Post Disaster Housing in Bamboo

In November 2013, one of the biggest tropical storms in history hit the Philippines, the second most vulnerable country in its exposure to natural hazards according to the World Risk Report 2014. A team from the group Natural Materials and Structures from Cambridge University, that researches low cost constructive systems, designed an emergency housing unit for the region of Roxas, affected by the typhoon. The project received a prize at the international competition Versus: Lessons from Vernacular Heritage to Sustainable Architecture (Valencia, September 2014)

Catalan vaulting in advanced material : new approaches to contemporary compressive form

Thesis (M. Arch.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Architecture, 2006.This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.Includes bibliographical references (p. 55-57).The translation of traditional building methods to modern construction techniques offers unexplored opportunities for material and form in architecture. Recent innovations in cellular ceramics married with traditional timbrel vaulting suggest a new approach to compressive form in structural masonry spans. Research into the history and construction of timbrel vaults and the material properties of cellular ceramic masonry shows that they are well-suited to one another. Building timbrel vaults with aerated autoclaved concrete (AAC) brings to architectural practice a new family of economically viable, expressive configurations of structural spans in masonry. The Catalan masonry technique, also referred to as timbrel or Guastavino vaulting, allows thin structural spans to be built without the use of supporting formwork. Once widely used in American construction, the technique is now little-known. This thesis documents the recent construction of two 11.3m (37') domes in England and structural research into building timbrel vaults with AAC tile. An artist's studio designed based on the information gained demonstrates the renewed feasibility of building expressive masonry structures. The techniques used to design and build structural masonry spans show that merging modern materials with traditional craft capitalizes on the significant strengths of each. These new buildings demonstrate the economic efficiency and formal viability of timbrel vaulting in contemporary architecture.Michael H. Ramage.M.Arch

Living on the move, dwelling between temporality and permanence in Syria

Abstract: Although the international displacement of people caused by the Syrian conflict has dominated the media for the past several years, an inside story that is less visible requires more attention: that of internal displacement. More than half of the population of Syria has been forced to flee their houses. Internally displaced persons (IDPs) in December 2017 accounted for more than six and a half million, more than a third of the total of population of Syria in 2011 (Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), 2012. http://www.internal-displacement.org/middle-east-and-north-africa/syria/). Displaced Syrians have experienced constraints in getting adequate housing for the short- and mid-term inside and outside the country. However, internal displacement, in particular, adds a dimension to the complex notion of mass sheltering. Sheltering policies, or lack thereof, as well as the shelter itself as a design and construction product all express the power of those who govern more than the aspirations of those who inhabit. Affected groups find solutions by themselves, via national or international organisations, or a combination of both. However, such solutions function under the influence of authorities controlling the area in which IDPs are received. Among the alternatives available to displaced communities, this paper reviews two cases of internally displaced families in Syria: a collective centre in government-controlled Damascus (schools) and a planned camp in Afes village in a rebel-held area near Idlib

Lockdown impacts on residential electricity demand in India: A data-driven and non-intrusive load monitoring study using Gaussian mixture models.

This study evaluates the effect of complete nationwide lockdown in 2020 on residential electricity demand across 13 Indian cities and the role of digitalisation using a public smart meter dataset. We undertake a data-driven approach to explore the energy impacts of work-from-home norms across five dwelling typologies. Our methodology includes climate correction, dimensionality reduction and machine learning-based clustering using Gaussian Mixture Models of daily load curves. Results show that during the lockdown, maximum daily peak demand increased by 150-200% as compared to 2018 and 2019 levels for one room-units (RM1), one bedroom-units (BR1) and two bedroom-units (BR2) which are typical for low- and middle-income families. While the upper-middle- and higher-income dwelling units (i.e., three (3BR) and more-than-three bedroom-units (M3BR)) saw night-time demand rise by almost 44% in 2020, as compared to 2018 and 2019 levels. Our results also showed that new peak demand emerged for the lockdown period for RM1, BR1 and BR2 dwelling typologies. We found that the lack of supporting socioeconomic and climatic data can restrict a comprehensive analysis of demand shocks using similar public datasets, which informed policy implications for India's digitalisation. We further emphasised improving the data quality and reliability for effective data-centric policymaking

A Review of Permeability and Flow Simulation for Liquid Composite Moulding of Plant Fibre Composites

Liquid composite moulding (LCM) of plant fibre composites has gained much attention for the development of structural biobased composites. To produce quality composites, better understanding of the resin impregnation process and flow behaviour in plant fibre reinforcements is vital. By reviewing the literature, we aim to identify key plant fibre reinforcement-specific factors that influence, if not govern, the mould filling stage during LCM of plant fibre composites. In particular, the differences in structure (physical and biochemical) for plant and synthetic fibres, their semi-products (i.e., yarns and rovings), and their mats and textiles are shown to have a perceptible effect on their compaction, in-plane permeability, and processing via LCM. In addition to examining the effects of dual-scale flow, resin absorption, (subsequent) fibre swelling, capillarity, and time-dependent saturated and unsaturated permeability that are specific to plant fibre reinforcements, we also review the various models utilised to predict and simulate resin impregnation during LCM of plant fibre composites

