Journal of Architectural Engineering

Edge metal covers the majority of commercial roofs to maintain waterproofing. It acts as the first line of defense against wind effects on commercial roofs. First, this article summarizes the in situ measurement site (the Canada Post building located in Vancouver, Canada) and compares the measured pressures with the existing wind standards. This study aimed to develop appropriate wind design pressure coefficients for roof edges, for incorporation in the National Building Code of Canada (NBCC). During this process, the following observations were made: (a) Comparison of the in situ measured pressures with existing wind standards suggested that design specifications on wind loads acting on roof edge metal systems in current building codes and standards are not adequate; (b) a systematic procedure to calculate code-comparable pressure coefficients from the in situ measured data is a challenging process; (c) correlation exists between edge metal design coefficients with those of the roof, to simplify the components and cladding design process.

This article presents the results of an investigation on the building system of the Andalusian timber roof, which is widespread in northern Morocco. The structural behavior of the Andalusian timber roof structures surveyed in the medina of Chefchaouen is analyzed in depth. The analysis, carried out using finite-element models, allowed for assessment of the structural behavior of the structure but also highlighted some weaknesses that are inherent to this building system. These weaknesses are primarily due to the presence of unilateral connection elements that ensure efficiency only under specific stress conditions and also to the lack of efficiency of the connection between load-bearing elements of the roof and the surrounding walls. The detected horizontal displacement of supports explains the cracking pattern that is usually visible at the top of walls just under the level of the gutter. A parametric analysis was performed, revealing that the weaknesses of the system do not present specific criticalities in the geographic context in which the system is developed. Nevertheless, some crucial strengthening interventions are proven to be necessary for esuring that all timber elements can suitably contribute to the overall equilibrium of the structure in the case of an earthquake.

Vertically irregular buildings are preferred by architects, mainly due to their aesthetics. Earthquake codes not only call for special attention to the design of such architectural forms but forbid the construction of these buildings in active seismic zones based on the degree of irregularity. It is under the purview of both architects and structural engineers to understand the inherent seismic risk associated with each type of vertically irregular buildings. This paper evaluates the seismic risk of selected vertically irregular buildings in terms of their fragility curves, annual probability of collapse, drift hazard curves, and confidence levels and correlates seismic risk with the corresponding degree of irregularity using different existing irregularity indicators. The results presented in this paper show that the existing irregularity indicators do not correlate with the associated seismic risk of vertically irregular buildings. This paper will help architects and engineers to choose appropriate building configuration without compromising their seismic safety.

This paper presents a new parametric framework to analyze the constructability of masonry vaults in the early design phase. The most important part of this constructability analysis is estimating the structural stability of a vault during construction when the vault should stand without any formwork in a self-supporting way. This framework provides a set of generative identifier and analyzer algorithms that generate the detailed model of the vault, identify the unusual construction conditions, and analyze the stability of the vault, respectively. Based on the obtained feedback, the designer can modify the initial parameter values by which a vault is generated. To analyze the stability of an under-construction vault, the algorithms can generate models at different stages of construction and can also calculate the material properties of fresh mortar, which change during construction. These tasks are done by identically considering the sequence and timing of the virtual positioning of bricks and real bricklaying.

An innovative building envelope was introduced for daylight permeability in an anidolic manner through the opaque parts of exterior façades and roofs. A prefabricated translucent concrete panel (TCP) with embedded optical fibers (OFs) was coupled with a layer outfitted with compound parabolic concentrators (CPCs). Such TCPs have been predominantly used for aesthetic purposes. Moreover, OFs and CPCs have been used in many industries, particularly for telecommunications and the concentration of solar energy, respectively. The goal of this study was to introduce a novel building-envelope construction solution that can transmit sunlight to the interior of a building. Because of the nature of the traditional building materials blocking the passage of natural light, artificial lighting was constantly required, even during daytime, which consumed a great deal of energy in the form of artificial electrical light. This proposed building envelope is a viable solution to alleviate this inefficiency. Experimental results show the effectiveness and limitations of the proposed solution discussed in this paper.

