Energy absorption in railway station roofs reinforced with low-carbon nanotubes for improved building efficiency

The objective of this research is to examine the use of multi-phase nanocomposites as roof covering on a railway station, assessing their performance with respect to energy absorption and dynamic characteristics as roof covering for railway stations. In particular, the focus will be on developing a trilevel configuration of silicon-based solar roof covering materials for railway stations consisting of three layers; a carbon fibre composite, a polymer component and a low carbon (LC) nanotube reinforcement layer. This study will investigate the intended benefits of using advanced materials in developing the roof systems on railway stations in terms of their mechanical and energy harvesting capabilities when subjected to real-life service conditions. The structural response of the railway station roof is predicted from Von Kármán nonlinear geometric relations for large deformation using dynamic loads typically experienced by railway stations from wind and other environmental effects. In this work, a detailed simulation is created to investigate the performance of the containable nano-composite material layered nano-composite material (CM) in rooftop construction in response to the effects of wind induced vibrations and force impacts. The role of LC in enhancing the rigidity, damping, and energy absorption is especially emphasized. Parametric studies are conducted to determine if adding LC to the layer would produce an increase in structural durability and longevity when used in the construction of roof systems within train stations and would decrease the amount of long-term maintenance required because of the increase in structural integrity. This research concluded that LC-reinforced nano-composite solar-roofs (nanocomposite) provided the potential for environmentally friendly and sustainable solutions for rooftops located within future railway stations. In addition, these systems improved performance, resiliency, and efficiency of railway stations functioning in dynamic environmental conditions.