Journal of Architectural Engineering 

About: Journal of Architectural Engineering is an academic journal published by American Society of Civil Engineers. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Engineering & Computer science. It has an ISSN identifier of 1076-0431. Over the lifetime, 900 publications have been published receiving 11799 citations.

Application of Modular Construction in High-Rise Buildings

Abstract: Modular construction is widely used in Europe for multi-story residential buildings. A review of modular technologies is presented, which shows how the basic cellular approach in modular construction may be applied to a wide range of building forms and heights. Case studies on 12-, 17-, and 25-story modular buildings give design and constructional information for these relatively tall buildings. The case studies also show how the structural action of modular systems affects the architectural design concept of the building. The combination of modules with steel or concrete frames increases the range of design opportunities, particularly for mixed-use commercial and residential buildings. An overview of the sustainability benefits and economics of modular construction is presented based on these case studies. © 2012 American Society of Civil Engineers.

Tool to design for construction worker safety

Abstract: Improving construction worker safety continues to be a major goal in the construction industry. While significant improvements in safety performance have been made in the past few decades, one party within the project team, the designer, has not been directly involved in the safety effort. Designers have been identified as parties who have a significant influence on construction safety. The lack of designers' involvement in worker safety is attributed to their minimal education and experience in addressing safety on the construction site, and their attempt to minimize their liability exposure. In a recent study conducted by the Construction Industry Institute (CII), best practices have been accumulated that can be implemented into a project's design in order to minimize or eliminate construction site hazards. These design suggestions have been incorporated into a computer program, titled Design For Construction Safety ToolBox, that assists designers in recognizing project-specific hazards and implementing the design suggestions into a project's design. This computer program links the design and construction phases to improve construction worker safety.

Effects of Lean Construction on Sustainability of Modular Homebuilding

Abstract: Constructionactivitiesandthebuiltenvironmenthaveanenormouseffectontheenvironment,humanhealth,andtheoveralleconomy. Sustainable homebuilding in all three dimensions of economic, environmental, and social effects is attainable through practical innovations and technologies.However,thegreatestbarriertothewidespreadapplicationofsustainablehomebuildingisthehigherinitialcostslargelyattributable to the learning curve of workers building with these practical innovations and technologies, and the added cost resulting from ill-defined con- structionprocesses.Toaddressthesechallengesandreachtheidealofsustainableconstruction,thispaperproposestheuseofleanconstructionas a viable and effective strategy, in particular the lean tool kaizen. This paper uses several case studies to showcase the effect of lean on the triple bottomlineofsustainabilityinmodularhomebuilding.Eachcasestudyhighlightsonedimensionofsustainability.Leanconstructionresultedina significant environmental effect by reducing material waste by 64%, a significant social effect by reducing or eliminating key safety hazards of excessive force, poorposture, andstruck-by, and a significant economiceffect byreducing productionhours by31%.Findings from this research willcontributetoabetterunderstandingoftheeffectofleanonhomebuilding sustainabilityand willpromotelean and safebuilding techniquesin modular homebuilding. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)AE.1943-5568.0000054. © 2012 American Society of Civil Engineers. CE Database subject headings: Sustainable development; Construction industry; Residential buildings; Lean construction. Author keywords: Modular homebuilding; Sustainability; Offsite construction; Lean construction.

Decision-Support Tool for Assessing the Environmental Effects of Constructing Commercial Buildings

Abstract: Construction of commercial buildings consumes significant amounts of energy and produces lots of emissions and waste. Where should environmental improvement efforts be focused during design and construction? The Construction Environmental Decision-Support Tool allows designers and industry practitioners to quantify energy use, emissions, and waste generation rates due to the construction phase of commercial buildings. A case study of the Bren School at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and several relevant construction scenarios are analyzed. When considering the complete building over its entire life cycle, the construction phase comprised 2% of energy consumption, 1% of C O2 emissions, 7% of CO emissions, 8% of N Ox emissions, 8% of P M10 emissions, and 1% of S O2 emissions. This is due to the dominance of the long-term use phase (50 years) compared to a relatively short construction phase (2 years) . Scaling up to the national level, however, construction impacts of projects are significant....

Structural Use of Glass

Abstract: This paper introduces the materials, design methods, and details used to create glass structures from small unframed glazing screens to the largest glass walls and roofs. It includes information on the use of glass in floors, staircases, and bridges. The purpose of this paper is to give a state-of-the-art overview of current technology and to look at ideas being developed in the laboratory. Glass is an unforgiving material and the paper explains the measures taken to reduce risk of failure.