Experimental Assessment of the Effects of Building Materials on Wi-Fi Signal 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz

We are all witnesses to the widespread use of wireless LANs (WLAN) and their easy implementation in indoor environments. Wi-Fi is the most popular technology for the WLAN. However, interference caused by building materials is a common, yet often overlooked, contributor to poor Wi-Fi performance. This interference occurs due to the nature of radio wave propagation and the characteristics of the wireless communication system. Therefore, during the implementation of these networks, one must consider the quasi-static nature of the Wi-Fi signal and its dependence on the influence of various building materials on the propagation of these waves. This paper presents the effects of building materials and structures on indoor environments for Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. To establish the interdependencies between factors influencing electric field levels, measurements were conducted in an experimental Wi-Fi network at different distances from the access point (AP). The results obtained show that the electric field strength of the Wi-Fi signal decreases depending on the distance, the building materials, and the transmitted frequency. Concrete material had the most significant impact on the strength of the electric field in Wi-Fi, while glass had a relatively minor effect on reducing it. Wi-Fi operates within the radio frequency spectrum, typically utilizing frequencies in the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. Additionally, measurements revealed that Wi-Fi signal penetration is more pronounced at lower frequencies (2.4 GHz) as opposed to the Wi-Fi signal 5 GHz. The findings can be used to address the impact of building materials and structures on indoor radio wave propagation, ultimately ensuring seamless Wi-Fi signal coverage within buildings.

Databases of 2D material-substrate interfaces and 2D charged building blocks

Discovery of materials using“bottom-up”or“top-down”approach is of great interest in materials science.Layered materials consisting of two-dimensional(2D)building blocks provide a good platform to explore new materials in this respect.In van der Waals(vdW)layered materials,these building blocks are charge neutral and can be isolated from their bulk phase(top-down),but usually grow on substrate.In ionic layered materials,they are charged and usually cannot exist independently but can serve as motifs to construct new materials(bottom-up).In this paper,we introduce our recently constructed databases for 2D material-substrate interface(2DMSI),and 2D charged building blocks.For 2DMSI database,we systematically build a workflow to predict appropriate substrates and their geometries at substrates,and construct the 2DMSI database.For the 2D charged building block database,1208 entries from bulk material database are identified.Information of crystal structure,valence state,source,dimension and so on is provided for each entry with a json format.We also show its application in designing and searching for new functional layered materials.The 2DMSI database,building block database,and designed layered materials are available in Science Data Bank at https://doi.org/10.57760/sciencedb.j00113.00188.

Effect of Glutinous Rice Flour on Mechanical Properties and Microstructure of Cement-based Materials

The mechanism of glutinous rice flour,a kind of natural admixture,on the hydration process,setting time,and microstructure of the Portland cement was investigated.The experimental results show that the glutinous rice flour has an obvious setting retarding effect on cement pastes.The optimal dosage of the glutinous rice flour is 3wt%.In this case,the initial and final setting time of the paste are delayed by 140 and185 min,respectively.The flexural and compressive strengths of the hardened paste are increased by 0.35%and 0.07%after 56 d of curing.The glutinous rice flour hinders the mineral dissolution process and decreases the concentration of calcium ion at the initial stage of hydration due to the complexation effect,thereby hindering the nucleation and growth of CH and C-S-H phases and prolonging the hydration process.However,C-S-H phases combine with the glutinous rice flour to contribute the bonding effect together,which compacts the microstructure of hardened cement pastes at the later hydration stage of cement pastes.Thus,in-depth investigation on the utilization of glutinous rice flour as the admixture for the Portland cement is expected to be meaningful for the control of hydration exothermic rate and setting time.

Experimental and Numerical Research on Water Transport during Adsorption and Desorption in Cement-Based Materials

The durability of cement-based materials is related to water transport and storage in their pore network under different humidity conditions.To understand the mechanism and characteristics of water adsorption and desorption processes from the microscopic scale,this study introduces different points of view for the pore space model generation and numerical simulation of water transport by considering the“ink-bottle”effect.On the basis of the pore structure parameters(i.e.,pore size distribution and porosity)of cement paste and mortar with water-binder ratios of 0.3,0.4 and 0.5 obtained via mercury intrusion porosimetry,randomly formed 3D pore space models are generated using two-phase transformation on Gaussian random fields and verified via image analysis method of mathematical morphology.Considering the Kelvin-Laplace equation and the influence of“ink-bottle”pores,two numerical calculation scenarios based on mathematical morphology are proposed and applied to the generated model to simulate the adsorption-desorption process.The simulated adsorption and desorption curves are close to those of the experiment,verifying the effectiveness of the developed model and methods.The obtained results characterize water transport in cement-based materials during the variation of relative humidity and further explain the hysteresis effect due to“ink-bottle”pores from the microscopic scale.

