It is essentially known that the built environment can strongly influence the participation and engagement of people with diverse needs.Each person responds uniquely when confronted with a specific situation or experi...It is essentially known that the built environment can strongly influence the participation and engagement of people with diverse needs.Each person responds uniquely when confronted with a specific situation or experience.These responses fall into three categories—sociological,psychological and physiological—all of which are influenced by factors within the interior environment.Responses to the environment become more complex when specially-abled people perceive a space and interact in a given situation.As it is essential to provide proper and safe access to roads,transport,buildings and public places to differently-abled persons,equally it is imperative to provide a safe interior environment so that they could enjoy a meaningful life and contribute to the progress of the nation.The paper attempts to identify and analyze two types of disabilities and also spatial requirements of related specially-abled people for designing a user-friendly residence providing equal opportunities for their independence and convenience.The paper focuses on disability in mobility and reach with two live case studies as a polio survivor and a dwarf lady.The design outcome enables every individual to participate equally,confidently and independently in day-to-day activities.展开更多
This study discusses the experimental result of the viscoplastic response and col- lapse of sharp-notched 316L stainless steel tubes with different notched depths subjected to cyclic bending. The tube bending machine ...This study discusses the experimental result of the viscoplastic response and col- lapse of sharp-notched 316L stainless steel tubes with different notched depths subjected to cyclic bending. The tube bending machine and curvature-ovalization measurement apparatus were used for conducting the symmetric curvature-controlled cyclic bending. To highlight the viscoplastic behavior, three different curvature-rates, 0.0035, 0.035 and 0.35 m-1s-1, were controlled. Ob- servations of a certain curvature-rate reveal that five almost parallel lines corresponding to five different notch-depth （0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 and 1.0 mm） tubes were presented in the experimental relationship between the cyclic controlled curvature and the number of cycles needed to pro- duce buckling on a log-log scale. However, the slopes for the three different curvature-rates are different. An empirical formulation was proposed to simulate the aforementioned relationship. When comparing with the experimental findings, the simulation was in good agreement with the experimental data.展开更多
Wood is composed of mostly hollow, elongated, spindle-shaped cells that are arranged parallel to each other along the trunk of a tree. The characteristics of these fibrous cells and their arrangement affect strength p...Wood is composed of mostly hollow, elongated, spindle-shaped cells that are arranged parallel to each other along the trunk of a tree. The characteristics of these fibrous cells and their arrangement affect strength properties, appearance, resistance to penetration by water and chemical solutions, resistance to decay and many other properties. The characterisation of wood helps in identifying them. In this work, we studied the anatomical properties of three lesser utilised Ghanaian hardwood species namely Albizia ferruginea (Guill. & Perr.) Benth, Blighia sapida K. D. Koenig and Sterculia rhinopetala K. Schum using the light microscope and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Anatomical features studied were fiber length, double fiber wall thickness, fiber proportion, vessel diameter and proportion, rays and axial parenchyma proportions. We observed that the use of SEM in studying the anatomical or ultra-structural aspects of wood gave a clearer understanding of the features and structures found in wood. Anatomical features such as presence of crystals and absence of axial parenchyma in Blighia sapida and the thick wall fibers of Sterculia rhinopetala were better understood.展开更多
The term “Eco-lodge” is used to identify a type of nature-based tourism facility that will respond to the principles of ecotourism. The research aims to study, develop and design such types of facilities in an envir...The term “Eco-lodge” is used to identify a type of nature-based tourism facility that will respond to the principles of ecotourism. The research aims to study, develop and design such types of facilities in an environmentally sensitive manner, using local materials or recycled materials, with a design that serves the environment and is consistent with the nature and cultural background of the place, through Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energies. This leads us to the ideas and foundations of seeking to preserve natural energy, respect the environment and reduce the impact of construction thereon. The research applies environmental and sustainable design standards to a proposed model designed by the Author for desert lodges, and the most important advantages of supporting ecotourism, by observing the principles of good design consistent with the local environment and culture, preventing the use of internal pollution sources, adapting to the climate, using alternative environmentally friendly materials, the efficiency of production and use of energy to promote the use of clean renewable energy. As important elements in the development of tourism and to help to preserve natural heritage and biodiversity. Such architectural solutions aim to achieve the objectives of eco-design, in terms of reducing the cost of energy in buildings, using natural energy instead of mechanical power systems, in addition to creating a healthy and comfortable environment.展开更多
