The paper presents town-planning, architectural, and landscape characteristic features of a classic Italian Garden. The fifteen characteristic features were approved in home gardens and suburban villas of Ancient Roma. In this paper they are unified in three thematic groups that include the appropriate choice of place, regular planning, arrangement of terraces and staircases, wide use of light natural stone, noisy water springs and ancient sculpture, arrangement of green fences of different height, creeping plants, laconic color schemes and geometry of flower-beds and lawns, etc. The paper contains beautiful photographs.

The article presents historical and architectural research of three Tomsk synagogues built in the late 19th and early 20th century. New archival materials and graphics, information on little-known historical facts, the analysis of each church house are given herein. The graphical representation is given for the wooden Soldier’s synagogue designed by Fishel and Langer, Tomsk architects. Tomsk synagogues are described in accordance with the spatial planning. The place and role of Judaism church houses in Tomsk is stated as well as the value of this architectural heritage in design of new church houses.

The paper presents the analyzes Tomsk and Novosibirsk replanning in 1925. These were some of the first major urban development projects of the Soviet period in West Siberia. The projects designed independently are presented herein that, nevertheless observe common principles of the garden city idea. The landscape of both cities also had common features that have been determined by West Siberia specificity. Accounting for regional characteristics resulted in similar planning solutions.

The paper presents the spatial, planning, and stylistic properties of wood and stone-wood architecture in the city of Syzran late in 19th and early 20th centuries. The professional assessment of anonymous wood and stone-wood architecture of the city is given for the first time. Architecture of Syzran is considered herein in the context of wood architecture developed in other cities of Samara province including Samara. The typology of wood and stone-wood buildings is suggested by the number of storeys and the material combinations. Investigated are the characteristic features and architecture of these types of buildings, namely window trimmers and open sheds.

The paper presents the problem of optimization methods used for structural strengthening. The parameters of structure to be strengthen are converted into restrictions, while variable parameters include strengthening ones. Criteria are suggested in this work allow the minimum materials consumption of the H-beam strengthening under the restrictions of the critical load or the first eigenfrequency. The examples of a complex use of optimizing methods and criteria are given in this paper.

The paper presents the estimated method of calculating non-stationary acoustic fields in rooms, based on the diffuse-reflection model of the acoustic reflection. This method allows obtaining the acoustic energy properties of non-stationary acoustic fields and provides the best estimate of room acoustics in terms of the formation and propagation of acoustic waves. The method implementation is assisted by the developed computer program which makes possible to detect the sound-pressure level, maximum and minimum levels, reverberation time, and construct diagrams of reflected and total acoustic energy at computational points.

The paper presents the fracture analysis of masonry structural elements at different levels of adhesive strength between brick and mortar. A method of phase boundary definition between elastic and plastic masonry deformation is suggested under in-creasing load. The calculation of and rationale for masonry plastic properties are de-scribed for different levels of normal adhesion. The results of numerical analysis al-low detecting the influence of adhesive strength on processes of plastic deformation and properties of masonry. Research results can be used to formulate criteria of limit states of masonry exposed to lateral and seismic loads.

The paper presents the experimental results on masonry fragment exposed to static load. The diagonal loading scheme is used allowing to create main tensile stresses in the middle of masonry and estimate their impact on its fracture. Noncontact techniques are used for the surface deformation measurements that allow detecting the sequence and the nature of crack propagation during fracture. Investigations show that crack initiation is induced by tangent deformations in vertical joints of masonry. The load increase provides main tensile deformations that induce the fracture of masonry.

The paper presents research results on the stress-strain state of reinforced concrete beams with different types of normal and horizontal cracks. The diagrams of the material deformations and deflections are given depending on the relative bending moment. The paper presents formulas for strength design of bending reinforced concrete elements with cracks. The analysis of normal and horizontal cracks is given in relation to their effect on the material deformation and deflection.

The paper presents research results on the longitudinal compression tests of laminated beams under static and dynamic loads. The experimental data allow the detection of the nature of deformation and failure and the failure load. The flexure/load dependencies are obtained. A comparative analysis of static and dynamic load tests is presented in this paper that allows the determination of the dynamic load factors.

The paper presents the digital radiography and X-ray computerized tomography applications in construction and production of construction materials. Mechanical rebar splicing and steel wire rope coupling is controlled by the digital radiography technique. Experimental results are given for the internal structure of foam concrete and steel wire ropes using the three-dimensional model of X-ray computerized tomography. The efficiency of the digital radiography and X-ray computerized tomography techniques is proved by the fine-tuning production technology of structural members and construction materals.

The paper presents the corrosive effect produced by sucrose on cement hardening. It is shown that additives synthesized in suspensions of cement-water-sucrose system allow controlling the structure formation process and facilitating cement setting and hardening. On the contrary, sucrose solutions used in the capacity of mixing water results in a dramatic decrease of cement setting and hardening. The experimental data are obtained by X-ray diffraction analysis and infrared spectroscopy techniques.

The paper presents the protective coating technology for polycarbonate-based materials and products. The initial stage implies the destruction of the surface layer with hydrogen peroxide and the subsequent application of fine powder of calcium sulfate dehydrate previously suspended in organic solvents. As a result, a strong interlayer is formed on the polycarbonate surface possessing the adhesive capacity to practically all industrial coatings and clays. The suggested compositions and coating technology allow the significant improvement of operational characteristics of polycarbonate-based materials and ultraviolet resistance.

The experimental setup and methodology of detecting heat power of aluminum radiator are suggested in this paper. Research results on four types of 7-section radiators are given at their downward connection. Heat carrier consumption is produced by the precision liquid thermostat with temperature control unit. Measurement results of heat power in different units are shown herein as well as power deviations from that one indicated in specifications.

The paper presents investigations of the ratio between convective and radiative heat transfer. The implementation of the suggested research method allows the estimation of the individual contribution of convection and radiation in the operating temperature range. The research method is underlain by the processing experimental data on the dynamic thermal conditions of a heat appliance. The obtained experimental dependencies between the heat-transfer factor and the temperature drop, demonstrate the convection and radiation proportions in the heat transfer. The experiment shows that in cast-iron and aluminum space heaters the change of this proportion within the operating temperature range, is linear.

The paper presents the problem of load-bearing members of bridges exposed to loads produced by heavy and ultra heavy vehicles including trafficway defects. A structural design is implemented for the identification and estimation of automated control for dynamic properties of bridge span beams accounting for trafficway potholes. It is shown that servicing properties are changed due to non-standard vehicles. Deformation properties of bridge spans are obtained herein.

The paper presents the experimental research of cavitation and the structure of its flow in the laboratory cavitation mixing disperser at different flow rates. Due to the transparence of the outlet fitting, the structure of the liquid flow can be observed during the formation and stabilization of cavitation. It allows the appropriate preparation of bitumen suspensions using the principle of cavitation mixing dispergating.

ORGANO-MINERAL MATERIALS The paper presents investigation results on properties of fiber-reinforced materials that show that this reinforcement significantly improves the structural-mechanical properties of asphalt concretes. Herewith, the fiber reinforcement enhances these properties at positive temperatures, while organic substances contained in fiber of waste sorbents, improve crack resistance of asphalt concrete at negative temperatures, thereby enhancing the structure of its adsorption layer.