Comparing physical and virtual methods for daylight performance modelling including complex fenestration systems

From the viewpoint of architectural energy saving, this study discussed the impact of egg-crated shading device on lighting under natural lighting conditions, proposed a more proper module of sunshade with better lighting efficiency under the condition of different variables after making a comparison between the theory and the experiment, and established the basic profile regarding egg-crated shading device’s lighting efficiency. The study objects were established based on the experimental data of egg-crated shading device’s lighting efficiency. The theoretical basis of this research is the concept of lighting’s “daylight factor”. The method was to test the interior “daylight factor” of different sunshade models in an architectural scale model and compared the data with the experimental data established under diffuse light to discuss egg-crated shading device’s lighting efficiency under natural lighting conditions. This study includes the following content: Chapter 1 To point out the research motive，subjects，method and procedure. Chapter 2 Research trend and results of related studies in Taiwan regarding architectural energy saving and environmental control were summarized from relevant literatures in order to clarify the correlation of each research theme so as to understand and pinpoint the direction and scope of this thesis. Chapter 3 This study explained the development background of sunshade scale model, the method of setting up the environment for model testing, each part of the experimental model and the procedures. Chapter 4 “Daylight factor” and “Average Uniformity” were applied to analyze the lighting efficiency of each experimental module of egg-crated shading device design in order to obtain the more proper module of egg-crated shading device under the condition of different variables. Chapter 5 The experimental data of this study were arranged, compared and explained with that of the results under the environment of diffuse light. Chapter 6 The research results and conclusions were provided, and practical suggestions were proposed to future studies.

Understanding multiphase seepage behavior in porous media of oil and gas reservoirs is crucial for optimizing development strategies, enhancing recovery efficiency, and improving project economics. Physical simulation models, scaled-down replicas of reservoir conditions, deliver direct insights into petrophysical parameters and dynamic flow processes. This review systematically classified seepage physical models into one-dimensional (1D), two-dimensional (2D), and three-dimensional (3D) models, further delineated by structure, function, and application structure, function, and application. 1D models include sand-packed pipes, artificial cores, and natural cores models. 2D models encompass parallel plate, etched network, core slice, and particle packing models. 3D models comprise sand-packed, large-scale core, and visual models. A comprehensive discussion and systematic evaluation of these models were conducted, focusing on their advantages, limitations, error sources, and applicability. The results demonstrate that 1D models offer operational simplicity, high temperature and pressure resistance, and well-established fabrication techniques. However, they lack spatial representativeness, scaling similarity, and the capacity to capture heterogeneity. 2D models exhibit superior structural flexibility, functional diversity, and direct visualization capabilities, but cannot simulate complex 3D flow or replicate high temperature and pressure resistance conditions. 3D models minimize scaling effects, reliably simulate macroscopic flow dynamics, and withstand extreme conditions, but suffer from complex operation, prolonged experimental durations, and high cost. Given the flexibility and versatility, this paper further comprehensively reviews various types of 2D models, compares their visualization performance, representativeness, temperature and pressure resistance, applications, and constraints, and proposes potential refinements. Typical case studies illustrate practical implementations to promote the translation of theoretical research into field practice and to strengthen the connection between theory and application. Furthermore, we establish how numerical simulation and artificial intelligence transcend the limitations of physical models. This review provides a comprehensive, practical, and forward-looking reference for the selection, design, and application of physical seepage models in oil and gas reservoir studies.

The utilization of daylight can significantly affect building performance, energy efficiency, productivity, as well as occupants' comfort and satisfaction in buildings. This paper aims to assess daylight performance for tropical office buildings in a parametric approach. Thus, four passive design categories are investigated, namely interior surface reflectance, glazing visual transmittance, light shelves and shading control. The approach is exemplified using the case study of two selected offices in Singapore. This study contributed to the assessment of the daylight performance and prediction of the consequences of retrofitting alternatives toward fostering the utilization of daylight in existing buildings in the tropics.