Comparative Study of Two Materials Combining a Standard Building Material with a PCM

Phase change materials(PCMs)have the ability to store thermal energy and make it available at a later stage to keep indoor temperature within a specific range and achieve better thermal comfort in buildings.This study focuses on the performances of materials obtained by combining a standard building material with a PCM.In particular,two different materials mixed with the same PCM are considered under the same climatic conditions.The related thermal behavior is assessed in the framework of numerical simulations conducted with ANSYS Fluent assuming parameters representative of a city located in Europe.The results show that the addition of PCM to concrete and bricks can improve the thermal inertia of the resulting material.

Summary of Research on Use of Sediment in Building Materials

Based on the recent research at home and abroad,this paper summarizes the preparation of cement clinker,baking-free brick,subgrade filler and ceramsite from sediment,and puts forward relevant suggestions and prospects for the future research direction of sediment.

The Application of Solid Waste in Thermal Insulation Materials: A Review

As socioeconomic development continues,the issue of building energy consumption has attracted significant attention,and improving the thermal insulation performance of buildings has become a crucial strategic measure.Simultaneously,the application of solid waste in insulation materials has also become a hot topic.This paper reviews the sources and classifications of solid waste,focusing on research progress in its application as insulation materials in the domains of daily life,agriculture,and industry.The research shows that incorporating household solid waste materials,such as waste glass,paper,and clothing scraps into cementitious thermal insulation can significantly reduce the thermal conductivity of the materials,leading to excellent thermal insulation properties.Insulation materials prepared from agricultural solid waste,such as barley straw,corn stalk,chicken feather,and date palm fibers,possess characteristics of lightweight and strong thermal insulation.Industrial solid waste,including waste tires,iron tailings,and coal bottom ash,can also be utilized in the preparation of insulation materials.These innovative applications not only have positive environmental significance by reducing waste emissions and resource consumption,but also provide efficient and sustainable insulation solutions for the construction industry.However,to further optimize the mix design and enhance the durability of insulation materials,continuous research is required to investigate the mechanisms through which solid waste impacts the performance of insulation materials.

Analysis of the Performances of a New Type of Alumina Nanocomposite Structural Material Designed for the Thermal Insulation of High-Rise Buildings

The sol-gel method is used to prepare a new nano-alumina aerogel structure and the thermal properties of this nanomaterial are investigated comprehensively using electron microscope scanning,thermal analysis,X-ray and infrared spectrometer analysis methods.It is found that the composite aerogel alumina material has a multi-level porous nano-network structure.When employed for the thermal insulation of high-rise buildings,the alumina nanocomposite aerogel material can lead to effective energy savings in winter.However,it has almost no energy-saving effect on buildings where energy is consumed for cooling in summer.

Thermomechanical and Hydrous Effect of Heavy Fuel Oil in a Building Material Based on Silty Clayey Soil

This study focuses on the use of heavy fuel oil in construction in Burkina Faso.Mixed with silty and/or clay soil,it is used as a coating to reinforce the walls of raw soil constructions which are very sensitive to water.The interest of this paper is to shed light on the thermomechanical and above all water effects of heavy fuel oil on a sample of silty clayey soil.To achieve this,we used heavy fuel oil added in different proportions to silty clayey soil,to make sample of bricks on which tests were carried out.At the end of the experimental tests carried out on materials made(bricks)with our soil sample,it appears that heavy fuel oil moderately reduces the mechanical resistance of bricks and slightly increases thermal diffusion through them.On the contrary,we note a very good water resistance of the bricks thanks to the heavy fuel oil,in particular their water absorption by capillarity.This confirms that the mixture of heavy fuel oil and a silty-clayey soil used as a coating makes it possible to prevent the infiltration of water into the walls of raw soil constructions.However,its use as a construction material does not guarantee very good mechanical resistance,and slightly increases thermal diffusion.

Study on Phase Change Material in Grooved Bricks for Energy Efficiency of the Buildings

Phase change materials(PCMs)are an interesting technology due to their high density and isothermal behavior during phase change.Phase change material plays a major role in the energy saving of the buildings,which is greatly aided by the incorporation of phase change material into building products such as bricks,cement,gypsum board,etc.In this study,an experiment has been conducted with three identical small chambers made up of normal,grooved and PCM-treated grooved bricks.Before the inclusion of PCM in grooved bricks,PCM material behavior has been studied by different techniques such as DSC,TG/DTA,SEM,and XRD.Thermal properties and thermal stability were investigated by differential scanning calorimeter(DSC)and thermogravimetric analyzer(TGA)respectively.Scanning electron microscopy(SEM)and X-ray diffraction(XRD)were used to determine the microstructure and crystalloid phase of the PCM before and after the accelerated thermal cycling test(0,60,120).These three identical model rooms built were exposed at a temperature just above 40°C with a heater.When the maximum outdoor temperature was 40-41°C,then the temperature of the PCM-treated grooved chamber was 32-33°C.The PCM-treated wall was tested and compared with a conventional and grooved wall.The difference between the PCM-treated grooved chamber and the untreated one was 8-9°C.PCM-treated bricks provided more efficient internal heat retention in summer when the outside temperature increased.