The important roles played by green spaces are social, economic, cultural and environmental aspects of sustainable development. Indian urban areas are developing at a very fast pace;simultaneously there is a rapid gro...The important roles played by green spaces are social, economic, cultural and environmental aspects of sustainable development. Indian urban areas are developing at a very fast pace;simultaneously there is a rapid growth in population too, which impacts the ratio of demand and supply of basic services resulting to sustainability issues. This influences the interfaces between urbanization, population and the environment, as the surroundings are at the receiving end, leading to overexploitation of natural resources especially breathing spaces as parks, gardens and small forests on the name of infrastructural development. The situation augments due to absence of citizen participation in urban governance especially Urban Local Bodies (ULB). Though the 74<sup>th</sup> Constitution Amendment Act in India has given this opportunity to strengthen the links between the citizens and local democratic governance by way of public participation, the ground realities are different reducing the transparency of accountability of ULB. Based on this, the paper presents the case study of city of Nagpur, 2<sup>nd</sup> capital of state of Maharashtra, India, how environmental NGOs and citizens fought an eleven month struggle, venture to save a green patch of Nagpur, the Bharat Van from the clutches of local government bodies saving the ill effects on environment. This study is an attempt to highlight the necessity of an integrated approach regarding that the planning, monitoring, designing and maintaining of urban green spaces is required for improving the environmental sustainability in cities in different countries.展开更多
Wood anatomical structures of various tree species help identify the wood. The characteristics and composition of these structures affect their utilisation. In this work, the microstructure of Blighia sapida a lesser-...Wood anatomical structures of various tree species help identify the wood. The characteristics and composition of these structures affect their utilisation. In this work, the microstructure of Blighia sapida a lesser-known Ghanaian hardwood species using light microscope and scanning electron microscope (SEM) was studied. The relationship between the microstructure and some physical properties such as density, and bending strength were also studied. The anatomical features studied were fibre length, double fibre wall thickness, fibre proportion, vessel diameter and proportion, rays and axial parenchyma proportions. It was observed that the use of SEM in studying the anatomical or ultra-structural aspects of wood gives a clearer understanding of the features and structures found in wood. Anatomical features such as presence of crystals and absence of axial parenchyma in Blighia sapida are reported in the work. The study also established that Blighia sapida had a low water uptake even though it had vessel distribution of 12 vessels/mm<sup>2</sup>. Having not very distinct axial parenchyma may have accounted for the low water uptake. The presence of occluded pits could also account for the low water uptake and the fibre wall thickness may also account for a medium bending strength of 62.8 N/mm<sup>2</sup> at 12% moisture content.展开更多
Equilibrium moisture contents (EMC) of wood species are very necessary in the utilization of these in service. This study investigated the EMC of five lesser utilized species of Ghana and compared it with that of thre...Equilibrium moisture contents (EMC) of wood species are very necessary in the utilization of these in service. This study investigated the EMC of five lesser utilized species of Ghana and compared it with that of three European species. Sixteen randomly sampled specimens of each of the eight species (heartwood and sapwood) with dimensions 3 cm × 3 cm × 3 cm were exposed at various relative humidity conditions of 30%, 45%, 60%, 75% and 90% in a temperature and humidity-controlled climate chamber at a temperature of 25°C in accordance to German standard DIN 52182. The species are Albies alba, Fagus sylvatica and Picea abies which are European species and Amphimas pterocarpoides, Antiaris toxicaria, Canarium schweinfurthii, Celtis zenkeri and Cola gigantea are wood species from Ghana. Internal wood temperature and humidity were measured with datalogger. Samples were considered to have reached equilibrium at any given humidity when the daily weight changes were less than 0.1 mg according to German standard DIN 52183. After the last measurements of the weight changes, the samples were dried at 103°C until there was a constant weight. The five tropical hardwoods had low sorption values recorded and high sorption values for the European species and this could be attributed to differences in the microstructure of these woods.展开更多
Materials used for interior designs and works within buildings significantly influence fire safety.During a fire outbreak,these materials can either function as a barrier,slowing the spread or as a catalyst,accelerati...Materials used for interior designs and works within buildings significantly influence fire safety.During a fire outbreak,these materials can either function as a barrier,slowing the spread or as a catalyst,accelerating the fire.Among these materials,the role of wood,including engineering wood products,is crucial due to its variable calorific value.This paper aimed to determine the differences in calorific values of three wood derivatives:natural wood(Tieghemella heckelii,commonly known as Makore),plywood,and medium-density fibreboard(MDF).The study employed an experimental research design to analyse the combustion properties of the three wood types.Measurements of their calorific values were made using an oxygen bomb calorimeter following ASTM standards.Tieghemella heckelii exhibited the highest calorific value(18.4622 MJ/kg)and lowest ash content(0.43%-0.48%),making it the most energyefficient but posing higher fire risks.Plywood demonstrated moderate calorific values(16.3076-16.8227 MJ/kg)and ash content(1.76%-2.63%),providing a balance between efficiency and safety.MDF had the lowest calorific values(16.0921-16.3098 MJ/kg)and highest ash content(6.80%-7.22%),making it less efficient as a fuel source but highly suitable for fire-safe interior applications.Moisture content varied,with MDF exhibiting the lowest levels,enhancing its stability in diverse conditions.The findings indicated that Tieghemella heckelii is better suited for energy-intensive applications,while plywood and MDF are more appropriate for interior designs prioritising fire safety.The results emphasise the need for material selection based on specific application requirements and compliance with fire safety standards.展开更多
