Mechanical properties of expanded polystyrene lightweight aggregate concrete and brick

In this study, mix proportion parameters of expanded polystyrene (EPS) lightweight aggregate concrete are analyzed by using Taguchi’s approach. The density, compressive strength and stress-strain behavior were tested. The optimal mixture of EPS lightweight aggregate concrete was selected among experiments under consideration to manufacture the lightweight hollow bricks. The results show that EPS dosage has the most significant effect on compressive strength of EPS lightweight aggregate concrete, then water and cement ratio, while the content of cement and sand ratio play a comparatively less important part. The relationship between density and compressive strength of EPS lightweight aggregate concrete is proposed as f_c = 2.43 × γ^2.997 × 10⁻⁹. The legitimacy of the use of EPS lightweight bricks made by EPS lightweight aggregate concrete is confirmed.     

A survey of the health and safety conditions of apartment buildings in Hong Kong

A high-density built environment poses challenges to the idea of sustainable development in respect of health (e.g. SARS outbreak) and safety (e.g. fire and structural problems). To examine the seriousness of the high-density problem, this study aims to survey the health and safety performance of apartment buildings in a densely populated city, Hong Kong, using a simplified assessment scheme. An assessment scheme based on a hierarchy of building performance indicators concerning the quality of: (a) architectural design, (b) building services design, (c) the surrounding environment, (d) operations and maintenance, and (e) management approaches was developed. One hundred forty (140) apartment buildings were surveyed and assessed through site inspections, desk searches, and interviews. A performance analysis was conducted to examine and compare the overall health and safety performance of the buildings. We found that there were considerable variations in health and safety conditions across buildings, even though they are located within a single district. Most of the variations in building health and safety conditions were attributed to differences in building management systems rather than building design. Enhancing strategic management approaches (e.g. a better delineation of owners’ rights and duties) appears to be the most critical factor that underperformers should consider in order to improve their buildings.     

Experimental research on employed expanded polystyrene (EPS) for lightened sulfate heave of subgrade by thermal insulation properties

In sulfate-rich soils with high sodium sulfate contents, sulfate heave can occur and then generate severe damages to engineering facilities such as pavement, airplane runway due to the hydration of thenardite or crystallization of mirabilite when the temperature is below 32.4 °C. Based on the significant effect of expanded polystyrene (EPS) geofoam in reducing the temperature variations, a comparative experimental investigation on the sulfate heave of subgrade generated by the artificial coarse-grained saline soil with and without EPS material is conducted. Parameters of swell displacement and temperature fluctuation obtained from this comparative experiment are further validated and analyzed. The X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) measurement result is used to demonstrate the performance of EPS in microstructure. Test results indicate that: (1) The presence of crystallized mirabilite is proved within subgrade with saline soil when the temperature drops below 32.4 °C; (2) sulfate heave of subgrade is dependent on temperature fluctuation, but more specifically, on the temperature drop that occurs below 32.4 °C; and (3) EPS thermal insulation can reduce sulfate heave in pavement subgrade by effectively reducing the temperature fluctuation within the subgrade.Ce database subject headingsHeave; Hydration; Salinity; Subgrades; Sulfates; Temperature effects.     

废弃聚苯乙烯泡沫塑料制备装饰板材的研究

以废弃聚苯乙烯泡沫塑料(EPS)为主要原料挤出造粒,混合增韧剂、发泡剂、塑化剂等助剂,经过双层内发泡挤出、冷却定型、表面热转印等工艺制备了新型装饰板材。重点研究了发泡剂用量、增韧剂用量、主挤出机Ⅱ区温度、转速对板材密度、泡孔直径及力学性能的影响。结果表明,最主要影响因素是主挤出机Ⅱ区温度,其次是发泡剂用量和增韧剂用量;当主挤出机Ⅱ区温度为155℃、发泡剂用量为1.15%、增韧剂用量为3.0%、转速为40 r/min时,板材的密度最低为0.378 g/cm3、冲击强度为18.21 MPa、弯曲强度为1.20 k J/m2、泡孔分布较均匀、直径约100μm。     

