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Sustainable steel construction
Abstract
This paper discusses the importance of construction to the three elements of sustainable development, namely economic growth, social progress and effective protection of the environment. The paper goes on to identify the issues facing construction in meeting the sustainable development agenda; these include efficient use of natural resources, reducing energy consumption, reducing emissions, minimizing waste, more efficient land use, reducing the impact on construction sites and creating better employment conditions. The ways in which steel construction is addressing these issues are discussed. In the context of new buildings, steel’s impact on the construction process—namely speed, prefabrication, safety, waste minimization and factory and site conditions are described. Ways in which construction form can contribute to reducing the energy consumption in buildings, particularly during the “in-use” part of the building’s lifecycle, are outlined. The role of steel in extending the life of existing building stock is examined and design features for enabling re-use of steel components are highlighted. The paper concludes with remarks on the extent to which constructional steel is recovered and recycled at the end of life of buildings.
... Moreover, offsite prefabrication of steel components can minimise site activity, noise, dust, pollution, and traffic congestion. This approach also reduces waste throughout design and manufacturing processes, with typical wastage rates between 1% and 4% for steel construction [3]. ...
... Steel construction can help reduce energy consumption by providing efficient building envelopes, such as insulated panels, and enabling renewable energy systems. The embodied energy of steel (the energy required to manufacture products) is relatively low compared to its operational energy, making it a sustainable choice [3]. ...
... This approach minimises waste and ensures the recovery and reuse of materials, contributing to sustainable development. Steel construction can offer improved energy efficiency, reduced waste generation, and the ability to adapt and extend buildings, making it a valuable material for sustainable construction [3]. ...
This research explores sustainable construction practices focusing on material reuse, specifically reclaimed structural steel and slag. In general, the building stock is not designed for deconstruction, and material recovery for reuse at the end of life of buildings is complex and challenging. The study evaluates the benefits of content reuse through a thorough analysis of three case studies—BedZED eco-friendly housing, Angus Technopôle building, and the use of steel slag aggregate in road construction. It highlights the value of reclaimed structural steel and by-products like steel slag in waste reduction, energy conservation, and resource preservation. The BedZED case study showcases recycled steel’s cost-effectiveness and economic viability in construction, while the Angus Technopôle building exemplifies the adaptive reuse of an old steel frame building. Additionally, the third case study showcases the benefits of using Electric Arc Furnace C slag in asphalt-wearing courses, highlighting the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and environmental impact. The versatility of reclaimed structural steel and slag is evident in integrating material reuse in building construction and road infrastructure. These case studies illustrate the potential for reusing steel and its by-products in various construction contexts, from eco-friendly housing to road development. Therefore, the study aims to demonstrate the feasibility and benefits of sustainable practices within the construction industry by showcasing the successful incorporation of reclaimed steel and slag in these projects. Considering the significant contributions of building construction to global greenhouse gas emissions, raw material extraction, and waste production, the study advocates for adopting circular economy (CE) principles within the construction industry. Finally, the analysis of case studies underscores the advantages of reclaimed structural steel and the valorisation of steel slag through the lens of CE and their contribution to sustainable development.
... The construction industry traditionally heavily relies on steel and metal materials due to their strength, durability, and versatility [87][88][89][90]. However, the conventional production of these materials has significant environmental consequences, such as high energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions [89,[91][92][93][94][95]. ...
... The construction industry traditionally heavily relies on steel and metal materials due to their strength, durability, and versatility [87][88][89][90]. However, the conventional production of these materials has significant environmental consequences, such as high energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions [89,[91][92][93][94][95]. To address these challenges, innovative approaches and sustainable alternatives have emerged. ...
This study examines the potential transformation brought about by the integration of ChatGPT in advancing cutting-edge sustainable construction materials. Encompassing a diverse range of eco-friendly options, the investigation spans recycled materials, renewable resources, low-carbon concrete alternatives, energy-efficient materials, water-conserving compounds, green roofing materials, sustainable steel and metal, and lightweight construction materials. The utilization of recycled materials plays a pivotal role in sustainable construction, reducing environmental impact by repurposing discarded resources. Similarly, the incorporation of renewable materials aligns with sustainability principles, advocating for the use of resources that can naturally replenish. Low-carbon concrete alternatives address the carbon footprint associated with traditional concrete production, providing a more environmentally conscious choice in construction materials. The research explores energy-efficient materials that contribute to resource conservation and diminished energy consumption throughout buildings' lifecycle. Water-conserving materials are scrutinized for their potential in addressing water scarcity concerns, promoting responsible water usage in construction processes. Green roofing materials, renowned for insulation properties and environmental benefits, are studied for their role in sustainable construction practices. Additionally, the study examines sustainable steel and metal options, seeking alternatives with reduced environmental impact in production and usage. Lightweight construction materials are investigated for their potential to enhance energy efficiency and diminish transportation-related emissions. An integral aspect of this exploration involves evaluating how these materials collectively contribute to achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The research investigates the multifaceted ways in which sustainable construction materials align with and propel these globally recognized goals. To guide the implementation of these advancements, the study proposes a comprehensive framework. This framework outlines strategies for integrating ChatGPT into research and development processes, leveraging artificial intelligence capabilities to enhance the efficiency and efficacy of sustainable construction material development. By merging technological innovation with sustainable practices, this research aims to drive the construction industry toward a more environmentally conscious and socially responsible future.
... For example, steel and cement contribute to 44% of industrial carbon emissions in the United Kingdom (Allwood and Cullen 2012;Giesekam et al. 2014). Recycling steel only saves approximately 50% of the energy and carbon compared with making new steel (Norgate et al. 2007) due to energy-intensive operations required for recycling steel (Burgan and Sansom 2006;Milford et al. 2013;Dunant et al. 2018). In contrast, steel reuse is considered as preferable since it can eliminate the need for energy-intensive operation. ...
... While there are guidelines for structural engineers and architects to implement DfD in their projects for building construction (Addis and Schouten 2004;Morgan and Stevenson 2005;Webster and Costello 2005;SCI 2020), the reuse rate of structural steel has not seen considerable improvement. Currently, only 1.5%-15% of structural steels are reused in North American and European countries, including the United Kingdom (Burgan and Sansom 2006;Gorgolewski 2006;Kay and Essex 2009;Sansom and Avery 2014). Researchers (Gorgolewski 2008;Cooper and Allwood 2012;Tingley et al. 2017;Dunant et al. 2017;Hartwell et al. 2021) explored the barriers to structural steel reuse for different actors in the construction supply chain. ...
Reducing carbon emissions in the construction sector is essential in a period of climate emergency. Disassembly and reuse of structural members are considered to reduce the carbon emissions from the construction and deconstruction of buildings. In this context, it is important to review the current state of the art to provide a framework for the development of future structural systems that can enable
the easy disassembly and reuse of steel-framed buildings. This paper (1) presents a review of more than 100 documents to discuss the feasibility of disassembly and reuse of structural members; (2) develops detailed schematic illustrations to explain the design concepts and the underlying mechanics governing the behavior of demountable connections; (3) sheds lights on the technical and design challenges to implement disassembly and reuse of the structural members; and (4) defines future research needs to facilitate the disassembly and reuse of the
structural members.
... In order to achieve these goals, natural resources should be used more efficiently, energy consumption and carbon emission should be reduced, and material waste has to be minimized. Thus, modern steel structures and components should be more energy-efficient and withstand higher extreme natural loads to extend service life [1,2]. This necessity accentuates the importance of the new generation of microalloyed steels with ultra-high strength levels and simple chemical compositions, along with efficient and economical manufacturing processes of these steels, since they make it possible to build cost-efficient and robust steel structures with significant strength-to-weight ratios [3]. ...
... The controversial simultaneous decrease of hardness and toughness in such areas was attributed to the tempered martensite and bainite in these regions. Hardness models proposed by Maynier et al. [1] and Phjonen et al. [2] effectively predicted the locations of the softened spots in the HAZs of UHSS. However, there were slight fluctuations between the actual and predicted values at the regions where peak temperatures were below A3. ...
