scholarly journals Multidisciplinary Approach for Evaluating the Geochemical Degradation of Building Stone Related to Pollution Sources in the Historical Center of Naples (Italy)

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 4241 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valeria Comite ◽  
Michela Ricca ◽  
Silvestro Antonio Ruffolo ◽  
Sossio Fabio Graziano ◽  
Natalia Rovella ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Building Materials ◽  
Polarized Light ◽  
Analytical Techniques ◽  
Industrial Area ◽  
Building Stone ◽  
Urban Context ◽  
Traffic Area ◽  
Material State ◽  
Historical Center ◽  
Materials Used

Natural stones have represented one of the main building materials since ancient times. In recent decades, a worsening in degradation phenomena related mostly to environmental pollution was observed, threatening their conservation. The present work is focused on the minero-petrographic and geochemical characterization of black crust (BC) samples taken from the historical center of Naples, after selecting two pilot monumental areas. The latter were chosen based on their historical importance, type of material, state of preservation and position in the urban context (i.e., high vehicular traffic area, limited traffic area, industrial area, etc.). The building materials used and their interaction with environmental pollutions were studied comparing the results obtained by means of different analytical techniques such as polarized light Optical Microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersion system (SEM-EDS), X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) and laser ablation coupled with inductive plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS).

Sampling, Analysis, and Risk Assessment for Asbestos and Other Mineral Fibers in Soil

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 121-127
Author(s):  
Ed Cahill
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
Sampling Site ◽  
Polarized Light ◽  
Analytical Techniques ◽  
Visual Observation ◽  
Natural Occurrence ◽  
Cost Constraints ◽  
Assessment Time ◽  
Analytical Result

ABSTRACT Asbestos may be present in soil as a natural occurrence or by contamination from asbestos-containing building materials, illegal dumping of asbestos, or other human activities. When trying to properly assess asbestos and other mineral fiber content in a sample by microscopy, soil is a problem matrix in all respects. Even defining the sample to be collected requires forethought and can greatly influence the final analytical result. Determining the sampling approach as well as the best sample preparation and analysis techniques are critical to obtaining accurate results in a metric that is useful to the end user. This article provides an overview of the various approaches that can be applied to assist those involved with asbestos in soil projects. There are many analytical techniques that can be applied for the determination of asbestos content in soil, including visual observation in the field, stereomicroscopy, polarized light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, and others. All of these techniques have their own inherent strengths and weaknesses. Fortunately all of the analysis options are complementary, and using multiple techniques can help to better characterize a sampling site and provide a more comprehensive assessment. Time and cost constraints will typically play a role in determining the final sampling and analysis plan.

scholarly journals Study of Radioactivity in Bajaur Norite Exposed in the Himalayan Tectonic Zone of Northern Pakistan

Atmosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 1385
Author(s):  
Hannan Younis ◽  
Farooq Ahmad ◽  
Ramoona Shehzadi ◽  
Ishrat Asghar ◽  
Tanveer Ahmad ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Building Materials ◽  
Building Stone ◽  
Exact Nature ◽  
Northern Pakistan ◽  
Tectonic Zone ◽  
Plagioclase Feldspar ◽  
Northern Edge ◽  
Materials Used ◽  
Opaque Minerals ◽  
Indoor And Outdoor

Radioactivity in Granites of Pakistan systematically increases from south to north. The Ambella Granite found at the northern edge of Pakistan is highly radioactive. Radioactivity measurements made on, so called, Bajaur Granite, located in northern Pakistan, have been found to be lowest among all the granitic rock of the area. In order to find out the exact nature of Bajaur rocks, mineralogical studies were carried on rock chips and powdered samples. The Bajaur Norite contains plagioclase feldspar more than 45% as the chief constituent. Orthopyroxene and clinopyroxene are 27% and 18%. Quartz, biotite, and some opaque minerals are also found in accessory amounts. Bajaur Granite is in fact not a granite but Norite, which is rich in Na-Ca plagioclase series of feldspars. The plagioclase feldspar rich in Na-Ca are low in radioactivity. Moreover, the average gamma activities of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K (4.98 ± 0.13 Bqkg−1, 4.03 ± 0.31 Bqkg−1, 204.40 ± 4.72 Bqkg−1 and a total of all three radionuclides are 214.00 ± 5.39 Bqkg−1) for Bajaur Norites are found too be much less than the average of the world’s Granites. Indoor and outdoor hazard indices of Bajaur Norite are much below building materials used throughout the world and largely beneath their criterion restrictions. As per radiations’ hazards are concerned, the Bajaur Norite as a building stone may be considered as the safest material available in the area that does not pose any radiological hazard.

