Finite element simulation study on vertical bearing characteristics of single pile with ram-compacted bearing sphere.

The pile with ram-compacted bearing sphere (PRBS)is a kind of special-shaped pile, the calculation formula of single pile bearing capacity stipulated in Chinese Standards JGJ/T 135-2018 is relatively simple, and the factors considered are not comprehensive enough. This article uses the finite element simulation software ABAQUS to simulate and calculate the compressive bearing characteristics of PRBS, and studies the changes in the vertical bearing characteristics of PRBS under different factors and working conditions (different pile lengths, pile diameters, and the diameters of ram-compacted bearing sphere (RBS)). The calculation results indicate that the PRBS still has a large axial force near the enlarged end of the pile bottom, and the RBS bears a large load. The vertical bearing capacity of the PRBS is mainly provided by the RBS, but the pile side friction still has a certain degree of influence on its bearing capacity. The maximum ratio of pile side frictional resistance to applied load can reach 18.41%. Compared with the ordinary pile, the bearing capacity of the PRBS is significantly improved. The ultimate bearing capacity of the PRBS with the RBS diameter of 1m is more than 5 times that of the ordinary pile under the same condition. Pile diameter has little influence on the bearing capacity of PRBS, while the change of RBS diameter has great influence on the bearing capacity of single pile. However, when the RBS diameter is too large, it is easy to cause the uplift of surrounding soil in the construction process and affect surrounding piles. Therefore, it is suggested that the optimal RBS diameter should be 800mm~1200mm. This study provides reference suggestions for the study of piles with ram-compacted bearing sphere.

Differences in regional gray matter volume predict the extent to which openness influences judgments of beauty and pleasantness of interior architectural spaces.

Hedonic evaluation of sensory objects varies from person to person. While this variability has been linked to differences in experience, little is known about why stimuli lead to different evaluations in different people. We used linear mixed-effects models to determine the extent to which the openness, contour, and ceiling height of interior spaces influenced the beauty and pleasantness ratings of 18 participants. Then, by analyzing structural brain images acquired for the same group of participants, we asked if any regional gray matter volume (rGMV) covaried with these differences in the extent to which the three features influence beauty and pleasantness ratings. Voxel-based morphometry analysis revealed that the influence of openness on pleasantness ratings correlated with rGMV in the anterior prefrontal cortex (Brodmann area (BA)-10), and the influence of openness on beauty ratings correlated with rGMV in the temporal pole (BA38) and cluster, including the posterior cingulate cortex (BA31) and paracentral lobule (BA5/6). There were no significant correlations involving contour or ceiling height. Our results suggest that regional variance in gray matter volume may play a role in the computation of hedonic valuation and account for differences in the way people weigh certain attributes of interior architectural spaces.

Documentary analysis in the study of architectural designs of a hospital in the city of São Paulo.

OBJECTIVES: to report the experience of using architectural designs of a hospital for a historical documentary research. METHODS: report of the experience of the methodological route of using architectural designs of a model hospital from 1974 to 2002. RESULTS: after being spread on a worksheet, the projects of interest were selected, enabling the data arrangement, where the analytical chart was applied, containing: context; authorship; authenticity/ reliability; nature of the text and preliminary analysis. The findings were grouped by pertinence and similarity, resulting in the construction of categories of analysis. FINAL CONSIDERATIONS: architectural design is a challenging source, both for its pursuit, since it took two and a half years until it was legally licensed, as well as for involving specific terminologies and symbology of its own. A special attention should be given to the selection criteria, organization and analysis of the document, and sharing the access of unusual sources with the health area, like this one, so as to stimulate the development of research.

Documentary analysis in the study of architectural designs of a hospital in the city of São Paulo / El análisis documental en el estudio de proyectos arquitectónicos de un hospital de la ciudad de São Paulo / A análise documental no estudo de projetos arquitetônicos de um hospital paulistano

ABSTRACT Objectives: to report the experience of using architectural designs of a hospital for a historical documentary research. Methods: report of the experience of the methodological route of using architectural designs of a model hospital from 1974 to 2002. Results: after being spread on a worksheet, the projects of interest were selected, enabling the data arrangement, where the analytical chart was applied, containing: context; authorship; authenticity/ reliability; nature of the text and preliminary analysis. The findings were grouped by pertinence and similarity, resulting in the construction of categories of analysis. Final Considerations: architectural design is a challenging source, both for its pursuit, since it took two and a half years until it was legally licensed, as well as for involving specific terminologies and symbology of its own. A special attention should be given to the selection criteria, organization and analysis of the document, and sharing the access of unusual sources with the health area, like this one, so as to stimulate the development of research.

