor daily minimum air temperature was −19.0°C) showed that the average minimum indoor temperature of ACSG was 1.4°C higher than that of CSG (p<0.05). The modular soil wall attached with colored steel polystyrene boards would be exploited as the north wall of CSG in Yinchuan area. Keywords: thermal performance, solar greenhouse, north wall, composite wall structure, soil block DOI: 10.25165/j.ijabe.20221505.6759 Citation: Cao Y F, Xu H J, Shi M, Zhang X Y, Zhang Y H, Zou Z R. Analysis of the thermal performance of the novel assembled Chinese solar greenhouse with a modular soil wall in winter of Yinchuan, China. Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2022; 15(5): 70–77.

Novel conventional and modular LSF wall panels with improved fire performance

Fire performance of Light-gauge Steel Frame (LSF) constructions is being extensively investigated recently, due to the critical behaviour of cold-formed steel structures at elevated temperatures. Among the many design parameters involved with LSF constructions, the effect of cavity insulation inside LSF walls at different ratios on the Fire Resistance Level (FRL) has not been addressed yet. Hence, Finite Element Models (FEMs) were developed for the LSF walls to simulate the full-scale fire tests conducted applying the standard fire temperatures, where the Finite Element Analyses (FEA) results were very well agreeing with the experimental results. Thereafter, the validated FEMs were extended to study the fire performance of the conventional and modular LSF wall systems with different cavity insulation ratios, where 0.4 cavity insulation ratio was found to be most efficient when structural FRL is of concern while producing satisfactory energy performance at reduced material costs. To calculate the structural FRLs of conventional and modular, single and double plasterboard layers sheathed LSF walls, 4 empirical models have been proposed where more than 97% accuracy was achieved. Moreover, incorporating back blocking panels and discontinuous insulation options, several novel conventional and modular LSF walls have been proposed with up-to 70% improvement in structural FRL.

The impact of vertical greenery system on building thermal performance in tropical climates

The thermal benefits of Vertical Greenery System (VGS) in providing thermal comfort, reducing internal building temperature, and lowering operational energy consumption are not widely known. There is a lack of research and technical knowledge on the effects of vertical greenery systems related to thermal performance, especially in tropical climates, such as that of Malaysia. Therefore, this paper addresses this gap by investigating the effect of VGS on heat transfer and the thermal performance of hypothetical buildings. In this paper, a data prediction method is used to identify the overall thermal transfer value (OTTV) from several hypothetical case studies. A variety of combinations of variables have been used to identify the best design with the lowest OTTV reduction through VGS. From the calculation, Linear Greenery System achieved the highest OTTV reduction with an average of 6.87%, followed by Modular Green Wall (6.82%), Double-skin Green Facades (2.97%), and Direct Green Facades (1.32%). Therefore, this paper can conclude that Linear Green Wall is the best greenery system for reducing heat transfer for the tropical climate of Malaysia.

Energy performance of fire rated LSF walls under UK climate conditions

Light-gauge Steel Frame (LSF) systems, one of the emerging building practices can be susceptible for catastrophic failure in fire accidents and less energy efficient due to the high thermal conductance of Cold Formed (CF) steel elements and resulting thermal bridging effect. Apart from independent investigations and optimization on LSF walls against fire and energy performance, it is vital to build-up knowledge on energy performance of fire rated LSF walls. Therefore, a series of fire rated conventional and modular LSF wall panels, which covers a wide range of industrial practices in European countries, have been investigated for their thermal transmittance, U-Value in the present study. Firstly, Finite Element Models (FEM) for three LSF wall panels were developed and validated against previous results. Subsequently, these models were extended to analyse the U-Values of the parametric specimens. The results show that, the concepts of back-blocking panels and discontinuous insulation options account for only slight improvements of U-Value (3–5%). Moreover, the variation of U-Value with respect to the cavity insulation ratio is found to be quite interesting, that adding cavity insulation at very low Insulation Ratios (IR) like 0.2 to 0.4, a 40%–60% reduction in the U-Value is obtained while further increase in IR results in less than 10% U-Value reduction. Therefore, 0.2 to 0.4 IR is proposed for conventional and modular LSF walls for appreciable energy performance avoiding unnecessary compensation in terms of costs, weight of the structure and structural fire performance.

