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The manufacturing of Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) is one of the primary contributors to atmospheric CO2. The use of high-volume OPC replacement materials in self-compacting concrete (SCC) has been the focus of several investigations owing to the increased demand for environmentally friendly building materials. This paper presents the experimental investigation of the properties of SCC, where 25–70 % OPC was replaced with fly ash and calcined calcium carbonate (BCC). Different experimental tests, such as workability, mechanical properties, durability, and microstructural characteristics, have been carried out. The test results of workability showed that all the mixes were conforming to satisfactory conditions of EFNARC for the T500 flow timings within the range from 2.50 to 4.55 seconds and slump flow values within the range from 650 to 800 mm. This mix, here called 20F5C, had optimum behaviour with its 91-day compressive strength of 73.8 MPa, a gain of 7.7 % over the control. Replacement ratio, microstructure, and mechanical properties were correlated. Even high-replacement mixes like 50F20C provided a 91-day compressive strength of 58.9 MPa. This clearly shows the prospect of a considerable reduction in cement consumption while maintaining structural integrity. These results indicate the possibility of reduced OPC consumption in concrete production, which again identifies low carbon emission and utilization of waste according to international sustainability goals. The findings have revealed that SCC made with high-volume replacements of OPC could be an economically viable and environmentally friendly solution for the construction industry worldwide.

Recent research have highlighted the potential of hybrid confinement, combining high tensile strength fiber-reinforced polymers with large rupture strain confinement. This study presents experimental findings on 64 cylindrical and square-shaped specimens tested under axial compression, introducing a novel hybrid confinement method utilizing low-cost fiberglass chopped strand mat sheets and cotton ropes (COFS confinement). The experimental and analytical results yielded several key conclusions. Firstly, circular specimens exhibited significant peak strength increases in various subgroups, with enhancements ranging from 97.5 % to 285.5 %, and ultimate strain improvements ranging from 588.6 % to 1650.0 %. Similarly, square specimens under COFS confinement also demonstrated notable enhancements in ultimate strength and strain, with increases up to 244.7 % and 1083.0 %, respectively, particularly evident with higher levels of confinement. The influence of cross-sectional shape on compressive strength, strain, and energy dissipation was noted, with COFS confinement notably improving these factors for circular sections. Additionally, the study found that as the unconfined compressive strength increased, the enhancement in compressive strength, ultimate strain, and energy dissipation decreased. Moreover, the confinement ratio positively affected axial behavior improvement, with a proportional enhancement observed. However, the efficacy of the confinement ratio was influenced by cross-section type and plain concrete strength, emphasizing the need for considering these factors in COFS-based confinement design. Lastly, an analytical design-oriented model proposed for approximating stress vs. strain curves of COFS-confined concrete showed close agreement with experimental results, providing valuable insights for future design considerations.

Recent earthquakes have highlighted the need to strengthen existing structures with substandard designs. NFRPs provide a sustainable, cost-effective alternative for strengthening, but accurately predicting their performance remains a challenge. This study investigates the use of machine learning algorithms for predicting the compressive strength concrete specimens confined with various NFRPs. Four algorithms were employed: decision tree, random forest, neural network, and gradient boosting regressor. A diverse dataset encompassing various geometries, material properties, and confinement configurations was used to train and evaluate the models. Gradient boosting regressor (GBR) achieved the highest performance, with an average R-squared value of 0.94 and low mean absolute error (MAE) and root mean squared error (RMSE) during training and k-fold cross-validation. Neural network and random forest also demonstrated satisfactory performance, with average R-squared values of 0.88 and 0.86, respectively, during cross-validation. These results suggest that machine learning holds promise for predicting the compressive strength of concrete confined with NFRPs. GBR offers the most accurate predictions, making it a valuable tool for engineers seeking to optimize the design and performance of strengthened structures using sustainable materials.

This paper presents a comprehensive investigation into the behavior of concrete confined with hybrid Basalt and Chopped Strand Mat (B-CSM) fibers. The newly proposed B-CSM confinement technique substantially enhances the brittle compressive stress-strain behavior, leading to a noteworthy increase in peak strength (approximately 90%) and ultimate strain (approximately 461 %). The efficiency of B-CSM confinement is affected by the strength of plain concrete, with lower-strength specimens indicating a more pronounced enhancement. The performance of existing analytical models for FRP confinement in predicting ultimate strength and strain in B-CSM confined concrete is assessed, highlighting the need for tailored models. Regression-based equations are proposed for characteristic points along the stress-strain curve, enabling accurate prediction of material behavior. The predicted stress-strain curves exhibit a high level of agreement with experimental results. These findings provide valuable insights for the design and application of B-CSM confinement techniques in structural engineering, facilitating improved performance and ductility of concrete structures under compressive loading conditions.

