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Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Buildings Environmental engineering'
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Coleman, Keith LaMar. "Building optimization : an integrated approach to the design of tall buildings." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/38942.
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Thesis (M. Eng.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2007.<br>Includes bibliographical references (p. 73-75).<br>There has been much research done on building optimization that deal with the issues within specific individual fields, such as architecture, structural engineering, and construction engineering. However, in practical application these issues must be addressed in a much more holistic manner as building design is becoming much more inclusive. A balance must be made that addresses the constructability and scheduling concerns of the contractor, the enclosure and spatial concerns of the architect, and finally the load-carrying concerns of the structural engineer. What if these issues were considered altogether and integrated more fully into building optimization? These issues and concerns would indubitably result in compromise solutions and tradeoffs that would have to be taken into account. This research will not only investigate and utilize current optimization techniques for the conceptual design of tall buildings, but also introduce a new metric in the dynamic analysis of high rise structures.<br>by Keith L. Coleman.<br>M.Eng.
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Graham, Mark Christopher. "Design strategies for coupling buildings." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1994. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/12307.
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Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 1994.<br>Includes bibliographical references (leaves 134-135).<br>by Mark Christopher Graham.<br>M.S.
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Chok, Kermin 1980. "Lateral systems for tall buildings." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/30135.
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Thesis (M. Eng.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2004.<br>Includes bibliographical references.<br>The advances in three-dimensional structural analysis and computing resources have allowed the efficient and safe design of increasingly taller structures. These structures are the consequence of increasing urban densification and economic viability. The modern skyscraper has and will thus continue to feature prominently in the landscape of urban cities. The trend towards progressively taller structures has demanded a shift from the traditional strength based design approach of buildings to a focus on constraining the overall motion of the structure. Structural engineers have responded to this challenge of lateral control with a myriad of systems that achieve motion control while adhering to the overall architectural vision. An investigation was carried out to understand the behavior of the different lateral systems employed in today's skyscrapers. The investigation examined the structural behavior of the traditional moment frame, the braced frame, the braced frame with outriggers and finally the tubular structure. The advantages and disadvantages of all schemes were explored from both an architectural and structural efficiency standpoint. Prior to the computer modeling of each lateral system, each scheme was understood from an analytical standpoint to both verify computer results and to illustrate the importance of hand calculations. The study repeatedly illustrated that motion was the governing condition and this led to the proposal of an approach for the design of braced frames.<br>by Kermin Chok.<br>M.Eng.
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Augé, Laurent J. (Laurent Jacques) 1980. "Structural magnetic induction dampers in buildings." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2003. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/29332.
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Thesis (M.Eng.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2003.<br>Includes bibliographical references (leaf 49).<br>This thesis discusses the feasibility of structural magnetic induction dampers for dampening mechanical vibrations in buildings subjected to strong dynamic excitations. The concept of energy harvesting in various fields of engineering is first examined. Then it is applied to the design of magnetic induction dampers in buildings. Various implementations of these dampers are proposed and the related expected performances are estimated. Simulations on buildings modeled as discrete multiple-degree-of-freedom shear beams subjected to earthquakes quantify the results and allow for a comparison of the performances with nonisolated and base-isolated buildings. This study demonstrates the potential efficiency of such dampers for harvesting mechanical energy in buildings and encourages further developments on this topic.<br>by Laurent J. Auge.<br>M.Eng.
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Gemme, Marie-Claude. "Seismic retrofitting of deficient Canadian buildings." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/51576.
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Thesis (M. Eng.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2009.<br>Includes bibliographical references (p. 74-77).<br>Many developed countries such as Canada and the United States are facing a significant infrastructure crisis. Most of their facilities have been built with little consideration of seismic design and durability issues. As a result, these structures are vulnerable to earthquake loadings and are in urgent need of repair and retrofit. This thesis provides a literature review of the vulnerability of Canadian infrastructures built prior to the development of seismic design provisions in actual codes of practice and standards. It describes the performance of typical structures under earthquake loading, such as unreinforced masonry buildings, flat slab concrete buildings and steel frame buildings. It then presents the most common retrofitting strategies applicable to low-rise buildings commonly found in major Canadian cities. A case study assessing the performance of hybrid base isolation systems is then presented. The performance of passive and semi-active hybrid base isolation system is evaluated through the use of a SIMULINK computer model of a typical two-story concrete frame building. A significant reduction in interstory displacement is achieved using the passive system and further reduction in base displacement and base shear is accomplished using the semi-active system.<br>by Marie-Claude Gemme.<br>M.Eng.
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Abboud, Klink Boutros Sami. "Motion-based design methodology for buildings." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1995. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/33261.
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Gianferante, Nicholas F. (Nicholas Frank) 1964. "The application of photovoltaics for buildings." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1999. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/80151.
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Thesis (M.Eng.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 1999.<br>Includes bibliographical references (leaves 83-84).<br>by Nicholas F. Gianferante.<br>M.Eng.
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Abboud, Klink Boutros Sami. "Motion-based design methodology for buildings." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1993. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/41325.
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Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 1993.<br>Includes bibliographical references (leaves 131-132).<br>by Boutros Sami Abboud Klink.<br>M.S.
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Malmqvist, Tove. "Methodological aspects of environmental assessment of buildings." Doctoral thesis, KTH, Miljöstrategisk analys, 2008. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-9742.
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The built environment contributes extensively to the overall environmental impact of society. An increasing number of tools have been developed worldwide for comprehensive environmental assessment and rating of buildings in order to make the building sector more sustainable. These tools are expected to drive and facilitate future environmental improvements and market transformation in the sector. This thesis explores different methodological aspects in tool development using experiences from two large Swedish projects, the EcoEffect and ByggaBo tools, which were developed with a high level of stakeholder participation in order to be of practical use in the building sector. The methodological aspects explored and discussed here include an approach for systematic selection of assessment aspects (energy use, indoor air quality, etc.) in tools (Paper 3), and a systematic procedure for selecting practical indicators using theoretical (e.g. validity/environmental relevance) and practical (e.g. costs) criteria (Papers 2 and 3). An approach for simple communication of complex results is presented with examples from 26 multi-family buildings (Paper 4). This approach allows a building’s ‘environmental efficiency’ to be presented in one diagram, without weighting the two distinct assessment areas energy use and indoor environmental quality. Paper 5 discusses the contextual issue of internal use of environmental indicators in property management organisations through reviews of environmental performance evaluation and organisation theory literature and comparisons with actual case studies. The EcoEffect (Paper 1) and the ByggaBo tools are also compared and summarised. The case studies of real buildings and experiences from the EcoEffect and ByggaBo projects allowed data collection, calculation procedures and different practical applications of such tools to be evaluated. Poor data availability sometimes limits assessments, and improved internal routines and database developments in the building sector would allow more reliable environmental assessments. Reviews of numerous indicators in Paper 3 (and 2) and literature revealed that environmental relevance was not a key aspect when current environmental performance indicators and building rating tools were constructed. This thesis suggests that environmental relevance and systematic procedures be prioritised in order to provide robust and trustworthy tools for environmental assessment of buildings. Recommendations, some of which are generally applicable to other environmental assessments, include selection of environmentally relevant indicators, systematic procedures for handling theoretical and practical considerations in tool development, aggregation and weighting methods, use of a life cycle perspective and inclusion of performance-based rather than feature-based indicators. Since it is likely that the information these tools provide will increasingly be used by authorities, building users, economic incentive providers such as banks, etc., the methodological developments suggested here to strengthen tool rigour are important for future tool development processes.