Time domain reflectometry (TDR) has been evaluated as a tool for the measurement of the moisture content of masonry materials. To this aim, the relationship between relative dielectric permittivity, measured by TDR, and volumetric water content, measured gravimetrically, has been experimentally determined over samples of three cement mortars and a clay brick. The obtained experimental points do not fit the calibration curves available in literature for other porous materials, such as soils and rocks. Instead, specific calibration relationships have been determined. The obtained results show that in all cases dielectric permittivity is highly sensitive to moisture variations, indicating TDR as a promising tool for moisture measurement of building materials. Owing to the feasibility of the proposed experimental procedure for moisture measurements of real masonry walls, the technique appears to be suitable for field monitoring applications.

Hemp-lime composite is a natural material, which is being increasingly used and studied in the construction sector, thanks to its recyclability, hygrothermal comfort and healthiness features. The aim of this paper is to test the benefits in terms of energy efficiency achieved through the use of hemp-lime composite as insulation in a possible refurbishment intervention. With the aim of extending the knowledge about the benefits achieved through from the integration of this natural material into construction production process, a real building in south of Italy was selected and a substitution of the standard gypsum-lime plaster with a hemp-lime one was simulated by means of a specific software (Termus^® by Acca Sotware, Bagnoli Irpino, Italy), serving for the assessment of the energy performance. Case study analysis highlighted the good thermal insulation properties of hemp-based plaster, allowing thermal dispersion to decrease in the winter season and improve the summer performance of the walls by approximately 20% compared to traditional plaster. This results in a one-level improvement of the building in energy classification according to Italian regulation.

Capillary rise is a serious phenomenon that may have potentially devastating consequences within buildings (biological corrosion, worsening of indoor comfort parameters, worsening of thermal resistance, etc.). Therefore, measuring moisture in building structures is still a current research issue and time domain reflectometry (TDR) is considered one of the most-effective nondestructive methods for moisture estimation in porous media. This paper reports a research examining the effects of different kinds of mortar on the capillary rise in yellow volcanic tuff walls. To this aim, three model walls were built with tuff and three different kinds of mortar (a traditional cement lime mortar and two premixed mortars, one of which was specifically designed to prevent capillary rise), and then instrumented with TDR probes, to carry out continuous monitoring of volumetric water content without the need of sampling or material destruction. Preliminarily, the calibration relationship linking relative dielectri...

The Facility Management (FM) sector is often hampered by data fragmentation and poor interoperability, hindering operational efficiency. To overcome these challenges, Semantic Web Technologies (SWTs) offer a robust framework by enabling machine-readable data integration. However, the application of SWTs in FM is underexplored. Therefore, this study systematically analyzes the structure, evolution, and emerging trends of SWT applications in FM to provide a clear research roadmap. A systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis were conducted on a final dataset of 107 academic articles using co-citation and keyword co-occurrence analysis. The results reveal that research in this domain has experienced exponential growth since 2021, with publications concentrated in high-impact journals. While a core group of influential authors has emerged, international collaboration remains fragmented. Thematic analysis identified a clear evolutionary trajectory from foundational concepts like BIM and ontologies toward applied Digital Twins and, most recently, advanced automation using Knowledge Graphs. This study provides a comprehensive roadmap for future inquiry, highlighting the need to mature technology integration, advance applied digital twins, and develop domain-specific ontologies to create more intelligent facilities. Ultimately, this study provides managers and policy-makers with a data-driven reference for strategically prioritizing investments in digitalization to achieve sustainable facility operation.

Un SIG (Sistema de Información Geográfica) tipológico, es un sistema diseñado para almacenar, analizar, gestionar y visualizar datos geo-referenciados sobre el entorno construido. Permite consultas interactivas para explorar las relaciones espaciales entre edificios mejorarando el conocimiento del patrimonio construido a diferentes escalas. Realizando un análisis espacio-tipológico, es posible extraer información de los edificios existentes sobre las tipologías más utilizadas a diferentes niveles, desde la escala urbana hasta el detalle constructivo. Este conocimiento, podría servir de apoyo para un correcto diseño en los proyectos de renovación urbana destinados a mantener inalterado el carácter de la zona considerada y preservar su valor cultural e histórico. Este trabajo presenta la primera fase de implementación del SIG tipológico de un centro histórico situado al norte de Nápoles, y muestra algunos ejemplos de posibles consultas del SIG para la investigación tipológica del entorno construido a diferentes niveles de detalle.