Innovative technologies for temporary architecture

Problem risen from temporariness and flexibility concepts of built concern, always constituted, all over technological advanced countries and throughout the whole history of scientific research, some of the most interesting aspects of technologies, industry and industrialization processes. Several project proposals about really light structures easily gatherable, transportable, that can be dismantled and reconverted, are proves of that such as their use in order to obtain flexible and functional living solutions. They are systems adaptable to different needs and fit to offer a concrete solution for the necessities related to the new ways of living. In fact temporary buildings that were thought during the past to face living emergencies, caused by natural calamities or men themselves, find today a wide range of applications such as living places for nomads, refugees, exiles, migrants, homelesses. These buildings can moreover be used as courtesy-houses during renovation, restoration, changeover and recovery interventions both of single handiworks and of urban scale or can be used as accommodation structures for wandering tourism, support systems to mass manifestations and so on. Today research is even more oriented to the discovery of innovative building technologies that concern the adoption of usages, materials and building elements with high performance characteristics that respond to eco-compatibilities priority needs. Under this point of view, temporary architectures can be transformed into structures able to guarantee the top level of comfort and eco-sustainability because they offer wide opportunities to the experimentation of new building materials and allow a more direct check of building processes such as a more immediate management of comfort control. The theme of temporary architectures has been, during this years, the object of the didactic experience inside the course of Environmental Design belonging to the Architecture Faculty in Palermo. The problem of environmental compatibility of the anthropic intervention has been afforded by students through a design approach of bioclimatic kind, preferring solutions economically fit both under the realization costs point of view, and management such as maintenance and re-employment, using materials and techniques fit in order to: - guarantee the living quality of the built area; - rationalize the consumes of natural resources especially the not renewable ones; - allow the adaptability of the handiwork to the changeable needs (in continue evolution) that characterize the contemporary society. This contribute wants to present a synthesis of the design proposals elaborated till today, in order to witness the experiences carried on such theme

Il Bambù

Il volume fa parte di una collana dal titolo Tecnologia dei Materiali per un'Architettura Sostenibile, che raccoglie i risultati di ricerche, sperimentazioni ed esperienze didattiche condotte dall'autrice negli ultimi anni, presso l'Università degli Studi di Palermo. Ogni volume della collana è dedicato allo studio di uno specifico materiale da costruzione e dei suoi derivati, delle loro peculiarità e possibili applicazioni nel costruito al fine di offrire agli studenti, ai professionisti e ai tecnici del settore, un quadro generale dello stato dell'arte ed un motivo in più per una scelta consapevole di materiali conformi alle esigenze di sostenibilità ambientale e tecnologica, oggi inderogabili per salvaguardare l'ambiente ed il futuro delle generazioni che ci seguiranno

Sistemi abitativi di permanenza temporanea

Scopo di questa ricerca è quello di offrire agli allievi ed ai tecnici del settore, un quadro generale dello stato dell’arte in ambito di progettazione transitoria. L’analisi storica viene sviluppata attraverso lo studio di proposte elaborate da numerosi progettisti che, nel tempo, si sono interessati a queste problematiche. Sono esaminate le tipologie ed i differenti campi di applicazione di unità abitative temporanee, con il contributo di esperti del settore che hanno affrontato tematiche relative alla sostenibilità delle scelte tecnologiche e costruttive, all’analisi dei criteri di progettazione per nuove forme di insediamenti temporanei e al benessere ambientale delle forme di architettura transitoria

A first assessment of the Sentinel-2 Level 1-C cloud mask product to support informed surface analyses

Abstract Cloud detection in optical remote sensing images is a crucial problem because undetected clouds can produce misleading results in the analyses of surface and atmospheric parameters. Sentinel-2 provides high spatial resolution satellite data distributed with associated cloud masks. In this paper, we evaluate the ability of Sentinel-2 Level-1C cloud mask products to discriminate clouds over a variety of biogeographic scenarios and in different cloudiness conditions. Reference cloud masks for the identification of misdetection were generated by applying a local thresholding method that analyses Sentinel-2 Band 2 (0.490 μm) and Band 10 (1.375 μm) separately; histogram-based thresholds were locally tuned by checking the single bands and the natural color composite (B4B3B2); in doubtful cases, NDVI and DEM were also analyzed to refine the masks; the B2B11B12 composite was used to separate snow. The analysis of the cloud classification errors obtained for our test sites allowed us to get important inferences of general value. The L1C cloud mask generally underestimated the presence of clouds (average Omission Error, OE, 37.4%); this error increased (OE > 50%) for imagery containing opaque clouds with a large transitional zone (between the cloud core and clear areas) and cirrus clouds, fragmentation emerged as a major source of omission errors (R2 0.73). Overestimation was prevalently found in the presence of holes inside the main cloud bodies. Two extreme environments were particularly critical for the L1C cloud mask product. Detection over Amazonian rainforests was highly inefficient (OE > 70%) due to the presence of complex cloudiness and high water vapor content. On the other hand, Alpine orography under dry atmosphere created false cirrus clouds. Altogether, cirrus detection was the most inefficient. According to our results, Sentinel-2 L1C users should take some simple precautions while waiting for ESA improved cloud detection products

Wood powders of different botanical origin as an alternative to barrel aging for red wine

