Search results

1 – 6 of 6
Per page
102050
Citations:
Loading...
Access Restricted. View access options
Article
Publication date: 17 September 2018

Kofi Agyekum, Karen Blay and Alex Opoku

Capillary rise of water in buildings has been an issue of concern among past and present researchers. Despite the research efforts devoted to the proper elimination of the problem…

427

Abstract

Purpose

Capillary rise of water in buildings has been an issue of concern among past and present researchers. Despite the research efforts devoted to the proper elimination of the problem in masonry construction, it still remains a challenge that needs to be addressed. The purpose of this paper is to explore treatment mechanisms that can be used to prevent rising damp in new building infrastructure.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 14 test walls are constructed, conditioned, subjected to various treatments and monitored for four years. The treatments applied to the walls include the use of polyethylene damp proof courses, damp proof coatings and dense concrete bases. The walls are then monitored with reference to the two climate seasons in Ghana.

Findings

The results highlight that rising damp is present, as suggested by the constant increase and decrease in the height of the water levels in the walls during the rainy and dry seasons, respectively. The findings further reveal that within the four-year period, the walls treated with the damp proof coatings, together with those with the dense concrete bases performed better than those treated with the polyethylene damp proof courses.

Research limitations/implications

The economic and commercial impact of these preventive mechanisms were not considered in this study. A future research can be directed at these issues.

Practical implications

The proposed treatment mechanisms highlight the effectiveness of some treatments applied to walls to prevent the capillary rise of water from the ground into the superstructure.

Social implications

Building regulations, especially in Ghana and other tropical settings should be amended to include ways to prevent rising damp phenomena by including effective methods against rising damp during the building design or construction.

Originality/value

Series of studies worldwide have been conducted in laboratories to simulate the capillary rise of water in walls of buildings. This is among the few studies that look at how water rises from actual ground conditions into the walls of buildings.

Details

International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation, vol. 37 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2398-4708

Keywords

Access Restricted. View access options
Article
Publication date: 2 August 2019

Karen B. Blay, Martin Morgan Tuuli and Jojo France-Mensah

The purpose of this paper is to validate perceived benefits and challenges of managing change in Building Information Modelling (BIM) Level 2 projects and to further explore the…

1328

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to validate perceived benefits and challenges of managing change in Building Information Modelling (BIM) Level 2 projects and to further explore the opportunities for enhancing the benefits and reducing the challenges. This research is timely because, hitherto, the benefits and challenges of managing change in BIM Level 2 remained largely unvalidated and the opportunities for enhancing the benefits and reducing challenges remained relatively unexplored.

Design/methodology/approach

A combination of a questionnaire survey and interviews with BIM Level 2 practitioners in the UK was employed in this study. In all, 41 responses were received from the questionnaire survey and ten subsequent interviews with BIM practitioners were carried out to explore opportunities for reducing challenges and increasing benefits of managing change in BIM Level 2 projects.

Findings

The study confirms benefits and challenges of managing change in BIM Level 2 projects identified and synthesised from literature, a much needed validation. Additional benefits and challenges were also identified in this study, such as cost saving and risk reduction (benefits) and social dimension issues in the BIM Level 2 processes (challenges). Opportunities identified to enhance benefits and reduce challenges were mainly socially driven, and were either reactive or proactive in nature.

Research limitations/implications

Opportunities for reducing challenges and increasing benefits identified from this research can inform the change management processes in BIM-Level 2.

Practical implications

The findings provide concrete basis for shaping BIM Level 2 change management processes and requirements.

Social implications

The identification of behaviours as shaping the social requirements for BIM-Level 2 confirms the need for a socio-technical approach to successful BIM implementation.

Originality/value

The identification of behaviours as shaping the social requirements for BIM Level 2 confirms the need for a socio-technical approach to successful BIM implementation.

