Mixed Reality is moving out of the research-labs into our daily lives. It plays an increasing role in architecture, design and construction. The combination of digital content with reality creates an exciting synergy that sets out to enhance engagement within architectural design and construction.

State-of-the-art research projects on theories and applications within Mixed Reality are presented by leading researchers covering topics in architecture, design collaboration, construction and education. They discuss current projects and offer insight into the next wave of Mixed Reality possibilities.

One distinct feature of human society since the dawn of civilization is the systematic use of inorganic building materials, such as natural stone, unburnt and burnt soil, adobe and brick, inorganic binders like lime and cement, and reinforced concrete. Our heritage has cultural, architectural and technological value and preserving such structures is a key issue today. Planners and conservation scientists need detailed site surveys and analyses to create a database that will serve to guide subsequent actions. One factor in this knowledge base is an understanding of how historic materials were prepared and the crucial properties that influence their long-term behaviour. Any assessment of the way such materials perform must crucially be based on an understanding of the methods used for their analysis. The editors here add to the knowledge base treating the materials used in historic structures, their properties, technology of use and conservation, and their performance in a changing environment. The book draws together 18 chapters dealing with the inorganic materials used in historic structures, such as adobe, brick, stone, mortars, concrete and plasters. The approach is complex, covering material characterisation as well as several case studies of historic structures from Europe, including Germany, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Scotland, Slovenia and Spain, and the My Son Temples in Vietnam. An equally important component of the book covers the analysis of materials, together with a treatment of sustainable development, such as the protection of monuments from earthquakes and climate change. The authors are all leading international experts, drawn from a variety of backgrounds: architecture, civil engineering, conservation science, geology and material science, with close links to professional organisations such as ICOMOS or universities and research centres throughout Europe. Audience: This book will be of interest to geologists, engineers, restorers, consulting engineers, designers and other professionals dealing with cultural heritage and sustainable development. Also graduate students in applied geo-science (mineralogy, geochemistry, petrology), architecture and civil engineering will find interesting information in this book.

These are the papers presented at the Fib-RILEM workshop held in Madrid, Spain, in November 2010. The assessment of deterioration and aging of concrete structures, most commonlythrough reinforcement corrosion, is not considered incurrent structural codes or standards. Some guidelines manuals exist, and research has been done, but there is as yet no accepted methodology nor models that could be used by engineers.

This book deals with all aspects related to modelling of corroding structures and provides state-of-the-art information on structural models for corroding structures."

This book highlights aesthetics as pertaining to the structural component in architectural design. This less explored aspect of architecture is discussed and explains the enduring qualities of ten specific buildings from architectural history to present day due to their structural aesthetics. Based on comprehensive research, a critical analysis is presented of the constraints and other influences on architectural and structural design, such as culture, patronage, geometry, available resources and technologies.

Optimal analysis is defined as an analysis that creates and uses sparse, well-structured and well-conditioned matrices. The focus is on efficient methods for eigensolution of matrices involved in static, dynamic and stability analyses of symmetric and regular structures, or those general structures containing such components. Powerful tools are also developed for configuration processing, which is an important issue in the analysis and design of space structures and finite element models.
Different mathematical concepts are combined to make the optimal analysis of structures feasible. Canonical forms from matrix algebra, product graphs from graph theory and symmetry groups from group theory are some of the concepts involved in the variety of efficient methods and algorithms presented.
The algorithms elucidated in this book enable analysts to handle large-scale structural systems by lowering their computational cost, thus fulfilling the requirement for faster analysis and design of future complex systems. The value of the presented methods becomes all the more evident in cases where the analysis needs to be repeated hundreds or even thousands of times, as for the optimal design of structures by different metaheuristic algorithms.
The book is of interest to anyone engaged in computer-aided analysis and design and software developers in this field. Though the methods are demonstrated mainly through skeletal structures, continuum models have also beenadded to show the generality of the methods. The concepts presented are not only applicable to different types of structures but can also be used for the analysis of other systems such as hydraulic and electrical networks."