Landscaping Project for a Private Garden Plot in the City of Zaporizhzhia

Landscaped areas provide individual, distinctive features and play an important role in shaping the environment of a private garden plot. The authors of the present study developed a landscaping project for a private garden plot at 80 Izmailivska Street, city of Zaporizhzhia. One of the main points of the works was to conduct an inventory of the available plantings. The authors identified the species composition of trees and shrubs located on the landscaping territory. In the project territory, the largest area is occupied by herbaceous cover and is 32.5%, while the smallest area is allocated for tree plantations – only 1.9%. The area under paving and flower beds will be increased at the expense of the territory that is not occupied in the reconstruction project. In the project area, most woody plants require only pruning and are in good condition. Pruning is planned for 10 black mulberry trees (Mórus nígra L.), remnants of a privet hedge (Ligústrum vulgáre), one bush of Vanhoutt Spiraea (Spiraea × vanhouttei (Briot) Zabel.) and one bush of rosehip corymbose (Rosa corymbifera), which have lost their decorative appeal. The formation of plantings in this study aims to create an orderly shape of the crowns of trees and shrubs, which will give them a geometric shape. For decorative purposes, it is also planned to plant the following plants: boxwood tree (Buxus sempervirens var.), iris brazenberry (Iris L. brazenberry), moss phlox (Phlox subulata L.). On the site located to the east of the outbuilding, it is proposed to set up a flower garden from groundcover and flowering plants in a peculiar geometric shape that would follow the shape of the path. On the north-western side of the plot, it is planned to replace the fence with a modular gabion wall covered with rambling vine. The colour of elements of this style should be made in cool, grey tones, white, blue and purple colours are well combined. As a result, it is planned to set up a decorative pond near the arbour, the contour of which will be decorated with smooth stones. The rest of the area is to be covered with a rolled lawn. As a result, an individual and beautiful style of landscape design will be selected for the project area

Fire performance of modular wall panels: Numerical analysis

The Modular Building System (MBS) is increasingly popular and promoted due to the inherent advantages over conventional construction. Fire performance of a building has become a crucial design consideration because of the recent detrimental fire accidents. However, for modular buildings, there has been less previous evidence of research on the fire performance. Investigations become necessary since double skin wall and floor modular panel systems are involved in MBS in contrast to conventional buildings. Therefore, this work investigates the fire performance of Light-gauge Steel Framed (LSF) modular wall panels with different configurations through numerical analyses. Heat transfer numerical models were developed and validated against the full-scale fire test results comparing the time–temperature response. The validated numerical models were subsequently extended to analyse the fire performance of conventional and modular LSF wall panels. This includes 16 modular wall configurations with single and double fire resistance plasterboard linings and three different insulations, namely rock wool, glass fibre and mineral wool. The structural fire resistance time was determined using the established Load Ratio (LR) vs critical Hot-Flange (HF) temperature correlation. The results demonstrated that there is no noticeable difference in the structural fire resistance time between the modular and the corresponding mapped conventional LSF wall configurations. However, modular wall panels experience enhanced insulation fire resistance up to 170% for single-lined plasterboards and up to 80% for double-lined plasterboard configurations. The analysis also yields that there is no significant influence of the choice of insulation material between rock-wool, glass-fibre and mineral-wool on structural fire resistance.

Experimental and numerical study on planar multi-column walls behaviours with boundary supports

The continuous-supported multi-column walls have already been used in modular steel buildings (MSB). Therefore, using two full-scale specimens, the current study evaluated the axial behaviour of planar multi-column walls with structural hollow sections (SHS). Then, a 3D finite element model (FEM) was created and validated to study the individual column and boundary support effects on each column. Prediction equations in EC3, AISC360, and GB50017 were then used to predict the ultimate compressive resistance of columns in walls. Because of the elastic buckling, the current slenderness limit for Class 3 steel cross-sections becomes less conservative. The boundary support effect enhances external columns rigidity and capacity than other columns, leading to instability. FEM provides reasonable estimates of the compressive behaviour of walls and each column. Each column exhibits distinct load distribution, confirming that the assumption of uniform load distribution among columns is unacceptable for multi-column modular walls. The prediction equations showed that GB50017 was safer than the EC3 and AISC, while EC3 was the least secure. Hence, the current study concluded experimental, numerical, and analytical findings to evaluate the axial behaviour of multi-column walls in multi-storey MSBs.

