Non-fungible building components: using smart contracts for a circular economy in the built environment.

The presented research study tackles the topic of economic and material sustainable development in the built environment and construction industry, by introducing and applying the concept and the potential of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) on blockchain within the early stages of the design process via the interface of common design software. We present a digital infrastructure layer for architectural assets and building components that can integrate with AEC supply chains, enabling a more effective and articulated development of circular economies. The infrastructure layer consists of a combination of topology graphs secured with a blockchain. The paper concludes with a discussion about the possibilities of material passports as well as circular economy and smart contracts as an infrastructure for whole lifecycle BIM and digital encapsulation of value in architectural design

Experimental Study on the Effectiveness of Water Mist Extinguishing Systems for Protecting Paintings in Art Gallery Museums: Developing an Initial Methodological Model

Determining the input parameters for the calibration of a water mist extinguishing system in a compartment is important for the evaluation of the performance of the design. Although there is a lot of research on the use of water mist, it is still difficult understand the behavior of the system in terms of safety of people and protection of things. In this study, we aimed to conduct an experimental analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of water mist extinguishing systems in protecting paintings in art gallery museums. We compared onsite tests in a compartment of an art gallery and a numerical analysis carried out with Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS). Numerical analysis using FDS included the water-cooling effect and the heat power in the simulated environment and the calibration for a model was found by reproducing the onsite results. The temperature trend was monitored as an essential parameter for the protection of the paintings. The study aimed to not only verify the effectiveness of the water mist system but also investigate the reproducibility of real-scale conditions through a simulated environment. The most important result obtained is the possibility of using a simulated environment instead of real-scale tests in order to test water mist capabilities

A Critical Review of Fire Tests and Safety Systems in Road Tunnels: Limitations and Open Points

Fire tests are used to determine whether fire protection products meet the minimum performance criteria set out in codes and legislation, as well as to certify these products. Experimental large-scale fires are used to test the performance of safety systems in tunnels, which are confined environments with a high probability of accidents and significant consequences due to the evolution of the event and whether there is the capability of counteracting it by safety measures. In this study, we conducted a systematic literature review following PRISMA guidelines. We searched the Scopus and Web of Science databases for publications from 2013 to 2022, resulting in a selection of 72 articles. An analysis was conducted on the following main topics: tunnel fires, fire characteristics (measured variables, spread, and smoke), model-scale tests, automatic shutdown systems, and ventilation solutions. One of the most important contributions of this study is the suggestion that fire tests represent an effective method not only to prevent fire events in tunnels but also to ensure the resilience of the infrastructure. Based on this state-of-the-art literature review, future tunnels could be designed by linking new smart technology and artificial intelligence to create interactive and high-performing safety systems

Smart contracts for decentralised building information modelling.

The paper presents a model for decentralizing building information modelling, through implementing its infrastructure using the decentralized web. We discuss the shortcomings of BIM in terms of its infrastructure, with a focus on tracing identities of design authorship in this collective design tool. In parallel we examine the issues with BIM in the cloud and propose a decentralized infrastructure based on the Ethereum blockchain and the Interplanetary filesystem (IPFS). A series of computing nodes, that act as nodes on the Ethereum Blockchain, host disk storage with which they participate in a larger storage pool on the Interplanetary Filesystem. This storage is made available through an API is used by architects and designers creating and editing a building information model that resides on the IPFS decentralised storage. Through this infrastructure central servers are eliminated, and BIM libraries and models can be shared with others in an immutable and transparent manner. As such Architecture practices are able to exploit their intellectual property in novel ways, by making it public on the internet. The infrastructure also allows the decentralised creation of a resilient global pool of data that allows the participation of computation agents in the creation and simulation of BIM models

Framework for decentralised architectural design BIM and blockchain integration.

