Data Analysis and Modelling of Buildings, Environments, Building Materials, and Sustainability

A special issue of Buildings (ISSN 2075-5309). This special issue belongs to the section "Building Materials, and Repair & Renovation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2024 | Viewed by 15242

Special Issue Editors

Business Intelligence and Informatics, Dalarna University, 791 88 Falun, Sweden
Interests: data analytics; AI; conceptual models
Research Institute of Wood Industry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100714, China
Interests: hygrothermal performance; moisture content; machine learning; wood wall; bamboo building materials; cross-laminated flattened bamboo and timber; data analysis; digital manufacturing
College of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Longpan Road 159, Nanjing 210037, China
Interests: bamboo/wood modification; bamboo/wood structure and properties; engineered bamboo/wood composites
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Timber is a major building material that has been used in the construction of buildings for thousands of years due to its durability, sustainability, maintainability, and comfort. Indeed, timber is key for the development of cities and towns. However, wood buildings require a large amount of forest resources, which causes significant issues for the environment and for the climate. Solutions to this problem require a deep understanding of timber materials, building structures, the environment, and weather conditions. That is, we need to turn guesswork around how to maintain our buildings earlier into more precise measurement and calculation of the evolution of buildings. Thanks to great advancements in sensor technologies, information technologies, and data analysis technologies, such as machine learning, over the past few decades, an enormous number of sensors have been installed in various buildings and related constructions in cities, which enable researchers and builders to analyze and scrutinize various parts and components of buildings and develop a great collection of methods to maintain buildings. For the last decade, fast-growing research activities have taken place, applying advanced data analysis methods to the use of timber in cities.

The aim of this Special Issue is to publish the current advances in the field of monitoring, controlling, measuring, and modeling timber materials and their use in cities with modern data analysis technologies, also including building materials such as bamboos and rattans. This Special Issue provides a unique opportunity to present the latest knowledge in this field of research, development, and application.

We are pleased to invite you to present your research and development outcomes in the form of research articles or reviews in the following areas:

  1. Data models for timber constructions;
  2. Data analysis approaches to buildings in cities;
  3. Moisture transfer patterns for wood constructions;
  4. Weather impact patterns for timber buildings;
  5. Relation models of climates and constructions;
  6. Machine learning methods in timber structures in cities;
  7. Digital manufacturing of building materials of timber–bamboo.

Prof. Dr. William Wei Song
Dr. Xiaohuan Wang
Dr. Meiling Chen
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Buildings is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • timber in cities
  • moisture transfer patterns
  • data modeling for buildings
  • data analysis methods for building durability
  • climate and constructions
  • machine learning for buildings
  • timber–bamboo materials

Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 8104 KiB  
Article
Revealing Urban Color Patterns via Drone Aerial Photography—A Case Study in Urban Hangzhou, China
by Rushi Li and Mincheng Wu
Buildings 2024, 14(2), 546; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14020546 - 18 Feb 2024
Viewed by 527
Abstract
Urban color, primarily emanating from building façades and roofs, plays a pivotal role in shaping a city’s image and influencing people’s overall impression. Understanding the nuances of color patterns contributes significantly to unraveling the uniqueness and identity of a city. This study introduces [...] Read more.
Urban color, primarily emanating from building façades and roofs, plays a pivotal role in shaping a city’s image and influencing people’s overall impression. Understanding the nuances of color patterns contributes significantly to unraveling the uniqueness and identity of a city. This study introduces a statistical method for the systematic analysis of urban color and macroscopic urban structure. Specifically, we employ drones to collect and extract building roof and façade colors in the main urban area of Hangzhou, mapping these colors to the HSV color space. Subsequently, we establish a random walk model and an origin–destination trip model within the urban transportation network to simulate the movement of people. Our experiments reveal robust correlations between façade and roof values and passing frequency (with the Pearson correlations reaching 0.70). Through a rigorous statistical analysis, we gain insights into the distribution of urban color and the impact of architectural structures on color variations, identifying potential patterns or trends. By integrating color data with architectural structure data, our systematic research method deepens the understanding of the visual features that define cities. Beyond theoretical exploration, this approach offers practical insights for building planning and design. This study not only sheds light on the relationship between architectural structures and urban color but also provides valuable guidance for future urban development initiatives. Full article
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18 pages, 5344 KiB  
Article
A Novel Approach to Discovering Hygrothermal Transfer Patterns in Wooden Building Exterior Walls
by Yurong Zhu, Wei Song, Xiaohuan Wang, Yves Rybarczyk, Roger G. Nyberg and Benhua Fei
Buildings 2023, 13(9), 2151; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13092151 - 24 Aug 2023
Viewed by 624
Abstract
To maintain the life of building materials, it is critical to understand the hygrothermal transfer mechanisms (HTM) between the walls and the layers inside the walls. Due to the extreme instability of weather data, the actual data models of the HTM—the data being [...] Read more.
To maintain the life of building materials, it is critical to understand the hygrothermal transfer mechanisms (HTM) between the walls and the layers inside the walls. Due to the extreme instability of weather data, the actual data models of the HTM—the data being collected for actual buildings using modern sensor technologies—would appear to be a great difference from any theoretical models, in particular, for wood building materials. In this paper, we aim to consider a variety of data analysis tools for hygrothermal transfer features. A novel approach for peak and valley detection is proposed based on the discrete differentiation of the original data. Not to be limited to the measure of peak and valley delays for HTM, we propose a cross-correlation analysis to obtain the general delay between two daily time series, which seems to be representative of the delay in the daily time series. Furthermore, the seasonal pattern of the hygrothermal transfer combined with the correlation analysis reveals a reasonable relationship between the delays and the indoor and outdoor climates. Full article
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14 pages, 4649 KiB  
Article
A Study on the Aesthetic Preference of Bamboo Weaving Patterns Based on Eye Movement Experiments
by Chunjin Wu, Yuchen Min, Benhua Fei and Shasha Song
Buildings 2023, 13(6), 1558; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13061558 - 19 Jun 2023
Viewed by 1339
Abstract
Bamboo weaving is an intangible cultural heritage in China. Exploring people’s aesthetic preferences for bamboo weaving patterns to better serve the design of bamboo architectural decoration can help promote the upgrading of traditional crafts. This study explored the differences between genders in the [...] Read more.
Bamboo weaving is an intangible cultural heritage in China. Exploring people’s aesthetic preferences for bamboo weaving patterns to better serve the design of bamboo architectural decoration can help promote the upgrading of traditional crafts. This study explored the differences between genders in the oculomotor indicators in different bamboo weaving patterns through an eye-movement experimental study combined with a subjective questionnaire to explore whether different genders have aesthetic preferences for people’s pictures of bamboo weaving patterns. The results showed that both males and females preferred less visually striking and softer corrugated patterns, with males paying more attention to the more ‘angular’ hexagonal and triangular patterns, while females were more interested in the more regular and uniform brickwork and diagonal patterns. Full article
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22 pages, 10147 KiB  
Article
Hygrothermal Properties Analysis of Bamboo Building Envelope with Different Insulation Systems in Five Climate Zones
by Hongping Li, Shiyu Yang, Ziqiong Zha, Benhua Fei and Xiaohuan Wang
Buildings 2023, 13(5), 1214; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13051214 - 04 May 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1246
Abstract
Laminated bamboo lumber (BLL) and bamboo scrimber (BS) are potential environmentally friendly building materials, considering that they are hygroscopic materials and that their hygrothermal performance is closely related to the occupants’ comfort, their building durability, and building energy consumption. This study carried out [...] Read more.
Laminated bamboo lumber (BLL) and bamboo scrimber (BS) are potential environmentally friendly building materials, considering that they are hygroscopic materials and that their hygrothermal performance is closely related to the occupants’ comfort, their building durability, and building energy consumption. This study carried out material property tests on bamboo-based materials (BLL and BS) and analyzed hygrothermal performance simulations on bamboo exterior wall constructions in five major climatic zones using WUFI. Results show that BS had a greater heat storage capacity than BLL. However, BLL showed a relatively higher moisture sorption capacity, and BLL was more easily permeated by vapor than BS. The water content (WC) of 12 walls of BLL and BS was below 20%. BLL and BS met the requirements of the envelope, and the WC of BS was lower than that of BLL. Based on the results, the walls designed in this study are suitable for the corresponding climate zones. In the cold and severe climate zones especially, the external insulation system walls performed better than the internal insulation system. The external insulation system was recommended for these two climate zones. The design and simulation results of walls made of two types of bamboo-based materials provide a scientific basis for the application of the material. Full article
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19 pages, 4121 KiB  
Article
Experimental Research on Motion Analysis Model and Trajectory Planning of GLT Palletizing Robot
by Rui Gao, Wei Zhang, Guofu Wang and Xiaohuan Wang
Buildings 2023, 13(4), 966; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13040966 - 05 Apr 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1287
Abstract
To improve wood structure processing efficiency, a palletizing robot suitable for loading and unloading glued laminated timber (GLT) has been developed. The robot comprises a six-axis connecting rod mechanism and a sponge sucker as a grasping actuator, which can enable the intelligent automatic [...] Read more.
To improve wood structure processing efficiency, a palletizing robot suitable for loading and unloading glued laminated timber (GLT) has been developed. The robot comprises a six-axis connecting rod mechanism and a sponge sucker as a grasping actuator, which can enable the intelligent automatic loading and unloading and palletizing operations for small-sized GLT. Matlab robotics was used to construct the kinematic model of the GLT loading and unloading robot. Based on Matlab and Monte Carlo methods, the robot workspace was simulated and analyzed to determine the scope of the robot workspace. Using the high-order quintic and sixtic polynomial curve interpolation method, the trajectory of wood structure parts in the process of loading and unloading operations was planned, respectively, under the two conditions of staying and not staying. Tests verified that the simulation results of the pose of the end-effector were consistent with the actual pose of the robot. The robot’s working range could be analyzed intuitively and effectively. The robot’s operation trajectory planning provides data support and a parameter basis for the automatic control and program design of a loading, unloading and palletizing robot. Full article
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17 pages, 8874 KiB  
Article
Airtightness of a Critical Joint in a Timber-Based Building Affected by the Seasonal Climate Change
by Peter Kysela, Radoslav Ponechal and Daniela Michálková
Buildings 2023, 13(3), 698; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13030698 - 06 Mar 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1127
Abstract
The airtightness of buildings is an essential topic regarding energy preservation. The development of new and more sophisticated materials and technology approaches is inevitable. Uncontrolled infiltration is undesirable in buildings with lower energy demands with regulated ventilation. Envelope structure, building method, quality, and [...] Read more.
The airtightness of buildings is an essential topic regarding energy preservation. The development of new and more sophisticated materials and technology approaches is inevitable. Uncontrolled infiltration is undesirable in buildings with lower energy demands with regulated ventilation. Envelope structure, building method, quality, and others are the main factors influencing the airtightness of the building. However, the correlation between airtightness and climatic factors is less known and researched. This paper comprises measurements of a critical timber-house corner in climatic chambers. It captures the correlation between airtightness and gradual temperature and relative humidity adjustments, simulated from the exterior side. The initial timber moisture content was 12%, and during the experiment it increased with the exterior conditions to 18%. Afterward, we simulated conditions causing a humidity decrease while measuring airtightness. The drying process caused a decrement in airtightness by 18%. In addition to this experiment, this paper also analyses two methods of an airtight membrane connection—constricting or taping the contact. The discrepancy between those two methods was more than 21% in favor of tape. Full article
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15 pages, 8049 KiB  
Article
Analysis of Harvesting Methods of Moso Bamboo
by Guofu Wang, Wei Zhang, Xingliang Diao, Min Ji, Benhua Fei and Hu Miao
Buildings 2023, 13(2), 365; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13020365 - 29 Jan 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1843
Abstract
Bamboo is widely used as an excellent engineering material in construction and furniture. The harvesting equipment and the bamboo application process need to be integrated better. According to the application requirements of the original bamboo structure building, the mechanism and practical experience of [...] Read more.
Bamboo is widely used as an excellent engineering material in construction and furniture. The harvesting equipment and the bamboo application process need to be integrated better. According to the application requirements of the original bamboo structure building, the mechanism and practical experience of bamboo harvesting were analyzed using field experiments in bamboo forests and the finite element method. The operation stability and the side-face planeness of the saw were the direct factors affecting bamboo cutting quality. Further, the indirect factors were the clamp saw effect on the cutting surface, the hollow structure and diaphragm of bamboo, the density and moisture, and the swarf pocket. Full article
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Review

