Journal of Sustainable Architecture and Civil Engineering

Opportunities for Renovation of Mid-20th Century Buildings in a Protected Environment: the Example of the Writers' Creative House in Nida

Adrija Vilkauskaitė — 2024-10-31

Much of the Curonian Spit’s architecture dates back to Soviet times, and many buildings are now in need of renovation. During the renovation process, quite flexible design guidelines apply, focusing on combining aesthetics with traditional local architecture. This raises questions as to what design aspects should be preserved after renovation. Should the distinctive stylistic elements of the original architect be saved (and if so, how?), or should the focus be on integrating cotemporary regional architecture trends? This study focuses on the Writer’s Creative House in Nida, built during the Soviet occupation, and its architect, Liucija Gedgaudiene. It explores the relationship of the building to its surroundings, its significance for the community, and seeks to identify both- the local architectural elements and the personal design traits of Liucija Gedaudiene.

Evolution of the Planning Paradigm and Urban Design of Housing Complexes in the Context of Changing Challenges in Ukraine: Case of Lviv

Oleksandr Fenchuk — 2024-10-31

The study provides a retrospective of the housing development in Lviv and the factors that affected it. Using the general process of housing evolution, the study focuses on the impact of the war as a catalyst that influenced the demand and volume of housing construction over the last decade. Moreover, it reflects the unprecedented demographic shift driven by the number of IDPs in Ukraine since the beginning of 2022. The study demonstrates that, due to the increased demand for housing, the approaches to the design of housing have changed in recent years, defining a new type of urban unit called a housing complex. The study aims to identify and examine the genesis and characteristics of the modern planning paradigm and urban design of residential architecture in Lviv in the context of shifting conditions. Spatial and urban characteristics, social indicators, resident focus, and urban influence evaluate the studied objects. The study results demonstrate key differences in planning philosophies and approaches to designing and constructing new housing, identifying qualitative differences between housing of the previous and current paradigms. A detailed examination and comparison of the studied complexes in Lviv reveals changes in the approach to their planning, reflecting the evolution from the inherited modernist approach to housing to the creation of sustainable planning. It also aims to determine the quality of Lviv's modern housing environment and the vector of its development.

An Exploration of Climate-Responsive Design Strategies Employed by El-Miniawy Brothers in Southern Algeria

Ahmed Kaihoul — 2024-10-31

In an age marked by globalisation, contemporary design, and diminishing regional distinctiveness, particularly concerning its impact on climate, the integration of passive strategies and climate-responsive design emerges as a critical element in forward-thinking architecture that embraces the unique climatic conditions of various locales. Consequently, this paper offers an in-depth examination of the climate-responsive design implemented by two pioneering architects who specialised primarily in housing projects in Southern Algeria. This investigation is further enriched by on-site measurements conducted on selected case studies. The findings reveal that, on typical scorching days, the actual indoor operational temperatures in 400 housing units situated in El-Oued range from 20.1 °C to 38.9 °C, whereas in 600 housing units in Ouled Djellal, temperatures fluctuate between 31.2 °C and 35.4 °C. It is noteworthy that outdoor air temperatures can soar to as high as 40 °C in El-Oued and 43 °C in Ouled Djellal during peak hours. The architectural achievements of the El-Miniawy brothers in Algeria's southern region stand as tangible examples of architecture that adeptly adapts to the harsh, arid climate. This study underscores the importance of climate-responsive design and passive strategies and offers valuable insights into the indoor thermal environment. Ultimately, this research is poised to inspire architects and decision-makers in their future housing projects.

Non-Standard Material Art as an Alternative Development of Recycled Architecture

Fermanto Lianto — 2024-10-31

The architectural world’s reliance on off-the-shelf building materials has led to the issue of standardised replication in building design. On the one hand, modularity helps the scientific logic of construction, but it often causes constraints on creativity. The research aims to build another perspective in developing recycled architecture through counter-perspectives. The research method uses a literature study to build a concept using the case of the other, a different perspective and a critique of modern planning, by comparing a) Phenomenon vs Noumena; b) Natural vs Artificial; c) Standard vs Non-Standard; d) Composition and Non-Composition; e) City and Village; f) Science vs Art; g) Architecture vs Other Architecture; h) Product vs Process; i) Permanent vs Non-Permanent; j) Vertical vs Horizontal. The findings are art as an alternative field of recycled material development in the case of natural-growth architecture. The research output is the perspective and direction of non-standard material development to construct recycled architecture. The novelty of the research is the concept of alternative development as another polar of modern architectural trends so that architects can more freely develop creativity and aesthetic aspects, resulting in a variety of uniqueness.