Ultra-high strength steels (UHSS) have a determining role in construction and industry. Furthermore, welding as the primary joining process for steel has a similar role in promoting its applications. Therefore, welded UHSS have a vital role in related applications. However, due to their complex microstructures, these steels are more prone to harmful effects of welding heat input on the mechanical properties compared to mild steels. Thus, identifying the correlations between the microstructural transformations triggered by the heat input and the mechanical properties can lead to new insights and hindering the drawbacks. This study investigates the microstructures and mechanical properties of S960 (with a severe softening after welding) and S1100 (with a negligible decrease of the mechanical properties after welding) to understand the mechanisms behind the softening of welded UHSS. Microstructural analysis showed the formation of soft phases, e.g., ferrite and granular bainite, as the primary reason for the softening. Furthermore, tempered forms of martensite and bainite resulted in the simultaneous decrease of hardness and notch toughness. Finally, the applicabilities of two experimental approaches to predict hardness from microstructural constituents were evaluated for welded S960 and S1100 and proved to have relatively good reliability to detect their HAZ softened spots.
... Some of the end users do not prefer to buy a constructed house because of this factor. The floor plans and the layout of the constructed house does not meet their need and desire [8,11,12]. The other factor is related to the location of the dwelling unit and the nearby services, such as public facilities, social facilities, and environment and neighbourhood facilities, which also affect the end users decision to buy a constructed houses in areas that did not have the required services [8,10]. ...
... The other factor is related to the location of the dwelling unit and the nearby services, such as public facilities, social facilities, and environment and neighbourhood facilities, which also affect the end users decision to buy a constructed houses in areas that did not have the required services [8,10]. However, when the end users decide to build the house in their own land non-constructed house, they will face other factors that are related to the construction industry [12]. ...
One of the most desirable things for human beings is to own a house. Some governments, such as in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), have a system with different programs for their citizens to own the house. Generally and by applying one of the available programs, there are two ways to own a house in the UAE. The first way is to get a loan and buy a house that is already built ( constructed house ), and the second way is to get a loan and build a house on owned land ( non-constructed house ). The main purpose of this study is to define the citizens’ preferences between these two options, furthermore the issue based on these preferences and compare them with the non-citizens. Also, this study explores their perceptions of number of features that can be applied in their future house. The authors applied a Simi-structured interview targeting the current and potential house owners in Al-Ain city, UAE. The authors found that most of the participants prefer to build their own ( non-constructed house ) instead of buying a ( constructed ) one. Also, the most desirable features that the participants prefer are the ones they can benefit while occupying the house (i.e. flexibility to add or remove spaces, and flexibility to change the house elements).
... The subject of the sustainability of a strengthening technique draws special attention on account of the dwindling natural resources and the fact that the construction industry accounts for being one of the largest consumers of natural resources and having a profound environmental impact [30].The sustainability assessment of construction materials should encompass a wide range of objectives that include resource efficiency (high reusability or recyclability), low energy use resulting to low carbon emissions, minimal human or environmental health risk, support social and general well-being and support for sustainable processes [30].Sustainability is also assessed in terms of energy consumed over the whole life cycle of the product/process that includes extraction and manufacturing phase, in-use phase and end-of-life phase [31]. Less than 1% of FRP composites is recycled [32] as FRP composites cannot be recycled back to its original form but converted to other less-valued forms [33,34]. ...
... Less than 1% of FRP composites is recycled [32] as FRP composites cannot be recycled back to its original form but converted to other less-valued forms [33,34]. Construction steel, on the other hand, has a recycled content value of 10% À 100% depending upon the availability and price of scrap, the specification of steel and the steel production route [31]. The advantage of natural fibres over synthetic fibres is their renewability and bio-degradability requiring a small amount of energy in their production [35]. ...
The present study aims to understand the effect of mortar grade for bonding the masonry units, on the out-of-plane flexural behaviour of low-strength hollow concrete block masonry walls strengthened with welded wire mesh (WWM). Static out-of-plane flexural tests were performed on unstrengthened and WWM-strengthened specimens constructed with three different mortar grades representing strong, medium and weak mortar. It is observed that mortar strength do not have any profound effect on the flexural strength of unstrengthened specimens. The increase in mortar strength increases the flexural strength and ductility of WWM-strengthened specimens. However, there is insignificant difference in ductility between medium and strong mortared WWM-strengthened specimens. The failure of WWM-strengthened specimens is restricted to the masonry walls only suggesting overstrength of WWM. The comparison of experimentally evaluated flexural strength is also compared with existing analytical formulations displaying good agreement between experimental and analytical formulations.
... As stated by [17], the cost of energy consumption and carbon emissions must be calculated for every construction project, similar to material and labor costs. A sustainable design includes compliance with building standards, the production of repetitive elements and mass production that enables reduction in costs [5]. The complexity of commercial buildings and necessity to assess many sustainability categories requires that a robust optimization algorithm should be applied to select the optimum set of sustainable solutions [18]. ...
... The link between sustainable development and construction is clear. The construction industry is Europe's largest industrial employer accounting for about 10% of European GDP and has strong environmental and social impacts [5]. The building or structure designed using environmentally friendly materials is not necessarily sustainable. ...
The implementation of sustainable solutions in the design of buildings is one of the main elements in achieving the transition to sustainability. The variety of structural elements and availability of sustainable materials, and the different preferences of clients, architects, and structural designers make the decision-making process difficult. This research aims to develop a decision model for applying to the early design stage. This work evaluates the sustainability of the load-bearing structures of a commercial building. Three types of load-bearing structures have been selected and compared concerning different physical parameters, cost of construction, cost of materials, technological dimensions (duration expressed in person-hours and machine-hours), and environmental impact. The methodology combines the building information modeling, sustainability criteria, and multi-criteria decision-aiding methods. The presented case study illustrates the proposed approach. The study revealed that multi-criteria decision aiding methods give the possibility to improve the selection process and to assess the sustainability of alternative structural solutions at an early stage of building design. The proposed decision model is versatile and therefore can be applied for different cases.
... While steel can be recycled up to 95% of the time, the amount of energy consumed per ton of steel produced decreases in the subsequent recycling process and reaches a constant value (Brimacombe et al., 2001). Natural resource consumption, transport, energy consumption throughout the life cycle, waste production, and emission production are frequently discussed in the literature as indicators of the sustainability of steel (Burgan and Sansom, 2006;Landolfo et al., 2011;Aksel and Eren, 2014;Rossi, 2014). Another advantage of steel is that it allows flexible design. ...
This study examines the impact of the building structure on the building envelope in line with sustainable design goals. The building envelope plays a critical role in energy efficiency, conservation of natural resources, and reduction of environmental impacts with its design components such as form, facade, roof, and orientation. The study analyzed sustainable building examples accepted in the international literature, and the building structure's design flexibility and performance advantages were evaluated. The findings show that innovative building systems such as steel, wood, and precast concrete provide significant advantages in sustainable design processes. Structural elements that allow for wide openings and are recyclable increase the building envelope's energy efficiency. The results reveal that the building structure is not only structural durability but also a strategic component in achieving sustainability goals. In this context, it is emphasized that structural elements should be planned at the early design stage.
... Since the industrial revolution, global warming has become a serious menace (Arogundade et al., 2023;Usman and Abdullah, 2024). According to Burgan and Sansom (2006), the construction industry is significant to attaining quality of life regarding housing, transportation, utilities and workspace. Construction even though important, directly and indirectly leads to emission of greenhouse gases (Acquaye and Duffy, 2010). ...
Purpose
While operational carbon (OC) emission reduction strategies have received substantial attention in past literature, very few studies have focused on embodied carbon (EC) emission reduction in the construction industry. Therefore, this study aims at undertaking a scientometric review of strategies to mitigate EC emissions in the construction industry.
Design/methodology/approach
Scopus search engine was used to search for articles. VOSViewer software was used for scientometric analysis using science mapping approach. Using a total of 151 documents, keywords, authors, papers and their sources were analysed. Furthermore, scientometric analysis was undertaken comprising co-occurrence of keywords, documents source analysis and author co-citation analysis.
