An experimental investigation of the recirculation zone formed downstream of a forward facing step

An experimental investigation of the recirculation zone formed downstream of a forward facing step immersed in a turbulent boundary layer has been undertaken using particle image velocimetry. Bluff body flow is observed with the fixed separation point located at the leading edge of the step. The recirculation region dimensions are characterised over a range of Reynolds numbers (1400-19 000), with Re_h based on the step height and the free stream velocity. Turbulent perturbations are produced in the free shear layer which develops between the recirculating flow close to the step and the free stream flow. Contour maps of amplification factor, streamwise perturbation velocity and Reynolds stresses are constructed, providing insight into optimal placement of structures within such topographical features. The mechanisms affecting the reattachment distance, namely the turbulent mixing within the boundary layer and the velocity deficit in the boundary layer, are discussed.     

An aquifer thermal storage system in a Belgian hospital: Long-term experimental evaluation of energy and cost savings

Over a three years period, an aquifer thermal energy storage system was monitored in combination with a heat pump for heating and cooling of the ventilation air in a Belgian hospital. The installation was one of the first and largest ground source heat pump systems in Belgium. Groundwater flows and temperatures were monitored as well as the energy flows of the heat pumps and the energy demand of the building. The resulting energy balance of the building showed that the primary energy consumption of the heat pump system is 71% lower in comparison with a reference installation based on common gas-fired boilers and water cooling machines. This corresponds to a CO₂-reduction of 1280 ton over the whole measuring period. The overall seasonal performance factor (SPF) for heating was 5.9 while the ATES system delivered cooling at an efficiency factor of 26.1. Furthermore, the economic analysis showed an annual cost reduction of k€ 54 as compared to the reference installation, resulting in a simple payback time of 8.4 years, excluding subsidies.     

Development of a reliable alkaline wastewater treatment process: optimization of the pre-treatment step

Alkaline waters produced by caprolactam plants polymerizing the fibres of nylon-6 are characterized by a very high alkalinity, salinity and COD values, in addition to the presence of recalcitrant organic molecules. These characteristics make alkaline wastewaters very difficult to treat; so the development of the suitable sequence to carry out in a depuration process appears of great interest.

The proposed general process consists of three main steps: first, pre-treatment for the acidification of the polluted stream, second, a successive extraction of the bio-recalcitrant compound (noted as cycloexanecarboxysulphonic acid (CECS)) and a final biological treatment. In particular, this paper deals with the pre-treatment step: it consists of an acidification process by means of sulphuric acid with the concomitant precipitation of black slurries in the presence of different substances, such as solvents, CaCl₂, bentonite, several flocculants and coagulants.

The aim of this study is to set an experimental procedure, which could minimize fouling problems during sludge filtration. The use of additives like bentonite seems to give the best results, because it allows good COD reductions and a filterable precipitate, which avoids excessive fouling problems of the experimental apparatus.     

An examination of a partial least squares-based dynamic water quota model for urban industries: a case study of the Wuhan City hospital industry

The establishment of water quotas has an important practical significance in promoting urban standards for water utilization. Currently, industrial water quotas are highly arbitrary, inadequately restrictive, and impractical. This paper considers the example of the Wuhan City hospital industry. Common factors of industrial water use and major differences in water utilization structures were considered, and the principles of partial least squares (PLS) analysis were applied to establish an evaluation model for water utilization levels in this industry. Residuals were used to introduce the corresponding adjustment coefficients, and a dynamic model of water quotas in the hospital industry was constructed. Experimental results revealed that for this dynamic model, 80% of the samples examined exhibited errors of |20%| or less; thus, the dynamic approach was superior to traditional approaches for quota determination, where only 40% of samples had errors of |20%| or less.     

