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Building an educational seismic network in Romanian schools
Zaharia, Bogdan; Tataru, Dragos; Grecu, Bogdan; Ionescu, Constantin; Bican-Brisan, Nicoleta; Neagoe, Cristian
Understanding the earthquake phenomena and their effects is an important step toward the education of population and aims to raise the awareness about the earthquake risk and possible mitigation actions. In this sense, The Romanian Educational Seismic Network project represents an efficient communication tool, allowing teaching and learning about the earthquakes and seismic wave impact through experimental practices and educational activities. The seismic network consist of nine SEP seismometers installed in high-schools from the most important seismic areas (Vrancea, Banat, Făgăraş, Dobrogea), vulnerable cities (Bucharest, Iasi) or high populated places (Cluj, Sibiu, Timisoara, Zalău) and is coordinated by the National Institute of Earth Physics from Bucharest. Once installed, the seismic network is the starting point of activities for students through an e-learning platform. Some objectives are aimed: - To train students and teachers how to make analysis and interpretation of seismological data; - To make science more interesting for students; - To improve the participation rates in physical sciences for students; - To raise awareness of geoscience as a scientific discipline for pre-university students; - To promote the installation and effective use of educational seismographs and seismic data; - To reinforce and develop relationships between participating schools and research institutes; - To create an earthquake database this will be used by students and teachers for educational purposes. Different types of practical activities using educational seismometer, designed by researchers for students, are described in educational materials and in the web platform project. Also we encourage the teachers from the participating schools to share their experiences and produce new didactic tools for the classroom. This collaborative work could illustrate the conjugated efforts of researchers and teachers for a better education and awareness of the risk culture
Role of cooperation activities for capacity building of Romanian Regulatory Authority (CNCAN)
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Biro, L.; Ciurea-Ercau, C.
With a slow but active nuclear development program of sector since 1980, Romanian regulatory authority had to permanently adapt to the changes in national and international environment in order ensure continuously increase of capacity building and effectiveness, commensurate with the growing nuclear sector. Limited human resources available at the national level put the Romanian Regulatory Authority in the position of building the Technical Support Organization as part of its on organization. International cooperation played an important role in capacity building of Romanian regulatory body and providing necessary assistance in performing regulatory activities or support in development of regulatory framework. Fellowships and technical visits, workshops and training courses provided through IAEA TC at national or regional level, technical assistance provided by European Commission (EC) through PHARE Projects, all provided valuable contribution in assuring training of regulatory staff and development of proper regulatory framework in Romania. Therefore, Romanian Regulatory Authority is putting a strong accent on strengthening and promoting international cooperation through IAEA Technical Cooperation Programme, Molls between regulatory bodies, as one of the key elements in supporting capacity building of regulatory authorities in countries having small or embarking on nuclear power program. Building networks between training centers and research facilities and establishments of regional training centers represent one of the future viable options in preserving knowledge in nuclear field. (author)
CSIR Research Space (South Africa)
Mapiravana, Joseph
Full Text Available , steel and composites research. Analysis of the building materials market situation in South Africa identified the major building material cost drivers as cement and concrete and steel. For South Africa, research and development focus has been... in South Africa be cement and concrete, light-weight steel construction, smart tiles and composite materials. Nanotechnology materials should be used for property enhancement. The building materials developed should be modularised and/or panelised...
Neutron activation analysis of some building materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Salagean, M.; Pantelica, A.; Georgescu, I.I.; Muntean, M.I.
Over the past decade, indoor air quality has become a growing environmental problem. A careful selection of building materials concerning the acceptance of chemical and radioactive emissions is one of the ways to ensure high indoor air quality. Nowadays, it is a tendency to obtain new building materials having good isolation properties and low density by using the cheap and practically inexhaustible solid waste products like furnace slag, fly coal ash and phosphogypsum, without combustion. The Romanian furnace slag containing generally, above 45 % CaO can be used alone or mixed with fly ash to obtain some binder materials with mechanical resistance comparable to the Portland cement. Different additives such as CaO+Na 2 SO 4 or CaCl 2 +Na 2 SO 4 are used as activating admixtures. Concentrations of As, Au, Ba, Br, Ca, Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, Eu, Fe, Hf, K, La, Lu, Mo, Na, Nd, Rb, Sb, Sc, Sr, Ta, Tb, Th, U, Yb, W and Zn in seven Romanian building materials were determined by Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) method at WWR-S Reactor of IFIN-HH, Bucharest. Raw material used in the cement production (∼75 % limestone, ∼25 % clay), cement samples from three different factories, furnace slag, phosphogypsum, and a type of brick compacted from furnace slag, fly coal ash, phosphogypsum, lime and cement have been analyzed. The fly coal ashes from five Romanian coal-fired power plants, resulting by the combustion of the xyloide brown coals, lignite and bituminous-subbituminous coals were previously analyzed. It was found that the content of the toxic microelements like As, Co, Cr, Th, U, Zn in the ceramic blocks is especially due to the slag and fly ash, the main components. This content depends on the particular sources of mineral raw materials. The presence of U, Th and K in slag is mainly correlated with the limestone and dolomite as used in the metallurgical process. (authors)
Building a Spatial Database for Romanian Archaeological Sites
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Aura-Mihaela MOCANU
Full Text Available Spatial databases are a new technology in the database systems which allow storing, retrieving and maintaining geospatial data. This paper describes the steps which we have followed to model, design and develop a spatial database for Romanian archaeological sites and their assemblies. The system analysis was made using the well known Entity-Relationship model; the system design included the conceptual, the external and the internal schemas design, and the system development meant developing the needed database objects and programs. The designed database allows users to load vector geospatial data about the archaeological sites in two distinct spatial reference systems WGS84 and STEREO70, temporal data about the historical periods and cultures, other descriptive data and documents as references to the archaeological objects.
Building materials. Stichwort Baustoff
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Rohwer, W
To handle building materials properly, one must know about their characteristics. This pocket book will be of help: structured like a glossary, it gives brief descriptions of the most common building materials. It is small and handy enough to be a constant companion to resident engineers, foremen, gangers, building tradesmen, and construction workers and an aid in their training. The following groups of building materials are discussed: Natural stone; units for brick walls, floors, and roofs; mortar and concrete (definitions, binders, aggregates, additives, admixtures, mixing water); special types of plaster and rendering; light-weight building boards and wood wool basis; multilayer light-weight building boards; gypsum plasterboards; chimney construction; sewers; thermal insulation and sound section; structural steels; plastics.
Radioactivity of building materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Terpakova, E.
In this paper the gamma-spectrometric determination of natural radioactivity in the different building materials and wares applied in Slovakia was performed. The specific activities for potassium-40, thorium, radium as well as the equivalent specific activities are presented
Radioactivity in building materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The present report, drawn up at the request of the former Minister of Public Health and Environmental Affairs of the Netherlands, discusses the potential radiological consequences for the population of the Netherlands of using waste materials as building materials in housing construction. (Auth.)
Mycotoxins in building materials
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Nielsen, Kristian Fog; Frisvad, Jens Christian
as in future energy efficient buildings. It brings together different disciplinary points of view on indoor mold, ranging from physics and material science to microbiology and health sciences. The contents have been outlined according to three main issues: Fundamentals, particularly addressing the crucial...... roles of water and materials, Health, including a state-of-the-art description of the health-related effects of indoor molds, and Strategies, integrating remediation, prevention and policies....
Obtaining of Grafted Planting Material at Some Romanian Tomatoes
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Madalina Doltu
Full Text Available The tomatoes have highest share in Romanian crops from protected spaces (greenhouses, solariums. The grafting is an agronomical technique that induces or improves some qualities of the tomato cultivars (resistance to soil diseases and pests, resistance to abiotic factors, quantity and quality of fruit production. The research was aimed the establishing of the technological stages for producing of scion and rootstock seedlings from L. esculentum species, to obtain compatible phenotype when is grafted. The observations of this research were conducted on Department of Horticultural Cultures in Protected Spaces from Horting Institute Bucharest. The experience was carry out on a cultivar collection consisting from L. esculentum plants: scions ('Siriana'–F1 hybrid and 'Buzău 1600'– variety, creations from the germplasm bank of Research and Development Station for Vegetable Growing Buzău Romania (VDRS Buzău and rootstock ('Groundforce'–F1 hybrid. The plant diameters were correlated for a grafting by the annexation method, cutting at 45 degrees. The grafting was performed successfully. The technological steps have achieved phenotypic compatibility of the symbiotes when was the grafting by annexation. The technology for producing of scion and rootstock seedlings at these Romanian tomatoes ('Siriana' and 'Buzău' 1600 was established for the crops in protected spaces in south area of Romania.
Radioactivity in building materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Stranden, E.
The object of this brief report is to make the pollution inspectorate aware of the radiation hazards involved in new building materials, such as gypsum boards and alum slate based concrete blocks whose radium content is high. Experience in Swedish housebuilding has shown that a significant increase in the radiation dose to the occupants can occur. Improved insulation and elimination of draughts in fuel conservation accentuate the problem. Norwegian investigations are referred to and OECD and Scandinavian discussions aiming at recommendations and standards are mentioned. Suggested measures by the Norwegian authorities are given. (JIW)
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
David C. Weggel; Shen-En Chen; Helene Hilger; Fabien Besnard; Tara Cavalline; Brett Tempest; Adam Alvey; Madeleine Grimmer; Rebecca Turner
This report describes work conducted on the Building Materials Reclamation Program for the period of September 2008 to August 2010. The goals of the project included selecting materials from the local construction and demolition (C&D) waste stream and developing economically viable reprocessing, reuse or recycling schemes to divert them from landfill storage. Educational resources as well as conceptual designs and engineering feasibility demonstrations were provided for various aspects of the work. The project was divided into two distinct phases: Research and Engineering Feasibility and Dissemination. In the Research Phase, a literature review was initiated and data collection commenced, an advisory panel was organized, and research was conducted to evaluate high volume C&D materials for nontraditional use; five materials were selected for more detailed investigations. In the Engineering Feasibility and Dissemination Phase, a conceptual study for a regional (Mecklenburg and surrounding counties) collection and sorting facility was performed, an engineering feasibility project to demonstrate the viability of recycling or reuse schemes was created, the literature review was extended and completed, and pedagogical materials were developed. Over the two-year duration of the project, all of the tasks and subtasks outlined in the original project proposal have been completed. The Final Progress Report, which briefly describes actual project accomplishments versus the tasks/subtasks of the original project proposal, is included in Appendix A of this report. This report describes the scientific/technical aspects (hypotheses, research/testing, and findings) of six subprojects that investigated five common C&D materials. Table 1 summarizes the six subprojects, including the C&D material studied and the graduate student and the faculty advisor on each subproject.
Building Materials Reclamation Program
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Weggel, David C.; Chen, Shen-En; Hilger, Helene; Besnard, Fabien; Cavalline, Tara; Tempest, Brett; Alvey, Adam; Grimmer, Madeleine; Turner, Rebecca
This report describes work conducted on the Building Materials Reclamation Program for the period of September 2008 to August 2010. The goals of the project included selecting materials from the local construction and demolition (C and D) waste stream and developing economically viable reprocessing, reuse or recycling schemes to divert them from landfill storage. Educational resources as well as conceptual designs and engineering feasibility demonstrations were provided for various aspects of the work. The project was divided into two distinct phases: Research and Engineering Feasibility and Dissemination. In the Research Phase, a literature review was initiated and data collection commenced, an advisory panel was organized, and research was conducted to evaluate high volume C and D materials for nontraditional use; five materials were selected for more detailed investigations. In the Engineering Feasibility and Dissemination Phase, a conceptual study for a regional (Mecklenburg and surrounding counties) collection and sorting facility was performed, an engineering feasibility project to demonstrate the viability of recycling or reuse schemes was created, the literature review was extended and completed, and pedagogical materials were developed. Over the two-year duration of the project, all of the tasks and subtasks outlined in the original project proposal have been completed. The Final Progress Report, which briefly describes actual project accomplishments versus the tasks/subtasks of the original project proposal, is included in Appendix A of this report. This report describes the scientific/technical aspects (hypotheses, research/testing, and findings) of six subprojects that investigated five common C and D materials. Table 1 summarizes the six subprojects, including the C and D material studied and the graduate student and the faculty advisor on each subproject.
Building Materials in Arctic Climate
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Jensen, Ole Mejlhede
Building in the artic requires special attention on the appropriateness of building materials. The harsh climate makes execution difficult and sets unusual requirements for the pure material properties. In addition, there is a lack of choice of good, natural building materials in the arctic...
ROCAM: The 5-th International Edition of Romanian Conference on Advanced Materials. Abstracts
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Stanculescu, Florin
The proceedings of the 5-th International Edition of Romanian Conference on Advanced Materials and Crystal Growth with special topics on nano and multifunctional materials held on September 11-14, 2006 in Bucharest- Magurele, Romania, contains contributions presented as plenary lectures, invited papers and regular contributions in eight sections, namely: 1. Growth and characterization of inorganic crystals; 2. Growth and characterization of organic and biological crystals; 3. Nano and microstructured materials and thin films; 4. Polymers/fuel cells and hydrogen storage; 5. Plasma deposition and applications; 6. Advanced processing and characterization / noncrystalline solids; 7. Advanced nuclear materials; 8. Advanced materials: general aspects
Natural radioactivity of building materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Mrnustik, J.
Within a study of the natural radioactivity of building materials, coefficients were determined of the emanation from selected materials and raw materials, such as porous concrete, bricks, marlite, quartzite, etc. Measurements were made of ground samples using Lucas scintillation chambers which give an accuracy of determination of the coefficient of about 10%. Specific radium activity was also determined for the samples. Tabulated is a comparison of the average specific activity of radium in concrete, power plant ash and porous concrete in Czechoslovakia and abroad. It is stated that monitoring the content of natural radionuclides in building materials is an indispensable part of the production process in the building industry, this with regard to the radiation protection of the population. This will be enhanced by the new Czechoslovak standard determining methods of measuring the content of natural radionuclides and the coefficient of radon emanation, and the subsequent evaluation of the properties of building materials. (Z.M.) 3 figs., 3 tabs
Mould growth on building materials
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Fog Nielsen, K.
Mould growth in buildings is associated with adverse health effects among the occupants of the building. However actual growth only occurs in damp and water-damaged materials, and is an increasing problem in Denmark, due to less robust constructions, inadequate maintenance, and too little...
Variation of radon exhalation on building materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Liu Fudong; Liu Senlin; Wang Chunhong; Pan Ziqiang; Zhang Yonggui; Ji Dong
The 19 samples from different building material factories were collected for four kinds of building materials. The activity concentration and radon exhalation of building materials were measured. The radon exhalations of building materials are not obviously different if the component is same and the processes of building materials are similar. However, the radon exhalations of same kind of building material are greatly different if the components are different and the processes of building material are varied even if the activity concentrations of building material are similar. (authors)
Frost resistance of building materials
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Hansen, Ernst Jan De Place
materials, has been developed.The importance of the pore structure on the development of stresses in the material during freezing is emphasized. To verify the model, experimental investigations are made on various concretes without air-entrainment and brick tiles with different porosities.Calculations......In this thesis it is shown that the critical degree of saturation is suitable as parameter for the frost resistance of porous building materials. A numerical model for prediction of critical degrees of saturation based on fracture mechanics and phase geometry of two-phase materials, e.g. porous...
Daylight as a building material
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Thule Kristensen, Peter; Madsen, Merete
The article draws on examples to chronologically trace the use of daylight as building material in architecture of the 20th and early 21st century. The essay covers works of Mies van der Rohe, Le Corbusier, Erik Bryggman, Rudolf Schwarz, Alvar Aalto, Aldo Rossi, Jørn Utzon, Daniel Libeskind, Peter...
Brief Discussion on Green Building Materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Cai, Jia-wei; Sun, Jian
With more and more emphasizes on the environment and resources, the concept of green buildings has been widely accepted. Building materials are vectors of architectures, only if green building materials and related technical means are used, can we construct green buildings to achieve the purpose of energy conservation and environmental protection. This paper introduces the relationship between green building materials and green buildings, the current situation of green building materials in China, as well as the measures to accelerate the development of green building materials
Culture, Materiality, Memory: Collective Ownership and Action In Romanian Mutual Funds
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Narcis TULBURE
Full Text Available The paper presents the tensions between collectivist and corporatist forms of ownership for Romanian mutual funds. Drawing on my research among retail investors of funds that ended up in bankruptcy throughout the postsocialist period, I document the material practices and graphic artefacts they deploy in litigation as ways to make claims and produce evidence regarding their ongoing financial involvement and the rights to compensations. I focus specifically on the files documenting their personal histories (providing moral reasons for pursuing "speculative" investments as well as those materializing the memory of their involvement with the capital market. I conclude that material practices are constitutive of vernacular forms of financial and legal knowledge. Furthermore, they engender specific types of property that serve as premises for the defense of investor rights and as grounds for emerging forms of collective action. Methodologically, the conclusion of the paper is that qualitative methods constitute alternative approaches and a valuable complement of quantitate research methods for the behaviors of mutual fund investors illustrating some of the cultural components giving specific dynamics to the popular participation to the capital market that can be subsequently quantified.
Wood: a construction material for tall buildings
Wimmers, Guido
Wood has great potential as a building material, because it is strong and lightweight, environmentally friendly and can be used in prefabricated buildings. However, only changes in building codes will make wood competitive with steel and concrete.
Romanian experience in a assessment of the risk and environmental consequences due to radioactive materials transportation
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Vieru, Gheorghe
Full text: The transport of radioactive materials (RAM) is a very important problem taking into consideration its potential risks over the environment and the radiological consequences of this activity. Romania as a Member State of the International Atomic Energy Agency has implemented national regulations for a safe transport of RAM in complying with the Agency's recommendations as well as other international specialized organizations. The paper will present the main sources of radioactive materials in Romania, and their transportation routes with a particular focus on the radioactive wastes (very low level and mixed low-level radioactive materials), radioactive isotopes and sources, and natural uranium ore. Starting from the fact that the safety in the transport of radioactive materials is dependent on packaging appropriate for the contents being shipped, rather than operational and/or administrative actions required for the package, the paper presents, very briefly, the qualification tests for the main packages used for transport and storage of RAM in Romania. There are presented also specific problems related to the identification and evaluation of the environmental risks and impacts as well as the potential radiological consequences associated with the transport of radioactive materials, for all those three possible situations: routine transport (without incidents), normal transport (with minor incidents) and during potential accidents. As a conclusion, it is stated that the evaluated annual collective dose for the population due to RAM transport is less than those received by natural radiation sources. At the same time it is concluded that Romanian made packages are safe and prevent loss of its radioactive contents into environment. (author)
A storey of buildings and materials
Throughout history, the development of new materials and technologies has enabled more functional and aesthetically pleasing buildings. With the advent of sustainable architecture, the role of materials science in building innovation is becoming more prominent than ever.
Radioactive substances in the Danish building materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Ulbak, K.
Building materials as any other materials of natural occurrence contain small concentrations of natural radioactive elements. This natural radioactivity affects people inside buildings. This publiccation refers measurements of the Danish building materials, and radiation doses originating from this source affecting the Danish population are related to the other components of background radioactivity. (EG)
Linear programming to build food-based dietary guidelines: Romanian food baskets
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Parlesak, Alexandr; Robertson, Aileen; Hondru, Gabriela
approach using linear programming methodology to design national dietary recommendations which aim to prevent both NCDs and micronutrient deficiencies and still be affordable by low income groups. This new approach is applied within the context of food availability in Romania in 2014. Eating the same food...... every day is unrealistic and too monotonous to be maintained, so this novel approach is used to select a wide range of diverse foods that can be recommended for a period of up to, for example, one month. The following are the key findings of this report. • The simplest version of the Romanian food.......65 lei (~€ 4.46) for a day. • Key nutrients, primarily vitamin D, calcium, potassium and iron, were found to control the overall price. • The least expensive basket (one day's rations) is monotonous and the linear programming approach is used to select a wide range of foods that can be recommended...
Romanian President Visits CERN
Director General Luciano Maiani watches as Romanian President Ion Iliescu signs the CERN guest book. On Friday the 12th of October, Romanian President Ion Iliescu arrived at CERN and was warmly greeted by Director General Luciano Maiani at the steps of building 500. After initial greetings and a general presentation of the laboratory, President Iliescu and his entourage embarked on a whistle stop tour of the CERN facilities. They visited the CMS magnet assembly hall and civil engineering work where presentations were made by CMS spokesperson Michel Della Negra and the ATLAS Tile Calorimeter where the president was introduced to Romanian physicists working here at CERN. Michel Della Negra explains some of the general principles behind CMS to President Iliescu during his visit last week. The Romanian teams working on CERN projects make very visible contributions, for example to the construction of the ATLAS experiment and to the preparation of its eventual scientific exploitation. 'Those of us on the ATLAS ...
Wood as a sustainable building material
Robert H. Falk
Few building materials possess the environmental benefits of wood. It is not only the most widely used building material in the United States but also one with characteristics that make it suitable for a wide range of applications. Efficient, durable, and useful wood products produced from trees range from a minimally processed log at a log-home building site to a...
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Verginica Barbu Mititelu
Full Text Available Hyponymy is a lexical-semantic relation that has been studied in Romanian linguistics only occasionally and almost exclusively in connection to other relations. However, for computational engineers it offers a very effective way of organizing the lexical material useful in many applications involving Natural Language Processing. In this paper we present two methods of identifying Romanian hyponymy patterns, their results and evaluation; we also envisage the applicability of these patterns and future work
Integration of PV modules in existing Romanian buildings from rural areas
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Fara, S.; Finta, D. [IPA SA Research Development, Engineering and Manufacturing for Automation Equipment and Systems, Bucharest (Romania); Fara, L.; Comaneci, D. [Polytechnic Univ. of Bucharest (Romania); Dabija, A.M. [Univ. of Architecture and Urbanism Ion Mincu, Bucharest (Romania); Tulcan-Paulescu, E. [West Univ. of Timisoara, Timisoara (Romania)
Romania has launched a national research project to promote the use of distributed solar architecture and the use of BIPV systems. These systems include solar tunnels and active solar photovoltaic (PV) systems installed on the roofs and facades of buildings in rural areas. In contrast to other EU states, Romania does not have a photovoltaic building construction branch. The number of isolated cases are insufficient to identify a starting point regarding the PV market in the building industry. The main objective of the project is to demonstrate the efficiency of integrating various PV elements in buildings from rural areas, to test them and to make them known so that they can be used on a large scale. This will be accomplished by installing new products on 2 buildings in Bucharest and in 1 building in Timisoara. The PV modules will be integrated with the architecture. One of the buildings will be a historical building while the other 2 will be new buildings with different typologies. The installed power for each building will be of about 1.000 Wp, including some technologies with PV modules.
Environmental Evaluation of Building Materials of 5 Slovak Buildings
Porhincak, Milan; Estokova, Adriana
Building activity has recently led to the deterioration of environment and has become unsustainable. Several strategies have been introduced in order to minimize consumption of energy and resulting CO2 emissions having their origin in the operational phase. But also other stages of Life Cycle should are important to identify the overall environmental impact of construction sector. In this paper 5 similar Slovak buildings (family houses) were analyzed in terms of environmental performance of building materials used for their structures. Evaluation included the weight of used materials, embodied energy and embodied CO2 and SO2 emissions. Analysis has proven that the selection of building materials is an important factor which influences the environmental profile. Findings of the case study indicated that materials like concrete, ceramic or thermal insulation materials based on polystyrene and mineral wool are ones with the most negative environmental impact.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Young Cheol Choi
Full Text Available The humidity level of indoor air is an important factor influencing the air quality and energy consumption of buildings, as well as the durability of building components. Indoor humidity levels depend on several factors, such as moisture sources, air flow, and the adsorption/desorption properties of materials. The moisture-buffering characteristics of building materials that are in contact with indoor air may help moderate the variations of indoor humidity, especially in the summer and winter. In this study, the moisture adsorption/desorption properties of building materials were investigated experimentally and numerically. These properties can be used to characterize the ability of building materials to exchange moisture with the indoor environment. This study indicates that a building material surface resistivity was the main factor creating variations of moisture buffering.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
A. V. Rаdkеvich
Full Text Available Purpose. Development of scientific-methodical bases to the design of rational management of material streams in the field of building providing taking into account intersystem connections with the enterprises of building industry. Methodology. The analysis of last few years of functioning of building industry in Ukraine allows distinguishing a number of problems that negatively influence the steady development of building, as the component of the state economics system. Therefore the research of existent organization methods of the system of building objects providing with material resources is extremely necessary. In connection with this the article justifies the use of method of hierarchies analysis (Saati method for finding the optimal task solution of fixing the enterprises of building industry after building objects. Findings. Results give an opportunity to guidance of building organization to estimate and choose advantageous suppliers - enterprises of building industry, to conduct their rating, estimation taking into account basic descriptions, such as: quality, price, reliability of deliveries, specialization, financial status etc. Originality. On the basis of Saati method the methodologies of organization are improved, planning and managements of the reliable system of providing of building necessary material resources that meet the technological requirements of implementation of building and installation works. Practical value. Contribution to the decisions of many intricate organizational problems that are accompanied by the problems of development of building, provided due to organization of the reliable system of purchase of material resources.
Electrokinetic desalination of porous building materials
Kamran, K.
The deterioration of porous building materials and structures by the crystallization of water soluble salts is a well known phenomenon. The threats posed by salts to building materials can be minimized either by controlling the environment or by removing the salts from the deteriorated zone. In
Wood as a sustainable building material
Robert H. Falk
Few building materials possess the environmental benefits of wood. It is not only our most widely used building material but also one with characteristics that make it suitable for a wide range of applications. As described in the many chapters of this handbook, efficient, durable, and useful wood products produced from trees can range from a minimally processed log at...
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Jiří Witzany
Full Text Available The article presents partial results of laboratory research into physical and mechanical characteristics of materials most commonly used as walling units in masonry structures of historic and heritage buildings. Core boreholes and specimens for the laboratory research of selected characteristics were sampled from accessible places of historic buildings, which had not been restored or reconstructed. The results of the research brought new knowledge about the unreliability (variance of the properties of historical, mainly natural building materials, and, at the same time, pointed out the need for further research and extension of knowledge necessary for the assessment of residual physical and mechanical characteristics of historic masonry structures.
Synthetic building materials for transport buildings and structures
Gerasimova, Vera
The most effective building materials account for the highest growth not only in construction of residential and public buildings, but also other capital projects including roadways, bridges, drainage, communications and other engineering projects. Advancement in the technology of more efficient and ecologically responsible insulation materials have been a priority for safety, minimal maintenance and longevity of finished construction projects. The practical use of modern building materials such as insulation, sound reduction and low energy consumption are a benefit in cost and application compared to the use of outdated heavier and labor-intensive materials. The most efficient way for maximizing insolation and sound proofing should be done during the design stages of the project according to existing codes and regulations that are required by Western Government. All methods and materials that are used need to be optimized in order to reach a high durability and low operational and maintenance cost exceeding more than 50 years of the life of the building, whether it is for public, industrial or residential use. Western construction techniques and technologies need to be applied and adapted by the Russian Federation to insure the most productive successful methods are being implemented. The issues of efficient insulation materials are outlined in this article.
The radioactivity of house-building materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Sos, K.
The paper compares the natural radioactivity and radon emission properties of different building materials like bricks, concretes, cements, sands, limes, marmors of different origin. A description of the radioactive model of apartments is also given. (TRA)
New build: Materials, techniques, skills and innovation
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Glass, Jacqueline; Dainty, Andrew R.J.; Gibb, Alistair G.F.
The transition to secure, sustainable, low-energy systems will have a significant effect on the way in which we design and construct new buildings. In turn, the new buildings that are constructed will play a critical role in delivering the better performance that would be expected from such a transition. Buildings account for about half of UK carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) production. So it is urgent to ensure that energy is used efficiently in existing buildings and that new building stock is better able to cope with whatever the future holds. Most energy used in buildings goes towards heating, lighting and cooling, but a growing percentage is consumed by domestic appliances, computers and other electrical equipment. Actual energy consumption is the product of a number of factors, including individual behaviours and expectations, the energy efficiency of appliances and the building envelope. This review focuses on the third of these, the building itself, and its design and construction. It discusses the issues faced by the construction industry today, suggesting that major changes are needed relating to materials, techniques, skills and innovation. It moves on to consider future advances to 2050 and beyond, including developments in ICT, novel materials, skills and automation, servitisation (the trend for manufacturers to offer lifetime services rather than simple products), performance measurement and reporting, and resilience. We present a vision of the new build construction industry in 2050 and recommendations for policy makers, industry organisations and construction companies
Moisture Buffer Value of Building Materials
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Rode, Carsten; Peuhkuri, Ruut; Time, Berit
When building materials are in contact with indoor air they have some effect to moderate the variations of indoor humidity in occupied buildings. But so far there has been a lack of a standardized quantity to characterize the moisture buffering capability of materials. It has been the objective o...... is a test protocol which expresses how materials should be tested for determination of their Moisture Buffer Value. Finally, the paper presents some of the results of a Round Robin Test on various typical building materials that has been carried out in the project....... of a recent Nordic project to define such a quantity, and to declare it in the form of a NORDTEST method. The Moisture Buffer Value is the figure that has been developed in the project as a way to appraise the moisture buffer effect of materials, and the value is described in the paper. Also explained...
Measurement of natural radioactivity and radiation hazards for some natural and artificial building materials available in Romania
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Muntean, L.E.; Moldovan, D.V.
As building materials are known to be the second source regarding high radon concentrations, it is very important to determine the amounts of natural radionuclides from every building material in use. In the present study the most frequently used Romanian natural (sand, gypsum, limestone) and artificial (portland cement, lime, clinker, electrofilter powder, fly ash, cement-lime plaster mortar, cement plaster mortar) building materials were analyzed. The absorbed dose rate and the annual effective dose equivalent rate for people living in dwelling buildings made of these building materials under investigation were also calculated. The analysis was performed with gamma-ray spectrometry, with two hyper-pure germanium detectors. The activity concentrations of natural radionuclides were in the ranges: 5.2-511.8 Bq kg - 21 for 226 Ra; 0.6-92.6 Bq kg -1 for 232 Th and -1 for 40 K, respectively. The radium equivalent activity in the fifty-one (51) samples varied from 9 to 603 Bq kg -1 . By calculating all the radioactivity indices (R aeq , H ext , I α , I yr ) it was found that all the building materials under investigation can be used to erect dwelling buildings. Except for sample SA6, SA7 and SA11 among the natural building materials and sample SG1, SG2, FAH1, CLM1, CM1 among the artificial building materials that are considered hazardous materials when are used in large quantities. (author)
Natural radioactivity of building materials in Austria
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Sorantin, H.; Steger, F.
About 120 samples of natural and manufactured building materials have been analyzed by gamma-spectrometry for their Thorium 232-, Radium 226- and Potassium 40 - content. Granites showed generally the greatest amounts of the above mentioned radionuclides, whereas other natural products like sand, gravels, marbles and gypsum contained only traces of radionuclides. As regards the manufactured building materials only some types of bricks and chemical gypsum showed relatively high concentrations of radionuclides, while the rest of the bricks, tiles, plaster and accessory materials fulfilled the criteria set up in the OECD-NEA report 1979. (Author)
Sustainable materials for low carbon buildings
B.V. Venkatarama Reddy
This paper focuses on certain issues pertaining to energy, carbon emissions and sustainability of building construction with particular reference to the Indian construction industry. Use of sustainable natural materials in the past, related durability issues, and the implications of currently used energy-intensive materials on carbon emissions and sustainability are discussed. Some statistics on the Indian construction sector regarding materials produced in bulk quantities and the energy impl...
Functional materials for energy-efficient buildings
Ebert, H.-P.
The substantial improving of the energy efficiency is essential to meet the ambitious energy goals of the EU. About 40% of the European energy consumption belongs to the building sector. Therefore the reduction of the energy demand of the existing building stock is one of the key measures to deliver a substantial contribution to reduce CO2-emissions of our society. Buildings of the future have to be efficient in respect to energy consumption for construction and operation. Current research activities are focused on the development of functional materials with outstanding thermal and optical properties to provide, for example, slim thermally superinsulated facades, highly integrated heat storage systems or adaptive building components. In this context it is important to consider buildings as entities which fulfill energy and comfort claims as well as aesthetic aspects of a sustainable architecture.
Functional materials for energy-efficient buildings
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Ebert H.-P
Full Text Available The substantial improving of the energy efficiency is essential to meet the ambitious energy goals of the EU. About 40% of the European energy consumption belongs to the building sector. Therefore the reduction of the energy demand of the existing building stock is one of the key measures to deliver a substantial contribution to reduce CO2-emissions of our society. Buildings of the future have to be efficient in respect to energy consumption for construction and operation. Current research activities are focused on the development of functional materials with outstanding thermal and optical properties to provide, for example, slim thermally superinsulated facades, highly integrated heat storage systems or adaptive building components. In this context it is important to consider buildings as entities which fulfill energy and comfort claims as well as aesthetic aspects of a sustainable architecture.
Natural radioactivity for some Egyptian building material
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Eissa, M. F.; Mostafa, R. M.; Shahin, F.; Hassan, K. F.; Saleh, Z. A.; Yahia, A.
Study of the radiation hazards for the building materials is interested in most international countries. Measurements of natural radioactivity was verified for some egyptian building materials to assess any possible radiological hazard to man by the use of such materials. The measurements for the level of natural radioactivity in the materials was determined by γ-ray spectrum using HP Ge detector. A track detector Cr-39 was used to measure the radon exhalation rate from these materials. The radon exhalation rates were found to vary from 2.83±0.86 to 41.57 ± 8.38 mBqm -2 h -1 for egyptian alabaster. The absorbed dose rate in air is lower than the international recommended value (55 n Gy h -1 ) for all test samples
Durability of building materials and components
Delgado, JMPQ
Durability of Building Materials and Components provides a collection of recent research works to contribute to the systematization and dissemination of knowledge related to the long-term performance and durability of construction and, simultaneously, to show the most recent advances in this domain. It includes a set of new developments in the field of durability, service life prediction methodologies, the durability approach for historical and old buildings, asset and maintenance management and on the durability of materials, systems and components. The book is divided in several chapters that intend to be a resume of the current state of knowledge for benefit of professional colleagues.
International conventions for measuring radioactivity of building materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Tan Chenglong
In buildings, whether civil or industrial, natural radioactivity always occurs at different degrees in the materials (main building materials, decorative materials). Concerns on radioactivity from building materials is unavoidable for human living and developing. As a member of WTO, China's measuring method of radioactivity for building materials, including radionuclides limitation for building materials, hazard evaluation system etc, should keep accordance with the international rules and conventions. (author)
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Full Text Available Increasing exports by stimulating the foreign direct investment could be a solution to the problem of the persistent trade balance deficit of Romania. However, in such an attempt there have to be taken into consideration the potential effects of the foreign direct investment on some categories of imports. This paper explores the dynamic relation between the foreign direct investment from the manufacturing sector and the Romanian imports of intermediate goods and raw materials. We found causality linkages between the foreign direct investment and the imports of intermediate goods, meaning that Romanian branches of the multinational companies prefer to import such goods instead of producing or buying from the domestic markets. Instead, we failed to identify any causality between the foreign direct investment and the imports of raw materials.
Application of BIM technology in green building material management system
Zhineng, Tong
The current green building materials management system in China's construction industry is not perfect, and there are still many shortcomings. Active construction of green building materials management system based on BIM technology, combined with the characteristics of green building materials and its relationship with BIM technology application, is urgently needed to better realize the scientific management of green building materials.
Radioisotopes present in building materials of workplaces
Del Claro, F.; Paschuk, S. A.; Corrêa, J. N.; Denyak, V.; Kappke, J.; Perna, A. F. N.; Martins, M. R.; Santos, T. O.; Rocha, Z.; Schelin, H. R.
The isotope 222Rn is responsible for approximately half of the effective annual dose received by the world population. The decay products of 222Rn interacting with the cells of biological tissue of lungs have very high probability to induce cancer. The present survey was focused in the evaluation of activity concentration of 222Rn and other radioisotopes related to the building materials at workplaces at Curitiba - Paraná State. For this purpose, the instant radon detector AlphaGUARD (Saphymo GmbH) was used to measure the average concentrations of 222Rn in building materials, which were also submitted to gamma spectrometry analysis for qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the radionuclides present in samples of sand, mortar, blue crushed stone (Gneissic rock), red crushed stone (Granite), concrete and red bricks. The main radionuclides evaluated by gamma spectrometry in building material samples were 238U/226Ra, 232Th and 40K. These measurements were performed at the Laboratory of Applied Nuclear Physics of the Federal University of Technology - Paraná in collaboration with the Center of Nuclear Technology Development (CDTN - CNEN). The results of the survey present the concentration values of 222Rn related to construction materials in a range from 427±40.52 Bq/m³ to 2053±90.06 Bq/m³. The results of gamma spectroscopy analysis show that specific activity values for the mentioned isotopes are similar to the results indicated by the literature. Nevertheless, the present survey is showing the need of further studies and indicates that building materials can contribute significantly to indoor concentration of 222Rn.
Assessing sustainability of building materials in developing countries: the sustainable building materials index (SBMI)
CSIR Research Space (South Africa)
Gibberd, Jeremy T
Full Text Available performance. This paper reviews a selection of sustainability assessment and reporting methodologies in order understand the applicability of existing systems as a means of measuring sustainability of building materials in developing countries. The review...
A drying coefficient for building materials
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Scheffler, Gregor Albrecht; Plagge, Rudolf
coefficient is defined which can be determined based on measured drying data. The correlation of this coefficient with the water absorption and the vapour diffusion coefficient is analyzed and its additional information content is critically challenged. As result, a drying coefficient has been derived......The drying experiment is an important element of the hygrothermal characterisation of building materials. Contrary to other moisture transport experiments as the vapour diffusion and the water absorption test, it is until now not possible to derive a simple coefficient for the drying. However......, in many cases such a coefficient would be highly appreciated, e.g. in interaction of industry and research or for the distinction and selection of suitable building materials throughout design and practise. This article first highlights the importance of drying experiments for hygrothermal...
Photon activation analysis on building materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Schulze, D.; Heller, W.; Kupsch, H.
With regard to the planned construction of a new microtron, first investigations on raw materials for the aerated concrete production have been done to clear up the possibilities of photon activation analysis (PAA). Irradiations have been partly carried out on linear accelerators with a self-developed moveable activation equipment. PAA results of qualitative and quantitative elemental analysis are described. The detection of chlorine is important for studying the oversalting processes in buildings. (author)
Natural radioactivity in building materials in Iran
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Mehdizadeh, S.; Faghihi, R.; Sina, S.
This work presents a comprehensive study of natural radioactivity in building materials used in Iran. For this purpose, 177 samples of five types of building material, i.e. cement, gypsum, cement blocks, gravel and brick, were gathered from different regions of the country and analyzed by gamma spectroscopy to quantify radioactivity concentrations using a high purity germanium (HPGe) detector and a spectroscopy system. According to the results of this investigation, cement samples had maximum values of the mean Ra-226 and Th-232 concentrations, 39.6 and 28.9 Bq/kg, respectively, while the lowest value for mean concentration of these two radionuclides were found in gypsum samples 8.1 and 2.2 Bq/kg, respectively. The highest (851.4 Bq/kg) and lowest (116.2 Bq/kg) value of K-40 mean concentration were found in brick and gypsum samples, respectively. The absorbed dose rate and the annual effective dose were also calculated from the radioactivity content of the radionuclides. The results show that the maximum values of dose rate and annual effective dose equivalent were 53.72 nGy/h and 0.37 mSv/y in brick samples. The radium equivalent activities R eq calculated were below the permissible level of 370 Bq/kg for all building materials. The values of hazard indexes were below the recommended levels, therefore, it is concluded that the buildings constructed from such materials are safe for the inhabitants. The results of this study are consistent with the results of other investigations in different parts of the world. (authors)
Preservation of adobe buildings. Study of materials
Velosa, A.; Rocha, F.; Costa, C.; Varum, H.
Adobe buildings are common in the central region of Portugal due to the lack of natural stone in the surrounding area. This type of construction technique lasted until the 20th Century, at which time cementitious materials, with faster hardening and greater structural capacity substituted traditional materials and techniques. Currently, a significant percentage of these buildings is vacant and many are degraded and in need of conservation actions. Adobes from central Portugal are distinctive as they are lightly coloured and made from air lime and quarry sand. Although some adobes were manufactured locally, most were produced almost 'industrially' and sold to nearby regions. In order to preserve this heritage, conservation actions must be undertaken. So as to ensure the adequacy of these actions and compatibility between original materials and new ones, a thorough study of adobe compostion is mandatory. The current study is an initial step in the characterization of earth based construction materials from central Portugal. Adobe samples were collected from residential buildings in two different locations. The determination of the composition of adobe blocks encompassed the determination of the binder fraction and of their chemical composition and also the particle size analysis of the aggregate. For this purpose FRX analysis, acid dissolution and dry sieving were performed. Methylene blue test was also executed in order to determine the clay fraction. Additionally, the mineral composition of powder samples and oriented samples was performed using XRD analysis in order to determine the clay minerals present in the blocks. As adobe blocks are extremely prone to the action of water the Geelong test was undertaken in order to provide information in terms of durability. It was concluded that air lime was generally used in adobe compositions. However, the clay content varies in adobes from different regions, providing distinct durability characteristics to these materials.
Expanding Nuclear Power Programmes - Romanian experience: Master - Nuclear Materials and Technologies Educational Plan
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Valeca, S.; Valeca, M.
The main objectives of the Master Nuclear Materials and Technologies Educational Plan are: 1. To deliver higher education and training in the following specific domains, such as: Powders Technology and Ceramic Materials, Techniques of Structural Analysis, Composite Materials, Semiconductor Materials and Components, Metals and Metallic Alloys, Optoelectronic Materials and Devices, Nuclear Materials, The Engineering of Special Nuclear Materials, 2. To train managers of the Nuclear Waste Products and Nuclear Safety, 3. To qualify in ICT Systems for Nuclear Process Guidance, 4. To qualify in Environmental Protection System at the Level of Nuclear Power Stations, 5. To train managers for Quality Assurance of Nuclear Energetic Processes, 6. To deliver higher education and training regarding the International Treatises, Conventions and Settlements in force in the field of nuclear related activities. (author)
ICAN Computer Code Adapted for Building Materials
Murthy, Pappu L. N.
The NASA Lewis Research Center has been involved in developing composite micromechanics and macromechanics theories over the last three decades. These activities have resulted in several composite mechanics theories and structural analysis codes whose applications range from material behavior design and analysis to structural component response. One of these computer codes, the Integrated Composite Analyzer (ICAN), is designed primarily to address issues related to designing polymer matrix composites and predicting their properties - including hygral, thermal, and mechanical load effects. Recently, under a cost-sharing cooperative agreement with a Fortune 500 corporation, Master Builders Inc., ICAN was adapted to analyze building materials. The high costs and technical difficulties involved with the fabrication of continuous-fiber-reinforced composites sometimes limit their use. Particulate-reinforced composites can be thought of as a viable alternative. They are as easily processed to near-net shape as monolithic materials, yet have the improved stiffness, strength, and fracture toughness that is characteristic of continuous-fiber-reinforced composites. For example, particlereinforced metal-matrix composites show great potential for a variety of automotive applications, such as disk brake rotors, connecting rods, cylinder liners, and other hightemperature applications. Building materials, such as concrete, can be thought of as one of the oldest materials in this category of multiphase, particle-reinforced materials. The adaptation of ICAN to analyze particle-reinforced composite materials involved the development of new micromechanics-based theories. A derivative of the ICAN code, ICAN/PART, was developed and delivered to Master Builders Inc. as a part of the cooperative activity.
Recipes for porous building materials, More with less
Brouwers, H.J.H.; Fischer, H.-B.; Bode, K.-A.; Beuthan, C.
The building sector, comprising both buildings and infrastructure, is the largest consumer of energy and materials. As well as the huge amount of raw materials involved, enormous amounts of energy are also used for the production and transport of raw materials, building materials and products. Among
Human exposure to emissions from building materials
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Kjærgaard, S.; Hauschildt, P.; Pejtersen, Jan
found on peak flow, eye foam formation, tear fluid cells, or conjunctival epithelial damage. Among subjective evaluations only sound intensity rating was significant. A correlation was found between acute nose irritation rating and change in nasal volume.Conclusions. The findings indicate physiological......Objectives. Reactions to emissions from building matrials were studied in a climate chamber as part of an intervention study in an office building. New and existing flooring materials were compared with regard to comfort and health.Methods. Twenty subjects were exposed four times for six hours...... respectively to clean air, to emissions from linoleum, from carpet, and from an alternative new vinyl. Measurements of objective and subjective effects were made.Results. Tear film stability decreased after exposure to linoleum. The nasal volume decreased near-significantly for all exposures. No effects were...
Using Bamboo as an Alternative Material for Environmental Friendly Building
Mardjono, F.; Erkelens, P.A.; Jonge, S. de; Vliet, A.A.M. van
Bamboo is one of natural resources that can be applied for building materials. In such bamboo growing countries, bamboo has main role as a building material for more than hundreds years ago. Sometimes bamboo can be used to replace wood based building material. Based on the detecting of problems on
Environmental impacts of adobe as a building material: The north cyprus traditional building case
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
A.P. Olukoya Obafemi
Summarily, this paper posits that the successful fusion of traditional building materials such as Adobe and modern design construct will not only give birth to earth conscious building, but will also be energy efficient. Moreover, it will be a substitute building material the building industry can adopt at as a contributing solution to the omniscient global warming malady.
Non-destructive decontamination of building materials
Holecek, Josef; Otahal, Petr
For nondestructive radiation decontamination of surfaces it is necessary to use varnishes, such as ARGONNE, DG1101, DG1108, etc. This text evaluates the use of manufactured strippable coatings for radiation decontamination. To evaluate decontamination capability of such coatings the following varnishes were selected and subsequently used: AZ 1-700 and AXAL 1807S. The varnishes were tested on different building materials surfaces contaminated by short-term radioisotopes of Na-24 or La-140, in water soluble or water insoluble forms. Decontamination quality was assessed by the decontamination efficiency value, defined as the proportion of removed activity to the applied activity. It was found that decontamination efficiency of both used varnishes depends not only on the form of contaminant, but in the case of application of AXAL 1807S varnish it also depends on the method of its application on the contaminated surface. The values of the decontamination efficiency for AZ1-700 varnish range from 46% for decontamination of a soluble form of the radioisotope from concrete surface to 98% for the decontamination of a soluble form of the radioisotope from ceramic tile surface. The decontamination efficiency values determined for AXAL 1807S varnish range from 48% for decontamination of a soluble form of the radioisotope from concrete surface to 96% for decontamination of an insoluble form of the radioisotope from ceramic tile surface. Comparing these values to the values given for the decontaminating varnishes we can conclude that AXAL 1807S varnish is possible to use on all materials, except highly porous materials, such as plasterboard or breeze blocks, or plastic materials. AZ 1-700 varnish can be used for all dry materials except plasterboard.
Flammability tests for regulation of building and construction materials
K. Sumathipala
The regulation of building materials and products for flammability is critical to ensure the safety of occupants in buildings and other structures. The involvement of exposed building materials and products in fires resulting in the loss of human life often spurs an increase in regulation and new test methods to address the problem. Flammability tests range from those...
Straw insulated buildings. Nature building materials; Strohgedaemmte Gebaeude. Naturbaustoffe
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Straw is one of the major agricultural by-products and is mainly used as litter in animal husbandry and to compensate the balance of humus. A relatively recent development is the use of straw bales for the construction of buildings. The brochure under consideration documents the technical development of straw construction in Germany. Possibilities of the use of straw in single family homes up to commercial buildings are described.
Project materials [Commercial High Performance Buildings Project
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The Consortium for High Performance Buildings (ChiPB) is an outgrowth of DOE'S Commercial Whole Buildings Roadmapping initiatives. It is a team-driven public/private partnership that seeks to enable and demonstrate the benefit of buildings that are designed, built and operated to be energy efficient, environmentally sustainable, superior quality, and cost effective.
29 CFR 779.335 - Sales of building materials for residential or farm building construction.
... materials for residential or farm building construction. Section 3(n) of the Act, as amended, excludes from... 29 Labor 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Sales of building materials for residential or farm building construction. 779.335 Section 779.335 Labor Regulations Relating to Labor (Continued) WAGE AND...
Buildings and Health. Educational campaign for healthy buildings. Educational material
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
In recent years health and comfort problems associated with the indoor climate have come to constitute a problem in Sweden. To come to grips with this a nationwide educational campaign on Buildings and Health is being run. It is directed to those involved in planning, project design, construction and management of buildings. The objective is to convey a body of knowledge to the many occupational and professional groups in the construction sector on how to avoid indoor climate problems in homes, schools, offices and other workplaces. The campaign is being run by the Swedish National Board of Housing and Planning and the Swedish Council for Building Research, in co-operation with various organizations and companies in the construction industry, and with municipalities and authorities. The knowledge which is being disseminated through the campaign is summarized in this compendium. figs., tabs.
Analysis of Embodied Environmental Impacts of Korean Apartment Buildings Considering Major Building Materials
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Seungjun Roh
Full Text Available Because the reduction in environmental impacts (EIs of buildings using life-cycle assessment (LCA has been emphasized as a practical strategy for the sustainable development of the construction industry, studies are required to analyze not only the operational environmental impacts (OEIs of buildings, but also the embodied environmental impacts (EEIs of building materials. This study aims to analyze the EEIs of Korean apartment buildings on the basis of major building materials as part of research with the goal of reducing the EIs of buildings. For this purpose, six types of building materials (ready-mixed concrete, reinforcement steel, concrete bricks, glass, insulation, and gypsum for apartment buildings were selected as major building materials, and their inputs per unit area according to the structure types and plans of apartment buildings were derived by analyzing the design and bills of materials of 443 apartment buildings constructed in South Korea. In addition, a life-cycle scenario including the production, construction, maintenance, and end-of-life stage was constructed for each major building material. The EEIs of the apartment buildings were quantitatively assessed by applying the life-cycle inventory database (LCI DB and the Korean life-cycle impact assessment (LCIA method based on damage-oriented modeling (KOLID, and the results were analyzed.
Energy impacts of recycling disassembly material in residential buildings
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Gao, Weijun; Ariyama, Takahiro; Ojima, Toshio; Meier, Alan
In order to stop the global warmth due to the CO2 concentration, the energy use should be decreased. The investment of building construction industry in Japan is about 20 percent of GDP. This fraction is much higher than in most developed countries. That results the Japanese building construction industry including residential use consumes about one third of all energy and resources of the entire industrial sectors. In order to save energy as well as resource, the recycle of the building materials should be urgent to be carried out. In this paper, we focus on the potential energy savings with a simple calculated method when the building materials or products are manufactured from recycled materials. We examined three kinds of residential buildings with different construction techniques and estimated the decreased amount of energy consumption and resources resulting from use of recycled materials. The results have shown for most building materials, the energy consumption needed to remake housing materials from recycled materials is lower than that to make new housing materials. The energy consumption of building materials in all case-study housing can be saved by at least 10 percent. At the same time, the resource, measured by mass of building materials (kg) can be decreased by over 50 percent
Buildings materials and raw materials as a source of exposition of population of the Slovak Republic
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Cabanekova, H.
In this presentation author presents specific activities of potassium-40, radium-226, thorium-232 and equivalent of specific activity in some building materials and raw materials used at building-up of flats in the Slovak Republic
Durability of Building Materials Vol 4
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Howard, Rob
Facility management has become another business management discipline and the transfer of building data from design and construction into management has been neglected. The needs of building managers need to be specified and standardised to aallow designers to provide data in the form required....
Influence of building materials process technology on radon exhalation
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Liu Fudong; Wang Chunhong; Liu Senlin; Ji Dong; Zhang Yonggui; Pan Ziqiang
The building materials were produced through changing raw material ingredient, baking temperature, pressure difference between surface and interior of building material, grain diameter etc. Experiment indicates that change of raw material ingredient ratio can obviously influence the radon exhalation from building material, followed by baking temperature; and pressure difference does not have significant influence on radon exhalation. For the factory to produce shale-brick, the radon exhalation is relatively low under the condition that coal gangue accounts for 40%-50%, the grain diameter is less than 2 mm, the baking temperature is about 960 degree C or 1 020 degree C and the pressure difference is 85 kPa. (authors)
Dependence of indoor 222Rn level on building materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Tso, M.W.; Ng, C.; Leung, J.K.C.
The radionuclide contents of typical building materials used in Hong Kong were studied by γ spectroscopic analysis. The physical properties of these building materials affecting the production and transportation of 222 Rn to the surrounding air were examined; these include the emanation coefficient of 2 '2 2 Rn of the material, the diffusion coefficient of 222 Rn in the material and the effect of surface coating and temperature on the rate of 222 Rn exhalation. Results obtained in this study explain the indoor 222 Rn concentration observed in our previous surveys and also suggest that the main source of indoor 222 Rn in Hong Kong is building material. (3 figs., 4 tabs.)
The measurement theory of radioactivity in building materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Qu Jinhui; Wang Renbo; Zhang Xiongjie; Tan Hai; Zhu Zhipu; Man Zaigang
Radioactivity in Building Materials is the main source of natural radiation dose that the individual is received, which has caused serious concern of all Social Sector. The paper completely introduce the measurement theory of the Radioactivity in Building Materials along with the measurement principle of natural radioactivity, design of shielding facility, choosing measurement time, sample prepared and spectrum analyzed. (authors)
Gamma spectrometric method for measuring natural radioactivity of building materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Toth, A.; Feher, I.
The natural 232 Th, 226 Ra and 40 K concentrations of building materials were determined by gamma spectrometry. Altogether 121 samples from all over Hungary, one from each factory producing building materials, were examined. The presented data had preliminary character. The results were compared to the relating ones from abroad. (Sz.N.Z.)
Natural radioactivity measurements of building materials in Baotou, China.
Zhao, Caifeng; Lu, Xinwei; Li, Nan; Yang, Guang
Natural radioactivity due to (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K in the common building materials collected from Baotou city of Inner Mongolia, China was measured using gamma-ray spectrometry. The radiation hazard of the studied building materials was estimated by the radium equivalent activity (Ra(eq)), internal hazard index (H(in)) and annual effective dose (AED). The concentrations of the natural radionuclides and Ra(eq) in the studied samples were compared with the corresponding results of other countries. The Ra(eq) values of the building materials are below the internationally accepted values (370 Bq kg(-1)). The values of H(in) in all studied building materials are less than unity. The AEDs of all measured building materials are at an acceptable level.
Romanian nuclear fuel cycle development
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Rapeanu, S.N.; Comsa, Olivia
Romanian decision to introduce nuclear power was based on the evaluation of electricity demand and supply as well as a domestic resources assessment. The option was the introduction of CANDU-PHWR through a license agreement with AECL Canada. The major factors in this choice have been the need of diversifying the energy resources, the improvement the national industry and the independence of foreign suppliers. Romanian Nuclear Power Program envisaged a large national participation in Cernavoda NPP completion, in the development of nuclear fuel cycle facilities and horizontal industry, in R and D and human resources. As consequence, important support was being given to development of industries involved in Nuclear Fuel Cycle and manufacturing of equipment and nuclear materials based on technology transfer, implementation of advanced design execution standards, QA procedures and current nuclear safety requirements at international level. Unit 1 of the first Romanian nuclear power plant, Cernavoda NPP with a final profile 5x700 Mw e, is now in operation and its production represents 10% of all national electricity production. There were also developed all stages of FRONT END of Nuclear Fuel Cycle as well as programs for spent fuel and waste management. Industrial facilities for uranian production, U 3 O 8 concentrate, UO 2 powder and CANDU fuel bundles, as well as heavy water plant, supply the required fuel and heavy water for Cernavoda NPP. The paper presents the Romanian activities in Nuclear Fuel Cycle and waste management fields. (authors)
Investigating the presence of hazardous materials in buildings
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Gustitus, D.A.; Blaisdell, P.M.