Findings
The significant strategies identified to mitigate EC emissions were: offsite manufacturing/use of prefabricated elements, decarbonisation of energy grid, enhanced policies and regulations by governments, construction sector policies and regulations, guidelines for increased use of low EC materials and reuse and recovery of EC construction materials.
Practical implications
This study identifies practical strategies that contribute to reduction of EC emissions.
Originality/value
This study is significant and contributes to the construction industry’s agenda to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.
... Steel is also often preferred due to its significantly lower cost compared to other alloys [2]. Not only it is cost-effective, but it also supports the sustainable development strategy that is currently being promoted [3]. ...
Steel has been one of the most widely used materials in land and sea construction due to its advantageous properties, especially carbon steel. This study focuses on molecular dynamics simulation to demonstrate carbon steel’s mechanical behavior. A uniaxial tensile test was conducted for body-centered cubic (bcc) structured carbon steel and pure iron to learn the effect of carbon presence. Both simulation cells were simulated under temperature variation to reveal its effects. It was found that carbon steel is stronger than pure iron based on their value on yield and tensile strength, namely up to 2.434 GPa and 1.368 GPa respectively, which are stronger at room temperature. This study also revealed that carbon steel exhibits better elastic properties with a Young’s modulus of 285.749 GPa, compared to that of pure iron 230.117 GPa. Additionally, this molecular dynamic study also identified another phenomenon, such as brittle-to-ductile temperature of carbon steel at 340 K. Structural explanation is provided in the form of bcc structure fraction during the strain progression and under temperature variation. These findings provide a comprehensive molecular perspective to unveil mechanical properties of carbon steel.
... The creation of building materials requires energy, as like the construction phase, and the operation of a completed building literally consumes energy for heating, lighting, power, and ventilation purposes. Aside from energy use, the construction sector is regarded as a major polluter of the environment [7][8][9][10], raw material use is significant, accounting for 3 billion tonnes per year, or 40% of global usage [9,11,12] and generates a huge amount of waste [13,14]. The sustainable building strategy is perceived as a method by which the construction sector can endeavour to achieve sustainable development by considering socioeconomic, environmental, and additional factors. ...
The purpose of this research is to investigate the thermal properties and structural integrity of a fly-ash brick that is layered with varying proportions of rice straw, specifically denoted as SB-1, SB-2, SB-3, SB-4, and SB-5 (representing 0%, 1%, 2%, 3%, and 4% of rice straw content, respectively). New urban areas built with straw bales give comfort at a low cost and reduce pollution generated by straw incineration Egyptians employed adobe blocks [composed of earth material (clay) and biological material (straw)] for architecture in ancient times. The performance of straw-sandwiched clay brick is experimented with in this study by analyzing the chemical properties of straw to be utilized in brick, microstructure analysis, and mechanical and thermal conductivity of straw-sandwiched clay brick. When the mechanical and thermal properties of the specimen were taken into account, 1 percent (SB–2) produced better results in both areas. Because it helps to meet the three-dimensional aspects of sustainable development: environment, economy, and society, the concept of creating Eco-straw bale brick is an environmentally sustainable sound strategy.
... Owing to constraints associated with the concrete curing period, conventional foundations for transmission towers face challenges in promptly meeting elevated bearing capacity and stability requisites. Nevertheless, grillage foundations have gained widespread adoption owing to their attributes of factory prefabrication and abbreviated construction cycles [11][12][13]. In practical engineering applications, grillage foundations supporting transmission towers often experience horizontal loads induced by wind and water flow [14]. ...
In response to the issue of reduced horizontal bearing capacity due to inadequate compaction of backfill soil in traditional grillage foundations, a novel grillage root foundation is proposed in this study. That is, the root is introduced into undisturbed soil at a traditional grillage foundation base plate. To assess the applicability of this innovative foundation under horizontal loading conditions, on-site experimental research was conducted. It was employed to comparatively analyze the load–displacement curves, changes in internal forces of steel components, and the development patterns of soil cracks around the foundation between traditional grillage foundations and various sizes of grillage root foundations subjected to horizontal loading. The results indicate that the horizontal bearing capacity of the grillage root foundation increased by 1.3 times compared to traditional grillage foundations, with economic benefits surpassing those of the traditional counterparts. The determination of the “m” value serves as the proportional coefficient of the horizontal resistance coefficient of the foundation soil, and the synthesis of the reactive force provided by the soil to the roots contribute to enhancements in soil resistance and the horizontal bearing capacity of the foundation. The horizontal load at which cracks appear in the grillage root foundation exceeds that of the traditional metal grillage foundation, with a slower rate of development. Finite element analysis was conducted to optimize the arrangement of roots, maximizing the foundation’s bearing capacity. This research provides certain references in terms of enhancing foundation bearing capacity, reducing ground treatment costs, and promoting sustainable development.
... Most structures use significantly more energy for operations than they do for embodied energy. For instance, the ratio of embodied to operational energy for a 60-year design life of an air-conditioned office building is around 1:10 (Burgan and Sansom, 2006). Reducing fossil fuel usage and boosting the use of renewable energy sources are the fundamental objectives of energy conservation. ...
The construction industry is a key factor for sustainable development. The construction sector accounts for about 40 percent of the global energy use. The building sector which is important to quality of life in terms of housing, workspace, utilities and transport infrastructure is also of high economic significance and has serious environmental and social consequences particular in the environment. This paper develops a framework to implement sustainability principles and strategies to the construction industry from a life-cycle perspective to contribute to sustainable development which includes three dimensions: environment, social and economic. The framework depicts the construction sector's potential for contributing to sustainability development by highlighting the environmental problems and prospects and defining the relationship between construction activities and environmental, social and economic problems.
... The steel girders used in steel-timber composite beams may also contribute to sustainable construction, provided that some improvements and innovations are applied [23]. Advanced processes and product technologies should be used to reduce emissions. ...
Steel–timber composite beams are a relatively new type of composite structure. They have many important advantages, owing to which they may be considered a sustainable solution. Their connectors may be demountable, which makes it possible to separate steel girders from LVL panels at the end of their service life. After disassembly, the structural elements can be recycled. One of their advantages is that they are lighter than steel–concrete composite beams. However, this may result in the poor performance of floors with steel–timber composite elements subjected to dynamic loadings. For this reason, the dynamic characteristics of floors should be investigated to verify the serviceability limit state of human-induced vibrations. In this study, the dynamic response of the three steel–timber composite beams with varying screw spacing was captured and used to validate their numerical models. The frequencies obtained from the numerical analyses correspond to the experimental results. A very high agreement between the vibration mode shapes was obtained because the MAC index values were close to 1. The validated numerical model of a single steel–timber beam may be used in future studies to create a complex numerical model of a steel–timber composite floor.
... Minimizing steel usage at the source is the most impactful approach to reducing material resource use and carbon emissions within the industry, and is itself a central tenet of sustainable construction practices [22][23][24][25]. Building structures consist of diverse elements, such as foundations, columns, beams, floors, walls, and stairs. ...
The production of steel rebar is an energy-intensive process that generates CO2 emissions. In construction, waste is generated by cutting stock-length rebar to the required lengths. The reduction rate achieved in most previous studies was limited due to adherence to lap splice positions mandated by building codes and the use of stock-length rebar. A previous study demonstrated a significant reduction in rebar usage and cutting waste, approaching zero, upon optimizing the lap splice position, reducing the number of splices, and utilizing special-length rebar. However, the reference length used to determine the special-length rebar was not clearly optimized. This study proposes a special length priority optimization model to minimize wall rebar usage and waste by reducing the number of splices while simultaneously ensuring an optimal reference length. The proposed model was validated using a case study wall with a standard hook anchorage at the top of the wall reinforcement. The optimization model reduced rebar cutting waste to 0.18% and decreased rebar usage from the original design by 16.16%.
... However, in traditional building design practice, architects and civil engineers rarely consider the environmental dimension, which today is recognised as one of the most important factors (Hou, Li, & Rezgui, 2015). A sustainable design includes not only compliance with building standards but also foresees the production of repetitive elements and mass production, which allows to reduce costs (Burgan & Sansom, 2006). To ensure the sustainability 42 of the structural design, researchers also evaluate CO2 emissions and lifetime (Yepes, García-Segura, & Moreno-Jiménez, 2015). ...
