Smart (intelligent) structures have been the focus of a great deal of recent research interest. In this book, leading researchers report the state of the art and discuss new ideas, results and trends in 43 contributions, covering fundamental research issues, the role of intelligent monitoring in structural identification and damage assessment, the potential of automatic control systems in achieving a desired structural behaviour, and a number of practical issues in the analysis and design of smart structures in mechanical and civil engineering applications. Audience: A multidisciplinary reference for materials scientists and engineers in such areas as mechanical, civil, aeronautical, electrical, control, and computer engineering.
As existing buildings age, nearly half of all construction activity in Britain is related to maintenance, refurbishment and conversions. Building adaptation is an activity that continues to make a significant contribution to the workload of the construction industry. Given its importance to sustainable construction, the proportion of adaptation works in relation to new build is likely to remain substantial for the foreseeable future, especially in the developed parts of the world. Building Adaptation, Second Edition is intended as a primer on the physical changes that can affect older properties. It demonstrates the general principles, techniques, and processes needed when existing buildings must undergo alteration, conversion, extension, improvement, or refurbishment. The publication of the first edition of Building Adaptation reflected the upsurge in refurbishment work. The book quickly established itself as one of the core texts for building surveying students and others on undergraduate and postgraduate built environment courses. This new edition continues to provide a comprehensive introduction to all the key issues relating to the adaptation of buildings. It deals with any work to a building over and above maintenance to change its capacity, function or performance.
The handbook has been composed on the basis of processing, systematization and classification of the results of a great number of investigations published at different time. The essential part of the book is the outcome of investigations carried out by the author. The present edition of this handbook should assist in increasing the quality and efficiency of the design and usage of indutrial power engineering and other constructions and also of the devices and apparatus through which liquids and gases move.
Over the past two decades concrete has enjoyed a renewed level of research and testing, resulting in the development of many new types of concrete. Through the use of various additives, production techniques and chemical processes, there is now a great degree of control over the properties of specific concretes for a wide range of applications. New theories, models and testing techniques have also been developed to push the envelope of concrete as a building material. There is no current textbook which brings all of these advancements together in a single volume. This book aims to bridge the gap between the traditional concrete technologies and the emerging state-of-the-art technologies which are gaining wider use.
This book provides an understanding of the fundamental theories and practice behind the creation of architectural structures. It aids the development of an intuitive understanding of structural engineering, bringing together technical and design issues. The book is divided into four sections: 'Structures in nature' looks at structural principles found in natural objects. 'Theory' covers general structural theory as well as explaining the main forces in engineering. 'Structural prototypes' includes examples of modelmaking and load testing that can be carried out by students. The fourth section, 'Case studies', presents a diverse range of examples from around the world – actual buildings that apply the theories and testing described in the previous sections. This accessible, informative text is illustrated with specially drawn diagrams, models, CAD visualizations, construction details and photographs of completed buildings. This book will give students and newly qualified architects a firm grasp of this essential topic.
A brand-new edition of the classic guide on low-speed wind tunnel testing While great advances in theoretical and computational methods have been made in recent years, low-speed wind tunnel testing remains essential for obtaining the full range of data needed to guide detailed design decisions for many practical engineering problems. This long-awaited Third Edition of William H. Rae, Jr.'s landmark reference brings together essential information on all aspects of low-speed wind tunnel design, analysis, testing, and instrumentation in one easy-to-use resource. Written by authors who are among the most respected wind tunnel engineers in the world, this edition has been updated to address current topics and applications, and includes coverage of digital electronics, new instrumentation, video and photographic methods, pressure-sensitive paint, and liquid crystal-based measurement methods. The book is organized for quick access to topics of interest, and examines basic test techniques and objectives of modeling and testing aircraft designs in low-speed wind tunnels, as well as applications to fluid motion analysis, automobiles, marine vessels, buildings, bridges, and other structures subject to wind loading. Supplemented with real-world examples throughout, Low-Speed Wind Tunnel Testing, Third Edition is an indispensable resource for aerospace engineering students and professionals, engineers and researchers in the automotive industries, wind tunnel designers, architects, and others who need to get the most from low-speed wind tunnel technology and experiments in their work.