BUILDING MATERIALS AND PRODUCTS BASED ON SILICON MANGANESE SLAGS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

BOLSHAKOV V. I.

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Raising of problem. Currently of particular relevance was given to the matter of introduction in manufacture of building materials and products, resource-saving techniques and technologies; integrated use of raw materials and materials that prevent or significantly reduce their harmful impact on the environment. This allows you to recycle hundreds of thousands of tons of the fiery liquid slags of silicon manganese and to develop effective structural materials that can replace metals, non-metallic building materials of natural origin, concretes, cast stone, plastics and refractories. Purpose. The study of the structure and properties of building materials and products from electric furnace slag of silicon manganese. Conclusion. Slags from the smelting of silicon manganese are classified as acidic. Their lime factor is in the range of 0.47–0.52. The composition of the slag located in the heterogeneous region SiO2 near the line of separation of cristobalite spread to the crystallization of wollastonite, according to the ternary system MnO-CaO-SiO2, which in consideration of their stability, allows the development of technology of building materials (gravel, sand, granulated slag, etc. and products (foundation blocks, road slabs, containers for transportation and storage of hazardous waste, and others.

Preservation of adobe buildings. Study of materials

Science.gov (United States)

Velosa, A.; Rocha, F.; Costa, C.; Varum, H.

2012-04-01

Adobe buildings are common in the central region of Portugal due to the lack of natural stone in the surrounding area. This type of construction technique lasted until the 20th Century, at which time cementitious materials, with faster hardening and greater structural capacity substituted traditional materials and techniques. Currently, a significant percentage of these buildings is vacant and many are degraded and in need of conservation actions. Adobes from central Portugal are distinctive as they are lightly coloured and made from air lime and quarry sand. Although some adobes were manufactured locally, most were produced almost 'industrially' and sold to nearby regions. In order to preserve this heritage, conservation actions must be undertaken. So as to ensure the adequacy of these actions and compatibility between original materials and new ones, a thorough study of adobe compostion is mandatory. The current study is an initial step in the characterization of earth based construction materials from central Portugal. Adobe samples were collected from residential buildings in two different locations. The determination of the composition of adobe blocks encompassed the determination of the binder fraction and of their chemical composition and also the particle size analysis of the aggregate. For this purpose FRX analysis, acid dissolution and dry sieving were performed. Methylene blue test was also executed in order to determine the clay fraction. Additionally, the mineral composition of powder samples and oriented samples was performed using XRD analysis in order to determine the clay minerals present in the blocks. As adobe blocks are extremely prone to the action of water the Geelong test was undertaken in order to provide information in terms of durability. It was concluded that air lime was generally used in adobe compositions. However, the clay content varies in adobes from different regions, providing distinct durability characteristics to these materials.

Preindustrial versus postindustrial Architecture and Building Techniques

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vestergaard, Inge

2014-01-01

house built around 1700 and the other a frontrunner suburban family house built year 2010. The aim is to show how preindustrial architecture can inspire sustainable thinking in postindustrial architectural design, how we can learn from the experience and how the nowadays social, economic......The paper will identify the sustainable parameters related to the change in society, building technique and comfort demands illustrated through 2 Danish building types, which are very different in time, but similar in function. The one representing evolution and experience based countryside farm...... out how living conditions, landscape and topology, how climate and the possibility to use local materials for construction and how actual building technology influences the design, the economy, the comfort and the energy use. Analysis involves architectural, technical and comfort matters...

Radon exhalation study in cements and other building materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, J.; Sharma, N.

2012-01-01

Radon is a radioactive inert gas, which is produced during the decay of radium, an element present in the naturally occurring uranium series. In the recent past, environmental scientists all over the world have been expressing great concern about the radiation hazard from radon and its short lived daughter products inside buildings. The radon concentration inside a building depends upon the radon exhalation from the building materials used for the construction and the soil underneath the building. In the present investigations, a comparative study for radon exhalation rate has been carried out in some Indian and Pakistani cements and other building materials being used locally such as sand, soil, bricks, marbles, CaCO 3 , POPs by using Track Etch Technique. The Pakistani cement with the trade name 'Elephant' shows the minimum mass exhalation rate while the Indian 'Birla White' cement has shown the maximum. Among the other building materials studied, CaCO 3 has shown the minimum, while local soil the maximum mass exhalation rate. Out of the fired clay bricks, roof tiles, floor tiles and different marbles, floor tiles have the minimum areal exhalation rate while roof tiles the maximum. (author)

Uranium concentration in building materials used in the central region of Egypt

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Higgy, R.H.; El-Tahawy, M.S.; Ghods, A.

1997-01-01

Within a radiological survey of the building materials used in the urban dwellings in the central region of Egypt, the uranium concentration in 80 representative samples of raw and fabricated building materials are determined using laser fluorimetry technique. For 40 samples from the studied raw building materials of sand, gravel, gypsum, lime-stone, granite and marble the determined uranium concentration values range between 0.3 and 3.6 ppm for all these samples except for one type of granite having the corresponding value of 7.8 ppm. For 37 samples from studied fabricated building materials of normal cement, clay brick, sand brick, tiles and ceramic plates the determined uranium concentration values range from 0.5 to 3.4 ppm. The corresponding values for three types of iron cement are 3.1, 6.1 and 9.3 ppm. The radium-226 content (of the uranium-238 series) in the same samples was determined using high resolution gamma-ray spectrometers based on HP Ge-detectors. The data obtained by the two techniques are in good agreement for the majority of the studied samples. (author)

Collage Technique in Art Education and Contribution to the Skill of Students to Build Composition

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Evrim ÇAĞLAYAN

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Collage technique has been used since the beginning of the 20th century in art of painting. Among its leading names, Picasso and Braque's technique has made it possible to use different materials besides traditional painting materials. This new technique, which emerged in art, took place in the process of art education with time. The aim of this research is to search the contribution of collage technique to the skill of students to build composition. In this research, in which the qualitative research approach is interiorized, composition of the students that they make by using the collage technique are presented to oppinions of the experts. Analysis of the obtained data showed that collage technique contributes the skill of students to build composition. In the results of research; it can be said that the collage technique developed the skills of students to build composition.

Moisture measurement in wood, wood-based materials and building materials - a literature review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kober, A.; Mehlhorn, L.; Plinke, B.

1989-10-01

Methods of moisture measurement in solid substances, especially on wood, wood-based materials and building materials were examined and evaluated according to the literature available. The question was which methods of examining the moisture distribution in building elements at climate loading offer the best accuracy and spatial resolution as well as which methods are the most appropriate at present and in future for the solution of measurement problems in the wood and wood-based industry. The most common methods are electric measurement methods which are utilizing either the moisture-depending conductivity or the dielectric constant or the reflectivity of the material for infrared radiation but they offer only a limited accuracy. The same is valid for the rarely used microwave methods or X-ray and NMR tomography. Simple electric methods will further on play an important role in the industrial process measuring technique. For the examination of building elements, methods using nuclear radiation still offer possibilities for a further development. (orig.) With 207 refs., 13 figs [de

An Overview of the Use of Absolute Dating Techniques in Ancient Construction Materials

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Jorge Sanjurjo-Sánchez

2016-04-01

Full Text Available The reconstruction of the chronology of historical buildings is a tricky issue, as usually there are not historical documents that allow the assessment of construction phases, and some materials are hardly reliable for the use of dating techniques (e.g., stone. However, in the last two decades, important advances on the use of absolute dating methods on building materials have increased the possibilities of reconstructing building chronologies, although some advances are still scarcely known among archaeologists and architects. Recent studies performed on several kinds of mortars, fired bricks, mud-bricks, and even stone surfaces have shown that it is possible to date them. Both radiocarbon and luminescence dating have been the most frequently used techniques but others such as archaeomagnetism can also be used in some cases. This paper intends to give an overview of the recent achievements on the use of absolute dating techniques for building materials.

Earth as Building Material – an overview of RILEM activities and recent Innovations in Geotechnics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vyncke Johan

2018-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents an overview of the different earth building techniques, the latest innovations and the normative aspects. The oldest man made earth constructions known to exist date back to 10 000 BC. Since then, earth has remained a popular building material throughout history. With time, different techniques evolved, starting from sundried adobe blocks to cob constructions, rammed earth walls and compressed earth bricks. Today these techniques are still being optimized and alternative binders, specifically adapted admixtures and surface treatments are being developed. Even though nearly one third of the world’s population lives in an earth construction, few specific building standards and testing methods exist. Many of the tests used today are based on tests for concrete and thus do not take into account the complex nature of earth constructions, such as their sensitivity to water. RILEM, the union of Laboratories and Experts in Construction Materials, Systems and Structures, set up a new Technical Committee in 2016: TC TCE (Testing and Characterisation of Earth-based building materials and elements. This committee, consisting of an international group of experts on the topic, aim to define testing procedures for earth as a building construction material. To end with, this paper also gives a short introduction to “Deep soil mixing”, an “earth” building technique dedicated to geotechnical engineering.

The use of portable equipment for the activity concentration index determination of building materials: method validation and survey of building materials on the Belgian market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stals, M.; Verhoeven, S.; Bruggeman, M.; Pellens, V.; Schroeyers, W.; Schreurs, S.

2014-01-01

The Euratom BSS requires that in the near future (2015) the building materials for application in dwellings or buildings such as offices or workshops are screened for NORM nuclides. The screening tool is the activity concentration index (ACI). Therefore it is expected that a large number of building materials will be screened for NORM and thus require ACI determination. Nowadays, the proposed standard for determination of building material ACI is a laboratory analyses technique with high purity germanium spectrometry and 21 days equilibrium delay. In this paper, the B-NORM method for determination of building material ACI is assessed as a faster method that can be performed on-site, alternative to the aforementioned standard method. The B-NORM method utilizes a LaBr 3 (Ce) scintillation probe to obtain the spectral data. Commercially available software was applied to comprehensively take into account the factors determining the counting efficiency. The ACI was determined by interpreting the gamma spectrum from 226 Ra and its progeny; 232 Th progeny and 40 K. In order to assess the accuracy of the B-NORM method, a large selection of samples was analyzed by a certified laboratory and the results were compared with the B-NORM results. The results obtained with the B-NORM method were in good correlation with the results obtained by the certified laboratory, indicating that the B-NORM method is an appropriate screening method to assess building material ACI. The B-NORM method was applied to analyze more than 120 building materials on the Belgian market. No building materials that exceed the proposed reference level of 1 mSv/year were encountered. -- Highlights: • Many building materials will have to be tested for NORM activity concentrations. • An on-site NORM analysis method has been developed and validated. • Over 120 building materials on the Belgian market have been analyzed with this method. • The Euratom BSS reference level of 1 mSv/year excess dose will

Geoinformation techniques for the 3D visualisation of historic buildings and representation of a building's pathology

Science.gov (United States)

Tsilimantou, Elisavet; Delegou, Ekaterini; Ioannidis, Charalabos; Moropoulou, Antonia

2016-08-01

In this paper, the documentation of an historic building registered as Cultural Heritage asset is presented. The aim of the survey is to create a 3D geometric representation of a historic building and in accordance with multidisciplinary study extract useful information regarding the extent of degradation, constructions' durability etc. For the implementation of the survey, a combination of different types of acquisition technologies is used. The project focuses on the study of Villa Klonaridi, in Athens, Greece. For the complete documentation of the building, conventional topography, photogrammetric and laser scanning techniques is combined. Close range photogrammetric techniques are used for the acquisition of the façades and architectural details. One of the main objectives is the development of an accurate 3D model, where the photorealistic representation of the building is achieved, along with the decay pathology, historical phases and architectural components. In order to achieve a suitable graphical representation for the study of the material and decay patterns beyond the 2D representation, 3D modelling and additional information modelling is performed for comparative analysis. The study provides various conclusions regarding the scale of deterioration obtained by the 2D and 3D analysis respectively. Considering the variation in material and decay patterns, comparative results are obtained regarding the degradation of the building. Overall, the paper describes a process performed on a Historic Building, where the 3D digital acquisition of the monuments' structure is realized with the combination of close range surveying and laser scanning methods.

MOISTURE-BUFFERING CHARACTERISTICS OF BUILDING MATERIALS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Young Cheol Choi

2016-05-01

Full Text Available The humidity level of indoor air is an important factor influencing the air quality and energy consumption of buildings, as well as the durability of building components. Indoor humidity levels depend on several factors, such as moisture sources, air flow, and the adsorption/desorption properties of materials. The moisture-buffering characteristics of building materials that are in contact with indoor air may help moderate the variations of indoor humidity, especially in the summer and winter. In this study, the moisture adsorption/desorption properties of building materials were investigated experimentally and numerically. These properties can be used to characterize the ability of building materials to exchange moisture with the indoor environment. This study indicates that a building material surface resistivity was the main factor creating variations of moisture buffering.

Environmental Evaluation of Building Materials of 5 Slovak Buildings

Science.gov (United States)

Porhincak, Milan; Estokova, Adriana

2013-11-01

Building activity has recently led to the deterioration of environment and has become unsustainable. Several strategies have been introduced in order to minimize consumption of energy and resulting CO2 emissions having their origin in the operational phase. But also other stages of Life Cycle should are important to identify the overall environmental impact of construction sector. In this paper 5 similar Slovak buildings (family houses) were analyzed in terms of environmental performance of building materials used for their structures. Evaluation included the weight of used materials, embodied energy and embodied CO2 and SO2 emissions. Analysis has proven that the selection of building materials is an important factor which influences the environmental profile. Findings of the case study indicated that materials like concrete, ceramic or thermal insulation materials based on polystyrene and mineral wool are ones with the most negative environmental impact.

Risk to Krakow population of gamma radiation from building materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koperski, J.; Jasinska, M.

1980-01-01

A statistics was made of 7128 dwelling-houses considering their age, types of building materials and density of population. Gamma dose rates were measured by means of the TL and pressurized ionization chamber techniques inside 300 buildings and in 44 points outdoors over different kinds of beddings. Personal doses of 49 inhabitants of the buildings monitored were also recorded. By means of the spectrometric analysis of gamma radiation, and basing on a specially developed computational programme ''DOZA'' mean concentrations of 40 K, 226 Ra and 232 Th in 61 samples of building materials were evaluated. It was found that the mean personal dose rate as well as the mean indoor dose rate equals 5.7 urad/h /15.8 pGy/s/ and is about 19% higher than the dose outdoors which equals 4.8 urad/h /13.3 pGy/s/. Gamma dose rates inside the buildings made of gravel-sand concrete elements are about 10% lower than those in the buildings made of red bricks. Mean annual dose equivalent per capita from gamma radiation of building materials equals 40.6 mrem/y /406 uSv/y/, which constitutes about 57% of total annual dose equivalent per capita from all environmental sources of gamma radiation in the residential districts in Krakow. (author)

Natural radioactivity of building materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mrnustik, J.

1988-01-01

Within a study of the natural radioactivity of building materials, coefficients were determined of the emanation from selected materials and raw materials, such as porous concrete, bricks, marlite, quartzite, etc. Measurements were made of ground samples using Lucas scintillation chambers which give an accuracy of determination of the coefficient of about 10%. Specific radium activity was also determined for the samples. Tabulated is a comparison of the average specific activity of radium in concrete, power plant ash and porous concrete in Czechoslovakia and abroad. It is stated that monitoring the content of natural radionuclides in building materials is an indispensable part of the production process in the building industry, this with regard to the radiation protection of the population. This will be enhanced by the new Czechoslovak standard determining methods of measuring the content of natural radionuclides and the coefficient of radon emanation, and the subsequent evaluation of the properties of building materials. (Z.M.) 3 figs., 3 tabs

Multiscale modelling for better hygrothermal prediction of porous building materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Belarbi Rafik

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this work is to understand the influence of the microstructuralgeometric parameters of porous building materials on the mechanisms of coupled heat, air and moisture transfers, in order to predict behavior of the building to control and improve it in its durability. For this a multi-scale approach is implemented. It consists of mastering the dominant physical phenomena and their interactions on the microscopic scale. Followed by a dual-scale modelling, microscopic-macroscopic, of coupled heat, air and moisture transfers that takes into account the intrinsic properties and microstructural topology of the material using X-ray tomography combined with the correlation of 3D images were undertaken. In fact, the hygromorphicbehavior under hydric solicitations was considered. In this context, a model of coupled heat, air and moisture transfer in porous building materials was developed using the periodic homogenization technique. These informations were subsequently implemented in a dynamic computation simulation that model the hygrothermalbehaviourof material at the scale of the envelopes and indoor air quality of building. Results reveals that is essential to consider the local behaviors of materials, but also to be able to measure and quantify the evolution of its properties on a macroscopic scale from the youngest age of the material. In addition, comparisons between experimental and numerical temperature and relative humidity profilesin multilayers wall and in building envelopes were undertaken. Good agreements were observed.

An Overview of Corroded Pipe Repair Techniques Using Composite Materials

OpenAIRE

K. S. Lim; S. N. A. Azraai; N. M. Noor; N. Yahaya

2015-01-01

Polymeric composites are being increasingly used as repair material for repairing critical infrastructures such as building, bridge, pressure vessel, piping and pipeline. Technique in repairing damaged pipes is one of the major concerns of pipeline owners. Considerable researches have been carried out on the repair of corroded pipes using composite materials. This article attempts a short review of the subject matter to provide insight into various techniques used in repa...

International conventions for measuring radioactivity of building materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tan Chenglong

2004-01-01

In buildings, whether civil or industrial, natural radioactivity always occurs at different degrees in the materials (main building materials, decorative materials). Concerns on radioactivity from building materials is unavoidable for human living and developing. As a member of WTO, China's measuring method of radioactivity for building materials, including radionuclides limitation for building materials, hazard evaluation system etc, should keep accordance with the international rules and conventions. (author)

Molecular Clusters: Nanoscale Building Blocks for Solid-State Materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Pinkard, Andrew; Champsaur, Anouck M; Roy, Xavier

2018-04-17

The programmed assembly of nanoscale building blocks into multicomponent hierarchical structures is a powerful strategy for the bottom-up construction of functional materials. To develop this concept, our team has explored the use of molecular clusters as superatomic building blocks to fabricate new classes of materials. The library of molecular clusters is rich with exciting properties, including diverse functionalization, redox activity, and magnetic ordering, so the resulting cluster-assembled solids, which we term superatomic crystals (SACs), hold the promise of high tunability, atomic precision, and robust architectures among a diverse range of other material properties. Molecular clusters have only seldom been used as precursors for functional materials. Our team has been at the forefront of new developments in this exciting research area, and this Account focuses on our progress toward designing materials from cluster-based precursors. In particular, this Account discusses (1) the design and synthesis of molecular cluster superatomic building blocks, (2) their self-assembly into SACs, and (3) their resulting collective properties. The set of molecular clusters discussed herein is diverse, with different cluster cores and ligand arrangements to create an impressive array of solids. The cluster cores include octahedral M 6 E 8 and cubane M 4 E 4 (M = metal; E = chalcogen), which are typically passivated by a shell of supporting ligands, a feature upon which we have expanded upon by designing and synthesizing more exotic ligands that can be used to direct solid-state assembly. Building from this library, we have designed whole families of binary SACs where the building blocks are held together through electrostatic, covalent, or van der Waals interactions. Using single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SCXRD) to determine the atomic structure, a remarkable range of compositional variability is accessible. We can also use this technique, in tandem with vibrational

Studies on radon exhalation rate from building materials of Mysuru district, Karnataka

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chandini, M.; Lavanya, B.S.K.; Chandrashekara, M.S.; Pruthvi Rani, K.S.

2017-01-01

In the present study, mass exhalation rate of 222 Rn from soil and building materials was studied using scintillation based Smart Radon Monitor (SRM) and also using Solid State Nuclear Track Detectors (SSNTD) employing Can Technique, following standard procedure. Mass exhalation rate of 222 Rn from various building material samples such as brick, sand, cement, concrete and from different types of flooring materials was determined. The results obtained from these methods were compared and analysed. The samples of construction materials were collected from various locations of Mysuru city. The city has an area of about 128 sq km with population of about 1 million. Mining industries of magnetite, dunite and lime stone are located around Mysuru city. In addition to this, quarrying and crushing of granite stones for building activities also exist nearby

Neutron induced prompt gamma-ray technique for investigation the moisture and soluble salt problem in the historical building

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lahasen Norman Shah Dahing; Ismail Mustapha; Jaafar Abdullah; Susan Maria Sipaun

2006-01-01

The degradation of some building materials such as brick and mortar is a major problem for the preservation of monuments or historic structures, especially where it is desirable to preserve the original fabric of the building. Such degradation often arises from the presence of contaminants in the constituent materials. In building materials, water is a major course of deterioration, both by acting as a solvent for various building materials components and by exerting stresses on the structure during thermal cycle. The soluble salts, notably chlorides, damage the structure either by periodically dissolving and recrystallising within the pores or by promoting corrosion. Knowledge of the presence and distribution of contaminants is needed for effective treatment and preservation. However, most of techniques have been use to evaluate the deterioration of historic building and structure is generally limited to visual observation and destructive tests of core samples. Some non-destructive testing (NDT) methods like electrical conductivity technique and ultrasonic testing, can identify cracks and voids, but cannot provide any information on the possible causes of these problems. To overcome this limitation, a new method, called n eutron-induced prompt gamma-ray technique (NIPGAT) has being developed at MINT for preservation of monuments and historic buildings. This method is useful for analytical techniques for identification both qualitative and quantitative multi-element analysis of major, minor and trace element of present in the sample. For many elements and applications, this technique offers high sensitivity, accuracy and reliability compare to other conventional method. (Author)

Analysis of Embodied Environmental Impacts of Korean Apartment Buildings Considering Major Building Materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seungjun Roh

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Because the reduction in environmental impacts (EIs of buildings using life-cycle assessment (LCA has been emphasized as a practical strategy for the sustainable development of the construction industry, studies are required to analyze not only the operational environmental impacts (OEIs of buildings, but also the embodied environmental impacts (EEIs of building materials. This study aims to analyze the EEIs of Korean apartment buildings on the basis of major building materials as part of research with the goal of reducing the EIs of buildings. For this purpose, six types of building materials (ready-mixed concrete, reinforcement steel, concrete bricks, glass, insulation, and gypsum for apartment buildings were selected as major building materials, and their inputs per unit area according to the structure types and plans of apartment buildings were derived by analyzing the design and bills of materials of 443 apartment buildings constructed in South Korea. In addition, a life-cycle scenario including the production, construction, maintenance, and end-of-life stage was constructed for each major building material. The EEIs of the apartment buildings were quantitatively assessed by applying the life-cycle inventory database (LCI DB and the Korean life-cycle impact assessment (LCIA method based on damage-oriented modeling (KOLID, and the results were analyzed.

Salinization effects on the water sorption of porous building materials

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brocken, H.J.P.; Rook, W.; Adan, O.C.G.

1999-01-01

The interaction of salt transport and moisture transport plays a crucial role in some deterioration mechanisms of porous building materials. For this reason it has been an important research subject for mant' years. Yet most research was still complicated by the lack of experimental techniques

Radioactive substances in the Danish building materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ulbak, K.

1986-01-01

Building materials as any other materials of natural occurrence contain small concentrations of natural radioactive elements. This natural radioactivity affects people inside buildings. This publiccation refers measurements of the Danish building materials, and radiation doses originating from this source affecting the Danish population are related to the other components of background radioactivity. (EG)

Longevity of borehole and shaft sealing materials: characterization of ancient cement based building materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Langton, C.A.; Roy, D.M.

1983-01-01

Durability and long-term stability of cements in plasters, mortars, and/or concretes utilized as borehole plugging and shaft sealing materials are of present concern in the national effort to isolate nuclear waste within deep geological repositories. The present study consists of an examination of selected ancient building materials and provides insights into the durability of certain ancient structures. These data were combined with knowledge obtained from the behavior of modern portland cements and natural materials to evaluate the potential for longevity of such materials in a borehold environment. Analyses were conducted by petrographic, SEM, chemical, and x-ray diffraction techniques. 7 references, 5 figures, 2 tables

Wood as a sustainable building material

Science.gov (United States)

Robert H. Falk

2009-01-01

Few building materials possess the environmental benefits of wood. It is not only the most widely used building material in the United States but also one with characteristics that make it suitable for a wide range of applications. Efficient, durable, and useful wood products produced from trees range from a minimally processed log at a log-home building site to a...

A storey of buildings and materials

Science.gov (United States)

2017-12-01

Throughout history, the development of new materials and technologies has enabled more functional and aesthetically pleasing buildings. With the advent of sustainable architecture, the role of materials science in building innovation is becoming more prominent than ever.

Recipes for porous building materials, More with less

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brouwers, H.J.H.; Fischer, H.-B.; Bode, K.-A.; Beuthan, C.

2012-01-01

The building sector, comprising both buildings and infrastructure, is the largest consumer of energy and materials. As well as the huge amount of raw materials involved, enormous amounts of energy are also used for the production and transport of raw materials, building materials and products. Among

Radioactivity in building materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-01-01

The present report, drawn up at the request of the former Minister of Public Health and Environmental Affairs of the Netherlands, discusses the potential radiological consequences for the population of the Netherlands of using waste materials as building materials in housing construction. (Auth.)

Environmental effect of structural solutions and building materials to a building

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haapio, Appu; Viitaniemi, Pertti

2008-01-01

The field of building environmental assessment tools has become a popular research area over the past decade. However, how the service life of a building affects the results of the environmental assessment of a building has not been emphasised previously. The aim of this study is to analyse how different structural solutions and building materials affect the results of the environmental assessment of a whole building over the building's life cycle. Furthermore, how the length of the building's service life affects the results is analysed. The environmental assessments of 78 single-family houses were calculated for this study. The buildings have different wall insulations, claddings, window frames, and roof materials, and the length of the service life varies from 60 years up to 160 years. The current situation and the future of the environmental assessment of buildings are discussed. In addition, topics for further research are suggested; for example, how workmanship affects the service life and the environmental impact of a building should be studied

Sustainability of earth building materials - Environmental product declarations as an instrument of competition in building material industry

OpenAIRE

Schroeder, Horst; Lemke, Manfred

2015-01-01

[EN] The evaluation of the building process in terms of their environmental impact in all life cycle phases of a building leads to the key principle of sustainable building: the analysis of the life cycle of the materials used in a building. The goal of this analysis is to reduce waste and keep the environmental impact as low as possible by “closing” the cycle. During an inventory, the entire life cycle is assessed. This includes the sourcing and extracting of the raw material, the use of the...

SYSTEM ORGANIZATION OF MATERIAL PROVIDING OF BUILDING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. V. Rаdkеvich

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Purpose. Development of scientific-methodical bases to the design of rational management of material streams in the field of building providing taking into account intersystem connections with the enterprises of building industry. Methodology. The analysis of last few years of functioning of building industry in Ukraine allows distinguishing a number of problems that negatively influence the steady development of building, as the component of the state economics system. Therefore the research of existent organization methods of the system of building objects providing with material resources is extremely necessary. In connection with this the article justifies the use of method of hierarchies analysis (Saati method for finding the optimal task solution of fixing the enterprises of building industry after building objects. Findings. Results give an opportunity to guidance of building organization to estimate and choose advantageous suppliers - enterprises of building industry, to conduct their rating, estimation taking into account basic descriptions, such as: quality, price, reliability of deliveries, specialization, financial status etc. Originality. On the basis of Saati method the methodologies of organization are improved, planning and managements of the reliable system of providing of building necessary material resources that meet the technological requirements of implementation of building and installation works. Practical value. Contribution to the decisions of many intricate organizational problems that are accompanied by the problems of development of building, provided due to organization of the reliable system of purchase of material resources.

Electrokinetic desalination of porous building materials

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kamran, K.

2012-01-01

The deterioration of porous building materials and structures by the crystallization of water soluble salts is a well known phenomenon. The threats posed by salts to building materials can be minimized either by controlling the environment or by removing the salts from the deteriorated zone. In

Moisture performance of building materials: From material characterization to building simulation using the Moisture Buffer Value concept

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abadie, Marc Olivier [Mechanical Engineering Graduate Program, Pontifical Catholic University of Parana, PUC-PR/CCET, Curitiba, PR 80215-901 (Brazil); LEPTAB, University of La Rochelle, La Rochelle, 17042 Cedex 1 (France); Mendonca, Katia Cordeiro [Mechanical Engineering Graduate Program, Pontifical Catholic University of Parana, PUC-PR/CCET, Curitiba, PR 80215-901 (Brazil)

2009-02-15

Predicting the indoor air relative humidity evolution is of great importance to evaluate people thermal comfort, perceived air quality and energy consumption. In building environments, porous materials of the envelope and furniture act on the indoor air humidity by reducing its variations. Solving the physical processes involved inside the porous materials requires the knowledge of the material hygrothermal properties that needs multiple and, for some of them, time-consuming experimental procedures. Recently, both the NORDTEST Project and Japanese Industrial Standard described a new Moisture Buffer Capacity index that accounts for surrounding air vapor concentration variation. The Moisture Buffer Value (MBV) indicates the amount of water vapor that is transported in or out of a material, during a certain period of time, when the vapor concentration of the surrounding air varies. The MBV evaluation requires only one experimental procedure and its value permits a direct comparison of the building materials moisture performance. However, two limitations can be distinguished: first, no relation between the MBV and the usual material hygrothermal properties has been clearly identified and second, no model has been proposed to actually use the MBV in building simulation. The present study aims to solve these two problems. First, the MBV fundamentals are introduced and discussed; followed by its relation with the usual material properties. Then, a lumped model for building simulation, whose parameters can be determined from the MBV experimental procedure, is described. To finish, examples of the use of this MBV-based lumped model for moisture prediction in buildings are presented. (author)

Moisture Buffer Value of Building Materials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rode, Carsten; Peuhkuri, Ruut; Time, Berit

2007-01-01

When building materials are in contact with indoor air they have some effect to moderate the variations of indoor humidity in occupied buildings. But so far there has been a lack of a standardized quantity to characterize the moisture buffering capability of materials. It has been the objective o...... is a test protocol which expresses how materials should be tested for determination of their Moisture Buffer Value. Finally, the paper presents some of the results of a Round Robin Test on various typical building materials that has been carried out in the project....... of a recent Nordic project to define such a quantity, and to declare it in the form of a NORDTEST method. The Moisture Buffer Value is the figure that has been developed in the project as a way to appraise the moisture buffer effect of materials, and the value is described in the paper. Also explained...

Characterization of historic mortars and earthen building materials in Abu Dhabi Emirate, UAE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marcus, Benjamin L

2012-01-01

The Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH) is responsible for the conservation and management of historic buildings and archaeological sites in the Emirate. Laboratory analysis has been critical for understanding the composition of historic materials and establishing appropriate conservation treatments across a wide variety of building types, ranging from Iron Age earthen archaeological sites to late-Islamic stone buildings. Analysis was carried out on historic sites in Al Ain, Delma Island and Liwa Oasis using techniques such as micro-x-ray fluorescence (MXRF), scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), polarized light microscopy (PLM), and x-ray diffraction (XRD). Testing was conducted through consultant laboratories and in collaboration with local universities. The initial aim of the analysis was to understand historic earthen materials and to confirm the suitability of locally sourced clays for the production of mud bricks and plasters. Another important goal was to characterize materials used in historic stone buildings in order to develop repair mortars, renders and grouts.

Mould growth on building materials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fog Nielsen, K.

Mould growth in buildings is associated with adverse health effects among the occupants of the building. However actual growth only occurs in damp and water-damaged materials, and is an increasing problem in Denmark, due to less robust constructions, inadequate maintenance, and too little...

Earth building materials in pre-historic domestic architectures on the south of Portugal

OpenAIRE

Bruno, Patrícia; Faria, Paulina

2008-01-01

HERITAGE 2008 - World Heritage and Sustainable Development. Barcelos: Green Lines Institute for Sustainable Development, Vol. 2, p. 571-579 Pre-historic architectures reveal a profound knowledge of building materials and their selection and application. Depending on each geographical context or functional needs, pre-historic man developed and applied different building techniques. Archaeological vestiges from several pre-historic settlements of southwest Iberia has shown that s...

PHYSICAL AND MECHANICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF BUILDING MATERIALS OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jiří Witzany

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The article presents partial results of laboratory research into physical and mechanical characteristics of materials most commonly used as walling units in masonry structures of historic and heritage buildings. Core boreholes and specimens for the laboratory research of selected characteristics were sampled from accessible places of historic buildings, which had not been restored or reconstructed. The results of the research brought new knowledge about the unreliability (variance of the properties of historical, mainly natural building materials, and, at the same time, pointed out the need for further research and extension of knowledge necessary for the assessment of residual physical and mechanical characteristics of historic masonry structures.

Wood as a sustainable building material

Science.gov (United States)

Robert H. Falk

2010-01-01

Few building materials possess the environmental benefits of wood. It is not only our most widely used building material but also one with characteristics that make it suitable for a wide range of applications. As described in the many chapters of this handbook, efficient, durable, and useful wood products produced from trees can range from a minimally processed log at...

Effect of phase change material on the heat transfer rate of different building materials

Science.gov (United States)

Hasan, Mushfiq; Alam, Shahnur; Ahmed, Dewan Hasan

2017-12-01

Phase change material (PCM) is widely known as latent heat storage. A comprehensive study is carried out to investigate the effect of PCM on heat transfer rate of building materials. Paraffin is used as PCM along with different conventional building materials to investigate the heat transfer rate from the heated region to the cold region. PCM is placed along with the three different types of building materials like plaster which is well know building material in urban areas and wood and straw which are commonly used in rural areas for roofing as well as wall panel material and investigated the heat transfer rate. An experimental setup was constructed with number of rectangular shape aluminum detachable casing (as cavity) and placed side by side. Series of rectangular cavity filled with convent ional building materials and PCM and these were placed in between two chambers filled with water at different temperature. Building materials and PCM were placed in different cavities with different combinations and investigated the heat transfer rate. The results show that using the PCM along with other building materials can be used to maintain lower temperature at the inner wall and chamber of the cold region. Moreover, the placement or orientation of the building materials and PCM make significant contribution to heat transfer rate from the heated zone to the cold zone.

Luminescence dosimetry using building materials and personal objects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goeksu, H. Y.; Bailiff, I. K.

2006-01-01

There is a growing public awareness of the risk of accidental radiation exposure due to ageing nuclear power installations, illegal dumping of nuclear waste and terrorist activities, and of the consequential health risks to populations in addition to social and economic disturbance extending beyond national boundaries. In the event of catastrophic incidents where no direct radiation monitoring data are available, the application of retrospective dosimetry techniques such as luminescence may be employed with materials from the immediate environment to confirm values of cumulative gamma dose to compare with or augment computational modeling calculations. Application of the method to post-Chernobyl studies has resulted in the development of new procedures using fired building materials with the capability to measure cumulative doses owing to artificial sources of gamma radiation as low as 20 mGy. Combined with Monte Carlo simulations of photon transport, values of cumulative dose in brick can be presented in a form suitable for use in dose-reconstruction efforts. Recent investigations have also shown that certain types of cementitious building material, including concrete, mortar and plaster, and personal objects in the form of telephone cards containing microchips and dental ceramics have the potential to be used for retrospective dosimetry. Examples of the most recent research concerning new materials and examples of application to sites in the Former Soviet Union are discussed. (authors)

Environmental impacts of adobe as a building material: The north cyprus traditional building case

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A.P. Olukoya Obafemi

2016-06-01

Summarily, this paper posits that the successful fusion of traditional building materials such as Adobe and modern design construct will not only give birth to earth conscious building, but will also be energy efficient. Moreover, it will be a substitute building material the building industry can adopt at as a contributing solution to the omniscient global warming malady.

Radiological dose assessment of naturally occurring radioactive materials in concrete building materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amran AB Majid; Aznan Fazli Ismail; Muhamad Samudi Yasir; Redzuwan Yahaya; Ismail Bahari

2013-01-01

Previous studies have shown that the natural radioactivity contained in building materials have significantly influenced the dose rates in dwelling. Exposure to natural radiation in building has been of concerned since almost 80 % of our daily live are spend indoor. Thus, the aim of the study is to assess the radiological risk associated by natural radioactivity in soil based building materials to dwellers. A total of 13 Portland cement, 46 sand and 43 gravel samples obtained from manufacturers or bought directly from local hardware stores in Peninsular of Malaysia were analysed for their radioactivity concentrations. The activity concentrations of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K in the studied building materials samples were found to be in the range of 3.7-359.3, 2.0-370.8 and 10.3-1,949.5 Bq kg -1 respectively. The annual radiation dose rates (μSv year -1 ) received by dwellers were evaluated for 1 to 50 years of exposure using Resrad-Build Computer Code based on the activity concentration of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K found in the studied building material samples. The rooms modelling were based on the changing parameters of concrete wall thickness and the room dimensions. The annual radiation dose rates to dwellers were found to increase annually over a period of 50 years. The concrete thicknesses were found to have significantly influenced the dose rates in building. The self-absorption occurred when the concrete thickness was thicker than 0.4 m. Results of this study shows that the dose rates received by the dwellers of the building are proportional to the size of the room. In general the study concludes that concrete building materials; Portland cements, sands, and gravels in Peninsular of Malaysia does not pose radiological hazard to the building dwellers. (author)

Measurement of naturally occurring radioactive materials in commonly used building materials in Hyderabad, India

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balbudhe, A.Y.; Vishwa Prasad, K.; Vidya Sagar, D.; Jha, S.K.; Tripathi, R.M.

2018-01-01

Building materials can cause significant gamma dose indoors, due to their natural radioactivity content. The knowledge of the natural radioactivity level of building materials is important for determination of population exposure, as most people spend 80-90% of their time indoors furthermore, it is useful in setting the standards and national guidelines for the use and management of these materials. The concentrations of natural radionuclides in building materials vary depending on the local geological and geographical conditions as well as geochemical characteristics of those materials. The aim of the study is to determine levels of natural radionuclide in the commonly used building materials in Hyderabad, India

Natural radioactivity measurements of building materials in Baotou, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Caifeng; Lu, Xinwei; Li, Nan; Yang, Guang

2012-12-01

Natural radioactivity due to (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K in the common building materials collected from Baotou city of Inner Mongolia, China was measured using gamma-ray spectrometry. The radiation hazard of the studied building materials was estimated by the radium equivalent activity (Ra(eq)), internal hazard index (H(in)) and annual effective dose (AED). The concentrations of the natural radionuclides and Ra(eq) in the studied samples were compared with the corresponding results of other countries. The Ra(eq) values of the building materials are below the internationally accepted values (370 Bq kg(-1)). The values of H(in) in all studied building materials are less than unity. The AEDs of all measured building materials are at an acceptable level.

Chemical physics analysis for building materials of Bangunan Panggung Drama Jalan Bandar Kuala Lumpur Malaysia: a case study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohd Zobir Hussein; Zuliskandar Ramli; Asmah Hj Yahaya

2004-01-01

The paper discussed the studies carried-out using XRD, x-ray diffraction technique on the historical building materials i.e. mortars, paints, concretes - Panggung Drama - old theatre stage building located at Jalan Bandar, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Investigations of radioactivity of building raw and materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zak, A.; Biernacka, M.; Jagielak, J.; Lipinski, P.

1993-01-01

In 1980, Ministry of Building and Building Materials Industry, the Central Laboratory for Radiological Protection (abbreviated as CLRP), Ministry of Health and Social Welfare have agreed to issue the compulsory regulation of performing the validation of investigations of building raw and materials. Methods of measurement, apparatus and method of evaluation of results of the investigations have been recommended for the whole country. The following two criteria of usefulness of a building material for housing and public building have been accepted, f 1 = 0.00027 S K + 0.0027 S Ra0 .0043 S Th ≤ 1 (this one limit exposition of the whole body to gamma radiation); f 2 = S Ra ≤ 185 Bq/kg (this one limits exposition of lung epithelium to progeny of radon 222 Rn exhaled from the building walls). The CLRP and Institute of Building Technology supervise over correctness (agreement with the regulations) of operation of laboratories in Departments of Building Industry and Energy, organize training of the personnel and collect results of the measurements. From 1980 till 1991, results of measurements of 6550 samples from 550 localities were collected in computer data base organized in CLRP. In this paper, results of examination of selected groups of building raw and materials have been presented. Annual average values of the qualification coefficients f 1 and f 2 have been also analyzed. (author). 7 refs, 13 figs, 2 tabs

Wood: a construction material for tall buildings

Science.gov (United States)

Wimmers, Guido

2017-12-01

Wood has great potential as a building material, because it is strong and lightweight, environmentally friendly and can be used in prefabricated buildings. However, only changes in building codes will make wood competitive with steel and concrete.

29 CFR 779.335 - Sales of building materials for residential or farm building construction.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... materials for residential or farm building construction. Section 3(n) of the Act, as amended, excludes from... 29 Labor 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Sales of building materials for residential or farm building construction. 779.335 Section 779.335 Labor Regulations Relating to Labor (Continued) WAGE AND...

Mycotoxins in building materials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Kristian Fog; Frisvad, Jens Christian

2011-01-01

as in future energy efficient buildings. It brings together different disciplinary points of view on indoor mold, ranging from physics and material science to microbiology and health sciences. The contents have been outlined according to three main issues: Fundamentals, particularly addressing the crucial...... roles of water and materials, Health, including a state-of-the-art description of the health-related effects of indoor molds, and Strategies, integrating remediation, prevention and policies....

Application of BIM technology in green building material management system

Science.gov (United States)

Zhineng, Tong

2018-06-01

The current green building materials management system in China's construction industry is not perfect, and there are still many shortcomings. Active construction of green building materials management system based on BIM technology, combined with the characteristics of green building materials and its relationship with BIM technology application, is urgently needed to better realize the scientific management of green building materials.

Radioactivity of building materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Terpakova, E.