Implementing sustainable solutions in building design is one of the significant elements in achieving the transition to sustainability. The diversity of structural elements, construction materials, and the various preferences of interested parties complicate the decision-making process. Building Information Modeling (BIM) provides a wide range of available technological solutions and methods for automated decision support and can make decision-making more efficient. This study presents the conceptual model for BIM4NZEB-DS system for the automated selection of rational variants of passive energy efficiency measures. The algorithm of this system will integrate the solutions for data transfer from the BIM model and multi-criteria methods for the analysis of variants. The assessment of variants is based on economic and environmental criteria. The purpose of the system is to increase the reliability of the assessment, optimise the technological and human resources required, and minimise the time of decision-making. The developed system will be validated using the BIM model of real-case building
... Comparing with a traditional construction structure, the application of high-strength steel can significantly increase strength and decrease weight, reduce construction difficulty and improve the material recycling rate; therefore, steel structure construction is developing quite rapidly all over the world [1][2][3]. The welding of constructional steel is one of the main connection methods for steel structure construction, considering the microstructural transformation in the weld joint (WJ): especially in the heat-affected zone (HAZ), a brittle or soft zone usually occurs. ...
Low-cycle fatigue testing was carried out for the welded joints of constructional steels containing 0% V + 0.0021% N and 0.10% V + 0.0078% N, and the effects of V-N microalloying on the low-cycle fatigue property of the welded joints were investigated. The results showed that when the total strain amplitudes were 1.2%, 1.4% and 1.6%, the mean low-cycle fatigue lives of the welded joints of steel containing 0.10% V + 0.0078% N were 5050, 2372 and 1535 cycles, respectively, which were significantly higher than those of the welded joints of steel containing 0% V + 0.0021% N; however, when the total strain amplitudes increased to 1.8% and 2.0%, the mean low-cycle fatigue lives of the welded joints of steel containing 0.10% V + 0.0078% N were 575 and 367 cycles, respectively, which were gradually lower than those of the welded joints of steel containing 0% V + 0.0021% N. The reasons causing the difference of low-cycle fatigue life were explained by the dislocation structure and precipitates in the welding heat-affected zone, plastic strain energy density of the welded joints, and fatigue fracture morphology. When the low-cycle fatigue life is between 100 and 200 cycles, the cyclic toughness of the welded joint of steel containing 0.10% V + 0.0078% N is between 57.48 and 78.22 J/cm3, which is higher than that of the welded joint of steel containing 0% V + 0.0021% N, indicating that the welded joint of steel containing 0.10% V + 0.0078% N is able to absorb more energy in a seismic condition, therefore possessing better seismic resistance.
... It is a well-established fact that the targets of sustainable development cannot be achieved without considering all three components viz. environmental, social and economic factors in an integrated manner (Burgan and Sansom, 2006;George, 2007). Glavič (2020) suggested that the content of education for sustainable development should be holistic, focusing on all aspects of human experience, including social, emotional, physical as well as intellectual and should emphasize on a balanced relationship between man and the environment. ...
The present study intended to examine the impact of an activity-based intervention on the attitude and awareness of adolescents towards sustainability and its dimensions using a quasi-experimental research design. A cluster sample of 99 participants, experimental and control groups comprising of 50 and 49 school students, was selected for the present study. The investigators constructed and standardized an activity-based module for conducting the intervention, awareness test and attitude scale for sustainability. The module was used to teach the treatment group regarding concepts related to sustainability. However, the lecture method was used to teach the control group. Both groups were taught for a duration of four weeks. The results of the analysis of covariance revealed a positive and significant impact of the activity-based module for sustainable development on the awareness and attitude of school students towards sustainability and its dimensions. Implications of these results are discussed with regard to curricular and pedagogical concerns at the school level in India.
... The construction industry plays an important role in improving quality of life by providing housing, utilities, workspaces, and transport infrastructure. Thus, it makes a significant contribution to the economy, despite its consequences for the environment [26]. Both the processes of building new facilities and renovating existing assets in the built environment have various environmental impacts. ...
The construction industry plays a vital role in meeting the needs of society and enhancing the quality of life. It contributes to a better standard of living for people and increases the economic output of countries all over the world. However, its activities are considered as making a major contribution to environmental problems. From emitting greenhouse gas to contributing waste, construction is not necessarily an environmentally friendly activity. These conflicting issues have pressured the industry to intensify its effort and move towards sustainable construction. As the government in the United Kingdom has set targets towards achieving sustainability by 2050, it is necessary for the construction industry to play its role to protect the environment by engaging in environmental-related practices. The aim of this study, therefore, is to examine how far the pressure from regulators could influence Scottish construction firms to adopt green innovation. Based on the qualitative findings, it shows that current pressure from regulators has not encouraged many building firms to adopt green practices. In fact, the low levels of adoption represent the number one concern within the industry. The findings of this study also have implications, particularly for policy makers, to explore strategies and more stringent regulations that could encourage more firms in the construction sector, to seek to reduce their impact on the natural environment. As the government takes a leadership role in this regard, participation from other stakeholders within the industry is importance to bring about wider adoption of green practices.
... The construction industry, which is one of the most important sectors in terms of contribution to GDP and employment creation, and provision of housing, workplace and infrastructure (Burgan and Sansom 2006, Oesterreich and Teuteberg 2016, Durdyev et al. 2018, is known for its complexity and frequent underperformance (Le et al. 2021). This segment is characterised by high fragmentation, conflicting interests, low productivity, heavy cost and time consumption. ...
The last decades have seen a growing interest in construction management amongst scholars, particularly, in how to apply supply chain management (SCM) strategies to improve logistics efficiency and project performance. Nevertheless, there is a lack of systematic literature reviews (SLRs) which integrate multiple quantitative methods to synthesise the literature on construction logistics and supply chain management (CLSCM) and analyse their trends during the last two decades. In this work, we concurrently deploy the rigorous six-step SLR protocol together with co-citation analysis, factor analysis, multidimensional scaling-based fuzzy k-means clustering, and keyword extraction and co-occurrence analysis to ascertain and examine clusters of CLSCM application. The results show that there are six established research clusters in CLSCM, namely, logistics and SCM for prefabricated construction, construction procurement, construction supply chain integration, green construction SCM, reverse logistics in construction and onsite construction logistics. Amongst these clusters, construction supply chain integration plays the most integral role. Informed by this ascertained knowledge structure, we explore the research trends during the period reviewed, propose a conceptual framework for CLSCM and suggest research avenues.
... Steel structure construction possesses advantages such as light weight, high strength, convenient installation, short construction period, excellent earthquake resistance, and high recycling rate [1][2][3]. In light of microstructural transformation in the weld joint, especially the heat affected zone, brittle or a soft zone usually occurs. ...
Shielded metal arc welding and welding thermal simulation experiment were carried out for constructional steel containing 0% V and 0.10% V, and the microstructure, precipitation feature, microhardness HV0.2, and −20 °C impact value in the welding heat affected zone (HAZ) were investigated. The results showed that in the coarse-grained heat affected zone (CGHAZ), V and N were completely dissolved in the matrix of steel containing 0.10% V to promote the growth of prior austenite grains, meanwhile the fraction of high angle grain boundaries (HAGBs) decreased, thereby leading to the mean −20 °C impact value decreases from 87 J to 18 J. In the grain refined heat affected zone (GRHAZ), V(C, N) precipitates experience re-dissolution and re-precipitation at grain boundaries, V–N microalloying changes the microstructure from lath bainite + granular bainite + small amount of polygonal ferrite to polygonal ferrite + pearlite + martensite, thereby leading to the mean microhardness decreases from 335 HV0.2 to 207 HV0.2, and the mean −20 °C impact value decreased from 117 J to 103 J. In the intercritical heat affected zone (ICHAZ), V(C, N) precipitates experience re-dissolution, re-precipitation, and growth, causing the formation of micro-sized V(C, N) precipitates, thereby leading to the mean −20 °C impact value decreases from 93 J to 62 J.
