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Sustainability
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Study and Application in Construction: Disaster Prevention and Structural Engineering
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Study and Application in Construction: Disaster Prevention and Structural Engineering

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Green Building".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 March 2024) | Viewed by 6517

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Marius Mosoarca

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Architecture and Town Planning, Polytechnic University of Timisoara, Timisoara, Romania
Interests: architectural engineering; preservation of heritage buildings; seismic design
Prof. Dr. Antonio Formisano

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Structures for Engineering and Architecture, University of Naples Federico II, Piazzale Tecchio n. 80, 80125 Napoli, Italy
Interests: structural engineering; seismic design; vulnerability assessment at territorial scale; sustainable materials; integrated seismic-energy retrofit; metal constructions
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Iasmina Onescu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, Politehnica University of Timisoara, Traian Lalescu no. 2/A, Timisoara, Romania
Interests: Vulnerability assessment Heritage preservation Seismic architecture and town planning Sustainability Architectural engineering
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Alexandra Iasmina Keller

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Architecture and Town Planning, Polytechnic University of Timisoara, 300006 Timisoara, Romania
Interests: architectural engineering; preservation of heritage buildings; aesthetic of structures; urban planning
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to inform you that the journal Sustainability now has a Special Issue on the topic of “Study and Application in Construction: Disaster Prevention and Structural Engineering”. Your expertise in the field is much appreciated and you are invited to contribute with your original research work.

Hazards represent a common treat for urban areas and constructions nowadays, with great impact on the wellbeing of the inhabitants and also on the economies of cities.

The topic of disaster prevention represents a multidisciplinary field which brings together the topic of risk assessment with those of management and urban development. Civil engineering, environmental engineering, architecture, social and economic sciences, as well as political sciences represent fields of interest for this Special Issue.

The aim is to reduce the gap between scientists, decision-makers and stakeholders in the process of disaster risk reduction, by creating a common background and understanding.

This Special Issue invites researchers to contribute original research papers and application studies on innovative approaches and solutions in the fields of disaster prevention and structural engineering. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • State-of-the-art and review papers in the fields of disaster prevention and structural engineering
  • Vulnerability assessment of individual buildings
  • Vulnerability assessment of urban areas
  • Multi-risk approaches for constructions
  • Structural diagnosis
  • Case studies
  • Disaster prevention policies

Prof. Dr. Marius Mosoarca
Prof. Dr. Antonio Formisano
Dr. Iasmina Onescu
Dr. Alexandra Iasmina Keller
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. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2400 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

  • hazards
  • structural engineering
  • disaster reduction
  • constructions
  • management