RESUMEN Objetivos: informar la experiencia del uso de proyectos arquitectónicos de un hospital, en una investigación histórica y documental. Métodos: reporte de experiencia del recorrido metodológico del uso de proyectos arquitectónicos de 1974 a 2002 de un hospital modelar. Resultados: después de insertar los proyectos en planillas, se seleccionaron los proyectos de interés, creando un arreglo de datos en que se aplicó la ficha analítica que contenía: contexto; autoría; autenticidad/fiabilidad; naturaleza del texto y análisis preliminar. Los hallazgos fueron agrupados por pertinencia y semejanza, resultando en la construcción de categorías de análisis. Consideraciones Finales: el proyecto arquitectónico es una fuente desafiante, tanto para su búsqueda, ya que fueron necesarios dos años y medio hasta que recibieron la licencia legal, como por involucrar terminologías específicas y simbologías propias. Se debe prestar atención a los criterios de selección, organización y análisis del documento y compartir el manejo de fuentes inusuales en el área de la salud, como ésta, a fin de favorecer el desarrollo de la investigación.

RESUMO Objetivos: relatar a experiência do uso de projetos arquitetônicos de um hospital para uma pesquisa histórico-documental. Métodos: relato de experiência do percurso metodológico do uso de projetos arquitetônicos de 1974 a 2002 de um hospital modelar. Resultados: após planilhados, os projetos de interesse foram selecionados, criando um arranjo de dados em que foi aplicada a ficha analítica contendo: contexto; autoria; autenticidade/confiabilidade; natureza do texto e análise preliminar. Os achados foram agrupados por pertinência e similaridade, resultando na construção de categorias de análise. Considerações Finais: o projeto arquitetônico é uma fonte desafiadora, tanto em sua busca, visto que foram necessários dois anos e meio até que fossem licenciados legalmente, como por envolver terminologias específicas e simbologias próprias. Deve-se ter atenção aos critérios de seleção, à organização e à análise do documento, e compartilhar o manejo de fontes incomuns na área da saúde, como esta, a fim de favorecer o desenvolvimento da pesquisa.

On optimal and near-optimal shapes of external shading of windows in apartment buildings.

We studied previously optimal shape of external shading of windows in a cellular office with an outer edge modeled by a non-uniform rational basis spline (NURBS) curve whose control points were placed uniformly around western fin, overhang and eastern fin of the window, and whose depths were allowed to vary independently. We observed there that for each climate considered in the study there exists a shading shape close to the optimal one, but with a substantially simpler structure of control points for the NURBS curve. This simpler structure was reflected in partitioning control points into six groups such that all control points in the same group have equal depths, with groups corresponding to lower part of the western fin, upper part of the western fin, joint of the western fin and the overhang, internal part of the overhang, joint of the overhang and the eastern fin and the remaining part of the eastern fin. Here we confirm that shadings with control point structure restricted in such way can perform as well as shadings with unrestricted control points by optimising shape of external shading of windows in an apartment room for both restricted and unrestricted control point structure for the same range of climates, and showing that differences in heating and cooling demands between Pareto optimal shadings in both cases are negligibly small. This grouping of control points thus gives a simple and natural division of shading into a small number of basic constituents that have most impact on its heating and cooling demands. We further consider the convex hull of the Pareto front for shadings with restricted control points, as it contains shadings that minimise equivalent source energy in terms of the ratio of efficiencies and source energy conversion factors for district heating and cooling. We show that, in cases when depths of control point groups in convex hull shadings do not experience sudden changes between their extremal values, these depths can be fitted reasonably well by a sigmoid function that results in functional shadings that satisfactorily approximate heating and cooling demands of shadings in the Pareto front.

On the networking synthesis of studio factors to the integration of design pedagogy.

Studio is critically important for design education, but few attempts have been made to demonstrate the parallels between studio factors and design performance. This paper adopts a coherent set of analyses to investigate the major studio factors and attempts to quantify the networking interactions among them. First, it describes how architectural studio is usually organised based on some major factors. Next, a theoretical model is established according to the described hypotheses and their mutual interactions. Third, the research method and statistical analysis with structural equation modelling (SEM) are presented. Finally, the results of this empirical examination are presented for discussion and suggestions. Our findings reveal that studio tutorials have no significant effect on undergraduate's design performance. In contrast, students' subjective intention plays a more important role in shaping their behaviour, indicating the importance of transferring those exterior forces into internal benefits when the studio instructor attempts to optimise the pedagogy. These findings are also inspiring for all creative disciplines.

