Sustainable Civil Engineering at the Beginning of Third Millennium

Commodity plastics are being used in many applications due to their low density, high durability, and relatively low cost. Their wide usage and degradable nature create environmental problems. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is the one of most used plastics and the second largest contributor to the global plastic waste. The scientific literature suggests a global effort for utilizing PET waste in building materials including concrete, mortars, and cementitious composites, in the form of granules, powder or fibres. This study aims to contribute to the knowledge about the material behavior of Recycled PET Fibre Reinforced Mortars (RPFRMs) by investigating the influence of fibres on some physical and mechanical properties of a cementitious render mortar.Recycled-PET monofilaments with 0.45 mm diameter were chopped into fibres with 6 mm length. RPFRM mixtures with varying fibre volume fractions (0.5, 1.0 and 1.5%) were prepared and tested. The fresh properties were assessed by measuring the fresh density, and mean flow diameter. The influence of recycled PET fibres on the mechanical properties of render mortars were investigated using flexural strength and compressive strength. Furthermore, water absorption coefficient of the specimens was also measured for briefly investigating the influence of recycled-PET fibre addition on durability properties.

The construction industry’s increasing focus on sustainability has led to a growing interest in Stabilized Rammed Earth (SRE) as a low-carbon and affordable building material. However, SRE’s widespread adoption has been hindered by its relatively low strength and durability. This review explores the potential of alkali activation to enhance the mechanical properties of SRE. Alkali activation involves using alkaline solutions to activate pozzolanic materials, such as fly ash, slag, or calcined clay, to form a hardened binder. The review compares the mechanical properties of traditional stabilized rammed earth with its alkali-activated counterparts, investigating the effects of alkali activation on structural integrity, durability, and overall performance. Various methodologies of alkali activation are discussed, along with an explanation of the underlying chemical reactions and mechanisms involved. Additionally, the review examines the use of lime-gypsum and cement additives to improve the compressive strength and durability of SRE. The incorporation of fibers, such as polypropylene, straw, plastic, and marble dust, is explored for further enhancing the mechanical properties. The findings highlight the potential of alkali activation in improving the mechanical properties of SRE. Optimal binder compositions, replacement percentages, and selection of alkali activators are crucial factors in achieving high-performance SRE structures. Further research is needed to fine-tune these parameters and fully unlock the potential of alkali-activated SRE for sustainable construction practices.

This research investigates incorporating locally produced wastes which are marble dust waste (MDW) and shredded fibrous plastic wastes (SFPW) on the physical and mechanical properties of normal strength concrete. For this particular reason, testing program that involves 20 different mixtures of concrete is developed. MDW is utilized as a cement’s replacement in concrete with the percentages of 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20. On the other hand, SFPW is used as an additive by means of the cement volumes with a proportion of 0, 2, 3 and 5%. The influence of these mixtures on the fresh concrete slump, compressive and splitting tensile strength, and flexural strength were studied. Results indicated that physical characteristics such as workability was affected slightly. On the other hand, the mechanical response does vary where it outperforms the control mixture at some replacement levels and underperform at high replacement levels. It is concluded that the optimal replacement levels of the MDW and SFPW is 5% and 2%, respectively.

There is an international push to incorporate materials such as waste plastic, rubber and biomass, amongst other products, into construction systems to enhance sustainability and reuse waste. This paper investigates the fire risk associated with incorporating (a) continuous-, (b) macro- (large, distinct fuel packages), and (c) micro-encapsulated (small, dispersed pieces) combustible materials, along with (d) biomass into construction systems. Heat release rates, fire growth rates, smoke production, fire resistance ratings, firefighting requirements and general building safety can be influenced when these materials are used. Fire risk cannot be ignored and may be one of the biggest barriers to various sustainable construction systems. A challenge to be overcome is to define what level of smoke and energy release is considered safe. Many of the systems will readily obtain a standard fire resistance rating and pass reaction-to-fire tests, meaning that they are permitted according to building codes. Of the systems considered, plastered masonry systems with micro-encapsulation are likely to present a low fire risk, with continuously-encapsulated waste plastic systems presenting a high fire risk. Outer plaster layers, which function as passive protection, are often essential in protecting combustible internal materials.

Permeability plays a crucial role in determining the durability of concrete structures, particularly their susceptibility to corrosion. This study explores the potential of sulfur concrete as a protective insulator for concrete surfaces. A comparative analysis is conducted to assess the permeability of sulfur concrete (SC), conventional concrete covered with 1 mm sulfur cover (CC-SC), and conventional Portland cement concrete (CC). The investigation includes evaluations of water absorption, void percentage, and accelerated corrosion tests. The time taken for crack initiation and propagation to reach a 1 mm width is recorded. The results demonstrate that sulfur concrete exhibits lower porosity and water absorption, highlighting its waterproof properties and ability to reduce permeability. Significantly, sulfur concrete effectively blocks current flow in the accelerated corrosion test, acting as an insulating barrier. Additionally, cracks in the Portland cement concrete specimens appear after 6 and 9 days for initial crack formation and a 1 mm crack width, respectively. However, when a 1 mm sulfur layer is applied to the surface of the Portland cement concrete, the first crack occurs after 7 days, with a 1 mm crack width observed after 12 days. This indicates that the sulfur cover provides protection for the reinforced concrete and delays the corrosion process. It is important to note that although the sulfur cover delays corrosion in Portland cement concrete, it does not entirely prevent it. Further research and the implementation of additional preventive measures are recommended to address this limitation and enhance corrosion resistance.

