This book is intended to raise awareness about the use of sustainable Textile-Reinforced Mortar (TRM) composite systems, including plant fibers, for civil engineering applications. It presents a comprehensive characterization of the mechanical properties of Flax-TRM composite systems when used for strengthening masonry elements. Moreover, it reports on a physical and mechanical characterization of the single components, such as the textile and mortar one. In turn, it describes tensile tests on the composite and shear bond tests on Flax-TRM-to-masonry substrate elements, carried out for the purpose of analyzing the composite material and its adherence behavior with a brick masonry element. It also reports on the analysis of the contribution of the reinforcement system on the shear capacity of masonry elements, carried out via diagonal compression tests. Last but not least, the book reports on some innovative solutions for improving the mechanical performance of the reinforcement system, e.g., by treating the fiber or modifying the matrix mix design, discussing the experimental findings in detail. All in all, this book offers extensive information on the use of plant fibers as reinforcement in TRM systems, specifically highlighting the potential of this composite as strengthening strategy for various civil engineering applications. Moreover, it defines key mechanical aspects of the composite that must be taken into consideration for increasing the efficiency of the reinforcing system. Last but not least, the book describes some technical solutions aimed at an overall improvement of the structural performance of sustainable textile-reinforced composite.

This book contains an introduction and 20 studies, each describing a recent research investigation in the area of sustainable and resilient buildings, built environment infrastructure and renewable energy. Contributions are from many different countries of the world and on a range of topics, representing a sample of research within the 'sustainable energy and buildings' field. The book begins with chapters on the sustainable design of buildings, followed by descriptions of issues relating to the renovation, restoration and reconstruction of existing buildings, or in one case a railway wagon. The next part of the book covers factors that form barriers or impediments to low or zero carbon buildings, followed by studies of issues relating to policy and certification. There then follow four chapters on various topics related to sustainable buildings - undergraduate courses, insurance issues, biophilia relating to buildings and thermal conductivity measurement. There are several chapters relating to renewable energy, followed by two chapters with a sustainable transport theme, one relating to electric vehicles, and the other about a sustainable road infrastructure. The final chapter is on the manufacture of sustainable building components for the UK housing sector. The book is of use to engineers, scientists, researchers, practitioners, academics and all those who are interested to develop and use sustainability science and technology for the betterment of our planet and humankind, and to mitigate climate change reality.

This book presents a comprehensive introduction to the field of structural vibration reduction control, but may also be used as a reference source for more advanced topics. The content is divided into four main parts: the basic principles of structural vibration reduction control, structural vibration reduction devices, structural vibration reduction design methods, and structural vibration reduction engineering practices. As the book strikes a balance between theoretical and practical aspects, it will appeal to researchers and practicing engineers alike, as well as graduate students.

This book gathers the peer-reviewed proceedings of the 14th International Symposium, PRADS 2019, held in Yokohama, Japan, in September 2019. It brings together naval architects, engineers, academic researchers and professionals who are involved in ships and other floating structures to share the latest research advances in the field. The contents cover a broad range of topics, including design synthesis for ships and floating systems, production, hydrodynamics, and structures and materials. Reflecting the latest advances, the book will be of interest to researchers and practitioners alike.

This book presents an overview of recent academic and industrial research efforts concerning halogen-free flame-retardant (FR) polymers and their nanocomposites. It summarizes the synthesis methods for various types of halogen-free FR polymers and their nanocomposites, and critically reviews their flame-retardant behavior, toxic-gas evolution during combustion, and inhibition methods. In turn, the book discusses the importance of metal oxide nanoparticles, nanoclay, and graphene in flame inhibition and addresses the FR properties of various FR compounds containing polymers, their FR mechanisms, and fire toxicant releasing and inhibition methods in detail. It systematically covers the synergetic effects between different FR compounds, and explains the significance of thermal stability and melt dripping for polymers' FR properties. The fundamental concepts described here are essential to understanding the FR behaviors of various polymers and their nanocomposites, and to developing efficient, environmentally friendly FR polymers and nanocomposites for a wide range of applications. This book is ideally suited for researchers in the fields of polymer science and engineering, and for graduate students in chemistry and materials science.

