ScienceDaily: Construction News

Artificial bone: Designing synthetic materials and quickly turning the design into reality with 3-D printing

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:23:23 EDT

Researchers have developed a new method to design synthetic materials and quickly turn the design into reality using computer optimization and 3-D printing.

Prefab houses that are glued, not nailed, together

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 09:22:22 EDT

With prefabricated houses, the dream of having one’s own home can quickly become a reality. Until now, nails have been used to hold the individual components together. Now an adhesive tape has been developed to perform this task.

NASA's Orion spacecraft proves sound under pressure

Thu, 06 Jun 2013 13:25:25 EDT

After a month of being poked, prodded and pressurized in ways that mimicked the stresses of spaceflight, NASA's Orion crew module successfully passed its static loads tests on Wednesday.

Firefighting robot paints 3-D thermal imaging picture for rescuers

Wed, 05 Jun 2013 14:44:44 EDT

Engineers have developed new image processing techniques for rapid exploration and characterization of structural fires by small Segway-like robotic vehicles. A sophisticated on-board software system takes the thermal data recorded by the robot's small infrared camera and maps it onto a 3-D scene constructed from the images taken by a pair of stereo RGB cameras.

Using cattails for insulation

Mon, 03 Jun 2013 09:17:17 EDT

Cattails (Typha sp) have long been used for various purposes, like cleaning wastewater at sewage treatment plants, for detoxifying soils, as raw material for handcrafted wickerwork, as means of nutrition and, in traditional medicine, as a healing plant for various illnesses. Researchers now want to use this gift of nature as a building material – to wit, for the insulation of outer walls or reinforcement of plaster.

3-D modeling technology offers groundbreaking solution for engineers

Thu, 16 May 2013 10:56:56 EDT

New software has the potential to enable engineers to make 'real world' safety assessments of structures and foundations with unprecedented ease.

Engineers design, test taller, high-strength concrete towers for wind turbines

Wed, 15 May 2013 09:48:48 EDT

Engineers have designed and tested a concept for concrete towers to replace the steel towers used for wind turbines. The concrete towers could be a practical way to raise turbine towers from today's 80 meters to the better winds at 100 meters or higher.

Researchers tackle collapsing bridges with new technology

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 19:41:41 EDT

Researchers have proposed a new technology that could divert vibrations away from load-bearing elements of bridges to avoid catastrophic collapses. The “wave bypass” technique has many similarities to those being used by researchers looking to create Harry Potter-style invisibility cloaks, which exploit human-made materials known as metamaterials to bend light around objects.

Seeding a new kind of concrete

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 13:25:25 EDT

Sunflower seed husks, a huge waste product of the vegetable oil and food industry, could be used as an environmentally friendly filler, or aggregate, for concrete according to Turkish researchers. The team demonstrated that the use of husks reduces the density of concrete as well as boosting the material's resistance to cracking after exposure to icy then thawing conditions.

Supertough, strong nanofibers developed

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 11:23:23 EDT

Materials engineers have developed a structural nanofiber that is both strong and tough, a discovery that could transform everything from airplanes and bridges to body armor and bicycles.

Device to mitigate power outages, prevent equipment damage

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 09:41:41 EDT

Engineering researchers have developed equipment that will prevent rolling power outages by regulating or limiting the amount of excess current that moves through the power grid when a surge occurs.

Tests in New York City suggest how to improve emergency radio communications

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 10:01:01 EDT

Radio communications can be unreliable in underground tunnels and other large, complicated structures, posing a safety hazard for emergency responders. New tests of wireless emergency safety equipment have defined the challenges more precisely and suggest how emergency communications might be improved.

Solar village to house microgrid project

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 14:45:45 EDT

Four solar homes built by students will soon become home to an experimental microgrid to manage and store renewable energy.

Nanofoams for better body armor, blast protection

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 09:51:51 EDT

Engineers are developing nanofoams that could be used to make better body armor; prevent traumatic brain injury and blast-related lung injuries in soldiers; and protect buildings from impacts and blasts. It’s the first time researchers are investigating the use of nanofoams for structural protection.

NASA's Kennedy Space Center Operations helps launch pad of the future take shape

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 10:11:11 EDT

The launch pad of the future is taking shape at NASA's Kennedy Space Center as the Ground Systems Development and Operations (GSDO) Program office, along with Center Operations, continues with upgrades and modifications to Launch Pad 39B, where the agency's Space Launch System (SLS) will lift off with the Orion spacecraft atop it, sending humans to new destinations in the solar system.

Fantastic flash memory combines graphene and molybdenite

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 14:45:45 EDT

Scientists have combined two materials with advantageous electronic properties -- graphene and molybdenite -- into a flash memory prototype that is very promising in terms of performance, size, flexibility and energy consumption.

