Reinforced concrete is uninterruptedly developing progressive type of building materials. One of the most important advantages of reinforced concrete is the possibility of using it with reinforcing steel or composite materials of increased and high strength.As a result occurs substantial permanent growth in production, increase in strength and other service characteristics of steel rolling used for reinforcing concrete.Production and application of the modern types of reinforcement in our country started not long ago, much later, than in the USA and European countries. Until 1950 deformed reinforcement was not produced and used in our country; the production of hot-rolling reinforcement of the A400 (A-III) class started only in 1956.But already in 1960 the application of this reinforcement was 1.0 million tons a year, and in 1970 — 3.4 million tons a year.Up to the year 2012, the production and application of the deformed reinforcement of the classes A-400, A-500C and A-600C of all kinds exceeded 8.0 million tons. In order to ensure economic efficiency and competitive ability of national construction, the process of increasing the strength and workability of domestic reinforcing bar is continuously taking place. The results of this process in respect of the common untensioned reinforcement of reinforced concrete structures are discussed in the present article.We suggest to consider the mechanical and service characteristics of deformed reinforcement, which is manufactured according to the standards of our country GOST P 52544, classes A500C and B500C, GOST 5781, class A400, and Technical specifications 14-1-5596—2010, class Ан600С, grade 20Г2СФБA.For the comparative analysis we use the standard data for similar reinforcement established by EN 10080-2005 and Eurocode 2, as well as by standards ÖNORM B-420 of Austria, BC 4449/2005 of Great Britain, DIN 488 of Germany, A706M of the USA and G3142 of Japan.The standards of the above-mentioned countries slightly differ from the standardsEN 10080 and Eurocode 2, and from the Russian standards.We consider the statistical data of the real properties of hot-rolling, coldolling and thermo mechanically strengthened deformed reinforcement manufactured and certified according to GOST R 52544 and GOST 5781, produced in Russia, Byelorussia, Moldavia, Latvia, Poland, Turkey and Egypt.The fundamental difference of modern European standards from Russian standards and the standards of other countries considered in this article is that the requirements of EN 10080 and Eurocode 2 are unified for all reinforcement with the yield point of 400 to600 H/mm2 regardless of its production method.At the same time it is stated, that the actual properties of reinforcement of all groups according to EN 10080, differ essentially from those specified by this Standard and they better correspond to the Russian, Austrian and German standards.The Standard EN 10080 in the version of the year 2005 is inconvenient, because it does not determine technical classes. As a result, many European countries use their own, but not the European standards.Conclusion.The comparative analysis of our national and foreign standards of deformed rolled steel used for reinforcing concrete demonstrates that the physical and mechanical properties of the Russian and European reinforcing steel are almost the same, but for the following facts:Standard requirements established according to GOST 5781, GOST 10884 andGOST R 52544 are a bit higher than the standards of EN 10080;Reinforcement of the classes A400, A500 B500C and A600C, manufactured according to the Russian standards, can be used without recounting instead of reinforcement of the same strength classes according to EN 10080 and to the standards of other countries all over the world.

Professional criticism decides controversial issues within the specialty, its edge focuses on the strengths and weaknesses of the project, on the professional qualities of the authors and on accordance of the project concept with social tasks. Professional criticism fine-tunes urban development plans, stops the destruction of open spaces in the city, condemns imitation and ambition, identifies tolerant modes of coexistence of the old and new.It is noted that a number of discussion problems eventually worked themselves out. The author touches upon an issue of problem points of higher architectural education.Administrative criticism is aimed at solving the disputable issues by the establishment of the positions contingency, but not their mutual negation.

It is well known, that buildings and their bearing structures are subject to ageing, including corrosion, deterioration, etc. When faults in bearing structure are detected, disposal-at-failure maintenance should be made. But before that, it is necessary to assess the rate of deterioration.The author suggests to use finite element method for calculation of the safety margin of reinforced concrete bearing structures, because the finite element method is widely used in engineering practice of structural design. In the process of engineering inspection of reinforced concrete structures all defects of the inspected structure should be clearly specified. The article suggests to create the FEM-Model of the inspected structure in view of the fact that this structure is defected. In order to achieve this effect, the stiffness matrix of some finite elements should be changed and the FEM-Model must be created of volumetric finite elements (the article speaks about eight-node parallelepiped elements).At first the FEM-Model will be created of eight-node parallelepiped elements with standard descriptions for the reinforced concrete; then finite elements in damage area must be changed. On the basis of integral estimation of the mode of deformation, deformation ratio will be calculated, which is essential for the description assignment of the changes in stiffness matrix. The formulation of the deformation ratio includes all the possible defects of structure through indexes, which must be analytically calculated depending on the concrete defect.The method described in the article is useful in the process of engineering inspection of the reinforced concrete structures. Using this method can sufficiently specify the safety margin of a defected structure and forecast the future operational integrity of this structure under the acting load.

The article is devoted to exploring the use of beams with corrugated web in the construction of hydraulic structures. Two groups of metal structures of hydraulic structures are considered, depending on their operating conditions:structures not related to water retention;construction designed for water retention.Operating conditions of the first group of structures are similar with the structures of industrial buildings. Hence, it is possible to use the beams with a corrugated web but with a larger web thickness. In the constructions of the second group the operating conditions significantly differ from the first group. These structures are constantly in water or in humid state and therefore additional measures are required to ensure reliability.Two positive factors contribute to the introduction of corrugated web beams in the construction of flat gates:the lack of concentrated loads which strongly affects the bearing capacity of beams;general stability of the beams is ensured by the continuous supported compression flange.At the first stage of the study the girder of the flat gate was designed of beams with corrugated web. Design of beams with corrugated web was carried by the Eurocode 3. The mass comparison of beams with corrugated web with the previously found crosssection with a flat solid web showed the savings of up to 5.2 %. By varying the parameters of the corrugations savings can increase to 8—10 %.The studies showed that the introduction of corrugated web beams in the construction of hydraulic structures is appropriate. Some tasks require additional research.

This article represents the results of the research of general approaches and methods of risk evaluation for further exploitation of industrial buildings under seismic loads. Algorithms, developed or adopted by the authors of the article are designed for evaluating strength and stability of an industrial building, considered as a three-dimensional two-mass system, where the calculation points are located at the nodes of intersection of columns and brake structures of frames and the longitudinal axis of coating.Solving the problem of integral reliability and durability of buildings and structures as well as well-balanced design and strength under extreme conditions means to perform quantitative assessment of risk and to minimize it. Most existing analysis and risk evaluation methods are qualitative and estimate the probability of an emergency situation.Algorithm, offered by the authors of this article, includes assessment of seismic vulnerability risk of a construction in case of an earthquake of certain intensity. Problems, arising due to the complexity of probabilistic calculations, are solved by using automated control systems.Using classic methods of statistic dynamics and reliability theory, the authors offer a probability calculation, including the following:• Cop has aland quarter phase spectraldensity components of seismic movements;• entrance and exit spectrums;• dispersion of generalized coordinatesfor each natural frequency of a building;• waveform factor matrix;• effective oscillation period of a con-struction under seismic load;• failure frequencies at significancevalue;• total dispersion for all waveforms;• conventional, external and full seismicrisk.The given method of evaluating resistance of buildings and constructions to seismic loads is a probabilistic method and can be used as a basis for algorithms to automatize corresponding calculations during engineering design and exploitation of buildings and constructions.

The article deals with a monolithic floor in the form of a solid slab with intercolumn beams arranged in two directions, with cell dimensions 5,7×8,0 m. The article presents a constructive solution: floor slab having a thickness (h) 200 mm is based on contour beam cross-section with the dimensions of 300×500 (b×h) mm. The reinforcement of structural elements of a slab is shown.The results of simplified floor slab calculation in the elastic stage and by limit equilibrium method are presented. The simplification of the floor calculation due to the separate calculation of beams (the main supporting structure of the floor) and slabs, supported by a system of beams, is offered. It is considered that slabs are firmly fastened on four sides with no displacement of supports.Also the results of computer calculation of monolithic beam floors are presented, which take into account the operation of structural elements of the floor. In the process of computer calculation of monolithic beam floor the slab was modeled by plate members and floor beams — by axial elements.The author gives a comparative analysis of the results of simplified calculations and computer calculations of a monolithic beam floor made on the basis of the final stress distribution in the slab. Special features of a monolithic beam slab under the load depend on the parameters of stiffness of contour floor beams.

In the article the finite elements were developed that allow to take into consideration the design features of structures and the specific deformation of reinforced concrete without complicating the design scheme. The results of flat structures calculation under different types of loading are presented.The flat finite elements, which are used today in most widespread software systems for the calculation of the majority of buildings and structures, have significant drawbacks due to the peculiarities of the finite element method computational model. The two major drawbacks are: first, stiffness characteristics are specified as for rectangular cross-section and, second, constant stiffness characteristics over the entire area of finite elements is presupposed.These drawbacks are particularly evident in the process of calculating reinforced concrete structures and they significantly complicate the support systems design of multi-storey buildings. The simplifications used by the calculators are dangerous, as it is practically impossible to evaluate the resulting inaccuracies.The calculation model of the finite element method can be represented as a collection of nodes connected in one system with the help of finite elements, which conditionally replace the corresponding parts of a structure.Elasticity theory problems are solved with the help of finite elements of the shells and spatial finite elements. Here the accuracy of the results increases with the increase in breakdown frequency, and one of the main criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of discrete models is their convergence: the worse is the convergence — the higher breakdown frequency is needed to achieve the required accuracy of homogeneous structures calculations.In order to consider the factors affecting the calculations accuracy without increasing the complexity of making the design scheme, it is advisable to arrange a more detailed structure discretization on the stage of developing computational model. This concept is implemented in the discrete-braced computational model, which supposes replacement of the structure sections by the discreet braces combined in nodal points. The main advantages of discrete-braced model are determined by the possibility of multilevel discretization of a structure, achieved in terms of geometrical dimensions and in terms of the direction of digital communication, components of the stressstrain state, stiffness characteristics of digital communications, variable along the longitudinal axis and changing layer by layer in cross section.The basic diagram of the discrete-braced model is: the calculated structure is conditionally replaced by a set of nodes located at the layout grid lines crossing and linked in pairs by the discrete braces, which limit the mutual displacement of the nodal points for all the considered degrees of freedom.The stiffness characteristics of braces are set independently for each brace and each type of deformation on the basis of geometrical and deformational characteristics of the construction sections replaced by braces.In order to determine these sections, conventional boundary lines are traced on the structure, that are located between the grid lines. It is believed that these lines demarcate the structure sections that influence the stiffness parameters of the neighboring connections of one direction. Thus each out-of-node structure point belongs simultaneously to two sections. Stress-strain state of the structure, stiffness characteristics of the braces along the X and Y axes are defined independently of one another. The distributed internal forces arising in front sections of the braces are brought to concentrated generalized forces transmitted through the nodes between the braces in both directions.In the general case, each node of the obtained flat system has six degrees of freedom — three linear and three angular. Generalized displacements inside connections are described by linear functions. Each connection resists six types of deformations — tension and compression, shear in plane of the structure, shear out of the plane, torsion, rotation (bending in plane) and bending out of the plane. In the process of braces deformation, the efforts relevant to deformations appear in them: axial force , two shear forces, torque and two bending moments, and the stress-strain states during deformation of braces in plane and out of plane of the structure are independent from one another.It is offered to determine stress-strain state of the obtained discrete braced-noded system using the method of shifts by means of composing and solving the system of 6n linear algebraic equations (n — the number of nodes ).The accuracy and convergence of the calculation results for discrete-braced model of structural homogeneous isotropic elements is not inferior, and in some cases exceeds the accuracy and convergence of the finite element method results. The use of discretebraced model provides additional opportunities, in particular for non-linear calculations of reinforced concrete structures, which can significantly simplify the numerical schemes used, and thus significantly reduce the calculation complexity.

The article analyzes the current edition of the Regulations on Project Documentation Composition and Requirements to the Content. This document approved by the Government of the Russian Federation describes the obligatory content of building construction projects.Project documentation is examined by construction experts and approved by a customer after development. This special expertise confirms the correctness of the designer’s calculations and the safety of the future building. It is prohibited to change the approved project during construction.One of important elements of modern buildings is different mechanical facilities for transportation of people and cargo. In public and residential buildings, those are elevators and escalators. In plants, such mechanisms are various cranes and cableways. In construction projects, lifting equipment has a generalized name of «vertical transport».Federal legislation of Russia considers such machines as dangerous production facilities. That is proved by the Federal Law «On Industrial Safety of Dangerous Production Facilities». A special government agency — the Federal Service for Ecological, Technological and Nuclear Supervision — monitors such dangerous production facilities.The existing rules of project documentation development do not require specifying vertical transport facilities separately. For this reason, distinct elements of such mechanisms are described in various sections of the project. Attaching points are specified in«Structural Concepts» Section. Electric power issues are described in “Power Supply System” Section. Control system is described in «Communication Networks» Section. Design rules do not require establishment of a single section, which would describe all the elements of transportation facilities. This complicates the examination of lifting equipment as a separate object. In addition, there are difficulties in operation of lifting equipment.Upon analyzing the rules of project documentation development, the author concludes that there is a need to improve the rules. He offers to create a new subsection as a part of project documentation sections. It should be called «Vertical Transport». This section shall cover all mechanical facilities used to transport people and cargo within buildings and between them.

The article focuses on the classification of structural systems of multi-storey buildings based on four main (or primary) systems fundamentally different by the type of vertical load-bearing structures. Also a rational application of various structural systems of multi-storey buildings has been proposed as a result of the analysis of earlier performed studies and real-world experience of designing. The usage of combined structural systems that consist of various combinations of primary systems is examined.15 types of structural systems can be detached from the variety of primary and combined systems.The growing number of storeys of multi-storey buildings together with the growth of urban population and increasing availability of housing, as well as limited and cramped urban area, was justified. 10 of the most widely used structural systems were analyzed with a brief analysis of their features to ensure the tridimensional rigidity.The vertical distribution of functions in multifunctional buildings, as well the forecast for the percentage distribution of functions in high-rise buildings were also presented in the article. These guidelines can be used by designers on trial design stage for choosing the most rational structural system of multi-storey buildings of different heights.

Currently, great attention is paid to the choice of optimal and rational design and construction solutions for individual structures and buildings in general. In the process of design not only constructive solution of an element is important, but also its location in the design scheme of the building. It is known that the correct consideration of the elements interaction in the design scheme contributes significantly to the rigidity and strength of multi-storey buildings.Slabs are involved in bending and shear and act like keys between the vertical elements. In order to reduce shear deformations and enhance overall stability of the building it is possible to increase the size of the keys, that means, to increase the height of a slab. In is necessary to determine the area that has the most significant impact on the rigidity and stability of the frame.For deciding that issue a computer model of 25-storey building was built. Settlement scheme was used to estimate the strength, deformability and stability of the frame.Basing on the models stability assessment it is suggested that the most efficient design solution is the floor slabs strengthening in the middle tier of the building by 0.4-0.5 heights of the building.

In the paper the features of a structural thermotechnical analysis with the use of numerical methods are considered. Characteristics of heat transfer processes can be obtained using experimental or theoretical analysis. A theoretical investigation works with mathematical model, not with real physical phenomenon. The mathematical model for heat transfer processes consists of a set of differential equations. If the methods of classical mathematics are used for solving these equations, many phenomena of practical interest will be predicted. That’s why in order to solve these problems it is advisable to apply numerical methods. In this paper an algorithm of numerical calculation of threedimensional temperature fields is considered.The numerical algorithm for solving the differential equation of steady three-dimensional thermal conductivity is represented. Discretization of this equation was performed by control-volume method. A solution of a set of discretized equations can be obtained by using a convenient combination of the direct method TDMA (Tri-diagonal matrix algorithm) for one-dimensional situation and the Gauss-Seidel method. The described approach allows us taking into consideration thermal inhomogeneity, such as thermal bridges, and the features of the geometry of the structure. The computing program TEPL was developed on the basis of the described algorithms. As a result of the calculation made by TEPL three-dimensional temperature field was obtained. On the basis of this field thermal resistance and temperature distribution in the structure were calculated.The examples of using the program for solving real practical problems are shown in the paper. Roofing consisted of sandwich panels supported by purlins with the use of screws in one case and rivets as fasteners in the other. The main difference between these two structures is that screws are installed through the insulation layer of a panel and violate its integrity, while rivets are connected to the lowest sheet of a panel and purlin flange and do not make any changes in insulation. The results of the numerical analysis in TEPL show that screws are thermal bridges and must be taken into account in the process of calculating thermal resistance of roofs.

The idea of large elastic strain simulation for rubber-cord materials is based on the usage of elastic potential for anisotropic media. The article provides a method of formulating the elastic potential for rubber-cord ply. The rubber-cord ply can be considered as transversally-isotropic. So the question about the number of independent invariants arises. Also it is necessary to determine the type of these invariants.In case of isotropic media, invariants are functions of strain components and are invariant in regard of any orthogonal coordinate system transformation. In case of transversally-isotropic material, the group of transformations is different. Indeed, the constitutive law should look the same in any coordinate system that is obtained by some transformations from the specific coordinate system related to material structure. One of its axes is directed in cord direction and two others lie in the orthogonal plane. These transformations are any rotations around the first axis and reflections in the orthogonal coordinate plane. Right-hand side of the constitutive equation must depend only on invariables that are invariant in regard to any such transformations. Therefore, if right-hand side depends on Cauchy-Green strain components, then it must depend on its invariants of the type described.It is known that there are maximum five algebraically independent invariants in caseof transversal isotropy. Of course, the set of independent invariants can be chosen different ways and all such sets can be derived algebraically from each other. In some way the choice of the invariants set is just a question of convenience. One of the sets is suggested in this paper. It seems convenient to choose some invariants same as in isotropic case just because the group of transversally-isotropic transformations belongs to the group of isotropic transformations. Then these three invariants are added by two other invariants specific for transversal isotropy.After that the potential is formulated. Then numerical method for the potential material parameters determination is suggested. The method exploits the solutions of socalled local problems formulated in the rubber-cord periodical cell.

In this article we propose a classification for the masses of rock and soil, located in the bases of the buildings in permafrost zone. Classifications are made for masses consisting entirely of rock and soil with negative temperature, as well as for masses, including thawed soils and rocks. Updated in 2011 the Russian All-Union State Standard«Soil», which came into force in 2013, includes a classification of frozen soils, which are distinguished in a separate class. This is one of the differences of our inter-state standard, issued by the Eurasian Council for standardization, Metrology and certification, from the international English-language normative document (ISO). It is caused by the fact that on the territory of the European Union there is no permafrost soil, and only soils and rocks are discussed. In contrast, on the territory of Russia permafrost soil is widely distributed, in particular in the areas of extraction of exported raw materials. Permafrost is causing a significant, ongoing difficulties of construction and operation of buildings.The classification of soils in the Russian All-Union State Standard «Soil» and here is based on the type of physical and physico-chemical bonds between the particles in a soil. In frozen soils there are specific unstable bonds, due to the presence of ice. This fact calls for distinguishing the frozen soils into a separate class. In permafrost zone along with frozen soils that include ice, there are waterless soils and rocks with negative temperature. The list of soils in the permafrost zone, would be incomplete without:1) ice-soil (more than 90 % of ice), 2) chilled soil of the temperature below 0 °C, 3) soil with positive temperature. Cooled plastic or loose soils with negative temperatures lie in cryolithozone where there are soluble minerals or saline groundwater. Soils with positive temperature lie everywhere under permafrost at different depths, in summer they also arise over permafrost. In some places they occur in cryolithozone.In the classification of soils we will adhere to the principles set out in the first article of the series. In respect of the classes, we divide soils by the type of the bonds in them. Firstly, we single out frozen soils with the bonds created by ice, and, secondly, conditionally waterless soils with negative temperature, where there is no ice and bonds are physical and physico-chemical. For brevity, the second class of frozen masses is convenient to call the special soil of permafrost zone. At the level of subclasses we specify the classification by the same types of bonds in soils. In each of these two classes we detach subclasses: 1) rock mass, 2) disperse mass and 3) «skadi». Among the frozen soils there are specific fourth subclass — ice soils. The classification in respect of the types is made for masses consisting entirely of soils with negative temperatures, as well as for masses including thawed soils. The author offers justification and discussion of the proposed classifications.

The article reveals comparative results of experimental model studies of the dynamical characteristics of containment shells used for their calculation and construction as well as actual calculation of dynamic characteristics and the results of actual full-scale investigations executed after 40 years of their operation. This comparison of present-day calculations and full-scale researches showed their agreement with the previous investigations performed on physical models of containment shells.The dynamic analysis of the facilities on the base of physical models were widely used in the 70's of the 20th century, when the computers were still in the initial level of development. The results of these model studies were used to justify the strength of critical structures, including nuclear power plants (NPPs), some of which have already worked for over 40 years. The current investigation gives the opportunity to compare the results of the previous model studies with the present calculations of NPP protective containments (shells) and the field studies results. The field investigations were carried out on the reactor containment of VVER-1000 reactor for the 1st unit of Kalinin NPP.1. Model studies of the dynamic characteristics on the physical model base. In order to provide dynamic model studies in the laboratory it is necessary to solve the following problems: 1) to fulfill certain similarity conditions, which provide unambiguous recalculation of the results to the full-scale structures; 2) to determine the scale of the model and its production material, which is related to the structure and characteristics of the vibration-testing machine (shaker), the transitional fixing devices for the model, special vibrators for dynamic loads, etc. The particular attention should be paid to the registration, processing and analysis of dynamic parameters, taking into account quality changes, which have recently occurred in the measurement technique. The model studies were carried out on a series of geometrically similar models of the protective containments fabricated under special technology of gypsum (1:100 scale) and plexiglas (1:200 scale). The models were mounted on a specially designed shaker. Harmonic oscillations with continuous frequency scanning were set up to the testers and resonant vibration frequency was recorded. Then the shell vibration mode was defined at these frequencies using small-sized mobile vibrometer. The frequencies of natural oscillations were recounted for correlation on similarity conditions.2. The study (investigation) of the dynamic characteristics of the protective containment on the base of mathematical model. The model is built in ANSYS calculation software complex and is structurally similar to the physical model, but without built elements and elastic foundation (i.e, the adopted conditions are similar to the physical model). The problem is solved in three-dimensional setting, all elements are made of three-dimensional elements (of solid type). The comparison of the experiment results on physical models and field studies is given in the Table.

The article describes the results of a comprehensive survey of the bridge structure in Dubna. The survey was performed to determine the load capacity and maintainability of the bridge structures for the period prior to the repair, as well as to collect the information necessary to update the draft decision and the right strategy of major repairs. The growing needs of the city Dubna, which several times increased the operational loading of the bridge structures, and no major repairs since the construction, led to the need of restricting the traffic capacity of the only transportation artery. By the time of the survey in November 2011, contraflow over the bridge and the restricted traffic of more than 8 t was organized, which resulted in tense atmosphere in the city.The authors studied the historical data and design features of the supporting structures of the bridge. Particular attention was paid to the state of load-bearing structures of the bridge and their deformability. The strength characteristics were studied. The authors analyzed the results of calculations in order to determine the carrying capacity of the bridge structures with the test loads. It turned out that the carrying capacity of the bridge is sufficient for load accommodation. However, in accordance with the regulations, the bridge does not meet modern requirements for the travel width. It was recommended to maintain contraflow and to provide operational loads of the class H-10 (i.e. platoons with GVW of 10 t and the presence of a single vehicle in a platoon with GVW of 13 t) until the major repairs. After major repairs with restoration of bearings, waterproofing, water disposal system, replacing the bed, repair of the protective layer, it will be possible for single vehicles weighing up to 25 t to pass over the bridge.

Modern turbochargers are important components to reduce the gasoline consumption on actual and future engines. The reduction of the cubic capacity (downsizing) of an engine with a simultaneous increasing power, reduced gasoline consumption and asignificant decrease of COoutput is only possible by using modern turbocharger tech-nology and fuel injection systems. The temperature in the housings will reach ca. 1050°C and it is necessary to use austenitic cast steel like 1.4848 for the housings. Drilling and threading are quite difficult technologies in this material.The experiment conducted by the authors showed, that for the machining of heat resistant cast stainless steel 1.4848 totally different drill designs are recommended from the precision tool manufactures. For a reduced or smaller axial force, cutting torque and a slower increase of the tool wear with an indication of longer tool life the following geometries does have positive aspects: a concave or straight cutting edge with a small cutting edge radius provides decrease in process parameters and a longer tool life. A reduction of the helix angle in combination with a straight nearly sharp cutting edge (small radius) provides also good results. Convex main cutting edges and high cutting edge radii or strong facets delivers higher forces and cutting torques in combination with a stronger corner edge wear. For a stabilization of the cutting corner edge, this part of the drill should be slightly rounded or produced with a small facet. A small land of the drill in combination with a step grinding gives advantages in comparison to wider lands with a continuous transition, due to reduced friction and a lower tendency of cold welding or build up edge.

Natural biopolymer chitosan has a unique structure and functional diversity. Biocidal and antistatic properties of chitosan are mainly determined by the aminogroup in the structure of the molecule. Therefore, high molecular chitosan (HMC) was chosen for the introduction into the cement composition. It has high degree of deacetylation (98 %) and a molecular weight of 200 kDa, which allows having a maximum number of amino groups in the polymer, as well as being introduced as a powder into a dry mortar.With the help of differential thermal analysis it was found out that HMC does not react with the mortar.By means of isothermic calorimetry we studied the effect of HMC on the heat of hydration process of Portland cement. Introduction of the additive HMC of the concentration 0.2—2 % of the Portland cement weight does not affect the kinetics of the hydration reaction. A slight decrease in the intensity of the main exothermic peak seems to be caused by the decrease of the portland cement proportion in the modified samples after introducing HMC additive in a dosage of 0,2—2 % by weight.By IR spectroscopy possible interaction of HMC with Portland cement hydration products has been investigated. For this purpose the investigated samples aged 7 days of hardening of Portland cement and Portland cement modified by HMC and including HMC of 1 % and 2 % by weight. Comparing the IR spectres of the samples modified by HMC and transmission spectrum of the reference sample we can conclude, that the introduction of HMC does not cause the formation of new chemical bonds with the hydration products.By the methods of thermal analysis, infrared spectroscopy, isothermic calorimetry and X-ray analysis it was found out that the introduction of HMC in the experimental conditions does not affect the speed and intensity of Portland cement hydration. It was discovered that the introduction of HMC in a cement composition does not change the amount and type of Portland cement hydration products. HMC does not react with Portland cement hydration products.

The author studies the biological stability of pine wood samples modified by immersion for 3 hours in 10 %, 30 % and 50 % aqueous solutions of monoand diethanolamine (N → B) threehydrousborat (composition 1 and 2, respectively). After drying to constant weight, the surface of the samples according to the all-Union State Standard 9.048 was infested with a suspention with a concentration of 1—2 million / ml of fungic spores. The samples were placed into an open petri dish in a desiccator and maintained under conditions optimal for the growth of mycelium.During the experiment, the following results were obtained. Unmodified wood samples were covered with mushrooms at the 80—85 % of the surface. A rapid development of all kinds of test cultures and sporulation of the fungus was observed. The samples of wood, modified by the 10 % aqueous solutions of compounds 1 and 2, revealed heavy mycelium growth of mold and wood-destroying fungi. The development stage of fungi according to the All-Union State Standard 9.048—89 corresponds to 3 points. Wood samples, modified by 30 % aqueous solutions, are more fungus-resistant, their score is2 points. The modification by 50 % aqueous solutions of compounds 1 and 2 provides the wood with 100 % biological stability in regard to the mold and wood-destroying fungi.Climatic tests were carried out in the heat and moisture chamber G-4 according to All-Union State Standard 9.308—85 (Method 6) and 9.054—75 (method 1). Test results showed that due to such properties as weather resistance and fungal resistance, the protective action durability of the developed compositions makes up 5 years for 10 % solutions of compounds 1 and 2, up to 10 years for the 30 % solutions and for 50 % solutions — not less than 20 years. Thus, 50 % aqueous solutions of compositions 1 and 2 (Ksilostat and Ksilostat +) are the most effective for wood modification, which could provide the modified sample with 100 % biological stability for at least 20 years as a result of surface treatment.

In the article service temperatures of fence walls, designed according to Sanitary Norms and Requirements SNIP II-3—79 and SNiP 23-02—2003 are considered. In recent years the service temperatures of fence wall materials and front bricks in off-season period changed fundamentally. The control over physical and mechanical characteristics of wall materials significantly weakened. The surveys show that already after 4–6 years of buildings operation more than 34 % of three-layered walls are in urgent need of major repairs. This author estimates the reasons for the destruction of the face work of buildings and structures made of ceramic hollow bricks, as well as the period of unsafe operation of three-layered walls brickwork. Thermal performance of different structures containing fence walls are considered. In stone walls the "dew point" moves in the outer thin layer of fence walls. In three-layered walls dew point moves along the entire wall thickness. When using ceramic hollow bricks, additional condition of deterioration of the wall is the occurrence of stress concentrations. One of the reasons for ceramic hollow bricks destruction is an irrational structure of voids. Improving physical and mechanical characteristics of hollow bricks, in particular, thermal resistance and frost resistance, can be achieved by using voids of hyper-parametric cross-sectional shape, rational size and position. We believe, that in order to increase the durability of three-layered fence walls strict control over the physical and mechanical characteristics of wall materials is needed, the same as significant severization of the requirements to frost-resistance of bricks. We offer many ideas, which will reduce the time and cost of buildings and structures construction.

Prompt growth of urbanized territories has a negative impact on water bodies. Rivers and lakes frequently receive sewage, which has a negative effect on the quality of water, activity of hydrobionts, water vegetation, adjacent territory and coastal zones. In this regard, water bodies affected by human, represent a source of geoecological danger to the population. The authors propose geoecological thread criteria of urban water bodies, namely: A — change in hydrochemistry of water bodies under the influence of anthropogenic factors (uncontrolled runoff, wastewater discharge, unorganized landfills of municipal waste, recreation load); B — thermal pollution of a water body due to the discharge of heated water from power plants; C — break of water body forming element (soil dam) with the subsequent flooding of downstream areas.The city of Ufa is an example of urbanized territory characterized by intensive industrial and transport development, population growth. The natural hydrographic network within Ufa territory is generally about 20 small rivers and 90 water bodies of natural or artificial origin. In order to identify the most vulnerable and dangerous water bodies for the Ufa population, the authors conducted an assessment of their compliance with the proposed criteria of geoecological thread (A, B, C). The authors proposed to merge water bodies of Ufa into the groups according to the degree of geoecological thread: I. А ; II. А+C or B+C ; III. А + B + C . It was established that the greatest geoecological thread for the population of Ufa is constituted by such water bodies as Teploe and Dolgoe.

The co-authors discuss the statistical analysis results of the atmospheric transparency evolution in Moscow territory within the last 35 years. The analysis shows the statistical increase of the global warming impact on the growing daily average visibility or the atmospheric transparency. The article presents statistical regularities of the risk increase of the atmosphere transparency deviations from its multiyear averages. The article notes the impact of atmospheric transparency on the risk of the increase in the weather anomalies, roof icing, as well as icing of power supply systems and communication, roads, bridges and other transport construction objects. It is also noted that the increase in temperature fluctuations amplitude, humidity, rainfall and other climatic loads leads to accelerated deterioration of building structures. The average increase in the number of atmospheric high transparency realizations increased almost 1.5 times for the last 35 years.If the trend persists for the current urban planning period (e.g., 100 years), the3,37 times increase in the number of days with high transparency is very realistic. The increase in atmosphere transparency will be accompanied by the concomitant rise of temperature, humidity, precipitation and wind speed oscillations.With the increasing duration of windless seasons we should also expect the concomitant growing risks of dry, hot and fire seasons. Such a global climate change process is of great importance for investors, self-regulatory organizations, owners of construction objects, managing and energy companies and insurers. It is also essential for municipal, regional and Federal urban planning companies.This problem in Russia and abroad is significantly intensified by previously unexpected growth of hazardous man-made and natural, climatic, geological and geophysical processes. These factors cause new and, as a result, non-normalized loads and impacts on buildings, structures and geoecological systems of the urbanized territories, which are beyond the project. In addition to the statistical data analysis of the Moscow atmospheric transparency evolution the authors also performed similar research on daily average visibility in different locations and on different continents.Such studies have been conducted by the authors in such cities as New-York, Anchorage, Buenos Aires, Niamey, London, Tokyo, Canberra and other cities of the planet. The analysis of geographical manifestations of atmosphere transparency evolution as a result of global climate change showed that the daily average visibility evolution observed in Moscow is of global nature. These results will be published by the authors in the coming series of articles on the subject.Global warming creates the problems of food security, urban population sustainment and construction adaptation to the new climatic realities in long perspective of urban planning. Solar radiation effect on the structures of buildings are among the most important climatic loads, which are taken into account in the regulations in the process of buildings and structures design.However, the excising regulatory documents contain no data about the evolution of solar irradiation over the building constructions throughout the buildings life cycle as a result of the continuing global warming. This remark also refers to the radiation intensity change as a result of the transparency or daily average visibility evolution.

The urban environment is a combination of man-made objects (buildings, roads, business-centers, engineering systems of heat, water, energy supply, waste disposal, water disposal, transport, food production, etc.) and elements of the natural environment, which together with the socio -economic factors (cultural-domestic servicing, health care, etc.) influence the population. In respect of its expansion and degree of impact, thermal pollution is one of the biggest forms of physical pollution of the environment: with a fairly high degree of certainty the size of fuel, hot water and steam consumption can be counted together with the degree of thermal pollution of the surrounding area. The problem of thermal pollution has two dimensions: global (planetary) and local.From the engineering point of view, fighting thermal pollution is identical to energy efficiency. The higher is the level of energy-saving policy and work, the more intense is the fight against thermal pollution.Modern urbosystems of major cities are composed not only of residential estate, but also of industrial buildings. Large shopping centers are recently becoming widespread in the cities. These centers and industrial buildings have large storage space as an important logistic element. Business development in Russia radically alters the fundamental approaches to the production and consumption of all types of energy. Considering continuous growth of energy prices, critical condition of municipal heating and electrical grids, unreasonably high tariffs for the service of grid companies, which are usually noncompetitive in the market, the power supply problem is becoming more urgent. Sometimes power and heat interruptions may result in big losses. Any owner is interested in reducing the risks. The trend is that modern business is refocused on the maximum autonomy, which supposes its own source of heat supply. During boiler construction, the question about the efficiency of capital investments, operating and energy costs rises. Capital costs are determined by the heat source power. Heat supply of storage and industrial buildings has a number of features, which should be taken into account during designing. Particularly important is the study of the engineering infrastructure of settlements, industrial complexes in actively developing urbosystems. Design of modern heating systems is running on ecological principles – energy efficiency and resource saving. In this case, the operation of an industrial complex requires uninterrupted heat supply with a view to minimizing costs such as the design and operating costs. The main difference with the housing complex is shooting heat consumption in the end of work shift.

In the paper the term definition "geological environment", given earlier by various researchers, is considered. It is emphasized that geological environment is changing and evolving with the times. This evolution is at the same time quantitative (a gradual increase in geological environment volume due to the increasing anthropogenic impacts on the lithosphere) and qualitative (changes in the geological environment).According to the authors, at the present time different definition should be given to the category "geological environment" in comparison to the previously used by different authors in different disciplines. Namely, the category "geological environment" should be understood not only by "eco-sense" as a habitat (partial) or activity environment (including economic and other activity), but also by the "noospheric sense" — as intelligently organized environment habitat (partial, along with other geospheres of the Earth) and human activity environment.The geological environment is not just "a part of the lithosphere .... etc. ", but also an essential component of the Earth's biosphere and ecosystems at various levels, including global level, ensuring their existence and operation. Therefore, if human activity deteriorates this environment, that leads to the destruction of ecosystems, which are in some way related to the geological environment, and to the environmental crisis, and ultimately — to the degradation of the entire civilization.Hence the alternative is necessary — the implementation of such a reasonable (noospheric, regulated and controlled) human activity, which would not worsen the geological environment, but on the contrary, would lead to its preservation and coexistence with other components of the Earth's biosphere, which excludes environmental crises.On the basis of this noospheric conception a new definition of the term "geological formation" is given: geological environment is the area of the upper lithosphere layers, which in the past, present or future is in collaboration with engineering and economic human activity, qualitatively and quantitatively evolving over time, and which is a component of natural or natural-industrial ecosystems, and the possible element of the geonoogenesis.

The main thread to geoecological safety of the environment is the disposed radioactive waste from the first stage of atomic industry development when even the concept of storage (disposal) of such waste was absent. Substantiation of further safe exploitation of radioactive waste (RW) storage site, because of the absence of an alternative, was carried out on the basis of geomonitoring observation, however the data of these works is not widely covered. Therefore the author of this article tried to summarize the results of decennial research of the development, introduction and improvement of geomonitoring methods at one of RW storage sites taking into account physical-geographical and geological conditions of its disposition. For geomonitoring conduction a net of boreholes was drilled with core sampling including sampling through RW mass as well as below storage facility foundation. Core material and boreholes themselves have become the objects of a lot of scientific researches: geological, hydrogeological, hydrochemical, geophysical, geothermal, radiochemical, physical-chemical and microbiological. Taking into account the migration of radionuclides in the site, engineering and technical arrangements were developed and introduced. Their implementation allows to prolong the validity period of the site.

In recent years the interest in simulation and construction of artificial island recreational complexes is increasing. Such complexes can include artificial beaches. However ensuring stability of such beaches in respect of their access to deep water, represents a complex scientific and technical challenge. Usually it is decided by the method of spatial physical modeling in wave basins which requires essential financial and time expenditures. Therefore the problem of developing mathematical model of the dynamics of island beaches is urgent, the same as its classifications according to physical modeling for one object with further use on other objects.In the article the author offers a mathematical model of wave transformation and dynamics of gravel beaches within artificial island complexes. The model consists of two parts. The first part is modeling of diffraction, refraction, transformation of waves and breakwater areas within island complexes. The second is modeling of dynamic balance profiles of beaches formation, sediment transport and dynamics of the coastline, including coastal protection structures.The results of hydraulic simulation on spatial model are given in the wave basin of gravel beach dynamics in the artificial island on the Southern coast of the Crimea near the cape Fiolent. The mathematical model is cross-checked according to these experiments and is offered for optimization of beach protection constructions while designing island beaches.

In the article the present stages of the urban planning development of the territory in non-classical and post-neoclassical science are discussed. The author carries out the judgment on the evolution of one of the directions of urban planning activity — the spatial planning. Three aspects of urban planning science (knowledge system, professional activity, social institute) are considered. The Author makes an attempt to define the role and position of town-planning science in a complex of interdependent and interacting branches of science.Sociocultural conditions of spatial planning development in the USSR are stated. Distinctive characteristics of the Russian urban planning process (economic, sociological and legal) are specified. The author offers the terminological comparison of definitions used in science in the sphere of urban planning development of the territories. The ambiguity of interpretation of the Russian term «town planning» and English term «spatial planning» and «regional planning» is specified.It is offered to consider spatial planning as complex scientific knowledge which operates the tools of synergetics. The theoretical formation model of the spatial environment of a settlement is taken for a basis. This model was developed by the Doctor of Architecture, professor Yu.V. Alekseev as a system of 4 organized objects: I —space of a closed construction (buildings and structures), II — space of an open construction, the organized urban planning space (spatial planning), III – the earth; IV — space of above ground territories; together with the differentiated functional processes, functions and factors.The purpose of the scientific research conducted by the author is to receive new knowledge in order to improve the theoretical model as a universal development project of settlements in the given territory, applicable in any concrete situation, allowing to solve all the problems by available means in the best way.

This article examines the current state of virtual organizational structures. The processes accompanying introduction of these technologies into the production environment are defined. For better disclosure of the semantic content of virtual technology their historical development and the main stages of formation are analyzed.At first there were more than enough obstacles to the development of virtual organizational structures, such as lack of fully formed legal framework, which should act as a guarantor of transparency and legitimacy for all the counterparties of virtual enterprise. Virtual organizational structures appeared abroad. Today they are increasingly penetrating the Russian market. It occurs within the framework of representative offices and branches of foreign companies, and in the structures of domestic enterprises. Increase in operation life of virtual enterprises without time binding to a specific project, creation of new forms and variations, expanding of the range of problems solved by means of new organizational forms, in other words, embrace of other sectors of the economy, cost optimization and simplification of creation and adaptation of virtual enterprises — these and many other issues need to be solved as part of the specified subject area and can serve as a basis for further research.

It is common in practice that life cycle of a product is divided into four stages: design, production, operation, utilization. Considering these four stages the study of construction companies’ performance was made and the approaches to design automation were investigated. Whereupon it is concluded that the four stages (design, production, operation and utilization) can be applied in terms of the life cycle of corporate information space (CIS) with some amendments and revisions.The article graphically represents the functional model of CIS lifecycle. The major part consists of recollecting the error data, its classification, systematization, CIS element improvement after another repetition of CIS integration.System maintenance is regular and minutely updating, according to end user’s requests, which is operated by one of corporate information systems, which are aimed at or adapted for particular purposes. At the next step, we move to CIS lifecycle. Efficient CIS lifecycle is represented graphically in the form of functional model. The key objective of the efficient lifecycle functional model is in continuous control of the CIS components, in collecting new requirements, searching the standard solutions among existing set of CIS elements. In case of absence of possibility or will to solve the particular problem, the search of new developer may be necessary, who can replace CIS component and build new component in the process of efficient CIS lifecycle.

This article is aimed at investigating the issue of improving the quality control efficiency of stone walls and other enclosing structures of buildings in the process of their construction. As an example, the article specifies the parameters and quality characters which lie in the basis of quality control of stone structures being constructed in our country.The prospects for improving the manufacturing quality control of stone walls and other enclosing structures based on the use of digital photography have been reviewed. An opportunity of remote production control over multiple quality parameters of these structures has been proved, which is based on the photographs using methods and means of color and texture analysis of the images at any stage of construction.This elaborate method of quality control allows to automate the inspection of types and sizes of stones used, thickness, binding and form of mortar seams, interlacing of header and stretcher courses, and also reinforced joints of masonry for compliance with the project and regulatory requirements, to identify uneven and contaminated sections of wall, to determine the area of the damaged sections, etc.The use of the elaborate method will be also efficient in quality control of other enclosing structures with the surfaces, which — like masonry — tend to have seam texture, e.g. stone arch coverings and covering elements, including roof coatings made of block, sheet and roll materials.The article contains illustrations of several results of color and texture analysis of photographic images that display brick walls in the form of block diagrams and linear profiles, built with the help of special computer programs.

Nowadays among searching methods of parametric optimization of constructions the special place is held by the bionic methods based on adaptive behavior of living organisms. These methods are called "adaptive behavior" and can be applied to a problem of optimization of constructions. In this case the process of task solution represents purposeful behavior of a group of agents, governed by a goal — the criterion of optimization. Each agent of the considered collective represents a model of an artificial organism. It consists of external and internal environment. The external environment is expressed through the values of nodal voltage and displacements that occur in an element. The internal environment consists of six functional blocks. The main characteristic of the internal environment of an agent is the condition of the agent. It is expressed through a logical function of all restrictions performance, it is equal to 1 if all the conditions are satisfied, and 0 — otherwise. The considered conditions of the agent express motives of its behavior: the intention to succeed optimization (a minimum of a construction volume) and the intention to keep load bearing capacity of a construction. Possible actions of the agent that express a choice of section size of an element correspond to motives. The process of choosing actions on the basis of two motivations represents the finite Markov process. It can be carried out by means of a reinforcement learning method. In this method the agent earns some reward for each action (positive or negative). The goal of the agent's behavior is to maximize the total reward. The agent makes an assessment of each action for planning the behavior strategy. The choice of the behavior strategy is carried out on the basis of this assessment. As all goals of agents are connected by all-system law of behavior, it allows to carry out purposeful behavior and to optimize the construction.

The author’s objective is to drive the attention of specialists in civil engineering to the problem of application of the logic of relay contact circuits in the field of design and construction of buildings. The logic of relay contact circuits was developed by V.I. Shestakov, an outstanding Russian physicist and mathematician. The author demonstrates how the solutions based on formal logic laws can serve to optimize electric circuits. In the article, the author continues his research into the problem of logic in civil engineering initiated in his prior works concerning the logic-based research performed by N.M. Gersevanov, a hydraulic engineer. The author emphasizes the continuity of the idea of logic application in technology and civil engineering. Logical implications represented typical constituents of the works of Russian scientists who addressed the issue of the logical knowledge characterization in the 20ies—40ies of the 20th century. Yet the complexities that domestic scholars had to resolve when substantiating the priority of their discoveries were also evident.The author also considers the reasons of the poor attention of domestic and international academic communities to innovatory developments of the Russian scholar who was able to consolidate the theoretical and natural science approaches within the scope of the logic. This issue is discussed in the final section of the article. The author considers it necessary to insist on the priority of domestic developments in the area of applying logic in technology-intensive industries. The author provides examples from the history of science and technology to substantiate his viewpoint.

Computer aided design (CAD) and computer aided engineering (CAE) systems are significant tools in modern construction industry. More computations have to be run and handled to achieve the desired accuracy for more detailed models. Therefore, solver of sparse systems of linear algebraic equations is an important and time-consuming part of such software. Raising productivity of conventional clusters has become more complicated. Graphics processor units (GPU) may reach many folds higher productivity than standard CPU, especially in massive data operations. The paper suggests simple and productive technique of speeding up existing solver by implementation of GPU computing.The solver performs Cholesky factorization and is effectively omp-parallelized. Profiling indicated that matrix multiplications executed by standard BLAS library took up to eighty per cent of solver time running. Hence it was possible to distribute tasks between CPU and GPU dynamically by slight code modifications using standard BLAS interface.Proper matrices sizes were identified as data transfer between CPU and GPU. Data transfer takes too long, and multiplication of smaller matrices on GPU would slow down the solver. Allocation of pinned memory improved cooperation between processing units, while enabling the asynchronous transfer increased the load of the GPU. Cuda streams were associated with every omp thread to avoid queues of GPU calls. All the settings may be considerably different depending on hardware and software available, so tests were run on multiple computer configurations.Up to date the factorization time running is reduced by forty to sixty per cent. In order to further enhance the application, it is planned to implement multi-GPU and optimize matrix multiplication algorithm.

Noosphere is considered as modern state of biosphere, which appeared as a result of scientific, artistic and labour activity of people. The theory of noosphere is a biospheric-noospheric concept of V.I. Vernadsky, which postulates transfer from biosphere to noosphere, which must definitely happen. Within the limits of each civilization the problems of energy supply, creation of favorable living environment and waste disposal — inevitable end product of antroposhere — are being solved. The latter is a separate complicated problem and the lines of approach are not found yet. Many other modern problems: political, ideological, economic — are often solved not from the perspective of rationality. Sometimes mind activity is used for destructive purposes, including modern types of weapons. Construction activity supposes the creation of something new, necessary for people. In this sense construction as philosophic category corresponds to the ideas of Vernadsky, according to which he wanted to see our future harmonical and sustainable, but not self-destructive.