Worldwide, the need for thermal insulation materials used to increase the energy performance of buildings and ensure indoor thermal comfort is constantly growing. There are several traditional, well-known and frequently used thermal insulation materials on the building materials market, but there is a growing trend towards innovative materials based on agro-industrial waste. This paper analyses the performance of 10 such innovative thermal insulation materials obtained by recycling cellulosic and/or animal waste, using standardised testing methods. More precisely, thermal insulation materials based on the following raw materials were analysed: cellulose acetate, cigarette filter manufacturing waste; cellulose acetate, cigarette filter manufacturing waste and cigarette paper waste; cellulose acetate, waste from cigarette filter manufacturing, waste cigarette paper and waste aluminised paper; cellulose from waste paper (two types made by two independent manufacturers); wood fibres; cellulose from cardboard waste; cellulose from waste cardboard, poor processing, inhomogeneous product; rice husk waste and composite based on sheep wool, recycled PET fibres and cellulosic fibres for the textile industry. The analysis followed the performance in terms of thermal insulating quality, evidenced by the thermal conductivity coefficient (used as a measurable indicator) determined for both dry and conditioned material at 50% RH, in several density variants, simulating the subsidence under its own weight or under various possible stresses arising in use. The results showed in most cases that an increase in material density has beneficial effects by reducing the coefficient of thermal conductivity, but exceptions were also reported. In conjunction with this parameter, the analysis of the 10 types of materials also looked at their moisture sorption/desorption capacity (using as a measurable indicator the amount of water stored by the material), concluding that, although they have a capacity to regulate the humidity of the indoor air, under low RH conditions the water loss is not complete, leaving a residual quantity of material that could favour the development of mould. Therefore, the impact on indoor air quality was also analysed by assessing the risk of mould growth (using as a measurable indicator the class and performance category of the material in terms of nutrient content conducive to the growth of microorganisms) under high humidity conditions but also the resistance to the action of two commonly encountered moulds, Aspergillus niger and Penicillium notatum. The results showed a relative resistance to the action of microbiological factors, indicating however the need for intensified biocidal treatment.

This case study focuses on twelve compacted clay soil samples to understand their fundamental physical and thermal properties. For each sample, the density, thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity, specific heat, and drying shrinkage were assessed. The identification and characterisation of the materials were also carried out by positioning them into the ternary diagram based on the percentage of sand, silt, and clay. These properties are definitive for the performance characteristics of materials used in rammed earth wall construction. The aim is to provide information for better knowledge and prediction regarding the dynamic heat flow in rammed earth walls. Experimental results show a relatively wide range of values for each property, reflecting the diverse properties of the sampled clays. The thermophysical characteristics of the 12 types of earth analysed showed correlations with reports in the literature in terms of density (1490–2150 kg/m³), porosity (23.22–39.99%), specific heat capacity (701–999 J/kgK), and thermal conductivity (0.523–1.209 W/mK), which indicates them as materials suitable for use in the construction of rammed earth walls. Using test data, a dynamic assessment of heat flow through simulated rammed earth walls was performed. For a better understanding of the results obtained, they were compared with results obtained for simulations where the building element would be made of concrete, i.e., a mineral wool core composite. Thus, heat flux at the wall surface and mass flux, respectively, during the 16 years of operation showed similar evolution for all 12 types of clay material analysed, with small variations explained by differences in thermophysical characteristics specific to each type of S1–S12 earth. In the case of walls made from clay material, there is a stabilisation in the evolution of the water content phenomenon by the 5th year of simulation. This contrasts with walls made of concrete, where the characteristic water content appears to evolve continuously over the 16-year period. Therefore, it can be said that in the case of the construction elements of existing buildings, which have already gone through a sufficient period for the maturation of the materials in their construction elements, the rammed earth wall quickly develops a moisture buffer function. In the case of simulating a mineral wool core composite wall, it cannot perform as a temperature or humidity buffer, exhibiting an enthalpy exchange with indoor air that is only 4% of that of the rammed earth walls; consequently, it does not play a significant role in regulating indoor comfort conditions. Overall, there is confirmation of the temperature and moisture buffering capabilities of rammed earth walls during both warm and cold periods of the year, which is consistent with other reports in the literature. The findings of this research provide a better insight into clay as a material for rammed earth walls for more efficient design and construction, offering potential improvements regarding indoor comfort, energy efficiency, and sustainability. The data also provides useful information in the fields of architecture and civil engineering regarding the use of clay as an eco-friendly building material. The results emphasise the importance of thoroughly understanding the thermophysical properties of clay to ensure the efficiency of rammed earth construction.