<br>Utvecklingen av verktyg för miljöbedömning av byggnader är ett område som expanderat kraftigt sedan 1990-talets början. Den ökande medvetenheten om den byggda miljöns omfattande bidrag till samhällets miljöpåverkan i stort har spelat stor roll för denna utveckling. Verktygen förväntas ha en betydelsefull roll i att driva på och underlätta miljöförbättringar och omdaning av marknaden i bygg- och fastighetssektorn. Denna avhandling utforskar olika metodaspekter för verktygsutveckling och bygger på erfarenheterna från två stora svenska metodutvecklingsprojekt för miljöbedömning av byggnader, EcoEffect och ByggaBo:s miljöklassning av byggnader. Båda dessa verktyg togs fram i samarbete med ett stort antal representanter från bygg- och fastighetssektorn, då verktygen syftade till praktisk användning. Ett antal metodaspekter utforskas och diskuteras i avhandlingen. I artikel 3 föreslås och testas ett angreppssätt för systematiskt urval av miljöaspekter som ska bedömas av ett verktyg och dessutom föreslås här och i artikel 2 ett systematiskt tillvägagångssätt för att välja indikatorer för praktiskt användning utifrån både teoretiska (t ex. validitet) och praktiska (t ex. kostnad) kriterier. Ett angreppssätt för att underlätta kommunikation av komplexa miljöbedömningsresultat presenteras genom exempel från 26 flerfamiljshus i artikel 4. Detta angreppssätt möjliggör att redovisa en byggnads ‘miljöeffektivitet’ i ett diagram utan att behöva vikta de två disparata miljöaspekterna energianvändning och innemiljö. Artikel 5 tar upp användning av miljöindikatorer för internt arbete i fastighetsförvaltande organisationer genom litteraturöversikter inom områdena utvärdering av miljöprestanda och organisationsteori samt genom jämförelser med praktiska fallstudier. Verktygen EcoEffect (artikel 1) och nuvarande version av ByggaBo:s miljöklassningssystem sammanfattas också och jämförs i avhandlingen. Genom ett antal fallstudier av verkliga byggnader och erfarenheterna från EcoEffect- och ByggaBo-projekten utvärderas frågor som insamling av indata, beräkningsmetoder och olika praktiska tillämpningar i avhandlingen. Dålig tillgång på indata begränsar ibland möjligheterna att göra miljöbedömningar. Förbättrade interna rutiner samt utveckling av nya typer av databaser inom bygg- och fastighetssektorn kommer med största sannolikhet att underlätta miljöbedömningar i framtiden. Granskning av ett stort antal miljöindikatorer i artikel 3 (och 2) och litteratur på området visade att när miljöindikatorer och miljöklassningsmetoder tagits fram, har miljörelevansen hos dessa sällan haft högsta prioritet. Ett övergripande mål för denna avhandling har därför varit att bidra med rekommendationer som kan stärka miljörelevansen och trovärdigheten hos liknande indikatorer och verktyg. Några av de angreppssätt som föreslås är tillämpliga mer generellt också för andra typer av miljöbedömningar; t ex. hur miljörelevanta miljöindikatorer kan väljas, hur både teoretiska och praktiska överväganden kan hanteras på ett systematiskt sätt vid liknande verktygsutveckling, angreppssätt för viktning och aggregering av resultat samt användning av ett livscykelperspektiv. Vid miljöbedömning av byggnader bör också funktionsbaserade indikatorer i första hand väljas snarare än sådana som baseras på specifika tekniska utföranden. En trolig utveckling är att nya typer av användare i större utsträckning kommer att efterfråga den information som miljöbedömningsverktyg för byggnader kan tillhandahålla. Det kan handla om t ex. myndigheter, husköpare och ekonomiska incitamentsgivare såsom banker. Av denna anledning är de frågor som rör metodutveckling och tas upp i avhandlingen, klart betydelsefulla för att stärka noggrannhet, robusthet och trovärdighet i framtida utveckling av miljöbedömningsverktyg för byggnader.<br>QC 20100601<br>Miljöklassning av byggnader<br>EcoEffect - miljövärdering av byggnader<br>Miljöstyrning med miljöindikatorer i fastighetsförvaltning
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Cheung, Po-leung Alan, and 張寶樑. "Improvement of building legislation to include environmental design incommercial buildings of Hong Kong." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2001. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B31254858.
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Rostek, Mateusz. "Constructing steel modular buildings with varying interconnections." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/119321.
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Thesis: M. Eng., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2018.<br>Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.<br>Includes bibliographical references (pages 86-88).<br>Modular construction uses prefabricated building components called modules, which are fabricated in a factory, transported to a site, and then assembled together to create a building. A "module" is one of the building blocks used to construct a modular building and may be comprised of a load bearing structure, MEP components, interior finishes, and exterior cladding. This alternate way of building using prefabricated units leads to advantages such as: faster construction, cost savings, and sustainability benefits. Historically, modular construction has predominantly been used in the development of low rise, temporary, or portable buildings. However, recently this prefabricated building technology has spread into multi-story applications and a wider range of building types such as hospitals, residential complexes, and schools. As more high-rise buildings are being built using modular construction, new structural challenges must be addressed. Lateral and gravity loads increase with height and the design of building connections and their lateral force resisting systems becomes ever more critical. Although several case studies describing modular buildings are publicly available, there is a lack of detailed scientific data explaining their structural performance. This thesis attempts to shorten the knowledge gap by investigating the effect interconnections have on the behavior of a modular building. In this study modular interconnections are defined as the connections within modular buildings which link discrete modules together allowing them to act as a single structure. Modular interconnections are a keen area of interest as their design affects the global behavior of a modular building. To understand the effect different interconnections have on the stability of a modular building, a study is conducted where several building prototypes with various interconnections are modelled and analyzed.<br>by Mateusz Rostek.<br>M. Eng.
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Zheng, Ming M. Eng Massachusetts Institute of Technology. "Modal pushover analysis for high-rise buildings." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/82829.
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Thesis (M. Eng.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2013.<br>Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.<br>Includes bibliographical references (pages 50).<br>Pushover analysis is a nonlinear static analysis tool widely used in practice to predict and evaluate seismic performance of structures. Since only the fundamental mode is considered and the inelastic theorem is imperfect for the conventional pushover analysis, a modified Modal Pushover Analysis (MPA) is proposed by researchers. In this thesis, the theories of dynamics for single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) and multiple-degree-of-freedom (MDOF) are introduced, including elastic analysis and inelastic analysis. The procedures and equations for time history analysis, modal analysis, pushover analysis and modal pushover analysis are discussed in detail. Then an 8-story height model and a 16-story height model are established for analysis. The pushover analysis is conducted for each equivalent SDOF system, and by combination of the distribution of 1 mode, 2 modes and 3 modes, the responses of modal pushover analysis are obtained. The results of pushover analysis and modal pushover analysis are compared with those of time history analysis. The results of the analysis show that the conventional pushover analysis is mostly limited to low- and medium-rise structures in which only the first mode is considered and where the mode shape is constant. The modal pushover analysis is shown to have a superior accuracy in evaluation of seismic demands for higher buildings, especially for story drift ratios and column shears. With this in mind, some design recommendations and areas of future work are proposed in the conclusion.<br>by Ming Zheng.<br>M.Eng.
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O'Neill, Jeremiah C. (Jeremiah Charles). "Application of damping in high-rise buildings." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/34589.
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Thesis (M. Eng.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2006.<br>Includes bibliographical references (;eaf 60).<br>The outrigger structural system has proven to be an efficient lateral stiffness system for high-rise buildings under static loadings. The purpose of this thesis is to research the incorporation of viscous dampers into the outrigger system to improve the dynamic performance. This study will be conducted on a typical high-rise structure in Boston, MA in attempt to find realistic results. This thesis will utilize two analysis models for the study: a simplified single degree of freedom model and a more sophisticated computer model constructed with the structural analysis software, SAP2000. The models will be used to assess the effect that increasing damping or changing damper locations has on the dynamic performance of the structure. Furthermore, the constructability issues of each damping configuration will be identified and discussed.<br>by Jeremiah C. O'Neill, Jr.<br>M.Eng.
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Steyer, Marc A. (Marc Andrew) 1978. "Multifunctionality of distributed sloshing dampers in buildings." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2002. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/84834.
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Kordahi, Ray Z. (Ray Zahi) 1979. "Underpinning strategies for buildings with deep foundations." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/29413.