Environmental hazards in buildings can be found in the air, on exposed surfaces, or hidden in roofs, walls, and systems. They can exist in buildings in solid, liquid, and gaseous states. A sound methodology for investigating the presence of environmental hazards in buildings should include several components. The first step in planning an investigation of environmental hazards in buildings is to ascertain why the investigation is to be performed. Research should be performed to review available documentation on the building. Next, a visual inspection of the building should be performed to identify and document existing conditions, and all suspect materials containing environmental hazards. Lastly, samples of suspect materials should be collected for testing. It is important to sample appropriate materials, based on the information obtained during the previous steps of the investigation. It is also important to collect the samples using standard procedures. Pollutants of concern include asbestos, lead, PCBs, and radon
Technical documentation necessary for a project demonstrating the viability of green oak as a contemporary structural material. These will include material grading guidelines, mechanical testing, architectural construction documents and details, specifications, engineering cal...
Building materials as sources of indoor exposure to ionizing radiation
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Mustonen, R.
The thesis deals with the radioactivity of Finnish building materials and of industrial wastes or residues which can be used as building materials or as mixing substances of such materials. The external and internal exposure to radiation from building materials is described. The study also discusses with the methods used for measuring concentrations of natural and artificial gamma emitters in different kinds of materials and the amount of radon exhaling from building materials. A computational method for assessing the gamma ray exposure inside dwellings is desribed, and the results are compared with those of other corresponding methods. The results of the simple method described here are in good agreement with those obtained with the more refined Monte Carlo technique
Research Progress of Building Materials Used in Construction Land
Niu, Yan
Construction land preparation is an important aspect of land remediation project. The research of materials in the process of land improvement is the foundation and the core. Therefore, it is necessary to study the materials that may be involved in the process of building land preparation. In this paper, the research on the construction materials such as recycled concrete, geosynthetics, soil stabilizers, soil improvers, building insulation materials and inorganic fibrous insulation materials, which are commonly used in construction sites, is reviewed and discussed in this paper. Land remediation project involved in the construction of land materials to provide reference.
Radioactivity assessment of some building materials from Little Poland Region
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Bogacz, J.; Cywicka-Jakiel, T.; Mazur, J.; Loskiewicz, J.; Swakon, J.; Tracz, G.
In the paper are presented the results of building materials analysis connected with radiation protection. The concentration of natural radioactive elements (K, U, Th), and the values of f 1 and f 2 coefficients are measured for these materials. The values for ceramic building materials and for cellular concretes are composed. The utility of f 2 parameter is unformally discussed. (author). 9 refs, 12 figs, 3 tabs
Measurement of naturally occurring radioactive materials in commonly used building materials in Hyderabad, India
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Balbudhe, A.Y.; Vishwa Prasad, K.; Vidya Sagar, D.; Jha, S.K.; Tripathi, R.M.
Building materials can cause significant gamma dose indoors, due to their natural radioactivity content. The knowledge of the natural radioactivity level of building materials is important for determination of population exposure, as most people spend 80-90% of their time indoors furthermore, it is useful in setting the standards and national guidelines for the use and management of these materials. The concentrations of natural radionuclides in building materials vary depending on the local geological and geographical conditions as well as geochemical characteristics of those materials. The aim of the study is to determine levels of natural radionuclide in the commonly used building materials in Hyderabad, India
Material characterization models and test methods for historic building materials
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Hansen, Tessa Kvist; Peuhkuri, Ruut Hannele; Møller, Eva B.
Predictions of long term hygrothermal performance can be assessed by dynamic hygrothermal simulations, in which material parameters are crucial input. Material parameters for especially historic materials are often unknown; therefore, there is a need to determine important parameters, and simple...
Natural radioactivity level of main building materials in Baotou, China
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Zhao Caifeng; Lu Xinwei; Li Nan; Yang Guang
A survey was done on natural radioactivity level and annual effective dose rate of main building materials in Baotou, China. The natural radionuclides of 40 K, 232 Th and 226 Ra in main building materials collected from Baotou were measured using NaI γ-ray spectrometry and the measured data were analyzed according to the national standards and radiological protection principles of the European Commission. The specific activities of 40 K, 232 Th and 226 Ra in the building materials samples were 218.82-1145.92, 19.75-1.32.50 and 11.46-82.66 Bq/kg, respectively. The internal and external exposure indexes of building materials were 0.06-0.41 and 0.28-0.70, respectively. The annual effective dose equivalent was 0.41-0.97 mSv/y. This justifies the production and sale of the main building materials, as both the internal and external exposure indexes of building materials are less than 1. The effective dose rate of ash brick is 0.97 mSv/y, while the maximum acceptable value is 1 mSv/y. Therefore, it is necessary to control the amount of industrial waste residue in building materials to avoid unnecessary radioactive exposure to residents. (authors)
Investigations of radioactivity of building raw and materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Zak, A.; Biernacka, M.; Jagielak, J.; Lipinski, P.
In 1980, Ministry of Building and Building Materials Industry, the Central Laboratory for Radiological Protection (abbreviated as CLRP), Ministry of Health and Social Welfare have agreed to issue the compulsory regulation of performing the validation of investigations of building raw and materials. Methods of measurement, apparatus and method of evaluation of results of the investigations have been recommended for the whole country. The following two criteria of usefulness of a building material for housing and public building have been accepted, f 1 = 0.00027 S K + 0.0027 S Ra0 .0043 S Th ≤ 1 (this one limit exposition of the whole body to gamma radiation); f 2 = S Ra ≤ 185 Bq/kg (this one limits exposition of lung epithelium to progeny of radon 222 Rn exhaled from the building walls). The CLRP and Institute of Building Technology supervise over correctness (agreement with the regulations) of operation of laboratories in Departments of Building Industry and Energy, organize training of the personnel and collect results of the measurements. From 1980 till 1991, results of measurements of 6550 samples from 550 localities were collected in computer data base organized in CLRP. In this paper, results of examination of selected groups of building raw and materials have been presented. Annual average values of the qualification coefficients f 1 and f 2 have been also analyzed. (author). 7 refs, 13 figs, 2 tabs
Seavy, Ryan
Building for concrete is temporary. The building of wood and steel stands against the concrete to give form and then gives way, leaving a trace of its existence behind. Concrete is not a building material. One does not build with concrete. One builds for concrete. MARCH
Sustainable materials in building and architecture
CSIR Research Space (South Africa)
Van Wyk, Llewellyn V
Full Text Available of heavy and bulky materials and opened up the era of prefabricated elements and product catalogues. At the same time, new materials were invented. Notwithstanding this, timber and timber-derived products, masonry units of clay and cement, concrete, steel...
Sustainability of earth building materials - Environmental product declarations as an instrument of competition in building material industry
Schroeder, Horst; Lemke, Manfred
[EN] The evaluation of the building process in terms of their environmental impact in all life cycle phases of a building leads to the key principle of sustainable building: the analysis of the life cycle of the materials used in a building. The goal of this analysis is to reduce waste and keep the environmental impact as low as possible by "closing" the cycle. During an inventory, the entire life cycle is assessed. This includes the sourcing and extracting of the raw material, the use of the...
Assessment of the material properties of a fire damaged building
Oladipupo OLOMO; Olufikayo ADERINLEWO; Moses TANIMOLA; Silvana CROOPE
This study identifies a process for assessing the material properties of a fire damaged building so as to determine whether the remains can be utilized in construction or be demolished. Physical and chemical analysis were carried out on concrete and steel samples taken from various elements of the building after thorough visual inspection of the entire building had been conducted. The physical (non-destructive) tests included the Schmidt hammer and ultrasonic pulse velocity tests on the concr...
Sensory ratings of emissions from nontraditional building materials
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Krejcirikova, Barbora; Kolarik, Jakub; Peuhkuri, Ruut
Twenty-five subjects assessed the emissions from building materials: linoleum, cement mortar with and without fly ash, gypsum board and tiles with air cleaning properties and natural organic sheep wool. The ratings were made at different material loadings and in combinations with linoleum....... The results showed that except for natural organic product, increasing loading and combining materials with linoleum increased intensity of odor....
Building Investigation: Material or Structural Performance
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Yusof M.Z.
Full Text Available Structures such as roof trusses will not suddenly collapse without ample warning such as significant deflection, tilting etc. if the designer manages to avoid the cause of structural failure at the material level and the structural level. This paper outlines some principles and procedures of PDCA circle and QC tools which can show some clues of structural problems in terms of material or structural performance
Radiological evaluation of building materials used in Malumfashi ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
... in building materials (sand, cement, blocks, granite, and paints) used in the construction of buildings in Malumfashi local Government area of Katsina state, Nigeria were determined by means of a gamma-ray spectrometry system using Sodium Iodide thallium activated (NaI(Tl)) detector in a low background configuration.
Natural radioactivity in building materials used in Changzhi, China
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Yang, G.; Lu, X.; Zhao, C.; Li, N.
The natural radioactivity levels of the commonly used building materials collected from Changzhi, China was analysed using gamma-ray spectroscopy. The activity concentrations of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K in the investigated building materials range from 14.6 to 131.2, from 9.9 to 138.8 and from 96.1 to 819.0 Bq kg -1 , respectively. The results were compared with the reported data of other countries and with the worldwide mean activity of soil. The external and internal hazard indices and gamma index were calculated to assess the radiation hazard to residents. The external hazard index of all building materials are less than unity, while the internal hazard and gamma indexes of hollow brick and gravel aggregate exceed unity. The study shows that the investigated hollow brick and gravel aggregate are not suitable for use as building materials in dwellings. (authors)
Natural radioactivity in building materials used in Changzhi, China.
Yang, Guang; Lu, Xinwei; Zhao, Caifeng; Li, Nan
The natural radioactivity levels of the commonly used building materials collected from Changzhi, China was analysed using gamma-ray spectroscopy. The activity concentrations of (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K in the investigated building materials range from 14.6 to 131.2, from 9.9 to 138.8 and from 96.1 to 819.0 Bq kg(-1), respectively. The results were compared with the reported data of other countries and with the worldwide mean activity of soil. The external and internal hazard indices and gamma index were calculated to assess the radiation hazard to residents. The external hazard index of all building materials are less than unity, while the internal hazard and gamma indexes of hollow brick and gravel aggregate exceed unity. The study shows that the investigated hollow brick and gravel aggregate are not suitable for use as building materials in dwellings.
Radiological consequences of radioactive substances in building materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Tschurlovits, M.
A review of radiological consequences of radioactive substances in building materials is given. Where the other contributing papers are dealing with technical problems and measuring techniques, this paper is going beyond the term dose and is considering the risk by radioactive substances in building materials in relation to conventional risks. The present state of international standards is also discussed. If a limit of 1 mSv is adopted, it is shown that this limit is just met at present conditions. (Author) [de
People, planet and profit: Unintended consequences of legacy building materials.
Zimmer, Anthony T; Ha, HakSoo
Although an explosion of new building materials are being introduced into today's market, adequate up-front research into their chemical and physical properties as well as their potential health and environmental consequences is lacking. History has provided us with several examples where building materials were broadly deployed into society only to find that health and environmental problems resulted in unintended sustainability consequences. In the following paper, we use lead and asbestos as legacy building materials to show their similar historical trends and sustainability consequences. Our research findings show unintended consequences such as: increased remediation and litigation costs; adverse health effects; offshoring of related industries; and impediments to urban revitalization. As numerous new building materials enter today's market, another building material may have already been deployed, representing the next "asbestos." This paper also proposes an alternative methodology that can be applied in a cost-effective way into existing and upcoming building materials, to minimize and prevent potential unintended consequences and create a pathway for sustainable communities. For instance, our findings show that this proposed methodology could have prevented the unintended incurred sustainability costs of approximately $272-$359 billion by investing roughly $24 million in constant 2014 U.S. dollars on up-front research into lead and asbestos. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Radioactivity of natural and artificial building materials - a comparative study.
Szabó, Zs; Völgyesi, P; Nagy, H É; Szabó, Cs; Kis, Z; Csorba, O
Building materials and their additives contain radioactive isotopes, which can increase both external and internal radioactive exposures of humans. In this study Hungarian natural (adobe) and artificial (brick, concrete, coal slag, coal slag concrete and gas silicate) building materials were examined. We qualified 40 samples based on their radium equivalent, activity concentration, external hazard and internal hazard indices and the determined threshold values of these parameters. Absorbed dose rate and annual effective dose for inhabitants living in buildings made of these building materials were also evaluated. The calculations are based on (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K activity concentrations determined by gamma-ray spectrometry. Measured radionuclide concentrations and hence, calculated indices and doses of artificial building materials show a rather disparate distribution compared to adobes. The studied coal slag samples among the artificial building materials have elevated (226)Ra content. Natural, i.e. adobe and also brick samples contain higher amount of (40)K compared to other artificial building materials. Correlation coefficients among radionuclide concentrations are consistent with the values in the literature and connected to the natural geochemical behavior of U, Th and K elements. Seven samples (coal slag and coal slag concrete) exceed any of the threshold values of the calculated hazard indices, however only three of them are considered to be risky to use according to the fact that the building material was used in bulk amount or in restricted usage. It is shown, that using different indices can lead to different conclusions; hence we recommend considering more of the indices at the same time when building materials are studied. Additionally, adding two times their statistical uncertainties to their values before comparing to thresholds should be considered for providing a more conservative qualification. We have defined radon hazard portion to point
Parameters for Building Materials Specifications in Lagos, Nigeria
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Clement Oluwole Folorunso
Full Text Available The responsibility of specifying materials for building construction purposes within Nigeria rests on the architects. Understanding the appropriate parameters for specifying building materials that could lead to immense financial proportion is required from the architects. The level of understanding and knowledge of architects is germane to the optimum performance of buildings throughout their life cycle. The methodology applied for this research involved the administration of a structured questionnaire on professional architects within the study area to determine the basis of their decision on the materials they specify or chose for building finishes. The parameters used to measure the specification of materials for finishes are client's choice, cost, climatic compliance, and maintenance demand of materials. Findings show that the maintenance demand of materials is the most important factor that determines the specification of materials irrespective of the choice of client and climate. However, cost occupies a prominent role in the decision process. It also shows that most architects are not fully aware about the role of climate in determining the life cycle of materials in tropical environments. The compliance of materials to ever-changing climate does not constitute a major factor in the specification of materials in the area.
The analysis of radon diffusion through the buildings materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Grujic, S.; Radukin-Kosanovic, A.; Bikit, I.; Mrdja, D.; Forkapic, S.
Since people most of the time spent indoors it is of great importance to analyse the radon diffusion through different types of materials, in order to prevent the increase of its concentration in the interior of buildings. The paper examined six different types of materials used in construction, mainly in the insulating purposes, in order to determine the material, or a combination of appropriate type and thickness of material which have a smaller value of diffusion coefficient of radon. (author) [sr
Corrosion Detection of Reinforcement of Building Materials with Piezoelectric Sensors
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Jia Peng
Full Text Available The extensive use of reinforced materials in the construction industry has raised increased concerns about their safety and durability, while corrosion detection of steel materials is becoming increasingly important. For the scientific management, timely repair and health monitoring of construction materials, as well as to ensure construction safety and prevent accidents, this paper investigates corrosion detection on construction materials based on piezoelectric sensors. At present, the commonly used corrosion detection methods include physical and electrochemical methods, but there are shortcomings such as large equipment area, low detection frequency, and complex operation. In this study an improved piezoelectric ultrasonic sensor was designed, which could not only detect the internal defects of buildings while not causing structural damage, but also realize continuous detection and enable qualitative and quantitative assessment. Corrosion detection of reinforced building materials with piezoelectric sensors is quick and accurate, which can find hidden dangers and provide a reliable basis for the safety of the buildings.
Production of mycotoxins on artificially and naturally infested building materials
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Nielsen, Kristian Fog; Gravesen, S.; Nielsen, P.A.
, especially Asp. ustus and Asp. niger produced many unknown secondary metabolites on the building materials. Analyses of wallpaper and glass-fibre wallpaper naturally infested with Asp. versicolor revealed sterigmatocystin and 5-methoxysterigmatocystin. Analyses of naturally infested wallpaper showed that C......In this study, the ability to produce mycotoxins during growth on artificially infested building materials was investigated for Penicillium chrysogenum, Pen. polonicum, Pen. brevicompactum, Chaetomium spp., Aspergillus ustus, Asp. niger, Ulocladium spp., Alternaria spp., and Paecilomyces spp., all...... isolated from water-damaged building materials. Spores from the different isolates of the above mentioned species were inoculated on gypsum board with and without wallpaper and on chipboard with and without wallpaper. Fungal material was scraped off the materials, extracted, and analyzed using high...
Effects of energy and carbon taxes on building material competitiveness
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Sathre, Roger; Gustavsson, Leif [Ecotechnology, Mid Sweden University, 831 25 Oestersund, (Sweden)
The relations between building material competitiveness and economic instruments for mitigating climate change are explored in this bottom-up study. The effects of carbon and energy taxes on building material manufacturing cost and total building construction cost are modelled, analysing individual materials as well as comparing a wood-framed building to a reinforced concrete-framed building. The energy balances of producing construction materials made of wood, concrete, steel, and gypsum are described and quantified. For wood lumber, more usable energy is available as biomass residues than is consumed in the processing steps. The quantities of biofuels made available during the production of wood materials are calculated, and the cost differences between using these biofuels and using fossil fuels are shown under various tax regimes. The results indicate that higher energy and carbon taxation rates increase the economic competitiveness of wood construction materials. This is due to both the lower energy cost for material manufacture, and the increased economic value of biomass by-products used to replace fossil fuel. (Author)
Environmental effect of structural solutions and building materials to a building
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Haapio, Appu; Viitaniemi, Pertti
The field of building environmental assessment tools has become a popular research area over the past decade. However, how the service life of a building affects the results of the environmental assessment of a building has not been emphasised previously. The aim of this study is to analyse how different structural solutions and building materials affect the results of the environmental assessment of a whole building over the building's life cycle. Furthermore, how the length of the building's service life affects the results is analysed. The environmental assessments of 78 single-family houses were calculated for this study. The buildings have different wall insulations, claddings, window frames, and roof materials, and the length of the service life varies from 60 years up to 160 years. The current situation and the future of the environmental assessment of buildings are discussed. In addition, topics for further research are suggested; for example, how workmanship affects the service life and the environmental impact of a building should be studied
Susceptibility of green and conventional building materials to microbial growth.
Mensah-Attipoe, J; Reponen, T; Salmela, A; Veijalainen, A-M; Pasanen, P
Green building materials are becoming more popular. However, little is known about their ability to support or limit microbial growth. The growth of fungi was evaluated on five building materials. Two green, two conventional building materials and wood as a positive control were selected. The materials were inoculated with Aspergillus versicolor, Cladosporium cladosporioides and Penicillium brevicompactum, in the absence and presence of house dust. Microbial growth was assessed at four different time points by cultivation and determining fungal biomass using the N-acetylhexosaminidase (NAHA) enzyme assay. No clear differences were seen between green and conventional building materials in their susceptibility to support microbial growth. The presence of dust, an external source of nutrients, promoted growth of all the fungal species similarly on green and conventional materials. The results also showed a correlation coefficient ranging from 0.81 to 0.88 between NAHA activity and culturable counts. The results suggest that the growth of microbes on a material surface depends on the availability of organic matter rather than the classification of the material as green or conventional. NAHA activity and culturability correlated well indicating that the two methods used in the experiments gave similar trends for the growth of fungi on material surfaces. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Effect of phase change material on the heat transfer rate of different building materials
Hasan, Mushfiq; Alam, Shahnur; Ahmed, Dewan Hasan
Phase change material (PCM) is widely known as latent heat storage. A comprehensive study is carried out to investigate the effect of PCM on heat transfer rate of building materials. Paraffin is used as PCM along with different conventional building materials to investigate the heat transfer rate from the heated region to the cold region. PCM is placed along with the three different types of building materials like plaster which is well know building material in urban areas and wood and straw which are commonly used in rural areas for roofing as well as wall panel material and investigated the heat transfer rate. An experimental setup was constructed with number of rectangular shape aluminum detachable casing (as cavity) and placed side by side. Series of rectangular cavity filled with convent ional building materials and PCM and these were placed in between two chambers filled with water at different temperature. Building materials and PCM were placed in different cavities with different combinations and investigated the heat transfer rate. The results show that using the PCM along with other building materials can be used to maintain lower temperature at the inner wall and chamber of the cold region. Moreover, the placement or orientation of the building materials and PCM make significant contribution to heat transfer rate from the heated zone to the cold zone.
Rehabilitation of adobe buildings. Understanding different materials from Portugal
Costa, Cristiana; Rocha, Fernando; Velosa, Ana
Earth construction is the oldest building material known, with documented cases of the use of earth bricks since Mesopotamia around 10 000 BC (Heathcote, 1995). The earth construction exists throughout the majority of the world in different cultures, and for some countries, nowadays it continues to be the main process of construction (Vega et al, 2011). Around 30% of the world's population lives in buildings made of earth materials. Earthen construction is an environmentally friendly technique with a social and cultural contribution; this advantage is increased when this type of construction is applied in developing countries where the material costs counterbalance with labour costs, and where other materials and techniques cannot be available (Ciancio et al, 2013). Studies of materials characterization are required in order to understand the composition and specific properties of the earth buildings, their heterogeneity and their degradation mechanisms. Some adobes from different buildings, ages and regions of Portugal were collected in order to characterize them (mineralogically, chemically and physically). It was possible to understand the composition of these materials and their differences. Main minerals are quartz, feldspars, calcite and phyllosilicates (mica and kaolinite). The mechanical behaviour of these materials isn't the best, but it is possible to improve it with some simple and cheap natural additives (kaolinitic soils). The characterization of these materials allows us to understand the differences between the materials from the different regions (controlled by locally available raw materials). Understanding these materials, and their properties, it is possible to formulate new ones for repair, conservation and rehabilitation works. The adobe bricks are an alternative of kiln baked bricks which has several advantages and one of the most important is that these materials are recyclable. Adobes are an excellent option for building rehabilitation, if
Glass-ceramics as building materials
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Rincón, J. María
Full Text Available Glass-ceramics are materials composed as any ceramic material by several crystalline phases embedded in an amorphous or vitreous matrix, but their manufacture process implies the controlled devitrification or nucleation and growth of phases from an original glass. The original shape of the original glass molded by conventional methods is carried out by using pressing and sintering followed by crystallization steps.
By both processing routes are obtained transparent and/or opaque materials, with or without colours, which after adequate control and design of composition and microstructure have numerous domestic and architectonic applications. They can be used as pavements or wall coatings and in various decorative elements. In fact, their use is very extensive in east-European, American and Asian (Japan countries in constructions for covering large surfaces.
The greater advantage of the glass-ceramic process is that due to the own process of vitrification allows the incorporation in their structure of a wide range of compositions from mining and industrial residues, such as red muds, ashes, fangos, scraps... which they can in this way not only be inertizated, but furthermore it be converted without risk for the environment into products useful in construction applications, offering to the architect and to the decorator a new range of "eco-materials" with multiple complementary possibilities of the already existing architectural materials in the market.
Los productos o materiales vitrocerámicos se componen, como cualquier material de tipo cerámico, de una o varias fases cristalinas embebidas en una matriz amorfa o vítrea, pero cuyo proceso de fabricación implica la desvitrificación o nucleación y cristalización controlada de un vidrio original o de partida. En el proceso de obtención de estos materiales se puede conservar la forma original conferida al vidrio de partida por los métodos convencionales de moldeado de vidrios
Effective 226Ra-content of some Hungarian building materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Toth, A.; Feher, I.
The aim of the work was to analyse the effective 226 Ra content of building- and back filling materials used in Hungary. The quantity of radon was determined by ionization chambers connected to vibrating-reed electrometers, as well as by a scintillation radon counter. The radon measuring instruments were calibrated by known 222 Rn quantities given off from standard RaCl 2 solutions. The overall uncertainty of the data obtained is estimated as being 25%. The minimum measurable effective 226 Ra concentration due to a 10 4 g building material source is calculated as 16 fCi/g for the ionization chambers and 8 fCi/g for the scintillation counter. 68 building material samples and 11 backfill (concrete made by fly-ashes) samples have been studied and it has been found, that the effective 226 Ra contents of the tested building materials are 2 to 9 times greater than those found in the Soviet Union though none exceeds the recommended 600 fCi/g level. Among the back filling materials made with fly-ash the maximum 226 Ra content was 3300 fCi/g. The effective 226 Ra content measurements are well suited for a priori radon escape qualification of building materials. (K.A.)
Multiscale modelling for better hygrothermal prediction of porous building materials
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Belarbi Rafik
Full Text Available The aim of this work is to understand the influence of the microstructuralgeometric parameters of porous building materials on the mechanisms of coupled heat, air and moisture transfers, in order to predict behavior of the building to control and improve it in its durability. For this a multi-scale approach is implemented. It consists of mastering the dominant physical phenomena and their interactions on the microscopic scale. Followed by a dual-scale modelling, microscopic-macroscopic, of coupled heat, air and moisture transfers that takes into account the intrinsic properties and microstructural topology of the material using X-ray tomography combined with the correlation of 3D images were undertaken. In fact, the hygromorphicbehavior under hydric solicitations was considered. In this context, a model of coupled heat, air and moisture transfer in porous building materials was developed using the periodic homogenization technique. These informations were subsequently implemented in a dynamic computation simulation that model the hygrothermalbehaviourof material at the scale of the envelopes and indoor air quality of building. Results reveals that is essential to consider the local behaviors of materials, but also to be able to measure and quantify the evolution of its properties on a macroscopic scale from the youngest age of the material. In addition, comparisons between experimental and numerical temperature and relative humidity profilesin multilayers wall and in building envelopes were undertaken. Good agreements were observed.
Ozone reactions with indoor materials during building disinfection
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Poppendieck, D.; Hubbard, H.; Ward, M.
, and particularly after several hours of disinfection, surface reaction resistance dominated the overall resistance to ozone deposition for nearly all materials. Total building disinfection by-products (all carbonyls) were quantified per unit area of each material for the experimental period. Paper, office...... partition, and medium density fiberboard each released greater than 38 mg m(-2) of by-products....
Associations between Fungal Species and Water-Damaged Building Materials
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Andersen, Birgitte; Frisvad, Jens Christian; Søndergaard, Ib
melleus, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus ochraceus, Chaetomium spp., Mucor racemosus, Mucor spinosus, and concrete and other floor-related materials. These results can be used to develop new and resistant building materials and relevant allergen extracts and to help focus research on relevant mycotoxins...
Risk to Krakow population of gamma radiation from building materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Koperski, J.; Jasinska, M.
A statistics was made of 7128 dwelling-houses considering their age, types of building materials and density of population. Gamma dose rates were measured by means of the TL and pressurized ionization chamber techniques inside 300 buildings and in 44 points outdoors over different kinds of beddings. Personal doses of 49 inhabitants of the buildings monitored were also recorded. By means of the spectrometric analysis of gamma radiation, and basing on a specially developed computational programme ''DOZA'' mean concentrations of 40 K, 226 Ra and 232 Th in 61 samples of building materials were evaluated. It was found that the mean personal dose rate as well as the mean indoor dose rate equals 5.7 urad/h /15.8 pGy/s/ and is about 19% higher than the dose outdoors which equals 4.8 urad/h /13.3 pGy/s/. Gamma dose rates inside the buildings made of gravel-sand concrete elements are about 10% lower than those in the buildings made of red bricks. Mean annual dose equivalent per capita from gamma radiation of building materials equals 40.6 mrem/y /406 uSv/y/, which constitutes about 57% of total annual dose equivalent per capita from all environmental sources of gamma radiation in the residential districts in Krakow. (author)
Measurement of thoron exhalation rates from building materials.
de With, G; de Jong, P; Röttger, A
Thoron (220Rn) exhalation from building materials has become increasingly recognized as a potential source for radiation exposure in dwellings. However, contrary to radon (220Rn), limited information on thoron exposure is available. The purpose of this study is to develop a test method for the determination of the thoron exhalation rate from building materials. The method is validated, and subsequently the thoron exhalation rates from 10 widely-applied concretes, gypsums, brick, limestone, and mortar are determined. The measured thoron exhalation rates of these materials range from 0.01 Bq m-2 s-1 to 0.43 Bq m-2 s-1, with relative standard uncertainties between 6% to 14%.
Moisture performance of building materials: From material characterization to building simulation using the Moisture Buffer Value concept
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Abadie, Marc Olivier [Mechanical Engineering Graduate Program, Pontifical Catholic University of Parana, PUC-PR/CCET, Curitiba, PR 80215-901 (Brazil); LEPTAB, University of La Rochelle, La Rochelle, 17042 Cedex 1 (France); Mendonca, Katia Cordeiro [Mechanical Engineering Graduate Program, Pontifical Catholic University of Parana, PUC-PR/CCET, Curitiba, PR 80215-901 (Brazil)
Predicting the indoor air relative humidity evolution is of great importance to evaluate people thermal comfort, perceived air quality and energy consumption. In building environments, porous materials of the envelope and furniture act on the indoor air humidity by reducing its variations. Solving the physical processes involved inside the porous materials requires the knowledge of the material hygrothermal properties that needs multiple and, for some of them, time-consuming experimental procedures. Recently, both the NORDTEST Project and Japanese Industrial Standard described a new Moisture Buffer Capacity index that accounts for surrounding air vapor concentration variation. The Moisture Buffer Value (MBV) indicates the amount of water vapor that is transported in or out of a material, during a certain period of time, when the vapor concentration of the surrounding air varies. The MBV evaluation requires only one experimental procedure and its value permits a direct comparison of the building materials moisture performance. However, two limitations can be distinguished: first, no relation between the MBV and the usual material hygrothermal properties has been clearly identified and second, no model has been proposed to actually use the MBV in building simulation. The present study aims to solve these two problems. First, the MBV fundamentals are introduced and discussed; followed by its relation with the usual material properties. Then, a lumped model for building simulation, whose parameters can be determined from the MBV experimental procedure, is described. To finish, examples of the use of this MBV-based lumped model for moisture prediction in buildings are presented. (author)
7th April 2011 - Romanian President of the National Authority for Scientific Research State Secretary Ministry for Education, Research, Youth and Sport D. M. Ciuparu signing the guest book with Director for Research S. Bertolucci and ALICE surface building with Collaboration Spokesperson P. Giubellino.
Maximilien Brice
7th April 2011 - Romanian President of the National Authority for Scientific Research State Secretary Ministry for Education, Research, Youth and Sport D. M. Ciuparu signing the guest book with Director for Research S. Bertolucci and ALICE surface building with Collaboration Spokesperson P. Giubellino.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Full Text Available A foundation of human development and one of the most powerful instruments in the fight against poverty, education is the premise in building a solid construction. Education arms people with knowledge on social development and progress. An extension of our latest work "Romanian education system – descriptive analysis", the aim of the present research is to offer an overview of the Romanian education system which has passed through many radical reforms over the last 27 years. The first part of our research presents some studies identified in the specialized literature which analyze the Romanian education system. The state of the art is followed by descriptive statistics regarding the enrolled population trends in Romania - by urban and rural areas, by counties and by gender-during the period 1995-2015; the enrollment rate in formal education and the dropout rate. The last part of our research represents the conclusions section.
Survey and specimen taking of building materials which are destined for house building in The Netherlands
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Boer, J.F. den
This investigation deals with the following items: (a) Some building materials cause an increase of the natural radioactive radiation level indoors, especially building materials containing a certain kind of phosphogypsum. The radiation level depends among other things on the applied quantity of building materials and on the location in the building (walls, floors or roofs, etc.). The soil underneath dwellings can also be an important radiation source. The report gives a listing of the kind of building materials used for dwellings in The Netherlands, both present ones as well as possible future ones. A survey of the quantities applied and the location of application in dwellings is also given. The different types of soil underneath the dwellings are discussed. (b) Samples were collected from various factories, dealers and other sources (both present and future samples) of the most important building materials and components thereof. The samples were handed over to Division of Technology for Society TNO, Radiological Service TNO and Netherland Energy Research Foundation, in order to measure the activity concentrations and the radon exhalations. A listing of the samples is given. (Auth.)
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Full Text Available Raising of problem. Currently of particular relevance was given to the matter of introduction in manufacture of building materials and products, resource-saving techniques and technologies; integrated use of raw materials and materials that prevent or significantly reduce their harmful impact on the environment. This allows you to recycle hundreds of thousands of tons of the fiery liquid slags of silicon manganese and to develop effective structural materials that can replace metals, non-metallic building materials of natural origin, concretes, cast stone, plastics and refractories. Purpose. The study of the structure and properties of building materials and products from electric furnace slag of silicon manganese. Conclusion. Slags from the smelting of silicon manganese are classified as acidic. Their lime factor is in the range of 0.47–0.52. The composition of the slag located in the heterogeneous region SiO2 near the line of separation of cristobalite spread to the crystallization of wollastonite, according to the ternary system MnO-CaO-SiO2, which in consideration of their stability, allows the development of technology of building materials (gravel, sand, granulated slag, etc. and products (foundation blocks, road slabs, containers for transportation and storage of hazardous waste, and others.
Radon exhalation study in cements and other building materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Singh, J.; Sharma, N.
Radon is a radioactive inert gas, which is produced during the decay of radium, an element present in the naturally occurring uranium series. In the recent past, environmental scientists all over the world have been expressing great concern about the radiation hazard from radon and its short lived daughter products inside buildings. The radon concentration inside a building depends upon the radon exhalation from the building materials used for the construction and the soil underneath the building. In the present investigations, a comparative study for radon exhalation rate has been carried out in some Indian and Pakistani cements and other building materials being used locally such as sand, soil, bricks, marbles, CaCO 3 , POPs by using Track Etch Technique. The Pakistani cement with the trade name 'Elephant' shows the minimum mass exhalation rate while the Indian 'Birla White' cement has shown the maximum. Among the other building materials studied, CaCO 3 has shown the minimum, while local soil the maximum mass exhalation rate. Out of the fired clay bricks, roof tiles, floor tiles and different marbles, floor tiles have the minimum areal exhalation rate while roof tiles the maximum. (author)
Study of the factors affecting radon diffusion through building materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Chauhan, R.P.
Radon appears mainly by diffusion processes from the point of origin following - decay of 226 Ra in underground soil and building materials used, in the construction of floors, walls, and ceilings. The diffusion of radon in dwellings is a process determined by the radon concentration gradient across the building material structure and can be a significant contributor to indoor radon inflow. Radon can originate from the deeply buried deposit beneath homes and can migrate to the surface of earth. Radon diffusion and transport through different media is a complex process and is affected by several factors. It is well known that for building construction materials the porosity, permeability and the diffusion coefficient are the parameters, which can quantify the materials capability to hinder the flow of radon soil gas. An increase in porosity will provide more air space within the material for radon to travel, thus reducing its resistance to radon transport. The permeability of material describes its ability to act as a barrier to gas movement when a pressure gradient exists across it and is closely related to the porosity of material. The radon diffusion coefficient of a material quantifies the ability of radon gas to move through it when a concentration gradient is the driving force. This parameter depends upon the porosity and permeability of the medium. As diffusion process is the major contributor to indoor levels, therefore, the factors affecting the diffusion process need to be kept in consideration. Keeping this in mind the experimental arrangements have been made for control study of radon diffusion through some building materials to observe the effects of different factors viz.; compaction, grain size, temperature, humidity and the mixing of these materials etc. For the present study alpha sensitive LR-115 type II solid-state nuclear track detectors (SSNTDs) have been used for the recording of alpha tracks caused by radon gas after its diffusion through the
Studies on natural radioactivity of some egyptian building materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Eissa, E. A.; El-Khayat, A.; Ashmawy, L.; Hassan, A.M.
Using high-resolution y-rays spectrometry, the natural radioactivity of 14 samples of natural and o manufactured Egyptian building materials have been investigated. The samples were collected from local market and construction sites. From the measured gamma-ray spectra, specific activities were determined. The radium equivalent activity in each sample was estimated. Radiological evaluations of these materials indicate that all materials meet the external gamma-ray dose limitation. Calculation of concentration indices by assuming a Markkanen room model is constructed from these materials, to find the excess gamma-ray dose taken over that received from the outdoors. The Austrian Standard ONORM S 5200 is used in testing the building materials
Updated database on natural radioactivity in building materials in Europe.
Trevisi, R; Leonardi, F; Risica, S; Nuccetelli, C
The paper presents the latest collection of activity concentration data of natural radionuclides ( 226 Ra, 232 Th and 4 K) in building materials. This database contains about 24200 samples of both bulk materials and their constituents (bricks, concrete, cement, aggregates) and superficial materials used in most European Union Member States and some European countries. This collection also includes radiological information about some NORM residues and by-products (by-product gypsum, metallurgical slags, fly and bottom ashes and red mud) which can be of radiological concern if recycled in building materials as secondary raw materials. Moreover, radon emanation and radon exhalation rate data are reported for bricks and concrete. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
The impact of roofing material on building energy performance
Badiee, Ali
The last decade has seen an increase in the efficient use of energy sources such as water, electricity, and natural gas as well as a variety of roofing materials, in the heating and cooling of both residential and commercial infrastructure. Oil costs, coal and natural gas prices remain high and unstable. All of these instabilities and increased costs have resulted in higher heating and cooling costs, and engineers are making an effort to keep them under control by using energy efficient building materials. The building envelope (that which separates the indoor and outdoor environments of a building) plays a significant role in the rate of building energy consumption. An appropriate architectural design of a building envelope can considerably lower the energy consumption during hot summers and cold winters, resulting in reduced HVAC loads. Several building components (walls, roofs, fenestration, foundations, thermal insulation, external shading devices, thermal mass, etc.) make up this essential part of a building. However, thermal insulation of a building's rooftop is the most essential part of a building envelope in that it reduces the incoming "heat flux" (defined as the amount of heat transferred per unit area per unit time from or to a surface) (Sadineni et al., 2011). Moreover, more than 60% of heat transfer occurs through the roof regardless of weather, since a roof is often the building surface that receives the largest amount of solar radiation per square annually (Suman, and Srivastava, 2009). Hence, an argument can be made that the emphasis on building energy efficiency has influenced roofing manufacturing more than any other building envelope component. This research project will address roofing energy performance as the source of nearly 60% of the building heat transfer (Suman, and Srivastava, 2009). We will also rank different roofing materials in terms of their energy performance. Other parts of the building envelope such as walls, foundation
Contributions to indoor gamma dose rate from building materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Liu Xionghua; Li Guangming; Yang Xiangdong
In the coures of construction of a building structured with bricks and concrets, the indoor gamma air absorbed dose rates were seperately measured from the floors, brick walls and prefabricated plates of concrets, etc.. It suggested that the indoor gamma dose rates from building materials are mainly attributed to the brick walls and the floors. A little contribution comes from other brilding materials. The dose rates can be calculated through a 4π-infinite thick model with a correction factor of 0.52
Exposure to radiation from the natural radioactivity in building materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Radiation exposure of members of the public can be increased appreciably by the use of building materials containing above-normal levels of natural radioactivity. This phenomenon has attracted attention in recent years, and in this review, an attempt is made to the quantify exposures incurred under various circumstances. The second section of the review is a general survey of those building materials, mostly industrial wastes, that have aroused interest in Member countries. The probability that environmental pressures may cause such wastes to be used more and more by building industries may lead to similar situations in the future. Other review material of a relevant nature is described in the third section. Primordial radionuclides only are considered here. They are: potassium-40 (K-40); radium-226 (Ra-226) and its decay products; the series headed by thorium-232 (Th-232). The important radiological consequences of the natural radioactivity in building materials are two-fold, irradiation of the body by gamma rays and irradiation of the lung tissues by radon-222 (Rn-222) decay products or daughters. These consequences cannot be explored quantitatively except in relation to the specific activities of the nuclides of interest, and the approach adopted in this review is to assess the consequences in terms of the incremental radiation exposures that would be incurred by occupants of substantial dwellings entirely constructed of materials with various specific activities or combinations thereof. Gamma rays are dealt with in the fourth section and radon daughters in the fifth
Flotation tailings as a raw material for ceramic building materials
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Burmistrov, V N; Karpunina, T I; Smolin, V N
The VNIIstrom research institute developed a method for utilizing flotation tailings for production of bricks. Tailings are dewatered using filter presses. After dewatering, moisture content in the tailings ranges from 25 to 26%. Tailings are mixed with chamotte with a grain size to 2 mm. Using 30% chamotte improves mechanical and physical properties of the bricks and reduces energy consumption of brick firing. Tailings mixed with chamotte are granulated and dried on a conveyor. Granules with moisture content reduced to the optimum level are mixed a second time and formed in a press. The bricks are fired in a tunnel kiln with modified design. The bricks made of flotation tailings mixed with 30% chamotte are characterized by mechanical properties comparable to those of high quality bricks made of conventional materials.
Study Regarding Romanian Entrepreneurship
Gabriela MARCHIS
Romanian entrepreneurship is still under construction, even if in Europe it has a long tradition and an increasing evolution. First-born in USA, the entrepreneurship represents today the key of economic development all over the word and an important exit from the economic crisis. This study intends to summaries the main aspects regarding Romanian entrepreneurship in the context of European business environment development and the world macroeconomic framework. With a great potential of develo...
Proceedings of the workshop on cool building materials
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Akbari, H.; Fishman, B. [Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA (United States); Frohnsdorff, G. [National Inst. of Standards and Technology (NEL), Gaithersburg, MD (United States). Building Materials Div.] [eds.
The Option 9, Cool Communities, of the Clinton-Gore Climate Change Action Plan (CCAP) calls for mobilizing community and corporate resources to strategically plant trees and lighten the surfaces of buildings and roads in order to reduce cooling energy use of the buildings. It is estimated that Cool Communities Project will potentially save over 100 billion kilowatt-hour of energy per year corresponding to 27 million tons of carbon per year by the year 2015. To pursue the CCAP`s objectives, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory (LBL) on behalf of the Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency, in cooperation with the Building and Fire Research Laboratory of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), organized a one-day meeting to (1) explore the need for developing a national plan to assess the technical feasibility and commercial potential of high-albedo (``cool``) building materials, and if appropriate, to (2) outline a course of action for developing the plan. The meeting took place on February 28, 1994, in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The proceedings of the conference, Cool Building Materials, includes the minutes of the conference and copies of presentation materials distributed by the conference participants.
Using thermal power plants waste for building materials
Feduik, R. S.; Smoliakov, A. K.; Timokhin, R. A.; Batarshin, V. O.; Yevdokimova, Yu G.
The recycled use of thermal power plants (TPPs) wastes in the building materials production is formulated. The possibility of using of TPPs fly ash as part of the cement composite binder for concrete is assessed. The results of X-ray diffraction and differential thermal analysis as well as and materials photomicrographs are presented. It was revealed that the fly ash of TPPs of Russian Primorsky Krai is suitable for use as a filler in cement binding based on its chemical composition.
The release of lindane from contaminated building materials
Volchek, Konstantin; Thouin, Geneviève; Kuang, Wenxing; Li, Ken; Tezel, F. Handan; Brown, Carl E.
The release of the organochlorine pesticide lindane (γ-hexachlorocyclohexane) from several types of contaminated building materials was studied to assess inhalation hazard and decontamination requirements in response to accidental and/or intentional spills. The materials included glass, polypropylene carpet, latex-painted drywall, ceramic tiles, vinyl floor tiles, and gypsum ceiling tiles. For each surface concentration, an equilibrium concentration was determined in the vapour phase of the s...
Review on phase change materials for building applications
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Lavinia SOCACIU
Full Text Available In nowadays, the Phase Change Material (PCM is a viable alternative for reducing the energy consumption and for increase the thermal comfort in buildings. The use of PCM in building applications provides the potential to increase the indoor thermal comfort for occupants due to the reduced indoor temperature fluctuations and lower global energy consumption. The possibility to incorporate the PCM into the material of construction for cooling and heating the buildings gained the interest of researchers from all the world because the PCM have a high heat of fusion, meaning it is capable to storing and release large amounts of energy in the form of heat during its melting and solidifying process at a specific temperature.
Determination of Natural Radioactivity in Building Materials with Gamma Spectrometry
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Turki, Faten
In the setting of this work, the natural radioactivity of building materials used in Tunisia has been measured by gamma spectrometry. These products have been ground and dried at 100 degree for 12 h. Then, they have been homogenized, weighed and finally conditioned during 23 days in order to reach the radioactive equilibrium. The measures' results proved that all building materials studied except bauxite and the ESC clay, possess doses lower than the acceptable limit (1 mSv.an-1). However, the possibility of reinforcement of the natural radioactivity in some industry of building can exist. To insure that the cement, the most used in the world, don't present any radiological risk on the workers' health, a survey has been made in the factory - les Ciments de Bizerte - about its manufacture's process. The results of this survey showed that this product can be considered like a healthy product.
Salinization effects on the water sorption of porous building materials
Brocken, H.J.P.; Rook, W.; Adan, O.C.G.
The interaction of salt transport and moisture transport plays a crucial role in some deterioration mechanisms of porous building materials. For this reason it has been an important research subject for mant' years. Yet most research was still complicated by the lack of experimental techniques
People, Planet and Profit: Unintended Consequences of Legacy Building Materials
Although an explosion of new building materials are being introduced into today's market, adequate up-front research into their chemical and physical properties as well as their potential health and environmental consequences is lacking. History has provided us with several exam...
VOCs and odors: key factors in selecting `green` building materials?
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Coombs, C. [Steven Winter Associates Inc., Norwalk, CT and Washington DC (United States)
The current state of knowledge available for selecting building materials on the basis of emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and odors is reviewed. The significance of VOCs and odors in building materials is related to their role in influencing indoor air quality. As far as toxicity is concerned, many of the VOCs detected in indoor air are relatively inert when considered singly. They are not however, unimportant because in actual fact they are invariably found in mixtures some of which can be toxic. Although knowledge of VOCs is incomplete, it is important to specify ozone-resistant polymeric building products, i.e. those that are chemically stable and inert to oxidation. In addition to VOCs, attention should also be focused on semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) since they are even more persistent than VOCs and tend to offgas for prolonged periods of time. Similarly, it is reasonable to specify low-odor materials. Inclusion of issues related to complex indoor chemistry, less volatile emissions, in addition to VOCs and odor, should in time result in expanded choices of building materials that promote indoor air quality. 16 refs.,2 tabs.
New concrete materials technology for competitive house building
Peterson, Markus
The research project aims at investigating the potential of new concrete materials technology (high performance concrete, HPC and self-compacting concete, SCC) for competitive design, production and function of structural frames of cast in-situ concrete in house building.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Budan, O.
The paper presents and comments the policy adopted in Romania for the production of CANDU-6 nuclear fuel before and after 1990. The CANDU-6 nuclear fuel manufacturing started in Romania in December 1983. Neither AECL nor any Canadian nuclear fuel manufacturer were involved in the Romanian industrial nuclear fuel production before 1990. After January 1990, the new created Romanian Electricity Authority (RENEL) assumed the responsibility for the Romanian Nuclear Power Program. It was RENEL's decision to stop, in June 1990, the nuclear fuel production at the Institute for Nuclear Power Reactors (IRNE) Pitesti. This decision was justified by the Canadian specialists team findings, revealed during a general, but well enough technically founded analysis performed at IRNE in the spring of 1990. All fuel manufactured before June 1990 was quarantined as it was considered of suspect quality. By that time more than 31,000 fuel bundles had already been manufactured. This fuel was stored for subsequent assessment. The paper explains the reasons which provoked this decision. The paper also presents the strategy adopted by RENEL after 1990 regarding the Romanian Nuclear Fuel Program. After a complex program done by Romanian and Canadian partners, in November 1994, AECL issued a temporary certification for the Romanian nuclear fuel plant. During the demonstration manufacturing run, as an essential milestone for the qualification of the Romanian fuel supplier for CANDU-6 reactors, 202 fuel bundles were produced. Of these fuel bundles, 66 were part of the Cernavoda NGS Unit 1 first fuel load (the balance was supplied by Zircatec Precision Industries Inc. ZPI). The industrial nuclear fuel fabrication re-started in Romania in January 1995 under AECL's periodical monitoring. In December 1995, AECL issued a permanent certificate, stating the Romanian nuclear fuel plant as a qualified and authorised CANDU-6 fuel supplier. The re-loading of the Cernavoda NGS Unit 1 started in the middle
Growing and testing mycelium bricks as building insulation materials
Xing, Yangang; Brewer, Matthew; El-Gharabawy, Hoda; Griffith, Gareth; Jones, Phil
In order to improve energy performance of buildings, insulation materials (such as mineral glass and rock wools, or fossil fuel-based plastic foams) are being used in increasing quantities, which may lead to potential problem with materials depletions and landfill disposal. One sustainable solution suggested is the use of bio-based, biodegradable materials. A number of attempts have been made to develop biomaterials, such as sheep wood, hemcrete or recycled papers. In this paper, a novel type of bio insulation materials - mycelium is examined. The aim is to produce mycelium materials that could be used as insulations. The bio-based material was required to have properties that matched existing alternatives, such as expanded polystyrene, in terms of physical and mechanical characteristics but with an enhanced level of biodegradability. The testing data showed mycelium bricks exhibited good thermal performance. Future work is planned to improve growing process and thermal performance of the mycelium bricks.
Materials, used in historical buildings, analysis methods and solutions puroposals
Döndüren, M. Sami; Sişik, Ozlem
Most of historical buildings are built with pressure principle and have the characteristics of masonry structures. Therefore, the structure components of buildings are constituted bearing walls, columns, buttresses, vaults and domes. Natural stone, cut stone, rubble stone brick or alternate materials were used in the bearing elements. Brick-dust and mortar with more binding feature were used as combination elements. In time, some problems were occurred in used materials and in structure as a result of various effects. Therefore, it is necessary to apply various applications in framework of repair and strengthening of buildings. In this study, restoration of historic buildings and the control of the adequacy of the bearing systems as one most important part of structure were examined. For this purpose, static analysis of Edirne-Merkez Demirtaş (Timurtaş) mosque located in Edirne was tested. Testes could give suggestions and be applied if buildings needed be revealed. The structure was modelled with finite element model of sap2000 package program and the forces generated under various loads and stresses, the occurred deformation due to that, overflow of allowable stress of this deformation and stresses were investigated. As the results of this study can be note that the maximum compressive stress at the construction is calculated as 1.1 MPa.
Materials, used in historical buildings, analysis methods and solutions puroposals
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Döndüren M.Sami
Full Text Available Most of historical buildings are built with pressure principle and have the characteristics of masonry structures. Therefore, the structure components of buildings are constituted bearing walls, columns, buttresses, vaults and domes. Natural stone, cut stone, rubble stone brick or alternate materials were used in the bearing elements. Brick-dust and mortar with more binding feature were used as combination elements. In time, some problems were occurred in used materials and in structure as a result of various effects. Therefore, it is necessary to apply various applications in framework of repair and strengthening of buildings. In this study, restoration of historic buildings and the control of the adequacy of the bearing systems as one most important part of structure were examined. For this purpose, static analysis of Edirne-Merkez Demirtaş (Timurtaş mosque located in Edirne was tested. Testes could give suggestions and be applied if buildings needed be revealed. The structure was modelled with finite element model of sap2000 package program and the forces generated under various loads and stresses, the occurred deformation due to that, overflow of allowable stress of this deformation and stresses were investigated. As the results of this study can be note that the maximum compressive stress at the construction is calculated as 1.1 MPa.
The release of lindane from contaminated building materials.
Volchek, Konstantin; Thouin, Geneviève; Kuang, Wenxing; Li, Ken; Tezel, F Handan; Brown, Carl E
The release of the organochlorine pesticide lindane (γ-hexachlorocyclohexane) from several types of contaminated building materials was studied to assess inhalation hazard and decontamination requirements in response to accidental and/or intentional spills. The materials included glass, polypropylene carpet, latex-painted drywall, ceramic tiles, vinyl floor tiles, and gypsum ceiling tiles. For each surface concentration, an equilibrium concentration was determined in the vapour phase of the surrounding air. Vapor concentrations depended upon initial surface concentration, temperature, and type of building material. A time-weighted average (TWA) concentration in the air was used to quantify the health risk associated with the inhalation of lindane vapors. Transformation products of lindane, namely α-hexachlorocyclohexane and pentachlorocyclohexene, were detected in the vapour phase at both temperatures and for all of the test materials. Their formation was greater on glass and ceramic tiles, compared to other building materials. An empiric Sips isotherm model was employed to approximate experimental results and to estimate the release of lindane and its transformation products. This helped determine the extent of decontamination required to reduce the surface concentrations of lindane to the levels corresponding to vapor concentrations below TWA.
Effect of UV on building materials in New Zealand
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Bennett, A.F.
Building materials can be divided into two main classes; organic or polymeric based and inorganic materials. Inorganic materials are in most cases largely unaffected by UV radiation. Many common polymers have bonds sensitive to radiation in the UV region. Absorption of radiation of these wavelengths will lead to excitation of electrons which can lead to isomerisation, chain scissors, cross linking and free radical formation. It is worth noting that the effects of UV radiation are always acting synergistically with other environmental effects. (author). 4 refs., 2 tabs
Use of moisture probes in building materials industry
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Hanke, L.
A neutron probe to be built in the production line was developed for monitoring moisture content of bulk materials and suspensions of all types in the building material industry. The probe is dust- and external moisture-protected. The probe measuring capacity is about 100 l, the mean measurement error is +- 0.008 g water per 1 cm 3 , which for fine sand represents an error of +- 0.3%. The probe is connected via a cable to a measuring instrument showing an electrical value proportional to the measured material moisture content. (Z.M.)
Mould growth on building materials under low water activities
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Nielsen, Kristian Fog; Holm, G.; Uttrup, L.P.
The influence of relative humidity (RH) and temperature on growth and metabolism of eight microfungi on 21 different types of building material was investigated. The fungi were applied as a dry mixture to the materials, which were incubated at 5degreesC, 10degreesC, 20degreesC and 25degrees...... growth at RH > 90%, although 95% RH was needed to yield chemically detectable quantities of biomass. Almost exclusively only Penicillium, Aspergillus and Eurotium (contaminant) species grew on the materials. Production of secondary metabolites and mycotoxins decreased with humidity and the quantities...
Assessment of the radiological impact of selected building materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Gwiazdowski, B.