Effects of Surface-activated Coal Gangue Aggregates on Properties of Cement-based Materials

Effects of calcined coal gangue （CG） aggregates treated by the surface thermal activation on the flowability and strength, and paste-CG aggregate interfaces of the cement-based material were investigated. The experimental results show that the compressive and flexural strength of the cement-based material with the calcined CG aggregates is much higher than that of the material with the natural CG aggregates, but the flowability of the material with calcined CG is significantly reduced with the calcined time. The strength of the material with the calcined CG aggregates only increases little with the calcined time at the same w/c ratio, but is reduced with the calcined time at the same flowability. The CG aggregates calcined by the surface thermal activation obviously overcomes the disadvantages of fully calcined CG.

Self-healing Action of Permeable Crystalline Coating on Pores and Cracks in Cement-based Materials

The self-healing action of a permeable crystalline coating on the po rous mortar was investigated by two times impermeability test. Moreover, the sel f-healing mechanism of cement-based materials with the permeable crystalline c oating was studied by SEM. The results indicate that the permeable crystalline c oating not only seals the pores and cracks in mortar during its curing process, but also heals the permeable pathway caused by first impermeability test or crac ks produced by freeze-thaw cycles. Therefore, cement-based materials can be im proved by the permeable crystalline coating for the self-healing function. SEM images prove that the self-healing function is realized by generating a great q uantity of non-soluble dendritic crystalline within the pores and cracks, which prevents the penetration of water and other liquids.

Effects of the Component and Fiber Gradient Distributions on the Strength of Cement-based Composite Materials

The effects of the component gradient distribution at interface and the fiber gradient distribution on the strength of cement-based materials were studied. The results show that the flexural strength and compressive strength of the mortar and concrete with interface component and fiber gradient distributions are obviously improved. The strengthes of the fiber gradient distributed mortar and concrete (FGDM/C) are higher than those of fiber homogeneously distributed mortar and concrete (FHDM/C). To obtain the same strength, therefore, a smaller fiber volume content in FGDM/C is needed than that in FHDM/C. The results also show that the component gradient distribution of the concrete can be obtained by means of multi-layer vibrating formation.

Effects of Specimen Shape and Size on Water Loss and Drying Shrinkage of Cement-based Materials

The effects of specimen size and shape on development of water loss and shrinkage of mortar and concrete respectively were investigated. The experimental results showed that the effects of specimen size and shape on water loss ratio were consistent with those on drying shrinkage strain. It is also indicated that drying shrinkage strain has obvious linear correlation with water loss ratios independent of specimen size and shape. The effects of specimen size and shape on the water loss ratio were embodied in established model of averaged relative humidity improved by considering effects of sequential hydration and calculated by finite difference method. Furthermore, the effects of specimen size and shape on drying shrinkage strain of concrete were experimentally deduced and applied to modify criterion EB-FIP1990. The comparison between experimental and calculated results shows that the modified EB-FIP1990 can be adopted to predict drying shrinkage strain of concrete with reasonable accuracy.

Effects of an AMPS-Modified Polyacrylic Acid Superplasticizer on the Performance of Cement-based Materials

A self-made AMPS-modified polyacrylic acid superplasticizer and two others of the same type but with different molecular structures, which are commercially available, are used in this study to investigate the effect of a 2-acrylamide-2-methyl propylene sulfonic （AMPS）-modified polyacrylic acid superplasticizer on the properties of cement-based materials. In the experiments, initial fluidity, 1 and 2 h fluidity over time after admixtion, bleeding rate of the net cement mortar, and adsorption capacity and rate of cement particles are determined by adding different dosages of the three superplasticizers into the cement paste to characterize the dispersivity and the dispersion retention capability of each superplasticizer. Water-reducing rates of three kinds of mortars are simultaneously determined to characterize the water-reducing capacity of each superplasticizer, as well as the 3 and 28 d compressive strengths to characterize the compression resistance. Results show that water-reducing effect and fluidity better maintain the capability of the AMPS-modified polyacrylic acid superplasticizer than the two commercially available polyacrylic acid superplasticizers, and the compressive strengths after 3 and 28 d show significant growth. In conclusion, the effects of water reduction and strengthening of the AMPS-modified polyacrylic acid superplasticizer are evidently better than those of the two commercially available polyacrylic acid superplasticizers.

Industrial TiO2 based nacreous pigments as functional building materials:Photocatalytic removal of NO

In this paper,the photocatalytic activity of industrial titanium dioxide(TiO2)based nacreous pigments was researched as functional building materials for photocatalytic NO remove.Three industrial TiO2 based nacreous pigments were selected to estimate the photocatalytic activity for NO remove.This study is a good proof that pearlescent pigments can eliminate NO,and its performance is positively correlated with its titanium dioxide content.And this research will widen the application of nacreous pigments in functional building materials,and provide a new way to eliminate in door nitric oxide pollution.

Natural Radioactivity Measurement and Assessment of Radiological Hazards in Some Building Materials Used in Bangladesh

The radioactivity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K in 24 samples of natural and manufactured building materials commonly used in Bangladesh were measured using HPGe gamma ray spectrometer. The results in the present study were compared with the world average and also with the reported data available in literature. The radium equivalent activity, the absorbed dose rate, annual effective dose, external and internal hazard indices, gamma index, alpha index, annual gonadal dose equivalent and excess lifetime cancer risk were also evaluated to assess the potential radiation hazards associated with these building materials. All samples under investigation were found to be within the recommended safety limit and do not pose any significant radiation hazards. This study can be used as a reference for more extensive studies of the same subject in future.

A Multi-Criteria Decision Support System for the Selection of Low-Cost Green Building Materials and Components

The necessity of having an effective computer-aided decision support system in the housing construction industry is rapidly growing alongside the demand for green buildings and green building products. Identifying and defining financially viable low-cost green building materials and components, just like selecting them, is a crucial exercise in subjectivity. With so many variables to consider, the task of evaluating such products can be complex and discouraging. Moreover, the existing mode for selecting and managing, often very large information associated with their impacts constrains decision-makers to perform a trade-off analysis that does not necessarily guarantee the most environmentally preferable material. This paper introduces the development of a multi-criteria decision support system (DSS) aimed at improving the understanding of the principles of best practices associated with the impacts of low-cost green building materials and components. The DSS presented in this paper is to provide designers with useful and explicit information that will aid informed decision-making in their choice of materials for low-cost green residential housing projects. The prototype MSDSS is developed using macro-in-excel, which is a fairly recent database management technique used for integrating data from multiple, often very large databases and other information sources. This model consists of a database to store different types of low-cost green materials with their corresponding attributes and performance characteristics. The DSS design is illustrated with particular emphasis on the development of the material selection data schema, and application of the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) concept to a material selection problem. Details of the MSDSS model are also discussed including workflow of the data evaluation process. The prototype model has been developed with inputs elicited from domain experts and extensive literature review, and refined with feedback obtained from selected expert builder and developer companies. This paper further demonstrates the application of the prototype MSDSS for selecting the most appropriate low-cost green building material from among a list of several available options, and finally concludes the study with the associated potential benefits of the model to research and practice.

Long-term Durability of Cement-based Materials with Very Low w/b

To investigate the durability, especially the long-term stability of cement-based materials with very low w/b, the air permeability test, carbonation test, capillary absorption rate test and dilation potential test were adopted under long-term heat treatment condition. Microstructure of these materials is also analyzed by scanning electronic microscopy （SEM） and mercury intrusion porosimeter （MIP） in order to further unveil its mechanism and interrelation between microstructure and its properties. The results indicate that in the area investigated, cement-based material with w/b 0.17, like RPC, possesses low porosity and excellent durability. Moreover, its porosity will further decrease under long-term heat treatment compared with normal heat treatment. Its long-term durability is much superior to that of other cement-based materials with w/b 0.25 or 0.35 as high strength concrete（HSC）.

Properties of Bamboo Charcoal and Cement-based Composite Materials and Their Microstructure

The objective of this work was to study the properties of bamboo charcoal and cement-based composite materials and their microstructure. The pastes with various bamboo charcoals were prepared and the relative properties such as setting times and strength were tested and the microstructures and pore characteristics of pastes with various bamboos were also studied. The experimental results indicated that bamboo charcoal affects the setting times of cement paste, but the introduction of water reducer relieves this condition. Bamboo charcoal also poses an impact on the hardened paste strength. The prominent strength decrease is found when more and larger size bamboo charcoal is mixed into the cement paste. Bamboo charcoal alters the paste microstructure and increases the porosity and pore volume, but it increases the pores with the diameter of less than 50 μm. The pastes with various bamboo charcoals are given with the good functions such as adjusting humidity and adsorption.