M. Glória Gomes

Compressive strength evaluation of structural lightweight concrete by non-destructive ultrasonic pulse velocity method.

In this paper the compressive strength of a wide range of structural lightweight aggregate concrete mixes is evaluated by the non-destructive ultrasonic pulse velocity method. This study involves about 84 different compositions tested between 3 and 180 days for compressive strengths ranging from about 30 to 80 MPa. The influence of several factors on the relation between the ultrasonic pulse velocity and compressive strength is examined. These factors include the cement type and content, amount of water, type of admixture, initial wetting conditions, type and volume of aggregate and the partial replacement of normal weight coarse and fine aggregates by lightweight aggregates. It is found that lightweight and normal weight concretes are affected differently by mix design parameters. In addition, the prediction of the concretes compressive strength by means of the non-destructive ultrasonic pulse velocity test is studied. Based on the dependence of the ultrasonic pulse velocity on the density and elasticity of concrete, a simplified expression is proposed to estimate the compressive strength, regardless the type of concrete and its composition. More than 200 results for different types of aggregates and concrete compositions were analyzed and high correlation coefficients were obtained.

Numerical and experimental study of the optical properties of venetian blinds

Shading devices are used to reflect direct sunlight, reduce glare and prevent overheating. A correctly designed shading system will strongly influence the entire building energy consumption, peak loads and indoor comfort. The use of the venetian blinds is particularly common due to its relatively low cost and high versatility. The present study focuses on the algorithms for calculating both short-wave (solar) and long-wave (infrared) transmittance, absorptance and reflectance of the venetian blinds. The model is based on the net radiation method, allows for different slat discretization schemes and is suitable for integration into the building energy simulation tools. Once the effective optical properties are computed, the system can be regarded as an additional layer in a multilayer glazing system. Computed blind solar transmittance has been compared with other numerical models and in situ experimental results. A general good agreement has been found, except in cases where incident radiation is mostly diffuse. In this study, the effect of different design parameters on effective optical properties of the venetian blinds is also investigated: (a) the sun profile angle, (b) the slat angle and (c) the venetian blind geometry. Moreover, the effect of the discretization of each slat is examined.

Production and characterization of particleboards from cork-rich Quercus cerris bark

Single-layered particleboards were produced from granulated Quercus cerris bark containing cork and phloem granules using standard hot-press equipment and phenol–formaldehyde resin. The experimental boards were tested for thickness swelling, mechanical strength and thermal properties. Scanning electron microscopy observations were carried out to analyze the panel structure. The results showed that Q. cerris bark particleboards had low thickness swelling in water, high resistance to thermal degradation and high calorific values but their mechanical strength was below that of commercial wood particleboards. The produced Q. cerris bark particleboards were adequate for exterior applications where mechanical strength is not the key factor. Potential for process and feedstock optimization was acknowledged.