scholarly journals The Effect of Fire on Building Materials: The Case-Study of the Varnakova Monastery Cells in Central Greece

Heritage ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 1233-1259 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ekaterini T. Delegou ◽  
Maria Apostolopoulou ◽  
Ioanna Ntoutsi ◽  
Marina Thoma ◽  
Vasileios Keramidas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Building Materials ◽  
Analytical Techniques ◽  
Virgin Mary ◽  
Diagnostic Study ◽  
Materials Used ◽  
The Cost ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Non Destructive ◽  
Non Destructive Techniques

The evaluation of the fire impact on building materials is of great scientific and socio-economic importance since fire can result in materials’ chemical and mechanical alterations, which leads to structural stability problems of historical and/or modern construction. This highly increases the cost of rehabilitation interventions. The case study of the Byzantine Monastery of Panagia (Virgin Mary) Varnakova is an example of the fire effect on both historical and newer stone masonries. The Varnakova Monastery is a typical 19th century monastic complex and, during its long history, it has undergone multiple reconstructions after major catastrophic events that have taken place due to its strategic geographical position and its financial and spiritual significance for the region. The last big-scale renovation of the Monastery was conducted between the years 1992 to 2014. However, in January 2017, a devastating fire destroyed the largest part of the monastic cells’ quarter. In this work, a diagnostic study of the different construction phases’ materials comprising the masonries of the monastery cells in their present state is presented. The examination of a series of samples through analytical techniques, such as optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis, and total immersion tests, along with the use of non-destructive techniques in situ, such as Infra Red Thermography, Digital Microscopy, and Schmidt Hammer Rebound tests, shed light on the preservation state and on the decay of the diverse building materials. In addition, the impact of the fire on their properties was investigated. The results reveal the diversity of the materials used in the historical masonries throughout the centuries, while the combination of analytical and non-destructive techniques demonstrates the damages induced by the fire.

TRADITIONAL OUTBUILDINGS OF THE MORDOVIANS

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 154-165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena N. Mokshina ◽  
Mihail I. Svyatkin
Keyword(s):  
Ethnic Group ◽  
Economic Activity ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
Animal Feed ◽  
Economic Activities ◽  
Important Place ◽  
Main Building ◽  
Genetic Problem ◽  
Materials Used ◽  
Functional Purpose

Introduction. The article deals with the main traditional outbuildings of the Mordvinians, reported on their functional purpose in economic activity. The forms and types of outbuildings, as well as the main building materials used by Mordvinians are described in details. Their significance in the religious and ceremonial life of the ethnic group is shown. Materials and Methods. The research is based on traditional methods of ethnographic science, such as field observation, survey and interviews, and a comprehensive approach. Among the methods of historical science comparative-historical, historical-genetic, problem-chronological, structural-system were used. Among the general scientific methods of research logical, descriptive, narrative, generalization, classification and systematization were involved. To achieve the results of the study, the materials collected by the authors in the course of field surveys conducted in the Mordovian villages were mainly used. Results and Discussion. Traditional outbuildings were of great importance in the economic activity of the Mordovian ethnic group. According to their functional purpose, they can be divided into the following groups: for livestock and poultry (stable, chicken coop, stable, kalda), sanitary and hygienic (bath), warehouse buildings for storage of food, utensils, firewood, animal feed (barn, cellar, woodshed, hayloft), for processing of grain (sheep, riga, mill). Depending on the welfare and financial capacity of the family, the number of outbuildings was different. As a rule, the wealthier families had more outbuildings than the less wealthier ones. The main building material for the construction of these buildings was wood. Conclusion. Thus, the traditional outbuildings of the Mordvinians occupied an important place in its economic activities. At the same time, each of them had its own purpose and performed certain functions. Some buildings, such as a bath and a barn, had not only economic purpose, but also were the venue for a number of prayers and ceremonies. It is now ordinarily they have banya (bath-house), outdoor courtyard with standing in different places sheds, barn and cellar.

