Stock-constrained truss design exploration through combinatorial equilibrium modeling

Reusing structural components has potential to reduce environmental impacts of building structures because it reduces new material use, energy consumption, and waste. When designing structures through reuse, available element characteristics become a design input. This paper presents a new computational workflow to design structures made of reused and new elements. The workflow combines Combinatorial Equilibrium Modeling, efficient Best-Fit heuristics, and Life Cycle Assessment to explore different design options in a user-interactive way and with almost real-time feedback. The method applicability is demonstrated by a realistic case study. Results show that structures combining reused and new elements have a significantly lower environmental impact than solutions made of new material only.

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PROCESSING AND IMAGING OF MARINE SEISMIC DATA FROM THE JEQUITINHONHA BASIN (BAHIA, BRAZIL)

Brazilian Journal of Geophysics ◽

10.22564/rbgf.v33i3.743 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 33 (3) ◽

Author(s):

Lourenildo W.B. Leite ◽

J. Mann ◽

Wildney W.S. Vieira

Keyword(s):

Seismic Data ◽

Sedimentary Basins ◽

Study Results ◽

Marine Seismic ◽

Present Case Study

ABSTRACT. The present case study results from a consistent processing and imaging of marine seismic data from a set collected over sedimentary basins of the East Brazilian Atlantic. Our general aim is... RESUMO. O presente artigo resulta de um processamento e imageamento consistentes de dados sísmicos marinhos de levantamento realizado em bacias sedimentares do Atlântico do Nordeste...

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come_NET

10.1093/oso/9780198733249.003.0013 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Konstantin Aal ◽

Anne Weibert ◽

Kai Schubert ◽

Mary-Ann Sprenger ◽

Thomas Von Rekowski

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Design Process ◽

Participatory Design ◽

Controlled Environment ◽

Design And Implementation ◽

Neighborhood Contexts ◽

Study Results ◽

Computer Club ◽

Close Cooperation

The case study presented in this chapter discusses the design and implementation of an online platform, “come_NET,” in the context of intercultural computer clubs in Germany. This tool was built in close cooperation with the children and adult computer club participants. It was designed to foster the sharing of ideas and experiences across distances, support collaboration, and make skills and expertise accessible to others in the local neighborhood contexts. In particular, the participatory-design process involving the children in the computer clubs fostered a profound understanding of the platform structure and functionalities. The study results show how younger children in particular were able to benefit, as the closed nature of the platform enabled them to gather experience as users of social media, but in a safe and controlled environment.

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Optimizing the Environmental and Economic Sustainability of Remote Community Infrastructure

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su12062208 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (6) ◽

pp. 2208 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jamie E. Filer ◽

Justin D. Delorit ◽

Andrew J. Hoisington ◽

Steven J. Schuldt

Keyword(s):

Environmental Impacts ◽

Sustainability Assessment ◽

Model Performance ◽

Assessment Model ◽

Remote Communities ◽

Remote Community ◽

Rural Villages ◽

Sustainable Technologies ◽

Study Results

Remote communities such as rural villages, post-disaster housing camps, and military forward operating bases are often located in remote and hostile areas with limited or no access to established infrastructure grids. Operating these communities with conventional assets requires constant resupply, which yields a significant logistical burden, creates negative environmental impacts, and increases costs. For example, a 2000-member isolated village in northern Canada relying on diesel generators required 8.6 million USD of fuel per year and emitted 8500 tons of carbon dioxide. Remote community planners can mitigate these negative impacts by selecting sustainable technologies that minimize resource consumption and emissions. However, the alternatives often come at a higher procurement cost and mobilization requirement. To assist planners with this challenging task, this paper presents the development of a novel infrastructure sustainability assessment model capable of generating optimal tradeoffs between minimizing environmental impacts and minimizing life-cycle costs over the community’s anticipated lifespan. Model performance was evaluated using a case study of a hypothetical 500-person remote military base with 864 feasible infrastructure portfolios and 48 procedural portfolios. The case study results demonstrated the model’s novel capability to assist planners in identifying optimal combinations of infrastructure alternatives that minimize negative sustainability impacts, leading to remote communities that are more self-sufficient with reduced emissions and costs.

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Seaports during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Terminal Operators’ Tactical Responses to Disruptions in Maritime Supply Chains

Energies ◽

10.3390/en14144339 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (14) ◽

pp. 4339

Author(s):

Marta Mańkowska ◽

Michał Pluciński ◽

Izabela Kotowska ◽

Ludmiła Filina-Dawidowicz

Keyword(s):

