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The Opportunities and Challenges of Using Parametric Architectural Design Tools to Design with Full-Culm Bamboo: Case Study: A Design for a Hyperbolic Paraboloid for Gutter-Less Rainwater Capture Using Full-Culm Bamboo
Abstract and Figures
Tropical developing economies are some of the most vulnerable societies to natural disasters, and by 2050, some 50% of the world’s population will live in the tropics. Tropical developing economies already have a shortage of housing which lacks structural quality, durability and is considered non-adequate. Tropical developing economies have an opportunity to utilise locally sourced lightweight natural materials such as bamboo. Computational design processes save time, which allows greater scrutiny of design options and the testing of various iterations. A challenge is in the use of computational design tools with their great accuracy, and the natural variability of full-culm bamboo. Architects will need to develop a synthesis between their current computational design processes and materials with natural variability such as bamboo in order to improve affordability, efficiency and ensure durability. This paper presents such a synthesis, and discusses a case study of an algorithm to generate a design for a hyperbolic paraboloid. This studies the capabilities of commonly used architectural design software, and observes the efficiencies and limitations of this process. The process embeds principles in the design which will increase the durability and buildability of full-culm bamboo. If we can develop these syntheses, as designers we can obtain tools which can increase the use of renewable natural materials with variability such as bamboo, and begin to meet the need for durable, functional and adequate housing in tropical developing economies.
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In traditional Indonesian architecture, bamboo and timber-frame structures are essential elements, with roofs being a prominent feature. This is due to the tropical climate conditions that demand such a design. However, the traditional Indonesian hyperbolic-paraboloid roof is at risk of extinction due to modern construction demands, and traditional craftsmanship is gradually being lost. To address this issue, our research investigates which existing parametric design tools and fabrication techniques are suitable for a digital workflow and assembly production of Indonesian traditional roof structures. Through a systematic review and analysis of 19 selected articles, we have categorized the various workflows, tools, and techniques and their suitability to propose and be integrated into a novel Indonesian bamboo-based roof structure fabrication workflow, making it accessible to contemporary architecture.
There is an absence of lightweight, sustainable construction materials in contemporary Haitian construction, a fact highlighted in the disproportionate loss of life in the 2010 Port-au-Prince earthquake. Between 2014 and 2017 the authors delivered a series of architectural design workshops in Haiti to raise awareness and develop design skills for bamboo using computational design tools. This paper provides a review of these workshops and a preliminary evaluation from surveys conducted with the course participants. Results showed architectural education had changed perceptions of bamboo and showed potential positive ecological impact due to subsequent reforestation activities instigated by participants. Weaknesses were in the lack of subsequent use of parametric modelling software. Bamboo material knowledge and a new architectural design methodology have been most relevant to their professional or academic work.
Global production of cement has grown very rapidly in recent years, and after fossil fuels and land-use change, it is the third-largest source of anthropogenic emissions of carbon dioxide. The required data for estimating emissions from global cement production are poor, and it has been recognised that some global estimates are significantly inflated. Here we assemble a large variety of available datasets, prioritising official data and emission factors, including estimates submitted to the UNFCCC plus new estimates for China and India, to present a new analysis of global process emissions from cement production. We show that global process emissions in 2017 were 1.48±0.20Gt CO2, equivalent to about 4% of emissions from fossil fuels. Cumulative emissions from 1928 to 2017 were 36.9±2.3Gt CO2, 70% of which have occurred since 1990. Emissions in 2016 were 28% lower than those recently reported by the Global Carbon Project. The data associated with this article can be found at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.831454.
The global production of cement has grown very rapidly in recent years, and after fossil fuels and land-use change, it is the third-largest source of anthropogenic emissions of carbon dioxide. The required data for estimating emissions from global cement production are poor, and it has been recognised that some global estimates are significantly inflated. Here we assemble a large variety of available datasets and prioritise official data and emission factors, including estimates submitted to the UNFCCC plus new estimates for China and India, to present a new analysis of global process emissions from cement production. We show that global process emissions in 2016 were 1.45±0.20 GtCO2, equivalent to about 4 % of emissions from fossil fuels. Cumulative emissions from 1928 to 2016 were 39.3±2.4 GtCO2, 66 % of which have occurred since 1990. Emissions in 2015 were 30 % lower than those recently reported by the Global Carbon Project. The data associated with this article can be found at 10.5281/zenodo.831455.
