Intuition, reason and calculation on the structural analysis of a ribbed vault

[Resumen] El análisis de sistemas constructivos tradicionales está comenzando a confiarse a potentes medios de simulación numérica. La precisión de cálculo y su expresividad visual son un reclamo al que resulta difícil sustraerse. El empleo de estos medios no puede olvidar el hecho de que estos sistemas constructivos y sus materiales constituyentes resultan difícilmente evaluables desde conceptos elásticos, convirtiéndose en sistemas hiperestáticos de orden creciente. El desmontaje de la bóveda de crucería de una capilla del siglo XVI ha permitido conocer con precisión esa serie de factores geométricos y de composición material que tantas veces resultan simples supuestos. Este conocimiento permite abordar un análisis comparado de las diferentes metodologías empleadas a lo largo de la historia. Analizar los resultados de las arcaicas razones de proporción geométrica, con metodologías como las de rigidez elástica o las de equilibrio fundamental, ha determinado que todas ellas lejos de ser excluyentes resultan complementarias.[Abstract] The dismantling of a simple chapel of the late XVI century and the study of its formal constitution are the starting point of this analytical study of the structural design criteria. This course will compare the fundamentals of each methodology, from a geometric concept, through the concept of balance and reaching analysis methods based on the elastic stiffness. The precision of FEM software and its visual power cause the forgetfulness of the traditional design parameters. We often forget that the materials and building systems are difficult to evaluate by means of elastic concepts, which makes them statically indeterminate systems of order which change with time. The different analytical methods mean that none of them is exclusive against the others as actually they are complementary. The fact that sometimes the calculation precision of establishing a particular stress state cannot make us forget that the existence of a historic construction which has been able to find a working mechanism, will have had its starting point in a formal design, far from the necessity of accuracy

Mecánica de bóvedas tabicadas. De Fray Lorenzo de San Nicolás a Eladio Dieste y la herencia de Rafael Guastavino Moreno.

El sistema tradicional de la bóveda tabicada o bóveda al aire ha seguido un camino de desarrollo creciente desde el Renacimiento, teniendo en España su mayor espacio de esplendor. El traslado a sistema industrializado que suponen las propuestas de Rafael Guastavino, primero con los incipientes intentos en España y más tarde con las excepcionales propuestas construidas por todo el territorio estadounidense y en especial en la ciudad de Nueva York, supuso un hito que aún hoy continúa siendo objeto de estudio. Las postreras soluciones, como las de Eladio Dieste, se muestran deudoras de todo este bagaje histórico que es condensado y ordenado en el textoTraballo fin de mestrado (UDC.ETSA). Rehabilitación arquitectónica. Curso 2011/201

La universidad laboral de Gijón. La arquitectura al servicio de un nuevo estado y la ciudad para la formación de su sociedad

Traballo pertencente ao Mestrado Universitario en Rehabilitación Arquitectónica (MURA). Curso 2011/2012Análisis sobre los modelos sociales propuestos por el régimen franquista y la arquitectura acorde a esos ideales, trasladados al caso de la Universidad Laboral de Gijón. Esta actuación se convierte en el mayor complejo edificado en España, retomando la idea de ciudad-estado autónoma en el que conformar un nuevo espacio para la educación de una nueva sociedad acorde a los principios del régime

Módulo compacto para la formación de estructuras porticadas

Módulo compacto para la formación de estructuras porticadas, que comprende: un soporte telescópico compuesto por dos puntales telescópicos, paralelos y fijados entre sí; piezas de sección en T, longitudinalmente adosadas entre sí y a los puntales; y una serie de placas en L que van dispuestas entre los puntales telescópicos, articuladas entre los mismos

Full scale testing of timber-concrete composite floors in an overhanging configuration

Financiado para a publicación en acceso aberto: Universidade da Coruña/CISUG[Abstract] The behavior of timber-concrete composite floors in an overhanging configuration has been analysed. The floor consisted of a prefabricated T-shape piece formed by a glulam flange glued to a plywood rib and connected to an upper concrete slab poured in situ. The connection between both materials is achieved by penetrating the concrete into the holes made in the rib. Three-point bending tests were performed with a total of 8 specimens with depth of 25, 30 and 35 cm and overhanging length of 1.50, 1.80 and 2.10 m, respectively. That means a length-to-depth ratio equal to 6 in all cases. The experimental results showed that the lowest ultimate load value obtained was 8.03 and 5.55 times higher than the estimated service load for a building with residential use (5 kN/m²) and public use (9 kN/m²), respectively. Two types of failure were observed after a marked cracking process in the concrete as the ultimate load value was approached: tensile failure affecting the plywood rib and shear failure at the glulam flange-plywood rib connection. The maximum deflection for the total load was between 1/358 and 1/523 of the overhanging span for the estimated loads for a residential use building (5 kN/m²), and between 1/266 and 1/390 for public use buildings (9 kN/m²). Regarding to vibrations, floors in an overhanging configuration with a length-to-depth ratio equal to 6 and a simply supported portion equal to four times the length of the overhanging portion, with total loads up to 9.0 kN/ m², both in multi-storey buildings for residential and office use, present a high comfort level. Consequently, the proposed timber-concrete composite (TCC) overhanging floor solution has demonstrated high stiffness and strength that make it a suitable alternative for the construction of high-performance lightweight floors in multi-storey buildings.Agencia Estatal de Investigación: 10.13039/50110001103

Timber-Timber-Composite (TTC) beam long-term behaviour. Full scale experimental campaign and simplified analytical model