Fibers use in cement-based composites have drawn interest of scientific community due to its contribution to flexural performance and other engineering properties. Contribution to environmental impact is considered as minor but cost of these materials is the major challenge for the production of cost-effective approaches. Polypropylene fiber (PF) and dog hair (DH) were used to, proportion of 0.25% of total binder content, in this study to reinforce cement pastes produced with Portland cement (PC) and wood ash (WA) cements. WA was used to replace PC with proportions of 5 and 10% in aiming to promote cleaner production. Composite pastes were tested for slump, flow table, fresh and hardened densities, compressive and flexural strengths. Environmental and economic sustainability of composites pastes were further investigated.Results suggest that engineering properties were influenced by chemical and physical aspects of the materials used. PF and DH utilized WA cement pastes had lower fresh properties. Strength values were improved at 14d and beyond through pozzolanic reactions. Synthetic and natural fibers had quite similar performances. Results also suggest that both PF and DH could be used to promote sustainable approaches.

In the modern era, technological devices have become an indispensable aspect of students’ lives. However, effectively engaging these students, who are well-versed in technology, and catering present preferred learning styles, presents a significant challenge. The discrepancies in teaching and learning methods have resulted in issues such as student disengagement, decreased learning aptitude, and limited knowledge retention. Augmented Reality (AR), a visualization technology, provides promising opportunities to involve these students in a dynamic, collaborative, and socially interactive learning environment. By employing 3D AR models for various structural exercises, both building science and architecture students can experience an immersive and meaningful learning journey, thereby greatly stimulating their interest in the subject matter. The objective of this study is to empirically measure the improvements in students’ comprehension of building structures through the utilization of AR applications. The research methodology employs a mixed-methods approach for comprehensive data collection. The outcomes of the study demonstrate a significant enhancement in students’ learning outcomes and knowledge retention when integrating AR technology into the learning process. It is expected that the findings of this study will provide valuable insights for educators seeking to effectively implement advanced visualization technologies in their courses, ultimately enhancing students’ learning experiences and facilitating better knowledge retention in the subject matter.

This review paper synthesizes the existing literature on the integration of smart cameras within digital quality management systems (QMS) for the construction industry. It provides an overarching perspective on how digital QMS, enhanced by smart camera technology, addresses key challenges in construction quality, safety, and efficiency. The paper begins by exploring the general benefits of digital QMS in construction, emphasizing the role of smart cameras in automating process monitoring and issue detection. It then categorizes the literature on various types of smart cameras and their broad capabilities, such as image recognition and real-time analysis, in the context of construction. The review highlights the prevalent themes in the application of smart cameras in construction, such as site safety monitoring and progress assessment, drawing on common findings from existing studies. Further, it identifies the main challenges highlighted in the literature, including cost implications, privacy concerns, and the need for technical expertise. The paper underscores the gaps in current research, particularly in the integration of smart cameras with other emerging technologies like drones and wearable devices. It concludes by emphasizing the need for continued research and development to enhance the effectiveness and usability of smart cameras in digital QMS for construction, suggesting areas for future investigation.

This study aims at investigating cost overruns in road construction, rehabilitation, and/or improvement projects that are financed partially or entirely by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). A dataset comprising 70 completed road projects that experienced cost overrun in the course of the year 1990 to 2015 is generated using their project completion reports. The dataset was developed using a variety of project characteristics including starting date of the project, completion report date, country, operation type, type of road access provision, length of the road, total project delay, total project cost overrun, civil work-related cost overrun, cost overrun causes related to civil works. Furthermore, different statistical analyses including descriptive analysis, frequency analysis, and cross-tabulation analysis are first performed to describe the dataset while other inferential analyses such as deferential and correlational hypothesis testing aimed at exploring the differences and relationships between various project characteristics and cost overrun. The results from hypothesis testing revealed that there are meaningful differences among different project operation and road access provision types. Focusing on the examination of the causes and consequences of the cost overruns in road construction projects funded by ADB, the results of this study could be an indication of enhancing project planning, project monitoring, improved risk response plan, and identification of the project characteristics that could assist prevention of the cost overruns. Eventually, the outcomes provide valuable insights for project managers, policymakers, and other stakeholders involved in the road construction industry.

The use of shaking table tests to investigate the dynamic behavior of soil-structure interaction dates back several decades. In this study the response of a laboratory scale mat foundation constructed on well-graded fine sand under cyclic loading conditions was examined. The study also sought to evaluate the impact of geotextile reinforcement on the dynamic behavior of the mat foundation. Six tests were conducted under both unsaturated and saturated conditions, with and without geotextile reinforcement. The results of the tests revealed that incorporating geotextile into both unsaturated and saturated sand resulted in a decrease in the acceleration of the model foundation. These findings highlight the potential of geotextile reinforcement as an effective means of improving the performance of mat foundations on fine-grained soils subjected to cyclic loading. The results may have implications for the design and construction of mat foundations in real-world applications, particularly in earthquake-prone regions where cyclic loading is a major concern.