Axial compression behaviour of all-composite modular wall system

The structural behaviour of modular wall systems made from pultruded glass fibre reinforced polymer profile and composite sheathings was evaluated experimentally and numerically. Full-scale wall panels were tested under axial compression to investigate critical design parameters including presence of wall sheathing, connections between sheathing and frame, width of the panel, and frame configurations. The results showed that the failure of the wall panels, where top and bottom plates are extended throughout the width, is governed by the lateral deformation of the plate due to their low transverse strength and stiffness. Finite element (FE) results of the composite wall systems with extended studs showed that they are ten times stiffer and stronger than the walls with extended plates. This study demonstrated the high potential of fibre composite materials for the modular wall systems.

Rice husk and thermal comfort: Design and evaluation of indoor modular green walls

Green walls are vertical greening structures where varied plant species grow. They are conceived as a form of urban landscape and have numerous environmental, social and economic benefits. In fact, these structures have positive effects on air quality, thermal and acoustic insulation, microclimate, psychophysical well-being and urban design. In the framework of thermal comfort, several studies demonstrated the potential of green walls to improve indoor thermal comfort and reduce heat flows through the wall of buildings.This research evaluates the thermal efficiency of two modular green walls that present an alternative substrate as growing medium. This substrate is composed of loam soil and rice husk, an agricultural organic waste derived from the rice milling process. The choice of rice husk is inspired by principles of circular economy in order to reduce the environmental impact and costs of the substrate used in greening applications. The alternative substrate was compared with expanded clay aggregate, used for plant cultivation in living walls, and the analysis was divided into two phases. Firstly, field experiments were carried out on three plant species (Chlorophytum, Dieffenbachia and Spathiphyllum) to evaluate the efficacy of these substrates to grow plants. The efficacy of the substrate was evaluated through the measurement of the concentration of chlorophyll, the determination of the growth index of plants and a qualitative observation of the root development. Secondly, two modular green walls with varied substrates and plants were designed and tested from the point of view of the thermal comfort, using the open source software TerMus-G. After the transmittance value was obtained as output for each green wall module, the heat flow and the relative variation were calculated and compared to the indoor supporting walls.This article presents a valid methodology approach to evaluate the efficiency of green walls substrate and its thermal performance. This methodology differs from those found in scientific literature and represents a valid alternative.The present research demonstrates the ability of designed modules and, more generally, of indoor green walls to increase thermal insulation without causing condensation. Furthermore, the investigation shows a positive contribution both in winter and in summer. Finally, the use of this undervalue by-product rice husk mixed with loam soil shows to be appropriate for green wall application, providing better performance than the expanded clay in terms of thermal comfort and plant growth rate. Moreover, its use as substrates should further improve the ecological footprint of green vertical structures and reduce costs.

Performance of spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) in modular vertical green walls under various media and nutrients

An investigation was carried out to study the performance of various media and nutrients for spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) in modular vertical walls under vertical green walls in the Department of Horticulture, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar (Tamil Nadu) during 2018 to 2020. The experiment comprised of four media viz., coco peat, greenosil, perlite and vermiculite and their combinations and two nutrients viz., foliar nutrition (Grosure NPK 19:19:19 and @ 1% twice (30 and 90 days after planting)) and fertilizer stick (Greenstix sticks were inserted to the modular containers @ one per container at 30 and 90 days after planting). Results revealed that, among the media, plants grown under vermiculite showed better performance in exhibiting maximum values for plant height (24.9 cm), number of leaves (21.6), leaf length (23.8 cm), leaf width (2.43), leaf area (30.9 cm2), shoot weight (15.1 g plant-1), root weight (3.4 g plant-1), biomass (18.4 g plant-1), size index (24.7 cm), and visual quality (9.08). However, among the nutrients, plants inserted with fertilizer stick recorded highest values for plant height (20.9 cm), number of leaves (18.8), leaf length (20.9 cm), leaf width (2.21), leaf area (30.2 cm2), shoot weight (14.8 g plant-1), root weight (3.24 g plant-1), biomass (18.1 g plant-1), size index (22.5 cm), and visual quality (8.49). compared with foliar nutrition. The interaction between media and nutrients was significant and plants grown under vermiculite and containers inserted with fertilizer stick showed superior performance in exerting maximum values for all the characters than other treatment combinations.