... Though Burgan and Sansom (2006) presented several design considerations for reducing the cost and difficulty of steel reuse, reuse of waste is still relatively complex due to the lack of general participation. The initial economic feasibility of reusing waste in designing small-scale structures may not match the use of virgin or recycled material, as there is significantly more labour involved. ...
Can waste that possesses convenient structural properties be repurposed into modular structural assemblies and thus contribute to a circular economy in the built environment? This is a largely novel idea that is under-explored. A structured and generalized framework is presented to address and evaluate this idea. Validation of the efficacy of the framework is based on functional demonstration for a particularly compelling waste stream opportunity presented by the large number of discarded bicycle frames in many world economies. Key impediments include but are not limited to, efficient solutions to materials disassembly, sorting, structural properties assessment, markets, and re-assembly designs. Detailed analysis of modular structural truss assemblies from bicycle frames helps to demonstrate the solution steps included in the framework. In particular, the functional demonstration of the research concepts validates the feasibility of adaptively reusing bicycle frames into a modular assembly with a maximum load capacity of 3.6 kPa. The methodology presented can be used to add value to specific waste streams, contribute to reducing environmental impacts, and serve as a model for other adaptive reuse applications beyond the structural design context. The findings point to implications for product stewardship, as well as design for disassembly, and support future project development plans for policymakers. Barriers addressed by this research include those related to structural competency, lifecycle optimization, and economic feasibility. This research inspires new ideas to employ waste material for structural designs and encourage circular economy practices.
... Steel products are essential for our daily lives because they are used for various purposes, ranging from industrial products such as screws and cans with sizes of several tens of centimeters to buildings and bridges with sizes of several tens of meters. 1) Square billets, the primary form of steel to be used in manufacturing, are made by continuous casting. 2,3) In the casting process, gases such as carbon dioxide and nonmetallic inclusions remain inside the billets as defects. ...
We used ultrasonic shear waves for nondestructive defect detection in a billet using transmitted waves. We utilized the deviation the time-of-flight (TOF) obtained by cross-correlation of transmitted waves of a defect-free reference plane and that of a measurement plane containing a defect. We compared the performance of longitudinal waves and shear waves at different wavelengths in detecting the diameter of a circular defect in two-dimensional (2D) simulation and the TOF for a cylindrical defect while changing the vibration direction of shear waves in three-dimensional (3D) simulation. Shear waves detected defects better than longitudinal waves in the 2D simulation, especially at wavelengths of 1.4 to 2.4 mm. In the 3D simulation, the maximum TOF was larger when the vibration direction was perpendicular to the defect’s major axis than when it was parallel in the measurement using shear waves. This suggests a defect’s shape can be estimated by measurement using shear waves.
... Although very technological challenges are solved by human action using fossil fuels and processed resources, they are also regarded as a potential challenge to sustainability (Redclift, 2005). The construction industry is vital to people life's qualitative because it can facilitate their life economically and socially significant (Burgan & Sansom, 2006). Now, the environment has a lot of challenges consisting of social, and economic challenges. ...
In this paper, a system dynamic model (SDM) has been created to predict the construction status in Iran using sustainable development indicators (SDI). The aim is to create a model based on system dynamics that would understand the complexities of the sustainable development system, as well as predict the values of variables and indicators used in the model for years to come. Since sustainable development involves various economic, social, and environmental aspects, the model has been formulated Using ten-year available data in these areas. After that, the output results of the model have been validated with reference patterns, and then, various scenarios have been created for sensitivity analysis. Finally, based on this model, the construction status in the Next years has become predictable. According to the results of this study, there is a direct and significant relationship between the amount of construction and other indicators of sustainable development, such as the share of women working in the non-agricultural sector and the literacy rate of men aged 15-24.
... The construction sector in the EU is the highest producer of waste compared with other economic sectors [6], producing globally 30% of solid waste, use 40% of raw materials, accounting for 40% of energy use, and is 16% of total water withdrawals [7][8][9]. Buildings are dynamic systems, being relevant to consider not only the proper activity in the use of a building (with the typical inputs and outputs), but also the activities in the stages of edifice construction, demolition, and others such as re-construction. To perform a complete analysis of the energy efficiency, the good management of its wastes on these stages must be also included. ...
Building reconstruction projects are mainly motivated by social factors, without a deep evaluation of the Best Available Techniques. The main aim of this work is to analyze the advantages of defining sustainable retrofitted buildings, previously building the edifice, by using methodologies towards sustainable systems. A real re-constructed building is considered as a case study. Three scenarios are investigated to analyze its sustainability, including the waste ruins of the old building (Scenario 1), the current re-constructed building (Scenario 2), and a hypothetical sustainable retrofitted building (Scenario 3). Firstly, the current energy consumption is studied including heating flow through walls (thermal bridges and condensation risk) as well as operational costs. Secondly, a new scenario is proposed adding passive solutions to this existing building, to improve its energy efficiency; also, energy consumption and costs of the refurbishment are analyzed. Results show that Scenario 1 leads to a bad image of a city involving the environment and social fields. Scenario 2 entails expensive operational costs. On the other hand, Scenario 3 results in approximately 90% of cost savings in heating energy demand, which would be traduced on high economic savings. Taken into account not only economic factors but environmental and social ones, it can be concluded that it is more sustainable and profitable constructing an efficient building from the beginning by using waste ruins and simulation software despite refurbishing a re-built edifice.
... A major contributor to this environmental degradation is the energy consumption in the building sector (Kukadia et al 2004;Pitt et al, 2009), also a major consumption of raw material with 3 billion tons consumed annually and 40% globally (Yahya and Boussabaine, 2010). And also generates a huge amount of waste (Osmani, 2008;Burgan, 2006). The following points that would be discussed would address the key principles, strategies and technologies that are associated with green architecture ...
ABSTRACT:
A massive growth in the field of green architecture has been recorded over the past few years. The use of adaptive façade design has grown to be a tool used to solve building environmental lapses, thereby improving the energy efficiency, indoor air quality which entail lighting and ventilation management and the material selection also been a key aspect. Despite green building and its technological aspect rapid growth, and a large number of adaptive façade designs no statistical data has identified and justified the ability of green architectural principles in solving environmental degradation.
In this research, the relationship between green architecture and technology has been evaluated and discussed. The research takes into consideration a holistic approach towards understanding green architecture by making use of principles surrounding green architecture which influences technological aspects of buildings. To complete this thesis, the kinetic structure has been analyzed where adaptive façade design technology was critical. The aims of this thesis are exploring green architecture principles and adaptive façade design technology through case study analysis. An analytical study on each case study has been conducted, highlighting their green architecture principles and the clear-cut approach to aid sustainable development. The study focuses mainly on green architecture and adaptive façade design technology with the aim to validate their connectivity and
enlighten their approaches. This research will help architects to understand the built environment in relation to the adaptive faced design technology and the green architectural principles.
Keywords: Adaptive façade; green architecture; green architecture principles; kinetic structure; technology.
... Hamid, Ghani, Egbu, & Arif, 2011;Linner & Bock, 2012). It also found as a solution to on-site construction waste problem (Jaillon & Poon, 2009;Kamar et al., 2011; and environmental pollution (Dong & Ng, 2015) by transferring on-site activities to controlled-environment of manufacturing processes (Burgan & Sansom, 2006;Crowther, 2005;Tam, Tam, Zeng, & Ng, 2007). Along with that, the ideal selection of construction material should prioritize the kind of materials produced from recycling sources that could then be recycled, followed by natural materials that could be recycled, and so on (Dasgupta & Tam, 2005). ...
United Nations' leaders pledged to protect the planet through sustainable utilization of natural resources and work on climate change issues. Apart from that, the concern is about the ecological responsibility of the construction industry towards promoting sustainable development. This underlies the need to explore how and what are the environmental consequences of a construction project, particularly on infrastructure development. Being the largest contributor to the energy and waste generation, there is a growing realization of the irreversible impact of non-replaceable natural resources, which could lead to complete depletion. This paper describes specific ecological concern such as resources utilization and energy consumption throughout the lifecycle of an infrastructure project. Feasible mechanisms and practices that could improve the environmental performance also presented to promote sustainability in infrastructure project development in every project phase. The literature study shows that kind of approaches carries with them various limitations depending on the type of infrastructure. The innovation of new materials, designs, construction methods or techniques for infrastructure in optimizing resource consumption, environmental impact, and waste production need to be developed and assessed over their life cycle. In turn, this will promote a robustly built environment as a result of more sustainable infrastructure, better conservation, and efficient space utilization.