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Thesis (M. Eng.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2004.<br>Includes bibliographical references (leaf 54).<br>Nowadays, numerous underpinning methods are available to provide safe, fast and practical solutions to nearly any geotechnical problem related to the foundations of a structure. This paper discusses these techniques with an emphasis on grouting and micropiling underpinning systems. Furthermore, some practical case studies such as the current Boston Central Artery Project (Big Dig), where these techniques were adopted, are presented showing the main stages of their construction execution and their main advantages and disadvantages.<br>by Ray Z. Kordahi.<br>M.Eng.
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Wathier, Claire-Marine. "Probabilistic evaluation of flood damage in buildings." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/90033.
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Thesis: M. Eng., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2014.<br>Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.<br>Includes bibliographical references (page 77).<br>Because the ocean level keeps rising and because hurricanes and storms become increasingly destructive in terms of damage and economic loss, the built environment has become very vulnerable to floods. Every city is building a resilient plan to decrease its vulnerability. However, the studies are often reduced to case studies and if engineers manage to build smarter, to upgrade or strengthen existing systems, they do not necessarily evaluate accurately their effect on damage. This is why this thesis starts by identifying the key factors that define and impact flood damage, then defining other parameters that are more oriented towards resilience. Based on these considerations, a probabilistic evaluation of flood damage in buildings can be conducted and the sensitivity of each parameter is evaluated in order to reduce the total loss. Then a new objective becomes to find how modifying parameters, and consequently the structure, leads to less damage without losing its cost-effectiveness. The first thesis' aim was to evaluate flood damage on buildings. However, building's damage is more diverse than expected and evaluating flood damage effect turns out to be actually only the beginning in the process of resilience.<br>by Claire-Marine Wathier.<br>M. Eng.
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Wu, Tai-Chieh 1976. "Design of base isolation system for buildings." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2001. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/84293.
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Laub, Errol (Errol Jonathan) 1976. "Design methodologies for controlling vibrations in buildings." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1999. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/33824.
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Thesis (M.Eng.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 1999.<br>Includes bibliographical references (leaves 44-45).<br>Although vibration absorbers have been employed in mechanical equipment mounting for over 100 years, they have only recently been used for isolating large-scale structures such as bridges and buildings. Their applications range from acoustic to seismic isolation of structures. Virtually any vibration magnitude can be prevented from degrading the performance of a structure. This thesis is intended to provide a practical introduction to the design and suitability of vibration isolators for various environments. It contains a discussion of the past, present and future of vibration isolation associated with buildings. Analysis and design examples are provided to illustrate the design methodology.<br>by Errol Laub.<br>M.Eng.
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Park, Daekwon. "Multiscale Thermal Design for Buildings." Thesis, Harvard University, 2016. http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:30499027.
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This dissertation investigates the principles, processes, and strategies to develop multiscale material systems for buildings that interact with heat in novel ways. The overall theoretical framework consists of (1) utilizing the multiscale configuration of biological material systems as the principle for the design of building element; (2) using the shape and size of heat flow as the key parameter for the design and optimization of the building elements; and (3) applying the principles of materials and material processes for selecting and configuring the material systems. This framework is examined in Part I through literature review and case studies; and implemented in Part II through a series of experiments for the designing, prototyping and testing a thermally augmented building envelope system. The results of the analytical model and the physical testing show strong correlations which validate the usage of the analytical model in the thermal optimization of building elements at a wide range of geometric and temperature variations. To evaluate the performance of the system standards including the recommended U-value for building envelopes and the targeted ventilation and heat recovery rate per occupant is used. The overall dissertation can provide architects with the essential knowledge and strategies for developing thermally augmented building elements. Similarly, the research can also inform the scientists and engineers on the thermal design constraints and opportunities relating to building applications. Although this research is focused on heat as the key environmental factor, the theoretical framework can be extended to other factors such as light and sound.
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Spanos, Ioannis. "An Engineering Design Approach to the Energy and Environmental Management of New Buildings." Thesis, Coventry University, 2007. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.492376.
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Energy in buildings is recognised as a major environmental and financial issue. Scientists have recognised that in near future the energy produced from fossil fuels may not be sufficient to fulfil the man's energy needs and that continuous resources exploitation at current rates will be harmful to the stability of earth's climate. Carbon dioxide, which is released during the combustion of conventional fuels, traps heat within earth's atmosphere and as a result the global temperature is expected to rise at levels above any experienced before by our civilisation. In order for the carbon dioxide emissions, which are released to the atmosphere by human activities within buildings, to be stabilised and reduced, all new buildings should be designed towards net operational zero emissions. More than forty percent of the energy consumed in UK is within buildings. By exploring all the options for the provision of low carbon energy and the efficient use of energy this thesis provides a background in technologies and examines their value to a building. Low and zero carbon technologies are qualitatively and quantitatively assessed especially for new buildings. For all the technologies examined, technical aspects of their design are appraised and their financial viability in the current business environment is examined. Procedures for the optimisation of design are proposed based on the research conclusions. A new assessment tool CARB-FM, i.e. Carbon Abatement Relative Balance Financial Method, has been developed, and tested on a number of cases. CARBFM is a multifaceted tool which considers the technology, the financial cost and the environmental impact. CARB-FM can be used as a decision making tool for any kind of project which assesses the environmental credits of technologies by energy saving of primary energy resources. Future bUilding design must encapsulate the life time energy requirements, and planners, engineers and architects can apply CARB-FM to provide a low-carbon design solution in which the most cost efficient energy saving measures will have been i.ntroduced by engineering design during early stages of the design process.
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Joelsson, Anna. "Primary energy efficiency and CO2 mitigation in residential buildings." Doctoral thesis, Mittuniversitetet, Institutionen för teknik och hållbar utveckling, 2008. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:miun:diva-7865.
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In order to control climate change it is important to limit the atmosphericconcentration of carbon dioxide (CO2). Increased energy efficiency, as well as ashift from fossil fuels to renewable resources can reduce net CO2 emission. Theenergy required for constructing and operating buildings is significant in manycountries, and it is thus important to design energy efficient buildings and energysupply systems.Improvements in existing buildings are needed in order to achieve short-termemission reductions. The Swedish building stock expanded greatly during the1960s and 1970s. The energy efficiency of these houses was often quite low, andmany of them were built with resistance heating. In this thesis increased energyefficiency in such buildings is studied, as well as conversions from resistanceheating to other heating systems, and various technologies and fuels for theproduction of electricity and heat. The effects of these measures are analysed withrespect to primary energy use, CO2 emission and societal cost. The studies wereperformed using process-based systems analysis in a life-cycle perspective. Thesystem boundaries include energy chains from the natural resources to the usefulelectricity and heat in the houses. The results show that the choice of heatingsystem in the house has a greater effect on the primary energy use than measureson both the house envelope and the energy supply chains. District heating basedon cogeneration of heat and electricity and bedrock heat pumps were found to beenergy-efficient systems. The net emission of CO2 is dependent on the fuel and theCO2 emissions from these systems are comparable to those from a wood pelletboiler, if biomass-based supply chains are used. Conversion from resistanceheating to any of the other heating systems studied is also profitable from a societaleconomic perspective.The decision to implement energy-efficiency measures or install a new heatingsystem in a detached house is taken by the house owner. In order for successfulimplementation the alternatives must either be sufficiently attractive or incentivesor policy instruments that affects this large, inhomogeneous group must beimplemented. In this thesis, the house owners’ economic situation when changingthe heating system and implementing energy-efficiency measures on the buildingenvelope is analysed. The economic analysis includes current Swedish policyinstruments, such as an investment subsidy for heating system conversion, anincome tax deduction for replacing windows, levying a consumer electricity tax and increasing real estate tax. House owners’ perceptions of different heatingsystems are analysed through the results of comprehensive questionnaires. Societaleconomy, private economy and individuals’ perceptions are compared. Theconversion subsidy provides some incentive to house owners to act according tothe national energy policy, as does the electricity tax, which has a significantinfluence on consumer costs. The use of economic instruments seems efficient inpromoting systems in line with environmental goals since environmental factorsare ranked much lower by the home owners. However, the effect on the annualcost of most of the policy instruments studied is smaller than the price variationsbetween different energy suppliers. Energy suppliers thus have considerableopportunity to influence house owners.To achieve long-term changes in the building sector new houses should beconstructed with as low primary energy use and emission as possible, seen overtheir entire life cycle. The primary energy use is analysed for both the productionand operational phase of several types of residential buildings. When the demandfor operational primary energy decreases, due to a high energy standard orenergy-efficient supply, the relative importance of the energy required forproduction will increase. The amount of primary energy required for theproduction of a new low-energy building is significant compared with the primaryenergy required for space heating. One way of reducing both primary energy useand CO2 emission in the production phase is to use constructions with woodframes instead of concrete.The energy supply system is nevertheless still important also for low energybuildings. A new house built to passive standard, heated with fossil-fuel-basedresistance heating gives rise to higher primary energy use and CO2 emission than aconventional detached house from the 1970s that is heated with an energy-efficientbiomass-based heating system. The results thus indicate that wood-framed houseswith a high energy standard, together with efficient energy supply systems, couldbe an option for sustainable residential construction.
