Finite Element Modeling of Masonry Infill Walls Equipped with Structural Fuse

Masonry infill walls in multi-story buildings are intended to function as envelope and partition walls, and without sufficient gaps between the infill and the frame, the infill tends to contribute to lateral seismic load resistance, which can lead to damage. By isolating the infill walls from the frame, vulnerability to damage will be reduced; however, the potential benefit from the strength and stiffness of the infill walls will be lost too. The compromise solution seems to be a controlled engagement of the masonry infill walls by employing a structural fuse concept. In this chapter, initially, a review of the literature on seismic performance of masonry infill walls is presented. This is then followed by explanation of the concept of the masonry infill structural fuse. Then a discussion on experimental tests carried out on different types of fuse elements as well as ¼ scale specimen of frame and infill walls with fuse elements is presented. Finally, the results of finite element computer modeling studies are discussed. The study has found that the concept of using structural fuse elements as sacrificial components in masonry construction is practical and can be given consideration for more refined design and detailing toward practical application

Structural Design of a Typical American Wood-Framed Single-Family Home

Light-wood framing construction techniques have been traditionally used in America for the construction of single-family residences. Dimensional wood lumber is readily available and due to its convenient unit dimension can be packaged neatly and transported to work sites by either commercial transport or personal vehicle. The unit pieces of dimensional lumber are light and easily handled once on the work site. Design of light-framed single-family homes is typically conducted by an architect or construction contractor using prescriptive building codes. A structural engineer can assist, if needed, with design items not within the scope of the building code or if alternative design approaches are required. An owner may choose to involve the engineer to improve quality or economy of the home design. Engineers typically become involved with design items such as foundation design, steel framing design, or engineered product specification. In this chapter, the design of a typical light-framed home is discussed. The main structural assemblies are described and subsequently designed using a combination of prescriptive guidance and engineering design

Structural Design of a Single-Family Residential Dwelling Using Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT)

Driven by desire to reduce carbon footprint in building construction that in modern times has relied heavily on masonry and concrete whose production is associated with burning excessive amounts of fuel, use of wood offers the ideal alternative. Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) is an esthetically pleasing, mass-timber panelized product that offers users a cost-effective, renewable, durable, fire-resistant alternative to traditional building materials, such as masonry, concrete, and light-framing. A significant benefit to developers and community stockholders in the USA is that the raw materials required to produce CLT can be obtained domestically in timber rich rural areas, helping job growth in those areas, shortening supply chains, and reducing reliance on imported materials. The prefabrication process used to fabricate CLT panels provide users of the construction materials access to all the advantages offered by off-site construction methods such as factory quality control, just-in-time delivery, and accelerated construction. In this chapter, the original light-framing system of a traditional style single-family residential dwelling is converted to a panelized CLT structural support system. The chapter provides the basis of design, typical design process, and explains the challenges associated with using the alternative framing system

Evaluation of Residential Window Retrofit Solutions for Energy Efficiency By:

Disclaimer: The Pennsylvania Housing Research Center (PHRC) exists to be of service to the housing community, especially in Pennsylvania. The PHRC conducts technical projects—research, development, demonstration, and technology transfer—under the sponsorship and with the support of numerous agencies, associations, companies and individuals. Neither the PHRC, nor any of its sponsors, makes any warranty, expressed or implied, as to the accuracy or validity of the information contained in this report. Similarly, neither the PHRC, nor its sponsors, assumes any liability for the use of the information and procedures provided in this report. Opinions, when expressed, are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of either the PHRC or anyone of its sponsors. It would be appreciated, however, if any errors, of fact or interpretation or otherwise, could be promptly brought to our attention. If additional information is required, please contact