Naturally occurring radionuclides in building materials are a source of external and internal radiation exposure to essentially the entire Polish population. The programme of our studies met two main aspects on radioactivity of building materials: Gamma dose rate and radon or alpha potential energy concentration measurements in dwellings of various kinds of structure and materials in both industrial and rural districts of Poland. Gamma dose rate measurements were made in about 2200 dwellings and radon or alpha potential energy concentration measurements - in 750 dwellings. On the basis of these studies the annual effective dose equivalent to the Polish population due to gamma and alpha radiation indoors was estimated to be 0.39 mSv/a and 0.99 mSv/a, respectively. The contribution of external (from gamma) and internal (from alpha) radiation exposure due to naturally occurring radionuclides in building materials to the total radiation exposure of Polish population was assessed to be 3.6 per cent and 34.2 per cent, respectively. Measurements of about 1500 samples of various kinds of building materials and raw materials were made to determine radionuclide concentrations in them. The highest values were obtained in samples of phosphogypsum, fly ash and slag: potassium concentration ranges up to 36 pCi g -1 (a slag sample), radium - up to 17 pCi g -1 (a phosphogypsum sample) and thorium - up to 4 pCi g -1 (a phosphogypsum). On the basis of the results of our studies we came to the conclusion that it was necessary to work out a control system which could protect habitants against enhancement of indoor exposure to ionizing radiation
Radiological dose assessment of naturally occurring radioactive materials in concrete building materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Amran AB Majid; Aznan Fazli Ismail; Muhamad Samudi Yasir; Redzuwan Yahaya; Ismail Bahari
Previous studies have shown that the natural radioactivity contained in building materials have significantly influenced the dose rates in dwelling. Exposure to natural radiation in building has been of concerned since almost 80 % of our daily live are spend indoor. Thus, the aim of the study is to assess the radiological risk associated by natural radioactivity in soil based building materials to dwellers. A total of 13 Portland cement, 46 sand and 43 gravel samples obtained from manufacturers or bought directly from local hardware stores in Peninsular of Malaysia were analysed for their radioactivity concentrations. The activity concentrations of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K in the studied building materials samples were found to be in the range of 3.7-359.3, 2.0-370.8 and 10.3-1,949.5 Bq kg -1 respectively. The annual radiation dose rates (μSv year -1 ) received by dwellers were evaluated for 1 to 50 years of exposure using Resrad-Build Computer Code based on the activity concentration of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K found in the studied building material samples. The rooms modelling were based on the changing parameters of concrete wall thickness and the room dimensions. The annual radiation dose rates to dwellers were found to increase annually over a period of 50 years. The concrete thicknesses were found to have significantly influenced the dose rates in building. The self-absorption occurred when the concrete thickness was thicker than 0.4 m. Results of this study shows that the dose rates received by the dwellers of the building are proportional to the size of the room. In general the study concludes that concrete building materials; Portland cements, sands, and gravels in Peninsular of Malaysia does not pose radiological hazard to the building dwellers. (author)
Assessment of radioactivity in building material(granite) in Sudan
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Osman, Z. A; Salih, I; Albadwai, K. A; Salih, A. M; Salih, S. A.
In the present work radioactivity in building materials (granite) central Sudan was evaluated. In general the building materials used in Sudan are derived either from rocks or soil. These contain trace amounts of naturally occurring radioactive materials(NORMs), so it contains radionuclides from uranium and thorium series and natural potassium. The levels of these radionuclides vary according to the geology of their site of origin. High levels increase the risk of radiation exposure in homes(especially exposure due to radon). Investigation of radioactivity in granite used of the building materials in Sudan is carried out, a total of 18 major samples of granite have been collected and measured using X- ray fluorescence system (30 mci). The activity concentrations have been determined for uranium ("2"3"8U), thorium ('2"3"2Th) and potassium("4"0K) in each sample. The concentrations of uranium have been found to range from 14.81 Bq/kg to 24.572 Bq/kg, thorium between 10.02 Bq/kg and 10.020-84.79 Bq/kg and the potassium concentration varies between 13.33 Bq/kg to 82.13 Bq/kg. Limits of radioactivity in the granite are based on dose criteria for controls. This study can be used as a reference for more extensive studies of the same subject in future. (Author)
Prevention of radioactive gas seeping into buildings through constructive materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Khaydarov, R.A.; Gapurova, O.U.; Khaydarov, R.R.
Full text: One of possible method of realization of the terrorist acts is using gases and liquids, which easily permeate through the constructive materials of walls, floor, ceiling, roof, etc. into buildings by the capillary action of the pores. Toxic volatile organic compounds, organic and inorganic gases, radioactive elements, especially, which emits alpha particles can be used as the dangerous substances. Increased ventilation may help in removing the gases, but can actually increase the gases level by increasing the suction through the pores of concrete. If the gases and liquids are soluble in water and are easily volatilized from it, they can also get by groundwater up to underground structures and penetrate inside through opening and pores in concrete or pushed by hydrostatic pressure. The purpose of this work is creating a method to reduce concentration of toxic and radioactive gases in homes, buildings, underground buildings, tunnels, hangars, garages, bomb shelters, etc. The most effective method to prevent penetration of radionuclides into premises of buildings and underground structures through walls, roofs, floors is using special chemicals, which seal micropores inside the construction materials against gases. Worked out chemicals which consist of blend of polymeric compounds are described in the paper. Radioactive gases permeability in constructive materials after treatment by chemicals was studied. Influence of types of cement, sand and gypsum, preliminary treatment by different chemicals, different types of polymeric compounds, time between treatments, moisture of materials, time between preparation of chemicals and treatment of materials (aging of chemicals), time between treatment of concrete and testing (aging of treated concrete) were examined. Experiments have shown that our method allows reducing the coefficient of gas permeability 200 - 400 times
Romanian government bond market
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Cornelia POP
Full Text Available The present paper aims to present the level of development reached by Romanian government bond market segment, as part of the country financial market. The analysis will be descriptive (the data series available for Romania are short, based on the secondary data offered by the official bodies involved in the process of issuing and trading the Romanian government bonds (Romanian Ministry of Public Finance, Romanian National Bank and Bucharest Stock Exchange, and also on secondary data provided by the Federation of European Stock Exchanges.To enhance the market credibility as a benchmark, a various combination of measures is necessary; among these measures are mentioned: the extension of the yield curve; the issuance calendars in order to improve transparency; increasing the disclosure of information on public debt issuance and statistics; holding regular meetings with dealers, institutional investors and rating agencies; introducing a system of primary dealers; establishing a repurchase (repo market in the government bond market. These measures will be discussed based on the evolution presented inside the paper.The paper conclude with the fact that, until now, the Romanian government bond market did not provide a benchmark for the domestic financial market and that further efforts are needed in order to increase the government bond market transparency and liquidity.
Moisture measurements in building materials with microwaves; Rakennusmateriaalien kosteusmittauksia mikroaalloilla
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Kaeaeriaeinen, H.; Rudolph, M.; Schaurich, D.; Wiggenhauser, H. [VTT Building Technology, Espoo (Finland). Construction and Facility Management
In order to assess the condition and evaluate the reliability of buildings and structures, it is essential to establish the moisture condition of the floor and other structural elements of the building. NDT-methods are increasingly being used for such moisture measurements because they do not cause any damage to the building under investigation. Microwave transmission is one of the NDT-methods and has been in use for several years. In this report, the applicability of the microwave method for measuring moisture in different building materials was investigated. This method has been successfully used at BAM for repeated moisture measurements in brick and sandstone material. This project also included other materials, such as concrete, sand, gravel, insulation and wood. At the same time, information was gathered about in situ moisture determination of building materials with a microwave moisture measuring system. The equipment used in this research has been developed at BAM over the last few years. The method requires two parallel boreholes in the specimen in which two microwave antennae can be moved. The moisture content in the material can be calculated from the microwave intensity transmitted between the two boreholes. Moisture profiles along the boreholes can be obtained by moving the antennae in steps along the length of the boreholes and taking measurements at each step. Special care must be taken while drilling the holes for the antennae, as this process must not affect the moisture condition in the specimen, and the boreholes must be made as parallel to each other as possible. The microwave frequencies used in the laboratory measurements ranged from 8 to 16,5 GHz in steps of 0,5 GHz. The diameters of the antennae were between 7 and 9 mm, and of the boreholes between 8 and 12 mm. Except for the concrete specimen, all the specimens were measured using plastic tubes in the boreholes. The moisture content measured by the microwave technique was verified by the
Dobrogea as Romanian Tourism Micro-destination
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Aurelia-Felicia STĂNCIOIU
Full Text Available Dobrogea, known since antiquity as Dacia Pontica, after the name of the sea that was bordering it – Pontus Euxinus, is a region situated in Southeastern Romania and covers four counties of which two – Constanţa and Tulcea – belong to the Romanian territory. The celebrity of Dobrogea consists in its openness to the Black Sea, in Danube Delta (reservation of the biosphere that belongs to the UNESCO heritage since 1991 and in its archaeological traces that prove the existence and the continuity of the Romanian population next to "Turks, Tatars, Circassians, Macedo-Romanians and Greeks, Italian and Ukrainian, Catholic and Protestant Germans, Bulgarians and Russians, even Egyptians and Gipsy Muslims – a true ethnic mosaic" (Popoiu, 2010, p. 15. The conducted research refers just to the two Romanian counties and aims to highlight the role of the image of the historical region of Dobrogea in building its own brand and to identify its main tourist attractions and forms of tourism.
Assessment of the material properties of a fire damaged building
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Oladipupo OLOMO
Full Text Available This study identifies a process for assessing the material properties of a fire damaged building so as to determine whether the remains can be utilized in construction or be demolished. Physical and chemical analysis were carried out on concrete and steel samples taken from various elements of the building after thorough visual inspection of the entire building had been conducted. The physical (non-destructive tests included the Schmidt hammer and ultrasonic pulse velocity tests on the concrete samples, tensile strength test on the steel samples and chemical tests involving the assessment of the quantities of cement, sulphates and chloride concentrations in the samples. A redesign of the building elements was also carried out and the results were compared with the existing design. The non-destructive test results indicated compressive strengths as low as 9.9 N/mm2, the tensile strength test indicated a maximum strength of 397.48 N/mm2 and the chemical test indicated chloride contents as high as 0.534 g per gramme of concrete. These properties deviated significantly from standard requirements. Based on these results, it was concluded that the remains of the building should be demolished.
Drying and wetting of building materials and components
This book, Drying and Wetting of Building Materials and Components, provides a collection of recent contributions in the field of drying and wetting in porous building materials. The main benefit of the book is that it discusses some of the most important topics related to the drying and wetting processes, namely, innovations and trends in drying science and technology, drying mechanism and theory, equipment, advanced modelling, complex simulation and experimentation. At the same time, these topics will be going to the encounter of a variety of scientific and engineering disciplines. The book is divided in several chapters that intend to be a resume of the current state of knowledge for benefit of professional colleagues.
Regularities of radiation defects build up on oxide materials surface
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Bitenbaev, M.I.; Polyakov, A.I.; Tuseev, T.
Analysis of experimental data by radiation defects study on different oxide elements (silicon, beryllium, aluminium, rare earth elements) irradiated by the photo-, gamma-, neutron-, alpha- radiation, protons and helium ions show, that gas adsorption process on the surface centers and radiation defects build up in metal oxide correlated between themselves. These processes were described by the equivalent kinetic equations for analysis of radiation defects build up in the different metal oxides. It was revealed in the result of the analysis: number of radiation defects are droningly increasing up to limit value with the treatment temperature growth. Constant of radicals death at ionizing radiation increases as well. Amount of surface defects in different oxides defining absorbing activity of these materials looks as: silicon oxide→beryllium oxide→aluminium oxide. So it was found, that most optimal material for absorbing system preparation is silicon oxide by it power intensity and berylium oxide by it adsorption efficiency
Simulation of energy- efficient building prototype using different insulating materials
Ouhaibi, Salma; Belouaggadia, Naoual; Lbibb, Rachid; Ezzine, Mohammed
The objective of this work is to analyze the energetic efficiency of an individual building including an area of 130 m2 multi-zone, located in the region of FEZ which is characterized by a very hot and dry climate in summer and a quite cold one in winter, by incorporating insulating materials. This study was performed using TRNSYS V16 simulation software during a typical year of the FEZ region. Our simulation consists in developing a comparative study of two types of polystyrene and silica-aerogel insulation materials, in order to determine the best thermal performance. The results show that the thermal insulation of the building envelope is among the most effective solutions that give a significant reduction in energy requirements. Similarly, the use of silica-aerogels gives a good thermal performance, and therefore a good energy gain.
Study on reactor building structure using ultrahigh strength materials, 1
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Ishimura, Kikuo; Odajima, Masahiro; Irino, Kazuo; Hashiba, Toshio.
This study was promoted to be aimed at realization of the optimal nuclear reactor building structure of the future. As the first step, the study regarding ultrahigh strength reinforced concrete (abbr. RC) shear wall was selected. As the result of various tests, the application of ultrahigh strength RC shear walls was verified. The tests conducted were relevant to; ultrahigh strength concrete material tests; pure shear tests of RC flat panels; and bending shear tests and its simulation analysis of RC shear walls. (author)
Oriented strand board: new material for building construction
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Paridah Md Tahir; Ong, L.L.
The paper will attempt to show the suitability and competitiveness of oriented strand board (OSB) in building construction. One important factor underlining the success of this product is the availability of the wood raw material. Plantation timbers such as rubberwood, paraserianthes falcataria, acacia crassicarpa, A. auriculiformis and A. mangium have been identified as the major source of this industry. We will focus on the domestic market as well as export market especially on the Asia Pacific region
Valorisation of phosphogypsum as building material: Radiological aspects
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Tayibi, H.
Full Text Available Nowadays, alternative uses of phosphogypsum (PG in the building industry are being considered in several countries; however, the natural radioactivity level in the PG could be a restriction for those uses. United States Environmental Protection Agency (US-EPA classified PG as Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (TENORM. This drawback could be avoided controlling its percentage in the cement preparation and the radionuclides content in the other raw materials used in its production, and calculating the activity concentration index (I in the final by-products.
The valorization of PG as a building material has been studied, from a radiological point of view, by developing a new stabilisation/solidification process. PG is incorporated within a polymeric sulphur matrix, obtaining a concrete-like material, which presents lower natural radioactive content than the initial PG. The 226Ra content of this material ranged between 26-27 Bq·kg-1 and it is quite similar to that of common Spanish building materials.
Actualmente, en muchos países se está contemplando el uso alternativo del fosfoyeso (PG en la industria de la construcción, aunque su contenido en radionucleidos naturales puede presentar ciertas restricciones para dicha aplicación (material clasificado por la US-EPA como TENORM: "Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Materials. No obstante, estos inconvenientes podrían paliarse controlando el porcentaje del PG y los niveles de radioactividad en las materias primas a incorporar al cemento y calculando el índice de concentración de actividad (I en los productos finales. La valorización del PG como material de construcción se ha estudiado en este trabajo desde el punto de vista radiológico, desarrollando un nuevo proceso de estabilización/solidificación, obteniéndose un material de características similares al cemento y que presenta menor contenido de radionucleidos naturales que el
The Constitutive Content of the Offense of not Complying with the Regime of Explosive Materials in the Romanian Criminal Law
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Ion Rusu
Full Text Available In the present work we examined the constitutive content of the offense of not complying with the regime of explosive materials, according to the new provisions of the new Criminal Code. The paper can be helpful both to theorists and those who carry their activity in preventing and combating crime of this kind. The innovations consist of the objective and subjective side examination of the crime, focusing on the changes in its legal content.
Romanian SMEs Financing Options:
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Ioan E. Nistor
Full Text Available One of the most pressing problems faced by micro, small and medium sized enterprises (henceforth SMEs in Europe is the access to sufficient funds to sustain their long term growth. Romanian SMEs make no exception. In this context the present paper focuses on analyzing the extent to which external funding sources have contributed to the value added created by the Romanian SMEs between 2007 and 2011.The investigation's results indicate the existence of a causal link between some forms of external financing (namely bank loans, leasing, factoring, guarantee products and European funds and the value added created by the Romanian micro, small and medium sized enterprises in the aforementioned period.
Methods of measurement and evaluation of natural radionuclide contents in buildings, at building sites, and in building materials and water
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The recommendations should serve as guidelines for specifying the scope of measurement and ways of evaluating the measuring results when satisfying the relevant requirements laid down by the Czech Atomic Act (Act No. 18/1997) and Decree No. 184/1997 in the field of natural radiation sources occurring in the environment without deliberate use. The document consists of the following sections: Methodology for the measurement and assessment of natural exposure of persons in dwelling rooms of buildings; Methodology of determination of the radon risk of building sites; Principles of systematic measurement and evaluation of natural radionuclide contents of building materials; and Principles of systematic measurement and evaluation of natural radionuclide contents of supplied water. (P.A.)
Cold storage with phase change material for building ventilation
Butala, Vincenc; Stritih, Uroš
This paper presents an experimental and numerical analysis of building coolingusing night-time cold accumulation in phase change material (PCM), otherwise known as the "free-cooling" or "passive-cooling" principle. The phase change materials were used in ceilings and floors. The free-cooling principle is explained and some of the types of PCMs suitable for summer cooling are listed. An experiment was conducted using paraffin with a melting point of 22 °C as the PCM to store cold during the ni...
Stone material investigations of the Riga Stock Exchange building
Igaune-Blumberga, S.; Vitina, I.; Lindina, L.; Timma, I.; Barbane, I.
This paper deals with the stone material investigation of former Riga Stock Exchange building and presents the following aspects: characterization of materials, analyses of mortars for sealing and cladding of artificial marble, decors, bricks, render of sealing, analyses of soluble salts, analyses of deteriorated granite surface of foundation. The last damage by fire was in 1979 which caused the collapse of the roof and consequently an infiltration of rain water. The conditions of the objects were found in very bad condition-deterioration represented by salt efflorescence's, cracking and in very large areas there was a complete loss of the artificial marble (stucco marble).
Natural radioactivity measurements in building materials used in Samsun, Turkey.
Tufan, M Çagatay; Disci, Tugba
In this study, radioactivity levels of 35 different samples of 11 commonly used building materials in Samsun were measured by using a gamma spectrometry system. The analysis carried out with the high purity Germanium gamma spectrometry system. Radioactivity concentrations of (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K range from 6 to 54 Bq kg(-1), 5 to 88 Bq kg(-1) and 6 to 1070 Bq kg(-1), respectively. From these results, radium equivalent activities, gamma indexes, absorbed dose rates and annual effective doses were calculated for all samples. Obtained results were compared with the available data, and it was concluded that all the investigated materials did not have radiological risk.
Neutron activation of building materials used in the reactor shield
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Hernandez, A.T.; Perez, G.; D'Alessandro, K.
Cuban concretes and their main components (mineral aggregates and cement) were investigated through long-lived activation products induced by neutrons from a reactor. The multielemental content in the materials studied was obtained by neutron activation analysis in an IBR-2 reactor and gamma activation analysis in an MT-25 microtron from Join Institute of Nuclear Research of Dubna. After irradiation of building materials for 30 years by a neutron flow of unitary density, induced radioactivity was calculated according to experimental data. The comparative evaluation of different concretes aggregates and two types of cement related to the activation properties is discussed
Stone material investigations of the Riga Stock Exchange building
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Igaune-Blumberga, S; Vitina, I; Lindina, L; Timma, I; Barbane, I
This paper deals with the stone material investigation of former Riga Stock Exchange building and presents the following aspects: characterization of materials, analyses of mortars for sealing and cladding of artificial marble, decors, bricks, render of sealing, analyses of soluble salts, analyses of deteriorated granite surface of foundation. The last damage by fire was in 1979 which caused the collapse of the roof and consequently an infiltration of rain water. The conditions of the objects were found in very bad condition-deterioration represented by salt efflorescence's, cracking and in very large areas there was a complete loss of the artificial marble (stucco marble).
Radiological impact assessment of building materials on ordinary houses dwellers
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Campos, M.P. de.
The radiological impact due to building materials on habitants living in the Santo Andre district of Sao Paulo state, Brazil, was assessed through the total effective dose equivalent rate determination, for external and internal irradiation. The effective dose equivalent rate for external irradiation was calculated by the gamma spectrometry determination of natural radionuclides specific activity in the dwelling materials. The effective dose equivalent rate due to 222 Rn inhalation was calculated through the radon indoor activity determination by using solid state nuclear track detectors. (author). 46 refs, 6 figs, 14 tabs
Spectral Signatures of Surface Materials in Pig Buildings
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Zhang, GuoQiang; Strøm, Jan; Blanke, Mogens
. In this study, the optical properties of different types of surfaces to be cleaned and the dirt found in finishing pig units were investigated in the visual and the near infrared (VIS-NIR) optical range. Four types of commonly used materials in pig buildings, i.e. concrete, plastic, wood and steel were applied...... and after high-pressure water cleaning. The spectral signatures of the surface materials and dirt attached to the surfaces showed that it is possible to make discrimination and hence to classify areas that are visually clean. When spectral bands 450, 600, 700 and 800 nm are chosen, there are at least two...
Bioinspired Design of Building Materials for Blast and Ballistic Protection
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Yu-Yan Sun
Full Text Available Nacre in abalone shell exhibits high toughness despite the brittle nature of its major constituent (i.e., aragonite. Its specific structure is a major contributor to the energy absorption capacity of nacre. This paper reviews the mechanisms behind the performance of nacre under shear, uniaxial tension, compression, and bending conditions. The remarkable combination of stiffness and toughness on nacre can motivate the development of bioinspired building materials for impact resistance applications, and the possible toughness designs of cement-based and clay-based composite materials with a layered and staggered structure were discussed.
Evaluation of internal/external exposure from interior building materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Furuta, Etsuko; Morita-Murase, Yuko; Yoshizawa, Yukio
Internal exposure to alpha particles emitted from 222 Rn (radon) and its daughters is the second leading cause of lung cancer. As a source of indoor radon in home, there are interior building materials that contain radioactive minerals. These radioactive consumer products have been claimed by distributors to have effect of 'minus-ion' or 'radon spring' for healthy promotion. We analyzed radioactive nuclides contained in the interior building materials, and measured radon levels released from them. The results of gamma-ray spectrometry revealed that these interior building materials contain U- and Th-series nuclides. The densities of some radioactive nuclides in the tile used for a bathroom exceeded the exempt limits of International Basic Safety Standards. However, the radon densities released from the tile was lower than detectable limit. In contrast, one of the wallpaper released 34 Bq·m -3 of radon gas in a 50-liter container. This value is two times higher than the average radon level in Japanese homes. The minus-ion effect' wallpapers are thought to be a cause of residential exposure to radon. (author)
Some differences between English and Romanian resultative constructions
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Imola-Ágnes Farkas
Full Text Available It is a generally accepted fact that Romance languages behave differently from English and other Germanic languages as far as the building of resultative constructions is concerned. The wide availability of resultatives in English is in sharp contrast with their less frequent occurrence in Romanian; not to mention the view according to which there are no such constructions in Romanian at all. In the present paper we focus our attention on some differences between the resultatives in English and Romanian. Most importantly, English resultatives can be built on activity, as well as accomplishment matrix verbs; whereas Romanian allows only resultatives built on accomplishment verbs. This approach is consonant with Kayne's (2005 theory about the existence/non-existence of silent elements in the two (families of languages; we explain this difference between the two languages in terms of the presence/absence of a silent UP TO element.
Natural radioactivity of building materials coming from a volcanic region
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Roca, V.; Pugliese, M.; Sabbarese, C.; D'Onofrio, A.; Lubritto, C.; Terrasi, F.; Ermice, A.; Inglima, I.; Migliore, G.
Radioactivity was found to be very high in tuff and other materials originating from volcanic lava. Emanation of radon from such materials is appreciably higher than from materials of other origin. This work allowed us to obtain a first complete database of natural radioactivity concentrations in building materials from this region. Measurements were carried out by means of a gamma spectrometry system. Gamma emitting daughter products of 222 Rn were measured to determine 226 Ra. The samples, after a routine treatment, were accommodated in sealed metallic containers for a time sufficient for the equilibrium to establish. The determination of the radon emanation power was carried out by using an electrostatic monitor. Alpha spectroscopy of radon daughters was used to evaluate the content of radon coming from the sample
Natural radioactivity of building materials used in Malaysia
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Omar, M. [Malaysian Inst. for Nuclear Technology Research (MINT), Bangi, Kajang, Selangor D.E. (Malaysia)
A study has been carried out to determine the natural radioactive content of building materials used in Malaysia. The materials analysed include both old and new clay bricks, cement bricks, mortar, cement, sands, ceramic tiles and gypsum. Samples of the first three materials were collected from the 12 states of the Malay Peninsula. Radium-226 (from the U-238 series) and Ra-228 (from the Th-232 series), these both representing naturally occurring radionuclides, were analysed using high-resolution HpGe gamma spectrometers. The results of our investigations showed that some old clay bricks contain high levels (at more than 5 times the normal soil concentration) of natural radionuclides, with maximum concentrations of 590 Bq/kg and 480 Bq/kg for respectively Ra-226 and Ra-228. The reasons behind this finding were not clearly understood. As there are people living in old buildings, i.e. built using old clay bricks, there is a possibility that they are being exposed to significant radiation doses. However, there proved to be no significant overall difference between old and new clay bricks in terms of the natural radioactivity levels determined, at a 95% confidence level. The overall mean concentrations of Ra-226 and Ra-228 observed in Malaysian clay bricks were respectively 118 {+-} 58 Bq/kg and 120 {+-} 42 Bq/kg. The radioactive content of other materials was found to be not much different from that to be determined in normal soil from Malaysia. The data obtained can be used as a basis for reaching decisions on the regulatory limits for radioactivity levels in building materials in Malaysia. (orig.)
Molecular Clusters: Nanoscale Building Blocks for Solid-State Materials.
Pinkard, Andrew; Champsaur, Anouck M; Roy, Xavier
The programmed assembly of nanoscale building blocks into multicomponent hierarchical structures is a powerful strategy for the bottom-up construction of functional materials. To develop this concept, our team has explored the use of molecular clusters as superatomic building blocks to fabricate new classes of materials. The library of molecular clusters is rich with exciting properties, including diverse functionalization, redox activity, and magnetic ordering, so the resulting cluster-assembled solids, which we term superatomic crystals (SACs), hold the promise of high tunability, atomic precision, and robust architectures among a diverse range of other material properties. Molecular clusters have only seldom been used as precursors for functional materials. Our team has been at the forefront of new developments in this exciting research area, and this Account focuses on our progress toward designing materials from cluster-based precursors. In particular, this Account discusses (1) the design and synthesis of molecular cluster superatomic building blocks, (2) their self-assembly into SACs, and (3) their resulting collective properties. The set of molecular clusters discussed herein is diverse, with different cluster cores and ligand arrangements to create an impressive array of solids. The cluster cores include octahedral M 6 E 8 and cubane M 4 E 4 (M = metal; E = chalcogen), which are typically passivated by a shell of supporting ligands, a feature upon which we have expanded upon by designing and synthesizing more exotic ligands that can be used to direct solid-state assembly. Building from this library, we have designed whole families of binary SACs where the building blocks are held together through electrostatic, covalent, or van der Waals interactions. Using single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SCXRD) to determine the atomic structure, a remarkable range of compositional variability is accessible. We can also use this technique, in tandem with vibrational
Luminescence dosimetry using building materials and personal objects
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Goeksu, H. Y.; Bailiff, I. K.
There is a growing public awareness of the risk of accidental radiation exposure due to ageing nuclear power installations, illegal dumping of nuclear waste and terrorist activities, and of the consequential health risks to populations in addition to social and economic disturbance extending beyond national boundaries. In the event of catastrophic incidents where no direct radiation monitoring data are available, the application of retrospective dosimetry techniques such as luminescence may be employed with materials from the immediate environment to confirm values of cumulative gamma dose to compare with or augment computational modeling calculations. Application of the method to post-Chernobyl studies has resulted in the development of new procedures using fired building materials with the capability to measure cumulative doses owing to artificial sources of gamma radiation as low as 20 mGy. Combined with Monte Carlo simulations of photon transport, values of cumulative dose in brick can be presented in a form suitable for use in dose-reconstruction efforts. Recent investigations have also shown that certain types of cementitious building material, including concrete, mortar and plaster, and personal objects in the form of telephone cards containing microchips and dental ceramics have the potential to be used for retrospective dosimetry. Examples of the most recent research concerning new materials and examples of application to sites in the Former Soviet Union are discussed. (authors)
Radon exhalation from building materials for decorative use
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Chen Jing, E-mail: email@example.com [Radiation Protection Bureau, Health Canada, 775 Brookfield Road, Ottawa K1A 1C1 (Canada); Rahman, Naureen M.; Atiya, Ibrahim Abu [Radiation Protection Bureau, Health Canada, 775 Brookfield Road, Ottawa K1A 1C1 (Canada)
Long-term exposure to radon increases the risk of developing lung cancer. There is considerable public concern about radon exhalation from building materials and the contribution to indoor radon levels. To address this concern, radon exhalation rates were determined for 53 different samples of drywall, tile and granite available on the Canadian market for interior home decoration. The radon exhalation rates ranged from non-detectable to 312 Bq m{sup -2} d{sup -1}. Slate tiles and granite slabs had relatively higher radon exhalation rates than other decorative materials, such as ceramic or porcelain tiles. The average radon exhalation rates were 30 Bq m{sup -2} d{sup -1} for slate tiles and 42 Bq m{sup -2} d{sup -1} for granite slabs of various types and origins. Analysis showed that even if an entire floor was covered with a material having a radon exhalation rate of 300 Bq m{sup -2} d{sup -1}, it would contribute only 18 Bq m{sup -3} to a tightly sealed house with an air exchange rate of 0.3 per hour. Generally speaking, building materials used in home decoration make no significant contribution to indoor radon for a house with adequate air exchange.
Hygrothermal Material Properties for Soils in Building Science
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Kehrer, Manfred [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Pallin, Simon B. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Hygrothermal performance of soils coupled to buildings is complicated because of the dearth of information on soil properties. However they are important when numerical simulation of coupled heat and moisture transport for below-grade building components are performed as their temperature and moisture content has an influence on the durability of the below-grade building component. Soils can be classified by soil texture. According to the Unified Soil Classification System (USCA), 12 different soils can be defined on the basis of three soil components: clay, sand, and silt. This study shows how existing material properties for typical American soils can be transferred and used for the calculation of the coupled heat and moisture transport of building components in contact with soil. Furthermore a thermal validation with field measurements under known boundary conditions is part of this study, too. Field measurements for soil temperature and moisture content for two specified soils are carried out right now under known boundary conditions. As these field measurements are not finished yet, the full hygrothermal validation is still missing
Stone Dust Agglomeration for Utilizing as Building Material
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Gabriel Borowski
Full Text Available In the paper we discuss the possibility of using stone dust for utilizing as building material. The tested material was amphibolite, found in the Sudeten Mountains and the Tatra Mountains in Poland. The chemical composition of dust was determined by means of spectrometry methods. Moreover, the basic physical properties of the material were designated. Stone dust was mixed with starch or cement binder. The binder addition was from 5% to 20% by weight. The water content was adjusted to about 25% humidity. The mixture was then compressed in a hydraulic press at 50 MPa. The results of the mechanical toughness of agglomerates were shown. On the basis of the results, acceptable toughness of agglomerates was found, with the addition of cement in mass share 20% and seasoning for 48 hours. However, starch was not suitable as a binder for agglomeration of amphibolite.
Waste Foundry Sand Usage for Building Material Production: A First Geopolymer Record in Material Reuse
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Neslihan Doğan-Sağlamtimur
Full Text Available In order to bring a solution to the problem of waste foundry sand (WFS in the foundry sector and achieve its reuse, geopolymer building material (as a cementless technology was produced from the WFS for the first time in the literature in this study. The physical and mechanical characteristics of this material were determined. In the first part of the experimental step, the sieve analysis, loose/tight unit weight, and loss of ignition of the WFS were obtained as well as the ultimate analysis. In the second step, the water absorption percentage, porosity, unit weight, and compressive strength tests were conducted on the WFS-based geopolymer specimens activated by chemical binders (sodium hydroxide: NaOH and sodium silicate: Na2SiO3. As the unit weights of all the produced samples were lower than 1.6 g/cm3, they may be considered as lightweight building materials. The minimum compressive strength value for building wall materials was accepted as 2.5 MPa by national standards. In this study, the maximum compressive strength value was measured as 12.3 MPa for the mixture incorporation of 30% Na2SiO3 at the curing temperature of 200°C in 28 days. It was concluded that this geopolymer material is suitable for using as a building wall material.
Experimental Study on the Comparison of the Material Properties of Glass Wool Used as Building Materials
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Kyoung-Woo KIM
Full Text Available Artificial mineral fibers such as glass wool or stone wool are commonly used in building walls, ceilings and floors as a major insulation material for buildings. Among the material properties of building materials, thermal conductivity, the sound absorption coefficient, compressibility, and dynamic stiffness are regarded as important performance requirements since they directly affect the thermal and acoustic properties of the building. This study measured the changes of the thermal and acoustical performances of glass wool that was actually installed for a long time to the outer wall of a building as an insulation material through a comparison with recently produced glass wool. The results showed that the measured thermal conductivities of the old and the new specimens both rise with an increase of temperature, showing quite similar results in both specimens over temperature ranges of (0 – 20 ºC. The noise reduction coefficient decreased by 0.1 in the old specimen and the difference of the compressibilities in both specimens was shown to be 7.32 mm. The dynamic stiffness of the old specimen was found to be 1.28 MN/m3 higher than that of the new specimen.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ms.20.1.3714
Natural radioactivity in Slovak construction materials and the indoor dose rate from building materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Cabanekova, H.; Vladar, M.
For keeping the population exposure al low as reasonably achievable (recommended by the Slovak regulations), the radioactive content of primordial radionuclides in building materials and products have not to exceed 370 Bq kg -1 of radium equivalent activity and 120 Bq kg -1 of 226 Ra. Samples of building materials (cement, stone, fly-ash, light concrete, slag, dross, sand dolomite. etc.) user for construction of the residential buildings were collected, milled and screened with 2-3 cm sieve. After drying, the samples were stored in 450 cm 3 sealed polyethylene containers for a 30 day period. All samples were measured in a 4 π geometry usually for 60,000 seconds. Measurements of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K concentrations were carried out by high resolution gamma-ray spectrometry. The primordial radionuclides 226 and 232 Th were assessed through their progeny photo-peaks 214 Bi (609 keV), 214 Pb (295 keV, 351 keV) 228 Ac (338 keV, 911 keV) and 212 Pb (238 keV). The specific activity of both nuclides has been determined as weighted average of their photo-peaks. 40 K was measured directly via its 1460 keV peak. Until now, about 600 samples of building materials have been measured. The obtained radium equivalent activity in various types of building materials and mean annual effective doses of gamma radiation are presented. (J.K.)
Romanian youth's online behavior and preferences
Vera ULARU
The following material is a structural approach of Romanian youth online audiences, which will apply the uses and gratification theoretical model, proposed by Katz and Lazarsfeld. It's a secondary data analysis, of the researches' results realized by Audience Audit Institute of Romania and "Daedalus Consulting" of Romania. It presents data regarding Romanian youth, between 16 - 24 years old, internet uses and gratification, a two years comparative data (2010 - 2011) regarding youth online int...
Half a century after Ionescu's work on Romanian Diplura – A faunal contribution based on material collected from karst areas
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Alberto Sendra
Full Text Available The main publication on the Romanian diplurans belongs to M.A. Ionescu who inventoried 22 species mainly from soil and forest litter from 22 collecting points. The further faunal investigation of two caves (Peştera Izvorul Tăuşoarelor and Peştera Movile allowed Condé to describe other four new taxa, three species and one subspecies. This paper represents the first study at a national level, half century after Ionescu's contribution. The faunal data presented, were obtained from over 60 sites, most of them karst areas (including caves unstudied up to the present. As a result, the faunal list of Diplura known in the Romanian fauna has risen to 28 taxa. A new combination: Litocampa montana Sendra n. comb. is argued. For 16 taxa, the local (based on the UTM grid codes and general distributions and the redescription of some species are given.
Reprocessing of metallurgical slag into materials for the building industry
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Pioro, L.S.; Pioro, I.L.
Several methods of reprocessing metallurgical (blast furnace) slag into materials for the building industry, based on melting aggregates with submerged combustion, were developed and tested. The first method involves melting hot slag with some additives directly in a slag ladle with a submerged gas-air burner, with the objective of producing stabilized slag or glass-ceramic. The second method involves direct draining of melted slag from a ladle into the slag receiver, with subsequent control of the slag draining into the converter where special charging materials are added to the melt, with the objective of producing glass-ceramic. A third method involves melting cold slag with some additives inside a melting converter with submerged gas-air burners, with the objective of producing glass-ceramic fillers for use in road construction. Specific to the melting process is the use of a gas-air mixture with direct combustion inside the melt. This feature provides melt bubbling to help achieve maximum heat transfer from combustion products to the melt, improve mixing (and therefore homogeneity of the melt), and increases the rate of chemical reactions. The experimental data for different aspects of the proposed methods are presented. The reprocessed blast-furnace slag in the form of granules can be used as fillers for concretes, asphalts, and as additives in the production of cement, bricks and other building materials. As well, reprocessed blast-furnace slag can be poured into forms for the production of glass-ceramic tiles
Modeling gamma radiation dose in dwellings due to building materials.
de Jong, Peter; van Dijk, Willem
A model is presented that calculates the absorbed dose rate in air of gamma radiation emitted by building materials in a rectangular body construction. The basis for these calculations is formed by a fixed set of specific absorbed dose rates (the dose rate per Bq kg(-1) 238U, 232Th, and 40K), as determined for a standard geometry with the dimensions 4 x 5 x 2.8 m3. Using the computer codes Marmer and MicroShield, correction factors are assessed that quantify the influence of several room and material related parameters on the specific absorbed dose rates. The investigated parameters are the position in the construction; the thickness, density, and dimensions of the construction parts; the contribution from the outer leave; the presence of doors and windows; the attenuation by internal partition walls; the contribution from building materials present in adjacent rooms; and the effect of non-equilibrium due to 222Rn exhalation. To verify the precision, the proposed method is applied to three Dutch reference dwellings, i.e., a row house, a coupled house, and a gallery apartment. The averaged difference with MCNP calculations is found to be 4%.
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Rusu Liviu Dumitru
Full Text Available Globalization has deeply turned the macroeconomic environment as well as the behaviour of organizations on the global market. Increasingly fierce competition on this market has contributed to the emergence and crystallization of the euro management which was called upon to respond to this challenge. It is closely related to organizational culture and developed on the basis of the integration of markets and economies which led to the appearance, in the management area, of a methods ' concentration, management techniques and methodologies specific to the European countries. As a part of the European management, the Romanian management involves the formulation of some specific traits, defining features, detached from its approach both on processes and management functions as well as on the components of the management system. This approach results from the organization's system feature called "management system". The objectives of this work consist in the formulation of some relevant answers to questions like: "Do the Romanian Managers have a certain conception in terms of functions of the management processes?"; "Was there outlined a specific content for each of the five managerial functions?"; "Is the content of the management components /subsystems already patterned?". As a methodology, from the answer to these questions , there will be taken some conclusions on the "Romanian management" from the theoretical-methodological point of view as a first stage and, on the second stage, as a pragmatic approach on the Romanian organizations and generally within the business environment in Romania. As a result, in the end we present the defining elements of the "Romanian management pattern", to the extent that we come to the conclusion that one can speak of such a model and which are the common and distinct traits as against the European management.
Natural Radioactivity in some building materials from Spain
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Miro, C. [Universidad de Extremadura (UEX), 10071-Caceres (Spain); Madruga, M.J.; Reis, M. [Instituto Superior Tecnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Campus Tecnologico e Nuclear, 2695-066 Bobadela LRS (Portugal)
Studies of natural radiation are of great importance because it is the main source of exposure of human kind. Building materials is one of the sources which cause direct radiation exposure because of their radium, thorium and potassium content. The aim of this work is to measure gamma activity due to {sup 40}K, {sup 226}Ra and {sup 232}Th in samples of commonly used as a building materials in Spain. Cement, gypsum, plaster, marble, slates, granite and wood had been analysed. These materials are used for private and public building. Radium equivalent activities (Ra{sub eq}) and various hazard indices were also calculated to assess the radiation hazard. Results were also compared with the data available in the literature for other countries of the world. Cement, gypsum and plaster samples were collected from hardware stores. Marble, slates and granite samples were taken from different quarries. And the wood samples were taken from eucalyptus trees from forest. Activity concentrations {sup 40}K-, {sup 226}Ra- and {sup 232}Th-activity was determined by gamma spectrometry using a HPGe coaxial detector. The results show that the range of average values of the activity concentrations due to {sup 40}K, {sup 226}Ra and {sup 232}Th were found between 37 and 1340 Bq/kg, 0.007 and 104 Bq/kg, and <0.005 and 75 Bq/kg, respectively. Maxima values were obtained in granite. Radium equivalent activities range from 3.7 Bq/kg to 283 Bq/kg, calculated in wood and granite, respectively. Therefore all the samples showed Raeq activities within the limit, 370 Bq/kg, set by UNSCEAR. Values of external hazard index for all samples under investigation are below the unity, while the internal hazard index for granite exhibits a value around the unity. Acknowledgements to the financial support of the Junta de Extremadura (project PRI09A092 and FEDER-group GRU09053). (authors)
Assessment on urban soil pollution by biocides from building materials
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Bollmann, Ulla E.; Vollertsen, Jes; Bester, Kai
. Based on a monitoring study of stormwater runoff from a residential catchment as well as direct façade runoff analysis, the present study was assessing the pollution of urban soil to biocides from building material. The stormwater runoff of a residential catchment in Silkeborg (Denmark) was monitored...... from a freshly painted or rendered house, it is obvious that a huge part is actually draining directly to the soil and not to the sewer system. Consequently, the soil in urban areas is exposed to stormwater highly polluted by biocides which might affect the microbial community there....
Determination of fungal spore release from wet building materials
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Kildesø, J.; Wurtz, H.; Nielsen, Kristian Fog
The release and transport of fungal spores from water-damaged building materials is a key factor for understanding the exposure to particles of fungal origin as a possible cause of adverse health effects associated to growth of fungi indoors. In this study, the release of spores from nine species...... of typical indoor fungi has been measured under controlled conditions. The fungi were cultivated for a period of 4-6 weeks on sterilized wet wallpapered gypsum boards at a relative humidity (RH) of approximately 97%. A specially designed small chamber (P-FLEC) was placed on the gypsum board. The release...
Radiological risk of building materials using homemade airtight radon chamber
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Norafatin Khalid; Amran Abdul Majid; Redzuwan Yahaya; Muhammad Samudi Yasir
Full-text: Soil based building materials known to contain various amounts of natural radionuclide mainly 238 U and 232 Th series and 40 K. In general most individuals spend 80 % of their time indoors and the natural radioactivity in building materials is a main source of indoor radiation exposure. The internal exposure due to building materials in dwellings and workplaces is mainly caused by the activity concentrations of short lived 222 Radon and its progenies which arise from the decay of 226 Ra. In this study, the indoor radon concentration emanating from cement brick, red-clay brick, gravel aggregate and Portland cement samples were measured in a homemade airtight radon chamber using continuous radon monitor 1029 model of Sun Nuclear. Radon monitor were left in the chamber for 96 hours with an hour counting time interval. From the result, the indoor radon concentrations for cement brick, red-clay brick, gravel aggregate and Portland cement samples determined were 396 Bq m -3 , 192 Bq m -3 , 176 Bq m -3 and 28 Bq m -3 , respectively. The result indicates that the radon concentration in the studied building materials have more than 100 Bq m -3 for example higher than the WHO action level except for Portland cement sample. The calculated annual effective dose for cement brick, red-clay brick, gravel aggregate and Portland cement samples were determined to be 10 mSv y -1 , 4.85 mSv y -1 , 4.44 mSv y -1 and 0.72 mSv y -1 , respectively. This study showed that all the calculated effective doses generated from indoor radon to dwellers or workers were in the range of limit recommended ICRP action levels for example 3 - 10 mSv y -1 . As consequences, the radiological risk for the dwellers in terms of fatal lifetime cancer risk per million for cement brick, red-clay brick, gravel aggregate and Portland cement were calculated to be 550, 267, 244 and 40 persons respectively. (author)
Radiological risk of building materials using homemade airtight radon chamber
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Khalid, Norafatin; Majid, Amran Ab.; Yahaya, Redzuwan; Yasir, Muhammad Samudi
Soil based building materials known to contain various amounts of natural radionuclide mainly 238 U and 232 Th series and 40 K. In general most individuals spend 80% of their time indoors and the natural radioactivity in building materials is a main source of indoor radiation exposure. The internal exposure due to building materials in dwellings and workplaces is mainly caused by the activity concentrations of short lived 222 Radon and its progenies which arise from the decay of 226 Ra. In this study, the indoor radon concentration emanating from cement brick, red-clay brick, gravel aggregate and Portland cement samples were measured in a homemade airtight radon chamber using continuous radon monitor 1029 model of Sun Nuclear. Radon monitor were left in the chamber for 96 hours with an hour counting time interval. From the result, the indoor radon concentrations for cement brick, red-clay brick, gravel aggregate and Portland cement samples determined were 396 Bq m −3 , 192 Bq m −3 , 176 Bq m −3 and 28 Bq m −3 , respectively. The result indicates that the radon concentration in the studied building materials have more than 100 Bq m −3 i.e. higher than the WHO action level except for Portland cement sample. The calculated annual effective dose for cement brick, red-clay brick, gravel aggregate and Portland cement samples were determined to be 10 mSv y −1 , 4.85 mSv y −1 , 4.44 mSv y −1 and 0.72 mSv y −1 , respectively. This study showed that all the calculated effective doses generated from indoor radon to dwellers or workers were in the range of limit recommended ICRP action levels i.e. 3 - 10 mSv y −1 . As consequences, the radiological risk for the dwellers in terms of fatal lifetime cancer risk per million for cement brick, red-clay brick, gravel aggregate and Portland cement were calculated to be 550, 267, 244 and 40 persons respectively
Processing of Building Binder Materials to Increase their Activation
Fediuk, R. S.; Garmashov, I. S.; Kuzmin, D. E.; Stoyushko, N. Yu; Gladkova, N. A.
The paper deals modern physical methods of activation of building powder materials. During mechanical activation a composite binder active molecules cement minerals occur in the destruction of the molecular defects in the areas of packaging and breaking metastable phase decompensation intermolecular forces. The process is accompanied by a change in the kinetics of hardening of Portland cement. Activated concrete has a number of features that are used as design characteristics of structures and are due to the structure of the activated binder and its contacts with concrete aggregates. These features also have a significant impact on the nature of the destruction of concrete under load, changing the boundaries of its microcracks and durability.
Hyperpolarized Xenon Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR of Building Stone Materials
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Michele Mauri
Full Text Available We have investigated several building stone materials, including minerals and rocks, using continuous flow hyperpolarized xenon (CF-HP NMR spectroscopy to probe the surface composition and porosity. Chemical shift and line width values are consistent with petrographic information. Rare upfield shifts were measured and attributed to the presence of transition metal cations on the surface. The evolution of freshly cleaved rocks exposed to the atmosphere was also characterized. The CF-HP 129Xe NMR technique is non-destructive and it could complement currently used techniques, like porosimetry and microscopy, providing additional information on the chemical nature of the rock surface and its evolution.
Longevity of borehole and shaft sealing materials: characterization of ancient cement based building materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Langton, C.A.; Roy, D.M.
Durability and long-term stability of cements in plasters, mortars, and/or concretes utilized as borehole plugging and shaft sealing materials are of present concern in the national effort to isolate nuclear waste within deep geological repositories. The present study consists of an examination of selected ancient building materials and provides insights into the durability of certain ancient structures. These data were combined with knowledge obtained from the behavior of modern portland cements and natural materials to evaluate the potential for longevity of such materials in a borehold environment. Analyses were conducted by petrographic, SEM, chemical, and x-ray diffraction techniques. 7 references, 5 figures, 2 tables
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Gumba Huta Msuratovich
Full Text Available Methodical approaches and procedures of implementation of official provisions of Methodical Recommendations are considered in article. Upon completion of analysis of a number of factors, the authors suggest using the option of assessment of efficiency of application of a new construction material through the application of Methodical Recommendations for Assessment of Efficiency of Investment Projects. As for the assimilation of new materials by building companies engaged in construction operations, the recommendation is to assess the business project efficiency upon introduction of each new construction material, and capital investments are the main indicators of efficiency of construction materials, let alone net discounted profit and the payback period. Upon consideration of a number of conditions that underlie the mathematical and economic model that substantiates decision-making in terms of implementation of innovative projects, the project efficiency can be assessed on the basis of an integrated indicator - maximal return on capital investments. The proposed model also takes account of the payback period, although the efficiency of new construction materials does not take account of any positive social effect of their introduction.
Microencapsulated Phase Change Composite Materials for Energy Efficient Buildings
Thiele, Alexander
This study aims to elucidate how phase change material (PCM)-composite materials can be leveraged to reduce the energy consumption of buildings and to provide cost savings to ratepayers. Phase change materials (PCMs) can store thermal energy in the form of latent heat when subjected to temperatures exceeding their melting point by undergoing a phase transition from solid to liquid state. Reversibly, PCMs can release this thermal energy when the system temperature falls below their solidification point. The goal in implementing composite PCM walls is to significantly reduce and time-shift the maximum thermal load on the building in order to reduce and smooth out the electricity demand for heating and cooling. This Ph.D. thesis aims to develop a set of thermal design methods and tools for exploring the use of PCM-composite building envelopes and for providing design rules for their practical implementation. First, detailed numerical simulations were used to show that the effective thermal conductivity of core-shell-matrix composites depended only on the volume fraction and thermal conductivity of the constituent materials. The effective medium approximation reported by Felske (2004) was in very good agreement with numerical predictions of the effective thermal conductivity. Second, a carefully validated transient thermal model was used to simulate microencapsulated PCM-composite walls subjected to diurnal or annual outdoor temperature and solar radiation flux. It was established that adding microencapsulated PCM to concrete walls both substantially reduced and delayed the thermal load on the building. Several design rules were established, most notably, (i) increasing the volume fraction of microencapsulated PCM within the wall increases the energy savings but at the potential expense of mechanical properties [1], (ii) the phase change temperature leading to the maximum energy and cost savings should equal the desired indoor temperature regardless of the climate
Self-Organized Construction with Continuous Building Material
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Heinrich, Mary Katherine; Wahby, Mostafa; Divband Soorati, Mohammad
Self-organized construction with continuous, structured building material, as opposed to modular units, offers new challenges to the robot-based construction process and lends the opportunity for increased flexibility in constructed artifact properties, such as shape and deformation. As an example...... investigation, we look at continuous filaments organized into braided structures, within the context of bio-hybrids constructing architectural artifacts. We report the result of an early swarm robot experiment. The robots successfully constructed a braid in a self-organized process. The construction process can...... be extended by using different materials and by embedding sensors during the self-organized construction directly into the braided structure. In future work, we plan to apply dedicated braiding robot hardware and to construct sophisticated 3-d structures with local variability in patterns of filament...
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Chertes Konstantin L'vovich
Full Text Available In this article, the problem of utilization of drilling cuttings by means of scavenging, is researched. The product received could be used for the restoration of lands disturbed during construction and economic activities. When assessing technogenic formations, the binary approach was used, as a system of two components. The purpose of the study is to assess the state and possibility of utilizing drilling cuttings as raw materials in order to produce technogenic building materials; to study the effect of the degree of homogeneity of initial mixtures based on drilling cuttings, on kinetics of their hardening which leads to obtaining final products for various applications . As a result of research, relations of hardening and subsequent strengthening of slurry-cement mixtures were obtained; the plan of the process area for treatment of drilling cuttings is presented on the spot of demolished drilling pit.
Building stock dynamics and its impacts on materials and energy demand in China
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Hong, Lixuan; Zhou, Nan; Feng, Wei; Khanna, Nina; Fridley, David; Zhao, Yongqiang; Sandholt, Kaare
China hosts a large amount of building stocks, which is nearly 50 billion square meters. Moreover, annual new construction is growing fast, representing half of the world's total. The trend is expected to continue through the year 2050. Impressive demand for new residential and commercial construction, relative shorter average building lifetime, and higher material intensities have driven massive domestic production of energy intensive building materials such as cement and steel. This paper developed a bottom-up building stock turnover model to project the growths, retrofits and retirements of China's residential and commercial building floor space from 2010 to 2050. It also applied typical material intensities and energy intensities to estimate building materials demand and energy consumed to produce these building materials. By conducting scenario analyses of building lifetime, it identified significant potentials of building materials and energy demand conservation. This study underscored the importance of addressing building material efficiency, improving building lifetime and quality, and promoting compact urban development to reduce energy and environment consequences in China. - Highlights: •Growths of China's building floorspace were projected from 2010 to 2050. •A building stock turnover model was built to reflect annual building stock dynamics. •Building related materials and energy demand were projected.
Decreased bio-inhibition of building materials due to transport of biocides
Erich, S.J.F.; Mendoza, S.M.; Floor, W.; Hermanns, S.P.M.; Homan, W.J.; Adan, O.C.G.
Bio-inhibition of buildings and structures is an important issue. In many cases building materials have biocides added to prevent growth of micro-organisms. Growth of microorganisms on building materials has several negative effects; (1) Aesthetic damage, e.g. fungi, algae grow on the material,
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I. I. Zaripova
Full Text Available In the article the computer modeling of structural and concentration characteristics of the building composite material on the basis of the theory of the package. The main provisions of the algorithmon the basis of which it was possible to get the package with a significant number of packaged elements, making it more representative in comparison with existing analogues modeling. We describe the modeled area related areas, the presence of which determines the possibility of a percolation process, which in turn makes it possible to study and management of individual properties of the composite material of construction. As an example of the construction of a composite material is considered concrete that does not exclude the possibility of using algorithms and modeling results of similar studies for composite matrix type (matrix of the same material and distributed in a certain way by volume particles of another substance. Based on modeling results can be manufactured parts and construction elementsfor various purposes with improved technical characteristics (by controlling the concentration composition substance.
Longevity of borehole and shaft sealing materials: characterization of cement-based ancient building materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Roy, D.M.; Langton, C.A.
Durability and long-term stability of cements, mortars, and/or concretes utilized as borehole plugging and shaft sealing materials are of present concern in the national effort to isolate and contain nuclear waste within deep geological repositories. The present study consists of a preliminary examination of selected ancient, old, and modern building materials (14 specimens) and was intended to document and explain the remarkable durability of these portland cement-related materials. This study has provided insights into reasons for the durability of certain structures and also into the long-term stability of calcium silicate binders (cements) used in archaeologic materials. These data were combined with knowledge obtained from the behavior of modern portland cements and natural materials to evaluate the potential for longevity of such materials in a borehole environment. A multimethod analysis was used and included: macroscopic and microscopic (petrographic and SEM) analyses, chemical analyses, and x-ray diffraction analyses. 61 figures, 11 tables
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Dorel Ursu
Full Text Available This paper wants to make a statement toward the romanian education system. We have lots of unfullfilments and shortcomings in the completition of the educational act. I want to capture some of the scientifical and sporting events from 2012 and 2013 in which romanian youngsters have participated. We have great valuable children, that bring pride to us, by puting the country with the best in the world. In 2012 only, 113 prizes were brought home by the roamanian students, from international olimpics, not including sporting events. In each child we must see a potential, either intelectual or sporting. School and family must work together, and the government and political forces should sustain their performances. The paper will be based on a study that shows performance and acknowledgement on an international level in the last ten years.