Supply Chains ◽

Global Economy ◽

Research Study ◽

Inductive Reasoning ◽

Main Function ◽

The Sustainable Development ◽

Study Results ◽

Multiple Case ◽

Tactical Decisions

The world-wide crisis caused by the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic had a significant impact on the global economy functioning and the sustainable development of supply chains. The changes also affected seaports being the key links of maritime supply chains. The purpose of the research study described in this article was to identify the sources and kinds of disruptions observed in various maritime supply chains as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and their impact on the operations of various types of seaport terminals, namely those serving bulk (universal, specialised) and general cargoes (universal, specialised). An additional purpose was to identify the dependencies between the type of terminal and its main function, and the tactical decisions adopted by the particular terminals. The research was carried out using the multiple-case study method. The study covered some selected port terminals functioning in Polish seaports (Gdańsk, Szczecin, Świnoujście), applying direct, semi-structured in-depth interviews. The analysis of the results was carried out using the inductive reasoning method. The research study has shown that as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic some maritime supply chains ceased to exist, some of them were operating with decreased cargo volumes, while in other cases the transshipment volumes actually rose during the pandemic. Among terminal operators’ tactical responses to disruptions in maritime supply chains, there were pro-active and adaptive measures. Pro-active (offensive) measures included actions taken by an enterprise in order to engage in new maritime supply chains, and even participating in establishing new maritime chains in response to limitations caused by the pandemic. Adaptive (defensive) measures covered actions taken by the port terminals as a consequence of changes in the existing maritime supply chains, caused by the pandemic in the port’s foreland or hinterland. The research study results revealed that the terminals extent of engagement and tactical decisions related to the pandemic were depended on the type of terminal (universal or specialised) and its main function played within a supply chain.

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A Holistic Framework for Evaluating Adaptation Approaches to Coastal Hazards and Sea Level Rise: A Case Study from Imperial Beach, California

Water ◽

10.3390/w13091324 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (9) ◽

pp. 1324

Author(s):

David Revell ◽

Phil King ◽

Jeff Giliam ◽

Juliano Calil ◽

Sarah Jenkins ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sea Level Rise ◽

Sea Level ◽

Public Trust ◽

Adaptation Strategy ◽

Public Benefits ◽

Study Results ◽

Local Risk ◽

Over Time

Sea level rise increases community risks from erosion, wave flooding, and tides. Current management typically protects existing development and infrastructure with coastal armoring. These practices ignore long-term impacts to public trust coastal recreation and natural ecosystems. This adaptation framework models physical responses to the public beach and private upland for each adaptation strategy over time, linking physical changes in widths to damages, economic costs, and benefits from beach recreation and nature using low-lying Imperial Beach, California, as a case study. Available coastal hazard models identified community vulnerabilities, and local risk communication engagement prioritized five adaptation approaches—armoring, nourishment, living shorelines, groins, and managed retreat. This framework innovates using replacement cost as a proxy for ecosystem services normally not valued and examines a managed retreat policy approach using a public buyout and rent-back option. Specific methods and economic values used in the analysis need more research and innovation, but the framework provides a scalable methodology to guide coastal adaptation planning everywhere. Case study results suggest that coastal armoring provides the least public benefits over time. Living shoreline approaches show greater public benefits, while managed retreat, implemented sooner, provides the best long-term adaptation strategy to protect community identity and public trust resources.

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Using Design Thinking Principles to Improve Outpatients’ Experiences in Hospital Pharmacies: A Case Study of Two Hospitals in Asir Region, Saudi Arabia

Healthcare ◽

10.3390/healthcare9070854 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (7) ◽

pp. 854

Author(s):

Dalia Almaghaslah ◽

Abdulrhman Alsayari ◽

Saleh Ali Alyahya ◽

Rana Alshehri ◽

Khawlah Alqadi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Saudi Arabia ◽

Problem Solving ◽

Management System ◽

Design Thinking ◽

Queue Management ◽

End User ◽

Study Results ◽

Hospital Pharmacies ◽

Asir Region

Introduction: Design thinking, an innovative problem-solving approach, has gained wide popularity in healthcare disciplines. The aim of this work is to improve outpatients’ experiences in hospital pharmacies in two hospitals in Asir region, Saudi Arabia. Methods: The design thinking approach, adopted from Stanford University’s D-School, was used in this study. Results: Several problems were identified: lack of comfortable environment in the pharmacies’ waiting area, lack of a queue management system, and workflow inefficiencies related to ordering and supplies of medicines. A prototype was proposed to overcome these challenges. Discussion and Conclusion: The design thinking approach helped in identifying end-user (patients visiting outpatient pharmacies) values and desires and provided an understanding of their struggles. It also proposed tailored solutions that could improve patients’ experiences while using the services of the outpatient pharmacies.

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Mitigating natural events to avoid disaster in public school buildings: seismic retrofitting of SDN 42 Korong Gadang

MATEC Web of Conferences ◽

10.1051/matecconf/201822902021 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 229 ◽

pp. 02021

Author(s):

James Mwangi ◽

Laura Putri ◽

Listhbeth Collins

Keyword(s):