AbstractWood powders are produced in large quantity as by-product of barrel, staves and chips industry. Differently from larger particles (chips), the use of wood powders in winemaking is not admitted (Regulation (CE) n. 934/2019); however, it could represent a cheap and sustainable alternative for the accelerated aging of red wine. To evaluate their potential use in winemaking, a comparative study on the use of wood powders from oak, chestnut and acacia wood for the accelerated aging of red wine (cv. Aglianico) was conducted. This alternative aging was compared to the aging in wood barrels from the same botanical species. The wine aged in contact with powders underwent a quicker evolution of polyphenolic fraction. After 15 days of contact, the loss of total anthocyanins was higher than that observed after 6 months of aging in barrels (from 4 to 14% with respect to the corresponding kind of barrel). The amount of polymeric pigments tannins–anthocyanins–tannins in wines aged in contact with powders was higher respect to the wines aged in barrels (from 7 to 21% with respect to the corresponding kind of barrel), while the greatest loss of total tannins was detected in the oak barrels (28% less with respect to the control). There were several differences in wine phenolic acids due to wood botanical origin, with the clearest differences being between oak and the alternative wood species (chestnut and acacia). Also, there was a significant botanical effect on sensory profiles. Indeed, both among barrels and among powders, oak wood was the one that gave the strongest wood odor character. However, all the treatments with wood powders (oak, acacia and chestnut) preserved the fruity character of wine, conferring in the meanwhile non-dominant woody notes

Neutron Star Radius-to-mass Ratio from Partial Accretion Disc Occultation as Measured through Fe Kα\alpha Line Profiles

We present a new method to measure the radius-to-mass ratio (R/M) of weakly magnetic, disc-accreting neutron stars by exploiting the occultation of parts of the inner disc by the star itself. This occultation imprints characteristic features on the X-ray line profile that are unique and are expected to be present in low mass X-ray binary systems seen under inclinations higher than ~65 degrees. We analyse a NuSTAR observation of a good candidate system, 4U 1636-53, and find that X-ray spectra from current instrumentation are unlikely to single out the occultation features owing to insufficient signal-to-noise. Based on an extensive set of simulations we show that large-area X-ray detectors of the future generation could measure R/M to ~2{\div}3% precision over a range of inclinations. Such is the precision in radius determination required to derive tight constraints on the equation of state of ultradense matter and it represents the goal that other methods too aim to achieve in the future.Comment: 17 pages, 8 figures; this is a pre-print edition of an article that has been accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journa

La fornace di pietra a Marsa Siklah

La fornace Penna, uno dei più interessanti esempi di Archeologia Industriale in Sicilia, è oggi ridotta a un rudere che si avvia ad una inesorabile fine. Le imponenti strutture di calcare perdono di giorno in giorno la loro stabilità statica e si sgretolano precipitando al suolo. Inutili gli appelli, le petizioni, gli allarmi e le richieste di intervento sollevate da più parti. Errori, ritardi burocratici, polemiche e interessi contrastanti hanno reso vani tutti i tentativi di salvare la ‘vecchia signora’. Questo libro è un omaggio all’opera del progettista, un geniale professionista siciliano del secolo scorso, ma anche a tutti coloro che nel corso di questi anni hanno testimoniato nei modi più vari il loro amore e il loro interesse per questo manufatto, frutto delle aspirazioni di una classe imprenditoriale stimolata dalle aspettative prospettate dall’emergente sviluppo industriale e tecnologico in atto nel Paese ed espressione dell’entusiasmo e del fervore lavorativo che ha sempre distinto il popolo siciliano

Dall'albero cosmico all'albero casa. Viaggio nel mondo di una straordinaria creatura

Il patrimonio arboreo fa parte della dote che la nostra Terra ha offerto all’uomo fin dalla sua comparsa; regalo prezioso ed essenziale, senza il quale l’esistenza del nostro pianeta avrebbe avuto sicuramente altri sviluppi. Il 20 dicembre 2006, durante l’83esima Riunione Plenaria, l’Assemblea Generale delle Nazioni Unite, facendo propria la proposta della Croazia, ha adottato una risoluzione proclamando il 2011 Anno Internazionale delle Foreste per diffondere la conoscenza sulle azioni globali a sostegno della gestione forestale sostenibile, della protezione, valorizzazione e sviluppo di alberi e foreste. Evidenziando come queste siano fondamentali per la salvaguardia della biodiversità, per l’attenuazione degli effetti del cambiamento climatico e per la vita stessa dell’uomo. Come non cogliere, quindi, l’occasione per parlare ancora una volta degli alberi e della grande importanza che questi hanno per la vita del nostro pianeta? Il patrimonio arboreo fa parte della dote che la nostra Terra ha offerto all’uomo fin dalla sua comparsa; regalo prezioso ed essenziale, senza il quale l’esistenza del nostro pianeta avrebbe avuto sicuramente altri sviluppi. Nella certezza che non saranno mai sufficienti le iniziative e le parole volte a sensibilizzare tutti i popoli della terra a prendere coscienza del valore che alberi e foreste hanno avuto e continuano ad avere per il mondo intero, ho concretizzato, con questo volume, il mio grande desiderio di approfondire la conoscenza di questo mondo meraviglioso, complesso, ricco di fascino e mistero che ha rapito il cuore di chi, come me e prima di me, si è imbattuto in questo incontro. Il volume si articola in una sequenza di capitoli che affrontano i molteplici temi legati al mondo degli alberi, da quello simbolico a quello ambientale, da quello religioso a quello esoterico, da quello scientifico al politico, all’artistico, per giungere infine agli aspetti tecnici e funzionali legati all’ambito della progettazione di case sugli alberi e di strutture realizzate con elementi arborei