How earthquake damage can impact building fire safety performance

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 15:12:12 EDT

Damage to building structural elements, elevators, stairs, and fire protection systems caused by the shaking from a major earthquake can play a critical role in the spread of fire, hamper the ability of occupants to evacuate, and impede fire departments in their emergency response operations. These are among the conclusions of a groundbreaking study of post-earthquake building fire performance conducted in 2012 by fire protection engineering researchers.

Self-healing protective coating for concrete

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 11:40:40 EST

Scientists are reporting development of what they describe as the first self-healing protective coating for cracks in concrete, the world's most widely used building material. The material is both inexpensive and environmentally friendly.

Safe glass facades for buildings

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 07:55:55 EST

Glass facades are attractive, but they also have to be safe. Say if a bomb were to go off nearby, would they withstand the blast? Researchers are using a shock tube to find out, and one of their projects is a new building complex in San Francisco.

Eco-safe antibacterial fiber discovered

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 07:54:54 EST

Researchers have discovered an antibacterial polymer that can be used in everyday products such as sportswear, diapers and bandages, without causing resistant bacteria.

Manufacturing: Chip-free ceramics

Wed, 13 Feb 2013 17:30:30 EST

Rethinking the process used to machine industrially important ceramics could reduce damaging cracks and chips.

Quake test: Can NYC's row houses handle an earthquake?

Wed, 13 Feb 2013 11:45:45 EST

Researchers will conduct a rare -- if not unprecedented -- large-scale earthquake simulation to determine how vulnerable New York's unreinforced masonry buildings (row houses) are to temblors.

Cheap, strong lithium-ion battery developed

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 11:20:20 EST

Researchers have developed a new lithium-ion battery design that uses porous silicon nanoparticles in place of the traditional graphite anodes to provide superior performance.

Cargo container research to improve buildings' ability to withstand tsunamis

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 10:21:21 EST

A research team has determined just what the impact of cargo containers could be and will present findings at an international conference in June. The goal is to supply structural engineers with information to design buildings in areas vulnerable to tsunamis.

Possible link between electronic billboards and highway crashes

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 07:56:56 EST

Drivers take more and longer glances at electronic billboards than regular signs, indicating a possible link between these digital signs and highway crashes.

Soft nanoscale 'Lego' built in the computer

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 10:58:58 EST

Scientists have developed a new method for the construction of building blocks at the nanoscale.

Bio-tiles and heat-resistant biopolymers

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 10:57:57 EST

Even tiles can be organic – if they are made of renewable raw materials. They are more resource-efficient than their ceramic counterparts and unlock new creative options for design. Bioplastics made of polylactides (PLA) are becoming more heat-resistant, thereby making them suitable for high-temperature filling processes in the food industry as well. Researchers are showing how renewable, biodegradable and biostable raw materials can be used in architecture, interior design and the packaging industry.

Sustainable reinforcement for concrete has newly discovered benefits

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 12:37:37 EST

Fashionable people may turn up their noses at jute -- the cheap fiber used to make burlap, gunny sacks, twine and other common products -- but new research is enhancing jute's appeal as an inexpensive, sustainable reinforcement for mortar and concrete.

Noise protection: Multifunctional and aesthetical

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 13:33:33 EST

Noise abatement is growing in importance, thus, the demand for better acoustic building components raises. Scientists are developing new solutions: aesthetically good looking and flexibly applicable microperforated sound absorbers.

New method for estimating thermal comfort in low-energy buildings at the design stage

Tue, 18 Dec 2012 08:17:17 EST

Indoor environments that are too hot, too cold or draughty create discomfort and lower human productivity. A new method for estimating the actual level of human thermal comfort in low-energy buildings has been developed in Finland. The method is also the first of its kind to be integrated with a building simulation tool. Factoring in the different ways in which buildings are used and the different kinds of people using them at the design stage can help to improve energy efficiency and human comfort.

Space-age ceramics get their toughest test

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 12:47:47 EST

Space-age ceramics at their best promise advanced jet and gas turbine engines that burn with greater fuel efficiencies and less pollution. Scientists have developed the first mechanical test rig for obtaining real-time X-ray computed microtomography images at ultrahigh temperatures for improving the composition and architecture of advanced ceramic composites.

Predicting material fatigue: Polymer composites: luminescent zinc oxide tetrapod filler makes inner damage visible

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 09:33:33 EST

Detection of material failure is a difficult task for engineers, because cracks inside a material block can hardly be identified from the outside. However, early detection can prevent fatal disasters such as the world's deadliest high-speed train accident in 1998 near Eschede, Germany, caused by failure of a metal wheel. It is even more difficult to detect material failure in composite materials. A research team has now developed a new concept to design so-called self-reporting composite materials.

