Physical and Thermo-Mechanical Properties of Composite Materials Based on Raw Earth and Crushed Palm Leaf Fibers (Borassus aethiopum)

The objective of this study is to seek solutions to reduce the impact of buildings on climate change and to promote the use of local bio-sourced or geo-sourced materials for sustainable construction. Different samples of raw earth from 3 sites were taken in the commune of Mlomp. Geotechnical tests showed that the raw earth samples from sites 2 and 3 have more clay fraction while site 1 contains more sand. The fact of integrating fibers from crushed palm leaves (Borassus aethiopum) (2%, 4% and 6%) into the 3 raw earth samples reduced the mechanical resistance to compression and traction of the 3 raw earths. The experimental results of thermal tests on samples of earth mixtures with crushed Palma leaf fibers show a decrease in thermal conductivity as well as thermal effusivity as the percentages increase (2%, 4% and 6%) of fibers in raw earth for the 3 sites. This shows that this renewable composite material can help improve the thermal insulation of building envelopes.

Ecological Evaluation Models for Environmental Engineering in Taiwan

This study is aimed to investigate and analyze the ecological technology around ecological environment resources of engineering in Taiwan. In Taiwan, the natural and artificial material applied in the ecological technology in internal currently, usually lack of evaluation for applicative conditions. Hence, this study carried on the whole research and identifications to draft the eco-materials of ecological technology. The evaluation models of applied materials for ecological technology were proposed. The quantitative score were obtained by expert＇s person evaluation. Three models were proposed to quantify the effects of applied materials on the ecological environment. The statistical procedures were adopted to compare the performance of these materials for ecological technology. The results indicated that the comparison of applied materials can be treated by quantitative analysis. For the further analysis, more evaluated data from expert＇s experience need to be collected then the bias of person subject can be reduced. In addition to reach the benefits in the respects of ecosystem, society, economy and function, also practice the comprehensive effects in ecological technology.

Study on Engineering Characteristics and Application of Sticky Rice

Sticky rice is not only a notoriously food, or a kind of important medicinal herb, but also serves as a kind of important engineering materials having rich re- sources. Sticky rice has excellent toughness, anti-seepage property, bonding proper- ty, reinforcing property, high strength and superior engineering performance with su- perior engineering value, ecolOgical value and landscape value on account of its starch composition mainly composed of amylopectin of which the granules are poly- hedron. The development and application of sticky rice has important strategic signif- icance to promotion of sustainable development of ecological landscape construction, alleviation of resource shortage, reduction of environmental pollution, acceleration of constructing environmental friendly society and realization of sustainable development of China.