bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Application of TLS Intensity Data for Detection of Brick Walls Defects
Authors: Suchocki Czesław , Katzer Jacek , Serrat Carles , Jagoda Marcin
Published: September 2019

Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS) is a well-established technique for remote acquisition of geometrical data of a tested object. For the past two decades it has been commonly used in geodesy, surveying and related areas for acquiring data about spacing of civil engineering structures and buildings. An average TLS apparatus, apart from 3D coordinates registers radiometric information of laser beam reflectance. This radiometric information of the laser beam reflectance is usually called intensity and has no meaning for solely geometric measurements. Nevertheless, the value of intensity depends mainly on physicochemical properties of scanned material such as roughness, colour and saturation. Keeping these facts in mind, authors suggest using changes in value of intensity to locate various imperfections on a brick wall. So far, authors have conducted a thorough and successful research programme dedicated to detection of saturation and saturation movement in brick walls. Based on this experience a new research programme was conducted focused on various aspects of detection of brick wall defects. The main aim of the paper is to present the possibility of using the intensity value in for the diagnostics of the technical condition of a brick walls. Advantages and limitations of harnessing TLS for detection of surface defects of brick walls are presented and discussed in the paper.
Numerical Simulation and Experimental Study of a Deployable Footbridge
Authors: Ama Fernando del , Molina Mariano , Castilla Maria I. , Gomez Pulido Dolores , Lorenzo Covadonga , Garcia Millan Juan , Sancho Juan C.
Published: September 2019

Spatial structures with bars have been used in different fields since the beginning of the 20th century. These were first used in aerospace industry to obtain lightweight structures and it was as of 1930 when their use in construction became widespread, especially in roofs with big spans. Deployable structures can be considered a special case within the broader class of spatial structures. They can be transformed from a closed compact configuration to a predetermined expanded form. There is a wide range of applications, such as temporary construction and roofing systems, or for movable elements in the aerospace industry. This article describes a deployable structure that has been patented by researchers of San Pablo CEU University and Eduardo Torroja Institute of Madrid, Spain. The presented invention optimizes the material needed to fulfil the safety requirements according to the span it covers. It has a folding and unfolding system that makes transport easier and cheaper. It is versatile, since it adapts perfectly to many different uses with a reduced number of elements and it also reduces the cost by making the best possible use of the materials. Specifically for space deployable structures the main challenge remains to ensure high reliability in deployed geometry, stiffness and function. The goal of this article is to simulate different options to reduce the axial stress and the deflection of a 40-meter span deployable structure. Firstly, the basic elements that define the system will be described; secondly a first analysis on software SAP2000 will be shown; finally, this paper presents the procedure and methodology to improve the shape of a structure through optimization, and to control the deflection at mid span by means of post-tensioning.
Experimental and Numerical Investigation of In-line Standing Circular Cylinders in Steady and Turbulent Wind Flow
Authors: Hubova Olga , Veghova Ivana , Kralik Juraj
Published: September 2019

The wind pressure distribution on structures is an important parameter in terms of wind load calculation. Some wind effects, especially interference effects, are still the subject of research and experimental measurements in wind tunnels, but also in-situ. For the in-line standing circular cylinders EN standard gives only the wind force coefficient that is higher than the wind force for the stand-alone cylinder. The wind flow around in-line standing cylinders is based on distance between cylinders and their roughness and also on local wind velocities and neighboring structures. This paper deals with interference effects of air flow around the group of circular cylindrical structures. In this research, a series of parametric wind tunnel studies was carried out in BLWT Wind Tunnel in Bratislava to investigate the interference effects of in-line standing cylinders in steady and turbulent wind flow. In a steady flow in the front measurement area, we tested cylinders with smooth and rough surface at varying distance and angle of wind direction and for 10 different wind velocities from 9.6 – 19.7 m/s. The graphs of the external wind pressure distribution on the circumference of the cylinder for different wind speeds give us good information about behavior of in-line standing cylinders in steady wind flow. In a turbulent wind flow in the rear measurement area in BLWT, we tested three cylinders for different wind velocities and compared results for different positions on cylinder. Experimental results of wind pressure around cylinders were compared with CFD numerical analysis and EN 1991-1-4 standard. We chose the finite volume method implemented into program ANSYS Fluent [1], which offers several turbulence models.
Laboratory Experiment of Soil Vertical Displacement Measurement Near an Axially Loaded Pile
Authors: Zarkiewicz Krzysztof
Published: September 2019