Large-scale micron-order 3D surface correlative chemical imaging of ancient Roman concrete.

There has been significant progress in recent years aimed at the development of new analytical techniques for investigating structure-function relationships in hierarchically ordered materials. Inspired by these technological advances and the potential for applying these approaches to the study of construction materials from antiquity, we present a new set of high throughput characterization tools for investigating ancient Roman concrete, which like many ancient construction materials, exhibits compositional heterogeneity and structural complexity across multiple length scales. The detailed characterization of ancient Roman concrete at each of these scales is important for understanding its mechanics, resilience, degradation pathways, and for making informed decisions regarding its preservation. In this multi-scale characterization investigation of ancient Roman concrete samples collected from the ancient city of Privernum (Priverno, Italy), cm-scale maps with micron-scale features were collected using multi-detector energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and confocal Raman microscopy on both polished cross-sections and topographically complex fracture surfaces to extract both bulk and surface information. Raman spectroscopy was used for chemical profiling and phase characterization, and data collected using EDS was used to construct ternary diagrams to supplement our understanding of the different phases. We also present a methodology for correlating data collected using different techniques on the same sample at different orientations, which shows remarkable potential in using complementary characterization approaches in the study of heterogeneous materials with complex surface topographies.

Where We Walk Is What We See: Foundational Concepts and Analytical Techniques of Space Syntax.

The most difficult issue in writing a methods paper on Space Syntax is that it is not simply a method. It is a theory on which a methodology has been built. In the 40 years since introduction, both its theory and its methods have advanced, including the creation and development of computerized software. Essentially Space Syntax investigates layouts, seen in plan drawings; but this is done from mature theoretical arguments about function in those spaces. While theories of society were at the genesis of Space Syntax, it has branched into cognition, transportation, economics, and so on, and has been used to investigate buildings, cities, and regions. In the last decade or so, Space Syntax has been used in different ways to investigate healthcare facilities. This article concentrates on explaining the analytical techniques of Space Syntax. The theoretical underpinnings are minimally described-just enough for the reader to understand the basis of the methods. All examples provided are based on the same hypothetical hospital floor layout for ease of comprehension and comparison. Also, all Space Syntax concepts are italicized for identification. Since the theoretical aspects are not treated in detail, the reader is advised to pay particular attention to the citations for advanced comprehension. This cannot be overemphasized.

Housing Characteristics and Leishmaniasis: A Systematic Review.

Leishmaniasis is a major neglected tropical disease associated with high rates of disability and death. This disease is associated with poverty, which can be reflected in housing quality, especially in rural areas. This systematic review found that mud walls with cracks and holes, damp, and dark houses were risk factors for transmission of leishmaniasis. These characteristics create favorable conditions for sand fly breeding and resting as sand flies prefer humidity, warmth, and protection from sunlight during the day. Housing interventions might be a promising research area with a special focus on education as individual and collective protection for the effective control of leishmaniasis.

The influence of wind speed on airflow and fine particle transport within different building layouts of an industrial city.

In atmospheric environment, the layout difference of urban buildings has a powerful influence on accelerating or inhibiting the dispersion of particle matters (PM). In industrial cities, buildings of variable heights can obstruct the diffusion of PM from industrial stacks. In this study, PM dispersed within building groups was simulated by Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations coupled Lagrangian approach. Four typical street building arrangements were used: (a) a low-rise building block with Height/base H/b = 1 (b = 20 m); (b) step-up building layout (H/b = 1, 2, 3, 4); (c) step-down building layout (H/b = 4, 3, 2, 1); (d) high-rise building block (H/b = 5). Profiles of stream functions and turbulence intensity were used to examine the effect of various building layouts on atmospheric airflow. Here, concepts of particle suspension fraction and concentration distribution were used to evaluate the effect of wind speed on fine particle transport. These parameters showed that step-up building layouts accelerated top airflow and diffused more particles into street canyons, likely having adverse effects on resident health. In renewal old industry areas, the step-down building arrangement which can hinder PM dispersion from high-level stacks should be constructed preferentially. High turbulent intensity results in formation of a strong vortex that hinders particles into the street canyons. It is found that an increase in wind speed enhanced particle transport and reduced local particle concentrations, however, it did not affect the relative location of high particle concentration zones, which are related to building height and layout. IMPLICATIONS: This study has demonstrated the height variation and layout of urban architecture affect the local concentration distribution of particulate matter (PM) in the atmosphere and for the first time that wind velocity has particular effects on PM transport in various building groups. The findings may have general implications in optimization the building layout based on particle transport characteristics during the renewal of industrial cities. For city planners, the results and conclusions are useful for improving the local air quality. The study method also can be used to calculate the explosion risk of industrial dust for people who live in industrial cities.