Between 1900 and 2010, the global volume of natural resources used in buildings and transport infrastructure increased 23-fold (1). Sand and gravel are the largest portion of these primary material inputs (79% or 28.6 gigatons per year in 2010) and are the most extracted group of materials worldwide, exceeding fossil fuels and biomass (2). In most regions, sand is a common-pool resource, i.e., a resource that is open to all because access can be limited only at high cost. Because of the difficulty in regulating their consumption, common-pool resources are prone to tragedies of the commons as people may selfishly extract them without considering long-term consequences, eventually leading to overexploitation or degradation. Even when sand mining is regulated, it is often subject to rampant illegal extraction and trade (3). As a result, sand scarcity (4) is an emerging issue with major sociopolitical, economic, and environmental implications.
If unprocessed natural materials are the most environmentally friendly construction materials available, how do we develop and communicate design model and construction information that allows dealing with their volatile indeterminacies?
This paper discusses the design and development of the ‘ZCB Bamboo Pavilion’, a 30-metres-spanning, light-weight, bending-active gridshell from hand-tied bamboo poles, as a case study for the computational design and building information modelling of nonstandard architecture where both applied materials and employed craftsmanship are highly unpredictable in terms of accuracy and precision.
Reflective practice and participatory action research are used to extract knowledge on and challenge the environment of practice, and improve design and construction strategies. The project is used to discuss how traditional construction can be augmented through the strategic injection of computation in the design and construction process, how computation allows for a different mode of collaboration with increased impact for the designer, and how bespoke building information models enable an expanded architectural design solution space.
The paper concludes by arguing for a mode of digital design practice that more proactively operates within a field of real-world indeterminacy. The risk and ambiguity of working with indeterminacies are to be strategically balanced out against idealised digital set-ups and onsite opportunities.
Climate change means that fire damage and torrential rains are major issues in many parts of the world, stripping watercourses and their ability to attenuate flow in ponds and weirs. Soil bioengineering methods integrate civil engineering techniques with natural materials to obtain fast, effective and economic methods of protecting, restoring and maintaining the natural slowing of water run-off. This study combines both theory and practical installation involving slope instability, erosion, soil hydrology, mountain plant ecology and land-use restoration to protect the slope against erosion and soil mass loss. Using a multidisciplinary approach, the authors explore the exchange of the stabilising role between an initially inert structure and the living material used in a bioengineering work to protect the slope against erosion and soil mass loss. From a case study investigation in Spain, the authors investigate bioengineering structures installed within erosion gullies or on eroded slopes and propose a similar measure for a site in Nepal. The transfer of know-how between eco-engineering works from different geoclimatic conditions is considered where bamboo is not a native species.
This report gives a Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) and carbon footprint analysis on a selection of industrial bamboo products. The LCA is made for cradle-to-gate, plus the end-of-life stages of the bamboo products. For end-of-life it is assumed that 90% of the bamboo products are incinerated in an electrical power plant, and 10% will end-up in landfill, which is considered to be a realistic scenario for the Netherlands and Western Europe. In addition to the standard LCA, the sequestration (capture and storage) of CO2 has been taken into account. The report provides a comprehensive explanation how such a calculation on carbon sequestration must be made within the general logic of the LCA methodology (and the general logic in science), since there is a lot of confusion regarding this issue. This LCA has been performed for the specific production chain of industrial bamboo products of the company MOSO International BV following best practice and can therefore not be perceived as being typical for the production chain of other industrial bamboo material manufacturers. The overall result of the calculations is that, if production parameters are optimised, industrial bamboo products can have a negative carbon footprint over their full life cycle (from cradle till grave), i.e. the credits through carbon sequestration and energy production in the end-of-life phase in an electrical power plant outweigh the emissions caused by production and transport.
Bamboo is a strong, fast growing and very sustainable material, having been used structurally for thousands of years in many parts of the world. In modern times, it has the potential to be an aesthetically pleasing and low-cost alternative to more conventional materials, such as timber, as demonstrated by some visually impressive recent structures. This five-part technical series, aimed at both developed-and developing-world contexts, will bring together current knowledge and best practice on the structural use of bamboo, covering:
• an introduction to bamboo (part 1)
• durability and preservation (part 2)
• design values (part 3)
• element design equations (part 4)
• connections (part 5)
This second article presents the main causes of decay of bamboo and the different methods of protection and preservation available.
