Wind Turbine Noise Reduction through Blade Retrofitting

This paper outlines a plan for the effective reduction of the audible sound level produced by aerodynamic noise from the power-generating turbine blades. The contribution of aerodynamic noise can be divided into two categories: inflow turbulence and airfoil self-noise. The base model and retrofit blade designs were modeled in SolidWorks. Subsequently, noise prediction simulations were conducted and compared to the base blade model to determine which modification provided the greatest benefit using SolidWorks Flow Simulation. The result of this project is a series of blade retrofit recommendations that produce a more acoustically efficient design and reduce noise complaints while enabling turbines to be placed in locations that require quieter operations.

Rolling Decision Model of Thermal Power Retrofit and Generation Expansion Planning Considering Carbon Emissions and Power Balance Risk

With the increasing urgency of the carbon emission reduction task,the generation expansion planning process needs to add carbon emission risk constraints,in addition to considering the level of power adequacy.However,methods for quantifying and assessing carbon emissions and operational risks are lacking.It results in excessive carbon emissions and frequent load-shedding on some days,although meeting annual carbon emission reduction targets.First,in response to the above problems,carbon emission and power balance risk assessment indicators and assessment methods,were proposed to quantify electricity abundance and carbon emission risk level of power planning scenarios,considering power supply regulation and renewable energy fluctuation characteristics.Secondly,building on traditional two-tier models for low-carbon power planning,including investment decisions and operational simulations,considering carbon emissions and power balance risks in lower-tier operational simulations,a two-tier rolling model for thermal power retrofit and generation expansion planning was established.The model includes an investment tier and operation assessment tier and makes year-by-year decisions on the number of thermal power units to be retrofitted and the type and capacity of units to be commissioned.Finally,the rationality and validity of the model were verified through an example analysis,a small-scale power supply system in a certain region is taken as an example.The model can significantly reduce the number of days of carbon emissions risk and ensure that the power balance risk is within the safe limit.

Experience on offshore cathodic protection retrofitting in the northern South China Sea

Platforms I and II are steel structures located in offshore areas southeast of the Zhujiang (Pearl) River Delta, the northern South China Sea,. in about 110 in water depth. The jackets, with aluminum sacrificial anodes for cathodic protection (CP) of the immersed zone, were launched in March 1995. In May 096 a CP survey showed that, after almost one year of service, a low polarization level had been achieved and some extended unprotected zones existed; mainly in the deepest part of the Platform II. Further to this, a joint activity was decided in order to assess the need of a possible retrofitting of the CP systems. The results of the activity carried out are dealt with, including technical and economical comparisons amongst several retrofitting options, both with sacrificial anodes and with impressed current systems. The adopted solution is illustrated and data are reported on the level of protection presently achieved.

Resilience-based retrofitting of existing urban RC-frame buildings using seismic isolation

The improvement of the seismic resilience of existing reinforced-concrete(RC) frame buildings, which is essential for the seismic resilience of a city, has become a critical issue. Although seismic isolation is an effective method for improving the resilient performance of such buildings, target-oriented quantitative improvements of the resilient performance of these buildings have been reported rarely. To address this gap, the seismic resilience of two existing RC frame buildings located in a high seismic intensity region of China were assessed based on the Chinese Standard for Seismic Resilience Assessment of Buildings. The critical engineering demand parameters(EDPs) affecting the seismic resilience of such buildings were identified. Subsequently, the seismic resilience of buildings retrofitted with different isolation schemes(i.e., yield ratios) were evaluated and compared, with emphasis on the relationships among yield ratios, EDPs, and levels of seismic resilience. Accordingly, to achieve the highest level of seismic resilience with respect to the Chinese standard, a yield ratio of 3% was recommended and successfully applied to the target-oriented design for the seismic-resilience improvement of an existing RC frame building. The research outcome can provide an important reference for the resilience-based retrofitting of existing RC frame buildings using seismic isolation in urban cities.

