Journal of Architectural Engineering

Laminated architectural glass has proven to be well suited for use in glazing systems that must resist wind-borne debris impacts. When the inner glass ply in a laminated window unit remains unbroken after wind-borne debris impacts on the outer glass ply, the integrity of the building envelope is preserved. A mechanics-based analytical model is developed to predict the cumulative probability of inner glass ply breakage in laminated architectural glass subjected to simulated wind-borne debris impacts on the outer glass ply. A nonlinear dynamic finite-element analysis is employed to compute stresses in each layer of the laminate due to impact. Based on the cumulative damage theory, the two-parameter Weibull distribution is used to characterize the cumulative probability of inner glass ply breakage. The analytical predictive model is calibrated using available experimental data on material parameters. Cumulative probabilities of inner glass ply breakage predicted by the analytical model are in agreement with the corresponding experimental data.

This paper illustrates the production process of a manufactured housing factory and potential bottlenecks that could affect the system efficiency. To investigate ways for improving the performance of the U-shaped flow pattern layouts, a comparative study between two case study factories was conducted to realize their relative efficiencies and drawbacks. Process maps were prepared to establish the subactivity relationship at every assembly and subassembly station. Time data were collected for the station process time and the subactivity process time at the two factories to realize a generic (streamlined) system. The efficient criteria of the two systems were joined to develop a streamlined generic system.

This paper estimates the approximate yearly electric lighting load of a “green” commercial building for a temperate climate region by studying the impact of a large curved south-facing facade with an external horizontal shading louver, a high window location, and a specular light shelf on yearly interior daylight levels, based on hourly weather data for Washington, D.C. Thus the paper determines the required electric light quantity by calculating hourly daylight illuminance levels and deriving required electric fill-in light when daylight levels are too low, determining daylight quality by calculating luminance values and luminance ratios used for office lighting criteria. It is found that electric light in lux hours per year is needed only for 16% of yearly office hours. The paper gives recommendations for window size and shape, location, light shelf geometry, ceiling and wall details, and workstation layout in order to achieve these low lighting loads.

This paper reports on a study undertaken to investigate the earthquake performance and assess the seismic vulnerability of post-Islamic monumental structures in Iran. These structures are primarily of brick masonry construction, though some notable stone and mud-brick structures also exist. The structures are first classified according to their structural forms. A review of the available historical and recent sources on the earthquake behavior of different structural forms is then conducted. A second classification of the structures is subsequently made according to their seismic vulnerability. By estimating the location intensity for a large number of past and present structures, subjected to earthquakes in the last millennium, “damage” and “survival” intensity levels are calculated for different structural groups. Based on the estimated damage and survival intensity levels, an intensity scale is proposed for the post-Islamic historical structures in Iran.

This paper is an attempt to determine the effect of vertical ground motion on design of precast concrete cladding panels in seismic regions, particularly in near-source areas. A spandrel-type precast concrete cladding panel is chosen for detailed study and assumed attached to a building in San Francisco. The seismic provisions of International Building Code 2000 and Uniform Building Code 1997 are used to determine the design forces on the cladding panel, which was originally designed as an example in a PCI publication. The provisions of the two codes are compared in light of their requirements related to vertical ground motion consideration and near-source effects. Results of recent research on the relation between vertical and horizontal ground acceleration components as a function of source-to-site distance are also used to illustrate an example of incorporating vertical spectral acceleration effects directly in load combinations. Finally, finite-element modeling and frequency analysis results of the spandrel and floor-to-floor types of cladding panel are discussed. This study shows that the effects of vertical ground motion will cause an increase in the design forces for connections of heavy cladding panels, especially in near-source regions, with the magnitude of the increase dependent on the source-to-site distance.