一座传统村落的前世今生——新技术、保护概念与乐清南阁村保护规划的关联性

本文简要回顾了南阁村保护规划过程中所思考的一些具有普遍意义的问题,以及由于应用数字技术而出现的对传统空间认知与分析方法方面所作的一些改进。传统文化遗产的保护与传承是一件十分复杂的工作。保护不是简单地守成,而是在一个已经发生巨变了的社会经济环境中对中断的历史进行重新疏理,并将其融入新的社会环境中。     

Designing the future of healthcare together: prototyping a hospital co-design space

This paper contextualises the emergence and continuing development of the Design for Health and Wellbeing (DHW) Lab, a collaboration between a university and a hospital in Auckland, New Zealand. The DHW Lab was established with the vision of creating a design space in which designers, students, patients and hospital staff could work together to identify and address contemporary healthcare issues in innovative ways. In this paper, we explain how the continuing development of the space reflects the design principles it espouses, and how this is embedding design principles and practices into a healthcare organisation. In particular, we will show how the users of the space contribute to the evolution of its physical appearance, its values and its performance as they come to identify and make sense of the challenges, possibilities and potential of the DHW Lab initiative.     

Third-party logistics in construction: the case of a large hospital project

The construction supply chain is of temporary nature and complex, with many interactions between multiple actors in different construction projects. This challenging context typically leads to relatively higher costs and lower productivity, compared to other industries. Supply chain management (SCM) has been put forward as a mean to better handle this challenging context. As a part of SCM initiatives some construction industry stakeholders have turned to third-party logistics (TPL) providers, especially in large construction projects. The use of TPL providers is a new, and under-investigated, phenomenon in the construction industry. The main purpose of this study is thus to explore the use of a TPL provider in a large construction project and to analyse its resulting effects. Driving forces and possible concerns for implementing TPL are identified and the possibility for TPL to be a facilitator for implementing SCM in construction is investigated. The research is based on a literature review and an explorative case study of a large hospital project in Sweden, where the client and the main contractor have initiated the use of a TPL provider to coordinate sourcing and materials handling activities on site. The results show positive effects on establishing an effective interface between the construction site and the supply chain. The results also show that a TPL solution facilitates an increase in productive work at the construction site itself, a reduction of costs and an increased utilisation of site assets. On the downside, the study also shows a lack of SCM knowledge amongst the involved actors in the project, hindering them to reap the full potential of TPL.     

Governance performance in complex environment: The case of a major transformation in a university hospital

Project-based organisations have emerged as new forms of organisation in the last few decades. However, hierarchy persists. Both serve their own purpose, but entail different sets of values. This is particularly true in relation to the contribution of project management to organisational performance. The competing values framework has been used to highlight different sets of values and preferences underlying the evaluation of PMO performance and emphasizes the competing aspect. The research adopted a participatory action research approach in a university hospital where a major organisational transformation is taking place. Findings reveal the existence of paradoxes between the executives and the PMO regarding the PMO performance and show how these paradoxes evolved over time. This sheds light not only on the paradoxes, but also on the dynamic process related to performance evaluation within a transformation project.     

Pile burning of cutting debris in stands of hazel (Corylus avellana): An experimental study of smouldering combustion towards the validation of a burning protocol

Smouldering combustion in burning piles was experimentally investigated by studying temperature changes in six piles of 2 m of diameter of cutting debris of hazel (Corylus avellana) for three days after extinction. The piles were monitored using an IR camera and K-type thermocouples. The experiment was designed in order to study how the maximum temperature of the charcoal might be influenced by the individual and interaction effects of both the quality of extinction and the elapsed time until the start of extinction of the piles. The piles that were properly extinguished (i.e. using a high-pressure, homogeneously distributed water flow of 50 l/min for 4 min) had a uniform temperature profile and did not have significant hot spots. The temperature reached equilibrium with the environment in less than 10 h after extinction. In contrast, a smouldering front moved throughout the poorly extinguished piles, which had a wide temperature distribution and hot spots of up to 700 °C. A simulation of windy conditions after three days of experiments on a poorly extinguished pile showed that the reactivation of charcoal combustion was possible. It gave a high-risk scenario to cause a wildfire, with hot smouldering embers being transported by wind flow. The results are of interest to improve pile burning protocols so that the number of wildfires caused by such practices may be reduced.     