A novel rapid additive manufacturing concept for architectural composite shell construction inspired by the shell formation in land snails.

State-of-the-art rapid additive manufacturing (RAM)-specifically fused filament fabrication (FFF)-has gained popularity among architects, engineers and designers for the quick prototyping of technical devices, the rapid production of small series and even the construction scale fabrication of architectural elements. The spectrum of producible shapes and the resolution of detail, however, are determined and constrained by the layer-based nature of the fabrication process. These aspects significantly limit FFF-based approaches for the prefabrication and in situ fabrication of free-form shells at the architectural scale. Snails exhibit a shell building process that suggests ways to overcome these limits. They produce a soft, pliable proteinaceous film-the periostracum-which later hardens and serves, among other functions, as a form-giving surface for an inner calcium carbonate layer. Snail shell formation behavior is interpreted from a technical point of view to extract potentially useful aspects for a biomimetic transfer. A RAM concept for the continuous extrusion of thin free-form composite shells inspired by the snail shell formation is presented.

The nano-architecture of the axonal cytoskeleton.

The corporeal beauty of the neuronal cytoskeleton has captured the imagination of generations of scientists. One of the easiest cellular structures to visualize by light microscopy, its existence has been known for well over 100 years, yet we have only recently begun to fully appreciate its intricacy and diversity. Recent studies combining new probes with super-resolution microscopy and live imaging have revealed surprising details about the axonal cytoskeleton and, in particular, have discovered previously unknown actin-based structures. Along with traditional electron microscopy, these newer techniques offer a nanoscale view of the axonal cytoskeleton, which is important for our understanding of neuronal form and function, and lay the foundation for future studies. In this Review, we summarize existing concepts in the field and highlight contemporary discoveries that have fundamentally altered our perception of the axonal cytoskeleton.

Derivation and application of an analytical rock displacement solution on rectangular cavern wall using the inverse mapping method.

Rectangular caverns are increasingly used in underground engineering projects, the failure mechanism of rectangular cavern wall rock is significantly different as a result of the cross-sectional shape and variations in wall stress distributions. However, the conventional computational method always results in a long-winded computational process and multiple displacement solutions of internal rectangular wall rock. This paper uses a Laurent series complex method to obtain a mapping function expression based on complex variable function theory and conformal transformation. This method is combined with the Schwarz-Christoffel method to calculate the mapping function coefficient and to determine the rectangular cavern wall rock deformation. With regard to the inverse mapping concept, the mapping relation between the polar coordinate system within plane ς and a corresponding unique plane coordinate point inside the cavern wall rock is discussed. The disadvantage of multiple solutions when mapping from the plane to the polar coordinate system is addressed. This theoretical formula is used to calculate wall rock boundary deformation and displacement field nephograms inside the wall rock for a given cavern height and width. A comparison with ANSYS numerical software results suggests that the theoretical solution and numerical solution exhibit identical trends, thereby demonstrating the method's validity. This method greatly improves the computing accuracy and reduces the difficulty in solving for cavern boundary and internal wall rock displacements. The proposed method provides a theoretical guide for controlling cavern wall rock deformation failure.

Bioarchitecture: bioinspired art and architecture--a perspective.

Art and architecture can be an obvious choice to pair with science though historically this has not always been the case. This paper is an attempt to interact across disciplines, define a new genre, bioarchitecture, and present opportunities for further research, collaboration and professional cooperation. Biomimetics, or the copying of living nature, is a field that is highly interdisciplinary, involving the understanding of biological functions, structures and principles of various objects found in nature by scientists. Biomimetics can lead to biologically inspired design, adaptation or derivation from living nature. As applied to engineering, bioinspiration is a more appropriate term, involving interpretation, rather than direct copying. Art involves the creation of discrete visual objects intended by their creators to be appreciated by others. Architecture is a design practice that makes a theoretical argument and contributes to the discourse of the discipline. Bioarchitecture is a blending of art/architecture and biomimetics/bioinspiration, and incorporates a bioinspired design from the outset in all parts of the work at all scales. Herein, we examine various attempts to date of art and architecture to incorporate bioinspired design into their practice, and provide an outlook and provocation to encourage collaboration among scientists and designers, with the aim of achieving bioarchitecture.This article is part of the themed issue 'Bioinspired hierarchically structured surfaces for green science'.

Toward a microbial Neolithic revolution in buildings.

