Study on the seismic resistance of the frame structure with the number of falling stories

the ancient people love building pillow Hill building, along the waterfront, the mountain building not only carry forward Chinese traditional landscape culture, but also make full use of the natural environment of mountains. 2/3 of the land area of China is mountainous, especially in Sicilian, Yunnan, Chongqing, Guangzhou and other southwest of many buildings built in the mountains. Therefore, the mountain building is the only way to realize the sustainable development of the city. The earthquake in the life brought great damage, so far we still have not found a precise method to predict earthquakes, but to take some measures to reduce the harm to the people of the earthquake. From these aspects, we can see that it is very important to study the influence of earthquake on the mountain frame structure. In this paper, the influence of the number of spans on the seismic performance of the frame structure is analyzed from four aspects: the peak value of the inter story displacement, the peak value of the displacement between layers, the amplification coefficient of acceleration and the shear layer.     

Quantitative noise analysis at two marble finishing plants in Olinda, Pernambuco, Brazil

In Olinda there are an estimated 50 marble quarries, 3 of which are members of the stone extraction and finishing industry's state union. The objective here is to quantitatively evaluate the noise present at the workplace in two of Olinda's unionized marble quarries. The data to be analyzed was collected during December 2010, this month representing one of the four busiest months of production. The samples were collected from Tuesdays to Fridays in order to avoid irregular outcomes. Instantaneous readings were taken with the decibel meter to identify points of Noise Pressure Level (NPL) higher than Action Level (AL). Afterwards, the full procedure for the characterization of noise level with the decibel meter in order to compare the Homogeneous Exposure Group (HEG) to those with High Risk Exposure (HRE) was initiated. The noisiest sources came from humid cutting machines, marble saws and polishing equipment. The activities of cutter and polisher became classified as follows: unsafe, in a critical situation and in need of priority control for the work environment with noise level values varying from 95.0 dB(A) to 103.3 dB(A), calling for the use of ear protection during the entire work day.     

The effect of ergonomic intervention on neck/shoulder and low back pain

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of two types of ergonomic intervention on pain and pain-related disability in the neck/shoulder and low back regions. A cohort of 492 subjects of various occupations with non-specific neck/shoulder or low back pain was followed over a five to six year period. The study subjects were classified into four intervention groups: no ergonomic intervention, educational worksite intervention, workplace intervention, and combined workplace and educational worksite intervention. The group with no ergonomic intervention was used as the reference group. The changes in pain intensity and pain-related disability from baseline to follow-up in each of the three groups with intervention were compared to the changes in the reference group. During the follow-up, 39% of the subjects had received ergonomic intervention. The average change in pain intensity and pain-related disability was smaller in the educational worksite intervention group than in the reference group. The average reduction of pain intensity and pain-related disability did not differ between the two other intervention groups and the reference group. Thus, for subjects still at work, ergonomic intervention seemed to be ineffective for reducing neck/shoulder and low back pain and pain-related disability.     

Still standing after all these years: the presence and internet presentation of religious buildings in the Chicago area, 1936–2016

Scholars have examined the changes in religious architecture over time but few have focused on the ongoing presence of religious buildings in communities nor how long-standing congregations interact with their older building. This study utilises two Internet data sources – Google Street View and the websites of religious congregations – to examine the fate and online presentation of the buildings of four Protestant denominations in the Chicago region from 1936 to today: Disciples of Christ, Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, Presbyterian, and Seventh-day Adventist. The patterns found show the stability of many church buildings over eight decades and how they help anchor some religious groups – even though newer congregations use a number of these structures – yet congregations make unique choices about presenting their buildings through their website. These findings suggest religious buildings continue to influence their original religious congregations, newer groups using the building and neighbourhoods decades after they are constructed.     