Stefania Pandolfi
As Romania has now become a Member State of CERN, Romanian scientists share their thoughts about this new era of partnership for their community. Members of ATLAS from Romanian institutes at CERN (from left to right): Dan Ciubotaru, Michele Renda, Bogdan Blidaru, Alexandra Tudorache, Marina Rotaru, Ana Dumitriu, Valentina Tudorache, Adam Jinaru, Calin Alexa. On 17 July 2016, Romania became the twenty-second Member State of CERN, 25 years after the first cooperation agreement with the country was signed. "CERN and Romania already have a long history of strong collaboration", says Emmanuel Tsesmelis, head of Relations with Associate Members and Non-Member States. "We very much look forward to strengthening this collaboration as Romania becomes CERN's twenty-second Member State, which promises the development of mutual interests in scientific research, related technologies and education," he affirms. Romania&...
Cementitious building material incorporating end-capped polyethylene glycol as a phase change material
Salyer, Ival O.; Griffen, Charles W.
A cementitious composition comprising a cementitious material and polyethylene glycol or end-capped polyethylene glycol as a phase change material, said polyethylene glycol and said end-capped polyethylene glycol having a molecular weight greater than about 400 and a heat of fusion greater than about 30 cal/g; the compositions are useful in making pre-formed building materials such as concrete blocks, brick, dry wall and the like or in making poured structures such as walls or floor pads; the glycols can be encapsulated to reduce their tendency to retard set.
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Pirjol Florentina
Full Text Available Tourism is an industry of the future, having the potential to provide significant revenues, and an industry of 'beauty', because it will protect, preserve and contribute to arranging the environment affected by other human activities. This is why it is very important to know the evolution of this underdeveloped field in our country. This paper is intended as a study on current trends in Romanian tourism without any claim of being an exhaustive research on the industry, describing the main indices of tourist traffic and their influence on Romanian tourism. Nowadays, we witness three main trends in Romanian tourism: sustainability, ecotourism and the increasing presence of cultural tourism. Ecotourism, as a form of tourism, has emerged from people's need to withdraw in nature, to visit and learn about the natural areas which have or have not a national or international protection status. Cultural tourism appears as a type of tourism clearly differentiated from other forms or types of tourism, particularly through motivation. It can be defined as a form of tourist mobility whose primary goal is broadening the horizon of knowledge by uncovering its architectural and artistic heritage and the areas in which it originates. Sustainability for tourism, as for other industries, has three independent aspects: economic, socio-cultural and environmental. Sustainability implies permanence, which means that sustainable tourism requires the optimal use of resources, minimizing the negative economic, socio-cultural and ecological impact, maximizing the benefits upon local communities, national economies and conservation of nature. Regarding statistical data, in what quantity is concerned, there is an increase in Romanian tourism, but in what quality is concerned there is a setback for tourism in the last years. This aspect should make public authorities take concern in improving the infrastructure and the quality of the touristical activity and in diversifying
Today, more than ever, the business environment is continually changing. Competition intensifies in almost every industry, so companies must develop innovative products and business processes to survive. The Romanian clothing market is a crowded one with a lot of powerful competitors, especially Asian firms with their cheep products. Companies are today aware that they must offer the right product, in the right place, at the right price and at the right moment of time in order to be competiti...
Radioactivity of building materials in our country and the world
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Batkova, L.
The problem of radiation load of the population in recent years in the world, but also in Slovakia, is a topic of increasing interest. The reason is significant radiation exposure which is caused by natural or artificial sources of ionizing radiation. The most serious of natural resources is radon. Studies point to the fact that, together with its transformation products it poses a plumbless risk for developing of lung cancer. As part of measures to reduce the radiation load of the population the content of radionuclides in materials and raw materials used in construction is being monitored. The aim is to regulate the size of the exposure in the accommodation space and thus eliminate the health risks that result in exposure of radon. The author tried to make an overview of measured concentrations of natural radionuclides in building materials used in Slovakia and other countries. The author also provides a picture of radiation load on the population of the Czech Republic and Slovakia and gives an overview of legal and legislative standards based on international standards and requirements. (author)
pH and redox effects of building materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Van der Sloot, H.A.; Van Zomeren, A.; Meeussen, J.C.L.; De Nie, D.S.
The application of relatively fine grained industrial slags as fill material in industrial terrains and parking lots has led to unacceptably elevated pH values and imposed reducing conditions in ground- and surface water. Based on the Dutch Building Materials Decree the materials applied were classified as category 1 materials (free use). There are no limits set to pH and redox in this regulation. In itself a lower or higher pH and a low redox potential are not necessarily critical. Only when the buffer capacity of the surroundings is exceeded, undesirable situations may develop. In this work, the release of alkaline and reducing substances has been studied to assess if regulatory controls are needed and how such controls could be implemented practically. Both pH and redox potential are unsuitable properties for this purpose as it is the buffer capacity of the releasing material and the buffer capacity of the receiving soil and water bodies that determine whether unacceptable conditions develop. As pH and redox are also affected by gas reactions (O2 and CO2), the evaluation becomes relatively complex. Using the chemical speciation-transport model ORCHESTRA, a scenario description has been developed to assess the release of alkaline and reducing species from slag by infiltration under unsaturated conditions. Proper acid neutralization and redox buffering data for the materials were determined. Based on the sophisticated model results, a simplified model description was applied to link observations to impact. Decision schemes for applications above groundwater and in surface water have been developed based on the buffer capacity and particle size distribution of the material to be used, the infiltration rate, the degree of exposure to O2 and CO2 from the atmosphere or from soil air and the dimensions of the application. This has led to a preliminary guidance on implementing rules for acceptance of materials in specific applications. The modeled release predictions
(History – telling the nation: the narrative construction of Romanianism in the late 19th century
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Mihai Stelian Rusu
Full Text Available This paper is a study in historical socio-anthropology, focusing on the political process of Romanian nation building and its corresponding anthropological program of creating the national self. Starting from the assumption that human being is a "storytelling animal" nested in a (history-telling community pillared upon "narrative traditions," this paper examines the stock of stories told through history schoolbooks about the Romanian past as a means of narrative construction of Romanian national identity. Consequently, the paper looks at the nationalizing process launched by Romanian state authorities in the wake of the political union of 1859, arguing that the political building of Romanian nation implied the narrative articulation, followed by the recursive institutional reciting within the public educational system, of a "Romanian master story" as a means of breeding national Romanians out of Orthodox peasants. After detailing the pedagogy of the nation emerged in the second half of the 19th century as establishing the norms of (history-telling the national past, the study concludes by highlighting the main themes, or "schematic narrative templates," into which the Romanian master story has been poured out.
Acquisition System Verification for Energy Efficiency Analysis of Building Materials
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Natalia Cid
Full Text Available Climate change and fossil fuel depletion foster interest in improving energy efficiency in buildings. There are different methods to achieve improved efficiency; one of them is the use of additives, such as phase change materials (PCMs. To prove this method's effectiveness, a building's behaviour should be monitored and analysed. This paper describes an acquisition system developed for monitoring buildings based on Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA and with a 1-wire bus network as the communication system. The system is empirically tested to prove that it works properly. With this purpose, two experimental cubicles are made of self-compacting concrete panels, one of which has a PCM as an additive to improve its energy storage properties. Both cubicles have the same dimensions and orientation, and they are separated by six feet to avoid shadows. The behaviour of the PCM was observed with the acquisition system, achieving results that illustrate the differences between the cubicles directly related to the PCM's characteristics. Data collection devices included in the system were temperature sensors, some of which were embedded in the walls, as well as humidity sensors, heat flux density sensors, a weather station and energy counters. The analysis of the results shows agreement with previous studies of PCM addition; therefore, the acquisition system is suitable for this application.
Increase in buildings sustainability by using renewable materials and energy
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Milutiene, Edita [Kaunas University of Technology, Institute of Environmental Engineering, Kaunas (Lithuania); Lithuanian Solar Energy Association, Kaunas (Lithuania); Straw Houses Builders' Association, Kaunas (Lithuania); Staniskis, Jurgis K. [Kaunas University of Technology, Institute of Environmental Engineering, Kaunas (Lithuania); Krucius, Audrys [Straw Houses Builders' Association, Kaunas (Lithuania); JSK ' ' Ecococon' ' , Kaunas (Lithuania); Auguliene, Vida [Lithuanian Hydrometeorological Service under the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania, Kaunas (Lithuania); Ardickas, Daumilas [University of Cambridge, Girton College, Cambridge (United Kingdom)
Sustainable development could be seen as indispensable condition for survival of civilization. Construction sector is a field with immediate need for reducing environmental impacts. Sustainability measures applied for buildings could produce very efficient results to the people. The paper provides the methods of construction sustainability increase by researching, developing, and applying the technologies which use renewable materials and energy. The paper analyzes the cases of both a solar eco house which was built of original prefabricated straw-bale panels and was designed to use direct solar energy; and an educational project promoting straw-bale construction and seeking to mitigate climate change. The project results have shown the need of spreading information on sustainable building methods to be accepted by wider society and to be applied to the construction industry. Monitoring of solar ecohouse has proved that direct solar energy gains are significant in reducing heating degree-days in 55 N latitude and in allowing to save half the energy needed for heating. (orig.)
Determination of radioactivity levels from some Egyptian building materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Abd EL Sattar, M.; Morsy, A.A.
Our world is radioactive and has been, since it was created. Over 60 radionuclides (radioactive elements) can be found in nature. Radon is naturally occurring radioactive gas, that is produced by the radioactive decay of radium. Breathing high concentration of radon can cause lung cancer. A set of experiments were carried out using Cr-39 as solid state nuclear track detectors with the optimum etching conditions, 6.25 N Na OH at 70 o C for 8 hours. The radon-222 activity in this survey was found to be in the range of 0.303 kBq/m 3 to 5.04 KBq/m 3 for different building materials in Egypt
Activity measurement and effective dose modelling of natural radionuclides in building material
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Maringer, F.J.; Baumgartner, A.; Rechberger, F.; Seidel, C.; Stietka, M.
In this paper the assessment of natural radionuclides' activity concentration in building materials, calibration requirements and related indoor exposure dose models is presented. Particular attention is turned to specific improvements in low-level gamma-ray spectrometry to determine the activity concentration of necessary natural radionuclides in building materials with adequate measurement uncertainties. Different approaches for the modelling of the effective dose indoor due to external radiation resulted from natural radionuclides in building material and results of actual building material assessments are shown. - Highlights: • Dose models for indoor radiation exposure due to natural radionuclides in building materials. • Strategies and methods in radionuclide metrology, activity measurement and dose modelling. • Selection of appropriate parameters in radiation protection standards for building materials. • Scientific-based limitations of indoor exposure due to natural radionuclides in building materials
Moisture measurement in wood, wood-based materials and building materials - a literature review
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kober, A.; Mehlhorn, L.; Plinke, B.
Methods of moisture measurement in solid substances, especially on wood, wood-based materials and building materials were examined and evaluated according to the literature available. The question was which methods of examining the moisture distribution in building elements at climate loading offer the best accuracy and spatial resolution as well as which methods are the most appropriate at present and in future for the solution of measurement problems in the wood and wood-based industry. The most common methods are electric measurement methods which are utilizing either the moisture-depending conductivity or the dielectric constant or the reflectivity of the material for infrared radiation but they offer only a limited accuracy. The same is valid for the rarely used microwave methods or X-ray and NMR tomography. Simple electric methods will further on play an important role in the industrial process measuring technique. For the examination of building elements, methods using nuclear radiation still offer possibilities for a further development. (orig.) With 207 refs., 13 figs [de
Natural radioactivity of Turkish natural stones as building materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Yaprak, Guenseli; Yasar, Oezden
Full text: The Turkey has very important natural stones potential with over 5 billion m 3 marble reserves. According to 2002 giving data the number of Turkish stones export is 303 million US Dollars. In this regards, the present study deals with 90 Turkish natural stones. The studied samples were analyzed and the concentrations in Bq/kg dry weight of radioisotopes were determined by gamma-ray spectrometry using HPGe detector. The radon exhalation rates of natural stones were also measured by using solid state nuclear track detectors (LR-115 ). The radium equivalent activity varied from 183 Bq/kg to 522 Bq/kg for granite samples and from 1 Bq/kg to 37 Bq/kg for marble samples. The value of radon exhalation rate ranged from 0.003 Bq/m 2 h -1 to 0.768 Bq/m 2 h -1 for granite samples and from 0.001 Bq/m 2 h -1 to 0.02 Bq/m 2 h -1 for marble samples. The total absorbed dose rates in air ranged from 22 to 61 n Gy h -1 for one quarter utilization of granite samples. The annual effective dose rates per person indoors were determined to be between 108 and 298 μSv y -1 for of for one quarter utilization of the materials. Applying the dose criteria recently recommended by UNSCEAR for building materials, the natural stones meet the upper dose limit of 1mSvy -1 . So, there are not restrictions for use of any Turkish commercial marble as covering materials, including Turkish granites. (author)
Romanian Educational Seismic Network Project
Tataru, Dragos; Ionescu, Constantin; Zaharia, Bogdan; Grecu, Bogdan; Tibu, Speranta; Popa, Mihaela; Borleanu, Felix; Toma, Dragos; Brisan, Nicoleta; Georgescu, Emil-Sever; Dobre, Daniela; Dragomir, Claudiu-Sorin
Romania is one of the most active seismic countries in Europe, with more than 500 earthquakes occurring every year. The seismic hazard of Romania is relatively high and thus understanding the earthquake phenomena and their effects at the earth surface represents an important step toward the education of population in earthquake affected regions of the country and aims to raise the awareness about the earthquake risk and possible mitigation actions. In this direction, the first national educational project in the field of seismology has recently started in Romania: the ROmanian EDUcational SEISmic NETwork (ROEDUSEIS-NET) project. It involves four partners: the National Institute for Earth Physics as coordinator, the National Institute for Research and Development in Construction, Urban Planning and Sustainable Spatial Development " URBAN - INCERC" Bucharest, the Babeş-Bolyai University (Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Engineering) and the software firm "BETA Software". The project has many educational, scientific and social goals. The main educational objectives are: training students and teachers in the analysis and interpretation of seismological data, preparing of several comprehensive educational materials, designing and testing didactic activities using informatics and web-oriented tools. The scientific objective is to introduce into schools the use of advanced instruments and experimental methods that are usually restricted to research laboratories, with the main product being the creation of an earthquake waveform archive. Thus a large amount of such data will be used by students and teachers for educational purposes. For the social objectives, the project represents an effective instrument for informing and creating an awareness of the seismic risk, for experimentation into the efficacy of scientific communication, and for an increase in the direct involvement of schools and the general public. A network of nine seismic stations with SEP seismometers
Wood and Other Materials Used to Construct Nonresidential Buildings - Canada
David B. McKeever; Joe Elling
Low-rise nonresidential building construction is an important market in Canada for lumber, engineered wood products, structural wood panels, and nonstructural wood panels. This report examines wood products consumption in 2012 for construction of selected low-rise nonresidential buildings types that have six or fewer stories. Buildings with more than six stories are...
Advanced FRP for flooring in buildings: a low carbon material application in the construction industry
Gao, Yijian
Fibre-reinforced polymers (FRP) are building materials that permit both the improvement of long-term building performance and the simplification of the construction process, thanks to their high specific strength, low thermal conductivity, good environmental resistance, and ability to be formed into complex shapes. FRP materials are well-suited to fulfilling many building functions. By integrating traditionally separate building systems and layers into single function-integrated components, a...
Heat transfer characteristics of building walls using phase change material
Irsyad, M.; Pasek, A. D.; Indartono, Y. S.; Pratomo, A. W.
Minimizing energy consumption in air conditioning system can be done with reducing the cooling load in a room. Heat from solar radiation which passes through the wall increases the cooling load. Utilization of phase change material on walls is expected to decrease the heat rate by storing energy when the phase change process takes place. The stored energy is released when the ambient temperature is low. Temperature differences at noon and evening can be utilized as discharging and charging cycles. This study examines the characteristics of heat transfer in walls using phase change material (PCM) in the form of encapsulation and using the sleeve as well. Heat transfer of bricks containing encapsulated PCM, tested the storage and released the heat on the walls of the building models were evaluated in this study. Experiments of heat transfer on brick consist of time that is needed for heat transfer and thermal conductivity test as well. Experiments were conducted on a wall coated by PCM which was exposed on a day and night cycle to analyze the heat storage and heat release. PCM used in these experiments was coconut oil. The measured parameter is the temperature at some points in the brick, walls and ambient temperature as well. The results showed that the use of encapsulation on an empty brick can increase the time for thermal heat transfer. Thermal conductivity values of a brick containing encapsulated PCM was lower than hollow bricks, where each value was 1.3 W/m.K and 1.6 W/m.K. While the process of heat absorption takes place from 7:00 am to 06:00 pm, and the release of heat runs from 10:00 pm to 7:00 am. The use of this PCM layer can reduce the surface temperature of the walls of an average of 2°C and slows the heat into the room.
The effect of using low-polluting building materials on ventilation requirements and energy use in buildings
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Wargocki, P.; Frontczak, M. (International Centre for Indoor Environment and Energy, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, DTU, Kgs. Lyngby (DK)); Knudsen, Henrik N. (Danish Building Research Institute, Aalborg Univ., Hoersholm (DK))
The main objective of the ongoing research project described in this paper was to study the potential for reducing energy used for ventilating buildings by using low-polluting building materials, without compromising the indoor air quality. To quantify this potential, the exposure-response relationships, i.e. the relationships between ventilation rate and perceived indoor air quality, were established for rooms furnished with different categories of polluting materials and the simulations of energy used for ventilation were carried out. The exposure-response relationships were based on a summary of data reported in the literature on exposure-response relationships for materials tested in laboratory settings in small-scale glass chambers, and in full-scale in climate chambers, test rooms or normal offices. New experiments were also considered in which the effect of using low-polluting materials on perceived air quality was examined in test rooms ventilated with different outdoor air supply rates, low-polluting materials being selected in small glass chambers. The results suggest that the exposure-response relationships vary between different building materials and that the perceived air quality can be improved considerably when polluting building materials are substituted with materials that pollute less. The preliminary energy simulations indicate that selecting low-polluting materials will result in considerable energy savings as a result of reducing the ventilation rates required to achieve acceptable indoor air quality. (au)
Natural radioactivity in granite stones and their radiological aspects as building material
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kumaravel, S.; Sunil, C.N.; Narashimha Nath, V.; Raghunath, T.; Prashanth Kumar, M.; Ramakrishna, V.; Nair, B.S.K.; Purohit, R.G.; Tripati, R.M.
Natural radioactivity in building and building decorating materials comes mainly from natural radioactive series like 238 U, 232 Th and 40 K. India is one of the leading users of granite stones as it is preferred by decorators and architects. The knowledge of presence of natural radioactivity in these materials is required for the assessment of radiation exposure due to them. The objective of this study is to determine the natural radioactivity and radiological aspects of granite stones as building material
Competitive landscape of the EU's insulation materials industry for energy-efficient buildings
Insulation materials could contribute significantly to improving the overall energy efficiency and sustainability of the buildings, especially by reducing the energy losses through the building envelope (walls, roofs, floors, etc.). The global demand for thermal insulation materials in building applications is projected to increase at a CAGR of 4.5 % between 2016 and 2027. In the EU the demand for thermal insulation materials is estimated at 3.48 % (2015-2027). Wool minerals (glass and stone ...
Romanian Democracy, Theory and Method
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Romulus Brâncoveanu
Full Text Available This is a comment on the type of democracy in Romania, as illiberal democracy. Given the Romanian democratization process, we can hope that, in the future, all populisms and politicization will cease, and a true liberal and constitutional democracy will be installed, which will not be a "Romanian democracy" as Paul Wolfowitz suggested to be exported in Iraq. The question is whether it is good or not to "export" such a political model. "Romanian democracy" could be an exporting model only as an alternative to dictatorship and under the assumption that it will be adjusted in time, under the external pressure.
Fire Safety Aspects of Polymeric Materials. Volume 7. Buildings
Custodial Buildings 136 4.5.5 Retail Stores, Malls, etc. 138 l' 4.5.6 Restaurants and Nightclubs 4.5.7 Public Assembly Occupancies - Auditoria , Theaters... auditoria , theaters, exhibition halls, arenas, transportation terminals; educational buildings and indus- trial buildings. Many of the fire safety...usage are developed. 4.5.7 Public Assembly Occupancies - Auditoria , Theaters, Exhibition Halls, Arenas, Transportation Terminals, Etc. The factors
Activity measurement and effective dose modelling of natural radionuclides in building material.
Maringer, F J; Baumgartner, A; Rechberger, F; Seidel, C; Stietka, M
In this paper the assessment of natural radionuclides' activity concentration in building materials, calibration requirements and related indoor exposure dose models is presented. Particular attention is turned to specific improvements in low-level gamma-ray spectrometry to determine the activity concentration of necessary natural radionuclides in building materials with adequate measurement uncertainties. Different approaches for the modelling of the effective dose indoor due to external radiation resulted from natural radionuclides in building material and results of actual building material assessments are shown. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Controlling Beryllium Contaminated Material And Equipment For The Building 9201-5 Legacy Material Disposition Project
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Reynolds, T.D.; Easterling, S.D.
This position paper addresses the management of beryllium contamination on legacy waste. The goal of the beryllium management program is to protect human health and the environment by preventing the release of beryllium through controlling surface contamination. Studies have shown by controlling beryllium surface contamination, potential airborne contamination is reduced or eliminated. Although there are areas in Building 9201-5 that are contaminated with radioactive materials and mercury, only beryllium contamination is addressed in this management plan. The overall goal of this initiative is the compliant packaging and disposal of beryllium waste from the 9201-5 Legacy Material Removal (LMR) Project to ensure that beryllium surface contamination and any potential airborne release of beryllium is controlled to levels as low as practicable in accordance with 10 CFR 850.25.
Radon diffusion studies in some building materials using solid state nuclear track detectors
Singh, S; Singh, B; Singh, J
LR-115 plastic track detector has been used to study radon diffusion through some building materials, viz. cement, soil, marble chips, sand and lime as well as air. Diffusion constant and diffusion length is calculated for all these materials.
Thorium and Uranium in the Rock Raw Materials Used For the Production of Building Materials
Pękala, Agnieszka
Thorium and uranium are constant components of all soils and most minerals thereby rock raw materials. They belong to the particularly dangerous elements because of their natural radioactivity. Evaluation of the content of the radioactive elements in the rock raw materials seems to be necessary in the early stage of the raw material evaluation. The rock formations operated from deposits often are accumulated in landfills and slag heaps where the concentration of the radioactive elements can be many times higher than under natural conditions. In addition, this phenomenon may refer to buildings where rock raw materials are often the main components of the construction materials. The global control system of construction products draws particular attention to the elimination of used construction products containing excessive quantities of the natural radioactive elements. In the presented study were determined the content of thorium and uranium in rock raw materials coming from the Bełachatów lignite deposit. The Bełchatów lignite deposit extracts mainly lignite and secondary numerous accompanying minerals with the raw material importance. In the course of the field works within the framework of the carried out work has been tested 92 samples of rocks of varied petrographic composition. There were carried out analyses of the content of the radioactive elements for 50 samples of limestone of the Jurassic age, 18 samples of kaolinite clays, and 24 samples of siliceous raw materials, represented by opoka-rocks, diatomites, gaizes and clastic rocks. The measurement of content of the natural radioactive elements thorium and uranium based on measuring the frequency counts of gamma quantum, recorded separately in measuring channels. At the same time performed measurements on volume patterns radioactive: thorium and uranium. The studies were carried out in Mazar spectrometer on the powdered material. Standardly performed ten measuring cycles, after which were calculated
Romanian Nuclear Liability Legislation
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Banu, R.
The regime of civil liability for nuclear damages in the Romanian legislation is defined especially by the Law no. 703/2001 on civil liability for nuclear damage, as well as the Government Decision no. 894/2003 for the approval of the Norms for the enforcement of Law no. 703/2001. These two documents constitute the legal framework that regulates the third party civil liability for nuclear damages. The paper is proposing to present the main elements of the relatively recent legal framework, namely: the principles content in the international acts on civil liability for nuclear damages, the subject to whom such law applies, the regime of civil liability for nuclear damages in Romania and provisions regarding the terrorist acts.(author)
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Viorica JELEV
Full Text Available In sustainable development, tourism plays a vital role, with a high contribution in Romania's economic recovery and relaunch. Raising the tourism product of the values enshrined in the corresponding standards and preferences of foreign tourists involves initiating and promoting actions that include, on one hand, workflows education and training of a mentality appropriate current type of development, and on the other hand , emphasizing sustainable development in regions of tourist's reception. Based on these considerations, this paper aims to determine how the tourism products must be designed from the point of view of marketing, to comply with the principles of sustainability. To this end we analyzed research on consumption of tourist's services in Romania, made by INSOMAR, and an analysis of the Romanian tourism seen by strangers.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Ionescu, Constantin; Rizescu, Mihaela; Popa, Mihaela; Grigore, Adrian
The research in the field of seismology in Romania is mainly carried out by the National Institute for Earth Physics (NIEP). The NIEP activities are mainly concerned with the fundamental research financed by research contracts from public sources and the maintenance and operation of the Romanian seismic network. A three stage seismic network is now operating under NIEP, designed mainly to monitor the Vrancea seismic region in a magnitude range from microearthquakes to strong events: - network of 18 short-period seismometers (S13); - Teledyne Geotech Instruments (Texas); - network of 7 stations with local digital recording (PCM-5000) on magnetic tape, made up of, S13 geophone (T=2 s) on vertical component and SH1 geophone (T=5 s) on horizontal components; - network of 28 SMA-1 accelerometers and 30 digital accelerometers (Kinemetrics - K2) installed in the free field conditions in the framework of the joint German-Romanian cooperation program (CRC); the K2 instruments cover a magnitude range from 1.4 to 8.0. Since 1994, MLR (Muntele Rosu) station has become part of the GEOFON network and was provided with high performance broad band instruments. At Bucharest and Timisoara data centers, an automated and networked seismological system performs the on-line digital acquisition and processing of the telemetered data. Automatic processing includes discrimination between local and distant seismic events, earthquake location and magnitude computation, and source parameter determination for local earthquakes. The results are rapidly distributed via Internet, to several seismological services in Europe and USA, to be used in the association/confirmation procedures. Plans for new developments of the network include the upgrade from analog to digital telemetry and new stations for monitoring local seismicity. (authors)
Building materials. VOC emissions, diffusion behaviour and implications from their use
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Katsoyiannis, Athanasios; Leva, Paolo; Barrero-Moreno, Josefa; Kotzias, Dimitrios
Five cement- and five lime-based building materials were examined in an environmental chamber for their emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). Typical VOCs were below detection limits, whereas not routinely analysed VOCs, like neopentyl glycol (NPG), dominated the cement-based products emissions, where, after 72 h, it was found to occur, in levels as high as 1400 μg m −3 , accounting for up to 93% of total VOCs. The concentrations of NPG were not considerably changed between the 24 and 72 h of sampling. The permeability of building materials was assessed through experiments with a dual environmental chamber; it was shown that building materials facilitate the diffusion of chemicals through their pores, reaching equilibrium relatively fast (6 h). - Highlights: ► Neopentyl glycol is reported in emissions from building materials for the first time. ► Neopentyl glycol dominates the VOC emissions from cement-based building materials. ► A dual chamber was developed to control diffusion through building materials. ► Building materials facilitate diffusion of indoor air pollutants through their pores. - Neopentyl glycol was detected in high concentrations in emissions from building materials.
The global warming potential of building materials : An application of life cycle analysis in Nepal
Bhochhibhoya, Silu; Zanetti, Michela; Pierobon, Francesca; Gatto, Paola; Maskey, Ramesh Kumar; Cavalli, Raffaele
This paper analyzes the global-warming potential of materials used to construct the walls of 3 building types - traditional, semimodern, and modern - in Sagarmatha National Park and Buffer Zone in Nepal, using the life-cycle assessment approach. Traditional buildings use local materials, mainly wood
Guidelines for Assessment and Abatement of Asbestos-Containing Materials in Buildings.
Pielert, James H.; Mathey, Robert G.
This report presents guidelines, based on available information, for the assessment and abatement of asbestos-containing materials in buildings. Section 1 provides background information on the history and use of asbestos-containing products in buildings, the characteristics of asbestos fibers, products and materials containing asbestos, and…
Calculation of radiation dose rate arisen from radionuclide contained in building materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Lai Tien Thinh; Nguyen Hao Quang
This paper presents some results that we used MCNP5 program to calculate radiation dose rate arisen from radionuclide in building materials. Since then, the limits of radionuclide content in building materials are discussed. The calculation results by MCNP are compared with those calculated by analytical method. (author)
29 CFR 779.336 - Sales of building materials for commercial property construction.
... property construction. Sales of building materials to a contractor or speculative builder for the... 29 Labor 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Sales of building materials for commercial property construction. 779.336 Section 779.336 Labor Regulations Relating to Labor (Continued) WAGE AND HOUR DIVISION...
Embodied energy of building materials and green building rating systems : a case study for industrial halls
Lee, B.; Trcka, M.; Hensen, J.L.M.
Green building rating (GBR) systems are developed to provide independent assessment standards that evaluate in a few categories about the performance and sustainability of buildings. However, same category might weight differently in each of the GBR systems. A particular system might favor certain
Embodied energy of building materials and green building rating systems : a case study for industrial halls
Lee, B.; Trcka, M.; Hensen, J.L.M.
Green Building Rating (GBR) systems are developed to provide independent assessment standards that evaluate in a few categories about the performance and sustainability of buildings. However, same category might weight differently in each of the GBR systems, which are different in objectives. A
The use of portable equipment for the activity concentration index determination of building materials: method validation and survey of building materials on the Belgian market
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Stals, M.; Verhoeven, S.; Bruggeman, M.; Pellens, V.; Schroeyers, W.; Schreurs, S.
The Euratom BSS requires that in the near future (2015) the building materials for application in dwellings or buildings such as offices or workshops are screened for NORM nuclides. The screening tool is the activity concentration index (ACI). Therefore it is expected that a large number of building materials will be screened for NORM and thus require ACI determination. Nowadays, the proposed standard for determination of building material ACI is a laboratory analyses technique with high purity germanium spectrometry and 21 days equilibrium delay. In this paper, the B-NORM method for determination of building material ACI is assessed as a faster method that can be performed on-site, alternative to the aforementioned standard method. The B-NORM method utilizes a LaBr 3 (Ce) scintillation probe to obtain the spectral data. Commercially available software was applied to comprehensively take into account the factors determining the counting efficiency. The ACI was determined by interpreting the gamma spectrum from 226 Ra and its progeny; 232 Th progeny and 40 K. In order to assess the accuracy of the B-NORM method, a large selection of samples was analyzed by a certified laboratory and the results were compared with the B-NORM results. The results obtained with the B-NORM method were in good correlation with the results obtained by the certified laboratory, indicating that the B-NORM method is an appropriate screening method to assess building material ACI. The B-NORM method was applied to analyze more than 120 building materials on the Belgian market. No building materials that exceed the proposed reference level of 1 mSv/year were encountered. -- Highlights: • Many building materials will have to be tested for NORM activity concentrations. • An on-site NORM analysis method has been developed and validated. • Over 120 building materials on the Belgian market have been analyzed with this method. • The Euratom BSS reference level of 1 mSv/year excess dose will
Explicatory Dictionary for Exact Sciences. Nuclear Energy, EN2. Nuclear Power. Romanian/English/French
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Dragan, Gleb; Rapeanu, S.N.; Comsa, Olivia
The explicative dictionary for nuclear power, accomplished in the frame of the Commission for Scientific Terminology of the Romanian Academy, represents the second issue in a series running from Nuclear Energy EN 1 through Nuclear Energy EN 10 covering the following fields: EN 1. General terminology; EN 2. Nuclear power; EN 3. Physical protection and nuclear safeguards; EN 4. Nuclear fuel cycle; EN 5. Radioactive wastes; EN 6. Safety of nuclear facilities and materials; EN 7. Radioprotection and dosimetry; EN 8. Nuclear reactors; EN 9. Nuclear sciences and engineering; EN 10. Nuclear law and legislation. The main body of the dictionary's contents was selected by specialists working with the Center of Technology and Engineering for Nuclear Projects - CITON, based on their experience of more than 20 years in introducing and implementing nuclear power in Romania, as well as, on collaboration with nuclear physics and engineering research institutes and physics departments of Romanian universities. The project of a nuclear dictionary in 10 issues aims at supporting the program of nuclear power development in Romania and is at the same time part of nuclear knowledge management policy boosted by IAEA which encourages publication of informative materials highly specialized but also accessible to the public at large. The project aims also to establish the Romanian standardized terminology in the nuclear domain as much in line as possible with the terminologies of the largest communities worldwide most active in nuclear science and technology. Under the guidance of continuos build-up and evolution of nuclear knowledge the present work is intended to be upgraded permanently. The explanation of the terms was based on SR ISO standards, terminology adopted by Organization for Economic and Cooperation Development, OECD/NEA, and IAEA. This series is targeting translators, specialists, students, and the public at large
Towards The Adaptation of Green Building Material Systems to the Egyptian Environment
Sherif Mohamed Sabry Elattar; Eman Badawy Ahmed
This research briefly reviews the definition and the principles of green architecture, making a comparison between the global green building rating systems in respect to materials only. These systems are the [1, 2]Green Pyramid, BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environment Assessment Method), [3] LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and the [4] Green Star in the form of Credits %, importance and its Requirements.The research Aims to evaluate the green building material ...
The natural radioactivity of building materials used in the Christchurch urban area
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Chapman, R.H.
The natural gamma radioactivity of a variety of common building materials in Christchurch, has been measured by gamma spectroscopy. Using conversion factors from the literature, relative dose rate indices for the various building materials were calculated and compared. An increasing order of radioactivity concentration was found from timber to compressed limestone to brick products. These levels are however less than the acceptable limits of radioactivity based on some overseas criteria suggested as building standards
The Assessment of Romanian Customers' Level of Satisfaction with Pharmaceutical Providers
Călin Cherecheş Marius; Paula Timofe Mara; Ovidiu Oniga
The aim of the current study is to assess the level of satisfaction towards pharmaceutical services among Romanian customers. Moreover, we were interested in building the socio-demographical profile of a Romanian satisfied customer. The study has a transversal design and uses a quantitative approach. Data was collected at the national level in June 2012 by using Computer Assisted Telephone Interviews (CATI) and resulted in 1,478 valid questionnaires. Descriptive statistics were performed in o...
Build green and conventional materials off-gassing tests: A final report
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Piersol, P.
Build Green is a certification program that will identify and label building products with a known recycled content. The introduction of these recycled materials has raised the concern that they may emit more indoor pollutants than conventional materials. This study addresses that concern by analyzing Build Green and conventional materials to assess their potential for off-gassing. The study involved emission tests of 37 materials including carpets, carpet undercushions, structural lumber, foundation material, insulation, drywall, fiberboard, counter tops, and cabinetry. The results presented in this report include comparisons of Build Green and conventional materials in terms of emissions of volatile organic compounds and formaldehyde, the material loading ratio, and discussion of the specific sources of the emissions.
Suggestions for inclulsion of radon exhalation control target in building materials radioactivity standards
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Liu Fudong; Liu Senlin; Pan Ziqiang; Zhang Yonggui
The specific-activity and radon exhalation rate from 26 building material samples from different areas were measured with high pure germanium (HPGe) gamma spectrometer and activated carbon cartridge. It is shown that the radium content is not completely relevant to radon exhalation rate from some building material. The existing national standards on 'The Limit of Radionuclides in Building Materials' (GB 6566-2001) only present internal exposure index as control target but not for radon exhalation rate; in fact, the radon exhalation rate from building materials is closely nearly related to indoor radon concentration. So we suggest that the radon exhalation control target should be included in the national standards on 'The Limit of Radionuclides in Building Materials'. (authors)
Natural radioactivity and associated radiation hazards in building materials used in Peloponnese, Greece
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Papaefthymiou, H.; Gouseti, O.
Five different kinds of building materials (Pozzolanic and Portland cements, limestone, white cement, marble powder and sand) commonly used in building construction in Peloponnese, Greece, and Portland cement's raw materials were analyzed for their natural radioactivity content, using γ-ray spectrometry. Pozzolanic and Portland cement (Cem II) samples were found to contain the highest average 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K activity concentrations compared with the other examined building material samples. This could be attributed to their containing fly ash, which was found to contain high natural radionuclide concentrations, especially that of 226 Ra (1041Bqkg -1 ). Results obtained were compared with the results reported by other Greek researchers and the worldwide values for building materials and soil. The calculated activity concentration index (I) values for all the examined building material samples were lower than the recommended exception limits for exposure to external γ-radiation
Natural radioactivity and associated radiation hazards in building materials used in Peloponnese, Greece
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Papaefthymiou, H. [Division of Physics, Inorganic and Nuclear Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Patras, Patras 265 00 (Greece)], E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com; Gouseti, O. [Division of Physics, Inorganic and Nuclear Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Patras, Patras 265 00 (Greece)
Five different kinds of building materials (Pozzolanic and Portland cements, limestone, white cement, marble powder and sand) commonly used in building construction in Peloponnese, Greece, and Portland cement's raw materials were analyzed for their natural radioactivity content, using {gamma}-ray spectrometry. Pozzolanic and Portland cement (Cem II) samples were found to contain the highest average {sup 226}Ra, {sup 232}Th and {sup 40}K activity concentrations compared with the other examined building material samples. This could be attributed to their containing fly ash, which was found to contain high natural radionuclide concentrations, especially that of {sup 226}Ra (1041Bqkg{sup -1}). Results obtained were compared with the results reported by other Greek researchers and the worldwide values for building materials and soil. The calculated activity concentration index (I) values for all the examined building material samples were lower than the recommended exception limits for exposure to external {gamma}-radiation.
Potentially harmful secondary metabolites produced by indoor Chaetomium species on artificially and naturally contaminated building materials
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Dosen, Ina; Nielsen, Kristian Fog; Clausen, Geo
, have been screened for, and thus detected in buildings. In this study, we used a liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry approach to screen both artificially and naturally infected building materials for all the Chaetomium metabolites described in the literature. Pure agar cultures were...... also investigated in order to establish differences between metabolite production in vitro and on building materials as well as comparison to non-indoor reference strains. On building materials six different chaetoglobosins were detected in total concentrations of up to 950 mg/m2 from C. globosum along...... with three different chaetoviridins/chaetomugilins in concentrations up to 200 mg/m2. Indoor Chaetomium spp. preferred wood-based materials over gypsum, both in terms of growth rate and metabolite production. Cochliodones were detected for the first time on all building materials infected by both C. globosum...
Terrain and building effects on the transport of radioactive material at a nuclear site
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Jeong, Hyojoon; Park, Misun; Jeong, Haesun; Hwang, Wontae; Kim, Eunhan; Han, Moonhee
Highlights: • This study is to quantify the building and terrain effects on the atmospheric dispersion. • Statistical methods with AERMOD-PRIME and CFD were used. • To assess the risk in nuclear power plants, terrain and building effects have to be considered. - Abstract: This study identified the terrain and building effects on the atmospheric dispersion of radioactive materials at the Wolsong Nuclear Site. To analyze the atmospheric dispersion of radioactive materials, the AERMOD-PRIME model, CFD model and meteorological data from 2010 were used. The terrain and building effects on the atmospheric dispersion of radioactive materials within a 1 km radius of the site were statistically significant. The maximum concentration of the radioactive material increased by 7 times compared to the concentration when the terrain and building effects were not considered. It was found that the terrain and building influenced the decrease in the concentration of radioactive material in a concentric circle with a 914 m radius from the center of the site. The concentration of radioactive material in a concentric circle with a 350 m radius was two-times higher than the concentration estimated at the backside of the building, which is the downwind side, without any consideration of the terrain and building effects. In consideration of the Korean situation, in which multiple nuclear reactors are built on the same nuclear site, it is necessary to evaluate the risk that may affect workers and nearby residents by reflecting the terrain and building effects
Study of radiation dose reduction of buildings of different sizes and materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Furuta, Takuya; Takahashi, Fumiaki
The dependence of radiation dose reduction on the sizes and materials of buildings was studied by numerical analyses using the Monte Carlo simulation code, PHITS. The dose rates inside the buildings were calculated by simulating gamma-ray transport from radioactive cesium deposited at the ground surface. Three building models were developed: the wooden house, the open-space concrete building, and the thin-wall building, to study the effect of building size and construction material on dose reduction inside these structures. Here the floor-area sizes of the building models were varied to clarify the influence of building configuration on dose reduction. The results demonstrated that the dose rates inside the buildings linearly decreased with increasing floor area on a logarithmic scale for all types of buildings considered. The calculated dose distribution inside a building indicated that the distance from the outer walls was a determining factor for the dose rate at each position in the building. The obtained tendency was verified by comparison with data reflecting the dose reduction of typical buildings in Japan. (author)
Building materials Degradation state of the chella historic site
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Baghdad, B.; Inigo, A.C.; Bounakhla, M.; Naimi, A.; Taleb, A.
The chella Necropolis merinid is located upstream from the mouth on Wadi Bou Regreg left bank, 2 km northeast of downtown Rabat. The site climate is wet oceanic influence with average annual rainfall 400 to 500 mm / year and 16C average annual temperature. The construction material of this historical monument type stone size up the very large door with its original architecture and forming a coating, however close behind which the wall is made of coarse rubble, and likely mostly calcarenite, sand limestone, crystalline limestone and coquina. The stone, paving, and walls are being degraded. To surface rocks natural aging phenomenal we adds air pollution action suffered by the city in recent decades, particularly due to urban development and a concurrent increase in road Traffic which represents about 95% of the pollution source. This accelerates the coatings decomposation and the stone erosion. Opposite the site, at Chella door the concentration measured of certain gaseous pollutants (SO2, NO2 ...) exceeds the standard (190 ug / Nm 3 ). The rainwater analysis collected in this site shows a concentration of 14 mg / l average sulphate. The Chella historic site deterioration is linked to the aging of its concentrations, air pollution, and assault by salt spray and water, algae development, lichens and other vegetation types and the burrowing animals action, insects, birds and other creatures. All these phenomena are added to the natural process of the rock surface weathering and contribute to the monument deterioration. This study aims to inventory the various aspects of these monuments deterioration and the explanation of construction materials evolution. The alteration work is mainly related to the interaction of many external factors: exposure conditions the ambient atmosphere first composition, climate and weather conditions, position in the construction, architectural features. The most important parameters are those that control water flow to the surface blocks
Algae and their biodegradation effects on building materials in the Ostrava industrial agglomeration
Vojtková, H.
Microorganisms cause changes in the building stone, which reduce its usable life and reliability. Microalgae make important parts of the biodegradation consortia of microorganisms on the surface of building materials. Via their metabolites, microalgae affect the stability of mineral components and thus lead to the material destruction. The aim of the paper was to identify aerophytic microalgae on the surface of engineering structures in the Ostrava agglomeration, and to describe the basic interactions between such microorganisms and the building materials, which may lead to the destruction of the materials.
Measurement of natural radioactivity in building materials of Hassan District, Karnataka, India
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Srinivasa, E.; Rangaswamy, D.R.; Sannappa, J.; Suresh, S.
Significant portion of the background radiation is coming from the primordial nuclides such as 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K which are present in the soil, rock and building material. These radionuclides are sources of the external and the internal radiation exposures in dwellings. The specific activities of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K in the building raw materials and products mainly depend on geological and geographical conditions as well as geochemical characteristics of those materials. Knowledge of radioactivity present in building materials enables one to assess any possible radiological risk to human health
Natural radioactivity and associated radiation hazardous of main building materials in Yan'an, China
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Li Nan; Lu Xinwei; Yang Guang; Zhao Caifeng
Background: With the rapidly economic development and urbanization in Yan'an city, more building materials were consumed in building construction. While the natural radioactivity level of building materials from Yan'an is limited in the literatures. Purpose: The main objective of this study is to determine the natural radioactivity level and to analyze the associated radiation hazards of building materials in Yan'an. Methods: The specific activities of natural radionuclides 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K in various building materials from Yan'an city were determined using low-background gamma-ray spectrometry, and their radiation hazards were evaluated according to the standard methods. Results: The results show that the specific activities of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K in the building materials are 9.4-73.1, 11.5-86.9 and 258.9-1055.1 Bq/kg, respectively. The activities of 226 Ra and 232 Th, except for sand and gravel aggregate, in all other building materials are higher than the corresponding means of local soil, and the activities of 40 K in hollow brick, red-clay brick, sand and gravel aggregate exceed the means of 40 K in soil. However, the values of internal exposure index, external exposure index and gamma radiation index in all investigated building materials are less than 1. Conclusions: The radiation levels of all analyzed building materials are within the national safety standard, which indicates that all analyzed building materials can be used anywhere and they can't cause radiation hazard to the local residents. (authors)
Naturally radioactivity in common building materials used in Thiruvannamalai city, Tamilnadu, India
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Ravisankar, R.; Vanasundari, K.; Suganya, M.; Sivakumar, S.; Senthilkumar, G.; Chandramohan, J.; Vijayagopal, P.; Venkatraman, B.
The radioactivity of some building materials used in Thiruvannamalai city has been measured using a NaI(Tl) detector based gamma ray spectrometer. The distribution of natural occurring radionuclides ( 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K) in the building materials was studied. The radium equivalent activity (Ra eq ), external hazard index (H ex ) internal radiation hazard index (H in ) and the activity utilization index (I) associated with the natural radionuclide are calculated to assess the radiation hazard of the natural radioactivity in the building materials. The present work shows that the natural radioactivity levels in the building construction materials used in Thiruvannamalai city is well below the acceptable limits. From the analysis, it was found that these materials may be safely used as construction materials and do not pose significant radiation hazards. (author)
Chemical and thermal analysis for characterisation of building materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kumar, S.C.; Sudersanan, M.; Ravindran, P.V.; Kalekar, B.B.; Mathur, P.K.
Cement and other construction materials are extensively used for the construction of shielding materials for nuclear and high energy radiations. The design and optimum utilisation of such materials need an accurate analysis of their chemical composition. The moisture content and presence of bound water and other volatile materials are also important. The use of thermal analysis supplements the data obtained by chemical analysis and enables a distinction of moisture and chemically bound water. It also enables an identification of the process leading to the loss on ignition. The work carried out on the analysis of sand, cement and other aggregate materials used for the preparation of concrete is described in the paper. (author)
Building control for nuclear materials R and D facility
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Hart, O.
The new plutonium research and development facility at LASL was the first facility to be completed in the United States under the new environmental requirements. To insure that these new requirements are met, a redundant computer system is used to monitor and control the building. This paper describes the supervisory control and data acquisition system that was implemented to perform that function
Amoebae and other protozoa in material samples from moisture-damaged buildings
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Yli-Pirilae, T.; Kusnetsov, Jaana; Haatainen, Susanna; Haenninen, Marja; Jalava, Pasi; Reiman, Marjut; Seuri, Markku; Hirvonen, Maija-Riitta; Nevalainen, Aino
Mold growth in buildings has been shown to be associated with adverse health effects. The fungal and bacterial growth on moistened building materials has been studied, but little attention has been paid to the other organisms spawning in the damaged materials. We examined moist building materials for protozoa, concentrating on amoebae. Material samples (n=124) from moisture-damaged buildings were analyzed for amoebae, fungi, and bacteria. Amoebae were detected in 22% of the samples, and they were found to favor cooccurrence with bacteria and the fungi Acremonium spp., Aspergillus versicolor, Chaetomium spp., and Trichoderma spp. In addition, 11 seriously damaged samples were screened for other protozoa. Ciliates and flagellates were found in almost every sample analyzed. Amoebae are known to host pathogenic bacteria, such as chlamydiae, legionellae, and mycobacteria and they may have a role in the complex of exposure that contributes to the health effects associated with moisture damage in buildings
Romanian Scholarly Productivity: Recent History and Recommendations
Ives, Bob; Badescu, Gabriel
Romanian scholars, and others, have decried the quality and quantity of scholarly productivity from Romania. However, Romanian scholars face challenges of both tradition and resources as they try to westernize their higher education system. We analyzed data from two sources to compare Romanian scholarly productivity to that of other countries from…
European dimensions in Romanian Theological Discourse | Chirila ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
This article underlines particularly those aspects of Romanian theology that distinguish it from other theological refl ections. By making use of liturgical discourse, Romanian theology refl ects the ecumenical dimension of the prayers of the Divine Liturgy. It is this specifi city that provides Romanian theology's missionary ...
Measurement of natural radioactivity in building materials used in Urumqi, China.
Ding, Xiang; Lu, Xinwei; Zhao, Caifeng; Yang, Guang; Li, Nan
Building materials contain natural radionuclides (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K, which cause direct radiation exposure of the public. The concentrations of (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K in commonly used building materials of Urumqi, China have been analysed using gamma-ray spectrometry. The concentrations of (226)Ra, (40)K and (232)Th in the studied building materials range from 19.8 to 87.4, from 273.3 to 981.2 and from 11.6 to 47.7 Bq kg(-1), respectively. The radium equivalent activity (Raeq), gamma index (Iγ) and alpha index (Iα) were calculated to assess the radiation hazards to people living in dwellings made of the materials studied. The calculated Raeq values of all the building materials are lower than the limit of 370 Bq kg(-1) for building materials. The values of Iγ and Iα of all the building materials are less than unity. The study shows that these materials may be safely used as construction materials and do not pose significant radiation hazards.
Recycling and reuse of chosen kinds of waste materials in a building industry
Ferek, B.; Harasymiuk, J.; Tyburski, J.
The article describes the current state of knowledge and practice in Poland concerning recycling as a method of reuse of chosen groups of waste materials in building industry. The recycling of building scraps is imposed by environmental, economic and technological premises. The issue of usage of sewage residues is becoming a problem of ever -growing gravity as the presence of the increasing number of pernicious contaminants makes their utilization for agricultural purposes more and more limited. The strategies of using waste materials on Polish building sites were analyzed. The analysis of predispositions to salvage for a group of traditional materials, such as: timber, steel, building debris, insulation materials, plastics, and on the example of new materials, such as: artificial light aggregates made by appropriate mixing of siliceous aggregates, glass refuses and sewage residues in order to obtain a commodity which is apt for economic usage also was made in the article. The issue of recycling of waste materials originating from building operations will be presented in the context of the binding home and EU legal regulations. It was proved that the level of recycling of building wastes in Poland is considerably different from one which is achieved in the solid market economies, both in quantity and in assortment. The method of neutralization of building refuses in connection with special waste materials, which are sewage sludge that is presented in the article may be one of the alternative solutions to the problem of recycling of these wastes not only on the Polish scale.
Romanian experience and approach in developing the design basis threat concept
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Ionescu, D.S.
Full text: Physical protection systems required to protect the nuclear facilities and materials has to be able to respond at least to the design base threat (DBT). First, the DBT is defined as a minimum set of characteristics of a probable adversary in order to give to the security designer the necessary information to design the Physical Protection System (PPS) subsystems at least at the level to assure complete protection of the nuclear material and facilities against certain attacks. The secondary role of a DBT is to evaluate the effectiveness of an already built PPS facing with a threat having the general characteristic described by DBT. Romanian process to define the natural DBT started effectively with a workshop organized by AIEA and the Romanian Nuclear Regulatory Commission (CNCAN). There participated all the Romanian institution involved in the field of protection of nuclear material and facilities (Romanian Intelligence, Military, Police, CNCAN) as well the representatives of main nuclear operators. The workshop scope was to emphasize the methodology to build a DBT instead to define that. The participants were able to understand the necessary steps to define DBT and the importance of the teamwork. After that meeting, under CNCAN coordination started a process to achieve information from the state institution and nuclear operators. Various meeting has been held to refine the information achieved. Those meetings constituted an important step in the process, helping the parts to understand each other (before that, due to the different organizations where the participants come from was difficult to achieve a common language in this respect). Lots of specific or general analyses and materials have been evaluated, refined and integrated in a special report. Two main constrains of DBT has been identified: the DBT must be 'strong' enough to permit a powerful response of the PPS to any credible attack; also the DBT should consider the equilibrium between the
Study of radon diffusion coefficient for technologically enhanced building construction materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Narula, A.K.; Goyal, S.K.; Chauhan, R.P.; Chakarvarti, S.K.
Most building materials of natural origin contain small amounts of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORMs), mainly radionuclides from the 226 Ra and 232 Th decay chains and 40 K. The origin of these materials is the earths crust, but they find their way into building materials, air, water, food and the human body itself. The worldwide average indoor effective dose due to gamma rays from building materials is estimated to be about 0.4 mSv per year. In many parts of the world, building materials containing radioactive materials have been used for generations. As individuals spend more than 80% of their time indoors, the internal and external radiation exposure from building materials creates prolonged exposure situations. The internal (inhalation) radiation exposure is due to 222 Rn and their short lived decay products exhaled from building materials into the room air. The average activity concentrations of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K in the earths crust are 35, 30 and 400 Bq/kg respectively. However, elevated levels of natural radionuclides causing annual doses of several mSv were identified in some regions around the world. Recycled industrial by-products containing Technologically Phosphogypsum, a by-product in the production of phosphate fertilizers is used as building material, and red mud, a waste from primary aluminum production, is used in bricks, ceramics and tiles. The increased tendency of the building material industry to use industrial wastes as substitutes for natural products having relatively high activity concentration of NORMs and the increased exposure caused by them were the driving forces for undertaking the present investigation. (author)
Natural radioactivity and radiological hazards of building materials in Xianyang, China
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Lu Xinwei; Yang Guang; Ren Chunhui
Common building materials collected from Xianyang, China were analyzed for the natural radioactivity of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K using γ-ray spectroscopy. The average activity concentration of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K in the studied building materials ranges from 13.4 to 69.9, 13.1–99.1 and 124.7–915.1 Bq kg −1 , respectively. The measured activity concentrations for these radionuclides were compared with the reported data of other countries and with the worldwide average activity of soil. To assess the radiation hazard of the natural radioactivity in all samples to the people, the radium equivalent activity, external hazard index, internal hazard index, indoor absorbed dose rate and total annual effective dose were estimated. The radium equivalent activities of the studied samples are below the internationally accepted values. The external hazard index and internal hazard index of all analyzed building materials are less than unity. The mean values of indoor absorbed dose rate for all building materials except for lime are higher than the world population-weighted average of 84 nGy h −1 and the total annual effective dose values of building materials are lower than 1 mSv y −1 except for some cyan brick samples. The study shows the measured building materials do not pose significant source of radiation hazard and are safe for use in the construction of dwellings. - Highlights: ► Natural radioactivity in building materials was determined by gamma ray spectrometry. ► The radiological hazard of studied building materials is within the recommended safety limit. ► Most of the studied building materials do not pose significant radiation risk to residents.
Study on the Application Mode and Legal Protection of Green Materials in Medical-Nursing Combined Building
Zhiyong, Xian
In the context of green development, green materials are the future trend of Medical-Nursing Combined building. This paper summarizes the concept and types of green building materials. Then, on the basis of existing research, it constructs the green material system framework of Medical-Nursing Combined building, puts forward the application mode of green building materials, and studies the policy and legal protection of green material application.
Physical basis of destruction of concrete and other building materials
Suleymanova, L. A.; Pogorelova, I. A.; Kirilenko, S. V.; Suleymanov, K. A.