The paper presents the results of static pile load test in laboratory conditions with additional measurement of vertical displacement of soil surrounding the shallow embedded pile. The main purpose of research to determine the pattern of soil displacement due to axial load of the pile. Although, the dimensions of pile are strongly differing from field pile used in practice, there are some phenomena which are similar to natural conditions. Tests were performed on a small precast concrete pile which was 7 cm in diameter and 25 cm long embedded in cohesionless soil. The measurements of the study were: applied load, resistance under the toe of the pile, settlement of the pile and vertical displacement of chosen points in the soil near to the toe of the pile. Performed test indicated that in small load the displacement in soil increase due to increasing load, but when the load was approaching the value of ultimate load, displacement stopped and at the limit load the direction of displacement vector changed to upward. The shape of the shear failure mechanism took the form of a logarithmic spiral which was widely described in literature. In this study an attempt at mathematical description has been made. In the proposed approach it was assumed that the displacement of the pile influenced the change of the sphere volume under the pile base which affects the displacement of the selected points of the soil. The research allowed to determine the size of ground space which was affected by the studied pile. The other studies indicate that the failure mechanism in deep piles and poorly compacted soils is caused by punching shear failure when only soil displacement down occurs, but in very compacted sands the mechanism of failure would be similar to obtained in laboratory test.
Cost and Energy Efficient Envelope Systems for a Single-Family House in Timisoara, Romania
Authors: Ciprian Maties Ionut , Muntean Daniel M.
Published: September 2019

Over the last decade, Romania has faced a rapid expansion in the residential sector. The need for housing has increased significantly next to the ever-developing urban areas. One of the main targets for our country is to reduce the total energy consumption stipulated by the Energy Performance of Building Directive (EPBD). The main purpose of the study is to determine a comparative solution of the building envelope for a single-family house with a given net area and interior volume suited for a family with two adults and two children. The study is applied on a masonry two story house with continuous concrete foundations and a flat roof. This kind of scenario fits the local seismic building codes and currently, is the most accessible solution on the market. According to the national energy efficiency building requirements two different envelope systems are considered: monolithic wall (autoclaved aerated blocks) and multi-layered wall (large ceramic blocks with additional insulation), both having the same U value required by the above-mentioned code. Because the monolithic wall solution should have a shorter execution period than a multi-layered component, we intent to compare cost-efficiency scenarios of the two systems given local building standards. In both cases, the masonry acts as the main structural component of the system with similar concrete components. Because, in Romania, the most used thermal envelope system is based on polystyrene (EPS), a material with high embodied energy, the paper studies alternative solutions for residential buildings, with lower impact on the surrounding environment.
‘From Bata to Prada’: Appraisal Approach in New Retail Design
Authors: Forte Fabiana
Published: September 2019

Many contemporary architectural design projects, frequently characterized by the interaction between creativity, beauty and innovation, reflect the changes in consumption models. Also with specific reference to retail spaces, the concept of store has developed into something that includes knowledge, discovery and seduction in addition to the traditional selling of products. The passage from material to immaterial culture in the digital era, conduces to design spaces able to offer an experience, more than a product, as in the several projects for Prada’Stores. In this changing scenario, the worldwide famous brand Bata Co., with its very long tradition - founded in 1894 - constitutes one of the most successful examples of how a smart management system finds into its spaces of production and distribution a creative correspondence. It is not a case that from Bata derives one of the most emblematic example to conceive the modern retail spaces, thanks to the projects of Le Corbusier. Nowadays, in the face of challenges of digital innovation, among the several typologies of retail spaces, the traditional store is going through a profound transformation, in addition to being a strategic segment in the real estate market. In the last few years, in fact, Informative systems, Technologies, IT platforms, are radically changing the customers’ purchasing process – the customer experience -, affecting more and more the re-design of spaces, processes and functionality of the store. Technological development not only is changing purchasing behaviour but it also is determining the need to deal with radical changes in the current stores to make them more attractive for tenants and property investor. In this perspective the article, starting from the comparison between two different ways to conceive the commercial spaces (functionalism in Bata and spectacle in Prada) and highlighting the role of the new consumer, deals with some evaluative aspects in the new retail design. An overview of the retail from the perspective of the real estate market, confirms as it is in constantly expanding in the international arena; in Italy, also if positive signs affect all kinds of retail (high street, commercial centers, outlets, etc.), new challenges arise for the small and traditional retail stores. With specific reference to the project of the physical space of the new retail store, the business analysis involves some aspects, such as the so called “soft costs” sustained for re-design the relationship with the customer/consumer, which deserve further insights in the new culture of Retail Design.
Advantages of Modularity Applied in Architecture
Authors: Silva Raquel R.S.C. , Campos Inês D.D.
Published: September 2019

