Green countryside in China : Abandoned Village in China Being Overtaken by Nature

Photograph by Jane Qing

At the mouth of the Yangtze River you will find the Shengsi Archipelago; comprised of 394 islands, each with an area more than 500 sqm and just 18 of which are inhabitable.

The subtropical region boasts beautiful reefs, beaches and cliffs for visiting tourists and the area is also a notable fishery that attracts over 100,000 fishers every winter.

Because of this seasonality, an old fishing village on the island of Shengshan was abandoned when it became more economical for the fishers to live and work mainland where fresh catches could be more easily transported and sold.

The abandoned coastal village now stands as a relic and nature has slowly overtaken the buildings and roads.

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Purlin : Definition, Design , for roof structure

Purlin Roof Structure

In architecture or structural engineering or building, a purlin (or purline) is a horizontal structural member in a roof. Purlins support the loads from the roof deck or sheathing and are supported by the principal rafters and/or the building walls, steel beams etc. The use of purlins, as opposed to closely spaced rafters, is common in pre-engineered metal building systems and both the ancient post-and-beam and newer pole building timber frame construction methodologies.

A section though lightweight timber frame construction showing the position of under purlins. Credit: Bill Bradley of www.builderbill-diy-help.com Figure 1

In structural steel or aluminum construction, purlin, usually W shapes or channels, transfer roof loads to the major structural elements supporting the roof; the type and spacing of purlins is a design consideration which depends upon the incident roof loads as well as the limiting lengths of sheeting to be used.

Ultimately, local building codes should always be understood and applied in the design of a structural roof system. The following are general rule-of-thumb practices in the layout and design phase of a roof system.

In roof design, Roof purlins supporting metal sheeting are frequently proportioned for a ratio of depth-to-length of 1/32. Other materials, unusual loadings, or deflection requirements must be investigated by the designer.

Corrugated metal deck and siding is used for roofs and walls, respectively, to span between purlins for roof loads or between girts for wind loads. The decking is sized to resist the bending caused by these loads. Roof decking is often also used as a diaphragm to transfer wind or seismic loads to the lateral bracing system below. Load tables specifying safe loads for different spans are available from metal deck manufacturers.

 The spacing of purlins on roofs and girts on wall is usually 4 to 6 ft. Numbers 20 and 22, U.S. Standard gage, are generally used for roofing; No. 24 for siding.

When channels are used, the ridge purlin is placed as close to the peak of the truss as possible in order to shorten the connection to the purlin on the opposite side of the centerline (see Figure 2). This also serves to decrease the overhang of the roof sheeting where it extends beyond the purlin to the ridge.

Typical connections between ridge purlins. Figure 2

Sag rods are usually furnished to transmit the gravity load of girts to a supporting member. Additionally, sag rods are used to control the deflection of and stiffen girts and purlins. Typical sag rods are 5/8-in. or 3/4-in. in diameter with lines spaced approximately six to right feet apart.

To be effective, the force in the sag rods must be carried across the roof ridge and must be balanced by a corresponding force on the opposite side of the ridge. Several ridge purlin connections are illustrated in Figure 2. Ridge purlins also are fastened together at other points along their length to increase their transverse stiffness, and thus permit them to be more effective if also used as struts.

In lightweight timber roof construction under purlins were used to support rafters over longer spans than the rafters alone could span. Under purlins were typically propped off internal walls. For example, an 8 x 4 under purlin would support the center of a row of 6 x 2 rafters that in turn would support 3 x 2 roof purlins to which the roof cladding was fixed.

In traditional timber truss construction purlins rest on the principal rafters of the truss.

It is the practice in the steel industry that structural shapes are assigned representative designations for convenient short-hand description on drawings and documentation: Channel sections, with or without flange stiffeners, are usually referenced as C shapes; Channel sections without flange stiffeners are also referenced as U shapes; Point symmetric sections that are shaped similar to the letter Z are referenced as Z shapes. Section designations can be regional and even specific to a manufacturer. In steel building construction, secondary members such as purlins (roof) and girts (wall) are frequently cold-formed steel C, Z or U sections, (or mill rolled) C sections.

