Application of magnetic method to characterize Abaya campus building site, Southern Ethiopia

A geophysical survey involving magnetic method is conducted using ENVI-MAG proton precision magnetometer. The study is carried out with the aim of identifying the possible geological structures which may responsible for the failure of engineering structures. Three traverses having east –west orientation with a ten meters profile spacing and a readings station spacing and one traverse across the three traverses and randomly collected magnetic data were used. At each station three readings were taken and averaged out in order to increase the accuracy of data and diurnal and geomagnetic corrections were made. With the corrected data different anomalous maps were produced like total magnetic field anomaly map, residual magnetic anomaly map and analytical signal map using Oasis montaji6.4 software for further interpretation. The result of this research has shown that the area is affected by different geological structures which may be the cause for the crack and the failure of the building in the area.

Application seismic refraction method to characterize the building site of Injibara University building site,injibara Ethiopia

Geophysical investigation using seismic refraction method was conducted for engineering characterization of the foundation conditions of Injibara University buildings construction site located in Injibara town of Amhara Regional State, northwestern Ethiopia. The principal objective of the research was studying the suitability of the foundation earth materials underlying the site, where Injibara University is established. The seven refraction seismic spreads, seismic velocity models interpretation have provided valuable geotechnical information incorporated with available geologic information in the study area. Interpretation of geophysical data revealed that the subsurface geology of the area is composed of three layers. The topsoil consisted of clay, silt and sand mixtures having a 1-4 m thickness and 255-510 m/s p-wave velocity ranges are mapped over the whole area. The second layer attributed to the highly weathered and fractured vesicular basalt is characterized by 948-1802 m/s P-wave velocity range and revealed somewhat undulating morphology. The depth extent of this layer varies from about 10m on the North West end and southeastern parts and to about 27m around the central part. The third layer occurred in the depth range of 10-27m is characterized by greater than 2550m/s average high p-wave velocity and it is due to moderately weathered and fractured basaltic bedrock, which is deeper near to the center of the profiles and gets shallower towards North West end and southeastern portions. Besides, analyses of collected data have suggested the possible locations of minor structural discontinuities (maybe local fractures).The geophysical results show that the bedrock is found at shallow depth in the northwestern end and southeastern part of the study area, whereas in the central part of the survey area the bedrock is found relatively at high depth. Therefore, setting the building foundation is more recommended in the southeastern part of the construction site.

Architecture on Paper : The Development and Function of Architectural Drawings in the Renaissance

Drawings and the practice of drawing take centre stage in an investigation of what ‘designed’ Renaissance architecture, and what led the medieval master builder to gradually develop the characteristic features of the modern architect. This article focuses on the languages of drawings that were employed and developed by Renaissance architects. Examining the variety of functions that different graphical languages had within design and building processes, the article draws upon a storied argument between two Florentine architects to illustrate the conceptual and social tensions epitomized by drawing. The final section examines architectural drawings as means of communication beyond the building site, calling particular attention to the printed drawings that became increasingly important in the sixteenth century.

Management of health and safety on building site using smart technologies

The construction industry is a dynamic manufacturing sector whose major problem is occupational safety and its management. There are various information and communication technologies or applications that can improve health and safety status. Their use gives every company management a great advantage to become more competitive in the construction trade. The presented article deals with smart phones and related applications as a type of technologies that can be easily used to improve health and safety performance in our conditions. The aim of the article is to present the advantages and benefits of this technology for increasing safety on construction sites. The presented results confirm the trend of efficient processing of the obtained information using ICT technologies. They intensify the safety management process and help staff to handle unpredictable dangerous incidents and contribute to the successful management of the whole construction site.

Production and Circulation of Technical Knowledge on Building Sites at the End of the Eighteenth Century

This article aims to shed light on the exchange of technical knowledge between architects, master craftsmen and workmen on building sites at the end of the eighteenth century. In the Age of Enlightenment, major building sites were places where a large number of skilled practitioners of various ranks met (engineers, architects, contractors, experts, craftsmen). These were therefore places where the exchange of knowledge and know-how occurred but also places of struggle for power and knowledge. The article examines these exchanges and struggles using the case study of the building site for the dome of the Halle au Blé in Paris (1782-1783).

Assessment of thermal and electrical performance of BIPV façades using simplified simulations

Building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) facades are a solution to consider when it comes to electricity generation on the building site. One of the main challenges attributes to this technology is finding the best trade-off between the electrical efficiency of BIPVs and the energy use of the building. This study aims to identify a scenario that yields the optimized results for electrical and thermal performance in a test building. Among the scenarios, the original wooden cladding in the test building is either replaced with PV panels or the PV modules are added to the existing facade. Rhinoceros 3D CAD software and its visual programming plugin Grasshopper are used to perform various simulations for both east-oriented and west-oriented façades with low and high thermal inertia wall structures. Although a complex flow phenomenon behind BIPVs is simplified in the 3D heat transfer model, relatively reliable results are obtained using the chosen simulation tool. It is observed that the east-faced BIPV facade in the test building has higher electrical efficiency. This could be attributed to the lower inertia of the east wall that allows easier propagation of heat through the structure.

Benefits And Performance Of The Electronic Construction Journal

Electronic construction journal (later – e-journal) has been developed to replace a former paper construction journal. The purpose of e-journal is to ensure effective supervision of road construction and reconstruction works and to avoid potential abuse. Records made by contractors, supervisors and controlling institutions in e-journal enable to manage the work process in each road construction and reconstruction building site. All road construction process participants have access to the data, comments and findings entered into e-journal. E-journal accurately records all deadlines, technical supervision or control performance time. It is a significantly faster and more effective means of control and quality assurance of performed works.

Moisture related challenges in the Greenlandic building sector – results from a survey

The building industry is booming in the larger cities of Greenland; there is a need for housing, and the building stock is in urgent need of renovation, mainly due to the combination of extreme weather conditions and the lack of tradition to maintain buildings. The harsh climate with short summers and long periods of cold weather combined with occasionally high wind speed and precipitation makes it difficult to prevent moisture during the construction phase, causing high drying costs. These challenges highlight the need for guidelines on how to handle moisture especially in the construction phase, both at renovation or when erecting new buildings. To prepare the guidelines, a survey was carried out aimed at building professionals in Greenland. Focus was on identifying construction work challenged by the conditions in Greenland including geography and seasons. The feedback gave an overview on the main challenges and what kind of solutions that do or do not work, showing that handling of moisture in the construction phase is not the only problem. Further, the survey gave feedback on challenges related to specific technical solutions, e.g. crawl spaces, and what kind of information is missing in relation to moisture-safe construction in Greenland. As key-points, focus should be on project design, improved competences, handling of building materials and components at the building site, and explainable guidelines for specific solutions and building types.