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Design Example: Sustainability in Concrete Building

Design Example: Sustainability in Concrete Building

As the construction industry moves towards more eco-friendly practices, concrete's adaptability and its ability to incorporate sustainable features make it a key material in the drive towards greener building solutions.
There are multiple approaches to achieve sustainability in a commercial concrete building. For instance, construct a concrete parking area under the building, utilizing pervious concrete paver blocks in open areas to facilitate rainwater collection through an underground cistern.

Factors Affecting Workability

Factors Affecting Workability

The workability of concrete is a critical characteristic that influences the ease of mixing, handling, and finishing the concrete. It is affected by several factors including water content, aggregate properties, and admixtures like air entrainment. Water plays a fundamental role as it lubricates the concrete mix, facilitating easier movement and placement. However, the water requirement varies depending on the texture and shape of aggregates. Finer particles and angular, rough-textured...

Design Example: Managing Concrete Workability

Design Example: Managing Concrete Workability

This example deals with managing the workability of concrete for a raft foundation project under hot weather conditions. Workability is crucial for ensuring the concrete is easy to place, compact, and finish. In this scenario, a slump test — a common method to measure the workability of fresh concrete — initially indicated low workability. This was attributed to the rapid water loss from the concrete mix, exacerbated by the high temperatures causing the course aggregates to heat up.
To address...

Design Consideration

Design Consideration

Designing a structure involves a series of considerations, primarily the material's ultimate strength, calculated through tests that measure changes under increased force until the material reaches its breaking point or limit. The ultimate load, where the material breaks, is divided by its original cross-sectional area, resulting in the ultimate normal stress or strength. The ultimate shearing stress is another significant factor taken into account.
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Compacting Factor test

Compacting Factor test

The compacting factor test is a method used to assess the workability of concrete. It is especially suitable for concrete mixes containing aggregates up to one and a half inches in size. This test involves specialized equipment consisting of two truncated cone-shaped hoppers and a cylinder, all with polished interior surfaces to minimize friction.
The procedure begins by placing concrete into the upper hopper without any compaction. Once filled, the bottom door of this hopper is opened,...

Deleterious Substances in Aggregate

Deleterious Substances in Aggregate

Deleterious substances in aggregates can be detrimental to the quality and durability of concrete. These substances include organic impurities like loam, which interfere with cement hydration and are usually present in the sand. These prevent a good bond between aggregate and cement paste. Organic impurities can be detected using the colorimetric test, where the darkness of a solution after agitation indicates the level of organic content.
Another type of impurity is clay and fine material that...

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The Effect of Construction and Demolition Waste Plastic Fractions on Wood-Polymer Composite Properties

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Published on: June 7, 2020

Factors affecting the implementation of green specifications in construction.

Patrick T I Lam¹, Edwin H W Chan, C S Poon

¹Department of Building & Real Estate, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong. bsplam@polyu.edu.hk

Journal of Environmental Management

|October 27, 2009

Summary

Successful green construction specifications depend on factors like technology, reliability, leadership, stakeholder involvement, and guidance systems. Stakeholder input and green technology are particularly crucial for effective sustainable building practices.

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Area of Science:

Construction Management
Sustainable Building Practices
Green Specifications

Background:

Green specifications are critical components of sustainable construction.
Evolving sustainability requirements and construction management priorities accelerate the development of green specifications.

Purpose of the Study:

To identify key factors contributing to the successful preparation of green specifications in Hong Kong.
To analyze stakeholder differences in specifying construction work within the context of green building.

Main Methods:

A cross-sectional survey of 20 variables related to sustainable construction was conducted.
Mann-Whitney U-test was employed to detect differences among stakeholder groups.
Factor analysis was used to categorize independent factors for successful green construction specification.

Main Results:

Five independent factors for successful green construction specification were identified: green technology, specification reliability, leadership, stakeholder involvement, and benchmarking systems.
Green technology and stakeholder involvement were found to be generally more important factors.
Different stakeholder groups exhibited varying emphases on these factors.

Conclusions:

The study provides a framework for enhancing the success of green construction specifications.
Understanding stakeholder perspectives is vital for tailoring effective green building strategies.
The identified factors offer practical guidance for improving sustainability in construction projects.