In the article the scientifically-grounded views of authors on the physical essence of destruction process of concrete and other materials are stated; it is shown that the mechanism of destruction of materials is similar in its essence during the mechanical, thermal, physical-chemical and combined influences, and that in its basis Newton's third law lays. In all cases destruction consists in decompaction of structures, loosening of the internal bonds in materials, in the further integrity damage and their division into separate loosely-bound (full destruction) and unbound with each other (incomplete destruction) elements, which depends on the kind of external influence and perfection of materials structure.
Low-Cost Phase Change Material for Building Envelopes
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Abhari, Ramin [Renewable Energy Group
A low-cost PCM process consisting of conversion of fats and oils to PCM-range paraffins, and subsequent "encapsulation" of the paraffin using conventional plastic compounding/pelletizing equipment was demonstrated. The PCM pellets produced were field-tested in a building envelope application. This involved combining the PCM pellets with cellulose insulation, whereby 33% reduction in peak heat flux and 12% reduction in heat gain was observed (average summertime performance). The selling price of the PCM pellets produced according to this low-cost process is expected to be in the $1.50-$3.00/lb range, compared to current encapsulated PCM price of about $7.00/lb. Whole-building simulations using corresponding PCM thermal analysis data suggest a payback time of 8 to 16 years (at current energy prices) for an attic insulation retrofit project in the Phoenix climate area.
Reforming Romanian energy policy
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Perkins, S.
Success in reforming energy sector depends on the implementation of the programme of economic reform agreed in February 1993. The difficulty of the negotiations between the International Monetary Fund and the Romanian government reflects the wider difficulties faced by the economy as a whole. They can be blamed in part on the legacy of uneconomic and inflexible industrial development and in part on opposition from interest groups which stand to lose from reform. Nonetheless, in spite of hesitant approach, the government does appear committed to the economic reform necessary to establish a market-oriented economy. But as the danger of a financial crisis engendered by the inadequately supported short-term borrowing of foreign exchange becomes urgent, the question is whether economic reform can be now implemented fast enough to protect economic enterprises and saving from a debt crisis. The scope for further delay in implementing the 1993 economic reform programme is fast disappearing. Procrastination should not be allowed to threaten the success of the reforms achieved in the energy and other sectors of the economy. 8 refs., 2 figs
Investigation of thermal effect on exterior wall surface of building material at urban city area
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Md Din, Mohd Fadhil; Dzinun, Hazlini; Ponraj, M.; Chelliapan, Shreeshivadasan; Noor, Zainura Zainun [Institute of Environmental Water Resources and Management (IPASA), Faculty of Civil Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM Skudai, Johor (Malaysia); Remaz, Dilshah [Faculty of Built Environment, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM Skudai, Johor (Malaysia); Iwao, Kenzo [Nagoya Institute of Technology, Nagoya (Japan)
This paper describes the investigation of heat impact on the vertical surfaces of buildings based on their thermal behavior. The study was performed based on four building materials that is commonly used in Malaysia; brick, concrete, granite and white concrete tiles. The thermal performances on the building materials were investigated using a surface temperature sensor, data logging system and infrared thermography. Results showed that the brick had the capability to absorb and store heat greater than other materials during the investigation period. The normalized heat (total heat/solar radiation) of the brick was 0.093 and produces high heat (51% compared to granite), confirming a substantial amount of heat being released into the atmosphere through radiation and convection. The most sensitive material that absorbs and stores heat was in the following order: brick > concrete > granite > white concrete tiles. It was concluded that the type of exterior wall material used in buildings had significant impact to the environment.
Metabolites of Trichoderma species isolated from damp building materials.
McMullin, David R; Renaud, Justin B; Barasubiye, Tharcisse; Sumarah, Mark W; Miller, J David
Buildings that have been flooded often have high concentrations of Trichoderma spores in the air while drying. Inhaled spores and spore and mycelial fragments contain large amounts of fungal glucan and natural products that contribute to the symptoms associated with indoor mould exposures. In this study, we considered both small molecules and peptaibol profiles of T. atroviride, T. koningiopsis, T. citrinoviride, and T. harzianum strains obtained from damp buildings in eastern Canada. Twenty-residue peptaibols and sorbicillin-derived metabolites (1-6) including a new structure, (R)-vertinolide (1), were characterized from T. citrinoviride. Trichoderma koningiopsis produced several koninginins (7-10), trikoningin KA V, and the 11-residue lipopeptaibols trikoningin KB I and trikoningin KB II. Trichoderma atroviride biosynthesized a mixture of 19-residue trichorzianine-like peptaibols, whereas T. harzianum produced 18-residue trichokindin-like peptaibols and the 11-residue harzianin HB I that was subsequently identified from the studied T. citrinoviride strain. Two α-pyrones, 6-pentyl-pyran-2-one (11) and an oxidized analog (12), were produced by both T. atroviride and T. harzianum. Aside from exposure to low molecular weight natural products, inhalation of Trichoderma spores and mycelial fragments may result in exposure to membrane-disrupting peptaibols. This investigation contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of the biologically active natural products produced by fungi commonly found in damp buildings.
Research and Development of solar cell frame. Study on solar cell array solid with building material-business building
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
This is a NEDO annual report for 1985. A feasibility study was carried out from the viewpoints demanded both from the building material side and the solar cell. Evaluation from the technical, institutional, and economical viewpoints indicated the possibility of using a roof material solid with carbon-fiber-reinforced concrete and a curtain wall. The solar cell module was verified as a building material to be resistant against the external force, water, and heat. A problem left is how to enlarge the module. Integrated use of CFRC (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Concrete) and a cell of maximum size (1,240 x 700 mm), which is industrially available, can be expected. Present solar cell array can be utilized as a building material as it is for a curtain wall. Cost calculation of the CFRC solid roofing material indicates 276 yen/KWH for 15 years depreciation, 10 % residual value, and 8% annual interest, which is a little expensive, but this cost may be applicable to the use as a curtain wall.
Establishment of Low Energy Building materials and Equipment Database Based on Property Information
Kim, Yumin; Shin, Hyery; eon Lee, Seung
The purpose of this study is to provide reliable service of materials information portal through the establishment of public big data by collecting and integrating scattered low energy building materials and equipment data. There were few cases of low energy building materials database in Korea have provided material properties as factors influencing material pricing. The framework of the database was defined referred with Korea On-line E-procurement system. More than 45,000 data were gathered by the specification of entities and with the gathered data, price prediction models for chillers were suggested. To improve the usability of the prediction model, detailed properties should be analysed for each item.
Constantin Mavrocordat - Romanian Culture Promotor
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Niculina Vârgolici
Full Text Available For a long time the Phanariot age was considered a dark era and the reforming Prince Constantin Mavrocordat's modernizing activity almost ignored. The signification of the Phanariot Prince's reform policy has to be revalued in the European and Romanian context of the 18th century. The enlighted Prince would reform the administration, justice, fiscal system and education setting up unexistent institutions at that time in Romanian Countries. Both in history and especially in culture, his role as a reformer is undisputable. His efforts in modernizing the Romanian society carried out in a document published in "Mercure de France", 1742 with a suggestive title as Constitution. His reigns signified a renovating period of the political, social, administration and enlightment ideas.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Liviu CRĂCIUN
Full Text Available In this paper we investigated the sources of "Buy Romanian" attitude. Weformulated three constructs namely Buy Romanian, nationalism andinternationalism and we measured them by developing three scales. Thescales were included in a questionnaire that was administered to 110respondents. Performing statistical analysis, the results showed us that BuyRomanian is influenced by the general opinion toward the Romanianproducts and by nationalism orientation. There is no correlation among BuyRomanian and internationalism. These findings are useful because in orderto stimulate buying behavior of Romanian products by Romanian consumers,it is necessary to spot the deepest motivations.
Proposal for the use of new materials in the TOKAMAK building cover
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Chiva, L.
It was considered relevant and innovative to apply new structural materials to the construction of the roof of the building that lodged the TOKAMAK reactor, with the aim of achieving a severe reduction of the weight of the roof structure that result in greater ease of mounting, minor charges on the walls and foundations of the building and a reduced impact on the distribution of masses of the building scheme.
Elevated radon and thoron concentrations from natural radioactivity in building materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Smith, D.; Vivyurka, A.
Radon levels in excess of 20 mWL were observed in an apartment building under construction in Elliot Lake. Tracer studies showed ventilation periods as long as 29 hours since the ventilation system of the building was not yet working. It was concluded that, once the contribution from thoron daughters was taken into account, the natural radioactivity of the concrete and other building materials was sufficient to produce the observed levels of radioactivity
Romanian knowledge and attitudes regarding dietary fibers
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Monica TARCEA
Full Text Available Introduction: Presently, the scientists recognize the health benefits of food fibers in the menu and also plant food sources are at high interest both for general population and food companies. The food companies are responsible for a clear nutrition labelling that will assist consumers to make informed and healthy choices and health providers has to inform the population about the benefits of fibers. The aim of our study was to evaluate the Romanian knowledge and attitudes regarding dietary fibers from food products. Materials and methods: We made a qualitative survey based on a questionnaire applied in 2015, over a period of 6 months, over 670 Romanian consumers. It was focused on testing the attitudes and knowledge towards ingestion of foods rich in fibers. For all data analysis we used the software SPSS, from IBM Inc. Results and Discussions: Our results showed that the knowledge about dietary fibers and also the ingestion of food products rich in fibers were low, and most of the subjects didn't have any interest to read the nutritional information from food labels related to fibers. The female participants ate more whole grains and fruits than males and pay more attention to food labelling, the Romanian people prefer to stay and eat home than at restaurants especially in rural areas, and the knowledge about fibers benefits was significantly related to education and urban location. Conclusion: We underline the needs for more efficient community interventions and proper information about the importance of dietary fibers for our health and also to improve and disseminate our nutritional standards and diet recommendation among population.
Cardboard Based Packaging Materials as Renewable Thermal Insulation of Buildings: Thermal and Life Cycle Performance
Čekon, Miroslav; Struhala, Karel; Slávik, Richard
Cardboard based packaging components represent a material with a significant potential of renewable exploitation in buildings. This study presents the results of thermal and environmental analysis of existing packaging materials compared with standard conventional thermal insulations. Experimental measurements were performed to identify the thermal performance of studied cardboard packaging materials. Real-size samples were experimentally tested in laboratory measurements. The thermal resi...
Implementing the Provision of the European Council Convention on Cybercrime în the Romanian Legislation
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Gheorghe-Iulian IONITA
Full Text Available The European concerns with respect to preventing and fighting cybercrime materialized in the Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime. As a reflection of such concerns, the Draft onpreventing and fighting cybercrime was included in Title III of Romanian Law no. 161/2003. In the same context, most recommendations which incriminate cybercrimes were also entered in the futureRomanian Criminal Code as well. As in other countries, the implementation in the Romanian legislation of the convention provisions generated a number of problems which have been more orless noted and solved. This study attempts to pinpoint such problems.
Modeling of electromigration salt removal methods in building materials
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Johannesson, Björn; Ottosen, Lisbeth M.
for salt attack of various kinds, is one potential method to preserve old building envelopes. By establishing a model for ionic multi-species diffusion, which also accounts for external applied electrical fields, it is proposed that an important complement to the experimental tests and that verification...... with its ionic mobility properties. It is, further, assumed that Gauss's law can be used to calculate the internal electrical field induced by the diffusion it self. In this manner the external electrical field applied can be modeled, simply, by assigning proper boundary conditions for the equation...
Optimization of a phase change material wallboard for building use
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kuznik, Frederic; Virgone, Joseph; Noel, Jean
In construction, the use of phase change materials (PCM) allows the storage/release of energy from the solar radiation and/or internal loads. The application of such materials for lightweight construction (e.g., a wood house) makes it possible to improve thermal comfort and reduce energy consumption. A wallboard composed of a new PCM material is investigated in this paper to enhance the thermal behavior of a lightweight internal partition wall. The paper focuses on the optimization of phase change material thickness. The in-house software CODYMUR is used to optimize the PCM wallboard by the means of numerical simulations. The results show that an optimal PCM thickness exists. The optimal PCM thickness value is then calculated for use in construction
Optimization of a phase change material wallboard for building use
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Kuznik, Frederic; Virgone, Joseph [Thermal Sciences Center of Lyon, CNRS, UMR 5008, INSA de Lyon, Universite Lyon 1, Bat Freyssinet, 40 Rue des Arts, 69621 Villeurbanne Cedex (France); Noel, Jean [Free-lance Scientific Software Developer, 15 Place Carnot, 69002 Lyon (France)
In construction, the use of phase change materials (PCM) allows the storage/release of energy from the solar radiation and/or internal loads. The application of such materials for lightweight construction (e.g., a wood house) makes it possible to improve thermal comfort and reduce energy consumption. A wallboard composed of a new PCM material is investigated in this paper to enhance the thermal behavior of a lightweight internal partition wall. The paper focuses on the optimization of phase change material thickness. The in-house software CODYMUR is used to optimize the PCM wallboard by the means of numerical simulations. The results show that an optimal PCM thickness exists. The optimal PCM thickness value is then calculated for use in construction. (author)
ERP for Romanian Higher Education
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Full Text Available Also most of the big ERP providers provide solutions for higher education, including SAP AG, Oracle, JD Eduards, Peoplesoft, universities preferr other specialized applications which better fit their specific needs. This paper presents the advantages of an integrated solution for higher education and analyzes the solutions offered for this sector by the Romanian ERP market. The conlusion is more like an invitation to discussion about possible solutions to the present Romanian university situation: low budgets, changing regulations, isolated, self-developed applications.
Variability in energy and carbon dioxide balances of wood and concrete building materials
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Gustavsson, Leif; Sathre, Roger [Ecotechnology, Mid Sweden University, SE-831 25 OEstersund (Sweden)
A variety of factors affect the energy and CO{sub 2} balances of building materials over their lifecycle. Previous studies have shown that the use of wood for construction generally results in lower energy use and CO{sub 2} emission than does the use of concrete. To determine the uncertainties of this generality, we studied the changes in energy and CO{sub 2} balances caused by variation of key parameters in the manufacture and use of the materials comprising a wood- and a concrete-framed building. Parameters considered were clinker production efficiency, blending of cement, crushing of aggregate, recycling of steel, lumber drying efficiency, material transportation distance, carbon intensity of fossil fuel, recovery of logging, sawmill, construction and demolition residues for biofuel, and growth and exploitation of surplus forest not needed for wood material production. We found the materials of the wood-framed building had lower energy and CO{sub 2} balances than those of the concrete-framed building in all cases but one. Recovery of demolition and wood processing residues for use in place of fossil fuels contributed most significantly to the lower energy and CO{sub 2} balances of wood-framed building materials. We conclude that the use of wood building material instead of concrete, coupled with greater integration of wood by-products into energy systems, would be an effective means of reducing fossil fuel use and net CO{sub 2} emission to the atmosphere. (author)
Variability in energy and carbon dioxide balances of wood and concrete building materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Gustavsson, Leif; Sathre, Roger
A variety of factors affect the energy and CO 2 balances of building materials over their lifecycle. Previous studies have shown that the use of wood for construction generally results in lower energy use and CO 2 emission than does the use of concrete. To determine the uncertainties of this generality, we studied the changes in energy and CO 2 balances caused by variation of key parameters in the manufacture and use of the materials comprising a wood- and a concrete-framed building. Parameters considered were clinker production efficiency, blending of cement, crushing of aggregate, recycling of steel, lumber drying efficiency, material transportation distance, carbon intensity of fossil fuel, recovery of logging, sawmill, construction and demolition residues for biofuel, and growth and exploitation of surplus forest not needed for wood material production. We found the materials of the wood-framed building had lower energy and CO 2 balances than those of the concrete-framed building in all cases but one. Recovery of demolition and wood processing residues for use in place of fossil fuels contributed most significantly to the lower energy and CO 2 balances of wood-framed building materials. We conclude that the use of wood building material instead of concrete, coupled with greater integration of wood by-products into energy systems, would be an effective means of reducing fossil fuel use and net CO 2 emission to the atmosphere. (author)
State of the art on historic building insulation materials and retrofit strategies
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Blumberga, Andra; Kass, Kristaps; Kamendere, Edite
This report provides an analysis and evaluation of a state-of-the-art of internal insulation materials and methods for application in historic buildings, and review on methods, tools and guidelines used as decision making tools for implementation of internal insulation in historic buildings. Hist...
An experimental setup for measuring generation and transport of radon in building materials
van der Pal, M.; Hendriks, N.A.; de Meijer, R.J.; van der Graaf, E.R.; de Wit, M.H.
This study describes an approach for measuring and modelling diffusive and advective transport of radon through building materials. The goal of these measurements and model calculations is to improve our understanding concerning the factors influencing the transport of radon through building
Experimental Setup for Measuring Diffusive and Advective Transport of Radon through Building Materials
Pal, van der M.; Graaf, van der E.R.; Meijer, de R.J.; Wit, de M.H.; Hendriks, N.A.
This study describes an approach for measuring and modelling diffusive and advective transport of radon through building materials. The goal of these measurements and model calculations is to improve our understanding concerning the factors influencing the transport of radon through building
Exploring the Importance of Employing Bio and Nano-Materials for Energy Efficient Buildings Construction
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Mona Naguib
Full Text Available The continued and increasing use of ordinary building materials to house the ever-growing world population ensures growing contributions of carbon (C to the active carbon cycle through carbon dioxide (C02 emissions from combustion and chemical reactions in the raw material to the atmosphere. To minimize this, materials should be conserved, reduce their unnecessary use, produce them more benignly and make them last longer, recycle and reuse materials. Thus, paper will focus on exploring alternative building materials and systems that can be developed in order to balance atmospheric carbon dioxide. It also presents the Bio-inspired architecture approach that embraces the eco-friendly practices of using Biomaterials and Nano-materials for sustainable dwelling construction through a number of examples that shows how a building can be strongly related to its site.
Comparison of salt solution and air drying methods for moisture fixation in highly porous building materials
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Antonov, Yovko Ivanov; Jensen, Rasmus Lund; Møldrup, Per
In recent years, research has identified some bio-based, porous building materials as good or excellent regulators of moisture in buildings. The ability of a material to absorb, release and store moisture is described by vapour sorption isotherms. It is necessary input to simulations of indoor...... building materials by a standardized testing method, using saturated salt solutions. Furthermore, results from the standard method are compared to values of moisture content for the same materials, obtained by air-drying at different relative humidity. This is done with the aim to compare the findings from...... the two methods with respect to time and repeatability of the results. Derived isotherms are further used as direct input in the building simulation software BSim, which is capable of predicting indoor environment parameters by solving coupled, transient heat and moisture transport equations using finite...
The application of entropy weight topsis method for optimal choice in low radiological decorative building materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Feng Guangwen; Hu Youhua; Liu Qian
In this paper, the principle of TOPSIS method was introduced and applied to sorting the given indexes of glazed brick and granite respectively in different areas' decorative building materials in order to selecting the optimal low radiological decorative building materials. First, the entropy weight TOPSIS method was used for data processing about the sample numbers and radio nuclides content, and then different weights were given to different indexes. Finally, by using the SAS software for data analysis and sorting, we obtained that the optimal low radiological decorative building materials were Sichuan glazed brick and Henan granite. Through the results, it could be seen that the application of entropy weight TOPSIS method in selecting low radiological decorative building materials was feasible, and it will also provide the method reference. (authors)
Quantitative method of X-ray diffraction phase analysis of building materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Czuba, J.; Dziedzic, A.
Quantitative method of X-ray diffraction phase analysis of building materials, with use of internal standard, has been presented. The errors committed by determining the content of particular phases have been also given. (author)
Power plant wastes capitalization as geopolymeric building materials
Ciobanu, Gabriela; Litu, Loredana; Harja, Maria
In this innovative study, we are present an investigation over the properties of geopolymeric materials prepared using ash supplied by power plant Iasi, Romania and sodium hydroxide solutions/pellets. Having as objective a minimum consumption of energy and materials was developed a class of advanced eco-materials. New synthesized materials can be used as a binder for cement replacement or for the removal/immobilization of pollutants from waste waters or soils. It offers an advanced and low cost-effective solution too many problems, where waste must be capitalized. The geopolymer formation, by hydrothermal method, is influenced by: temperature (20-600°C), alkali concentration (2M-6M), solid /liquid ratio (1-2), ash composition, time of heating (2-48 h), etc. The behaviour of the FTIR peak of 6M sample indicated upper quantity of geopolymer formation at the first stage of the reaction. XRD spectra indicated phases like sodalite, faujasite, Na-Y, which are known phases of geopolymer/zeolite. Advanced destroyed of ash particles due to geopolymerisation reaction were observed when the temperature was higher. At the constant temperature the percentage of geopolymer increases with increasing of curing time, from 4-48 h. Geopolymer materials are environmentally friendly, for its obtaining energy consumption, and CO2 emission is reduced compared to cement binder.
Safety distance for preventing hot particle ignition of building insulation materials
Jiayun Song; Supan Wang; Haixiang Chen
Trajectories of flying hot particles were predicted in this work, and the temperatures during the movement were also calculated. Once the particle temperature decreased to the critical temperature for a hot particle to ignite building insulation materials, which was predicted by hot-spot ignition theory, the distance particle traveled was determined as the minimum safety distance for preventing the ignition of building insulation materials by hot particles. The results showed that for sphere ...
Measurement of Ra-226 in building materials, with a Na I (Tl) scintillation counter
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Vallejo, L.R.; Fuenteseca, J.W.; Rivera, C.A.; Aros, F.H.
Ra-226 concentration in building materials is determined using gamma-ray spectrometry. Ra-226 contained in sundry materials employed in the construction of dwelling houses and public buildings in Antofagasta city is determined by counting the Pb-214 peaks at 295 KeV and 352 keV, and the Bi-214 peak at 609 keV recorded by means of a 7.5-cm Nal (TI) scintillation counter. (author)
Natural radioactivity in some building materials and assessment of the associated radiation hazards
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Kasumovic, Amira; Hankic, Ema; Kasic, Amela; Adrovic, Feriz [Tuzla Univ. (Bosnia and Herzegovina). Dept. of Physics
The results of the specific activities of {sup 232}Th, {sup 226}Ra and {sup 40}K measured in samples of commonly used building materials in Bosnia and Herzegovina are presented. Measurements were performed by gamma-ray spectrometer with coaxial HPGe detector. The surface radon exhalation and mass exhalation rates for selected building materials were also measured. The determined values of specific activities were in range from 3.16 ± 0.81 Bq kg{sup -1} to 64.79 ± 6.16 Bq kg{sup -1} for {sup 232}Th, from 2.46 ± 0.95 Bq kg{sup -1} to 53.89 ± 3.67 Bq kg{sup -1} for {sup 226}Ra and from 28.44 ± 7.28 Bq kg{sup -1} to 557.30 ± 93.38 Bq kg{sup -1} for {sup 40}K. The radium equivalent activity, the activity concentration index, the external and internal hazard indices as well as the absorbed dose rate in indoor air and the corresponding annual effective dose, due to gamma-ray emission from the radioactive nuclides in the building material, were evaluated in order to assess the radiation hazards for people. The measured specific activities of the natural radioactive nuclides in all investigated building materials were compared with the published results for building materials from other European countries. It can be noted that the results from this study are similar to the data for building materials from neighbouring countries and for building materials used in the EU Member States. The radiological hazard parameters of the building materials were all within the recommended limits for safety use.
Financing of Romanian Non-governmental Organizations
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Sebastian Ion CEPTUREANU
Full Text Available Non-governmental organizations (NGOs have become increasingly important in the last decade for the Romanian society. They raise public awareness for human rights, promote development of democracy and seek to improve the well-being of communities by being increasingly engaging in various development, educational, social or health projects. Unfortunately, many NGOs has to cope with significant financing problems since competition for resources amplified and some of the traditional donors cut or reduced support. This paper analyze financing issues in NGOs, based on a quantitative analysis, using a structured questionnaire. Since it is one of the very few studies covering Romania, the scope of the paper was to provide for those involved or interested in NGO sector new data concerning, for instance, sources of revenue or destination of resources, enabling NGOs executives to build financial sustainable organizations.
High Strength Phosphogypsum and Its Use as a Building Material
Kanno, Wellington Massayuki; Rossetto, Hebert Luis; de Souza, Milton Ferreira; Máduar, Marcelo Francis; de Campos, Marcia Pires; Mazzilli, Barbara Paci
A new process (patent applied) that works equally well with both plaster of mineral gypsum and phosphogypsum for the preparation of gypsum components, UCOS, has been developed. The process consists of the following steps: humidification of plaster by fine water droplets, uni-axial compression, hydration reaction and drying. Strong hydrogen bonds develop among the crystals together with adhesion provided by confined water that accounts for nearly 70% of the adhesion forces. By reducing the plaster to water ratio to close the minimum necessary, new features are generated. An experimental house has been constructed, in which walls and ceilings have been built of gypsum and phosphogypsum. Since phosphogypsum potentially contain radioactive elements, the application of an activity concentration index to the phosphogypsum employed in the building was carried out.
Building construction materials effect in tropical wet and cold climates: A case study of office buildings in Cameroon
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Modeste Kameni Nematchoua
Full Text Available This paper presents the results of an experimental study that was conducted in 15 office buildings in the humid and cold tropics during the working hours of the dry and rainy seasons in Cameroon. This was with the aim to study the effects that local and imported materials had on indoor air quality. To achieve this objective, the adaptive model approach has been selected. In accordance with the conditions of this model, all workers were kept in natural ventilation and, in accordance with the general procedure, a questionnaire was distributed to them, while variables, like air temperature, wind speed, and relative humidity were sampled. The results showed a clear agreement between expected behaviour, in accordance with the characteristics of building construction, and its real indoor ambience once they were statistically analysed. On the other hand, old buildings showed a higher percentage of relative humidity and a lower degree of indoor air temperature. Despite this, local thermal comfort indices and questionnaires showed adequate indoor ambience in each group of buildings, except when marble was used for external tiling. The effect of marble as an external coating helps to improve indoor ambience during the dry season. This is due to more indoor air and relative humidity being accumulated. At the same time, these ambiences are degraded when relative humidity is higher. Finally, these results should be taken cognisance of by architects and building designers in order to improve indoor environment, and overcome thermal discomfort in the Saharan area.
Review of Development Survey of Phase Change Material Models in Building Applications
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Hussein J. Akeiber
Full Text Available The application of phase change materials (PCMs in green buildings has been increasing rapidly. PCM applications in green buildings include several development models. This paper briefly surveys the recent research and development activities of PCM technology in building applications. Firstly, a basic description of phase change and their principles is provided; the classification and applications of PCMs are also included. Secondly, PCM models in buildings are reviewed and discussed according to the wall, roof, floor, and cooling systems. Finally, conclusions are presented based on the collected data.
Penta-fibrillar assembly: A Building block collagen based materials
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
There is a smartness in the way the penta-fibrils behave in collagen based biomaterials. It is one of the intriguing nano material with a size of about 4 nano meter diagonal size. There are several intermolecular forces that participate in the penta fibrillar assembly, which derive importance in smart behavior of collagen.
Creative Children in Romanian Society.
Dinca, Margareta
Romanian teachers and creative adolescents were interviewed to profile the creative adolescent, focusing on self-image and a description of social conditions contributing to creativity. Responses suggested that schools lack the means to stimulate creativity. Teachers recognize creativity but lack curricula to meet students' needs. Creative…
Laying the Foundations of Contemporary Romanian Astronomy
Marin, Sorin
This article describes the first stage in the history of Romanian astronomy represented by the events, processes and evolution which led to the formation of great scientific personalities, development drives and the creation of the material base for the contemporary Romanian astronomy, having a focus point on the activity of Bucharest Observatory. The article discusses the roots of an evolution pathway determined and inspired by the activity of several scientific personalities of Romania such as Stefan Hepites, Spiru Haret, Nicolae Coculescu and others. It also underlines that a great importance for the astronomical research in Romania was given by the outstanding technical value of the main instruments used at the Observatory in the first decades of activity and, consequentially, by their longevity in service: in the Equatorial Dome - the impressive 6 m. Prin-Mertz telescope and in the Meridian Hall - the GautierPrin telescope. This determined the formation of a powerful astrometry division and a research drive which led over time to important scientific works such as the ultraprecise stellar catalogues developed in Romania at Bucharest Observatory, which were appreciated and awarded nationally and internationally. Therefore, the article includes the moments and the people which determined the success of laying the foundations of the Observatory in 1908 and then having completed the initial scientific infrastructure in 1912 when the construction work was finished, and briefly presents the features, scientific utilisation and outputs of its telescopes, some of the best in the world in their golden years.
Floating houses "lanting" in Sintang: Assessment on sustainable building materials
Susanto, D.; Lubis, M. S.
One important element in the concept of sustainable building is the use of materials. The higher the use of sustainable material in building, the more sustained the building. Lanting is one type of floating construction, usually made from wood, that can be found in settlement along the river, such as in the city of Sintang, West Kalimantan. Lanting is still survive today because it is still used by community whose lives are tied to the river, and also because of its flexible nature that is able to function as a 'water building' as well as 'land building', and it is also movable, in addition for land limitation in some places. However, the existence of lanting settlements in the city of Sintang faces insistence because it is considered slum, polluting the environment, the scarcity of wooden materials, disturbing the beauty of the city, and threatened by the concretized river banks by local government. This paper discussed the sustainability of waterfront buildings in the city of Sintang in terms of material uses, through the assessment of 'green-features' of the main materials used. Assessment results show that wood is the most green building material and lanting is considered at the highest sustainability level for its use of wooden materials.
The Causes of Blistering in Boat Building Materials
acrylate units (MET) Ethylene glycol (MET) Propylene glycol (MET) Neopentyl glycol (NET) Maleic acid or anhydride (unsaturated) (NET) lumaric acid...PROPYLENE GLYCOL OPA ORTHOPHTHALIC ACID VINYL - URETHANE BASED POLYESTER IqPG NEOPENTYL GLYCOL RESIN EG - ETHYLENE GLYCOL TMPD - 22,, - TRiMETHY...IPA Isophthalic acid WSN Low molecular weight water soluble material NPG Neopentyl glycol OPA Orthophthalio acid PG Propylene glycol MEKP Hethyl
Nanocellulose as Material Building Block for Energy and Flexible Electronics
Hu, Liangbing
In this talk, I will discuss the fabrications, properties and device applications of functional nanostructured paper based on nanocellulose. Nanostructures with tunable optical, electrical, ionic and mechanical properties will be discussed. Lab-scale demonstration devices, including low-cost Na-ion batteries, microbial fuel cells, solar cells, transparent transistors, actuators and touch screens will be briefly mentioned. These studies show that nanocellulose is a promising green material for electronics and energy devices.
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Asmamaw Tegegne
Full Text Available These days cost of building materials are continuously increasing and the conventional construction materials for this particular purpose become low and low. The weight of conventional construction materials particularly building block is heavy and costly due to particularly cement. Thus, the objective of this paper is to develop an alternative light weight, high strength and relatively cost effective building material that satisfy the quality standard used in the country. A bio-based polymer matrix composite material for residential construction was experimentally developed. Sugar cane bagasse, thermoplastics (polyethylene g roup sand and red ash were used as materials alternatively. Mixing of the additives,melting of the hermoplastics, molding and curing (dryingwere the common methods used on the forming process of the samples. Mechanical behavior evaluation (testing of the product was carried out. Totally 45 specimens were produced and three replicate tests were performed per each test type. Quality analysis was carried out for group B material using Ishikawa diagram. The tensile strength of group A specimen was approximately 3 times greater than that of group B specimens. The compression strength of group A specimens were nearly 2 times greater than group B. Comparing to the conventional building materials(concert block and agrostoneproduced in the country, which the compression strength is 7Mpa and 16Mpa respectively, the newly produced materials show much better results in which Group A is 25.66 Mpa and group B is 16.66 Mpa. energy absorption capacity of group A specimens was approximately 3 times better than that of group B. Water absorption test was carried out for both groups and both showed excellent resistivity. Group A composite material specimens, showed better results in all parameters.
Effect of Material Variability and Mechanical Eccentricity on the Seismic Vulnerability Assessment of Reinforced Concrete Buildings
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Mario Lucio Puppio
Full Text Available The present paper deals with the influence of material variability on the seismic vulnerability assessment of reinforced concrete buildings. Existing r.c. buildings are affected by a strong dispersion of material strengths of both the base materials. This influences the seismic response in linear and nonlinear static analysis. For this reason, it is useful to define a geometrical parameter called "material eccentricity". As a reference model, an analysis of a two storey building is presented with a symmetrical plan but asymmetrical material distribution. Furthermore, an analysis of two real buildings with a similar issue is performed. Experimental data generate random material distributions to carry out a probabilistic analysis. By rotating the vector that defines the position of the center of strength it is possible to describe a strength domain that is characterized by equipotential lines in terms of the Risk Index. Material eccentricity is related to the Ultimate Shear of non-linear static analyses. This relevant uncertainty, referred to as the variation of the center of strength, is not considered in the current European and Italian Standards. The "material eccentricity" therefore reveals itself to be a relevant parameter to considering how material variability affects such a variation.
A matrix in life cycle perspective for selecting sustainable materials for buildings in Sri Lanka
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Abeysundara, U.G. Yasantha [Ministry of Education, Isurupaya, Battaramulla (Sri Lanka); Babel, Sandhya [Environmental Technology Program, School of Biochemical Engineering and Technology, Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology, Thammasat University, P.O. Box 22, Pathumthani 12121 (Thailand); Gheewala, Shabbir [The Joint Graduate School of Energy and Environment, King Mongkut' s University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok 10140 (Thailand)
This paper presents a matrix to select sustainable materials for buildings in Sri Lanka, taking into consideration environmental, economic and social assessments of materials in a life cycle perspective. Five building elements, viz., foundations, roofs, ceilings, doors and windows, and floors are analyzed based on materials used for these elements. Environmental burdens associated with these elements are analyzed in terms of embodied energy and environmental impacts such as global warming, acidification and nutrient enrichment. Economic analysis is based on market prices and affordability of materials. Social factors that are taken into account are thermal comfort, interior (aesthetics), ability to construct quickly, strength and durability. By compiling the results of analyses, two building types with minimum and maximum impacts are identified. These two cases along with existing buildings are compared in a matrix of environmental, economic and social scores. Analysis of the results also indicates need for higher consideration of environmental parameters in decision-making over social and economic factors, as social and economic scores do not vary much between cases. Hence, this matrix helps decision-makers to select sustainable materials for buildings, meaningfully, and thus helps to move towards a more sustainable buildings and construction sector. (author)
Development of phase change materials based microencapsulated technology for buildings: A review
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Tyagi, V.V.; Kaushik, S.C. [Centre for Energy Studies, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016 (India); Tyagi, S.K. [School of Infrastructure Technology and Resource Management, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University, Katra 182320, J and K (India); Akiyama, T. [Center for Advanced Research of Energy Conversion Materials, Hokkaido University, Kita 13, Nishi 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-86283 (Japan)
Thermal energy storage (TES) systems using phase change material (PCM) have been recognized as one of the most advanced energy technologies in enhancing the energy efficiency and sustainability of buildings. Now the research is focus on suitable method to incorporate PCMs with building. There are several methods to use phase change materials (PCMs) in thermal energy storage (TES) for different applications. Microencapsulation is one of the well known and advanced technologies for better utilization of PCMs with building parts, such as, wall, roof and floor besides, within the building materials. Phase change materials based microencapsulation for latent heat thermal storage (LHTS) systems for building application offers a challenging option to be employed as effective thermal energy storage and a retrieval device. Since the particular interest in using microencapsulation PCMs for concrete and wall/wallboards, the specific research efforts on both subjects are reviewed separately. This paper presents an overview of the previous research work on microencapsulation technology for thermal energy storage incorporating the phase change materials (PCMs) in the building applications, along with few useful conclusive remarks concluded from the available literature. (author)
Natural radioactivity and dose from marble used as building material
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Iqbal, M.
The activities of /sup 226/Ra, /sup 232/Th and /sup 40/K radionuclides have been measured in marble chips collected from the factories in Islamabad, Pakistan using NaI(TI) gamma ray spectrometer. The spectrometry system was calibrated with a reference material RGI obtained from IAEA. The activity measurements were based upon 1460.8 keV, 1764.5 keV and 2614.6 keV energies of /sup 40/K, /sup 226/Ra and /sup 232/Th, respectively. The spectrum stripping was done by matrix inversion method. The calculated specific activities of the marble samples varied from 4 Bq.kg/sup -1/ to 63 Bq.kg/sup -1/ for /sup 40/K. The Radium equivalent activities, have been calculated and were found to vary from 26 Bq.kg/sup -1/ to 100 Bq.kg/sup -1/, respectively. These values are within the limit by OECD (Ra /sub eq/ < 370 Bq.kg/sup -1/) and ICRP-60 (Ra/sub eq/ < 100 Bq.kg/sup -1/ for the safe use of the construction materials for dwelling. H/sub ex/ and h/sub in/ indices ranges from 0.0716 to 0.2692 and from 0.0831 to 0.4277, respectively which are also less than 1 according to OECD limit. The calculated values of overall absorbed dose rate for marble samples varies from 13 nGy.h/sup -1/ to 46 nGy.h/sup -1/. Dose rate (nGy/hr per Bq/kg) using Ingree code at a distance of 1 meter from floor varies from 10 to 65 for /sup 226/Ra, 11 to 53 for /sup 232/Th and 1 to 9 for /sup 40/K for all marble samples. All these results indicate that marble samples under study are safe for use as a construction material. (author)
Photon Interaction Studies with Some Glasses and Building Materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Singh, Harvinder; Singh, Kulwant; Sharma, Gopi; Nathuram, R.; Sahota, H.S.
Mass attenuation coefficients of some shielding materials, namely, Bakelite, black cement, white cement, plaster of paris, and concrete were determined at 356-, 511-, 662-, 1173-, and 1332-keV energies, and those of glasses containing oxides of B, Cd, Pb, and Bi were determined only at 662 keV using a narrow beam transmission method. These coefficients of glasses were then used to determine their interaction cross sections, effective atomic numbers, and electron densities. Good agreement was observed between the experimental and theoretical values. It has been proven that glasses have a potential application as a transparent radiation shielding
Polyhedral Boranes: A Versatile Building Block for Nanoporous Materials
Clingerman, Daniel Jon
The studies described in this dissertation examine several new concepts related to polyhedral boranes and their applications towards the synthesis of novel nanoporous materials. The unique thermal and chemical robustness, rigidity, quasi-spherical geometry, and high boron content of polyhedral boranes are explored to generate materials not possible with typical organic synthons. Aside from the fundamental synthetic work, this work was also aimed at solving larger global issues such as energy storage and new routes to therapeutics. Chapter 2 highlights the discovery of the first highly porous carborane-based metal-organic framework, where the spherical nature of the carborane increases volumetric surface area without reducing pore volume. Chapter 3 examines the first tritopic carborane-based ligand and the stabilizing effect the rigid, sterically bulky carboranyl groups have on highly porous topologies not stable with typical organic ligands. Chapters 4 and 5 describe the use of polyhedral borane-based ligands as a means to influence and generate unexpected topologies. Lastly, chapter 6 explores using a simple carborane-based ligand that harnesses the power of coordination-driven assembly to rapidly generate a high boron-containing supramolecular cuboctahedron.
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Jiří Witzany
Full Text Available The article presents an analysis of degradation processes and partial results of an experimental research into materials and structures exposed to the effects of external environments with an emphasis on the effects of moisture and chemical degradation processes on major mechanical properties of sandstone.
Radon concentration and exhalation rates in building material samples from crushing zone in Shivalik Foot Hills
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Pundir, Anil; Kamboj, Sunil; Bansal, Vakul; Chauhan, R.P.; Rana, Rajinder Singh
Radon ( 222 Rn) is an inert radioactive gas in the decay chain of uranium ( 238 U). It continuously emanates from soil to the atmosphere. Radon and its progeny are the major natural radioactive sources for the ambient radioactivity on Earth. A number of studies on radon were performed in recent decades focusing on its transport and movement in the atmosphere under different meteorological conditions. Building materials are the main source of radon inside buildings. Some construction materials are naturally more radioactive and removal of such material from the earth's crust and their subsequent use in construction of buildings further enhances the radioactivity level. The knowledge of radioactivity level in the building materials makes us aware about the management, guidelines and standards in construction of buildings. The main objective of the present investigations is to measure radon Concentration and exhalation rates in the samples collected from the Crushing zone of Shivalik foot hills. Different types of materials are being used in Northern part of India for construction of dwellings. For the measurement of radon concentration and its exhalation rates in building materials, LR-115 detectors were exposed in closed plastic canisters for three months. At the end of the exposure time, the detectors were subjected to a chemical etching process in 2.5N NaOH solution. The tracks produced by the alpha particles were observed and counted under an optical Olympus microscope at 600X. The measured track density was converted into radon concentration using a calibration factor. The surface and mass exhalation rates of radon have also been calculated using present data. The results indicate that the radon concentration varies appreciably from sample to sample and they were found to satisfy the safety criteria. There are samples in which radon concentration is higher and may enhance the indoor radiation levels when used as building construction materials. (author)
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Emilian M. DOBRESCU
Full Text Available Mentality is defined as an assembly of manners of acting or thinking about someone or something. Related to the history of mentalities in the 19th century the core elements were the building of the nation and the constitutional law and only at the beginning of the 20th century the economic development and the relations between social classes. Mentalities change hard and slowly. Therefore, quick leaps (social, economic, political and cultural cannot be done within a population which is immersed in old mentalities. The traditional rural society is animated by religious dogmas and conceptions. Old mentalities of the population very often generate social unrest. In Romania between the two world wars these mentalities were the background of the future social changes imposed after the Soviet model and which continue to influence even today the development of the country. Enlightened minds of Romania concerned in the first decades of the 20th century about learning and evaluating the mentalities specific to our nation. Foreseeing the important and creative role of individuals for a nation on multiple levels, these free-thinking minds inferred the assembly of conscience and behaviour traits that build up the national characteristics of the Romanian nation. In a comparative regard of the studies quoted hereunder, that we might characterise as being of reference for characterising the mentalities of our nation in the period between the two World Wars of the 20th century, we may conclude that the Romanian nation pertains to the extended family of the European nations and world nations; demanding times endowed the Romanian nation and its representative with some negative behavioural traits, but which are not predominant; the Romanian's nature is positive, constructive and creative. A logical conclusion imposes itself: despite the relatively low number of population, along centuries, the Romanian nation still holds a place of honour in the world gallery of
Radioactivity in building materials : a first overview of the European scenario
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Trevisi, Rosabianca; D'Alessandro, Marco; Nuccetelli, Cristina; Risica, Serena
With a wide research into the national and international literature an inventory was created of building materials in Europe, characterised on the basis of activity concentration of the main natural radionuclides ( 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K). Materials of natural origin and containing industrial by-products were both accounted for. The inventory allowed to calculate the activity concentration index I - suggested by a European technical guidance document - for many building materials in Europe. A first identification of materials was thus made, which could be subject to controls or restrictions as for movement and/or use if the index were to be adopted by the European legislation. The analysis presented in this paper is a first attempt to discuss the data of our inventory and only five materials have been analysed. In a near future a more complete discussion will be published, also considering natural stones and superficial materials. As regards natural stones a tentative grouping will be made, classifying stones by their geological origin. Moreover, if enough data were available, we will also assess the radiation protection consequences of the potential use of by-products of industrial origin in building materials. Finally, the activity concentration of 232 Th, often higher than that of 226 Ra, in building materials shows the need of improving research into the health effects of the 232 Th chain, in particular of thoron concentration indoors. (author)
Atmospheric methane removal by methane-oxidizing bacteria immobilized on porous building materials
Ganendra, G; De Muynck, W; Ho, A.; Hoefman, S.; De Vos, P.; Boeckx, P.; Boon, N.
Biological treatment using methane-oxidizing bacteria (MOB) immobilized on six porous carrier materials have been used to mitigate methane emission. Experiments were performed with different MOB inoculated in building materials at high (similar to 20 % (v/v)) and low (similar to 100 ppmv) methane
Application of earth building materials for low-income housing in the ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
The characteristics, properties, problems and other factors associated with earth materials for building houses, especially in the tropical regions of the world are identified. The inter-relationships among these factors which inhibit the adoption of earth materials and the recommendations for overcoming the problems in a ...
A metric for characterizing the effectiveness of thermal mass in building materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Talyor, Robert A.; Miner, Mark
Highlights: • Proposes a metric for interior thermal mass materials (floors, walls, counters). • Simple, yet effective, metric composed of easily calculated 'local' and 'global' variables. • Like Energy Star, the proposed metric gives a single number to aid consumer choice. • The metric is calculated and compared for selected, readily available data. • Drywall, concrete flooring, and wood paneling are quite effective thermal mass. - Abstract: Building energy use represents approximately 25% of the average total global energy consumption (for both residential and commercial buildings). Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) – in most climates – embodies the single largest draw inside our buildings. In many countries around the world a concerted effort is being made towards retrofitting existing buildings to improve energy efficiency. Better windows, insulation, and ducting can make drastic differences in the energy consumption of a building HVAC system. Even with these improvements, HVAC systems are still required to compensate for daily and seasonal temperature swings of the surrounding environment. Thermal mass inside the thermal envelope can help to alleviate these swings. While it is possible to add specialty thermal mass products to buildings for this purpose, commercial uptake of these products is low. Common building interior building materials (e.g. flooring, walls, countertops) are often overlooked as thermal mass products, but herein we propose and analyze non-dimensional metrics for the 'benefit' of selected commonly available products. It was found that location-specific variables (climate, electricity price, material price, insolation) can have more than an order of magnitude influence in the calculated metrics for the same building material. Overall, this paper provides guidance on the most significant contributors to indoor thermal mass, and presents a builder- and consumer-friendly metric to inform decisions about
Studies on radon exhalation rate from building materials of Mysuru district, Karnataka
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Chandini, M.; Lavanya, B.S.K.; Chandrashekara, M.S.; Pruthvi Rani, K.S.
In the present study, mass exhalation rate of 222 Rn from soil and building materials was studied using scintillation based Smart Radon Monitor (SRM) and also using Solid State Nuclear Track Detectors (SSNTD) employing Can Technique, following standard procedure. Mass exhalation rate of 222 Rn from various building material samples such as brick, sand, cement, concrete and from different types of flooring materials was determined. The results obtained from these methods were compared and analysed. The samples of construction materials were collected from various locations of Mysuru city. The city has an area of about 128 sq km with population of about 1 million. Mining industries of magnetite, dunite and lime stone are located around Mysuru city. In addition to this, quarrying and crushing of granite stones for building activities also exist nearby
Determination of natural radioactivity in building materials used in Tunisian dwellings by gamma ray spectrometry
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Hizem, N.; Fredj, A. B.; Ghedira, L.
The radioisotopic content of 17 samples of natural and manufactured building materials collected in Tunisia have been analysed by using gamma spectrometry. From the measured gamma ray spectra, activity concentrations are determined for 232 Th, 226 Ra, 235 U and 40 K. The total effective dose and the activity concentration index are calculated applying the dose criteria recommended by the European Union for building materials. The results of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K found in Tunisian building materials indicate that radium and thorium concentrations do not exceed 40 Bq kg -1 , but potassium concentration varies between 50 and 1215 Bq kg -1 . The total effective dose rates per person indoors are determined to be between 0.07 and 0.86 mSv y -1 . Only two materials exceed the reference level of 0.3 mSv y -1 . The activity concentration index is <1. (authors)
Exposure to radiation from the natural radioactivity in Tunisian building materials.
Gharbi, F; Oueslati, M; Abdelli, W; Samaali, M; Ben Tekaya, M
Building materials can expose public and workers to radiation because of their content of radium, thorium and potassium isotopes. This is why it is very important from the radiological point of view to survey the natural radioactivity content of commonly used building materials in any country. This work consists of the measurement of (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K activity concentrations in a variety of commonly used building materials in Tunisia and on the estimation of their radiological hazard. The maximum value of radium equivalent for the studied materials was equal to 169 Bq kg(-1) and corresponds to the clay brick, which is lower than the recommended value of 370 Bq kg(-1). In this work, several radiological indexes were calculated and were found to be under their highest permitted limit.
Earth as Building Material – an overview of RILEM activities and recent Innovations in Geotechnics
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Vyncke Johan
Full Text Available This paper presents an overview of the different earth building techniques, the latest innovations and the normative aspects. The oldest man made earth constructions known to exist date back to 10 000 BC. Since then, earth has remained a popular building material throughout history. With time, different techniques evolved, starting from sundried adobe blocks to cob constructions, rammed earth walls and compressed earth bricks. Today these techniques are still being optimized and alternative binders, specifically adapted admixtures and surface treatments are being developed. Even though nearly one third of the world's population lives in an earth construction, few specific building standards and testing methods exist. Many of the tests used today are based on tests for concrete and thus do not take into account the complex nature of earth constructions, such as their sensitivity to water. RILEM, the union of Laboratories and Experts in Construction Materials, Systems and Structures, set up a new Technical Committee in 2016: TC TCE (Testing and Characterisation of Earth-based building materials and elements. This committee, consisting of an international group of experts on the topic, aim to define testing procedures for earth as a building construction material. To end with, this paper also gives a short introduction to "Deep soil mixing", an "earth" building technique dedicated to geotechnical engineering.
Estimation of the radon dose in buildings by measuring the exhalation rate from building materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Steiner, V.; Kovler, K.; Perevalov, A.; Kelm, H.
We review the accumulator technique using active (CRM) and passive detectors (activated charcoal and electret). We describe the ERS2 detector, an electrostatic radon sampler followed by alpha spectrometry, with improved algorithm and adapted to measure the exhalation rate from walls. The technique produces accurate results over a broad range of materials: concrete, Pumice, ceramics, tiles, granite, etc. The measured exhalation rate is the same, within errors, as measured by the standard detectors
The influence of surface treatment on mass transfer between air and building material
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Kwiatkowski, Jerzy; Rode, Carsten; Hansen, Kurt Kielsgaard
for the experiments: gypsum board and calcium silicate. The wallpaper and paint were used as finishing materials. Impact of the following parameters for changes of RH was studied: coating, temperature and air movement. The measurements showed that acryl paint (diffusion open) can significantly decrease mass uptake......The processes of mass transfer between air and building structure and in the material influence not only the conditions within the material but also inside the connected air spaces. The material which absorbs and desorbs water vapour can be used to moderate the amplitude of indoor relative humidity...... and therefore to participate in the improvement of the indoor air quality and energy saving. Many parameters influence water vapour exchange between indoor air and building material. The aim of this work is to present the change of mass transfer under different climatic and material conditions. The measurements...
Microstructure and microanalysis of some ancient building materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Majumdar, A.J.; Rayment, D.L.; Pettifer, K.
In order to assess the very long term of durability of modern Portland cements for encapsulating certain types of radioactive waste, the microstructure and microanalysis of concretes of various ages made from such cements are compared with those from similar materials of ancient origins with ages upto 2500 years used in early Greek, Roman and British Construction. Most of the historical 'concretes' examined were heavily carbonated and at best showed only traces of the calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) phase, the heart of modern Portland Cement concretes. The notable exception was the 1700 years old concrete from Hadrian's Wall - the mortar in this was rich in C-S-H. The modern concrete samples, from 10 to 140 years old, showed little carbonation and their compositions of the C-S-H phase were very similar to those found from Hadrian's Wall. From all the evidence examined, it is concluded that the C-S-H phase is capable of surviving intact for several thousands of years in the absence of external chemical attack. (author)
A New European COST Network 'NORM4Building' (TU1301) for the Reuse of NORM Containing Residues in Building Materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Schroeyers, W.; Schreurs, S.
The new COST action was initiated on the 1st of January 2014 and runs for four years. COST is supported by the EU RTD Framework Program. In the presentation more information on how to participate in the network will be provided. In the presentation the new approach and new initiatives of the NORM4BUILDING network, that has its first meeting here in the DEAD SEA Hotel on the 12-13/02/2014, will be introduced. The NORM4Building materials network will be an open network of researchers. An Advisory Board consisting mainly from NORM processing and construction industries and relevant associations and regulators are invited to work in collaboration with the scientists that will populate the various working groups and the management committee of the new COST action
Bacillus megaterium mediated mineralization of calcium carbonate as biogenic surface treatment of green building materials.
Dhami, Navdeep Kaur; Reddy, M Sudhakara; Mukherjee, Abhijit
Microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation is a biomineralization process that has various applications in remediation and restoration of range of building materials. In the present study, calcifying bacteria, Bacillus megaterium SS3 isolated from calcareous soil was applied as biosealant to enhance the durability of low energy, green building materials (soil-cement blocks). This bacterial isolate produced high amounts of urease, carbonic anhydrase, extra polymeric substances and biofilm. The calcium carbonate polymorphs produced by B. megaterium SS3 were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, confocal laser scanning microscopy, X-ray diffraction and Fourier transmission infra red spectroscopy. These results suggested that calcite is the most predominant carbonate formed by this bacteria followed by vaterite. Application of B. megaterium SS3 as biogenic surface treatment led to 40 % decrease in water absorption, 31 % decrease in porosity and 18 % increase in compressive strength of low energy building materials. From the present investigation, it is clear that surface treatment of building materials by B. megaterium SS3 is very effective and eco friendly way of biodeposition of coherent carbonates that enhances the durability of building materials.
The Effect of Mechanical Load on the Thermal Conductivity of Building Materials
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
J. Toman
Full Text Available The effect of mechanical load on the thermal conductivity of building materials in the design of envelope parts of building structures is studied. A typical building material is chosen in the practical investigation of this effect, namely the cement mortar. It is concluded that in the range of hygroscopic moisture content, lower levels of mechanical load, typically up to 90 % of compressive strength (CS, are not dangerous from the point of view of worsening the designed thermal properties, but in the overhygroscopic region, the load as low as 57 % of CS may be dangerous. The higher levels of loading are found to be always significant because they lead to marked increase of thermal conductivity which is always a negative information for a building designer.
Thermal Performance of Typical Residential Building in Karachi with Different Materials for Construction
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Nafeesa Shaheen
Full Text Available This research work deals with a study of a residential building located in climatic context of Karachi with the objective of being the study of thermal performance based upon passive design techniques. The study helps in reducing the electricity consumption by improving indoor temperatures. The existing residential buildings in Karachi were studied with reference to their planning and design, analyzed and evaluated. Different construction?s compositions of buildings were identified, surveyed and analyzed in making of the effective building envelops. Autodesk® Ecotect, 2011 was used to determine indoor comfort conditions and HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, Air-Conditioning and Cooling loads. The result of the research depicted significant energy savings of 38.5% in HVAC loads with proposed building envelop of locally available materials and glazing.