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Settlemyre, Kevin (Kevin Franklin) 1971. "Operational, aesthetic, and construction process performance for innovative passive and active solar building components for residential buildings." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2000. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/9102.
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Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Architecture; and, (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2000.<br>Includes bibliographical references (leaves 295-300).<br>A system-based framework creates the ability to integrate operational, aesthetic, and construction process performance. The framework can be used to evaluate innovations within residential construction. By reducing the constraints for use, the framework is adaptable and flexible to specific projects and to the alternatives developed by the user. Passive and active solar design strategies are brought together in the creation of the Energy Producing Wall (EPW) components. Two component types, EPW1 & EPW2, can be adapted to create five different panel types. These units can be installed on the roof or vertical walls, and provide the innovative subject for evaluation within the framework. Four alternatives within two prototype homes, located in two climates, were analyzed to represent the existing and potential stock of housing and to provide the source of input data into the framework. An adaptable spreadsheet analysis, based on past and current analytical methods, establishes the EPW's potential benefit on the heating, cooling, electricity and total energy consumption loads within the prototype designs . Visualization models combined with physical models assess the aesthetics. The development of a Dynamic Process Model for Light Wood Framing (DPM-LWF) represents the framing construction process for the prototype designs, and provides time and cost impacts of the EPW alternatives. The. results from each analytical tool are combined to analyze the impacts of implementation, case results and sensitivities within the cases. A 'case result format' presents the results of the multiple alternatives for direct comparison, and can guide further investigations and information within the document. The EPW components demonstrated a 95% benefit for the electrical load of the "Modern Design" in Phoenix (currently), and the potential to reach over 100% benefit of the heating load in Boston for the "Sears Design."<br>by Kevin Settlemyre.<br>S.M.
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Besing, Christa 1978. "The retrofitting of existing buildings for seismic criteria." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/30137.
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Thesis (M. Eng.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2004.<br>Includes bibliographical references (leaves 52-53).<br>This thesis describes the process for retrofitting a building for seismic criteria. It explains the need for a new, performance-based design code to provide a range of acceptable building behavior. It then outlines the procedure for retrofitting a building. This procedure begins with acquiring information about the existing building and its surroundings. The building owner or client then needs to work with the design professional to establish an acceptable performance level, or rehabilitation objective. A rehabilitation method must then be selected that determines how the building should be analyzed. The analysis of the building, including suggested rehabilitation strategies, must then be performed. Once the analysis indicates that the building will perform to its prescribed performance level, the rehabilitation strategies must then be implemented. The thesis ends with a description of two buildings that have recently been retrofitted, or are in the processes of being retrofitted. It gives an overview of the selected rehabilitation strategies and the reasoning behind their selection.<br>by Christa Besing.<br>M.Eng.
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Gamaniouk, Taras. "Parametric analysis of progressive collapse in high-rise buildings." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/89848.
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Thesis: M. Eng., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2014.<br>This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.<br>Cataloged from student-submitted PDF version of thesis.<br>Includes bibliographical references (page 53).<br>Progressive collapse has become a topic of interest in recent years leading to a greater focus on the resilience of structures. The propagation of a local failure can become catastrophic and lead to multiple deaths, injuries and destruction of property. These types of events have been predominant in mid to high-rise buildings under both accidental and intentional circumstances. The dire consequences associated with these types of buildings have fueled research efforts into preventative measures for progressive collapse. Three main design methods have been implemented for the design of progressive collapse: tie forces, enhanced local resistance and alternate load path. Each method features its own advantages and disadvantages; however, the alternate load path is currently the preferred procedure as it is accurate and capable of dealing with complex systems. This method is investigated in detail with a specific focus on nonlinear dynamic analysis. The technique is applied for three different structural systems which are commonly used for high-rise buildings: moment frames, braced frames and truss tube systems. A variety of 2D structural models are analysed for their performance under progressive collapse conditions with variable building parameters. The results of the investigation infer that taller buildings are inherently better at preventing progressive collapse as the load is diminished throughout the building allowing less plastic hinges to form. This result was common in all three structural models with the braced frames exhibiting a better structural response to local failure in comparison to moment frame buildings. The study identifies the advantage of implementing hybrid structural frames for the prevention of collapse in high-rise buildings. Integration of moment frames for the lower stories of buildings is shown to be an effective mitigation method for progressive collapse.<br>by Taras Gamaniouk.<br>M. Eng.
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Tzonev, Tzonu. "Seismic retrofit of precast panel buildings in Eastern Europe." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/82720.
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Thesis (M. Eng.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2013.<br>This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.<br>Cataloged from student-submitted PDF version of thesis.<br>Includes bibliographical references (pages 85-87).<br>Many countries in Eastern Europe, particularly ones from the former Soviet Bloc, are facing a potential crisis regarding their deteriorating precast panel apartment buildings. These complexes were built using industrial methods in response to the housing shortage during the 1960s, 70s and 80s. An ending lifecycle in combination with the poor design and construction quality makes these buildings extremely vulnerable to earthquakes that are frequent in the region. This thesis addresses the need to act urgently in order to rehabilitate these structures and ensure that they meet today's building code requirements. It is achieved through a case study that explores the effectiveness of global bracing seismic mitigation techniques on an existing precast panel building located in Sofia, Bulgaria. The in-situ building is first analyzed using SAP2000 and then again after the bracing is added to the model. A variety of parameters such as drift, floor acceleration and seismic damage are compared with cost and plausibility of the chosen options. As a final outcome, the external bracing scheme used in this study does in fact decrease both the floor accelerations and the interstory drift by at least 10% and in some cases as much as 85%. During the thesis, several local experts and practicing structural engineers were interviewed and consulted. For this study it is assumed that the building has a close statistical representation of other buildings with similar structural system both in Bulgaria and neighboring Eastern European countries.<br>by Tzonu Tzonev.<br>M.Eng.
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Acuña, Maria Isabel 1971. "Reducing time in the construction of high rise buildings." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2000. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/80646.
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Gerasimidis, Symeon. "Application of knee-bracing system on high-rise buildings." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/35079.
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Thesis (M. Eng.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2006.<br>Includes bibliographical references (leaf 60).<br>The need and ambition of humanity to go higher and higher is something that is amplified as time evolves. It is the same need that leads engineers to push their structures to higher limits. However, when engineers design higher structures their knowledge and their abilities are challenged. In that sense, during the design process of a high-rise building all the strange phenomenon of the behavior of the structure must be considered. A very significant factor that affects the limits of today's high-rise construction is the wind loading. Bracing the building in a clever and more efficient way was always a difficult task for designers and engineers. This thesis deals with a bracing system called the knee-bracing system. The application of knee-bracing system for high-rise buildings is not yet fully determined and this study will try to describe the problem and provide some solutions. Knee-bracing will be checked and the possibility of providing the required results using the minimum amount of material and giving the maximum space for use from the residents or workers of the building will be examined.<br>(cont.) Several different cases of loading and knee-bracing systems are considered and an optimization for the design of such systems is described. The last part of the document describes the idea of adaptive stiffness, something new for high-rise buildings. Reinforcing these ideas, solutions for the construction of these bracings are also provided.<br>by Symeon Gerasimidis.<br>M.Eng.