Vegetation on and around large-scale buildings positively influences native tropical bird abundance and bird species richness

High population growth in the tropics is driving urbanisation, removing diverse natural ecosystems. This is causing native species to suffer while introduced synanthropes flourish. City planners are developing urban greenspace networks, in part trying to address this issue. Architects contribute to these greenspace networks by designing elevated and ground level green spaces on large-scale buildings. However, little evidence is available on whether building green spaces support native fauna. This is true for birds in tropical Singapore that support important ecosystem services and have existence value. Therefore, in this study, we conducted bird surveys and statistical analyses to determine, if and how vegetation on three building green space types (ground gardens, roof gardens and green walls) have a positive impact on native or introduced bird species. We found that elevated greenery (roof gardens and green walls) on large-scale buildings supported a higher richness of birds and abundance of urban native birds than control roofs and walls without vegetation. Ground gardens supported similar levels of native species as roof gardens but also a larger proportion of generalist synanthropes. However, we found no tropical forest habitat specialists across any space type. Therefore, we recommend roof gardens and ground gardens as a potential space for urban natives outside of a less competitive ground-level urban environment. Our study also found certain building design elements (height of elevated space, presence of specific plants) supported different species groups. Therefore, we suggest that these ecological requirements for different species groups are considered when designing a building’s green space.

     

2‐Year‐Olds’ Speech Understanding in Multitalker Environments

Infants and toddlers are often spoken to in the presence of background sounds, including speech from other talkers. Prior work has suggested that infants 1 year of age and younger can only recognize speech when it is louder than any distracters in the environment. The present study tests 24‐month‐olds’ ability to understand speech in a multitalker environment. Children were presented with a preferential‐looking task in which a target voice told them to find one of two objects. At the same time, multitalker babble was presented as a distracter, at one of four signal‐to‐noise ratios. Children showed some ability to understand speech and look at the appropriate referent at signal‐to‐noise ratios as low as ?5 dB. These findings suggest that 24‐month‐olds are better able to selectively attend to an interesting voice in the context of competing distracter voices than are younger infants. There were significant correlations between individual children’s performance and their vocabulary size, but only at one of the four noise levels; thus, it does not appear that vocabulary size is the driving factor in children’s listening improvement, although it may be a contributing factor to performance in noisy environments.     

The affective work of sound: the case of Pussy Riot’s noise

In recent years, the anti-Putin content of Pussy Riot’s work has received sustained scholarly attention. The author argues, however, that it is not only in content but also in force – in operationality of noise, in its capacity to act and incite – that Pussy Riot engaged with Russia’s regimes of power. Once Pussy Riot emerged as a feminist collective performing noisy interventions in public spaces and mapping them onto cyberspace, their performances were described as non-musical and aesthetically unpleasant based on negative stereotyping of noise. This article takes the ambiguous feeling of the non-musical as a point of departure and explores how sound was integral to the formation of Pussy Riot’s identity as noisemaker in the face of the Kremlin’s noise-abatement campaign associated with the moral project of silence. It builds on a philosophical framework proposed by Michel Serres and the latest theoretical developments in sound and affect studies to examine the urgency of Pussy Riot’s work in the contemporary political climate.     

Noise analysis in professional office chairs

The noise caused by the movement of users on their chairs in the work environment may indicate structural weaknesses and risk, and still significantly reduce productivity by increasing employees stress level. By understanding the activities to be developed in a work place one may understand what should be necessary to a good development, thereafter a search for improvement of labor activity with the aim of better use of resources in the operation of product use may be done. The analysis of the incremental variation of noise in professional chairs aims to identify its origin and the time the emission of noise starts during the period of use, its development and the major causative agents. Determining the characteristics of the sound of different materials and adjustments mechanisms of the chair can determine how different materials interact with each other. The measurement of these noises in an acoustic isolated room using directional microphones, if recorded and analyzed properly makes it possible to investigate and orientate to suspect elements in order to propose solutions and identify the quality of other similar chairs. Based on the results recommendations can be established for the orientation of users, managers and people responsible for the acquisition of the products, inducing them to review the employment of materials and the choice of the processes of production. These aspects are not covered in the Brazilian ergonomics norms and standards in the use of chairs.     

Assessment method of accessibility conditions: how to make public buildings accessible?

The enforcement of accessibility today has faced several difficulties, such as intervention in historic buildings that now house public services and cultural activities, such as town halls, museums and theaters and should allow access, on equal terms to all people. The paper presents the application of a method for evaluating the spatial accessibility conditions and their results. For this, we sought to support the theoretical foundation about the main issue involved and legislation. From the method used--guided walks--it was possible to identify the main barriers to accessibility in historic buildings. From the identified barriers, possible solutions are presented according to the four components of accessibility: spatial orientation, displacement, use and communication. It is hoped also that the knowledge gained in this research contributes to an improvement of accessibility legislation in relation to the listed items.     

