Journal of Architectural Engineering

ASTM E1300-09 uses a glass failure prediction model (GFPM) to quantify the probability that a critical surface flaw with a certain location and orientation will initiate a facture in the glass for a given lite geometry and uniform design load. The nonfactored load charts in ASTM E1300-09 are calibrated to a GFPM probability of breakage of $8/\mathrm{1,000}\hspace{0.17em}\left(0.008\right)$ at the first occurrence of the design load. The GFPM probability of breakage only addresses the material properties of the annealed monolithic window glass and does not incorporate the probability of the occurrence of the design load. Because window glass is typically designed to resist wind loads, the probability of the occurrence of the design load was based on ASCE 7-05. Using a Monte Carlo simulation to evaluate the limit-state equation, this paper presents a procedure to quantify the probability of failure incorporating the probability of the wind load and the probability of the window glass load resistance from the GFPM for window glass lites loaded with a 3-s uniform lateral wind load. A series of figures are presented illustrating the large variations in the probability of failure as the nominal glass thickness changes with varying rectangular dimensions. The probabilities of failure tend to be an order of magnitude smaller than the corresponding probabilities of breakage.

The point fixed glass facade system (PFGFS), also known as a spider glass system, is popular because it is the most transparent facade system available for buildings. The glass facade system is fixed to the support structure at minimal points using bolts and spider arms. Generally, the racking performance of these systems is not considered at the design stage. The facade system will be vulnerable to racking actions mainly during severe earthquakes and wind actions if the system does not have sufficient in-plane drift capacity. A unique real-scale in-plane racking laboratory test on a typical PFGFS was conducted to assess the in-plane racking performance. A maximum drift of 2.1% was measured, which was much larger than initially anticipated because of the rigid-body articulation of the system and higher than typical maximum allowable interstory drift for buildings in regions of lower seismicity. A sophisticated nonlinear finite-element (FE) model was developed and conservatively benchmarked against the experimental results with excellent correlation. The FE analyses showed that a significant amount of the drift capacity was attributed to the rigid-body translation at the built-in oversize holes for construction tolerances provided in the facade system connections. In this paper, the laboratory test setup and experimental results are discussed together with the confirmatory FE analysis results.

This paper presents wind load investigations on solar panel modules mounted on low-rise buildings with gable roofs that have two distinct slopes. Wind loads on the solar panels mounted on several zones of the roofs were systematically investigated in a boundary-layer wind tunnel for different wind directions. The results from the wind-tunnel investigation are compared with ASCE provisions for residential bare roofs. The comparison shows a good agreement with the ASCE standard provisions for the main force resisting system. Nevertheless, the cladding loads on individual modules may be lower or higher than those on the corresponding area of a bare roof (depending on their location and array configuration and the roof’s slope). Avoiding the roof critical zones (zones 3 and 2) is recommended to avoid high net minimum pressures acting on the solar panel modules. Solar panels mounted in zone 1 are locally subjected to higher suction at their outer edges. This is most likely attributed to the effect of a raised secondary roof formed over the main roof. The impact of the secondary roof effects is noticeable for small modules compared with larger modules.

With a height of 52 stories and a steel structure visible from the exterior, the New York Times Building is the third-tallest building in the city of New York. Located on 8th Avenue between 40th and 41st Streets, it was designed by the Italian architect Renzo Piano. Two separate structures comprise the building: a 5-story podium rectangular in plan and a 52-story tower with a cruciform plan. Two interesting features of the structural system are the bracing system, located both on the perimeter and in the core, and the outrigger systems, located at the two mechanical floors. The effectiveness of these features, as well as the pretensioning of diagonals, is examined numerically in this paper by studying their influence on deflections due to wind, distribution of internal forces, and dynamic response of the building.

Commercial and residential buildings consume approximately 40% of the total energy in the United States and use approximately 70% of the electricity. The electrical energy efficiency of the buildings sector thus plays a vital role in reducing energy use, peak demand, and greenhouse gas emissions. Maximizing the efficiency of electricity use is a key priority for high-performance buildings; however, to date, electrical distribution systems have received little attention. Rather, the focus has been on broad categories of end-use devices. As a result, a relatively small body of literature relates to the energy efficiency of electrical distribution in commercial buildings. Understanding this system and its components will help us examine its efficiency in significantly more detail. This paper describes the determination of an electrical distribution system for a commercial reference building model (CRBM). The purpose of the CRBM project was to develop standard or reference building energy models for the most common commercial buildings to serve as starting points for analysis related to energy efficiency research. Although these models represent realistic building characteristics and construction practices associated with energy consumption, they do not define a building electrical distribution system. Consequently, an electrical distribution system needed to be defined to study the energy loss in the electrical distribution system. Defining a standard electrical distribution system associated with each CRBM provides a common starting point for future efficiency analysis of commercial buildings. The creation of this electrical distribution system was part of a larger project exploring the energy efficiency of a concept for the incorporation of direct current distribution over existing alternating current distribution systems.