Cold formed members can be efficient on a weight basis relative to mill rolled sections for secondary member applications. Additionally, Z sections can be nested for transportation bundling and, on the building, lapped at the supports to develop a structurally efficient continuous beam across multiple supports.

from : engineersedge team

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Cold-Formed Steel design : Structural Steel

Cold-formed steel framing is a durable, reliable and cost-effective option for low-rise and mid-rise building projects. It typically refers to light-frame construction where the vertical and horizontal structural elements are primarily formed by a system of repetitive framing members. The framing members are typically spaced at 16 or 24 inches on center, with spacing variations lower and higher depending on the loads and coverings.

Wall members are typically vertical lipped channel "stud" members, which fit into unlipped channel "track" sections at the top and bottom. Similar configurations are used for both floor joist and rafter assemblies, but in a horizontal application for floors, and a horizontal or sloped application for roof framing. Additional elements of the framing system include fasteners and connectors, braces and bracing, clips and connectors. Cold-formed steel floor and roof trusses are also available for cold-formed steel framing applications.

                             

This section presents information on the design of structural members that are cold-formed to cross 
section shape from sheet steels. Cold-formed steel members include such products as purlins and girts for the construction of metal buildings, studs and joists for light commercial and residential construction, supports for curtain wall systems, formed deck for the construction of floors and roofs, standing seam roof systems, and a myriad of other products. These products have enjoyed significant growth in recent years and are frequently utilized in some shape or form in many projects today. Attributes such as strength, light weight, versatility, non-combustibility, and ease of production, make them cost effective in many applications. This figure shows cross sections of typical products

                                       

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Different type of heating with the selection criteria

The electricity and gas in the city remain the most used modes of heating. However, some people remain attached to the use of fuel oil and wood back more and more in homes. Similarly, more and more people are moving towards renewable energy to heat their homes. Here are the main features of these heating methods.

The different modes of heating
> Electric heat has a wide range of devices (coils, radiant panels, etc.). The two main advantages of these machines: the installation is inexpensive and their use is simple, thanks to the control devices and programming present.
The appliances have still some drawbacks. Very energy efficient, their electricity bill may be higher by 20 to 25% compared to gas. With an electric heater, it is better to have a small apartment or a well insulated heating housing.
> The gas heating is certainly more economical and environmentally friendly as electricity. The performance of this type of device is interesting. This is an effective way of heating very quickly and long.
However, depending on the individual steps, the installation of gas heating will be more or less expensive. Also, accommodations must be near a network to benefit from the gas.
> The oil heating rapidly diffuse even heat that will last all day. This is a good alternative in case of no connection to mains gas. Unfortunately, this is not the most economical solution, the cost of installation is important and the price of oil continues to rise.
> Heating with wood can be done with a stove or a fireplace. This is a very environmentally friendly mode of heating the large calorific value. No price varies little and with heat recovery, it offers a good return.
> Solar heating has as main advantage of using free energy and environmentally friendly. However, its installation is very expensive and you will surely need a booster heater to catch the frequent discrepancies between the heat requirements and actual production.
> The heat pump that uses the principle of geothermal energy, restores more energy than consumed. Except when it cold where performance is less effective. You will therefore be helpful to add a supplementary heating. It is less polluting than electric heating and especially more economical to use.
> Biomass exploits the energy of organic materials of animal or vegetable original. This heating method works by combustion, it is less polluting than fossil fuels and its price varies little.
The selection criteria
> Installation
The heating gas, fuel oil and wood require a boiler. The installation thereof is costly, because work must be performed between the laying device and the creation of a pipeline network.
A heat pump, a heating system and solar biomass also requires expensive equipment because it is technologically more complex devices.
However, the installation of an electric heater is inexpensive and very simple, you just need to connect the device to a power outlet.
> Efficiency
An electric heater is unusual turn on very quickly though the heating time is limited unlike a gas heating with oil or wood, where the heat is homogeneous and stays all day.
> Use
Devices with electric heating system are easier to use and more practical thanks to the various options present (control buttons, programming, etc.), depending on model.
> Storage
Electric heaters, gas (if gas city), solar, heat pump, have no need of storage space unlike heating oil, wood and biomass.
> Aesthetics
Electric heaters are the most aesthetic through their choice of design and colors.
> Energy consumption
Electric heating is the system requiring more energy. The gas heating is more economical and environmentally friendly as electricity. Similarly, the heat pump is less polluting than the electric heater. It is economical to use, it restores more energy than that consumed except when it is very cold.
Solar heating is very environmentally friendly because its energy is free.
The biomass and wood heating are also very ecological, their price varies little contrast to the cost of fuel oil is increasing.
> The price varies depending on the cost of the device, difficulty or not its installation, as well as its energy consumption.