The Neolithic revolution--the transition of our species from hunter and gatherer to cultivator--began approximately 14,000 years ago and is essentially complete for macroscopic food. Humans remain largely pre-Neolithic in our relationship with microbes but starting with the gut we continue our hundred-year project of approaching the ability to assess and cultivate benign microbiomes in our bodies. Buildings are analogous to the body and it is time to ask what it means to cultivate benign microbiomes in our built environment. A critical distinction is that we have not found, or invented, niches in buildings where healthful microbial metabolism occurs and/or could be cultivated. Key events affecting the health and healthfulness of buildings such as a hurricane leading to a flood or a burst pipe occur only rarely and unpredictably. The cause may be transient but the effects can be long lasting and, e.g., for moisture damage, cumulative. Non-invasive "building tomography" could find moisture and "sentinel microbes" could record the integral of transient growth. "Seed" microbes are metabolically inert cells able to grow when conditions allow. All microbes and their residue present actinic molecules including immunological epitopes (molecular shapes). The fascinating hygiene and microbial biodiversity hypotheses propose that a healthy immune system requires exposure to a set of microbial epitopes that is rich in diversity. A particular conjecture is that measures of the richness of diversity derived from microbiome next-generation sequencing (NGS) can be mechanistically coupled to--rather than merely correlated with some measures of--human health. These hypotheses and conjectures inspire workers and funders but an alternative is also consequent to the first Neolithic revolution: That the genetic uniformity of contemporary foods may also decrease human exposure to molecular biodiversity in a heath-relevant manner. Understanding the consequences--including the unintended consequences of the first Neolithic revolution--will inform and help us benignly implement the second--the microbial--Neolithic revolution.

Eave Screening and Push-Pull Tactics to Reduce House Entry by Vectors of Malaria.

Long-lasting insecticidal nets and indoor residual spraying have contributed to a decline in malaria over the last decade, but progress is threatened by the development of physiological and behavioral resistance of mosquitoes against insecticides. Acknowledging the need for alternative vector control tools, we quantified the effects of eave screening in combination with a push-pull system based on the simultaneous use of a repellent (push) and attractant-baited traps (pull). Field experiments in western Kenya showed that eave screening, whether used in combination with an attractant-baited trap or not, was highly effective in reducing house entry by malaria mosquitoes. The magnitude of the effect varied for different mosquito species and between two experiments, but the reduction in house entry was always considerable (between 61% and 99%). The use of outdoor, attractant-baited traps alone did not have a significant impact on mosquito house entry but the high number of mosquitoes trapped outdoors indicates that attractant-baited traps could be used for removal trapping, which would enhance outdoor as well as indoor protection against mosquito bites. As eave screening was effective by itself, addition of a repellent was of limited value. Nevertheless, repellents may play a role in reducing outdoor malaria transmission in the peridomestic area.

Making microbiology of the built environment relevant to design.

Architects are enthusiastic about "bioinformed design" as occupant well-being is a primary measure of architectural success. However, architects are also under mounting pressure to create more sustainable buildings. Scientists have a critical opportunity to make the emerging field of microbiology of the built environment more relevant and applicable to real-world design problems by addressing health and sustainability in tandem. Practice-based research, which complements evidence-based design, represents a promising approach to advancing knowledge of the indoor microbiome and translating it to architectural practice.

Do active design buildings change health behaviour and workplace perceptions?

BACKGROUND: Occupying new, active design office buildings designed for health promotion and connectivity provides an opportunity to evaluate indoor environment effects on healthy behaviour, sedentariness and workplace perceptions. AIMS: To determine if moving to a health-promoting building changed workplace physical activity, sedentary behaviour, workplace perceptions and productivity. METHODS: Participants from four locations at the University of Sydney, Australia, relocated into a new active design building. After consent, participants completed an online questionnaire 2 months before moving and 2 months after. Questions related to health behaviours (physical activity and sitting time), musculoskeletal issues, perceptions of the office environment, productivity and engagement. RESULTS: There were 34 participants (60% aged 25-45, 78% female, 84% employed full-time); 21 participants provided complete data. Results showed that after the move participants spent less work time sitting (83-70%; P < 0.01) and more time standing (9-21%; P < 0.01), while walking time remained unchanged. Participants reported less low back pain (P < 0.01). Sixty per cent of participants in the new workplace were in an open-plan office, compared to 16% before moving. Participants perceived the new work environment as more stimulating, better lit and ventilated, but noisier and providing less storage. No difference was reported in daily physical activity, number of stairs climbed or productivity. CONCLUSIONS: Moving to an active design building appeared to have physical health-promoting effects on workers, but workers' perceptions about the new work environment varied. These results will inform future studies in other new buildings.