... Steel structure is widely used in civil and industrial buildings due to its advantages of light weight, low cost and fast construction speed [1][2][3]. The ice and snow conditions in winter have a great impact on the steel roof, which could lead to the damage and collapse accidents of the steel roof [4][5][6]. ...
... One of the pillar industries with considerable effect on sustainable advancement and the aforementioned challenges is the construction industry producing up to 25% solid waste each year and a significant share of global economy [3,4]. For example, Europe's building sector contributing to~10% of European Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and has significant environmental and social repercussions [5]. Additionally, annually, the construction industry is burdened with exorbitant maintenance and repair expenses for deteriorated and faulty structures, as well as the expenditure of reconstructing them once they collapse due to an earthquake [6]. ...
Every year, structural flaws or breakdowns cause thousands of people to be harmed and cost billions of dollars owing to the limitations of design methods and materials to withstand extreme earthquakes. Since earthquakes have a significant effect on sustainability factors, there is a contradiction between these constraints and the growing need for more sustainable structures. There has been a significant attempt to circumvent these constraints by developing various techniques and materials. One of these viable possibilities is the application of smart structures and materials such as shape memory and piezoelectric materials. Many scholars have examined the use of these materials and their structural characteristics up to this point, but the relationship between sustainability considerations and the deployment of smart materials has received little attention. Therefore, through a review of previous experimental, numerical, and conceptual studies, this paper attempts to draw a more significant relationship between smart materials and structural sustainability. First, the significant impact of seismic events on structural sustainability and its major aspects are described. It is then followed by an overview of the fundamentals of smart material’s behaviour and properties. Finally, after a comprehensive review of the most recent applications of smart materials in structures, the influence of their deployment on sustainability issues is discussed. The findings of this study are intended to assist researchers in properly addressing sustainability considerations in any research and implementation of smart materials by establishing a more explicit relationship between these two concepts.
... The construction industry, which is one of the most important sectors in terms of contribution to GDP and employment creation, and provision of housing, workplace and infrastructure (Burgan and Sansom 2006, Oesterreich and Teuteberg 2016, Durdyev et al. 2018, is known for its complexity and frequent underperformance (Le et al. 2021). This segment is characterised by high fragmentation, conflicting interests, low productivity, heavy cost and time consumption. ...
Despite the long-recognised importance of data-driven operations and supply chain management (OSCM) scholarship and practice, and the impressive development of big data analytics (BDA), research finds that firms struggle with BDA adoption, which suggests the existence of gaps in the literature. Therefore, we conduct this systematic literature review of journal articles on data-driven OSCM from 2000 to early 2020 to ascertain established research clusters and literature lacunae. Using co-citation analysis software and double-checking the results with factor analysis and multidimensional-scaling-based k-means clustering, we find six clusters of studies on data-driven OSCM, whose primary topics are identified by keyword co-occurrence analysis. Five of these clusters relate directly to manufacturing, which, in line with the existing literature, indicates the crucial role of production in OSCM. We highlight the evolution of these research clusters and propose how the literature on data-driven OSCM can support BDA in OSCM. We synthesise what has been studied in the literature as points of reference for practitioners and researchers and identify what necessitates further exploration. In addition to the insights contributed to the literature, our study is amongst the first efforts to deploy multiple clustering techniques to undertake a rigorous data-driven systematic literature review (SLR) of data-driven OSCM.
... Ao longo das últimas décadas, o setor industrial não cessou a busca por alternativas para diminuir os custos, garantir viabilidade econômica e ganhar competitividade no mercado. Questões envolvendo a redução do consumo de matéria prima e os impactos ambientais estão sempre em pauta, fomentando a necessidade de inovações constantes no setor (Burgan, 2006;Miśkiewicz, 2020;Quader et. al., 2015). ...
... Concrete, stone, steel, wood, or ceramics are the main materials used in building construction [1][2][3][4][5]. Structures made of reinforced concrete are especially popular in the XXI century. ...
The paper presents studies performed on polymer-cementitious composite made of epoxy resin coating modified with aggregate and cementitious substrate. Epoxy resin is a perfect material that can be used to protect cementitious materials. According to its manufacturer, it can be mixed with fine aggregate. Coarse aggregate made of building demolition wastes is mostly utilized in concrete mixtures or road structures. Fine aggregate is not widely used. Therefore, the novelty of this research was the utilization of recycled fine aggregate (RFA) in epoxy resin coatings. Natural fine aggregate (NFA) was also used as an extender in the coating. The natural aggregate in the coating was partially replaced with recycled aggregate in amounts of 0, 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100% of its weight. Sixteen specimens of polymer-cementitious composites were prepared for the flexural tensile strength test, and thirty-two specimens for the compressive strength test. The macroscale tests were performed after 35 days of curing (28 days – cementitious substrate, and 7 days – epoxy resin). The results show that the epoxy resin coating does not affect the flexural tensile and compressive strength of the analyzed composites. Moreover, the type of aggregate used in the coating does not have a significant impact on the measured properties of polymer-cementitious composites. Economic analysis was performed in order to estimate the cost of the natural and RFAs used in epoxy resin coatings. The calculations show that a higher amount of RFA should be used to increase savings.
... According to Dowling in 2010, thirteen percent of structural steel sections were being reused in comparison with eighty six percent being recycled [5]. However, the low percent of the reuse can be augmented through the standardization of steel sections, connections and design for deconstruction protocols [6]. For future, structural designers should focus on finding flexible models to let changes in the use of the building or reuse its components. ...
The aim of this research is to investigate the sustainability of design for deconstruction on saving: natural raw materials, embodied energy and carbon emission of steel buildings. A methodology is devised to account for designed for upcoming reclaim at the early planning phase. The procedure is relied on PAS2050 method. A steel structure building of two bays of size (6m x 8m) and of 4m height is devoted as a case study to assess the methodology. In this case study, three different floor systems are suggested: composite steel deck, hollow core precast concrete planks, and demountable precast composite floor system. The reduced quantity of embodied carbon energy is estimated through considering the steel building. The calculation of embodied carbon of the three models is relied on records of the Inventory of Carbon and Energy (ICE). The results show that CO2 emissions from the building can be dropped around 50%, when design for deconstruction strategy is considered. Design standards and codes lack a little procedure to follow. Therefore, this study also outlines some helpful specifications, guidelines, and detailing of design for deconstruction of steel buildings.
... Research on design for deconstruction has developed strategies for both deconstructing structures from the design process, and evaluating tools for ease of disassembly [24,25]. Research related to design for reuse (DfR) has investigated the environmental effects and design strategies of new structures using reusable materials [26,27]. Nevertheless, materials are rarely reused in the AEC sector, and there is a lack of information on reusable materials and their properties. ...
The architecture, engineering, and construction sector requires carbon-intensive materials, such as steel, in the construction process and generates a large amount of waste in the life cycle. This causes global warming and waste problems. The demand for the reuse of construction materials is increasing, although it is not the convention, to reduce the environmental impact. Although the sustainable effect of the reuse of materials has been proven in several studies, materials are not always reused in practice, owing to the lack of an information system for reusable materials and the economic uncertainty. In this study, we propose a framework for designing structures using reusable steel beams. The design framework consists of a material bank and a design support tool. The material bank provides information on reusable materials based on the building information modeling. The design support tool generates efficient material procurement plans and provides information about the environmental and economic impact of the project. In a case study used to verify the framework, CO2 emissions were reduced by up to 77% through material reuse, which was consistent with the results of previous studies. However, owing to the cost of processing reusable materials, the overall cost was found to increase by up to about 40%. Therefore, an economic analysis over the entire life cycle when using reusable materials needs to be done.