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Collinge, William O. "A dynamic life cycle assessment framework for whole buildings including indoor environmental quality impacts." Thesis, University of Pittsburgh, 2013. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=3573266.
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<p> Life cycle assessment (LCA) can aid in quantifying the environmental impacts of whole buildings by evaluating materials, construction, operation and end of life phases with the goal of identifying areas of potential improvement. Since buildings have long useful lifetimes, and the use phase can have large environmental impacts, variations within the use phase can sometimes be greater than the total impacts of other phases. Additionally, buildings are operated within changing industrial and environmental systems; the simultaneous evaluation of these dynamic systems is recognized as a need in LCA. At the whole building level, LCA of buildings has also failed to account for internal impacts due to indoor environmental quality (IEQ). The two key contributions of this work are 1) the development of an explicit framework for DLCA and 2) the inclusion of IEQ impacts related to both occupant health and productivity. DLCA was defined as “an approach to LCA which explicitly incorporates dynamic process modeling in the context of temporal and spatial variations in the surrounding industrial and environmental systems.” IEQ impacts were separated into three types: 1) chemical impacts, 2) nonchemical health impacts, and 3) productivity impacts. Dynamic feedback loops were incorporated in a combined energy/IEQ model, which was applied to an illustrative case study of the Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation (MCSI) building at the University of Pittsburgh. Data were collected by a system of energy, temperature, airflow and air quality sensors, and supplemented with a postoccupancy building survey to elicit occupants’ qualitative evaluation of IEQ and its impact on productivity. The IEQ+DLCA model was used to evaluate the tradeoffs or co-benefits of energy-savings scenarios. Accounting for dynamic variation changed the overall results in several LCIA categories—increasing nonrenewable energy use by 15% but reducing impacts due to criteria air pollutants by over 50%. Internal respiratory effects due to particulate matter were up to 10% of external impacts, and internal cancer impacts from VOC inhalation were several times to almost an order of magnitude greater than external cancer impacts. An analysis of potential energy saving scenarios highlighted tradeoffs between internal and external impacts, with some energy savings coming at a cost of negative impacts on either internal health, productivity or both. Findings support including both internal and external impacts in green building standards, and demonstrate an improved quantitative LCA method for the comparative evaluation of building designs.</p>
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Buntrock, Rebecca (Rebecca Miriam). "Structural performance of early 20th century masonry high rise buildings." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/60760.
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Thesis (M. Eng.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2010.<br>Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.<br>Includes bibliographical references (p. 65-67).<br>Early generation high rise buildings built between 1890 and World War 11 represent a technical transition between traditional load bearing masonry construction and modern curtain wall systems, and are typically referred to as 'transitional masonry buildings'. These structures comprise a large percentage of the building stock constructed in the early twentieth century. Two pertinent issues have emerged with these structures as they age. The first is the deterioration of the exterior masonry facade, which is largely a result of deficiencies in the construction method of these structures. The second issue is that it is very difficult to properly predict their structural performance because of the complicated interaction between the masonry infill and the structural frame. Underestimating or misdiagnosing the structural performance of a transitional masonry building can result in improper interventions. The aim of this thesis is to increase the understanding of the structural and facade performance of transitional masonry buildings and present methods for their analysis. A case study of a transitional masonry building is structurally analyzed using linear and nonlinear procedures to determine the contribution of the masonry infill as well as to investigate the feasibility of using simplified analytical models to predict structural performance.<br>by Rebecca Buntrock.<br>M.Eng.
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Cook, Jason A. (Jason Andrew). "Structural steel framing options for mid- and high rise buildings." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/34634.
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Thesis (M. Eng.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2006.<br>Includes bibliographical references.<br>Selecting a structural system for a building is a complex, multidisciplinary process. No design project is the same; however, there are certain criteria that are commonly true in the initial phase of evaluating different structural schemes. These criteria encompass all aspects of a full, functioning building, forcing the design team to be creative in their approach of satisfying all facets. An investigation was carried out for several structural steel framing options available to designers. The schemes describe how each successfully resist lateral loads explaining the advantages and disadvantages of each. Many of the structural design tools available for initial structural system evaluation are strength based. The demand for cheaper, more efficient and taller structures has paved the way for performance based design. A simple cantilever beam performance based analysis was utilized to evaluate three common structural framing schemes in order to gain a better understanding of the performance of each. Results give recommendations for efficient structural solutions for proposed buildings as a function of height.<br>by Jason A. Cook.<br>M.Eng.
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Gamaliel, Renard. "Frequency-based response of damped outrigger systems for tall buildings." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/43899.
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Thesis (M. Eng.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2008.<br>Includes bibliographical references (leaf 77).<br>The outrigger structural system for tall buildings is known to be effective in reducing lateral drift under quasi-static wind loading. Although keeping lateral deflection below the required value is certainly important, it is found that in most tall buildings without supplementary damping, the design for stiffness is usually governed by occupant comfort under lateral acceleration. This thesis describes the concept of incorporating fluid viscous dampers in the outrigger system to add supplementary damping into the structure. A 40-story building installed with the variant outrigger system is analyzed for dynamic response due to wind effects such as buffeting and vortex shedding. By constructing an 80-dof discrete lumped mass model, and using a frequency-based response approach, two configurations of dampers, namely series and parallel damping are studied in detail. The effect of increasing damper size to overall achievable building damping is monitored for both configurations. Additionally, design and constructability issues with regards to the implementation of the systems are discussed.<br>by Renard Gamaliel.<br>M.Eng.
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Wasef, Abram. "Serviceability-based design of tall buildings subjected to vortex shedding." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/99626.
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Thesis: M. Eng., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2015.<br>Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.<br>Includes bibliographical references (pages 95-97).<br>With the increasing rate of population, there is an increase in demand for housing for people and their families. Due to the limited amount of land space, one of the most viable and feasible solutions is increase the number and height of residential and office buildings leading to a requirement of having a special design for these tall buildings. Due to the advancement of technology leading to an increase in the strength of materials used in construction, these types of buildings can be built. This leads to lesser amounts of materials used and resulting in lightweight structures that are flexible. As the height of the buildings increases, these lightweight structures become more flexible making them susceptible to excessive wind-induced motion. Although there are multiple factors that govern serviceability in tall buildings, it has been deduced from the literature, that acceleration is a very important factor, and that as the level of acceleration increases, people become more uncomfortable. Moreover, across wind response caused mainly due to vortex shedding becomes a very important phenomenon that needs to be dealt with, and which also contributes a significant amount of acceleration on the building. Acceleration due to vortex shedding is the focus of this thesis. To determine a solution, information on factors affecting serviceability of tall buildings, how increasing effects of these factors would affect occupants, and how current standards and codes deal with serviceability requirements were obtained. Using this information, a methodology similar to the Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center (PEER) criteria was developed to determine the relationship between these different factors. All of these factors were incorporated in different cost functions and combined together to evaluate the serviceability of tall buildings over their lifetime from an economical perspective. A flexible parametric approach was used to analyze how varying the level of damping, stiffness and the negative effects due to wind-induced acceleration will affect the cost of tall buildings. Moreover, a detailed example was presented to show how the methodology works by analyzing the CAARC Building. Also, the analysis includes varying the location by applying the methodology to three different states to determine how stiffness and damping changed.<br>by Abram Wasef.<br>M. Eng.
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Martin, Eric Russell 1971. "Understanding the diffusion of energy efficiency technology in residential buildings." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1997. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/41422.
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Silbiger, Jason Stahl. "Schematic design of distributed mass damping systems for tall buildings." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/89868.
