Diet and antiatherogenic aspects — a review

There is evidence that dietary changes could be associated with a significant decrease in blood lipids with a beneficial influence on all the risk factors of coronary heart disease (CHD). Dietary recommendations made for Americans do not appear to be suitable for Asians because most Asians are consuming a diet similar to the phase I diet advised by the American Heart Association (AHA). Several studies have demonstrated that foods such as guava, fish, fenugreek, mushroom, star gooseberry, onion, garlic, Bengal gram, blackgram, horsegram, redgram, parwar, konjac food, bitter gourd, oatmeal, soyabean, almonds, walnuts, elucine (ragi) and tapioca root can cause a beneficial change of blood lipids and decrease atherosclerosis. Several of these foods can also lower blood sugar, hyperinsulinemia and platelet‐aggregation. Banana, guava, musk melon, sweet lemon, lemon, tomato and star gooseberry may also diminish blood pressure. It has been demonstrated that a diet rich in these foods, if administered for a prolonged period, may cause a significant decrease in CHD and total mortality.     

Identification of the thermal properties of concrete for the temperature calculation of concrete slabs and columns subjected to a standard fire—Methodology and proposal for simplified formulations

The fire resistance of concrete members is controlled by the temperature distribution of the considered cross section. The thermal analysis can be performed with the advanced temperature dependent physical properties provided by EN 1992-1-2. But the recalculation of laboratory tests on columns from TU Braunschweig shows, that there are deviations between the calculated and measured temperatures. Therefore it can be assumed, that the mathematical formulation of these thermal properties could be improved. A sensitivity analysis is performed to identify the governing parameters of the temperature calculation and a nonlinear optimization method is used to enhance the formulation of the thermal properties. The proposed simplified properties are partly validated by the recalculation of measured temperatures of concrete columns. These first results show, that the scatter of the differences from the calculated to the measured temperatures can be reduced by the proposed simple model for the thermal analysis of concrete.     

Necessity of cooling methods for transportation infrastructure construction in permafrost regions of Qinghai–Tibet Plateau

Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment - A key issue in ensuring the stability of transportation infrastructure in permafrost regions of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP) is to...     

Designing for construction workers’ occupational health and safety: a case study of socio-material complexity

Drawing upon an empirical analysis of the design and construction of a food processing facility, a theoretical understanding of the impact of design decision-making on the occupational health and safety (OHS) of construction workers is developed. It is argued that current policy and legislative approaches to Construction Hazard Prevention through Design (CHPtD) are inherently limited because they do not adequately reflect the socio-material complexity of decision-making in construction design. Specifically, the simplistic attribution of responsibility to a single socio-technical actor, ‘the designer’, does not reflect the multiple and disparate influences that impact upon OHS outcomes. Nor do existing CHPtD policy frameworks, management processes and tools recognize the manner in which the interactions and associations between relevant project stakeholders and various non-human artefacts shape (and are also influenced by) the evolution of design decisions. Drawing on actor-network theory (ANT) and using embedded units within a case study approach, the interactions between human actors and non-human artefacts are explored in relation to the design of four components of the food processing facility. The way in which design decisions unfolded and shaped OHS experiences during the construction stage of the project is revealed. The research highlights limitations inherent in current approaches to the management of CHPtD and the need to develop a more robust theoretically based approach to integrating OHS considerations into construction design practice.     

Dioxin sources and industrial emissions control — a review

Dioxin, the collective term for polychlorinated dibenzo‐p‐dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans, are generated during various chemical and high temperature processes. They have been shown to be toxic to humans and animals with 2,3,7,8‐tetrachloro‐dibenzo‐p‐dioxin (TCDD) exhibiting the greatest toxicity. Dioxin has been shown to exhibit immunotoxicity, reproductive and developmental toxicity in several animals. Epidemiological studies on groups of humans with prolonged or elevated exposure to dioxin have indicated increased cancer rates above threshold levels of exposure. Conversely, other studies have concluded that dioxin is a net anticarcinogen. There has been much study aimed at quantifying the relative contributions of the identified dioxin sources to the environmental load. Although some data suggests that burning of vegetation produces measurable amounts of dioxin it is rather industrial process waste streams which emit the greatest amounts. Processes implicated include organic chemical synthesis, metal processing, paper pulp bleaching and incineration of organic materials. Dioxin emission reduction strategies for high temperature processes have focussed upon the minimisation of the conditions at which dioxin forms in exhaust streams. Additionally, screening of process materials has been practised as have substitution of process chemicals in the pulp and paper bleaching industry.     