Lesser-utilised wood species may have the same or even superior performance for certain end-uses compared to the majority of Ghana’s most commonly used wood species.Avodire(Turraeanthus africanus)is a Lesser-utilised...Lesser-utilised wood species may have the same or even superior performance for certain end-uses compared to the majority of Ghana’s most commonly used wood species.Avodire(Turraeanthus africanus)is a Lesser-utilised wood species and is found in large quantities in forests of Ghana,but it is a less durable wood.Thermal treatment is a technique that can be used to enhance the durability of wood.The purpose of this research was to chemically and thermally treat Avodire wood samples to investigate the impact of the modification on its durability for interior applications.The wood samples were chemically modified to a weight percentage gain of 7.78±0.48 and thermally modified between temperatures 150˚C and 240˚C.Thermo-chemically modified samples exhibited resistance to decay and termite degradation.According to the study’s findings,samples that were not thermally treated and those that were thermally treated but not chemically modified had more weight loss and were less resistant to termite damage.Thermo-chemically modified samples at temperatures between 150˚C and 240˚C were effective for increasing the species’resistance to damage from termites and decay.展开更多
The gestalt principles are perception and what is visually communicated by objects. These principles describe the visual language within which we work. Understanding how a designer realizes things visually will help d...The gestalt principles are perception and what is visually communicated by objects. These principles describe the visual language within which we work. Understanding how a designer realizes things visually will help designers communicate better. Many designers use Gestalt principles to have a structure visual stimulus, so as to create interfaces that are easy for users to understand. Because the understanding of visual perception is a critical item in any designer’s toolkit. Islamic heritage buildings also contain many architectural values, especially the Sultan Hassan Mosque in Cairo. Through this paper, we will verify the use of gestalt principles of visual perception in the building design. Because the psychological organization of the design, achieves the understanding and awareness of the current relationships between the elements, depending on the extent of regularity, accuracy, and consistency of the design elements. This makes us recognize the esthetic values of Sultan Hassan’s building and mosque. The visual delight we get from architecture begins with how we perceive it. So, in order to understand how visual delight arises, we must first understand how we perceive and interpret visual stimuli. Especially since the principles of gestalt confirm that the human brain tends to make tricks and illusions. Therefore, we found the mosque designer had exploited this fact during the design process, to exclude any possibility of the resulting misunderstanding. The designer achieved the psychological preparation of the visitor by using some principles of visual perception of the Gestalt theory, such as growth, continuity, and hierarchy.展开更多
This paper will present several passive-cooling technologies and design features that can be adopted to reduce building heat gain without the need of excess energy consumption. A typical residential unit will be selec...This paper will present several passive-cooling technologies and design features that can be adopted to reduce building heat gain without the need of excess energy consumption. A typical residential unit will be selected as case study and a three basic passive cooling strategies were selected to enhance the building envelop, as well as using appropriate shading devices and green roofing system that prove to be a good environment quality improver. IES energy simulation software will be used to evaluate the performance of the building. The study revealed a number of significant findings in reducing the energy consumption and enhancing the tenants＇ thermal comfort. American Society of Heating Refrigerating and Airconditioning Engineer （ASHRAE） standards specially via improving the performance of building envelop because it is the interface between internal and external environment. Moreover, improving the building envelope has recorded that overall energy and chiller energy consumption can be reduced up to 10.8% and 21.6% respectively, Therefore, it is anticipated that further reductions can be achieved via applying more passive cooling strategies. Finally, it could argue that the results of this paper will not only be applicable to Bahrain but also many countries that have similar climatic and environmental context.展开更多
The aim of this study is to provide stimulating and comfortable environments for the occupants and minimize the risk of green building related health problems. Researcher has developed a number of assumptions that hel...The aim of this study is to provide stimulating and comfortable environments for the occupants and minimize the risk of green building related health problems. Researcher has developed a number of assumptions that helps to resolve the research problems, which includes the application of the indoor environmental quality and will highlight the required design standards of it to provide a healthy environment to the houses and chosen AREE （Aqaba residence energy efficiency） as a case study. The theoretical part goes through a brief study to definition of the required design standards which includes eight kinds of issues： indoor environmental quality intents, control of environmental tobacco smoke, control of chemicals contaminants, design well ventilated buildings, provide daylight/view, energy efficient lighting, thermal comfort, consider acoustics and its uses in all the elements of internal spaces. Than we going through the uses of these requirements by using descriptive analytical approach, we chose one case study （AREE）. To analyze the uses of their requirements of the indoor environmental quality and we also collect the information about this house from the owner of the AREE, then draw conclusions and list of references.展开更多
