Pilot Experiments for Multi-Criteria Human Comfort-Driven Structural Glass Design Assessment

Abstract

Civil engineering design and industry are continuously evolving with the support of advancements in technology. Digital tools are able to assist designers in solving several issues with more accuracy and minimized efforts. In parallel, maximization of human comfort is a target for various design procedures, where mathematical models and standardized protocols are conventionally used to optimize well-being of customers. Major challenges and troubles can indeed derive, structurally speaking, from human reactions, which are related to a multitude of aspects, and may further enforced by slender / transparent glass components. The so-called “emotional architecture” and its nervous feelings are intrinsic part of the issue, and hence the mutual interaction of objective and subjective parameters can make complex the building design optimization. This paper presents some recent studies in which human comfort for glass structures occupants is quantitatively measured, both with the support of remote digital technologies based on facial micro-expression analysis and in-field experiments able to capture kinematic and biometric parameters for customers moving in glass environments.

The Effects of Interior Materials on the Restorativeness of Home Environments

“…Although glass structures are sometimes connected with an image of building vertigo because of their properties and the rise of high-rise buildings [54], plenty of places actively produce a desire to experience the building of vertigo [52]. Moreover, several criteria have also been discussed for comfort-driven glass design and have shown the potential of a glass environment [55].…”

Wearable and Smartphone-Based Sensors in Support of Human-Comfort-Driven Structural Analysis of Building Components

“…• flexible pedestrian systems involve magnified HSI phenomena on pedestrians [6], and thus their body motion is reciprocally affected by the structural response but also by possible emotional states (Figure 2a and [14,15]); • wearable sensors can be efficiently integrated into classical instruments for structural health monitoring purposes (Figure 2b and [6,18,19]); • glass material in buildings and constructions is a critical component to design in terms of structural vulnerability against mechanical loads [20], intrinsic transparency and its emotional effects on customers [14,15], and its intrinsic flexibility and sensitivity to vibrations [13,21,22].…”

“…The overall experimental strategy is based on the assumption that human-structure interaction (HSI) phenomena are intrinsically involved in the design of any kind of pedestrian structure [16,17]. Furthermore, additional basic considerations summarized in Figure 2 are taken into account, namely: • flexible pedestrian systems involve magnified HSI phenomena on pedestrians [6], and thus their body motion is reciprocally affected by the structural response but also by possible emotional states (Figure 2a and [14,15]); • wearable sensors can be efficiently integrated into classical instruments for structural health monitoring purposes (Figure 2b and [6,18,19]); • glass material in buildings and constructions is a critical component to design in terms of structural vulnerability against mechanical loads [20], intrinsic transparency and its emotional effects on customers [14,15], and its intrinsic flexibility and sensitivity to vibrations [13,21,22]. Based on the above aspects, this experimental application aims thus at demonstrating that there is a modification of human behaviors on glass floors, and different mechanical reactions are transferred among them during motion, thus both human comfort and structural design are both affected by each other.…”

“…Most of the experimental records during the tests were collected from the author equipped with sensors while walking normally on structural glass pedestrian systems [6,18]. In this regard, it is worth noting that the herein presented experimental strategy also aims to support the assessment of the possible use of low-cost, commercial, wearable sensors in support of tests carried out on various building configurations [6].…”

“…In this manner, human and biometric parameters are tracked for health monitoring and risk prevention scopes, but can be further exploited as key input performance indicators for structural design, structural health monitoring, functionality and safety maintenance, and structural optimization. As such, it was, for example, shown in [6] that human behaviors on constructed facilities reflect both mechanical and structural conditions and phenomena, but also nervous states and emotional reactions, which are mutually affected by comfort and structural responses (Figure 1b).…”