The shear stiffness of braced frames of thin-walled cold-formed steel storage racks was experimentally and numerically investigated in order to establish the effect of connection flexibility on the accuracy of different analysis methods. The analyses which included a detailed 3D Finite element model, a 2D frame analysis with beam elements and a simple hand calculation indicated significant variation of results compared with experimental values. A simplified modelling approach for 2D elastic analysis of braced frames was proposed. The approach is aimed at practical applications to account for the flexibility in bolted connections and leads to better approximation of the shear stiffness.
Upgrading the energy efficiency of existing buildings is a well-known issue around the globe. Given the very low renewal rate of the building stock, thermal retrofit of the existing buildings seems to be a good solution to improve the environmental performance of the building sector. Several studies have acknowledged the lack of knowledge, experience and best-practice examples as barriers in thermal retrofit of existing buildings. Therefore, this study has focused on developing recommendations on the most effective and feasible retrofitting techniques for existing buildings and performing financial analysis of initial investment vs return based on the quantitative results of the energy modelling. Thermal comfort modelling software FirstRate5 has been used to simulate the annual heating and cooling energy consumption of nine benchmark buildings through a range of retrofitting techniques. Dwellings of varying construction materials including weatherboard, cavity brick and brick veneer have been simulated to improve accuracy. Examining seven different thermal retrofitting options in this study, it has become apparent that there is significant heating and cooling energy reduction, with payback period of less than three years, by implementing two options of the examined retrofitting cases to existing residential dwellings.
It is conventional to assume that the role of the soil-structure interaction (SSI) is beneficial to the buildings under seismic loading. However, lessons learned from recent earthquakes revealed that this assumption could be misleading, and SSI may have different effects on the seismic response of different structural systems. In this study, an enhanced soil-structure numerical model is developed and verified using ABAQUS software to assess the impact of SSI on high-rise frame-core tube structures. The seismic responses of 20, 30, and 40-storey buildings constructed on soil class Ee (according to Australian Standards) under four earthquake acceleration records have been studied. The results in terms of maximum lateral deflections, foundation rocking, inter-storey drifts and storey shear forces for the rigid base and flexible base frame-core tube structures have been discussed and compared.Generally, SSI has a remarkable impact on the seismic behaviour of high-rise frame-core tube structures since it can increase the lateral deflections and inter-storey drifts and decrease storey shear forces of structures. However, It is worth noting that the seismic responses of soil-structure systems under near and far field earthquakes are considerably different.
This study explores the challenges that have emerged from the outdated and inflexible workplace culture of the civil construction industry, and how it is affecting female engineers and women in other functional site roles. The study primarily explores issues such as the strong culture of long work hours, the perception of staff who pursue work-life balance, and the perception of part time and flexible working options within the industry. The study was conducted over three phases where members of the industry answered questionnaires on the workplace issues listed above. The first phase aimed to document a female perspective on the construction workplace culture while the second phase focused on the perceptions of the same respondents regarding the industry's attitude to worklife balance and whether any of the aspects of workplace culture has discouraged them from staying in the industry. The final phase included men and women in management and employer roles to determine their views on part time and flexible working options within the industry. The results of the study are presented and discussed before recommendations are offered for contractor organisations, their employers and staff. The recommendations have been addressed in a way that a gradual culture change can be accepted and acted on throughout the entire workplace.
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