This book provides a comprehensive description of traditional and innovative forest-based bioproducts, from pulp and paper, wood-based composites and wood fuels to chemicals and fiber-based composites. The descriptions of different types of forest-based bioproducts are supplemented by the environmental impacts involved in their processing, use, and end-of-life phase. Further, the possibility of reusing, recycling and upgrading bioproducts at the end of their projected life cycle is discussed. As the intensity of demand for forest biomass is currently changing, forest-based industries need to respond with innovative products, business models, marketing and management. As such, the book concludes with a chapter on the bioproducts business and these products' role in bioeconomies.

This book explains how in moving towards Cleaner Production, the Lean Production Philosophy can be applied to reduce carbon emissions in prefabrication - one major source of the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions which contribute to global climate change. This book examines theories and principles in the Lean Production Philosophy to develop situation-based carbon reduction strategies for precast concrete manufacturers and contractors in terms of Site layout, Supply Chain, Production, Stocks and Installation Management. It presents the empirical findings of surveys and case studies with managers and professionals working for precasters and contractors in Singapore, findings which provide good practical guidance for precast concrete manufacturers and contractors to achieve low carbon emissions and to perform better in many sustainability-based rating systems, such as the Singapore Green Labelling Scheme and the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) Green Mark Scheme.

This book charts the path toward high performance sustainable buildings and the smart dwellings of the future. The volume clearly explains the principles and practices of high performance design, the uses of building information modelling (BIM), and the materials and methods of smart construction. Power Systems, Architecture, Material Science, Civil Engineering and Information Systems are all given consideration, as interdisciplinary endeavours are at the heart of this green building revolution.

This volume covers the interdisciplinary field of disaster mitigatition against earthquakes with special emphasis on prevention of total collapse of existing low rise buildings towards reduction of life losses and economical assets. Rehabilitation of thousands of low-rise buildings in many big cities located in earthquake prone areas, is practically impossible even though there are experimentally and analytically approved intervention techniques to protect these existing buildings. It is simply not possible to find a proper way and proper amount of financial support to do this job. It will be more realistic to change the target to be achieved in a relatively short time, especially if time shortage starts to become the most critical issue. The new target can be specified as the prevention of total collapse of low-rise low-cost existing buildings, at least to save as much lives and property as possible. Simple prescriptive techniques, which can be implemented by the building owners, should be prepared. The cost of the improvement techniques, all kinds of legal, economical and social issues for convincing people, and promotions such as tax exemptions should be discussed in detail. Writers of all chapters are leading researchers and engineers working in the field of structural and earthquake engineering. The book will start with an introduction chapter written by Prof. Helmut Krawinkler of Stanford University. In this chapter, past and present of studies towards seismically safe design and construction will be introduced, as well as potential future trends in structural and earthquake engineering. In other chapters, different subjects will be presented under three main titles, namely; determination of seismic risks, seismic safety assessment of existing buildings, and measures for prevention of total collapse.

This book highlights the concept of environmental water footprint in the energy (bioenergy & hydropower) sector and the building/construction sector, focusing on a case study in Iran. It argues and demonstrates that water conservation is one of the most essential elements every industry has to take into account in its sustainability strategy.

This book addresses earthquakes, with a special focus on the Ghorka earthquake, which struck parts of central Nepal in April 2015. Drawing on this disastrous event, it closely examines various aspects of earthquakes in contributions prepared by international experts. The topics covered include: the geological and geophysical background of seismicity; a detailed inventory of the damage done by the earthquake; effective damage prevention through earthquake-safe buildings and settlements; restoration options for world-heritage buildings; strategies for providing technical and medical relief and, lastly, questions associated with public life and economy in a high-risk seismic zone. Combining perspectives from various fields, the book presents the state of the art in all earthquake-related fields and outlines future approaches to risk identification, damage prevention, and disaster management in all parts of society, administration, and politics in Nepal. Beyond the specific disaster in Nepal, the findings presented here will have broader implications for how societies can best deal with disasters.