Bamboo is a strong, fast growing and very sustainable material, having been used structurally for thousands of years in many parts of the world. In modern times, it has the potential to be an aesthetically pleasing and low-cost alternative to more conventional materials, such as timber, as demonstrated by some visually impressive recent structures. This five-part technical series will bring together current knowledge and best practice on the structural use of bamboo, covering:
• an introduction to bamboo (part 1)
• durability and preservation (part 2)
• design values (part 3)
• element design equations (part 4)
• connections (part 5)
The series is aimed at both developed- and developing-world contexts. This first article provides an introduction to bamboo and the physical characteristics that are relevant to structural design. Basic properties, along with a selection of suitable structural species, are presented, and fire resistance and specification of bamboo are discussed, along with other considerations as to whether bamboo is suitable for a particular project.
Architects uses computer-aided tools to help them visualise their ideas and build models of their designs. Parametric design software lets architects and designers specify relationships among various parameters of their design model and make changes interactively. When changes are made the remainder of the model reacts and updates accordingly and in a consistent manner based on the pre-set associative rules. Through a detailed description of various parametric, generative, and algorithmic techniques, this book provides a guide to generating geometric and topological solutions for various situations.
The present research examines experimentally the performance of a new type of full-culm bamboo to steel bolted connection under monotonic axial loading. The examined culms are of the Kao Jue (Bambusa pervariabilis) bamboo species. The study characterizes the performance of the proposed bamboo to steel connections in terms of failure modes, load-carrying capacity and ductility. It specifically examines the influence on the mechanical behavior of (a) the end-length (i.e. the distance between bamboo culm-end and outer bolt-hole); (b) the transverse confinement provided by hose-clamps, and (c) the grouted cement mortar added within the connection zones. The findings reveal that hose-clamps effectively resist the brittle splitting behavior observed in plain bamboo to steel - bolted connections. Combined with adequate end-lengths the connections achieve remarkable gains in strength and ductility. The results also show that the mortar infill results to connections of higher strength, but often at the cost of reduced ductility, compared to the pertinent hollow-section connections with hose clamps. Importantly, the analytically estimated yield loads of the examined connections using the European Yield Model are in good agreement with the experimentally determined values.
Standardization of material test methods for bamboo is critical if the material is to gain greater engineering acceptance. Methods that capture fundamental material properties permit comparison of the be- havior and performance of dierent bamboo species, geometry, weathering and treatment methods. Appropriate standardized test methods able to reliably provide fundamental material properties permit the calibration of material resistance factors and the extension of design guidance to dierent species. Standardized test methods used in well-defined experimental studies also permit the isolation of factors that aect material performance and behavior. This process represents the path to rational and universal design methods for bamboo. This paper provides an overview of existing standard test methods, their use and practical utility in a field environ- ment. Focus is placed on the authors' eorts
Drawing on their own skills, making the best use of limited resources and forming their own community organisations, the poor account for most new city housing in the Third World. However, the city rejects them, denying their right to water, education and health care. The first chapter provides the context for analysis, describing the development of Third World cities in the colonial and post-colonial periods, and the gap that continues to grow between the "legal' and the "illegal' city. Other chapters examine government intervention policies, environmental problems, the process of finding housing, and trends in urbanisation. Finally, developments and problems in smaller urban areas and surrounding rural areas are outlined, and the question of urban bias is addressed. -after Authors
Coupling of a cryogenic preconcentrator (PC) to a gas chromatograph/Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer (GC/FT-ICR MS) is reported. To demonstrate the analytical capabilities of the PC/GC/FT-ICR MS, headspace samples containing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from detached pine tree twigs were analyzed. Sub-ppm mass measurement accuracy (MMA) for highly resolved (m/Deltam(50%) > 150 k) terpene ions was achieved. Direct PC/GC/FT-ICR MS analyses revealed that detached twigs from pine trees emit acetone, camphor, and four detectable hydrocarbon isomers with C(10)H(16) empirical formula. The unknown analytes were identified based on accurate mass measurement and their mass spectral appearances. Authentic samples were used to confirm initially unknown identifications. Self-chemical-ionization (SCI) reactions furnished an additional dimension for rapid isomer differentiation of GC eluents in real time.
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