Environmental and cost assessment of customized modular wall components production based on an adaptive formwork casting mechanism: An experimental study

The application of automation and robotics in construction industry, has shown significant growth in recent decades with examples to include, among others, adaptive casting techniques. Such examples have been few in number and have been assessed, mostly in regard to their qualitative performance. Also, little, fragmented and not fully systematized research has examined their environmental and economic impact, along with the benefits that their application could bring in construction. A comprehensive and systematic investigation of their environmental and economic feasibility based on quantitative results could provide a clearer understanding of their benefits with future goal their widespread use in the construction industry. This hypothesis is tested through an experimental study of an innovative adaptive formwork casting mechanism that is applied for the customized production of a variety of modular brick typologies. The results of implementation and production process are assessed in terms of their life cycle and cost performance, and compared with a conventional casting approach. Adobe, mixture of clay with cement, and concrete, are used as the materials of implementation. The introduction of a novel adaptive formwork casting mechanisms and the results obtained show that the technique can be effectively applied for the construction of modular brick components with large variability. This is due to the advantages that arise in relation to their environmental impact and cost performance in long term, compared to conventional formwork casting techniques. Such applications might open new possibilities in construction industry towards a more sustainable and cleaner casting and production process of customized building components.

Study on a full-year improvement of indoor thermal comfort by different vertical greening patterns

Vertical greening is an influential element in built environment that affects the indoor thermal environment and the residents’ thermal perception. This research aims to identify the optimum vertical greening patterns for indoor thermal comfort in cold winter and hot summer areas. The general parameters of greening walls were extracted according to the constituent materials, and Envi-met model was employed to calculate the indoor thermal indexes based on the meteorological data acquired from the national meteorological station. PET isotherm was used to reveal the distribution of a year-round thermal perception. The analytical result showed that modular green walls have the highest proportion of livable PET, annually. Livable PET includes “comfortable”, “slightly cold” and “slightly hot” thermal perceptions. Linear green walls have the second highest proportion of livable PET, even though modular green walls and linear green walls extended “very cold” thermal perceptions in winter. Considering the annual PET distribution, the modular green walls and linear green walls are suitable for hot climatic regions, while the green facades pattern is preferable in the cold climate areas.

The Potential of the Bebak Wall Protection Technique on Increasing Construction Stability and Material Bond Strength

&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;p class="Abstract"&gt;Bebak&lt;em&gt;, the local building material of East Nusa Tenggara, has long been used as the primary building material, especially as wall material. However, &lt;/em&gt;bebak&lt;em&gt; wall construction commonly used today is not yet ideal in terms of its material protection and function. &lt;/em&gt;Bebak&lt;em&gt; is a relatively quick damage construction due to termites, which eventually causes the enclosed space's thermal conditions less comfortable. This research is part of the quality improvement program of healthy housing in that region, which focuses on &lt;/em&gt;bebak&lt;em&gt; wall protection by plastering the wall with concrete plaster. Two scale models were examined; a wall plastered only on one side, and a wall plastered on both sides. By using a simple construction approach, the research aims to evaluate the &lt;/em&gt;bebak&lt;em&gt; protection technique's effects on the construction stability and the bond strength between the &lt;/em&gt;bebak&lt;em&gt; composite wall materials. The results of visual evaluations revealed that single-sided plaster on &lt;/em&gt;bebak&lt;em&gt; walls could maintain the construction stability and the bond strength of the composite material better than the double-sided one. Furthermore, the evaluation also reveals additional benefits of the plastered walls for the users, such as adaptability and simplicity of modular wall replication to build affordable healthy housing.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Experimental evaluation of a modular timber unit filled with insulated corkboard

Due to fast delivery and convenience on site, prefabricated modular structures are increasingly present in the context of civil construction. Regarding the advantages of these systems, it has been addressed in the literature the potential of wood for the design of prefabricated houses with modular characteristics, resulting in optimization of costs, product quality and sustainability. When a new construction system is proposed, it is of extremely importance to understand its mechanical behavior and structural performance before its implementation. Therefore, this research aims to contribute, based on an experimental campaign, to the characterization of a new modular wall construction system made of Cryptomeria wood (Cryptomeria japonica). The experimental campaign comprehended the evaluation of the glued connection between wood elements of the unit and the load carrying capacity of a single and connected modular units. Besides, since the proposed system is constituted of an interior layer of insulated corkboard, the effect of its presence in mechanical terms was evaluated. The results showed the potential of this prefabricated modular systems in terms of resistance and identified the critical parameters to a safety design.