A large portion of existing building stock is comprised of load-bearing masonry buildings, particularly in the Midwest and on the East Coast, though such buildings are distributed across the US. Most of them have uninsulated walls or suffer from insufficient thermal insulation materials. These buildings are inseparable parts of the cultural, social, and economic characteristics of their cities. Due to heritage and preservation concerns, zoning, and space restrictions, they cannot be retrofitted with exterior insulation. Interior insulation must therefore be considered as an alternative. Lack of insulation directly results in energy waste as well as heat loss and gain. Furthermore, it adversely affects heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) loads, equipment sizing, indoor air quality, and thermal comfort for residents. The objective of this study is to simulate and evaluate the effects of various internal thermal insulation materials and strategies on mass masonry load-bearing walls in multifamily buildings with attention to various variables and parameters. It not only addresses the energy performance and cost savings associated with an interior insulation retrofit, but also outlines other variables and parameters that are factors in the selection of optimum insulation material, including installations costs, payback periods, useful internal space loss, and options for the depth of the interior insulation retrofit. The audience for this paper is diverse: homeowners, contractors and remodelers, architects and designers, engineers, housing and preservation authorities, and more can benefit from understanding the results outlined in this study.

The unique architectural style of Western Hunan traditional dwellings must be protected, and their poor indoor thermal environment should also be improved. This investigation sought to determine the optimal passive retrofitting methods for such timber-structure dwellings. An analysis of the thermal environment of a typical traditional dwelling in Western Hunan was carried out by field study and indoor thermal evaluation on the typically coldest and hottest days. Based on the test results, this study calculated the predicted mean vote (PMV) linear fit and the acceptable temperature ranges. Then, the optimum thicknesses of the envelope insulation layer and window-to-wall ratio were evaluated by numerical simulation software based on the thermal performance of different strategies. Finally, according to the thermal performance results of the orthogonal experiments and the calculated acceptable temperature, a final comprehensive retrofitting strategy, using ordinary insulating glass units (12-mm hollow layer), a 0.2 window-to-wall ratio improvement, a polyurethane foam insulation layer (10 mm) for the double-fir external wall envelope, and reed foil (80 mm) for the clay insulation layer roof, was optimized for the existing vernacular dwellings in rural areas of Western Hunan, which can decrease the annual load from 188.38 to 65.99 kW·h/m² and increase the acceptable temperature by 1,159 h over the whole year.

There are environmental and potential economic advantages in using laminated veneer lumber (LVL) for building structures, but load-carrying capacity constrains uptake. Building on previous work in the field, the authors test the strategic placement of carbon fiber–reinforced polymer (CFRP) to improve the flexural strength of timber beams, investigating both positive and negative bending moments of structural assembly. The results demonstrate: unidirectional CFRP applied as a U-wrap on the tension side of beams improves load carrying by 25%, stiffness by 20%, and ductility by 30%; a combination of uni- and bidirectional CFRP mesh applied to beam–column joints with no other connectors achieves substantial structural continuity between beams. U-wrap reinforcement also shifts the mode of failure from abrupt to gradual. Another significant observation is that wood splinters appear to cause premature failure, and we consider solutions to this issue. Discussion of the outcomes for advancing the uptake of timber as a more sustainable structural material are undertaken, along with an outline of further work.

Modular methods are sometimes used to enhance productivity in residential construction projects. Modular methods, however, are not appropriate for all projects, and the feasibility of success must be studied on a case-by-case basis. In this article, factors that can affect the feasibility of a modular vertical expansion are explored, and the benefits of using a coarse finite-element modeling approach to help identify those factors are discussed. A case study is used to demonstrate this approach and provide project-specific factors, some of which can be generalized to other modular applications. The results of the case study show the important planning information that can be obtained by studying generalized structure behavior in the front-end portion of the design. Findings suggest that matching the construction method to the proper application and diligent front-end planning have a positive effect on the feasibility of multistory modular projects, especially those that have complex issues to contend with, such as vertical expansion.

A major 2006 survey of US schools of architecture identified significant problems in the way earthquake engineering design was integrated into and taught in their curricula. More than 10 years later, this paper reviews several of the significant problems raised, and reports on new developments in three areas. First, after acknowledging the pivotal role of the design studio in architectural education, two models of teaching earthquake engineering by linking seismic design to design studio projects are reported. The success of the models is attributed to both short and intense tutoring sessions by external professional engineers, coupled with the use of seismic design rule-of-thumb software. The second area of progress has been the remedying of shortcomings in seismic design content and appropriate teaching resources. Finally, the paper focuses on the development and use of rule-of-thumb software. This empowers students to design and size the seismic-resistant structure their design projects require. Results from student surveys in several countries suggest the software is appropriate for its users and it contributes positively to the seismic design education of architects. The paper concludes that an effective approach to teaching seismic design in a school of architecture necessitates a certain minimum content being conveyed to the students, followed by application of this material to one or more of their studio design projects. The inherent structural complexity of these projects requires tutorial advice from professional engineers that can be limited and should then be taken to another level of detail by the use of rule-of-thumb software.

This paper is based on the results of the research project PROFICIENT–SME Network Business Model for Collective Self-Organized Processes in the Construction and Retrofit of Energy-Efficient Residential Districts [European Union (EU) 7th Framework Program 2012–2016], which aimed to create large business opportunities for small medium enterprises (SMEs) in the construction sector. This was achieved by exploiting the emerging process of collective self-organized (CSO) housing by constructing and retrofitting energy-efficient residential districts. The primary goal is to illustrate the potential of an optimized energy-saving approach at a district level within the CSO housing model. The self-organized housing process, through which a group of homeowners performs new construction or retrofits projects at a district scale, reflects a growing awareness of sustainability and energy-efficient building (EeB) technologies. This awareness highlights an emergent strategy that can satisfy the goal of the 20-20-20 EU energy policies. A methodology is proposed to guide the most appropriate business cases that will enable SMEs to identify the most efficient and effective applications of technical solutions, mainly focusing on district generation systems on a large scale. Supporting the methodology is an existing case study and a virtual simulation, which demonstrate how the business model to optimize energy savings can be led by an SME.

Currently, Uruguay is developing several measures to reduce the environmental impact of human activities and CO₂ emissions. In 2015 more than 90% of electricity was produced by renewable sources. Despite this fact, the construction, transport, and building sectors are still responsible for more than 60% of CO₂ emissions. Reducing building environmental impacts is becoming an increasing challenge. Lifecycle assessment (LCA) is recognized as a method that can help to reduce the environmental impact of the building sector. The LCA can be used as an early-stage decision-making tool to assess design choices that impact the environment. The present paper developed a method based on LCA that integrates building information modeling (BIM) to assess building envelope alternatives. The method is validated by the application in a single-family house, which is the most popular typology, in Uruguay, considering three envelope alternatives including frequent and nonfrequent materials. Results focused on comparing the embodied impacts, transport, and operational energy consumptions of each scenario. The results show that the developed method can help during the building design process, especially when defining dimension and thickness of materials.

Model making is a crucial part of the design development for evaluating the form, fit, and functionality of a design before a notable investment is made. The emergence of novel technologies and their increasing uptake are helping to redefine the architecture and the architects’ master builder role by altering the way architects think and make things. Different methods and strategies are available to utilize for the production of artifacts that are considered not only to be new communication and representation tools but also are being utilized for testing and evaluation during design processes. Rapid-prototyping processes are forming a language for use between different phases of the design and are considered as a feedback mechanism informing each other. This article presents the experimental research products of two rapid-prototyping technologies, focusing on how each technology can effectively be used in the delivery of design intent. Prototyping machines were used in testing the accuracy of the geometry of the design, in terms of protecting the design intent within the production process of each model. To verify the results of the experiment, researchers conducted semistructured interviews with the experts in the built environment, and a preliminary decision-making matrix was generated, aiming to provide guidance to the architectural designers on how to effectively use the current rapid-prototyping technologies within design processes.

Recently, the world has become more conscious that the industrial and technological revolutions have seriously impacted the environment and human health, which has led to most of the research paying more attention to renewable and sustainable energy technology. Egypt is considered one of the solar belt countries with a high intensity of direct solar radiation, which should provide an opportunity to use photovoltaic (PV) integration technologies for energy production instead of using traditional sources of energy (fossil fuels) for many of its sectors of development. In this context, solar energy is considered the most promising clean and renewable energy resource. PV systems provide a cleaner, environmentally friendly alternative. These systems convert solar radiation into electricity and are considered a significant way to reduce the environmental impact of traditional electricity generation. This paper investigates the possibility of using a PV system for a residential building in Dar Misr Housing Project in Egypt through designing a grid-connected PV system to provide the required electrical power for a housing unit. This will encourage implementing sustainable practices as a source of clean sustainable energy.