Maximising the benefits of rainwater harvesting technology towards sustainability in urban areas of South Africa: a case study

ABSTRACT

Rainwater harvesting (RWH) technology has been in use for a long time, however its contribution towards urban water supply has been negligible in South Africa. Through a comprehensive literature review and analysis of interviews with key stakeholders, this case study presents implementation challenges and policy gaps in relation to the scale of adoption in the City of Johannesburg (CoJ). Findings show that only 0.1% of CoJ’s population utilises RWH due to various reasons, varying from financial viability, reliability, quality concerns, and system maintenance. This paper attributes these to the scale of adoption and suggests upscaling the system to larger commercial buildings to optimise benefits. However, there is an urgent need to bridge the policy gaps for successful implementation. Three categories of policy reforms are therefore proposed to facilitate innovation uptake, stakeholder engagement and compliance. This knowledge can guide future research towards urban water management, scientists and policymakers nexus.     

Relational competence in complex temporary organizations: The case of a French hospital construction project network

Large and complex project networks are characterized by the collaboration of heterogeneous organizations and individuals. In addition to project management techniques and complementary skills, relational competence, i.e. the ability to actively create and develop collaborative relationships is an essential asset for managing project networks. Networks represent structured role systems which may be a substitute for stable organizational structures and routines. This study investigates relational competence in the network of a large construction project of a French hospital. Based on network data and qualitative interviews, we compare the formal roles and positions of actors in the network to their actual roles and positions and analyze how relational competence promotes the coordination of project work. We find several actors whose network position and relational competence correspond to the formal organization and several actors with a mismatch between the formal organization and the actual role and position. In the latter cases, other network members step in and contribute to an effective coordination. The concept of relational competence in combination with network analysis contributes to a better understanding of the functioning of project networks. In particular, it reveals dysfunctions in the project network and allows for identifying the reasons for failure.     

工业的力量--中山歧江公园规划设计：一个打破常规的公园设计

美国《景观设计学》杂志2003年6月发表了特约撰稿人Mary G.Padua教授的文章，对获2002年全美景观设计年度荣誉奖的俞孔坚教授及北京土人景观规划设计研究所设计的广东中山岐江公园，进行了较全面的评介，认为这个在旧造船厂上设计的公园，保留造船厂的废旧设备及周围的自然植被，对旧船厂进行了产业用地再生设计，使岐江河岸的水—生物—人得以在一个边缘生态环境中相融共生，歧江公园用现代创新设计语言，讲述了中国近现代工业化历程。     

Lead toxicity to wildlife: Derivation of a critical blood concentration for wildlife monitoring based on literature data

Generic risk assessments of lead (Pb) toxicity to wildlife puts soil Pb limits below the natural background. The Tissue Residue Approach (TRA) is an alternative method by which the current risk of Pb to wildlife can be assessed and avoids uncertainties about Pb exposure routes or bioavailability of environmental Pb. About 80 toxicity studies were reviewed of which 19 experimental and 6 field studies with mammals and birds were selected. Blood lead concentration (Pb-B, µg Pb/dL) was used as the index of exposure. The highest No Observed Effect Concentrations (NOECs) varied about 1600-fold among species and tests when expressed as external doses (mg Pb/kg body weight/day) whereas this range reduced to 50-fold when expressed as Pb-B. This illustrates that variation in Pb absorption from diet largely contributes to the variation in critical doses. A critical Pb-B concentration protecting mammals and birds from Pb toxicity was calculated with the HC₅ approach, i.e. the 5th percentile of species NOEC values with data of 15 different species and using growth, reproduction or hematology as endpoints. The HC₅ was significantly lower for mammals than that for birds (p < 0.05), suggesting that the association between blood lead concentration and systemic toxicity was different between the two groups. The HC₅ was 18 µg/dL for mammals and was 71 µg/dL for birds. The dose-response relationship between hematological effects (hemoglobin concentration, hematocrit) and Pb-B was aggregated for different species. These relationships were highly significant and significantly different between mammals and birds. The relationships predict that the % inhibitions of hematological endpoints at the calculated HC₅ values are only 1.5% in mammals and 2% in birds, clearly within the natural variation.     

