Papers

The structural rehabilitation of historic/traditional rubble masonry wall constructionsrequires consolidation and retrofitting solutions to be employed in order to withstand dynamic loads,high vertical loads, and differential settlements. One of these strengthening techniques is basedon the use of steel bar connectors perpendicular to the wall, considered individually or integratedinto more complex strengthening techniques. The aim of this study is to evaluate numerically thestrengthening effect of transverse steel connectors on rubble masonry walls. With this purpose, a 2Dparticle-reinforced model (2D-PMR) was devised and applied to model uniaxial compression tests.The results presented show that predictions calculated using the proposed 2D-PMR model are veryclose to known experimental results, particularly in the corresponding failure modes, the increase ofthe maximum uniaxial compression value, and ductility. Parametric studies are also conducted byvarying the diameter of the steel bars and the level of strengthening to assess the influence of thebar-bond effect and lateral plates. The presented parametric numerical studies show that (i) a two-level strengthening solution guarantees a similar response to the three-level strengthening solutionadopted in the experiments; (ii) it is not relevant to apply a grout injection during the applicationprocess of the steel connectors if lateral plates are adopted; and (iii) the 2D-PMR model can be usedin the definition of the steel bar diameter and properties; as shown, a smaller (8 mm) bar diameterpredicts a similar strengthening effect to the (12 mm) bar size adopted in the experiments. Given theperformance of the proposed 2D-PMR model, further work is underway that will allow the 2D-PMRmodel to numerically assess other reinforcement techniques, namely, reinforced micro-concrete layersand textile reinforced mortar.

O porto de Ponta Delgada localiza-se na cidade de Ponta Delgada na ilha de S. Miguel, no Arquipélagodos Açores. Ligado às principais vias rodoviárias da ilha, o porto possui 3 infraestruturas portuáriase 2 ancoradouros. As suas infraestruturas portuárias consistem num cais comercial, um terminalde passageiros com um cais de cruzeiros e um cais de ferries, e ainda um porto de pescas. O portoé protegido por um quebra-mar de taludes com cerca de 1500 m ao nível do coroamento (Fig. 1a),cujos mantos são constituídos por blocos de diferentes tipos, maioritariamente cubos Antifer etetrápodes, consoante a zona do quebra-mar

Scientific publications depict science as an orderly endeavour and the epitome of rationality. In contrast, scientific practice is messy and not strictly rational. Here, I analyze this inconsistency, which is recurrent, and try to clarify its meaning for the functioning of science. The discussion is based on a review of relevant literature and detailed analysis of the role of each of the three intervening elements, the scientist, his/her practice and the scientific publication, with an emphasis on the circular mode of the latter

Sustainability aims to integrate environmental and social considerations into decision making, alongside purely economic factors, in a balanced manner. Here, a concise critical review of policy instruments concerning the definition and implementation of this concept is presented. The sources were selected as the most relevant to capturing the origins and evolution of the idea of sustainability from the 1960s to the present day. The analysis narrows down to the construction sector within the European Union (EU), of which the perspective guides the work. As it emerges, the historical path led to the materialization of the sustainability concept into the UN

O presente texto integra um conjunto que se deseja coeso de notas de leitura, de reflexão e de comentário globalmente referidas ao perspetivar de uma futura habitação mais amiga dos idosos e bem integrada e participada, desenvolvendo-se num conjunto de

Grounded on public sensorization initiatives to monitor the Lisbon's mobility system as a whole, the Integrative Learning from Urban Data and Situational Context for City Mobility Optimization (ILU) research project was initially designed as a means of providing decision support tools for the city of Lisbon to advance towards sustainable mobility. This paper reviews a significant number of research outcomes developed in the scope of the ILU project that are aligned with the envisaged goal. These are comprehensively analyzed through an integrated framework to identify how different theories and methods anchored in data science and transport planning were applied to the different datasets of the public transport services.

Post-insulating existing buildings is a promising solution for reducing operational CO2 emissions from the European built environment. Nonetheless, its efficacy is unclear when traditional and historic massive walls are considered, especially in Southern Europe.This study employs a validated and calibrated dynamic hygrothermal simulation model to assess indoor comfort and energy demands in a public library with thick stone masonry walls and intermittent occupation, considering three Southern European climates: Porto, Lisbon, and Bologna. Five insulation materials, including three thermal mortars and two conventional materials (Hydrophobic Mineral Wool and Expanded Polystyrene), are compared using internal and external insulation solutions. Thin insulation systems (4 cm) with moderate thermal resistance (Rt = 0.3

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Public water supply, urban wastewater and stormwater management, and urban waste management are structural public services, essential to well-being, public health, and the safety of populations as well as to economic activities and environmental protection. These services must be guided by principles of universal access, continuity and quality of service, and efficiency and fairness of applied tariffs. The main concern of the regulation of these services is the protection of the interests of the users through the promotion of the quality of the service provided by the water utilities and the guarantee of balance in the practiced tariffs, materialized in the principles of universality, equity, reliability, and cost-efficiency. The quality of the urban water services has been assessed by ERSAR (the Portuguese regulator) since 2004, when the first generation of the assessment system was developed, and has undergone three periodical critical revisions. The fourth generation, developed in 2021, entered in force in 2022. This paper presents the fourth generation of ERSAR