In this research, the efficacy of recycled concrete sand (RCS), a by-product of demolished concrete structures, as an alternative to traditional lime for soil stabilization was investigated. The study examined RCS from four different categories of parent concrete, sorted based on their original compressive strengths (30–39 MPa, 40–49 MPa, 50–59 MPa, and 60–69 MPa), applied to lean clay soil. Hydrated lime and natural sand were used as comparative references. Key assessments were performed using Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCS) test to investigate the mechanical property of the stabilized soils after 28 days of curing. The study observed an increase in pH values due to calcium hydroxide leaching from RCS, resulting in improved soil strength. A direct correlation was found between the parent concrete strength and the 7th-day strength of the stabilized soil, revealing higher strength in the soil stabilized with RCS derived from stronger parent concrete. Additionally, the physical shape of the RCS, due to the impact crushing method, facilitated better interlocking and binding mechanisms. The research concludes that RCS has potential for soil stabilization, enhancing its mechanical properties. However, further investigations on durability are needed to fully comprehend the potentiality of RCS in this application. This study contributes to the expanding body of knowledge regarding sustainable and cost-effective alternatives in the construction industry.

The safe and rapid disposal of radioactive is an issue of great importance. The leakage from radioactive wastes should be prevented. In the storage of nuclear wastes (radionuclides), the wastes are regularly placed in a sealed, gas and water-free copper container called a canister. In order to prevent the canister from being damaged by a movement in the bedrock or by dangerous substances that may be present in the groundwater, it is covered with a buffer material. Some countries use multiple barrier systems to isolate the waste. Here comes the bedrock that acts as the primary buffer, followed by the engineered barrier system that surrounds it. While the primary buffer material here is the bedrock itself, the secondarily engineered barrier system is the materials positioned between the canister and the bedrock consisting of bentonite or sand-bentonite mixture. In this study, 10% bentonite-90%sand mixture was chosen and the thermal modeling of sand-bentonite mixture as a buffer material around the nuclear waste landfill was performed using the Code Bright Program. In order to use in the analyses, the thermal conductivity values of the mixture and other necessary thermal parameters were measured. At the end of the analysis with 100-years final interval value, it was determined that the temperature in the canister reached 197.96 ℃, and 111.48 ℃ in a part of the green colored zone where the 10B-90S mixture was used as a buffer.

The application of cavity expansion methods in geotechnical engineering has been extensively developed in the last six decades and has resulted in solutions of great interest, such as in situ soil testing and pile foundations. This paper presents a large-strain analytical solution which allows obtaining the constitutive properties of clay from the pressure-expansion curve of a spherical cavity. The theory applies to the interpretation of static cone penetration tests, which are often modelled as spherical expansion processes in an unbounded medium. Shear stress-strain curves of clay are found from experimental pressure-expansion relationships, without making assumptions regarding the constitutive properties of the material, i.e., elastic and elastic-plastic. The only assumptions made are that the expansion takes place under undrained conditions and an initial hydrostatic stress field. For illustration purposes, the theory is applied to the determination of clay properties from two idealized spherical expansion relationships which are known to yield strain-hardening and strain-softening responses. The solution is also obtained for the case when the expansion takes place in a clay medium of finite outer radius.

This study presents experiments to find out if recycled asphalt pavements (RAP) or waste bricks (WB) can be used instead of natural aggregates (NA) in the stone columns that are used to increase bearing capacity and speed up consolidation settlement. The first step in this research was to get RAP, WB, and NA, then figure out a suitable gradation and unit weight for stone columns, and lastly do tests in the lab, such as pycnometer, minimum and maximum dry unit weights, water absorption, California bearing ratio (CBR), aggregate impact value (AIV), and large-scale direct shear tests. In order to perform CBR, AIV, and large-scale direct shear tests, it was necessary to find the unit volume weight in the stone column. Therefore, the model tests were conducted in a steel tank. The tank was filled with cohesive soil, so that soft soil conditions were created. And then, the stone columns with a diameter of 5 cm were built using RAP, WB, and NA in the middle of the soft soil. Thus, the unit weight values of RAP, WB, and NA were determined according to the amount of material used for the stone column. The results show that RAP and WB could be an alternative to NA for the stone column, although their strengths were lower than those of NA according to the shear strength parameters. However, it was thought that these waste aggregates should be used by improving their insufficient properties, such as water absorption and crushing behavior.

Seismic site response analysis is crucial for geotechnical engineers as it defines the dynamic behaviour of soils and rocks subjected to earthquake-induced ground motion. In this research work, an extensive site response analysis of the Famagusta region located in the eastern part of Cyprus, known for its seismic activity, is conducted to investigate the amplification and attenuation characteristics of the local site conditions. One-dimensional equivalent linear analysis is conducted using PROSHAKE software consisting of multiple soil layers with varying properties, ranging from soft to stiff alluvial deposit formations. The ground motion input consists of a suite of recorded earthquakes embedded in the software. The analysis also includes the effect of ground motion input along with varying soil conditions. The analysis results indicated that the local soil strata properties significantly influenced seismic waves’ amplification and attenuation characteristics. The soft alluvial shallow deposits amplified seismic waves and relatively higher displacements. In contrast, the stiff, deep alluvial deposits showed attenuated high-frequency waves. The analysis also highlighted the significance of seismic-induced ground displacement, primarily linked with selecting ground motion and soil parameters. The results of this research work can be utilised to carry out the seismic hazard assessment of the region and earthquake engineering design, which will contribute to the local community’s safety.

Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) is a field that has always existed from past to present, constantly renewing and developing itself with the needs of working life and the use of technological developments. For the successful implementation of internationally accepted OHS rules it is important to consider the working environment, workforce planning, development level and cultural structure of the country. In this article, the recent historical developments of the OHS laws, regulations and practices in North Cyprus and the effective factors are conveyed, the current situation and the plans are shared. The production of North Cyprus OHS Law and the related Regulations has considered the relevant European Union Directives, Laws and Regulations of the Republic of Turkey and country’s condition. Despite present OHS laws and regulations in the North Cyprus, the implementation is insufficient since the OHS culture has not yet been established and the system has not been formed sufficiently. It is important for the state to improve the preventive inspection/audit quality with a continuous improvement perspective, not only to ensure the implementation of laws and regulations, but also to regulate the working life of society, to protect the employer by protecting its employees, to ensure continuity of work and increase efficiency, and to make the right contribution to the economy. Appropriate use of technological development by the Labour Department and workplaces will have a significant impact on the implementation of OSH laws and regulations. Addressing the following issues will make important contributions to the OHS practices to come to the right point: Reviewing the legal regulations related to Turkish and other third country nationals, who make up a significant proportion of those working in the TRNC, registering the employees, finding a solution to the language problem.

Global warming and climate change have become pressing environmental challenges, primarily caused by human activities such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation. These activities release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, disrupting the natural balance of radiation and leading to rising global temperatures. The consequences of global warming include more frequent and severe heatwaves, changes in precipitation patterns, and increased risks of urban flooding. This research focuses on sustainable stormwater management as a strategy to mitigate urban flooding and adapt to climate change. The study area is the city of Güzelyurt in Northern Cyprus, characterized by a flat topography and limited stormwater infrastructure. The existing stormwater network is insufficient and prone to failures during rainfall events. The research compares the effectiveness and efficiency of two approaches: a traditional approach that involves resizing conduits, and a sustainable approach that implements Low-Impact Development (LID) strategies. LID strategies aim to mimic natural hydrological processes and include measures such as green infrastructure, permeable pavements, rainwater harvesting systems, and vegetative swales. By implementing these strategies, stormwater runoff can be controlled, mitigating the risk of flooding, improving water quality, promoting groundwater recharge, and reducing the demand for freshwater resources. The study utilizes the Storm Water Management Model (SWMM) software to design the existing stormwater management network and simulate different scenarios. Through the evaluation of performance and analysis of results, the research results demonstrate that the implementation of LID strategies effectively doubled the existing rainfall handling capacity of the stormwater drainage system from 20 mm/h to 40 mm/h.

This study aimed to investigate the variation of total suspended sediment concentration (TSS, mg/L) from upstream to downstream as well as its variation during the sunrise and mid-day periods. The Lower Değirmendere Stream Basin was selected as the study area. Sampling and monitoring studies were conducted weekly, four times a month, from December 2021 to May 2022. Samples were taken on four gauging stations upstream to downstream. Sunrise samples were taken between 06.00–07.00 a.m. and mid-day samples were taken between 12:00 a.m.–01:00 p.m. Over the 24-weekly sampling period, the variation TSS were characterized. The samplings and laboratory experiments were used to evaluate TSS. The results have indicated that TSS increases from upstream to downstream and the TSS values at mid-day were 20–75% higher than at sunrise. It has been shown that anthropogenic activities in the Lower Değirmendere Stream Basin cause an increase in TSS concentration. The fact that anthropogenic activities in the Basin is low at night has resulted in low mixing into the stream and therefore low TSS concentrations.

This research aims to compare the extreme and monthly average weather conditions in an urban area model, designed in accordance with Yesilkoy/Istanbul, and examine the effect of mitigation strategies. To achieve this, five urban designs are developed using different geometries (aspect ratio) and materials (albedo level). These configurations were analyzed using Computational Fluid Dynamics software (ANSYS) along with two different meteorological data. Models were simulated using data from 29th July 2020 for the hottest day and monthly average of July 2020 data. Also, in the study, TS 825 standards are used with a basic model as an evaluation parameter to check the effect of the weather boundary conditions. The outputs aim to enlighten the impact of weather data on the most suitable geometric configuration and best thermal performance design for the given climate projections. The advantages and disadvantages of extreme and average weather data are presented. As a result of the studies, the highest average wall surface temperature observed among the five scenarios using monthly average weather data is 42.12 °C at 2 pm. In contrast, the highest average building surface temperature value observed in the five analyses using extreme weather data reaches 48.7 °C at 11 am.

Four series of laboratory experiments were conducted to observe the effect of storm waves on the morphologic changes of coastal bed profile. The aim was to interpret the relationship between the offshore bar and foreshore erosion profiles under the effect of storm waves and calculate the damage generated over the bed profile by the storm waves. The beach material was one of the most important factors on the short-term morphological changes of cross-shore bed profile, and the size of the bed material was composed of gravel. The relationship between the wave characteristics and post-storm bed profiles at different gravel sizes were analyzed and dimensionless parameters representing the event were discussed. Depending on the size of the gravels, the damage level over the profile exhibit variations where the damage level was characterized by the length measured in between the center of masses of offshore bar and foreshore erosion. Dimensionless parameters like damage parameter, resistance parameter and steepness parameter were effective in defining the damage. It was observed that the damage of coastal region increases as the beach profile gradient increases and the effective static stability was reached by increasing the size of the gravel particles or increasing the magnitude of dimensionless shore resistance parameter.