薄抹灰外墙外保温系统中EPS板形变的影响因素研究

研究了密度、陈化时间、温度、试样尺寸对EPS板薄抹灰外墙外保温系统中EPS板形变的影响。结果表明:大密度的EPS板尺寸稳定性优于低密度的EPS板;随着温度的升高,EPS板形变逐渐增大,当温度到80~85℃时,达到敏感温度点,产生不可逆的收缩形变明显加剧;EPS板形变性能的尺寸效应明显,随着试样尺寸的增大,形变率降低,但其形变量反而增加;陈化时间对EPS板的形变影响较大,随着陈化期的延长,EPS板的形变逐渐趋于稳定。     

Environmental health concepts and issues — a viewpoint

The quality of our environment and the effect of environmental agents on our health depend largely on the policies adopted by the international community and governments. Global environmental problems pose a threat to human health and well‐being; but all the world's countries which must act co‐operatively to find measures to address such issues have their particular conceptual and diverse environmental challenges. Several concepts have been developed worldwide to show how environmental issues are increasingly central to our health. This paper addresses some of these concepts as they are relevant to us today and in the future.     

Design and construction of expanded polystyrene embankments Practical design methods as used in the United Kingdom

This paper covers the history of the use of expanded polystyrene ( ) in light weight fill for road embankments. UK design requirements and physical properties of the foam are covered together with two case studies.     

EPS轻骨料混凝土的吸湿性和透气性研究

作为外墙保温材料使用时,EPS轻骨料混凝土应当具备较低的吸湿性和较高的透气性.研究了密度、可再分散乳胶粉掺量和硬脂酸钙憎水剂掺量对EPS轻骨料混凝土吸水率和水蒸气透过率的影响.结果表明:降低密度和增加可再分散乳胶粉的掺量均能显著提高EPS轻骨料混凝土的吸水率和水蒸气透过率;掺加硬脂酸钙能够显著降低吸水率,当其掺量达到胶凝材料质量的4％时,EP5轻骨料混凝土吸水率的降低幅度达到10％,同时能够保持较高的水蒸气透过率.     

Self‐reported health and comfort in ‘modern’ office buildings: first results from the European OFFICAIR study

In the European research project OFFICAIR, a procedure was developed to determine associations between characteristics of European offices and health and comfort of office workers, through a checklist and a self‐administered questionnaire including environmental, physiological, psychological, and social aspects. This procedure was applied in 167 office buildings in eight European countries (Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece, France, Hungary, the Netherlands, and Finland) during the winter of 2011–2012. About 26 735 survey invitation e‐mails were sent, and 7441 office workers were included in the survey. Among respondents who rated an overall comfort less than 4 (23%), ‘noise (other than from building systems)’, air ‘too dry’, and temperature ‘too variable’ were the main complaints selected. An increase of perceived control over indoor climate was positively associated with the perceived indoor environment quality. Almost one‐third of office workers suffered from dry eyes and headache in the last 4 weeks. Physical building characteristics were associated with occupants’ overall satisfaction (acoustical solutions, mold growth, complaints procedure, cleaning activities) and health (number of occupants, lack of operable windows, presence of carpet and cleaning activities). OFFICAIR project provides a useful database to identify stressors related to indoor environmental quality and office worker's health.     

胶粉聚苯颗粒保温浆料材料组成的变化对其性能和施工影响研究

试验研究了胶粉料主要组成成分的变化对保温浆料性能的影响和聚苯颗粒的不同对保温浆料表观密度、导热系数、强度和施工性的影响,供生产厂家和施工企业参考。     

Dampness in buildings and health. Nordic interdisciplinary review of the scientific evidence on associations between exposure to "dampness" in buildings and health effects (NORDDAMP)

Several epidemiological investigations concerning indoor environments have indicated that "dampness" in buildings is associated to health effects such as respiratory symptoms, asthma and allergy. The aim of the present interdisciplinary review is to evaluate this association as shown in the epidemiological literature. A literature search identified 590 peer-reviewed articles of which 61 have been the foundation for this review. The review shows that "dampness" in buildings appears to increase the risk for health effects in the airways, such as cough, wheeze and asthma. Relative risks are in the range of OR 1.4-2.2. There also seems to be an association between "dampness" and other symptoms such as tiredness, headache and airways infections. It is concluded that the evidence for a causal association between "dampness" and health effects is strong. However, the mechanisms are unknown. Several definitions of dampness have been used in the studies, but all seems to be associated with health problems. Sensitisation to mites may be one but obviously not the only mechanism. Even if the mechanisms are unknown, there is sufficient evidence to take preventive measures against dampness in buildings.     