Cluster Dimensions of the Space of a New Residential District of Ukrainian ‘Post-Socialist’ City

Vadim Vadimov — 2024-10-31

The article presents research material devoted to new dimensions of the spatial organization of residential areas of Ukrainian “post-socialist” city. He is currently faced with the challenges of military actions aimed at destroying the urban environment of Ukrainian cities. Residential areas of the micro-district type of the “post-socialist” city are mostly built on the basis of the postulates of functionalism. In the theory and practice of urban planning, they did not foresee the vulnerability of objects of necessary and social infrastructure. The criteria of centrality, as focus of concentration of functions of the spatial organization of the city, are currently being transformed into criteria of dispersion. Functional zoning acquires the multiplicative nature of multidimensional functional zoning. Fractal urbanism methodology assumes local freedom and global cohesion of individual urban planning elements. New exponential organizational structures with innovative digital technologies create “breakthrough” models of development. One of which is the urban planning cluster. The new residential area “Levada-2” in the city of Poltava (Ukraine) is presented, which demonstrates the latest approaches in the cluster organization of living space.

Building Information Modelling from Cadastral Plans and Application to an Italian Case Study Building Using Innovative Strategies

massimiliano pepe — 2024-10-31

This paper explores the applicability of different methods to construct a Building information System Model (BIM) from 2D plans and, more specifically, cadastral plans. The explored procedures use three different approaches to build BIMs: one manual, one semi-automatic based on Rhinoceros/Grasshopper, and one based on Artificial Intelligence (AI). To analyse the performance of the three methods, the case study of a masonry building located in an Italian historic centre is used. The fastest is the AI-based method, although it has some limitations in automatic recognition of some objects. This latter aspect was further explored by analysing a very large dataset of cadastral plans. The results show good recognition of wall elements, but problems arise in the recognition of other elements, such as doors and windows. The manual method, on the other hand, allowed for the construction of a detailed model of the considered structure. However, the method requires strong user interaction and longer time frames than the AI-based method. The semi-automatic based method requires quite a lot of pre-processing but through an algorithm in Grasshopper a fast and detailed modelling of the structure is obtained. The paper also outlines future scenarios for the full exploitation of cadastral data.

Mechanical and Microstructural Properties of Environmentally Friendly Concrete Partially Replacing Aggregates with Recycled Rubber and Recycled PET

Jheny Vallejos — 2024-10-31

Today, waste generation is a worldwide problem, where the major source of waste is generated by worn-out tires and Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) bottles. Therefore, as a way to provide an ecological disposal and reduce the environmental impact, the feasibility of producing ecological concrete (EC) with recycled rubber (RB) and PET as substitutes for natural aggregates is explored, determining their physical, mechanical and microstructural properties. This experimental study considered the replacement of fine aggregate with RB at 1%, 4%, 7%, 10%, 20% and 30%, and the optimum content of coarse aggregate plus the replacement of coarse aggregate with PET at 1%, 5%, 10% and 15%. The results showed that the optimum percentage of RB was 1%, which, when combined with PET, resulted that the design with 1% RB+ 1% PET was the optimum replacement combination, increasing 10% in bending, 1% in compression and for tension it decreased by 11%, in turn with the XRD test quartz and different aluminosilicates were found, such as portlandite and by SEM-EDS it was possible to visualize polymer flakes embedded in the analyzed fragment. It is concluded that RB and PET can be viable for the production of EC only if low percentages of replacement by natural aggregates are used.