Relation of historical quarrying, material utilization and performance on buildings in Eastern Finland
Luodes, Nike M.; Pirinen, Heikki
Finland might seem to have lower stone heritage compared to other southern European countries, but it has been the main exporter of dimension stone to the majestic buildings that made St.Petersburg a recognized cultural heritage. In Finland, though, the stone seems undervalued. The only dramatic and predominant stone buildings are those of agencies and administrations located in the towns, where the stone has been used to impress and symbolize value. Romantic style used massive bossy stone in building's full height and created fine traditional carvings. Otherwise the communities have mainly built settlements in contact with the nature, with materials easily available and of low cost, following architectonical trends of the periods and producing interesting stone details. During the past years, research has been conducted on historical buildings interconnecting scientific and artistic approach to evaluate material durability and cultural relevance of the artifacts. Generally until mid 20th century the stone has been traditionally used massive for basements and walls. The materials still present good mechanical characteristics and most often the weathering level after hundreds of years of exposure had reached only the first millimeters from the curst. Instead the old methodology for deposit exploitation has left visible signs on the buildings. Some examples are visible from Kuopio. The exploitation of small, easy-to-reach surface deposits, even if planned by local experts, has affected quality and appearance of historical buildings. As an example the excavation of shallow quarries where also weathered crop was kept as a product has characterized the basement of the Niirala school that presents change in colors due to original material more than to weathering on site. Fissuring is also visible on a couple of blocks while marks on the rocks depict the old excavation method. Most often the deposits had been in the vicinities, frequently hidden by further construction
Earth building materials in pre-historic domestic architectures on the south of Portugal
Bruno, Patrícia; Faria, Paulina
HERITAGE 2008 - World Heritage and Sustainable Development. Barcelos: Green Lines Institute for Sustainable Development, Vol. 2, p. 571-579 Pre-historic architectures reveal a profound knowledge of building materials and their selection and application. Depending on each geographical context or functional needs, pre-historic man developed and applied different building techniques. Archaeological vestiges from several pre-historic settlements of southwest Iberia has shown that s...
Old materials and techniques to improve the durability of earth buildings
Camões, Aires; Eires, R.; Jalali, Said
Quite a big part of the world's heritage is still made by earth constructions. The durability of the existent heritage, as well as the new earth buildings is particularly conditioned by erosion caused by water action, especially in countries with high rainfall index. With this research one intends to value the ancient knowledge in order to allow higher durability. Analysing the old building techniques to protect the earth material from the water action it is possible to understand how ear...
Mechanical behavior of sustainable building materials using PET waste and industrial by-products
Juárez, C. A; Mendoza-Rangel, J. M; González, J. R; Rodríguez, J. A; Valdez, P
The building industry is facing the challenge of satisfying a growing demand for housing spaces that can be mitigated by the use of construction materials manufactured with industrial by-products that allow the production of low-cost housing with a low environmental impact. In this research, an alternative building system to manufacture lightweight masonry blocks with polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles and fiber-reinforced panels using binary mixture (Portland cement and fly ash), was s...
[German influences on Romanian medical terminology].
Răcilă, R G; Răileanu, Irena; Rusu, V
The medical terminology plays a key part both in the study of medicine as well as in its practice. Moreover, understanding the medical terms is important not only for the doctor but also for the patients who want to learn more about their condition. For these reasons we believe that the study of medical terminology is one of great interest. The aim of our paper was to evaluate the German linguistic and medical influences on the evolution of the Romanian medical terminology. Since the Romanian-German cultural contacts date back to the 12th century we had reasons to believe that the number of German medical words in Romanian would be significant. To our surprise, the Romanian language has very few German words and even less medical terms of German origin. However, when we searched the list of diseases coined after famous medical personalities, we found out that 26 % of them bore the names of German doctors and scientists. Taken together this proves that the German medical school played an important role on the evolution of Romanian medicine despite the fact that the Romanian vocabulary was slightly influenced by the German language. We explain this fact on the structural differences between the Romanian and German languages, which make it hard for German loans to be integrated in the Romanian lexis. In conclusion we state that the German influence on the Romanian medical terminology is weak despite the important contribution of the German medical school to the development of medical education and healthcare in Romania. Key
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Tomáš Čejka
Full Text Available Wooden log, timbered perimeter and interior walls ranked among the most common building constructions used from the Early Middle Ages. In most cases, the local natural resources, i.e. wood, clay, straw and stone, were used for building houses with wooden framing. This article outlines typical defects and failures of timbered houses, "classic" techniques for the rehabilitation of these defects and failures indicating the potential of using composite materials based on high- strength fibres and epoxy resin in the rehabilitation and strengthening of timbered buildings.
Optimum Installation of Sorptive Building Materials Using Contribution Ratio of Pollution Source for Improvement of Indoor Air Quality.
Park, Seonghyun; Seo, Janghoo
Reinforcing the insulation and airtightness of buildings and the use of building materials containing new chemical substances have caused indoor air quality problems. Use of sorptive building materials along with removal of pollutants, constant ventilation, bake-out, etc. are gaining attention in Korea and Japan as methods for improving such indoor air quality problems. On the other hand, sorptive building materials are considered a passive method of reducing the concentration of pollutants, and their application should be reviewed in the early stages. Thus, in this research, activated carbon was prepared as a sorptive building material. Then, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was conducted, and a method for optimal installation of sorptive building materials was derived according to the indoor environment using the contribution ratio of pollution source (CRP) index. The results show that a method for optimal installation of sorptive building materials can be derived by predicting the contribution ratio of pollutant sources according to the CRP index.
External exposure doses due to gamma emitting natural radionuclides in some Egyptian building materials.
Moharram, B M; Suliman, M N; Zahran, N F; Shennawy, S E; El Sayed, A R
Using of building materials containing naturally occurring radionuclides as (238)U, (232)Th and (40)K and their progeny results in an external exposures of the housing of such buildings. In the present study, indoor dose rates for typical Egyptian rooms are calculated using the analytical method and activity concentrations of natural radionuclides in some building materials. Uniform chemical composition of the walls, floor and ceiling as well as uniform mass concentrations of the radionuclides in walls, floor and ceiling assumed. Different room models are assumed to discuss variation of indoor dose rates according to variation in room construction. Activity concentrations of (238)U, (232)Th and (40)K content in eight samples representative Clay soil and different building materials used in most recent Egyptian building were measured using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). The specific activity for (238)U, (232)Th and (40)K, from the selected samples, were in the range 14.15-60.64, 2.75-84.66 and 7.35-554.4Bqkg(-1), respectively. The average indoor absorbed dose rates in air ranged from 0.005μGyh(-1) to 0.071μGyh(-1) and the corresponding population-weighted annual effective dose due to external gamma radiation varies from 0.025 to 0.345mSv. An outdoor dose rate for typical building samples in addition to some radiological hazards has been introduced for comparison. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Low-cost NORM concentrations measuring technique for building materials of Uzbekistan
Safarov, Akmal; Safarov, Askar; Azimov, Askarali; Darby, Iain G.
Concentrations of natural radionuclides of building materials are important in order to estimate exposure of humans to radiation, who can spend up to 80% of their time indoors. One of the indicators of building materials' safety is the radium equivalent activity, which is regulated by national and international normative documents [1,2,3]. Materials with Ra(eq) =stone, red sand, granite, white marble and concrete cubes was performed both before and after ageing of samples (10, 20, 30 and 40 days). Measurement times of samples were 1, 3, 6 and 12 hours. Samples were measured in 1 liter Marinelli beaker geometry, using NaI(Tl) spectrometers with crystal sizes 2.5 x 2.5 in and 3.1 x 3.1 in. Efficiency calibration of spectrometers was done using certified volumetric (1 liter Marinelli beaker) Ra-226, Th-232 and K-40 sources filled with silica sand and density 1,7 kg/l. Herein we present results indicating that one hour measuring may be sufficient for samples in 1 liter Marinelli beakers offering prospect of significant time and cost improvements. References: 1. NEA-OECD (1979): Exposure to radiation from natural radioactivity in building materials. Report by Group of Experts of the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) Paris 2. STUK (Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority) (2003): The radioactivity of building materials and ash. Regulatory Guides on Radiation Safety (ST Guides) ST 12.2 (Finland) (8 October 2003) 3. GOST 30108-94 (1995): Building materials and elements. Determination of specific activity of natural radioactive nuclei. Interstate Standard. 4. Krisiuk E.M. et al., (1971). A study on Radioactivity in Building Materials (Leningrad: Research Institute for radiation Hygiene) 5. Beretka, J., & Mathew, P. J. (1985). Natural radioactivity of Australian building materials, waste and by-products. Health Physics, 48, 87-95. 6. Uosif M.A.M. (2014). Estimation of Radiological Hazards of Some Egyptian Building Materials Due to Natural Radioactivity. International Journal
Innovative Development of Building Materials Industry of the Region Based on the Cluster Approach
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Mottaeva Asiiat
Full Text Available The article discusses issues of innovative development of building materials industry of the region based on the cluster approach. Determined the significance of regional cluster development of the industry of construction materials as the effective implementation of the innovative breakthrough of the region as an important part of strategies for strengthening innovation activities may be to support the formation and development of cluster structures. Analyses the current situation with innovation in the building materials industry of the region based on the cluster approach. In the course of the study revealed a direct correlation between involvement in innovative activities on a cluster basis, and the level of development of industry of construction materials. The conducted research allowed identifying the factors that determine the innovation process, systematization and classification which determine the sustainable functioning of the building materials industry in the period of active innovation. The proposed grouping of innovations for the construction industry taking into account industry-specific characteristics that reflect modern trends of scientific and technological progress in construction. Significance of the study lies in the fact that the proposals and practical recommendations can be used in the formation mechanism of innovative development of building materials industry and the overall regional construction complex of Russian regions by creating clusters of construction.
Atmospheric methane removal by methane-oxidizing bacteria immobilized on porous building materials.
Ganendra, Giovanni; De Muynck, Willem; Ho, Adrian; Hoefman, Sven; De Vos, Paul; Boeckx, Pascal; Boon, Nico
Biological treatment using methane-oxidizing bacteria (MOB) immobilized on six porous carrier materials have been used to mitigate methane emission. Experiments were performed with different MOB inoculated in building materials at high (~20 % (v/v)) and low (~100 ppmv) methane mixing ratios. Methylocystis parvus in autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) exhibited the highest methane removal rate at high (28.5 ± 3.8 μg CH₄ g⁻¹ building material h⁻¹) and low (1.7 ± 0.4 μg CH₄ g⁻¹ building material h⁻¹) methane mixing ratio. Due to the higher volume of pores with diameter >5 μm compared to other materials tested, AAC was able to adsorb more bacteria which might explain for the higher methane removal observed. The total methane and carbon dioxide-carbon in the headspace was decreased for 65.2 ± 10.9 % when M. parvus in Ytong was incubated for 100 h. This study showed that immobilized MOB on building materials could be used to remove methane from the air and also act as carbon sink.
Building materials. VOC emissions, diffusion behaviour and implications from their use.
Katsoyiannis, Athanasios; Leva, Paolo; Barrero-Moreno, Josefa; Kotzias, Dimitrios
Five cement- and five lime-based building materials were examined in an environmental chamber for their emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). Typical VOCs were below detection limits, whereas not routinely analysed VOCs, like neopentyl glycol (NPG), dominated the cement-based products emissions, where, after 72 h, it was found to occur, in levels as high as 1400 μg m(-3), accounting for up to 93% of total VOCs. The concentrations of NPG were not considerably changed between the 24 and 72 h of sampling. The permeability of building materials was assessed through experiments with a dual environmental chamber; it was shown that building materials facilitate the diffusion of chemicals through their pores, reaching equilibrium relatively fast (6 h). Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
The Effect of Anisotropy of Building Materials on the Moisture Transfer
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J. Drchalová
Full Text Available The effect of anisotropy of building materials on the moisture transfer in the design of envelope parts of building structures is studied. Two typical fibre containing plate building materials produced in the Czech Republic, Dekalux and Dekalit P, are chosen for the demonstration of this effect. Experimental results show that while for lighter Dekalit P, an order of magnitude difference in the moisture diffusivities k for the two basic orientations, i.e. along and across the plate, is observed, for the heavier Dekalux the differences in k are within the errorbar of the experimental method. As follows from the experimental results, compacting of surface layers of the plates of light fibred materials is very favorable from the point of view of moisture penetration but one should keep in mind that any local damage of the surface layer can result in a considerably faster moisture transfer in the direction along the plate.
Natural radionuclide and radiological assessment of building materials in high background radiation areas of Ramsar, Iran.
Bavarnegin, Elham; Moghaddam, Masoud Vahabi; Fathabadi, Nasrin
Building materials, collected from different sites in Ramsar, a northern coastal city in Iran, were analyzed for their natural radionuclide contents. The measurements were carried out using a high resolution high purity Germanium (HPGe) gamma-ray spectrometer system. The activity concentration of (226)Ra, (232)Th, and (40)K content varied from below the minimum detection limit up to 86,400 Bqkg(-1), 187 Bqkg(-1), and 1350 Bqkg(-1), respectively. The radiological hazards incurred from the use of these building materials were estimated through various radiation hazard indices. The result of this survey shows that values obtained for some samples are more than the internationally accepted maximum limits and as such, the use of them as a building material pose significant radiation hazard to individuals.
Method for evaluating building materials with a high content of radioactivity
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Stranden, E.
In order to avoid increased radiation doses to the population due to the introduction of building materials with an unusually high content of radioactivity, a method for evaluating building materials has been developed. An expression for the gamma radiation due to radium, thorium and potassium 40 has been proposed by a Scandinavian group. When this value for a given material does not exceed 1, then no restriction is placed. Should it exceed 1, then the material is subjected to further investigation. Similarly, since the radon concentration depends on the radium content, an expression for this is proposed. Should this be less than unity the material may be sold freely. Should it exceed unity, further investigations must be made. Measurements have also been made on the exhalation of radon from concrete, and the results are given. An expression including this exhalation rate and the ventilation rate, giving the radon concentration is given. (JIW)
Application of Nanotechnology-Based Thermal Insulation Materials in Building Construction
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Bozsaky David
Full Text Available Nanotechnology-based materials have previously been used by space research, pharmaceuticals and electronics, but in the last decade several nanotechnology-based thermal insulation materials have appeared in building industry. Nowadays they only feature in a narrow range of practice, but they offer many potential applications. These options are unknown to most architects, who may simply be afraid of these materials owing to the incomplete and often contradictory special literature. Therefore, they are distrustful and prefer to apply the usual and conventional technologies. This article is intended to provide basic information about nanotechnology-based thermal insulation materials for designers. It describes their most important material properties, functional principles, applications, and potential usage options in building construction.
A protocol for lifetime energy and environmental impact assessment of building insulation materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Shrestha, Som S.; Biswas, Kaushik; Desjarlais, Andre O.
This article describes a proposed protocol that is intended to provide a comprehensive list of factors to be considered in evaluating the direct and indirect environmental impacts of building insulation materials, as well as detailed descriptions of standardized calculation methodologies to determine those impacts. The energy and environmental impacts of insulation materials can generally be divided into two categories: (1) direct impact due to the embodied energy of the insulation materials and other factors and (2) indirect or environmental impacts avoided as a result of reduced building energy use due to addition of insulation. Standards and product category rules exist, which provide guidelines about the life cycle assessment (LCA) of materials, including building insulation products. However, critical reviews have suggested that these standards fail to provide complete guidance to LCA studies and suffer from ambiguities regarding the determination of the environmental impacts of building insulation and other products. The focus of the assessment protocol described here is to identify all factors that contribute to the total energy and environmental impacts of different building insulation products and, more importantly, provide standardized determination methods that will allow comparison of different insulation material types. Further, the intent is not to replace current LCA standards but to provide a well-defined, easy-to-use comparison method for insulation materials using existing LCA guidelines. - Highlights: • We proposed a protocol to evaluate the environmental impacts of insulation materials. • The protocol considers all life cycle stages of an insulation material. • Both the direct environmental impacts and the indirect impacts are defined. • Standardized calculation methods for the 'avoided operational energy' is defined. • Standardized calculation methods for the 'avoided environmental impact' is defined
Romanian tourism performing, representation done?
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Silvia Popescu Ph.D.
Full Text Available We chose to tackle this problem because we considered it of great opportunity for the Romanian economy and yet insufficiently addressed in education, scientific research and especially contemporary economic policies. To answer the question, in fact, gave the title of the paper, we start from the observation that in all economic systems, tourism plays an increasingly important due to the increasing contribution to Gross Domestic Product and the strong social and cultural impact of it.
Measurement of natural radioactivity in building materials of Namakkal, Tamil Nadu, India using gamma-ray spectrometry
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Ravisankar, R.; Vanasundari, K.; Chandrasekaran, A.; Rajalakshmi, A.; Suganya, M.; Vijayagopal, P.; Meenakshisundaram, V.
The natural level of radioactivity in building materials is one of the major causes of external exposure to γ-rays. The primordial radionuclides in building materials are one of the sources of radiation hazard in dwellings made of these materials. By the determination of the radioactivity level in building materials, the indoor radiological hazard to human health can be assessed. This is an important precautionary measure whenever the dose rate is found to be above the recommended limits. The aim of this work was to measure the specific activity concentration of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K in commonly used building materials from Namakkal, Tamil Nadu, India, using gamma-ray spectrometer. The radiation hazard due to the total natural radioactivity in the studied building materials was estimated by different approaches. The concentrations of the natural radionuclides and the radium equivalent activity in studied samples were compared with the corresponding results of different countries. From the analysis, it is found that these materials may be safely used as construction materials and do not pose significant radiation hazards. - Highlights: ► Most of the building materials contain natural radionuclides. ► The radioactivity level in building materials is used to assess the radiological hazards to human. ► We present the results for the measured activities and radiation hazards of building materials. ► We report that the studied building materials do not pose any significant radiation hazard.
Measurement of Rn-222 concentrations in building materials used in jordan
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Ismail, A.M.; Abumyrad, K.M.; Kullab, M.K.; Albataina, B.A.
In this work, the concentrations of the radiative inert gas Rn-222 emanated from the building materials that are commonly in jordan have been studied. For this purpose, samples of ten jordanian building materials of different masses were prepared in plastic cans sealed to passive integrated dosimeters containing CR-39 solid state nuclear track detectors which are very sensitive to alpha-particles. The Rn-222 concentrations in these samples range from 137 Bq/m 3 to 267 Bq/m 3 with an average of 189 Bq/m 3 . These levels were found to be consistent with those measured by other workers in other countries. 4 figs., 2 tabs
Chemical physics analysis for building materials of Bangunan Panggung Drama Jalan Bandar Kuala Lumpur Malaysia: a case study
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Mohd Zobir Hussein; Zuliskandar Ramli; Asmah Hj Yahaya
The paper discussed the studies carried-out using XRD, x-ray diffraction technique on the historical building materials i.e. mortars, paints, concretes - Panggung Drama - old theatre stage building located at Jalan Bandar, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Assessment of natural radioactivity and radiological hazards in building materials used in Yan'an, China.
Lu, Xinwei; Li, Nan; Yang, Guang; Zhao, Caifeng
The concentration of natural radionuclides in commonly used building materials collected from Yan'an, China, was determined using gamma ray spectroscopy with a NaI(Tl) detector. The activity concentration of ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, and ⁴⁰K in the studied building materials ranges from 9.4-73.1, 11.5-86.9, and 258.9-1,055.1 Bq kg⁻¹, respectively. The concentrations for these natural radionuclides were compared with the reported data of other countries and the world mean values for soil. The radium equivalent activity (Raeq), external hazard index (Hex), internal hazard index (Hin), indoor air absorbed dose rate, and annual effective dose rate due to natural radionuclides in samples were estimated to assess radiological hazards for people living in dwellings made of the studied building materials. The calculated Raeq values of all building materials (75.7-222.1 Bq kg⁻¹) are lower than the limit of 370 Bq kg⁻¹. The values of Hex and Hin are less than unity. The mean values of indoor air absorbed dose rates of all building materials (101.0 ± 14.1-177.0 ± 6.8 nGy h⁻¹) are higher than the world population-weighted average of 84 nGy h⁻¹, while the mean values of annual effective dose range from 0.50 ± 0.07-0.87 ± 0.03 mSv y⁻¹, which are lower than the recommended limit of 1 mSv y⁻¹. It is found that these materials may be used safely as construction materials and do not pose significant radiation hazards to inhabitants.
A diffusivity model for predicting VOC diffusion in porous building materials based on fractal theory
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Liu, Yanfeng; Zhou, Xiaojun; Wang, Dengjia; Song, Cong; Liu, Jiaping
Highlights: • Fractal theory is introduced into the prediction of VOC diffusion coefficient. • MSFC model of the diffusion coefficient is developed for porous building materials. • The MSFC model contains detailed pore structure parameters. • The accuracy of the MSFC model is verified by independent experiments. - Abstract: Most building materials are porous media, and the internal diffusion coefficients of such materials have an important influences on the emission characteristics of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The pore structure of porous building materials has a significant impact on the diffusion coefficient. However, the complex structural characteristics bring great difficulties to the model development. The existing prediction models of the diffusion coefficient are flawed and need to be improved. Using scanning electron microscope (SEM) observations and mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) tests of typical porous building materials, this study developed a new diffusivity model: the multistage series-connection fractal capillary-bundle (MSFC) model. The model considers the variable-diameter capillaries formed by macropores connected in series as the main mass transfer paths, and the diameter distribution of the capillary bundles obeys a fractal power law in the cross section. In addition, the tortuosity of the macrocapillary segments with different diameters is obtained by the fractal theory. Mesopores serve as the connections between the macrocapillary segments rather than as the main mass transfer paths. The theoretical results obtained using the MSFC model yielded a highly accurate prediction of the diffusion coefficients and were in a good agreement with the VOC concentration measurements in the environmental test chamber.
Assessment of natural radioactivity in major building materials of Xiangyang, China
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Feng, Tingting; Lu, Xinwei [Shaanxi Normal Univ., Xi' an (China). School of Tourism and Environment
The activity concentrations of {sup 40}K, {sup 226}Ra and {sup 232}Th in the commonly used building materials collected from Xiangyang were measured using NaI (Tl) gamma spectrometer. The radioactivity values of {sup 40}K, {sup 226}Ra and {sup 232}Th in the studied samples ranged from 130.5 to 1006.3, 8.4 to 164.0, and 8.7 to 145.6 Bq kg{sup -1}, respectively. The concentrations of these radionuclides have been compared with the typical published world values. Radium equivalent activity, external and internal hazard indexes, external and internal exposure indexes, indoor air absorbed dose rate and annual effective dose rate have been calculated to assess the potential radiological hazard associated with natural radionuclides in the studied materials. The calculated values of all the assessed indices in the analyzed building materials except for fly ash are below the internationally accepted limits indicating that these building materials can be safely used in dwellings construction and do not lead to any significant radiation exposure to occupants. Nevertheless, the annual effective dose rate values of all fly ash samples, external and internal hazard indexes values in most fly ash samples exceed the recommended values. It is, therefore, desirable to regularly monitor the natural radioactivity level of the building materials products made from fly ash.
Assessment of natural radioactivity in major building materials of Xiangyang, China
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Feng, Tingting; Lu, Xinwei
The activity concentrations of 40 K, 226 Ra and 232 Th in the commonly used building materials collected from Xiangyang were measured using NaI (Tl) gamma spectrometer. The radioactivity values of 40 K, 226 Ra and 232 Th in the studied samples ranged from 130.5 to 1006.3, 8.4 to 164.0, and 8.7 to 145.6 Bq kg -1 , respectively. The concentrations of these radionuclides have been compared with the typical published world values. Radium equivalent activity, external and internal hazard indexes, external and internal exposure indexes, indoor air absorbed dose rate and annual effective dose rate have been calculated to assess the potential radiological hazard associated with natural radionuclides in the studied materials. The calculated values of all the assessed indices in the analyzed building materials except for fly ash are below the internationally accepted limits indicating that these building materials can be safely used in dwellings construction and do not lead to any significant radiation exposure to occupants. Nevertheless, the annual effective dose rate values of all fly ash samples, external and internal hazard indexes values in most fly ash samples exceed the recommended values. It is, therefore, desirable to regularly monitor the natural radioactivity level of the building materials products made from fly ash.
Measurements of VOC adsorption/desorption characteristics of typical interior building materials
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
An, Y.; Zhang, J.S.; Shaw, C.Y.
The adsorption/desorption of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) on interior building material surfaces (i.e., the sink effect) can affect the VOC concentrations in a building, and thus need to be accounted for an indoor air quality (IAQ) prediction model. In this study, the VOC adsorption/desorption characteristics (sink effect) were measured for four typical interior building materials including carpet, vinyl floor tile, painted drywall, and ceiling tile. The VOCs tested were ethylbenzene, cyclohexanone, 1,4-dichlorobenzene, benzaldehyde, and dodecane. These five VOCs were selected because they are representative of hydrocarbons, aromatics, ketones, aldehydes, and chlorine substituted compounds. The first order reversible adsorption/desorption model was based on the Langmuir isotherm was used to analyze the data and to determine the equilibrium constant of each VOC-material combination. It was found that the adsorption/desorption equilibrium constant, which is a measure of the sink capacity, increased linearly with the inverse of the VOC vapor pressure. For each compound, the adsorption/desorption equilibrium constant, and the adsorption rate constant differed significantly among the four materials tested. A detailed characterization of the material structure in the micro-scale would improve the understanding and modeling of the sink effect in the future. The results of this study can be used to estimate the impact of sink effect on the VOC concentrations in buildings.
Determination of natural radionuclides content in some building materials in Nigeria by gamma-ray spectrometry.
Ademola, J A
This paper presents the findings of a study undertaken to determine the natural radioactivity present in some building materials in Nigeria using a gamma-ray spectrometer with a hyper pure germanium detector. A total of 118 samples of commonly used building materials were collected from manufacturers and suppliers of these materials. The mean radioactivity concentrations measured in the different building materials varied from 9.4 to 62.9, 1.3 to 88.4, and 21.5 to 762.4 Bq kg(-1), respectively, for 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K. The average contents of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K for all the samples were 36.3, 46.5, and 320.9 Bq kg(-1), respectively, lower than the world average for building materials (50, 50, and 500 Bq kg(-1)). The calculated mean radium equivalent activity and external and internal hazard indices for the entire sample were lower than United Nation Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation recommended limits and comparable with results of similar studies undertaken in other countries. The mean annual gonadal equivalent doses of some of the samples were higher than the world average value for soil.
Measurement of the natural radioactivity in building materials used in Ankara and assessment of external doses.
Turhan, S; Baykan, U N; Sen, K
A total of 183 samples of 20 different commonly used structural and covering building materials were collected from housing and other building construction sites and from suppliers in Ankara to measure the natural radioactivity due to the presence of (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K. The measurements were carried out using gamma-ray spectrometry with two HPGe detectors. The specific activities of the different building materials studied varied from 0.5 +/- 0.1 to 144.9 +/- 4.9 Bq kg(-1), 0.6 +/- 0.2 to 169.9 +/- 6.6 Bq kg(-1) and 2.0 +/- 0.1 to 1792.3 +/- 60.8 Bq kg(-1) for (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K, respectively. The results show that the lowest mean values of the specific activity of (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K are 0.8 +/- 0.5, 0.9 +/- 0.4 and 4.1 +/- 1.4 Bq kg(-1), respectively, measured in travertine tile while the highest mean values of the specific activity of the same radionuclides are 78.5 +/- 18.1 (ceramic wall tile), 77.4 +/- 53.0 (granite tile) and 923.4 +/- 161.0 (white brick), respectively. The radium equivalent activity (Ra(eq)), the gamma-index, the indoor absorbed dose rate and the corresponding annual effective dose were evaluated to assess the potential radiological hazard associated with these building materials. The mean values of the gamma-index and the estimated annual effective dose due to external gamma radiation inside the room for structural building materials ranged from 0.15 to 0.89 and 0.2 to 1.1 mSv, respectively. Applying criteria recently recommended for building materials in the literature, four materials meet the exemption annual dose criterion of 0.3 mSv, five materials meet the annual dose limit of 1 mSv and only one material slightly exceeds this limit. The mean values of the gamma-index for all building materials were lower than the upper limit of 1.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Monica Condruz-Bacescu
Full Text Available The paper deals with the significant increase of English words and expressions in Romanian media, in the general context of English and American words' invasion. The premise from which we start to analyze the influence of English on Romanian audiovisual space is that this influence is specific not only to Romania, but is also found in many countries worldwide. Massive borrowing of Anglo-American terms was obvious after the Second World War in most European languages. This paper constitutes an awareness call to all communication specialists, putting particular emphasis on journalists' role and those responsible in communication to convey future generations a constant concern for all that means Romanian language. The second part of the paper presents examples of necessary borrowings and luxury Anglicisms from different fields: economic, financial, trade, education and research; sports, communication and media terminology. Then, the next part deals with examples from Romanian newspapers, magazines, from TV and radio. The media, the main providers of Anglicisms, have built a secondary reality, relying on information, reports and interpretations which they select, order them according to priorities, and spread them among the public, using a certain terminology. The attitude of speakers and specialists to the avalanche of English terms in Romanian audiovisual language must be a rational one, since it is necessary to measure both advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, in this paper I wish to plead for quality in journalistic expression without blaming the use of anglicisms or neologisms regardless of the language of origin. On the contrary, I would like to emphasize that, when their use is justified in terms of terminology and when they come to cover a semantic void or a more precise meaning, borrowings may be a demonstration of spirituality, enrichment, networking and integration of science and modern technology. The conclusion is that the
Energy and economic analysis of a building enclosure outfitted with a phase change material board (PCMB)
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Sun, Xiaoqin; Zhang, Quan; Medina, Mario A.; Lee, Kyoung Ok
Highlights: • Phase change material boards (PCMBs) were simulated in building enclosures. • Energy and economic savings for these buildings were estimated. • The buildings were located in five cities with different climatic conditions. • The energy savings ratio was 100% when a cold energy source was used. • A mean electricity savings ratio of 13.1% was obtained. - Abstract: This paper presents energy and economic analyses related to the application of phase change materials boards (PCMBs) in building enclosures during the cooling season. A heat transfer model was developed, which was implemented via a computer program. Simulations were carried out using weather data files from five cities located in five different climate regions in China. Energy savings from using a natural cold source (e.g., outdoor air) and electricity savings from a reduction in electricity by air conditioning systems were evaluated. The energy savings ratio (ESR) and simple payback period (SPP) were used to assess the application of PCMBs in building enclosures. The selection of optimum phase transition temperatures for the PCMs for the various climates was made using indoor and outdoor air temperatures, as well as SPP. For space cooling purposes, it was suggested that phase transition temperatures should be at least 3 °C higher than the mean outdoor air temperature. Simple payback period suggested the possibility of the cost effective use of PCMBs in occupied buildings for moderate temperature climates
Phase Change Materials in Transparent Building Envelopes: A Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT Analysis
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Ilaria Vigna
Full Text Available Building envelopes can play a crucial role in building improvement efficiency, and the adoption of Phase Change Materials (PCMs, coupled with transparent elements, may: (i allow a better control of the heat flows from/to the outdoor environment, (ii increase the exploitation of solar energy at a building scale and (iii modulate light transmission in order to prevent glare effects. Starting from a literature review, focused on experimental works, this research identifies the main possible integrations of PCMs in transparent/translucent building envelope components (in glazing, in shutters and in multilayer façade system in order to draw a global picture of the potential and limitations of these technologies. Transparent envelopes with PCMs have been classified from the simplest "zero" technology, which integrates the PCM in a double glass unit (DGU, to more complex solutions—with a different number of glass cavities (triple glazed unit TGU, different positions of the PCM layer (internal/external shutter, and in combination with other materials (TIM, aerogel, prismatic solar reflector, PCM curtain controlled by an electric pump. The results of the analysis have been summarised in a Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT analysis table to underline the strengths and weaknesses of transparent building envelope components with PCMs, and to indicate opportunities and threats for future research and building applications.
Aggregate material formulated with MSWI bottom ash and APC fly ash for use as secondary building material
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Valle-Zermeño, R. del; Formosa, J.; Chimenos, J.M.; Martínez, M.; Fernández, A.I.
Highlights: ► A concrete formulation was optimized using Bottom Ash and APC ash. ► 10% of APC ash achieves good compromise between economic and performance aspects. ► The crushed concrete was evaluated as secondary building granular material. ► The environmental behavior allows its use as secondary material. ► The abrasion resistance is not good enough for its use as a road sub-base material. - Abstract: The main goal of this paper is to obtain a granular material formulated with Municipal Solid Waste Incineration (MSWI) bottom ash (BA) and air pollution control (APC) fly ash to be used as secondary building material. Previously, an optimum concrete mixture using both MSWI residues as aggregates was formulated. A compromise between the environmental behavior whilst maximizing the reuse of APC fly ash was considered and assessed. Unconfined compressive strength and abrasion resistance values were measured in order to evaluate the mechanical properties. From these results, the granular mixture was not suited for certain applications owing to the high BA/APC fly ash content and low cement percentages used to reduce the costs of the final product. Nevertheless, the leaching test performed showed that the concentrations of all heavy metals were below the limits established by the current Catalan legislation for their reutilization. Therefore, the material studied might be mainly used in embankments, where high mechanical properties are not needed and environmental safety is assured
Multicriteria Decision Analysis of Material Selection of High Energy Performance Residential Building
Čuláková, Monika; Vilčeková, Silvia; Katunská, Jana; Krídlová Burdová, Eva
In world with limited amount of energy sources and with serious environmental pollution, interest in comparing the environmental embodied impacts of buildings using different structure systems and alternative building materials will be increased. This paper shows the significance of life cycle energy and carbon perspective and the material selection in reducing energy consumption and emissions production in the built environment. The study evaluates embodied environmental impacts of nearly zero energy residential structures. The environmental assessment uses framework of LCA within boundary: cradle to gate. Designed alternative scenarios of material compositions are also assessed in terms of energy effectiveness through selected thermal-physical parameters. This study uses multi-criteria decision analysis for making clearer selection between alternative scenarios. The results of MCDA show that alternative E from materials on nature plant base (wood, straw bales, massive wood panel) present possible way to sustainable perspective of nearly zero energy houses in Slovak republic
Building materials as a source of a possible radiation exposure of the population
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Pensko, J.; Burkart, W.
Two main pathways of exposure contribute to the human radiation exposure indoors: external whole body irradiation from gamma-rays originating from the walls, and exposure of lung tissue by alpha-rays emitted by radon daughters present in the inhaled air. Natural radioactive elements present in building materials produce both kinds of radioactive exposure. Uranium, thorium and potassium are sources of gamma radiations. Materials containing radium can create an alpha-radiation hazard for the human respiratory system through the exhalation of radon from room surfaces. Measurements of the natural radioactivity of building materials made in several European countries are reviewed. A preliminary assessment of the radioactivity content of potentially hazardous materials on the Swiss market shows elevated levels in imported phosphogypsum and tuff. (author)
Evidence on dynamic effects in the water content – water potential relation of building materials
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Scheffler, Gregor Albrecht; Plagge, Rudolf
static and dynamic moisture storage data and the more pronounced was the corresponding dynamic hysteresis. The paper thus provides clear experimental evidence on dynamic effects in the water content – water potential relation of building materials. By that, data published by previous authors as Topp et......Hygrothermal simulation has become a widely applied tool for the design and assessment of building structures under possible indoor and outdoor climatic conditions. One of the most important prerequisites of such simulations is reliable material data. Different approaches exist here to derive...... the required material functions, i.e. the moisture storage characteristic and the liquid water conductivity, from measured basic properties. The current state of the art in material modelling as well as the corresponding transport theory implies that the moisture transport function is unique...
A review on the development of reinforced ice for use as a building material in cold regions
Vasiliev, N.K.; Pronk, A.D.C.; Shatalina, I.N.; Janssen, F.H.M.E.; Houben, R.W.G.
Carrying building materials into remote cold regions makes construction in these regions difficult and rather expensive. The need for such materials can be reduced by the use of both ice and ice-soil composites. In cold regions ice is abundant and cheap. However, using ice as a building material has
Development and Application of High-Cr Ferritic Stainless Steels as Building Exterior Materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kim, Yeong H.; Lee, Yong H.; Lee, Yong D.
Stainless Steels have been widely used as a building exterior materials in Asian countries for the last decade. It is required for the materials in this field to have an aesthetic appearance,a relatively high strength, and an excellent corrosion resistance. Other metallic materials such as copper, aluminum, and carbon steels have been also used as the exterior materials. Considering the cost of maintenance, stainless steel, having the outstanding corrosion resistance, is replacing other materials in the several parts in the building exteriors. Ferritic stainless steel has been applied as the roofing materials because its thermal expansion is much smaller than that of austenitic stainless steel. Therefore, it is suitable for the large-scale construction such as airport terminal, convention center, and football stadium. To improve the corrosion resistance of the ferritic stainless steels, the modification of alloy composition has been studied to develop new grade materials and the progress in the surface technology has been introduced. Corrosion properties, of these materials were evaluated in the laboratory and in the field for longer than two years. High-Cr ferritic stainless steel showed excellent corrosion resistance to the atmospheric environments. In the region close to the sea, the corrosion resistance of high-Cr ferritic stainless steel was much superior to that of other materials, which may prove this steel to be the appropriate materials for the construction around seashore. In some of the large constructions around seashore in South Korea, high-Cr ferritic stainless steels have been used as the building exterior materials for six years
Development and Application of High-Cr Ferritic Stainless Steels as Building Exterior Materials
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Kim, Yeong H.; Lee, Yong H.; Lee, Yong D. [POSCO Technical Reseaarch Lab., Pohang (Korea, Republic of)
Stainless Steels have been widely used as a building exterior materials in Asian countries for the last decade. It is required for the materials in this field to have an aesthetic appearance,a relatively high strength, and an excellent corrosion resistance. Other metallic materials such as copper, aluminum, and carbon steels have been also used as the exterior materials. Considering the cost of maintenance, stainless steel, having the outstanding corrosion resistance, is replacing other materials in the several parts in the building exteriors. Ferritic stainless steel has been applied as the roofing materials because its thermal expansion is much smaller than that of austenitic stainless steel. Therefore, it is suitable for the large-scale construction such as airport terminal, convention center, and football stadium. To improve the corrosion resistance of the ferritic stainless steels, the modification of alloy composition has been studied to develop new grade materials and the progress in the surface technology has been introduced. Corrosion properties, of these materials were evaluated in the laboratory and in the field for longer than two years. High-Cr ferritic stainless steel showed excellent corrosion resistance to the atmospheric environments. In the region close to the sea, the corrosion resistance of high-Cr ferritic stainless steel was much superior to that of other materials, which may prove this steel to be the appropriate materials for the construction around seashore. In some of the large constructions around seashore in South Korea, high-Cr ferritic stainless steels have been used as the building exterior materials for six years.
Experimental evaluation of passive cooling using phase change materials (PCM) for reducing overheating in public building
Ahmed, Abdullahi; Mateo-Garcia, Monica; McGough, Danny; Caratella, Kassim; Ure, Zafer
Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) is essential for the health and productivity of building users. The risk of overheating in buildings is increasing due to increased density of occupancy of people and heat emitting equipment, increase in ambient temperature due to manifestation of climate change or changes in urban micro-climate. One of the solutions to building overheating is to inject some exposed thermal mass into the interior of the building. There are many different types of thermal storage materials which typically includes sensible heat storage materials such as concrete, bricks, rocks etc. It is very difficult to increase the thermal mass of existing buildings using these sensible heat storage materials. Alternative to these, there are latent heat storage materials called Phase Change Materials (PCM), which have high thermal storage capacity per unit volume of materials making them easy to implement within retrofit project. The use of Passive Cooling Thermal Energy Storage (TES) systems in the form of PCM PlusICE Solutions has been investigated in occupied spaces to improve indoor environmental quality. The work has been carried out using experimental set-up in existing spaces and monitored through the summer the months. The rooms have been monitored using wireless temperature and humidity sensors. There appears to be significant improvement in indoor temperature of up to 5°K in the room with the PCM compared to the monitored control spaces. The success of PCM for passive cooling is strongly dependent on the ventilation strategy employed in the spaces. The use of night time cooling to purge the stored thermal energy is essential for improved efficacy of the systems to reduce overheating in the spaces. The investigation is carried within the EU funded RESEEPEE project.
Dose and radon measurements inside houses containing ash as building material
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Bodnar, R.; Lendvai, Z.; Somlai, J.; Nemeth, C.
Radon concentration and external dose have been measured in dwellings that contain by-products of coal burning for building materials. The concentrations of 40 K, 232 Th, 238 U and 226 Ra have been determined in the materials. The date are analyzed according to indices frequently used for decision of utilizing the by-products. The observed daily fluctuation of the radon concentration in dwellings might exceed a factor of 5. (author)
Material and welding development of anchor plates to build nuclear power plant by blue arc process
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Gibelli, C.E.
To build nuclear power plants, anchor plates are plenty used. These anchor plates serve as a system with the purpose to fix many heavy components or a simple stair. Considering the necessity of element fabrication fastly, with reasonable economy and quality, the arc study welding process (blue arc) was used. A special development of the material concept as well as a welding procedure and a subsuppliers qualification of the raw material was necessary. (Author) [pt
Usability of Clay Mixed Red Mud as Building Material in Transdanubian (Hungary) Region
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Sas, Z.; Somlai, J.J.; Szeiler, G.; Kovacs, T.
The most commonly used building materials in Hungary and in numerous country of the world are the bricks, which made from clays. Due to the congenial internal structure properties of the clays these raw materials can be mixed with other materials, provides great possibility to reuse industrial by-products as additive material. The production and inbuilt of new types of synthetic building materials based on NORM (naturally occurring radioactive materials) by-products is raising concerns among authorities, public and scientists. Several NORM residues produced in large quantity, such as: phospogypsum (phosphate industry), red mud (aluminium processing industry), fly ash, coal slag (coal burning and steelworks) and so on are presently under investigation. The aluminum manufacturing in Ajka (Hungary) started in 1943. As a result of the bauxite refining activities up to now approximately 30 Mt of red mud has been produced in Hungary, stored in reservoirs. The radionuclide content of the bauxite usually exceeds the world average in soils (WA), which entirely remains in the by-product during Bayer process. The exposure pathways in case of application of NORM residues have to be explored in order to reveal the potential risks of NORMs on residents. The gamma radiation originated from the primordial radionuclides (K-40; U-238; Th-232) and their daughter elements found in nature and in building materials as well increase the external dose of the human body. In the EU the Radiation Protection 112 (RP 112) guideline serves for classification of building material, wherein the gamma exposure is limited by I-index
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
H.N. Gizatullin
Full Text Available In this work attempt has been done analyze the influence of the environmental factors, as outward, as inside to choice of the strategy and the pricing of the industry of the building materials of Bashkortostan. This article examines the competitive surroundings of enterprises and branches in a aspect of the regional market of the building industry's production. The evaluation of the compatibility is given of the price and competitive strategy. As a result of the research and pricing majority of industry's enterprises had no official document stating their per pose in a pricing area. In reason of analysis the general situation of the industry building materials the enterprises of Bashkortostan, the conception of pricing is determined on functional level.
Tens of Romanian scientists work at CERN
Silian, Sidonia
"The figures regarding the actual number of Romanian scientists working at the European Center for Nuclear Research, or CERN, differ. The CERN data base lists some 30 Romanians on its payroll, while the scientists with the Nuclear Center at Magurele, Romania, say they should be around 50." (1 page)
Teaching Gender and Geography in Romanian Universities
Voiculescu, Sorina
The fall of communism in Central-Eastern Europe in 1989 brought major political, social, economic and cultural changes that reshaped the Romanian society as it transitioned from the totalitarian communist regime to a democratic one. The entire process of transition, eventuating in Romanian access to the European Union, brought important changes at…
Fungal Microbiomes Associated with Green and Non-Green Building Materials.
Coombs, Kanistha; Vesper, Stephen; Green, Brett J; Yermakov, Mikhail; Reponen, Tiina
Water-damaged buildings can lead to fungal growth and occupant health problems. Green building materials, derived from renewable sources, are increasingly utilized in construction and renovations. However, the question as to what fungi will grow on these green compared to non-green materials, after they get wet, has not been adequately studied. By determining what fungi grow on each type of material, the potential health risks can be more adequately assessed. In this study, we inoculated green and non-green pieces of ceiling tile, composite board, drywall, and flooring with indoor dust containing a complex mixture of naturally occurring fungi. The materials were saturated with water and incubated for two months in a controlled environment. The resulting fungal microbiomes were evaluated using ITS amplicon sequencing. Overall, the richness and diversity of the mycobiomes on each pair of green and non-green pieces were not significantly different. However, different genera dominated on each type of material. For example, Aspergillus spp. had the highest relative abundance on green and non-green ceiling tiles and green composite boards, but Peniophora spp. dominated the non-green composite board. In contrast, Penicillium spp. dominated green and non-green flooring samples. Green gypsum board was dominated by Phialophora spp. and Stachybotrys spp., but non-green gypsum board by Myrothecium spp. These data suggest that water-damaged green and non-green building materials can result in mycobiomes that are dominated by fungal genera whose member species pose different potentials for health risks.
Natural radionuclides in ceramic building materials available in Cuddalore district, Tamil Nadu, India.
Rajamannan, B; Viruthagiri, G; Suresh Jawahar, K
The activity concentrations of radium, thorium and potassium can vary from material to material and they should be measured as the radiation is hazardous for human health. Thus, studies have been planned to obtain the radioactivity of ceramic building materials used in Cuddalore District, Tamilnadu, India. The radioactivity of some ceramic materials used in this region has been measured using a gamma-ray spectrometry, which contains an NaI(Tl) detector connected to multichannel analyzer. The specific activities of (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K, from the selected ceramic building materials, were in the range of 9.89-30.75, 24.68-70.4, 117.19-415.83 Bq kg(-1), respectively. The radium equivalent activity, absorbed gamma dose rate (D) and annual effective dose rate associated with the natural radionuclides are calculated to assess the radiation hazards of the natural radioactivity in the ceramic building materials. It was found that none of the results exceeds the recommended limit value.
Radiological and hazardous material characterization report for the south portion of the 313 Building
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Harris, R.A.
The objective of the characterization was to determine the extent of radiological contamination and presence of hazardous materials, to allow the preparation of an accurate cost estimate, and to plan for pre-demolition cleanup work to support building isolation. The scope of services for the project included the following tasks: Records Review and Interviews; Site Reconnaissance; Radiological Survey; and Sampling and Analysis
Building Materials, Ionizing Radiation and HBIM: A Case Study from Pompei (Italy
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Pasquale Argenziano
Full Text Available This paper presents a different point of view on the conservation of the built heritage, adding ionizing radiation to the most well-known digital documentation dataset. Igneous building materials characterize most of the built heritage in the Campania region, and in a large part of southern Italy. The ionizing radiations proceeding from these materials can produce stochastic biological effects on the exposed living beings. The research team designed and tested a technical-scientific protocol to survey and analyse this natural phenomenon in association with the use of geological material for building purposes. Geographical Information Systems (GISs, City Information Modelling (CIM, and Building Information Modelling (BIM are the digital tools used to manage the construction entities and their characteristics, and then to represent the thematic data as false-colour images. The emission spectra of fair-faced or plastered materials as a fingerprint of their nature is proposed as a non-invasive method. Due to both the huge presence of historical buildings and an intense touristic flow, the main square of Pompei has been selected as a study area.
Radon-222 exhalation from Danish building materials: H + H Industri A/S results
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Andersen, Claus Erik
rate measurements for 10 samples of Danish building materials are reported. Samples include ordinary concrete, lightweight aggregate concrete,autoclaved aerated concrete, bricks, and gypsum board. The maximum mass-specific exhalation rate is about 20 m Bq h"-"1 kg "-"1. Under consideration...
Cost-benefit analysis of decreased ventilation rates and radon exhalation from building materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Ericson, S.O.
Decreased ventilation, achieved by weather stripping and other tightening measures, is the most cost effective way to energy conservation. A very low investment can result in a considerable decrease in ventilation rate. For a typical detached house in Sweden this can be equivalent to a decrease in oil consumption of 0.5 m 3 . At present price this corresponds to a saving of SEK 1200, 150 US dollars per annum. The contribution of the building materials to the concentration of radon in indoor air is approximately the inverse to air exchange rate. For a small change in ventilation rate and cost, in SEK/man Sv or US dollar/man Sv, is a function of ventilation rate, exhalation from building materials, the ratio between surface of walls, floor and ceiling to the volume of air. Thus, it is possible to find the specific ventilation rate where the marginal cost for a small increase in ventilation rate and the marginal reduction in radon concentration will give a specific amount of money for each man Sv. Examples are given. Conclusions are that for most building materials in a climate like the Swedish, there are other factors than exhalation of radon from building materials that sets the lower limit of recommendable ventilation rate. (Author)
Electrokinetic salt removal from porous building materials using ion exchange membranes
Kamran, K.; Van Soestbergen, M.; Pel, L.
The removal of salt from porous building materials under the influence of an applied voltage gradient normally results in high pH gradients due to the formation of protons and hydroxyl ions at the electrodes. The formed acidic and alkaline regions not only lead to disintegration of the porous
Electrokinetic salt removal from porous building materials using ion exchange membranes
Kamran, K.; Soestbergen, van M.; Pel, L.
The removal of salt from porous building materials under the influence of an applied voltage gradient normally results in high pH gradients due to the formation of protons and hydroxyl ions at the electrodes. The formed acidic and alkaline regions not only lead to disintegration of the porous
Laboratory study of the PCB transport from primary sources to building materials
The sorption of airborne polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) by twenty building materials and their subsequent re-emission (desorption) from concrete were investigated using two 53-L environmental chambers connected in series with a field-collected caulk in the source chamber servin...
Measurements of radon exhalation from building materials under model climate conditions
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Jann, O.; Schneider, U.; Koeppke, J.; Lehmann, R.
The inhalation of 222 Rn (radon) is the most important reason for lung cancer as a result of smoking. The cause for enhanced radon concentration in the air of buildings is mostly the building ground. But also building products can lead to increased radon concentrations in indoor air when the products contain raw materials or residues with higher contents of 226 Ra (radium), especially in combination with low air exchange rates. For a realistic estimation of radon concentrations it is helpful to perform emission tests on the basis of emission test chambers. Emissions test chambers are already used successfully for the measurement of volatile organic compounds (VOC) emitted from different materials and products. The analysis of radon in air was performed with a test device based on the principle of ionisation chamber (ATMOS 12 D). It could be show that radon concentrations emitted from building materials can be determined reliably if certain boundary conditions such as temperature, relative humidity and especially area specific air flow rate are met. It was also shown that reduced area specific air flow rates or reduced air exchange rates lead to higher radon concentrations. It is remarkable that no conclusion can be drawn from the activity concentration of radium to the radon concentration in the air. Therefore in some cases much higher radon concentrations in air were determined that had been expected. Obviously diffusion within the material plays an important role. (orig.)
Calculation of coal power plant cost on agricultural and material building impact of emission
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Mochamad Nasrullah; Wiku Lulus Widodo
Calculation for externally cost of Coal Power Plant (CPP) is very important. This paper is focus on CPP appear SO 2 impact on agricultural plant and material building. AGRIMAT'S model from International Atomic Energy Agency is model one be used to account environmental damage for air impact because SO 2 emission. Analysis method use Impact Pathways Assessment: Determining characteristic source, Exposure Response Functions (ERF), Impacts and Damage Costs, and Monetary Unit Cost. Result for calculate shows that SO 2 that issued CPP, if value of SO 2 is 19,3 μg/m3, damage cost begins valuably positive. It shows that the land around CPP has decrease prosperity, and it will disadvantage for agricultural plant. On material building, SO 2 resulting damage cost. The increase humidity price therefore damage cost on material building will increase cost. But if concentration SO 2 increase therefore damage cost that is appear on material building decrease. Expected this result can added with external cost on health impact of CPP. External cost was done at developed countries. If it is done at Indonesia, therefore generation cost with fossil as more expensive and will get implication on issue cut back gases greenhouse. On the other side, renewable energy and also alternative energy as nuclear have opportunity at national energy mix system. (author)
Uranium concentration in building materials used in the central region of Egypt
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Higgy, R.H.; El-Tahawy, M.S.; Ghods, A.
Within a radiological survey of the building materials used in the urban dwellings in the central region of Egypt, the uranium concentration in 80 representative samples of raw and fabricated building materials are determined using laser fluorimetry technique. For 40 samples from the studied raw building materials of sand, gravel, gypsum, lime-stone, granite and marble the determined uranium concentration values range between 0.3 and 3.6 ppm for all these samples except for one type of granite having the corresponding value of 7.8 ppm. For 37 samples from studied fabricated building materials of normal cement, clay brick, sand brick, tiles and ceramic plates the determined uranium concentration values range from 0.5 to 3.4 ppm. The corresponding values for three types of iron cement are 3.1, 6.1 and 9.3 ppm. The radium-226 content (of the uranium-238 series) in the same samples was determined using high resolution gamma-ray spectrometers based on HP Ge-detectors. The data obtained by the two techniques are in good agreement for the majority of the studied samples. (author)
Stepwise transformation of the molecular building blocks in a porphyrin-encapsulating metal-organic material
Zhang, ZhenJie; Wojtas, Łukasz; Eddaoudi, Mohamed; Zaworotko, Michael J.