2000-01-01

In this paper the gamma-spectrometric determination of natural radioactivity in the different building materials and wares applied in Slovakia was performed. The specific activities for potassium-40, thorium, radium as well as the equivalent specific activities are presented

Parameters for Building Materials Specifications in Lagos, Nigeria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Clement Oluwole Folorunso

2013-07-01

Full Text Available The responsibility of specifying materials for building construction purposes within Nigeria rests on the architects. Understanding the appropriate parameters for specifying building materials that could lead to immense financial proportion is required from the architects. The level of understanding and knowledge of architects is germane to the optimum performance of buildings throughout their life cycle. The methodology applied for this research involved the administration of a structured questionnaire on professional architects within the study area to determine the basis of their decision on the materials they specify or chose for building finishes. The parameters used to measure the specification of materials for finishes are client’s choice, cost, climatic compliance, and maintenance demand of materials. Findings show that the maintenance demand of materials is the most important factor that determines the specification of materials irrespective of the choice of client and climate. However, cost occupies a prominent role in the decision process. It also shows that most architects are not fully aware about the role of climate in determining the life cycle of materials in tropical environments. The compliance of materials to ever-changing climate does not constitute a major factor in the specification of materials in the area.

Investigating the presence of hazardous materials in buildings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gustitus, D.A.; Blaisdell, P.M.

1996-01-01

Environmental hazards in buildings can be found in the air, on exposed surfaces, or hidden in roofs, walls, and systems. They can exist in buildings in solid, liquid, and gaseous states. A sound methodology for investigating the presence of environmental hazards in buildings should include several components. The first step in planning an investigation of environmental hazards in buildings is to ascertain why the investigation is to be performed. Research should be performed to review available documentation on the building. Next, a visual inspection of the building should be performed to identify and document existing conditions, and all suspect materials containing environmental hazards. Lastly, samples of suspect materials should be collected for testing. It is important to sample appropriate materials, based on the information obtained during the previous steps of the investigation. It is also important to collect the samples using standard procedures. Pollutants of concern include asbestos, lead, PCBs, and radon

Hyperpolarized Xenon Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR of Building Stone Materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michele Mauri

2012-09-01

Full Text Available We have investigated several building stone materials, including minerals and rocks, using continuous flow hyperpolarized xenon (CF-HP NMR spectroscopy to probe the surface composition and porosity. Chemical shift and line width values are consistent with petrographic information. Rare upfield shifts were measured and attributed to the presence of transition metal cations on the surface. The evolution of freshly cleaved rocks exposed to the atmosphere was also characterized. The CF-HP 129Xe NMR technique is non-destructive and it could complement currently used techniques, like porosimetry and microscopy, providing additional information on the chemical nature of the rock surface and its evolution.

Thermal Performance of Typical Residential Building in Karachi with Different Materials for Construction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nafeesa Shaheen

2016-04-01

Full Text Available This research work deals with a study of a residential building located in climatic context of Karachi with the objective of being the study of thermal performance based upon passive design techniques. The study helps in reducing the electricity consumption by improving indoor temperatures. The existing residential buildings in Karachi were studied with reference to their planning and design, analyzed and evaluated. Different construction?s compositions of buildings were identified, surveyed and analyzed in making of the effective building envelops. Autodesk® Ecotect, 2011 was used to determine indoor comfort conditions and HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, Air-Conditioning and Cooling loads. The result of the research depicted significant energy savings of 38.5% in HVAC loads with proposed building envelop of locally available materials and glazing.

Moisture measurements in building materials with microwaves; Rakennusmateriaalien kosteusmittauksia mikroaalloilla

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kaeaeriaeinen, H.; Rudolph, M.; Schaurich, D.; Wiggenhauser, H. [VTT Building Technology, Espoo (Finland). Construction and Facility Management

1998-12-01

In order to assess the condition and evaluate the reliability of buildings and structures, it is essential to establish the moisture condition of the floor and other structural elements of the building. NDT-methods are increasingly being used for such moisture measurements because they do not cause any damage to the building under investigation. Microwave transmission is one of the NDT-methods and has been in use for several years. In this report, the applicability of the microwave method for measuring moisture in different building materials was investigated. This method has been successfully used at BAM for repeated moisture measurements in brick and sandstone material. This project also included other materials, such as concrete, sand, gravel, insulation and wood. At the same time, information was gathered about in situ moisture determination of building materials with a microwave moisture measuring system. The equipment used in this research has been developed at BAM over the last few years. The method requires two parallel boreholes in the specimen in which two microwave antennae can be moved. The moisture content in the material can be calculated from the microwave intensity transmitted between the two boreholes. Moisture profiles along the boreholes can be obtained by moving the antennae in steps along the length of the boreholes and taking measurements at each step. Special care must be taken while drilling the holes for the antennae, as this process must not affect the moisture condition in the specimen, and the boreholes must be made as parallel to each other as possible. The microwave frequencies used in the laboratory measurements ranged from 8 to 16,5 GHz in steps of 0,5 GHz. The diameters of the antennae were between 7 and 9 mm, and of the boreholes between 8 and 12 mm. Except for the concrete specimen, all the specimens were measured using plastic tubes in the boreholes. The moisture content measured by the microwave technique was verified by the

Technological characteristics of compressed earth blocks for its use as a building material

Science.gov (United States)

Gomez-Villalba, Luz Stella; Camacho-Perez, Nancy; Alvarez de Buergo, Monica; Becerra-Becerra, Javier; Esmeralda Corredor-Pulido, Dery; Fort, Rafael

2013-04-01

We present here an innovative building technique, which uses ecological, inexpensive and environmentally friendly materials. These compressed earth blocks seem to be very good for building purposes and that is why we have characterized three types of compressed earth blocks (CEB, named by their color as yellow, grey and red) mineralogically by means of X ray diffraction XRD and scanning electron microscopy SEM (both blocks and raw materials), petrographically by polarizing optical light microscopy POLM, and SEM, and, mainly, petrophysically: their hydric, physical and physico-mechanical properties by means of determining their capillary water absorption, porosity (open or accessible to water, pore size distribution and micro/macroporosity), and densities, color and ultrasound velocity (together with anisotropy). The particularities of these analyzed materials show that some varieties are more durable than others, and that all of them can be used as building materials with some restrictions related to their appropriate placing in the structures and the exposure to water. Acknowledgements: This work is supported by the GEOMATERIALES (S2009/MAT-1629) and CONSOLIDER-TCP (CSD2007-0058) programmes. Thanks also to the UCM (Complutense University of Madrid) Research Group "Alteración y conservación de los materiales pétreos del patrimonio" / Alteration and conservation of heritage stone materials (ref. 921349).

Natural radioactivity of building materials in Austria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sorantin, H.; Steger, F.

1984-03-01

About 120 samples of natural and manufactured building materials have been analyzed by gamma-spectrometry for their Thorium 232-, Radium 226- and Potassium 40 - content. Granites showed generally the greatest amounts of the above mentioned radionuclides, whereas other natural products like sand, gravels, marbles and gypsum contained only traces of radionuclides. As regards the manufactured building materials only some types of bricks and chemical gypsum showed relatively high concentrations of radionuclides, while the rest of the bricks, tiles, plaster and accessory materials fulfilled the criteria set up in the OECD-NEA report 1979. (Author)

Assessing sustainability of building materials in developing countries: the sustainable building materials index (SBMI)

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Gibberd, Jeremy T

2014-10-01

Full Text Available performance. This paper reviews a selection of sustainability assessment and reporting methodologies in order understand the applicability of existing systems as a means of measuring sustainability of building materials in developing countries. The review...

Frost resistance of building materials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Ernst Jan De Place

materials, has been developed.The importance of the pore structure on the development of stresses in the material during freezing is emphasized. To verify the model, experimental investigations are made on various concretes without air-entrainment and brick tiles with different porosities.Calculations......In this thesis it is shown that the critical degree of saturation is suitable as parameter for the frost resistance of porous building materials. A numerical model for prediction of critical degrees of saturation based on fracture mechanics and phase geometry of two-phase materials, e.g. porous...

Using Bamboo as an Alternative Material for Environmental Friendly Building

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mardjono, F.; Erkelens, P.A.; Jonge, S. de; Vliet, A.A.M. van

2000-01-01

Bamboo is one of natural resources that can be applied for building materials. In such bamboo growing countries, bamboo has main role as a building material for more than hundreds years ago. Sometimes bamboo can be used to replace wood based building material. Based on the detecting of problems on

Natural radioactivity for some Egyptian building material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eissa, M. F.; Mostafa, R. M.; Shahin, F.; Hassan, K. F.; Saleh, Z. A.; Yahia, A.

2007-01-01

Study of the radiation hazards for the building materials is interested in most international countries. Measurements of natural radioactivity was verified for some egyptian building materials to assess any possible radiological hazard to man by the use of such materials. The measurements for the level of natural radioactivity in the materials was determined by γ-ray spectrum using HP Ge detector. A track detector Cr-39 was used to measure the radon exhalation rate from these materials. The radon exhalation rates were found to vary from 2.83±0.86 to 41.57 ± 8.38 mBqm -2 h -1 for egyptian alabaster. The absorbed dose rate in air is lower than the international recommended value (55 n Gy h -1 ) for all test samples

Radon remedial techniques in buildings - analysis of French actual cases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dupuis, M.

2004-01-01

The IRSN has compiled a collection of solutions from data provided by the various decentralised government services in 31 French departments. Contributors were asked to provide a description of the building, as well as details of measured radon levels, the type of reduction technique adopted and the cost. Illustrative layouts, technical drawings and photographs were also requested, when available. Of the cases recorded, 85% are establishments open to the public (schools (70%), city halls (4%) and combined city halls and school houses (26%)), 11% are houses and 4% industrial buildings. IRSN obtained 27 real cases of remedial techniques used. The data were presented in the form of fact sheets. The primary aim of this exercise was to illustrate each of the radon reduction techniques that can be used in the different building types (with basement, ground bearing slab, crawl space). This investigation not only enabled us to show that combining passive and active techniques reduces the operating cost of the installation, but above all that it considerably improves the efficiency. The passive technique reduces the amount of radon in the building and thus reduces the necessary ventilation rate, which directly affects the cost of operating the installation. For the 27 cases recorded, we noted:(a) the application of 7 passive techniques: sealing of floors and semi-buried walls, together with improved aeration by installing ventilation openings or ventilation strips in the windows. Radon concentrations were reduced on average by a factor of 4.7. No measurement in excess of 400 Bq.m -3 (the limit recommended by the French public authorities) was obtained following completion of the works; (b) the application of 15 active techniques: depressurization of the underlying ground, crawl space or basement and/or pressurization of the building. Radon concentrations were reduced on average by a factor of 13.8. Radon concentrations of over 400 Bq.m -3 were measured in only 4 cases

Influence of building materials process technology on radon exhalation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Fudong; Wang Chunhong; Liu Senlin; Ji Dong; Zhang Yonggui; Pan Ziqiang

2009-01-01

The building materials were produced through changing raw material ingredient, baking temperature, pressure difference between surface and interior of building material, grain diameter etc. Experiment indicates that change of raw material ingredient ratio can obviously influence the radon exhalation from building material, followed by baking temperature; and pressure difference does not have significant influence on radon exhalation. For the factory to produce shale-brick, the radon exhalation is relatively low under the condition that coal gangue accounts for 40%-50%, the grain diameter is less than 2 mm, the baking temperature is about 960 degree C or 1 020 degree C and the pressure difference is 85 kPa. (authors)

Natural radioactivity level of main building materials in Baotou, China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao Caifeng; Lu Xinwei; Li Nan; Yang Guang

2012-01-01

A survey was done on natural radioactivity level and annual effective dose rate of main building materials in Baotou, China. The natural radionuclides of 40 K, 232 Th and 226 Ra in main building materials collected from Baotou were measured using NaI γ-ray spectrometry and the measured data were analyzed according to the national standards and radiological protection principles of the European Commission. The specific activities of 40 K, 232 Th and 226 Ra in the building materials samples were 218.82-1145.92, 19.75-1.32.50 and 11.46-82.66 Bq/kg, respectively. The internal and external exposure indexes of building materials were 0.06-0.41 and 0.28-0.70, respectively. The annual effective dose equivalent was 0.41-0.97 mSv/y. This justifies the production and sale of the main building materials, as both the internal and external exposure indexes of building materials are less than 1. The effective dose rate of ash brick is 0.97 mSv/y, while the maximum acceptable value is 1 mSv/y. Therefore, it is necessary to control the amount of industrial waste residue in building materials to avoid unnecessary radioactive exposure to residents. (authors)

Building materials. VOC emissions, diffusion behaviour and implications from their use

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Katsoyiannis, Athanasios; Leva, Paolo; Barrero-Moreno, Josefa; Kotzias, Dimitrios

2012-01-01

Five cement- and five lime-based building materials were examined in an environmental chamber for their emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). Typical VOCs were below detection limits, whereas not routinely analysed VOCs, like neopentyl glycol (NPG), dominated the cement-based products emissions, where, after 72 h, it was found to occur, in levels as high as 1400 μg m −3 , accounting for up to 93% of total VOCs. The concentrations of NPG were not considerably changed between the 24 and 72 h of sampling. The permeability of building materials was assessed through experiments with a dual environmental chamber; it was shown that building materials facilitate the diffusion of chemicals through their pores, reaching equilibrium relatively fast (6 h). - Highlights: ► Neopentyl glycol is reported in emissions from building materials for the first time. ► Neopentyl glycol dominates the VOC emissions from cement-based building materials. ► A dual chamber was developed to control diffusion through building materials. ► Building materials facilitate diffusion of indoor air pollutants through their pores. - Neopentyl glycol was detected in high concentrations in emissions from building materials.

Survey and specimen taking of building materials which are destined for house building in The Netherlands

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boer, J.F. den

1985-11-01

This investigation deals with the following items: (a) Some building materials cause an increase of the natural radioactive radiation level indoors, especially building materials containing a certain kind of phosphogypsum. The radiation level depends among other things on the applied quantity of building materials and on the location in the building (walls, floors or roofs, etc.). The soil underneath dwellings can also be an important radiation source. The report gives a listing of the kind of building materials used for dwellings in The Netherlands, both present ones as well as possible future ones. A survey of the quantities applied and the location of application in dwellings is also given. The different types of soil underneath the dwellings are discussed. (b) Samples were collected from various factories, dealers and other sources (both present and future samples) of the most important building materials and components thereof. The samples were handed over to Division of Technology for Society TNO, Radiological Service TNO and Netherland Energy Research Foundation, in order to measure the activity concentrations and the radon exhalations. A listing of the samples is given. (Auth.)

Flammability tests for regulation of building and construction materials

Science.gov (United States)

K. Sumathipala

2006-01-01

The regulation of building materials and products for flammability is critical to ensure the safety of occupants in buildings and other structures. The involvement of exposed building materials and products in fires resulting in the loss of human life often spurs an increase in regulation and new test methods to address the problem. Flammability tests range from those...

Radioactivity of natural and artificial building materials - a comparative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Szabó, Zs; Völgyesi, P; Nagy, H É; Szabó, Cs; Kis, Z; Csorba, O

2013-04-01

Building materials and their additives contain radioactive isotopes, which can increase both external and internal radioactive exposures of humans. In this study Hungarian natural (adobe) and artificial (brick, concrete, coal slag, coal slag concrete and gas silicate) building materials were examined. We qualified 40 samples based on their radium equivalent, activity concentration, external hazard and internal hazard indices and the determined threshold values of these parameters. Absorbed dose rate and annual effective dose for inhabitants living in buildings made of these building materials were also evaluated. The calculations are based on (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K activity concentrations determined by gamma-ray spectrometry. Measured radionuclide concentrations and hence, calculated indices and doses of artificial building materials show a rather disparate distribution compared to adobes. The studied coal slag samples among the artificial building materials have elevated (226)Ra content. Natural, i.e. adobe and also brick samples contain higher amount of (40)K compared to other artificial building materials. Correlation coefficients among radionuclide concentrations are consistent with the values in the literature and connected to the natural geochemical behavior of U, Th and K elements. Seven samples (coal slag and coal slag concrete) exceed any of the threshold values of the calculated hazard indices, however only three of them are considered to be risky to use according to the fact that the building material was used in bulk amount or in restricted usage. It is shown, that using different indices can lead to different conclusions; hence we recommend considering more of the indices at the same time when building materials are studied. Additionally, adding two times their statistical uncertainties to their values before comparing to thresholds should be considered for providing a more conservative qualification. We have defined radon hazard portion to point

X-ray Computed Microtomography technique applied for cementitious materials: A review.

Science.gov (United States)

da Silva, Ítalo Batista

2018-04-01

The main objective of this article is to present a bibliographical review about the use of the X-ray microtomography method in 3D images processing of cementitious materials microstructure, analyzing the pores microstructure and connectivity network, enabling tthe possibility of building a relationship between permeability and porosity. The use of this technique enables the understanding of physical, chemical and mechanical properties of cementitious materials by publishing good results, considering that the quality and quantity of accessible information were significant and may contribute to the study of cementitious materials development. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dependence of indoor 222Rn level on building materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tso, M.W.; Ng, C.; Leung, J.K.C.

1993-01-01

The radionuclide contents of typical building materials used in Hong Kong were studied by γ spectroscopic analysis. The physical properties of these building materials affecting the production and transportation of 222 Rn to the surrounding air were examined; these include the emanation coefficient of 2 '2 2 Rn of the material, the diffusion coefficient of 222 Rn in the material and the effect of surface coating and temperature on the rate of 222 Rn exhalation. Results obtained in this study explain the indoor 222 Rn concentration observed in our previous surveys and also suggest that the main source of indoor 222 Rn in Hong Kong is building material. (3 figs., 4 tabs.)

The use of luminescence techniques with ceramic materials for retrospective dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bailiff, I.K.

1996-01-01

Luminescence techniques are being used with ceramic materials to provide evaluations of integrated external gamma dose for dose reconstruction in populated areas contaminated by Chernobyl fallout. A range of suitable ceramics can be found associated with buildings: on the exterior surfaces (tiles), within walls (bricks) and within the interiors (porcelain fittings and tiles). Dose evaluations obtained using such samples provide information concerning the time-averaged incident gamma radiation field, average shielding factors and, with the aid of computational modelling techniques, dose estimates at external reference positions

DOCUMENTING FOR POSTERITY: ADVOCATING THE USE OF ADVANCED RECORDING TECHNIQUES FOR DOCUMENTATION IN THE FIELD OF BUILDING ARCHAEOLOGY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. J. De Vos

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Since the new millennium, living in historic cities has become extremely popular in the Netherlands. As a consequence, historic environments are being adapted to meet modern living standards. Houses are constantly subjected to development, restoration and renovation. Although most projects are carried out with great care and strive to preserve and respect as much historic material as possible, nevertheless a significant amount of historical fabric disappears. This puts enormous pressure on building archaeologists that struggle to rapidly and accurately capture in situ authentic material and historical evidence in the midst of construction works. In Leiden, a medieval city that flourished during the seventeenth century and that today counts over 3,000 listed monuments, a solution to the problem has been found with the implementation of advanced recording techniques. Since 2014, building archaeologists of the city council have experienced first-hand that new recording techniques, such as laser scanning and photogrammetry, have dramatically decreased time spent on site with documentation. Time they now use to uncover, analyse and interpret the recovered historical data. Nevertheless, within building archaeology education, a strong case is made for hand drawing as a method for understanding a building, emphasising the importance of close observation and physical contact with the subject. In this paper, the use of advanced recording techniques in building archaeology is being advocated, confronting traditional educational theory with practise, and research tradition with the rapid rise of new recording technologies.

Documenting for Posterity: Advocating the Use of Advanced Recording Techniques for Documentation in the Field of Building Archaeology

Science.gov (United States)

De Vos, P. J.

2017-08-01

Since the new millennium, living in historic cities has become extremely popular in the Netherlands. As a consequence, historic environments are being adapted to meet modern living standards. Houses are constantly subjected to development, restoration and renovation. Although most projects are carried out with great care and strive to preserve and respect as much historic material as possible, nevertheless a significant amount of historical fabric disappears. This puts enormous pressure on building archaeologists that struggle to rapidly and accurately capture in situ authentic material and historical evidence in the midst of construction works. In Leiden, a medieval city that flourished during the seventeenth century and that today counts over 3,000 listed monuments, a solution to the problem has been found with the implementation of advanced recording techniques. Since 2014, building archaeologists of the city council have experienced first-hand that new recording techniques, such as laser scanning and photogrammetry, have dramatically decreased time spent on site with documentation. Time they now use to uncover, analyse and interpret the recovered historical data. Nevertheless, within building archaeology education, a strong case is made for hand drawing as a method for understanding a building, emphasising the importance of close observation and physical contact with the subject. In this paper, the use of advanced recording techniques in building archaeology is being advocated, confronting traditional educational theory with practise, and research tradition with the rapid rise of new recording technologies.

Measurement of natural radioactivity in building materials used in Urumqi, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, Xiang; Lu, Xinwei; Zhao, Caifeng; Yang, Guang; Li, Nan

2013-07-01

Building materials contain natural radionuclides (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K, which cause direct radiation exposure of the public. The concentrations of (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K in commonly used building materials of Urumqi, China have been analysed using gamma-ray spectrometry. The concentrations of (226)Ra, (40)K and (232)Th in the studied building materials range from 19.8 to 87.4, from 273.3 to 981.2 and from 11.6 to 47.7 Bq kg(-1), respectively. The radium equivalent activity (Raeq), gamma index (Iγ) and alpha index (Iα) were calculated to assess the radiation hazards to people living in dwellings made of the materials studied. The calculated Raeq values of all the building materials are lower than the limit of 370 Bq kg(-1) for building materials. The values of Iγ and Iα of all the building materials are less than unity. The study shows that these materials may be safely used as construction materials and do not pose significant radiation hazards.

Effects of energy and carbon taxes on building material competitiveness

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sathre, Roger; Gustavsson, Leif [Ecotechnology, Mid Sweden University, 831 25 Oestersund, (Sweden)

2007-04-15

The relations between building material competitiveness and economic instruments for mitigating climate change are explored in this bottom-up study. The effects of carbon and energy taxes on building material manufacturing cost and total building construction cost are modelled, analysing individual materials as well as comparing a wood-framed building to a reinforced concrete-framed building. The energy balances of producing construction materials made of wood, concrete, steel, and gypsum are described and quantified. For wood lumber, more usable energy is available as biomass residues than is consumed in the processing steps. The quantities of biofuels made available during the production of wood materials are calculated, and the cost differences between using these biofuels and using fossil fuels are shown under various tax regimes. The results indicate that higher energy and carbon taxation rates increase the economic competitiveness of wood construction materials. This is due to both the lower energy cost for material manufacture, and the increased economic value of biomass by-products used to replace fossil fuel. (Author)

Effective 226Ra-content of some Hungarian building materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toth, A.; Feher, I.

1976-01-01

The aim of the work was to analyse the effective 226 Ra content of building- and back filling materials used in Hungary. The quantity of radon was determined by ionization chambers connected to vibrating-reed electrometers, as well as by a scintillation radon counter. The radon measuring instruments were calibrated by known 222 Rn quantities given off from standard RaCl 2 solutions. The overall uncertainty of the data obtained is estimated as being 25%. The minimum measurable effective 226 Ra concentration due to a 10 4 g building material source is calculated as 16 fCi/g for the ionization chambers and 8 fCi/g for the scintillation counter. 68 building material samples and 11 backfill (concrete made by fly-ashes) samples have been studied and it has been found, that the effective 226 Ra contents of the tested building materials are 2 to 9 times greater than those found in the Soviet Union though none exceeds the recommended 600 fCi/g level. Among the back filling materials made with fly-ash the maximum 226 Ra content was 3300 fCi/g. The effective 226 Ra content measurements are well suited for a priori radon escape qualification of building materials. (K.A.)

Durability of building materials and components

CERN Document Server

Delgado, JMPQ

2013-01-01

Durability of Building Materials and Components provides a collection of recent research works to contribute to the systematization and dissemination of knowledge related to the long-term performance and durability of construction and, simultaneously, to show the most recent advances in this domain. It includes a set of new developments in the field of durability, service life prediction methodologies, the durability approach for historical and old buildings, asset and maintenance management and on the durability of materials, systems and components. The book is divided in several chapters that intend to be a resume of the current state of knowledge for benefit of professional colleagues.

Activity measurement and effective dose modelling of natural radionuclides in building material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maringer, F.J.; Baumgartner, A.; Rechberger, F.; Seidel, C.; Stietka, M.

2013-01-01

In this paper the assessment of natural radionuclides' activity concentration in building materials, calibration requirements and related indoor exposure dose models is presented. Particular attention is turned to specific improvements in low-level gamma-ray spectrometry to determine the activity concentration of necessary natural radionuclides in building materials with adequate measurement uncertainties. Different approaches for the modelling of the effective dose indoor due to external radiation resulted from natural radionuclides in building material and results of actual building material assessments are shown. - Highlights: • Dose models for indoor radiation exposure due to natural radionuclides in building materials. • Strategies and methods in radionuclide metrology, activity measurement and dose modelling. • Selection of appropriate parameters in radiation protection standards for building materials. • Scientific-based limitations of indoor exposure due to natural radionuclides in building materials

Decreased bio-inhibition of building materials due to transport of biocides

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Erich, S.J.F.; Mendoza, S.M.; Floor, W.; Hermanns, S.P.M.; Homan, W.J.; Adan, O.C.G.

2011-01-01

Bio-inhibition of buildings and structures is an important issue. In many cases building materials have biocides added to prevent growth of micro-organisms. Growth of microorganisms on building materials has several negative effects; (1) Aesthetic damage, e.g. fungi, algae grow on the material,

The measurement theory of radioactivity in building materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qu Jinhui; Wang Renbo; Zhang Xiongjie; Tan Hai; Zhu Zhipu; Man Zaigang

2010-01-01

Radioactivity in Building Materials is the main source of natural radiation dose that the individual is received, which has caused serious concern of all Social Sector. The paper completely introduce the measurement theory of the Radioactivity in Building Materials along with the measurement principle of natural radioactivity, design of shielding facility, choosing measurement time, sample prepared and spectrum analyzed. (authors)

The impact of roofing material on building energy performance

Science.gov (United States)

Badiee, Ali

The last decade has seen an increase in the efficient use of energy sources such as water, electricity, and natural gas as well as a variety of roofing materials, in the heating and cooling of both residential and commercial infrastructure. Oil costs, coal and natural gas prices remain high and unstable. All of these instabilities and increased costs have resulted in higher heating and cooling costs, and engineers are making an effort to keep them under control by using energy efficient building materials. The building envelope (that which separates the indoor and outdoor environments of a building) plays a significant role in the rate of building energy consumption. An appropriate architectural design of a building envelope can considerably lower the energy consumption during hot summers and cold winters, resulting in reduced HVAC loads. Several building components (walls, roofs, fenestration, foundations, thermal insulation, external shading devices, thermal mass, etc.) make up this essential part of a building. However, thermal insulation of a building's rooftop is the most essential part of a building envelope in that it reduces the incoming "heat flux" (defined as the amount of heat transferred per unit area per unit time from or to a surface) (Sadineni et al., 2011). Moreover, more than 60% of heat transfer occurs through the roof regardless of weather, since a roof is often the building surface that receives the largest amount of solar radiation per square annually (Suman, and Srivastava, 2009). Hence, an argument can be made that the emphasis on building energy efficiency has influenced roofing manufacturing more than any other building envelope component. This research project will address roofing energy performance as the source of nearly 60% of the building heat transfer (Suman, and Srivastava, 2009). We will also rank different roofing materials in terms of their energy performance. Other parts of the building envelope such as walls, foundation

Build green and conventional materials off-gassing tests: A final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Piersol, P.

1995-12-31

Build Green is a certification program that will identify and label building products with a known recycled content. The introduction of these recycled materials has raised the concern that they may emit more indoor pollutants than conventional materials. This study addresses that concern by analyzing Build Green and conventional materials to assess their potential for off-gassing. The study involved emission tests of 37 materials including carpets, carpet undercushions, structural lumber, foundation material, insulation, drywall, fiberboard, counter tops, and cabinetry. The results presented in this report include comparisons of Build Green and conventional materials in terms of emissions of volatile organic compounds and formaldehyde, the material loading ratio, and discussion of the specific sources of the emissions.

Natural radioactivity in building materials used in Changzhi, China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, G.; Lu, X.; Zhao, C.; Li, N.

2013-01-01

The natural radioactivity levels of the commonly used building materials collected from Changzhi, China was analysed using gamma-ray spectroscopy. The activity concentrations of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K in the investigated building materials range from 14.6 to 131.2, from 9.9 to 138.8 and from 96.1 to 819.0 Bq kg -1 , respectively. The results were compared with the reported data of other countries and with the worldwide mean activity of soil. The external and internal hazard indices and gamma index were calculated to assess the radiation hazard to residents. The external hazard index of all building materials are less than unity, while the internal hazard and gamma indexes of hollow brick and gravel aggregate exceed unity. The study shows that the investigated hollow brick and gravel aggregate are not suitable for use as building materials in dwellings. (authors)

Natural radioactivity in building materials used in Changzhi, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Guang; Lu, Xinwei; Zhao, Caifeng; Li, Nan

2013-08-01

The natural radioactivity levels of the commonly used building materials collected from Changzhi, China was analysed using gamma-ray spectroscopy. The activity concentrations of (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K in the investigated building materials range from 14.6 to 131.2, from 9.9 to 138.8 and from 96.1 to 819.0 Bq kg(-1), respectively. The results were compared with the reported data of other countries and with the worldwide mean activity of soil. The external and internal hazard indices and gamma index were calculated to assess the radiation hazard to residents. The external hazard index of all building materials are less than unity, while the internal hazard and gamma indexes of hollow brick and gravel aggregate exceed unity. The study shows that the investigated hollow brick and gravel aggregate are not suitable for use as building materials in dwellings.

Building stock dynamics and its impacts on materials and energy demand in China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hong, Lixuan; Zhou, Nan; Feng, Wei; Khanna, Nina; Fridley, David; Zhao, Yongqiang; Sandholt, Kaare

2016-01-01

China hosts a large amount of building stocks, which is nearly 50 billion square meters. Moreover, annual new construction is growing fast, representing half of the world's total. The trend is expected to continue through the year 2050. Impressive demand for new residential and commercial construction, relative shorter average building lifetime, and higher material intensities have driven massive domestic production of energy intensive building materials such as cement and steel. This paper developed a bottom-up building stock turnover model to project the growths, retrofits and retirements of China's residential and commercial building floor space from 2010 to 2050. It also applied typical material intensities and energy intensities to estimate building materials demand and energy consumed to produce these building materials. By conducting scenario analyses of building lifetime, it identified significant potentials of building materials and energy demand conservation. This study underscored the importance of addressing building material efficiency, improving building lifetime and quality, and promoting compact urban development to reduce energy and environment consequences in China. - Highlights: •Growths of China's building floorspace were projected from 2010 to 2050. •A building stock turnover model was built to reflect annual building stock dynamics. •Building related materials and energy demand were projected.

Sustainable materials for low carbon buildings

OpenAIRE

B.V. Venkatarama Reddy

2009-01-01

This paper focuses on certain issues pertaining to energy, carbon emissions and sustainability of building construction with particular reference to the Indian construction industry. Use of sustainable natural materials in the past, related durability issues, and the implications of currently used energy-intensive materials on carbon emissions and sustainability are discussed. Some statistics on the Indian construction sector regarding materials produced in bulk quantities and the energy impl...

Study of radon diffusion coefficient for technologically enhanced building construction materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Narula, A.K.; Goyal, S.K.; Chauhan, R.P.; Chakarvarti, S.K.

2012-01-01

Most building materials of natural origin contain small amounts of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORMs), mainly radionuclides from the 226 Ra and 232 Th decay chains and 40 K. The origin of these materials is the earths crust, but they find their way into building materials, air, water, food and the human body itself. The worldwide average indoor effective dose due to gamma rays from building materials is estimated to be about 0.4 mSv per year. In many parts of the world, building materials containing radioactive materials have been used for generations. As individuals spend more than 80% of their time indoors, the internal and external radiation exposure from building materials creates prolonged exposure situations. The internal (inhalation) radiation exposure is due to 222 Rn and their short lived decay products exhaled from building materials into the room air. The average activity concentrations of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K in the earths crust are 35, 30 and 400 Bq/kg respectively. However, elevated levels of natural radionuclides causing annual doses of several mSv were identified in some regions around the world. Recycled industrial by-products containing Technologically Phosphogypsum, a by-product in the production of phosphate fertilizers is used as building material, and red mud, a waste from primary aluminum production, is used in bricks, ceramics and tiles. The increased tendency of the building material industry to use industrial wastes as substitutes for natural products having relatively high activity concentration of NORMs and the increased exposure caused by them were the driving forces for undertaking the present investigation. (author)

Proceedings of the workshop on cool building materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Akbari, H.; Fishman, B. [Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA (United States); Frohnsdorff, G. [National Inst. of Standards and Technology (NEL), Gaithersburg, MD (United States). Building Materials Div.] [eds.

1994-04-01

The Option 9, Cool Communities, of the Clinton-Gore Climate Change Action Plan (CCAP) calls for mobilizing community and corporate resources to strategically plant trees and lighten the surfaces of buildings and roads in order to reduce cooling energy use of the buildings. It is estimated that Cool Communities Project will potentially save over 100 billion kilowatt-hour of energy per year corresponding to 27 million tons of carbon per year by the year 2015. To pursue the CCAP`s objectives, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory (LBL) on behalf of the Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency, in cooperation with the Building and Fire Research Laboratory of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), organized a one-day meeting to (1) explore the need for developing a national plan to assess the technical feasibility and commercial potential of high-albedo (``cool``) building materials, and if appropriate, to (2) outline a course of action for developing the plan. The meeting took place on February 28, 1994, in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The proceedings of the conference, Cool Building Materials, includes the minutes of the conference and copies of presentation materials distributed by the conference participants.

People, planet and profit: Unintended consequences of legacy building materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Zimmer, Anthony T; Ha, HakSoo

2017-12-15

Although an explosion of new building materials are being introduced into today's market, adequate up-front research into their chemical and physical properties as well as their potential health and environmental consequences is lacking. History has provided us with several examples where building materials were broadly deployed into society only to find that health and environmental problems resulted in unintended sustainability consequences. In the following paper, we use lead and asbestos as legacy building materials to show their similar historical trends and sustainability consequences. Our research findings show unintended consequences such as: increased remediation and litigation costs; adverse health effects; offshoring of related industries; and impediments to urban revitalization. As numerous new building materials enter today's market, another building material may have already been deployed, representing the next "asbestos." This paper also proposes an alternative methodology that can be applied in a cost-effective way into existing and upcoming building materials, to minimize and prevent potential unintended consequences and create a pathway for sustainable communities. For instance, our findings show that this proposed methodology could have prevented the unintended incurred sustainability costs of approximately $272-$359 billion by investing roughly $24 million in constant 2014 U.S. dollars on up-front research into lead and asbestos. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Functional materials for energy-efficient buildings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ebert H.-P

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The substantial improving of the energy efficiency is essential to meet the ambitious energy goals of the EU. About 40% of the European energy consumption belongs to the building sector. Therefore the reduction of the energy demand of the existing building stock is one of the key measures to deliver a substantial contribution to reduce CO2-emissions of our society. Buildings of the future have to be efficient in respect to energy consumption for construction and operation. Current research activities are focused on the development of functional materials with outstanding thermal and optical properties to provide, for example, slim thermally superinsulated facades, highly integrated heat storage systems or adaptive building components. In this context it is important to consider buildings as entities which fulfill energy and comfort claims as well as aesthetic aspects of a sustainable architecture.

Functional materials for energy-efficient buildings

Science.gov (United States)

Ebert, H.-P.

2015-08-01

The substantial improving of the energy efficiency is essential to meet the ambitious energy goals of the EU. About 40% of the European energy consumption belongs to the building sector. Therefore the reduction of the energy demand of the existing building stock is one of the key measures to deliver a substantial contribution to reduce CO2-emissions of our society. Buildings of the future have to be efficient in respect to energy consumption for construction and operation. Current research activities are focused on the development of functional materials with outstanding thermal and optical properties to provide, for example, slim thermally superinsulated facades, highly integrated heat storage systems or adaptive building components. In this context it is important to consider buildings as entities which fulfill energy and comfort claims as well as aesthetic aspects of a sustainable architecture.

CONTRIBUTION TO THE POTENTIAL OF USING FRP MATERIALS IN THE REHABILITATION AND STABILIZATION OF TIMBERED BUILDINGS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tomáš Čejka

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Wooden log, timbered perimeter and interior walls ranked among the most common building constructions used from the Early Middle Ages. In most cases, the local natural resources, i.e. wood, clay, straw and stone, were used for building houses with wooden framing. This article outlines typical defects and failures of timbered houses, “classic” techniques for the rehabilitation of these defects and failures indicating the potential of using composite materials based on high- strength fibres and epoxy resin in the rehabilitation and strengthening of timbered buildings.

Radioisotopes present in building materials of workplaces

Science.gov (United States)

Del Claro, F.; Paschuk, S. A.; Corrêa, J. N.; Denyak, V.; Kappke, J.; Perna, A. F. N.; Martins, M. R.; Santos, T. O.; Rocha, Z.; Schelin, H. R.

2017-11-01

The isotope 222Rn is responsible for approximately half of the effective annual dose received by the world population. The decay products of 222Rn interacting with the cells of biological tissue of lungs have very high probability to induce cancer. The present survey was focused in the evaluation of activity concentration of 222Rn and other radioisotopes related to the building materials at workplaces at Curitiba - Paraná State. For this purpose, the instant radon detector AlphaGUARD (Saphymo GmbH) was used to measure the average concentrations of 222Rn in building materials, which were also submitted to gamma spectrometry analysis for qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the radionuclides present in samples of sand, mortar, blue crushed stone (Gneissic rock), red crushed stone (Granite), concrete and red bricks. The main radionuclides evaluated by gamma spectrometry in building material samples were 238U/226Ra, 232Th and 40K. These measurements were performed at the Laboratory of Applied Nuclear Physics of the Federal University of Technology - Paraná in collaboration with the Center of Nuclear Technology Development (CDTN - CNEN). The results of the survey present the concentration values of 222Rn related to construction materials in a range from 427±40.52 Bq/m³ to 2053±90.06 Bq/m³. The results of gamma spectroscopy analysis show that specific activity values for the mentioned isotopes are similar to the results indicated by the literature. Nevertheless, the present survey is showing the need of further studies and indicates that building materials can contribute significantly to indoor concentration of 222Rn.

Research Progress of Building Materials Used in Construction Land

Science.gov (United States)

Niu, Yan

2018-01-01

Construction land preparation is an important aspect of land remediation project. The research of materials in the process of land improvement is the foundation and the core. Therefore, it is necessary to study the materials that may be involved in the process of building land preparation. In this paper, the research on the construction materials such as recycled concrete, geosynthetics, soil stabilizers, soil improvers, building insulation materials and inorganic fibrous insulation materials, which are commonly used in construction sites, is reviewed and discussed in this paper. Land remediation project involved in the construction of land materials to provide reference.

Natural radioactivity and radiological hazards of building materials in Xianyang, China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu Xinwei; Yang Guang; Ren Chunhui

2012-01-01

Common building materials collected from Xianyang, China were analyzed for the natural radioactivity of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K using γ-ray spectroscopy. The average activity concentration of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K in the studied building materials ranges from 13.4 to 69.9, 13.1–99.1 and 124.7–915.1 Bq kg −1 , respectively. The measured activity concentrations for these radionuclides were compared with the reported data of other countries and with the worldwide average activity of soil. To assess the radiation hazard of the natural radioactivity in all samples to the people, the radium equivalent activity, external hazard index, internal hazard index, indoor absorbed dose rate and total annual effective dose were estimated. The radium equivalent activities of the studied samples are below the internationally accepted values. The external hazard index and internal hazard index of all analyzed building materials are less than unity. The mean values of indoor absorbed dose rate for all building materials except for lime are higher than the world population-weighted average of 84 nGy h −1 and the total annual effective dose values of building materials are lower than 1 mSv y −1 except for some cyan brick samples. The study shows the measured building materials do not pose significant source of radiation hazard and are safe for use in the construction of dwellings. - Highlights: ► Natural radioactivity in building materials was determined by gamma ray spectrometry. ► The radiological hazard of studied building materials is within the recommended safety limit. ► Most of the studied building materials do not pose significant radiation risk to residents.

Natural radioactivity in building materials in Iran

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mehdizadeh, S.; Faghihi, R.; Sina, S.

2011-01-01

This work presents a comprehensive study of natural radioactivity in building materials used in Iran. For this purpose, 177 samples of five types of building material, i.e. cement, gypsum, cement blocks, gravel and brick, were gathered from different regions of the country and analyzed by gamma spectroscopy to quantify radioactivity concentrations using a high purity germanium (HPGe) detector and a spectroscopy system. According to the results of this investigation, cement samples had maximum values of the mean Ra-226 and Th-232 concentrations, 39.6 and 28.9 Bq/kg, respectively, while the lowest value for mean concentration of these two radionuclides were found in gypsum samples 8.1 and 2.2 Bq/kg, respectively. The highest (851.4 Bq/kg) and lowest (116.2 Bq/kg) value of K-40 mean concentration were found in brick and gypsum samples, respectively. The absorbed dose rate and the annual effective dose were also calculated from the radioactivity content of the radionuclides. The results show that the maximum values of dose rate and annual effective dose equivalent were 53.72 nGy/h and 0.37 mSv/y in brick samples. The radium equivalent activities R eq calculated were below the permissible level of 370 Bq/kg for all building materials. The values of hazard indexes were below the recommended levels, therefore, it is concluded that the buildings constructed from such materials are safe for the inhabitants. The results of this study are consistent with the results of other investigations in different parts of the world. (authors)

Application of computer technique in the reconstruction of Chinese ancient buildings

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Deren; Yang, Jie; Zhu, Yixuan

2003-01-01

This paper offers an introduction of computer assemble and simulation of ancient building. A pioneer research work was carried out by investigators of surveying and mapping describing ancient Chinese timber buildings by 3D frame graphs with computers. But users can know the structural layers and the assembly process of these buildings if the frame graphs are processed further with computer. This can be implemented by computer simulation technique. This technique display the raw data on the screen of a computer and interactively manage them by combining technologies from computer graphics and image processing, multi-media technology, artificial intelligence, highly parallel real-time computation technique and human behavior science. This paper presents the implement procedure of simulation for large-sized wooden buildings as well as 3D dynamic assembly of these buildings under the 3DS MAX environment. The results of computer simulation are also shown in the paper.