Details

Built Environment Project and Asset Management, vol. 9 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2044-124X

Keywords

Access Restricted. View access options
Article
Publication date: 1 October 2018

Karen Blay, Kofi Agyekum and Alex Opoku

Dampness in buildings affects the health of occupants, structural stability and energy efficiency of buildings. Solutions to managing dampness focus on promoting the use of…

520

Abstract

Purpose

Dampness in buildings affects the health of occupants, structural stability and energy efficiency of buildings. Solutions to managing dampness focus on promoting the use of damp-proof construction materials, enhancing methods to avoid the introduction of moisture during construction and creating the awareness on the health effect of dampness. These solutions are incomplete without the identification of behaviours that occupants require to manage dampness. Given that dampness is characterised by the availability of a source, a route for the moisture to travel and driving force for moisture movement, the occupants can be said to play a significant role in contributing to dampness. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

As a result, this study seeks to examine the behaviours of occupants manifested to manage dampness in residential buildings. To achieve the aim, a qualitative research method was employed, under which interviews were carried out. Occupants in households in the northern and southern parts of England were interviewed to identify the actions, attitudes and beliefs in managing dampness.

Findings

The findings revealed actions such as aeration and the use of anti-damp sprays. From the findings, dampness instilled attitudes such as anger, moodiness and unhappiness. In addition, dampness instilled cleaning habits in occupants due to the lack of comfort moulds create and the awareness of its health impact.

Research limitations/implications

This research also contributes to existing debates on dampness reduction specifically in residential buildings.

Originality/value

The identification of these behaviours creates the awareness for occupants on their roles in managing dampness and how dampness affects their behaviours in addition to the health impact.

Details

International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation, vol. 37 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2398-4708

Keywords

Access Restricted. View access options
Article
Publication date: 7 February 2025

Karen Banahene Blay, Christopher Gorse, Chris Goodier, Jack Starkey, Seongha Hwang and Sergio Henrique Pialarissi Cavalaro

Reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) panels have been extensively used in the UK since the 1960s as structural roofs, floors and walls. The lack of a longitudinal…

29

Abstract

Purpose

Reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) panels have been extensively used in the UK since the 1960s as structural roofs, floors and walls. The lack of a longitudinal, objective, consistent defect data capture process has led to inaccurate, invalid and incomplete RAAC data, which limits the ability to survey RAAC within buildings and monitor performance. Therefore, an accurate, complete and valid digital data capture process is needed to facilitate better RAAC performance and defect monitoring. This paper presents the development of an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven RAAC crack defect capture tool for improving the quality of RAAC survey data.

Design/methodology/approach

RAAC crack defect image data were collected, curated and trained. A deep learning approach was employed to train RAAC surveyed defects (cracks) images from two hospitals. This approach mitigated unavoidable occlusions/obstructions and unintended “foreign” objects and textures.

Findings

An automatic RAAC crack identification tool has been developed to be integrated into RAAC survey processes via an executable code. The executable code categorises RAAC survey images into “crack” or “non-crack” and can provide longitudinal graphical evidence of changes in the RAAC over time.

Originality/value

This paper identifies the role of AI in addressing the intrinsic defects data capture issues for RAAC and extends current debates on data-driven solutions for defect capture and monitoring.

Details

International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2398-4708

Keywords

Abstract

This chapter explores the relationships between organisational type, rationales and the barriers that prevent community food projects from increasing the scale of their operations. From a broad survey of community food projects, organisations were divided according to their primary rationale (e.g. rural economic development and distribution), and then subdivided – by form – as a non-profit, private business, governmental agency or cooperative. Data from the interviews and surveys were coded using a qualitative grounded theory approach, to reveal the barriers experienced by each. Overall, access to long-term stable income is a recurrent theme across all types of projects. However, income sources dramatically change how these organisations prioritise barriers. Similarly, the organisation’s primary rationale and experiences influence the interpretation and approach to collaboration and education. Despite these differences, our results suggest a large degree of convergence that cuts across organisational forms and rationales, and offer a base for broader regional food system conversations.

Details

Alternative Agrifood Movements: Patterns of Convergence and Divergence
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78441-089-6

Available. Open Access. Open Access

Abstract

Details

Journal of Intelligent Manufacturing and Special Equipment, vol. 4 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2633-6596

1 – 6 of 6
Per page
102050