Active learning and autonomous learning: an educational experience

The obtained experience in the active and the autonomous learning tasks execution in the teaching of the subject: Reinforced Concrete Structures and Devices Construction, of the career of Technical Architecture by the Universidad Politécnica de Cataluña (Politechnical University of Catalonia, UPC), is presented. This article gives continuity to the work performed in the scene of educational improvement developed in Barcelona, and framed inside the European Higher Education Area [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. It intends, therefore, to contribute with the current descriptive tendency in the learning condition applied in this subject.Peer Reviewe

Management and taking advantage of residues in construction. New educational contents inside the european space of higher education

A current tendency in construction is to have a cycle of life the most possible closed; acting in an optimal form with economy, and in a reasonable form with the environment. Using, in starting point, a first generation material which, after a transformation process, generates an input that once it exhausted its useful life, outcomes the creation of a waste material. If this waste material, after another transformation process, produces a different material (second generation material), and it is inserted again inside another input, the cycle of life of materials will be more efficient and harmonious with the environment. New trend in the study of the optimal cycle of life of materials, new specifications and environmental requests and the current economic impositions in the construction sector; cause the need to reuse, to design for beyond the common useful life and to apply new second generation materials inside the construction segment [1 ] This work presents the content of the subject Management and Taking Advantage of Residues in Construction (GARC, acronym in Spanish), given in the Construction Master of the Upper Technical School of Building (EPSEB, acronym in Spanish) [2, 3] of the University Technical of Catalonia (UPC, acronym in Spanish) [4] The subject is designed to satisfy the necessity to acquire the construction new professional profile, which has to assume competences such as: ecological-social commitment, environmental interest, intuition to research, sustainable inventiveness, etc. [5, 6, 7 ]Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Aplicación de una técnica de mejora docente.

Este trabajo presenta una experiencia de casi cinco años de aplicación de una técnica de mejora docente, basada en la evaluación de diferentes parámetros docentes estimados por los propios alumnos, a través de una serie de preguntas que logran cubrir aspectos no contemplados en las encuestas docentes típicas. Los resultados de este trabajo demuestran que es posible alcanzar niveles satisfactorios cuando se parte de situaciones docentes no óptimas. This paper shows an almost five-year experiment on applying a technique for the improvement of teaching based on students assessment of different parameters by means of a series of questions that take into account aspects not included in conventional surveys. The results show that it is possible to achieve satisfactory levels despite not having optimum educational levels.Peer Reviewe

Influence of the subestructure irregularity in highway bridge seismic behaviour

Most of preliminary evaluation methods to accomplish the seismic vulnerability of bridges consider as an evaluation parameter the substructure irregularity. This parameter is estimated by means of the difference in the length of piers or through the pier typology, but both evaluated by a subjective form. In this paper the evaluation of the influence of substructure irregularity is presented. First, a simple and regular bridge, with three piers of equal length and four spans, is considered as an original structure. Starting from this system, different irregular models were elaborated reducing or incrementing the length of the central or one of the external piers, in percentages of 25%, 50% and 75%. As a seismic action, a database of more than 50 earthquakes, registered in the Mexican Pacific Coast, the most seismic hazardous zone of México, were considered. The selected registers have magnitudes greater than six and important peak ground accelerations. By means of elastic analyses, the variation between regular and irregular maximum responses in displacements and internal forces are determined. Of the obtained responses, statistical values as mean and standard deviation are evaluated. With these values, percentages of difference in the response of irregular bridges were estimated; these percentages could be included as fragility weights of the irregularity degree in more rigorous preliminary methods to evaluate the seismic vulnerability of bridges.Postprint (published version

Design and elastic behaviour influence of recycled RC buildings subjected to earthquakes

Experimental testing has been used, in different researches, to define reduction factors of physical and mechanical properties in recycled concrete, depending on the quantity of recycled material used to produce new concrete. These reduction factors were applied to design different five-storey buildings having recycled aggregates percentages in the RC of 0%, 15%, 30%, 60% and 100%. These structures, subjected to seismic load from an accelerogram database, were analysed elastically and designed according to the Mexico City Seismic Code. Models with different amount of recycled aggregates were compared with models with conventional concrete to evaluate the dimensional variation of columns and girders, the required longitudinal reinforcing steel, the maximum displacements and the moments and shear forces in elements. Results show that using recycled aggregates in percentages from 15% to 100%, produces increases, compared with conventional concrete buildings, in the structural elements dimensions (in percentages from 5% to 45%), reinforcing steel (20% to 60%), and the general response of the structure, in percentages of up to 14%.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Moodle como herramienta para la creacion de un campus virtual. Adaptación al EEES.