This article intends to explore the concept of modularity, namely its advantages in the application to architecture projects. The world is constantly evolving, there are new needs, and architecture has to know how to respond to it. The choice of this topic rests on a very current theme - although modularity in architecture is not a recent concept, its use is becoming more and more widespread at an increasingly frenetic pace, in which time is quite valuable. Modularity is an interesting concept because of its effectiveness. There are many advantages of this working methodology - which begins at the design stage and is later reflected in its execution - and, therefore, this is an increasingly studied, developed and applied subject. When well applied, the use of modular systems proves to be quite effective. Planning is the keyword which ultimately translates into optimizing the time spent on a project and its execution, thus reducing expenses, through premeditation of problems, and the waste of raw material. The modular architecture is a very functional and appealing concept. Through a practical example in the application of the system in the rehabilitation of a street store to transform it into housing, a closed modular system – thought to be applied in rehabilitation works – is used in order to demonstrate these same advantages. This system consists of all the necessary parts for the rehabilitation of a space – a structure for the floor, the walls and the ceiling, and also includes all technical equipment – without being dependent on other constructive systems and with the advantage of being flexible and non-invasive. This article aims to raise the interest of the scientific community in this subject and to encourage the study and the application of modularity in the day-to-day practice so that in the future its use becomes the most common technique and not the exception.
Landscape Project for the Environmental Recovery of a Quarry
Authors: Semeraro Teodoro , Arzeni Stefano , Turco Alessio , Margiotta Stefano , La Gioia Giuseppe , Aretano Roberta , Medagli Pietro
Published: September 2019

The growth of urban populations causes cities, and their suburbs, to spread, expand, and replace natural lands by agricultural. Urbanization brings land-use change, altering the relationship between human societies and environmental resources. Therefore, the management of natural resources connected to urban expansion has become one of the most important challenges in attaining sustainable landscape. Quarrying is a crucial component of local socio-economic development providing key materials for infrastructures and buildings. However, like many other human activities, quarrying causes a significant impact on the environment. In Mediterranean countries, quarrying activities exert increasing pressures on limited soil and water resources, thus accelerating erosion processes and subsequent destruction of existing arable lands. Quarrying operations can profoundly alter pre-existing ecosystems and perturb hydro-geological and hydrological regimes. They can profoundly modify the substratum, change landscape patterns and integrity, destroy natural habitats and interrupt their natural succession, as well as alter genetic resources. The resulting situation is seriously compromised by anthropic regeneration processes on degraded sites after the end of quarrying activities, which are not focused on potential natural vegetation which these sites could develop, considering the surrounding ecosystems. In this work, we propose a landscape regeneration project which was developed as part of the Environmental Impact Assessment procedure on quarrying activity located in the municipality of Lecce, South Italy. This project aims to integrate environmental and landscape aspects with the economic and social ones in order to guarantee the sustainability of the proposed intervention. The new project modifies the one presented at the start of the quarrying activity which planned planting of trees directly on the bottom of the quarry, (about 40 meters deep from the ground level and three meters above the groundwater level). The new project foresees the partial filling of the quarry using waste materials according to the environmental legislation. This allows to protect the groundwater better and to create a microclimate more suited to the development of natural vegetation. The quarry filling activity represents an economic activity for the company and therefore can guarantee the development of jobs for at least 5 years. In addition, the proposed project aims to reconstitute the pre-existing vegetation, consistently with the surrounding ecosystem. This will allow the development of the priority habitat *6220: Pseudo-steppe with grasses and annuals of the Thero-Brachypodietea (Directive 92/43/CEE), producing a landscape of recognized ecological value, not detached from the surrounding landscape. In this way, the closed quarry can act as a stepping stone and play a significant role in regulating green infrastructure in landscapes.
Flexible Refugee Shelter
Authors: Oliveira Nadine M.M. , Campos Inês D.D.
Published: September 2019