Seismic retrofitting of reinforced concrete frame structures using GFRP-tube-confined-concrete composite braces

This paper presents a new type of structural bracing intended for seismic retrofitting use in framed structures. This special composite brace, termed glass-fiber-reinforced-polymer （GFRP）-tube-confined-concrete composite brace, is comprised of concrete confined by a GFRP tube and an inner steel core for energy dissipation. Together with a contribution from the GFRP-tube confined concrete, the composite brace shows a substantially increased stiffness to control story drift, which is often a preferred feature in seismic retrofitting. An analysis model is established and implemented in a general finite element analysis program - OpenSees, for simulating the load-displacement behavior of the composite brace. Using this model, a parametric study of the hysteretic behavior （energy dissipation, stiffness, ductility and strength） of the composite brace was conducted under static cyclic loading and it was found that the area ratio of steel core to concrete has the greatest influence among all the parameters considered. To demonstrate the application of the composite brace in seismic retrofitting, a three-story nonductile reinforced concrete （RC） frame structure was retrofitted with the composite braces. Pushover analysis and nonlinear time-history analyses of the retrofitted RC frame structure was performed by employing a suite of 20 strong ground motion earthquake records. The analysis results show that the composite braces can effectively reduce the peak seismic responses of the RC frame structure without significantly increasing the base shear demand.

Analysis of the impact of large scale seismic retrofitting strategies through the application of a vulnerability-based approach on traditional masonry buildings

The buildings＇ capacity to maintain minimum structural safety levels during natural disasters, such as earthquakes, is recognisably one of the aspects that most influence urban resilience. Moreover, the public investment in risk mitigation strategies is fimdamental, not only to promote social and urban and resilience, but also to limit consequent material, human and environmental losses. Despite the growing awareness of this issue, there is still a vast number of traditional masonry buildings spread throughout many European old city centres that lacks of adequate seismic resistance, requiring therefore urgent retrofitting interventions in order to both reduce their seismic vulnerability and to cope with the increased seismic requirements of recent code standards. Thus, this paper aims at contributing to mitigate the social and economic impacts of earthquake damage scenarios through the development of vulnerability-based comparative analysis of some of the most popularretrofitting techniques applied after the 1998 Azores earthquake. The influence of each technique individually and globally studied resorting to a seismic vulnerability index methodology integrated into a GIS tool and damage and loss scenarios are constructed and critically discussed. Finally, the economic balance resulting from the implementation of that techniques are also examined.

Analytical study of performance evaluation for seismic retrofitting of reinforced concrete building using 3D dynamic nonlinear finite element analysis

This paper presents three-dimensional finite element （FE） analyses of an all-frame model of a three-story reinforced concrete （RC） building damaged in the 1999 Taiwan Chi-Chi Earthquake. Non-structural brick walls of the building acted as a seismic resistant element although their contributions were neglected in the design. Hence, the entire structure of a typical frame was modeled and static and dynamic nonlinear analyses were conducted to evaluate the contributions of the brick walls. However, the results of the analyses were considerably overestimated due to coarse mesh discretizations, which were unavoidable due to limited computer resources. This study corrects the overestimations by modifying （1） the tensile strengths and （2） shear stiffness reduction factors of concrete and brick. The results indicate that brick walls improve frame strength although shear failures are caused in columns shortened by spandrel walls. Then, the effectiveness of three types of seismic retrofits is evaluated. The maximum drift of the first floor is reduced by 89.3%, 94.8%, and 27.5% by Steel-confined, FuI1-RC, and Full-brick models, respectively. Finally, feasibility analyses of models with soils were conducted. The analyses indicated that the soils elongate the natural period of building models although no significant differences were observed.

Retrofitting of RC Slabs Against Explosive Loads

With the increase of terrorist bomb attacks on buildings, there is a need to develop advanced retrofitting techniques to strengthen structures against blast loads. Currently, several guidelines including an Australian version for retrofitting reinforced concrete (RC) structures are available for the design of retrofitting systems against seismic and monotonic loads using steel or fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) plates that can be either adhesively bonded to the surface or near surface mounted to the concrete cover. However, none of these guidelines provide advice suitable for retrofitting structures subjected to blast loads. In this paper, numerical models are used to simulate the performance of retrofitted RC slabs subjected to blast loads. Airblast pressure distributions on the surface of the slabs estimated in a previous study are used as input in the analysis. A material damage model developed previously for concrete and an elastoplastic model for steel bars are employed in this research for modelling reinforced concrete behaviour due to explosive loads. The material models and blast loading are coded into a finite element computer program LS-DYNA3D to do the analysis. With the numerical model, parametric studies are conducted to investigate RC slabs retrofitted by either externally bonded or near-surface mounted plates or GFRP sheets subjected to blast loads. Discussion is made on the effectiveness of the retrofitting system for RC slabs against blast loads.

Intervention Retrofitting and Rehabilitation of Al-Gawhara Palace at the Saladin Citadel, Cairo, Egypt

Al-Gawhara Palace also known as Bijou Palace is located in the south of the Mosque of Muhammad Ali in Saladin Citadel in Cairo (Figure 1 and Figure 2). It was commissioned and constructed by Muhammad Ali Pasha in 1814. Al-Gawhara Palace is one of the most famous historical royal palaces in Egypt and the most important modern architectural heritage that reflects an important historical period of the Egyptian modern history—the period of the rule of the family of “Muhammad Ali Pasha”. The causes of structural deficiency of the palace could be attributed to many reasons and actions, mainly due to the earthquakes and seismic events (in particular the Dahshuor earthquake, in October 1992), degradation of drainage and feeding systems leading to water leakage, lack of awareness of the palace values, deterioration resulting from the use of old government agencies and the conflicts among authorities supervising historical buildings. The present study includes many phases: 1) the significance of the original building from the circumstances and date of construction;2) detailed studies of the architectural features and design of the building as well as construction type, methods and techniques of construction;3) characterization of the construction and building materials;4) stability analysis of the structure under static and the impact of seismic loadings;5) engineering measures for intervention retrofitting of the palace (this pilot study presents the main design studies for intervention retrofitting and the rehabilitation and re-employment of Al-Gawhara Palace, started from the static monitoring, old and modern documenting of the current state of preservation thorough the strengthening project implementation;6) the study also presents the reuse designs to convert the palace to be a national museum, for the purpose of preserving it by proposing the best means to apply the correct principles and criteria for reuse and employment in a manner that preserves its value through the functions that fit these deficiencies, and the appropriateness of the present function of the value of minors.

Distinct Element Modelling of Unreinforced Masonry Wall Under Seismic Loads with and without Cable Retrofitting

To retrofit and strengthen existing unreinforced masonry (URM) structures to resist the potential earthquake damages has become an important issue in Australia. In order to secure the performance of URM under seismic loading in the future, a research project was carried out aimed at developing a simple and high strength seismic retrofitting technique for masonry structures. A series of experimental testing on URM walls retrofitted with an innovative technique by cable system have been conducted. The results indicated that both the strength and ductility of the tested speci-mens were significantly enhanced with the technique. An analytical model which is based on Dis-tinct Element Method (DEM) has also been developed to simulate the behaviour of URM walls be-fore and after retrofitting. The model is then further developed by applying a seismic wave to the wall to simulate the wall behavior under earthquake loads before and after retrofitting.

Seismic collapse simulation of existing masonry buildings with different retrofitting techniques

Masonry buildings are primarily constructed out of bricks and mortar which become discrete pieces and cannot sustain horizontal forces created by a strong earthquake.The collapse of masonry walls may cause significant human casualties and economic losses.To maintain their integrity,several methods have been developed to retrofit existing masonry buildings,such as the constructional RC frame which has been extensively used in China.In this study,a new method using precast steel reinforced concrete(PSRC)panels is developed.To demonstrate its effectiveness,numerical studies are conducted to investigate and compare the collapse behavior of a structure without retrofitting,retrofitted with a constructional RC frame,and retrofitted with external PSRC walls(PSRCW).Sophisticated finite element models(FEM)were developed and nonlinear time history analyses were carried out.The results show that the existing masonry building is severely damaged under occasional earthquakes,and totally collapsed under rare earthquakes.Both retrofitting techniques improve the seismic performance of existing masonry buildings.However,it is found that several occasional earthquakes caused collapse or partial collapse of the building retrofitted with the constructional RC frame,while the one retrofitted by the proposed PSRC wall system survives even under rare earthquakes.The effectiveness of the proposed retrofitting method on existing masonry buildings is thus fully demonstrated.

