Ein Bemessungsmodell für durchlaufende Verbundträger mit großen Stegöffnungen

A design model for continuous composite beams with large web openings. Continuous composite beams can be designed according to the plastic hinge theory. The plastic reserves of the cross section and of the system are used to full capacity with this method. The treatment of large web openings was not clarified for the appliance of the plastic hinge theory until now. At the Institute for Concrete Structures and Structural Design at the Kaiserslautern University of Technology a research project, which was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), was executed. Within this project continuous composite beams with openings were experimentally and numerically investigated. Furthermore a design model for calculating those beams according to the plastic hinge theory was developed. In this paper the design model is presented.     

Bautechnisch‐bauphysikalische Beurteilung der Wirksamkeit energetischer Sanierungen am Beispiel städtischer Wohnhausanlagen in Wien

Study on the efficiency of thermal refurbishment of residential buildings in Vienna. In the framework of the Kyoto Protocol Austria has committed to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions until 2008/2012 by 13% on the base of 1990. Therefore the Federal Government as well as the provincial governments have implemented programs for the protection of climate including several measures to reduce the emission of hazardous greenhouse gases mainly CO₂. Regarding the enormous potential reduction activities were mainly focused on residential buildings. The refurbishment of the building envelope reduces the heating costs as well as the carbon dioxide emissions and improves the indoor climate. Several investigations were taken to check the utility of thermal refurbishment under structural and physical conditions. Plenty of data available in the line of several expertises of existing residential buildings were analysed and completed by additional investigations. The economic efficiency of thermal insulations is pointed out as well as the period of repayment or the influence of the thickness of insulation on the heating energy demand or possible CO₂‐reductions.     

Numerische Simulation von Rammarbeiten im Erdwiderstandsbereich von Baugrubenwänden

Numerical simulation of pile driving in the area of soil resistance of pit walls. In‐situ measurements at deep excavations during the construction show that the installation of buoyancy piles for the pit floor leads to large deformations of the pit walls. Today these additional loads caused by the construction of adjacent piles cannot be predicted and often lead to astonishment. The aim of this article is to present a first numerical model to predict the additional loads for the ground and the pit walls in the near field of driven piles. Regarding additional deformations of a pit wall at the Potsdamer Platz due to vibratory pile driving of buoyancy piles the importance of the numerical investigation is described. Nevertheless in the future considerable efforts are necessary to receive recommendations for the construction of pit walls.     

Membrane electrode assemblies for high-temperature polymer electrolyte fuel cells based on poly(2,5-benzimidazole) membranes with phosphoric acid impregnation via the catalyst layers

A novel strategy for introducing phosphoric acid as the electrolyte into high-temperature polymer electrolyte fuel cells by using acid impregnated catalyst layers instead of pre-doped membranes is presented in this paper. This experimental approach is used for the development of membrane electrode assemblies based on poly(2,5-benzimidazole) (ABPBI) as the membrane polymer. The acid uptake of free-standing ABPBI used for this work amounts to ABPBI × 3.1 H₃PO₄ which has a specific conductivity of ∼80 mS cm⁻¹ at 140 °C. Rather thick catalyst layers (20% Pt/C, 1 mg Pt cm⁻², 40% PTFE as binder, d = 100-150 μm) are prepared on gas diffusion layers with a dense hydrophobic microlayer. After impregnation of the catalyst layers with phosphoric acid and assembling them with a mechanically robust undoped ABPBI membrane a fast redistribution of the electrolyte occurs during cell start-up. Power densities of about 250 mW cm⁻² are achieved at 160 °C and ambient pressure with hydrogen and air as reactants. Details of membrane properties, preparation and optimization of gas diffusion electrodes and fuel cell characterization are discussed. We consider our novel approach to be especially suitable for an easy and reproducible fabrication of MEAs with large active areas.     

Efficient organic tandem cell combining a solid state dye-sensitized and a vacuum deposited bulk heterojunction solar cell

In this letter, we report on an efficient organic tandem solar cell combining a solid state dye-sensitized with a ZnPc/C₆₀-based, vacuum deposited bulk heterojunction solar cell. Due to an effective serial connection of both subcells and to the complementary absorption of the dyes used, a power conversion efficiency of η_p=(6.0±0.1)% was achieved under simulated AM 1.5 illumination. The device parameters are , and FF=(54±1)%.     

On the resistance to penetration of stiffened plates,Part II: Numerical analysis

A series of indentation tests have been carried out quasi-statically on various configurations of stiffened panels. These represent hull plates in ships subjected to grounding or collision actions. The results of the scaled down tests are reported in the first part of this two-part companion paper. This part (II) presents results from numerical analyses with focus on fracture prediction.     

Schädigungsberechnung an einem Spannbetonschaft für eine Windenergieanlage unter mehrstufiger Ermüdung

Damage calculation at a prestressed concrete tower for a Wind Energy Converter subjected to multi‐stage fatigue loading The application of a linear damage accumulation law devised by Palmgren and Miner for dimensioning constructions of Wind Energy Converters could lead to very unsafe or uneconomical calculation results. The real high non‐linear fatigue behaviour of concrete is not considered sufficiently by a simplified linear damage model. Additionally effects of different orders of load cycles to the resulting fatigue life are not represented as well. Based on a mechanical damage model available in literature a proceeding is established to determine the stiffness and damage evolution in concrete under multi‐stage fatigue loading. This extended damage approach is associated with the elastic‐plastic material model for concrete providing in the FE‐Program ABAQUS and subsequently a numerical investigation at a prestressed concrete tower for a multi‐megawatt wind turbine is performed. The results of the numerical simulation indicate obviously the influence of the order of load cycles to the fatigue life and that due to alterations of stress distributions a significant lower fatigue damage state occurs compared with calculation results without stress alterations.