Nonlinear Static Analysis of RC Buildings: Effects of Soil Type and Seismic Code Differences on Structural Performance

Amer Yassin — 2024-10-31

Reinforced concrete (RC) building construction remains predominant in Northern Cyprus, offering resilience against natural disasters when appropriately designed and implemented. The study presents a seismic analysis of RC building models across different soil classes, stories, and configurations, according to multiple seismic design codes: Eurocode 8 (EC8), Northern Cyprus Seismic Code 2015 (NCSC-2015), and Turkish Buildings Earthquake Code 2018 (TBEC-2018). This paper compares regular and irregular forms of Moment Resisting Frame (MRF) and MRF combined with Shear Walls (MRF+SW) systems in various configurations. These configurations include G+3, G+7, and G+11 for regular buildings, and only G+11 for irregular buildings. Pushover analysis using ETABSv18 was employed to assess the base shear, plastic hinge behavior, and displacement. The results indicate that the regularity of the structures enhances resistance and longevity compared to irregular configurations, with shear walls augmenting resistance against earthquake loads in both regular and irregular buildings. Furthermore, soil class emerges as a significant factor influencing results across the codes. While variations among the codes were not consistently observed, EC 8 and TBEC-2018 often appeared more conservative, with TBEC-2018 demonstrating greater adaptability to advanced technologies and a more detailed parameter consideration.

Outdoor Thermal Comfort and Sustainability of Urban Village Life in The Small Ancient City at Tropic Area Yogyakarta, Indonesia: Approach with ENVI-Met

Luhur Sapto Pamungkas — 2024-10-31

Several studies examining urban villages, sustainability, and their relation to thermal comfort in Indonesia have stated uncomfortable perceptually. Through this research which was conducted in an urban village in Yogyakarta by using the thermal measurement method, shows that average temperature reaches 30.14℃, humidity 72.90%, wind speed 0.93 m/s, MRT 44.70℃, PMV 0.79 or warm sensation. It shows that thermal comfort in urban villages is still in normal condition. However, several intervention variables which are used in the simulation using ENVI-met to get the better thermal condition do not significantly change the thermal parameters, but only slightly. The sensation remains warm, at certain times it is hot or very hot, the highest PPD level achieved is 59%. Even though the results are less than expected, based on the range of thermal comfort standard the current thermal comfort still supports sustainable urban living.

Recent Regional Development Strategies in Turkey and Smart Cities: The Case of the Southern Aegean Region (TR32)

Oğuz Özbek — 2024-10-31

This article critically examines how the smart cities approach has been employed as a strategic tool in Turkey's recent regional development strategies. The paper explores the efficiency of development strategies prepared for Turkey's South Aegean Region (TR32) with a focus on smart city elements. These strategic elements include transportation, smart governance, energy efficiency, and digital transformation at the sub-regional level. The sub-regional plans prepared by the South Aegean Development Agency (GEKA) serve as a distinctive example of incorporating new technology-based urban and regional practices into regional development plans in Turkey. GEKA's smart city strategies, while addressing best practices, are criticized for a predominant focus on technological solutions, neglecting crucial human elements like sustainability and social inclusion. These strategies risk widening economic and social inequalities between urban and rural areas due to high costs and increased involvement of private sector companies, leading to an uneven distribution of projects. Critics argue that GEKA's plans lack transparency and public participation, prompting a call for a renewed debate on development agency strategies in Turkey. Furthermore, through a renewed emphasis on the integration of human-centric considerations and the cultivation of participatory governance mechanisms, GEKA's smart city strategies have the potential to facilitate sustainable and equitable development within the TR32 Region.

Wireless Data Transmission through Concrete Structures

Stephen Sammut — 2024-10-31

Chloride ion presence in the concrete pore solution is an important factor in the initiation of rebar corrosion. Therefore, elevated chloride concentration in the pore solution needs to be detected as early as possible. For this early detection to be achieved, it is ideal to deploy sensors inside the concrete structure itself. This allows real time sampling of the pore solution which is closest to the rebar. To achieve this one needs to have a system based on wireless communication which allow the sensors to communicate within the structure. This would avoid wired communications methods, which impart fragility and implementation difficulties.

This literature review paper endeavours to look at the various types of radiation which can be harnessed to penetrate through the opaque concrete structure. Potential data transmission methods utilising Radio Frequency Radiation, Ultrasonic Radiation, X-Ray Radiation and Neutron Beam Radiation physics were reviewed and evaluated against a set of parameters. The paper scores each radiation type against System Size, Power Supply Requirements, Transmission Range, Complexity of Circuits and Safety issues. Through these scores, each transmission technology was graded on its potential to act as the basis on which to build a micrometre sized intra-concrete data transmission system. The paper shows that ultrasonic radiation is the most promising radiation technology for use in this application.