Energy-Efficiency Retrofitting Strategies for Existing Residential Building Envelope System—A Case Study in China

With the rapid development of urbanization, the Chinese government has put equal emphasis on construction and retrofitting. But those projects did not achieve optimal effect because of the lack of targeted and systematic design guidance system. In this study, it first analyzes existing retrofitting methods and sorts into five retrofitting types as a basis, and then, captures the combi-nations and permutations of retrofitting methods and materials by parts and layers to build a database. After that, it combines different kinds of ap-proaches by hierarchical matrix method to conclude the most efficient strat-egy. This study also selects typical residential buildings built between 1980 and 2000 in cold climate area of Northeast China as the research objects to test the integrity and effectiveness. As the results of this paper, it provides systematic guidance and multiple performance-based retrofitting strategies of the existing residential envelope system, which can improve indoor ther-mal comfort with low energy consumption.

Seismic Evaluation and Retrofitting of Existing Hospital Building in the Sudan

Sudan is not free from earthquakes. It has experienced many earthquakes during the recent history, and the previous studies on this field demonstrated this argument. This paper focuses on the study of seismic performance of existing hospital buildings in Sudan. The paper focused on studying design of reinforced concrete columns of a hospital building considering two load cases;case one is the design load including combinations of dead, live and wind loads and case two includes dead, live and seismic loads. The building was designed according to the Regulation of Egyptian Society for Earthquake Engineering (ESEE), using the linear static method (equivalent static method). The analysis and design were performed using the SAP2000 version 14 software package. The design results obtained from the two cases of loading were compared observing that the design based on case one was unsafe to withstand the additional load came from earthquake, because the cross sections and area of steel for the most of building columns are under the required values that needed to resist the loads of case two. If the building is constructed according to the design using the loadings of case one, this situation needs remedy. This paper suggested two solutions for this problem based on strengthening the weak columns by inserting reinforced concrete shear walls in the direction of y axis affected by seismic load. Solution one suggests shear walls of length 2.5 m with different wall thicknesses (15 cm, 20 cm, 25 cm and 30 cm), whereas solution two suggests shear walls of length 4.5 m and 15 cm width. It was found that solution one solved the problem partially because some columns were still unsafe, but solution two solved the problem completely and all columns were safe.

Review of Conventional and Innovative Technologies for Fire Retrofitting of Existing Buildings

Fire effects can be one of the most harmful conditions that any building may experience throughout its service life. Developing practical protection methods and concepts against potential fire disasters in buildings has been an important consideration in design of buildings in recent decades. Rapid developments in technology have heightened the demand for new and innovative fire protection systems in comparison with conventional and traditional methods. Such a need for new technologies is in particular of greater importance when it comes to existing buildings. Retrofitting an existing building for fire safety is a greater challenge compared with designing a new building using materials and components that have more desirable and superior fire rating to begin with. Furthermore, strategies to design a new building that includes state-of-the-art fire safety features are also different from solutions that may be more suitable for retrofitting an existing building. This paper presents a review of the literature concerning conventional and new or innovative retrofitting methods for fire safety of buildings. Advantages and disadvantages of different fire protection devices and methods as available and understood from the literature are mentioned. Study of fire safety systems shows that each has its drawbacks. Comparison of the results shows that disadvantages of a solitary system for retrofitting against fire can be improved by using a combination of several fire safety concepts or methods simultaneously.