scholarly journals Architectural ruins: geoculture of the anatomy of buildings as illustrated by Casa Ippolito, Malta

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lino Bianco
Keyword(s):  
Material Culture ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
Primary Source ◽  
Secondary Sources ◽  
Non Invasive ◽  
History Of ◽  
Aerial Vehicle ◽  
Materials Used ◽  
Building Physics

AbstractRuins are a statement on the building materials used and the construction method employed. Casa Ippolito, now in ruins, is typical of 17th-century Maltese aristocratic country residences. It represents an illustration of secondary or anthropogenic geodiversity. This paper scrutinises these ruins as a primary source in reconstructing the building’s architecture. The methodology involved on-site geographical surveying, including visual inspection and non-invasive tests, a geological survey of the local lithostratigraphy, and examination of notarial deeds and secondary sources to support findings about the building’s history as read from its ruins. An unmanned aerial vehicle was used to digitally record the parlous state of the architectural structure and karsten tubes were used to quantify the surface porosity of the limestone. The results are expressed from four perspectives. The anatomy of Casa Ippolito, as revealed in its ruins, provides a cross-section of its building history and shows two distinct phases in its construction. The tissue of Casa Ippolito—the building elements and materials—speaks of the knowledge of raw materials and their properties among the builders who worked on both phases. The architectural history of Casa Ippolito reveals how it supported its inhabitants’ wellbeing in terms of shelter, water and food. Finally, the ruins in their present state bring to the fore the site’s potential for cultural tourism. This case study aims to show that such ruins are not just geocultural remains of historical built fabric. They are open wounds in the built structure; they underpin the anatomy of the building and support insights into its former dynamics. Ruins offer an essay in material culture and building physics. Architectural ruins of masonry structures are anthropogenic discourse rendered in stone which facilitate not only the reconstruction of spaces but also places for human users; they are a statement on the wellbeing of humanity throughout history.

Field temperature and moisture loads from a building envelope as the basis for accelerated aging of barrier membranes

2019 ◽  
Vol 46 (11) ◽  
pp. 969-978 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marzieh Riahinezhad ◽  
Augusta Eve ◽  
Marianne Armstrong ◽  
Peter Collins ◽  
J.-F. Masson
Keyword(s):  
Building Materials ◽  
National Research Council ◽  
Accelerated Aging ◽  
Bimodal Distribution ◽  
Building Envelope ◽  
Rate Of Change ◽  
Single Family ◽  
Field Exposure ◽  
Aging Conditions ◽  
Materials Used

Temperature and relative humidity (RH) data within the building envelope of a single-family home at the National Research Council of Canada’s Canadian Centre for Housing Technology were collected over five years. We report on the distribution, rate of change, and the limits of temperature and moisture variations for south-easting wall and south-facing wall and roof systems to better understand the in-situ environmental conditions to which building materials and components typical of homes in North America may be subjected. Over an average year, wall temperature varied from −25 °C to +45 °C, and temperature followed a bimodal distribution, with maxima at 0 °C to 5 °C and 15 °C to 20 °C. Each maximum represented about 1100 h of field exposure. Roof temperatures, which spanned a temperature range from −35 °C to 75 °C, did not show a Gaussian distribution but were characterized as being multi-modal. From values of temperature and RH, absolute moisture contents within the building envelope were found to range between 1 and 55 g/m3, with the most common values being 6–8 g/m3. The application of this information is discussed and related to the development of realistic accelerated aging conditions to obtain a more accurate durability assessment of building envelope materials used in Canadian dwellings.

scholarly journals Life Cycle Environmental Assessment of Light Steel Framed Buildings with Cement-Based Walls and Floors

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (24) ◽  
pp. 10686
Author(s):  
Mona Abouhamad ◽  
Metwally Abu-Hamd
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
Simulation Software ◽  
Life Cycle Assessment Methodology ◽  
Building Information Model ◽  
Building Information ◽  
Cold Formed Steel ◽  
Environmental Measures ◽  
Materials Used

