Columbaria, serving as repositories for urns with the ashes of the deceased, represent a significant element of funerary architecture, whose form has evolved considerably throughout history. From ancient Roman structures, characterized by the regular division of niches for urn placement, to contemporary minimalist, eco-friendly, and digitally connected burial spaces, columbaria reflect changes in approaches to cremation and funerary culture in general. This article presents the architectural development of columbaria, emphasizing material solutions, spatial organization, and technological innovations.

Funerary architecture, in conjunction with funeral rituals and religious traditions, has undergone numerous transformations over the centuries. These changes have been influenced by technological advancements, shifts in the perception of death and the afterlife, as well as urban and hygienic requirements of different historical periods. This article outlines the historical development of funerary architecture, its main forms, social and religious aspects, and presents the most significant funerary structures that have shaped history and continue to influence contemporary approaches to funerary architecture. The primary focus is on the diversity of architectural forms of funerary structures, their symbolism, and their role in the collective memory of society.

The fourth and last part of the series of articles on the problem of masonry buildings situated in floodplains deals with the problem of loading of buildings during the passage of a flood wave. Specifically, the calculation of the load from the vertical buoyancy of water from the flood wave, the load from the dynamic pressure and the load from the dynamic effect of a floating object.

The third part of the series of articles on the problems of masonry buildings located in flood-prone areas deals with the possibilities of rehabilitation of damp masonry partitions after the water from the flood wave has hit. Furthermore, it deals with the issue of underground structures and the flood area, which is also a submerged area. The third part concludes with an introduction to the issue of loading of buildings during the passage of a flood wave.

The second part of the first series of articles on the problems of masonry buildings located in floodplains deals with the peculiarities of historic and listed buildings. It also deals with the treatment of expansion joints, protection against water pressure and the treatment of the internal distribution of technical equipment of buildings. Last but not least, it deals with the issue of rehabilitation of buildings after a flood wave.

This paper begins the first part of a series of articles on the issue of masonry buildings located in floodplains. The first part deals with the general issue of securing existing buildings against the effects of a flood wave, as well as specific possibilities of implementing additional structural modifications to existing buildings. Both in terms of the internal layout and the possibilities of static securing of the supporting structures.

Moisture affects the strength of wood. The strength decreases with increasing humidity. Excessive moisture in wood allows the growth of wood-decay fungi. They attack the building covertly and can cause great damage before they are detected. Wood can be protected against wood-decay fungi by impregnation. Its use in residential buildings is problematic. That is why structural protection is used, i.e. incorporating the wood into the building in such a way that it does not get wet or even soaked and its natural drying out is ensured. During the lifetime of a building, timber can be threatened by high humidity in the structure, condensation, water vapour, leakage or failure of water supply systems and, for example, flooding. It is wise to measure the moisture content of timber in structures and to react in good time to excessive moisture content. Unfortunately, there are not many ways to do this. The method described in this article addresses the monitoring of moisture in timber enclosed in structures.

The paper deals with the design of recycled asphalt mixtures for the bound base layers of pavements. These mixtures are made up of almost 100% reclaimed asphalt mixture adjusted by crushing to a suitable wide fraction. Suitable binder added to the recycled asphalt mixture or heated to a low temperature or is processed by a combination of these technological procedures. The research described in the contribution follows on from the newly created standard ČSN 73 6147 “Recycling of structural layers of roads in the cold”.

This paper focuses on fire safety solutions for warehouses according to ČSN 73 0845. For comparison, the requirements set by the legislation in Portugal and Canada are analysed, as well as the requirements set by the NFPA (The National Fire Protection Association). The different approaches are compared and the most important differences are mentioned, especially in relation to current trends in warehousing. Finally, a software tool created in the Python programming language called “Warehouse Operations Group” is introduced. This tool is used to classify the fire compartment of a warehouse into a group of warehouse operations according to the method set out in Annex A of ČSN 73 0845. The process of determination simplifies and eliminates any errors that may enter into the calculation.

This paper presents the results of an experimental investigation into fully transparent bonded joints for load-bearing glass structures. The research specifically focused on the surface properties of glass that affect the load-bearing capacity of the joints, such as surface energy, wettability, and roughness. It also discusses the differences between the tin and air sides of the glass sheets.
The findings are supported by tests conducted at the Faculty of Civil Engineering at CTU between 2021 and 2023. Tensile and dynamic tests of the selected adhesive LOCTITE^® EA 9455 as well as shear tests of single-shear glass-to-glass joints, were evaluated, with a focus on the load-bearing capacity of the joints at elevated temperatures.
The paper concludes with a summary of the results and suggests their implications for engineering practice.