This study presents an innovative approach to enhance the flexural capacity of cement-clay interlocking (CCI) brick walls using ferrocement jackets with an expanded wire mesh. The investigation involved 15 CCI brick walls subjected to flexural load testing, exploring various mesh sizes and anchor configurations on single and dual sides. The results revealed that while the primary failure mode involved dry joint opening and subsequent ferrocement debonding in the strengthened walls, effective anchorage mechanisms delayed dry joint opening until debonding occurred. The reinforced walls exhibited improved peak load capacity, notably in dual-sided reinforcement cases. With plastering on both sides and supplemented with anchors, an improvement of up to 221% in flexural capacity was obtained. The study emphasizes the influence of wire mesh size on anchorage effectiveness and its correlation with debonding susceptibility. Additionally, the moment-curvature analysis demonstrated resilient, ductile responses in load-bearing characteristics, with occasional abrupt declines due to ferrocement jacket debonding. Unlike control walls, the strengthened walls exhibited strains exceeding yield thresholds, indicating enhanced structural performance.

The utilization of recycled waste in the production of new concrete raises significant concerns regarding the quality of the resulting concrete. One prominent drawback of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) is its inferior mechanical properties compared to natural aggregate concrete. In this study, we examine the impact of hemp fiber rope (HFR) confinement on improving the compressive stress-strain behavior of RAC, specifically using recycled brick aggregates from fired-clay solid bricks (RAC-FCSB) as a partial substitute for natural coarse aggregates. Furthermore, we explore and compare the effectiveness of HFR confinement in the form of strips versus fully wrapped confinement. To conduct the experiments, a comprehensive framework was developed, involving a total of 32 cylindrical specimens. The parameters of interest included the configuration of HFR confinement (strips or full wrapping), the number of HFR layers, and the inherent strength of the concrete. The results indicate that HFR strips can significantly enhance the compressive stress-strain response. However, their performance falls short when compared to the fully wrapped HFR confinement. Nonetheless, HFR strips were able to enhance the peak compressive stress and strain of RAC-FCSB up to 204% and 190%, respectively. The second part of the study investigated the performance of existing models of HFR confinement in predicting the peak compressive stress and strain of RAC-FCSB. The deficiencies in existing models were highlighted, and new models based on non-linear regression analysis were proposed to accurately predict the peak compressive stress and strain of HFR-confined RAC-FCSB.

The transition toward sustainable transportation includes adopting ecofriendly electric vehicles in public transport, which reduces greenhouse gas emissions and increases energy efficiency. One of the critical features in fuel economy improvement of electric vehicles lies in lightweight structural design. Nevertheless, the crashworthiness of the structures of the vehicles and the safety of passengers must be guaranteed in the attempt of mass reduction because the crash of large vehicles such as buses usually costs many lives. This paper, therefore, aims to present an in-depth analysis of the impact behavior of a lightweight monocoque sandwich composite microbus body under full-frontal crash conditions. The bus structure, made of a high-density polyurethane foam core and woven glass fabric-epoxy face sheets, was modeled and simulated via LS-DYNA dynamic analysis using strength-based Chang-Chang criteria to characterize the failure mechanism of the structure and investigate intrusion into the passenger survival space. Under front collision, the front panel, A-pillars, and front sidewalls of the original bus were found to be extensively damaged in the compressive fiber mode. Based on the 50th percentile male dummy anthropometric parameters, injury indices of 0-5 intervals were proposed to evaluate occupant injury risks. The maximum front and side intrusion into the specified safety space under a maximum impact speed of 50 km/h is 208 mm at the front panel and 221 mm at the sidewall, indicating high injury indices of 3.59 and 4.81, respectively. The effects of stiffeners reinforced in the front panel and foam core thicknesses in the sidewalls, floor, and bottom parts on crashworthiness improvement were thoroughly discussed. The improved bus design can significantly enhance the safety of the occupants with a minimal increase in structural weight of merely 35.6 kg. An effective vehicle safety design under full frontal collision is presented.

Wastewater-based epidemiology has proven to be a supportive tool to better comprehend the dynamics of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the disease moves into endemic stage, the surveillance at wastewater sub-catchments such as pump station and manholes is providing a novel mechanism to examine the reemergence and to take measures that can prevent the spread. However, there is still a lack of understanding when it comes to wastewater-based epidemiology implementation at the smaller intra-city level for better granularity in data, and dilution effect of rain precipitation at pump stations. For this study, grab samples were collected from six areas of Seattle between March-October 2021. These sampling sites comprised five manholes and one pump station with population ranging from 2580 to 39,502 per manhole/pump station. The wastewater samples were analyzed for SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentrations, and we also obtained the daily COVID-19 cases (from individual clinical testing) for each corresponding sewershed, which ranged from 1 to 12 and the daily incidence varied between 3 and 64 per 100,000 of population. Rain precipitation lowered viral RNA levels and sensitivity of viral detection but wastewater total ammonia (NH 4 + -P) were shown as potential chemical indicators to calibrate/level out the dilution effect. These chemicals showed the potential in improving the wastewater surveillance capacity of COVID-19.4 3- -P) were shown as potential chemical indicators to calibrate/level out the dilution effect. These chemicals showed the potential in improving the wastewater surveillance capacity of COVID-19., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)