The objective of this paper is to apply the life cycle assessment methodology to assess the environmental impacts of light steel framed buildings fabricated from cold formed steel (CFS) sections. The assessment covers all phases over the life span of the building from material production, construction, use, and the end of building life, in addition to loads and benefits from reuse/recycling after building disposal. The life cycle inventory and environmental impact indicators are estimated using the Athena Impact Estimator for Buildings. The input data related to the building materials used are extracted from a building information model of the building while the operating energy in the use phase is calculated using an energy simulation software. The Athena Impact Estimator calculates the following mid-point environmental measures: global warming potential (GWP), acidification potential, human health potential, ozone depletion potential, smog potential, eutrophication potential, primary and non-renewable energy (PE) consumption, and fossil fuel consumption. The LCA assessment was applied to a case study of a university building. Results of the case study related to GWP and PE were as follows. The building foundations were responsible for 29% of the embodied GWP and 20% of the embodied PE, while the CFS skeleton was responsible for 30% of the embodied GWP and 49% of the embodied PE. The production stage was responsible for 90% of the embodied GWP and embodied PE. When benefits associated with recycling/reuse were included in the analysis according to Module D of EN 15978, the embodied GWP was reduced by 15.4% while the embodied PE was reduced by 6.22%. Compared with conventional construction systems, the CFS framing systems had much lower embodied GWP and PE.

Comparative analysis of three NDVI resolutions in different urban typologies. The case of Granollers in the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan García-Haro ◽  
Josep Roca
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Metropolitan Area ◽  
Urban Studies ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Industrial Area ◽  
Landsat 8 ◽  
Urban Context ◽  
Urban Core ◽  
First Results ◽  
Definition Of

<p>In recent years, the use of remote sensed NDVI has become recurrent in urban studies regarding the adaptation of cities to climate change. However, due to the physical diversity within cities and the different resolution offered by the sensors, the territorial interpretation of what the NDVI values really mean becomes difficult. Where the larger the size of the cells of the image, the greater the number of elements of the built environment within it, and the more complex the interpretation becomes.</p><p>In this work, the relationship between the NDVI of three sensors with different cell resolution for the same location and date is studied. In particular, the city of Granollers in the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona is analyzed. First, the NDVI images were obtained from Landsat-8 with 30m resolution, Sentinel-2 with 10m and from the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food of Catalonia (DARP) with 0.125m resolution. Then, the comparison was performed with a sample of five different typologies of the territory: dense urban core, suburban, industrial, area of highway and rural.</p><p>As first results, a supervised classification of the DARP image allowed the definition of 0.30 as the precise minimum value of NDVI that indicates the actual presence of vegetation. On the other hand, the comparison indicates that, in the urban context, the larger the cell size, the presence of vegetation quality is overestimated, where the higher percentage of cells is concentrated in higher NDVI values than in those with lower resolution. However, this behavior is not appreciated in rural areas, where higher percentages of cells of different resolutions were concentrated in the same NDVI ranges.</p><p>In such a way, it is corroborated that it is in the urban context where this indicator has a greater difficulty of territorial interpretation. Statements that are analyzed in greater depth in this study, where its implications in the use of NDVI in urban studies for the adaptation of cities to climate change are discussed.</p>

Demands and Feasibilities of Open Building in Iranian Urban Context

2008 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-71
Author(s):  
Mahta Mirmoghtadaee
Keyword(s):  
Architectural Design ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
Design Principles ◽  
Legal Framework ◽  
Spatial Variations ◽  
Industrial Building ◽  
Urban Context ◽  
Life Styles ◽  
Traditional Design ◽  
Wall Structures

Traditional Iranian houses, were built of heavy, voluminous building materials resulting in massive bearing wall structures. Such buildings had fixed architectural spaces, with defined boundaries and dimensions. However, the need for adaptability was fulfilled through creating multifunctional spaces, seasonal or even daily movements in the horizontal and vertical directions of house areas, and subdivision or expansion of the primary spaces. Urbanization in Iran is leading to gradual replacement of individual houses by residential complexes and apartments in which, the use of traditional design principles was lost, while solutions to enhance adaptability in the internal layouts have not yet developed. The paper concludes that open building may provide practical tools to enhance spatial variations in the new conditions. However, to take the first step towards this approach in Iran, some major issues such as "legal framework", "changing needs of Iranian families", "Iranian life styles" and "situation of industrial building production in Iran" have to be analyzed. Considering the mentioned factors, some recommendations for architectural design are proposed.

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