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Joints made out of tubular steel members are often used in industrial constructions, like offshore, trusses or tree-shaped columns. The joint area is the weakest point in a truss structure. Beside the normal static behaviour many non-linearities due to the geometry or to the welding process have to take into account. Steel hollow sections are often used. Much research was made on welded nodes so far, but mostly it is valid for limited geometries or load cases. A review of the main aspects in designing welded nodes are given.

The construction industry is a key driver of environmental change due to its extensive use of resources and high emissions, thus significantly burdening global efforts towards sustainable development targets. A large portion of the environmental footprint of buildings results from the energy required to sustain indoor comfort levels. Thus, enhancing the energy efficiency of existing buildings becomes critical in reducing their environmental impact. This study explores the impact of thermal performance improvements on the heating demand, employing numerical modeling and two energy performance methodologies, PHPP and Mc001-2022, across various climatic datasets and case studies in Romania. The results show substantial variability in heating demand predictions: Mc001-2022 predicts up to 27.2% higher continuous heating demands and 21.0% higher intermittent demands compared to PHPP in one case study. In the second case study, the differences range from 8.1% higher to 6.9% lower for continuous heating and from 3.3% higher to 9.9% lower for intermittent heating, depending on the scenario. These findings underscore the importance of the methodological choice and localized climatic data in heating demand assessments, highlighting the need for a tailored, context-specific approach to energy performance assessment, integrating multiple energy efficiency measures suited to the unique characteristics of each building. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Daylighting design is not only dimensioning glazed surfaces to provide sufficient natural light to an occupied space but also a method of analyzing how this can be achieved without unwanted effects, such as gains and losses of heat, glare, and variations in daylighting intensity at various indoor distances and levels. The case study presented in this paper highlights the energy consumed due to a group of windows with a large glazed area in an existing building located in a temperate continental climate area. The energy consumption results from supplementary artificial lighting required to maintain adequate illumination for indoor activities and to counterbalance heat loss during colder periods are evaluated. The analysis performed by modifying the glazed surface led to the identification of an optimum value of window dimensions for minimum energy consumption. The results of the case study highlight the fact that the evolution of the total energy consumption, evaluated as the sum of the energy consumption due to additional heating/cooling and the artificial lighting required to compensate for the reduction in natural light, is strongly influenced by the dimensions of the glazed surfaces, as well as the minimum level of lighting imposed by the regime of activities carried out in the building. Thus, the outcomes obtained in the research show that at lighting values below 500 lx, the total energy consumption is directly proportional to the glazed surface. From values of 500 lx for the illuminance level, the total energy consumption drops from 2730 kWh/year for a window height of 230 cm to 2399 kWh/year for a height of 110 cm, after which it starts to rise again, reaching a value of 2786 kWh/year for a height of 30 cm. This phenomenon is also found at values higher than 500 lx; accordingly, for an imposed lighting of 1000 lx, the minimum total consumption is identified at a window height of 150 cm. The case study presented in this paper clearly highlights a complex relationship between the height of the glazed surface and the energy consumption required to compensate for heating or cooling and the reduction in natural lighting. Lower window heights reduce heat loss or gain but also correspondingly increase the energy consumption of artificial lighting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study explores how modern graphics technology and computer-generated imagery (CGI) are revolutionizing the field of civil engineering. With an emphasis on 3D modelling, the study investigates how virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and 3D modelling may transform project design and communication. The research explores how these graphic tools improve planning, analysis, and presentation in civil engineering projects through case studies and software innovations. The construction of safer, more creative, and visually striking infrastructure projects is aided by the integration of CGI, which also enhances visualization and makes decision-making more effective. The important developments at the junction of civil engineering and graphics are highlighted in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Bulletin of the Polytechnic Institute of Iasi - Construction & Architecture Section is the property of Sciendo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Bulletin of the Polytechnic Institute of Iasi - Construction & Architecture Section is the property of Sciendo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Bulletin of the Polytechnic Institute of Iasi - Construction & Architecture Section is the property of Sciendo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Bulletin of the Polytechnic Institute of Iasi - Construction & Architecture Section is the property of Sciendo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Bulletin of the Polytechnic Institute of Iasi - Construction & Architecture Section is the property of Sciendo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Bulletin of the Polytechnic Institute of Iasi - Construction & Architecture Section is the property of Sciendo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The tremendous amounts of materials consumed, the high volume of equivalent carbon dioxide released during the processes specific to the built environment, its significant contribution to every national economy, and the perpetual social influence it exerts represent the main arguments that are transforming the construction sector into one of the most important factors in achieving the primary dimensions of sustainability at the global scale. It is well known that this industry exerts a significant ecological impact; therefore, civil engineering specialists should promote and use solutions that reduce the impact of the built environment over the natural one. Taking into account the above, the goal of the present paper is to underline the necessity of building new constructions in the city of Iaşi by taking into consideration the sustainability concept and analysing and understanding the issues specific to the local context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Bulletin of the Polytechnic Institute of Iasi - Construction & Architecture Section is the property of Sciendo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Bulletin of the Polytechnic Institute of Iasi - Construction & Architecture Section is the property of Sciendo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Bulletin of the Polytechnic Institute of Iasi - Construction & Architecture Section is the property of Sciendo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Bulletin of the Polytechnic Institute of Iasi - Construction & Architecture Section is the property of Sciendo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Romanian Journal of Materials / Revista Romana de Materiale is the property of Foundation for Materials Science & Engineering Serban Solacolu and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The impact of modern structures on the environment during the building process and actual life-cycle becomes more and more of a problem and needs to be minimized using unconventional architectural and building solutions, materials and overall acknowledgement of the whole concept. This study has the task of determining the feasibility of a modern earth sheltered house solution by comparing its thermal performances and environmental impact to a conventional above-ground building solution. Although both models are studied having the same dimensions, orientation and structure materials, the noticeable differences in the final measurements are due to the fact that unconventional natural insulating and waterproofing materials were used in the case of the earth-sheltered house. Also, the buried wall and green roof of this pilot underground house determine significant differences between the two sets of results. The studies were conducted using the RDM 6 and the GaBi 6 software. The models were both virtual, with materials and basic structure given by the earth-sheltered house that is already built but not completely finished. This study highlights the better results of this unconventional alternative to building above ground in a region where the climate and overall geographical context encourages its premises. Due for completion in 2015, the house is the first to be built in Romania and is now under development in the northern region of the country, near the town of Iasi, Iasi County. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The road infrastructure has a major environmental impact by covering important land surfaces and consuming enormous amounts of raw materials for construction and maintenance. The impact of transport pavements needs to be considered from the design stage and to be examined during the whole life cycle of the infrastructure: raw materials extraction and initial transformation, manufacturing, placement on site, exploitation, maintenance, and demolition. This paper evaluates the impact of asphalt and concrete pavements. Two specific case studies, both involving alternatives available for the construction of pavements, namely the conventional flexible pavement designed according to national standard versus the modern steel fibre-reinforced roller-compacted concrete (SFR-RCC) pavement have been undertaken. These alternatives have been analysed, using the GaBi software, to assess their environmental aspects relating to the sustainability concept. After a detailed discussion of the main results obtained in these studies, conclusions and recommendations for an efficient selection of the construction alternatives are formulated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Construction and demolition waste (C&DW) are the result of inefficient and unsustainable use of natural resources and energy in production processes and other human activities, leading to economic losses. In this paper, the Ecological Footprint (EF), as a new indicator and methodology in environmental sustainability assessment was used to calculate where and how the humans induce impacts on the environment, in particular due to the generation of C&DW. Ecological footprint makes a relationship between two factors - the amount of land required to dispose per capita generated waste. The study proposes the calculation of EF to develop a sustainable C&DW integrated waste management in European countries, considering the methodologies developed for solid waste management. For the development of the proposed analysis, four C&DW management scenarios were proposed based on the actual situation of C&DW in 2009, in Iasi, Romania and Bologna, Italy. The evaluation is based on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology, assisted by SimaPro software that calculates the EF using indicators like CO2, land use and nuclear footprints. The research showed that the EF could be used as an indicator able to evaluate the sustainability of C&DW integrated management systems in various countries and locations, being recommended as a decision making support tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]