An exploratory study on the design schemes underlying two architectural precedents is presented and discussed. The study compares the formalistic compositions of two prominent precedents on multiple levels. These leve...An exploratory study on the design schemes underlying two architectural precedents is presented and discussed. The study compares the formalistic compositions of two prominent precedents on multiple levels. These levels include the morphological, semantic, and pragmatic layers. The morphological aspects of these layers are emphasized. The study aims to identify the commonalities and differences between two cases of classical sacred architecture in terms of their morphometric and morphosyntactic structures. These cases are represented by Palladio＇s II Redentore Church and Sinan＇s Suleymaniye Mosque designs. The scope of the analysis focuses on the syntax and mathematics of the floor plans, and the facade and section of each case are referenced occasionally. Within this scope, the proportional system that regulates the compositions and eidonomy of the precedents are scrutinized. Findings resulting from the comparative analysis are reported and then discussed. The study shows that the two ostensibly different precedents share obscurely many commonalities, which are greater than what their initial appearances suggest.展开更多
This study focused on developing a sustainable composite material using metallic wastes of the iron-steel industry and plastic wastes of the plastic industry in order to reduce resultant waste from the production proc...This study focused on developing a sustainable composite material using metallic wastes of the iron-steel industry and plastic wastes of the plastic industry in order to reduce resultant waste from the production processes of various industrial products and to sustain waste management of these industries.In this study,different amounts of blast furnace dust(BFD),which is the major iron-steel industry waste and is used as filler for recycled low-density polyethylene(LDPE),was mixed with LDPE to produce the composite material.The morphology,mechanical,vicat softening temperature thermal conductivity,hardness and wear resistance properties of BFD filled LDPE composites were assessed.The increasing of BFD in recycled LDPE improved the heat resistance,increased thermal conductivity and wear resistance of composite materials.In addition,it was found that the composite materials had sufficient mechanical properties,when mechanical tests were evaluated.These results showed that the produced composite material could be used in buildings as a floor coating material and thereby saving raw materials and resources,as well as potentially reducing environmental problems.展开更多
Traffic congestion plays a significant role in intelligent transportation systems(ITS)due to rapid urbanization and increased vehicle concentration.The congestion is dependent on multiple factors,such as limited road ...Traffic congestion plays a significant role in intelligent transportation systems(ITS)due to rapid urbanization and increased vehicle concentration.The congestion is dependent on multiple factors,such as limited road occupancy and vehicle density.Therefore,the transportation system requires an effective prediction model to reduce congestion issues in a dynamic environment.Conventional prediction systems face difficulties in identifying highly congested areas,which leads to reduced prediction accuracy.The problem is addressed by integrating Graph Neural Networks(GNN)with the Lion Swarm Optimization(LSO)framework to tackle the congestion prediction problem.Initially,the traffic information is collected and processed through a normalization process to scale the data and mitigate issues of overfitting and high dimensionality.Then,the traffic flow and temporal characteristic features are extracted to identify the connectivity of the road segment.From the connectivity and node relationship graph,modeling improves the overall prediction accuracy.During the analysis,the lion swarm optimization process utilizes the concepts of exploration and exploitation to understand the complex traffic dependencies,which helps predict high congestion on roads with minimal deviation errors.There are three core optimization phases:roaming,hunting,and migration,which enable the framework to make dynamic adjustments to enhance the predictions.The framework’s efficacy is evaluated using benchmark datasets,where the proposed work achieves 99.2%accuracy and minimizes the prediction deviation value by up to 2.5%compared to other methods.With the new framework,there was a more accurate prediction of realtime congestion,lower computational cost,and improved regulation of traffic flow.This system is easily implemented in intelligent transportation systems,smart cities,and self-driving cars,providing a robust and scalable solution for future traffic management.展开更多
This study focused on creating a sustainable composite material using blast furnace dust of the iron-steel industry and plastic wastes of the plastic industry in order to reduce the embodied energy of the material and...This study focused on creating a sustainable composite material using blast furnace dust of the iron-steel industry and plastic wastes of the plastic industry in order to reduce the embodied energy of the material and generate more sustainable material.In this study,varying amounts of blast furnace dust(BFD),which is the primary iron-steel industry waste and which is used as filler for recycled low-density polyethylene(LDPE),was mixed to create the composite material.The embodied energy,emissions to water and air(volatile organic compounds)of BFD filled LDPE composites were determined.It was found that the composite materials had less embodied energy compared with polymer-based flooring materials such as epoxy,polyurethane(PU)and polyvinylchloride(PVC).In addition,it was determined that the composite material did not release emissions to water and have fewer total volatile organic compounds(TVOCs).These results showed that the produced composite material could be used in buildings as a sustainable floor coating material,thus saving raw materials and supporting indoor air quality and recycling.展开更多