This book provides a general review of the literature on underground structures, combined with new specifications, engineering case studies, and numerical simulations based on the authors' research. It focuses on the basic concepts, theories, and methods of the design of underground structures. After an introduction, it covers various topics, such as elastic foundation beam theory and numerical analysis methods for underground structures, as well as the design of shallow underground structures, diaphragm wall structures, shield tunnel structures, caisson structures, immersed tube structures, and integral tunnel structures. It also includes tables for calculating elastic foundation beam. This book is intended for senior undergraduate and graduate students majoring in urban underground space engineering, building engineering, highway engineering, railway engineering, bridge and tunnel engineering, water conservancy and hydropower engineering.

Energy audits have multiple goals including reducing energy consumption, managing costs and environmental impact. Improving the energy performance of existing buildings through energy retrofit measures is a great opportunity for developing sustainability in our structures and developing a green building economy. Green Energy Audit of Buildings considers this opportunity with a new and modern interpretation of the classic methodologies. This comprehensive guide to green energy audits integrates energy audit and LEED (R) methodologies to focus on energy and environment as strategic elements. In addition to these methodologies, Green Energy Audit of Buildings includes 45 check-list for field surveys and 97 technical sheets of possible energy retrofit actions that can be applied to existing real-world cases. Covering both the technical and economical points of view, Green Energy Audit of Buildings provides a comprehensive understanding and method for analyzing buildings and facilities in order to promote sustainability. Engineers, architects, energy assessors and mangers in charge of building maintenance will all find this a key reference as well as lecturers, students and researchers looking to develop their understanding of sustainable buildings.

This book presents the necessary fundamental knowledge in the research, development, design, selection, and application of desiccant heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning systems. It covers the established installations in different climatic conditions and building types. In addition, advanced performance evaluation techniques are presented, covering thermodynamic, economic, and environmental aspects. Hence, the book is an important resource for undergraduate and graduate students, design and installation engineers, researchers and scientists, building owners and occupants, and energy and environmental policy makers.

This volume gathers the latest advances, innovations and applications presented by leading international researchers and engineers at the International Conference on Sustainable Production and Use of Cement and Concrete (ICSPCC 2019), held in Villa Clara, Cuba on June 23-30, 2019. It covers highly diverse topics, including sustainable production of low-carbon cements, novelties in the development of supplementary cementitious materials, new techniques for the microstructural characterization of construction materials, Portland-based and alkaline-activated cementitious systems, development of additives and additions in the sustainable production of concrete, sustainable production of high-performance concrete, durable concrete produced with recycled aggregates, development of mortars for historical patrimony restoration, environmental and economic assessment of the production and use of cement. The contributions, which were selected by means of a rigorous, international peer-review process, highlight numerous exciting ideas that will inspire novel research directions and foster multidisciplinary collaboration between different specialists.

This book provides basic information on the design of structures with tropical woods. It is intended primarily for teaching university- and college-level courses in structural design. It is also suitable as a reference material for practitioners. Although parts of the background material relate specifically to West and East Africa, the design principles apply to the whole of tropical Africa, Latin America and South Asia. The book is laced with ample illustrations including photographs of real life wood structures and structural elements across Africa that make for interesting reading. It has numerous manual and Excel spread sheet worked examples and review questions that can properly guide a first-time designer of wooden structural elements. A number of design problems are also solved using the FORTRAN programming language. Topics covered in the thirteen chapters of the book include a brief introduction to the book, the anatomy and physical properties of tropical woods; a bri ef review of the mechanical properties of wood, timber seasoning and preservation, uses of wood and wood products in construction; basic theory of structures, and structural load computations; design of wooden beams, solid and built-up wooden columns, wood connections and wooden trusses; as well as a brief introduction to the design of wooden bridges.

