A review on experimental research using scale models for buildings: Application and methodologies

Abstract

a b s t r a c tA complete review on scale model testing for buildings, considering a wide range of methodologies and new manufacturing techniques, in areas such as statics and dynamics, acoustics, lighting, aerodynamics and thermodynamics for energy efficiency is presented. On the one hand, scale model testing for buildings require different considerations and techniques and are usually focused on one specific physical field contributing to the information scattering. On the other hand, they are sometimes too general, theoretical or unpractical. Although commercial computer simulations are first option among professionals, they necessarily simplify complex phenomena and ignore, among other aspects, size effects and latest findings in fractals. The potential of complementary experiments using new manufactured scale models for buildings is raising, however, it is still missing a practical overview through different physical fields specifically for buildings with these considerations. This review gives a wide perspective and unified scope on uses and possibilities of scale model testing for buildings, from the traditional configurations of Leon Battiste Alberti to new possibilities applying complex physics and new techniques of 3D-modelling.

Control Strategy to Regulate Voltage and Share Reactive Power Using Variable Virtual Impedance for a Microgrid

“…The P-ω controller is adopted to regulate the frequency and to achieve accurate reactive power sharing by using virtual impedance. The active and reactive power transferred from the inverter to the load are given by Equations (1) and (2). These equations express, respectively, the active and reactive power that is lost through the inductive reactance associated with transmission lines.…”

“…Private vehicles are responsible for most of the total transport energy consumption and associated pollutants [1]. Therefore, electric vehicles (EVs) provide a better future by not emitting carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), unburned hydrocarbons (UHCs), lead compounds, sulfur dioxide, and solid particles to the environment, making it a very promising option for transportation [2]. However, the use of EVs requires the periodic charging of batteries, and autonomy must be provided by considering different charging stations operating as nodes in a network that combines the variable loads of home appliances and EVs.…”

Building Energy Performance Analysis: An Experimental Validation of an In-House Dynamic Simulation Tool through a Real Test Room

“…Nevertheless, the correct experimental validation of whole BEPS tools integrating novel technologies would require the construction of full-scale buildings, rather expensive and often impracticable. For these reasons, experimental validation procedures through suitable test cells or scale building models are becoming more and more frequent [59]. For novel thermal models few empirical validation-works are available in the literature, as reported in references [48,60,61].…”

Dynamic characteristics and seismic response of frame–core tube structures, considering soil–structure interactions

“…The test model in this investigation was simplified based on the Buckingham π theorem and by selectively extracting every second floor. The simplification process was as follows . First, the superstructure was simplified from 41 floors to 20 floors by extracting every second floor from the model.…”