India and alternative sources of energy – a review

India should rely on its abundant renewable energy sources to not only facilitate steady and high economic growth but also enable it to meet its commitment to reduce pollution up to 35% less than the 2005 level. On this platform It can expect financial and technological support from the world community.     

Children's blood lead and exposure to lead in household dust and water — a basis for an environmental standard for lead in dust

Good quantitative evidence on the role of lead in household dust as a source of exposure to children has been lacking. A study of 495 children in Edinburgh, Scotland shows a significant relationship between lead in dust vacuumed from the floors of the children's homes and their blood lead levels. A multiple regression analysis incorporating drinking water and household dust estimates that a 1,000 μg g⁻¹ increase in dust lead concentration would increase blood lead by 1.9 μg dl⁻¹, for a child with the median population blood lead of 10.1 μg dl⁻¹. Dust lead concentration is a more useful predictor of blood lead than lead loading. The sanding or blow-lamp stripping of old paint is found to be an important source of the higher household dust lead concentrations. Finally, the dust lead-blood lead relationship is used to derive a standard for lead in house dust, as no such standard exists for this exposure route.     

Geotextiles for unpaved roads—A review of design procedures

Fabrics have been successfully used for unpaved roads on very soft subgrade for some time, usually fulfilling one or more of the basic functions of separation, filtration, drainage and reinforcement. A number of structural design procedures have recently been developed which mostly rely on the fabric controlling subgrade failure mode, improving surface load distribution and providing membrane support. The results of some of these procedures are compared for particular soil and fabric properties and traffic conditions; and design charts based on Apple computer programs are presented. Several of the design methods appear to give equally reasonable results; but it is pointed out that fabrics should also be selected based on expected construction survivability and workability and that careful management of construction activities is vital for successful use of fabrics in unpaved roads.     

Toward sustainable energy usage in the power generation and construction sectors—a case study of Australia

To be sustainable in energy usage in the future, there are two aspects that need to be considered: the energy supply or generation and the consumption side, including the closely linked construction and building industries which consume a large amount of energy. Essential requirements for energy efficiency are to produce less greenhouse gas emissions and to rely more on renewable energy sources for future sustainability. Policies for mitigation of the environment impact are having effects on both the supply and demand. While the former requires more alternate sources in smart grids and improved technologies for carbon capture and storage, the latter involves the reduction of energy wastes and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as prerequisites to green certification within the construction and building sector. Thus, access to sustainable, affordable, and secure energy is one of the major global strategic priorities to maintain and improve public health, sustain economic growth, and mitigate the effects of climate change. Toward this goal, many countries, including Australia, are investing in clean, efficient, reliable energy systems for a prosperous and environmentally sustainable future. Hence, exploring various options to ensure energy security by diversification of energy sources is an important step in meeting the future requirements and delivering clean energy to different industry sectors. This paper discusses options to manage the use of energy sources in the power generation and construction industries. Options for mitigation of environmental impact and for achievement of sustainable energy usage, such as building design with BIM, are discussed.     

Assessment of road instability along a typical mountainous road using GIS and aerial photos, Lebanon – eastern Mediterranean

The steeply sloping and mountainous nature of the Lebanese territory gives rise to a spectrum of natural hazards. It is a rugged area cut by a dense network of roads connecting scattered but highly populated cities. The roads experience heavy traffic. They often follow geological formations of weak lithologies and cross fault systems inducing recurrence of mass movements. When the rather poor road construction in Lebanon is added to this, the result is a potential risk to life as well as economic losses. The purpose of this study was to investigate the interactive components determining the hazards affecting the highway between Beirut and Broummana (Mount Lebanon). It specifically aims to show, with the aid of GIS and aerial photographs, the integration of datainput from those components for optimizing approaches to highway hazard analysis. Electronic Publication     

Strength and abrasive properties of andesite: relationships between strength parameters measured on cylindrical test specimens and micro-Deval values—a tool for durability assessment

Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment - Aggregates are necessary materials for the construction industry. Owing to their favourable properties, andesites are frequently used rock...     

The effect of client and type and size of construction work on a contractor’s bidding strategy

This paper offers a bidding strategy model for use by contractors as part of a more informed approach in selecting which contracts to bid for, and as a basis for determining the most appropriate mark-up level for various types and sizes of construction work and client types. Regression analysis is used in measuring a contractor’s competitiveness between bids (by using the lowest bid/own bid ratio) and within bids (by using the lowest bid/cost estimate ratio) according to type and size of construction work and client type. The model was tested on a large and reputable Hong Kong contractor. This particular contractor’s bidding behaviour was found to be largely unaffected by the type of construction work, but significantly affected by the client type and the size of the construction work. Three quadratic models (regressing lowest bid/cost estimate on the size of the construction work) are also successfully developed for projects from the private sector, the Hong Kong Government and the Hong Kong Housing Authority, respectively.     