Size effect of large scale timber columns

The very large glued laminated timber columns that are needed for tall timber buildings are too large to be physically tested in most facilities. To safely design these columns, it is necessary to identify and extrapolate behaviour from the physical testing of smaller specimens. Compression testing of 27 glue-laminated timber columns showed a reduction in strength with increased member size. This phenomenon is known as a size effect. The laminated timber exhibited a compressive strength much higher than the characteristic strength that it was graded it. Comparisons between columns of different lengths and widths, suggests that the homogenisation of laminated timber may mitigate the size effect. An extrapolation of the size effect from the column sizes tested, to an ultra-large column for a timber skyscraper, indicated that the magnitude of the effect could be large enough to reduce the compressive strength of the glulam to below its characteristic strength

Chemical composition of processed bamboo for structural applications.

Natural materials are a focus for development of low carbon products for a variety of applications. To utilise these materials, processing is required to meet acceptable industry standards. Laminated bamboo is a commercial product that is currently being explored for structural applications, however there is a gap in knowledge about the effects of commercial processing on the chemical composition. The present study utilised interdisciplinary methods of analysis to investigate the effects of processing on the composition of bamboo. Two common commercial processing methods were investigated: bleaching (chemical treatment) and caramelisation (hygrothermal treatment). The study indicated that the bleaching process results in a more pronounced degradation of the lignin in comparison to the caramelised bamboo. This augments previous research, which has shown that the processing method (strip size) and treatment may affect the mechanical properties of the material in the form of overall strength, failure modes and crack propagation. The study provides additional understanding of the effects of processing on the properties of bamboo.This work was funded by a Leverhulme Trust Programme Grant, and EPSRC Grant EP/K023403/1

Mapping thermal conductivity across bamboo cell walls with scanning thermal microscopy

Funder: Leverhulme Trust; doi: https://doi.org/10.13039/501100000275Funder: Lower Austrian Research and Education Society NFB (Project No. SC16-00)Abstract: Scanning thermal microscopy is a powerful tool for investigating biological materials and structures like bamboo and its cell walls. Alongside nanoscale topographical information, the technique reveals local variations in thermal conductivity of this elegant natural material. We observe that at the tissue scale, fibre cells in the scattered vascular tissue would offer preferential pathways for heat transport due to their higher conductivities in both anatomical directions, in comparison to parenchymatic cells in ground tissue. In addition, the transverse orientation offers more resistance to heat flow. Furthermore, we observe each fibre cell to compose of up to ten layers, with alternating thick and thin lamellae in the secondary wall. Notably, we find the thin lamellae to have relatively lower conductivity than the thick lamellae in the fibre direction. This is due to the distinct orientation of cellulose microfibrils within the cell wall layers, and that cellulose microfibrils are highly anisotropic and have higher conductivity along their lengths. Microfibrils in the thick lamellae are oriented almost parallel to the fibre cell axis, while microfibrils in the thin lamellae are oriented almost perpendicular to the cell axis. Bamboo grasses have evolved to rapidly deposit this combination of thick and thin layers, like a polymer composite laminate or cross-laminated timber, for combination of axial and transverse stiffness and strength. However, this architecture is found to have interesting implications on thermal transport in bamboo, which is relevant for the application of engineered bamboo in buildings. We further conclude that scanning thermal microscopy may be a useful technique in plant science research, including for phenotyping studies

Proposal for defining a Tall, Timber Building

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from the American Society of Civil Engineers via http://dx.doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)ST.1943-541X.0001615In order to talk about ‘tall’ buildings and more particularly ‘tall, timber’ buildings, it is useful to clarify what is meant by a ‘tall’ and a ‘tall, timber’ building. This clarification facilitates both productive discussion of the subject and secures the basis on which meaningful comparisons can be made between buildings using different structural systems and materials. The historic duopoly of steel and concrete as the structural materials of tall building construction is in the process of being broken by the introduction of engineered timber and it is appropriate that this change is reflected in the language of tall building design. The approach adopted in this paper has three parts. Existing definitions and terminology for ‘tall’ buildings are explored. A study is made of the structural systems and materials of existing buildings that use structural timber and have some claim to ‘tallness’. A proposal is made for the clarification and expansion of existing criteria for tall building terminology and definitions to accommodate the use of structural timber in tall building

Health Behaviour Changes after Diagnosis of Chronic Illness Among Canadians Aged 50 or Older

Changes in health behaviors (smoking, physical activity, alcohol consumption, and fruit and vegetable consumption) after diagnosis of chronic health conditions (heart disease, cancer, stroke, respiratory disease, and diabetes) were examined among Canadians aged 50 or older. Results from 12 years of longitudinal data from the Canadian National Population Health Survey indicated relatively modest changes in behavior. Although significant decreases in smoking were observed among all groups except those with respiratory disease, at least 75% of smokers did not quit. No significant changes emerged in the percentage meeting physical activity recommendations, except those with diabetes, or in excessive alcohol consumption, except those with diabetes and respiratory disease. The percentage reporting the recommended minimum fruit and vegetable intake did not increase significantly among any group