The extensive application of satellite-based data and reanalysis-based precipitation has significantly assisted hydro-meteorological research in locations with limited precipitation observations. Despite their inherent inaccuracies, which vary with distinct temperature zones, seasonal cycles, and land surface characteristics, the applicability of such precipitation products must be carefully considered before implementation in particular basins; moreover, precipitation products have never been examined in Jordan’s Dead Sea area. In addition to the scarcity of precipitation station gages and limited timescales, In this work, precipitation products derived from satellite data and reanalysis precipitation datasets were evaluated using statistical metrics based on the observed data, which was collected from 2015–2020. The results reveal that precipitation based on reanalysis is better quality than precipitation based on satellite. With ER, actual precipitation is most accurately captured, and the MR performed well compared to the remaining products. Then, a correction method for precipitation data (ERA-Ag and MERRA-2) was implemented. The findings reveal that the quality of rectification of ERA-Ag corrected is considerably improved, has the most excellent quality, and outperforms corrected MERRA-2. Besides, various statistical metrics were implemented to assess the performance of the HEC-HMS model. It is found that R-squared values are more than 0.5 in the calibrated and simulated (actual and ERA-Ag) models, indicating strong performance across all basins. ER represents satellite-based precipitation products, which have been frequently employed in hydrological models.

In this study, an Artificial Neural Network and Multi Regression Analysis have been used to evaluate the strengthening cost and total cost of reinforced concrete buildings. To obtain strengthening cost, 377 reinforced concrete buildings which have been designed according to the 1975, 1997 and 2007 Turkish Earthquake Codes have been checked and strengthened according to the new code 2018 Turkish Earthquake Code. After that, to obtain the total cost (rough total construction cost) of the buildings according to the new code, 84 different reinforced concrete buildings have been designed according to the 2018 Turkish Earthquake Code. The professional program Sta4CAD has been used to model, analyze and strengthening those reinforced concrete buildings. When the old buildings are checked according to the new code, they may not satisfy the conditions of the code since the new code has more general rules. According to that, those old buildings will need strengthening. Section enlargement method, addition of shear wall and other methods have been used so that the old buildings can satisfy the new code provisions. For strengthening cost of Reinforced Concrete buildings, 13 parameters have been chosen accordingly. The output parameter for the study is the strengthening cost, which are in Turkish Lira according to the unit prices of materials in Turkey. For rough total cost according to TEC 2018 8 parameters have been used. According to the study, the prediction accuracy of the Artificial Neural Network that has been trained, was found to be 94% accuracy for the strengthening cost. However in the regression analysis method, 71% accuracy has been found. For total cost, Artificial Neural Network gave 97% accuracy and for regression analysis method 95% accuracy has been found.

It is widely common to see terrorist attacks nowadays happening around the globe. In this study bracing effect on progressive collapse will be discussed. To start with, this study will analyze the collapse mechanism, due to explosive load on an average height building, which mimics important buildings like government buildings, ministries, hospitals, etc. Explosive loads are the loads coming from the explosion of a certain amount of TNT with respect to the standoff distance from the explosion. So, any terrorist attacks will target the columns at the ground floor to maximize the damage imposed on the structure achieving the highest number of casualties. As a result, this study covers the load transfer mechanism to prevent a progressive collapse in case of column loss scenario, which occurs in a terrorist attacks or earthquakes. Moreover, this study discusses multiple technologies to counteract and resist column removal. First of all, constructing tensile steel braces at one of the stories which can be used to transfer the load coming from upper stories to ground floor. Secondly, this study will discuss the effect of column removal location on the total deflection of the structure and the axial loads imposed on the nearby columns.

A new main infrastructure work and sustainable tourism project in the south-southeast region of Mexico is in progress. This project will provide a freight and passenger rail service linking the main cities and tourist areas of the South East of Mexico. The project involves the construction of a passenger terminal within the international airport area.Given the importance and architectural design of the terminal, the designer, requested a wind tunnel study to evaluate wind local effects on the roof of the terminal and revise some wind design hypotheses, since these could be conservative and consequently the current design of this terminal could result in excessive construction costs.This paper presents the results of wind tunnel tests of a rigid scale model of the railway terminal, as well as the statistical analysis to simulate the mean wind speeds and turbulence characteristics of the wind flow in the wind tunnel. The tests included the representation of the roughness characteristics of the terrain around the new terminal, and the construction of an instrumented scale model which was exposed to different wind flow directions to record pressures in the model. The recording system of the wind tunnel allows obtaining pressure histories at each sensor placed on the model. From these histories, average, maximum and minimum pressure coefficients are derived, which can be used to review the design of the structural elements of the new terminal. Results are compared to those provided in the current Wind Design Manual of Mexico, and those obtained in similar structures, as well.