This book comprises select proceedings of the annual conference of the Indian Geotechnical Society. The conference brings together research and case histories on various aspects of geotechnical and geoenvironmental engineering. The book presents papers on geotechnical applications and case histories, covering topics such as (i) Characterization of Geomaterials and Physical Modelling; (ii) Foundations and Deep Excavations; (iii) Soil Stabilization and Ground Improvement; (iv) Geoenvironmental Engineering and Waste Material Utilization; (v) Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Geotechnical Engineering; (vi) Earth Retaining Structures, Dams and Embankments; (vii) Slope Stability and Landslides; (viii) Transportation Geotechnics; (ix) Geosynthetics Applications; (x) Computational, Analytical and Numerical Modelling; (xi) Rock Engineering, Tunnelling and Underground Constructions; (xii) Forensic Geotechnical Engineering and Case Studies; and (xiii) Others Topics: Behaviour of Unsaturated Soils, Offshore and Marine Geotechnics, Remote Sensing and GIS, Field Investigations, Instrumentation and Monitoring, Retrofitting of Geotechnical Structures, Reliability in Geotechnical Engineering, Geotechnical Education, Codes and Standards, and other relevant topics. The contents of this book are of interest to researchers and practicing engineers alike.

This book reports on current challenges in bridge engineering faced by professionals around the globe, giving a special emphasis to recently developed techniques and methods for bridge design, construction and monitoring. Based on extended and revised papers selected from outstanding presentation at the Istanbul Bridge Conference 2018, held from November 5 - 6, 2018, in Istanbul, Turkey, and by highlighting major bridge studies, spanning from numerical and modeling studies to the applications of new construction techniques and monitoring systems, this book is intended to promote high standards in modern bridge engineering. It offers a timely reference to both academics and professionals in this field.

Encyclopedia of Renewable and Sustainable Materials, Five Volume Set provides a comprehensive overview, covering research and development on all aspects of renewable, recyclable and sustainable materials. The use of renewable and sustainable materials in building construction, the automotive sector, energy, textiles and others can create markets for agricultural products and additional revenue streams for farmers, as well as significantly reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, manufacturing energy requirements, manufacturing costs and waste. This book provides researchers, students and professionals in materials science and engineering with tactics and information as they face increasingly complex challenges around the development, selection and use of construction and manufacturing materials.

With our highly connected and interdependent world, the growing threat of infectious diseases and public health crisis has shed light on the requirement for global efforts to manage and combat highly pathogenic infectious diseases and other public health crisis on an unprecedented level. Such disease threats transcend borders. Reducing global threats posed by infectious disease outbreaks - whether naturally caused or resulting from a deliberate or accidental release - requires efforts that cross the disaster management pillars: mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. This book addresses the issues of global health security along 4 themes: Emerging Threats; Mitigation, Preparedness, Response and Recovery; Exploring the Technology Landscape for Solutions; Leadership and Partnership. The authors of this volume highlight many of the challenges that confront our global security environment today. These range from politically induced disasters, to food insecurity, to zoonosis and terrorism. More optimistically, the authors also present some advances in technology that can help us combat these threats. Understanding the challenges that confront us and the tools we have to overcome them will allow us to face our future with confidence.

This book provides basics and selected advanced insights on how to generate reliability, safety and resilience within (socio) technical system developments. The focus is on working definitions, fundamental development processes, safety development processes and analytical methods on how to support such schemes. The method families of Hazard Analyses, Failure Modes and Effects Analysis and Fault Tree Analysis are explained in detail. Further main topics include semiformal graphical system modelling, requirements types, hazard log, reliability prediction standards, techniques and measures for reliable hardware and software with respect to systematic and statistical errors, and combination options of methods. The book is based on methods as applied during numerous applied research and development projects and the support and auditing of such projects, including highly safety-critical automated and autonomous systems. Numerous questions and answers challenge students and practitioners.

