Journal of Architectural Engineering

This paper reviews current design standards and test methods for blast-resistant glazing design and compares a typical design outcome with that from comprehensive finite-element (FE) analysis. Design standards are conservative and are limited to the design of relatively small glazed panels. Standard test methods are expensive, create environmental pollution, and can classify the hazard ratings of only smaller glazed panels. Here the design of a laminated glass (LG) panel is carried out according to an existing design standard, and then its performance is examined using comprehensive FE modeling and analysis. Finite-element results indicate that both glass panes crack, the interlayer yields with little damage, and the sealant joints do not fail for the designed blast load. This failure pattern satisfies some of the requirements for minimal hazard rating in the design standard. It is evident that interlayer thickness and material properties are important during the post-crack stage of an LG panel, but they are not accounted for in the design standards. The new information generated in this paper will contribute toward an enhanced blast design of LG panels.

There is a substantial body of literature linking energy efficiency to occupant behavior. This paper extends that literature by developing a process for segmenting U.S. homeowners into profiles, on the basis of their (1) level of utility-bill botheredness and (2) household budgetary constraints. This process, using these two lenses to view homeowners, is hereafter called Decision-Ade. It builds on and contributes to theoretical knowledge in the areas of (1) residential energy decisions, (2) marketing science, (3) the psychology of behavior change, and (4) emotional response modeling. The motivation for developing Decision-Ade is to understand whether utility-bill botheredness and budgetary constraints can be used to segment U.S. homeowners into unique groups, which in this paper are referred to as profiles. The empirical analysis confirms that homeowner segmentation is not only made possible through this process, but that it enhances the understanding of how homeowners make decisions regarding upgrades to their homes. A compelling aspect of this study is that its sample comprises more than 1,000 U.S. homeowners, which is a sample size larger than nearly each of the studies reviewed for this paper. By using a sample of this size, this methodology can be applied to other fields as well, providing information that advances basic knowledge and capabilities across multiple disciplines.

Up until the Renaissance, architects had been considered master-builders. However, the complexity of modern construction required more specialization in trades and caused fragmentation of the responsibilities of individuals involved in design and construction. Nowadays, architects are mainly responsible for the issues related to aesthetics, form, and functionality. In addition, they act as integrators and collaborate with a number of professionals involved in the construction process. One important aspect of building design is its structure, which can have significant impacts on the form and functionality of the final design outcome. Therefore, architects must be aware of structural concepts, and particularly, how form and structural behavior are related to each other. This paper presents a collaborative effort by a team of engineers, computer scientists, architects, and educational experts to develop a web-based system called Structure and Form Analysis System (SAFAS) for use by undergraduate architecture students to learn about various structural issues and the interrelationship between form and structure using double-layer grid spatial structures. This paper also introduces a modified slab analogy approach to estimate the member forces in spatial structures. In addition, it discusses the results of the evaluation of SAFAS using assignments, questionnaires, and tests completed by university architecture students. On the basis of these results, it has been concluded that SAFAS is an effective tool for learning about structure and form by architecture students with limited knowledge of structural engineering and computer science.

For environmental evaluation of building operational energy, greenhouse and acidic gases are typically used as appropriate measures. This approach can lead to the loss of additional information concerning other carbon fuel–relevant impacts, such as carcinogenic substances, fossil fuels, and land users. The objective of this study is to analyze three different environmental levels of evaluation: (1) carbon dioxide (${\mathrm{CO}}_2$) emission (inventory), (2) environmental impacts (midpoint), and (3) environmental damage (endpoint). A simple building module ($3\times 4\times 3\mathrm{m}$) facing east, north, south, and west was studied. Eco-Indicator 99 (EI99), a comprehensive damage-oriented lifecycle impact assessment method, was used. Coal was the primary fuel used for electricity production. For each of the three evaluations, an unpaired two-tailed t-test was used to determine the differences between all pairings of the module in the four cardinal orientations. On the basis of inventory and midpoint evaluations, separate optimization of building technology variables is required for each of the cardinal directions; these results were not confirmed by endpoint evaluation. The study informs designers regarding the appropriateness of midpoint evaluation of EI99 (in addition to the ${\mathrm{CO}}_2$ measure) and the need for operational energy consumption to be evaluated from an environmental point of view.