Search results for "Structural engineering"
showing 10 items of 1998 documents
Vegetation growth parameters and leaf temperature: Experimental results from a six plots green roofs' system
2016
Abstract The paper provides a contribution for populating database of three physical parameters needed to model energy performance of buildings with green roofs: “coverage ratio” ( σ f ), leaf area index (LAI) and leaf temperature ( T f ). On purpose, six plant species were investigated experimentally: Phyla nordiflora, Aptenia lancifolia , Mesembryanthenum barbatus , Gazania nivea, Gazania uniflora , and Sedum . Proper ranges of the cited parameters have been found for each species. The here indicated ranges of σ f values refer to different growth levels of the species in the same lapse of time, that is four months. Single measured LAI values are also reported for the same plants. As for t…
Impact of building automation control systems and technical building management systems on the energy performance class of residential buildings: An …
2014
Abstract The paper focuses on the evaluation of the impact on residential buildings of building automation control (BAC) and technical building management (TBM) systems. This work shows how the control, monitoring and automation functions considered by the European Standard EN 15232 can considerably influence the energy performance of a single-family test house and, consequently, its energy performance class. The study puts into evidence that the benefit that can be drawn from the installation of BAC and TBM systems depends on the type of technical appliances in the household and on the starting energy performance class. Finally, the economic impact due to the introduction of BACS or TBM fu…
Investigating energy saving potential in a big shopping center through ventilation control
2019
Abstract This paper investigates energy saving measures for the ventilation system of large shopping centers. This kind of buildings is characterized by high yearly energy consumptions, because of the high level of operating hours and the frequent use of obsolete technologies. In the analyzed case studies, three big Do It Yourself (DIY) shops, located in Italy, are considered. Two different approaches are considered, they are aimed at reducing the annual energy consumption for the indoor air exchange of the sales area. The first considered retrofit solution consists in the installation of heat recovery exchangers, reducing the energy demand for the air thermal treatment without changing the…
A qualitative study on the role of the built environment for short walking trips
2015
The present study uses a qualitative approach with the aim to identify built environmental factors influencing short walking distances for transportation among adults (18-65 years), with special attention to micro-scale attributes. Three focus groups were held in Valencia (Spain) and conducted with participants who undertook, at least once a week, one short non-shopping trip in any travel mode (were "short trip" is defined as less than 3045 min walking distance). A thematic analysis of the data was performed and six categories of factors emerged related to the built environment. Factors were also classified as either barriers to walking, or secondary factors related to the attractiveness of…
On the hyperporous non-linear elasticity model for fusion-relevant pebble beds
2010
Abstract Packed pebble beds are particular granular systems composed of a large amount of small particles, arranged in irregular lattices and surrounded by a gas filling interstitial spaces. Due to their heterogeneous structure, pebble beds have non-linear and strongly coupled thermal and mechanical behaviours whose constitutive models seem limited, being not suitable for fusion-relevant design-oriented applications. Within the framework of the modelling activities promoted for the lithiated ceramics and beryllium pebble beds foreseen in the Helium-Cooled Pebble Bed breeding blanket concept of DEMO, at the Department of Nuclear Engineering of the University of Palermo (DIN) a thermo-mechani…
Effect of two novel bio-based rejuvenators on the performance of 50% RAP mixes - a statistical study on the complex modulus of asphalt binders and as…
2019
An experimental study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of two bio-additives as rejuvenators on the properties of asphalt mixtures containing 50% RAP and their binder constituents containing 37% RAP binder. Before mixing, the rejuvenators were blended with fresh bitumen and the extracted and recovered RAP bitumen, and changes in the rheological properties of the binders were assessed using performance grading (PG) criteria. The results showed that both rejuvenators could improve the low-temperature performance of the aged RAP binder and restore its low-temperature properties. Master curves for the unaged, RTFO-aged, and PAV aged blends were constructed using both the Christensen-A…
Are drivers’ attentional lapses associated with the functioning of the neurocognitive attentional networks and with cognitive failure in everyday lif…
2013
Abstract Driver distraction and inattention are considered among the major contributing factors in road traffic crashes. One of the most widely used tools to study drivers’ attentional lapses and other types of aberrant behaviour is the Driver Behaviour Questionnaire (DBQ). In the present work, further evidence of the feasibility of the DBQ to study driver inattention is provided. The relationships between the DBQ and both a computer-based neurocognitive test on attentional performance (the Attention Network Test for Interactions and Vigilance, ANTI-V) and a self-reported measure of cognitive failure (the Cognitive Failures Questionnaire, CFQ) are analysed. Results show that attentional lap…
Tensile behaviour of anti-symmetric CFRP composite
2011
Abstract This paper addresses the response of a 17-ply anti-symmetric carbon/epoxy composite subjected to uniaxial tensile loading. Hashin ply damage model is adopted to describe the damage behaviour of the plies, whereas damage initiation and progression of the interfaces are characterised by mixed-mode cohesive damage model. Force-displacement curves obtained numerically and experimentally show good agreement. Results show that all laminae and interfaces experience the damage except laminae with 0o fibre. In addition, damage is concentrated at the tab and central regions of the tensile specimen. Edge delamination is observed in all interfaces.
Data Compression Approach for Long-Term Monitoring of Pavement Structures
2019
Pavement structures are designed to withstand continuous damage during their design life. Damage starts as soon as the pavement is open to traffic and increases with time. If maintenance activities are not considered in the initial design or considered but not applied during the service life, damage will grow to a point where rehabilitation may be the only and most expensive option left. In order to monitor the evolution of damage and its severity in pavement structures, a novel data compression approach based on cumulative measurements from a piezoelectric sensor is presented in this paper. Specifically, the piezoelectric sensor uses a thin film of polyvinylidene fluoride to sense the ener…
Pollutant Emissions in Ports: A Comprehensive Review
2021
In recent decades, maritime transport demand has increased along with world population and global trades. This is associated with higher pollution levels, including the emissions of GHG and other polluting gases. Ports are important elements within maritime transport and contribute themselves to pollutant emissions. This paper aims to offer a comprehensive yet technical review of the latest related technologies, explaining and covering aspects that link ports with emissions, i.e., analyzing, monitoring, assessing, and mitigating emissions in ports. This has been achieved through a robust scientific analysis of very recent and significant research studies, to offer an up-to-date and reliable…