Imaging technologies used to solve puzzle of plant architecture: Breakthrough could help optimize capture of sugars for biofuels

Wed, 28 Nov 2012 09:38:38 EST

Scientists have combined different microscopic imaging methods to gain a greater understanding of the relationships between biomass cell wall structure and enzyme digestibility, a breakthrough that could lead to optimizing sugar yields and lowering the costs of making biofuels.

Health and environmental risk in flame retardants in building insulation

Sun, 25 Nov 2012 19:28:28 EST

Researchers in the United States are calling for a change to the US building codes, following a study showing that the mandatory flame retardants routinely added to foam insulation are not only harmful to human health and the environment, but also make no difference to the prevention of fire in buildings where a fire-safe thermal barrier already exists. Such a change would bring the US building codes in line with regulations in Sweden and Norway.

Clues to cause of hydrogen embrittlement in metals: Findings could guide design of new embrittlement-resistant materials

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 13:23:23 EST

Hydrogen can easily dissolve and migrate within metals to make these otherwise ductile materials brittle and more prone to failures. Now, researchers have shown that the physics of hydrogen embrittlement may be rooted in how hydrogen modifies material behaviors at the nanoscale. Scientists have now presented a model that can accurately predict the occurrence of hydrogen embrittlement.

First 'snapshots' of electronic structure of a manganese complex related to water-splitting in photosynthesis

Fri, 09 Nov 2012 08:40:40 EST

Scientists have taken another step toward an understanding of photosynthesis and developing artificial photosynthesis. With a combination of a x-ray free-electron laser and spectroscopy, the team has managed to see the electronic structure of a manganese complex, a chemical compound related to how photosynthesis splits water.

Effective thermal energy storage system for storing energy from solar panels developed

Fri, 09 Nov 2012 08:37:37 EST

Engineering researchers have developed a thermal energy storage system that will work as a viable alternative to current methods used for storing energy collected from solar panels.

Salting roads may damage steel-reinforced concrete structures

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 08:15:15 EST

Swedish scientists have studied models to help road and bridge maintenance engineers work out how much damage salting the roads in winter might cause to steel-reinforced concrete structures.

Inspiration from Mother Nature leads to improved wood

Wed, 31 Oct 2012 12:50:50 EDT

Using the legendary properties of heartwood from the black locust tree as their inspiration, scientists have discovered a way to improve the performance of softwoods widely used in construction. The method involves addition of similar kinds of flavonoid compounds that boost the health of humans.

Electronic nose could be used to detect sleep apnea

Wed, 24 Oct 2012 20:48:48 EDT

An electronic nose, used to detect the presence of molecules in the breath of a patient, could be used to diagnose obstructive sleep apnea.

Researchers to shake a building to study its performance during earthquakes

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 10:09:09 EDT

Engineers are assessing how buildings made with reinforced concrete frames and masonry infill walls hold up during an earthquake. Such buildings are vulnerable to serious damage.

How highway bridges sing -- or groan -- in the rain to reveal their health: Just a drop of water can indicate the stability of a bridge

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 16:27:27 EDT

Engineers have found that by listening to how a highway bridge sings in the rain they can determine serious flaws in the structure. Employing a method called impact-echo testing, experts can diagnose the health of a bridge's deck based on the acoustic footprint produced by a little bit of water. Specifically, the sound created when a droplet makes impact can reveal hidden dangers in the bridge.

Space Launch System providing engine 'brains' with an upgrade

Thu, 18 Oct 2012 10:50:50 EDT

America's next heavy-lift rocket needs a strong and reliable engine to launch humans beyond low Earth orbit. That's why engineers with NASA's Space Launch System program, managed at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., will use the proven RS-25, the space shuttle's main engine during its 30-year history, to power the massive rocket's core stage. The RS-25, which was designed and developed with NASA by Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne of Canoga Park, Calif., is a crucial part to the core stage design, but a few enhancements are planned.

One glue, two functions: Spider webs stick to the ground and elevated surfaces differently

Tue, 02 Oct 2012 15:42:42 EDT

Polymer scientists and biologists have discovered that a house spider -- in order to more efficiently capture different types of prey -- performs an uncommon feat. It tailors one glue to demonstrate two adhesive strengths: firm and weak.

Geofoam protects pipelines from earthquakes

Tue, 02 Oct 2012 09:19:19 EDT

Lightweight and stiff as a board, a plastic foam material is being used to protect Utah’s natural gas pipelines from rupturing during earthquakes.

Catalysis: Optimizing water splitting

Fri, 28 Sep 2012 09:33:33 EDT

Computer simulations of a metal–sulfide alloy unlock the secrets to designing solar-powered catalysts that generate hydrogen fuel from water.