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38 pages, 9511 KiB  
Review
Bamboo as Sustainable Building Materials: A Systematic Review of Properties, Treatment Methods, and Standards
by Maria Fe V. Adier, Maria Emilia P. Sevilla, Daniel Nichol R. Valerio and Jason Maximino C. Ongpeng
Buildings 2023, 13(10), 2449; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13102449 - 26 Sep 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 6572
Abstract
Bamboo is the building material of the past and future. It offers numerous properties that make it versatile for various applications, including construction. Its impressive strength-to-weight ratio enables it to bear substantial loads and stresses, while its good elasticity allows efficient energy absorption. [...] Read more.
Bamboo is the building material of the past and future. It offers numerous properties that make it versatile for various applications, including construction. Its impressive strength-to-weight ratio enables it to bear substantial loads and stresses, while its good elasticity allows efficient energy absorption. However, its mechanical properties can vary based on factors such as species, age, locations, methods, and treatment. Treating bamboo is essential to enhance its properties and durability. The literature provides various natural and chemical treatments that enhance some of the properties but also reported drawbacks regarding higher temperature, content, and duration. This paper reviewed 57 articles from the Scopus database, specifically focusing on article–document-type publications from the years 2003 to 2023. Additional references were also incorporated to address concerns in properties, treatment, and standards to provide systematic understanding. With extensive assessment of the articles, the following gaps and concerns were observed, and recommendations for further study and assessment were made: the bamboo’s properties, the development of centralized guidelines and procedures for the preparation and processing; the exploration of alternative materials to reinforce bamboo without compromising its ductility; and the development of joint connections, and testing of mechanical properties considering seismic, wind and vibration. For treatment methods, the standardization of procedures using natural, chemical, or a combination. Lastly, for bamboo codes and standards, the assessment of existing codes and standards for testing the mechanical properties of bamboo, highlighting the potential limitations and areas, uniformity, and differences with all existing similar standards. By filling these gaps, it can support the reliability and robustness of bamboo as a sustainable material, fostering its promotion and adoption in the construction industry. Full article
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