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Some interesting questions in Design Structure(civil): Part 1

1. What is the rafter?
Rafter - One of a series of structural members of a roof designed to support roof loads.

2. What is the header?
Header - Horizontal structural member that supports the load over an opening, such as a door or window.

3. What is the definition of buildings?

Meaning of Building:  Anything erected by art, and fixed upon or in the soil, composed of different pieces connected together and designed for permanent use in the position in which it is so fixed.

A fabric or edifice designed to stand more or less permanently, enclosing a space within its walls, and usually, but not necessarily, covered with a roof.

4.What are the basic requirements for buildings?
All the buildings and structures must be designed and constructed in the manner prescribed by law and in accordance with the rules of technical expertise, ensuring the fulfillment of the basic requirements:
- construction safety,
- safety in case of fire,
- safety of utilization,
- appropriate health and hygiene conditions and to protect the environment,
- protection against noise and vibration,
- energy saving and thermal insulation baffles (i.e. walls, roof, ground)

5.What is the structural model?
Structural model - idealization of the structural system used for the purposes of analysis, design and verification.

6.What are the limit states?
Limit states - states beyond which the structure no longer fulfils the relevant design criteria.

7.What is the ultimate limit state?
Ultimate limit states - states associated with collapse or with other similar forms of structural failure.

8. What is serviceability limit states?
Serviceability limit states - states that correspond to conditions beyond which specified service requirements for a structure or structural member are no longer met.

9. Give an example of the effect of actions.
Force cause bending moment.

10. What is the design working life (in year) for building structures?
50 years

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New archi 2015: Stadium "Bordeaux Atlantique", France, by Herzog & de Meuron

Project delivered for the new Bordeaux stadium is an expression of fundamentally new architecture. The pure shape of the volume, by contrast to its lightand open structure, creates an at once monumental and graceful architectural piece elegantly suited to the grand landscape of Bordeaux.

The new stadium, with more than 43,000 seats, will 
offer quality and flexibility to organize major events 
that will contribute to the cultural influence of 
Bordeaux, the city and the region. The dimensions
of the field will also allow the organization of national
and international rugby matches.

The structure is supported by a forest of slender columns surrounding its periphery. At once dense and light, this structure is completed by the clarity of an intermediate space, the concourse, where stalls and restrooms form an undulating curve.

Surrounded by a large square, the new stadium will be a meeting place. Seminars and conferences will be organized in its spaces outside of game days, thus giving Bordeaux a new and emblematic reception space. The landscape designed by Michel Desvigne adds to the interest of the ensemble.

Stadium architecture combines three constitutive elements: the bowl containing the game and its spectators, the concourse as the transitional element between the playing field and the outside surroundings and, finally, the overall appearance

Our approach is to reinterpret these three elements in light of the site-specific characteristics: the resulting architecture is thus one-of-a-kind, reflecting the intrinsic features of the site

Finally, the new stadium will be communicative benefitting from the most advanced technologies
to facilitate the reception of spectators and to fit into the larger project of the City of Bordeaux 
in the field of digital technologies.

The new stadium will host some of the matches of the Euro 2016 Football Competition.

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Top 5 software for architects : easy install for Mac, Windows

HomeByMe

If there's a software architecture for 3D cased currently, it is this : HomeByMe. Totally free, it allows anyone to create his house from A to Z, and especially to furnish it and decorate it with a catalog extremely well supplied. A software that has given many ideas to internet users, as you can see with the model below represents the apartment of Lily, Marshall and Ted, that all the fans of the series "How I met your mother" will recognize easily.