In recent years, there has been a great number of disasters such as natural disasters and wars. Wars occur, mostly, due to political, religious and economic confrontations. Calamities or natural disasters, which are considered as inevitable manifestations of Mother Nature, become uncontrollable and unpredictable. When they happen, they leave thousands of people in emergency conditions since they have lost everything they owned and are left without support. The emergency architecture lies in creation of temporary shelters to receive and protect the victims of these limit situations. This happens due to the need of minimum conditions of habitability these people have until being relocated. Disasters/wars, apart from the direct impact they have on the victims, also affect one of the main human factors: The Habitat. This type of architecture is perceived as transitory which requires fast solutions, cost-effective and easy-to-execute systems, thus focusing mainly on prefabricated or standard materials that enable a quick and low-cost assembly. However, in this type of architecture, one cannot only think of the quick solution of building/assembling shelters. Notwithstanding, it is also necessary to take into account that it functions as a humanitarian service, in which human needs must be meticulously thought about. On the basis of this last statement, it is intended to meet, in the best possible way, the needs of the refugees who are victims of the wars that come into their lives and who are not likely to return to their territory. These victims are sent to refugee camps - controlled and delimited spaces with the minimum equipment - usually with random tents provided by the UN which do not provide comfort to these families while they try to organize their lives. The lack of comfortable shelters and the minimum housing conditions are essential for these victims who see their lives change drastically from one day to the other. However, while designing a temporary shelter, one has to take into account the fact that it is temporary, transitory and that people only take advantage of this space for a short period of time. Faced with this primordial factor, the transience, the proposed space corresponds to adequate and comfortable minimum areas which allow a good quality of life for a short period of time. This proposal lies in the creation of an emergency shelter, as previously mentioned, through the development of a modular system that is flexible and temporary. It can be allocated in different ways on the ground, thus allowing the creation and adaptation to different spaces according to the needs of the people. This model unit will have a primordial base structure which will facilitate the adaptation to the terrain and the stability of the shelter. The construction method was designed to be as easy as possible by using lightweight materials, so it can be implemented on the ground and having good thermal and acoustic capacities so that it can be adapted to different climatic scenarios.
Factors Affecting Performances of Small Projects in Small Island States – Stakeholders’ Perceptions
Authors: Seeboo Asish
Published: September 2019

Numerous are the studies that investigate the performances of big construction projects. However, in this particular investigation, the emphasis is on small construction projects. The intent was to capture the perceptions of the major stakeholders, that is the clients, contractors and consultants on the factors that could affect the performances of such small projects, which have limited budget, are of short duration and to further complex the situation, the projects are executed in small island states, such as the Republic of Mauritius. After an extensive literature search, a list of 61 performance indicators was made, which was further grouped into 10 main clusters, namely (i) cost; (ii) time; (iii) quality; (iv) productivity; (v) owner; (vi) regulator; (vii) employee; (viii) health and safety; (ix) learning; and (x) environment. A performance success survey was devised, tested and refined before circulating to the major stakeholders (response rate; client – 89%; contractors – 68.5% and consultants – 56%). With Kendall’s coefficient of concordance W = 0.954 being greater than 0.5, the degree of agreement amongst stakeholders was found to be statistically significant. Hence the major 5 factors that impeded on the performances of smaller construction projects being executed in small island countries were found to be due to (i) poor leadership skills; (ii) absence of skilled force; (iii) inadequate liquidity within the company; (iv) escalation of material prices and (v) unavailability of resources.
Sources and Cause of Poor Performances on Residential Building Projects – Case Study of the Republic of Mauritius
Authors: Seeboo Asish , Proag Viren
Published: September 2019

In this particular study the intent was to determine the sources and causes of poor performances on residential projects. The methodology adopted was through observation of the construction (from start to end) of 18 houses, and to be part of the study the houses needed to satisfy specific requirements such as (i) floor area of residence not exceeding 1615 square feet; (ii) the residence has ground floor only; (iii) the residence will be made of reinforced concrete elements and cladded with cellular blocks; (iv) acceptance of the client to be part of the survey; (v) acceptance of the client to give access to the site during the execution of works; (vi) acceptance of the client to give access to the plans and financial information; (vii) construction will be executed by a team of masons or small to medium labour contractors; (viii) the team of masons or the labour contractor will supply labour only; (ix) the client will be the sole party to deal with the different suppliers throughout the project; and (x) construction will start in the coming weeks. Miscommunication, improper planning and absence of internal supervision of works lead to some reworks which add to the overall cost of the project as well as increases the duration. In many cases, the end product was not of standard quality, and there was nobody to flag these issues. To bridge the gap between the client and the contractor, it is primordial to have the third stakeholder (consultant) into the picture. The proposed consultant’s scope of works will have to be precisely defined and the fees charged will have to be rational.
River restoration as an element in sustainable urban development
Authors: Skrinar Andrej , Misik Martin , Janota Matus
Published: September 2019