Using bioenergy systems in architecture provides energy by means of negative emis-sions technologies(NETs).It plays an important role in stabilizing CO_(2) emissions at low levels.This depends on options of low life c...Using bioenergy systems in architecture provides energy by means of negative emis-sions technologies(NETs).It plays an important role in stabilizing CO_(2) emissions at low levels.This depends on options of low life cycle emissions(for instance,a sustainable use of biomass residues),and on outcomes that are site-specific and rely on efficient integrated systems that convert biomass into bioenergy.The objective of this study is to develop self-sufficient systems that generate bioelectricity and offer safety,electricity generation efficiency,cost-effectiveness,waste treatment,integration in domestic use,ease of use,reproducibility and availability.The study also intends to elaborate a general design method of embedding and utilizing microorganisms into architectural elements to achieve design ecology,introducing a multidisciplinary research application through a design theory aspect.The study is based on previous experimental work conducted by the authors.Microbial fuel cell technology was applied to exploit the natural potential of a fungal strain that was identified and optimized to be implemented in microbial fuel cells(MFCs)to generate electric-ity.The outcomes were included in the self-sufficient cluster design that meets the aforementioned conditions.The novelty of this study is the direct use of a bioreactor of MFCs in a design application for bioelectricity production.It aims to reduce the currently high global CO_(2) emissions that come from the energy supply sector(47%)and from the building sector(3%),as well as to eliminate the need for large-scale infrastructure intervention.This self-sufficient bio-electricity cluster therefore out-weighs other abiotic renewable energy resources such as solar energy or wind power.展开更多
文摘It is essentially known that the built environment can strongly influence the participation and engagement of people with diverse needs.Each person responds uniquely when confronted with a specific situation or experience.These responses fall into three categories—sociological,psychological and physiological—all of which are influenced by factors within the interior environment.Responses to the environment become more complex when specially-abled people perceive a space and interact in a given situation.As it is essential to provide proper and safe access to roads,transport,buildings and public places to differently-abled persons,equally it is imperative to provide a safe interior environment so that they could enjoy a meaningful life and contribute to the progress of the nation.The paper attempts to identify and analyze two types of disabilities and also spatial requirements of related specially-abled people for designing a user-friendly residence providing equal opportunities for their independence and convenience.The paper focuses on disability in mobility and reach with two live case studies as a polio survivor and a dwarf lady.The design outcome enables every individual to participate equally,confidently and independently in day-to-day activities.
基金the support of the National Science Council under grant NSC 98-2221-E006-058
文摘This study discusses the experimental result of the viscoplastic response and col- lapse of sharp-notched 316L stainless steel tubes with different notched depths subjected to cyclic bending. The tube bending machine and curvature-ovalization measurement apparatus were used for conducting the symmetric curvature-controlled cyclic bending. To highlight the viscoplastic behavior, three different curvature-rates, 0.0035, 0.035 and 0.35 m-1s-1, were controlled. Ob- servations of a certain curvature-rate reveal that five almost parallel lines corresponding to five different notch-depth （0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 and 1.0 mm） tubes were presented in the experimental relationship between the cyclic controlled curvature and the number of cycles needed to pro- duce buckling on a log-log scale. However, the slopes for the three different curvature-rates are different. An empirical formulation was proposed to simulate the aforementioned relationship. When comparing with the experimental findings, the simulation was in good agreement with the experimental data.
文摘Wood is composed of mostly hollow, elongated, spindle-shaped cells that are arranged parallel to each other along the trunk of a tree. The characteristics of these fibrous cells and their arrangement affect strength properties, appearance, resistance to penetration by water and chemical solutions, resistance to decay and many other properties. The characterisation of wood helps in identifying them. In this work, we studied the anatomical properties of three lesser utilised Ghanaian hardwood species namely Albizia ferruginea (Guill. & Perr.) Benth, Blighia sapida K. D. Koenig and Sterculia rhinopetala K. Schum using the light microscope and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Anatomical features studied were fiber length, double fiber wall thickness, fiber proportion, vessel diameter and proportion, rays and axial parenchyma proportions. We observed that the use of SEM in studying the anatomical or ultra-structural aspects of wood gave a clearer understanding of the features and structures found in wood. Anatomical features such as presence of crystals and absence of axial parenchyma in Blighia sapida and the thick wall fibers of Sterculia rhinopetala were better understood.
文摘The term “Eco-lodge” is used to identify a type of nature-based tourism facility that will respond to the principles of ecotourism. The research aims to study, develop and design such types of facilities in an environmentally sensitive manner, using local materials or recycled materials, with a design that serves the environment and is consistent with the nature and cultural background of the place, through Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energies. This leads us to the ideas and foundations of seeking to preserve natural energy, respect the environment and reduce the impact of construction thereon. The research applies environmental and sustainable design standards to a proposed model designed by the Author for desert lodges, and the most important advantages of supporting ecotourism, by observing the principles of good design consistent with the local environment and culture, preventing the use of internal pollution sources, adapting to the climate, using alternative environmentally friendly materials, the efficiency of production and use of energy to promote the use of clean renewable energy. As important elements in the development of tourism and to help to preserve natural heritage and biodiversity. Such architectural solutions aim to achieve the objectives of eco-design, in terms of reducing the cost of energy in buildings, using natural energy instead of mechanical power systems, in addition to creating a healthy and comfortable environment.
