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- Fakultät für Angewandte Natur- und Geisteswissenschaften (16) (remove)
This paper concerns the development and validation of Finite Element Methods (FEM) to simulate the dynamic response of a dowelled-joist timber floor. This is a solid floor comprised of timber joists connected using timber dowels with individual assemblies connected using inclined metal screws. The focus is on the structural dynamics in the low-frequency range up to 200 Hz which is the relevant range for impact sound insulation and vibration serviceability. Dowel connections between the joists that formed each assembly were modelled using either rigid or spring connectors in the FEM models. The validation against experimental modal analysis showed that both approaches were valid in terms of the eigenfrequencies, Modal Assurance Criterion (MAC) and the spatial-average velocity with point excitation. Whilst the FEM model with spring connectors had a higher number of correlated modes in the MAC analysis, this required removal of many spurious modes before predicting the response. The validated models were used to demonstrate the potential in predicting assessment parameters for vibration serviceability that are contained in EN 1995-1-1 (Eurocode 5). This predictive approach to the evaluation of vibration serviceability has the advantage in that it can be used for non-standard timber floors with non-standard boundary conditions or floor plans.
Correlations between standardised and real impact sound sources in lightweight wooden structures
(2021)
This study aimed to understand the correlation between standard impact sound sources and real impact sources in lightweight floor structures. Six real impact sources (adult walking, child running, child jumping on the floor, and three objects falling) were used to be compared with standard impact sources (i.e. tapping machine and impact ball). Measurements were conducted on a lightweight timber joist floor. Impact sound pressure levels (SPLs) produced by the standard impact sources were measured on the four floor structures with or without carpet tiles. For the real impact sources, two walkers wearing socks and slippers walked at different speeds (normal and fast) along three paths, while two children ran along the three paths and jumped at four positions. Also, the SPLs generated by dropped objects were measured at five positions. Seven standardised single-number quantities (SNQs) were calculated for the tapping machine and the impact ball, while three noise ratings (LAeq, LAFmax, and LN) were also computed from the sound recordings of the real impact sources. Both the tapping machine and the impact ball showed similar frequency characteristics with the real impact sources across all the floor structures. All the SNQs for the tapping machine and the impact ball were highly correlated with the energy-based noise ratings of the adult walking and little differences were found across walking speeds and footwear. Similar tendencies were observed from other real impact sources, indicating the high correlations between the standardised SNQs of the tapping machine and the impact ball and the noise ratings.
In March 2019, German-speaking scientists and scholars calling themselves Scientists for Future, published a statement in support of the youth protesters in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland (Fridays for Future, Klimastreik/Climate Strike), verifying the scientific evidence that the youth protestors refer to. In this article, they provide the full text of the statement, including the list of supporting facts (in both English and German) as well as an analysis of the results and impacts of the statement. Furthermore, they reflect on the challenges for scientists and scholars who feel a dual responsibility: on the one hand, to remain independent and politically neutral, and, on the other hand, to inform and warn societies of the dangers that lie ahead.
Wooden building systems, including cross-laminated timber elements, are becoming more common. The last few years have seen new developments and documentation of innovative types of cross-laminated timber floor assemblies. Regarding impact sound associated to walking persons, running or jumping children, such floor assemblies can be regarded as a weak part. So far, there are no reliable standardized calculation models available, for prediction of impact sound in the entire frequency range. Therefore the design is always based upon previous experiences and available measurements. This article presents the results of a number of well controlled sound insulation measurements of cross-laminated timber/massive wood floor constructions conducted in laboratories. The collection of data and results analysis highlight some basic phenomena. For instance, how structural differences related to the grouping of the constructions change the frequency distribution of the impact sound level and the single number quantities. Another significant result is the influence of the dynamic stiffness of the resilient interlayer of floating floor systems and the mass per unit area of the floors. Based on this analysis, the aim is to identify similarities and carry out simplifications. The data will be further processed and used in the development of prediction models and optimization process of cross-laminated timber floor assemblies.
Outdoor performance analyses of photovoltaic modules can be advantageous compared to indoor investigations, as they take into account the influences of natural test conditions on the modules. However, such outdoor performance assessments usually suffer from poor accuracies due to undefined test conditions for the modules. This paper reports on a comprehensive concept for improved outdoor analysis which results in performance data with indoor laboratory precision. The approach delivers current-voltage characteristics for even more test conditions than required by the standard IEC 61853-1. Hence, curves of modules’ electrical parameters above irradiance can be deduced for any temperatures. The concept allows precise determination of temperature coefficients for user-defined irradiances taking into account outdoor effects like light-soaking or light-induced degradation. The calibration and measurement uncertainty of the presented outdoor analysis method is evaluated quantitatively. For the measurements an advanced outdoor set-up was used.
Background
Joint contractures in frail older people are associated with serious restrictions in participation. We developed the Participation Enabling CAre in Nursing (PECAN) intervention, a complex intervention to enable nurses to promote participation in nursing home residents with joint contractures. The aim of this study was to examine the feasibility of the implementation strategy and to identify enablers and barriers for a successful implementation.
Methods
The implementation of PECAN was investigated in a 6-month pilot cluster-randomised controlled trial (c-RCT). As a key component of the implementation strategy, nominated nurses were trained as facilitators in a one-day workshop and supported by peer-mentoring (visit, telephone counselling). A mixed-methods approach was conducted in conjunction with the pilot trial and guided by a framework for process evaluations of c-RCTs. Data were collected using standardised questionnaires (nursing staff), documentation forms, problem-centred qualitative interviews (facilitators, therapists, social workers, relatives, peer-mentors), and a group discussion (facilitators). A set of predefined criteria on the nursing home level was examined. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Qualitative data were analysed using directed content analysis.