When immersed in solutions containing Cu(II) cations, the microporous metal-organic material P11 ([Cd4(BPT)4]·[Cd(C 44H36N8)(S)]·[S], BPT = biphenyl-3,4′,5-tricarboxylate) undergoes a transformation of its [Cd 2(COO)6]2- molecular building blocks
Microbes on building materials - Evaluation of DNA extraction protocols as common basis for molecular analysis
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Ettenauer, Joerg D., E-mail: email@example.com [VIBT-BOKU, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Department of Biotechnology, Muthgasse 11, A-1190 Vienna (Austria); Pinar, Guadalupe, E-mail: email@example.com [VIBT-BOKU, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Department of Biotechnology, Muthgasse 11, A-1190 Vienna (Austria); Lopandic, Ksenija, E-mail: email@example.com [VIBT-BOKU, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Department of Biotechnology, Muthgasse 11, A-1190 Vienna (Austria); Spangl, Bernhard, E-mail: email@example.com [University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Department of Landscape, Spatial and Infrastructure Science, Institute of Applied Statistics and Computing (IASC), Gregor Mendel-Str. 33, A-1180 Vienna (Austria); Ellersdorfer, Guenther, E-mail: email@example.com [VIBT-BOKU, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Department of Biotechnology, Muthgasse 11, A-1190 Vienna (Austria); Voitl, Christian, E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com [VIBT-BOKU, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Department of Biotechnology, Muthgasse 11, A-1190 Vienna (Austria); Sterflinger, Katja, E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com [VIBT-BOKU, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Department of Biotechnology, Muthgasse 11, A-1190 Vienna (Austria)
The study of microbial life in building materials is an emerging topic concerning biodeterioration of materials as well as health risks in houses and at working places. Biodegradation and potential health implications associated with microbial growth in our residues claim for more precise methods for quantification and identification. To date, cultivation experiments are commonly used to gain insight into the microbial diversity. Nowadays, molecular techniques for the identification of microorganisms provide efficient methods that can be applied in this field. The efficiency of DNA extraction is decisive in order to perform a reliable and reproducible quantification of the microorganisms by qPCR or to characterize the structure of the microbial community. In this study we tested thirteen DNA extraction methods and evaluated their efficiency for identifying (1) the quantity of DNA, (2) the quality and purity of DNA and (3) the ability of the DNA to be amplified in a PCR reaction using three universal primer sets for the ITS region of fungi as well as one primer pair targeting the 16S rRNA of bacteria with three typical building materials - common plaster, red brick and gypsum cardboard. DNA concentration measurements showed strong variations among the tested methods and materials. Measurement of the DNA yield showed up to three orders of magnitude variation from the same samples, whereas A260/A280 ratios often prognosticated biases in the PCR amplifications. Visualization of the crude DNA extracts and the comparison of DGGE fingerprints showed additional drawbacks of some methods. The FastDNA Spin kit for soil showed to be the best DNA extraction method and could provide positive results for all tests with the three building materials. Therefore, we suggest this method as a gold standard for quantification of indoor fungi and bacteria in building materials. -- Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Up to thirteen extraction methods were evaluated with three
Microbes on building materials — Evaluation of DNA extraction protocols as common basis for molecular analysis
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Ettenauer, Jörg D.; Piñar, Guadalupe; Lopandic, Ksenija; Spangl, Bernhard; Ellersdorfer, Günther; Voitl, Christian; Sterflinger, Katja
The study of microbial life in building materials is an emerging topic concerning biodeterioration of materials as well as health risks in houses and at working places. Biodegradation and potential health implications associated with microbial growth in our residues claim for more precise methods for quantification and identification. To date, cultivation experiments are commonly used to gain insight into the microbial diversity. Nowadays, molecular techniques for the identification of microorganisms provide efficient methods that can be applied in this field. The efficiency of DNA extraction is decisive in order to perform a reliable and reproducible quantification of the microorganisms by qPCR or to characterize the structure of the microbial community. In this study we tested thirteen DNA extraction methods and evaluated their efficiency for identifying (1) the quantity of DNA, (2) the quality and purity of DNA and (3) the ability of the DNA to be amplified in a PCR reaction using three universal primer sets for the ITS region of fungi as well as one primer pair targeting the 16S rRNA of bacteria with three typical building materials — common plaster, red brick and gypsum cardboard. DNA concentration measurements showed strong variations among the tested methods and materials. Measurement of the DNA yield showed up to three orders of magnitude variation from the same samples, whereas A260/A280 ratios often prognosticated biases in the PCR amplifications. Visualization of the crude DNA extracts and the comparison of DGGE fingerprints showed additional drawbacks of some methods. The FastDNA Spin kit for soil showed to be the best DNA extraction method and could provide positive results for all tests with the three building materials. Therefore, we suggest this method as a gold standard for quantification of indoor fungi and bacteria in building materials. -- Highlights: ► Up to thirteen extraction methods were evaluated with three building materials. �
Enhancement of global flood damage assessments using building material based vulnerability curves
Englhardt, Johanna; de Ruiter, Marleen; de Moel, Hans; Aerts, Jeroen
This study discusses the development of an enhanced approach for flood damage and risk assessments using vulnerability curves that are based on building material information. The approach draws upon common practices in earthquake vulnerability assessments, and is an alternative for land-use or building occupancy approach in flood risk assessment models. The approach is of particular importance for studies where there is a large variation in building material, such as large scale studies or studies in developing countries. A case study of Ethiopia is used to demonstrate the impact of the different methodological approaches on direct damage assessments due to flooding. Generally, flood damage assessments use damage curves for different land-use or occupancy types (i.e. urban or residential and commercial classes). However, these categories do not necessarily relate directly to vulnerability of damage by flood waters. For this, the construction type and building material may be more important, as is used in earthquake risk assessments. For this study, we use building material classification data of the PAGER1 project to define new building material based vulnerability classes for flood damage. This approach will be compared to the widely applied land-use based vulnerability curves such as used by De Moel et al. (2011). The case of Ethiopia demonstrates and compares the feasibility of this novel flood vulnerability method on a country level which holds the potential to be scaled up to a global level. The study shows that flood vulnerability based on building material also allows for better differentiation between flood damage in urban and rural settings, opening doors to better link to poverty studies when such exposure data is available. Furthermore, this new approach paves the road to the enhancement of multi-risk assessments as the method enables the comparison of vulnerability across different natural hazard types that also use material-based vulnerability curves
Romanian concern for advanced fuels development
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Ohai, Dumitru
The Institute for Nuclear Research (ICN), a subsidiary of Romanian Authority for Nuclear Activities, at Pitesti - Romania, has developed a preliminary design of a fuel bundle with 43 elements named SEU 43 for high burnup in CANDU Reactor. A very high experience in nuclear fuels manufacturing and control has also been accumulated. Additionally, on the nuclear site Pitesti there is the Nuclear Fuel Plant (NFP) qualified to manufacturing CANDU 6 type fuel, the main fuel supplier for NPP Cernavoda. A very good collaboration of ICN with NFP can lead to a low cost upgrading the facilities which ensure at present the CANDU standard fuel fabrication to be able of manufacturing also SEU 43 fuel for extended burnup. The financial founds are allocated by Romanian Authority for Nuclear Activities of the Ministry of Industry and Resources to sustain the departmental R and D program 'Nuclear Fuel'. This Program has the main objective to establish a technology for manufacturing a new CANDU fuel type destined for extended burnup. It is studied the possibility to use the Recovered Uranium (RU) resulted from LWR spent fuel reprocessing facility existing in stockpiles. The International Agency for Atomic Energy (IAEA) sustains also this program. By ROM/4/025/ Model Project, IAEA helps ICN to solve the problems regarding materials (RU, Zircaloy 4 tubes) purchasing, devices' upgrading and personnel training. The paper presents the main actions needing to be create the technical base for SEU 43 fuel bundle manufacturing. First step, the technological experiments and experimental fuel element manufacturing, will be accomplished in ICN installations. Second step, the industrial scale, need thorough studies for each installation from NFP to determine tools and technology modification imposed by the new CANDU fuel bundle manufacturing. All modifications must be done such as to the NFP, standard CANDU and SEU fuel bundles to be manufactured alternatively. (author)
A Regional Analysis of Romanian Migration Determinants
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Elena-Maria Prada
Full Text Available This paper analyses the determinants of Romanian emigration considering two perspectives: first, the perspective of business environment and labour market and, second, the perspective of social and economic conditions. The analysis uses data from National Statistical Institute and Romanian Register of Commerce for all 42 counties of Romania for the year 2011 and consists of three linear regression models whose dependent variable was the total number of Romanian emigrants declared at 2011 Romanian Census. Results have shown that international migration is strongly correlated with national labour policy. The fact that newly created enterprises have a positive influence on migration show that Romanian business environment is not able to offer competitive salaries and/or working conditions.
Annual mean effective dose of Slovak population due to natural radioactivity of building materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Cabanekova, H.
Natural radiation is the main source of exposure to humans. The basic raw materials, generally used in the construction industry, contain natural radionuclides which reflects their natural origin and the geological conditions at the site of production. In the last time, most building materials are manufactured from secondary raw materials with higher concentration of natural radionuclides. The estimation of the 226 Ra content as well as the 232 Th and 40 K concentration in building materials and products is essential for the evaluation of the external x-ray contribution to the exposure. The building materials with high value of 226 Ra coupled with pronounced porosity of the final products make them potential indoor Rn sources. It means that external exposure and part of inhalation dose from radon and its progeny inside of building is caused to the radiation from the primordial radionuclides pres ent in building materials and products and can increase the indoor natural radiation exposure. For keeping the population exposure as low as reasonably achievable is in the Slovak legislation the radioactive content of primordial radionuclides in building materials and products regulated and the maximum of specific activity is 370 Bq.kg-1 of radium equivalent activity and 120 Bq.kg-1 of 226 Ra. The Health ministry and Slovak metrological institute nominated the department of Radiation Hygiene of Slovak medical university to investigate regularly the content of natural radionuclides and also the radon emanation in samples of raw and secondary building materials and products used in Slovak building industry. In the framework of the screening of building materials and products there were analyzed over 3 000 samples. The natural radionuclides are assessed through their progeny photo peaks. The specific activity of nuclides is determined as weighted average of their photo peaks. The obtained results are corrected to the background distribution and to the self absorption in the
Energy Performance and Optimal Control of Air-conditioned Buildings Integrated with Phase Change Materials
Zhu, Na
This thesis presents an overview of the previous research work on dynamic characteristics and energy performance of buildings due to the integration of PCMs. The research work on dynamic characteristics and energy performance of buildings using PCMs both with and without air-conditioning is reviewed. Since the particular interest in using PCMs for free cooling and peak load shifting, specific research efforts on both subjects are reviewed separately. A simplified physical dynamic model of building structures integrated with SSPCM (shaped-stabilized phase change material) is developed and validated in this study. The simplified physical model represents the wall by 3 resistances and 2 capacitances and the PCM layer by 4 resistances and 2 capacitances respectively while the key issue is the parameter identification of the model. This thesis also presents the studies on the thermodynamic characteristics of buildings enhanced by PCM and on the investigation of the impacts of PCM on the building cooling load and peak cooling demand at different climates and seasons as well as the optimal operation and control strategies to reduce the energy consumption and energy cost by reducing the air-conditioning energy consumption and peak load. An office building floor with typical variable air volume (VAV) air-conditioning system is used and simulated as the reference building in the comparison study. The envelopes of the studied building are further enhanced by integrating the PCM layers. The building system is tested in two selected cities of typical climates in China including Hong Kong and Beijing. The cold charge and discharge processes, the operation and control strategies of night ventilation and the air temperature set-point reset strategy for minimizing the energy consumption and electricity cost are studied. This thesis presents the simulation test platform, the test results on the cold storage and discharge processes, the air-conditioning energy consumption and demand
RESRAD-BUILD: A computer model for analyzing the radiological doses resulting from the remediation and occupancy of buildings contaminated with radioactive material
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Yu, C.; LePoire, D.J.; Jones, L.G.
The RESRAD-BUILD computer code is a pathway analysis model designed to evaluate the potential radiological dose incurred by an individual who works or lives in a building contaminated with radioactive material. The transport of radioactive material inside the building from one compartment to another is calculated with an indoor air quality model. The air quality model considers the transport of radioactive dust particulates and radon progeny due to air exchange, deposition and resuspension, and radioactive decay and ingrowth. A single run of the RESRAD-BUILD code can model a building with up to: three compartments, 10 distinct source geometries, and 10 receptor locations. A shielding material can be specified between each source-receptor pair for external gamma dose calculations. Six exposure pathways are considered in the RESRAD-BUILD code: (1) external exposure directly from the source; (2) external exposure to materials deposited on the floor; (3) external exposure due to air submersion; (4) inhalation of airborne radioactive particulates; (5) inhalation of aerosol indoor radon progeny; and (6) inadvertent ingestion of radioactive material, either directly from the sources or from materials deposited on the surfaces of the building compartments
Bio-susceptibility of materials and thermal insulation systems used for historical buildings
Sterflinger, Katja; Ettenauer, Joerg; Pinar, Guadalupe
In historical buildings of Northern countries high levels of energy are necessary to reach comfortable temperatures especially during the cold season. For this reason historical buildings are now also included in country specific regulations and ordinances to enhance the "energy - efficiency". Since an exterior insulation - as it is commonly used for modern architecture - is incompatible with monument protection, several indoor insulation systems based on historical and ecological materials, are on the market that should improve the thermic performance of a historical building. However, using organic materials as cellulose, loam, weed or wood, bears the risk of fungal growth and thus may lead to health problems in indoor environments. For this reason 5 different ecological indoor insulations systems were tested for their bio-susceptibility against various fungi both under natural conditions - after 2 years of installation in an historical building - and under laboratory conditions with high levels of relative humidity. Fungal growth was evaluated by classical isolation and cultivation as well as by molecular methods. The materials turned out to have a quite different susceptibility towards fungal contamination. Whereas insulations made of bloated Perlite (plaster and board) did not show any fungal growth after 2 years of exposition, the historical insulation made of loam and weed had high cell counts of various fungi. In laboratory experiments wooden softboard represented the best environment for fungal growth. As a result from this study, plaster and board made of bloated Perlite are presented as being the most appropriate materials for thermal insulation at least from the microbiological and hygienic point of view. For future investigations and for the monitoring of fungi in insulation and other building materials we suggest a molecular biology approach with a common protocol for quantitative DNA-extraction and amplification.
Characterization of cement-based ancient building materials in support of repository seal materials studies
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Roy, D.M.; Langton, C.A.
Ancient mortars and plasters collected from Greek and Cypriot structures dating to about 5500 BC have been investigated because of their remarkable durability. The characteristics and performance of these and other ancient cementitious materials have been considered in the light of providing information on longevity of concrete materials for sealing nuclear waste geological repositories. The matrices of these composite materials have been characterized and classified into four categories: (1) gypsum cements; (2) hydraulic hydrated lime and hydrated-lime cements; (3) hydraulic aluminous and ferruginous hydrated-lime cements (+- siliceous components); and (4) pozzolana/hydrated-lime cements. Most of the materials investigated, including linings of ore-washing basins and cisterns used to hold water, are in categories (2) and (3). The aggregates used included carbonates, sandstones, shales, schists, volcanic and pyroclastic rocks, and ore minerals, many of which represent host rock types of stratigraphic components of a salt repository. Numerous methods were used to characterize the materials chemically, mineralogically, and microstructurally and to elucidate aspects of both the technology that produced them and their response to the environmental exposure throughout their centuries of existence. Their remarkable properties are the result of a combination of chemical (mineralogical) and microstructural factors. Durability was found to be affected by matrix mineralogy, particle size and porosity, and aggregate type, grading, and proportioning, as well as method of placement and exposure conditions. Similar factors govern the potential for durability of modern portland cement-containing materials, which are candidates for repository sealing. 29 references, 29 figures, 6 tables
Influence of man-made aluminosilicate raw materials on physical and mechanical properties of building materials.
Volodchenko, A. A.; Lesovik, V. S.; Stoletov, A. A.; Glagolev, E. S.; Volodchenko, A. N.; Magomedov, Z. G.
It has been identified that man-made aluminosilicate raw materials represented by clay rock of varied genesis can be used as energy-efficient raw materials to obtain efficient highly-hollow non-autoclaved silicate materials. A technique of structure formation in the conditions of pressureless steam treatment has been offered. Cementing compounds of non- autoclaved silicate materials based on man-made aluminosilicate raw materials possess hydraulic properties that are conditioned by the process of further formation and recrystallization of calcium silicate hydrates, which optimizes the ratio between gellike and crystalline components and densifies the cementing compound structure, which leads to improvement of performance characteristics. Increasing the performance characteristics of the obtained products is possible by changing the molding conditions. For this reason, in order to create high-density material packaging and, as a result, to increase the strength properties of the products, it is reasonable to use higher pressure, under which raw brick is formed, which will facilitate the increase of quality of highly-hollow products.
Modeling volatile organic compounds sorption on dry building materials using double-exponential model
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Deng, Baoqing; Ge, Di; Li, Jiajia; Guo, Yuan; Kim, Chang Nyung
A double-exponential surface sink model for VOCs sorption on building materials is presented. Here, the diffusion of VOCs in the material is neglected and the material is viewed as a surface sink. The VOCs concentration in the air adjacent to the material surface is introduced and assumed to always maintain equilibrium with the material-phase concentration. It is assumed that the sorption can be described by mass transfer between the room air and the air adjacent to the material surface. The mass transfer coefficient is evaluated from the empirical correlation, and the equilibrium constant can be obtained by linear fitting to the experimental data. The present model is validated through experiments in small and large test chambers. The predicted results accord well with the experimental data in both the adsorption stage and desorption stage. The model avoids the ambiguity of model constants found in other surface sink models and is easy to scale up
Simulation Study of Active Ceilings with Phase Change Material in Office Buildings for Different National Building Regulations
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Farhan, Hajan; Stefansen, Casper; Bourdakis, Eleftherios
The aim of this study was to examine the performance of phase change material (PCM) in active ceilings for an office room under different Danish building regulations for both heating and cooling purposes. A model of a two-person office room was simulated with the only heating and cooling source...... being radiant ceiling panels containing PCM. The target was to reduce energy use for the simulation models and still meet the recommended criteria of Category II for the European Standard EN 15251:2007 namely, 23°C – 26°C (73.4°F – 78.8°F) during summer and between 20°C – 24°C (68.0°F – 73.4°F) during...... winter. The office model was simulated for a whole year and analyzed for three Danish building regulations BR10 (2010), BR15 (2015) and BR20 (2020). The results show that the indoor environment was within the desired Category II, according to EN 15251 for the whole occupancy period. The predicted...
A model for the build-up of disordered material in ion bombarded Si
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Nelson, R.S.
A new model based on experimental observation is developed for the build-up of disordered material in ion bombarded silicon. The model assumes that disordered zones are created in a background of migrating point defects, these zones then act as neutral sinks for such defects which interact with the zones and cause recrystallization. A simple steady state rate theory is developed to describe the build-up of disordered material with ion dose as a function of temperature. In general the theory predicts two distinct behaviour patterns depending on the temperature and the ion mass, namely a linear build-up with dose to complete disorder for heavy bombarding ions and a build-up to saturation at a relatively low level for light ions such as protons. However, in some special circumstances a transition region is predicted where the build-up of disorder approximately follows a (dose)sup(1/2) relationship before reverting to a linear behaviour at high dose. (author)
Investigation of natural radioactivity in building materials commonly used in Sudan
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Mohamed, S. E. A.
Investigation of radioactivity content of commonly used building materials in Khartoum State is carried out during the year 2010. A total of 25 samples of natural and manufactured materials from different types of building materials have been collected and measured using gamma spectrometry system. The activity concentrations have been determined for radium (2''2''6''Ra), thorium (''2'3''2Th) and potassium (''4''0K) in each sample. The concentrations of radium (represents activity of uranium and its decay series) have been found to rang from 2.8 Bq/kg in (gravel) to 108.2 Bq/kg (porcelain), thorium between 48 and 302 Bq/kg and the potassium concentration varies between 82.3 Bq/kg in (gravel) to 1413.3 Bq/kg in (marble). The activity index has also been calculated and found that it is less than 1 (mean value of 0.77 range between 0.33 and 1.97), and less than 6 for surface materials. The results have been compared with European previous studies. It is concluded that the measured radioactivity of building materials are within acceptable levels and dose not poses any risk from radiation protection point of view. (Author)
Technological characteristics of compressed earth blocks for its use as a building material
Gomez-Villalba, Luz Stella; Camacho-Perez, Nancy; Alvarez de Buergo, Monica; Becerra-Becerra, Javier; Esmeralda Corredor-Pulido, Dery; Fort, Rafael
We present here an innovative building technique, which uses ecological, inexpensive and environmentally friendly materials. These compressed earth blocks seem to be very good for building purposes and that is why we have characterized three types of compressed earth blocks (CEB, named by their color as yellow, grey and red) mineralogically by means of X ray diffraction XRD and scanning electron microscopy SEM (both blocks and raw materials), petrographically by polarizing optical light microscopy POLM, and SEM, and, mainly, petrophysically: their hydric, physical and physico-mechanical properties by means of determining their capillary water absorption, porosity (open or accessible to water, pore size distribution and micro/macroporosity), and densities, color and ultrasound velocity (together with anisotropy). The particularities of these analyzed materials show that some varieties are more durable than others, and that all of them can be used as building materials with some restrictions related to their appropriate placing in the structures and the exposure to water. Acknowledgements: This work is supported by the GEOMATERIALES (S2009/MAT-1629) and CONSOLIDER-TCP (CSD2007-0058) programmes. Thanks also to the UCM (Complutense University of Madrid) Research Group "Alteración y conservación de los materiales pétreos del patrimonio" / Alteration and conservation of heritage stone materials (ref. 921349).
Study of building materials impregnation processes by quasi-real-time neutron radiography
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Nemec, T.; Rant, J.; Apih, V.; Glumac, B.
Neutron radiography (NR) is a useful non-destructive method for determination of hydrogen content in various building and technical materials. Monitoring of transport processes of moisture and hydrogenous liquids in porous building materials is enabled by fast, quasi-real-time NR methods based on novel imaging plate neutron detectors (IP-NDs). Hydrogen content in the samples is determined by quantitative analysis of measured profiles of neutron attenuation in the samples. Detailed description of quantitative NR method is presented by the authors in another accompanying contribution at this conference. Deterioration of building materials is originated by different processes that all require presence of water therefore it is essential to limit or prevent the transport of water through the porous material. In this presentation, results of a study of clay brick impregnation by silicone based hydrophobic agents will be presented. Quantitative results obtained by NR imaging successfully explained the processes that occur during the impregnation of porous materials. Efficiency of hydrophobic treatment was quantitatively evaluated
Advanced phase change materials and systems for solar passive heating and cooling of residential buildings
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Salyer, I.O.; Sircar, A.K.; Dantiki, S.
During the last three years under the sponsorship of the DOE Solar Passive Division, the University of Dayton Research Institute (UDRI) has investigated four phase change material (PCM) systems for utility in thermal energy storage for solar passive heating and cooling applications. From this research on the basis of cost, performance, containment, and environmental acceptability, we have selected as our current and most promising series of candidate phase change materials, C-15 to C-24 linear crystalline alkyl hydrocarbons. The major part of the research during this contract period was directed toward the following three objectives. Find, test, and develop low-cost effective phase change materials (PCM) that melt and freeze sharply in the comfort temperature range of 73--77{degree}F for use in solar passive heating and cooling of buildings. Define practical materials and processes for fire retarding plasterboard/PCM building products. Develop cost-effective methods for incorporating PCM into building construction materials (concrete, plasterboard, etc.) which will lead to the commercial manufacture and sale of PCM-containing products resulting in significant energy conservation.
Indoor Pollution Emissions from Building Materials; Case of Study: Gypsum Boards Indoor Pollution Emissions from Building Materials; Case of Study: Gypsum Boards
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Silverio Hernández Moreno
Full Text Available Este reporte presenta una evaluación de las emisiones de materiales de construcción, al interior de los edificios que pueden causar daño a la salud de los usuarios durante la ocupación, pues emiten sustancias tóxicas al interior de los edificios. Este reporte presenta un caso de studio que evalúa a los tableros de yeso, frecuentemente usados en la construcción de muros divisorios y falsos plafones. La parte experimental se basa en un espacio tridimensional el cual simula un cuarto de cualquier tipo de edificación; por ejemplo: un salón de clases u oficina. Las condiciones ambientales al interior, tales como: ventilación, temperatura y humedad, afectan directamente las emisiones de sustancias químicas por los materiales de construcción. La metodología se basa en la comparación de materiales convencionales y materiales alternativos con distinta composición y similares características, en donde usamos métodos de prueba, condiciones ambientales, instrumentos y herramientas similares. Este es un estudio muy importante para entender los problemas relacionadoscon la contaminación ambiental, específicamente del aire y sus efectos en el interior de los edificios, y que se relaciona directamente con la salud pública e indirectamente con los sistemas constructivos y la selección de materiales en los edificios. Las pruebas concluyen que los materiales alternativos (de contenido reciclado son mejores que los tradicionales, porque reducen la contaminación del aire al interior de los edificios. This report presents an evaluation of emissions from indoor building materials that may cause health damage to the people who occupy the building, since these materials emit toxic chemicals into the air and indoor surfaces. This report presents a case study which evaluates Gypsum Boards, frequently used in the construction of dividing walls and ceilings. The experimental part of this report is based on a three-dimensional space that simulates a
Connection between radon emanation and some structural properties of coal-slag as building material
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Somlai, J.; Jobbagy, V.; Somlai, K.; Kovacs, J.; Nemeth, Cs.; Kovacs, T.
Radionuclides of natural origin may accumulate in different industrial waste materials and by-products. The use of coal bottom ash or coal-slag as building material in Hungary is widespread. Because of the elevated radium content of coal-slag, high radon concentration has been detected in buildings containing coal-slag as building material. In two towns, where buildings contain coal-slag with almost the same radium concentration, the indoor radon concentrations have been found to differ significantly. In order to investigate the cause of the difference in the emanation coefficients, slag samples from the two locations were examined for grain-size distribution, density, pore volume, and specific surface. The applied methods were: gamma spectrometry for the radium concentration of the samples; Lucas cell method for the radon emanation; nitrogen absorption-desorption isotherms analyzed using the BET theory and mercury poremeter for the specific surface and pore volume. It was found that the great difference in the emanation coefficients (1.35±0.13% and 14.3±0.92%) of the coal-slag samples is primarily influenced by the pore volume and the specific surface
Characterization of historic mortars and earthen building materials in Abu Dhabi Emirate, UAE
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Marcus, Benjamin L
The Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH) is responsible for the conservation and management of historic buildings and archaeological sites in the Emirate. Laboratory analysis has been critical for understanding the composition of historic materials and establishing appropriate conservation treatments across a wide variety of building types, ranging from Iron Age earthen archaeological sites to late-Islamic stone buildings. Analysis was carried out on historic sites in Al Ain, Delma Island and Liwa Oasis using techniques such as micro-x-ray fluorescence (MXRF), scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), polarized light microscopy (PLM), and x-ray diffraction (XRD). Testing was conducted through consultant laboratories and in collaboration with local universities. The initial aim of the analysis was to understand historic earthen materials and to confirm the suitability of locally sourced clays for the production of mud bricks and plasters. Another important goal was to characterize materials used in historic stone buildings in order to develop repair mortars, renders and grouts.
Radiation dose contribution from coal-slag from the Ajka region used as structural building material
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Somali, J.; Kanyar, B.; Lendvai, Z.; Nemeth, C.; Bodnar, R. [Veszpremi Egyetem, Veszprem (Hungary). Radiokemia Tanszek
A significant dose contribution on the population could be derived from coal slags used as material in buildings. Extremely high natural activities are measured in the coal slag from the region of Ajka, Hungary. The main conclusions based on the results of the monitoring of the gamma-dose rate and the radon concentration in the air in nearly 240 houses are as follows: (1) for individuals, such as children, spending a long time at home (19.2 h/day) the external annual dose is 1.7-4.5 mSv; (2) in the majority of houses with local slag the estimated annual average value of indoor-radon concentration was above 400 Bq/m{sup 3}, and in several cases there were buildings with values over 1200 Bq/m{sup 3}. In these cases the internal annual dose of the dwellers can be estimated between 6-20 mSv; (3) due to the elevated gamma-exposure and the radon concentration in the dwellings the total annual dose was estimated as 8-24 mSv, more than 5-10 times the world average value; and (4) some of the houses were built after the 1960s, when the use of slags from the region of Ajka as building material was already banned by the authorities. In addition to the regulations an effective radiological control should be introduced and a practice for testing the use of slag as building material.
Assessment of natural radioactivity and associated radiation hazards in some Cameroonian building materials
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Ngachin, M. [Center for Atomic, Molecular Physics and Quantum Optics, University of Douala, P.O. Box 8580, Douala (Cameroon) and Abdus Salam International Center for Theoretical Physics, Strada Costiera 11, 34014 Trieste (Italy)]. E-mail: email@example.com; Garavaglia, M. [Regional Agency for Environmental Protection (ARPA), 91 via Tavagnacco, 33100 Udine (Italy); Giovani, C. [Regional Agency for Environmental Protection (ARPA), 91 via Tavagnacco, 33100 Udine (Italy); Kwato Njock, M.G. [Center for Atomic, Molecular Physics and Quantum Optics, University of Douala, P.O. Box 8580, Douala (Cameroon); Nourreddine, A. [Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien, UMR7500 CNRS-IN2P3 et Universite Louis Pasteur, 23 Rue du Loess, BP 28, F-67037, Strasbourg Cedex 2 (France)
The concentration of {sup 238}U, {sup 232}Th and {sup 40}K in 13 building materials obtained from factories and collected in field in Cameroon were investigated by {gamma}-ray spectrometry. The activity ranged from 1.76 to 49.84Bqkg{sup -1}, 0.32 to 147Bqkg{sup -1} and 18 to 1226Bqkg{sup -1} for {sup 238}U, {sup 232}Th and {sup 40}K, respectively. The highest {sup 238}U activity was found in compressed red soil brick type I (49.6+/-0.3Bqkg{sup -1}) produced by a local manufacturer while the highest {sup 232}Th (139+/-13Bqkg{sup -1}) and {sup 40}K (1162+/-108Bqkg{sup -1}) activities were found in gravel collected from an exploitation site in Logbadjeck. The activities are compared with available data from other investigations and with the world average value for soils. The radium equivalent activity Ra{sub eq}, the external hazard index H{sub ex}, the indoor absorbed dose rate D-bar in air and the annual effective dose equivalent E-bar were evaluated to assess the radiation hazard for people living in dwellings made of the materials studied. All building materials have shown Ra{sub eq} (range from 10 to 313Bqkg{sup -1}) lower than the limit of 370Bqkg{sup -1} set in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development [OECD, 1979. Exposure to radiation from the natural radioactivity in building materials. OECD, Paris] report which is equivalent to a {gamma}-dose of 1.5mSvyr{sup -1}. Except for the gravel from Logbadjeck, all the materials examined are acceptable for use as building materials as defined by the OECD criterion.
Assessment of natural radioactivity and associated radiation hazards in some Cameroonian building materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Ngachin, M.; Garavaglia, M.; Giovani, C.; Kwato Njock, M.G.; Nourreddine, A.
The concentration of 238 U, 232 Th and 40 K in 13 building materials obtained from factories and collected in field in Cameroon were investigated by γ-ray spectrometry. The activity ranged from 1.76 to 49.84Bqkg -1 , 0.32 to 147Bqkg -1 and 18 to 1226Bqkg -1 for 238 U, 232 Th and 40 K, respectively. The highest 238 U activity was found in compressed red soil brick type I (49.6+/-0.3Bqkg -1 ) produced by a local manufacturer while the highest 232 Th (139+/-13Bqkg -1 ) and 40 K (1162+/-108Bqkg -1 ) activities were found in gravel collected from an exploitation site in Logbadjeck. The activities are compared with available data from other investigations and with the world average value for soils. The radium equivalent activity Ra eq , the external hazard index H ex , the indoor absorbed dose rate D-bar in air and the annual effective dose equivalent E-bar were evaluated to assess the radiation hazard for people living in dwellings made of the materials studied. All building materials have shown Ra eq (range from 10 to 313Bqkg -1 ) lower than the limit of 370Bqkg -1 set in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development [OECD, 1979. Exposure to radiation from the natural radioactivity in building materials. OECD, Paris] report which is equivalent to a γ-dose of 1.5mSvyr -1 . Except for the gravel from Logbadjeck, all the materials examined are acceptable for use as building materials as defined by the OECD criterion
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Cristina Simon
Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to present the main trends în the Romanian tourism sector andtheir impact on the labour market. The first part of the paper presents the main trends în the travel and tourismsector. The second part of the paper focuses on the challenges of the labour market în the hotel sector,highlighting essential aspect related to the declining of population, shortage of the workforce, emigration,financial compensations. The final part exposes few ideas and possible suggestions that can be applied into thetravel and tourism sector în order to better manage the multiple dimensions of growth.
Development of an Assessment Method for Building Materials Under Euratom Scope.
de With, Govert
In 2013, the European Commission published its basic safety standards for protection against the dangers arising from exposure to ionizing radiation (Council Directive 2013/59/Euratom)-also known as EU-BSS. As a result, the use of raw materials with potentially elevated activity concentrations such as fly ash, phosphogypsum, and slags will now fall under EU-BSS scope when applied in building materials. In light of this new policy, a variety of tools are available to assess compliance with the 1-mSv y reference level for building materials. At the heart of these tools is a gamma-spectrometric determination of the naturally occurring radionuclides Ra, Th, and K in the material of concern. As a large number of construction products contain a certain amount of the raw material that falls under the scope of the EU regulation, this policy will lead to substantial measurement of building materials that pose little radiation risk. For this reason, a method is developed to enable assessment against the 1-mSv value not on the basis of gamma-spectrometric analysis but rather based on the product's material composition. The proposed method prescribes a maximum permitted content of raw materials with potentially elevated activity concentrations in terms of a weight percentage of the end product, where the raw materials of concern are defined as those listed in Annex XIII of the EU-BSS. The permitted content is a function of the product's surface density. Therefore, a product with a low surface density of up to 25 kg m can consist of nearly 100% raw materials with potentially elevated activity concentrations, and this percentage drops to around 15% for products with a surface density of around 500 kg m. Building materials that comply with these requirements on product composition are exempt from testing, while products that do not comply must perform regular gamma-spectrometric analysis. A full validation and testing of the method is provided. In addition, the paper discusses
Electric vehicles, primary energy sources and CO2 emissions: Romanian case study
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Varga, Bogdan Ovidiu
Starting on the 24th of April, 2011, the Romanian government offered to subsidize all potential buyers of electric vehicles, both private and corporate, offering 25% off of the retail price up to 5000 euros with no pollution tax. The Romanian government encourages all governmental institutions to consider buying electric vehicles when deciding to change their existing vehicles stock. This decision is strictly related to the Romanian government's approval of a long-term Energy Strategy, building on the National Energy Strategy for the Medium Term. The government's strategy emphasizes increasing energy efficiency and boosting renewable energy use. The first electric vehicles distributed in the Romanian market are the Citroen-C-Zero, the Mitsubishi i-MiEV, the Renault Kangoo Z.E. and the Renault Fluence Z.E. The energy consumption of these vehicles was analyzed, considering the CO 2 generation characteristics of a Romanian electric power plant. -- Highlights: ► Tax and governmental support for electrical vehicles in Romania. ► Evaluate the CO 2 pollution of the electrical vehicles in Romania's case. ► Comprehensive understanding of the influence of primary energy source over the pollution of an electrical vehicle. ► Approach to decrees the pollution of the electrical vehicles.
Ozone deposition velocities, reaction probabilities and product yields for green building materials
Lamble, S. P.; Corsi, R. L.; Morrison, G. C.
Indoor surfaces can passively remove ozone that enters buildings, reducing occupant exposure without an energy penalty. However, reactions between ozone and building surfaces can generate and release aerosols and irritating and carcinogenic gases. To identify desirable indoor surfaces the deposition velocity, reaction probability and carbonyl product yields of building materials considered green (listed, recycled, sustainable, etc.) were quantified. Nineteen separate floor, wall or ceiling materials were tested in a 10 L, flow-through laboratory reaction chamber. Inlet ozone concentrations were maintained between 150 and 200 ppb (generally much lower in chamber air), relative humidity at 50%, temperature at 25 °C and exposure occurred over 24 h. Deposition velocities ranged from 0.25 m h -1 for a linoleum style flooring up to 8.2 m h -1 for a clay based paint; reaction probabilities ranged from 8.8 × 10 -7 to 6.9 × 10 -5 respectively. For all materials, product yields of C 1 thru C 12 saturated n-aldehydes, plus acetone ranged from undetectable to greater than 0.70 The most promising material was a clay wall plaster which exhibited a high deposition velocity (5.0 m h -1) and a low product yield (
Measurement of natural radioactivity in building materials in Qena city, Upper Egypt
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Ahmed, Nour Khalifa
Building materials cause direct radiation exposure because of their radium, thorium and potassium content. In this paper, samples of commonly used building materials (bricks, cement, gypsum, ceramics, marble, limestone and granite) in Qena city, Upper Egypt have been collected randomly over the city. The samples were tested for their radioactivity contents by using gamma spectroscopic measurements. The results show that the highest mean value of 226 Ra activity is 205 ± 83 Bq kg -1 measured in marble. The corresponding value of 232 Th is 118 ± 14 Bq kg -1 measured in granite. For 40 K this value is (8.7 ± 3.9) x 10 2 Bq kg -1 measured in marble. The average concentrations of the three radionuclides in the different building materials are 116 ± 54, 64 ± 34 and (4.8 ± 2.2) x 10 2 Bq kg -1 for 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K, respectively. Radium equivalent activities and various hazard indices were also calculated to assess the radiation hazard. The maximum mean of radium equivalent activity Ra eq is 436 ± 199 Bq kg -1 calculated in marble. The highest radioactivity level and dose rate in air from these materials were calculated in marble
A diffusivity model for predicting VOC diffusion in porous building materials based on fractal theory.
Liu, Yanfeng; Zhou, Xiaojun; Wang, Dengjia; Song, Cong; Liu, Jiaping
Most building materials are porous media, and the internal diffusion coefficients of such materials have an important influences on the emission characteristics of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The pore structure of porous building materials has a significant impact on the diffusion coefficient. However, the complex structural characteristics bring great difficulties to the model development. The existing prediction models of the diffusion coefficient are flawed and need to be improved. Using scanning electron microscope (SEM) observations and mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) tests of typical porous building materials, this study developed a new diffusivity model: the multistage series-connection fractal capillary-bundle (MSFC) model. The model considers the variable-diameter capillaries formed by macropores connected in series as the main mass transfer paths, and the diameter distribution of the capillary bundles obeys a fractal power law in the cross section. In addition, the tortuosity of the macrocapillary segments with different diameters is obtained by the fractal theory. Mesopores serve as the connections between the macrocapillary segments rather than as the main mass transfer paths. The theoretical results obtained using the MSFC model yielded a highly accurate prediction of the diffusion coefficients and were in a good agreement with the VOC concentration measurements in the environmental test chamber. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
The concentration of natural radionuclides in various types of building materials in Slovakia
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Cabanekova, H [Inst. of Peventive and Clinical Medicine, Bratislava (Slovakia)
The concentration of the natural radionuclides in various types of building materials was determined by the gamma spectrometry analysis using 130 cm{sup 3} high purity germanium detector and MCA LIVIUS 2000. Radium-226 and thorium-232 was assessed through their progeny photo peaks. The specific activity of both nuclides as weighted average of their photo peaks was determined. Potassium-40 was measured directly via its 1460 keV peak. The radium equivalent activity was calculate from specific activities of radium-226, thorium-232 and potassium-40. All samples were measured in 4{sup p}i{sup g}eometry. The building materials and products were milled and screened with 2-3 mm sieve. After drying the samples were stored in 450 cm{sup 3} sealed polyethylene container for 30 days ingrowing period. The results of analysis are corrected to the background distribution and to the self absorption in the volume of the samples. The efficiency calibration is realized using the reference sources distributed by IAEA in Vienna and by the Institute for Radionuclide Production in Prague The measured activity concentrations of the buildings materials are given. There are shown the minimum and maximum values for different investigated materials. (J.K.) 4 tabs., 5 refs.
Radon-222 exhalation from Danish building materials: H + H Industri A/S results
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Andersen, C.E.
This report describes a closed-chamber method for laboratory measurements of the rate at which radon-222 degasses (exhales) from small building material samples. The chamber is 55 L in volume and the main sample geometry is a slab of dimensions 5x30x30 cm 3 . Numerical modelling is used to assess (and partly remove) the bias of the method relative to an ideal measurement of the free exhalation rate. Experimental results obtained with the method are found to be in agreement with the results of an open-chamber method (which is subject to different sources of error). Results of radon-222 exhalation rate measurements for 10 samples of Danish building materials are reported. Samples include ordinary concrete, lightweight aggregate concrete, autoclaved aerated concrete, bricks, and gypsum board. The maximum mass-specific exhalation rate is about 20 mBq h -1 kg -1 . Under consideration of the specific applications of the investigated building materials, the contribution to the indoor radon-222 concentration in a single-family reference house is calculated. Numerical modelling is used to help extrapolate the laboratory measurements on small samples to full scale walls. Application of typical materials will increase the indoor concentration by less than 10 Bq m -3 . (au)
Study on preparation of montmorillonite-based composite phase change materials and their applications in thermal storage building materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Fang Xiaoming; Zhang Zhengguo; Chen Zhonghua
Three composite phase change materials (PCMs) were prepared by blending butyl stearate, dodecanol and RT20 with an organically modified montmorillonite (MMT), respectively. After the three composite PCMs were characterized by DSC, it was indicated that the RT20/MMT composite PCM was a good candidate for building applications due to its large latent heat, suitable phase change temperature and good performance stability. Compared with RT20, the RT20/MMT composite PCM exhibited higher heat transfer efficiency and had good compatibility with gypsum due to the combination with MMT. The composite gypsum boards containing RT20/MMT composite PCM had the function of reducing building energy consumption by reducing the indoor temperature variation, and the function was enhanced with the increase in the mass ratio of the RT20/MMT composite PCM
Degradation of building materials over a lifespan of 30-100 years
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Lewis, G.H.
Following preliminary visits to four Magnox Nuclear Power Stations, a study was made of existing Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB) reports on the condition of buildings at eight Power Stations. Sampling of building materials, non-destructive testing and inspections were carried out at Transfynydd, Oldbury and Dungeness ''A'' Magnox Power Stations, and the samples were subsequently laboratory tested. From the results of this work it can be concluded that little major deterioration is likely to occur in the reactor buildings at Transfynydd and Oldbury over the next 50 years and at Dungeness ''A'' for at least 25 years, assuming reasonable maintenance and the continuation of suitable internal temperatures and relative humidities. Because of the limitations on taking samples from, and tests on, the reactor biological shields and prestressed concrete vessel, no sensible forecast can be made of their potential life in the 75-100 year range
Towards the development of performance based guidelines for using Phase Change Materials in lightweight buildings
Poudel, Niraj
Incorporating Phase Change Materials (PCMs) in construction materials can increase the thermal mass of a building. With this increase in thermal mass, PCMs are known to reduce the heating and cooling loads of a building significantly. During the past 10 years, studies have estimated potential reduction of energy consumption of buildings between 10 and 30 percent. This wide range is due to the large number of parameters that effect energy consumption and make the process of selecting the optimal type and amount of PCM challenging. In fact, extensive engineering studies are generally necessary to determine the practicality of PCM in any specific case. As a result, architects and engineers are reluctant to use PCM because of the lack of such a comprehensive study. In the United States, eight climate zones are identified on the basis of annual degree heating and degree cooling days. For a given building in a given climate, there exists an optimal melting temperature and enthalpy that can reduce the energy consumption and the payback period. In this research, the optimal properties of PCM boards are determined for all 15 representative cities. Additional topics discussed in this research are the sensitivity of the optimal properties of PCM and the effect of the average cost of energy on the selection of PCM. The effect of six independent variables on the performance of PCM boards is presented in detail and the climate types where PCM boards perform optimally are narrowed down. In addition, a new procedure is presented to study the temporal and directional melting and solidifying trend of the PCM placed in buildings. The energy consumption and hourly data for the PCM enhanced buildings are determined numerically using the Department of Energy software EnergyPlus, which calculates the energy consumption for heating and cooling a building under any climate and operation schedule. The software is run on a computer cluster for a wide range of properties from which the
Non-destructive examination and estimation of radioactivity levels for decorative building materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Mao Yahong; Liu Yigang; Lin Libin
Measurement of gamma ray intensity from building materials can be substituted by measuring alpha rays following outline of a radionuclide decay. Exposure levels of alpha ray from the surface of decorative materials can be measured non-destructively by placing a detector on the surface of the materials. Authors have studied the relationship between gamma specific activities of natural radionuclides and alpha and beta ray level in building materials used in interior decoration, and the saturated thickness of beta ray from the surface of different materials. The results showed that the range of beta ray with the maximum energy in natural radioactive series is longer than thickness of a piece of decorative materials. So the exposure level of beta ray cannot be used to estimate the limit of external and internal indexes. The polynomial between exposure level of alpha ray from surface (α) and external index (I γ ) for granite is: I γ =0.38 + 49.84α + 288.24α 2 . The measured values were in accordance with the values from the polynomial within 95%. The polynomial between exposure level of alpha ray from surface (α) and external index (Iγ) for polishing tiles is: I γ =0.42 + 343.55α-32999.66α 2 . The measured values were in accordance with the values from the polynomial within 90%
Bulk Building Material Characterization and Decontamination Using a Concrete Floor and Wall Contamination Profiling Technology
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Aggarwal, S.; Charters, G.; Blauvelt, D.
The concrete profiling technology, RadPro(trademark) has four major components: a drill with a specialized cutting and sampling head, drill bits, a sample collection unit and a vacuum pump. The equipment in conjunction with portable radiometric instrumentation produces a profile of radiological or chemical contamination through the material being studied. The drill head is used under hammer action to penetrate hard surfaces. This causes the bulk material to be pulverized as the drill travels through the radioactive media efficiently transmitting to the sampling unit a representative sample of powdered bulk material. The profiling equipment is designed to sequentially collect all material from the hole. The bulk material samples are continuously retrieved by use of a specially designed vacuumed sample retrieval unit that prevents cross contamination of the clean retrieved samples. No circulation medium is required with this profiling process; therefore, the only by-product from drilling is the sample. The data quality, quantity, and representativeness may be used to produce an activity profile from the hot spot surface into the bulk building material. The activity data obtained during the profiling process is reduced and transferred to building drawings as part of a detailed report of the radiological problem. This activity profile may then be expanded to ultimately characterize the facility and expedite waste segregation and facility closure at a reduced cost and risk
Effect of using low-polluting building materials and increasing ventilation on perceived indoor air quality
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Wargocki, P.; Zuczek, P. (International Centre for Indoor Environment and Energy, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, DTU, Kgs. Lyngby (DK)); Knudsen, Henrik N. (Danish Building Research Institute, Aalborg Univ., Hoersholm (DK))
The potential of improving perceived air quality indoors was quantified when low-polluting materials are used and when building ventilation is increased. This was done by studying the relationships between ventilation rate and the perceived indoor air quality. A sensory panel assessed the air quality in test rooms ventilated with realistic outdoor air supply rates, where combinations of high- and low-polluting wall, floor and ceiling materials were set up. These materials were ranked as high- and low-polluting using sensory assessments of air quality in small-scale glass chambers, where they were tested individually. Substituting materials ranked as high-polluting with materials ranked as lower-polluting improved the perceived air quality in the test rooms. This improvement was greater than what was achieved by a realistic increase of the ventilation rate in the test rooms. Thus reducing pollution emitted from building materials that affects the perceived air quality has a considerable potential of limiting the energy for ventilation without compromising indoor air quality. (au)
Study on reactor building structure using ultrahigh strength materials - Part 9: Summary of the study
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Tanaka, H.; Odajima, M.; Irino, K.; Hashiba, T.
Considerations for longevity of nuclear facilities and ease of decommissioning are of great importance for future nuclear power plants. To this end, a concept of an optimal structural concept for nuclear reactor buildings has been studied: the main feature of this concept is to utilize large-sized, light weight prefabricated members with ultrahigh strength materials. The following two items have been selected to study the prospective structure: (1) Applicability of ultrahigh strength materials for reinforced concrete shear walls (2) Construction using large sized prefabricated members As the first step (1), material and structural tests using ultrahigh strength materials, and the subsequent analysis of those tests for reinforced concrete shear walls, has been conducted. The positive results of this study show a bright future for the use of ultrahigh strength materials for the reinforced concrete shear walls of nuclear reactor buildings. As the second step (2), tests on a mixed structure with precasted members have been conducted. Our results positively suggest the use of these materials and methods to improve prospective nuclear power plants. (author)
Thermal characterization of a new effective building material based on clay and olive waste
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Mohamed Lamrani
Full Text Available The influence of thermophysical properties of wall materials on energy performance and comfort in traditional building was investigated. The clay is the most commonly used sustainable building material. The study looked at the effects of the addition of pomace olive on the thermophysical properties of clay bricks to improve the energy efficiency of this ecological material. An experimental measurement of thermal properties of clay mixed with pomace olive was carried out by using the transient and steady state hot-plate and flash methods. The experimental methods are applied to measure the thermal properties of the composite material. The estimation of these thermal characteristics is based on a one dimensional model and the experimental errors are found less than 3%. The composite samples were prepared with different granular classes and mass fractions of the pomace olive in the mixture. The results show that the density of the new material was not substantially influenced by the size of the pomace olive. However, the thermal conductivity and diffusivity decrease from 0.65 W.m-1.K-1 and 4.21×10-7 m2.s-1 to 0.29 W.m-1.K-1 and 2.47×10-7m2.s-1, respectively, according to the variation of the volume fraction of pomace olive from 0 (pure clay to 71% showing that the olive pomace can be used as effective secondary raw materials in the making of clay bricks.
Natural radioactivity and human exposure by raw materials and end product from cement industry used as building materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Stojanovska, Z.; Nedelkovski, D.; Ristova, M.
During the manufacturing process in the cement industry, raw materials of different levels of natural radioactivity are utilized. In this study we present the radiological impact of cements as a building material and the different raw materials used in their manufacture. A total of 218 samples of raw materials and their end product cements were collected from the cement industry of Macedonia (The Former Yugoslav Republic) during the period 2005-2007. The specific activities, evaluated by gamma spectrometry analysis, showed the highest mean specific activity in fly ash ( 226 Ra, 107 ± 45 Bq kg -1 ; 232 Th, 109 ± 30 Bq kg -1 ; 40 K, 685 ± 171 Bq kg -1 ), which is used as a raw material. However, the final cement product usually has relatively lower activity compared with the activity of the raw material and the mean specific activity of the final cement products were lower ( 226 Ra, 42 ± 10 Bq kg -1 ; 232 Th, 28 ± 6 Bq kg -1 ; 40 K, 264 ± 50 Bq kg -1 ). The radium equivalent activity and the hazard index were calculated for each sample to assess the radiation hazard. The mean annual effective dose originating from the cements was found to be 111 ± 22 μSv y -1 , which is below the recommended EC limit of 300 μSv y -1 .
Creative Pluralism in Indian and Romanian Accounts of Transnational Migration
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Stoican Adriana Elena
Full Text Available The paper offers a comparative perspective on transmigrant cultural identities as illustrated in the works of two contemporary South Asian American and Romanian American authors, Jhumpa Lahiri and Aura Imbăruș. The comparison involves Gogol, a South Asian American character, and Aura, the author of the memoir Out of the Transylvania Night. Although Gogol is a fictional character and Aura is an actual transmigrant, their comparative assessment relies on the assumption that both narratives are inspired by the authors' background of relocation. Despite their different cultural origins, both authors share thematic aspects related to the dynamics of cultural identity in the context of migration. This paper aims to provide a starting point for an enlarged framework of comparative analysis, in order to foreground intersections between different experiences of cultural negotiation in the context of displacement. Born and raised in America, Gogol is challenged by his cultural multiplicity and strives to suppress elements of his Indian identity. After years of rebelling against his parents' norms, Gogol shifts to the Bengali model, when his father dies. Once he accepts the relevance of his cultural roots, Gogol is able to plunge into a dimension situated beyond his Bengali and American selves. His transcendent strategy is illustrated by his decision to plunge into a third space of redefinition, suggested by the Russian literature which is appreciated by Gogol's father. Aura Imbăruș offers the example of a first generation Romanian transmigrant who undergoes voluntary relocation to the United States. Fascinated by the American world, Aura is eager to take over norms of material success and consumerism, overlooking the relevance of her cultural roots. When she undergoes a personal family crisis, Aura eventually reassesses the value of her Romanian background, aiming to reconcile her source culture with her Americanised self. In a manner similar to
J.A. van der Kloes (1845-1935) : A professional biography of the first Dutch professor in building materials
Quist, W.J.
Prof. Jacobus Alida van der Kloes (1845-1935) was appointed teacher in building materials at the "Polytechnische school" of Delft in 1882. From 1905 until his retirement in 1915 he was promoted to full professor on the subject of knowledge and research of building materials at the "Technische
Numerical Analysis of the Influence of Thermal Mass, Phase Change Materials and Furniture / Indoor Content on Building Energy Flexibility
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Johra, Hicham; Heiselberg, Per Kvols; Dreau, Jerome Le
Many numerical models for building energy simulation assume empty rooms and do not account for the indoor content of occupied buildings. Furnishing elements and indoor items have complicated shapes and are made of various materials. Therefore, most of the people prefer to ignore them. However, th......, it is shown that the integration of phase change materials in wallboards or furniture elements can appreciably improve the energy flexibility of buildings....
Stratification of a cityscape using census and land use variables for inventory of building materials
Rosenfield, G.H.; Fitzpatrick-Lins, K.; Johnson, T.L.
A cityscape (or any landscape) can be stratified into environmental units using multiple variables of information. For the purposes of sampling building materials, census and land use variables were used to identify similar strata. In the Metropolitan Statistical Area of a cityscape, the census tract is the smallest unit for which census data are summarized and digitized boundaries are available. For purposes of this analysis, census data on total population, total number of housing units, and number of singleunit dwellings were aggregated into variables of persons per square kilometer and proportion of housing units in single-unit dwellings. The level 2 categories of the U.S. Geological Survey's land use and land cover data base were aggregated into variables of proportion of residential land with buildings, proportion of nonresidential land with buildings, and proportion of open land. The cityscape was stratified, from these variables, into environmental strata of Urban Central Business District, Urban Livelihood Industrial Commercial, Urban Multi-Family Residential, Urban Single Family Residential, Non-Urban Suburbanizing, and Non-Urban Rural. The New England region was chosen as a region with commonality of building materials, and a procedure developed for trial classification of census tracts into one of the strata. Final stratification was performed by discriminant analysis using the trial classification and prior probabilities as weights. The procedure was applied to several cities, and the results analyzed by correlation analysis from a field sample of building materials. The methodology developed for stratification of a cityscape using multiple variables has application to many other types of environmental studies, including forest inventory, hydrologic unit management, waste disposal, transportation studies, and other urban studies. Multivariate analysis techniques have recently been used for urban stratification in England. ?? 1987 Annals of Regional
A numerical study of external building walls containing phase change materials (PCM)
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Izquierdo-Barrientos, M.A.; Belmonte, J.F.; Rodríguez-Sánchez, D.; Molina, A.E.; Almendros-Ibáñez, J.A.
Phase Change Materials (PCMs) have been receiving increased attention, due to their capacity to store large amounts of thermal energy in narrow temperature ranges. This property makes them ideal for passive heat storage in the envelopes of buildings. To study the influence of PCMs in external building walls, a one-dimensional transient heat transfer model has been developed and solved numerically using a finite difference technique. Different external building wall configurations were analyzed for a typical building wall by varying the location of the PCM layer, the orientation of the wall, the ambient conditions and the phase transition temperature of the PCM. The integration of a PCM layer into a building wall diminished the amplitude of the instantaneous heat flux through the wall when the melting temperature of the PCM was properly selected according to the season and wall orientation. Conversely, the results of the work show that there is no significant reduction in the total heat lost during winter regardless of the wall orientation or PCM transition temperature. Higher differences were observed in the heat gained during the summer period, due to the elevated solar radiation fluxes. The high thermal inertia of the wall implies that the inclusion of a PCM layer increases the thermal load during the day while decreasing the thermal load during the night. - Highlights: ► A comparative simulation of a building wall with and without PCMs has been conducted. ► PCM is selected according with the season, the wall orientation and the melting temperature. ► PCM in a building wall help to diminish the internal air temperature swings and to regulate the heat transfer.
Concentration of radionuclides in building materials and soils in The Netherlands
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Ackers, J.G.
About 150 samples of building materials used in the Netherlands have been analysed by gamma spectrometry for their Ra-226, Th-232 and K-40 concentrations. From 26 samples of soils the radioactivity concentration was measured. Calibration was performed by the use of a large volume standard source made as a mixture of monazite, pitchblende and silica. The results are reported in Bq.kg -1 ; the statistical error is within 5% (standard deviation) and for most of the results the systematic error is smaller than 15%. Most of the building materials and all soil samples revealed activity concentrations smaller than 100 Bq.kg -1 for Ra-226 and Th-232 and smaller than 1000 Bq.kg -1 for K-40. Part of the results is compared with data published elsewhere. (Auth.)
Measurement of Rn-222 concentrations in building materials used in jordan
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Ismail, A M; Abumyrad, K M; Kullab, M K; Albataina, B A [Physics Dept., Yarmouk University, 219-10 Irbid, (Jordan)
In this work, the concentrations of the radiative inert gas Rn-222 emanated from the building materials that are commonly in jordan have been studied. For this purpose, samples of ten jordanian building materials of different masses were prepared in plastic cans sealed to passive integrated dosimeters containing CR-39 solid state nuclear track detectors which are very sensitive to alpha-particles. The Rn-222 concentrations in these samples range from 137 Bq/m{sup 3} to 267 Bq/m{sup 3} with an average of 189 Bq/m{sup 3}. These levels were found to be consistent with those measured by other workers in other countries. 4 figs., 2 tabs.