The paper introduces a framework for decentralised architectural design in the context of the fourth industrial revolution. We examine first the constraints of building information modelling in regard to collaboration and trust. We then introduce Blockchain infrastructure as a means for creating new operational and business models for architectural design, through project governance, scaling collaboration nominally to thousands of agents, and shifting trust to the infrastructure rather than the architectural design team. Through a wider consideration of Blockchains in construction projects we focus on the design process and validate our framework with a prototype of BIM design optimisation integrated with a Blockchain mechanism. The paper concludes by outlining the contributions our framework can enhance in the building information modelling processes, within the context of the fourth industrial revolution

Topology generated non-fungible tokens: blockchain as infrastructure for a circular economy in architectural design.

The paper presents a new digital infrastructure layer for buildings and architectural assets. The infrastructure layer consists of a combination of topology graphs secured on a decentralised ledger. The topology graphs organise non-fungible digital tokens which each represent and correspond to building components, and in the root of the graph to the building itself. The paper presents background research in the relationship of building representation in the form of graphs with topology, of both manifold and non manifold nature. In parallel we present and analyse the relationship between digital representation and physical manifestation of a building, and back again. Within the digital representations the paper analyses the securing and saving of information on decentralised ledger technologies (such as blockchain). We then present a simple sample of generating and registering a non-manifold topology graph on the Ethereum blockchain as an EC721 token, i.e. a digital object that is unique, all through the use of dynamo and python scripting connected with a smart contract on the Ethereum blockchain. Ownership of this token can then be transferred on the blockchain smart contracts. The paper concludes with a discussion of the possibilities that this integration brings in terms of material passports and a circular economy and smart contracts as an infrastructure for whole-lifecycle BIM and digitally encapsulates of value in architectural design

Direct transition from quantum escape to phase diffusion regime in YBaCuO biepitaxial Josephson Junctions

Dissipation encodes interaction of a quantum system with the environment and regulates the activation regimes of a Brownian particle. We have engineered grain boundary biepitaxial YBaCuO junctions to drive a direct transition from quantum activated running state to phase diffusion regime. The cross-over to the quantum regime is tuned by the magnetic field and dissipation is encoded in a fully consistent set of junction parameters. To unravel phase dynamics in moderately damped systems is of general interest for advances in the comprehension of retrapping phenomena and in view of quantum hybrid technology

An Attempted Suicide with Copper Sulphate injected intravenously:Pathopsysiology and Therapy about a case report

Acute copper sulphate poisoning is an unusual event, rarely following parenteral exposure, complicated by toxicological effects as haemolytic anaemia, methaemoglobinaemia , hepato-renal damage and acute rhabdomyolysis. Currently, the therapeutic management ignores unique classes of evidence and is mainly based on supportive and chelation therapies. Case details. This case report describes acute copper sulphate poisoning in a 37-year-old man who attempted suicide by self-injecting an unknown amount of copper sulphate. Within three days the patient developed severe intravascular haemolysis and rhabdomyolysis. Initial therapy relied on intensive supportive care with fluids administration, electrolyte correction and packed red blood cells transfusion. The D-penicillamine (30 mg/Kg/day per os) was prescribed as chelation therapy by the poison control centre. The N-acetilcysteine and ascorbic acid were administered to prevent further oxidative stress. Later on, two sessions of therapeutic plasma exchange were performed in order to support the drug therapy. Haemolysis and rhabdomyolysis reversed throughout the hospital stay. Discussion. In this case the antidotic and antioxidant therapy resulted effective to reverse haemolysis and rhabdomyolysis and to prevent hepatic and renal damage. Moreover, this case underlies that therapeutic plasma exchange should be considered as an additive measure to undertake since the earlier stages of the emergency intervention. Acute copper sulphate poisoning is an event complicated by toxicological effects: haemolytic anaemia, methaemoglobinaemia, hepato-renal damage, acute rhabdomyolysis. The therapeutic management ignores unique classes of evidence and is based on supportive and chelation therapies. In this case: i) the antidotic and antioxidant therapy resulted effective to reverse haemolysis and rhabdomyolysis and to prevent hepatic and renal damage, ii) therapeutic plasma exchange should be considered as an additive measure to undertake