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Thesis: M. Eng., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2014.<br>This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.<br>Cataloged from student-submitted PDF version of thesis.<br>Includes bibliographical references (pages 75-77).<br>As new high-rises grow taller and more slender, the design of tall buildings becomes heavily constrained by the control of lateral displacements and accelerations due to dynamic excitations. This has led to the development of motion control devices, such as the Tuned Mass Damper (TMD) and Tuned Liquid Column Damper (TLCD). Contemporary designs implement devices where the dynamic response is the greatest, often at the top of buildings, occupying entire floors and inhibiting the sale of valuable real estate. Conversely, distributed damping is the concept of dividing the dampers into smaller devices that are placed on several floors throughout the building. Although a greater total mass is required, implementing smaller dampers and using less valuable floor area may be advantageous for buildings with a substantial cost variation between floors. This study presents a methodology where the optimal vertical distribution of TMDs and TLCDs is determined based on the footprint and relative cost of each damping scheme. To perform this analysis, the governing equations for a distributed damping system are developed and its response is derived assuming a periodic excitation. Given the structural properties and performance requirements of the building, a one TMD system is designed using the conventional approach. Ranging through several distribution schemes, the damper mass required for each distribution to meet the same acceleration performance as the one TMD system is determined. This mass is used to calculate the damper footprint for TMD and TLCD systems. From the cost distribution of the building, the relative cost of each scheme may be calculated and compared. Depending on the objective of the designer, the minimum damper footprint or minimum cost scheme may be selected as the optimal distribution. The methodology was demonstrated for 60, 80, 100, and 120-story buildings. It was observed that buildings with approximately half of the floors installed with dampers correspond to the minimum footprint scheme, while the minimum cost scheme was dependent on the building's size constraints and cost distribution. For buildings with significant cost variation in upper floors, distributed damping is not only the least cost solution, but also leads to conveniently small devices.<br>by Jason Stahl Silbiger.<br>M. Eng.
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Zhang, Yu S. M. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. "Shear wall layout optimization for conceptual design of tall buildings." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/111421.
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Thesis: S.M. in Transportation, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2017.<br>Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.<br>Includes bibliographical references (pages 105-106).<br>In the design of tall buildings, the lateral system that resists wind and seismic loading usually dominates the structural engineering effort; therefore, optimal lateral system design is important for material efficiency. In a shear-wall-based building, the conventional design process starts with an architect generating a floor plan, which is then passed to a structural engineer, who, based on knowledge and prior experience, tries to place shear walls to balance conflicting requirements: minimum structural weight, satisfactory structural strength and serviceability, conformity to architectural layout. This design process can be slow and inefficient, requiring a trial-and-error approach that is unlikely to lead to the best solution. The work presented in this thesis intends to accelerate the process with an optimization system involving a ground structure program formulation, a modified evolutionary algorithm, and innovative computational techniques. Unlike existing work that focuses either exclusively on structural performance or architectural layout, this research integrates both. An efficient computational design methodology for shear wall layout in plan is introduced. The method minimizes structural weight with constraints on torsion, flexural strength, shear strength, drift, and openings and accessibility. It can be applied from the very beginning of floor plan design or after generating an architectural floor plan. This thesis demonstrates the potential of this approach through a variety of case studies. Key contributions include a novel application of the ground structure method, a fast and robust modified evolutionary algorithm, and a simplified auto-calculation system for reinforced concrete design.<br>by Yu Zhang.<br>S.M. in Transportation
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Sheppard, Barbara Dorothea. "Assessing the environmental performance of building developments : the Green Building Tool." Title page, table of contents and abstract only, 2000. http://web4.library.adelaide.edu.au/theses/09ENV/09envs549.pdf.
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Bibliography: p. 119-122. Aims to show how the GB Tool (Green BuildingTool) can be used to access the environmental performance of residential building developments, with a focus on South Australia. Describes the history of, and rationale for, the GB Tool; and its practical implementation. Identifies some theoretical short comings of the GB Tool, as well as some practical difficulties with using it.
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Zingano, Bernard Wilson. "Effects of solar radiation on buildings and thermal comfort." Thesis, University of Hertfordshire, 2003. http://hdl.handle.net/2299/14151.
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This work was undertaken to investigate the perceived problem of Thermal Discomfort in Malawi. One observable effect of thermal discomfort was the amount of foreign exchange that was spent to import air conditioning devices. The purpose of the work was to find out, and quantify the problem of thermal discomfort and outline its effects to the people and country. In order to investigate the problem of thermal discomfort in depth in a place where the necessary data hardly existed a lot of work had to be done. The work has been outlined in four stages of research, analysis and documentation and these are as follows 1 Literature Review The subject of Thermal Comfort appears to be location specific, but the general principles are universal. In that context it was necessary to read widely on both historical and contemporary current work. The problem of thermal comfort in general was being discussed as early as 1758 and still remains a big area of research and discussion today. A considerable number of literature that specifically relate to the problem of thermal comfort in the tropics has been reviewed. The problem of scales for thermal comfort measurement has been discussed in detail. It is still not possible to quote a scale that is satisfactory. However, the recent approach of Adaptive Thermal Comfort Model seems to be closer to the answer than the others 2 Analysing Existing Relevant Information And Data In Malawi In the course of this work it was found out that quite a large amount of useful data existed in Malawi. However, this data was not standardised. Most of this data had to be cleaned and updated. Some of the old formulae are quoted in their original formats in order not to confuse the referencing. The data that exists in Malawi has been recorded on three types of instruments; namely the Gunn Bellum Spherical Pyranometer, the Camp Bell Stoke Sunshine Recorder and the Eppley Pyranometer. Most of the data was recorded using the Camp Bell Stokes Sunshine Recorder. The data recorded on the Gunn Bellum Spherical Pyranometer had to be related to that from the Camp Bell Stokes Sunshine Recorder. The former gave data that was more accurate as was found out when a comparison was made with data recorded on an Eppley Pyranometer. A paper on this subject was accepted for publication in the Renewable Energy Journal of WREN. Wind speeds, air temperatures, and humidity have been analysed to investigate the severity of thermal discomfort relative to locations in Malawi. This has resulted in the identification of three climatic zones. A tool for testing Thermal Discomfort severity of a location by calculating number Degree Days (D. d) if the altitude (AL) has been developed; as D. d = -575.994 In AL + 4226.6 3 Field Measurements In order to investigate some of the issues that came out of this work, it was felt simpler to conduct field measurements. For example it would have been possible to build typical experimental houses, and extract performance data on Thermal Comfort from these buildings. However, this approach would have been very expensive. On the other hand it was felt that it was possible to find in the field that were representative of typical buildings and could be prepared and tested to extract performance data for use in the work. The latter approach was adopted and has proved to be more realistic than the former. 4 Field Surveys There were certain areas where the only way to find information was not to conduct experiments but to conduct field conduct surveys. This was done once to find the Preferred Bath Water Temperature (PBWT) and deduce the Neutral Temperature Range for Malawi. This yielded very useful results. The first published paper on this work was in this area (copy of this publication is attached). The second area of field survey was to survey traditional buildings in seven selected districts stretching from latitude 9°S to 17°S; covering a terrestrial distance of over 1000 km; over altitudes from 52 to over 1600 metres above mean sea level (m. a. m. s. l). This again yielded very useful environmental data that explained why traditional buildings have certain structural elements as functions of the environment and the need to achieve Thermal Comfort. A number of useful equations have been developed. From that sub routine of this research of PBWT survey an equation was developed that related the bath temperature (h) to the air temperature (tab) as; tb =0.3772 tab + 36.4401. Part of this work was also published separately in 2001. From this equation the Thermal Comfort Temperature Range for Malawi was deduced as 22-27°C. From the survey of the traditional buildings, a number of structural elements were that are functions of Thermal Comfort were identified as derivatives of the desire to have Thermal Comfort in the buildings. A regression equation that can give values of irradiation of the locality in MJm 1 Day' was developed. Lastly the results have been extracted as recommendations directed at policy makers, and both Architects and Engineers to use this data and the results in their design work. It is also further recommended that the national buildings regulations could be updated and revised to incorporate some of the findings. It is strongly believed that some of the findings will be incorporated to update the two main Laws that regulate Public Health in Malawi. These are the Public Health Act; Cap. 34.01, and the Health and Safety at Work Act, 1977; of the Malawi Laws. All data that has been cleaned up or measured specifically for this work has been organised and tabulated into ready-to-use tables and are included.
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Fleming, Cody Harrison. "A design methodology for hysteretic dampers in buildings under extreme earthquakes." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/28363.