In Bratislava (Slovakia), alongside the Danube River, there is a continuous green area of diverse character with enormous potential for quality of life in the city. A group of experts, enthusiasts and specialists for the Danube, architects and urban planners, natural scientists, water managers and conservationists formulated a vision of Bratislava’s Danube Park (BDP). The vision is to create and protect a unique and extensive territory along the river with aesthetic natural and natural-close riverbanks in places of suitable morphological and hydraulic conditions along with connection of several branches back to the main Danube channel. Many spots of urban greenery are directly connected to this area, which could thus become its backbone, providing recreation and a resting place not only on the original bank of the Danube. The river in all its forms is the most important landscape element unifying this vast and varied territory. Besides the well-designed urbanized embankments, the character of the Danube River along with its hydromorphological and hydraulic parameters make it possible for Bratislava to have extensive riverbanks and inundation areas of natural character suitable for recreation, stay and movement of people near the river. The access of people in the area will be possible by walking and hiking trails, cycling routes as well as water routes in the river itself, along with branches for recreational water sports. The process of implementation will be gradual. The first step will be to interest citizens in vision-performing with the help of conceptual materials and studies. An important step will be to coordinate the city with the relevant state institutions, in particular with the river manager, with the other actors in the area along with the public, so that the vision of the final outcome is widely accepted and supported.
Influence of Wood and Plastic Waste as Aggregates in Gypsum Plasters
Authors: Alejandro Pedreno-Rojas Manuel , Rodriguez-Linan Carmen , Jesus Morales-Conde Maria , Perez-Galvez Filomena , Rubio-de-Hita Paloma , Isabel Romero-Gomez Maria
Published: September 2019

Large amounts of waste are generated each day in the world, being a major concern for the EU28, who establish waste management as a priority line of work within the Horizon 2020. Construction sector is one of the largest residues generators. In that sense, architects and civil engineers should give an answer to solve that environmental problem. One of the options is to reuse waste for the generation of new materials and products for construction. In this research, wood waste (sawdust) from demolition works and polycarbonate waste have been used as aggregates to generate new gypsum plasters. Different percentages of additions (5, 10, 20 and 40%) for each type of waste have been conducted to develop the gypsum composites. Physical (density and thermal conductivity) and mechanical (flexural and compressive strength) properties of the new plasters have been measured using the procedure regulated by standards, comparing them with the reference material values (commercial gypsum without aggregates). The results of the tests show that lighter composites have been obtained when the percentage of waste increased for both type of aggregate. This lightening is higher in composites with wood waste than in those with plastic at the same percentage of addition. Furthermore, an improvement in the thermal conductivity of the plasters have been achieved. On the other hand, a decrease on the mechanical properties of the composites, with higher percentages of additions, have been obtained. For all the cases, the minimum strength value required by standards have been achieved. As a conclusion, lighter gypsum composites with enhanced thermal properties have been obtained, achieving in all the cases an acceptable flexural and compressive strength.
Laboratory Tests on Composite Beam - Accuracy of Modal Analysis Results
Authors: Sokol Milan , Sismisova Zuzana
Published: September 2019

The primary aim of this research was to verify accuracy of results of the modal analysis on the composite beam. The research is based on the identification technique, which determines structural characteristics from the measured values of dynamic response. The method uses measured data to optimal update of the stiffness matrix to get numerical model that matched with measured data. This can be used for further calculation to determine the effect of damage to the stiffness of the beam. The experimental beam was made of wooden boards and plasterboards, which were attached to each other by a lot of screws. It was simply supported beam of total length 4m. The stiffness characteristic of beam was determined from experimental measurement of the beam deflection from a load. A total of 24 accelerometers were placed along of the beam. Accelerometers were recording vertical acceleration and the acceleration measurement record lasted for 60 seconds. We gained amplitude spectrum of acceleration from the measured acceleration values by using the fast Fourier transform (FFT). The first eigenfrequencies were determined from the amplitude spectrum. The measured value of first frequencies was f1 = 11.7Hz while the calculated value of first frequency was f1 = 11.6Hz. Other frequencies and shapes were also calculated and measured. When comparing them we need to be careful. The spacing of the transducers very well describes the vertical bending shapes while there is little information about torsional vibration shapes. We are planning extend these results by measurement with a pair of accelerometers located along the beam to verify torsional mode-shapes too. The conclusions and results of this experiment are used in calculations for system identification and determination the change in stiffness value of the damaged beam. The beam corrupted by removing the screws from the beam has changed the stiffness properties of the beam. This change is reflected as increment/decrement of original stiffness matrix - adjusted stiffness matrix.
Solution of Integral Equations Arising in Mathematical Problems of Construction Science, using the Bogolyubov – Krylov method
Authors: Koshev Alexander , Kuzina Valentina
Published: September 2019

