Xuereb, K (2015) Future-proofing buildings: a novel approach to measure the performance of building structures. PhD thesis, University College London, UK.
Abstract
This research is a fundamental step towards intelligent building structures with load sensing characteristics. It is argued, with evidence from industry leaders, that these will become ubiquitous. It draws inspiration from developments in structural health monitoring of infrastructure projects. It addresses the current gap between the intellectual effort spent by design teams to conceive building structures that satisfy client brief and informational lacunae on the performance of the building structures. This gap restricts opportunities to adapt buildings in future investment cycles. The research poses a challenge: ‘can a novel system be implemented in a building structure to allow real-time monitoring of the performance of key structural elements?' effectively moving towards intelligent, adaptable buildings. Infrastructure projects which had structural health monitoring systems implemented to monitor and mitigate damage are reviewed. These served as analogues on how to harness data acquired by sensors, transfer them to the building management system and inform decision making. The hypothesis that there is a need to incorporate smart sensors in building structures was put to the test in interviews with thirty business leaders in the construction industry. These interviews identified key attributes that needed to be satisfied by the sensors. Novel stress sensors based on nanocomposite polymer films were explored and tested in laboratory-based experiments both under short-term and long-term loading. The sensitivity of the sensors to a change in load was assessed. Scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy were carried out to assess the characteristics of the sensors. A novel stress sensor, based on a carbon nanotube/polycarboxylate polymer film sandwiched between cement grout layers, was found to be the most sensitive to change in electrical resistance measured when the imposed load was changed. A gauge factor two orders of magnitude greater than the highest factor reported to date on research on stress sensors was determined. This research prepares the ground and maps out the strategic and tactical challenges that are needed to arrive at operational, long timescale, load sensing for buildings.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | carbon nanotube; decision making; experiment; infrastructure project; interview; sensors; stress |
| Index terms: | scanning electron microscopy, adaptable building, monitoring, construction industry, loading, infrastructure project, laboratory, building management system, key attribute, interview, maps, intelligent building, design team, experiment, carbon nanotube, decision-making, evidence |
| Subjects: | user focus, evaluation and assessment methods, analytical methods, professional practice, construction operations, spatial and geospatial analysis, research management, mechanical systems, data collection methods, risk assessment, control systems, specialized materials and systems, design practice, decision analysis, industry analysis, infrastructure and transport systems |
| Topics: | Construction Materials, Research Practice, Site Management, Design Practice, Risk Management, Engineering Principles |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here