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Thesis (M. Eng.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2004.<br>Includes bibliographical references (leaves 64-65).<br>This research proposes a design methodology for hysteretic dampers in buildings under high levels of seismic hazard. Developments in structural materials have led to designs that satisfy strength requirements but are often very flexible. This trend, along with increasingly stringent building performance criteria, suggests a philosophy of controlling structural motion as opposed to merely designing for strength, particularly when related to earthquake design. Included in this thesis is a design algorithm that calibrates stiffness and yield force level, two controlling parameters in the implementation of hysteretic dampers, in order to obtain optimal structural response under two levels of earthquake severity. In addition, a parametric study illustrates the merits and drawbacks of various stiffness and yield force allocations.<br>by Cody H. Fleming.<br>M.Eng.
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Gaïsset, Ines (Ines Sophie Maya). "Designing buildings for disassembly : stimulating a change in the designer's role." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/66828.
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Thesis (M. Eng.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2011.<br>Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.<br>Includes bibliographical references (p. 61-63).<br>Today's industrial infrastructure in the building field results in specific types of problems with current design strategies. Here, the potential of Design for Disassembly (DfD) is explored as a solution for a new type of architecture that allows for both recyclability of material and space. Particular attention is given to the benefits that result from this new way of designing while beginning the process of an industrial re-evolution. Indeed, if environmental and health impacts are the most obvious benefits, indirect effects such as questioning the boundary between the designer and the user should not be neglected. In addition, projects built with DfD methods are being analyzed. The studies range from houses that can expand in the longitudinal plan to houses that can be entirely customized. To further explore DfD methods, experiments based on digital fabrication technologies such as CNC, Water Jet Cutting and rapid prototyping are considered. Finally, conclusions as to how Design for Disassembly can stimulate a change in the designer's role in the building field, and recommendations on how to encourage the implementation of such an innovative and responsible design method are proposed.<br>by Ines Gaïsset.<br>M.Eng.
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Spencer, Emily D. (Emily Deen). "Seismic assessment of unreinforced masonry buildings in Boston's Back Bay neighborhood." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/99634.
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Thesis: M. Eng., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2015.<br>Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.<br>Includes bibliographical references (pages 70-72).<br>This thesis presents a seismic evaluation of the unreinforced masonry buildings in Boston Massachusetts's historical Back Bay neighborhood. This Boston district, famous for its rows of Victorian brownstone residences is considered to be one of the best preserved examples of 19 'h century urban design. There are a few specific reasons to speculate at the vulnerability of this neighborhood to seismic events. First, in 1755, one hundred years before the Back Bay started to be built, the most massive earthquake of New England's history occurred, damaging unreinforced masonry structures in Boston. Approximately eighty percent of the Back Bay neighborhood is now made up of unreinforced masonry structures. Second, seismic design was not required in Boston until 1975, which means a staggering majority of the buildings in the Back Bay were constructed without any kind of anti-seismic lateral system. The aim of this thesis is to assess the structural response of the unreinforced masonry homes of the Back Bay to seismic activity due to these issues. A case study of an unreinforced masonry building in the neighborhood is assessed through structural analysis of its facade and party walls. The performance of this building is extrapolated to represent the state of the unreinforced masonry buildings of the Back Bay.<br>by Emily D. Spencer.<br>M. Eng.
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Kuo, Chuan-Hua. "Impact of cladding on mid-rise buildings in the Northridge Earthquake." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/51570.
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Thesis (M. Eng.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2009.<br>Includes bibliographical references (p. 58-59).<br>In this thesis, the importance of cladding panels on mid-rise buildings in an earthquake-prone region is investigated. A cladding panel acts as a protective or an insulating layer to control weather infiltration. The Northridge Earthquake, which took place on January 17, 1994, caused numerous heavy cladding panels to fall off the walls of residential and commercial buildings. The failure of these panels was a result of an insufficient understanding of the cladding behaviors as a subsystem in the three-dimensional framing system. Cladding is designed to be isolated from the structural frame movement during an earthquake. However, numerous studies have concluded that cladding interacts with the structural frame in providing lateral resistance. The advantages and disadvantages of different cladding materials, cladding systems, and cladding connections are presented in this thesis. The effects of cladding on mid-rise buildings in the Northridge Earthquake in the Los Angeles area are simulated in this study. Motion resistance contributed from cladding in a particular mid-rise building, a 19-story office building in downtown Los Angeles, is investigated. Analyses of clad models and unclad models are carried out, and clad models are discovered to displace less than unclad models. Therefore, cladding is able to contribute lateral motion resistance to a building during an earthquake, and structural engineers should include cladding in their analysis models when designing a building.<br>by Chuan-Hua Kuo.<br>M.Eng.
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Gu, Wenjia M. Eng Massachusetts Institute of Technology. "Trends and innovations in high-rise buildings over the past decade." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/99597.
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Thesis: M. Eng., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2015.<br>Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.<br>Includes bibliographical references (pages 48-49).<br>Over the past decade, high-rise buildings in the world are both booming in quantity and expanding in height. One of the most important reasons driven the achievement is the continuously evolvement of structural systems. In this paper, previous classifications of structural systems are summarized and different types of structural systems are introduced. Besides the structural systems, innovations in other aspects of today's design of high-rise buildings including damping systems, construction techniques, elevator systems as well as sustainability are presented and discussed. To better understand current high-rise buildings, information about buildings above 200 meter completed within recent ten years and the current 100 tallest building in the world is collected and analyzed. Structural systems of worldwide 100 tallest buildings are discussed, from which trends are found. Data shows that tubular systems are in vast majority in recent high-rise building designs and an increasing number of buildings are using concrete and composite materials instead of steel. Developments in structural systems also reduce structures' dependence on auxiliary damping devices. Additionally, sustainability has been given more and more consideration.<br>by Wenjia Gu.<br>M. Eng.
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Murray, Nicholas S. (Nicholas Stephen) 1977. "Applicability of high strength concrete for buildings in active seismic regions." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2001. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/84268.
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Gupta, Siddharth S. M. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. "Estimating the presence of people in buildings using Call Detail Records." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/111437.
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Thesis: S.M. in Transportation, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2017.<br>Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.<br>Includes bibliographical references (pages 92-97).<br>As geographic data about individual movement become increasingly available, they open LIP the possibility of understanding and modeling urban mobility patterns. While no all-encompassing dataset regarding mobility is available, this study explores how Call Detail Records (CDRs), a highly ubiquitous dataset, can be leveraged to create models that can reproduce mobility patterns observed from time consuming, capital-intensive and infrequent travel surveys. While mechanisms have been proposed for reproducing particular characteristics of individual mobility, this is the first attempt to generate all mobility patterns at fine spatial and temporal scales at the level of individual buildings. Two shortcomings of any dataset include spatial uncertainty at very high resolution and the presence of high-fidelity traces for only a fraction of the population. While the proposed model addressed the former to some extent by providing high accuracy counts at the level of census tracts, a separate method has been explored to address this along with the latter phenomenon. To achieve this, the study leverages hyper-local datasets such as building footprints and places of interest. In the absence of primary datasets, the study is able to provide a model to estimate of the presence of people at the level of individual buildings. Hence, this study provides a pipeline to proceed from high fidelity location traces from a fraction of the population to building level occupancy profiles using fairly ubiquitous data sources.<br>by Siddharth Gupta.<br>S.M. in Transportation
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Kawar, Alexandra(Alexandra Alba). "Comparative study of bracing patterns and materials for tall timber buildings." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2020. https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/127286.
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Thesis: M. Eng., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, May, 2020<br>Cataloged from the official PDF of thesis.<br>Includes bibliographical references (pages 77-81).<br>Exploration of new designs for urban environments is increasingly focusing on reducing carbon emissions generated by construction and operation of tall buildings. With recent technological advances in timber construction and its potential to mitigate the carbon embodied in structural materials, tall timber buildings are gaining acceptance as various forms are considered for their designs. Recently built and proposed buildings demonstrate the use of mass timber to resist gravity and lateral loads. There are inherent efficiencies in placing lateral load resisting systems on the perimeter of a structure along with the possibilities to integrate versatile geometric patterns and effective structural solutions. However, timber material properties may lead to elements of larger volume than those made of steel or concrete. This study compares structural stiffness gains and carbon emission reductions for exterior bracing created in timber and timber-steel hybrid configurations. Numerical analyses are used to explore braced frame geometries and layouts for the steel and timber elements, to predict structural response, and compare the effects of material placement.<br>by Alexandra Kawar.<br>M. Eng.<br>M.Eng. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
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Mikou, Saad. "Mitigation of wind induced movement of buildings using the modified friction device." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/66843.