In recent years, depleted resources and environmental concerns have stimulated research in renewable and recyclable materials for particleboard production. This paper presents the research work on the production of particleboards using maize (Zea mays) cobs, rice (Oryza glaberrima) husks, and groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) shells, which are abundantly available as agricultural residues. The goal of this project was to study the feasibility of medium-density particleboard panels made of agricultural residues for use as internal partition wall cladding in residential buildings. The panels of densities between $600\hspace{0.17em}\text{and}\hspace{0.17em}900\hspace{0.17em}{\text{kg/m}}^3$ were produced using a natural-based adhesive from acacia mimosa tannin extract and hexamine. Some other parameters like the moisture content (after adhesive application) and the press temperature were varied during the production so as to investigate their effect on some mechanical and physical properties like internal bond strength, bending modulus of rupture, swelling, and hardness. The mechanical properties of rice husk– and groundnut shell–derived particleboard failed to satisfy European standard requirements in terms of bending strength; those made of maize cobs achieved the specifications but at a higher density compared with common wood-based particleboard. The swelling behavior did not meet the standard for use in wet areas. The particle geometry and size as well as the board structure did not compare well with the properties of the wood-based materials, but the products from those residues do hold promise for use as nonload-bearing members. On the side of rice husk and groundnut shells, alternate areas of application such as thermal insulation and decorative cladding materials could be contemplated.

Designers struggle to (1) collaborate within projects, (2) share processes across projects, and (3) understand processes across the firm or industry. Overcoming each challenge requires communication of design processes. This paper aggregates concepts from organizational science, human-computer interaction, and process modeling fields to develop the design process communication methodology (DPCM). The DPCM consists of elements that represent and contextualize processes and methods that enable designers to capture and use the processes. These elements and methods enable a methodology that is computable, embedded, modular, personalized, scalable, shared, social, and transparent. The authors operationalize the DPCM via the process integration platform, a cloud-based process communication application where individuals exchange and organize files as nodes in information dependency maps. This paper provides evidence of the DPCM’s testability and proposes metrics for evaluating the DPCM’s effectiveness and efficiency in communicating design processes. The DPCM lays the foundation for commercial software that shifts focus away from incremental and fragmented process improvement toward a platform that nurtures emergence of (1) improved multidisciplinary collaboration, (2) process knowledge sharing, and (3) innovation-enabling understanding of existing processes.

This work provides an analysis of the applicability of two image-based three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction techniques—(1) four-dimensional augmented reality (${\mathrm{D}}^4\text{AR}$) 3D reconstruction software and (2) phototourism applications—for remote site construction project planning. Remote sites present uncertainty to construction project planning through access, material and resource availability, potential lack of technical expertise on site, and environmental considerations. Both ${\mathrm{D}}^4\text{AR}$ and phototourism have the potential to minimize remote site uncertainty by using available camera technology to digitally capture existing site conditions for the development of accurate 3D modeling for construction project planning. For this study, the researchers (1) analyzed the applicability of ${\mathrm{D}}^4\text{AR}$ 3D reconstruction and phototourism software applications to remote construction planning; (2) determined the appropriateness and robustness of various levels of camera technology for capturing existing conditions on remote sites; and (3) evaluated the impact of image resolution and the method of capture on 3D image-based software—all key facets to usability and access. The researchers used three cameras of various performance capabilities, i.e., a 35-mm disposable box camera, a 5.7–17.1-mm (35 mm equivalent: 37–111 mm) low-level digital camera, and a $1.6{\text{-}\text{megapixel (MP)/cm}}^2$ high-level digital single-lens reflex camera. The following paper outlines a methodology for testing these camera technologies and discusses their appropriateness for reducing barriers to the application of image-based reconstruction techniques for remote site construction planning. This work offers the conclusion that ordinary camera technology is an appropriate option for capturing existing conditions in remote sites (usability), while more advanced camera technology offers better total system benefits (access) of the image-based 3D reconstruction platform. ${\mathrm{D}}^4\text{AR}$ offers a more robust system for modeling remote sites; however, both ${\mathrm{D}}^4\text{AR}$ and phototourism have the potential to generate useful computer models using catalogs of digital images to enable better planning and execution of construction projects in remote areas.

The air pressure in a drainage stack of a high-rise building test platform (HBTP) is mathematically modeled by unsteady one-dimensional ($1+1$) partial differential equations, in which an additional term is introduced to reflect the gas-liquid interphase interaction, the stack top-base effect. This model is crucial for understanding the characteristics of air pressure variation, which is significant for the recognition of the HBTP’s operational performance. A time-splitting based characteristic line method is used to solve the $1+1$ type governing equations, with the model parameters being calibrated by the measured data obtained on the HBTP. It is concluded that the generally used Saint-Venant equations should be extended appropriately so that the stack air pressure can be satisfactorily predicted.

With the advent of precast construction technology, the construction industry has seen a rapid change in the way structures are built. Precast construction has reduced project costs and durations, increased the predictability, and improved the quality of construction. It has also resulted in a shift in construction tasks from the construction site to the factory floor. Precast elements are manufactured and cured in controlled factory environments and are then transported to the construction site for assembly. This shift into the factory makes the process a viable candidate for automation. However, because of the nature of the construction industry, it is important that the automation technology used be reconfigurable in a way that accommodates frequent changes in design and demand. Most precast elements currently used are made of RC. This paper considers the unique constraints inherent in precast construction and proposes a method with which to automate the production of precast concrete elements. Assembly and placement of rebar cages is an important step during the precast segment manufacturing process. An automated procedure for assembling the steel reinforcement cage for precast elements is described. This includes the placement of longitudinal reinforcement bars, followed by the placement and bending of transverse reinforcement. The entire design and analysis is conducted using virtual reality (VR)-assisted virtual prototyping to reach a favorable design for the proposed mechanism, without having to construct an actual prototype. Several simulations of the proposed mechanism were run and the kinematic design of the mechanism was evaluated. It was observed that the VR model offers a cost-effective method for the iterative design and evaluation of the mechanism. It can also be used to study and optimize joint trajectories. Future work includes developing a scaled prototype model to validate the design, followed by a full-scale prototype.