CORK'EWS From micro structural composition into macro structural performance

The main goal of this research was to develop a new, adaptable and personalized cork industrial product for environmental performance applications. The project started with the standard insulation products from Amorim Insulation Industries. Inspired on natural growth and performance, it found its basis on the observation of the properties and composition of natural cork, and explored cork anisotropy in a digital form-finding process to design and fabricate. A full scale prototype was designed and produced by a personalized parametric definition, using the form-finding processes based on cork anisotropy to program the physical matter and the digital fabrication for an improved acoustical behavior. The results obtained contribute to an increasing and more diverse offer of expanded cork products, within the scope of the natural and sustainable products of Amorim Insulation Industries

Using Support Vector Machine Model for Fault Detection along a Water canal

This paper reports a work in progress, the training of a Support Vector Machine model to detect faults in an experimental water supply canal. The work took place at the experimental canal of Núcleo de Hidráulica e Controlo de Canais at the Universidade de Évora. The main objective is to identify faults in the water depth sensors and to detect unauthorized water withdrawals using pattern recognition. The preliminary accuracy tests, in and out of sample, have shown an accuracy over 90% to identify 28 different patterns

Passive shading system: Towards parametric definition and virtual simulation

The following article aim to present results of a parametric study of a passive shading control system. The fundamental hypothesis supporting this system find its basis in the natural behaviour of the applied materials - Cork, as well as in its internal and external exchange of data and environmental inputs. Inspired by natural physical elements, the main target is to develop a parametric definition that is formally expressed and designed responding to determined environmental conditions, interacting with the temporary space and surrounding inhabitants.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Proof of Concept (PoC) 1.0—Implementing a bioshading system design method

Nature provides a remarkable database of possible adaptation strategies that can be implemented in biomimetic design of shading systems. However, at this moment, successful design methods are conditioned to a limited knowledge and ability to emulate nature’s strategies to meet corresponding functional needs. The implementation of biomimetic processes has some major challenges: (1) the search and selection among several databases of appropriate strategies adopted by nature; (2) difficulties in reading, interpreting and translating at different scales; (3) connection problems between concepts and material premises. The selection of nature models is a very common situation among architectural projects. Proof of Concept (PoC) 1.0 was the first experience of application of the Bioshading System Design Method (BSDM). BSDM is a problem-based method that guides its users since the initial architectural challenge definition, improving users’ capabilities to interpret and translate nature strategies into architecture design, until its final state of creation, it’s physical condition. This experience enabled us to validate and evolve initial decisions, based on users experience and evaluation. At the end, PoC 1.0 revealed to be a fundamental step into the final version of BSDM.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

KINE[SIS]TEM’17 From Nature to Architectural Matter International Conference

With nature as a starting point, KINESISTEM’17 was the first International Conference held in Portugal aiming to share and debate research and design work related to the integration of natural geometries, mechanics and systems fundamentals applied to the scale, function and aesthetics of architecture. Four prominent guest keynote speakers set the pace of the conference: Manuel Kretzer, Alex Haw, Bob Sheil and Alberto Estévez. Gathering academics, students and designers, a significant set of research and practice works was presented and the interplay between diverse scientific fields was also a strong feature at the conference, with attendants coming from areas such as architecture, design, electronics, mechanics, computer science, biology and sociology. This report summarizes the KINE[SIS]TEM’17–From Nature to Architectural Matter International Conference hosted by ISCTE-Instituto Universitário de Lisboa in June 19th–20th, 2017.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

From natur(e) to architectural matter: responsive shading system

From the mid XX century, we have seen an increasing interest in exploring a building capacity of changing, of dynamically and automatically responding to the internal and external environments and to different patterns of use. These ideas found its basis on reciprocal relationships between users, spaces and environment. This means that these three factors have direct consequences on each other, affecting reactions, sensations, configuration and even behaviour. The main idea behind this theory is not new; what has changed are the means through which those relationships interact – technology and materials science (Kolarevic, 2014).info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Responsiveness based material - [a] passive shading control system

During the last decades Architecture has been looking to its basic principles, finding in nature a natural and obvious inspiration. Materials and environment have been playing an important and essential role in this process. Recovering the ideals of the 1950’s intellectually movement Performative Turn, performance-oriented design finds its fundaments on the understanding that architecture unfold their performative capacity by absorbing the complexity conditions and processes. Following this premise, architecture and environment are simultaneously set at a spatial, material and temporal level. The following article has the goal to describe a methodology to find the material and environmental driven parameters to be considered in the design and construction of a passive shading system. This research aims to develop a universal parametric definition, based on cork material and environmental essential and determinant driven parameters that could enable us to design a totally personalized passive shading system to any location and time.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Múltiplas Úlceras Necróticas numa Doente com Síndrome de Felty

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Influence of recycled plastics on the mechanical behaviour of bituminous mistures for highway surface layers

Europe is one of the largest producers of plastics in the world, with an annual turnover of over 350 billion euros, making it a strategic industrial sector as the global consumption of plastics increases. However, plastic is nowadays considered a serious environmental problem as it represents a large share of the world’s waste generation, with Europe being one of the largest sources of plastic waste exports. Therefore, the transition to a circular economy for plastics must be driven by Europe in order not to jeopardize the economic and environmental future of the plastics sector on the continent. Thus, it is crucial to investigate the feasibility of using recycled plastics in different applications, especially in the three main end-use markets for plastics (packaging, construction and automotive). In the construction sector, the use of plastics in road and highway construction and rehabilitation is currently being investigated due to the high potential for high-value applications and high raw material consumption. However, more knowledge is needed to make recycled plastic a common solution for road surfacing. The current study was promoted by BRISA, which was ranked the most sustainable highway operator in Europe for the third time in 2021. It aims to contribute to European efforts to investigate the feasibility (ongoing study: mechanical, functional, and environmental laboratory and field evaluation) of using recycled plastic in the production of bituminous mixtures for highway pavements in Portugal, without limiting the recyclability of bituminous mixtures. The present work focuses on the influence of recycled plastics on the water sensitivity and deformation susceptibility of bituminous mixtures under load. To perform the experimental study, the following materials were used: two bituminous mixtures with different types of coarse and fine aggregates (granodiorites and granites); a bitumen (PMB 45/80-65); a filler (limestone); and five recycled plastic additives (mainly consisting of LDPE, HDPE, LLDPE and PP, which represent about 50% of the plastics produced in Europe). The results were statistically analysed together with results of other studies on the volumetric and Marshall properties of the specimens. The results show an overall improvement in resistance to permanent deformation, without a significant benefit in water resistance. However, efforts to validate performance regarding fatigue, ageing resistance, pollutant emissions during production, placement and in service pavements are ongoing. In the statistical analysis, the ratio between binder film thickness and porosity (BFT/Vv) showed a statistically significant strong correlation with the performance indicators for resistance to permanent deformation.info:eu-repo/semantics/submittedVersio

Building materials with historical and heritage interest – A database in progress

Conservation and restoration of architectural heritage requires knowledge of the conservation state of its constituent materials in order to provide recommendations concerning the intervention plan, and the materials and the techniques to be used. Information on physical, chemical and mechanical characterization of materials, when available, is usually shared by different actors, but is not normally accessible by the general public. In this context, the DB-HERITAGE project intends to build a reference sample collection or repository for historical materials and an IT-tool to collect the related data on construction materials history, properties, and performance. This database is being developed to categorize materials by type and function, addressing the relevant issues in the historical context of construction materials. An overview of the database tools will be presented in this paper, exemplifying some of its outputs