School Facilities ◽

Seismic Retrofitting ◽

Building Structures ◽

National Agency ◽

Electrical Grid ◽

The North ◽

Australian Plate ◽

West Sumatra

With over 50 million students, Indonesia has the fourth largest education system in the world. The first twelve years of education are compulsory for all citizens. The students, together with over 3 million teachers spend six (or five in some cases) days a week at over 300,000 schools, typically from 6:30 AM to 2 (or 3) PM. Geographically, Indonesia is traversed by the infamous “ring of fire” and prone to natural events resulting from the tectonic plate movements of the Australian Plate from the South, the Eurasian and Sunda Plates from the North and the Philippine Plate from the East. Left unmitigated, these natural events would lead to natural disasters emanating from resulting earthquakes and leading to tsunamis, landslides, the collapse of building structures and failure of lifelines (roads, pipelines, electrical grid, etc.). In an effort to provide disaster-safe schools, the National Agency for Disaster Management has required that school facilities be a community center in case of disasters and serve as emergency shelters. Retrofit of existing buildings will be needed to comply with government guidelines. This paper presents a case study of the determination of structural deficiencies of an existing school building in SDN 42 Korong Gadang, Padang, West Sumatra and implementation of a seismic retrofit (design and construction) at the same building to mitigate potential earthquake disaster.

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Effect of blast loading and resulting progressive failure of a cable-stayed bridge

SN Applied Sciences ◽

10.1007/s42452-021-04145-y ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 3 (3) ◽

Author(s):

Ravi Mudragada ◽

S. S. Mishra

Keyword(s):

Progressive Failure ◽

Blast Resistance ◽

Progressive Collapse ◽

Building Structures ◽

Structural Elements ◽

Blast Loads ◽

Cable Stayed Bridge ◽

Bridge Performance ◽

Cable Stayed Bridges

AbstractMany researchers have carried out experimental and numerical investigations to examine building structures’ response to explosive loads. Studies of bridges subjected to blast loads are limited. Hence, in this study, we present a case study on a cable-stayed bridge, namely, Charles River Cable-Stayed Bridge-Boston, to assess its robustness and resistance against the progressive collapse resulting from localized failure due to blast loads. Three different blast scenarios are considered to interpret the bridge performance to blast loads. To monitor the progressive failure mechanisms of the structural elements due to blast, pre-defined plastic hinges are assigned to the bridge deck. The results conclude that the bridge is too weak to sustain the blast loads near the tower location, and the progressive collapse is inevitable. Hence, to preserve this cable-stayed bridge from local and global failure, structural components should be more reinforced near the tower location. This case study helps the designer better understand the need for blast resistance design of cable-stayed bridges.

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Decision Support for the (Inter-)Basin Management of Water Resources Using Integrated Hydro-Economic Modeling

Hydrology ◽

10.3390/hydrology8010042 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. 42

Author(s):

Gerald Norbert Souza da Silva ◽

Márcia Maria Guedes Alcoforado de Moraes

Keyword(s):

Decision Support ◽

Water Resources ◽

Water Allocation ◽

Hydrological Modeling ◽

Well Being ◽

Water Transfer ◽

Economic Modeling ◽

Trade Offs ◽

Study Results

The development of adequate modeling at the basin level to establish public policies has an important role in managing water resources. Hydro-economic models can measure the economic effects of structural and non-structural measures, land and water management, ecosystem services and development needs. Motivated by the need of improving water allocation using economic criteria, in this study, a Spatial Decision Support System (SDSS) with a hydro-economic optimization model (HEAL system) was developed and used for the identification and analysis of an optimal economic allocation of water resources in a case study: the sub-middle basin of the São Francisco River in Brazil. The developed SDSS (HEAL system) made the economically optimum allocation available to analyze water allocation conflicts and trade-offs. With the aim of providing a tool for integrated economic-hydrological modeling, not only for researchers but also for decision-makers and stakeholders, the HEAL system can support decision-making on the design of regulatory and economic management instruments in practice. The case study results showed, for example, that the marginal benefit function obtained for inter-basin water transfer, can contribute for supporting the design of water pricing and water transfer decisions, during periods of water scarcity, for the well-being in both basins.

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UNDERSTANDING THE EMBEDDED CARBON CHALLENGES OF BUILDING SERVICE SYSTEMS

Proceedings of the Design Society ◽

10.1017/pds.2021.589 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 1 ◽

pp. 3279-3288

Author(s):

Maria Hein ◽

Darren Anthony Jones ◽

Claudia Margot Eckert

Keyword(s):

Energy Use ◽

Cooling System ◽

Current System ◽

Energy Performance ◽

Service Systems ◽

Carbon Footprints ◽

Embodied Carbon ◽

Study Results ◽

Operational Energy

AbstractEnergy consumed in buildings is a main contributor to CO2 emissions, there is therefore a need to improve the energy performance of buildings, particularly commercial buildings whereby building service systems are often substantially over-designed due to the application of excess margins during the design process.The cooling system of an NHS Hospital was studied and modelled in order to identify if the system was overdesigned, and to quantify the oversizing impact on the system operational and embodied carbon footprints. Looking at the operational energy use and environmental performance of the current system as well as an alternative optimised system through appropriate modelling and calculation, the case study results indicate significant environmental impacts are caused by the oversizing of cooling system.The study also established that it is currently more difficult to obtain an estimate of the embodied carbon footprint of building service systems. It is therefore the responsibility of the machine builders to provide information and data relating to the embodied carbon of their products, which in the longer term, this is likely to become a standard industry requirement.

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