 

3D Architecture – 3D View

Architecture 3D - Vue 3D software architecture free the most downloaded on Repository. Why ? Simply because it provides users with everything you need for houses and apartments 3D worthy of professionals. The details are cared for, the visits are realistic, and the possibilities of decoration and layout quite numerous. Less comprehensive than some of the software architecture pay, it nevertheless remains a very good program to begin in this area

Sweet Home 3d

In the field of free software for architecture, Sweet Home 3D sulks not his pleasure. Free software, to be more precise, it offers an interface which is admittedly a little old-fashioned compared to HomeByMe, but very complete and well organized. In fact, once the plan of your house, you can build it with chairs, tables, and other sofas that are listed in the database. On the other hand, side 3D view, nothing to complain, the result is of good quality for a program of this type.

Architect 3D

Much more pro than the first three software, 3D Architect offers design tools and creating architectural usual several advanced features, such as the cost estimator to perform estimate, or even a " palette of decorator ". Thus, thanks to him, your plans and projects home become much more concrete. In addition, the latter includes a wide catalog with more than 300 objects and 2600 furniture, in 3D of course.

 

ViaCAD 2D/3D 

Finally, let's end this top 5 of the software architecture 3D ViaCAD 2D/3D. This solution of Creating Computer-Aided (CAD) is not a simple software architecture, but a real 3D modeling program in real time, which is addressed both to the architects in the grass, only to artists, amateurs and professionals. Thanks to its technology LogiCursor, which anticipates the movements of the drawings, this software can also carry out the plans of a house, drawing of mechanical parts, or create electrical diagrams.

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Clay – the material of construction the world's oldest but also the most modern.

For thousands of years, humanity relies on clay as building material. The reason is simple :
the land uses without having to add a lot of energy or chemical processes, it is naturally a good building material.

The clay absorbs the moisture and releases it naturally. The clay is tough and let the repair without a problem. There is nothing more simple than an introduction to the application of this ancient material. In the field of restoration of monuments, in contrast to the new materials of modern construction, the clay helps keep the naturally of old half-timbered. It absorbs excess moisture in the wood and therefore, keep the timbers dry. In addition, the plasticity of the material allows for a perfect adaptation to the inequalities and imperfections typical of these old buildings.
In new construction, the clay really gives food for thought in comparison to other more conventional materials. The clay does not trigger any allergy, works easily, and is simply beautiful and accessible to all. This is why CLAYTEC based already a company for the development, production and distribution of construction materials clay modern in 1984 in Germany. In Belgium and Luxembourg DRUWID is one of the pioneers in the renaissance of the clay (since 1993) and motivates its use as a construction material that is universal and also environmentally friendly.

 

The absolute nature. State of the art techniques

 

The clay is, in the history of mankind, the material the more experienced. For hundreds of years, the resistance, the high quality and the tolerance level, health of the Clay have been sorely put to the test. Our challenge is to do even better. And CLAYTEC was able to develop new construction materials at the start of the ancients, and continues his improvement.
CLAYTEC today offers a wide range of ready-made products for every application imaginable. Our products work with modern machines and make the job so easy. For people who are not experienced, the clay is the ideal material. In fact, free of chemical binder, it gets its hardness by natural drying.

 

 

  

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Brainstorming in Design stage with exemple

Before you even begin to create a first version of a design stage, it is important to harness your creativity to come up with concepts and ideas for a project.
The Goal of Brainstorming
The goal of brainstorming is to throw out any and all ideas related to a project, eventually leading to one or several to take further.
These ideas can be:
Overall concepts and styles
Layouts
Color schemes
Images
Face Type options
Project goals
Ideas related to the mood gold emotional feel of the work
Who to Brainstorm With ?
Brainstorming can be done alone or with anyone who is willing to listen to, and contribute to the brainstorming process. This includes:
Other designers and creative professionals
Co-workers
The client
People in an industry related to the project
Family
Friends
How to Brainstorm ?
All you need to brainstorm is a pad and pencil. Whether you are alone or in a group, brainstorming includes:
Writing down any idea that comes up
Doodling gold sketching
Relating ideas to the goal of the project
Elaborating on concepts that are the most promising
Looking for connections between your ideas
Combining ideas and concepts that are related

Application : Lecture classes

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