Financiado para publicación en acceso aberto: Universidade da Coruña/CISUG[Abstract] The variability of the physical and mechanical properties of wood requires that the analysis of its long-term behavior take into account all the factors capable of modifying these properties. The environmental conditions of humidity and temperature are factors that alter these properties, conditioning long-term behavior, a situation that is especially decisive in the case of structural elements in bending. The design standards establish simple corrective factors based on the type of environmental exposure that allow creep deformation to be estimated in a final stage from an initial instantaneous deformation value. A new analytical model is proposed that allows estimating the behavior at any stage from the knowledge of the environmental conditions to which the structural element has been subjected. The model is applied to different elements in various environments, from camera control situations to outdoor situations of 3-year seasonal cycles. In all cases, the precision of the model and the simplicity of its use are verified due to the basic factors on which it is based

Self-tensioning long-span T-shaped spruce and oak web floors with a CLT upper flange. An experimental approach

A device is described that makes it possible to automatically apply a post-tensioning force on deflected elements in response to applied gravitational loads. The behaviour of transverse T-section beams is analysed. They are composed of a laminated oak or spruce rib and a cross-laminated timber upper flange (CLT). Fourteen 9 m span beams were subjected to a four-point bending test until failure. Six of the beams include the self-tensioning system to comparatively verify its efficacy. A numerical analysis model was also developed to describe the behaviour of the proposed device, considering a non-linear regime and interaction between moving parts. The post-tensioned elements attained a noteworthy increase in their final load in comparison with the unreinforced beams. On the other hand, in their service situation they showed a major reduction in their average relative deflection. The conclusions indicate that there is a relevant improvement in their behaviour under deformation, even with a reduced structural width. This improvement is highly useful in long-span wooden floors, where restricted deformation is usually the predominant dimensioning criterion to prevent damage to partition walls

A New Approach To Expandable Structures: Crossed Expandable Frames (X-Frames)

The use of expandable structures in the field of building began in the 1960s, based on the pioneering work of Emilio Pérez Piñero. They underwent significant developments at the end of the 20th century, with typologies based on scissors or bundle modules. Until now, this typology has not been further enhanced, despite some very interesting contributions. These studies are usually based on straight bar expandable structures, although there are some interesting proposals based on the deployability of parallel arc systems, even in real buildings. However, other possible types of expandable structures have not been explored to date. In this paper, a new system for expandable structures is proposed, which opens new and interesting design possibilities based on the same folding principle. The system consists of deploying elements such as arches or frames with multiple intersections. Solutions for cylindrical vaults with horizontal axis joints and more complex geometries such as conoids are proposed, as well as domes with vertical and horizontal axis joints. Finally, other structures with special kinematic compatibility difficulties, such as concentric domes or toroids, are also studied.MINECO; BIA2016-79459-

Perforated shear + reinforcement bar connectors in a timber-concrete composite solution. Analytical and numerical approach

[Abstract] This paper presents a study of a novel shear connector in a timber-concrete composite solution, focussing on the determination of an analytical expression that makes it possible to predict its behaviour and a numerical analysis that describes it accurately. The shear connector is composed of a perforated steel plate inserted into a slot within the timber rib and glued, in combination with reinforcing corrugated steel bars affixed to the top of the plate. Previous tests made it possible to establish failure mode in different T composite section plate-rebar configurations. These results determine the effectiveness of the system in terms of force-slip behaviour, with systematic failure in the timber section. A simple predictive model is proposed to determine the ultimate capacity of the joint, taking into account the mechanical properties of timber in relation with the fracture plane and the timber-adhesive interface. This model makes it possible to apply a design process that is able to predict the stiffness of the connection. FEM models were analysed for each configuration in a variable load process equal to that used in the test, according to the standard procedure. A variable friction coefficient in contact definition made it possible to achieve an accurate descriptive model in association with the test procedure.MINECO; BIA2016-77184-

Adquisición de competencias genéricas en una materia de corte técnico: propuestas metodológicas

[Resumen] En el contexto europeo actual, el diseño de planes de estudio conlleva una formación plural en la que convergen competencias específicas de cada título con otras de carácter general, y por tanto comunes y transferibles. El documento analiza el concepto de competencia y las clasificaciones del mismo más extendidas en la literatura, con especial atención al tratamiento que reciben en el marco de la Universidade da Coruña. A continuación, describe sucintamente diversas iniciativas metodológicas desarrolladas en el marco de una materia tecnológica incluida en la actual titulación de Arquitectura, con el fin de fomentar la adquisición de determinadas destrezas genéricas: aprendizaje permanente, autonomía, trabajo en equipo, capacidades de análisis y síntesis, y utilización de recursos tecnológicos diversos. Los resultados apuntan a que dichas iniciativas son novedosas en su contexto, al menos de forma general, y que producen consecuencias muy positivas en el alumnado. Con todo, también se intuye la necesidad de articular nuevos mecanismos de coordinación, trascendiendo la propia materia, para lograr una mayor efectividad en términos de resultados de aprendizaje.[Abstract] In the current European context, the design of study plans involves a plural formation in which specific competences of each degree converge with others of a general nature, and therefore common and transferable. The document analyzes the concept of competence and the most widespread classifications in the literature, with special attention to the treatment they receive at the University of A Coruña. Next, it briefly describes various methodological initiatives developed in a technological subject included in the current Architecture degree, in order to encourage the acquisition of certain generic skills: lifelong learning, autonomy, teamwork, analysis and synthesis skills, and use of various technological resources. The results suggest that these initiatives are novel in their context, at least in a general way, and that they produce very positive consequences in the students. However, we also intuit the need to articulate new coordination mechanisms, transcending the subject itself, to achieve greater effectiveness in terms of learning outcome