文摘The important roles played by green spaces are social, economic, cultural and environmental aspects of sustainable development. Indian urban areas are developing at a very fast pace;simultaneously there is a rapid growth in population too, which impacts the ratio of demand and supply of basic services resulting to sustainability issues. This influences the interfaces between urbanization, population and the environment, as the surroundings are at the receiving end, leading to overexploitation of natural resources especially breathing spaces as parks, gardens and small forests on the name of infrastructural development. The situation augments due to absence of citizen participation in urban governance especially Urban Local Bodies (ULB). Though the 74<sup>th</sup> Constitution Amendment Act in India has given this opportunity to strengthen the links between the citizens and local democratic governance by way of public participation, the ground realities are different reducing the transparency of accountability of ULB. Based on this, the paper presents the case study of city of Nagpur, 2<sup>nd</sup> capital of state of Maharashtra, India, how environmental NGOs and citizens fought an eleven month struggle, venture to save a green patch of Nagpur, the Bharat Van from the clutches of local government bodies saving the ill effects on environment. This study is an attempt to highlight the necessity of an integrated approach regarding that the planning, monitoring, designing and maintaining of urban green spaces is required for improving the environmental sustainability in cities in different countries.
文摘Wood anatomical structures of various tree species help identify the wood. The characteristics and composition of these structures affect their utilisation. In this work, the microstructure of Blighia sapida a lesser-known Ghanaian hardwood species using light microscope and scanning electron microscope (SEM) was studied. The relationship between the microstructure and some physical properties such as density, and bending strength were also studied. The anatomical features studied were fibre length, double fibre wall thickness, fibre proportion, vessel diameter and proportion, rays and axial parenchyma proportions. It was observed that the use of SEM in studying the anatomical or ultra-structural aspects of wood gives a clearer understanding of the features and structures found in wood. Anatomical features such as presence of crystals and absence of axial parenchyma in Blighia sapida are reported in the work. The study also established that Blighia sapida had a low water uptake even though it had vessel distribution of 12 vessels/mm<sup>2</sup>. Having not very distinct axial parenchyma may have accounted for the low water uptake. The presence of occluded pits could also account for the low water uptake and the fibre wall thickness may also account for a medium bending strength of 62.8 N/mm<sup>2</sup> at 12% moisture content.
文摘Equilibrium moisture contents (EMC) of wood species are very necessary in the utilization of these in service. This study investigated the EMC of five lesser utilized species of Ghana and compared it with that of three European species. Sixteen randomly sampled specimens of each of the eight species (heartwood and sapwood) with dimensions 3 cm × 3 cm × 3 cm were exposed at various relative humidity conditions of 30%, 45%, 60%, 75% and 90% in a temperature and humidity-controlled climate chamber at a temperature of 25°C in accordance to German standard DIN 52182. The species are Albies alba, Fagus sylvatica and Picea abies which are European species and Amphimas pterocarpoides, Antiaris toxicaria, Canarium schweinfurthii, Celtis zenkeri and Cola gigantea are wood species from Ghana. Internal wood temperature and humidity were measured with datalogger. Samples were considered to have reached equilibrium at any given humidity when the daily weight changes were less than 0.1 mg according to German standard DIN 52183. After the last measurements of the weight changes, the samples were dried at 103°C until there was a constant weight. The five tropical hardwoods had low sorption values recorded and high sorption values for the European species and this could be attributed to differences in the microstructure of these woods.
文摘Materials used for interior designs and works within buildings significantly influence fire safety.During a fire outbreak,these materials can either function as a barrier,slowing the spread or as a catalyst,accelerating the fire.Among these materials,the role of wood,including engineering wood products,is crucial due to its variable calorific value.This paper aimed to determine the differences in calorific values of three wood derivatives:natural wood(Tieghemella heckelii,commonly known as Makore),plywood,and medium-density fibreboard(MDF).The study employed an experimental research design to analyse the combustion properties of the three wood types.Measurements of their calorific values were made using an oxygen bomb calorimeter following ASTM standards.Tieghemella heckelii exhibited the highest calorific value(18.4622 MJ/kg)and lowest ash content(0.43%-0.48%),making it the most energyefficient but posing higher fire risks.Plywood demonstrated moderate calorific values(16.3076-16.8227 MJ/kg)and ash content(1.76%-2.63%),providing a balance between efficiency and safety.MDF had the lowest calorific values(16.0921-16.3098 MJ/kg)and highest ash content(6.80%-7.22%),making it less efficient as a fuel source but highly suitable for fire-safe interior applications.Moisture content varied,with MDF exhibiting the lowest levels,enhancing its stability in diverse conditions.The findings indicated that Tieghemella heckelii is better suited for energy-intensive applications,while plywood and MDF are more appropriate for interior designs prioritising fire safety.The results emphasise the need for material selection based on specific application requirements and compliance with fire safety standards.