Acidic attack of cement-based materials—a review Part 2. Factors of rate of acidic attack and protective measures

This paper shows that both the aggressivity of an acidic environment and acidic resistance of cement based materials are of a complex nature. Both depend on several conditioning factors. Therefore, the evaluation of the aggressivity of the environment only on the concentration of the aggressive species is entirely unsatisfactory and incorrect. On the other hand, even the evaluation of the acidic resistance on the cement used is inadequate. Therefore, further factors should be taken into consideration, conditions like the action of the aggressive medium on cement based material and the processing factors, e.g. w/c used, curing mode and others, conditioning the resistance of cement based materials. The various possibilies of protecting cement-based materials are considered. These are based on the optimal choice of the composition of the mixture, its consolidation and curing, aimed at ensuring maximal density and minimal permeability of the hardened material. A further possibility represents the application of surface coatings. The most effective way seems to be the preparation of materials on binders of new generation ensuring the compatibility with the acidic environment.     

Modeling occupancy and behavior for better building design and operation—A critical review

People spend more than 90% of their life time in buildings, which makes occupant behavior one of the leading influences of energy consumption in buildings. Occupancy and occupant behavior, which refer to human presence inside buildings and their active interactions with various building system such as lighting, heating, cooling, ventilation, window blinds, and plugs, attract great attention of research with regard to better building design and operation. Due to the stochastic nature of occupant behavior, prior occupancy models vary dramatically in terms of data sampling, spatial and temporal resolution. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the current modeling efforts of occupant behavior, summarizes occupancy models for various applications including building energy performance analysis, building architectural and engineering design, intelligent building operations and building safety design, and presents challenges and areas where future research could be undertaken. In addition, modeling requirement for different applications is analyzed. Furthermore, a few commonly used statistical and data mining models are presented. The purpose of this paper is to provide a modeling reference for future researchers so that a proper method or model can be selected for a specific research purpose.     

Group‐level safety climate in the Australian construction industry: within‐group homogeneity and between‐group differences in road construction and maintenance

In modern organizations it is overly simplistic to assume that a uniform, organization‐wide climate for safety develops. Workgroup‐level safety climates are more likely to arise in decentralized organizations and their influence on occupational health and safety (OHS) behaviour is likely to be stronger when work is non‐routine, as in construction. The existence of workgroup‐level safety climates was examined in the Australian construction industry. A group‐level safety climate survey was conducted in a road maintenance and construction organization. The clear factorial structure produced in a larger sample of Australian defence logistics workers was not replicated and factors splintered, possibly due to the subject‐to‐item ratio in the construction study. However, the internal reliability consistency of the factors produced in the earlier pilot study was found to be acceptable for the construction industry data. Two requisite conditions for the existence of group‐level safety climates, i.e. (1) within‐group homogeneity; and (2) between‐group variation, were satisfied within the road construction and maintenance organization. The results indicate that distinct workgroup safety climates exist in construction, providing a theoretical explanation for why some workgroups perform better in OHS than others, despite having similar risk exposure.     

XENIOS—a methodology for assessing refurbishment scenarios and the potential of application of RES and RUE in hotels

Hotels rank in the highest levels of energy consumption in the tertiary building sector. Improved service quality mandates that hotel building, facilities and installations are maintained to the highest standards in order to remain competitive, thus renovations are becoming common. Renovation is usually financially attractive when compared to demolition and reconstruction. This offers great opportunities for promoting energy efficient measures, exploitation of renewable energy sources (RES) and rational use of energy (RUE) in the hotel sector. The XENIOS methodology and software permits the user to perform a preliminary hotel audit and make a first assessment of cost-effective energy efficient renovation practices, technologies and systems. This paper presents a brief overview of the methodology and the various features of the XENIOS software and focuses on the results from four audits and a pilot study carried out in Mediterranean hotels.     

Impact of household plumbing fixtures on drinking water quality — a review

This paper reviews the pertinent literature published since 1970 on the impact of household plumbing systems on drinking water quality through the leaching of metals such as cadmium, copper, iron, lead, tin and zinc into potable water. Copper is found to be more easily and extensively leached than lead. Copper is leached almost exclusively from copper tubing. Lead can be leached from lead pipes, lead‐tin solders and faucets in residences. Zinc and tin require to be monitored as well.