Results
Seven nursing homes (n = 4 intervention groups, n = 3 control groups) in two regions of Germany took part in the study. Facilitators responded well to the qualification measures (workshop participation: 14/14; workshop rating: “good”; peer-mentor visit participation: 10/14). The usage of peer-mentoring via telephone varied (one to seven contacts per nursing home). Our implementation strategy was not successful in connection with supplying the intervention to all the nurses. The clear commitment of the entire nursing home and the respect for the expertise of different healthcare professionals were emphasised as enablers, whereas a lack of impact on organisational conditions and routines and a lack of time and staff competence were mentioned as barriers.
Conclusion
The PECAN intervention was delivered as planned to the facilitators but was unable to produce comprehensive changes in the nursing homes and subsequently for the residents. Strategies to systematically include the management and the nursing team from the beginning are needed to support the facilitators during implementation in the main trial.
Trial registration
German clinical trials register, DRKS00010037. Registered 12 February 2016.
The objective of this research project is to develop a solar-powered refrigerator in the lower capacity range of up to 5 kW of cooling power. With the use of liquid pistons and one of the most efficient thermodynamic cycles known, the Stirling cycle, this product has the potential to outperform rival solar cooling technologies while providing inexpensive, reliable, quiet, environmentally-friendly, and efficient solar cooling for residential use, due to its straightforward manufacturing, simple design and inert working gas. Presented in this paper are the newest results of the theoretical and experimental investigation into deducing the key design parameters and system configuration of the so-called Liquid Piston Stirling Cooler (LPSC), which will help lead to optimal performance. Computer models of the complex unconstrained system have been constructed and validated using the modelling software Sage and shown to replicate system behavior with reasonable accuracy in experiments. The models have been used to predict system improvements and identify limitations imposed by the use of liquid pistons. The results to date provide a unique insight into a relatively little studied area in Stirling cycle research.
In this study, an experimental apparatus is used to excite four U-tube-shaped liquid pistons connected in series, and to study their behaviour. Some of the gas spaces are heated to induce piston oscillations; in others, gas expansion is utilised to produce a refrigeration effect. It was discovered that the liquid piston surface would become unstable and turbulent at relatively low gas charge pressures (2 bar–3 bar). Cylindrical polyethylene floats were employed at each piston surface in order to reduce the area of the free surface of each piston and allow experiments to be conducted over a wide range of operating conditions. Experiments were carried out using gas charge pressures in the range of 1 bar–6 bar. The resulting liquid piston oscillations were measured and analysed to assess the impact of any developing piston instability. Evidence of a liquid piston acceleration limit, likely resulting from the Rayleigh-Taylor instability phenomenon, is consistently observed during the experiments. The use of submerged polyethylene piston floats is found to increase the surface stability and enable maximum accelerations of 25 ms−2 to 30 ms−2.
Building Energy Simulation (BES) tools play a key role in the optimization of the building system during the different phases, from pre-design through commissioning to operation. BES tools are increasingly used in research as well as in companies. New BES tools and updated versions are continuously being released. Each tool follows an independent validation process but rarely all the tools are compared against each other using a common case study. In this work, the modelling approaches of widespread dynamic simulation tools (i.e. EnergyPlus, TRNSYS, Simulink libraries CarnotUIBK and ALMABuild, IDA ICE, Modelica/Dymola and DALEC), as well as PHPP (a well-known quasi-steady-state tool), are described and the results of all the tools modelling the same characteristic office cell, defined within the IEA SHC Task 56, are compared on a monthly and hourly basis for the climates of Stockholm, Stuttgart and Rome. Unfortunately, different tools require different levels of input detail, which are often not matching with available data, hence the parametrization process highly influences the quality of the simulation results. In the current study to evaluate the deviation between the tools, frequently used statistical indices and normalization methods are analysed and the problems related to their application, in a cross-comparison of different tools, are investigated. In this regard, the deviation thresholds indicated by ASHRAE Guideline 14-2014 are used as a basis to identify results that suggest an acceptable level of disagreement between the predictions of a particular model and the outcomes of all models. The process of reaching a good agreement between all tools required several iterations and great effort on behalf of the modellers. To aid the definition of building component descriptions and future references for inter-model comparison a short history of the executed steps is presented in this work. Together with the comparison of the results of the tools, their computational cost is evaluated and an overview of the modelling approaches supported by the different tools for this case study is provided aiming to support the users in choosing a fit-for-purpose simulation tool.
Single equivalent approximation for multiple contact structure-borne sound sources in buildings
(2012)
The work reported in the paper addresses structure-borne sound transmission between multiple contact sources and non homogeneous plate receiver structures. This study concentrates on a practical method of predicting the installed structure-borne sound power from mechanical installations in lightweight buildings. The structure-borne sound power is a function of source activity, source mobility and receiver mobility, and all three quantities must be known to some degree. It is rarely practical to consider all transmission paths individually and in detail, and therefore, reduced data sets and less computationally demanding procedures are proposed. The paper examines how source data can be used to assemble single equivalent values, using spatial averages and magnitudes. Single equivalent values of receiver mobility also are proposed for lightweight, point-connected ribbed plate constructions. In case studies, the single equivalent values are used for predicting the structure-borne power in the installed condition.