文摘Lesser-utilised wood species may have the same or even superior performance for certain end-uses compared to the majority of Ghana’s most commonly used wood species.Avodire(Turraeanthus africanus)is a Lesser-utilised wood species and is found in large quantities in forests of Ghana,but it is a less durable wood.Thermal treatment is a technique that can be used to enhance the durability of wood.The purpose of this research was to chemically and thermally treat Avodire wood samples to investigate the impact of the modification on its durability for interior applications.The wood samples were chemically modified to a weight percentage gain of 7.78±0.48 and thermally modified between temperatures 150˚C and 240˚C.Thermo-chemically modified samples exhibited resistance to decay and termite degradation.According to the study’s findings,samples that were not thermally treated and those that were thermally treated but not chemically modified had more weight loss and were less resistant to termite damage.Thermo-chemically modified samples at temperatures between 150˚C and 240˚C were effective for increasing the species’resistance to damage from termites and decay.
文摘The gestalt principles are perception and what is visually communicated by objects. These principles describe the visual language within which we work. Understanding how a designer realizes things visually will help designers communicate better. Many designers use Gestalt principles to have a structure visual stimulus, so as to create interfaces that are easy for users to understand. Because the understanding of visual perception is a critical item in any designer’s toolkit. Islamic heritage buildings also contain many architectural values, especially the Sultan Hassan Mosque in Cairo. Through this paper, we will verify the use of gestalt principles of visual perception in the building design. Because the psychological organization of the design, achieves the understanding and awareness of the current relationships between the elements, depending on the extent of regularity, accuracy, and consistency of the design elements. This makes us recognize the esthetic values of Sultan Hassan’s building and mosque. The visual delight we get from architecture begins with how we perceive it. So, in order to understand how visual delight arises, we must first understand how we perceive and interpret visual stimuli. Especially since the principles of gestalt confirm that the human brain tends to make tricks and illusions. Therefore, we found the mosque designer had exploited this fact during the design process, to exclude any possibility of the resulting misunderstanding. The designer achieved the psychological preparation of the visitor by using some principles of visual perception of the Gestalt theory, such as growth, continuity, and hierarchy.
文摘This paper will present several passive-cooling technologies and design features that can be adopted to reduce building heat gain without the need of excess energy consumption. A typical residential unit will be selected as case study and a three basic passive cooling strategies were selected to enhance the building envelop, as well as using appropriate shading devices and green roofing system that prove to be a good environment quality improver. IES energy simulation software will be used to evaluate the performance of the building. The study revealed a number of significant findings in reducing the energy consumption and enhancing the tenants＇ thermal comfort. American Society of Heating Refrigerating and Airconditioning Engineer （ASHRAE） standards specially via improving the performance of building envelop because it is the interface between internal and external environment. Moreover, improving the building envelope has recorded that overall energy and chiller energy consumption can be reduced up to 10.8% and 21.6% respectively, Therefore, it is anticipated that further reductions can be achieved via applying more passive cooling strategies. Finally, it could argue that the results of this paper will not only be applicable to Bahrain but also many countries that have similar climatic and environmental context.
文摘The aim of this study is to provide stimulating and comfortable environments for the occupants and minimize the risk of green building related health problems. Researcher has developed a number of assumptions that helps to resolve the research problems, which includes the application of the indoor environmental quality and will highlight the required design standards of it to provide a healthy environment to the houses and chosen AREE （Aqaba residence energy efficiency） as a case study. The theoretical part goes through a brief study to definition of the required design standards which includes eight kinds of issues： indoor environmental quality intents, control of environmental tobacco smoke, control of chemicals contaminants, design well ventilated buildings, provide daylight/view, energy efficient lighting, thermal comfort, consider acoustics and its uses in all the elements of internal spaces. Than we going through the uses of these requirements by using descriptive analytical approach, we chose one case study （AREE）. To analyze the uses of their requirements of the indoor environmental quality and we also collect the information about this house from the owner of the AREE, then draw conclusions and list of references.
文摘An exploratory study on the design schemes underlying two architectural precedents is presented and discussed. The study compares the formalistic compositions of two prominent precedents on multiple levels. These levels include the morphological, semantic, and pragmatic layers. The morphological aspects of these layers are emphasized. The study aims to identify the commonalities and differences between two cases of classical sacred architecture in terms of their morphometric and morphosyntactic structures. These cases are represented by Palladio＇s II Redentore Church and Sinan＇s Suleymaniye Mosque designs. The scope of the analysis focuses on the syntax and mathematics of the floor plans, and the facade and section of each case are referenced occasionally. Within this scope, the proportional system that regulates the compositions and eidonomy of the precedents are scrutinized. Findings resulting from the comparative analysis are reported and then discussed. The study shows that the two ostensibly different precedents share obscurely many commonalities, which are greater than what their initial appearances suggest.
基金funded by Gazi University Scientific Research Center(Contract No.48/2013-01).