The effect of using low-polluting building materials on ventilation requirements and energy use in buildings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wargocki, P.; Frontczak, M. (International Centre for Indoor Environment and Energy, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, DTU, Kgs. Lyngby (DK)); Knudsen, Henrik N. (Danish Building Research Institute, Aalborg Univ., Hoersholm (DK))

2007-07-01

The main objective of the ongoing research project described in this paper was to study the potential for reducing energy used for ventilating buildings by using low-polluting building materials, without compromising the indoor air quality. To quantify this potential, the exposure-response relationships, i.e. the relationships between ventilation rate and perceived indoor air quality, were established for rooms furnished with different categories of polluting materials and the simulations of energy used for ventilation were carried out. The exposure-response relationships were based on a summary of data reported in the literature on exposure-response relationships for materials tested in laboratory settings in small-scale glass chambers, and in full-scale in climate chambers, test rooms or normal offices. New experiments were also considered in which the effect of using low-polluting materials on perceived air quality was examined in test rooms ventilated with different outdoor air supply rates, low-polluting materials being selected in small glass chambers. The results suggest that the exposure-response relationships vary between different building materials and that the perceived air quality can be improved considerably when polluting building materials are substituted with materials that pollute less. The preliminary energy simulations indicate that selecting low-polluting materials will result in considerable energy savings as a result of reducing the ventilation rates required to achieve acceptable indoor air quality. (au)

The release of lindane from contaminated building materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Volchek, Konstantin; Thouin, Geneviève; Kuang, Wenxing; Li, Ken; Tezel, F Handan; Brown, Carl E

2014-10-01

The release of the organochlorine pesticide lindane (γ-hexachlorocyclohexane) from several types of contaminated building materials was studied to assess inhalation hazard and decontamination requirements in response to accidental and/or intentional spills. The materials included glass, polypropylene carpet, latex-painted drywall, ceramic tiles, vinyl floor tiles, and gypsum ceiling tiles. For each surface concentration, an equilibrium concentration was determined in the vapour phase of the surrounding air. Vapor concentrations depended upon initial surface concentration, temperature, and type of building material. A time-weighted average (TWA) concentration in the air was used to quantify the health risk associated with the inhalation of lindane vapors. Transformation products of lindane, namely α-hexachlorocyclohexane and pentachlorocyclohexene, were detected in the vapour phase at both temperatures and for all of the test materials. Their formation was greater on glass and ceramic tiles, compared to other building materials. An empiric Sips isotherm model was employed to approximate experimental results and to estimate the release of lindane and its transformation products. This helped determine the extent of decontamination required to reduce the surface concentrations of lindane to the levels corresponding to vapor concentrations below TWA.

Pressure integration technique for predicting wind-induced response in high-rise buildings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aly Mousaad Aly

2013-12-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a procedure for response prediction in high-rise buildings under wind loads. The procedure is illustrated in an application example of a tall building exposed to both cross-wind and along-wind loads. The responses of the building in the lateral directions combined with torsion are estimated simultaneously. Results show good agreement with recent design standards; however, the proposed procedure has the advantages of accounting for complex mode shapes, non-uniform mass distribution, and interference effects from the surrounding. In addition, the technique allows for the contribution of higher modes. For accurate estimation of the acceleration response, it is important to consider not only the first two lateral vibrational modes, but also higher modes. Ignoring the contribution of higher modes may lead to underestimation of the acceleration response; on the other hand, it could result in overestimation of the displacement response. Furthermore, the procedure presented in this study can help decision makers, involved in a tall building design/retrofit to choose among innovative solutions like aerodynamic mitigation, structural member size adjustment, damping enhancement, and/or materials change, with an objective to improve the resiliency and the serviceability under extreme wind actions.

Daylight as a building material

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thule Kristensen, Peter; Madsen, Merete

2005-01-01

The article draws on examples to chronologically trace the use of daylight as building material in architecture of the 20th and early 21st century. The essay covers works of Mies van der Rohe, Le Corbusier, Erik Bryggman, Rudolf Schwarz, Alvar Aalto, Aldo Rossi, Jørn Utzon, Daniel Libeskind, Peter...

Susceptibility of green and conventional building materials to microbial growth.

Science.gov (United States)

Mensah-Attipoe, J; Reponen, T; Salmela, A; Veijalainen, A-M; Pasanen, P

2015-06-01

Green building materials are becoming more popular. However, little is known about their ability to support or limit microbial growth. The growth of fungi was evaluated on five building materials. Two green, two conventional building materials and wood as a positive control were selected. The materials were inoculated with Aspergillus versicolor, Cladosporium cladosporioides and Penicillium brevicompactum, in the absence and presence of house dust. Microbial growth was assessed at four different time points by cultivation and determining fungal biomass using the N-acetylhexosaminidase (NAHA) enzyme assay. No clear differences were seen between green and conventional building materials in their susceptibility to support microbial growth. The presence of dust, an external source of nutrients, promoted growth of all the fungal species similarly on green and conventional materials. The results also showed a correlation coefficient ranging from 0.81 to 0.88 between NAHA activity and culturable counts. The results suggest that the growth of microbes on a material surface depends on the availability of organic matter rather than the classification of the material as green or conventional. NAHA activity and culturability correlated well indicating that the two methods used in the experiments gave similar trends for the growth of fungi on material surfaces. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A drying coefficient for building materials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Scheffler, Gregor Albrecht; Plagge, Rudolf

2009-01-01

coefficient is defined which can be determined based on measured drying data. The correlation of this coefficient with the water absorption and the vapour diffusion coefficient is analyzed and its additional information content is critically challenged. As result, a drying coefficient has been derived......The drying experiment is an important element of the hygrothermal characterisation of building materials. Contrary to other moisture transport experiments as the vapour diffusion and the water absorption test, it is until now not possible to derive a simple coefficient for the drying. However......, in many cases such a coefficient would be highly appreciated, e.g. in interaction of industry and research or for the distinction and selection of suitable building materials throughout design and practise. This article first highlights the importance of drying experiments for hygrothermal...

Review on phase change materials for building applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lavinia SOCACIU

2014-11-01

Full Text Available In nowadays, the Phase Change Material (PCM is a viable alternative for reducing the energy consumption and for increase the thermal comfort in buildings. The use of PCM in building applications provides the potential to increase the indoor thermal comfort for occupants due to the reduced indoor temperature fluctuations and lower global energy consumption. The possibility to incorporate the PCM into the material of construction for cooling and heating the buildings gained the interest of researchers from all the world because the PCM have a high heat of fusion, meaning it is capable to storing and release large amounts of energy in the form of heat during its melting and solidifying process at a specific temperature.

Production of mycotoxins on artificially and naturally infested building materials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Kristian Fog; Gravesen, S.; Nielsen, P.A.

1999-01-01

, especially Asp. ustus and Asp. niger produced many unknown secondary metabolites on the building materials. Analyses of wallpaper and glass-fibre wallpaper naturally infested with Asp. versicolor revealed sterigmatocystin and 5-methoxysterigmatocystin. Analyses of naturally infested wallpaper showed that C......In this study, the ability to produce mycotoxins during growth on artificially infested building materials was investigated for Penicillium chrysogenum, Pen. polonicum, Pen. brevicompactum, Chaetomium spp., Aspergillus ustus, Asp. niger, Ulocladium spp., Alternaria spp., and Paecilomyces spp., all...... isolated from water-damaged building materials. Spores from the different isolates of the above mentioned species were inoculated on gypsum board with and without wallpaper and on chipboard with and without wallpaper. Fungal material was scraped off the materials, extracted, and analyzed using high...

The cob building technique. Past, present and future

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Watson, L.

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Cob, an ancient earth building technique has given rise to hundreds of thousand buildings across Europe for centuries. It has a very distinct appearance of substantial organic walls punctuated with small apertures whose windows and doors are set back to create deep reveals. Traditionally protected by thatched roofs, these vernacular buildings make an important contribution to local identity. Cob buildings still survive and continue to be occupied in many European countries including France, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Czech Republic and England (1. Following a description of the cob technique, this paper will present a brief overview of the history of cob in Devon, a county in South West England. Recent English cob buildings will be introduced with a discussion of the potential of this earth building technique for future architecture.

A través de Europa, cientos de miles de edificios han sido construidos por un método de construcción antiguo, el uso del cob. Estos edificios tienen una apariencia característica de muros orgánicos salpicados con pequeñas aperturas cuyas puertas y ventanas se rehunden para crear profundos relieves. Tradicionalmente protegidos por techos de paja, en estos edificios vernáculos está una parte importante de la identidad local. En muchos países europeos todavía se encuentran edificios hechos de cob, como Francia, Italia, Alemania, Bélgica, República Checa, e Inglaterra (1. Después de una descripción sobre el uso de cob, este artículo presentará una historia breve del uso de cob en Devon, una región en el suroeste de Inglaterra. También introducirá ejemplos de edificios modernos de cob, con una discusión sobre el potencial de usar este método de construcción en proyectos arquitectónicos en el futuro.

Studies on natural radioactivity of some egyptian building materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eissa, E. A.; El-Khayat, A.; Ashmawy, L.; Hassan, A.M.

2005-01-01

Using high-resolution y-rays spectrometry, the natural radioactivity of 14 samples of natural and o manufactured Egyptian building materials have been investigated. The samples were collected from local market and construction sites. From the measured gamma-ray spectra, specific activities were determined. The radium equivalent activity in each sample was estimated. Radiological evaluations of these materials indicate that all materials meet the external gamma-ray dose limitation. Calculation of concentration indices by assuming a Markkanen room model is constructed from these materials, to find the excess gamma-ray dose taken over that received from the outdoors. The Austrian Standard ONORM S 5200 is used in testing the building materials

The radioactivity of house-building materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sos, K.

2007-01-01

The paper compares the natural radioactivity and radon emission properties of different building materials like bricks, concretes, cements, sands, limes, marmors of different origin. A description of the radioactive model of apartments is also given. (TRA)

Measurement of thoron exhalation rates from building materials.

Science.gov (United States)

de With, G; de Jong, P; Röttger, A

2014-09-01

Thoron (220Rn) exhalation from building materials has become increasingly recognized as a potential source for radiation exposure in dwellings. However, contrary to radon (220Rn), limited information on thoron exposure is available. The purpose of this study is to develop a test method for the determination of the thoron exhalation rate from building materials. The method is validated, and subsequently the thoron exhalation rates from 10 widely-applied concretes, gypsums, brick, limestone, and mortar are determined. The measured thoron exhalation rates of these materials range from 0.01 Bq m-2 s-1 to 0.43 Bq m-2 s-1, with relative standard uncertainties between 6% to 14%.

Buildings materials and raw materials as a source of exposition of population of the Slovak Republic

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cabanekova, H.

2005-01-01

In this presentation author presents specific activities of potassium-40, radium-226, thorium-232 and equivalent of specific activity in some building materials and raw materials used at building-up of flats in the Slovak Republic

Natural radioactivity in Slovak construction materials and the indoor dose rate from building materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cabanekova, H.; Vladar, M.

1998-01-01

For keeping the population exposure al low as reasonably achievable (recommended by the Slovak regulations), the radioactive content of primordial radionuclides in building materials and products have not to exceed 370 Bq kg -1 of radium equivalent activity and 120 Bq kg -1 of 226 Ra. Samples of building materials (cement, stone, fly-ash, light concrete, slag, dross, sand dolomite. etc.) user for construction of the residential buildings were collected, milled and screened with 2-3 cm sieve. After drying, the samples were stored in 450 cm 3 sealed polyethylene containers for a 30 day period. All samples were measured in a 4 π geometry usually for 60,000 seconds. Measurements of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K concentrations were carried out by high resolution gamma-ray spectrometry. The primordial radionuclides 226 and 232 Th were assessed through their progeny photo-peaks 214 Bi (609 keV), 214 Pb (295 keV, 351 keV) 228 Ac (338 keV, 911 keV) and 212 Pb (238 keV). The specific activity of both nuclides has been determined as weighted average of their photo-peaks. 40 K was measured directly via its 1460 keV peak. Until now, about 600 samples of building materials have been measured. The obtained radium equivalent activity in various types of building materials and mean annual effective doses of gamma radiation are presented. (J.K.)

Development of Composite PCMs by Incorporation of Paraffin into Various Building Materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shazim Ali Memon

2015-02-01

Full Text Available In this research, we focused on the development of composite phase-change materials (CPCMs by incorporation of a paraffin through vacuum impregnation in widely used building materials (Kaolin and ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS. The composite PCMs were characterized using environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA techniques. Moreover, thermal performance of cement paste composite PCM panels was evaluated using a self-designed heating system. Test results showed that the maximum percentage of paraffin retained by Kaolin and GGBS was found to be 18% and 9%, respectively. FT-IR results show that CPCMs are chemically compatible. The phase-change temperatures of CPCMs were in the human comfort zone, and they possessed considerable latent-heat storage capacity. TGA results showed that CPCMs are thermally stable, and they did not show any sign of degradation below 150 °C. From thermal cycling tests, it was revealed that the CPCMs are thermally reliable. Thermal performance tests showed that in comparison to the control room model, the room models prepared with CPCMs reduced both the temperature fluctuations and maximum indoor center temperature. Therefore, the prepared CPCMs have some potential in reducing peak loads in buildings when applied to building facade.

Determining Radium-226 concentration from Radon-222 emanation in building materials: a theoretical model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barreto, Rafael C.; Perna, Allan F.N.; Narloch, Danielle C.; Del Claro, Flavia; Correa, Janine N.; Paschuk, Sergei A.

2017-01-01

It was developed an improved theoretical model capable to estimate the radium concentration in building materials solely measuring the radon-222 concentration in a con ned atmosphere. This non-destructive technique is not limited by the size of the samples, and it intrinsically includes back diffusion. The resulting equation provides the exact solution for the concentration of radon-222 as a function of time and distance in one dimension. The effective concentration of radium-226 is a fit parameter of this equation. In order to reduce its complexity, this equation was simplified considering two cases: low diffusion in the building material compared to the air, and a building material initially saturated with radon-222. These simplified versions of the exact one dimension solution were used to t experimental data. Radon-222 concentration was continuously measured for twelve days with an AlphaGUARD TM detector, located at the Laboratory of Applied Nuclear Physics at Universidade Tecnologica Federal do Parana (UTFPR). This model was applied to two different materials: cement mortar and concrete, which results were respectively (15:7 ±8:3) Bq=kg and (10:5±2:4) Bq=kg for the radium-226 effective concentration. This estimation was confronted with the direct measurements of radium in the same materials (same sources) using gamma-ray spectrometry, fulfilled at Centro de Desenvolvimento da Tecnologia Nuclear (CDTN), which results were respectively (13:81±0:23) Bq=kg and (12:61±0:22) Bq=kg. (author)

Determining Radium-226 concentration from Radon-222 emanation in building materials: a theoretical model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barreto, Rafael C.; Perna, Allan F.N.; Narloch, Danielle C.; Del Claro, Flavia; Correa, Janine N.; Paschuk, Sergei A., E-mail: baarreth@gmail.com, E-mail: allan_perna@hotmail.com, E-mail: daninarloch@hotmail.com, E-mail: aviadelclaro@gmail.com, E-mail: janine_nicolosi@hotmail.com, E-mail: spaschuk@gmail.com [Universidade Tecnologica Federal do Parana (UTFPR), Curitiba, PR (Brazil). Departamento Academico de Fisica e Departamento Academico de Construcao Civil

2017-07-01

It was developed an improved theoretical model capable to estimate the radium concentration in building materials solely measuring the radon-222 concentration in a con ned atmosphere. This non-destructive technique is not limited by the size of the samples, and it intrinsically includes back diffusion. The resulting equation provides the exact solution for the concentration of radon-222 as a function of time and distance in one dimension. The effective concentration of radium-226 is a fit parameter of this equation. In order to reduce its complexity, this equation was simplified considering two cases: low diffusion in the building material compared to the air, and a building material initially saturated with radon-222. These simplified versions of the exact one dimension solution were used to t experimental data. Radon-222 concentration was continuously measured for twelve days with an AlphaGUARD{sup TM} detector, located at the Laboratory of Applied Nuclear Physics at Universidade Tecnologica Federal do Parana (UTFPR). This model was applied to two different materials: cement mortar and concrete, which results were respectively (15:7 ±8:3) Bq=kg and (10:5±2:4) Bq=kg for the radium-226 effective concentration. This estimation was confronted with the direct measurements of radium in the same materials (same sources) using gamma-ray spectrometry, fulfilled at Centro de Desenvolvimento da Tecnologia Nuclear (CDTN), which results were respectively (13:81±0:23) Bq=kg and (12:61±0:22) Bq=kg. (author)

Activity measurement and effective dose modelling of natural radionuclides in building material.

Science.gov (United States)

Maringer, F J; Baumgartner, A; Rechberger, F; Seidel, C; Stietka, M

2013-11-01

In this paper the assessment of natural radionuclides' activity concentration in building materials, calibration requirements and related indoor exposure dose models is presented. Particular attention is turned to specific improvements in low-level gamma-ray spectrometry to determine the activity concentration of necessary natural radionuclides in building materials with adequate measurement uncertainties. Different approaches for the modelling of the effective dose indoor due to external radiation resulted from natural radionuclides in building material and results of actual building material assessments are shown. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Materials characterization techniques

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Zhang, Sam; Li, L; Kumar, Ashok

2009-01-01

"With an emphasis on practical applications and real-world case studies, Materials Characterization Techniques presents the principles of widely used advanced surface and structural characterization...

Radioactivity assessment of some building materials from Little Poland Region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bogacz, J.; Cywicka-Jakiel, T.; Mazur, J.; Loskiewicz, J.; Swakon, J.; Tracz, G.

1994-01-01

In the paper are presented the results of building materials analysis connected with radiation protection. The concentration of natural radioactive elements (K, U, Th), and the values of f 1 and f 2 coefficients are measured for these materials. The values for ceramic building materials and for cellular concretes are composed. The utility of f 2 parameter is unformally discussed. (author). 9 refs, 12 figs, 3 tabs

Floating houses “lanting” in Sintang: Assessment on sustainable building materials

Science.gov (United States)

Susanto, D.; Lubis, M. S.

2018-03-01

One important element in the concept of sustainable building is the use of materials. The higher the use of sustainable material in building, the more sustained the building. Lanting is one type of floating construction, usually made from wood, that can be found in settlement along the river, such as in the city of Sintang, West Kalimantan. Lanting is still survive today because it is still used by community whose lives are tied to the river, and also because of its flexible nature that is able to function as a ‘water building’ as well as ‘land building’, and it is also movable, in addition for land limitation in some places. However, the existence of lanting settlements in the city of Sintang faces insistence because it is considered slum, polluting the environment, the scarcity of wooden materials, disturbing the beauty of the city, and threatened by the concretized river banks by local government. This paper discussed the sustainability of waterfront buildings in the city of Sintang in terms of material uses, through the assessment of ‘green-features’ of the main materials used. Assessment results show that wood is the most green building material and lanting is considered at the highest sustainability level for its use of wooden materials.

Radiological evaluation of building materials used in Malumfashi ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... in building materials (sand, cement, blocks, granite, and paints) used in the construction of buildings in Malumfashi local Government area of Katsina state, Nigeria were determined by means of a gamma-ray spectrometry system using Sodium Iodide thallium activated (NaI(Tl)) detector in a low background configuration.

Building Quakes: Detection of Weld Fractures in Buildings using High-Frequency Seismic Techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Heckman, V.; Kohler, M. D.; Heaton, T. H.

2009-12-01

Catastrophic fracture of welded beam-column connections in buildings was observed in the Northridge and Kobe earthquakes. Despite the structural importance of such connections, it can be difficult to locate damage in structural members underneath superficial building features. We have developed a novel technique to locate fracturing welds in buildings in real time using high-frequency information from seismograms. Numerical and experimental methods were used to investigate an approach for detecting the brittle fracture of welds of beam-column connections in instrumented steel moment-frame buildings through the use of time-reversed Green’s functions and wave propagation reciprocity. The approach makes use of a prerecorded catalogue of Green’s functions for an instrumented building to detect high-frequency failure events in the building during a later earthquake by screening continuous data for the presence of one or more of the events. This was explored experimentally by comparing structural responses of a small-scale laboratory structure under a variety of loading conditions. Experimentation was conducted on a polyvinyl chloride frame model structure with data recorded at a sample rate of 2000 Hz using piezoelectric accelerometers and a 24-bit digitizer. Green’s functions were obtained by applying impulsive force loads at various locations along the structure with a rubber-tipped force transducer hammer. We performed a blind test using cross-correlation techniques to determine if it was possible to use the catalogue of Green’s functions to pinpoint the absolute times and locations of subsequent, induced failure events in the structure. A finite-element method was used to simulate the response of the model structure to various source mechanisms in order to determine the types of elastic waves that were produced as well as to obtain a general understanding of the structural response to localized loading and fracture.

Amoebae and other protozoa in material samples from moisture-damaged buildings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yli-Pirilae, T.; Kusnetsov, Jaana; Haatainen, Susanna; Haenninen, Marja; Jalava, Pasi; Reiman, Marjut; Seuri, Markku; Hirvonen, Maija-Riitta; Nevalainen, Aino

2004-01-01

Mold growth in buildings has been shown to be associated with adverse health effects. The fungal and bacterial growth on moistened building materials has been studied, but little attention has been paid to the other organisms spawning in the damaged materials. We examined moist building materials for protozoa, concentrating on amoebae. Material samples (n=124) from moisture-damaged buildings were analyzed for amoebae, fungi, and bacteria. Amoebae were detected in 22% of the samples, and they were found to favor cooccurrence with bacteria and the fungi Acremonium spp., Aspergillus versicolor, Chaetomium spp., and Trichoderma spp. In addition, 11 seriously damaged samples were screened for other protozoa. Ciliates and flagellates were found in almost every sample analyzed. Amoebae are known to host pathogenic bacteria, such as chlamydiae, legionellae, and mycobacteria and they may have a role in the complex of exposure that contributes to the health effects associated with moisture damage in buildings

Study of the factors affecting radon diffusion through building materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chauhan, R.P.

2011-01-01

Radon appears mainly by diffusion processes from the point of origin following - decay of 226 Ra in underground soil and building materials used, in the construction of floors, walls, and ceilings. The diffusion of radon in dwellings is a process determined by the radon concentration gradient across the building material structure and can be a significant contributor to indoor radon inflow. Radon can originate from the deeply buried deposit beneath homes and can migrate to the surface of earth. Radon diffusion and transport through different media is a complex process and is affected by several factors. It is well known that for building construction materials the porosity, permeability and the diffusion coefficient are the parameters, which can quantify the materials capability to hinder the flow of radon soil gas. An increase in porosity will provide more air space within the material for radon to travel, thus reducing its resistance to radon transport. The permeability of material describes its ability to act as a barrier to gas movement when a pressure gradient exists across it and is closely related to the porosity of material. The radon diffusion coefficient of a material quantifies the ability of radon gas to move through it when a concentration gradient is the driving force. This parameter depends upon the porosity and permeability of the medium. As diffusion process is the major contributor to indoor levels, therefore, the factors affecting the diffusion process need to be kept in consideration. Keeping this in mind the experimental arrangements have been made for control study of radon diffusion through some building materials to observe the effects of different factors viz.; compaction, grain size, temperature, humidity and the mixing of these materials etc. For the present study alpha sensitive LR-115 type II solid-state nuclear track detectors (SSNTDs) have been used for the recording of alpha tracks caused by radon gas after its diffusion through the

Microbes on building materials — Evaluation of DNA extraction protocols as common basis for molecular analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ettenauer, Jörg D.; Piñar, Guadalupe; Lopandic, Ksenija; Spangl, Bernhard; Ellersdorfer, Günther; Voitl, Christian; Sterflinger, Katja

2012-01-01

The study of microbial life in building materials is an emerging topic concerning biodeterioration of materials as well as health risks in houses and at working places. Biodegradation and potential health implications associated with microbial growth in our residues claim for more precise methods for quantification and identification. To date, cultivation experiments are commonly used to gain insight into the microbial diversity. Nowadays, molecular techniques for the identification of microorganisms provide efficient methods that can be applied in this field. The efficiency of DNA extraction is decisive in order to perform a reliable and reproducible quantification of the microorganisms by qPCR or to characterize the structure of the microbial community. In this study we tested thirteen DNA extraction methods and evaluated their efficiency for identifying (1) the quantity of DNA, (2) the quality and purity of DNA and (3) the ability of the DNA to be amplified in a PCR reaction using three universal primer sets for the ITS region of fungi as well as one primer pair targeting the 16S rRNA of bacteria with three typical building materials — common plaster, red brick and gypsum cardboard. DNA concentration measurements showed strong variations among the tested methods and materials. Measurement of the DNA yield showed up to three orders of magnitude variation from the same samples, whereas A260/A280 ratios often prognosticated biases in the PCR amplifications. Visualization of the crude DNA extracts and the comparison of DGGE fingerprints showed additional drawbacks of some methods. The FastDNA Spin kit for soil showed to be the best DNA extraction method and could provide positive results for all tests with the three building materials. Therefore, we suggest this method as a gold standard for quantification of indoor fungi and bacteria in building materials. -- Highlights: ► Up to thirteen extraction methods were evaluated with three building materials. �

Naturally radioactivity in common building materials used in Thiruvannamalai city, Tamilnadu, India

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ravisankar, R.; Vanasundari, K.; Suganya, M.; Sivakumar, S.; Senthilkumar, G.; Chandramohan, J.; Vijayagopal, P.; Venkatraman, B.

2012-01-01

The radioactivity of some building materials used in Thiruvannamalai city has been measured using a NaI(Tl) detector based gamma ray spectrometer. The distribution of natural occurring radionuclides ( 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K) in the building materials was studied. The radium equivalent activity (Ra eq ), external hazard index (H ex ) internal radiation hazard index (H in ) and the activity utilization index (I) associated with the natural radionuclide are calculated to assess the radiation hazard of the natural radioactivity in the building materials. The present work shows that the natural radioactivity levels in the building construction materials used in Thiruvannamalai city is well below the acceptable limits. From the analysis, it was found that these materials may be safely used as construction materials and do not pose significant radiation hazards. (author)

Microbes on building materials - Evaluation of DNA extraction protocols as common basis for molecular analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ettenauer, Joerg D., E-mail: joerg.ettenauer@boku.ac.at [VIBT-BOKU, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Department of Biotechnology, Muthgasse 11, A-1190 Vienna (Austria); Pinar, Guadalupe, E-mail: Guadalupe.Pinar@boku.ac.at [VIBT-BOKU, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Department of Biotechnology, Muthgasse 11, A-1190 Vienna (Austria); Lopandic, Ksenija, E-mail: Ksenija.Lopandic@boku.ac.at [VIBT-BOKU, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Department of Biotechnology, Muthgasse 11, A-1190 Vienna (Austria); Spangl, Bernhard, E-mail: Bernhard.Spangl@boku.ac.at [University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Department of Landscape, Spatial and Infrastructure Science, Institute of Applied Statistics and Computing (IASC), Gregor Mendel-Str. 33, A-1180 Vienna (Austria); Ellersdorfer, Guenther, E-mail: Guenther.Ellersdorfer@boku.ac.at [VIBT-BOKU, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Department of Biotechnology, Muthgasse 11, A-1190 Vienna (Austria); Voitl, Christian, E-mail: Christian.Voitl@boku.ac.at [VIBT-BOKU, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Department of Biotechnology, Muthgasse 11, A-1190 Vienna (Austria); Sterflinger, Katja, E-mail: Katja.Sterflinger@boku.ac.at [VIBT-BOKU, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Department of Biotechnology, Muthgasse 11, A-1190 Vienna (Austria)

2012-11-15

The study of microbial life in building materials is an emerging topic concerning biodeterioration of materials as well as health risks in houses and at working places. Biodegradation and potential health implications associated with microbial growth in our residues claim for more precise methods for quantification and identification. To date, cultivation experiments are commonly used to gain insight into the microbial diversity. Nowadays, molecular techniques for the identification of microorganisms provide efficient methods that can be applied in this field. The efficiency of DNA extraction is decisive in order to perform a reliable and reproducible quantification of the microorganisms by qPCR or to characterize the structure of the microbial community. In this study we tested thirteen DNA extraction methods and evaluated their efficiency for identifying (1) the quantity of DNA, (2) the quality and purity of DNA and (3) the ability of the DNA to be amplified in a PCR reaction using three universal primer sets for the ITS region of fungi as well as one primer pair targeting the 16S rRNA of bacteria with three typical building materials - common plaster, red brick and gypsum cardboard. DNA concentration measurements showed strong variations among the tested methods and materials. Measurement of the DNA yield showed up to three orders of magnitude variation from the same samples, whereas A260/A280 ratios often prognosticated biases in the PCR amplifications. Visualization of the crude DNA extracts and the comparison of DGGE fingerprints showed additional drawbacks of some methods. The FastDNA Spin kit for soil showed to be the best DNA extraction method and could provide positive results for all tests with the three building materials. Therefore, we suggest this method as a gold standard for quantification of indoor fungi and bacteria in building materials. -- Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Up to thirteen extraction methods were evaluated with three

Gamma spectrometric method for measuring natural radioactivity of building materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toth, A.; Feher, I.

1976-11-01

The natural 232 Th, 226 Ra and 40 K concentrations of building materials were determined by gamma spectrometry. Altogether 121 samples from all over Hungary, one from each factory producing building materials, were examined. The presented data had preliminary character. The results were compared to the relating ones from abroad. (Sz.N.Z.)

Waste Foundry Sand Usage for Building Material Production: A First Geopolymer Record in Material Reuse

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Neslihan Doğan-Sağlamtimur

2018-01-01

Full Text Available In order to bring a solution to the problem of waste foundry sand (WFS in the foundry sector and achieve its reuse, geopolymer building material (as a cementless technology was produced from the WFS for the first time in the literature in this study. The physical and mechanical characteristics of this material were determined. In the first part of the experimental step, the sieve analysis, loose/tight unit weight, and loss of ignition of the WFS were obtained as well as the ultimate analysis. In the second step, the water absorption percentage, porosity, unit weight, and compressive strength tests were conducted on the WFS-based geopolymer specimens activated by chemical binders (sodium hydroxide: NaOH and sodium silicate: Na2SiO3. As the unit weights of all the produced samples were lower than 1.6 g/cm3, they may be considered as lightweight building materials. The minimum compressive strength value for building wall materials was accepted as 2.5 MPa by national standards. In this study, the maximum compressive strength value was measured as 12.3 MPa for the mixture incorporation of 30% Na2SiO3 at the curing temperature of 200°C in 28 days. It was concluded that this geopolymer material is suitable for using as a building wall material.

Suggestions for inclulsion of radon exhalation control target in building materials radioactivity standards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Fudong; Liu Senlin; Pan Ziqiang; Zhang Yonggui

2010-01-01

The specific-activity and radon exhalation rate from 26 building material samples from different areas were measured with high pure germanium (HPGe) gamma spectrometer and activated carbon cartridge. It is shown that the radium content is not completely relevant to radon exhalation rate from some building material. The existing national standards on 'The Limit of Radionuclides in Building Materials' (GB 6566-2001) only present internal exposure index as control target but not for radon exhalation rate; in fact, the radon exhalation rate from building materials is closely nearly related to indoor radon concentration. So we suggest that the radon exhalation control target should be included in the national standards on 'The Limit of Radionuclides in Building Materials'. (authors)

Development of phase change materials based microencapsulated technology for buildings: A review

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tyagi, V.V.; Kaushik, S.C. [Centre for Energy Studies, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016 (India); Tyagi, S.K. [School of Infrastructure Technology and Resource Management, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University, Katra 182320, J and K (India); Akiyama, T. [Center for Advanced Research of Energy Conversion Materials, Hokkaido University, Kita 13, Nishi 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-86283 (Japan)

2011-02-15

Thermal energy storage (TES) systems using phase change material (PCM) have been recognized as one of the most advanced energy technologies in enhancing the energy efficiency and sustainability of buildings. Now the research is focus on suitable method to incorporate PCMs with building. There are several methods to use phase change materials (PCMs) in thermal energy storage (TES) for different applications. Microencapsulation is one of the well known and advanced technologies for better utilization of PCMs with building parts, such as, wall, roof and floor besides, within the building materials. Phase change materials based microencapsulation for latent heat thermal storage (LHTS) systems for building application offers a challenging option to be employed as effective thermal energy storage and a retrieval device. Since the particular interest in using microencapsulation PCMs for concrete and wall/wallboards, the specific research efforts on both subjects are reviewed separately. This paper presents an overview of the previous research work on microencapsulation technology for thermal energy storage incorporating the phase change materials (PCMs) in the building applications, along with few useful conclusive remarks concluded from the available literature. (author)

Corrosion Detection of Reinforcement of Building Materials with Piezoelectric Sensors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jia Peng

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The extensive use of reinforced materials in the construction industry has raised increased concerns about their safety and durability, while corrosion detection of steel materials is becoming increasingly important. For the scientific management, timely repair and health monitoring of construction materials, as well as to ensure construction safety and prevent accidents, this paper investigates corrosion detection on construction materials based on piezoelectric sensors. At present, the commonly used corrosion detection methods include physical and electrochemical methods, but there are shortcomings such as large equipment area, low detection frequency, and complex operation. In this study an improved piezoelectric ultrasonic sensor was designed, which could not only detect the internal defects of buildings while not causing structural damage, but also realize continuous detection and enable qualitative and quantitative assessment. Corrosion detection of reinforced building materials with piezoelectric sensors is quick and accurate, which can find hidden dangers and provide a reliable basis for the safety of the buildings.

Radioactivity in building materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stranden, E.

1979-01-01

The object of this brief report is to make the pollution inspectorate aware of the radiation hazards involved in new building materials, such as gypsum boards and alum slate based concrete blocks whose radium content is high. Experience in Swedish housebuilding has shown that a significant increase in the radiation dose to the occupants can occur. Improved insulation and elimination of draughts in fuel conservation accentuate the problem. Norwegian investigations are referred to and OECD and Scandinavian discussions aiming at recommendations and standards are mentioned. Suggested measures by the Norwegian authorities are given. (JIW)

Assessment of the radiological impact of selected building materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gwiazdowski, B.

1983-02-01

Naturally occurring radionuclides in building materials are a source of external and internal radiation exposure to essentially the entire Polish population. The programme of our studies met two main aspects on radioactivity of building materials: Gamma dose rate and radon or alpha potential energy concentration measurements in dwellings of various kinds of structure and materials in both industrial and rural districts of Poland. Gamma dose rate measurements were made in about 2200 dwellings and radon or alpha potential energy concentration measurements - in 750 dwellings. On the basis of these studies the annual effective dose equivalent to the Polish population due to gamma and alpha radiation indoors was estimated to be 0.39 mSv/a and 0.99 mSv/a, respectively. The contribution of external (from gamma) and internal (from alpha) radiation exposure due to naturally occurring radionuclides in building materials to the total radiation exposure of Polish population was assessed to be 3.6 per cent and 34.2 per cent, respectively. Measurements of about 1500 samples of various kinds of building materials and raw materials were made to determine radionuclide concentrations in them. The highest values were obtained in samples of phosphogypsum, fly ash and slag: potassium concentration ranges up to 36 pCi g -1 (a slag sample), radium - up to 17 pCi g -1 (a phosphogypsum sample) and thorium - up to 4 pCi g -1 (a phosphogypsum). On the basis of the results of our studies we came to the conclusion that it was necessary to work out a control system which could protect habitants against enhancement of indoor exposure to ionizing radiation

Sensory ratings of emissions from nontraditional building materials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Krejcirikova, Barbora; Kolarik, Jakub; Peuhkuri, Ruut

2016-01-01

Twenty-five subjects assessed the emissions from building materials: linoleum, cement mortar with and without fly ash, gypsum board and tiles with air cleaning properties and natural organic sheep wool. The ratings were made at different material loadings and in combinations with linoleum....... The results showed that except for natural organic product, increasing loading and combining materials with linoleum increased intensity of odor....

Contributions to indoor gamma dose rate from building materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Xionghua; Li Guangming; Yang Xiangdong

1990-01-01

In the coures of construction of a building structured with bricks and concrets, the indoor gamma air absorbed dose rates were seperately measured from the floors, brick walls and prefabricated plates of concrets, etc.. It suggested that the indoor gamma dose rates from building materials are mainly attributed to the brick walls and the floors. A little contribution comes from other brilding materials. The dose rates can be calculated through a 4π-infinite thick model with a correction factor of 0.52

Experimental Study on the Comparison of the Material Properties of Glass Wool Used as Building Materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kyoung-Woo KIM

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Artificial mineral fibers such as glass wool or stone wool are commonly used in building walls, ceilings and floors as a major insulation material for buildings. Among the material properties of building materials, thermal conductivity, the sound absorption coefficient, compressibility, and dynamic stiffness are regarded as important performance requirements since they directly affect the thermal and acoustic properties of the building. This study measured the changes of the thermal and acoustical performances of glass wool that was actually installed for a long time to the outer wall of a building as an insulation material through a comparison with recently produced glass wool. The results showed that the measured thermal conductivities of the old and the new specimens both rise with an increase of temperature, showing quite similar results in both specimens over temperature ranges of (0 – 20 ºC. The noise reduction coefficient decreased by 0.1 in the old specimen and the difference of the compressibilities in both specimens was shown to be 7.32 mm. The dynamic stiffness of the old specimen was found to be 1.28 MN/m3 higher than that of the new specimen.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ms.20.1.3714

Neutron activation analysis of some building materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salagean, M.; Pantelica, A.; Georgescu, I.I.; Muntean, M.I.

1999-01-01

Over the past decade, indoor air quality has become a growing environmental problem. A careful selection of building materials concerning the acceptance of chemical and radioactive emissions is one of the ways to ensure high indoor air quality. Nowadays, it is a tendency to obtain new building materials having good isolation properties and low density by using the cheap and practically inexhaustible solid waste products like furnace slag, fly coal ash and phosphogypsum, without combustion. The Romanian furnace slag containing generally, above 45 % CaO can be used alone or mixed with fly ash to obtain some binder materials with mechanical resistance comparable to the Portland cement. Different additives such as CaO+Na 2 SO 4 or CaCl 2 +Na 2 SO 4 are used as activating admixtures. Concentrations of As, Au, Ba, Br, Ca, Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, Eu, Fe, Hf, K, La, Lu, Mo, Na, Nd, Rb, Sb, Sc, Sr, Ta, Tb, Th, U, Yb, W and Zn in seven Romanian building materials were determined by Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) method at WWR-S Reactor of IFIN-HH, Bucharest. Raw material used in the cement production (∼75 % limestone, ∼25 % clay), cement samples from three different factories, furnace slag, phosphogypsum, and a type of brick compacted from furnace slag, fly coal ash, phosphogypsum, lime and cement have been analyzed. The fly coal ashes from five Romanian coal-fired power plants, resulting by the combustion of the xyloide brown coals, lignite and bituminous-subbituminous coals were previously analyzed. It was found that the content of the toxic microelements like As, Co, Cr, Th, U, Zn in the ceramic blocks is especially due to the slag and fly ash, the main components. This content depends on the particular sources of mineral raw materials. The presence of U, Th and K in slag is mainly correlated with the limestone and dolomite as used in the metallurgical process. (authors)

VOCs and odors: key factors in selecting `green` building materials?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Coombs, C. [Steven Winter Associates Inc., Norwalk, CT and Washington DC (United States)

1998-12-01

The current state of knowledge available for selecting building materials on the basis of emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and odors is reviewed. The significance of VOCs and odors in building materials is related to their role in influencing indoor air quality. As far as toxicity is concerned, many of the VOCs detected in indoor air are relatively inert when considered singly. They are not however, unimportant because in actual fact they are invariably found in mixtures some of which can be toxic. Although knowledge of VOCs is incomplete, it is important to specify ozone-resistant polymeric building products, i.e. those that are chemically stable and inert to oxidation. In addition to VOCs, attention should also be focused on semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) since they are even more persistent than VOCs and tend to offgas for prolonged periods of time. Similarly, it is reasonable to specify low-odor materials. Inclusion of issues related to complex indoor chemistry, less volatile emissions, in addition to VOCs and odor, should in time result in expanded choices of building materials that promote indoor air quality. 16 refs.,2 tabs.

Analysis of the Constituent Materials of Historical Building in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Science.gov (United States)

Aloufi, Fahed; El-Turke, Adel; Scott, Tom

2017-04-01

Increasing levels of atmospheric pollution is observed to accentuate and accelerate the degradation of historical sites. This paper investigates the chemical and mineralogical characteristic of the building materials used to construct the declared UNESCO world heritage site located in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia., and provide an initial assessment of the primary mechanisms for their environmental degradation. Stone and plaster samples were collected from six historic houses as well as the quarry from which the stone was originally produced. The main objective of this work was to identify the composition and alteration of the stone, plaster and quarry materials and to provide information about the decay mechanisms, thereby better enabling conservators to identify the correct methods and materials for onwards conservation and restoration works. X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Laser Raman spectroscopy (LRS) and Scanning Electron Microscopy combined with energy-dispersion X-ray spectroscopy (FEGSEM-EDS) were utilized as analytical techniques to conjointly to determine the chemical composition of the corresponding materials. The results revealed that the stone used throughout the historic buildings comprises a mixture of calcareous limestone and corallite stones. The associated binding plaster is lime based, made with non-hydraulic lime and local sand, whilst the decorative plaster is made of gypsum (CaSO4). On degraded surfaces it was possible to detect the deposition of sea salt, sulphur and phosphorus as the main atmospheric pollutants and significant contributors to the observed environmental degradation.

Guidelines for Assessment and Abatement of Asbestos-Containing Materials in Buildings.

Science.gov (United States)

Pielert, James H.; Mathey, Robert G.