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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21 pages, 23306 KiB  
Article
A Sustainable Approach to Reconstruction: Historical Roof Structure Interventions
by Imola Kirizsán and Adrian Tudoreanu-Crișan
Sustainability 2024, 16(11), 4325; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16114325 - 21 May 2024
Viewed by 1229
Abstract
The reconstruction of structural subassemblies in historic buildings is a widely debated topic that often arises throughout a building’s lifespan. The most vulnerable structures and, consequently, the most frequently modified are roofs, due to the materials used, which render them susceptible to biological [...] Read more.
The reconstruction of structural subassemblies in historic buildings is a widely debated topic that often arises throughout a building’s lifespan. The most vulnerable structures and, consequently, the most frequently modified are roofs, due to the materials used, which render them susceptible to biological decay or fire. This paper aims to analyse roof reconstructions across various historical periods and under different circumstances depending on the necessity for construction or reconstruction. Several exceptional reconstructions from Europe are examined, where the final solution was determined based on sustainability criteria from the construction period. Wood in roof trusses is often replaced with alternative materials such as metal or reinforced concrete. In the case of the Evangelical Church in Bistrița, destroyed by fire for the second time in 2008, the solution of replication using wood was adopted, and the wooden elements were calculated for fire resistance, according to the Eurocodes. Another important aspect to consider when constructing new roofs is the need for protective or temporary roof structures, where sustainability and reusability are fundamental requirements. The principles used to choose the covering method were different depending on the reconstruction period. Three analysis criteria were defined to compare historical solutions with current sustainability principles in the reconstruction and construction of new roofs for existing buildings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Study and Application in Construction: Disaster Prevention and Structural Engineering)
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27 pages, 12841 KiB  
Article
The Influence of the Aggregate Configuration on the Seismic Assessment of Unreinforced Masonry Buildings in Historic Urban Areas
by Valentina Cima, Valentina Tomei, Ernesto Grande and Maura Imbimbo
Sustainability 2024, 16(10), 4172; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16104172 - 16 May 2024
Viewed by 842
Abstract
Unreinforced masonry (URM) buildings in historic urban areas of European countries are generally clustered in an aggregate configuration and are often characterized by façade walls mutually interconnected with adjacent ones. As a result, the seismic performance of buildings in an aggregate configuration can [...] Read more.
Unreinforced masonry (URM) buildings in historic urban areas of European countries are generally clustered in an aggregate configuration and are often characterized by façade walls mutually interconnected with adjacent ones. As a result, the seismic performance of buildings in an aggregate configuration can be affected by the mutual interaction between the adjacent units. This interaction, often called the aggregate effect, could significantly influence the level of the seismic vulnerability of URM buildings in aggregate configuration toward in-plane and out-of-plane mechanisms, the latter being the object of the present paper. Traditional methods for assessing the seismic vulnerability of URM buildings neglect the interactions between adjacent buildings, potentially underestimating the actual vulnerability. This study aims to derive fragility curves specific for UMR buildings in aggregate configuration and proposes an innovative methodology that introduces the aggregate effect into an analytical approach, previously developed by the authors for isolated URM buildings. The aggregate effect is modeled by accounting for the friction forces arising among adjacent facades during the development of out-of-plane overturning mechanisms by considering different scenarios, based on how façade walls interact with neighboring structures (e.g., whether they are connected to transverse and/or lateral coplanar ones). The proposed approach is applied to a real case study of an Italian historical center. The obtained results demonstrate that the aggregate effect significantly influences the fragility curves of URM buildings arranged in aggregate configurations. This highlights the importance of considering this effect and the usefulness of the proposed approach for large-scale assessments of seismic vulnerability in historic urban areas, contributing to sustainable disaster risk prevention. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Study and Application in Construction: Disaster Prevention and Structural Engineering)
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20 pages, 10149 KiB  
Article
Timber-Based Strategies for Seismic Collapse Prevention and Energy Performance Improvement in Masonry Buildings
by Davide Cassol, Maja Danovska, Alessandro Prada and Ivan Giongo
Sustainability 2024, 16(1), 392; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16010392 - 1 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1360
Abstract
This study investigates the effectiveness of a range of timber-based solutions for the seismic and energy retrofitting of existing masonry buildings. These solutions are designed not only to prevent structural collapse during earthquakes but also to create integrated interventions that enhance thermo-physical performance [...] Read more.
This study investigates the effectiveness of a range of timber-based solutions for the seismic and energy retrofitting of existing masonry buildings. These solutions are designed not only to prevent structural collapse during earthquakes but also to create integrated interventions that enhance thermo-physical performance and reduce emissions in existing buildings. Various case scenarios were considered and both mechanical and energetic behaviour post-intervention were evaluated. Timber-engineered products serve as foundational components for the retrofit approach, encompassing one-dimensional vertical elements (strong-backs) and various types of panels (cross-laminated timber panels, laminated veneer lumber panels, and oriented strand board panels). The analyzed retrofit techniques share a common principle involving the attachment of these timber-based elements to the building’s wall surfaces through mechanical point-to-point connections. The proposed solutions integrate strong-backs and timber panels with membranes and insulation layers, yielding cohesive, and highly effective interventions. Finite element modeling was employed to analyze the mechanical and thermal responses of the retrofitted walls. A comprehensive comparative analysis of various techniques was conducted to determine the most effective solution for each specific scenario. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Study and Application in Construction: Disaster Prevention and Structural Engineering)
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Review

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19 pages, 8141 KiB  
Review
Earthquake Resilient near Zero Energy Buildings: Attributes and Perspectives
by Anthimos Anastasiadis and Marius Mosoarca
Sustainability 2024, 16(6), 2317; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16062317 - 11 Mar 2024
Viewed by 1657
Abstract
The climate crisis, the need for a circular economy, and the large financial losses after earthquakes have promoted the concept of the sustainable and resilient design of societies, and more specifically, of lifelines and building environments. Focused on building facilities, it is imperative [...] Read more.
The climate crisis, the need for a circular economy, and the large financial losses after earthquakes have promoted the concept of the sustainable and resilient design of societies, and more specifically, of lifelines and building environments. Focused on building facilities, it is imperative to prescribe, within the aforementioned framework, the components that characterize earthquake resilient near zero energy buildings (ERnZEBs). Through a conceptual analysis, the goal is to discuss the attributes and perspectives of ERnZEBs within the framework of the view of a designer engaged in practice. This fact introduces an additional factor recognizing that not all projects have the same technical and financial values; the difference in budget, the type of owner, and the investment (private or public, company or private person) play important roles in creating an ERnZE building. In this direction, this paper reviews the basic principles of ERnZEBs, providing a combination of pragmatic considerations while also exploiting the state of the art and practice of current engineering knowledge. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Study and Application in Construction: Disaster Prevention and Structural Engineering)
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