Dampness in buildings as a risk factor for health effects, EUROEXPO: a multidisciplinary review of the literature (1998-2000) on dampness and mite exposure in buildings and health effects

The scientific literature on health effects from dampness in buildings, including mite exposure over the period 1998-2000 has been reviewed by an European group (EUROEXPO) of eight scientists in experience from medicine, epidemiology, toxicology and engineering. Forty studies deemed relevant have been the foundation for the conclusions. Dampness in buildings is a risk factor for health effects among atopics and non-atopics both in domestic and in public environments. However, the literature is not conclusive in respect of causative agents, e.g. mites, microbiological agents and organic chemicals from degraded building materials. There is a strong need for more multidisciplinary studies including expertise from all relevant areas. A general conclusion from the work was that there is a strong need for multidisciplinary reviews in scientific journals of articles dealing with associations between indoor environmental factors and health effects. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: There is good evidence for a true association between dampness in buildings and health. As the causative factors behind this association are not known, the main focus in practical investigations should be on finding out and remediate the reasons for the humidity problem.     

建设部办公楼前环境改造设计

通过环境改造设计,提升环境中人的主体地位,突出保护建筑的形象,浓缩建设部的"建设"主题,使国家机关办公楼环境在自然背景和使用功能的基础上有序化.     

Optimisation of opaque components of the building envelope. Energy,economic and environmental issues

The European Directive 2002/91 will enforce the Member State to promote the implementation of new measures, instruments and calculation methodology to improve the buildings energy performances. The thermal performance and quality of the Italian residential buildings is generally poor, depending on the age of the building stock and the lack of application of the existing energy regulations. This study aims at demonstrating the global benefits of good insulated building envelopes. Energy benefits are easy to understand, meanwhile the economic issues are critical, since the final users see them as an additional useless extra cost for the dwelling at the purchase phase, with small attention to the future managing costs. The study demonstrates that significant economic advantages come out from high–performance building envelope. The study also shows that environmental extra loads due to a bigger use of the insulating material is paid back in few years, with consistent social benefits, if the life cycle of the building is taken into account.     

'EUROPART'. Airborne particles in the indoor environment. A European interdisciplinary review of scientific evidence on associations between exposure to particles in buildings and health effects

The relevance of particle mass, surface area or number concentration as risk indicators for health effects in non-industrial buildings has been assessed by a European interdisciplinary group of researchers (called EUROPART) by reviewing papers identified in Medline, Toxline, and OSH. Studies dealing with dermal effects or cancer or specifically addressing environmental tobacco smoke, house dust-mite, cockroach or animal allergens, microorganisms and pesticides were excluded. A total of 70 papers were reviewed, and eight were identified for the final review: Five experimental studies involving mainly healthy subjects, two cross-sectional office studies and one longitudinal study among elderly on cardiovascular effects. From most studies, no definite conclusions could be drawn. Overall, the group concluded that there is inadequate scientific evidence that airborne, indoor particulate mass or number concentrations can be used as generally applicable risk indicators of health effects in non-industrial buildings and consequently that there is inadequate scientific evidence for establishing limit values or guidelines for particulate mass or number concentrations.     

公共卫生视野下的疗愈环境研究与实践

本文探讨了公共卫生视角下疗愈环 境研究与实践的发展。理想的疗愈系统是由 内往外的系统建构,疗愈环境是外部环境的 一部分,其类型包括自然环境、城市环境、 建筑环境和室内环境等。本文结合研究阐述 了当前疗愈环境的实践,已经从传统的康复 花园和治愈景观,拓展到疗愈街道、疗愈建 筑、虚拟疗愈等多种环境领域。并指出应该 将疗愈环境结合进公共卫生体系中, 作为健 康城市运动的一部分,获得新的发展动力。