... Given that both construction methods, being discussed in this study, are in the category of steel structures, their social impacts can be similar in many cases, in particular, when their advantages compared to concrete structures are taken into account [16,17,65]. Nevertheless, the ease of prefabrication and offsite activities provides HCFS with some advantages with regard to social impacts. ...
Hybrid cold-formed steel (HCFS) structures are new structural systems in the light steel construction industry offering new possibilities, in particular with regard to the applications in mid-rise construction. The structural performance, sustainability as well as the economic and social costs of these structures are of great importance for decision-makers when it comes to deciding on employing these systems and comparing them with their conventional counterparts. In this study, the HCFS systems are evaluated with respect to sustainability, structural performance, economic cost, and social impacts. The results then are compared with those of Ordinary Moment Resisting Frames (OMRF), as the most popular conventional HRS framed system. The methodology consists of both qualitative and quantitative analyses that include the overview of the positive and negative points of each construction method in the form of a comparative study. The results of the structural analysis of the two construction systems show that the hybrid system exhibits better structural performance with regard to the storey shear and drift. It is also shown that in terms of most environmental performance indicators, HCFS framed structures can lead to less environmental impact than OMRF systems. Moreover, the economic assessment demonstrates that HCFS framed structures can save up to the 23% in framing costs, compared to OMRF systems, primarily owing to the fact that lightweight flooring system can be easily incorporated to the design of HCFS structure. Their great potential for prefabrication, on the other hand, makes HCFS a better option with respect to many social compact indicators such as noise, air, vibration and dust pollution and traffic.
... Construction industry makes a significant contribution to any nation's economy with the industry encompassing a range of businesses including constructors, clients, material producers, professional services and construction enterprises, amongst others . The construction industry, which is essential to the quality of life in terms of housing, workspace, utilities, and transport infrastructure, is of high economic significance and simultaneously has serious environmental and social consequences (Burgan and Sansom, 2006). Thus, through its processes from the design stage to occupying and demolishing stage, its impact on the environment and society is significant (Fewings, 2009;Murray and Dainty, 2009). ...
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has been identified as an effective tool to introduce sustainable practices within the construction industry. Acknowledging the positive contribution of philanthropic and business environment (BE) related CSR practices, yet there is ample opportunity for the industry to utilize the concept of CSR in their business processes (BP) related activities. The decision on using such practices may be taken by a consultant, contractor or the client organization, although the significance of 'decision support' may vary accordingly. The contractor organization may have to follow some practices recommended by the client or the consultant organization with a slight leave for becoming flexible in changing to green practices if not specified by either party. The consultant has the freedom to specify any green practices for the designs under their purview subjected to financial constraints of the client. Although this may be the case, if the client organization is reluctant to contribute to the initial investment, due to any reason, financial or other, there would be a barrier created for the positive contribution. The client organizations might focus on other practices such as philanthropic and BE related CSR for the obligatory requirements either to be in line with norms or laws. This qualitative research study was focused on identifying the barriers of a client organization to adopt BP related CSR with 8 in-depth interviews to gather primary data and two focus groups to validate the data. The results found could be presented as constraints to implementing business process related green practices from client's perspective could be categorized under four main categories: cost, time, resource: material and human resource, management: communication, collaboration, and values of the client organization.
... The study includes the design of beam to column connection in which beam section and column section are of fixed dimension. The design procedure includes all parameters which are necessary for selecting a suitable section for the connection which provides maximum safety and also helps to decide the most economical and sustainable type of section for connection [2]. Following specification for comparisons is as follows: ...
There are different components of steel structure like column, beam, etc., to connect them connections are required.To resist the moment, the moment resistance connection is needed. The main focus of this study is to investigate thedesign of split beam and clip angle connection, which one seems to be more effective according to their cost. Thisstudy presents a design methodology that can be applied to connect beam to secondary beam and column to beam.From this we can select the suitable section, which provides more moment resisting capacity, safety and mosteconomical connection with sustainability.
... Continuously load bearing modules are typically made of concrete or timber. Whereas, steel modules, though can also be made continuously load bearing via the use of braced stud wall framing systems, are much more versatile and can accommodate different geometric forms including hybrid configurations (steel-concrete, steel-timber, etc.) [3,4,36,[52][53][54]. Hence, steel module variants are more desirable and can easily accommodate a cradle-to-cradle life cycle for material use to achieve highly-sustainable low-embodied-energy/-carbon buildings [55,56]. A cradle-to-cradle approach considers a material through the stages of its extraction, refinement and processing to component manufacture, construction and operational use till recycle and/or reuse, where reuse is made possible by considering designs for deconstruction/disassembly [33,57]. ...
Modular buildings are built using factory manufactured building units or modules that are transported and assembled on-site. Among the many different types of building units used, volumetric modules have the greatest potential to achieve complete building systems, where on-site work can be reduced to having only foundation, module assembly and the finishing of module-to-module interfaces. However, despite many reported benefits, the use of volumetric modules have some technical, logistical and regulatory issues that constrain its widespread application. The aims of this paper is to articulate two key technical issues that have been widely reported, namely, the lack of efficient structural systems for lateral load transfer and the lack of high-performance inter-module connectivity. Accordingly, a general overview regarding these two issues is presented that covers the behaviour of diaphragms in multi-story modular buildings and the essential characteristics required for inter-module connections. It is expected that inter-module connectivity should meet structural needs along with satisfying manufacturing and construction requirements. Brief descriptions of existing inter-module connecting systems that are available in both literature and the public domain including a critical review of those connections against the identified performance requirements are also presented. The outcomes of this paper are expected to assist in the future development and application of fully-modular superstructure construction systems for multi-story modular buildings.
... The construction industry plays a substantial role in increasing the quality of life by providing housing, utilities, workspaces and transport infrastructure. It also makes significant contribution to the economy, despite its serious consequences on the environment (Burgan & Sansom, 2006). Both the processes of building new facilities and renovating existing built environment have various environmental impacts. ...
Enhancing the service excellence performance in higher education institution by technology innovation.
Global greenhouse gas emissions reached 49.4 billion tons of CO2 equivalent, with approximately 17.5% of total energy-related emissions attributed to building operations. A pivotal strategy to curbing carbon emissions involves the development of sustainable buildings through the reduction of energy use intensity. This research draws upon insights derived from the smart city study conducted by Johnson Controls, which underscores the limited compliance of Indian buildings—merely 4%—with “green” prerequisites. The main aim of this study are to integrate Building Information Modeling (BIM) with energy analysis, which is performed by Autodesk Green Building Studio and green building rating system by evaluating the criteria of proposed model. To achieve this aim, the responses from consultants and architects were analyzed using SPSS software, which demonstrate the high importance of criteria that are easily constructible and affordable. The survey analysis shows that there are a total of 16 GRIHA criteria, 21 IGBC criteria, and 14 LEED criteria. The energy use intensity is 1318.6 MJ/m2/year in the Base Model and 1187.2 MJ/m2/year in the Proposed Model. Overall, compared to the Base Model for the same floor area, the Proposed Model exhibits greater energy efficiency, resulting in lower energy consumption and lower energy expenses.