Learning in a programme context: An exploratory investigation of drivers and constraints

There is little guidance in the literature on programme-based learning and knowledge transfer. We framed our research question as ‘What are the mechanisms for, drivers of, and barriers to programme-based learning?’ and investigated both within- and cross-programme learning at multiple levels. Our exploratory qualitative investigation of senior managers (primarily at the Programme Director/Delivery Director level) in a large UK-based telecommunications and network services provider revealed a number of interesting and important insights. Participants interviewed tended to call upon their own tacit knowledge and experience to understand their programmes in the first instance. Knowledge acquisition and sharing was largely through social contacts and peer-to-peer connections rather than the formal processes. Explicit organisational knowledge in this instance served mainly for reference but could be ‘signposted’ by trusted colleagues. Learning effects varied over the lifecycle of the programme and, in the case organisation, the enterprise programme office was not viewed as being conducive to effective learning. The findings have practical implications for understanding within- and cross-programme learning.     

Ecologies of Excess: An Excerpt from a 22nd-Century Architecture History Class

Written from the vantage point of the beginning of the 22nd century, Eva Franch i Gilabert looks back at the preceding century. Modernism and then sustainability have been surpassed by the Ecologies of Excess movement. Rather than seeking remediation for the natural environment and existing conditions, the excessive has become a foundational ground for design and sociopolitical change. Depicted projects are developed by Franch i Gilabert and the Ecologies of Excess research unit team at Rice University in Houston. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Explaining regional economic performance: An historical application of a dynamic multi-regional CGE model

A multi-regional dynamic computable general equilibrium model of the Australian economy (federal-f) is used to identify the causes of the divergent growth performance of two Australian regional economies (Tasmania and the rest of Australia) over the period 1992–1993 to 1998–1999. These causes are traced to a large number of structural and policy changes in the two economies. Ultimately, no simple or mono-causal explanation for the divergent growth experience is found – the relatively slow growth of the Tasmanian economy is the net effect of a large number of countervailing influences. Nevertheless, from among these many influences, it is possible to distinguish those that had a sizeable impact from those that had a negligible impact. Received: 29 February 2000 / Accepted: 31 July 2000     

从一个厕所设计谈起--访X-urban公司建筑师费晓华

本文通过与建筑师的访谈,探讨了一个公厕设计所涉及的建筑与环境的对比协调观、建筑意境的创造、功能空间的创新、建筑与地域气候条件的结合,以及使用者的生理和心理需求,从中体现了X-Urban的设计理念和创作风格。     

伊斯兰文化东渐的遗踪—陆上丝绸之路名城喀什中亚风格清真寺建筑构图研究

该文简单介绍了喀什中亚风格清真寺的建筑构图特色,通过对喀什的艾提尕清真寺等进行建筑构图分析,对比总结了喀什中亚风格清真寺的构图规律,也为现代建筑提供了一些设计借鉴。     

从贝伦斯到格罗皮乌斯——微观视野下现代建筑的一个进化过程

虽然现代建筑运动在建筑史中被看做是一个革命性的事件,但在这种爆发性的现象下潜藏着一个短暂而迅速的演化过程.以贝伦斯和格罗皮乌斯的建筑思想与作品为研究对象,旨在揭露从贝伦斯到格罗皮乌斯就是一个从工业新古典主义到对它的修正,再到理性主义的演化过程.