Due to the fact that the investigated lighting system is not very common in practice and sets high financial demands, it was necessary to visit a large number of spaces where day light guidance systems have been installed to select the most universal implementations in terms of the defined boundary conditions and light guide structural designs used that will, at the same time, comply to the maximum possible extent with the regulations of the codes on which the boundary conditions are based. Out of all selected and measured rooms the one chosen for this presentation is located in the premises of the Institute of Geology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic in Prague 6 - Lysolaje. The selected room is situated on the first underground storey and serves as a library. The room is shaped like an orthogonal trapezoid 12.3(9.57) xL. Janeþková & D. Bošová Faculty of Civil Engineering , Czech Technical University in Prague, Czech RepublicABSTRACT: One for your healthy and full life needs natural light, which affects the biological rhythm of man. Design of daylight should therefore be well thought out, to arrange visual comfort for the user according to the predominant visual activity inside the room. Therefore we try to bring daylight into the interior to a sufficient extent and quality, through window openings or light guides, which must be designed not only to the adequate size, but also must be properly positioned. Quantitative criterion for day light is daylight factor D, which is expressed in percentage. Daylight factor D is defined as the ratio of daylight illumination at a given point of the plane E intr [lx] on the present outdoor illuminance levels E extr [ lx] for known or expected sky brightness distribution. Direct sunlight is excluded in both measurements. Quantitative criterion is the uniformity of daylighting r [-], which indicates the ratio between the maximum and minimum values of daylight factor. Another quantitative criterion is the distribution of light, preventing glare, light reflectivity and color of surfaces. With decreasing the possibilities of new construction are currently being used in less attractive locations for the construction and much more likely to approach various types of reconstruction. Reconstruction will help us as saving energy for heating or other aspects of improve interior, we must be careful to the negative influence of daylight inside a room. Also, existing dense development gives us a big limitation for appropriate design of the interior with the qualifying conditions for a visual activity. In places not directly neighbouring on the exterior environment a suitable means of lighting are daylight guidance systems which may transmit light over long distances. Their installation belongs to investments with high financial demands; therefore, adequate attention should be paid to the optimisation of their design with respect to the interior environment resulting in the maximum effectiveness of the designed installation even without any contact with the exterior environment.

In the climate-change period, all countries strived to design sustainable buildings. As environmental influenced contributes to design decisions, to save energy and to achieve the sustainable development indicator according to Egypt Vision 2030. This can be achieved by accessing the maximum of daylight, consequently the facade design has a major impact on daylight performance. This paper aims to evaluate the daylight performance by using dynamic shading, in a university classroom in Egypt. It also aims to determine the optimal angle for each hour of the shade’s movement. Based on LEED 4 daylight requirements and IES, daylight analysis was integrated using DESIGNBUILDER V6, RADIANCE, and DAYSIM programs. The simulation measured the basic case of the case study and then compared it with using dynamic shading system. Incrementing the efficiency of daylight needs to increase spatial daylight autonomy (SDA) and reduce annual sunlight exposure (ASE); hence, the importance of this research is to take up studies of spatial daylight autonomy (SDA), annual sunlight exposure (ASE), useful daylight illuminance (UDI), working plan, and daylight factor over a year. This paper proved the necessary of using dynamic shading system. As it helped in changing the angle of inclination shading system with change the angle of inclination the sun on the openings of the building. It adapted the change from the educational activity (the whiteboard and data shown) in the case study. If the opening has wide areas in the eastern facade, the overall value of illumination at 9 a.m. is much higher than at 3 p.m. When using dynamic shades, the daylight efficiency is raised, in detail, by UDI, ASE, and the daylight factor raised by 58%, 45%, and 4.3%, respectively. This research will help architects and decision-makers to improve lighting performance in existing university buildings. It also achieved visual comfort in the classroom.