This report presents guidelines, based on available information, for the assessment and abatement of asbestos-containing materials in buildings. Section 1 provides background information on the history and use of asbestos-containing products in buildings, the characteristics of asbestos fibers, products and materials containing asbestos, and…

Updated database on natural radioactivity in building materials in Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Trevisi, R; Leonardi, F; Risica, S; Nuccetelli, C

2018-07-01

The paper presents the latest collection of activity concentration data of natural radionuclides ( 226 Ra, 232 Th and 4  K) in building materials. This database contains about 24200 samples of both bulk materials and their constituents (bricks, concrete, cement, aggregates) and superficial materials used in most European Union Member States and some European countries. This collection also includes radiological information about some NORM residues and by-products (by-product gypsum, metallurgical slags, fly and bottom ashes and red mud) which can be of radiological concern if recycled in building materials as secondary raw materials. Moreover, radon emanation and radon exhalation rate data are reported for bricks and concrete. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Application of Nanotechnology-Based Thermal Insulation Materials in Building Construction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bozsaky David

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Nanotechnology-based materials have previously been used by space research, pharmaceuticals and electronics, but in the last decade several nanotechnology-based thermal insulation materials have appeared in building industry. Nowadays they only feature in a narrow range of practice, but they offer many potential applications. These options are unknown to most architects, who may simply be afraid of these materials owing to the incomplete and often contradictory special literature. Therefore, they are distrustful and prefer to apply the usual and conventional technologies. This article is intended to provide basic information about nanotechnology-based thermal insulation materials for designers. It describes their most important material properties, functional principles, applications, and potential usage options in building construction.

Radioactivity in building materials : a first overview of the European scenario

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trevisi, Rosabianca; D'Alessandro, Marco; Nuccetelli, Cristina; Risica, Serena

2008-01-01

With a wide research into the national and international literature an inventory was created of building materials in Europe, characterised on the basis of activity concentration of the main natural radionuclides ( 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K). Materials of natural origin and containing industrial by-products were both accounted for. The inventory allowed to calculate the activity concentration index I - suggested by a European technical guidance document - for many building materials in Europe. A first identification of materials was thus made, which could be subject to controls or restrictions as for movement and/or use if the index were to be adopted by the European legislation. The analysis presented in this paper is a first attempt to discuss the data of our inventory and only five materials have been analysed. In a near future a more complete discussion will be published, also considering natural stones and superficial materials. As regards natural stones a tentative grouping will be made, classifying stones by their geological origin. Moreover, if enough data were available, we will also assess the radiation protection consequences of the potential use of by-products of industrial origin in building materials. Finally, the activity concentration of 232 Th, often higher than that of 226 Ra, in building materials shows the need of improving research into the health effects of the 232 Th chain, in particular of thoron concentration indoors. (author)

Preindustrial versus postindustrial Architecture and Building Techniques

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vestergaard, Inge

2014-01-01

How can preindustrial architecture inspire sustainable thinking in postindustrial architectural design? How can we learn from experience and how can social, economic and environmental conditions give perspectives and guide a knowledge based evolution of basic experience towards modern industriali......How can preindustrial architecture inspire sustainable thinking in postindustrial architectural design? How can we learn from experience and how can social, economic and environmental conditions give perspectives and guide a knowledge based evolution of basic experience towards modern...... industrialized building processes? Identification of sustainable parameters related to change in society, to building technique and to comfort are illustrated through two Danish building types, which are different in time, but similar in function. One representing evolution and experience based countryside...... fisherman’s house built around year 1700; and second a frontrunner suburban family house built year 2008. The analysis involves architectural, technical and comfort matters and will state the levels of design, social conditions, sustainable and energy efficient parameters. Results will show lessons learned...

Measurement of natural radioactivity in building materials of Hassan District, Karnataka, India

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Srinivasa, E.; Rangaswamy, D.R.; Sannappa, J.; Suresh, S.

2018-01-01

Significant portion of the background radiation is coming from the primordial nuclides such as 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K which are present in the soil, rock and building material. These radionuclides are sources of the external and the internal radiation exposures in dwellings. The specific activities of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K in the building raw materials and products mainly depend on geological and geographical conditions as well as geochemical characteristics of those materials. Knowledge of radioactivity present in building materials enables one to assess any possible radiological risk to human health

Natural radioactivity in granite stones and their radiological aspects as building material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumaravel, S.; Sunil, C.N.; Narashimha Nath, V.; Raghunath, T.; Prashanth Kumar, M.; Ramakrishna, V.; Nair, B.S.K.; Purohit, R.G.; Tripati, R.M.

2014-01-01

Natural radioactivity in building and building decorating materials comes mainly from natural radioactive series like 238 U, 232 Th and 40 K. India is one of the leading users of granite stones as it is preferred by decorators and architects. The knowledge of presence of natural radioactivity in these materials is required for the assessment of radiation exposure due to them. The objective of this study is to determine the natural radioactivity and radiological aspects of granite stones as building material

BUILDING MATERIALS RECLAMATION PROGRAM

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

David C. Weggel; Shen-En Chen; Helene Hilger; Fabien Besnard; Tara Cavalline; Brett Tempest; Adam Alvey; Madeleine Grimmer; Rebecca Turner

2010-08-31

This report describes work conducted on the Building Materials Reclamation Program for the period of September 2008 to August 2010. The goals of the project included selecting materials from the local construction and demolition (C&D) waste stream and developing economically viable reprocessing, reuse or recycling schemes to divert them from landfill storage. Educational resources as well as conceptual designs and engineering feasibility demonstrations were provided for various aspects of the work. The project was divided into two distinct phases: Research and Engineering Feasibility and Dissemination. In the Research Phase, a literature review was initiated and data collection commenced, an advisory panel was organized, and research was conducted to evaluate high volume C&D materials for nontraditional use; five materials were selected for more detailed investigations. In the Engineering Feasibility and Dissemination Phase, a conceptual study for a regional (Mecklenburg and surrounding counties) collection and sorting facility was performed, an engineering feasibility project to demonstrate the viability of recycling or reuse schemes was created, the literature review was extended and completed, and pedagogical materials were developed. Over the two-year duration of the project, all of the tasks and subtasks outlined in the original project proposal have been completed. The Final Progress Report, which briefly describes actual project accomplishments versus the tasks/subtasks of the original project proposal, is included in Appendix A of this report. This report describes the scientific/technical aspects (hypotheses, research/testing, and findings) of six subprojects that investigated five common C&D materials. Table 1 summarizes the six subprojects, including the C&D material studied and the graduate student and the faculty advisor on each subproject.

Building Materials Reclamation Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weggel, David C.; Chen, Shen-En; Hilger, Helene; Besnard, Fabien; Cavalline, Tara; Tempest, Brett; Alvey, Adam; Grimmer, Madeleine; Turner, Rebecca

2011-01-01

This report describes work conducted on the Building Materials Reclamation Program for the period of September 2008 to August 2010. The goals of the project included selecting materials from the local construction and demolition (C and D) waste stream and developing economically viable reprocessing, reuse or recycling schemes to divert them from landfill storage. Educational resources as well as conceptual designs and engineering feasibility demonstrations were provided for various aspects of the work. The project was divided into two distinct phases: Research and Engineering Feasibility and Dissemination. In the Research Phase, a literature review was initiated and data collection commenced, an advisory panel was organized, and research was conducted to evaluate high volume C and D materials for nontraditional use; five materials were selected for more detailed investigations. In the Engineering Feasibility and Dissemination Phase, a conceptual study for a regional (Mecklenburg and surrounding counties) collection and sorting facility was performed, an engineering feasibility project to demonstrate the viability of recycling or reuse schemes was created, the literature review was extended and completed, and pedagogical materials were developed. Over the two-year duration of the project, all of the tasks and subtasks outlined in the original project proposal have been completed. The Final Progress Report, which briefly describes actual project accomplishments versus the tasks/subtasks of the original project proposal, is included in Appendix A of this report. This report describes the scientific/technical aspects (hypotheses, research/testing, and findings) of six subprojects that investigated five common C and D materials. Table 1 summarizes the six subprojects, including the C and D material studied and the graduate student and the faculty advisor on each subproject.

ICAN Computer Code Adapted for Building Materials

Science.gov (United States)

Murthy, Pappu L. N.

1997-01-01

The NASA Lewis Research Center has been involved in developing composite micromechanics and macromechanics theories over the last three decades. These activities have resulted in several composite mechanics theories and structural analysis codes whose applications range from material behavior design and analysis to structural component response. One of these computer codes, the Integrated Composite Analyzer (ICAN), is designed primarily to address issues related to designing polymer matrix composites and predicting their properties - including hygral, thermal, and mechanical load effects. Recently, under a cost-sharing cooperative agreement with a Fortune 500 corporation, Master Builders Inc., ICAN was adapted to analyze building materials. The high costs and technical difficulties involved with the fabrication of continuous-fiber-reinforced composites sometimes limit their use. Particulate-reinforced composites can be thought of as a viable alternative. They are as easily processed to near-net shape as monolithic materials, yet have the improved stiffness, strength, and fracture toughness that is characteristic of continuous-fiber-reinforced composites. For example, particlereinforced metal-matrix composites show great potential for a variety of automotive applications, such as disk brake rotors, connecting rods, cylinder liners, and other hightemperature applications. Building materials, such as concrete, can be thought of as one of the oldest materials in this category of multiphase, particle-reinforced materials. The adaptation of ICAN to analyze particle-reinforced composite materials involved the development of new micromechanics-based theories. A derivative of the ICAN code, ICAN/PART, was developed and delivered to Master Builders Inc. as a part of the cooperative activity.

Natural radioactivity in some building materials and assessment of the associated radiation hazards

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kasumovic, Amira; Hankic, Ema; Kasic, Amela; Adrovic, Feriz [Tuzla Univ. (Bosnia and Herzegovina). Dept. of Physics

2018-04-01

The results of the specific activities of {sup 232}Th, {sup 226}Ra and {sup 40}K measured in samples of commonly used building materials in Bosnia and Herzegovina are presented. Measurements were performed by gamma-ray spectrometer with coaxial HPGe detector. The surface radon exhalation and mass exhalation rates for selected building materials were also measured. The determined values of specific activities were in range from 3.16 ± 0.81 Bq kg{sup -1} to 64.79 ± 6.16 Bq kg{sup -1} for {sup 232}Th, from 2.46 ± 0.95 Bq kg{sup -1} to 53.89 ± 3.67 Bq kg{sup -1} for {sup 226}Ra and from 28.44 ± 7.28 Bq kg{sup -1} to 557.30 ± 93.38 Bq kg{sup -1} for {sup 40}K. The radium equivalent activity, the activity concentration index, the external and internal hazard indices as well as the absorbed dose rate in indoor air and the corresponding annual effective dose, due to gamma-ray emission from the radioactive nuclides in the building material, were evaluated in order to assess the radiation hazards for people. The measured specific activities of the natural radioactive nuclides in all investigated building materials were compared with the published results for building materials from other European countries. It can be noted that the results from this study are similar to the data for building materials from neighbouring countries and for building materials used in the EU Member States. The radiological hazard parameters of the building materials were all within the recommended limits for safety use.

RESRAD-BUILD: A computer model for analyzing the radiological doses resulting from the remediation and occupancy of buildings contaminated with radioactive material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu, C.; LePoire, D.J.; Jones, L.G.

1994-11-01

The RESRAD-BUILD computer code is a pathway analysis model designed to evaluate the potential radiological dose incurred by an individual who works or lives in a building contaminated with radioactive material. The transport of radioactive material inside the building from one compartment to another is calculated with an indoor air quality model. The air quality model considers the transport of radioactive dust particulates and radon progeny due to air exchange, deposition and resuspension, and radioactive decay and ingrowth. A single run of the RESRAD-BUILD code can model a building with up to: three compartments, 10 distinct source geometries, and 10 receptor locations. A shielding material can be specified between each source-receptor pair for external gamma dose calculations. Six exposure pathways are considered in the RESRAD-BUILD code: (1) external exposure directly from the source; (2) external exposure to materials deposited on the floor; (3) external exposure due to air submersion; (4) inhalation of airborne radioactive particulates; (5) inhalation of aerosol indoor radon progeny; and (6) inadvertent ingestion of radioactive material, either directly from the sources or from materials deposited on the surfaces of the building compartments

The verification tests of residual radioactivity measurement and assessment techniques for buildings and soils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Onozawa, T.; Ishikura, T.; Yoshimura, Yukio; Nakazawa, M.; Makino, S.; Urayama, K.; Kawasaki, S.

1996-01-01

According to the standard procedure for decommissioning a commercial nuclear power plant (CNPP) in Japan, controlled areas will be released for unrestricted use before the dismantling of a reactor building. If manual survey and sampling techniques were applied to measurement for unrestricted release on and in the extensive surface of the building, much time and much specialized labor would be required to assess the appropriateness of the releasing. Therefore the authors selected the following three techniques for demonstrating reliability and applicability of the techniques for CNPPs: (1) technique of assessing radioactive concentration distribution on the surface of buildings (ADB); (2) technique of assessing radioactive permeation distribution in the concrete structure of buildings (APB); (3) technique of assessing radioactive concentration distribution in soil (ADS). These tests include the techniques of measuring and assessing very low radioactive concentration distribution on the extensive surfaces of buildings and the soil surrounding of a plant with automatic devices. Technical investigation and preliminary study of the verification tests were started in 1990. In the study, preconditions were clarified for each technique and the performance requirements were set up. Moreover, simulation models have been constructed for several feasible measurement method to assess their performance in terms of both measurement test and simulation analysis. Fundamental tests have been under way using small-scale apparatuses since 1994

Natural radioactivity and associated radiation hazards in building materials used in Peloponnese, Greece

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Papaefthymiou, H.; Gouseti, O.

2008-01-01

Five different kinds of building materials (Pozzolanic and Portland cements, limestone, white cement, marble powder and sand) commonly used in building construction in Peloponnese, Greece, and Portland cement's raw materials were analyzed for their natural radioactivity content, using γ-ray spectrometry. Pozzolanic and Portland cement (Cem II) samples were found to contain the highest average 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K activity concentrations compared with the other examined building material samples. This could be attributed to their containing fly ash, which was found to contain high natural radionuclide concentrations, especially that of 226 Ra (1041Bqkg -1 ). Results obtained were compared with the results reported by other Greek researchers and the worldwide values for building materials and soil. The calculated activity concentration index (I) values for all the examined building material samples were lower than the recommended exception limits for exposure to external γ-radiation

Valorisation of phosphogypsum as building material: Radiological aspects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tayibi, H.

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Nowadays, alternative uses of phosphogypsum (PG in the building industry are being considered in several countries; however, the natural radioactivity level in the PG could be a restriction for those uses. United States Environmental Protection Agency (US-EPA classified PG as Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (TENORM. This drawback could be avoided controlling its percentage in the cement preparation and the radionuclides content in the other raw materials used in its production, and calculating the activity concentration index (I in the final by-products. The valorization of PG as a building material has been studied, from a radiological point of view, by developing a new stabilisation/solidification process. PG is incorporated within a polymeric sulphur matrix, obtaining a concrete-like material, which presents lower natural radioactive content than the initial PG. The 226Ra content of this material ranged between 26-27 Bq·kg-1 and it is quite similar to that of common Spanish building materials.

Actualmente, en muchos países se está contemplando el uso alternativo del fosfoyeso (PG en la industria de la construcción, aunque su contenido en radionucleidos naturales puede presentar ciertas restricciones para dicha aplicación (material clasificado por la US-EPA como TENORM: “Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Materials. No obstante, estos inconvenientes podrían paliarse controlando el porcentaje del PG y los niveles de radioactividad en las materias primas a incorporar al cemento y calculando el índice de concentración de actividad (I en los productos finales. La valorización del PG como material de construcción se ha estudiado en este trabajo desde el punto de vista radiológico, desarrollando un nuevo proceso de estabilización/solidificación, obteniéndose un material de características similares al cemento y que presenta menor contenido de radionucleidos naturales que el

Drying and wetting of building materials and components

CERN Document Server

2014-01-01

This book, Drying and Wetting of Building Materials and Components, provides a collection of recent contributions in the field of drying and wetting in porous building materials. The main benefit of the book is that it discusses some of the most important topics related to the drying and wetting processes, namely, innovations and trends in drying science and technology, drying mechanism and theory, equipment, advanced modelling, complex simulation and experimentation. At the same time, these topics will be going to the encounter of a variety of scientific and engineering disciplines. The book is divided in several chapters that intend to be a resume of the current state of knowledge for benefit of professional colleagues.

Exposure to radiation from the natural radioactivity in Tunisian building materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Gharbi, F; Oueslati, M; Abdelli, W; Samaali, M; Ben Tekaya, M

2012-12-01

Building materials can expose public and workers to radiation because of their content of radium, thorium and potassium isotopes. This is why it is very important from the radiological point of view to survey the natural radioactivity content of commonly used building materials in any country. This work consists of the measurement of (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K activity concentrations in a variety of commonly used building materials in Tunisia and on the estimation of their radiological hazard. The maximum value of radium equivalent for the studied materials was equal to 169 Bq kg(-1) and corresponds to the clay brick, which is lower than the recommended value of 370 Bq kg(-1). In this work, several radiological indexes were calculated and were found to be under their highest permitted limit.

Atmospheric methane removal by methane-oxidizing bacteria immobilized on porous building materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Ganendra, Giovanni; De Muynck, Willem; Ho, Adrian; Hoefman, Sven; De Vos, Paul; Boeckx, Pascal; Boon, Nico

2014-04-01

Biological treatment using methane-oxidizing bacteria (MOB) immobilized on six porous carrier materials have been used to mitigate methane emission. Experiments were performed with different MOB inoculated in building materials at high (~20 % (v/v)) and low (~100 ppmv) methane mixing ratios. Methylocystis parvus in autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) exhibited the highest methane removal rate at high (28.5 ± 3.8 μg CH₄ g⁻¹ building material h⁻¹) and low (1.7 ± 0.4 μg CH₄ g⁻¹ building material h⁻¹) methane mixing ratio. Due to the higher volume of pores with diameter >5 μm compared to other materials tested, AAC was able to adsorb more bacteria which might explain for the higher methane removal observed. The total methane and carbon dioxide-carbon in the headspace was decreased for 65.2 ± 10.9 % when M. parvus in Ytong was incubated for 100 h. This study showed that immobilized MOB on building materials could be used to remove methane from the air and also act as carbon sink.

Natural radioactivity and associated radiation hazards in building materials used in Peloponnese, Greece

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Papaefthymiou, H. [Division of Physics, Inorganic and Nuclear Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Patras, Patras 265 00 (Greece)], E-mail: epap@chemistry.upatras.gr; Gouseti, O. [Division of Physics, Inorganic and Nuclear Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Patras, Patras 265 00 (Greece)

2008-09-15

Five different kinds of building materials (Pozzolanic and Portland cements, limestone, white cement, marble powder and sand) commonly used in building construction in Peloponnese, Greece, and Portland cement's raw materials were analyzed for their natural radioactivity content, using {gamma}-ray spectrometry. Pozzolanic and Portland cement (Cem II) samples were found to contain the highest average {sup 226}Ra, {sup 232}Th and {sup 40}K activity concentrations compared with the other examined building material samples. This could be attributed to their containing fly ash, which was found to contain high natural radionuclide concentrations, especially that of {sup 226}Ra (1041Bqkg{sup -1}). Results obtained were compared with the results reported by other Greek researchers and the worldwide values for building materials and soil. The calculated activity concentration index (I) values for all the examined building material samples were lower than the recommended exception limits for exposure to external {gamma}-radiation.

Evaluation of internal/external exposure from interior building materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Furuta, Etsuko; Morita-Murase, Yuko; Yoshizawa, Yukio

2008-01-01

Internal exposure to alpha particles emitted from 222 Rn (radon) and its daughters is the second leading cause of lung cancer. As a source of indoor radon in home, there are interior building materials that contain radioactive minerals. These radioactive consumer products have been claimed by distributors to have effect of 'minus-ion' or 'radon spring' for healthy promotion. We analyzed radioactive nuclides contained in the interior building materials, and measured radon levels released from them. The results of gamma-ray spectrometry revealed that these interior building materials contain U- and Th-series nuclides. The densities of some radioactive nuclides in the tile used for a bathroom exceeded the exempt limits of International Basic Safety Standards. However, the radon densities released from the tile was lower than detectable limit. In contrast, one of the wallpaper released 34 Bq·m -3 of radon gas in a 50-liter container. This value is two times higher than the average radon level in Japanese homes. The minus-ion effect' wallpapers are thought to be a cause of residential exposure to radon. (author)

Application of headspace for research volatile organic compounds emitted from building materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kultys Beata

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Headspace technique and gas chromatography method with mas detector has been used for the determination of volatile organic compounds (VOC emitted from various building and finishing materials, such as sealing foams, mounting strips, paints, varnishes, floor coverings. The tests were carried out for different temperatures (in the temperature range of 60 to 180 °C and the time of heated vials with tested materials inside. These tests were conducted to verify the possibility of use this method of determination the VOC emission. Interpretation of chromatograms and mass spectra allowed to identify the type of compounds emitted from the tested materials and the optimum time and temperature for each type of material was determined. The increase in heating temperature of the samples resulted in increase the type and number of identified compounds: for four materials the increase was in the whole temperature range, for others it was from 90 °C. On the other hand, emission from mineral wool was low in whole temperature range. 30-minutes heating of the samples was sufficient to identify emitted compounds for most of tested materials. Applying a longer time, i.e. 24 hours, significantly increased the sensitivity of the method.

Study of radiation dose reduction of buildings of different sizes and materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Furuta, Takuya; Takahashi, Fumiaki

2015-01-01

The dependence of radiation dose reduction on the sizes and materials of buildings was studied by numerical analyses using the Monte Carlo simulation code, PHITS. The dose rates inside the buildings were calculated by simulating gamma-ray transport from radioactive cesium deposited at the ground surface. Three building models were developed: the wooden house, the open-space concrete building, and the thin-wall building, to study the effect of building size and construction material on dose reduction inside these structures. Here the floor-area sizes of the building models were varied to clarify the influence of building configuration on dose reduction. The results demonstrated that the dose rates inside the buildings linearly decreased with increasing floor area on a logarithmic scale for all types of buildings considered. The calculated dose distribution inside a building indicated that the distance from the outer walls was a determining factor for the dose rate at each position in the building. The obtained tendency was verified by comparison with data reflecting the dose reduction of typical buildings in Japan. (author)

Natural radioactivity of building materials used in Malaysia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Omar, M. [Malaysian Inst. for Nuclear Technology Research (MINT), Bangi, Kajang, Selangor D.E. (Malaysia)

2002-03-01

A study has been carried out to determine the natural radioactive content of building materials used in Malaysia. The materials analysed include both old and new clay bricks, cement bricks, mortar, cement, sands, ceramic tiles and gypsum. Samples of the first three materials were collected from the 12 states of the Malay Peninsula. Radium-226 (from the U-238 series) and Ra-228 (from the Th-232 series), these both representing naturally occurring radionuclides, were analysed using high-resolution HpGe gamma spectrometers. The results of our investigations showed that some old clay bricks contain high levels (at more than 5 times the normal soil concentration) of natural radionuclides, with maximum concentrations of 590 Bq/kg and 480 Bq/kg for respectively Ra-226 and Ra-228. The reasons behind this finding were not clearly understood. As there are people living in old buildings, i.e. built using old clay bricks, there is a possibility that they are being exposed to significant radiation doses. However, there proved to be no significant overall difference between old and new clay bricks in terms of the natural radioactivity levels determined, at a 95% confidence level. The overall mean concentrations of Ra-226 and Ra-228 observed in Malaysian clay bricks were respectively 118 {+-} 58 Bq/kg and 120 {+-} 42 Bq/kg. The radioactive content of other materials was found to be not much different from that to be determined in normal soil from Malaysia. The data obtained can be used as a basis for reaching decisions on the regulatory limits for radioactivity levels in building materials in Malaysia. (orig.)

Ozone reactions with indoor materials during building disinfection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Poppendieck, D.; Hubbard, H.; Ward, M.

2007-01-01

, and particularly after several hours of disinfection, surface reaction resistance dominated the overall resistance to ozone deposition for nearly all materials. Total building disinfection by-products (all carbonyls) were quantified per unit area of each material for the experimental period. Paper, office...... partition, and medium density fiberboard each released greater than 38 mg m(-2) of by-products....

Exposure to radiation from the natural radioactivity in building materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1979-05-01

Radiation exposure of members of the public can be increased appreciably by the use of building materials containing above-normal levels of natural radioactivity. This phenomenon has attracted attention in recent years, and in this review, an attempt is made to the quantify exposures incurred under various circumstances. The second section of the review is a general survey of those building materials, mostly industrial wastes, that have aroused interest in Member countries. The probability that environmental pressures may cause such wastes to be used more and more by building industries may lead to similar situations in the future. Other review material of a relevant nature is described in the third section. Primordial radionuclides only are considered here. They are: potassium-40 (K-40); radium-226 (Ra-226) and its decay products; the series headed by thorium-232 (Th-232). The important radiological consequences of the natural radioactivity in building materials are two-fold, irradiation of the body by gamma rays and irradiation of the lung tissues by radon-222 (Rn-222) decay products or daughters. These consequences cannot be explored quantitatively except in relation to the specific activities of the nuclides of interest, and the approach adopted in this review is to assess the consequences in terms of the incremental radiation exposures that would be incurred by occupants of substantial dwellings entirely constructed of materials with various specific activities or combinations thereof. Gamma rays are dealt with in the fourth section and radon daughters in the fifth

Use of non-standardised micro-destructive techniques in the characterization of traditional construction materials

Science.gov (United States)

Ioannou, Ioannis; Theodoridou, Magdalini; Modestou, Sevasti; Fournari, Revecca; Dagrain, Fabrice

2013-04-01

therefore follows that both micro-destructive techniques may prove useful in the physico-mechanical characterization of materials which demand in-situ measurements or allow very limited sampling. Moreover, both techniques have been used, for the first time, to map the distribution of salts in building stone in the laboratory; micro-drilling was also applied in the same context in-situ. The results of the laboratory tests performed on limestone impregnated with sodium and magnesium sulfate confirm that both the scratch tool and the DRMS may successfully detect the location of the salt front, as they respond to pore clogging by salt crystals by providing increased scratching/drilling resistance values. Drilling and scratching of duplicate samples treated with a hydrophobic product show the sensitivity of both techniques as they clearly detect changes to the salt front location (i.e. cryptoflorescence) caused by surface treatments. Both techniques were also successful in highlighting the difference in the crystallisation location and pattern of magnesium sulphate and sodium chloride. In-situ application of the micro-drilling test demonstrated its potential for use in the assessment of masonry salt weathering; the results suggest that this technique may, in fact, be useful as a preventive measure against salt damage. Last but not least, both aforementioned novel micro-destructive techniques have been used to assess the effectiveness of commercially available consolidants. The results of the scratch tool have also been utilised to develop a tomography image of the samples under test. Scratching tomography may potentially be combined with in-situ micro-drilling tests to evaluate the effectiveness of consolidation treatments applied on monuments and historic buildings.

Competitive landscape of the EU’s insulation materials industry for energy-efficient buildings

OpenAIRE

PAVEL CLAUDIU; BLAGOEVA DARINA

2017-01-01

Insulation materials could contribute significantly to improving the overall energy efficiency and sustainability of the buildings, especially by reducing the energy losses through the building envelope (walls, roofs, floors, etc.). The global demand for thermal insulation materials in building applications is projected to increase at a CAGR of 4.5 % between 2016 and 2027. In the EU the demand for thermal insulation materials is estimated at 3.48 % (2015-2027). Wool minerals (glass and stone ...

Algae and their biodegradation effects on building materials in the Ostrava industrial agglomeration

Science.gov (United States)

Vojtková, H.

2017-10-01

Microorganisms cause changes in the building stone, which reduce its usable life and reliability. Microalgae make important parts of the biodegradation consortia of microorganisms on the surface of building materials. Via their metabolites, microalgae affect the stability of mineral components and thus lead to the material destruction. The aim of the paper was to identify aerophytic microalgae on the surface of engineering structures in the Ostrava agglomeration, and to describe the basic interactions between such microorganisms and the building materials, which may lead to the destruction of the materials.

Associations between Fungal Species and Water-Damaged Building Materials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Birgitte; Frisvad, Jens Christian; Søndergaard, Ib

2011-01-01

melleus, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus ochraceus, Chaetomium spp., Mucor racemosus, Mucor spinosus, and concrete and other floor-related materials. These results can be used to develop new and resistant building materials and relevant allergen extracts and to help focus research on relevant mycotoxins...

Recycling and reuse of chosen kinds of waste materials in a building industry

Science.gov (United States)

Ferek, B.; Harasymiuk, J.; Tyburski, J.

2016-08-01

The article describes the current state of knowledge and practice in Poland concerning recycling as a method of reuse of chosen groups of waste materials in building industry. The recycling of building scraps is imposed by environmental, economic and technological premises. The issue of usage of sewage residues is becoming a problem of ever -growing gravity as the presence of the increasing number of pernicious contaminants makes their utilization for agricultural purposes more and more limited. The strategies of using waste materials on Polish building sites were analyzed. The analysis of predispositions to salvage for a group of traditional materials, such as: timber, steel, building debris, insulation materials, plastics, and on the example of new materials, such as: artificial light aggregates made by appropriate mixing of siliceous aggregates, glass refuses and sewage residues in order to obtain a commodity which is apt for economic usage also was made in the article. The issue of recycling of waste materials originating from building operations will be presented in the context of the binding home and EU legal regulations. It was proved that the level of recycling of building wastes in Poland is considerably different from one which is achieved in the solid market economies, both in quantity and in assortment. The method of neutralization of building refuses in connection with special waste materials, which are sewage sludge that is presented in the article may be one of the alternative solutions to the problem of recycling of these wastes not only on the Polish scale.

Natural radioactivity and associated radiation hazardous of main building materials in Yan'an, China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Nan; Lu Xinwei; Yang Guang; Zhao Caifeng

2012-01-01

Background: With the rapidly economic development and urbanization in Yan'an city, more building materials were consumed in building construction. While the natural radioactivity level of building materials from Yan'an is limited in the literatures. Purpose: The main objective of this study is to determine the natural radioactivity level and to analyze the associated radiation hazards of building materials in Yan'an. Methods: The specific activities of natural radionuclides 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K in various building materials from Yan'an city were determined using low-background gamma-ray spectrometry, and their radiation hazards were evaluated according to the standard methods. Results: The results show that the specific activities of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K in the building materials are 9.4-73.1, 11.5-86.9 and 258.9-1055.1 Bq/kg, respectively. The activities of 226 Ra and 232 Th, except for sand and gravel aggregate, in all other building materials are higher than the corresponding means of local soil, and the activities of 40 K in hollow brick, red-clay brick, sand and gravel aggregate exceed the means of 40 K in soil. However, the values of internal exposure index, external exposure index and gamma radiation index in all investigated building materials are less than 1. Conclusions: The radiation levels of all analyzed building materials are within the national safety standard, which indicates that all analyzed building materials can be used anywhere and they can't cause radiation hazard to the local residents. (authors)

A numerical study of external building walls containing phase change materials (PCM)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Izquierdo-Barrientos, M.A.; Belmonte, J.F.; Rodríguez-Sánchez, D.; Molina, A.E.; Almendros-Ibáñez, J.A.

2012-01-01

Phase Change Materials (PCMs) have been receiving increased attention, due to their capacity to store large amounts of thermal energy in narrow temperature ranges. This property makes them ideal for passive heat storage in the envelopes of buildings. To study the influence of PCMs in external building walls, a one-dimensional transient heat transfer model has been developed and solved numerically using a finite difference technique. Different external building wall configurations were analyzed for a typical building wall by varying the location of the PCM layer, the orientation of the wall, the ambient conditions and the phase transition temperature of the PCM. The integration of a PCM layer into a building wall diminished the amplitude of the instantaneous heat flux through the wall when the melting temperature of the PCM was properly selected according to the season and wall orientation. Conversely, the results of the work show that there is no significant reduction in the total heat lost during winter regardless of the wall orientation or PCM transition temperature. Higher differences were observed in the heat gained during the summer period, due to the elevated solar radiation fluxes. The high thermal inertia of the wall implies that the inclusion of a PCM layer increases the thermal load during the day while decreasing the thermal load during the night. - Highlights: ► A comparative simulation of a building wall with and without PCMs has been conducted. ► PCM is selected according with the season, the wall orientation and the melting temperature. ► PCM in a building wall help to diminish the internal air temperature swings and to regulate the heat transfer.

Assessment of natural radioactivity in major building materials of Xiangyang, China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feng, Tingting; Lu, Xinwei

2014-01-01

The activity concentrations of 40 K, 226 Ra and 232 Th in the commonly used building materials collected from Xiangyang were measured using NaI (Tl) gamma spectrometer. The radioactivity values of 40 K, 226 Ra and 232 Th in the studied samples ranged from 130.5 to 1006.3, 8.4 to 164.0, and 8.7 to 145.6 Bq kg -1 , respectively. The concentrations of these radionuclides have been compared with the typical published world values. Radium equivalent activity, external and internal hazard indexes, external and internal exposure indexes, indoor air absorbed dose rate and annual effective dose rate have been calculated to assess the potential radiological hazard associated with natural radionuclides in the studied materials. The calculated values of all the assessed indices in the analyzed building materials except for fly ash are below the internationally accepted limits indicating that these building materials can be safely used in dwellings construction and do not lead to any significant radiation exposure to occupants. Nevertheless, the annual effective dose rate values of all fly ash samples, external and internal hazard indexes values in most fly ash samples exceed the recommended values. It is, therefore, desirable to regularly monitor the natural radioactivity level of the building materials products made from fly ash.

Stratification of a cityscape using census and land use variables for inventory of building materials

Science.gov (United States)

Rosenfield, G.H.; Fitzpatrick-Lins, K.; Johnson, T.L.

1987-01-01

A cityscape (or any landscape) can be stratified into environmental units using multiple variables of information. For the purposes of sampling building materials, census and land use variables were used to identify similar strata. In the Metropolitan Statistical Area of a cityscape, the census tract is the smallest unit for which census data are summarized and digitized boundaries are available. For purposes of this analysis, census data on total population, total number of housing units, and number of singleunit dwellings were aggregated into variables of persons per square kilometer and proportion of housing units in single-unit dwellings. The level 2 categories of the U.S. Geological Survey's land use and land cover data base were aggregated into variables of proportion of residential land with buildings, proportion of nonresidential land with buildings, and proportion of open land. The cityscape was stratified, from these variables, into environmental strata of Urban Central Business District, Urban Livelihood Industrial Commercial, Urban Multi-Family Residential, Urban Single Family Residential, Non-Urban Suburbanizing, and Non-Urban Rural. The New England region was chosen as a region with commonality of building materials, and a procedure developed for trial classification of census tracts into one of the strata. Final stratification was performed by discriminant analysis using the trial classification and prior probabilities as weights. The procedure was applied to several cities, and the results analyzed by correlation analysis from a field sample of building materials. The methodology developed for stratification of a cityscape using multiple variables has application to many other types of environmental studies, including forest inventory, hydrologic unit management, waste disposal, transportation studies, and other urban studies. Multivariate analysis techniques have recently been used for urban stratification in England. ?? 1987 Annals of Regional

Terrain and building effects on the transport of radioactive material at a nuclear site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeong, Hyojoon; Park, Misun; Jeong, Haesun; Hwang, Wontae; Kim, Eunhan; Han, Moonhee

2014-01-01

Highlights: • This study is to quantify the building and terrain effects on the atmospheric dispersion. • Statistical methods with AERMOD-PRIME and CFD were used. • To assess the risk in nuclear power plants, terrain and building effects have to be considered. - Abstract: This study identified the terrain and building effects on the atmospheric dispersion of radioactive materials at the Wolsong Nuclear Site. To analyze the atmospheric dispersion of radioactive materials, the AERMOD-PRIME model, CFD model and meteorological data from 2010 were used. The terrain and building effects on the atmospheric dispersion of radioactive materials within a 1 km radius of the site were statistically significant. The maximum concentration of the radioactive material increased by 7 times compared to the concentration when the terrain and building effects were not considered. It was found that the terrain and building influenced the decrease in the concentration of radioactive material in a concentric circle with a 914 m radius from the center of the site. The concentration of radioactive material in a concentric circle with a 350 m radius was two-times higher than the concentration estimated at the backside of the building, which is the downwind side, without any consideration of the terrain and building effects. In consideration of the Korean situation, in which multiple nuclear reactors are built on the same nuclear site, it is necessary to evaluate the risk that may affect workers and nearby residents by reflecting the terrain and building effects

Study on the Application Mode and Legal Protection of Green Materials in Medical-Nursing Combined Building

Science.gov (United States)

Zhiyong, Xian

2017-09-01

In the context of green development, green materials are the future trend of Medical-Nursing Combined building. This paper summarizes the concept and types of green building materials. Then, on the basis of existing research, it constructs the green material system framework of Medical-Nursing Combined building, puts forward the application mode of green building materials, and studies the policy and legal protection of green material application.

Towards The Adaptation of Green Building Material Systems to the Egyptian Environment

OpenAIRE

Sherif Mohamed Sabry Elattar; Eman Badawy Ahmed

2014-01-01

This research briefly reviews the definition and the principles of green architecture, making a comparison between the global green building rating systems in respect to materials only. These systems are the [1, 2]Green Pyramid, BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environment Assessment Method), [3] LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and the [4] Green Star in the form of Credits %, importance and its Requirements.The research Aims to evaluate the green building material ...

The natural radioactivity of building materials used in the Christchurch urban area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chapman, R.H.

1984-01-01

The natural gamma radioactivity of a variety of common building materials in Christchurch, has been measured by gamma spectroscopy. Using conversion factors from the literature, relative dose rate indices for the various building materials were calculated and compared. An increasing order of radioactivity concentration was found from timber to compressed limestone to brick products. These levels are however less than the acceptable limits of radioactivity based on some overseas criteria suggested as building standards

Passive RF component technology materials, techniques, and applications

CERN Document Server

Wang, Guoan

2012-01-01

Focusing on novel materials and techniques, this pioneering volume provides you with a solid understanding of the design and fabrication of smart RF passive components. You find comprehensive details on LCP, metal materials, ferrite materials, nano materials, high aspect ratio enabled materials, green materials for RFID, and silicon micromachining techniques. Moreover, this practical book offers expert guidance on how to apply these materials and techniques to design a wide range of cutting-edge RF passive components, from MEMS switch based tunable passives and 3D passives, to metamaterial-bas

29 CFR 779.336 - Sales of building materials for commercial property construction.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... property construction. Sales of building materials to a contractor or speculative builder for the... 29 Labor 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Sales of building materials for commercial property construction. 779.336 Section 779.336 Labor Regulations Relating to Labor (Continued) WAGE AND HOUR DIVISION...

Evaluation of Building Projects Using Earned Value Technique ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study evaluates building construction projects using the Earned Value Analysis technique, the Experimental Approach, and Value Concept Analysis. The aim was to compare the cost incurred for an identified amount of work done on a project with the cost budgeted for the same work. The results were used to calculate ...

Variability in energy and carbon dioxide balances of wood and concrete building materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gustavsson, Leif; Sathre, Roger [Ecotechnology, Mid Sweden University, SE-831 25 OEstersund (Sweden)

2006-07-15

A variety of factors affect the energy and CO{sub 2} balances of building materials over their lifecycle. Previous studies have shown that the use of wood for construction generally results in lower energy use and CO{sub 2} emission than does the use of concrete. To determine the uncertainties of this generality, we studied the changes in energy and CO{sub 2} balances caused by variation of key parameters in the manufacture and use of the materials comprising a wood- and a concrete-framed building. Parameters considered were clinker production efficiency, blending of cement, crushing of aggregate, recycling of steel, lumber drying efficiency, material transportation distance, carbon intensity of fossil fuel, recovery of logging, sawmill, construction and demolition residues for biofuel, and growth and exploitation of surplus forest not needed for wood material production. We found the materials of the wood-framed building had lower energy and CO{sub 2} balances than those of the concrete-framed building in all cases but one. Recovery of demolition and wood processing residues for use in place of fossil fuels contributed most significantly to the lower energy and CO{sub 2} balances of wood-framed building materials. We conclude that the use of wood building material instead of concrete, coupled with greater integration of wood by-products into energy systems, would be an effective means of reducing fossil fuel use and net CO{sub 2} emission to the atmosphere. (author)

Variability in energy and carbon dioxide balances of wood and concrete building materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gustavsson, Leif; Sathre, Roger

2006-01-01

A variety of factors affect the energy and CO 2 balances of building materials over their lifecycle. Previous studies have shown that the use of wood for construction generally results in lower energy use and CO 2 emission than does the use of concrete. To determine the uncertainties of this generality, we studied the changes in energy and CO 2 balances caused by variation of key parameters in the manufacture and use of the materials comprising a wood- and a concrete-framed building. Parameters considered were clinker production efficiency, blending of cement, crushing of aggregate, recycling of steel, lumber drying efficiency, material transportation distance, carbon intensity of fossil fuel, recovery of logging, sawmill, construction and demolition residues for biofuel, and growth and exploitation of surplus forest not needed for wood material production. We found the materials of the wood-framed building had lower energy and CO 2 balances than those of the concrete-framed building in all cases but one. Recovery of demolition and wood processing residues for use in place of fossil fuels contributed most significantly to the lower energy and CO 2 balances of wood-framed building materials. We conclude that the use of wood building material instead of concrete, coupled with greater integration of wood by-products into energy systems, would be an effective means of reducing fossil fuel use and net CO 2 emission to the atmosphere. (author)

Enhancement of global flood damage assessments using building material based vulnerability curves

Science.gov (United States)

Englhardt, Johanna; de Ruiter, Marleen; de Moel, Hans; Aerts, Jeroen

2017-04-01

This study discusses the development of an enhanced approach for flood damage and risk assessments using vulnerability curves that are based on building material information. The approach draws upon common practices in earthquake vulnerability assessments, and is an alternative for land-use or building occupancy approach in flood risk assessment models. The approach is of particular importance for studies where there is a large variation in building material, such as large scale studies or studies in developing countries. A case study of Ethiopia is used to demonstrate the impact of the different methodological approaches on direct damage assessments due to flooding. Generally, flood damage assessments use damage curves for different land-use or occupancy types (i.e. urban or residential and commercial classes). However, these categories do not necessarily relate directly to vulnerability of damage by flood waters. For this, the construction type and building material may be more important, as is used in earthquake risk assessments. For this study, we use building material classification data of the PAGER1 project to define new building material based vulnerability classes for flood damage. This approach will be compared to the widely applied land-use based vulnerability curves such as used by De Moel et al. (2011). The case of Ethiopia demonstrates and compares the feasibility of this novel flood vulnerability method on a country level which holds the potential to be scaled up to a global level. The study shows that flood vulnerability based on building material also allows for better differentiation between flood damage in urban and rural settings, opening doors to better link to poverty studies when such exposure data is available. Furthermore, this new approach paves the road to the enhancement of multi-risk assessments as the method enables the comparison of vulnerability across different natural hazard types that also use material-based vulnerability curves

Measurement of natural radioactivity in building materials of Namakkal, Tamil Nadu, India using gamma-ray spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ravisankar, R.; Vanasundari, K.; Chandrasekaran, A.; Rajalakshmi, A.; Suganya, M.; Vijayagopal, P.; Meenakshisundaram, V.