This monograph presents a state-of-the-art analysis of eco-friendly and aesthetic structures in wooden dome construction. The author demonstrates that the further development of wooden structures depends on both supplementing the testing of wood as a heterogeneous material, as well as on further improvement of fibrous structures with visco-elastic properties. The target audience primarily comprises research experts and practitioners in the field of building materials who are interested in innovative architecture.

This book brings forward the concept of the geology-environmental capacity of ground buildings. It quantifies the geology-environmental capacity of ground buildings by analyzing the main factors of land subsidence and setting up the evaluation system. The geological environmental capacity of ground buildings is mainly controlled by the land subsidence and the output is the floor area ratio. According to the different geology structures and the different requirements of subsidence control in the soft soil areas in Shanghai, the evaluation system of the floor area ratio is built up by the adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) and the floor area ratios of four typical regions (Lujiazui, Xujiahui, Zhongyuan and Changqiao) are obtained by the ANFIS to offer references for urban planning. By taking the typical soft soil areas in Shanghai as case studies, this book will provide valuable insights to professors and graduate students in the field of Geotechnical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Engineering Geology and Environmental Geology.

This book presents a study for the determination of environmental load factors for Jacket Platforms in Malaysia and a methodology to determine the life extension of aging platforms. The simplified methods described here could be used for determining not only structural reliability but also safety factors. Its content is particularly interesting to design and maintenance engineers who are working in offshore or onshore industry.

In the past, facilities considered to be at the end of their useful life were demolished and replaced with new ones that better met the functional requirements of modern society, including new safety standards. Humankind has recently recognised the threats to the environment and to our limited natural resources due to our relentless determination to destroy the old and build anew. With the awareness of these constraints and the emphasis on sustainability, in future the majority of old structures will be retrofitted to extend their service life as long as feasible. In keeping with this new approach, the EU s Construction Products Regulation 305/2011, which is the basis of the Eurocodes, included the sustainable use of resources as an "Essential Requirement" for construction. So, the forthcoming second generation of EN-Eurocodes will cover not only the design of new structures, but the rehabilitation of existing ones as well.
Most of the existing building stock and civil infrastructures are seismically deficient. When the time comes for a decision to prolong their service life with the help of structural and architectural upgrading, seismic retrofitting may be needed. Further, it is often decided to enhance the earthquake resistance of facilities that still meet their functional requirements and fulfil their purpose, if they are not earthquake-safe. In order to decide how badly a structure needs seismic upgrading or to prioritise it in a population of structures, a seismic evaluation is needed, which also serves as a guide for the extent and type of strengthening. Seismic codes do not sufficiently cover the delicate phase of seismic evaluation nor the many potential technical options for seismic upgrading; therefore research is on-going and the state-of-the-art is constantly evolving. All the more so as seismic evaluation and rehabilitation demand considerable expertise, to make best use of the available safety margins in the existing structure, to adapt the engineering capabilities and techniques at hand to the particularities of a project, to minimise disruption of use, etc. Further, as old structures are very diverse in terms of their materials and layout, seismic retrofitting does not lend itself to straightforward codified procedures or cook-book approaches. As such, seismic evaluation and rehabilitation need the best that the current state-of-the-art can offer on all aspects of earthquake engineering. This volume serves this need, as it gathers the most recent research of top seismic experts from around the world on seismic evaluation, retrofitting and closely related subjects."

This book focuses on the impacts of the built environment, and how to predict and measure the benefits and consequences of changes taking place to address sustainability in the development and building industries. It draws together the best treatments of these subjects from the Leeds Sustainability Institute's inaugural International Conference on Sustainability, Ecology, Engineering, Design for Society (SEEDS). The focus of discussion is on understanding how buildings and spaces are designed and nurtured to obtain optimal outcomes in energy efficiency and environmental impacts. In addition to examining technical issues such as modeling energy performance, emphasis is placed on the health and well-being of occupants. This holistic approach addresses the interdependence of people with the built and natural environments. The book's contents reflect the interdisciplinary and international collaboration critical to assembly of the knowledge required for positive change.