En este trabajo, y mediante la utilización de la plataforma informática Moodle, se presenta una experiencia innovadora de un Campus Virtual Docente. Dentro del cual, se han elaborado varias herramientas docentes ajustadas a objetivos del Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior (EEES), de entre las cuales están, un foro abierto de comentarios, un tablón de noticias, apuntes en formato electrónico, entregas de actividades con valoraciones en tiempo real, rubricas, entregas de prácticas, trabajos en grupo, ejemplos interactivos, etc. This paper presents the innovative experience of an educational virtual campus based on the data processing program Moodle. Several educational tools aimed at reaching the objectives of the European Space of Superior Education have been elaborated within this Campus. Among them: a forum for discussion, a notice board, class notes on electronic format, activities with real time assessment, list of rules, activities returning, group work, interactive examples…Peer Reviewe

Statistical analysis and use of questionnaries for evaluation of the knouledge at university. A practical case

The accomplished experience, using the data processing platform Moodle, in the execution of multiple-option questionnaires with automatic evaluation; is presented. The obtained results have been utilized subsequently for their statistical analysis by means of centered measures and basic dispersion. The documented experience was implemented in the subject: Construction of Traditional Structures and Equipments (CETE), in the Technical Architecture (AT) career of the Technical University of Catalonia (UPC) The summary of the information includes the results obtained for a total sampling of 437 students distributed in four different groups. In those groups, three different professors taught the classes for the two available schedules. The obtained results facilitate to discern among the different professors, student typologies, student gender, different levels of acquired knowledge, relation to other evaluation techniques applied, and relation to the documented prior knowledge. It is proposed and analyzed, basing on the obtained results, educational adaptations that will allow future improvements in subjects with similar requests or needs on the part of the students. Similarly, possible poor preceding formation in students or in the teaching by professors can be determined; both shall be corrected after the analysis. This work is part of the effort achieved in the educational improvement field, that is being executed inside the Upper-Technical Building College of Barcelona (EPSEB) and framed in the European Space of Higher Education. The objective is to show the current descriptive focal point on the learning and continuous evaluation field, applied in this subjectPostprint (published version

Hormigones reciclados. Nuevo contenido temático en asignaturas de hormigones.

En este trabajo se presenta una propuesta temática del contenido de los hormigones reciclados para ser integrada dentro de planes de asignaturas con tópicos de diseño de hormigones. Esta propuesta es justificada ante la inminente aplicación de normativas europeas, las restricciones medioambientales y la optimización económica del mercado. This piece of work presents a proposal for developing the thematic content of recycled concrete in order to include it within the programs of concrete design subjects. This proposal seems to be well-founded in the face of the imminent implementation of European norms, the environmental restrictions and the economic optimization of the market.Peer Reviewe

Evaluation of waste as a comparative criterion for building materials

In this paper, it analyzes and compares the use of three different materials (Reinforced Concrete -R. C.-, Steel and Wood) usable for the building, and construction processes that this entails. The analysis aimed to investigate which of the three materials is the most appropriate from the perspective of sustainability in order to propose alternatives that minimize the impact they have on the environment. Today, concrete is the material most commonly used in construction, and therefore must be environmental objective for reflection, that after analyzed, we can propose other typologies or alternative materials. The analysis included projects single-family housing for each of the materials and building systems proposed, these cases involved comparable properties within their specific environments (rules and context Spanish) and process variables normalization that validate the analysis. The work was developed using the software tool for managing, scheduling and forecasting of construction waste Net Waste Tool (NWT) Waste & Resources Action Programmer, in which, it proceeded entering data, characteristics, volumes, consumption and emissions of each entry or supplies described in the study variables, and in this way, determine and quantify the pollutants vectors generated by these. The analysis of the results obtained have been able to argue a selection of materials for building sustainable new approach to waste generation, understanding that at the end of a life cycle, process or matter that pollutes less is bestPeer ReviewedPostprint (published version

La actividad “Taller” como herramienta para fomentar y evaluar competencias transversales: Expresión escrita y autoaprendizaje

Las competencias transversales suelen ser definidas como destrezas, aptitudes y habilidades deseables y propias de cada perfil profesional; éstas, no se imparten de forma directa dentro de la temática curricular de las asignaturas, pero sin embargo deben ser fomentadas en todas ellas. En este trabajo se presenta una experiencia práctica del uso del Taller orientado para que el alumnado adquiera algunas de las competencias transversales de la asignatura de Construcciones II-EPSEB. En él, se alienta a los alumnos a trabajan aspectos de redacción técnica y de su técnica de aprendizaje extra-clase, además de también evalúa los trabajos de otros compañeros aplicando rúbricas preestablecidas con criterios de evaluación mixto (de conocimiento y de competencia trasversal).Peer Reviewe