2012-01-01

The natural level of radioactivity in building materials is one of the major causes of external exposure to γ-rays. The primordial radionuclides in building materials are one of the sources of radiation hazard in dwellings made of these materials. By the determination of the radioactivity level in building materials, the indoor radiological hazard to human health can be assessed. This is an important precautionary measure whenever the dose rate is found to be above the recommended limits. The aim of this work was to measure the specific activity concentration of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K in commonly used building materials from Namakkal, Tamil Nadu, India, using gamma-ray spectrometer. The radiation hazard due to the total natural radioactivity in the studied building materials was estimated by different approaches. The concentrations of the natural radionuclides and the radium equivalent activity in studied samples were compared with the corresponding results of different countries. From the analysis, it is found that these materials may be safely used as construction materials and do not pose significant radiation hazards. - Highlights: ► Most of the building materials contain natural radionuclides. ► The radioactivity level in building materials is used to assess the radiological hazards to human. ► We present the results for the measured activities and radiation hazards of building materials. ► We report that the studied building materials do not pose any significant radiation hazard.

Research and Development of solar cell frame. Study on solar cell array solid with building material-business building

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1986-08-01

This is a NEDO annual report for 1985. A feasibility study was carried out from the viewpoints demanded both from the building material side and the solar cell. Evaluation from the technical, institutional, and economical viewpoints indicated the possibility of using a roof material solid with carbon-fiber-reinforced concrete and a curtain wall. The solar cell module was verified as a building material to be resistant against the external force, water, and heat. A problem left is how to enlarge the module. Integrated use of CFRC (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Concrete) and a cell of maximum size (1,240 x 700 mm), which is industrially available, can be expected. Present solar cell array can be utilized as a building material as it is for a curtain wall. Cost calculation of the CFRC solid roofing material indicates 276 yen/KWH for 15 years depreciation, 10 % residual value, and 8% annual interest, which is a little expensive, but this cost may be applicable to the use as a curtain wall.

Natural radioactivity in some building materials of Xi'an, China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu Xinwei

2005-01-01

Eight kinds of building materials collected from Xi'an, China were analyzed for the natural radioactivity of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K using γ-ray spectroscopy. The concentrations of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K in the selected building materials ranges from 19.5 to 68.3Bqkg -1 , 13.4 to 51.7Bqkg -1 and 63.2 to 713.9Bqkg -1 , respectively. The measured activity concentrations for these natural radionuclides were compared with the reported data of other countries and with the world average activity of soil. The radium equivalent activities (Ra eq ), external hazard index (H ex ) and the internal radiation hazard index (H in ) associated with the natural radionuclides were calculated. The Ra eq values of all building materials are lower than the limit of 370Bqkg -1 , equivalent to a γ-dose of 1.5mSvyr -1 . The values of H ex and H in are less than unity

Calculation of radiation dose rate arisen from radionuclide contained in building materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lai Tien Thinh; Nguyen Hao Quang

2008-01-01

This paper presents some results that we used MCNP5 program to calculate radiation dose rate arisen from radionuclide in building materials. Since then, the limits of radionuclide content in building materials are discussed. The calculation results by MCNP are compared with those calculated by analytical method. (author)

Assessment of radioactivity in building material(granite) in Sudan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Osman, Z. A; Salih, I; Albadwai, K. A; Salih, A. M; Salih, S. A.

2016-01-01

In the present work radioactivity in building materials (granite) central Sudan was evaluated. In general the building materials used in Sudan are derived either from rocks or soil. These contain trace amounts of naturally occurring radioactive materials(NORMs), so it contains radionuclides from uranium and thorium series and natural potassium. The levels of these radionuclides vary according to the geology of their site of origin. High levels increase the risk of radiation exposure in homes(especially exposure due to radon). Investigation of radioactivity in granite used of the building materials in Sudan is carried out, a total of 18 major samples of granite have been collected and measured using X- ray fluorescence system (30 mci). The activity concentrations have been determined for uranium ("2"3"8U), thorium ('2"3"2Th) and potassium("4"0K) in each sample. The concentrations of uranium have been found to range from 14.81 Bq/kg to 24.572 Bq/kg, thorium between 10.02 Bq/kg and 10.020-84.79 Bq/kg and the potassium concentration varies between 13.33 Bq/kg to 82.13 Bq/kg. Limits of radioactivity in the granite are based on dose criteria for controls. This study can be used as a reference for more extensive studies of the same subject in future. (Author)

Traditional boat-building and navigational techniques of southern Orissa

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Tripati, S.

of the region. No written records on ancient boatbuilding and navigational aids of the region are available for the reconstruction of the technique of boat-building. Boats of this area have been classified into two categories, namely planked and log boats...

The release of lindane from contaminated building materials

OpenAIRE

Volchek, Konstantin; Thouin, Geneviève; Kuang, Wenxing; Li, Ken; Tezel, F. Handan; Brown, Carl E.

2014-01-01

The release of the organochlorine pesticide lindane (γ-hexachlorocyclohexane) from several types of contaminated building materials was studied to assess inhalation hazard and decontamination requirements in response to accidental and/or intentional spills. The materials included glass, polypropylene carpet, latex-painted drywall, ceramic tiles, vinyl floor tiles, and gypsum ceiling tiles. For each surface concentration, an equilibrium concentration was determined in the vapour phase of the s...

Building materials. VOC emissions, diffusion behaviour and implications from their use.

Science.gov (United States)

Katsoyiannis, Athanasios; Leva, Paolo; Barrero-Moreno, Josefa; Kotzias, Dimitrios

2012-10-01

Five cement- and five lime-based building materials were examined in an environmental chamber for their emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). Typical VOCs were below detection limits, whereas not routinely analysed VOCs, like neopentyl glycol (NPG), dominated the cement-based products emissions, where, after 72 h, it was found to occur, in levels as high as 1400 μg m(-3), accounting for up to 93% of total VOCs. The concentrations of NPG were not considerably changed between the 24 and 72 h of sampling. The permeability of building materials was assessed through experiments with a dual environmental chamber; it was shown that building materials facilitate the diffusion of chemicals through their pores, reaching equilibrium relatively fast (6 h). Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Materials Science and X-ray Techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brock, J.; Sutton, M.

2008-01-01

Many novel synchrotron-based X-ray techniques directly address the core questions of modern materials science but are not yet at the stage of being easy to use because of the lack of dedicated beamlines optimized for specific measurements. In this article, we highlight a few of these X-ray techniques and discuss why, with ongoing upgrades of existing synchrotrons and with new linear-accelerator-based sources under development, now is the time to ensure that these techniques are readily available to the larger materials research community.

Assessment of natural radioactivity in major building materials of Xiangyang, China

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Feng, Tingting; Lu, Xinwei [Shaanxi Normal Univ., Xi' an (China). School of Tourism and Environment

2014-10-01

The activity concentrations of {sup 40}K, {sup 226}Ra and {sup 232}Th in the commonly used building materials collected from Xiangyang were measured using NaI (Tl) gamma spectrometer. The radioactivity values of {sup 40}K, {sup 226}Ra and {sup 232}Th in the studied samples ranged from 130.5 to 1006.3, 8.4 to 164.0, and 8.7 to 145.6 Bq kg{sup -1}, respectively. The concentrations of these radionuclides have been compared with the typical published world values. Radium equivalent activity, external and internal hazard indexes, external and internal exposure indexes, indoor air absorbed dose rate and annual effective dose rate have been calculated to assess the potential radiological hazard associated with natural radionuclides in the studied materials. The calculated values of all the assessed indices in the analyzed building materials except for fly ash are below the internationally accepted limits indicating that these building materials can be safely used in dwellings construction and do not lead to any significant radiation exposure to occupants. Nevertheless, the annual effective dose rate values of all fly ash samples, external and internal hazard indexes values in most fly ash samples exceed the recommended values. It is, therefore, desirable to regularly monitor the natural radioactivity level of the building materials products made from fly ash.

Measurements of VOC adsorption/desorption characteristics of typical interior building materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

An, Y.; Zhang, J.S.; Shaw, C.Y.

2000-07-01

The adsorption/desorption of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) on interior building material surfaces (i.e., the sink effect) can affect the VOC concentrations in a building, and thus need to be accounted for an indoor air quality (IAQ) prediction model. In this study, the VOC adsorption/desorption characteristics (sink effect) were measured for four typical interior building materials including carpet, vinyl floor tile, painted drywall, and ceiling tile. The VOCs tested were ethylbenzene, cyclohexanone, 1,4-dichlorobenzene, benzaldehyde, and dodecane. These five VOCs were selected because they are representative of hydrocarbons, aromatics, ketones, aldehydes, and chlorine substituted compounds. The first order reversible adsorption/desorption model was based on the Langmuir isotherm was used to analyze the data and to determine the equilibrium constant of each VOC-material combination. It was found that the adsorption/desorption equilibrium constant, which is a measure of the sink capacity, increased linearly with the inverse of the VOC vapor pressure. For each compound, the adsorption/desorption equilibrium constant, and the adsorption rate constant differed significantly among the four materials tested. A detailed characterization of the material structure in the micro-scale would improve the understanding and modeling of the sink effect in the future. The results of this study can be used to estimate the impact of sink effect on the VOC concentrations in buildings.

A metric for characterizing the effectiveness of thermal mass in building materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Talyor, Robert A.; Miner, Mark

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Proposes a metric for interior thermal mass materials (floors, walls, counters). • Simple, yet effective, metric composed of easily calculated ‘local’ and ‘global’ variables. • Like Energy Star, the proposed metric gives a single number to aid consumer choice. • The metric is calculated and compared for selected, readily available data. • Drywall, concrete flooring, and wood paneling are quite effective thermal mass. - Abstract: Building energy use represents approximately 25% of the average total global energy consumption (for both residential and commercial buildings). Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) – in most climates – embodies the single largest draw inside our buildings. In many countries around the world a concerted effort is being made towards retrofitting existing buildings to improve energy efficiency. Better windows, insulation, and ducting can make drastic differences in the energy consumption of a building HVAC system. Even with these improvements, HVAC systems are still required to compensate for daily and seasonal temperature swings of the surrounding environment. Thermal mass inside the thermal envelope can help to alleviate these swings. While it is possible to add specialty thermal mass products to buildings for this purpose, commercial uptake of these products is low. Common building interior building materials (e.g. flooring, walls, countertops) are often overlooked as thermal mass products, but herein we propose and analyze non-dimensional metrics for the ‘benefit’ of selected commonly available products. It was found that location-specific variables (climate, electricity price, material price, insolation) can have more than an order of magnitude influence in the calculated metrics for the same building material. Overall, this paper provides guidance on the most significant contributors to indoor thermal mass, and presents a builder- and consumer-friendly metric to inform decisions about

Effects of various event building techniques on data acquisition system architectures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barsotti, E.; Booth, A.; Bowden, M.

1990-04-01

The preliminary specifications for various new detectors throughout the world including those at the Superconducting Super Collider (SSC) already make it clear that existing event building techniques will be inadequate for the high trigger and data rates anticipated for these detectors. In the world of high-energy physics many approaches have been taken to solving the problem of reading out data from a whole detector and presenting a complete event to the physicist, while simultaneously keeping deadtime to a minimum. This paper includes a review of multiprocessor and telecommunications interconnection networks and how these networks relate to event building in general, illustrating advantages of the various approaches. It presents a more detailed study of recent research into new event building techniques which incorporate much greater parallelism to better accommodate high data rates. The future in areas such as front-end electronics architectures, high speed data links, event building and online processor arrays is also examined. Finally, details of a scalable parallel data acquisition system architecture being developed at Fermilab are given. 35 refs., 31 figs., 1 tab

Prevention of radioactive gas seeping into buildings through constructive materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khaydarov, R.A.; Gapurova, O.U.; Khaydarov, R.R.

2004-01-01

Full text: One of possible method of realization of the terrorist acts is using gases and liquids, which easily permeate through the constructive materials of walls, floor, ceiling, roof, etc. into buildings by the capillary action of the pores. Toxic volatile organic compounds, organic and inorganic gases, radioactive elements, especially, which emits alpha particles can be used as the dangerous substances. Increased ventilation may help in removing the gases, but can actually increase the gases level by increasing the suction through the pores of concrete. If the gases and liquids are soluble in water and are easily volatilized from it, they can also get by groundwater up to underground structures and penetrate inside through opening and pores in concrete or pushed by hydrostatic pressure. The purpose of this work is creating a method to reduce concentration of toxic and radioactive gases in homes, buildings, underground buildings, tunnels, hangars, garages, bomb shelters, etc. The most effective method to prevent penetration of radionuclides into premises of buildings and underground structures through walls, roofs, floors is using special chemicals, which seal micropores inside the construction materials against gases. Worked out chemicals which consist of blend of polymeric compounds are described in the paper. Radioactive gases permeability in constructive materials after treatment by chemicals was studied. Influence of types of cement, sand and gypsum, preliminary treatment by different chemicals, different types of polymeric compounds, time between treatments, moisture of materials, time between preparation of chemicals and treatment of materials (aging of chemicals), time between treatment of concrete and testing (aging of treated concrete) were examined. Experiments have shown that our method allows reducing the coefficient of gas permeability 200 - 400 times

Development of an Assessment Method for Building Materials Under Euratom Scope.

Science.gov (United States)

de With, Govert

2017-11-01

In 2013, the European Commission published its basic safety standards for protection against the dangers arising from exposure to ionizing radiation (Council Directive 2013/59/Euratom)-also known as EU-BSS. As a result, the use of raw materials with potentially elevated activity concentrations such as fly ash, phosphogypsum, and slags will now fall under EU-BSS scope when applied in building materials. In light of this new policy, a variety of tools are available to assess compliance with the 1-mSv y reference level for building materials. At the heart of these tools is a gamma-spectrometric determination of the naturally occurring radionuclides Ra, Th, and K in the material of concern. As a large number of construction products contain a certain amount of the raw material that falls under the scope of the EU regulation, this policy will lead to substantial measurement of building materials that pose little radiation risk. For this reason, a method is developed to enable assessment against the 1-mSv value not on the basis of gamma-spectrometric analysis but rather based on the product's material composition. The proposed method prescribes a maximum permitted content of raw materials with potentially elevated activity concentrations in terms of a weight percentage of the end product, where the raw materials of concern are defined as those listed in Annex XIII of the EU-BSS. The permitted content is a function of the product's surface density. Therefore, a product with a low surface density of up to 25 kg m can consist of nearly 100% raw materials with potentially elevated activity concentrations, and this percentage drops to around 15% for products with a surface density of around 500 kg m. Building materials that comply with these requirements on product composition are exempt from testing, while products that do not comply must perform regular gamma-spectrometric analysis. A full validation and testing of the method is provided. In addition, the paper discusses

Building Materials, Ionizing Radiation and HBIM: A Case Study from Pompei (Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pasquale Argenziano

2018-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a different point of view on the conservation of the built heritage, adding ionizing radiation to the most well-known digital documentation dataset. Igneous building materials characterize most of the built heritage in the Campania region, and in a large part of southern Italy. The ionizing radiations proceeding from these materials can produce stochastic biological effects on the exposed living beings. The research team designed and tested a technical-scientific protocol to survey and analyse this natural phenomenon in association with the use of geological material for building purposes. Geographical Information Systems (GISs, City Information Modelling (CIM, and Building Information Modelling (BIM are the digital tools used to manage the construction entities and their characteristics, and then to represent the thematic data as false-colour images. The emission spectra of fair-faced or plastered materials as a fingerprint of their nature is proposed as a non-invasive method. Due to both the huge presence of historical buildings and an intense touristic flow, the main square of Pompei has been selected as a study area.

Fungal Microbiomes Associated with Green and Non-Green Building Materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Coombs, Kanistha; Vesper, Stephen; Green, Brett J; Yermakov, Mikhail; Reponen, Tiina

2017-01-01

Water-damaged buildings can lead to fungal growth and occupant health problems. Green building materials, derived from renewable sources, are increasingly utilized in construction and renovations. However, the question as to what fungi will grow on these green compared to non-green materials, after they get wet, has not been adequately studied. By determining what fungi grow on each type of material, the potential health risks can be more adequately assessed. In this study, we inoculated green and non-green pieces of ceiling tile, composite board, drywall, and flooring with indoor dust containing a complex mixture of naturally occurring fungi. The materials were saturated with water and incubated for two months in a controlled environment. The resulting fungal microbiomes were evaluated using ITS amplicon sequencing. Overall, the richness and diversity of the mycobiomes on each pair of green and non-green pieces were not significantly different. However, different genera dominated on each type of material. For example, Aspergillus spp. had the highest relative abundance on green and non-green ceiling tiles and green composite boards, but Peniophora spp. dominated the non-green composite board. In contrast, Penicillium spp. dominated green and non-green flooring samples. Green gypsum board was dominated by Phialophora spp. and Stachybotrys spp., but non-green gypsum board by Myrothecium spp. These data suggest that water-damaged green and non-green building materials can result in mycobiomes that are dominated by fungal genera whose member species pose different potentials for health risks.

Use of moisture probes in building materials industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hanke, L.

A neutron probe to be built in the production line was developed for monitoring moisture content of bulk materials and suspensions of all types in the building material industry. The probe is dust- and external moisture-protected. The probe measuring capacity is about 100 l, the mean measurement error is +- 0.008 g water per 1 cm 3 , which for fine sand represents an error of +- 0.3%. The probe is connected via a cable to a measuring instrument showing an electrical value proportional to the measured material moisture content. (Z.M.)

New concrete materials technology for competitive house building

OpenAIRE

Peterson, Markus

2003-01-01

The research project aims at investigating the potential of new concrete materials technology (high performance concrete, HPC and self-compacting concete, SCC) for competitive design, production and function of structural frames of cast in-situ concrete in house building.

Safety distance for preventing hot particle ignition of building insulation materials

OpenAIRE

Jiayun Song; Supan Wang; Haixiang Chen

2014-01-01

Trajectories of flying hot particles were predicted in this work, and the temperatures during the movement were also calculated. Once the particle temperature decreased to the critical temperature for a hot particle to ignite building insulation materials, which was predicted by hot-spot ignition theory, the distance particle traveled was determined as the minimum safety distance for preventing the ignition of building insulation materials by hot particles. The results showed that for sphere ...

Photon activation analysis on building materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schulze, D.; Heller, W.; Kupsch, H.

1988-01-01

With regard to the planned construction of a new microtron, first investigations on raw materials for the aerated concrete production have been done to clear up the possibilities of photon activation analysis (PAA). Irradiations have been partly carried out on linear accelerators with a self-developed moveable activation equipment. PAA results of qualitative and quantitative elemental analysis are described. The detection of chlorine is important for studying the oversalting processes in buildings. (author)

The analysis of radon diffusion through the buildings materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grujic, S.; Radukin-Kosanovic, A.; Bikit, I.; Mrdja, D.; Forkapic, S.

2009-01-01

Since people most of the time spent indoors it is of great importance to analyse the radon diffusion through different types of materials, in order to prevent the increase of its concentration in the interior of buildings. The paper examined six different types of materials used in construction, mainly in the insulating purposes, in order to determine the material, or a combination of appropriate type and thickness of material which have a smaller value of diffusion coefficient of radon. (author) [sr

Radon exhalation from building materials for decorative use

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen Jing, E-mail: jing.chen@hc-sc.gc.c [Radiation Protection Bureau, Health Canada, 775 Brookfield Road, Ottawa K1A 1C1 (Canada); Rahman, Naureen M.; Atiya, Ibrahim Abu [Radiation Protection Bureau, Health Canada, 775 Brookfield Road, Ottawa K1A 1C1 (Canada)

2010-04-15

Long-term exposure to radon increases the risk of developing lung cancer. There is considerable public concern about radon exhalation from building materials and the contribution to indoor radon levels. To address this concern, radon exhalation rates were determined for 53 different samples of drywall, tile and granite available on the Canadian market for interior home decoration. The radon exhalation rates ranged from non-detectable to 312 Bq m{sup -2} d{sup -1}. Slate tiles and granite slabs had relatively higher radon exhalation rates than other decorative materials, such as ceramic or porcelain tiles. The average radon exhalation rates were 30 Bq m{sup -2} d{sup -1} for slate tiles and 42 Bq m{sup -2} d{sup -1} for granite slabs of various types and origins. Analysis showed that even if an entire floor was covered with a material having a radon exhalation rate of 300 Bq m{sup -2} d{sup -1}, it would contribute only 18 Bq m{sup -3} to a tightly sealed house with an air exchange rate of 0.3 per hour. Generally speaking, building materials used in home decoration make no significant contribution to indoor radon for a house with adequate air exchange.

Study of building materials impregnation processes by quasi-real-time neutron radiography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nemec, T.; Rant, J.; Apih, V.; Glumac, B.

1999-01-01

Neutron radiography (NR) is a useful non-destructive method for determination of hydrogen content in various building and technical materials. Monitoring of transport processes of moisture and hydrogenous liquids in porous building materials is enabled by fast, quasi-real-time NR methods based on novel imaging plate neutron detectors (IP-NDs). Hydrogen content in the samples is determined by quantitative analysis of measured profiles of neutron attenuation in the samples. Detailed description of quantitative NR method is presented by the authors in another accompanying contribution at this conference. Deterioration of building materials is originated by different processes that all require presence of water therefore it is essential to limit or prevent the transport of water through the porous material. In this presentation, results of a study of clay brick impregnation by silicone based hydrophobic agents will be presented. Quantitative results obtained by NR imaging successfully explained the processes that occur during the impregnation of porous materials. Efficiency of hydrophobic treatment was quantitatively evaluated

Assessment of the material properties of a fire damaged building

OpenAIRE

Oladipupo OLOMO; Olufikayo ADERINLEWO; Moses TANIMOLA; Silvana CROOPE

2012-01-01

This study identifies a process for assessing the material properties of a fire damaged building so as to determine whether the remains can be utilized in construction or be demolished. Physical and chemical analysis were carried out on concrete and steel samples taken from various elements of the building after thorough visual inspection of the entire building had been conducted. The physical (non-destructive) tests included the Schmidt hammer and ultrasonic pulse velocity tests on the concr...

Investigation of natural radioactivity in building materials commonly used in Sudan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohamed, S. E. A.

2010-12-01

Investigation of radioactivity content of commonly used building materials in Khartoum State is carried out during the year 2010. A total of 25 samples of natural and manufactured materials from different types of building materials have been collected and measured using gamma spectrometry system. The activity concentrations have been determined for radium (2''2''6''Ra), thorium (''2'3''2Th) and potassium (''4''0K) in each sample. The concentrations of radium (represents activity of uranium and its decay series) have been found to rang from 2.8 Bq/kg in (gravel) to 108.2 Bq/kg (porcelain), thorium between 48 and 302 Bq/kg and the potassium concentration varies between 82.3 Bq/kg in (gravel) to 1413.3 Bq/kg in (marble). The activity index has also been calculated and found that it is less than 1 (mean value of 0.77 range between 0.33 and 1.97), and less than 6 for surface materials. The results have been compared with European previous studies. It is concluded that the measured radioactivity of building materials are within acceptable levels and dose not poses any risk from radiation protection point of view. (Author)

The Use Potential of Traditional Building Materials for the Realization of Structures by Modern Methods of Construction

Science.gov (United States)

Spišáková, Marcela; Mačková, Daniela

2015-11-01

The sustainable building has taken off in recent years with many investors looking for new and different methods of construction. The traditional building materials can be made out of natural materials, while others can help to lower energy costs of the occupant once built. Regardless of what the goal of the investor is, traditional building materials and their use is on the rise. The submitted paper provides an overview of natural building materials and possible modern building systems using these construction materials. Based on the questionnaire survey is defined the use potential of traditional building materials for the realization of the construction by methods of modern constructions and then are determined the drivers and barriers of traditional materials through using modern methods of construction. Considering the analysis of the achieved results, we can identify the gaps in the construction market in Slovakia and also to assess the perception of potential investors in the field of traditional building materials use, which is the purpose of submitted paper.

Untargeted Metabolomics Approach in Halophiles: Understanding the Biodeterioration Process of Building Materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Justyna Adamiak

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of the study was to explore the halophile metabolome in building materials using untargeted metabolomics which allows for broad metabolome coverage. For this reason, we used high-performance liquid chromatography interfaced to high-resolution mass spectrometry (HPLC/HRMS. As an alternative to standard microscopy techniques, we introduced pioneering Coherent Anti-stokes Raman Scattering Microscopy (CARS to non-invasively visualize microbial cells. Brick samples saturated with salt solution (KCl, NaCl (two salinity levels, MgSO4, Mg(NO32, were inoculated with the mixture of preselected halophilic microorganisms, i.e., bacteria: Halobacillus styriensis, Halobacillus naozhouensis, Halobacillus hunanensis, Staphylococcus succinus, Marinococcus halophilus, Virgibacillus halodenitryficans, and yeast: Sterigmatomyces halophilus and stored at 28°C and 80% relative humidity for a year. Metabolites were extracted directly from the brick samples and measured via HPLC/HRMS in both positive and negative ion modes. Overall, untargeted metabolomics allowed for discovering the interactions of halophilic microorganisms with buildings materials which together with CARS microscopy enabled us to elucidate the biodeterioration process caused by halophiles. We observed that halophile metabolome was differently affected by different salt solutions. Furthermore, we found indications for haloadaptive strategies and degradation of brick samples due to microbial pigment production as a salt stress response. Finally, we detected changes in lipid content related to changes in the structure of phospholipid bilayers and membrane fluidity.

EXPERIMENTAL DEVELOPMENT OF BIO-BASED POLYMER MATRIX BUILDING MATERIAL AND FISH BONE DIAGRAM FOR MATERIAL EFFECT ON QUALITY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Asmamaw Tegegne

2014-06-01

Full Text Available These days cost of building materials are continuously increasing and the conventional construction materials for this particular purpose become low and low. The weight of conventional construction materials particularly building block is heavy and costly due to particularly cement. Thus, the objective of this paper is to develop an alternative light weight, high strength and relatively cost effective building material that satisfy the quality standard used in the country. A bio-based polymer matrix composite material for residential construction was experimentally developed. Sugar cane bagasse, thermoplastics (polyethylene g roup sand and red ash were used as materials alternatively. Mixing of the additives,melting of the hermoplastics, molding and curing (dryingwere the common methods used on the forming process of the samples. Mechanical behavior evaluation (testing of the product was carried out. Totally 45 specimens were produced and three replicate tests were performed per each test type. Quality analysis was carried out for group B material using Ishikawa diagram. The tensile strength of group A specimen was approximately 3 times greater than that of group B specimens. The compression strength of group A specimens were nearly 2 times greater than group B. Comparing to the conventional building materials(concert block and agrostoneproduced in the country, which the compression strength is 7Mpa and 16Mpa respectively, the newly produced materials show much better results in which Group A is 25.66 Mpa and group B is 16.66 Mpa. energy absorption capacity of group A specimens was approximately 3 times better than that of group B. Water absorption test was carried out for both groups and both showed excellent resistivity. Group A composite material specimens, showed better results in all parameters.

Evolution of building envelope construction techniques in coastal British Columbia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mattock, C.; Ito, K.; Oshikawa, T. [International Eco-House Inc., (Canada)

1999-11-01

Changes in the significant evolutionary development over the past 3 years in building envelope construction for multi storey wood frame housing in British Columbia are described. The urban areas of this region are characterized by a maritime climate which features a high frequency of wind driven rain and little accumulation of snow. Buildings are exposed to high wetting with little drying potential, and moderate temperatures allow for fungal growth even in the winter. While as in the rest of Canada wetting is often due to condensation of moisture contained in indoor air as it leaks out of the building, in British Columbia wind driven rain is a much larger source of moisture. Given this, the following principles of moisture control have been promoted to the B.C. building industry in order of priority: 1) deflection - using parts and elements of the building such as overhangs and flashings that reduce the exposure of the exterior walls to rain, 2) drainage - using envelope assemblies that will then redirect liquid water to the outside, 3) employing drying elements that promote drying through diffusion such as highly permeable wall sheathings, and 4) use of durable materials - using materials that resist rot such as treated lumber, stainless steel fastenings, etc. A variety of air barrier systems other than the conventional sealed polyethylene approach have been employed because of the introduction of recent building code requirements for enhanced airtightness and air barrier durability combined with the use of rain screen construction. This variety of air barrier systems includes: an airtight drywall, an exterior permeable membrane, and an exterior impermeable membrane.

Cementitious building material incorporating end-capped polyethylene glycol as a phase change material

Science.gov (United States)

Salyer, Ival O.; Griffen, Charles W.

1986-01-01

A cementitious composition comprising a cementitious material and polyethylene glycol or end-capped polyethylene glycol as a phase change material, said polyethylene glycol and said end-capped polyethylene glycol having a molecular weight greater than about 400 and a heat of fusion greater than about 30 cal/g; the compositions are useful in making pre-formed building materials such as concrete blocks, brick, dry wall and the like or in making poured structures such as walls or floor pads; the glycols can be encapsulated to reduce their tendency to retard set.

The influence of rainwater composition on the conservation state of cementitious building materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Morillas, Héctor, E-mail: hector.morillas@ehu.es [Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, P.O. Box 644, 48080 Bilbao, Basque Country (Spain); Marcaida, Iker [Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, P.O. Box 644, 48080 Bilbao, Basque Country (Spain); Maguregui, Maite [Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, P.O. Box 450, 01080 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Basque Country (Spain); Carrero, Jose Antonio; Madariaga, Juan Manuel [Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, P.O. Box 644, 48080 Bilbao, Basque Country (Spain)

2016-01-15

Rainwater is one of the main pollution tracers around the world. There are many reasons that can explain the presence of high concentrations of certain hazardous elements (HEs) in the rainwater (traffic, marine port activities, industry, etc.). In this work, rainwater samples were collected at six different locations in the Metropolitan Bilbao (Basque Country, north of Spain) during November 2014. HE concentrations were determined by means of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and anions by ion chromatography. The pH and redox potential values on these samples were also assessed. According to the obtained results, different trends along the estuary of Bilbao have been observed. To corroborate some hypothesis, thermodynamic simulations and correlation analyses were also carried out using quantitative data. These trends are closely related to the surrounding pollution and marine influence. Finally, in order to ascertain the influence of the Metropolitan Bilbao rainwater on buildings materials, a recent construction was characterized. Using techniques such as Scanning Electron Microscopy coupled with Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (SEM–EDS) and Raman Spectroscopy, different types of sulfates and nitrates were observed. - Highlights: • Rainwater from six sampling points along Nervion River (Bilbao, Spain) were analyzed. • Ion chromatography, ICP-MS and chemometrics were used for the rainwater analyses. • The interaction between wet depositions and building materials was studied. • Cementitious materials were analyzed using µ-Raman spectroscopy and SEM–EDS.

Relation of historical quarrying, material utilization and performance on buildings in Eastern Finland

Science.gov (United States)

Luodes, Nike M.; Pirinen, Heikki

2016-04-01

Finland might seem to have lower stone heritage compared to other southern European countries, but it has been the main exporter of dimension stone to the majestic buildings that made St.Petersburg a recognized cultural heritage. In Finland, though, the stone seems undervalued. The only dramatic and predominant stone buildings are those of agencies and administrations located in the towns, where the stone has been used to impress and symbolize value. Romantic style used massive bossy stone in building's full height and created fine traditional carvings. Otherwise the communities have mainly built settlements in contact with the nature, with materials easily available and of low cost, following architectonical trends of the periods and producing interesting stone details. During the past years, research has been conducted on historical buildings interconnecting scientific and artistic approach to evaluate material durability and cultural relevance of the artifacts. Generally until mid 20th century the stone has been traditionally used massive for basements and walls. The materials still present good mechanical characteristics and most often the weathering level after hundreds of years of exposure had reached only the first millimeters from the curst. Instead the old methodology for deposit exploitation has left visible signs on the buildings. Some examples are visible from Kuopio. The exploitation of small, easy-to-reach surface deposits, even if planned by local experts, has affected quality and appearance of historical buildings. As an example the excavation of shallow quarries where also weathered crop was kept as a product has characterized the basement of the Niirala school that presents change in colors due to original material more than to weathering on site. Fissuring is also visible on a couple of blocks while marks on the rocks depict the old excavation method. Most often the deposits had been in the vicinities, frequently hidden by further construction

Materials, used in historical buildings, analysis methods and solutions puroposals

Science.gov (United States)

Döndüren, M. Sami; Sişik, Ozlem

2017-10-01

Most of historical buildings are built with pressure principle and have the characteristics of masonry structures. Therefore, the structure components of buildings are constituted bearing walls, columns, buttresses, vaults and domes. Natural stone, cut stone, rubble stone brick or alternate materials were used in the bearing elements. Brick-dust and mortar with more binding feature were used as combination elements. In time, some problems were occurred in used materials and in structure as a result of various effects. Therefore, it is necessary to apply various applications in framework of repair and strengthening of buildings. In this study, restoration of historic buildings and the control of the adequacy of the bearing systems as one most important part of structure were examined. For this purpose, static analysis of Edirne-Merkez Demirtaş (Timurtaş) mosque located in Edirne was tested. Testes could give suggestions and be applied if buildings needed be revealed. The structure was modelled with finite element model of sap2000 package program and the forces generated under various loads and stresses, the occurred deformation due to that, overflow of allowable stress of this deformation and stresses were investigated. As the results of this study can be note that the maximum compressive stress at the construction is calculated as 1.1 MPa.

Materials, used in historical buildings, analysis methods and solutions puroposals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Döndüren M.Sami

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Most of historical buildings are built with pressure principle and have the characteristics of masonry structures. Therefore, the structure components of buildings are constituted bearing walls, columns, buttresses, vaults and domes. Natural stone, cut stone, rubble stone brick or alternate materials were used in the bearing elements. Brick-dust and mortar with more binding feature were used as combination elements. In time, some problems were occurred in used materials and in structure as a result of various effects. Therefore, it is necessary to apply various applications in framework of repair and strengthening of buildings. In this study, restoration of historic buildings and the control of the adequacy of the bearing systems as one most important part of structure were examined. For this purpose, static analysis of Edirne-Merkez Demirtaş (Timurtaş mosque located in Edirne was tested. Testes could give suggestions and be applied if buildings needed be revealed. The structure was modelled with finite element model of sap2000 package program and the forces generated under various loads and stresses, the occurred deformation due to that, overflow of allowable stress of this deformation and stresses were investigated. As the results of this study can be note that the maximum compressive stress at the construction is calculated as 1.1 MPa.

The Use Potential of Traditional Building Materials for the Realization of Structures by Modern Methods of Construction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Spišáková Marcela

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The sustainable building has taken off in recent years with many investors looking for new and different methods of construction. The traditional building materials can be made out of natural materials, while others can help to lower energy costs of the occupant once built. Regardless of what the goal of the investor is, traditional building materials and their use is on the rise. The submitted paper provides an overview of natural building materials and possible modern building systems using these construction materials. Based on the questionnaire survey is defined the use potential of traditional building materials for the realization of the construction by methods of modern constructions and then are determined the drivers and barriers of traditional materials through using modern methods of construction. Considering the analysis of the achieved results, we can identify the gaps in the construction market in Slovakia and also to assess the perception of potential investors in the field of traditional building materials use, which is the purpose of submitted paper.

Ice crystallization in porous building materials: assessing damage using real-time 3D monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

Deprez, Maxim; De Kock, Tim; De Schutter, Geert; Cnudde, Veerle

2017-04-01

Frost action is one of the main causes of deterioration of porous building materials in regions at middle to high latitudes. Damage will occur when the internal stresses due to ice formation become larger than the strength of the material. Hence, the sensitivity of the material to frost damage is partly defined by the structure of the solid body. On the other hand, the size, shape and interconnection of pores manages the water distribution in the building material and, therefore, the characteristics of the pore space control potential to form ice crystals (Ruedrich et al., 2011). In order to assess the damage to building materials by ice crystallization, lot of effort was put into identifying the mechanisms behind the stress build up. First of all, volumetric expansion of 9% (Hirschwald, 1908) during the transition of water to ice should be mentioned. Under natural circumstances, however, water saturation degrees within natural rocks or concrete cannot reach a damaging value. Therefore, linear growth pressure (Scherer, 1999), as well as several mechanisms triggered by water redistribution during freezing (Powers and Helmuth, 1953; Everett, 1961) are more likely responsible for damage due to freezing. Nevertheless, these theories are based on indirect observations and models and, thus, direct evidence that reveals the exact damage mechanism under certain conditions is still lacking. To obtain this proof, in-situ information needs to be acquired while a freezing process is performed. X-ray computed tomography has proven to be of great value in material research. Recent advances at the Ghent University Centre for Tomography (UGCT) have already allowed to dynamically 3D image crack growth in natural rock during freeze-thaw cycles (De Kock et al., 2015). A great potential to evaluate the different stress build-up mechanisms can be found in this imaging technique consequently. It is required to cover a range of materials with different petrophysical properties to achieve

The Effect of Mechanical Load on the Thermal Conductivity of Building Materials

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J. Toman

2000-01-01

Full Text Available The effect of mechanical load on the thermal conductivity of building materials in the design of envelope parts of building structures is studied. A typical building material is chosen in the practical investigation of this effect, namely the cement mortar. It is concluded that in the range of hygroscopic moisture content, lower levels of mechanical load, typically up to 90 % of compressive strength (CS, are not dangerous from the point of view of worsening the designed thermal properties, but in the overhygroscopic region, the load as low as 57 % of CS may be dangerous. The higher levels of loading are found to be always significant because they lead to marked increase of thermal conductivity which is always a negative information for a building designer.

The Effect of Anisotropy of Building Materials on the Moisture Transfer

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J. Drchalová

2000-01-01

Full Text Available The effect of anisotropy of building materials on the moisture transfer in the design of envelope parts of building structures is studied. Two typical fibre containing plate building materials produced in the Czech Republic, Dekalux and Dekalit P, are chosen for the demonstration of this effect. Experimental results show that while for lighter Dekalit P, an order of magnitude difference in the moisture diffusivities k for the two basic orientations, i.e. along and across the plate, is observed, for the heavier Dekalux the differences in k are within the errorbar of the experimental method. As follows from the experimental results, compacting of surface layers of the plates of light fibred materials is very favorable from the point of view of moisture penetration but one should keep in mind that any local damage of the surface layer can result in a considerably faster moisture transfer in the direction along the plate.

Natural radionuclides in ceramic building materials available in Cuddalore district, Tamil Nadu, India.

Science.gov (United States)

Rajamannan, B; Viruthagiri, G; Suresh Jawahar, K

2013-10-01

The activity concentrations of radium, thorium and potassium can vary from material to material and they should be measured as the radiation is hazardous for human health. Thus, studies have been planned to obtain the radioactivity of ceramic building materials used in Cuddalore District, Tamilnadu, India. The radioactivity of some ceramic materials used in this region has been measured using a gamma-ray spectrometry, which contains an NaI(Tl) detector connected to multichannel analyzer. The specific activities of (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K, from the selected ceramic building materials, were in the range of 9.89-30.75, 24.68-70.4, 117.19-415.83 Bq kg(-1), respectively. The radium equivalent activity, absorbed gamma dose rate (D) and annual effective dose rate associated with the natural radionuclides are calculated to assess the radiation hazards of the natural radioactivity in the ceramic building materials. It was found that none of the results exceeds the recommended limit value.

Determination of Natural Radioactivity in Building Materials with Gamma Spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Turki, Faten

2010-01-01

In the setting of this work, the natural radioactivity of building materials used in Tunisia has been measured by gamma spectrometry. These products have been ground and dried at 100 degree for 12 h. Then, they have been homogenized, weighed and finally conditioned during 23 days in order to reach the radioactive equilibrium. The measures' results proved that all building materials studied except bauxite and the ESC clay, possess doses lower than the acceptable limit (1 mSv.an-1). However, the possibility of reinforcement of the natural radioactivity in some industry of building can exist. To insure that the cement, the most used in the world, don't present any radiological risk on the workers' health, a survey has been made in the factory - les Ciments de Bizerte - about its manufacture's process. The results of this survey showed that this product can be considered like a healthy product.

Using thermal power plants waste for building materials

Science.gov (United States)

Feduik, R. S.; Smoliakov, A. K.; Timokhin, R. A.; Batarshin, V. O.; Yevdokimova, Yu G.

2017-10-01

The recycled use of thermal power plants (TPPs) wastes in the building materials production is formulated. The possibility of using of TPPs fly ash as part of the cement composite binder for concrete is assessed. The results of X-ray diffraction and differential thermal analysis as well as and materials photomicrographs are presented. It was revealed that the fly ash of TPPs of Russian Primorsky Krai is suitable for use as a filler in cement binding based on its chemical composition.

Techniques for building timing-predictable embedded systems

CERN Document Server

Guan, Nan

2016-01-01

This book describes state-of-the-art techniques for designing real-time computer systems. The author shows how to estimate precisely the effect of cache architecture on the execution time of a program, how to dispatch workload on multicore processors to optimize resources, while meeting deadline constraints, and how to use closed-form mathematical approaches to characterize highly variable workloads and their interaction in a networked environment. Readers will learn how to deal with unpredictable timing behaviors of computer systems on different levels of system granularity and abstraction. Introduces promising techniques for dealing with challenges associated with deploying real-time systems on multicore platforms; Provides a complete picture of building timing-predictable computer systems, at the program level, component level and system level; Leverages different levels of abstraction to deal with the complexity of the analysis.