The possibility of a numerical solution of construction problems leading to Fredholm integral equations of the first and second kinds is considered. The following problems of building sciences, for example, lead to such equations: in the theory of elasticity – elastoplastic torsion of bodies, stress concentration in a body during its bending; in the theory of vibrations, in the mechanics of structural failure – in the formation of cracks; when studying non-stationary phenomena in solids – non-stationary heat transfer, quasistatic viscoelasticity, propagation of longitudinal and transverse waves and other processes. According to the formulas of numerical integration, the problem can be reduced to a system of linear algebraic equations with a matrix of coefficients, which can be ill-conditioned, and the task is classically incorrect. This circumstance complicates its decision by traditional methods. To solve ill-posed problems similar to the problem in question, there are classical regularization methods. However, the numerical implementation of regularizing algorithms is not always easy to implement. In this regard, the goal of our study was to develop a numerical method for solving the Fredholm integral equations of the first and second kinds, which allow solving such problems without using regularization methods. The authors propose to solve problems of this type on the basis of the Bogolyubov – Krylov formula for representing certain integrals, in the form of finite-dimensional sums. At the same time, it becomes possible to use a non-uniform grid of nodes for splitting the integration interval. To efficiently define the set of nodes for splitting the integration interval, it is proposed to use a priori information about the properties of the solution of the problem. For example, the number of split points of the integration interval increases where the intended solution undergoes the most rapid changes, and decreases in areas where the intended solution is close to linear. The optimal arrangement of the splitting nodes of the integration interval makes it possible to increase the conditionality of the system of linear equations corresponding to the difference analogue of the problem and, thereby, to prevent the divergence of the iterative process. The article provides an example of calculating the optimal arrangement of the nodes splitting the integration interval when solving a test problem.
Mathematical Modeling of the Process of Humid Absorption in a Porous Medium on the Example of Moisture of Lime Composites
Authors: Kuzina Valentina , Koshev Alexander , Sukhov Ivan
Published: September 2019

A mathematical description of the dependence of the equilibrium moisture content of the porous material of the lime composite on the relative humidity of the air - curves of moisture adsorption in the material under study is considered. Mathematical modeling of the moisture absorption process was performed on the basis of the representation of a certain elementary volume of a lime composite in the form of a volume-porous medium with averaged physicochemical parameters. Mathematical modeling is used for theoretical study of the laws of the process of wetting dry construction mixes. Comparison of calculated and experimental data is carried out, their good consistency is shown. The moistened material is a material with a developed surface throughout the volume and can be considered as a porous medium with effective characteristics distributed throughout the volume, such as porosity, thermal conductivity, mass diffusivity, adsorption characteristics, etc. In the process of moistening the material of the medium at each point of the porous space, an adsorption reaction occurs moisture, which has its macro and microkinetic patterns. Moist air is supplied to the internal, hard-to-reach areas of the porous material due to diffusion and air flow caused by various reasons. The speed of the microscopic reaction of wetting the surface of the composite granules should be taken into account in accordance with the theory of the dependence of the moisture content of the material on the relative humidity of the air. Analysis of the type of sorption curves makes it possible to notice that for a mathematical description of experimental dependence, it is advisable to distinguish two sections on each curve: a section with a bulge up and a segment with a bulge down. The basic equation of moisture transfer in a porous medium is a three-dimensional parabolic differential equation. Under certain conditions, the process of moistening a porous material has the same regularities on any straight line perpendicular to the air-medium interface, which makes it possible to reduce the equation to one-dimensional in spatial variables. The presented calculation results show that the value of the diffusion coefficient significantly affects the process of moistening a porous material and can be used as a measure of the possible moisture content of the composite.
Natural thermal loads and their influence on airfield concrete slabs
Authors: Malgorzata Linek , Patrycja Piotrowska-Nowak
Published: September 2019

The article presents theoretical aspects of the influence of environmental changes on the extent of the recognized stress in the case of airfield concrete slab. Analyses included actual measurement data from 34 weather stations located within the area of Poland. The results obtained between 2000 and 2016 were used to prepare climatic data base of the selected regions. The analyses included maps of typical values taking into consideration daily, monthly and annual variations. In case of exemplary data from Kielce station, the influence of external conditions on the extent of the registered stress and deformations of airfield concrete slab was determined. According to the obtained test results, the significant influence of environmental conditions on changes of concrete slab strains was confirmed. Recommendations aiming at limiting negative influence of environmental conditions on concrete slab strains were suggested in case of the analysed area.
Optimisation of the innovative hydraulic binder composition for its versatile use in recycled road base layer
Authors: Mazurek Grzegorz , Iwanski Marek
Published: September 2019