State of the Art Review of Attributes and Mechanical Properties of Hempcrete

The global surge in environmental pollution, largely attributed to industrialization, has fueled a pressing need for sustainable solutions. In response, the construction sector is increasingly focusing on bio-based materials such as hemp, recognized for its low environmental footprint and prominent carbon-negative quality. As designers, housebuilders, and an environmentally conscious society pivot towards ecological alternatives to standard building materials, hempcrete emerges as a promising candidate. As a composite material mainly made from hemp hurd/shiv, water, and lime, hempcrete offers the ability to sequester carbon long after its incorporation into structures. As a result, the hemp cultivation process—which can be completed within less than four months—ensures that more carbon is absorbed during production and deployment than emitted, e.g., per one study, sequestration on the order of 300 kg of CO2 per m3 of hempcrete. In comparison to concrete, hempcrete offers a more sustainable footprint, given its recyclability post life cycle. This state-of-the-art review paper delves deep into different aspects of hempcrete, summarizing its multifaceted attributes, particularly its compressive strength. Based on the study conducted, the paper also suggests strategies to augment this strength, thereby transitioning hempcrete from a non-load-bearing material to one capable of shouldering significant weight. As architects and designers consistently strive to align their projects with high ecological standards, focusing not just on aesthetic appeal but also environmental compatibility, hempcrete becomes an increasingly fitting solution for the future of construction

Comparison of the Experimental Measurement Methods for Building Envelope Thermal Transmittance

Building energy consumption and ways to reduce it have drawn increasing attention in recent decades. Thermal transmittance is not only a code-enforced parameter during the design and retrofit phase of building assemblies, but also strongly related to the accuracy of whole-building energy modeling. There are several existing methods to measure the building envelope thermal transmittance, and with the development of new techniques, more practical and precise measurement methods have been explored. The study discussed here focused on comparing methods to measure the building envelope thermal transmittance, both in laboratory and for in-situ measurement. Typical research studies related to the Hot Box Test Method, the Heat Flow Meter Method and the Infrared Thermography Method are described and compared. This paper provides a state-of-the-art review of the up-to-date measurement methods for building envelope thermal transmittance and provides alternatives for engineers, architects and researchers to practically measure the building envelope thermal transmittance

Comparison of the Experimental Measurement Methods for Building Envelope Thermal Transmittance

Building energy consumption and ways to reduce it have drawn increasing attention in recent decades. Thermal transmittance is not only a code-enforced parameter during the design and retrofit phase of building assemblies, but also strongly related to the accuracy of whole-building energy modeling. There are several existing methods to measure the building envelope thermal transmittance, and with the development of new techniques, more practical and precise measurement methods have been explored. The study discussed here focused on comparing methods to measure the building envelope thermal transmittance, both in laboratory and for in-situ measurement. Typical research studies related to the Hot Box Test Method, the Heat Flow Meter Method and the Infrared Thermography Method are described and compared. This paper provides a state-of-the-art review of the up-to-date measurement methods for building envelope thermal transmittance and provides alternatives for engineers, architects and researchers to practically measure the building envelope thermal transmittance

Interpreted information exchange: Implementation point of view

Engineering design is one of the most in-demand Building Information Modelling (BIM) uses. Due to efforts required for modifying and preparing an imported model for analysis, the difficulty-to-benefit ratio is low in this BIM use. These preparations are more geared toward modifying an imported model based on the designer\u27s interpretation of the building information model and including additional engineering information. Automating the interpretation and model transformation process can significantly facilitate information exchanges. The Interpreted Information Exchange (IIE) concept is developed in this study for such automation during model exchanges. A platform is developed and presented in this paper for implementation of this concept. The platform contains procedures and functionalities required for inputting, processing, and exporting IFC information models through automated interpretation processes that implement IIE concept. The platform is especially formulated to be schema-independent to make it compatible with any standard or custom-defined version of IFC

Comparative Review of the Technology and Case Studies of 3D Concrete Printing of Buildings by Several Companies

This paper dives into the current state of 3D printing in the concrete industry. Currently, there are a number of companies that specialize in the construction of buildings using 3D-printed concrete. This paper looks at each of these companies and the processes they use to accomplish the creation of their concrete walls using 3D-printing technology. The literature review portion of the paper looks at several companies currently in the field and describes their methods based on several distinguishing factors such as printer type, print speed, wall design, reinforcement used, insulation used, wall dimensions, nozzle shape, and several other distinguishing factors. These factors allow for similarities and differences to be drawn between companies. The reader is able to see each company’s approach to the printing of walls. Additionally, this paper estimates and analyzes the structural and thermal performance of drawings mimicking each company’s wall design based on section configuration. This estimation allows the reader to see which wall design they can expect to perform the best in terms of stress generation and thermal bridging