文摘This study focused on developing a sustainable composite material using metallic wastes of the iron-steel industry and plastic wastes of the plastic industry in order to reduce resultant waste from the production processes of various industrial products and to sustain waste management of these industries.In this study,different amounts of blast furnace dust(BFD),which is the major iron-steel industry waste and is used as filler for recycled low-density polyethylene(LDPE),was mixed with LDPE to produce the composite material.The morphology,mechanical,vicat softening temperature thermal conductivity,hardness and wear resistance properties of BFD filled LDPE composites were assessed.The increasing of BFD in recycled LDPE improved the heat resistance,increased thermal conductivity and wear resistance of composite materials.In addition,it was found that the composite materials had sufficient mechanical properties,when mechanical tests were evaluated.These results showed that the produced composite material could be used in buildings as a floor coating material and thereby saving raw materials and resources,as well as potentially reducing environmental problems.
基金Deanship of Graduate Studies and Scientific Research at Jouf University under grant No.(DGSSR-2025-02-01641)。
文摘Traffic congestion plays a significant role in intelligent transportation systems(ITS)due to rapid urbanization and increased vehicle concentration.The congestion is dependent on multiple factors,such as limited road occupancy and vehicle density.Therefore,the transportation system requires an effective prediction model to reduce congestion issues in a dynamic environment.Conventional prediction systems face difficulties in identifying highly congested areas,which leads to reduced prediction accuracy.The problem is addressed by integrating Graph Neural Networks(GNN)with the Lion Swarm Optimization(LSO)framework to tackle the congestion prediction problem.Initially,the traffic information is collected and processed through a normalization process to scale the data and mitigate issues of overfitting and high dimensionality.Then,the traffic flow and temporal characteristic features are extracted to identify the connectivity of the road segment.From the connectivity and node relationship graph,modeling improves the overall prediction accuracy.During the analysis,the lion swarm optimization process utilizes the concepts of exploration and exploitation to understand the complex traffic dependencies,which helps predict high congestion on roads with minimal deviation errors.There are three core optimization phases:roaming,hunting,and migration,which enable the framework to make dynamic adjustments to enhance the predictions.The framework’s efficacy is evaluated using benchmark datasets,where the proposed work achieves 99.2%accuracy and minimizes the prediction deviation value by up to 2.5%compared to other methods.With the new framework,there was a more accurate prediction of realtime congestion,lower computational cost,and improved regulation of traffic flow.This system is easily implemented in intelligent transportation systems,smart cities,and self-driving cars,providing a robust and scalable solution for future traffic management.
基金funded by Gazi University Scientific Research Center(Contract No.48/2013-01)And this study was produced from a dissertation named“Determining the availability of composite material produced by using blast furnace dust and waste polyethylene.”。
文摘This study focused on creating a sustainable composite material using blast furnace dust of the iron-steel industry and plastic wastes of the plastic industry in order to reduce the embodied energy of the material and generate more sustainable material.In this study,varying amounts of blast furnace dust(BFD),which is the primary iron-steel industry waste and which is used as filler for recycled low-density polyethylene(LDPE),was mixed to create the composite material.The embodied energy,emissions to water and air(volatile organic compounds)of BFD filled LDPE composites were determined.It was found that the composite materials had less embodied energy compared with polymer-based flooring materials such as epoxy,polyurethane(PU)and polyvinylchloride(PVC).In addition,it was determined that the composite material did not release emissions to water and have fewer total volatile organic compounds(TVOCs).These results showed that the produced composite material could be used in buildings as a sustainable floor coating material,thus saving raw materials and supporting indoor air quality and recycling.
文摘Using bioenergy systems in architecture provides energy by means of negative emis-sions technologies(NETs).It plays an important role in stabilizing CO_(2) emissions at low levels.This depends on options of low life cycle emissions(for instance,a sustainable use of biomass residues),and on outcomes that are site-specific and rely on efficient integrated systems that convert biomass into bioenergy.The objective of this study is to develop self-sufficient systems that generate bioelectricity and offer safety,electricity generation efficiency,cost-effectiveness,waste treatment,integration in domestic use,ease of use,reproducibility and availability.The study also intends to elaborate a general design method of embedding and utilizing microorganisms into architectural elements to achieve design ecology,introducing a multidisciplinary research application through a design theory aspect.The study is based on previous experimental work conducted by the authors.Microbial fuel cell technology was applied to exploit the natural potential of a fungal strain that was identified and optimized to be implemented in microbial fuel cells(MFCs)to generate electric-ity.The outcomes were included in the self-sufficient cluster design that meets the aforementioned conditions.The novelty of this study is the direct use of a bioreactor of MFCs in a design application for bioelectricity production.It aims to reduce the currently high global CO_(2) emissions that come from the energy supply sector(47%)and from the building sector(3%),as well as to eliminate the need for large-scale infrastructure intervention.This self-sufficient bio-electricity cluster therefore out-weighs other abiotic renewable energy resources such as solar energy or wind power.