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Thesis (M. Eng.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2011.<br>Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.<br>Includes bibliographical references (p. 64-65).<br>Building higher skyscrapers increases the concern of wind induced motion. Indeed, in order to ensure serviceability and safety standards, it is the engineers' responsibility to investigate the response of high-rise buildings to wind excitation. Tuned mass dampers are usually used to limit the response of the buildings to wind. However, these devices are generally tuned for a particular bandwidth of frequencies. Therefore, in order to improve the effectiveness of these devices, control schemes must be implemented. For this thesis, the design of a modified friction device (MFD) has been studied. Requiring only a small amount of energy, the MFD is a new kind of semi-active damper that provides stability, accurate control and effectiveness. Using a MATLAB program, it was possible to model a primary structure hit by a certain wind excitation. The modified friction device was designed to counterbalance the effects of wind and decrease displacements and accelerations. It was placed on the top of the building where the displacements are generally the highest. The parameters of the MFD were examined, and many simulations were run in order to optimize the action of the device on the mitigation of wind excitation. The results demonstrate that the MFD effectively mitigates wind induced motion in buildings. Therefore, this thesis corroborates the benefits of implementing modified friction devices in civil structures.<br>by Saad Mikou.<br>M.Eng.
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Leonard, Johan M. Eng Massachusetts Institute of Technology. "Investigation of shear lag effect in high-rise buildings with diagrid system." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/39269.
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Thesis (M. Eng.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2007.<br>This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.<br>Includes bibliographical references (leaves 43-44).<br>In the recent years, there have been many new skyscrapers built which soar into new heights. The most efficient building system for high-rises has been the framed tube system. However, the framed tube building suffers from shear lag effects which cause a nonlinear distribution of axial stresses along the face of the building. A particular structural system called a diagrid system has caught the attention of the public. The diagrid system is not a new invention. The idea had been around since 1960 and few buildings have been built with the diagrid system. However, the implementation in a larger scale of such tall building was not practical due to high cost related to the difficult node connections. It is only in recent years that the technology has allowed for more reasonable cost of making the diagrid node connections. Despite becoming the new trend in high-rise structures, there are not many technical publications related to diagrid building system. A recent thesis by Moon (2005) studied the various angles of the diagrid to find optimum angle. He has also reviewed the design considerations for diagrid building. This thesis attempts to build on the study by Moon related to the shear lag effect in diagrid building. Diagrid buildings of different configuration are modeled in SAP2000 and analyzed for shear lag effect and structural performance.<br>by Johan Leonard.<br>M.Eng.
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Lee, Jooeun S. M. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. "The role of the aerodynamic modifications of the shapes of tall buildings." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/66869.
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Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2011.<br>Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.<br>Includes bibliographical references.<br>With the advances in technology, recent tall building design has undergone a shift to the free-style geometric forms in the exuberant and liberal atmosphere. As a height of the building increases, it is more susceptible to vibration caused by wind because of its asymmetric distribution of mass and stiffness, increased flexibility and insufficient inherent damping. This wind-induced motion, in particular crosswind response, endangers the dynamic response of tall structures, the performance of cladding and window, and the habitability of occupants. Therefore, much research on mitigating wind induced excitations of tall buildings has been carried out. This thesis focuses on the effect of shape modification on the wind flow pattern around tall buildings. An appropriate choice of this architectural modification can significantly reduce aeroelastic instabilities. Four aerodynamic modifications to reduce wind-induced responses of a tall building, such as a basic square model, a corner recession model, a 3- step setback model, and a 180 degree helical model, are evaluated through commercial CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) software, STAR-CD and compared with results from wind tunnel tests. Based on this comparison, the optimal model to effectively mitigate adverse wind excitations is recommended.<br>by Jooeun Lee.<br>S.M.
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Chen, Yuan, and 陳源. "An embodied GHG emissions auditing and benchmarking model for assessing the environmental impacts of buildings." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10722/195969.
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Climate change constitutes one of the greatest challenges facing the world today, as it will influence the way we live and work in future decades. Excessive greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are recognized as the key contributor to climate change, and the construction sector has an indispensable role to play in emission reduction, as building facilities are energy- and emission-intensive to construct and operate. Previous research indicates that up to 30 percent of buildings’ lifecycle emissions can be minimized through the careful selection of low-carbon materials. Although building environmental assessment (BEA) tools have been widely used in identifying and mitigating the lifecycle environmental impacts of building facilities, the existing BEA tools provide no rigorous regime for assessing the embodied GHG emissions of building materials. Therefore the aim of this research is to bridge the research and practical gaps by developing an integrated BEA assessment model that comprehensively audits and benchmarks the embodied GHG emissions of building materials at product level.
The research began by examining the limitations of current BEA tools, in particular their means of evaluating the embodied GHG emissions of buildings. Then, an embodied GHG emissions evaluation module model under an existing BEA scheme was proposed. The proposed model comprised (i) product category, (ii) product-based GHG auditing framework, and (iii) emissions benchmarking measure. After that, a thorough review of the relevant literature and international classification systems was carried out to establish a systematic product categorization regime for building materials. An auditing framework comprising system boundary, process map, emission sources, and a carbon auditing tool in Microsoft TM Excel has been developed by reviewing international standards on product carbon footprint assessments and eliciting knowledge from domain experts through a series of interviews. The emission benchmarks for each product category have been determined through the application of fuzzy set theory to facilitate easy comparison and decision-making. Finally, the developed product categorization regime, GHG auditing framework, and benchmarks were validated through a Delphi study, a discussion of which concluded the thesis.
The research outcomes confirm that the GHG emissions embodied in a building facility can be meticulously analyzed and integrated into the BEA. The research also improves the understanding of how the materials’ embodied emissions can be accurately calculated at the product level. More importantly, it enhances existing BEA tools by incorporating embodied GHG emissions into the analysis, thus makes the lifecycle emission assessment of building facilities possible. The proposed integrated BEA model will enable clients and design teams to minimize the carbon footprints of buildings and assist users and the general public in identifying green building facilities.
The originality of this research lies in the establishment of a set of emissions benchmarks for five most emission-intensive building materials using fuzzy set theory. These benchmarks provide a seamless platform allowing the assessment of materials’ embodied emissions to be integrated with the existing BEA model, thereby not only encouraging the adoption of low-carbon building materials but also fostering ongoing product carbon footprint reductions.<br>published_or_final_version<br>Civil Engineering<br>Doctoral<br>Doctor of Philosophy
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Isbiliroglu, Yigit D. "Coupled Soil-Structure Interaction Effects of Symmetric and Asymmetric Buildings In Urban Regions." Research Showcase @ CMU, 2013. http://repository.cmu.edu/dissertations/268.
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This thesis deals with the response of idealized building clusters during earthquakes, their effect on the ground motion, and how individual buildings interact with the soil and with each other. We simulate the ground motion during the 1994 Northridge earthquake and focus on the coupled response of multiple simplified symmetric and asymmetric building models located within the San Fernando Valley and the Simi Valley. We use the Domain Reduction Method (DRM) in order to perform these simulations efficiently while recurrently modifying the models without having to redo the entire simulation every time. Numerical results show that the soil-structure interaction (SSI) effects vary with the number and dynamic properties of the buildings, their separation, and the impedance with respect to the soil. These effects appear as: (i) an increased spatial variability of the ground motion; and (ii) significant reductions in the buildings’ base motion at high frequencies, changes in the higher natural frequencies of the building-foundation systems and variations in the roof displacement, with respect to those of the corresponding rigid-base and single SSI models. Torsional coupling of the asymmetric structures combined with SSI effects are also investigated, and results, in comparison with the symmetric structures, are given.