The article focuses on the importance of regular inspections and maintenance of smaller steel structures, such as roof walkways, fire escape stairs, or railings, from the perspective of applicable legal regulations and technical standards. It highlights the key requirements of ČSN 73 2604 and other legislative measures that ensure the safety and long-term reliability of these structures. The text also provides practical advice on inspection procedures, inspection frequency, and inspector qualifications. This article serves as a valuable guide for property owners and professionals in occupational health and safety (OHS) and facility management.

The building industry produces more than 30% of the European Union's waste. To reduce this waste, buildings should be designed in line with the principles of the circular economy, so that the products and materials they contain can be removed and reused at the end of the building's life cycle. Therefore, a modular system has been designed, the load-bearing part of which is made up of prefabricated frames composed of plywood. To verify the actual reuse potential of the structure, an experiment was carried out in which a house was assembled and operated for one year. After dismantling the house, the reuse potential of each element was assessed. In this paper, the potential of the main elements of the system for reuse, which overall amounts to 98% by weight of materials used in the system, is described, together with the key barriers to material recovery of the dismantled elements.

The paper presents soft densification as a phenomenon suitable for the sustainable development of ageing suburban housing of larger cities in the Czech Republic. The background, potential, and risks are described using literature and foreign practical experience and suggest the possible application of this strategy in Czech conditions. A description of the spatial types of soft densification regarding the reserves of existing land and houses, and a description of the main actors of the phenomenon serve as a basis for further research. The article also includes an introduction of the online database of Dense Satellites, which was created to collect good practice projects and popularize the topic among the wider public.

The efficient classification of materials in construction debris is crucial for their sorting and further valuable utilization. Current methods, whether relying on force sorters or separators, are reaching their limitations. In many cases, construction and demolition waste materials end up being downcycled or even sent to landfills. Our contribution is divided into two parts. The first part presents facts relating to the production of construction and demolition waste in the EU and justifies the urgency of responsible waste management. It also recaps the development of indirect methods of classification and briefly describes types of suitable sensors for material observation and algorithms for data evaluation. The second part describes our classification solution, developed by the faculties of civil engineering and electrical engineering at CTU in Prague. This method is based on the evaluation of data obtained with ordinary RGB cameras.

The efficient classification of materials in construction debris is crucial for their sorting and further valuable utilization. Current methods, whether relying on force sorters or separators, are reaching their limitations. In many cases, construction and demolition waste materials end up being downcycled or even sent to landfills. Our contribution is divided into two parts. The first part presents facts relating to the production of construction and demolition waste in the EU and justifies the urgency of responsible waste management. It also recaps the development of indirect methods of classification and briefly describes types of suitable sensors for material observation and algorithms for data evaluation. The second part describes our classification solution, developed by the faculties of civil engineering and electrical engineering at CTU in Prague. This method is based on the evaluation of data obtained with ordinary RGB cameras.

The Prague and Brno Building Regulations approved in 2024 no longer require compliance with daylighting requirements in dwelling rooms in buildings with a closed or semi-closed construction line. In these buildings, it should be sufficient to prove that the window area is at least one tenth of the room floor area. The paper deals with the daylighting evaluation in differently obstructed rooms whose window area is exactly 10% of the room floor area.

The transparent roof and its position predestined it to the position of the primary element from the point of view of the potential of using solar radiation. Climate change brings an increase in outside temperature and the number of sunny days, which can lead to unwanted overheating of buildings. Preservation of optical properties and elimination of thermal gains can be solved by a dynamic glass system. Thermochromic glass systems have a high potential for transparent roof coverings and through gradual development can be an optimal solution for autonomous regulation and limitation of overheating in the summer.

The article presents a project submitted by TAČR in the Environment for Life section 2. The goal of the project is to find the application of recycled glass fractions from photovoltaic panels in the field of construction. The project focuses on three basic silicate building materials, which are able to incorporate glass recyclate shards into their structure during the hydration, firing and melting process. The paper specifies the first results of testing possibilities for use of glass recyclate from photovoltaic panels for concrete masonry units. It compares particular recipes and its physical and mechanical properties with the main focus on the compressive strength. It then compares the values of these recipes with the values of commonly used composite materials for masonry units without recyclates.

The paper discusses the possibilities of diagnosing historical masonry structures by using non-destructive and destructive testing methods. First, the compressive strength of the masonry elements and the compressive strength of the mortar are determined, then the characteristic compressive strength of the masonry is calculated. It is important to assess the bond of the masonry and determine the presence of cracks. Finally, the moisture content and salinity of the masonry shall be determined.