تناول البحث تحديات تطبيق التصميم والبناء المستدام في المباني الحديثة في الكويت وقياس الحاجة إلى تنفيذ أنظمة العمارة المستدامة في الكويت، بالإضافة إلى معرفة الأداء الحكومي والمجتمعي والمؤسسي تجاه هذا التطبيق وتكمن أهمية البحث في رفع الوعي لدى الجهات المعنية بمشاريع البناء حول أهمية تطبيق التصميم المستدام في مشاريع البناء في دولة الكويت وعرض الصعوبات التي تعيق تطبيق التصميم والبناء المستدام والحلول العملية للتغلب عليها، وقد تم اتباع المنهج الوصفي التحليلي في الدراسة ببيانات كمية ونوعية، كما تم استخدام الاستبانة كأداة للحصول على الاستجابات، وأسفرت الدراسة عن نقص الوعي والمعرفة بفوائد تطبيق الاستدامة في البناء والتصميم بنسبة متوسطة 48% ، وأن غياب القوانين التي تلزم وتنظم البناء المستدام كان من اهم العوائق التي واجهت تطبيق الاستدامة في البناء بأهمية نسبية 96.4% فضلا عن عدم الرغبة في تغيير الطرق التقليدية في البناء بأهمية نسبية 95.6% وغياب الحوافز لتطبيق الاستدامة بأهمية نسبية 92.6% وغياب الدعم المؤسسي للتطبيق بأهمية نسبية 89.4%، بالإضافة الى ضعف المعرفة بطرق دمج الاستدامة بالتصميم والبناء وتكلفتها على المشروع وأساليب الصيانة اللاحقة بأهمية نسبية 86.4%، وشملت التوصيات ضرورة نشر الوعي المجتمعي بفوائد تطبيق طرق الاستدامة في التصميم والبناء ودمجها في التدريب والتعليم وتقديم الدعم الحكومي والمؤسسي للتشجيع على دمج الاستدامة في التصميم والبناء وتقديم حوافز للمشاريع التي تطبق قواعد الاستدامة وإلزام المؤسسات بتقييم الأثر البيئي للمشروعات وتطوير التشريعات الخاصة بالبيئة وتطوير نظام لتصنيف الاستدامة مناسب للكويت وانشاء قاعدة بيانات جغرافية للمشروعات المستدامة وانشاء دليل تفصيلي بطرق تطبيق الاستدامة في مراحل المشروع واعتماد منهجيات تشاركية لدمج وتبادل الخبرات في مجال الاستدامة وإلزام المباني الجديدة بتركيب أنظمة طاقة شمسية لتغطية ما لا يقل عن 30% من احتياجاتها.
Ghana's construction industry accounts for roughly one-third of the total gross capital formation in the economy. Governments play important roles in the construction industry as clients, regulators, and owners (major stakeholders). Regardless of this, the industry does not have a thriving environment to enable its smooth operations. The activities of polities take a deep toll on the industry and impede its progress. This Study aims at exploring two key political activities that affect construction project management. Corruption from government officials and the politics of project abandonment was discussed. This study surveyed 57 professionals in the industry to collect their views on the research questions and how they affect the industry. The results collected indicated that corruption and the politics of project abandonment affect the industry as discussed in the literature. This study also suggested some ways to curb the issue of political influence in project management. The right ministerial appointment is one of the ways to solve the issue, constitutional development plan is also another way to solve issue.
The main purpose of this paper presentation is to develop design aids for Fe 550 grade of steel from sp 16 handbook. The design aids prepared will be in the form of tables which will benefit in the calculations of various components of concrete structures. To prepare design aids for FE550, you would need to focus on creating resources that cover various aspects related to structural design, specifically for materials like Fe550. Design aids typically include information on material strength, stressstrain relationships, flexural members, compression members, shear and torsion, development length, anchorage, deflection calculation, and general tables, explanations of the basis of preparation, and worked examples illustrating the use of the design aids.
Purpose
Modular construction is an innovative method that enhances the performance of building construction projects. However, the performance of steel modular construction has not been systematically understood, and the existing measurement methods exhibit limitations in effectively addressing the features of steel modular building construction. Therefore, this study aims to develop a new performance measurement framework for systematically examining the performance of steel modular construction in building projects.
Design/methodology/approach
This study was conducted through a mixed-method research design that combines a comprehensive review of the state-of-the-art practices of construction performance measurement and a case study with a 17-story steel modular apartment building project in Hong Kong. The case project was measured with data collected from the project teams and other reliable channels, and the measurement practices and findings were referenced to establish a systematic performance measurement framework for steel modular construction.
Findings
Considering steel modular construction as a complex socio-technical system, a systematic performance measurement framework was developed, which considers the features of steel modular construction, focuses on the construction stage, incorporates the views of various stakeholders, integrates generic and specific key performance indicators and provides a benchmarking process. Multifaceted benefits of adopting steel modular construction were demonstrated with case study, including improved economic efficiency (e.g. nearly 10% cost savings), improved environmental friendliness (e.g. approximately 90% waste reduction) and enhanced social welfare (e.g. over 60% delivery trips reduction).
Originality/value
This paper extends the existing performance measurement methods with a new framework proposed and offers experience for future steel modular construction. The measured performance of the case project also contributes in-depth understanding on steel modular construction with benefits demonstrated. The study is expected to accelerate an effective uptake of steel modular construction in building projects.
In response to the alarming environmental problems, there is a pressing need for a fundamental shift towards sustainable construction. However, limited attention has been given in the literature to the governance of this transformative change. The paper aims to address this research gap by investigating how the transition to sustainable construction can be realized despite the barriers encountered. The analysis focuses on the Dutch Building Agreement Steel as an illustrative case. By examining the governance structure of the Agreement and evaluating its results thus far, the study concludes that a collaborative network of partners has effectively developed a roadmap and performed accompanying activities to achieve the intended objectives. Nonetheless, a key challenge lies in mobilizing the entire construction steel chain and the government during the upcoming scale‐up phase to actively adhere to the Agreement. This new form of network governance, facilitated by an independent intermediary, does not replace traditional public governance; rather, it complements it. The approach tested in the Netherlands holds potential for application in other contexts as well.
Growing global demand for sustainable development places immense pressure on the construction industry to select and promote sustainable construction practices. The selection of sustainable construction practices is a challenging task, as there are numerous variables and uncertainties involved in the concept of sustainability and a consistent and widely accepted framework for assessment and evaluation seems to be lacking. Based on an extensive literature review on sustainability, sustainable construction was redefined and evaluation frameworks were identified for comparison. Furthermore, a conceptual framework is proposed by identifying specific indicators and criteria relating to the objectives of sustainable construction (sociocultural, economic, technical and environmental) to evaluate the sustainability of construction practices. Recommendations for the application of the proposed framework is also presented.
Traditionally, green building rating systems have used a building-centric sustainability evaluation. This research challenges the status-quo of building sustainability assessment with a user-centric approach. A user-centric sustainability evaluation can provide a comprehensive assessment of building from a user's perspective. An ideal user-centric building sustainability evaluation should extend from traditional building rating systems and should encompass the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) of sustainability and resiliency with a life cycle thinking lens. This paper proposes a user-centric sustainability assessment method for Single Family Detached Homes (SFDH). Building Information Modeling (BIM) was used as the implementation platform for this method. The proposed framework was used to compare the sustainability performance of a certified and non-certified SFDH. Results indicated that certified SFDH performs poorly in the resiliency dimension and outperforms non-certified SFDH in environmental, social, and economic categories. User-centric evaluation provides a more granular building sustainability evaluation and will be a piece of the puzzle in developing an individualized sustainability evaluation system.
Sustainable construction efforts in some countries have been unsuccessful due to numerous barriers to its successful implementation. This research aims to identify the barriers to successful implementation of sustainable construction in Phnom Penh, Cambodia construction industry. To identify the barriers, a qualitative research approach using in-depth interviews was carried out with purposively selected 18 experts involved in the sustainable construction project, including engineers, architects, contractor, quantity surveyor, and project manager. Indicative findings arising from the study revealed that there are 23 barriers specific to the three selected case-study projects in Cambodia Construction Industry. Those barriers are categorized into five themes of barriers such as financial barriers, governmental barriers, technical barriers, culture and market barriers, and new barriers specified to the case studies. The result of this paper would enable the Cambodia Construction industry to be successful in its pursuit of implementing sustainable construction as well as the information based on which barriers needed to be solved for future research.
(PDF) Barriers to Implementation of Sustainable Construction in Cambodia Construction Industry. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/355083565_Barriers_to_Implementation_of_Sustainable_Construction_in_Cambodia_Construction_Industry [accessed Oct 15 2021].
joining techniques that enable buildings to be easily dismantled and their components reused; and an industry with a global infrastructure for recycling all steel construction products [1] World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED), Our Common Future
joining techniques that enable buildings to be easily dismantled and their components
reused; and
an industry with a global infrastructure for recycling all steel construction products
[1]
World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED), Our Common Future (The
Bruntland Report) (Oxford University Press, 1987), p.43.
[2]
Construction and Demolition Waste Management Practices, and their Economic Impacts
Symonds Report to DGXI European Commission (1999), Construction and Demolition Waste
Management Practices, and their Economic Impacts, p 7.