Until recent years, detailed studies of hydraulic structures were made almost systematically by hydraulic physical models offering great capabilities to understand the hydraulic behaviour of the studied flows. On the other hand, physical models are in general rather expensive and time consuming, and can only represent some hydraulic phenomenon of interest. This depending on the similarity law for which they have been calibrated. Nowadays, given the increasing computational capabilities and further development of user-friendly interfaces, 3D CFD modelling can balance these issues and provide a flexible and powerful tool to support physical modelling, or even replace it in certain cases. The numerical modelling of complex hydraulic flows is becoming more and more efficient and cost effective, providing a powerful tool for hydraulic analysis, from preliminary to detailed studies. This article describes how the 3D CFD tool has been first validated on a large range of hydraulic phenomena, then how it is exploited by Tractebel on several large projects to analyse and optimize the design or operation of hydraulic structures. Several way to exploit 3D CFD models are developed, either at early stages of the design process, ahead or together with a physical model in order to optimize it exploitation. Application examples are presented, among which the modelling of large gated overflow and orifice spillways … Possibilities and limitations of the 3D CFD tool on these various topics is discussed. Simplified modelling methods has been developed to address specific issues, in an optimized way, among which applications on vertical 2D, and hybrid 2D planar/3D models are presented, the advantages provided by these approaches are highlighted with respect to the addressed issues. The procedures developed for each particular case is described so as to provide indicative frameworks for deploying 3D CFD tools in engineering projects, and provide added value. Based on Tractebel experience, the challenges that have still to be overcome are discussed, with an emphasis put on the modelling of air entrainment. Physical phenomena involved in monophasic flows, however complex, were proven to be well simulated by 3D CFD software. This as long as the modeller has sufficient hydraulic knowledge and experience to adapt a priori the model parameters, mesh and boundary conditions and to carry out an a posteriori critical analysis of the results. In spillway design, this statement applies in particular to the control and conveyance structures, such as channels, weirs, spillway chutes, or flip buckets. When it comes to energy dissipation structures, such as stepped spillways, stilling basins or plunge pools, careful calibration tests of the air entrainment parameters must be performed for each case, questioning the practical and standalone use of current 3D biphasic models in hydraulic engineering. Nevertheless, once the air entrainment parameters have been calibrated, hybrid approach for such complex analyses, combining physical and numerical models, is of main interest, leading to time savings, better physical understanding and enhanced flexibility in the design activities.

The combined use of digital and physical models promotes inclusive communication and represents an important medium for presenting heritage to the community, particularly to the tourism sector. The work presented here concerns the Grand Staircase of the Birago di Borgaro Palace in Turin, designed by Filippo Juvarra and built from 1716 onwards. The monumental staircase is located near the main atrium; its development takes place on three right-handed ramps leading to the main floor hall. The contribution focuses on the application of digital technologies for three-dimensional modelling and digital fabrication, aimed at studying and communicating the constructive aspects of architectural heritage. The adopted methodology involves the use of data from previous acquisitions and restitutions (TLS survey by Prof. M. C. López González, two-dimensional drawing by Arch. F. Natta) for the digital modelling of the Grand Staircase in order to retrace the formal ideation process related to the applied construction techniques. Starting from the virtual model, through digital fabrication techniques, a physical model is created on a 1:50 scale, composed of four main blocks obtained using three vertical section planes. The model, in addition to restoring the compositional apparatus of the decorations, aims to make understandable, explicit and readable the construction system used in the design: on the one hand, it restores the overall three-dimensional morphology of the artefact, and on the other, it offers the possibility to be explored revealing the structural composition through the constituent elements such as the ramping barrel vaults, the cross vaults that support the landings and the stiffening arches. The physical model of the Grand Staircase of the Birago di Borgaro Palace is an example of how the physical representation of the built space can become an expression of layered and sedimented information, lending itself to the communication of knowledge even to a non-expert audience.

Autodesk Ecotect™ is an environmental analysis software which according to the U.S. Department of Energy, has not been validated yet. Therefore, the objectives of this research were to validate accuracy of Ecotect™ for thermal and daylighting simulations of buildings and provide recommendations to the Architecture, Engineering and Construction community on application of Ecotect™. Analysis of thermal performance of an institutional building was conducted for one year while the daylighting performance was studied from January to September. The thermal loads and illuminance levels of the building were first measured in the field. The field measurements were then compared to the simulated thermal loads and illuminance levels obtained by Ecotect™. The validation results showed that Ecotect™ underestimated thermal loads in all the analyzed cases and overestimated illuminance levels in 98% of the analyzed cases. Therefore, these findings show that Ecotect™ cannot be used for accurate simulations of thermal loads and illuminance levels.

An Effective Texture Mapping Approach for 3D Models Obtained from Laser Scanner Data to Building Documentation

Analysis of the daylight performance of a glazing system with Parallel Slat Transparent Insulation Material (PS-TIM)

The main rationale and objective of the submitted research work is to create a quality lighting environment in the premises of deepened buildings and below-ground structures under screen effect of high-rise construction (high-rise buildings). It is noted, that in modern megapolises, a deficiency of vacant urban territories leads to the increased density of urban development with increased amount of high-rise construction and tendency to increase efficiency in the use of underground space. The natural lighting of premises in underground buildings and structures is the most efficient way, but it can be implemented only under use of roof lighting system in the form of roof monitors or skylights. In this case the levels of indoor natural lighting will be affected with serious screening effect of high-rise buildings in surrounding development. Such an situation is not regulated, or even considered by the contemporary building Codes and Regulations on natural lighting of interiors. The authors offered a new formula for a daylight factor calculation with roof lighting system in the described cases. The results of theoretical calculations and experimental studies showed very similar values. This proved the truth of the offered formula and elaborated method of calculation on the basis of an offered hypothesis. It prooves, that it is possible to use some factor and guide points in the daylight factors design under system of side natural lighting in the same design for a system of roof lighting.

Natural light from a wall in buildings: Experimental analysis of the ventilated illuminating wall performances

Data visualization is a core component of every scientific project; however, generation of physical models previously depended on expensive or labor-intensive molding, sculpting, or laser sintering techniques. Physical models have the advantage of providing not only visual but also tactile modes of inspection, thereby allowing easier visual inspection as well as access to the visually challenged. Recent advances in three-dimensional (3D) printing technology have created low-cost systems capable of translating 3D shape and terrain elevation models into physical models. Low-cost, commercially available, 3D printers are capable of using data from topographical maps, radar data, altimetry, and digital terrain models and turning them into accurate, handleable, 3D models out of multiple materials within hours. The resultant models not only provide study materials for lunar and planetary terrains and small space bodies but also allow the generation of libraries of physical objects accessible to the visually impaired. Moreover, these models create new tools for introducing space sciences to the roster of accessible science curricular materials.

The incident radiance in forested areas with rugged terrain varies greatly with the changes in solar elevation and azimuth, slope and aspect of the terrain, and the relative position of trees. The geotropic nature must be considered in the course of topographic correction. The Sun‐Canopy‐Sensor (SCS) model is introduced to substitute the cosine correction in a physical model. We used an atmospheric simulation code, MODTRAN, and a digital elevation model (DEM) to calculate the path radiance, downwards diffuse radiance and two‐way transmittance of direct and diffuse light at different altitudes. Based on the atmospheric parameters derived above and the Lambertian assumption, surface reflectance in a forested area was retrieved from Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) imagery using a revised physical model. Meanwhile, a smoothed DEM was used to assess the effect of noise on the DEM and misregistration between the DEM and the satellite imagery. Correlation analysis, spectral comparison between sunlit and shaded slopes and a support vector machine (SVM) classification were performed to assess the effect of the revised radiometric correction algorithm. Results indicate that the revised physical model with smoothed DEM is more adequate for forested terrain and more consistent spectra for similar vegetation under different illuminations can be obtained. Finally, higher classification accuracy of forested land can be achieved with the revised correction algorithm compared with the SCS correction and the original physical correction model.

Surfactant instillation into the lungs is used to treat several respiratory disorders such as neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS). The success of the treatments significantly depends on the uniformity of distribution of the instilled surfactant in airways. This is challenging to directly evaluate due to the inaccessibility of lung airways and great difficulty with imaging them. To tackle this problem, we developed a 3D physical model of human lung airway tree. Using a defined set of principles, we first generated computational models of eight generations of neonates' tracheobronchial tree comprising the conducting zone airways. Similar to native lungs, these models contained continuously-branching airways that rotated in the 3D space and reduced in size with increase in the generation number. Then, we used additive manufacturing to generate physical airway tree models that precisely replicated the computational designs. We demonstrated the utility of the physical models to study surfactant delivery in the lungs and showed the effect of orientation of the airway tree in the gravitational field on the distribution of instilled surfactant between the left and right lungs and within each lung. Our 3D lung airway tree model offers a novel tool for quantitative studies of therapeutics delivery.