The use of timber in wind turbines.

The advantages of timber in wind turbine blade construction are discussed, and its properties emphasized. The use of timber/epoxy construction enables a high technical specification to be achieved. Tables are given for specific compressive strengths, fatigue strengths and flexural modulus for wind epoxy and glass reinforced polyester composites. Cost ratios are also discussed for the two materials and the cost advantage for wood is emphasized. (A.J.)

The response of piled buildings to deep excavations

This paper explores the influence of the piled foundation on the building response to excavation-induced deformations. The influence of the type of foundation, the position of positive and negative skin friction zones, and the flexibility of the piles is evaluated with respect to both horizontal and vertical soil deformations. Case histories from the Netherlands are included from Amsterdam (North South Line) and Rotterdam (a building adjacent to the Willemspoortunnel). Most of the buildings are founded on timber piles ranging in length from 12-17 m. Conclusions are drawn about the interaction between the piled building and the soil deformation. © 2012 Taylor & Francis Group.

Mechanical and durability properties of concretes containing recycled lime powder and recycled aggregates

According to a recent report by the European Commission, within the European Union, the construction and demolition wastes come to at least 450 million tons per year. Roughly 75% of the waste is disposed to landfill, despite its major recycling potential. The bulk constituents of demolition debris are concrete (50-55%) and masonry (30-40%) with only small percentages of other materials such as metals, glass and timber. In Cyprus, at present, recycling of waste materials is practically inexistent and almost the entire demolition waste products are disposed in landfill sites, with all possible economic, technical and environmental impacts. This research paper presents the evaluation and the effective reuse of waste construction materials, such as recycled lime powder (RLP) and recycled concrete aggregates (RCA), disposed to landfill sites in Cyprus, due to the lack of a lucid recycling policy and knowledge. Results show that both RLP and RCA have the potential to produce good quality and robust concrete mixtures both in terms of mechanical and durability performance. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.