Measurements of radon exhalation from building materials under model climate conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jann, O.; Schneider, U.; Koeppke, J.; Lehmann, R.

2003-01-01

The inhalation of 222 Rn (radon) is the most important reason for lung cancer as a result of smoking. The cause for enhanced radon concentration in the air of buildings is mostly the building ground. But also building products can lead to increased radon concentrations in indoor air when the products contain raw materials or residues with higher contents of 226 Ra (radium), especially in combination with low air exchange rates. For a realistic estimation of radon concentrations it is helpful to perform emission tests on the basis of emission test chambers. Emissions test chambers are already used successfully for the measurement of volatile organic compounds (VOC) emitted from different materials and products. The analysis of radon in air was performed with a test device based on the principle of ionisation chamber (ATMOS 12 D). It could be show that radon concentrations emitted from building materials can be determined reliably if certain boundary conditions such as temperature, relative humidity and especially area specific air flow rate are met. It was also shown that reduced area specific air flow rates or reduced air exchange rates lead to higher radon concentrations. It is remarkable that no conclusion can be drawn from the activity concentration of radium to the radon concentration in the air. Therefore in some cases much higher radon concentrations in air were determined that had been expected. Obviously diffusion within the material plays an important role. (orig.)

Elaboration of building materials from industrial waste from solid granular diatomaceous earth

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Del Angel S, A.

2015-01-01

In this work the initial characterization of granular solid industrial waste from diatomaceous earth was carried out using techniques of Scanning Electron Microscopy and X-ray Diffraction. In a second stage leaching of the material was undertaken to the US Patent Number 5, 376,000 and 5, 356,601 obtaining the samples M1-S ph 2, M1-L ph, M1-S ph 10 and M1-L ph 10. In the third stage a new characterization of the samples obtained with the techniques of Scanning Electron Microscopy, X-ray Diffraction and Atomic Absorption Spectrometry was performed, the latter in order to determine the efficiency percentage of the leaching process. In the fourth stage the specimens for performing mechanical, physical and chemical tests were manufactured, using molds as PVC pipes of 1 inch in diameter and 2 inches in length, with a composition of 50% of diatomaceous earth and 50% of cement produced in each. Finally, in the fifth stage mechanical testing (compression resistance), physical (moisture absorption rate) and chemical (composition and structure of the material) are performed. In the last stage, when conducting mechanical testing with the test specimens, the presence of bubbles enclosed in each obtaining erroneous results noted, so it was necessary to develop the specimens again, obtaining in this occasion concentrations of 20:80, 40:60, 60:40 and 80:20 of diatomaceous earth with the cement. These results were analyzed to determine if the used material is suitable for the production of building materials such as bricks or partitions, being demonstrated by the tests carried out if they are eligible. (Author)

Hygrothermal Material Properties for Soils in Building Science

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kehrer, Manfred [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Pallin, Simon B. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2017-01-01

Hygrothermal performance of soils coupled to buildings is complicated because of the dearth of information on soil properties. However they are important when numerical simulation of coupled heat and moisture transport for below-grade building components are performed as their temperature and moisture content has an influence on the durability of the below-grade building component. Soils can be classified by soil texture. According to the Unified Soil Classification System (USCA), 12 different soils can be defined on the basis of three soil components: clay, sand, and silt. This study shows how existing material properties for typical American soils can be transferred and used for the calculation of the coupled heat and moisture transport of building components in contact with soil. Furthermore a thermal validation with field measurements under known boundary conditions is part of this study, too. Field measurements for soil temperature and moisture content for two specified soils are carried out right now under known boundary conditions. As these field measurements are not finished yet, the full hygrothermal validation is still missing

A protocol for lifetime energy and environmental impact assessment of building insulation materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shrestha, Som S.; Biswas, Kaushik; Desjarlais, Andre O.

2014-01-01

This article describes a proposed protocol that is intended to provide a comprehensive list of factors to be considered in evaluating the direct and indirect environmental impacts of building insulation materials, as well as detailed descriptions of standardized calculation methodologies to determine those impacts. The energy and environmental impacts of insulation materials can generally be divided into two categories: (1) direct impact due to the embodied energy of the insulation materials and other factors and (2) indirect or environmental impacts avoided as a result of reduced building energy use due to addition of insulation. Standards and product category rules exist, which provide guidelines about the life cycle assessment (LCA) of materials, including building insulation products. However, critical reviews have suggested that these standards fail to provide complete guidance to LCA studies and suffer from ambiguities regarding the determination of the environmental impacts of building insulation and other products. The focus of the assessment protocol described here is to identify all factors that contribute to the total energy and environmental impacts of different building insulation products and, more importantly, provide standardized determination methods that will allow comparison of different insulation material types. Further, the intent is not to replace current LCA standards but to provide a well-defined, easy-to-use comparison method for insulation materials using existing LCA guidelines. - Highlights: • We proposed a protocol to evaluate the environmental impacts of insulation materials. • The protocol considers all life cycle stages of an insulation material. • Both the direct environmental impacts and the indirect impacts are defined. • Standardized calculation methods for the ‘avoided operational energy’ is defined. • Standardized calculation methods for the ‘avoided environmental impact’ is defined

Annual mean effective dose of Slovak population due to natural radioactivity of building materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cabanekova, H.

2006-01-01

Natural radiation is the main source of exposure to humans. The basic raw materials, generally used in the construction industry, contain natural radionuclides which reflects their natural origin and the geological conditions at the site of production. In the last time, most building materials are manufactured from secondary raw materials with higher concentration of natural radionuclides. The estimation of the 226 Ra content as well as the 232 Th and 40 K concentration in building materials and products is essential for the evaluation of the external x-ray contribution to the exposure. The building materials with high value of 226 Ra coupled with pronounced porosity of the final products make them potential indoor Rn sources. It means that external exposure and part of inhalation dose from radon and its progeny inside of building is caused to the radiation from the primordial radionuclides pres ent in building materials and products and can increase the indoor natural radiation exposure. For keeping the population exposure as low as reasonably achievable is in the Slovak legislation the radioactive content of primordial radionuclides in building materials and products regulated and the maximum of specific activity is 370 Bq.kg-1 of radium equivalent activity and 120 Bq.kg-1 of 226 Ra. The Health ministry and Slovak metrological institute nominated the department of Radiation Hygiene of Slovak medical university to investigate regularly the content of natural radionuclides and also the radon emanation in samples of raw and secondary building materials and products used in Slovak building industry. In the framework of the screening of building materials and products there were analyzed over 3 000 samples. The natural radionuclides are assessed through their progeny photo peaks. The specific activity of nuclides is determined as weighted average of their photo peaks. The obtained results are corrected to the background distribution and to the self absorption in the

A matrix in life cycle perspective for selecting sustainable materials for buildings in Sri Lanka

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abeysundara, U.G. Yasantha [Ministry of Education, Isurupaya, Battaramulla (Sri Lanka); Babel, Sandhya [Environmental Technology Program, School of Biochemical Engineering and Technology, Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology, Thammasat University, P.O. Box 22, Pathumthani 12121 (Thailand); Gheewala, Shabbir [The Joint Graduate School of Energy and Environment, King Mongkut' s University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok 10140 (Thailand)

2009-05-15

This paper presents a matrix to select sustainable materials for buildings in Sri Lanka, taking into consideration environmental, economic and social assessments of materials in a life cycle perspective. Five building elements, viz., foundations, roofs, ceilings, doors and windows, and floors are analyzed based on materials used for these elements. Environmental burdens associated with these elements are analyzed in terms of embodied energy and environmental impacts such as global warming, acidification and nutrient enrichment. Economic analysis is based on market prices and affordability of materials. Social factors that are taken into account are thermal comfort, interior (aesthetics), ability to construct quickly, strength and durability. By compiling the results of analyses, two building types with minimum and maximum impacts are identified. These two cases along with existing buildings are compared in a matrix of environmental, economic and social scores. Analysis of the results also indicates need for higher consideration of environmental parameters in decision-making over social and economic factors, as social and economic scores do not vary much between cases. Hence, this matrix helps decision-makers to select sustainable materials for buildings, meaningfully, and thus helps to move towards a more sustainable buildings and construction sector. (author)

Methods of measurement and evaluation of natural radionuclide contents in buildings, at building sites, and in building materials and water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-01-01

The recommendations should serve as guidelines for specifying the scope of measurement and ways of evaluating the measuring results when satisfying the relevant requirements laid down by the Czech Atomic Act (Act No. 18/1997) and Decree No. 184/1997 in the field of natural radiation sources occurring in the environment without deliberate use. The document consists of the following sections: Methodology for the measurement and assessment of natural exposure of persons in dwelling rooms of buildings; Methodology of determination of the radon risk of building sites; Principles of systematic measurement and evaluation of natural radionuclide contents of building materials; and Principles of systematic measurement and evaluation of natural radionuclide contents of supplied water. (P.A.)

Advanced FRP for flooring in buildings: a low carbon material application in the construction industry

OpenAIRE

Gao, Yijian

2013-01-01

Fibre-reinforced polymers (FRP) are building materials that permit both the improvement of long-term building performance and the simplification of the construction process, thanks to their high specific strength, low thermal conductivity, good environmental resistance, and ability to be formed into complex shapes. FRP materials are well-suited to fulfilling many building functions. By integrating traditionally separate building systems and layers into single function-integrated components, a...

Elevated radon and thoron concentrations from natural radioactivity in building materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, D.; Vivyurka, A.

1980-01-01

Radon levels in excess of 20 mWL were observed in an apartment building under construction in Elliot Lake. Tracer studies showed ventilation periods as long as 29 hours since the ventilation system of the building was not yet working. It was concluded that, once the contribution from thoron daughters was taken into account, the natural radioactivity of the concrete and other building materials was sufficient to produce the observed levels of radioactivity

Indoor Pollution Emissions from Building Materials; Case of Study: Gypsum Boards Indoor Pollution Emissions from Building Materials; Case of Study: Gypsum Boards

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Silverio Hernández Moreno

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Este reporte presenta una evaluación de las emisiones de materiales de construcción, al interior de los edificios que pueden causar daño a la salud de los usuarios durante la ocupación, pues emiten sustancias tóxicas al interior de los edificios. Este reporte presenta un caso de studio que evalúa a los tableros de yeso, frecuentemente usados en la construcción de muros divisorios y falsos plafones. La parte experimental se basa en un espacio tridimensional el cual simula un cuarto de cualquier tipo de edificación; por ejemplo: un salón de clases u oficina. Las condiciones ambientales al interior, tales como: ventilación, temperatura y humedad, afectan directamente las emisiones de sustancias químicas por los materiales de construcción. La metodología se basa en la comparación de materiales convencionales y materiales alternativos con distinta composición y similares características, en donde usamos métodos de prueba, condiciones ambientales, instrumentos y herramientas similares. Este es un estudio muy importante para entender los problemas relacionadoscon la contaminación ambiental, específicamente del aire y sus efectos en el interior de los edificios, y que se relaciona directamente con la salud pública e indirectamente con los sistemas constructivos y la selección de materiales en los edificios. Las pruebas concluyen que los materiales alternativos (de contenido reciclado son mejores que los tradicionales, porque reducen la contaminación del aire al interior de los edificios. This report presents an evaluation of emissions from indoor building materials that may cause health damage to the people who occupy the building, since these materials emit toxic chemicals into the air and indoor surfaces. This report presents a case study which evaluates Gypsum Boards, frequently used in the construction of dividing walls and ceilings. The experimental part of this report is based on a three-dimensional space that simulates a

Exploring the Importance of Employing Bio and Nano-Materials for Energy Efficient Buildings Construction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mona Naguib

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The continued and increasing use of ordinary building materials to house the ever-growing world population ensures growing contributions of carbon (C to the active carbon cycle through carbon dioxide (C02 emissions from combustion and chemical reactions in the raw material to the atmosphere. To minimize this, materials should be conserved, reduce their unnecessary use, produce them more benignly and make them last longer, recycle and reuse materials. Thus, paper will focus on exploring alternative building materials and systems that can be developed in order to balance atmospheric carbon dioxide.  It also presents the Bio-inspired architecture approach that embraces the eco-friendly practices of using Biomaterials and Nano-materials for sustainable dwelling construction through a number of examples that shows how a building can be strongly related to its site.

Effect of UV on building materials in New Zealand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bennett, A.F.

1993-01-01

Building materials can be divided into two main classes; organic or polymeric based and inorganic materials. Inorganic materials are in most cases largely unaffected by UV radiation. Many common polymers have bonds sensitive to radiation in the UV region. Absorption of radiation of these wavelengths will lead to excitation of electrons which can lead to isomerisation, chain scissors, cross linking and free radical formation. It is worth noting that the effects of UV radiation are always acting synergistically with other environmental effects. (author). 4 refs., 2 tabs

Potentially harmful secondary metabolites produced by indoor Chaetomium species on artificially and naturally contaminated building materials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dosen, Ina; Nielsen, Kristian Fog; Clausen, Geo

2017-01-01

, have been screened for, and thus detected in buildings. In this study, we used a liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry approach to screen both artificially and naturally infected building materials for all the Chaetomium metabolites described in the literature. Pure agar cultures were...... also investigated in order to establish differences between metabolite production in vitro and on building materials as well as comparison to non-indoor reference strains. On building materials six different chaetoglobosins were detected in total concentrations of up to 950 mg/m2 from C. globosum along...... with three different chaetoviridins/chaetomugilins in concentrations up to 200 mg/m2. Indoor Chaetomium spp. preferred wood-based materials over gypsum, both in terms of growth rate and metabolite production. Cochliodones were detected for the first time on all building materials infected by both C. globosum...

Measurement of natural radioactivity and radiation hazards for some natural and artificial building materials available in Romania

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muntean, L.E.; Moldovan, D.V.

2014-01-01

As building materials are known to be the second source regarding high radon concentrations, it is very important to determine the amounts of natural radionuclides from every building material in use. In the present study the most frequently used Romanian natural (sand, gypsum, limestone) and artificial (portland cement, lime, clinker, electrofilter powder, fly ash, cement-lime plaster mortar, cement plaster mortar) building materials were analyzed. The absorbed dose rate and the annual effective dose equivalent rate for people living in dwelling buildings made of these building materials under investigation were also calculated. The analysis was performed with gamma-ray spectrometry, with two hyper-pure germanium detectors. The activity concentrations of natural radionuclides were in the ranges: 5.2-511.8 Bq kg - 21 for 226 Ra; 0.6-92.6 Bq kg -1 for 232 Th and -1 for 40 K, respectively. The radium equivalent activity in the fifty-one (51) samples varied from 9 to 603 Bq kg -1 . By calculating all the radioactivity indices (R aeq , H ext , I α , I yr ) it was found that all the building materials under investigation can be used to erect dwelling buildings. Except for sample SA6, SA7 and SA11 among the natural building materials and sample SG1, SG2, FAH1, CLM1, CM1 among the artificial building materials that are considered hazardous materials when are used in large quantities. (author)

Comparative Study on the Cost of Building Public House Construction Using Red Brick and Interlock Brick Building Material in the City of Banda Aceh

Science.gov (United States)

Malahayati, Nurul; Hayati, Yulia; Nursaniah, Cut; Firsa, T.; Fachrurrazi; Munandar, Aris

2018-05-01

Red brick and interlocking brick are the building materials that are often used for wall installation work on houses construction. In the development of building materials technology and cost savings, interlocking brick can be alternative to replace red bricks. In Aceh Province, the use of interlocking bricks is less popular compared to other big cities in Indonesia. Interlocking brick is made from a mixture of clay, concrete sand and compacted cement and one of the environmentally friendly materials because it does not burn the process like red brick material. It is named interlocking brick because the installation method is locked together and it serves as a structural and partition wall of residential buildings. The aims of this study are to compare the cost of building a house in Banda Aceh City using red brick and interlock brick building materials. The data were obtained from interviews and questionnaires distributed to respondents who had built houses in Banda Aceh City. The results concluded that the house construction cost using interlock brick offer lower construction cost at comparable quality rather than using red brick.

Assessment of thermal load reduction due to the application of simple passive techniques in a house office building at the south of Libya

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Domanski, Roman; Azzain, Gassem

2006-01-01

The assessment of possible reduction of heating and cooling requirements of 300 m 2 house-office building has been presented in this paper, when simple Thermal Passive Techniques (TPT) have been applied to building's construction in Sebha city at the Libyan south. The known software for dynamic simulation (TRNSYS) has been used as an environment of digital experimentation for this study. A prototype represents the building has been constructed with the help of the available model of single thermal zone of TRNSYS (Type 19). The built-in ASHREA Transfer Function Method within this model has been used to calculate the heat flux through building's materials. Primarily, the thermal load on building's construction without TPTs has been evaluated under weather conditions of a Typical Meteorological Year (TMY) of Sebha city. Then, the building has been equipped with simple TPTs (such as the control of building materials, insulation, shading, infiltration and ventilation with windows resizing). This building was subjected to the same weather conditions and again the thermal load has been evaluated in order to report the percentage of reduction of thermal load. The simulation has been conducted successfully, where good assessment of reduction of annual heating and cooling demands in the building has been obtained. It is proved that, about (46%) of annual heating load and (48%) of annual cooling load can be reduced if suitable simple TPTs were incorporated in buildings.(Author)

Preparation and Characterization of Microencapsulated Phase Change Materials for Use in Building Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jessica Giro-Paloma

2015-12-01

Full Text Available A method for preparing and characterizing microencapsulated phase change materials (MPCM was developed. A comparison with a commercial MPCM is also presented. Both MPCM contained paraffin wax as PCM with acrylic shell. The melting temperature of the PCM was around 21 °C, suitable for building applications. The M-2 (our laboratory made sample and Micronal® DS 5008 X (BASF samples were characterized using SEM, DSC, nano-indentation technique, and Gas Chromatography/Mass spectrometry (GC-MS. Both samples presented a 6 μm average size and a spherical shape. Thermal energy storage (TES capacities were 111.73 J·g−1 and 99.3 J·g−1 for M-2 and Micronal® DS 5008 X, respectively. Mechanical characterization of the samples was performed by nano-indentation technique in order to determine the elastic modulus (E, load at maximum displacement (Pm, and displacement at maximum load (hm, concluding that M-2 presented slightly better mechanical properties. Finally, an important parameter for considering use in buildings is the release of volatile organic compounds (VOC’s. This characteristic was studied at 65 °C by CG-MS. Both samples showed VOC’s emission after 10 min of heating, however peaks intensity of VOC’s generated from M-2 microcapsules showed a lower concentration than Micronal® DS 5008 X.

Preparation and Characterization of Microencapsulated Phase Change Materials for Use in Building Applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Giro-Paloma, Jessica; Al-Shannaq, Refat; Fernández, Ana Inés; Farid, Mohammed M

2015-12-26

A method for preparing and characterizing microencapsulated phase change materials (MPCM) was developed. A comparison with a commercial MPCM is also presented. Both MPCM contained paraffin wax as PCM with acrylic shell. The melting temperature of the PCM was around 21 °C, suitable for building applications. The M-2 (our laboratory made sample) and Micronal ® DS 5008 X (BASF) samples were characterized using SEM, DSC, nano-indentation technique, and Gas Chromatography/Mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Both samples presented a 6 μm average size and a spherical shape. Thermal energy storage (TES) capacities were 111.73 J·g -1 and 99.3 J·g -1 for M-2 and Micronal ® DS 5008 X, respectively. Mechanical characterization of the samples was performed by nano-indentation technique in order to determine the elastic modulus ( E ), load at maximum displacement ( P m ), and displacement at maximum load ( h m ), concluding that M-2 presented slightly better mechanical properties. Finally, an important parameter for considering use in buildings is the release of volatile organic compounds (VOC's). This characteristic was studied at 65 °C by CG-MS. Both samples showed VOC's emission after 10 min of heating, however peaks intensity of VOC's generated from M-2 microcapsules showed a lower concentration than Micronal ® DS 5008 X.

Human exposure to emissions from building materials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kjærgaard, S.; Hauschildt, P.; Pejtersen, Jan

1999-01-01

found on peak flow, eye foam formation, tear fluid cells, or conjunctival epithelial damage. Among subjective evaluations only sound intensity rating was significant. A correlation was found between acute nose irritation rating and change in nasal volume.Conclusions. The findings indicate physiological......Objectives. Reactions to emissions from building matrials were studied in a climate chamber as part of an intervention study in an office building. New and existing flooring materials were compared with regard to comfort and health.Methods. Twenty subjects were exposed four times for six hours...... respectively to clean air, to emissions from linoleum, from carpet, and from an alternative new vinyl. Measurements of objective and subjective effects were made.Results. Tear film stability decreased after exposure to linoleum. The nasal volume decreased near-significantly for all exposures. No effects were...

Method for evaluating building materials with a high content of radioactivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stranden, E.

1979-01-01

In order to avoid increased radiation doses to the population due to the introduction of building materials with an unusually high content of radioactivity, a method for evaluating building materials has been developed. An expression for the gamma radiation due to radium, thorium and potassium 40 has been proposed by a Scandinavian group. When this value for a given material does not exceed 1, then no restriction is placed. Should it exceed 1, then the material is subjected to further investigation. Similarly, since the radon concentration depends on the radium content, an expression for this is proposed. Should this be less than unity the material may be sold freely. Should it exceed unity, further investigations must be made. Measurements have also been made on the exhalation of radon from concrete, and the results are given. An expression including this exhalation rate and the ventilation rate, giving the radon concentration is given. (JIW)

Establishment of Low Energy Building materials and Equipment Database Based on Property Information

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Yumin; Shin, Hyery; eon Lee, Seung

2018-03-01

The purpose of this study is to provide reliable service of materials information portal through the establishment of public big data by collecting and integrating scattered low energy building materials and equipment data. There were few cases of low energy building materials database in Korea have provided material properties as factors influencing material pricing. The framework of the database was defined referred with Korea On-line E-procurement system. More than 45,000 data were gathered by the specification of entities and with the gathered data, price prediction models for chillers were suggested. To improve the usability of the prediction model, detailed properties should be analysed for each item.

Non destructive assay techniques applied to nuclear materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gavron, A.

2001-01-01

Nondestructive assay is a suite of techniques that has matured and become precise, easily implementable, and remotely usable. These techniques provide elaborate safeguards of nuclear material by providing the necessary information for materials accounting. NDA techniques are ubiquitous, reliable, essentially tamper proof, and simple to use. They make the world a safer place to live in, and they make nuclear energy viable. (author)

PEDAGIGOCAL TECHNIQUE OF BUILDING THE CULTURE OF INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS IN PRESCHOOL CHILDREN AT ART CLASSES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Svetlana Vyacheslavovna Kahnovich

2013-10-01

Full Text Available The article looks at the pedagogical technique of building the culture of interpersonal relations in preschool children at the local and modular level. Interpersonal relations are viewed as the module and art classes as the local level. The research is timely as it can assist in studying the problem of moral development of preschool children by building the culture of interpersonal relations by artistic education means. The study presents novelty concluding from the survey of scientific literature. The process of building the culture of interpersonal relations in children has not been properly studied by preschool pedagogy. The task of the present study is to elaborate a pedagogical technique to build the culture of interpersonal relations between children at art classes. The article discusses ‘technological’ criteria (term by G.K. Selevko and presents interactive principles of the pedagogical technique. Group activities alongside with individual ones were viewed as organizational forms of art classes. Building the culture of interpersonal relations in preschool children at art classes is closely connected with the development of their personality, a child’s  consciousness, their motivational and conceptual spheres during their gradual moral development at various levels - emotional (attitude, axiological level, psychic (intentional cognitive processes, activity (artistic and interpersonal literacy. Graphic (projective methods were used to analyze age dynamics of ethical and moral development. The conclusion describes a set of pedagogical conditions for efficient building of the culture of interpersonal relations in children at art classes.  Goal. To elaborate a pedagogical technique for building the culture of interpersonal relations in preschool children at art classes. The technique can be applied at local and modular level.Methods and Methodology. The pedagogical technique is aimed at building the culture of interpersonal relations

Usability of Clay Mixed Red Mud as Building Material in Transdanubian (Hungary) Region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sas, Z.; Somlai, J.J.; Szeiler, G.; Kovacs, T.

2014-01-01

The most commonly used building materials in Hungary and in numerous country of the world are the bricks, which made from clays. Due to the congenial internal structure properties of the clays these raw materials can be mixed with other materials, provides great possibility to reuse industrial by-products as additive material. The production and inbuilt of new types of synthetic building materials based on NORM (naturally occurring radioactive materials) by-products is raising concerns among authorities, public and scientists. Several NORM residues produced in large quantity, such as: phospogypsum (phosphate industry), red mud (aluminium processing industry), fly ash, coal slag (coal burning and steelworks) and so on are presently under investigation. The aluminum manufacturing in Ajka (Hungary) started in 1943. As a result of the bauxite refining activities up to now approximately 30 Mt of red mud has been produced in Hungary, stored in reservoirs. The radionuclide content of the bauxite usually exceeds the world average in soils (WA), which entirely remains in the by-product during Bayer process. The exposure pathways in case of application of NORM residues have to be explored in order to reveal the potential risks of NORMs on residents. The gamma radiation originated from the primordial radionuclides (K-40; U-238; Th-232) and their daughter elements found in nature and in building materials as well increase the external dose of the human body. In the EU the Radiation Protection 112 (RP 112) guideline serves for classification of building material, wherein the gamma exposure is limited by I-index

Mould growth on building materials under low water activities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Kristian Fog; Holm, G.; Uttrup, L.P.

2004-01-01

The influence of relative humidity (RH) and temperature on growth and metabolism of eight microfungi on 21 different types of building material was investigated. The fungi were applied as a dry mixture to the materials, which were incubated at 5degreesC, 10degreesC, 20degreesC and 25degrees...... growth at RH > 90%, although 95% RH was needed to yield chemically detectable quantities of biomass. Almost exclusively only Penicillium, Aspergillus and Eurotium (contaminant) species grew on the materials. Production of secondary metabolites and mycotoxins decreased with humidity and the quantities...

Proceedings of the CIB World Building Congress 2004 : Building for the future. CD-ROM ed.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2004-07-01

This conference provided an opportunity to exchange information on recent building and construction research. The main issues were arranged into the following sessions: building techniques; buildings and the environment; building processes; sustainable construction; performance based buildings and regulatory systems; revaluing construction; and, construction in developing countries. The presentations evaluated best practices in construction with reference to a wide range of topics, including heat, air and moisture transfer in buildings, roofing materials, energy conservation, building economics, urban sustainability and the future needs of the construction industry. The conference featured 40 presentations, of which 6 have been indexed separately for inclusion in this database. refs., tabs. ,figs.

Study of 225 deg C thermoluminescent of quartz inclusions extracted from cementitious building materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Campos, Simara S.; Almeida, Geangela M. de; Souza, Suzana O.

2009-01-01

Incidents of excessive exposure of the population to ionizing radiation could result from a nuclear explosion, the direct exposure to a source theft or loss or an accidental exposure to a source without shielding, for example. During these incidents the victims seldom are using individual protection equipment used in the measurement and control of the doses that were exposed. One of the ways found to the doses assessment due to exposure to this type of accident is the retrospective dosimetry, which determines the excessive doses of radiation exposure, whether chronological or acute, using common materials available in the public domain. The methodology for the application of retrospective dosimetry for thermoluminescence in buildings previously burned, as bricks, it is already well established. Interest is now turning to the use of cementitious building materials such as mortar and concrete to enlarge the scope of application. This study aimed to examine some of these materials and techniques for their possible application in the doses assessment from an accidental irradiation by thermoluminescence. For this the peak about 225 deg C of natural quartz and it extracted of mortar and concrete was certain your stability for the plateau and storage tests, and also the dependence of your luminescent intensity with radiation dose. Presenting a life relatively tans compared enough to that of the accumulation of natural and long radiation sign for dosimetric applications, besides other favorable characteristics, the mortar presented evidence that is possible for retrospective dosimetry through thermoluminescence. (author)

Measurement of natural radioactivity in building materials of Namakkal, Tamil Nadu, India using gamma-ray spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Ravisankar, R; Vanasundari, K; Chandrasekaran, A; Rajalakshmi, A; Suganya, M; Vijayagopal, P; Meenakshisundaram, V

2012-04-01

The natural level of radioactivity in building materials is one of the major causes of external exposure to γ-rays. The primordial radionuclides in building materials are one of the sources of radiation hazard in dwellings made of these materials. By the determination of the radioactivity level in building materials, the indoor radiological hazard to human health can be assessed. This is an important precautionary measure whenever the dose rate is found to be above the recommended limits. The aim of this work was to measure the specific activity concentration of (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K in commonly used building materials from Namakkal, Tamil Nadu, India, using gamma-ray spectrometer. The radiation hazard due to the total natural radioactivity in the studied building materials was estimated by different approaches. The concentrations of the natural radionuclides and the radium equivalent activity in studied samples were compared with the corresponding results of different countries. From the analysis, it is found that these materials may be safely used as construction materials and do not pose significant radiation hazards. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Microencapsulated Phase Change Composite Materials for Energy Efficient Buildings

Science.gov (United States)

Thiele, Alexander

This study aims to elucidate how phase change material (PCM)-composite materials can be leveraged to reduce the energy consumption of buildings and to provide cost savings to ratepayers. Phase change materials (PCMs) can store thermal energy in the form of latent heat when subjected to temperatures exceeding their melting point by undergoing a phase transition from solid to liquid state. Reversibly, PCMs can release this thermal energy when the system temperature falls below their solidification point. The goal in implementing composite PCM walls is to significantly reduce and time-shift the maximum thermal load on the building in order to reduce and smooth out the electricity demand for heating and cooling. This Ph.D. thesis aims to develop a set of thermal design methods and tools for exploring the use of PCM-composite building envelopes and for providing design rules for their practical implementation. First, detailed numerical simulations were used to show that the effective thermal conductivity of core-shell-matrix composites depended only on the volume fraction and thermal conductivity of the constituent materials. The effective medium approximation reported by Felske (2004) was in very good agreement with numerical predictions of the effective thermal conductivity. Second, a carefully validated transient thermal model was used to simulate microencapsulated PCM-composite walls subjected to diurnal or annual outdoor temperature and solar radiation flux. It was established that adding microencapsulated PCM to concrete walls both substantially reduced and delayed the thermal load on the building. Several design rules were established, most notably, (i) increasing the volume fraction of microencapsulated PCM within the wall increases the energy savings but at the potential expense of mechanical properties [1], (ii) the phase change temperature leading to the maximum energy and cost savings should equal the desired indoor temperature regardless of the climate

Bio-susceptibility of materials and thermal insulation systems used for historical buildings

Science.gov (United States)

Sterflinger, Katja; Ettenauer, Joerg; Pinar, Guadalupe

2013-04-01

In historical buildings of Northern countries high levels of energy are necessary to reach comfortable temperatures especially during the cold season. For this reason historical buildings are now also included in country specific regulations and ordinances to enhance the "energy - efficiency". Since an exterior insulation - as it is commonly used for modern architecture - is incompatible with monument protection, several indoor insulation systems based on historical and ecological materials, are on the market that should improve the thermic performance of a historical building. However, using organic materials as cellulose, loam, weed or wood, bears the risk of fungal growth and thus may lead to health problems in indoor environments. For this reason 5 different ecological indoor insulations systems were tested for their bio-susceptibility against various fungi both under natural conditions - after 2 years of installation in an historical building - and under laboratory conditions with high levels of relative humidity. Fungal growth was evaluated by classical isolation and cultivation as well as by molecular methods. The materials turned out to have a quite different susceptibility towards fungal contamination. Whereas insulations made of bloated Perlite (plaster and board) did not show any fungal growth after 2 years of exposition, the historical insulation made of loam and weed had high cell counts of various fungi. In laboratory experiments wooden softboard represented the best environment for fungal growth. As a result from this study, plaster and board made of bloated Perlite are presented as being the most appropriate materials for thermal insulation at least from the microbiological and hygienic point of view. For future investigations and for the monitoring of fungi in insulation and other building materials we suggest a molecular biology approach with a common protocol for quantitative DNA-extraction and amplification.

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF STRAW-BALE BUILDING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Larisa Brojan

2014-06-01

Full Text Available This paper is focused on general properties of straw bale as a building material which has been proven by buildings throughout the world to be an appropriate material choice. Still, there are many hesitations about using this alternative building material. The building techniques are relatively easy to learn and the performance of straw bale structures has a high value in terms of several aspects as long as general requirements are followed. The primary benefit of straw bale as a building material is its low embodied energy. It also has high thermal and sound insulation properties. Many previous research studies on straw bale building have been focused on structural stability, fire resistance and assessing moisture content in straw bales which is one of the major issues. Therefore, special attention needs to be devoted to details to insure proper building safety. Render selection is especially crucial and an extremely important step in straw bale building, not only in matters concerning moisture but also structural capacity and fire protection. A major disadvantage of straw bale construction is its lack of material research. The paper is divided into three parts in which advantages and disadvantages of such a building are discussed. In the third part, results are presented for a survey in which correspondents emphasized the advantages and disadvantages of living in a straw bale building.

Optimum Installation of Sorptive Building Materials Using Contribution Ratio of Pollution Source for Improvement of Indoor Air Quality.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Seonghyun; Seo, Janghoo

2016-04-01

Reinforcing the insulation and airtightness of buildings and the use of building materials containing new chemical substances have caused indoor air quality problems. Use of sorptive building materials along with removal of pollutants, constant ventilation, bake-out, etc. are gaining attention in Korea and Japan as methods for improving such indoor air quality problems. On the other hand, sorptive building materials are considered a passive method of reducing the concentration of pollutants, and their application should be reviewed in the early stages. Thus, in this research, activated carbon was prepared as a sorptive building material. Then, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was conducted, and a method for optimal installation of sorptive building materials was derived according to the indoor environment using the contribution ratio of pollution source (CRP) index. The results show that a method for optimal installation of sorptive building materials can be derived by predicting the contribution ratio of pollutant sources according to the CRP index.

Resizing Technique-Based Hybrid Genetic Algorithm for Optimal Drift Design of Multistory Steel Frame Buildings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hyo Seon Park

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Since genetic algorithm-based optimization methods are computationally expensive for practical use in the field of structural optimization, a resizing technique-based hybrid genetic algorithm for the drift design of multistory steel frame buildings is proposed to increase the convergence speed of genetic algorithms. To reduce the number of structural analyses required for the convergence, a genetic algorithm is combined with a resizing technique that is an efficient optimal technique to control the drift of buildings without the repetitive structural analysis. The resizing technique-based hybrid genetic algorithm proposed in this paper is applied to the minimum weight design of three steel frame buildings. To evaluate the performance of the algorithm, optimum weights, computational times, and generation numbers from the proposed algorithm are compared with those from a genetic algorithm. Based on the comparisons, it is concluded that the hybrid genetic algorithm shows clear improvements in convergence properties.

Investigation of thermal effect on exterior wall surface of building material at urban city area

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Md Din, Mohd Fadhil; Dzinun, Hazlini; Ponraj, M.; Chelliapan, Shreeshivadasan; Noor, Zainura Zainun [Institute of Environmental Water Resources and Management (IPASA), Faculty of Civil Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM Skudai, Johor (Malaysia); Remaz, Dilshah [Faculty of Built Environment, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM Skudai, Johor (Malaysia); Iwao, Kenzo [Nagoya Institute of Technology, Nagoya (Japan)

2012-07-01

This paper describes the investigation of heat impact on the vertical surfaces of buildings based on their thermal behavior. The study was performed based on four building materials that is commonly used in Malaysia; brick, concrete, granite and white concrete tiles. The thermal performances on the building materials were investigated using a surface temperature sensor, data logging system and infrared thermography. Results showed that the brick had the capability to absorb and store heat greater than other materials during the investigation period. The normalized heat (total heat/solar radiation) of the brick was 0.093 and produces high heat (51% compared to granite), confirming a substantial amount of heat being released into the atmosphere through radiation and convection. The most sensitive material that absorbs and stores heat was in the following order: brick > concrete > granite > white concrete tiles. It was concluded that the type of exterior wall material used in buildings had significant impact to the environment.

Material Database for Additive Manufacturing Techniques

Science.gov (United States)

2017-12-01

components in the field. II. BACKGROUND Additive manufacturing is a rapidly maturing process by which digital 3-D design data are used to build up...improves readiness by offering on-demand low-rate production [8, 9]. 3-D printing also enables rapid design iterations and complexity, which improve...abundant in additive manufacturing , allowing design freedom that is only limited by the material strength requirements. A set of eight conductive

Bacillus megaterium mediated mineralization of calcium carbonate as biogenic surface treatment of green building materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Dhami, Navdeep Kaur; Reddy, M Sudhakara; Mukherjee, Abhijit

2013-12-01

Microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation is a biomineralization process that has various applications in remediation and restoration of range of building materials. In the present study, calcifying bacteria, Bacillus megaterium SS3 isolated from calcareous soil was applied as biosealant to enhance the durability of low energy, green building materials (soil-cement blocks). This bacterial isolate produced high amounts of urease, carbonic anhydrase, extra polymeric substances and biofilm. The calcium carbonate polymorphs produced by B. megaterium SS3 were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, confocal laser scanning microscopy, X-ray diffraction and Fourier transmission infra red spectroscopy. These results suggested that calcite is the most predominant carbonate formed by this bacteria followed by vaterite. Application of B. megaterium SS3 as biogenic surface treatment led to 40 % decrease in water absorption, 31 % decrease in porosity and 18 % increase in compressive strength of low energy building materials. From the present investigation, it is clear that surface treatment of building materials by B. megaterium SS3 is very effective and eco friendly way of biodeposition of coherent carbonates that enhances the durability of building materials.

Innovative Development of Building Materials Industry of the Region Based on the Cluster Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mottaeva Asiiat

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The article discusses issues of innovative development of building materials industry of the region based on the cluster approach. Determined the significance of regional cluster development of the industry of construction materials as the effective implementation of the innovative breakthrough of the region as an important part of strategies for strengthening innovation activities may be to support the formation and development of cluster structures. Analyses the current situation with innovation in the building materials industry of the region based on the cluster approach. In the course of the study revealed a direct correlation between involvement in innovative activities on a cluster basis, and the level of development of industry of construction materials. The conducted research allowed identifying the factors that determine the innovation process, systematization and classification which determine the sustainable functioning of the building materials industry in the period of active innovation. The proposed grouping of innovations for the construction industry taking into account industry-specific characteristics that reflect modern trends of scientific and technological progress in construction. Significance of the study lies in the fact that the proposals and practical recommendations can be used in the formation mechanism of innovative development of building materials industry and the overall regional construction complex of Russian regions by creating clusters of construction.

State of the art on historic building insulation materials and retrofit strategies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Blumberga, Andra; Kass, Kristaps; Kamendere, Edite

2016-01-01

This report provides an analysis and evaluation of a state-of-the-art of internal insulation materials and methods for application in historic buildings, and review on methods, tools and guidelines used as decision making tools for implementation of internal insulation in historic buildings. Hist...

THE MODEL CONSTRUCTIONS OF PRICE FORMING OF BUILDING MATERIALS MANUFACTURE IN BASHKORTOSTAN

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H.N. Gizatullin

2007-06-01

Full Text Available In this work attempt has been done analyze the influence of the environmental factors, as outward, as inside to choice of the strategy and the pricing of the industry of the building materials of Bashkortostan. This article examines the competitive surroundings of enterprises and branches in a aspect of the regional market of the building industry’s production. The evaluation of the compatibility is given of the price and competitive strategy. As a result of the research and pricing majority of industry’s enterprises had no official document stating their per pose in a pricing area. In reason of analysis the general situation of the industry building materials the enterprises of Bashkortostan, the conception of pricing is determined on functional level.

Application of earth building materials for low-income housing in the ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The characteristics, properties, problems and other factors associated with earth materials for building houses, especially in the tropical regions of the world are identified. The inter-relationships among these factors which inhibit the adoption of earth materials and the recommendations for overcoming the problems in a ...

Proposal for the use of new materials in the TOKAMAK building cover

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chiva, L.

2011-01-01

It was considered relevant and innovative to apply new structural materials to the construction of the roof of the building that lodged the TOKAMAK reactor, with the aim of achieving a severe reduction of the weight of the roof structure that result in greater ease of mounting, minor charges on the walls and foundations of the building and a reduced impact on the distribution of masses of the building scheme.

Measurement of Rn-222 concentrations in building materials used in jordan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ismail, A M; Abumyrad, K M; Kullab, M K; Albataina, B A [Physics Dept., Yarmouk University, 219-10 Irbid, (Jordan)

1995-10-01

In this work, the concentrations of the radiative inert gas Rn-222 emanated from the building materials that are commonly in jordan have been studied. For this purpose, samples of ten jordanian building materials of different masses were prepared in plastic cans sealed to passive integrated dosimeters containing CR-39 solid state nuclear track detectors which are very sensitive to alpha-particles. The Rn-222 concentrations in these samples range from 137 Bq/m{sup 3} to 267 Bq/m{sup 3} with an average of 189 Bq/m{sup 3}. These levels were found to be consistent with those measured by other workers in other countries. 4 figs., 2 tabs.

Measurement of Rn-222 concentrations in building materials used in jordan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ismail, A.M.; Abumyrad, K.M.; Kullab, M.K.; Albataina, B.A.

1995-01-01

In this work, the concentrations of the radiative inert gas Rn-222 emanated from the building materials that are commonly in jordan have been studied. For this purpose, samples of ten jordanian building materials of different masses were prepared in plastic cans sealed to passive integrated dosimeters containing CR-39 solid state nuclear track detectors which are very sensitive to alpha-particles. The Rn-222 concentrations in these samples range from 137 Bq/m 3 to 267 Bq/m 3 with an average of 189 Bq/m 3 . These levels were found to be consistent with those measured by other workers in other countries. 4 figs., 2 tabs

Possibilities of radiation technique application in machine-building industry of Bulgaria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petrov, A.; Avramov, D.; Kostov, St.

1979-01-01

In last ten years, in development of machine-building industry, tendency has been outlined for creation of machines and constructions having minimum weight and elevated reliability from one side due to improvement of design and technology of production and from the other side due to application of materials with improved parameters. Solution of these problems is closely connected with application of the radiation methods. State-of-art of the radiation technology application in the machine-building industry is analyzed and mainly for investigation of wear resistance of friction machineparts. Use of spatial radioactive labelling in investigation of materials and application of radiation methods for optimization of technological processes in metallurgy, foundry and so on is considered. Estimation is give of perspectives of further growth of introduction of radiation methods in Bulgaria [ru

Radiological risk of building materials using homemade airtight radon chamber

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Norafatin Khalid; Amran Abdul Majid; Redzuwan Yahaya; Muhammad Samudi Yasir

2013-01-01

Full-text: Soil based building materials known to contain various amounts of natural radionuclide mainly 238 U and 232 Th series and 40 K. In general most individuals spend 80 % of their time indoors and the natural radioactivity in building materials is a main source of indoor radiation exposure. The internal exposure due to building materials in dwellings and workplaces is mainly caused by the activity concentrations of short lived 222 Radon and its progenies which arise from the decay of 226 Ra. In this study, the indoor radon concentration emanating from cement brick, red-clay brick, gravel aggregate and Portland cement samples were measured in a homemade airtight radon chamber using continuous radon monitor 1029 model of Sun Nuclear. Radon monitor were left in the chamber for 96 hours with an hour counting time interval. From the result, the indoor radon concentrations for cement brick, red-clay brick, gravel aggregate and Portland cement samples determined were 396 Bq m -3 , 192 Bq m -3 , 176 Bq m -3 and 28 Bq m -3 , respectively. The result indicates that the radon concentration in the studied building materials have more than 100 Bq m -3 for example higher than the WHO action level except for Portland cement sample. The calculated annual effective dose for cement brick, red-clay brick, gravel aggregate and Portland cement samples were determined to be 10 mSv y -1 , 4.85 mSv y -1 , 4.44 mSv y -1 and 0.72 mSv y -1 , respectively. This study showed that all the calculated effective doses generated from indoor radon to dwellers or workers were in the range of limit recommended ICRP action levels for example 3 - 10 mSv y -1 . As consequences, the radiological risk for the dwellers in terms of fatal lifetime cancer risk per million for cement brick, red-clay brick, gravel aggregate and Portland cement were calculated to be 550, 267, 244 and 40 persons respectively. (author)

Radiological risk of building materials using homemade airtight radon chamber

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khalid, Norafatin; Majid, Amran Ab.; Yahaya, Redzuwan; Yasir, Muhammad Samudi

2014-01-01

Soil based building materials known to contain various amounts of natural radionuclide mainly 238 U and 232 Th series and 40 K. In general most individuals spend 80% of their time indoors and the natural radioactivity in building materials is a main source of indoor radiation exposure. The internal exposure due to building materials in dwellings and workplaces is mainly caused by the activity concentrations of short lived 222 Radon and its progenies which arise from the decay of 226 Ra. In this study, the indoor radon concentration emanating from cement brick, red-clay brick, gravel aggregate and Portland cement samples were measured in a homemade airtight radon chamber using continuous radon monitor 1029 model of Sun Nuclear. Radon monitor were left in the chamber for 96 hours with an hour counting time interval. From the result, the indoor radon concentrations for cement brick, red-clay brick, gravel aggregate and Portland cement samples determined were 396 Bq m −3 , 192 Bq m −3 , 176 Bq m −3 and 28 Bq m −3 , respectively. The result indicates that the radon concentration in the studied building materials have more than 100 Bq m −3 i.e. higher than the WHO action level except for Portland cement sample. The calculated annual effective dose for cement brick, red-clay brick, gravel aggregate and Portland cement samples were determined to be 10 mSv y −1 , 4.85 mSv y −1 , 4.44 mSv y −1 and 0.72 mSv y −1 , respectively. This study showed that all the calculated effective doses generated from indoor radon to dwellers or workers were in the range of limit recommended ICRP action levels i.e. 3 - 10 mSv y −1 . As consequences, the radiological risk for the dwellers in terms of fatal lifetime cancer risk per million for cement brick, red-clay brick, gravel aggregate and Portland cement were calculated to be 550, 267, 244 and 40 persons respectively

Review of Development Survey of Phase Change Material Models in Building Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hussein J. Akeiber

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The application of phase change materials (PCMs in green buildings has been increasing rapidly. PCM applications in green buildings include several development models. This paper briefly surveys the recent research and development activities of PCM technology in building applications. Firstly, a basic description of phase change and their principles is provided; the classification and applications of PCMs are also included. Secondly, PCM models in buildings are reviewed and discussed according to the wall, roof, floor, and cooling systems. Finally, conclusions are presented based on the collected data.

Environmental testing techniques for electronics and materials

CERN Document Server

Dummer, Geoffrey W A; Fry, D W; Higinbotham, W

2013-01-01

Environmental Testing Techniques for Electronics and Materials reviews environmental testing techniques for evaluating the performance of electronic equipment, components, and materials. Environmental test planning, test methods, and instrumentation are described, along with the general environmental conditions under which equipment must operate. This book is comprised of 15 chapters and begins by explaining why environmental testing is necessary and describing the environment in which electronics must operate. The next chapter considers how an environmental test plan is designed; the methods

Cost-benefit analysis of decreased ventilation rates and radon exhalation from building materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ericson, S.O.

1984-01-01

Decreased ventilation, achieved by weather stripping and other tightening measures, is the most cost effective way to energy conservation. A very low investment can result in a considerable decrease in ventilation rate. For a typical detached house in Sweden this can be equivalent to a decrease in oil consumption of 0.5 m 3 . At present price this corresponds to a saving of SEK 1200, 150 US dollars per annum. The contribution of the building materials to the concentration of radon in indoor air is approximately the inverse to air exchange rate. For a small change in ventilation rate and cost, in SEK/man Sv or US dollar/man Sv, is a function of ventilation rate, exhalation from building materials, the ratio between surface of walls, floor and ceiling to the volume of air. Thus, it is possible to find the specific ventilation rate where the marginal cost for a small increase in ventilation rate and the marginal reduction in radon concentration will give a specific amount of money for each man Sv. Examples are given. Conclusions are that for most building materials in a climate like the Swedish, there are other factors than exhalation of radon from building materials that sets the lower limit of recommendable ventilation rate. (Author)

A model for the build-up of disordered material in ion bombarded Si

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nelson, R.S.

1977-01-01

A new model based on experimental observation is developed for the build-up of disordered material in ion bombarded silicon. The model assumes that disordered zones are created in a background of migrating point defects, these zones then act as neutral sinks for such defects which interact with the zones and cause recrystallization. A simple steady state rate theory is developed to describe the build-up of disordered material with ion dose as a function of temperature. In general the theory predicts two distinct behaviour patterns depending on the temperature and the ion mass, namely a linear build-up with dose to complete disorder for heavy bombarding ions and a build-up to saturation at a relatively low level for light ions such as protons. However, in some special circumstances a transition region is predicted where the build-up of disorder approximately follows a (dose)sup(1/2) relationship before reverting to a linear behaviour at high dose. (author)

Cold storage with phase change material for building ventilation

OpenAIRE

Butala, Vincenc; Stritih, Uroš

2015-01-01

This paper presents an experimental and numerical analysis of building coolingusing night-time cold accumulation in phase change material (PCM), otherwise known as the "free-cooling" or "passive-cooling" principle. The phase change materials were used in ceilings and floors. The free-cooling principle is explained and some of the types of PCMs suitable for summer cooling are listed. An experiment was conducted using paraffin with a melting point of 22 °C as the PCM to store cold during the ni...

The global warming potential of building materials : An application of life cycle analysis in Nepal

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bhochhibhoya, Silu; Zanetti, Michela; Pierobon, Francesca; Gatto, Paola; Maskey, Ramesh Kumar; Cavalli, Raffaele

2017-01-01

This paper analyzes the global-warming potential of materials used to construct the walls of 3 building types - traditional, semimodern, and modern - in Sagarmatha National Park and Buffer Zone in Nepal, using the life-cycle assessment approach. Traditional buildings use local materials, mainly wood

Assessment of natural radioactivity and associated radiation hazards in some Cameroonian building materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ngachin, M.; Garavaglia, M.; Giovani, C.; Kwato Njock, M.G.; Nourreddine, A.

2007-01-01

The concentration of 238 U, 232 Th and 40 K in 13 building materials obtained from factories and collected in field in Cameroon were investigated by γ-ray spectrometry. The activity ranged from 1.76 to 49.84Bqkg -1 , 0.32 to 147Bqkg -1 and 18 to 1226Bqkg -1 for 238 U, 232 Th and 40 K, respectively. The highest 238 U activity was found in compressed red soil brick type I (49.6+/-0.3Bqkg -1 ) produced by a local manufacturer while the highest 232 Th (139+/-13Bqkg -1 ) and 40 K (1162+/-108Bqkg -1 ) activities were found in gravel collected from an exploitation site in Logbadjeck. The activities are compared with available data from other investigations and with the world average value for soils. The radium equivalent activity Ra eq , the external hazard index H ex , the indoor absorbed dose rate D-bar in air and the annual effective dose equivalent E-bar were evaluated to assess the radiation hazard for people living in dwellings made of the materials studied. All building materials have shown Ra eq (range from 10 to 313Bqkg -1 ) lower than the limit of 370Bqkg -1 set in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development [OECD, 1979. Exposure to radiation from the natural radioactivity in building materials. OECD, Paris] report which is equivalent to a γ-dose of 1.5mSvyr -1 . Except for the gravel from Logbadjeck, all the materials examined are acceptable for use as building materials as defined by the OECD criterion

Development and Application of High-Cr Ferritic Stainless Steels as Building Exterior Materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Yeong H.; Lee, Yong H.; Lee, Yong D.

2008-01-01

Stainless Steels have been widely used as a building exterior materials in Asian countries for the last decade. It is required for the materials in this field to have an aesthetic appearance,a relatively high strength, and an excellent corrosion resistance. Other metallic materials such as copper, aluminum, and carbon steels have been also used as the exterior materials. Considering the cost of maintenance, stainless steel, having the outstanding corrosion resistance, is replacing other materials in the several parts in the building exteriors. Ferritic stainless steel has been applied as the roofing materials because its thermal expansion is much smaller than that of austenitic stainless steel. Therefore, it is suitable for the large-scale construction such as airport terminal, convention center, and football stadium. To improve the corrosion resistance of the ferritic stainless steels, the modification of alloy composition has been studied to develop new grade materials and the progress in the surface technology has been introduced. Corrosion properties, of these materials were evaluated in the laboratory and in the field for longer than two years. High-Cr ferritic stainless steel showed excellent corrosion resistance to the atmospheric environments. In the region close to the sea, the corrosion resistance of high-Cr ferritic stainless steel was much superior to that of other materials, which may prove this steel to be the appropriate materials for the construction around seashore. In some of the large constructions around seashore in South Korea, high-Cr ferritic stainless steels have been used as the building exterior materials for six years

Development and Application of High-Cr Ferritic Stainless Steels as Building Exterior Materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Yeong H.; Lee, Yong H.; Lee, Yong D. [POSCO Technical Reseaarch Lab., Pohang (Korea, Republic of)

2008-12-15

Stainless Steels have been widely used as a building exterior materials in Asian countries for the last decade. It is required for the materials in this field to have an aesthetic appearance,a relatively high strength, and an excellent corrosion resistance. Other metallic materials such as copper, aluminum, and carbon steels have been also used as the exterior materials. Considering the cost of maintenance, stainless steel, having the outstanding corrosion resistance, is replacing other materials in the several parts in the building exteriors. Ferritic stainless steel has been applied as the roofing materials because its thermal expansion is much smaller than that of austenitic stainless steel. Therefore, it is suitable for the large-scale construction such as airport terminal, convention center, and football stadium. To improve the corrosion resistance of the ferritic stainless steels, the modification of alloy composition has been studied to develop new grade materials and the progress in the surface technology has been introduced. Corrosion properties, of these materials were evaluated in the laboratory and in the field for longer than two years. High-Cr ferritic stainless steel showed excellent corrosion resistance to the atmospheric environments. In the region close to the sea, the corrosion resistance of high-Cr ferritic stainless steel was much superior to that of other materials, which may prove this steel to be the appropriate materials for the construction around seashore. In some of the large constructions around seashore in South Korea, high-Cr ferritic stainless steels have been used as the building exterior materials for six years.

Complex technique for materials hardness measurement

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Krashchenko, V P; Oksametnaya, O B

1984-01-01

A review of existing methods of measurement of material hardness in national and foreign practice has been made. A necessity of improving the technique of material hardness measurement in a wide temperature range and insuring load change with indenting, continuity of imprint application, smooth changing of temperatures along a sample length, and deformation rate control has been noted.

The influence of surface treatment on mass transfer between air and building material

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kwiatkowski, Jerzy; Rode, Carsten; Hansen, Kurt Kielsgaard

2008-01-01

for the experiments: gypsum board and calcium silicate. The wallpaper and paint were used as finishing materials. Impact of the following parameters for changes of RH was studied: coating, temperature and air movement. The measurements showed that acryl paint (diffusion open) can significantly decrease mass uptake......The processes of mass transfer between air and building structure and in the material influence not only the conditions within the material but also inside the connected air spaces. The material which absorbs and desorbs water vapour can be used to moderate the amplitude of indoor relative humidity...... and therefore to participate in the improvement of the indoor air quality and energy saving. Many parameters influence water vapour exchange between indoor air and building material. The aim of this work is to present the change of mass transfer under different climatic and material conditions. The measurements...

The application of entropy weight topsis method for optimal choice in low radiological decorative building materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feng Guangwen; Hu Youhua; Liu Qian

2010-01-01

In this paper, the principle of TOPSIS method was introduced and applied to sorting the given indexes of glazed brick and granite respectively in different areas' decorative building materials in order to selecting the optimal low radiological decorative building materials. First, the entropy weight TOPSIS method was used for data processing about the sample numbers and radio nuclides content, and then different weights were given to different indexes. Finally, by using the SAS software for data analysis and sorting, we obtained that the optimal low radiological decorative building materials were Sichuan glazed brick and Henan granite. Through the results, it could be seen that the application of entropy weight TOPSIS method in selecting low radiological decorative building materials was feasible, and it will also provide the method reference. (authors)

Using intelligent clustering techniques to classify the energy performance of school buildings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Santamouris, M.; Sfakianaki, K.; Papaglastra, M.; Pavlou, C.; Doukas, P.; Geros, V.; Assimakopoulos, M.N.; Zerefos, S. [University of Athens, Department of Physics, Division of Applied Physics, Laboratory of Meteorology, Athens (Greece); Mihalakakou, G.; Gaitani, N. [University of Ioannina, Department of Environmental and Natural Resources Management, Agrinio (Greece); Patargias, P. [University of Peloponnesus, Faculty of Human Sciences and Cultural Studies, Department of History, Kalamata (Greece); Primikiri, E. [University of Patras, Department of Architecture, Patras (Greece); Mitoula, R. [Charokopion University of Athens, Athens (Greece)

2007-07-01

The present paper deals with the energy performance, energy classification and rating and the global environmental quality of school buildings. A new energy classification technique based on intelligent clustering methodologies is proposed. Energy rating of school buildings provides specific information on their energy consumption and efficiency relative to the other buildings of similar nature and permits a better planning of interventions to improve its energy performance. The overall work reported in the present paper, is carried out in three phases. During the first phase energy consumption data have been collected through energy surveys performed in 320 schools in Greece. In the second phase an innovative energy rating scheme based on fuzzy clustering techniques has been developed, while in the third phase, 10 schools have been selected and detailed measurements of their energy efficiency and performance as well as of the global environmental quality have been performed using a specific experimental protocol. The proposed energy rating method has been applied while the main environmental and energy problems have been identified. The potential for energy and environmental improvements has been assessed. (author)

Measurement of radon exhalation rate in various building materials and soil samples

Science.gov (United States)

Bala, Pankaj; Kumar, Vinod; Mehra, Rohit

2017-03-01

Indoor radon is considered as one of the potential dangerous radioactive elements. Common building materials and soil are the major source of this radon gas in the indoor environment. In the present study, the measurement of radon exhalation rate in the soil and building material samples of Una and Hamirpur districts of Himachal Pradesh has been done with solid state alpha track detectors, LR-115 type-II plastic track detectors. The radon exhalation rate for the soil samples varies from 39.1 to 91.2 mBq kg-1 h-1 with a mean value 59.7 mBq kg-1 h-1. Also the radium concentration of the studied area is found and it varies from 30.6 to 51.9 Bq kg-1 with a mean value 41.6 Bq kg-1. The exhalation rate for the building material samples varies from 40.72 (sandstone) to 81.40 mBq kg-1 h-1 (granite) with a mean value of 59.94 mBq kg-1 h-1.

Radiological aspects of the usability of red mud as building material additive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Somlai, Janos; Jobbagy, Viktor; Kovacs, Jozsef; Tarjan, Sandor; Kovacs, Tibor

2008-01-01

Several researchers have examined and achieved favourable results in connection with the building industry's use of red mud extracted in large quantities from the processing of bauxite. These days more and more precedence is being given to limiting the radiological dose to the population. In this study carried out in Hungary, the use of red mud, bauxite, and clay additives recommended for the production of special cements, were examined from a radiological aspect. 226 Ra and 232 Th activity concentrations measured in Hungarian bauxite, red mud and clay samples were significantly similar with the levels for such raw materials mentioned in international literature. Taking radiation protection aspects into consideration, none of these products can be directly used for building construction. Taking Hungarian and international values into consideration, a small amount of red mud, not exceeding 15% could be used for brick production, for example as a colouring material. However, beyond this amount the standards for building materials would not be met. For the production of cements an even stricter limit needs to be determined when both bauxite and red mud are used

Reference materials for micro-analytical nuclear techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valkovic, V.; Zeisler, R.; Bernasconi, G.; Danesi, P.R.

1994-01-01

Direct application of many existing reference materials in micro-analytical procedures such as energy dispersive x-ray fluorescence (EDXRF), particle induced x-ray emission spectroscopy (PIXE) and ion probe techniques for the determination of trace elements is often impossible or difficult because: 1) other constituents present in large amounts interfere with the determination; 2) trace components are not sufficiently homogeneously distributed in the sample. Therefore specific natural-matrix reference materials containing very low levels of trace elements and having high degree of homogeneity are required for many micro-analytical procedures. In this report, selection of the types of environmental and biological materials which are suitable for micro-analytical techniques will be discussed. (author)

Natural Radioactivity in some building materials from Spain

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Miro, C. [Universidad de Extremadura (UEX), 10071-Caceres (Spain); Madruga, M.J.; Reis, M. [Instituto Superior Tecnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Campus Tecnologico e Nuclear, 2695-066 Bobadela LRS (Portugal)

2014-07-01

Studies of natural radiation are of great importance because it is the main source of exposure of human kind. Building materials is one of the sources which cause direct radiation exposure because of their radium, thorium and potassium content. The aim of this work is to measure gamma activity due to {sup 40}K, {sup 226}Ra and {sup 232}Th in samples of commonly used as a building materials in Spain. Cement, gypsum, plaster, marble, slates, granite and wood had been analysed. These materials are used for private and public building. Radium equivalent activities (Ra{sub eq}) and various hazard indices were also calculated to assess the radiation hazard. Results were also compared with the data available in the literature for other countries of the world. Cement, gypsum and plaster samples were collected from hardware stores. Marble, slates and granite samples were taken from different quarries. And the wood samples were taken from eucalyptus trees from forest. Activity concentrations {sup 40}K-, {sup 226}Ra- and {sup 232}Th-activity was determined by gamma spectrometry using a HPGe coaxial detector. The results show that the range of average values of the activity concentrations due to {sup 40}K, {sup 226}Ra and {sup 232}Th were found between 37 and 1340 Bq/kg, 0.007 and 104 Bq/kg, and <0.005 and 75 Bq/kg, respectively. Maxima values were obtained in granite. Radium equivalent activities range from 3.7 Bq/kg to 283 Bq/kg, calculated in wood and granite, respectively. Therefore all the samples showed Raeq activities within the limit, 370 Bq/kg, set by UNSCEAR. Values of external hazard index for all samples under investigation are below the unity, while the internal hazard index for granite exhibits a value around the unity. Acknowledgements to the financial support of the Junta de Extremadura (project PRI09A092 and FEDER-group GRU09053). (authors)

Spectral Signatures of Surface Materials in Pig Buildings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhang, GuoQiang; Strøm, Jan; Blanke, Mogens

2006-01-01

. In this study, the optical properties of different types of surfaces to be cleaned and the dirt found in finishing pig units were investigated in the visual and the near infrared (VIS-NIR) optical range. Four types of commonly used materials in pig buildings, i.e. concrete, plastic, wood and steel were applied...... and after high-pressure water cleaning. The spectral signatures of the surface materials and dirt attached to the surfaces showed that it is possible to make discrimination and hence to classify areas that are visually clean. When spectral bands 450, 600, 700 and 800 nm are chosen, there are at least two...

Self-Organized Construction with Continuous Building Material

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Heinrich, Mary Katherine; Wahby, Mostafa; Divband Soorati, Mohammad

2016-01-01

Self-organized construction with continuous, structured building material, as opposed to modular units, offers new challenges to the robot-based construction process and lends the opportunity for increased flexibility in constructed artifact properties, such as shape and deformation. As an example...... investigation, we look at continuous filaments organized into braided structures, within the context of bio-hybrids constructing architectural artifacts. We report the result of an early swarm robot experiment. The robots successfully constructed a braid in a self-organized process. The construction process can...... be extended by using different materials and by embedding sensors during the self-organized construction directly into the braided structure. In future work, we plan to apply dedicated braiding robot hardware and to construct sophisticated 3-d structures with local variability in patterns of filament...

An experimental setup for measuring generation and transport of radon in building materials

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Pal, M.; Hendriks, N.A.; de Meijer, R.J.; van der Graaf, E.R.; de Wit, M.H.

2001-01-01

This study describes an approach for measuring and modelling diffusive and advective transport of radon through building materials. The goal of these measurements and model calculations is to improve our understanding concerning the factors influencing the transport of radon through building

Experimental Setup for Measuring Diffusive and Advective Transport of Radon through Building Materials

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pal, van der M.; Graaf, van der E.R.; Meijer, de R.J.; Wit, de M.H.; Hendriks, N.A.

2000-01-01

This study describes an approach for measuring and modelling diffusive and advective transport of radon through building materials. The goal of these measurements and model calculations is to improve our understanding concerning the factors influencing the transport of radon through building

Analytical techniques for thin films treatise on materials science and technology

CERN Document Server

Tu, K N

1988-01-01

Treatise on Materials Science and Technology, Volume 27: Analytical Techniques for Thin Films covers a set of analytical techniques developed for thin films and interfaces, all based on scattering and excitation phenomena and theories. The book discusses photon beam and X-ray techniques; electron beam techniques; and ion beam techniques. Materials scientists, materials engineers, chemical engineers, and physicists will find the book invaluable.

Measurement of the natural radioactivity in building materials used in Ankara and assessment of external doses.

Science.gov (United States)

Turhan, S; Baykan, U N; Sen, K

2008-03-01

A total of 183 samples of 20 different commonly used structural and covering building materials were collected from housing and other building construction sites and from suppliers in Ankara to measure the natural radioactivity due to the presence of (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K. The measurements were carried out using gamma-ray spectrometry with two HPGe detectors. The specific activities of the different building materials studied varied from 0.5 +/- 0.1 to 144.9 +/- 4.9 Bq kg(-1), 0.6 +/- 0.2 to 169.9 +/- 6.6 Bq kg(-1) and 2.0 +/- 0.1 to 1792.3 +/- 60.8 Bq kg(-1) for (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K, respectively. The results show that the lowest mean values of the specific activity of (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K are 0.8 +/- 0.5, 0.9 +/- 0.4 and 4.1 +/- 1.4 Bq kg(-1), respectively, measured in travertine tile while the highest mean values of the specific activity of the same radionuclides are 78.5 +/- 18.1 (ceramic wall tile), 77.4 +/- 53.0 (granite tile) and 923.4 +/- 161.0 (white brick), respectively. The radium equivalent activity (Ra(eq)), the gamma-index, the indoor absorbed dose rate and the corresponding annual effective dose were evaluated to assess the potential radiological hazard associated with these building materials. The mean values of the gamma-index and the estimated annual effective dose due to external gamma radiation inside the room for structural building materials ranged from 0.15 to 0.89 and 0.2 to 1.1 mSv, respectively. Applying criteria recently recommended for building materials in the literature, four materials meet the exemption annual dose criterion of 0.3 mSv, five materials meet the annual dose limit of 1 mSv and only one material slightly exceeds this limit. The mean values of the gamma-index for all building materials were lower than the upper limit of 1.

Application of Soil Nailing Technique for Protection and Preservation Historical Buildings

Science.gov (United States)

Kulczykowski, Marek; Przewłócki, Jarosław; Konarzewska, Bogusława

2017-10-01

Soil nailing is one of the recent in situ techniques used for soil improvement and in stabilizing slopes. The process of soil nailing consists of reinforcing the natural ground with relatively small steel bars or metal rods, grouted in the pre-drilled holes. This method has a wide range of applications for stabilizing deep excavations and steep slopes. Soil nailing has recently become a very common method of slope stabilisation especially where situated beneath or adjacent to historical buildings. Stabilisation by nails drilled into existing masonry structures such as failing retaining walls abutments, provide long term stability without demolition and rebuilding costs. Two cases of soil nailing technology aimed at stabilising slopes beneath old buildings in Poland are presented in this paper. The first concerns application of this technology to repair a retaining wall supporting the base of the dam at the historic hydroelectric power plant in Rutki. The second regards a concept of improving the slope of the Castle Hill in Sandomierz. An analysis of the slope stability for the latter case, using stabilisation technique with the piling system and soil nailing was performed. Some advantages of soil nailing especially for protection of historical buildings, are also underlined. And, the main results of an economic comparison analysis are additionally presented.

Measurement of natural radioactivity in building materials in Qena city, Upper Egypt

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmed, Nour Khalifa

2005-01-01

Building materials cause direct radiation exposure because of their radium, thorium and potassium content. In this paper, samples of commonly used building materials (bricks, cement, gypsum, ceramics, marble, limestone and granite) in Qena city, Upper Egypt have been collected randomly over the city. The samples were tested for their radioactivity contents by using gamma spectroscopic measurements. The results show that the highest mean value of 226 Ra activity is 205 ± 83 Bq kg -1 measured in marble. The corresponding value of 232 Th is 118 ± 14 Bq kg -1 measured in granite. For 40 K this value is (8.7 ± 3.9) x 10 2 Bq kg -1 measured in marble. The average concentrations of the three radionuclides in the different building materials are 116 ± 54, 64 ± 34 and (4.8 ± 2.2) x 10 2 Bq kg -1 for 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K, respectively. Radium equivalent activities and various hazard indices were also calculated to assess the radiation hazard. The maximum mean of radium equivalent activity Ra eq is 436 ± 199 Bq kg -1 calculated in marble. The highest radioactivity level and dose rate in air from these materials were calculated in marble

Ozone deposition velocities, reaction probabilities and product yields for green building materials

Science.gov (United States)

Lamble, S. P.; Corsi, R. L.; Morrison, G. C.

2011-12-01

Indoor surfaces can passively remove ozone that enters buildings, reducing occupant exposure without an energy penalty. However, reactions between ozone and building surfaces can generate and release aerosols and irritating and carcinogenic gases. To identify desirable indoor surfaces the deposition velocity, reaction probability and carbonyl product yields of building materials considered green (listed, recycled, sustainable, etc.) were quantified. Nineteen separate floor, wall or ceiling materials were tested in a 10 L, flow-through laboratory reaction chamber. Inlet ozone concentrations were maintained between 150 and 200 ppb (generally much lower in chamber air), relative humidity at 50%, temperature at 25 °C and exposure occurred over 24 h. Deposition velocities ranged from 0.25 m h -1 for a linoleum style flooring up to 8.2 m h -1 for a clay based paint; reaction probabilities ranged from 8.8 × 10 -7 to 6.9 × 10 -5 respectively. For all materials, product yields of C 1 thru C 12 saturated n-aldehydes, plus acetone ranged from undetectable to greater than 0.70 The most promising material was a clay wall plaster which exhibited a high deposition velocity (5.0 m h -1) and a low product yield (

Simulation of energy- efficient building prototype using different insulating materials

Science.gov (United States)

Ouhaibi, Salma; Belouaggadia, Naoual; Lbibb, Rachid; Ezzine, Mohammed

2018-05-01

The objective of this work is to analyze the energetic efficiency of an individual building including an area of 130 m2 multi-zone, located in the region of FEZ which is characterized by a very hot and dry climate in summer and a quite cold one in winter, by incorporating insulating materials. This study was performed using TRNSYS V16 simulation software during a typical year of the FEZ region. Our simulation consists in developing a comparative study of two types of polystyrene and silica-aerogel insulation materials, in order to determine the best thermal performance. The results show that the thermal insulation of the building envelope is among the most effective solutions that give a significant reduction in energy requirements. Similarly, the use of silica-aerogels gives a good thermal performance, and therefore a good energy gain.

Radon concentration and exhalation rates in building material samples from crushing zone in Shivalik Foot Hills

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pundir, Anil; Kamboj, Sunil; Bansal, Vakul; Chauhan, R.P.; Rana, Rajinder Singh

2012-01-01

Radon ( 222 Rn) is an inert radioactive gas in the decay chain of uranium ( 238 U). It continuously emanates from soil to the atmosphere. Radon and its progeny are the major natural radioactive sources for the ambient radioactivity on Earth. A number of studies on radon were performed in recent decades focusing on its transport and movement in the atmosphere under different meteorological conditions. Building materials are the main source of radon inside buildings. Some construction materials are naturally more radioactive and removal of such material from the earth's crust and their subsequent use in construction of buildings further enhances the radioactivity level. The knowledge of radioactivity level in the building materials makes us aware about the management, guidelines and standards in construction of buildings. The main objective of the present investigations is to measure radon Concentration and exhalation rates in the samples collected from the Crushing zone of Shivalik foot hills. Different types of materials are being used in Northern part of India for construction of dwellings. For the measurement of radon concentration and its exhalation rates in building materials, LR-115 detectors were exposed in closed plastic canisters for three months. At the end of the exposure time, the detectors were subjected to a chemical etching process in 2.5N NaOH solution. The tracks produced by the alpha particles were observed and counted under an optical Olympus microscope at 600X. The measured track density was converted into radon concentration using a calibration factor. The surface and mass exhalation rates of radon have also been calculated using present data. The results indicate that the radon concentration varies appreciably from sample to sample and they were found to satisfy the safety criteria. There are samples in which radon concentration is higher and may enhance the indoor radiation levels when used as building construction materials. (author)

Effect of Material Variability and Mechanical Eccentricity on the Seismic Vulnerability Assessment of Reinforced Concrete Buildings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mario Lucio Puppio

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The present paper deals with the influence of material variability on the seismic vulnerability assessment of reinforced concrete buildings. Existing r.c. buildings are affected by a strong dispersion of material strengths of both the base materials. This influences the seismic response in linear and nonlinear static analysis. For this reason, it is useful to define a geometrical parameter called “material eccentricity”. As a reference model, an analysis of a two storey building is presented with a symmetrical plan but asymmetrical material distribution. Furthermore, an analysis of two real buildings with a similar issue is performed. Experimental data generate random material distributions to carry out a probabilistic analysis. By rotating the vector that defines the position of the center of strength it is possible to describe a strength domain that is characterized by equipotential lines in terms of the Risk Index. Material eccentricity is related to the Ultimate Shear of non-linear static analyses. This relevant uncertainty, referred to as the variation of the center of strength, is not considered in the current European and Italian Standards. The “material eccentricity” therefore reveals itself to be a relevant parameter to considering how material variability affects such a variation.

Time-series-analysis techniques applied to nuclear-material accounting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pike, D.H.; Morrison, G.W.; Downing, D.J.

1982-05-01

This document is designed to introduce the reader to the applications of Time Series Analysis techniques to Nuclear Material Accountability data. Time series analysis techniques are designed to extract information from a collection of random variables ordered by time by seeking to identify any trends, patterns, or other structure in the series. Since nuclear material accountability data is a time series, one can extract more information using time series analysis techniques than by using other statistical techniques. Specifically, the objective of this document is to examine the applicability of time series analysis techniques to enhance loss detection of special nuclear materials. An introductory section examines the current industry approach which utilizes inventory differences. The error structure of inventory differences is presented. Time series analysis techniques discussed include the Shewhart Control Chart, the Cumulative Summation of Inventory Differences Statistics (CUSUM) and the Kalman Filter and Linear Smoother

Building materials as a source of a possible radiation exposure of the population

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pensko, J.; Burkart, W.

1986-12-01

Two main pathways of exposure contribute to the human radiation exposure indoors: external whole body irradiation from gamma-rays originating from the walls, and exposure of lung tissue by alpha-rays emitted by radon daughters present in the inhaled air. Natural radioactive elements present in building materials produce both kinds of radioactive exposure. Uranium, thorium and potassium are sources of gamma radiations. Materials containing radium can create an alpha-radiation hazard for the human respiratory system through the exhalation of radon from room surfaces. Measurements of the natural radioactivity of building materials made in several European countries are reviewed. A preliminary assessment of the radioactivity content of potentially hazardous materials on the Swiss market shows elevated levels in imported phosphogypsum and tuff. (author)

Comparison of salt solution and air drying methods for moisture fixation in highly porous building materials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Antonov, Yovko Ivanov; Jensen, Rasmus Lund; Møldrup, Per

2017-01-01

In recent years, research has identified some bio-based, porous building materials as good or excellent regulators of moisture in buildings. The ability of a material to absorb, release and store moisture is described by vapour sorption isotherms. It is necessary input to simulations of indoor...... building materials by a standardized testing method, using saturated salt solutions. Furthermore, results from the standard method are compared to values of moisture content for the same materials, obtained by air-drying at different relative humidity. This is done with the aim to compare the findings from...... the two methods with respect to time and repeatability of the results. Derived isotherms are further used as direct input in the building simulation software BSim, which is capable of predicting indoor environment parameters by solving coupled, transient heat and moisture transport equations using finite...

Multicriteria Decision Analysis of Material Selection of High Energy Performance Residential Building

Science.gov (United States)

Čuláková, Monika; Vilčeková, Silvia; Katunská, Jana; Krídlová Burdová, Eva

2013-11-01

In world with limited amount of energy sources and with serious environmental pollution, interest in comparing the environmental embodied impacts of buildings using different structure systems and alternative building materials will be increased. This paper shows the significance of life cycle energy and carbon perspective and the material selection in reducing energy consumption and emissions production in the built environment. The study evaluates embodied environmental impacts of nearly zero energy residential structures. The environmental assessment uses framework of LCA within boundary: cradle to gate. Designed alternative scenarios of material compositions are also assessed in terms of energy effectiveness through selected thermal-physical parameters. This study uses multi-criteria decision analysis for making clearer selection between alternative scenarios. The results of MCDA show that alternative E from materials on nature plant base (wood, straw bales, massive wood panel) present possible way to sustainable perspective of nearly zero energy houses in Slovak republic

Measure Guideline. Air Sealing Attics in Multifamily Buildings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Otis, Casey [Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings (CARB), Norwalk, CT (United States); Maxwell, Sean [Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings (CARB), Norwalk, CT (United States)

2012-06-01

This Building America Measure Guideline is intended for owners, builders, contractors, homeowners, and other stakeholders in the multifamily building industry, and focuses on challenges found in existing buildings for a variety of housing types. It explains why air sealing is desirable, explores related health and safety issues, and identifies common air leakage points in multifamily building attics. In addition, it also gives an overview of materials and techniques typically used to perform air sealing work.

Assessing energy techniques and measures in residential buildings: a multidisciplinary perspective

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Entrop, Alexis Gerardus

2013-01-01

Many Energy Techniques and Measures (ETMs) are available to reduce the fossil energy use of residential buildings. However, the rate at which these ETMs are implemented is relatively low. Bram Entrop (1980) addresses, in this design-oriented research, the influence that ETMs have on the energy

People, Planet and Profit: Unintended Consequences of Legacy Building Materials

Science.gov (United States)

Although an explosion of new building materials are being introduced into today's market, adequate up-front research into their chemical and physical properties as well as their potential health and environmental consequences is lacking. History has provided us with several exam...

Determination of natural radionuclides content in some building materials in Nigeria by gamma-ray spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Ademola, J A

2008-01-01

This paper presents the findings of a study undertaken to determine the natural radioactivity present in some building materials in Nigeria using a gamma-ray spectrometer with a hyper pure germanium detector. A total of 118 samples of commonly used building materials were collected from manufacturers and suppliers of these materials. The mean radioactivity concentrations measured in the different building materials varied from 9.4 to 62.9, 1.3 to 88.4, and 21.5 to 762.4 Bq kg(-1), respectively, for 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K. The average contents of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K for all the samples were 36.3, 46.5, and 320.9 Bq kg(-1), respectively, lower than the world average for building materials (50, 50, and 500 Bq kg(-1)). The calculated mean radium equivalent activity and external and internal hazard indices for the entire sample were lower than United Nation Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation recommended limits and comparable with results of similar studies undertaken in other countries. The mean annual gonadal equivalent doses of some of the samples were higher than the world average value for soil.

A plastic micropump constructed with conventional techniques and materials

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bohm, S.; Olthuis, Wouter; Bergveld, Piet

1999-01-01

A plastic micropump which can be produced using conventional production techniques and materials is presented. By applying well-known techniques and materials, economic fabrication of micropumps for various applications is feasible even at low production volumes. The micropump is capable of pumping

Longevity of borehole and shaft sealing materials: characterization of cement-based ancient building materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roy, D.M.; Langton, C.A.

1982-09-01

Durability and long-term stability of cements, mortars, and/or concretes utilized as borehole plugging and shaft sealing materials are of present concern in the national effort to isolate and contain nuclear waste within deep geological repositories. The present study consists of a preliminary examination of selected ancient, old, and modern building materials (14 specimens) and was intended to document and explain the remarkable durability of these portland cement-related materials. This study has provided insights into reasons for the durability of certain structures and also into the long-term stability of calcium silicate binders (cements) used in archaeologic materials. These data were combined with knowledge obtained from the behavior of modern portland cements and natural materials to evaluate the potential for longevity of such materials in a borehole environment. A multimethod analysis was used and included: macroscopic and microscopic (petrographic and SEM) analyses, chemical analyses, and x-ray diffraction analyses. 61 figures, 11 tables

Atmospheric methane removal by methane-oxidizing bacteria immobilized on porous building materials

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ganendra, G; De Muynck, W; Ho, A.; Hoefman, S.; De Vos, P.; Boeckx, P.; Boon, N.

2014-01-01

Biological treatment using methane-oxidizing bacteria (MOB) immobilized on six porous carrier materials have been used to mitigate methane emission. Experiments were performed with different MOB inoculated in building materials at high (similar to 20 % (v/v)) and low (similar to 100 ppmv) methane

Growing and testing mycelium bricks as building insulation materials

Science.gov (United States)

Xing, Yangang; Brewer, Matthew; El-Gharabawy, Hoda; Griffith, Gareth; Jones, Phil

2018-02-01

In order to improve energy performance of buildings, insulation materials (such as mineral glass and rock wools, or fossil fuel-based plastic foams) are being used in increasing quantities, which may lead to potential problem with materials depletions and landfill disposal. One sustainable solution suggested is the use of bio-based, biodegradable materials. A number of attempts have been made to develop biomaterials, such as sheep wood, hemcrete or recycled papers. In this paper, a novel type of bio insulation materials - mycelium is examined. The aim is to produce mycelium materials that could be used as insulations. The bio-based material was required to have properties that matched existing alternatives, such as expanded polystyrene, in terms of physical and mechanical characteristics but with an enhanced level of biodegradability. The testing data showed mycelium bricks exhibited good thermal performance. Future work is planned to improve growing process and thermal performance of the mycelium bricks.

Assessment of natural radioactivity and radiological hazards in building materials used in Yan'an, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Xinwei; Li, Nan; Yang, Guang; Zhao, Caifeng

2013-03-01

The concentration of natural radionuclides in commonly used building materials collected from Yan'an, China, was determined using gamma ray spectroscopy with a NaI(Tl) detector. The activity concentration of ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, and ⁴⁰K in the studied building materials ranges from 9.4-73.1, 11.5-86.9, and 258.9-1,055.1 Bq kg⁻¹, respectively. The concentrations for these natural radionuclides were compared with the reported data of other countries and the world mean values for soil. The radium equivalent activity (Raeq), external hazard index (Hex), internal hazard index (Hin), indoor air absorbed dose rate, and annual effective dose rate due to natural radionuclides in samples were estimated to assess radiological hazards for people living in dwellings made of the studied building materials. The calculated Raeq values of all building materials (75.7-222.1 Bq kg⁻¹) are lower than the limit of 370 Bq kg⁻¹. The values of Hex and Hin are less than unity. The mean values of indoor air absorbed dose rates of all building materials (101.0 ± 14.1-177.0 ± 6.8 nGy h⁻¹) are higher than the world population-weighted average of 84 nGy h⁻¹, while the mean values of annual effective dose range from 0.50 ± 0.07-0.87 ± 0.03 mSv y⁻¹, which are lower than the recommended limit of 1 mSv y⁻¹. It is found that these materials may be used safely as construction materials and do not pose significant radiation hazards to inhabitants.

Measurement of Ra-226 in building materials, with a Na I (Tl) scintillation counter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vallejo, L.R.; Fuenteseca, J.W.; Rivera, C.A.; Aros, F.H.