Safety distance for preventing hot particle ignition of building insulation materials
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Jiayun Song
Full Text Available Trajectories of flying hot particles were predicted in this work, and the temperatures during the movement were also calculated. Once the particle temperature decreased to the critical temperature for a hot particle to ignite building insulation materials, which was predicted by hot-spot ignition theory, the distance particle traveled was determined as the minimum safety distance for preventing the ignition of building insulation materials by hot particles. The results showed that for sphere aluminum particles with the same initial velocities and diameters, the horizontal and vertical distances traveled by particles with higher initial temperatures were higher. Smaller particles traveled farther when other conditions were the same. The critical temperature for an aluminum particle to ignite rigid polyurethane foam increased rapidly with the decrease of particle diameter. The horizontal and vertical safety distances were closely related to the initial temperature, diameter and initial velocity of particles. These results could help update the safety provision of firework display.
Surface characteristics modeling and performance evaluation of urban building materials using LiDAR data.
Li, Xiaolu; Liang, Yu
Analysis of light detection and ranging (LiDAR) intensity data to extract surface features is of great interest in remote sensing research. One potential application of LiDAR intensity data is target classification. A new bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) model is derived for target characterization of rough and smooth surfaces. Based on the geometry of our coaxial full-waveform LiDAR system, the integration method is improved through coordinate transformation to establish the relationship between the BRDF model and intensity data of LiDAR. A series of experiments using typical urban building materials are implemented to validate the proposed BRDF model and integration method. The fitting results show that three parameters extracted from the proposed BRDF model can distinguish the urban building materials from perspectives of roughness, specular reflectance, and diffuse reflectance. A comprehensive analysis of these parameters will help characterize surface features in a physically rigorous manner.
Fundamental mass transfer modeling of emission of volatile organic compounds from building materials
Bodalal, Awad Saad
In this study, a mass transfer theory based model is presented for characterizing the VOC emissions from building materials. A 3-D diffusion model is developed to describe the emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from individual sources. Then the formulation is extended to include the emissions from composite sources (system comprising an assemblage of individual sources). The key parameters for the model (The diffusion coefficient of the VOC in the source material D, and the equilibrium partition coefficient k e) were determined independently (model parameters are determined without the use of chamber emission data). This procedure eliminated to a large extent the need for emission testing using environmental chambers, which is costly, time consuming, and may be subject to confounding sink effects. An experimental method is developed and implemented to measure directly the internal diffusion (D) and partition coefficients ( ke). The use of the method is illustrated for three types of VOC's: (i) Aliphatic Hydrocarbons, (ii) Aromatic Hydrocarbons and ( iii) Aldehydes, through typical dry building materials (carpet, plywood, particleboard, vinyl floor tile, gypsum board, sub-floor tile and OSB). Then correlations for predicting D and ke based solely on commonly available properties such as molecular weight and vapour pressure were proposed for each product and type of VOC. These correlations can be used to estimate the D and ke when direct measurement data are not available, and thus facilitate the prediction of VOC emissions from the building materials using mass transfer theory. The VOC emissions from a sub-floor material (made of the recycled automobile tires), and a particleboard are measured and predicted. Finally, a mathematical model to predict the diffusion coefficient through complex sources (floor adhesive) as a function of time was developed. Then this model (for diffusion coefficient in complex sources) was used to predict the emission rate from
Detrimental effect of Air pollution, Corrosion on Building Materials and Historical Structures
N. Venkat Rao; M. Rajasekhar; Dr. G. Chinna Rao
The economy of any country would be drastically changed if there were no corrosion. The annual cost of corrosion world wise is over 3 % of the worlds GDP. As pet the sources available, India losses $ 45 billion every year on account of corrosion of infrastructure, Industrial machinery and other historical heritage. Keeping this critical and alarming situation in view, this paper focuses on how all these forms of corrosion affect building materials and historical structures. It als...
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Veronika Petráňová
Full Text Available Physical weathering of marble, widely used as a cladding material on buildings, is one of the most common damaging mechanism caused by anisotropic thermal expansion of calcite grains. The extent of marble deterioration depends mainly on stone fabric and texture. Dry cuboids of Carrara marble and marble from Dolni Morava quarry were subjected to microscopic analysis and thermal cycling, to determine the thermal expansion related to stone fabric and predominant lattice orientation of grains (i.e. texture.
Veronika Petráňová; Jaroslav Valach; Alberto Viani; Marta Peréz Estébanez
Physical weathering of marble, widely used as a cladding material on buildings, is one of the most common damaging mechanism caused by anisotropic thermal expansion of calcite grains. The extent of marble deterioration depends mainly on stone fabric and texture. Dry cuboids of Carrara marble and marble from Dolni Morava quarry were subjected to microscopic analysis and thermal cycling, to determine the thermal expansion related to stone fabric and predominant lattice orientation of grains (i....
Aerophytic Cyanobacteria as a Factor in the Biodegradation of Technical Materials on External Building Walls
Piontek, Marlena; Lechów, Hanna
A study conducted at the Institute of Environmental Engineering, University of Zielona Góra showed the presence of 4 species of aerophytic cyanobacteria in the biological material sampled from the external building wall with visible biocorrosion: Gloeocapsa montana Kützing, Phormidium calcareum Kützing, Aphanothece saxicola Nägeli, Gloeothece caldariorum (P. Richter) Hollerbach. High levels of moisture were detected in the places of biofilm occurrence.
Aerophytic Cyanobacteria as a Factor in the Biodegradation of Technical Materials on External Building Walls
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Piontek Marlena
Full Text Available A study conducted at the Institute of Environmental Engineering, University of Zielona Góra showed the presence of 4 species of aerophytic cyanobacteria in the biological material sampled from the external building wall with visible biocorrosion: Gloeocapsa montana Kützing, Phormidium calcareum Kützing, Aphanothece saxicola Nägeli, Gloeothece caldariorum (P. Richter Hollerbach. High levels of moisture were detected in the places of biofilm occurrence.
Investigation of possibility of recovery nonferrous metals and producing building materials from copper-nickel smelterslag
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Svetlov A.V.
Full Text Available Pelletized slag of copper-nickel smelter ("Pechenganikel" combine, "Kola MMC" JSC has been investigated as a potential technogenic deposit. It has been shown that nonferrous metals can be re-extracted from slag using flotation. The work presents the results of laboratory simulation of heap leaching of non-ferrous metals. Ceramic building materials from slag-based feed have been produced and their main properties have been studied
Investigation of innovative thermochemical energy storage processes and materials for building applications
Aydin, Devrim
In this study, it is aimed to develop an innovative thermochemical energy storage system through material, reactor and process based investigations for building space heating applications. The developed system could be integrated with solar thermal collectors, photovoltaic panels or heat pumps to store any excess energy in the form of heat for later use. Thereby, it is proposed to address the problem of high operational costs and CO2 emissions released by currently used fossil fuel based heat...
Carbon air pollution reflected in deposits on chosen building materials of Prague Castle
Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database
Sýkorová, Ivana; Havelcová, Martina; Zeman, Antonín; Trejtnarová, Hana
Roč. 409, č. 21 (2011), s. 4606-4611 ISSN 0048-9697 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA300460804 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z30460519; CEZ:AV0Z20710524 Keywords : historical building materials * air pollution * carbonaceous matter Subject RIV: DD - Geochemistry Impact factor: 3.286, year: 2011 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969711007431
Comparative experimental and numerical studies of usual insulation materials and PCMs in buildings at Casablanca
Mourid, Amina; El Alami, Mustapha
In this paper, we present a comparative thermal study of the usual insulation materials used in the building as well as the innovate one like phase change materials (PCMs). Both experimental study and numerical approach were applied in this work for summer season. In the experimental study the PCM was installed on the outer surface on the ceiling of one of two full-scale rooms located at FSAC, Casablanca. A simulation model was performed with TRNSYS'17 software. We have established as a criterion of comparison the internal temperatures. An economic study also has been carried out. Based on this latter, that the PCM is most efficient.
Design and building of a new experimental setup for testing hydrogen storage materials
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Andreasen, Anders
For hydrogen to become the future energy carrier a suitable way of storing hydrogen is needed, especially if hydrogen is to be used in mobile applications such as cars. To test potential hydrogen storage materials with respect to capacity, kinetics and thermodynamics the Materials Research Department has a high pressure balance. However, the drawback of this equipment is, that in order to load samples, exposure towards air is inevitable. This has prompted the design and building of a new experimental setup with a detachable reactor allowing samples to be loaded under protective atmosphere. The purpose of this report is to serve as documentation of the new setup. (au)
Measurement of radon exhalation rate in various building materials and soil samples
Bala, Pankaj; Kumar, Vinod; Mehra, Rohit
Indoor radon is considered as one of the potential dangerous radioactive elements. Common building materials and soil are the major source of this radon gas in the indoor environment. In the present study, the measurement of radon exhalation rate in the soil and building material samples of Una and Hamirpur districts of Himachal Pradesh has been done with solid state alpha track detectors, LR-115 type-II plastic track detectors. The radon exhalation rate for the soil samples varies from 39.1 to 91.2 mBq kg-1 h-1 with a mean value 59.7 mBq kg-1 h-1. Also the radium concentration of the studied area is found and it varies from 30.6 to 51.9 Bq kg-1 with a mean value 41.6 Bq kg-1. The exhalation rate for the building material samples varies from 40.72 (sandstone) to 81.40 mBq kg-1 h-1 (granite) with a mean value of 59.94 mBq kg-1 h-1.
Radiometric emanation method for the assessment of the durability of building materials towards aggressive media
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Balek, V.; Beckman, I.N.
A new express method has been suggested for testing durability of building materials in contact with aggressive liquids and gases. The method is based on the measurement of radon released from samples studied, continuously during the interaction of the sample with the aggressive medium. The samples are previously labeled by the source of radon atoms, i.e. thorium Th-228 and radium Ra-224 are incorporated in the samples to be tested. Due to high sensitivity of the method the first stages of the interaction between the cement stone (concrete) sample and aggressive liquid or gas can be followed. The express information about the relative durability of the building materials was obtained. This method was also advantageously used for the investigation of corrosion early stage of marble (calcium carbonate) by sulphur dioxide (in the concentrations of 500-3,000 ppm). The most advantageous application of the method is for rapid assessment of the relative durability of building materials, e.g. the information about the relative durability of the samples studied was obtained within several minutes, resp. hours, whereas by means of traditional chemical methods it needs several weeks or months
Phase Change Materials as a solution to improve energy efficiency in Portuguese residential buildings
Araújo, C.; Pinheiro, A.; Castro, M. F.; Bragança, L.
The buildings sector contributes to 30% of annual greenhouse gas emissions and consumes about 40% of energy. However, this consumption can be reduced by between 30% and 80% through commercially available technologies. The consumption of energy in the dwellings is mostly associated with the heating and cooling of the interior environment. One solution to reduce these consumptions is the implementation of technologies and Phase Change Materials (PCMs) for Thermal Energy Storage (TES). So, the aim of this work is to analyse the advantages, in terms of decreasing energy consumption, associated with the application of PCMs in Portuguese residential buildings. For this, eight PCMs with different melting ranges were analysed. These materials were analysed through a dynamic simulation performed with EnergyPlus software. The results achieved, showed that the materials studied allow to reduce up to 13% of the heating needs and up to 92% of the cooling needs of a building located in the North of Portugal, at an altitude higher than 100m.
Radioactivity of some domestic and imported building materials from South Eastern Europe
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Krstic, D.; Nikezic, D.; Stevanovic, N.; Vucic, D.
Radioactivity of some building materials, gypsum, ceramic, marble, granite, etc., imported from some neighbour countries of South Eastern Europe (Macedonia, Greece and Bulgaria) or produced in Serbia is presented in this paper. Measurements were done with HpGe detector and multichannel analyser. Activity concentration index, I, defined in [EC 1999, 1999. European Commission. Radiation Protection Unit, Radiological protection principles concerning the natural radioactivity of building materials. Radiat. Prot. 112] was calculated for each investigated sample. The ranges of I are 0.0297-1.2545 and 0.0376-0.1521 for Macedonian and Bulgarian gypsum, respectively. The ranges of I for marble are 0.0124-0.6245, 0.0104-1.2089 and 0.0162-0.6747 for Macedonian, Greek and Bulgarian, respectively. The range of I for Greek ceramic and granite are 0.3508-1.0152 and 0.0438-1.0062, respectively. Concentration of natural radionuclides ( 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K) are in usual range (except few exceptions) and below maximal permitted values, so that examined materials could be used for construction of new buildings (for interior and external works) as well as for covering of pavements, floors, etc
Radioactivity of some domestic and imported building materials from South Eastern Europe
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Krstic, D. [Faculty of Science, University of Kragujevac, R. Domanovic 12, Kragujevac 34000 (Serbia); Nikezic, D. [Faculty of Science, University of Kragujevac, R. Domanovic 12, Kragujevac 34000 (Serbia)], E-mail: email@example.com; Stevanovic, N. [Faculty of Science, University of Kragujevac, R. Domanovic 12, Kragujevac 34000 (Serbia); Vucic, D. [Institute oF Occupational Health, Vojislav Ilic bb, Nis 18000 (Serbia)
Radioactivity of some building materials, gypsum, ceramic, marble, granite, etc., imported from some neighbour countries of South Eastern Europe (Macedonia, Greece and Bulgaria) or produced in Serbia is presented in this paper. Measurements were done with HpGe detector and multichannel analyser. Activity concentration index, I, defined in [EC 1999, 1999. European Commission. Radiation Protection Unit, Radiological protection principles concerning the natural radioactivity of building materials. Radiat. Prot. 112] was calculated for each investigated sample. The ranges of I are 0.0297-1.2545 and 0.0376-0.1521 for Macedonian and Bulgarian gypsum, respectively. The ranges of I for marble are 0.0124-0.6245, 0.0104-1.2089 and 0.0162-0.6747 for Macedonian, Greek and Bulgarian, respectively. The range of I for Greek ceramic and granite are 0.3508-1.0152 and 0.0438-1.0062, respectively. Concentration of natural radionuclides ({sup 226}Ra, {sup 232}Th and {sup 40}K) are in usual range (except few exceptions) and below maximal permitted values, so that examined materials could be used for construction of new buildings (for interior and external works) as well as for covering of pavements, floors, etc.
Radiological aspects of the usability of red mud as building material additive
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Somlai, Janos; Jobbagy, Viktor; Kovacs, Jozsef; Tarjan, Sandor; Kovacs, Tibor
Several researchers have examined and achieved favourable results in connection with the building industry's use of red mud extracted in large quantities from the processing of bauxite. These days more and more precedence is being given to limiting the radiological dose to the population. In this study carried out in Hungary, the use of red mud, bauxite, and clay additives recommended for the production of special cements, were examined from a radiological aspect. 226 Ra and 232 Th activity concentrations measured in Hungarian bauxite, red mud and clay samples were significantly similar with the levels for such raw materials mentioned in international literature. Taking radiation protection aspects into consideration, none of these products can be directly used for building construction. Taking Hungarian and international values into consideration, a small amount of red mud, not exceeding 15% could be used for brick production, for example as a colouring material. However, beyond this amount the standards for building materials would not be met. For the production of cements an even stricter limit needs to be determined when both bauxite and red mud are used
Natural radioactivity in some building materials of Xi'an, China
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Lu Xinwei
Eight kinds of building materials collected from Xi'an, China were analyzed for the natural radioactivity of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K using γ-ray spectroscopy. The concentrations of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K in the selected building materials ranges from 19.5 to 68.3Bqkg -1 , 13.4 to 51.7Bqkg -1 and 63.2 to 713.9Bqkg -1 , respectively. The measured activity concentrations for these natural radionuclides were compared with the reported data of other countries and with the world average activity of soil. The radium equivalent activities (Ra eq ), external hazard index (H ex ) and the internal radiation hazard index (H in ) associated with the natural radionuclides were calculated. The Ra eq values of all building materials are lower than the limit of 370Bqkg -1 , equivalent to a γ-dose of 1.5mSvyr -1 . The values of H ex and H in are less than unity
Natural radioactivity level and radiological hazard assessment of commonly used building material in Xining, China
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Shigang Chao; Xinwei Lu; Mengmeng Zhang; Long Pang
Natural radioactivity of the commonly used building materials in Xining of China was measured using gamma-ray spectrometer system comprising a NaI(Tl) detector. Radioactivity concentrations of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K in the studied samples range from 11.6 to 120.6, 10.2 to 107.1 and 228.0 to 1,036.2 Bq kg -1 , respectively. The concentrations for these natural radionuclides were compared with the reported data of other countries and the mean value for soil. Radium equivalent activity, indoor air absorbed dose rate, annual effective dose rate as well as external and internal hazard indices were calculated to assess radiological hazards for people living in dwelling made of the building materials. The radiological hazard assessment results show that the studied building materials, except for some aerated concrete block samples, are safe for use in construction of dwellings in the study area and do not pose any significant source of radiation hazard. (author)
Radionuclide content in some building materials and gamma dose rate in dwellings in Cuba
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Brigido, Oslvaldo; Montalvan, Adelmo; Rosa, Ramon; Hernandez, Alberto
Naturally occurring radionuclides in building materials are one of the sources of radiation exposure of the population. This study was undertaken with the purpose of determining radioactivity in some Cuban building materials and for assessing the annual effective dose to Cuban population due external gamma exposure in dwellings for typical Cuban room model. Forty four samples of raw materials and building products were collected in some Cuban provinces. The activity concentrations of natural radionuclides were determined by gamma ray spectrometry using a p-type coaxial high purity germanium detector and their mean values are in the ranges: 9 to 857 Bq.kg -1 for 40 K; 6 to 57 Bq.kg -1 for 226 Ra; and 1.2 to 22 Bq.kg -1 for 232 Th. The radium equivalent activity in the 44 samples varied from 4 Bq.kg -1 (wood) to 272 Bq.kg -1 (brick). A high pressure ionisation chamber was used for measuring of the indoor absorbed dose rate in 543 dwellings and workplaces in five Cuban provinces. The average absorbed dose rates in air ranged from 43 n Gy.h -1 (Holguin) to 73 n Gy.h -1 (Camaguey) and the corresponding population-weighted annual effective dose due to terrestrial gamma radiation was estimated to be 145 ± 40 μSv. This dose value is 16% higher than the calculated value for typical room geometry of Cuban house. (author)
Experimental technique to measure thoron generation rate of building material samples using RAD7 detector
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Csige, I.; Szabó, Zs.; Szabó, Cs.
Thoron ( 220 Rn) is the second most abundant radon isotope in our living environment. In some dwellings it is present in significant amount which calls for its identification and remediation. Indoor thoron originates mainly from building materials. In this work we have developed and tested an experimental technique to measure thoron generation rate in building material samples using RAD7 radon-thoron detector. The mathematical model of the measurement technique provides the thoron concentration response of RAD7 as a function of the sample thickness. For experimental validation of the technique an adobe building material sample was selected for measuring the thoron concentration at nineteen different sample thicknesses. Fitting the parameters of the model to the measurement results, both the generation rate and the diffusion length of thoron was estimated. We have also determined the optimal sample thickness for estimating the thoron generation rate from a single measurement. -- Highlights: • RAD7 is used for the determination of thoron generation rate (emanation). • The described model takes into account the thoron decay and attenuation. • The model describes well the experimental results. • A single point measurement method is offered at a determined sample thickness
How accelerated biological aging can affect solar reflective polymeric based building materials
Ferrari, C.; Santunione, G.; Libbra, A.; Muscio, A.; Sgarbi, E.
Among the main issues concerning building materials, in particular outdoor ones, one can identify the colonization by microorganisms referred to as biological aggression. This can affect not only the aesthetical aspect but also the thermal performance of solar reflective materials. In order to improve the reliability of tests aimed to assess the resistance to biological aggression and contextually reduce the test duration, an accelerated test method has been developed. It is based on a lab reproducible setup where specific and controlled environmental and boundary conditions are imposed to accelerate as much as possible biological growth on building materials. Due to their widespread use, polymeric materials have been selected for the present analysis, in the aim of reaching an advanced bio-aged level in a relatively short time (8 weeks or less) and at the same time comparatively evaluate different materials under a given set of ageing conditions. Surface properties before, during and after ageing have been investigated by surface, microstructural and chemical analyses, as well as by examination of time progressive images to assess bacterial and algal growth rate.
Colliery shale: raw material for the manufacture of new lightweight building materials. In New coal upgrading processes. Vol. 2
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Guillon, P; Chauvin, R
Research undertaken in France on the upgrading of colliery shale has made it possible to extend the range of markets available for these products and to promote their utilization either in the untreated state or after processing. In the more specific field of lightweight building materials, our research has culminated in the development of manufacturing processes for aggregates and expanded nodular sands. The 100 mat3/day factory stage in the case of aggregates and the pilot plant (capacity several hundred kg/h) stage in the case of sands has been reached. However, the overall picture of slack demand for lightweight aggregates on the French market is little incentive for the rapid industrial development of manufacture of these materials.
Reduction of Ambient Radon Activity by the use of Advanced Building Materials at King Saud University, Saudi Arabia
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Diab, H.M.; Abd-El Hafeez, A.I.
The spatial variation of radon concentration within the building of the preparatory year located in Riyadh was studied. Nuclear track detectors (CR-39) were used to measure radon concentration for two consecutive six month periods in more than 40 rooms of the surveyed building. Coefficient of variation (CV) was calculated as a measure of relative variation of radon concentration between floors and between rooms on the same floor. Floor mean ratios, with ground floor as a reference level, were calculated also in order to study the correlation between radon concentration and floor levels in case of using advanced Italian granite building material. All the results of this study were investigated and compared with usual Indian granite building material and it was found that the k nowledgement building i s a healthy work place which may be due to uses of advanced building materials.
Chemical exposures in recently renovated low-income housing: Influence of building materials and occupant activities.
Dodson, Robin E; Udesky, Julia O; Colton, Meryl D; McCauley, Martha; Camann, David E; Yau, Alice Y; Adamkiewicz, Gary; Rudel, Ruthann A
Health disparities in low-income communities may be linked to residential exposures to chemicals infiltrating from the outdoors and characteristics of and sources in the home. Indoor sources comprise those introduced by the occupant as well as releases from building materials. To examine the impact of renovation on indoor pollutants levels and to classify chemicals by predominant indoor sources, we collected indoor air and surface wipes from newly renovated "green" low-income housing units in Boston before and after occupancy. We targeted nearly 100 semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including phthalates, flame retardants, fragrance chemicals, pesticides, antimicrobials, petroleum chemicals, chlorinated solvents, and formaldehyde, as well as particulate matter. All homes had indoor air concentrations that exceeded available risk-based screening levels for at least one chemical. We categorized chemicals as primarily influenced by the occupant or as having building-related sources. While building-related chemicals observed in this study may be specific to the particular housing development, occupant-related findings might be generalizable to similar communities. Among 58 detected chemicals, we distinguished 25 as primarily occupant-related, including fragrance chemicals 6-acetyl-1,1,2,4,4,7-hexamethyltetralin (AHTN) and 1,3,4,6,7,8-hexahydro-4,6,6,7,8,8-hexamethylcyclopenta[g]-2-benzopyran (HHCB). The pre- to post-occupancy patterns of the remaining chemicals suggested important contributions from building materials for some, including dibutyl phthalate and xylene, whereas others, such as diethyl phthalate and formaldehyde, appeared to have both building and occupant sources. Chemical classification by source informs multi-level exposure reduction strategies in low-income housing. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.
Comparative study of mechanical properties of direct core build-up materials
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Girish Kumar
Full Text Available Background and Objectives: The strength greatly influences the selection of core material because core must withstand forces due to mastication and para-function for many years. This study was conducted to evaluate certain mechanical properties of commonly used materials for direct core build-up, including visible light cured composite, polyacid modified composite, resin modified glass ionomer, high copper amalgam, and silver cermet cement. Materials and Methods: All the materials were manipulated according to the manufacturer′s recommendations and standard test specimens were prepared. A universal testing machine at different cross-head speed was used to determine all the four mechanical properties. Mean compressive strength, diametral tensile strength, flexural strength, and elastic modulus with standard deviations were calculated. Multiple comparisons of the materials were also done. Results: Considerable differences in compressive strength, diametral tensile strength, and flexural strength were observed. Visible light cured composite showed relatively high compressive strength, diametral tensile strength, and flexural strength compared with the other tested materials. Amalgam showed the highest value for elastic modulus. Silver cermet showed less value for all the properties except for elastic modulus. Conclusions: Strength is one of the most important criteria for selection of a core material. Stronger materials better resist deformation and fracture provide more equitable stress distribution, greater stability, and greater probability of clinical success.
The Use Potential of Traditional Building Materials for the Realization of Structures by Modern Methods of Construction
Spišáková, Marcela; Mačková, Daniela
The sustainable building has taken off in recent years with many investors looking for new and different methods of construction. The traditional building materials can be made out of natural materials, while others can help to lower energy costs of the occupant once built. Regardless of what the goal of the investor is, traditional building materials and their use is on the rise. The submitted paper provides an overview of natural building materials and possible modern building systems using these construction materials. Based on the questionnaire survey is defined the use potential of traditional building materials for the realization of the construction by methods of modern constructions and then are determined the drivers and barriers of traditional materials through using modern methods of construction. Considering the analysis of the achieved results, we can identify the gaps in the construction market in Slovakia and also to assess the perception of potential investors in the field of traditional building materials use, which is the purpose of submitted paper.
The Use Potential of Traditional Building Materials for the Realization of Structures by Modern Methods of Construction
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Spišáková Marcela
Full Text Available The sustainable building has taken off in recent years with many investors looking for new and different methods of construction. The traditional building materials can be made out of natural materials, while others can help to lower energy costs of the occupant once built. Regardless of what the goal of the investor is, traditional building materials and their use is on the rise. The submitted paper provides an overview of natural building materials and possible modern building systems using these construction materials. Based on the questionnaire survey is defined the use potential of traditional building materials for the realization of the construction by methods of modern constructions and then are determined the drivers and barriers of traditional materials through using modern methods of construction. Considering the analysis of the achieved results, we can identify the gaps in the construction market in Slovakia and also to assess the perception of potential investors in the field of traditional building materials use, which is the purpose of submitted paper.
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Magdalena VELCIU
Full Text Available Romanian youth migration is an increasing phenomenon, due to subjective and objective factors as economical reasons, professional carrer and increasingly more international competition for talent. In these circumstances, the present article aims to evaluate determinant factors that contribute to the decision of Romanian graduates to return national labour market. We sustain that young Romanians consider carefully and hardly decide their professional future. A particular attention is given to their personal reasons and motivations as well as family and friends network. For designing returning factors we present the results of a questionnaire survey, asking young pupils and students about their future educational way and personal reasons underlying the decision to study in a foreign country and taking into consideration the returning decision. As far international student migration is seen as a first step to migration for work, our work desires to fight for returning home of Romanian well-educated graduates.
Old Romanian pluralized mass and abstract nouns
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Gabriela Pană Dindelegan
Full Text Available The analysis of a rich old Romanian corpus shows that the 'pluralization' of mass and abstract nouns is extremely frequent in old Romanian. The semantic effects of pluralization are similar for mass and abstract nouns, consisting in the creation of denotative and/or connotative semantic variants. Of the plural endings, –uri is specialized for the pluralization of mass nouns in Daco-Romanian. The evolution of the ending –uri illustrates the specific process by which a grammatical (plural morpheme is converted into a lexical morpheme (the so-called 'lexical plurals'. 'Lexical plurals' have isolated occurrences in other Romance languages, but they have not reached the spread and regularity they display in Romanian.
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Marius GUST
Full Text Available The paper aims at investigating the economic and financial crisis impact which has occurred in the Romanian economy, upon the Romanian companies since 2008. Specifically, its effects are taken into account regarding the number of economic players, the labor force, and the results of business performance: enterprise turnover or gross outcomes. Additionally, this research paper aims at assessing the crisis consequences on corporate behavior in the insecure environment of the crisis regarding the investment process and the value rendered by enterprises. The investigation is made exclusively on the secondary and tertiary sectors of the Romanian economy: industry, construction, trade and services, both from an overall and a sectoral perspective. The analysis also envisages the correlation of progress per the aforementioned economic segments with the overall development of the Romanian economy in terms of economic and financial crisis.
Temporality and permanence in Romanian public art
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Maria-Judit Balko
Full Text Available This paper analyzes the relationship between permanent monuments and temporary art projects, as temporality is one of the strategies employed by Romanian artists to counterbalance the support that the Romanian state has shown only towards monuments and memorials dedicated to affirming its value. The complex nature of public art requires a careful consideration of the different dimensions this practice employs, and for that the Western debate on this matter can be a reference point in understanding Romanian public art. We will be looking at possible aspects of the functions of these two main directions in Romanian public art, as they stand methodically one in opposition to the other, in connection with the texts of Piotr Piotrowski (Art and Democracy in Post-communist Europe, 2012 and Boris Groys (Art Power, 2008.
Determining Radium-226 concentration from Radon-222 emanation in building materials: a theoretical model
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Barreto, Rafael C.; Perna, Allan F.N.; Narloch, Danielle C.; Del Claro, Flavia; Correa, Janine N.; Paschuk, Sergei A.
It was developed an improved theoretical model capable to estimate the radium concentration in building materials solely measuring the radon-222 concentration in a con ned atmosphere. This non-destructive technique is not limited by the size of the samples, and it intrinsically includes back diffusion. The resulting equation provides the exact solution for the concentration of radon-222 as a function of time and distance in one dimension. The effective concentration of radium-226 is a fit parameter of this equation. In order to reduce its complexity, this equation was simplified considering two cases: low diffusion in the building material compared to the air, and a building material initially saturated with radon-222. These simplified versions of the exact one dimension solution were used to t experimental data. Radon-222 concentration was continuously measured for twelve days with an AlphaGUARD TM detector, located at the Laboratory of Applied Nuclear Physics at Universidade Tecnologica Federal do Parana (UTFPR). This model was applied to two different materials: cement mortar and concrete, which results were respectively (15:7 ±8:3) Bq=kg and (10:5±2:4) Bq=kg for the radium-226 effective concentration. This estimation was confronted with the direct measurements of radium in the same materials (same sources) using gamma-ray spectrometry, fulfilled at Centro de Desenvolvimento da Tecnologia Nuclear (CDTN), which results were respectively (13:81±0:23) Bq=kg and (12:61±0:22) Bq=kg. (author)
Determining Radium-226 concentration from Radon-222 emanation in building materials: a theoretical model
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Barreto, Rafael C.; Perna, Allan F.N.; Narloch, Danielle C.; Del Claro, Flavia; Correa, Janine N.; Paschuk, Sergei A., E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com, E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com, E-mail: email@example.com, E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com, E-mail: email@example.com, E-mail: email@example.com [Universidade Tecnologica Federal do Parana (UTFPR), Curitiba, PR (Brazil). Departamento Academico de Fisica e Departamento Academico de Construcao Civil
It was developed an improved theoretical model capable to estimate the radium concentration in building materials solely measuring the radon-222 concentration in a con ned atmosphere. This non-destructive technique is not limited by the size of the samples, and it intrinsically includes back diffusion. The resulting equation provides the exact solution for the concentration of radon-222 as a function of time and distance in one dimension. The effective concentration of radium-226 is a fit parameter of this equation. In order to reduce its complexity, this equation was simplified considering two cases: low diffusion in the building material compared to the air, and a building material initially saturated with radon-222. These simplified versions of the exact one dimension solution were used to t experimental data. Radon-222 concentration was continuously measured for twelve days with an AlphaGUARD{sup TM} detector, located at the Laboratory of Applied Nuclear Physics at Universidade Tecnologica Federal do Parana (UTFPR). This model was applied to two different materials: cement mortar and concrete, which results were respectively (15:7 ±8:3) Bq=kg and (10:5±2:4) Bq=kg for the radium-226 effective concentration. This estimation was confronted with the direct measurements of radium in the same materials (same sources) using gamma-ray spectrometry, fulfilled at Centro de Desenvolvimento da Tecnologia Nuclear (CDTN), which results were respectively (13:81±0:23) Bq=kg and (12:61±0:22) Bq=kg. (author)
Annual energy analysis of concrete containing phase change materials for building envelopes
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Thiele, Alexander M.; Jamet, Astrid; Sant, Gaurav; Pilon, Laurent
Highlights: • Adding PCM to concrete walls can significantly reduce the cooling needs of buildings. • Climate, season, and wall orientation strongly affect energy and cost savings. • The PCM melting temperature should be near the desired indoor temperature. • Benefits are maximum for outdoor temperature oscillating around set indoor temperature. • Adding PCM had little effect on heating energy needs and associated cost savings. - Abstract: This paper examines the annual energy and cost savings potential of adding microencapsulated phase change material to the exterior concrete walls of an average-sized single family home in California climate zones 3 (San Francisco, CA) and 9 (Los Angeles, CA). The annual energy and cost savings were larger for South- and West-facing walls than for other walls. They were also the largest when the phase change temperature was near the desired indoor temperature. The addition of microencapsulated phase change material to the building walls reduced the cooling load in summer substantially more than the heating load in winter. This was attributed to the cold winter temperatures resulting in nearly unidirectional heat flux on many days. The annual cooling load reduction in an average-sized single family home in San Francisco and in Los Angeles ranged from 85% to 100% and from 53% to 82%, respectively, for phase change material volume fraction ranging from 0.1 to 0.3. The corresponding annual electricity cost savings ranged from $36 to $42 in San Francisco and from $94 to $143 in Los Angeles. From an energy standpoint, the best climate for using building materials containing uniformly distributed microencapsulated phase change material would have outdoor temperature oscillations centered around the desired indoor temperature for the entire year
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Adelaida Cristina HONTUS
Full Text Available The American and Romanian house market has imposed harmonious and comfortable living in ecological houses whose building does not affect the environment. The implementation of modern and efficient building of long-term sustainable houses has resulted in a new ecological building technology by the Wood Framing System which is developed and applied on a large scale in the US. This system is a cheap and accessible method to build houses and preserve them in time, as well as provide all the comfort demands. Also, the houses built within this system are adapted to any architecture style (traditional, contemporary, and futurist.The house structures built within the Wood Framing System are conspicuous through the optimum use of the wooden material, resistance, stability, ductility, low weight which thus reduces the earthquake impact, durability, high thermal comfort, competitive price. At the same time, the building time on the site is up to 70% lower, compared with the brick-based houses.Within the framing system, a wooden-structure house provides important advantages, and thus has become of interest on the Romanian market.
Energy Saving Potentials of Phase Change Materials Applied to Lightweight Building Envelopes
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Yoon-Bok Seong
Full Text Available Phase change materials (PCMs have been considered as an innovative technology that can reduce the peak loads and heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC energy consumption in buildings. Basically they are substances capable of storing or releasing thermal energy as latent heat. Because the amount of latent heat absorbed or released is much larger than the sensible heat, the application of PCMs in buildings has significant potential to reduce energy consumption. However, because each PCM has its own phase change temperature, which is the temperature at which latent heat is absorbed or released, it is important to use an appropriate PCM for the purpose of building envelope design. Therefore, this paper aims to investigate the energy saving potentials in buildings when various PCMs with different phase change temperatures are applied to a lightweight building envelope by analyzing the thermal load characteristics. As results, the annual heating load increased at every phase change temperature, but the peak heating load decreased by 3.19% with heptadecane (phase change temperature 21 °C, and the lowest indoor temperature increased by 0.86 °C with heptadecane (phase change temperature 21 °C. The annual cooling load decreased by 1.05% with dodecanol (phase change temperature 24 °C, the peak cooling load decreased by 1.30% with octadecane (phase change temperature 29 °C, and the highest indoor temperature dropped by 0.50 °C with octadecane (phase change temperature 29 °C. When the night ventilation was applied to the building HVAC system for better passive cooling performance, the annual cooling load decreased by 9.28% with dodecanol (phase change temperature 24 °C, the peak load decreased by 11.33% with octadecane (phase change temperature 29 °C, and the highest indoor temperature dropped by 0.85 °C with octadecane (phase change temperature 29 °C.
Ice crystallization in porous building materials: assessing damage using real-time 3D monitoring
Deprez, Maxim; De Kock, Tim; De Schutter, Geert; Cnudde, Veerle
Frost action is one of the main causes of deterioration of porous building materials in regions at middle to high latitudes. Damage will occur when the internal stresses due to ice formation become larger than the strength of the material. Hence, the sensitivity of the material to frost damage is partly defined by the structure of the solid body. On the other hand, the size, shape and interconnection of pores manages the water distribution in the building material and, therefore, the characteristics of the pore space control potential to form ice crystals (Ruedrich et al., 2011). In order to assess the damage to building materials by ice crystallization, lot of effort was put into identifying the mechanisms behind the stress build up. First of all, volumetric expansion of 9% (Hirschwald, 1908) during the transition of water to ice should be mentioned. Under natural circumstances, however, water saturation degrees within natural rocks or concrete cannot reach a damaging value. Therefore, linear growth pressure (Scherer, 1999), as well as several mechanisms triggered by water redistribution during freezing (Powers and Helmuth, 1953; Everett, 1961) are more likely responsible for damage due to freezing. Nevertheless, these theories are based on indirect observations and models and, thus, direct evidence that reveals the exact damage mechanism under certain conditions is still lacking. To obtain this proof, in-situ information needs to be acquired while a freezing process is performed. X-ray computed tomography has proven to be of great value in material research. Recent advances at the Ghent University Centre for Tomography (UGCT) have already allowed to dynamically 3D image crack growth in natural rock during freeze-thaw cycles (De Kock et al., 2015). A great potential to evaluate the different stress build-up mechanisms can be found in this imaging technique consequently. It is required to cover a range of materials with different petrophysical properties to achieve
A method for the complete analysis of NORM building materials by γ-ray spectrometry using HPGe detectors.
Quintana, B; Pedrosa, M C; Vázquez-Canelas, L; Santamaría, R; Sanjuán, M A; Puertas, F
A methodology including software tools for analysing NORM building materials and residues by low-level gamma-ray spectrometry has been developed. It comprises deconvolution of gamma-ray spectra using the software GALEA with focus on the natural radionuclides and Monte Carlo simulations for efficiency and true coincidence summing corrections. The methodology has been tested on a range of building materials and validated against reference materials. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Romanian refining industry assesses restructuring
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Tanasescu, D.G.
The Romanian crude oil refining industry, as all the other economic sectors, faces the problems accompanying the transition from a centrally planned economy to a market economy. At present, all refineries have registered as joint-stock companies and all are coordinated and assisted by Rafirom S.A., from both a legal and a production point of view. Rafirom S.A. is a joint-stock company that holds shares in refineries and other stock companies with activities related to oil refining. Such activities include technological research, development, design, transportation, storage, and domestic and foreign marketing. This article outlines the market forces that are expected to: drive rationalization and restructuring of refining operations and define the targets toward which the reconfigured refineries should strive
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Full Text Available Transfer prices are a delicate subject and of major importance in jurisdictions to which they belong, as they are often used as a means of exploiting tax legislation. In proceedings of tax inspection and financial control carried out by the tax authorities, a special place is occupied by the transactions between affiliated entities with Romanian companies. The purpose of the tax inspection is: combating tax evasion and tracking these transactions to be carried out at market prices. The article aims to present how transfer prices affect the value of an enterprise, but also the methodological aspects relating to tax inspection and the necessary documents in order to deciphering the mode of transfer pricing in Romania.
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Capraru Bogdan
-structural indicators and compare it with the structural indicators of competition. In particular, we measure competition using Lerner index and the H-statistic, indicators what are estimated using bank-level data and are compared with a standard market structure measure of concentration like HHI and CR5. There are no other studies that measure both structural and non-structural competition indicators for Romanian banking sector. Also, our assessment contains a period of seven years including the begging of the implications of the present international financial crises on Romanian banking sector. The structural indicators show continuous increase of competition in the Romanian banking system. Lerner index and H statistic demonstrate that Romanian banking system is characterized by monopolistic competition and relatively competitive practices. Personnel cost, operational cost and financial cost are statistically significant at conventional levels, which imply good fit of the revenue equations. The results also demonstrate that excess fixed assets do not generate abnormal revenue.
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Full Text Available This work is an attempt of the authors to find an answer to the title. If we managed, or not, if we raised more questions then we managed to find answers, its up to you, readers or listeners, to decide. Why this question remains and why we can't say if we found or not an answer, is because for all analysts, including for the deciders that hold the destiny of romaninan economy, the path that it follows remains unknown. As we romanians like to trick, it may be in our style, because concealing the path gives you the posibility to claim, in any situation, that in fact you are on the right one.
Perpetual transitions in Romanian healthcare.
Spiru, Luiza; Traşcu, Răzvan Ioan; Turcu, Ileana; Mărzan, Mircea
Although Romania has a long-lasting tradition in organized medical healthcare, in the last two decades the Romanian healthcare system has been undergoing a perpetual transition with negative effects on all parties involved. The lack of long-term strategic vision, the implementation of initiatives without any impact studies, hence the constant short-term approach from the policy makers, combined with the "inherited" low allocation from GDP to the healthcare system have contributed significantly to its current evolution. Currently, most measures taken are of the "fire-fighting" type, rather than looking to the broader, long time perspective. There should be no wonder then, that predictive and preventive services do not get the proper attention and support. Patient and physicians should step in and take action in regulating a system that was originally designed for them. But until this happens, the organizations with leadership skills and vision need to take action-and this has already started.
Analysis of the Constituent Materials of Historical Building in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Aloufi, Fahed; El-Turke, Adel; Scott, Tom
Increasing levels of atmospheric pollution is observed to accentuate and accelerate the degradation of historical sites. This paper investigates the chemical and mineralogical characteristic of the building materials used to construct the declared UNESCO world heritage site located in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia., and provide an initial assessment of the primary mechanisms for their environmental degradation. Stone and plaster samples were collected from six historic houses as well as the quarry from which the stone was originally produced. The main objective of this work was to identify the composition and alteration of the stone, plaster and quarry materials and to provide information about the decay mechanisms, thereby better enabling conservators to identify the correct methods and materials for onwards conservation and restoration works. X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Laser Raman spectroscopy (LRS) and Scanning Electron Microscopy combined with energy-dispersion X-ray spectroscopy (FEGSEM-EDS) were utilized as analytical techniques to conjointly to determine the chemical composition of the corresponding materials. The results revealed that the stone used throughout the historic buildings comprises a mixture of calcareous limestone and corallite stones. The associated binding plaster is lime based, made with non-hydraulic lime and local sand, whilst the decorative plaster is made of gypsum (CaSO4). On degraded surfaces it was possible to detect the deposition of sea salt, sulphur and phosphorus as the main atmospheric pollutants and significant contributors to the observed environmental degradation.
Digital neutron moisture meter for moisture determination in the cokes and building materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Chibovski, R.; Igel'ski, A.; Kiyanya, K.; Kiyanya, S.; Mnikh, Eh.; Sledzevski, R.; Verba, V.
Description is given of the digital neutron moisture gage for measuring water content in coke or in dry building materials. The device can work independently with indication of the results to personnel carrying out control operation and adjustment of the process or as a part of an automated control system with supplying the results of measurements in a form of analogous signals or electric pulses in the preselected code. The moisture gage described consists of two units: measuring probes with containers and the desk with power supply and the system for digital processing of a radiometric signal. The measuring probe consists of the asotopic fast neutrons source; helium proportional counter of slow neutrons and a pulse amplifier. The probe is mounted in the bunker with the material measured and is located inside the protective tube made of the weare-resistant material. To obtain high accuracy of measurements and to obtain the measuring instrument's reading immediately in the units of moisture measurement, the digizal converter circuit for radiometric signals processing is used. The The digital converter circuit cited, can be applied to any calibration dependence of linear type with initial value. The block diagram of the device is given. The device described permits to measure the moisture content in the metallurgy coks and in the building materials in one minute and with the error not more than 0.5% [ru
Radioactivity reference levels in ceramics tiles as building materials for different countries
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Ortiz, Josefina; Ballesteros, Luisa; Serradell, Vicente
Measurements campaigns of ceramic tiles and raw materials used in them, shows that natural radionuclides of uranium ( 238 U) and thorium ( 232 Th) series, together with the radioactive isotope of potassium ( 40 K ), are presents. Uranium series contain radium, which decays to radon ( 222 Rn), an inert gas that can be released from materials and inhaled by individuals. Limits of 226 Ra concentrations are established by different countries in order to control Radon levels (200 Bq.m -3 in European Union). Potassium -40 and others gamma emitters of 226 Ra and 232 Th descendent, can cause an external dose. Therefore, with the purpose that individual doses due to building materials doesn't exceed a certain level recommendations or regulations have been established. A maximum value of 1 mSv.y -1 is recommended in European Union. In practice an easy way to avoid ceramic tiles provide doses to individuals over the reference level is to introduce an index, depending on activities concentrations of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K, defined so that the dose limits due, exclusively, to building materials, will never be exceeded. These limits and indexes present differences between countries. In this paper indexes are compared and differences are discussed. (author)
Radiometric characterisation of more representative natural building materials in the province of Rome
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Trevisi, R.; Bruno, M.; Orlando, C.; Ocone, R.; Paolelli, C.; Amici, M.; Altieri, A.; Antonelli, B.
Natural building materials, characterised by middle-low-activity concentrations of primordial radionuclides ( 40 K, 232 Th and 238 U series) are widely used in Italy. Since natural materials reflect the geological variability of their sites of origin, a systematic study was carried out in the province of Rome and the results are reported in this paper. In the present work, in order to evaluate average, minimum and maximum contents of primordial radionuclides, more representative lithologies outcropping on the territory of the province of Rome were identified and around 150 samples were collected. Also, these lithologies were characterised from a radioprotection point of view, by means of the evaluation of the index, I, when they are used as building materials. The results confirm the high-primordial radionuclide content within some materials used in Latium (central Italy). Although the study was carried out in a limited area, the results confirm considerable variation in the primordial radionuclide content depending on the sites of origin. (authors)
Comparative Study on the Cost of Building Public House Construction Using Red Brick and Interlock Brick Building Material in the City of Banda Aceh
Malahayati, Nurul; Hayati, Yulia; Nursaniah, Cut; Firsa, T.; Fachrurrazi; Munandar, Aris
Red brick and interlocking brick are the building materials that are often used for wall installation work on houses construction. In the development of building materials technology and cost savings, interlocking brick can be alternative to replace red bricks. In Aceh Province, the use of interlocking bricks is less popular compared to other big cities in Indonesia. Interlocking brick is made from a mixture of clay, concrete sand and compacted cement and one of the environmentally friendly materials because it does not burn the process like red brick material. It is named interlocking brick because the installation method is locked together and it serves as a structural and partition wall of residential buildings. The aims of this study are to compare the cost of building a house in Banda Aceh City using red brick and interlock brick building materials. The data were obtained from interviews and questionnaires distributed to respondents who had built houses in Banda Aceh City. The results concluded that the house construction cost using interlock brick offer lower construction cost at comparable quality rather than using red brick.
Building materials. Structure and technology, types and properties, application and handlings. 2. rev. ed. Baustoffkunde. Aufbau und Technologie, Arten und Eigenschaften, Anwendung und Verarbeitung der Baustoffe
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Schaeffler, H
Details are given on the large variety of structural and interior building materials. Reference is made to the relation between the structure and technology of building materials on one hand and the properties and handling of building materials on the other hand. The following subjects are dealt with: Fundamentals (historical development, systematy of building materials, regulations, properties, property warranties); natural stone; lumber and derived lumber products (properties, species of lumber, flaws, supply cuts); ceramic building materials and glass (brick, earthenware, refractory materials); building materials with mineral binders added, concrete and mortar (technology, setting); metals (properties, technology); bituminous building materials (technology, properties); plastics (thermoplasts, elastomers, duroplastics, paints, adhesives, synthetic-resin mortar and synthetic-resin concrete); insulating materials, organic floor coverings, papers and paperboard, paints, adhesives and sealing materials; damage to buildings (types, causes, responsibility, avoidance). (HWJ).
Dragons in Slavic and Romanian Cultures
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Nicolae STANCIU
Full Text Available Due to its geographical position, the Romanian ethnic territory is at the confluence of various languages, cultures and civilizations and the Romanian culture shares many features with the Slavic cultures because of the linguistic and cultural contact and the similar historical conditions under which they flourished. The issue of Slavic influence on Romanian culture has appealed to many researchers that have sought to explain the mystery of how a Romance culture survived in a territory surrounded by Slavs. Similar customs and folk representations circulated in both directions – from common Romanian to the Slavic languages and cultures and vice versa. Some motifs concerning the demons should demonstrate a broad area of common or similar representations in both types of cultures. This work will thus offer a new approach to the study of the Romanian-Slavic and Romanian-Balkan relationship and we hope a synthetic and unified vision of their common elements, and it will try to give some new ideas about an unresolved, debated, and contentious topic.
Review of the use of phase change materials (PCMs in buildings with reinforced concrete structures
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Pons, O.
Full Text Available Phase change materials are capable of storing and releasing energy in the form of heat in determined temperature ranges, so to increase a building's thermal inertia, stabilize its indoor temperatures and reduce its energetic demand. Therefore, if we used these materials we could have more energetically efficient buildings. Nevertheless, are these materials most appropriate to be used in buildings? Could the incorporation of phase change materials in buildings with concrete structures be generalized? This article aims to carry out a review of these phase change materials from construction professionals' points of view, study their applications for buildings with reinforced concrete structures and the key points for these applications, draw conclusions and provide recommendations useful for all professionals within the sector who are considering the application of these materials.Los materiales de cambio de fase son capaces de almacenar y liberar energía en forma de calor en un determinando rango de temperaturas, y así aumentar la inercia térmica de un edificio, estabilizar las temperaturas en el interior y reducir la demanda energética. En consecuencia, si utilizáramos estos materiales podríamos tener un parque de edificios más eficientes energéticamente. No obstante, ¿estos materiales son apropiados para usarse en edificios? ¿Se podría generalizar la incorporación de materiales de cambio de fase en edificios con estructuras de hormigón? Este artículo tiene como objetivos hacer una revisión del estado del arte de estos materiales de cambio de fase desde el punto de vista de los profesionales de la construcción, estudiar las aplicaciones en edificios con estructuras de hormigón armado y los puntos clave para estas aplicaciones, extraer conclusiones y recomendaciones útiles para los profesionales del sector que se planteen la utilización de estos materiales.
Assessment of natural radioactivity and the associated radiation hazards in some Cameroonian building materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Ngachin, M.; Garavaglia, M.; Giovani, C.; Kwato Njock, M.G.
The concentration of 238 U, 232 Th, 40 K in natural and fabricated building materials used in Cameroon was investigated by a high-resolution γ-ray spectrometry system with a co-axial HPGe detector. Fourteen kinds of building materials were collected from factories and in the field. Each sample was therefore kept in a 500 ml plastic Marinelli beakers and measured in a very low-background laboratory. The measured activity concentrations range from 1.76 to 49.84 Bq kg -1 , from 0.32 to 147.2 Bq kg -1 and from 18.16 to 1226.29 Bq kg -1 for 238 U, 232 Th and 40 K respectively. The highest mean value of 238 U concentration was found in red compressed soil-brick type I (49.57±0.33 Bq kg -1 ) produced by MIPROMALO whereas the highest average concentration of 232 Th (138.89±12.51 Bq kg -1 ) and 40 K (1161.46±107.57 Bq kg -1 ) was found in gravel collected from an exploitation site in LOGBADJECK. The activity concentrations obtained were compared with available data from other investigations and with the world average value for soils. The radium equivalent activity Ra eq , the external hazard index H ex as well as the indoor absorbed dose rate D radical in air and the annual effective dose equivalent H radical E were evaluated to assess the radiation hazards for people living in dwellings made of studied materials. All building materials have shown Ra eq activity (range from 10.15 to 312.57 Bq kg -1 ) lower than the limit of 370 Bq kg -1 set in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD, 1979) report, and which is equivalent to a γ-dose of 1.5 mSv yr -1 All the examined materials are acceptable for use as building materials in accord with the OECD criterion. (author)
Development of Composite PCMs by Incorporation of Paraffin into Various Building Materials
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Shazim Ali Memon
Full Text Available In this research, we focused on the development of composite phase-change materials (CPCMs by incorporation of a paraffin through vacuum impregnation in widely used building materials (Kaolin and ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS. The composite PCMs were characterized using environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA techniques. Moreover, thermal performance of cement paste composite PCM panels was evaluated using a self-designed heating system. Test results showed that the maximum percentage of paraffin retained by Kaolin and GGBS was found to be 18% and 9%, respectively. FT-IR results show that CPCMs are chemically compatible. The phase-change temperatures of CPCMs were in the human comfort zone, and they possessed considerable latent-heat storage capacity. TGA results showed that CPCMs are thermally stable, and they did not show any sign of degradation below 150 °C. From thermal cycling tests, it was revealed that the CPCMs are thermally reliable. Thermal performance tests showed that in comparison to the control room model, the room models prepared with CPCMs reduced both the temperature fluctuations and maximum indoor center temperature. Therefore, the prepared CPCMs have some potential in reducing peak loads in buildings when applied to building facade.
Radioactivity measurement in different types of fabricated building materials used in Palestine
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Dabayneh, K.M.
The natural radionuclides ( 238 U, 232 Th and 40 K) and the manmade radiation levels were measured in samples of different types of fabricated building materials in Palestine. Concentration of radionuclide in samples were determined by γ -ray spectrometry using hyper-pure germanium (HPGe) detector in Bq/Kg dry weight. In this paper samples of commonly building materials (granite, clay brick (karmeed), lime stone, marble, cement, white cement, sea sand, gravel powder, gravel, glue ceramic, gypsum powder and hydrated lime) used in Palestinian buildings were collected. the concentration values of 238 U, 232 Th and 40 K in these samples ranged between 13.9-97.3,7.2-78.6 and 2.0-1139.0 Bq/Kg.respectively. The 137 Cs isotope was detected in some samples. Radium equivalent activity (Ra e q) dose rate in air (Dr), external hazard index (Hex), radioactivity Level index (I y ) and annual gonadal equivalent dose (D) in all samples were calculated. The activity concentration data were discussed are compared with other experimental values in some countries
Study on the Influence of Building Materials on Indoor Pollutants and Pollution Sources
Wang, Yao
The paper summarizes the achievements and problems of indoor air quality research at home and abroad. The pollutants and pollution sources in the room are analyzed systematically. The types of building materials and pollutants are also discussed. The physical and chemical properties and health effects of main pollutants were analyzed and studied. According to the principle of mass balance, the basic mathematical model of indoor air quality is established. Considering the release rate of pollutants and indoor ventilation, a mathematical model for predicting the concentration of indoor air pollutants is derived. The model can be used to analyze and describe the variation of pollutant concentration in indoor air, and to predict and calculate the concentration of pollutants in indoor air at a certain time. The results show that the mathematical model established in this study can be used to analyze and predict the variation law of pollutant concentration in indoor air. The evaluation model can be used to evaluate the impact of indoor air quality and evaluation of current situation. Especially in the process of building and interior decoration, through pre-evaluation, it can provide reliable design parameters for selecting building materials and determining ventilation volume.