Impacts of traffic noise on anuran and bird communities

Anurans and birds rely on sound for a number of social behaviors. Species that use roadside habitats are exposed to traffic noise that can mask important social signals and directly affect the community diversity and composition. We evaluate the impact of traffic noise on anuran and bird species richness, species occurrence, and composition in Puerto Rico, where there is a high density of highways and cars that generate high levels of noise pollution. We compared paired forest sites near (100 m, n = 20, dB > 60) and far (>300 m, n = 20, dB < 60) from highways, with similar vegetation structure, but different levels of noise. We found that the anuran community was not affected by traffic noise. In contrast, bird species richness and occurrence were significantly lower in sites near the highway, and bird species composition also varied significantly. Bird species with low-frequency songs were only detected in sites far from highways. The differences in the ecology and communication behavior between anurans and birds could explain these results. Anurans mainly call at night, when traffic activity was low. In contrast, bird singing activity occurs during the day and overlaps with the high levels of traffic noise. In addition, in natural habitats, Puerto Rican anurans occur at high densities and form noisy choruses (>80 dB), which may allow them to tolerate high levels of anthropogenic noise.     

Sick building syndrome and perceived indoor environmental quality: A survey of apartment buildings in Hong Kong

The outbreak of a highly communicable disease, SARS, in Asia in 2003 has revealed the health risk of living in a high-density environment. To show the important connection between human health and environmental quality, this study surveys the prevalence of sick building syndrome (SBS) among apartment residents and their evaluation of indoor environmental quality (IEQ). Based on a sample of 748 households living in Hong Kong, two interesting findings are revealed: (1) nasal discomfort was the commonest home-related SBS symptom despite the absence of any central ventilation system in apartment buildings; (2) noise, rather than ventilation, was the major IEQ problem perceived by residents. Our statistical analysis further showed that residents with SBS symptoms were less satisfied with their IEQ than those without. That is, despite a positive evaluation of specific IEQ criteria with respect to the building residents lived in, if they reported feeling SBS related symptoms, the overall IEQ evaluation of their building could still be negative. This perception bias gives rise to a sample selection problem in measuring perceived IEQ, which has implications on housing management practices and the formulation of a healthy housing policy.     

Ergonomics in a hospital and a university setting: The effect of worksite analysis on upper extremity work-related musculoskeletal disorders

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine whether individuals with work-related injuries receiving worksite analysis would have less lost workdays than individuals not receiving worksite analysis. Therapeutic management of work-related injuries in a hospital and a university setting were also compared. STUDY DESIGN: Over a one-year period, employees who sustained an upper extremity work-related injury were issued questionnaires regarding their injury, treatment, functional status and pain level. Participants were divided into three groups: group 1 consisted of hospital employees (N=14) who underwent worksite analysis, group 2 included university employees (N=15) who underwent worksite analysis whereas group~3 included university employees (N=14) who underwent no analysis. RESULTS: All groups were similar in demographics, functional status, and pain level. Satisfaction with the worksite analysis was similar for groups one and two. CONCLUSION: A pattern of less absenteeism but greater modified duty days was associated with those individuals undergoing worksite analysis.     

清真寺建筑形制中的功能性因素探究

清真寺建筑作为与伊斯兰教密不可分的宗教建筑，与其他宗教建筑相比，具有独特的建筑形制（规划布局、朝向、建筑体型与轮廓、内部结构、建筑用材、艺术表现和附属建筑等方面）。本文从清真寺建筑形制入手，剖析了清真寺与其他宗教建筑的不同特性，阐述清真寺的社会功能与其建筑形制的相关性，并就有关的功能性因素作探究，以此来透视伊斯兰教作为世界性宗教的基本特性。     

The impact of a 'green' building on employees' physical and psychological wellbeing

Multiple claims and some empirical findings suggest that 'green' buildings should be healthier (psychologically and physically) and promote greater productivity than conventional buildings. The empirical evidence in this regard over the last decade or so has been inconclusive suggesting either that the studies are flawed or that there are specific aspects of green buildings that promote wellbeing and productivity and others that do not. This study looks at a longitudinal comparison of two groups; a group that moved into South Africa's first GreenStar-accredited building and a group that did not. Measures were taken before the move and six months later. Results demonstrated that the 'green' building did not produce significantly better physical or psychological wellbeing, or higher perceived productivity. These results are discussed in relation to suggestions for what design features to focus on that may produce significant results.     