The paper presents results obtained on the basis of tests carried out using the innovative hydraulic binder intended for a recycled base layer with foamed bitumen. The tested hydraulic binder consisted of three components: cement, hydrated lime and fines. The analysis includes: final time of mortar setting, volume change in mortar, compressive strength after 7 and 28 days of curing, bending strength after 7 and 28 days of curing. The analysis relied in identifying optimal compositions of innovative binder components in terms of its suitability for pavement recycled base layer. Optimisations considered obtaining a two variant such as: quick-setting and a normal-setting hydraulic binder. The analysis of test results indicate that there are solutions for binder compositions that meet the requirements for normal-setting of hydraulically bound base layer in recycled technology. In the scope of obtaining a quick-setting binder, at least 80% of cement binder in the innovative hydraulic binder composition is required.
Impact of Shocks on Cargo Securing During the Road Transport
Authors: Vlkovsky Martin , Binar Tomas , Svarc Jiri , Nemec Petr , Bucsuhazy Katerina
Published: September 2019

The paper deals with the impact of shocks on cargo securing during the road freight transport. Commonly used methods of cargo securing do not take into account the different quality of roads, therefore the cargo securing doesn´t have to comply with principles of safe fastening. The paper highligths the different values of shocks and inertia forces on different quality roads (highway and 3rd class road) based on data of conducted transport experiments. The resulting shocks (values of acceleration coefficients) are statistically significantly higher on 3rd class road than on highway even at half average speed. The optimization of calculation using acceleration coefficients and their correlation with the resulting inertia forces is included in separated part. The output of the paper is a methodical procedure to optimize the cargo securing during the road transport.
Optimization of inventory costs management in the construction enterprise
Authors: Rzepecki Lukasz
Published: September 2019

During planning the execution of each construction project, the factors that may affect the effectiveness of its realization should be analyzed in detail. The costs of execution construction projects are significantly influenced by (apart from technical factors) decisions in the field of inventory management, among others, variability of environmental conditions, prices of construction products, the ability to acquire local suppliers, distance of transport, limited size of storage for construction products as well as the individual character of the project. In projects related to the buildings erection and other construction works, there are many logistical tasks in the area of supply in construction products, raw materials, equipment, as well as in the area of financial and information flow. Taking into account the large share of material costs, inventory management in the costs of projects realization and the high potential for their reduction, every enterprise operating in the construction industry should pay a great importance to the supply logistics sector. Determination of the size and delivery times of construction products, as well as the transport routes, storage and reloading locations are decision-making problems that are solved by management of both the enterprise and the construction projects. The paper presents a proposal for a methodology, which allows to determination and comparison of the inventory management costs in enterprise conducting parallel works on several construction sites. Mathematical models have been developed which simulate the functioning of supply logistics systems and allow, through their solution, to determination of the minimum logistics costs with optimal arrangements for the supply schedule (delivery volumes in subsequent periods of the project execution). This is the foundation for the selection of the optimal variant of a supply chain management. The practical application of the methodology proposed is illustrated using an example.
Improving Living Conditions in Mass Housing of the Prefabrication Era: The User’s Point of View
Authors: Ostanska Anna
Published: September 2019

Maintenance of the housing stock of the mass prefabrication era poses a particular challenge due to the scale of the task. Prefabricated blocks of flats are the home of almost 50% of inhabitants of Polish cities - a home that is still in good technical condition and still desirable (good location, shortage of flats in the market). However, in the light of the present-day performance requirements, this housing stock calls for improvements, necessary to prevent loss of value and increase in maintenance cost. In the course of programming the estate modernization, the planner needs not only to select technically and economically justified measures, but also to assure they are approved by the owners of the apartments. The residents are rarely aware of what is technically possible in terms of retrofitting buildings and the estate infrastructure. Moreover, they may be unaware of what kind of long-term consequences are to be expected if improvements are implemented, and what if they are not. As observed in practice, a constructive dialogue between the housing estate management and the residents occurs rarely. Therefore, in order to examine the user’s point of view, the author designed and implemented an extensive survey project. The surveys are intended to be conducted every five years in consultation with the estate manager. They allow not only to passively observe the evolution of user preferences towards particular improvement proposals (changes in preferences caused by changing needs as well as a result of implemented modernization and renovation activities), but also to stimulate interest in upgrading the housing environment (e.g. improving accessibility, switching to renewable energy sources). The article presents the results and conclusions of two cycles of surveys in one of housing estates in Lublin, south-eastern Poland. Such results may provide the estate manager with useful input for retrofitting projects.
Creating a Smart City – Supporting Management of Regional Project Initiatives
Authors: Brudnicka Anna , Rybka Adam
Published: September 2019

