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It is necessary to determine if the tools used in the process of building performance calculation accurately reflect the real conditions, with the objective of introducing simulation in the design process of buildings. The aim of this study is the assessment of the effectiveness of the software ENVI-met v4 on the prediction of the thermodynamic performance of courtyards by means of comparing between field data obtained from simultaneous monitoring of three courtyards and the results obtained from the software simulations. The results of the study show a significant difference between monitored and simulated data for air temperature inside the courtyards. And the difference between outdoor temperature and courtyard temperature is too important not to be considered in building efficiency calculations. For that reason, ENVI-met it is not an accurate software to be used in the process of design of this kind of architectural transitional spaces that can be very important in order to design nZEB in some climates.
This research study compares the effect of polypropylene and wool fibers on the mechanical properties of natural polymer based stabilized soils. Biocomposites are becoming increasingly prevalent and this growth is expected to continue within a number of sectors including building materials. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of different fiber reinforced natural polymer stabilized soils with regards to mechanical properties and fiber adhesion characteristics. The polymer includes alginate, which is used in a wide range of applications but has not been commonly used within engineering and construction applications. In recent years, natural fibers have started to be used as an ecological friendly alternative for soil reinforcement within a variety of construction applications. Test results in this study have compared the effects of adding natural and synthetic fibers to clay soils and discussed the importance of an optimum soil specification. A correlation between the micro structural analysis using scanning electron microscope (SEM), fiber typology, fiber-matrix bonds and the mechanical properties of the stabilized soils is also discussed.
The aim of this research study was to evaluate the influence of utilising natural polymers as a form of soil stabilization, in order to assess their potential for use in building applications. Mixtures were stabilized with a natural polymer (alginate) and reinforced with wool fibres in order to improve the overall compressive and flexural strength of a series of composite materials. Ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) and mechanical strength testing techniques were then used to measure the porous properties of the manufactured natural polymer-soil composites, which were formed into earth blocks. Mechanical tests were carried out for three different clays which showed that the polymer increased the mechanical resistance of the samples to varying degrees, depending on the plasticity index of each soil. Variation in soil grain size distributions and Atterberg limits were assessed and chemical compositions were studied and compared. X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), and energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) techniques were all used in conjunction with qualitative identification of the aggregates. Ultrasonic wave propagation was found to be a useful technique for assisting in the determination of soil shrinkage characteristics and fibre-soil adherence capacity and UPV results correlated well with the measured mechanical properties.
Courtyards are traditional construction models in Mediterranean cities. In this research, tempering performance of courtyards during a two-year field monitoring campaign in southern Spain was investigated. The main objective was to identify the thermal functions of inner courtyards, analyzing the aspect ratio (AR) and the influence of outdoor temperature to offer a perspective that contributes to the development of passive cooling strategies for urban housing. This investigation also reviewed these climate modifiers, in light of the average lifespan of a building, to establish thermal tempering guidelines to mitigate the effects of climate change. The results show that, although the AR is a determining factor in maximizing the courtyard tempering potential, other parameters such as diurnal temperature range (DTR) or maximum outdoor temperature (MOT) can significantly modify the influence of the AR. The study demonstrates these interactions verifying, for the climates studied, that courtyards with AR > 3 are appropriate solutions, especially in the warmest zones, enhancing microclimate management in summer. Results evince that courtyard maximum thermal performance is related to MOT increase. This factor is crucial to establish a tempering initial potential for a given courtyard. Apart from this, a complete daily cycle analysis through DTR confirms and clarifies this thermal buffer effect.
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