1992-01-01

Ra-226 concentration in building materials is determined using gamma-ray spectrometry. Ra-226 contained in sundry materials employed in the construction of dwelling houses and public buildings in Antofagasta city is determined by counting the Pb-214 peaks at 295 KeV and 352 keV, and the Bi-214 peak at 609 keV recorded by means of a 7.5-cm Nal (TI) scintillation counter. (author)

In situ study of Li-ions diffusion and deformation in Li-rich cathode materials by using scanning probe microscopy techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, Kaiyang; Li, Tao; Tian, Tian

2017-08-01

In this paper, the scanning probe microscopy (SPM) based techniques, namely, conductive-AFM, electrochemical strain microscopy (ESM) and AM-FM (amplitude modulation-frequency modulation) techniques, are used to in situ characterize the changes in topography, conductivity and elastic properties of Li-rich layered oxide cathode (Li1.2Mn0.54Ni0.13Co0.13O2) materials, in the form of nanoparticles, when subject to the external electric field. Nanoparticles are the basic building blocks for composite cathode in a Li-ion rechargeable battery. Characterization of the structure and electrochemical properties of the nanoparticles is very important to understand the performance and reliability of the battery materials and devices. In this study, the conductivity, deformation and mechanical properties of the Li-rich oxide nanoparticles under different polarities of biases are studied using the above-mentioned SPM techniques. This information can be correlated with the Li+-ion diffusion and migration in the particles under external electrical field. The results also confirm that the SPM techniques are ideal tools to study the changes in various properties of electrode materials at nano- to micro-scales during or after the ‘simulated’ battery operation conditions. These techniques can also be used to in situ characterize the electrochemical performances of other energy storage materials, especially in the form of the nanoparticles.

Assessment of natural radioactivity and associated radiation hazards in some Cameroonian building materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ngachin, M. [Center for Atomic, Molecular Physics and Quantum Optics, University of Douala, P.O. Box 8580, Douala (Cameroon) and Abdus Salam International Center for Theoretical Physics, Strada Costiera 11, 34014 Trieste (Italy)]. E-mail: mngachin@yahoo.com; Garavaglia, M. [Regional Agency for Environmental Protection (ARPA), 91 via Tavagnacco, 33100 Udine (Italy); Giovani, C. [Regional Agency for Environmental Protection (ARPA), 91 via Tavagnacco, 33100 Udine (Italy); Kwato Njock, M.G. [Center for Atomic, Molecular Physics and Quantum Optics, University of Douala, P.O. Box 8580, Douala (Cameroon); Nourreddine, A. [Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien, UMR7500 CNRS-IN2P3 et Universite Louis Pasteur, 23 Rue du Loess, BP 28, F-67037, Strasbourg Cedex 2 (France)

2007-01-15

The concentration of {sup 238}U, {sup 232}Th and {sup 40}K in 13 building materials obtained from factories and collected in field in Cameroon were investigated by {gamma}-ray spectrometry. The activity ranged from 1.76 to 49.84Bqkg{sup -1}, 0.32 to 147Bqkg{sup -1} and 18 to 1226Bqkg{sup -1} for {sup 238}U, {sup 232}Th and {sup 40}K, respectively. The highest {sup 238}U activity was found in compressed red soil brick type I (49.6+/-0.3Bqkg{sup -1}) produced by a local manufacturer while the highest {sup 232}Th (139+/-13Bqkg{sup -1}) and {sup 40}K (1162+/-108Bqkg{sup -1}) activities were found in gravel collected from an exploitation site in Logbadjeck. The activities are compared with available data from other investigations and with the world average value for soils. The radium equivalent activity Ra{sub eq}, the external hazard index H{sub ex}, the indoor absorbed dose rate D-bar in air and the annual effective dose equivalent E-bar were evaluated to assess the radiation hazard for people living in dwellings made of the materials studied. All building materials have shown Ra{sub eq} (range from 10 to 313Bqkg{sup -1}) lower than the limit of 370Bqkg{sup -1} set in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development [OECD, 1979. Exposure to radiation from the natural radioactivity in building materials. OECD, Paris] report which is equivalent to a {gamma}-dose of 1.5mSvyr{sup -1}. Except for the gravel from Logbadjeck, all the materials examined are acceptable for use as building materials as defined by the OECD criterion.

How accelerated biological aging can affect solar reflective polymeric based building materials

Science.gov (United States)

Ferrari, C.; Santunione, G.; Libbra, A.; Muscio, A.; Sgarbi, E.

2017-11-01

Among the main issues concerning building materials, in particular outdoor ones, one can identify the colonization by microorganisms referred to as biological aggression. This can affect not only the aesthetical aspect but also the thermal performance of solar reflective materials. In order to improve the reliability of tests aimed to assess the resistance to biological aggression and contextually reduce the test duration, an accelerated test method has been developed. It is based on a lab reproducible setup where specific and controlled environmental and boundary conditions are imposed to accelerate as much as possible biological growth on building materials. Due to their widespread use, polymeric materials have been selected for the present analysis, in the aim of reaching an advanced bio-aged level in a relatively short time (8 weeks or less) and at the same time comparatively evaluate different materials under a given set of ageing conditions. Surface properties before, during and after ageing have been investigated by surface, microstructural and chemical analyses, as well as by examination of time progressive images to assess bacterial and algal growth rate.

Radioactivity of some domestic and imported building materials from South Eastern Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krstic, D.; Nikezic, D.; Stevanovic, N.; Vucic, D.

2007-01-01

Radioactivity of some building materials, gypsum, ceramic, marble, granite, etc., imported from some neighbour countries of South Eastern Europe (Macedonia, Greece and Bulgaria) or produced in Serbia is presented in this paper. Measurements were done with HpGe detector and multichannel analyser. Activity concentration index, I, defined in [EC 1999, 1999. European Commission. Radiation Protection Unit, Radiological protection principles concerning the natural radioactivity of building materials. Radiat. Prot. 112] was calculated for each investigated sample. The ranges of I are 0.0297-1.2545 and 0.0376-0.1521 for Macedonian and Bulgarian gypsum, respectively. The ranges of I for marble are 0.0124-0.6245, 0.0104-1.2089 and 0.0162-0.6747 for Macedonian, Greek and Bulgarian, respectively. The range of I for Greek ceramic and granite are 0.3508-1.0152 and 0.0438-1.0062, respectively. Concentration of natural radionuclides ( 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K) are in usual range (except few exceptions) and below maximal permitted values, so that examined materials could be used for construction of new buildings (for interior and external works) as well as for covering of pavements, floors, etc

Radioactivity of some domestic and imported building materials from South Eastern Europe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Krstic, D. [Faculty of Science, University of Kragujevac, R. Domanovic 12, Kragujevac 34000 (Serbia); Nikezic, D. [Faculty of Science, University of Kragujevac, R. Domanovic 12, Kragujevac 34000 (Serbia)], E-mail: nikezic@kg.ac.yu; Stevanovic, N. [Faculty of Science, University of Kragujevac, R. Domanovic 12, Kragujevac 34000 (Serbia); Vucic, D. [Institute oF Occupational Health, Vojislav Ilic bb, Nis 18000 (Serbia)

2007-11-15

Radioactivity of some building materials, gypsum, ceramic, marble, granite, etc., imported from some neighbour countries of South Eastern Europe (Macedonia, Greece and Bulgaria) or produced in Serbia is presented in this paper. Measurements were done with HpGe detector and multichannel analyser. Activity concentration index, I, defined in [EC 1999, 1999. European Commission. Radiation Protection Unit, Radiological protection principles concerning the natural radioactivity of building materials. Radiat. Prot. 112] was calculated for each investigated sample. The ranges of I are 0.0297-1.2545 and 0.0376-0.1521 for Macedonian and Bulgarian gypsum, respectively. The ranges of I for marble are 0.0124-0.6245, 0.0104-1.2089 and 0.0162-0.6747 for Macedonian, Greek and Bulgarian, respectively. The range of I for Greek ceramic and granite are 0.3508-1.0152 and 0.0438-1.0062, respectively. Concentration of natural radionuclides ({sup 226}Ra, {sup 232}Th and {sup 40}K) are in usual range (except few exceptions) and below maximal permitted values, so that examined materials could be used for construction of new buildings (for interior and external works) as well as for covering of pavements, floors, etc.

Providing for energy efficiency in homes and small buildings. Part III. Determining which practices are most effective and installing materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

1980-06-01

The training program is designed to educate students and individuals in the importance of conserving energy and to provide for developing skills needed in the application of energy-saving techniques that result in energy-efficient buildings. A teacher guide and student workbook are available to supplement the basic manual. Subjects covered in Part III are: determining which practices are most efficient and economical; installing energy-saving materials; and improving efficiency of equipment.

Non-destructive decontamination of building materials

Science.gov (United States)

Holecek, Josef; Otahal, Petr

2015-11-01

For nondestructive radiation decontamination of surfaces it is necessary to use varnishes, such as ARGONNE, DG1101, DG1108, etc. This text evaluates the use of manufactured strippable coatings for radiation decontamination. To evaluate decontamination capability of such coatings the following varnishes were selected and subsequently used: AZ 1-700 and AXAL 1807S. The varnishes were tested on different building materials surfaces contaminated by short-term radioisotopes of Na-24 or La-140, in water soluble or water insoluble forms. Decontamination quality was assessed by the decontamination efficiency value, defined as the proportion of removed activity to the applied activity. It was found that decontamination efficiency of both used varnishes depends not only on the form of contaminant, but in the case of application of AXAL 1807S varnish it also depends on the method of its application on the contaminated surface. The values of the decontamination efficiency for AZ1-700 varnish range from 46% for decontamination of a soluble form of the radioisotope from concrete surface to 98% for the decontamination of a soluble form of the radioisotope from ceramic tile surface. The decontamination efficiency values determined for AXAL 1807S varnish range from 48% for decontamination of a soluble form of the radioisotope from concrete surface to 96% for decontamination of an insoluble form of the radioisotope from ceramic tile surface. Comparing these values to the values given for the decontaminating varnishes we can conclude that AXAL 1807S varnish is possible to use on all materials, except highly porous materials, such as plasterboard or breeze blocks, or plastic materials. AZ 1-700 varnish can be used for all dry materials except plasterboard.

Assessment of Effective Prestressed Force of Nuclear Containment Building using SI Technique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, H. P.; Jang, J. B.; Hwang, K. M.; Song, Y. C. [Korea Electric Power Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2010-10-15

Bonded tendons have been used in reactor buildings of heavy water reactors and the light water reactors of some nuclear power plants operating in Korea. The assessment of prestressed forces on those bonded tendons is becoming an important issue in assuring their continuous operation beyond their design life. In order to assess the effective prestressed force on the bonded tendon, indirect assessment techniques have been applying to the test beams which were manufactured on construction time. Therefore, this research mainly forced to establish the assessment methodology to measure directly the effective prestressed force on the bonded tendon of containment buildings using System Identification (SI) technique. To accomplish this purpose, simple SI method was proposed and adapted three dimensional finite element analysis of the 1:4 scale prestressed concrete containment vessel (PCCV) tested by Sandia National Laboratory in 2000

Performance analysis of phase-change material storage unit for both heating and cooling of buildings

Science.gov (United States)

Waqas, Adeel; Ali, Majid; Ud Din, Zia

2017-04-01

Utilisation of solar energy and the night ambient (cool) temperatures are the passive ways of heating and cooling of buildings. Intermittent and time-dependent nature of these sources makes thermal energy storage vital for efficient and continuous operation of these heating and cooling techniques. Latent heat thermal energy storage by phase-change materials (PCMs) is preferred over other storage techniques due to its high-energy storage density and isothermal storage process. The current study was aimed to evaluate the performance of the air-based PCM storage unit utilising solar energy and cool ambient night temperatures for comfort heating and cooling of a building in dry-cold and dry-hot climates. The performance of the studied PCM storage unit was maximised when the melting point of the PCM was ∼29°C in summer and 21°C during winter season. The appropriate melting point was ∼27.5°C for all-the-year-round performance. At lower melting points than 27.5°C, declination in the cooling capacity of the storage unit was more profound as compared to the improvement in the heating capacity. Also, it was concluded that the melting point of the PCM that provided maximum cooling during summer season could be used for winter heating also but not vice versa.

Modeling gamma radiation dose in dwellings due to building materials.

Science.gov (United States)

de Jong, Peter; van Dijk, Willem

2008-01-01

A model is presented that calculates the absorbed dose rate in air of gamma radiation emitted by building materials in a rectangular body construction. The basis for these calculations is formed by a fixed set of specific absorbed dose rates (the dose rate per Bq kg(-1) 238U, 232Th, and 40K), as determined for a standard geometry with the dimensions 4 x 5 x 2.8 m3. Using the computer codes Marmer and MicroShield, correction factors are assessed that quantify the influence of several room and material related parameters on the specific absorbed dose rates. The investigated parameters are the position in the construction; the thickness, density, and dimensions of the construction parts; the contribution from the outer leave; the presence of doors and windows; the attenuation by internal partition walls; the contribution from building materials present in adjacent rooms; and the effect of non-equilibrium due to 222Rn exhalation. To verify the precision, the proposed method is applied to three Dutch reference dwellings, i.e., a row house, a coupled house, and a gallery apartment. The averaged difference with MCNP calculations is found to be 4%.

A review on the development of reinforced ice for use as a building material in cold regions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vasiliev, N.K.; Pronk, A.D.C.; Shatalina, I.N.; Janssen, F.H.M.E.; Houben, R.W.G.

2015-01-01

Carrying building materials into remote cold regions makes construction in these regions difficult and rather expensive. The need for such materials can be reduced by the use of both ice and ice-soil composites. In cold regions ice is abundant and cheap. However, using ice as a building material has

Ion backscattering techniques applied in materials science research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sood, D.K.

1978-01-01

The applications of Ion Backscattering Technique (IBT) to material analysis have expanded rapidly during the last decade. It is now regarded as an analysis tool indispensable for a versatile materials research program. The technique consists of simply shooting a beam of monoenergetic ions (usually 4 He + ions at about 2 MeV) onto a target, and measuring their energy distribution after backscattering at a fixed angle. Simple Rutherford scattering analysis of the backscattered ion spectrum yields information on the mass, the absolute amount and the depth profile of elements present upto a few microns of the target surface. The technique is nondestructive, quick, quantitative and the only known method of analysis which gives quantitative results without recourse to calibration standards. Its major limitations are the inability to separate elements of similar mass and a complete absence of chemical-binding information. A typical experimental set up and spectrum analysis have been described. Examples, some of them based on the work at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Bombay, have been given to illustrate the applications of this technique to semiconductor technology, thin film materials science and nuclear energy materials. Limitations of IBT have been illustrated and a few remedies to partly overcome these limitations are presented. (auth.)

A model to predict radon exhalation from walls to indoor air based on the exhalation from building material samples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sahoo, B.K.; Sapra, B.K.; Gaware, J.J.; Kanse, S.D.; Mayya, Y.S.

2011-01-01

In recognition of the fact that building materials are an important source of indoor radon, second only to soil, surface radon exhalation fluxes have been extensively measured from the samples of these materials. Based on this flux data, several researchers have attempted to predict the inhalation dose attributable to radon emitted from walls and ceilings made up of these materials. However, an important aspect not considered in this methodology is the enhancement of the radon flux from the wall or the ceiling constructed using the same building material. This enhancement occurs mainly because of the change in the radon diffusion process from the former to the latter configuration. To predict the true radon flux from the wall based on the flux data of building material samples, we now propose a semi-empirical model involving radon diffusion length and the physical dimensions of the samples as well as wall thickness as other input parameters. This model has been established by statistically fitting the ratio of the solution to radon diffusion equations for the cases of three-dimensional cuboidal shaped building materials (such as brick, concrete block) and one dimensional wall system to a simple mathematical function. The model predictions have been validated against the measurements made at a new construction site. This model provides an alternative tool (substitute to conventional 1-D model) to estimate radon flux from a wall without relying on 226 Ra content, radon emanation factor and bulk density of the samples. Moreover, it may be very useful in the context of developing building codes for radon regulation in new buildings. - Research highlights: → A model is proposed to predict radon flux from wall using flux of building material. → It is established based on the diffusion mechanism in building material and wall. → Study showed a large difference in radon flux from building material and wall. → Model has been validated against the measurements made at

Analysis of building deformation in landslide area using multisensor PSInSAR™ technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Ciampalini, Andrea; Bardi, Federica; Bianchini, Silvia; Frodella, William; Del Ventisette, Chiara; Moretti, Sandro; Casagli, Nicola

2014-12-01

Buildings are sensitive to movements caused by ground deformation. The mapping both of spatial and temporal distribution, and of the degree of building damages represents a useful tool in order to understand the landslide evolution, magnitude and stress distribution. The high spatial resolution of space-borne SAR interferometry can be used to monitor displacements related to building deformations. In particular, PSInSAR technique is used to map and monitor ground deformation with millimeter accuracy. The usefulness of the above mentioned methods was evaluated in San Fratello municipality (Sicily, Italy), which was historically affected by landslides: the most recent one occurred on 14th February 2010. PSInSAR data collected by ERS 1/2, ENVISAT, RADARSAT-1 were used to study the building deformation velocities before the 2010 landslide. The X-band sensors COSMO-SkyMed and TerraSAR-X were used in order to monitor the building deformation after this event. During 2013, after accurate field inspection on buildings and structures, damage assessment map of San Fratello were created and then compared to the building deformation velocity maps. The most interesting results were obtained by the comparison between the building deformation velocity map obtained through COSMO-SkyMed and the damage assessment map. This approach can be profitably used by local and Civil Protection Authorities to manage the post-event phase and evaluate the residual risks.

Stone Dust Agglomeration for Utilizing as Building Material

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabriel Borowski

2017-12-01

Full Text Available In the paper we discuss the possibility of using stone dust for utilizing as building material. The tested material was amphibolite, found in the Sudeten Mountains and the Tatra Mountains in Poland. The chemical composition of dust was determined by means of spectrometry methods. Moreover, the basic physical properties of the material were designated. Stone dust was mixed with starch or cement binder. The binder addition was from 5% to 20% by weight. The water content was adjusted to about 25% humidity. The mixture was then compressed in a hydraulic press at 50 MPa. The results of the mechanical toughness of agglomerates were shown. On the basis of the results, acceptable toughness of agglomerates was found, with the addition of cement in mass share 20% and seasoning for 48 hours. However, starch was not suitable as a binder for agglomeration of amphibolite.

Assessment of the material properties of a fire damaged building

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oladipupo OLOMO

2012-12-01

Full Text Available This study identifies a process for assessing the material properties of a fire damaged building so as to determine whether the remains can be utilized in construction or be demolished. Physical and chemical analysis were carried out on concrete and steel samples taken from various elements of the building after thorough visual inspection of the entire building had been conducted. The physical (non-destructive tests included the Schmidt hammer and ultrasonic pulse velocity tests on the concrete samples, tensile strength test on the steel samples and chemical tests involving the assessment of the quantities of cement, sulphates and chloride concentrations in the samples. A redesign of the building elements was also carried out and the results were compared with the existing design. The non-destructive test results indicated compressive strengths as low as 9.9 N/mm2, the tensile strength test indicated a maximum strength of 397.48 N/mm2 and the chemical test indicated chloride contents as high as 0.534 g per gramme of concrete. These properties deviated significantly from standard requirements. Based on these results, it was concluded that the remains of the building should be demolished.

Quantitative method of X-ray diffraction phase analysis of building materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Czuba, J.; Dziedzic, A.

1978-01-01

Quantitative method of X-ray diffraction phase analysis of building materials, with use of internal standard, has been presented. The errors committed by determining the content of particular phases have been also given. (author)

Stone material investigations of the Riga Stock Exchange building

Science.gov (United States)

Igaune-Blumberga, S.; Vitina, I.; Lindina, L.; Timma, I.; Barbane, I.

2011-12-01

This paper deals with the stone material investigation of former Riga Stock Exchange building and presents the following aspects: characterization of materials, analyses of mortars for sealing and cladding of artificial marble, decors, bricks, render of sealing, analyses of soluble salts, analyses of deteriorated granite surface of foundation. The last damage by fire was in 1979 which caused the collapse of the roof and consequently an infiltration of rain water. The conditions of the objects were found in very bad condition-deterioration represented by salt efflorescence's, cracking and in very large areas there was a complete loss of the artificial marble (stucco marble).

Stone material investigations of the Riga Stock Exchange building

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Igaune-Blumberga, S; Vitina, I; Lindina, L; Timma, I; Barbane, I

2011-01-01

This paper deals with the stone material investigation of former Riga Stock Exchange building and presents the following aspects: characterization of materials, analyses of mortars for sealing and cladding of artificial marble, decors, bricks, render of sealing, analyses of soluble salts, analyses of deteriorated granite surface of foundation. The last damage by fire was in 1979 which caused the collapse of the roof and consequently an infiltration of rain water. The conditions of the objects were found in very bad condition-deterioration represented by salt efflorescence's, cracking and in very large areas there was a complete loss of the artificial marble (stucco marble).

A Comparison of implant impression precision: Different materials and techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Tabesh, Mahtab; Alikhasi, Marzieh

2018-01-01

Background Precision of implant impressions is a prerequisite for long-term success of implant supported prostheses. Impression materials and impression techniques are two important factors that impression precision relies on. Material and Methods A model of edentulous maxilla containing four implants inserted by All-on-4 guide was constructed. Seventy two impressions using polyether (PE), polyvinyl siloxane (PVS), and vinyl siloxanether (VSE) materials with direct and indirect techniques were made (n=12). Coordinates of implants in casts were measured using coordinate measuring machine (CMM). Data were analyzed with ANOVA; t-test and Tukey test were used for post hoc. Results With two-way ANOVA, mean values of linear displacements of implants were significantly different among materials and techniques. One-way ANOVA and Tukey showed significant difference between PE and VSE (P=0.019), PE and PVS (P=0.002) in direct technique, and between PVS and PE (Pimpression of implants, PE is recommended for direct technique while PE and VSE are recommended for indirect technique. Recommended technique for VSE is either direct or indirect; and for PE and PVS is direct. Key words:Polyvinyl siloxane, polyether, vinyl siloxanether, direct technique, indirect technique, All-on-4, coordinate measuring machine. PMID:29670733

External exposure doses due to gamma emitting natural radionuclides in some Egyptian building materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Moharram, B M; Suliman, M N; Zahran, N F; Shennawy, S E; El Sayed, A R

2012-01-01

Using of building materials containing naturally occurring radionuclides as (238)U, (232)Th and (40)K and their progeny results in an external exposures of the housing of such buildings. In the present study, indoor dose rates for typical Egyptian rooms are calculated using the analytical method and activity concentrations of natural radionuclides in some building materials. Uniform chemical composition of the walls, floor and ceiling as well as uniform mass concentrations of the radionuclides in walls, floor and ceiling assumed. Different room models are assumed to discuss variation of indoor dose rates according to variation in room construction. Activity concentrations of (238)U, (232)Th and (40)K content in eight samples representative Clay soil and different building materials used in most recent Egyptian building were measured using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). The specific activity for (238)U, (232)Th and (40)K, from the selected samples, were in the range 14.15-60.64, 2.75-84.66 and 7.35-554.4Bqkg(-1), respectively. The average indoor absorbed dose rates in air ranged from 0.005μGyh(-1) to 0.071μGyh(-1) and the corresponding population-weighted annual effective dose due to external gamma radiation varies from 0.025 to 0.345mSv. An outdoor dose rate for typical building samples in addition to some radiological hazards has been introduced for comparison. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Concentration of radionuclides in building materials and soils in The Netherlands

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ackers, J.G.

1985-11-01

About 150 samples of building materials used in the Netherlands have been analysed by gamma spectrometry for their Ra-226, Th-232 and K-40 concentrations. From 26 samples of soils the radioactivity concentration was measured. Calibration was performed by the use of a large volume standard source made as a mixture of monazite, pitchblende and silica. The results are reported in Bq.kg -1 ; the statistical error is within 5% (standard deviation) and for most of the results the systematic error is smaller than 15%. Most of the building materials and all soil samples revealed activity concentrations smaller than 100 Bq.kg -1 for Ra-226 and Th-232 and smaller than 1000 Bq.kg -1 for K-40. Part of the results is compared with data published elsewhere. (Auth.)

Building a new predictor for multiple linear regression technique-based corrective maintenance turnaround time.

Science.gov (United States)

Cruz, Antonio M; Barr, Cameron; Puñales-Pozo, Elsa

2008-01-01

This research's main goals were to build a predictor for a turnaround time (TAT) indicator for estimating its values and use a numerical clustering technique for finding possible causes of undesirable TAT values. The following stages were used: domain understanding, data characterisation and sample reduction and insight characterisation. Building the TAT indicator multiple linear regression predictor and clustering techniques were used for improving corrective maintenance task efficiency in a clinical engineering department (CED). The indicator being studied was turnaround time (TAT). Multiple linear regression was used for building a predictive TAT value model. The variables contributing to such model were clinical engineering department response time (CE(rt), 0.415 positive coefficient), stock service response time (Stock(rt), 0.734 positive coefficient), priority level (0.21 positive coefficient) and service time (0.06 positive coefficient). The regression process showed heavy reliance on Stock(rt), CE(rt) and priority, in that order. Clustering techniques revealed the main causes of high TAT values. This examination has provided a means for analysing current technical service quality and effectiveness. In doing so, it has demonstrated a process for identifying areas and methods of improvement and a model against which to analyse these methods' effectiveness.

Hyphenated analytical techniques for materials characterisation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Armstrong, Gordon; Kailas, Lekshmi

2017-01-01

This topical review will provide a survey of the current state of the art in ‘hyphenated’ techniques for characterisation of bulk materials, surface, and interfaces, whereby two or more analytical methods investigating different properties are applied simultaneously to the same sample to better characterise the sample than can be achieved by conducting separate analyses in series using different instruments. It is intended for final year undergraduates and recent graduates, who may have some background knowledge of standard analytical techniques, but are not familiar with ‘hyphenated’ techniques or hybrid instrumentation. The review will begin by defining ‘complementary’, ‘hybrid’ and ‘hyphenated’ techniques, as there is not a broad consensus among analytical scientists as to what each term means. The motivating factors driving increased development of hyphenated analytical methods will also be discussed. This introduction will conclude with a brief discussion of gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy and energy dispersive x-ray analysis in electron microscopy as two examples, in the context that combining complementary techniques for chemical analysis were among the earliest examples of hyphenated characterisation methods. The emphasis of the main review will be on techniques which are sufficiently well-established that the instrumentation is commercially available, to examine physical properties including physical, mechanical, electrical and thermal, in addition to variations in composition, rather than methods solely to identify and quantify chemical species. Therefore, the proposed topical review will address three broad categories of techniques that the reader may expect to encounter in a well-equipped materials characterisation laboratory: microscopy based techniques, scanning probe-based techniques, and thermal analysis based techniques. Examples drawn from recent literature, and a concluding case study, will be used to explain the

Hyphenated analytical techniques for materials characterisation

Science.gov (United States)

Armstrong, Gordon; Kailas, Lekshmi

2017-09-01

This topical review will provide a survey of the current state of the art in ‘hyphenated’ techniques for characterisation of bulk materials, surface, and interfaces, whereby two or more analytical methods investigating different properties are applied simultaneously to the same sample to better characterise the sample than can be achieved by conducting separate analyses in series using different instruments. It is intended for final year undergraduates and recent graduates, who may have some background knowledge of standard analytical techniques, but are not familiar with ‘hyphenated’ techniques or hybrid instrumentation. The review will begin by defining ‘complementary’, ‘hybrid’ and ‘hyphenated’ techniques, as there is not a broad consensus among analytical scientists as to what each term means. The motivating factors driving increased development of hyphenated analytical methods will also be discussed. This introduction will conclude with a brief discussion of gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy and energy dispersive x-ray analysis in electron microscopy as two examples, in the context that combining complementary techniques for chemical analysis were among the earliest examples of hyphenated characterisation methods. The emphasis of the main review will be on techniques which are sufficiently well-established that the instrumentation is commercially available, to examine physical properties including physical, mechanical, electrical and thermal, in addition to variations in composition, rather than methods solely to identify and quantify chemical species. Therefore, the proposed topical review will address three broad categories of techniques that the reader may expect to encounter in a well-equipped materials characterisation laboratory: microscopy based techniques, scanning probe-based techniques, and thermal analysis based techniques. Examples drawn from recent literature, and a concluding case study, will be used to explain the

Regularities of radiation defects build up on oxide materials surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bitenbaev, M.I.; Polyakov, A.I.; Tuseev, T.

2005-01-01

Analysis of experimental data by radiation defects study on different oxide elements (silicon, beryllium, aluminium, rare earth elements) irradiated by the photo-, gamma-, neutron-, alpha- radiation, protons and helium ions show, that gas adsorption process on the surface centers and radiation defects build up in metal oxide correlated between themselves. These processes were described by the equivalent kinetic equations for analysis of radiation defects build up in the different metal oxides. It was revealed in the result of the analysis: number of radiation defects are droningly increasing up to limit value with the treatment temperature growth. Constant of radicals death at ionizing radiation increases as well. Amount of surface defects in different oxides defining absorbing activity of these materials looks as: silicon oxide→beryllium oxide→aluminium oxide. So it was found, that most optimal material for absorbing system preparation is silicon oxide by it power intensity and berylium oxide by it adsorption efficiency

Nuclear radioactive techniques applied to materials research

CERN Document Server

Correia, João Guilherme; Wahl, Ulrich

2011-01-01

In this paper we review materials characterization techniques using radioactive isotopes at the ISOLDE/CERN facility. At ISOLDE intense beams of chemically clean radioactive isotopes are provided by selective ion-sources and high-resolution isotope separators, which are coupled on-line with particle accelerators. There, new experiments are performed by an increasing number of materials researchers, which use nuclear spectroscopic techniques such as Mössbauer, Perturbed Angular Correlations (PAC), beta-NMR and Emission Channeling with short-lived isotopes not available elsewhere. Additionally, diffusion studies and traditionally non-radioactive techniques as Deep Level Transient Spectroscopy, Hall effect and Photoluminescence measurements are performed on radioactive doped samples, providing in this way the element signature upon correlation of the time dependence of the signal with the isotope transmutation half-life. Current developments, applications and perspectives of using radioactive ion beams and tech...

Oriented strand board: new material for building construction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paridah Md Tahir; Ong, L.L.

2001-01-01

The paper will attempt to show the suitability and competitiveness of oriented strand board (OSB) in building construction. One important factor underlining the success of this product is the availability of the wood raw material. Plantation timbers such as rubberwood, paraserianthes falcataria, acacia crassicarpa, A. auriculiformis and A. mangium have been identified as the major source of this industry. We will focus on the domestic market as well as export market especially on the Asia Pacific region

Determination of natural radioactivity in building materials used in Tunisian dwellings by gamma ray spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hizem, N.; Fredj, A. B.; Ghedira, L.

2005-01-01

The radioisotopic content of 17 samples of natural and manufactured building materials collected in Tunisia have been analysed by using gamma spectrometry. From the measured gamma ray spectra, activity concentrations are determined for 232 Th, 226 Ra, 235 U and 40 K. The total effective dose and the activity concentration index are calculated applying the dose criteria recommended by the European Union for building materials. The results of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K found in Tunisian building materials indicate that radium and thorium concentrations do not exceed 40 Bq kg -1 , but potassium concentration varies between 50 and 1215 Bq kg -1 . The total effective dose rates per person indoors are determined to be between 0.07 and 0.86 mSv y -1 . Only two materials exceed the reference level of 0.3 mSv y -1 . The activity concentration index is <1. (authors)

Radon diffusion studies in some building materials using solid state nuclear track detectors

CERN Document Server

Singh, S; Singh, B; Singh, J

1999-01-01

LR-115 plastic track detector has been used to study radon diffusion through some building materials, viz. cement, soil, marble chips, sand and lime as well as air. Diffusion constant and diffusion length is calculated for all these materials.

Development of material balance evaluation technique(2)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Byung Doo

2000-06-01

IAEA considers that the evaluation on material balance is one of the important activities for detecting the diversion of nuclear materials as well as measurement uncertainties and measurement bias. Nuclear material accounting reports, the results of DA and NDA, the summarized lists of material stratified by inspector are necessary for the material balance evaluation. In this report, the concepts and evaluation methods of material balance evaluation such as the estimation techniques of random and systematic errors, MUF, D and MUF-D are described. As a conclusion, it is possible for national inspection to evaluate the material balance by applying the evaluation methods of the IAEA such as error estimation using operator-inspector paired data, inspector MUF(IMUF) evaluation

Analysis Techniques, Materials, and Methods for Treatment of Thermal Bridges in Building Envelopes

Science.gov (United States)

2013-08-01

Proceedings of the 3rd ASTM Symposium on Insulation Materials: Testing and Applications, 3d vol. American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) STP ...when the temperature of the material is shifted across its melting point. Currently, there many different PCMs on the market with a wide range of

Calculation of coal power plant cost on agricultural and material building impact of emission

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mochamad Nasrullah; Wiku Lulus Widodo

2016-01-01

Calculation for externally cost of Coal Power Plant (CPP) is very important. This paper is focus on CPP appear SO 2 impact on agricultural plant and material building. AGRIMAT'S model from International Atomic Energy Agency is model one be used to account environmental damage for air impact because SO 2 emission. Analysis method use Impact Pathways Assessment: Determining characteristic source, Exposure Response Functions (ERF), Impacts and Damage Costs, and Monetary Unit Cost. Result for calculate shows that SO 2 that issued CPP, if value of SO 2 is 19,3 μg/m3, damage cost begins valuably positive. It shows that the land around CPP has decrease prosperity, and it will disadvantage for agricultural plant. On material building, SO 2 resulting damage cost. The increase humidity price therefore damage cost on material building will increase cost. But if concentration SO 2 increase therefore damage cost that is appear on material building decrease. Expected this result can added with external cost on health impact of CPP. External cost was done at developed countries. If it is done at Indonesia, therefore generation cost with fossil as more expensive and will get implication on issue cut back gases greenhouse. On the other side, renewable energy and also alternative energy as nuclear have opportunity at national energy mix system. (author)

Connection between radon emanation and some structural properties of coal-slag as building material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Somlai, J.; Jobbagy, V.; Somlai, K.; Kovacs, J.; Nemeth, Cs.; Kovacs, T.

2008-01-01

Radionuclides of natural origin may accumulate in different industrial waste materials and by-products. The use of coal bottom ash or coal-slag as building material in Hungary is widespread. Because of the elevated radium content of coal-slag, high radon concentration has been detected in buildings containing coal-slag as building material. In two towns, where buildings contain coal-slag with almost the same radium concentration, the indoor radon concentrations have been found to differ significantly. In order to investigate the cause of the difference in the emanation coefficients, slag samples from the two locations were examined for grain-size distribution, density, pore volume, and specific surface. The applied methods were: gamma spectrometry for the radium concentration of the samples; Lucas cell method for the radon emanation; nitrogen absorption-desorption isotherms analyzed using the BET theory and mercury poremeter for the specific surface and pore volume. It was found that the great difference in the emanation coefficients (1.35±0.13% and 14.3±0.92%) of the coal-slag samples is primarily influenced by the pore volume and the specific surface

The concentration of natural radionuclides in various types of building materials in Slovakia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cabanekova, H [Inst. of Peventive and Clinical Medicine, Bratislava (Slovakia)

1996-12-31

The concentration of the natural radionuclides in various types of building materials was determined by the gamma spectrometry analysis using 130 cm{sup 3} high purity germanium detector and MCA LIVIUS 2000. Radium-226 and thorium-232 was assessed through their progeny photo peaks. The specific activity of both nuclides as weighted average of their photo peaks was determined. Potassium-40 was measured directly via its 1460 keV peak. The radium equivalent activity was calculate from specific activities of radium-226, thorium-232 and potassium-40. All samples were measured in 4{sup p}i{sup g}eometry. The building materials and products were milled and screened with 2-3 mm sieve. After drying the samples were stored in 450 cm{sup 3} sealed polyethylene container for 30 days ingrowing period. The results of analysis are corrected to the background distribution and to the self absorption in the volume of the samples. The efficiency calibration is realized using the reference sources distributed by IAEA in Vienna and by the Institute for Radionuclide Production in Prague The measured activity concentrations of the buildings materials are given. There are shown the minimum and maximum values for different investigated materials. (J.K.) 4 tabs., 5 refs.

Radon-222 exhalation from Danish building materials: H + H Industri A/S results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andersen, C.E.

1999-08-01

This report describes a closed-chamber method for laboratory measurements of the rate at which radon-222 degasses (exhales) from small building material samples. The chamber is 55 L in volume and the main sample geometry is a slab of dimensions 5x30x30 cm 3 . Numerical modelling is used to assess (and partly remove) the bias of the method relative to an ideal measurement of the free exhalation rate. Experimental results obtained with the method are found to be in agreement with the results of an open-chamber method (which is subject to different sources of error). Results of radon-222 exhalation rate measurements for 10 samples of Danish building materials are reported. Samples include ordinary concrete, lightweight aggregate concrete, autoclaved aerated concrete, bricks, and gypsum board. The maximum mass-specific exhalation rate is about 20 mBq h -1 kg -1 . Under consideration of the specific applications of the investigated building materials, the contribution to the indoor radon-222 concentration in a single-family reference house is calculated. Numerical modelling is used to help extrapolate the laboratory measurements on small samples to full scale walls. Application of typical materials will increase the indoor concentration by less than 10 Bq m -3 . (au)

Materials development and field demonstration of high-recycled-content concrete for energy-efficient building construction; FINAL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ostowari, Ken; Nosson, Ali

2000-01-01

The project developed high-recycled-content concrete material with balanced structural and thermal attributes for use in energy-efficient building construction. Recycled plastics, tire, wool, steel and concrete were used as replacement for coarse aggregates in concrete and masonry production. With recycled materials the specific heat and thermal conductivity of concrete could be tailored to enhance the energy-efficiency of concrete buildings. A comprehensive field project was implemented which confirmed the benefits of high-recycled-content concrete for energy-efficient building construction

Diagnosing in building main pipelines

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Telegin, L.G.; Gorelov, A.S.; Kurepin, B.N.; Orekhov, V.I.; Vasil' yev, G.G.; Yakovlev, Ye. I.

1984-01-01

General principles are examined for technical diagnosis in building main pipelines. A technique is presented for diagnosis during construction, as well as diagnosis of the technical state of the pipeline-construction machines and mechanisms. The survey materials could be used to set up construction of main pipelines.

Advanced phase change materials and systems for solar passive heating and cooling of residential buildings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Salyer, I.O.; Sircar, A.K.; Dantiki, S.

1988-01-01

During the last three years under the sponsorship of the DOE Solar Passive Division, the University of Dayton Research Institute (UDRI) has investigated four phase change material (PCM) systems for utility in thermal energy storage for solar passive heating and cooling applications. From this research on the basis of cost, performance, containment, and environmental acceptability, we have selected as our current and most promising series of candidate phase change materials, C-15 to C-24 linear crystalline alkyl hydrocarbons. The major part of the research during this contract period was directed toward the following three objectives. Find, test, and develop low-cost effective phase change materials (PCM) that melt and freeze sharply in the comfort temperature range of 73--77{degree}F for use in solar passive heating and cooling of buildings. Define practical materials and processes for fire retarding plasterboard/PCM building products. Develop cost-effective methods for incorporating PCM into building construction materials (concrete, plasterboard, etc.) which will lead to the commercial manufacture and sale of PCM-containing products resulting in significant energy conservation.

Reduction of Ambient Radon Activity by the use of Advanced Building Materials at King Saud University, Saudi Arabia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Diab, H.M.; Abd-El Hafeez, A.I.

2011-01-01

The spatial variation of radon concentration within the building of the preparatory year located in Riyadh was studied. Nuclear track detectors (CR-39) were used to measure radon concentration for two consecutive six month periods in more than 40 rooms of the surveyed building. Coefficient of variation (CV) was calculated as a measure of relative variation of radon concentration between floors and between rooms on the same floor. Floor mean ratios, with ground floor as a reference level, were calculated also in order to study the correlation between radon concentration and floor levels in case of using advanced Italian granite building material. All the results of this study were investigated and compared with usual Indian granite building material and it was found that the k nowledgement building i s a healthy work place which may be due to uses of advanced building materials.

Com-scan techniques for material evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jayakumar, T.K.; Naik, A.D.

1996-01-01

Presently a variety of products at various stages of production are being tested using NDT methods for ensuring their quality. The conventional NDT methods such as RT, UT, PT, MPT along with acoustic emission techniques are often employed for the purpose. However, the ever increasing demands for a comprehensive quality assurance of products necessitates newer avenues in testing methods to overcome certain inadequacies of conventional testing. This paper proposes Compton back-scatter technique as an additional alternative NDT tool for various measurements. When the radiation strikes material a small percentage of incident radiation scatters back with reduced energy. The back-scattered radiation is picked up by a digital backscatter gauge and analysed. The paper discusses experimental work carried out at the laboratory consisting of parameter evaluation, source detector geometry, back-scatter response for material, area effects, thickness and blockage measurements. The paper briefly discusses on-stream measurements carried out with the above experimental gauge. The paper deals with selection and comparison of measurements with those of ultrasonics. It also discusses the advantages of the radiation back-scatter testing. The paper recommends Com-scan back-scatter technique as a supplementary tool along with conventional testing. (author)

Dose and radon measurements inside houses containing ash as building material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bodnar, R.; Lendvai, Z.; Somlai, J.; Nemeth, C.

1996-01-01

Radon concentration and external dose have been measured in dwellings that contain by-products of coal burning for building materials. The concentrations of 40 K, 232 Th, 238 U and 226 Ra have been determined in the materials. The date are analyzed according to indices frequently used for decision of utilizing the by-products. The observed daily fluctuation of the radon concentration in dwellings might exceed a factor of 5. (author)

Techniques and methods in nuclear materials traceability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Persiani, P.J.

1996-01-01

The nonproliferation community is currently addressing concerns that the access to special nuclear materials may increase the illicit trafficking in weapons-usable materials from civil and/or weapons material stores and/or fuel cycles systems. Illicit nuclear traffic usually involves reduced quantities of nuclear materials perhaps as samplings of a potential protracted diversionary flow from sources to users. To counter illicit nuclear transactions requires the development of techniques and methods in nuclear material traceability as an important phase of a broad forensic analysis capability. This report discusses how isotopic signatures and correlation methods were applied to determine the origins of Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) and Plutonium samples reported as illicit trafficking in nuclear materials