This book highlights key recent developments in air conditioning technologies for cooling and dehumidification with the specific objectives to improve energy efficiency and to minimize environmental impact. Today, air conditioning, comprising cooling and dehumidification, is a necessity in commercial and residential buildings and even in many industrial processes. This book provides key update on recent developments in air conditioning systems, cooling cycles and innovative cooling/dehumidification technologies. Key technologies related to cooling include heat-driven absorption and adsorption cooling and water-based dew point evaporative cooling. Technologies connected with dehumidification involve new generations of adsorbent-desiccant dehumidifiers, liquid-based desiccants and membranes that sieve out water vapor from air. Losses in cooling cycles and thermo-economic analysis for a sustainable economy are also judiciously documented.

Through research and proven practice, the aim of the International Conference of Sustainable Ecological Engineering Design for Society (SEEDS) is to foster ideas on how to reduce negative impacts on the environment while providing for the health and well-being of society. The professions and fields of research required to ensure buildings meet user demands and provide healthy enclosures are many and diverse. The SEEDS conference addresses the interdependence of people, the built and natural environments, and recognizes the interdisciplinary and international themes necessary to assemble the knowledge required for positive change.

This book provides detailed information on how to set up Deep Energy Retrofits (DERs) in public buildings, and shares in-depth insights into the current status of the major technologies, strategies and best practice examples of how to cost-effectively combine them. Case studies from the U.S.A. and Europe show that that Deep Energy Retrofit can be achieved with a limited core technologies bundle readily available on the market. Characteristics of some of these core technology measures depend on the technologies available on an individual nation's market, on the minimum requirements of national standards, and on economics (as determined by a life cycle cost analysis). Also, requirements to building envelope-related technologies (e.g., insulation levels, windows, vapor and water barriers, and requirements for building airtightness) depend on specific climate conditions. This Guide provides best practice examples of how to apply these technologies in different construction situations. High levels of energy use reduction using core technology bundles along with improvements in indoor climate and thermal comfort can be only achieved when a Deep Energy Retrofit adopts a quality assurance process. In addition to design, construction, commissioning, and post-occupancy phases of the quality assurance process, the Guide emphasizes the importance of clearly and concisely formulating and documenting the Owner's goals, expectations, and requirements for the renovated building during development of the statement of work. Another important component of the quality assurance process is a procurement phase, during which bidders' qualifications, their understanding of the scope of work and its requirements, and their previous experience are analyzed. The building sector holds the potential for tremendous improvements in terms of energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions, and energy retrofits to the existing building stock represent a significant opportunity in the transition to a low-carbon future. Moreover, investing in highly efficient building materials and systems can replace long-term energy imports, contribute to cost cutting, and create a wealth of new jobs. Yet, while the technologies needed in order to improve energy efficiency are readily available, significant progress has not yet been made, and "best practices" for implementing building technologies and renewable energy sources are still relegated to small "niche" applications. Offering essential information on Deep Energy Retrofits, the book offers a valuable asset for architects, public authorities, project developers, and engineers alike.

This book reports on the latest advances in using BIM modelling to achieve the semantic enrichment of objects, allowing them to be used both as multidimensional databases - as comprehensive sources of information for finalizing various types of documentation in the building industry - and as modelling tools for the construction of virtual environments. Having advanced to a new stage of development, BIM modelling is now being applied in a range of increasingly complex contexts, and for various new purposes. This book examines the role that virtual reality and related technologies such as AI and IoT can play in preserving and disseminating our cultural heritage and built environment.