Internationally there are tens of thousands of concrete silos storing millions of tons of agricultural produce. However, most biomass is combustible and when ignited there is sufficient fuel to burn for an extended period of time, up to months. This paper presents a structural fire assessment of a large-scale concrete silo which experienced a severe fire that eventually led to it being condemned. After an initial ignition, firefighting efforts resulted in a steam cloud being produced that pressurised the silo and caused a portion of the roof to blow off. The fire continued to smoulder for almost a month resulting in a constant, but relatively low, temperature at the base of the silo. Significant conduction up the walls of the silo, influenced by the heavy rebar in the walls, led to a high level of thermal expansion which was far beyond that initially anticipated. This resulted in severe cracking and damage for more than 5 m above the level of the fire. Based on concrete core tests, it was found that the strength had severely reduced, which appears primarily to have been driven by thermally-induced microcracking. Temperatures of around 100–200 ℃ caused the level of damage normally seen on structures experiencing temperatures of over 500–900 ℃ due to the high level of thermal penetration into samples.

The paper reviews major geological problems encountered during construction of the longest Head Race Tunnel (HRT) of length 31.5 km in the hydropower projects of India through Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM). Major tunneling hindrances encountered in the TBM face include rock bursting, shear zone with groundwater ingress, high cutter consumption due to abrasive nature of rockmass and frequent detachment of rockmass above cutter head of TBM causing overbreak. The remedial measures adopted to successfully overcome these challenges are discussed. The paper also back analyzes magnitude of in-situ stresses in rock bursting zones using numerical modelling to determine role of depth of overburden and field stress ratio in causing rock bursting. The result indicates that yielding zones increase with depth of overburden and decrease in field stress ratios. TBM performance was evaluated using QTBM (Barton, 2000) parameters and the observed penetration rate (PR) during boring in quartzite, granite gneiss and chlorite schist. An empirical relationship developed between QTBM and PR indicates exponential increase of penetration rate with QTBM under stress induced conditions.

Seismic design codes are the standards that provide resistance for the structures against the potential seismic forces that the structure may face. One of the provisions in the seismic design codes is the strong column-weak beam (SCWB) requirement. It suggests that at that the sum of the flexural strength of the columns at a joint should be greater than those of the beams at the same joint. This requirement aims to prevent column yielding during an earthquake and avoid story mechanisms in moment frames. Although the seismic design codes suggest a minimum column-to-beam strength ratio, previous research has shown that this ratio may not be sufficient to provide desired collapse mechanisms for all conditions. Also, it has been observed that the column-to-beam strength ratio distribution along the height of the frame structures affects the understory and damage distribution. This study investigated the effect of different column-to-beam strength ratio distributions on the drift distribution of the reinforced concrete moment frames. For this purpose, different frames were considered with different numbers of stories and bays. OpenSeesPy framework was used for numerical modeling. To evaluate the seismic response of the model frames, nonlinear time history, and nonlinear static analyses were used. The results showed that the column-to-beam strength ratio distribution significantly affects the distribution of inter-story drift ratios. An effective column-to-beam strength ratio distribution was proposed at the end of the study.

The corrosion of reinforcement is a major concern for the structural integrity and durability of reinforced concrete (RC) structures. In order to investigate the effect of reinforcement corrosion on bearing capacity and changes in the collapse mechanism, an experimental study on two identical square columns with a section size of 200 × 200 mm were designed, one column was kept sound and the other one was corroded by applying accelerated corrosion process. The two columns were tested under a constant axial compression and reversed cyclic torsional loading with variable drift amplitudes. In order to calibrate accelerated corrosion process for the columns, the results of preliminary corrosion tests, applied to bare steel bars and later on reinforced concrete beams with a section size of 600 × 150 × 150 mm, were used. The results of the experiment on columns showed that the reinforcement corrosion in concrete structures can cause reduction of the strength and ductility up to 20.54% and 11.34% respectively, and also alters the failure modes from bending failure to a shear-bending mode. This could be a significant concern, particularly for buildings in earthquake-prone areas.

The Composite slab made of galvanized steel deck and concrete has proven to be the most utilized slab in steel-framed structures. In this research, the seismic performance of a newly-introduced RC frame with a composite slab was analyzed and compared to the seismic performance of RC frames utilizing four other typical slabs. 23 separate ground motions were used with OpenSees to carry out nonlinear time history analysis that considered bar slip, shear deformation, and flexural deformation. The 3D building with composite slab achieved the lowest self-weight when compared to the buildings with other slab types. In addition, the base shear performance of 2D frames with composite slab was superior to those of the other cases. In accordance with Hazus-MH MR5 standards, the inter-story drift of composite slab frames and solid one-way slab frames demonstrated the best performance among the other cases. In the RC construction sector, however, composite slabs are a formidable rival to conventional slabs due to their lighter weight and superior seismic performance under NTHA, as well as their lower material consumption. Composite slabs, which consists of a concrete slab poured over a steel deck, have been demonstrated to enhance the seismic behavior of low-rise reinforced concrete building.

Data collected from 4-point bending tests can be exploited to determine, albeit indirectly, the tension properties of pre-stressed (actually, pre-compressed) concrete beams, which fail by fracture propagation. The overall result of these experiments depends on several factors. Cracks can vary in number and position even in nominally identical samples, and can close almost completely upon unloading. The onset and propagation of fracture in concrete elements can be detected during the loading process by high resolution cameras, which also provide input data to digital image correlation techniques. This rich experimental information can be interpreted with the support of numerical models of different realism and complexity. Their ability to obtain reliable results for parameter identification purposes, at reasonable computational costs, is discussed in this contribution.