Date palm juice: A potential new 'green' anti-corrosion agent for aerospace industry

Wed, 26 Sep 2012 12:38:38 EDT

The search for a "greener" way to prevent corrosion on the kind of aluminum used in jetliners, cars and other products has led scientists to an unlikely source, according to a new report. It's the juice of the date palm -- those tall, majestic trees that, until now, were noted mainly as sources of food and traditional medicines.

Civil engineers destroy test levee in the Netherlands

Thu, 20 Sep 2012 13:52:52 EDT

Civil engineers collapsed a full-scale dike this week in the Netherlands. The test dike was embedded with advanced sensors and traditional measurement instruments, and results of the study are expected to help validate powerful new technologies for monitoring the health of aging flood-control infrastructure.

Can nanotubes tell of bridge collapse risk?

Wed, 19 Sep 2012 10:31:31 EDT

In August 2007, the I-35W Bridge over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis collapsed, killing 13 people and injuring 145. The collapse was attributed to a design deficiency that resulted in a gusset plate failing during ongoing construction work. Now, an interdisciplinary team of researchers is developing a novel structural health monitoring system that could avert such disasters in the future.

Research gives insight into graphene-metal junctions

Tue, 18 Sep 2012 15:41:41 EDT

Researchers have developed a better understanding of how these graphene-metal interfaces affect the movement of electrons through two-terminal junctions.

Home sweet lab: Computerized house to generate as much energy as it uses

Thu, 13 Sep 2012 16:27:27 EDT

The U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has unveiled a new laboratory designed to demonstrate that a typical-looking suburban home for a family of four can generate as much energy as it uses in a year.

New roof and attic design proves efficient in summer and winter

Mon, 10 Sep 2012 17:34:34 EDT

A new kind of roof-and-attic system keeps homes cool in summer and prevents heat loss in winter, a multi-seasonal efficiency uncommon in roof and attic design.

Turning chemistry inside-out: Self-assembling smart microscopic reagents to pioneer pourable electronics

Wed, 29 Aug 2012 06:47:47 EDT

A new project plans to build autonomous self-assembling electronic microreagents that are almost as small as cells. They will exchange chemical and electronic information to jointly direct complex chemical reactions and analyses in the solutions they are poured into. This is a form of embedded computation -- "to compute is to construct" -- in which, for example, the output is a particular catalyst or coating needed in the (input) local chemical environment.

Smooth sailing: Space launch system giving Marshall, Langley wind tunnels a workout

Thu, 23 Aug 2012 15:17:17 EDT

Since well before the inception of NASA, engineers used wind tunnels and scale models to test how vehicles would respond and interact with the atmosphere. At the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., and Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va., engineers are using wind tunnel testing to enhance the development of NASA's Space Launch System, a heavy-lift launch vehicle that will propel science and human exploration into deep space and launch NASA's Orion spacecraft to expand human presence beyond low Earth orbit.

Chemical physics: NO place for nitrogen

Mon, 20 Aug 2012 12:12:12 EDT

The finding that nitrogen can combine with oxygen in zirconia to form NO molecules may lead to safer materials for nuclear reactors.

New space-age insulating material for homes, clothing and other everyday uses

Sun, 19 Aug 2012 15:34:34 EDT

A major improvement in the world’s lightest solid material and best solid insulating material may put more of this space-age wonder into insulated clothing, refrigerators with thinner walls that hold more food, building insulation and other products.

A model designed to balance the bolting load of wind turbines developed

Tue, 14 Aug 2012 10:02:02 EDT

A researcher has built a simplified simulation model for wind turbines. All one has to do is enter the characteristics that the tower and its parts will have, and in a matter of seconds the model predicts the load that has to be given to each of the bolts, which leads to great advantages in the construction and maintenance process.

Solar power day and night: New storage systems control fluctuation of renewable energies

Thu, 09 Aug 2012 12:46:46 EDT

Energy storage systems are one of the key technologies for the energy turnaround. With their help, the fluctuating supply of electricity based on photovoltaics and wind power can be stored until the time of consumption. A number of pilot plants of solar cells, small wind power plants, lithium-ion batteries, and power electronics are now under construction to demonstrate how load peaks in the grid can be balanced and what regenerative power supply by an isolated network may look like in the future.

Minimally invasive building renovations with prefabricated window modules

Wed, 08 Aug 2012 10:45:45 EDT

Renovation projects to improve the energy performance of residential buildings involve a lot of messy construction work. Researchers have come up with a new modernization concept that reduces on-site installation times. Prefabricated multifunctional window modules offer a more convenient alternative to the usual renovation methods.

Offshore use of vertical-axis wind turbines gets closer look

Mon, 30 Jul 2012 20:46:46 EDT

Wind energy researchers are re-evaluating vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) to help solve some of the problems of generating energy from offshore breezes.