This book examines ways of saving energy by using green roofs and facades, solar devices such as building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), and thermal solar panels, as components of energy-efficient building envelopes. The author takes an interdisciplinary / multidisciplinary approach to the subject that analyzes several different scientific fields connected to building research-sustainability, sustainable architecture, energy efficiency in buildings, and building envelopes-while approaching other collateral domains, including history, archaeology, botanics, physics, engineering, and landscape architecture. Alternative Envelope Components for Energy-Efficient Buildings will be a welcome resource for researchers, students, and postgraduates in the fields of energy, building materials, and renewable energy, as well as architects, engineers, and specialists in industries related to building products. Looks at the impact of building envelopes on energy usage; Offers readers an introduction to the principles of sustainability; Presents passive and active approaches to using solar devices.

This book highlights the concept of informed architecture as an alternative to performance-based approaches. Starting with an analysis of the state of art, the book defines an operative methodology in which performative parameters lead to the generation of the shape becoming the design's input, rather than being mere quantitative parameters. It then uses case studies to investigate the methodology. Lastly, the book discusses a novel way of conceiving and using the manufacturing tool, which is the basis for the definition of informed architectures in relation to data usage and the optimization process.

This book contains selected papers in the area of structural engineering from the proceedings of the conference, Futuristic Approaches in Civil Engineering (FACE) 2019. In the area of construction materials, the book covers high quality research papers on raw materials and manufacture of cement, mixing, rheology and hydration, admixtures, characterization techniques and modeling, fiber-reinforced concrete, repair and retrofitting of concrete structures, novel testing techniques such as digital image correlation (DIC). Research on sustainable building materials like Geopolymer concrete and recycled aggregates are covered. In the area of earthquake engineering, papers related to the seismic response of load-bearing unreinforced masonry walls, reinforced concrete frame and buildings with dampers are covered. Additionally, there are chapters on structures subjected to vehicular impact and fire. The contents of this book will be useful for graduate students, researchers and practitioners working in the areas of concrete, earthquake and structural engineering.

This book comprises select proceedings of the Indian Geotechnical Conference 2020 (IGC2020) focusing on emerging opportunities and challenges in the field of transportation geotechnics, scour and erosion, offshore geotechnics, and environmental geotechnology. The contents will be useful to researchers, educators, practitioners and policy makers alike.

This book brings together a comprehensive and up-to-date presentation of the main scientific and technological aspects of limestone mining. The book discusses how to excavate limestone from surface mines including the nuances of production and commercial aspects.It addresses topical issues related with the quarrying of limestone and environmental protection measures adopted in mining and manufacturing. The chapters in this book describe planning and designing of mining processes to produce limestone that meets with market requirements and customer specifications. The book also discusses the environmental stresses caused by mining as an industrial activity and their ramifications and remedies. The book includes case studies from different geo-mining environments. The contents of this book will be useful to professionals, researchers, and policy makers alike.

This book highlights the latest advancements in the use of automated systems in the design, construction, operation and future of the built environment and its occupants. It considers how the use of automated decision-making frameworks, artificial intelligence and other technologies of automation are presently impacting the practice of architects, engineers, project managers and contractors, and articulates the near future changes to workflows, legal frameworks and the wider AEC industry. This book surveys and compiles the use of city apps, robots that operate buildings and fabricate structural elements, 3D printing, drones, sensors, algorithms, and advanced prefabricated modules. The book also contributes to the growing literature on smart cities, and explores the impacts on data privacy and data sovereignty that arise through the use of sensors, digital twins and intelligent transport systems. It provides a useful reference for further research and development in the area of automation in design and construction to architects, engineers, project managers, superintendents and construction lawyers, contractors, policy makers, and students.

This book gathers the peer-reviewed proceedings of the 14th International Symposium, PRADS 2019, held in Yokohama, Japan, in September 2019. It brings together naval architects, engineers, academic researchers and professionals who are involved in ships and other floating structures to share the latest research advances in the field. The contents cover a broad range of topics, including design synthesis for ships and floating systems, production, hydrodynamics, and structures and materials. Reflecting the latest advances, the book will be of interest to researchers and practitioners alike.