Does traffic noise alter calling time in frogs and toads? A case study of anurans in Eastern Ontario,Canada

In habitats disturbed by anthropogenic noise, acoustically communicating species may develop behavioral responses that help them transmit information and overcome signal masking. We studied four anuran species breeding in wetlands, ponds, and ditches near a highway in eastern Ontario, Canada, to test whether they called more often when traffic noise intensity was lower, and stopped calling when the noise intensity increased (i.e., gap calling behavior). We made call recordings between April and July 2011, and compared the traffic noise intensity (sound pressure level) between times when the anurans were calling and times when they were not calling. We found that the two species with the highest call peak frequency (American toad, gray treefrog) called randomly with regard to traffic noise intensity. In contrast, the two species with the lowest call peak frequency (green frog, bullfrog) called more often when traffic noise intensity was low. The behavioral response in the two latter species likely represents a short-term strategy that enhances their signal-to-noise ratio thereby increasing the chance of effective communication. Our results support predictions derived from the acoustic adaptation hypothesis: low-frequency signals are more prone to be masked by anthropogenic noise and therefore require behavioral adjustments (in this study gap-calling behavior) to ameliorate this effect.     

Concept mapping as a method to enhance evidence-based public health

In this paper we explore the suitability of concept mapping as a method for integrating knowledge from science, practice, and policy. In earlier research we described and analysed five cases of concept mapping procedures in the Netherlands, serving different purposes and fields in public health. In the current paper, seven new concept mapping studies of co-produced work are added to extend this analysis.For each of these twelve studies we analysed: (1) how the method was able to integrate knowledge from practice with scientific knowledge by facilitating dialogue and collaboration between different stakeholders in the field of public health, such as academic researchers, practitioners, policy-makers and the public; (2) how the method was able to bring theory development a step further (scientific relevance); and (3) how the method was able to act as a sound basis for practical decision-making (practical relevance).Based on the answers to these research questions, all but one study was considered useful for building more evidence-based public health, even though the extent to which they underpinned actual decision-making varied. The chance of actually being implemented in practice seems strongly related to the extent to which the responsible decision-makers are involved in the way the concept map is prepared and executed.     

Quantifying Littered Cigarette Butts to Measure Effectiveness of Smoking Bans to Building Perimeters

Abstract

Objective: The authors estimated the number of violations of a university policy that prohibited smoking within 25 ft of all campus buildings. Participants: The project was conducted by 13 student researchers from the university and a member of the local public health department. Methods: Students quantified cigarette butts that were littered in a 30-day period inside the prohibited smoking area of 7 campus buildings (large residential hall, small residential hall, administrative building, 2 academic buildings, campus cafeteria, and student union). Results: Investigators found a total of 7,861 cigarette butts (large residential hall: 1,198; small residential hall: 344; administrative building: 107; 2 academic buildings: 1,123 and 806; campus cafeteria: 2,651; and student union: 1,632). Conclusions: Findings suggest that there is low compliance with the university's smoking policy. The described project may be repeated by students at other universities as a method to advocate for policy change.     

Impact of Environment on Social and Activity Behavior in Public Housing for the Elderly

The study examines the inter-relationshps of physical design and service environments on the social and activity behaviors of residents in public housing for the elderly. It compares the observed behavior patterns found in the common spaces of 11 apartment buildings administered by a midwest housing authority. The findings indicate that building height, number of apartment doors ajar and provision of meal service can facilitate increased resident sociability in the public spaces of senior housing buildings.     

A study on the influence of headphones in auditory perceptual function

The focus of this study is a human's ability to make full use of listening and hearing. This ability consists of dividing auditory information into a signal and a noise. To evaluate the risk of using headphones, the study investigated the auditory perception when a warning sound is given in the presence of environmental noise.