Dams are an important asset of the European Countries in the Alpine region. Italy, for instance, hosts more than 500 large dams, initially conceived to support the development of the Country in the period between the two world wars, and in the years 1950–1970. Most of them are still in operation to produce electricity, supply water for drinking and irrigation, contribute to the mitigation of the often dramatic consequences of current climate change. The safety assessment of these strategic infrastructures, which are getting old, is supported by sensor networks that collect environmental data and response measures. The number of monitoring devices and the acquisition frequency have generally increased over time. The large amount of gathered information is usually processed through interpretation functions, while machine learning tools have recently been introduced as early recognition methods of possible anomalies in the structural response. This contribution summarizes the most recent results obtained in this context, illustrates the performance of the most promising approaches, even if not yet fully validated, discusses the still open issues and presents the latest trends.

In the code-based procedures such as the ones presented in the ASCE7 standard, the use of ductility resources is not allowed in the design of the superstructure in order to prevent structural damage and provide a high level of structural performance for all types of occupancies. But these code procedures suggest the use of ductility resources for design of the fixed-base systems is allowed even for the occupancy types which need high structural performance levels. The aim of this paper is to investigate the effect of seismic isolation on the ductility reduction factor of a structural system and comparing it between a fixed-base structure and an equivalent isolated superstructure. In this regard, a simplified method based on a single-degree-of-freedom system is proposed to assess the safety of the system considering a conditional probability of collapse as the safety measure. Then, a structural model corresponding to a low-rise frame with residential occupancy is constructed and the relationship between the ductility reduction factor and the design period of the system is extracted by applying a constant level of safety and performing a regression analysis. The results indicate that under the same safety level, the isolated superstructure can be designed with a higher ductility reduction factor compared with the corresponding fixed one. Moreover, the derived relationship shows that the ductility reduction factor follows a descending trend with increasing the selected design period of the superstructure.

The paper deals with large glass facades using prestressed cable nets in exceptional buildings and halls in the recent decades, which has led to an intense investigations of the system. The facades typically use the laminated glass panes, point-fixed bolted or clamped systems and prestressed net of stainless steel cables. The paper describes numerical analyses of several finite element models concerning such cable-nets. The studied nets have 5 vertical and 4 horizontal cables and involve 4 principal elements: glass panes, point-fixed bolted fittings (“spiders”), the actual bolts and prestressed cables. The material of the glass panes is thermally strengthened and heat soaked thermally toughened safety glass, the “spiders” are typically of austenitic steel 1.4432, while cables are considered as Macalloy stainless steel strands. The proposed FE model using ANSYS software was submitted to a study of the mesh sensitivity, leading to a reasonable meshing and a successful validation based on published tests. The prestressing of the cables was applied as the initial tension. The façade wind loading was taken appropriately in accordance with EN 1991–1-4 as a corresponding pressure/suction and applied on the glass panes surfaces in the final loading step. The paper demonstrates the deflections and tension/stresses of the fractional parametrical study under the given prestressing and loading. The maximum deflections and tension/stresses found in the analyses are evaluated with the respect to acceptable values. The study provides a reasonable insight into the cable-net façade systems and specifies the orientation of the full follow-up parametrical study.

In recent years, the seismic design of buildings has become an increasingly important issue due to the devastating earthquakes that have occurred around the world. In many regions, including North Cyprus, building codes have been developed to ensure that new constructions are designed to withstand seismic hazards. However, simply complying with building codes does not guarantee that a building will perform well during a seismic event. The inelastic behavior of a structure can significantly affect its seismic performance and may compromise its ability to remain functional and safe during and after an earthquake. Hospitals are critical facilities that must be designed to remain operational during and after a seismic event. The consequences of a hospital’s failure during an earthquake can be severe, as it can impact the ability to provide medical care to those in need. This paper presents a case study on the inelastic performance of a seismic code-compliant reinforced concrete hospital designed according to the TNRC-SC2015 requirements under a long sequence of ground motions records. Within the study context, a nonlinear time-history analysis is conducted using SAP2000 software to simulate the seismic response of the hospital. In general, the study highlights the effectiveness of designing hospitals to meet the TNRC-SC2015 requirements under a strong and long sequence of earthquake loads taking the recent Turkey-Syria earthquake as the case study.

In the last half century, Turkish earthquake codes for designing building under earthquake loads went through many modifications and editions (TEC1975, TEC1997, TEC2007 and TBEC2018). Hence, there are many buildings existing that has been built in accordance with old regulations since improvements in the recent earthquake code. Therefore, the need of a quick assessment method to identify the building seismic performance level in accordance with the latest seismic code is extremely vital. For this purpose, this research aimed to prepare a database for the quick estimation of building seismic performance by constructing an artificial neural network model and linear regression analysis. In order to meet these objectives, 540 reinforced concrete building models with various parameters such as building material properties, geometry, designed standard, site class, and peak ground acceleration were modeled with respect to TEC1975, TEC1997, TEC2007, TBEC2018 and seismic performance obtained from the pushover analysis in accordance with TBEC2018. Data obtained were used to perform multiple linear regression analysis (MVLRA). Also, data obtained from the pushover analysis were used to train and validate the constructed artificial neural network (ANN) model with several training algorithms performed with various number of hidden layers in order to figure out the optimum number of hidden layers and best train method which gives the highest accuracy of prediction for the performance assessment of the buildings as well. Results indicate that ANN can be a very profound technique in predicting the seismic performance levels. In addition, validity of the created model was checked by the application through the existing buildings as a case study with various parameters within the range of considerations according to the existing study. Furthermore, identification of the significance of the predictor variables according to their effect on seismic assessment have been done with several methods which are widely used in literature as well.