Amelioration and retrofitting of educational buildings

Following a seismic event that occurred years ago in Central Italy, the public opinion was growing and growing a concern on the adequacy of educational buildings all across Italy. This activated several political decisions and a consequent technical effort is in progress. Technically speaking one has to manage the classical problem of retrofitting existing buildings. However, the legal environment goes across national codes, targeted guidelines and the professional need of achieving pragmatic solutions based on ethical and social acceptation schemes.This paper introduces the topic in its worldwide exception and focuses then on some operative aspects in the Italian situation. It outlines the consolidated steps along this technical process and emphasizes the weak aspects one meets when going across the designers＇ reports.

EcoShopping： Energy Efficient and Cost Competitive Retrofitting Solutions for Retail Buildings in Europe

The ＂EcoShopping＂ project aims to produce a practical holistic retrofitting solution for commercial buildings, reduce primary energy consumption to less than 80 kWh/（m2.year） and increase the proportion of RES （renewable energy systems） to more than 50% by using state of the art solutions. The project intends to use and integrate available products and technologies; along with a network to accurately monitor the environmental and occupancy parameters to allow the building management system to have better control of the building and fully exploit the thermal mass. This paper introduces the EcoShopping project and the consortium carrying out the work, describes the case study building and the initial targets for carbon reduction, and discusses the results of Work Package 2： which is an assessment of national building codes, EPBD （energy performance buildings directive） implementation, performance standards and good practice.

Seismic Retrofitting Techniques for Existing Masonry Buildings

In many seismically active regions of the world there are large numbers of masonry buildings. Most of these buildings have not been designed for seismic loads. Recent earthquakes have shown that many of these buildings are seismically vulnerable and should be considered for retrofitting. Different conventional and unconventional retrofitting techniques are available to increase the strength and/or ductility of unreinforced masonry （URM） walls. This paper reviews and discusses seismic retrofitting of masonry walls with emphasis on the conventional techniques. Retrofitting procedures are discussed with regard to a case study： a stone masonry building in lrpinia region, damaged by the 1980 earthquake. The interventions are evaluated by means of finite elements with a macroelement obtained with a homogenization technique. Linear and nonlinear procedures are compared, and peculiarities of each procedure are shown.

A Reliable Method of Pile Load Test on Cast-in-Situ Pile Group of Existing Building for Retrofitting

Following the foundation failure of a building, with an aim of economical solution to strengthen other existing buildings of the same project, a new arrangement was implemented experimentally to test the adequacy of load bearing capacity of a few selected cast-in-situ RCC （reinforced cement concrete） pile groups without demolishing the existing buildings. In this test, the column bottom of an existing building was removed by the help of scaffolding and after that a frame system consisting tension piles and hollow beam was constructed over the pile cap of the to be tested pile group. The load was tested by the help of hydraulic jack system and the constructed frame system. This paper contains the detailed plan, arrangement and method of the test with illustrations. The deflection and loading data analysis is also included which was performed to determine the outcome of the test. Through this test method the appropriate assessment of capacity of pile group of existing building could be done successfully and in result the structure could be saved by only super structure retrofitting.

Structural Retrofitting of Old Illyria Hote

Illyria hotel （formerly Bozhur） was built during the sixties in the heart of the actual Kosovo＇s capital Prishtina, according to former old Yugoslav standards in a Modernist architectural style. It represents a massive structural system with brick walls up to 54 cm thick and ＂avramenko＂ type reinforced concrete floors. The investor＇s aim was to add another two floors on the top of the existing ones and to build two level underground parking floors, a health spa centre, whilst at the vicinity of the existing building （the northern side） to erect a new 17 story-high brand new hotel and administration building. The retrofitting of the structure as well as construction of the new structure has been done in full accordance with the new structural Eurocodes＇ recommendations. 3D FEM （finite element method） modeling was used for the analysis and design, using ETABS v 9.5 nonlinear and ARSAP 2010 （Autodesk Robot Structural Analysis Professional 2010）. Response spectrum design according to EC 8,3.2.2.4 has been used for seismic analysis and design with a reference peak ground acceleration on type A ground Of AgR = 0.25 g.