The rapid increase of the number newly-erected high-rise buildings in Romania during the last two decades brought up the importance of the continuous monitoring of their state. For seismic actions, a post-event modification of the dynamic characteristics of a building can provide a rapid indicator about its potential damage. The paper presents the methods, procedures and steps by which a system providing online remote access to data resulting from building vibration monitoring could be implemented and used for buildings in Romania. The system would allow rapid identification of building damage, based on the processing of recorded data. Identified issues, as well as potential bottlenecks are presented, together with the proposed solutions. The system is planned to be implemented by using the infrastructure available at NIRD URBAN-INCERC, Romania. The paper also presents a case study concerning the structural health monitoring of a multi-story reinforced concrete building, carried out by the project team.

(1) Background: Romanian earthquakes caused severe damage over time to a significant number of constructions, and that is why efforts are being made to make structural systems safer. (2) Methods: For structural systems with protection against seismic actions or vibrational actions that have linear viscous dissipation devices, the requirement to assess the equivalent modal damping rate for the entire functional assembly related to the other dynamic parameters arises. (3) Results: This article presents the analytical development of formulas for the compound damping and circular frequency when anti-seismic devices have different dynamic characteristics and their application in order to solve some real engineering cases of bridges and viaducts in Romania with distinct viscoelastic supports. In support of this idea, some experimental tests on a beam system resting on two different anti-seismic elastic supports highlighted the fact that the compound damping of the system can be calculated with the relations established in this paper, provided that the displacements in the horizontal direction of excitation are in the linear domain. Also, we determined the seismic response considering the Vrancea 1977 accelerogram for critical damping ratios of 5% and 18.5%, and then we obtained the variation in the factor of transmissibility depending on the frequency, in order to highlight the optimized value of the equivalent amortization/damping. (4) Conclusions: In the specific context of Romanian seismicity, seismic isolation through the use of isolators with different characteristics represents an optimal technical solution, and it is also optimal from an economic point of view, with an appropriate level of dynamic isolation obtained.

The purpose of the research: The paper is going to present the role of seismic areas as living labs/natural laboratories for studying the behavior of buildings and of people and establishing a relationship between a research, a training-education and a knowledge dissemination. The results materialized by experiential actions to reduce negative impacts of disasters are highlighted. Methodology: Engineering learning from earthquakes, based on a long-term seismic culture, became a continuous activity based on field observation, since more than a century. On the other hand, creating earthquake disaster prevention awareness and disaster preparedness can be achieved nowadays by education and active learning addressed to all levels of population, from elder generations to the younger ones, and from usual people to the representatives of authorities. The link between these two approaches is becoming more and more necessary in the context of high local seismicity: investigating the behavior of people, while using emerging technologies (computer-generated imagery, immersive virtual reality etc.), to obtain an active individual attitude. The general concept of awareness and preparedness trends evolved. To deal with earthquake-related situations, people are taught to take measures to prevent severe earthquakes effects, but we must take a step forward to get closer to the system that includes: research knowledge, innovation, GIS and specialized software, and more importantly, the access to all of these, through public and private involvement. Conclusions: The Vrancea seismic zone of Romania, as a natural laboratory, involves us with knowledge and individual perception and attitudes and we have time for improved engineering codes, exploring and experiencing some new learning modalities, refining new policies and regulations from this field, new scenarios for implementation of disaster measures.

The long-term durability and structural integrity of modern buildings, which are inherently reliant on reinforced concrete, are governed by the rate of corrosion of embedded steel reinforcement. Corrosion kinetics, therefore, is not merely an academic exercise, but rather a critical foundation for predicting and extending a structure’s life span, mitigating safety risks, and ensuring the sustainability of the built environment against a host of environmental and chemical degradation factors. The present study conducts a comparative analysis of the short-term corrosion initiation behavior of steel reinforcement embedded in three distinct types of geopolymer binders, a cementitious paste, and a cementitious composite with natural aggregates. Electrochemical techniques, such as Open Circuit Potential (OCP) and linear polarization tests were used to characterize the behavior of the steel reinforcement embedded in the 4 types of samples. Additionally, these samples containing the reinforcement were further characterized using advanced microstructural techniques, specifically porosimetry, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM).