The Building Materials Durability Model (BMDM): A Comparative Model for Service Life Factors Affecting Materials Selection.
Abstract
Construction materials account for a major portion of building costs, affecting the costs of initial construction, continued maintenance, habitability, and eventual demolition of a building. The initial selection of a construction material may depend on a number of complex and often intangible factors, but the total initial and long-term costs of using any building material system is one of the most important parameters for U.S. Army planners and budgeteers. The objective of this research was to investigate the feasibility of using modeling and simulation techniques as the basis for a tool to help Army facility designers and engineers select materials for optimal life-cycle economy and serviceability. The researchers developed algorithms representing various materials durability parameters and environmental stimuli, and integrated these into a prototype Building Materials Durability Model (BMDM). This report discusses the logic and assumptions used in developing BMDM, and describes the results of hypothetical simulations on token building elements tested in two different climates. It is concluded that BMDM could be extended, refined, and used with Monte Carlo simulations to reliably project and compare materials durability costs. (MM)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1996
- Accession Number
- ADA303481
Entities
People
- D. A. Lange
- F. V. Lawrence
- I. D. Parsons
- K. D. Hjelmstad
- R. F. Quattrone
Organizations
- Construction Engineering Research Laboratory