Smart cities are developing fast and introducing new practices and services that have a strong impact on policy making and planning, while also interacting with urban facilities. It is now needed to understand the smart city’s contribution in the overall urban planning and vice versa, to recognize urban planning offers in the context of an intelligent city. The article is an attempt to preliminary analysis of the forms of innovation in small urban models for sustainable development, which can be used in an smart city. The structure of the review has been developed on the basis of conceptual framework of off-grid complex that unite selected regional specialties, the strategy of sustainable development and the process of connections, which has been chosen as a method of identifying paths of research in defined area. The result show that innovative projects for sustainable development strategy can be implemented using selected elements of data cloud computing, which would allow in the future strategy building in the cities based on selected categories of technologies and taking coherent actions in the area of innovative projects. The concept combines a variety of innovative technologies, where the outputs of one system are inputs of another. Further research is also required to develop appropriate measurement criteria for determining the effectiveness of strategies. The concept defined its main components, and outlines future directions to improve it.
Optimisation of Surface Finishes for Oriented Strand Board in Order to Increase Its Moisture Resistance
Authors: Kratochvilova Erika , Patloka Jiri , Slanhof Jiri
Published: September 2019

The purpose of the research is the optimisation of surface finishes for application to oriented strand board (OSB) in order to increase its moisture resistance. The aim of the research is to compare test specimens with different types of coating, spray, primer and waterproofing under predefined conditions and different forms of moisture exposure. The paper contains a definition of the basic material, test specimens and test methods, and covers 8 different types of surface finish materials selected for application to the test specimens. The results include graphs showing growth in humidity over time, specifically graphs showing the causal relationship between increases in weight and moisture absorption, as well as graphs depicting swelling in thickness. The results are also discussed. In the conclusion the results are evaluated and an outline of the next steps to take with regard to further research is formulated. The results are of benefit to all subjects concerned with wooden structures in which OSB is used, both at the design stage and at the stage of the preparation and execution of construction with respect to unpredictable weather conditions that can irreparably damage unprotected structures. In addition, these are results which are important for the operation of buildings during which a suitable surface finish can alleviate the consequences of later accidents and defects. They may also be beneficial during the construction of buildings from structural insulated panels who’s facing most often consists of OSB. Construction periods tend to be adversely affected by changes in the weather. The application of suitable surface finishes to OSB immediately during the prefabrication stage could eliminate this issue.
Stefan Kuryłowicz. Architecture of change 1989 - 2011
Authors: Goncikowski Marcin
Published: September 2019

The work of prof. arch. Stefan Kuryłowicz (1949-2011) marked a new chapter in the history of Polish architecture. His activity concurred with a profound socio-economic change that took place after the overthrow of the communist regime. For Polish architecture, this situation was a deeply pioneering one, as it brought the need of developing new types of buildings and a necessity to develop a different standard of architectural services. Design activities of prof. Stefan Kuryłowicz were combined with didactic and scientific work at the Faculty of Architecture of the Warsaw University of Technology. The result of his academic involvement were publications containing texts referring to: the theory of architecture, principles of practicing the profession and analysis of the change of public spaces. The paper shows architectural works of prof. Kuryłowicz and his theoretical description of the discipline on the background of the time in which both, building design and theory, were created and formulated by him. The main theme of theoretical achievements of prof. Stefan Kuryłowicz is the relationship of built architectural work and concepts of idea, expression and message. The idea is understood as principles formulated at the design concept stage. Expression of the work - as the sum of materially built means, that may realize the idea. The message - as a result of activities of all parties involved in the team’s creation of the architectural object and the influence of the environment of realisation shaped a part of the meaning of the architecture. The message in his interpretation becomes a way of denoting a part of the possible meaning of architecture. The analysed objects are: competition works from which a set of buildings of the Baltic Opera in Gdańsk (1973) and a set of buildings of Operetta Dolnośląska in Wrocław (1975) were selected, sacral buildings from which the church in Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki (1979-1984) was chosen, commercial buildings of public utility - Fuji Film (1993), Zielna Point (1998), Nautilius (1996), Focus (1997), PLL LOT (1999), housing - Eko-Park estate (2002) and the National Forum of Music (2008). Buildings - awarded regularly - have become the determinant of the typology for Polish architecture in the environment of freedom after the transition of 1989. Prof. Stefan Kuryłowicz died in a plane crash in Spain in 2011.