Artigos de Revista

Block models have been shown to provide a realistic representation of the behavior of many types of masonry structures under static and dynamic loads. When the strength of the units is such that movements along the joints govern the behavior, it is acceptable to make the simplifying assumption that blocks act as rigid bodies. This assumption is particularly useful when dealing with seismic problems, for which the computational times for time domain analysis may be substantial. In this paper, the application of discrete element models for dynamic analysis of masonry structures is addressed. The emphasis is on the seismic behavior of block stone masonry, but the treatment is general to cover other types of masonry. First, the assumptions involved in the choice of a block representation are discussed, stressing in particular the case of rigid block models. Numerical issues are examined, including contact models, calculation of natural frequencies, time stepping algorithms, damping and boundary conditions. A review is presented of modeling examples published in the literature for various types of masonry structures. The choice of numerical representation and its main features are discussed for each case.

iGPI, the National Initiative for Infrastructure Asset Management is a Portuguese collaborative project led by LNEC (National Civil Engineering Laboratory, Portugal) through which 19 water utilities develop their own infrastructure asset management (IAM) systems and plans in a joint training and capacitation programme. Technical assistance to the participating utilities is ensured by LNEC, IST (Technical University of Lisbon) and Addition, a software development company.The water utilities get collective as well as one-on-one support and specific training. They benefit from networking with the other utilities in a common and simultaneous process, with similar difficulties and challenges, leading to an effective sharing of solutions. The developed products, including training materials, templates and guidelines for developing strategic and tactical IAM plans, are available to the general public. This project has greatly contributed to the establishment of reference methodologies and standards for IAM planning, in a range of utilities of widely diverse size and context, effectively defining an accepted best practice. This paper discusses the project

In this paper the characterization of a gypsum plaster sample from the end of the 19th century simulating imperial red porphyry using a multi-analytical approach is presented and discussed. The results of X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TGA-DTA), physical and mechanical properties are summarized. In order to have further insight into the microstructure, polarized light microscopy (PLM), scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (SEMEDS), and micro Raman spectroscopy analyzes were also made. They helped to clarify the main issues raised by the other complementary analytical techniques and allowed the establishment of interrelations between the different properties, providing important information about the materials, the skills, and the technological development involved in the art of imitating noble stones with gypsum pastes. This study also contributes to our knowledge concerning the preservation of these types of elements that are important in the context of European decorative arts and rarely reported in the literature.

Five and four stars

Despite the simplicity of the geometry of the circular cylinders, the uniform flow around them is complex,since it may induce unsteady forces on structures associated with vortex shedding. This paper describes the study of two circular cylinders (the downstream one is elastically mounted in transversal direction) in tandem arrangement subject to bi-dimensional uniform laminar flows at low Reynolds numbers. The academic numerical model Ifeinco, which is based on the finite element method and uses a partitioned scheme that considers two-way interaction of fluid flow and structure, has been employed to the analysis.Firstly, both stationary cylinders in tandem arrangement for Re = 100 are analysed for center to center distance between the cylinders, L/D, from 1.5 to 6.0. Results of lift and drag coefficients and Strouhal number are compared with other numerical results and good agreement is found. Secondly, numerical results for L/D = 5.25, considering downstream elastically mounted cylinder, are analysed for Reynolds numbers ranging from 100 to 140. It shows that the resonance occurs for Reynolds numbers between 115 and 120 and the maximum dimensionless amplitude of oscillation is 0.721 for Re = 118.

O comportamento sísmico de estruturas existentes em alvenaria é muito condicionado pelo seu comportamento fora-do-plano, originando os chamados mecanismos locais, existindo diversas metodologias que tentam prever o comportamento deste tipo de estruturas e/ou modos de colapso.Este trabalho pretende resumir os principais resultados obtidos num evento subordinado ao tema

Os principais factores para a durabilidade e bom desempenho das argamassas de cal estãorelacionados com a qualidade da cal e dos agregados usados, a proporção adequada da mistura,a granulometria dos agregados e o cuidado posto na preparação da argamassa.A fim de avaliar o desempenho e viabilidade de utilização de diferentes tipos de agregadosnaturais em trabalhos de reabilitação, é analisada a influência da natureza mineralógica dediferentes agregados na estrutura e no comportamento físico-mecânico a longo prazo de argamassas de calpara revestimentos de paredes.

Um trabalho exploratório realizado pelo LNEC em 2012 mostrou que o recozimento dos azulejos era tecnicamente viável como opção de restauro. O recozimento de azulejos de fachada enquanto alternativa à sua alienação não parece dever suscitar dúvidas de princípio. No entanto a simples perspectiva de se reabrir o processo tecnológico de fabricação em alto fogo conduz a argumentações metodológicas que não têm paralelo no caso dos restauros a frio. Esta comunicação aborda a questão do recozimento dos azulejos à luz da abordagem teórica ao restauro, mostrando que o processo não pode ser afastado com base em princípios sem se considerarem especificamente os casos em apreço e os ganhos expectáveis.

For assessing the discharge coefficient of an opening it is necessary to measure, as accurately as possible,the flow rate and the corresponding pressure difference that occurs when the fluid passes through it.When the openings are as big as windows applied in common building spaces the open section of thewindow is not negligible when compared with the cross-section of the room. In these conditions, theflow velocity in the room is not negligible and the obstructions (e.g., furniture) are prone to have a higherinfluence on measurements. In addition, the external windows are subject to the wind action, whichmay also impair the measurement. Even though these are not the ideal conditions, they are the commonconditions in which natural ventilation occurs. In this paper, on site measurements of the dischargecoefficient of open windows were carried out and the feasibility of these measurements was evaluated.Two methods were used (flow driven by a fan and flow driven by wind action) and compared. It is shownthat the discharge coefficient of a side-hung casement window with a roller shutter may range fromCd= 0.41 to Cd= 0.81 and that the discharge coefficient of a bottom hung casement window is Cd= 0.84.