Soil-Pile-Structure Interaction (SSI) analysis plays a crucial role in the design of structures aimed at withstanding various external loads, including seismic events. SSI is a complex process that manifests when the response of the soil, pile, and structure influence each other reciprocally under seismic activities or other dynamic loads. This interaction can precipitate significant changes in the dynamic characteristics of the system, consequently affecting the responses of the structure and soil. The initial and most critical step for a successful analysis is the accurate modeling of the soil profile, pile elements, and interaction springs to represent their real behaviors. Even in a project area with homogeneous structure, the modeling of all static and dynamic characteristics of the soil profile poses substantial challenges. These challenges intensify when considering a heterogeneous soil profile. In the context of this study, a comprehensive soil-structure-pile interaction analysis has been conducted on a project site possessing a heterogeneous structure. At the core of the research, a meticulous 3D modeling of the complex geological constitution of the site and the associated pile elements of varying dimensions and lengths has been carried out. The study’s approach towards 3D modeling not only elucidates the intricate relationship between the soil, structure, and piles, but also enhances the understanding of their dynamic behavior under various load conditions.

The evermore introduction of automated systems in driving operations opens the possibility of an upcoming traffic scenario with automated vehicles. Research about automated vehicles in traffic has been run with automated shuttles mainly for two reasons: to provide a wide idea about users’ acceptance (more users can get on a bus than on a private vehicle) and valuable simulation of interactions with other vehicles, but on a fixed and limited route. The main concern in this sense is a quantitative estimation (speed, acceleration, and deceleration) of the automated shuttle while interacting with vulnerable road users (VRUs) and regular vehicles. This specific analysis about the interactions was the main focus of this study. The proposed study was a real-world simulation set in Bari (Italy), with a partially automated shuttle bus provided by Navya. Data about the vehicle interacting with pedestrians, e-scooters, and regular vehicles were collected and then processed. The automated vehicle behaved in a safe way in all the tested interactions, keeping its speed very low (below 15 km/h), to ensure comfort also during the emergency braking (with a maximum deceleration of 1.5 m/s2). The most outstanding result of the tests was to verify that the automated shuttle behaves in the same way for all the different interactions, regardless of the type of user interacting and the modality (crossing, overtaking, following). This result means a lot because it suggests that the vehicle can safely deal also with unpredictable decisions by VRUs, that otherwise could have constituted a big issue for the implementation of such types of vehicles.

Asphalt pavements are the most widely used pavement type due to their comfort, fast construction and various advantages over other pavements. Although the visco-elastic and thermo-plastic behavior of the bituminous binder, which is one of the asphalt pavement materials, provides advantages such as the elasticity of the asphalt pavement against small deformations, it can cause the formation of rutting problems at high temperatures. On the other hand, high tensile stresses may occur due to the plastic behavior of the bituminous mixture and cracks may occur in the asphalt pavement in cold climates and regions where temperature changes are rapid and high. Various additives can be used against major problems such as rutting, water damage and cracking problems in asphalt pavements. Despite the positive effects of these additives at medium and high temperatures, a high effect is generally not achieved in terms of low temperature cracking problem. Fiber additives come to the fore in this sense. Synthetic fibers can increase the crack resistance of asphalt pavements at low temperatures and increase the life of the pavement with their adhesion and high tensile strength with bitumen. In this study, a general evaluation will be made on the use of synthetic fiber in asphalt pavements. Synthetic fibers used in asphalt pavements and their properties, the effect of fiber diameter and length, proportional addition amounts and addition techniques will be investigated.

Transportation is a major contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for nearly a quarter of the total. The sector heavily relies on fossil fuels, necessitating the development of effective mitigation policies. Monitoring total fuel consumption alone is insufficient because different transportation modes serve distinct travel segments and use various fuel types, requiring tailored mitigation actions. Additionally, transportation activity measured in vehicle-km travelled (VKT) can vary significantly within the same vehicle category, with low truck freight activity in short-haul and intense activity in long-haul. Fuel types are often shared across multiple transportation systems and modes, such as diesel usage in PCs, buses, and trains. Therefore, a comprehensive analysis framework is essential to track energy use in different modes, technologies, and travel segments.This study presents an approach for collecting and processing data to estimate travel demand and energy consumption in the transportation sector. Validation of energy consumption values is performed by comparing them to published total energy consumption values by the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources. The estimation of total fuel consumption involves multiplying VKTs with assumed fuel consumption factors (FCFs) for each subsector. An iterative process is employed to balance the estimated and observed energy use, adjusting FCF and VKT values within acceptable ranges. This proposed approach serves as a foundation for future emission and energy models, providing detailed input to support national climate change action plans. It enables policymakers to develop effective strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector.