Papers

It has long been thought that the evaporation rate from mesoporous materials during the constant drying rate period (CDRP) is equal to that of a free-water surface, due to the presence of a liquid film covering the surface of the material. In this article we review several early articles and demonstrate that the experimental scrutiny this hypothesis has received is insufficient. Further, we report a set of evaporative drying experiments on eight building materials whose results also do not confirm such hypothesis. Indeed, the drying rate during the CDRP is not equal either among the tested materials or between these and the free-water surfaces. To explain the differences in drying rate, we have looked at the influence of surface texture and porosity. We have concluded that surface texture, which could increase the effective surface area of the materials, did not have a relevant effect on the CDRP drying rate. However, we have found a good correlation between the CDRP drying rate and capillary porosity. This is consistent with the hypothesis that drying occurs at the pore level during the CDRP. Further, it contradicts the suggestion that there is a film of water covering the surface of the materials during this period.

This paper describes an application of theBoussinesq-type COULWAVE model to study the wavehydrodynamics in the vicinity of a multi-functional artificialreef (MFAR). This reef is under investigation and consists ofa supplementary protection solution for the Leirosa sanddune system located at South of Figueira da Foz, on thePortugueseWest coast. Such installation near the coastline isexpected to contribute to enhance the surfing conditions inthe area, protect the sand dune system in the surroundings ofLeirosa beach, and increase its environmental value.Numerical calculations with the COULWAVE model wereperformed for four test cases, considering two reef geometries(differing in the reef angle) and two incident waveconditions (storm condition and a common wave condition).Comparisons between the results obtained, in terms of waveheights and breaking line positions allow us to assess theinfluence of the reef on the hydrodynamics near the beachand around the reef. Moreover, the reef performance wasanalysed in terms of surfability and coastal protection. Thesurfability parameters (breaker height, Iribarren number andpeel angle) were calculated for each test case using thenumerical wave heights, wave directions and wave breakingpositions. Comparisons of parameters allow characterizingthe most appropriate configuration of the reef to improve thesurfing conditions in the study area. A methodology basedon numerical free surface elevations and horizontal velocitycomponents was developed to calculate wave directions,since this is not a direct output of the COULWAVE model.Concerning coastal protection, analyses of the mean currentsaround the reef were used together with observationsof the velocity cells near the shoreline as an indication of thesediment transport.

The knowledge of wave transformation and breaking characteristics nearcoastline is essential for the nearshore hydrodynamics and the design ofcoastal structures. This paper describes a wide range of wave flume testsperformed at the National Laboratory for Civil Engineering (LNEC),located in Lisbon (Portugal), which main objective was to study waveshoaling and breaking over a set of different gentle slopes for severalincident waves and thus to contribute for a better understand of thehydrodynamics of wave transformation.The experimental conditions, the measurement equipment, the incidentwave characteristics, the type of measurements performed (free surfaceelevation and particle velocity) and the data obtained are described. Timeand spectral analysis based upon the measured data are also performed andpresented. For a regular wave with a period of 1.5s and a height of 0.1m arepresented and discussed the following results: free surface elevation atselected sections along the flume; the spectral analysis; the significant waveheight and average period along the flume; the particle velocity componentsat different locations along the flume; the average, maximum and minimumvalues of the longitudinal component of the velocity along the flume; thetwo dimensional distribution of the three components of the velocity; andlongitudinal velocity component vertical profiles.

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A casa de Fresco de Sanches de Baena situado em Vila Viçosa é um exemplo gritante de um património cultural em risco, que apela a um estudo e intervenção urgentes para a sua salvaguarda e preservação. No âmbito do projecto MURAL2D: Murais em Risco no Alentejo – Degradação e Diagnóstico, pretende-se dar continuidade aos estudos já iniciados em 2008 pelo laboratório HERCULES da Universidade de Évora, ao nível das técnicas, materiais e estado de conservação dos elementos decorativos que revestem as paredes e a abóbada de aresta deste espaço do final do século XVI ou início do XVII (pintura mural, estuques modelados e embrechados). O objectivo é o levantamento de dados que possibilitem a obtenção de um conhecimento aprofundado dos materiais e dos mecanismos de degradação, para que, no futuro, estes possam servir de base à elaboração de uma proposta de conservação. No presente artigo, após enquadramento estilístico-histórico da decoração, são apresentados os primeiros resultados desta pesquisa pluridisciplinar a decorrer in-situ e em laboratório.

This paper presents a methodology to assess the overall acoustics quality of buildings, thus contributing for their classification in terms of acoustic comfort, and consequently in their acoustic sustainability. The proposed methodology, which is expected to be implemented in the near future in Portugal, relies on two main evaluations: one related to buildings integration into the near environment (planning context); and other on the acoustic performance of their partitions, level of noise from service equipment, partitioning of rooms relatively to one another, and different usages available inside the buildings (i. e. apartments versus shops). Three examples of this methodology implementation are presented in the paper, and some conclusions are extracted from the achieved results in close elation to the principles of buildings global sustainability.

This paper presents a variable speed autonomous squirrel cage generator excited by a current-controlled voltage source inverter to be used in stand-alone micro-hydro power plants. The paper proposes a system control strategy aiming to properly excite the machine as well as to achieve the load voltage control. A feed-forward control sets the appropriate generator flux by taking into account the actual speed and the desired load voltage. A load voltage control loop is used to adjust the generated active power in order to sustain the load voltage at a reference value. The control system is based on a rotor flux oriented vector control technique which takes into account the machine saturation effect. The proposed control strategy and the adopted system models were validated both by numerical simulation and by experimental results obtained from a laboratory prototype. Results covering the prototype start-up, as well as its steady-state and dynamical behavior are presented.

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