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The need for green energy sources like wind farms and geothermal energy has increased along with the world’s energy requirements. These developments offer reliable and clean energy with significant economic advantages, particularly for trade deficit countries like Pakistan. Geothermal and wind energy development reduces dependency on imports of fossil fuels, generates employment, and helps mitigate climate change. Pakistan struggles to meet its energy needs and economic targets like many other developing countries. Therefore, National research priorities should integrate geothermal and wind energy storage and discover relevant resources. This article summarizes how geothermal and wind energy technologies might support economic development objectives and promote sustainable energy production. The technological and financial possibilities, challenges, and opportunities, as well as the present and future of these technologies, are considered in the case study. In Pakistan, laws and policies are being established to promote renewable energy development. For example, the Alternative Energy Development Board is the public authority that encourages and enables the growth of renewable energy. This study proposes regulations to stimulate the use of renewable energy sources, promote private investment, and foster a favorable atmosphere for their growth.

Sustainable urban water management is essential to handle water scarcity, leakage, and inefficient distribution. This paper covers water management in urban areas, including an introduction, an overview of water management practices, the characteristics and functioning of water distribution systems, monitoring and control systems for efficient distribution, smart systems for optimization, strategies for water conservation and waste management, per capita water demand analysis, and desalination plant overviews. The article proposes a blockchain-based water management architecture with IoT sensors for accurate reporting. The framework uses blockchain technology to authenticate and share real-time data between sensors and the water distribution dashboard. It also has a modular API for water leakage detection and flow control to decrease water waste and enhance distribution. The suggested approach might enhance water management; however, its execution is complex. Maintaining the framework's efficacy is advised. The research provides insights into water management and proposes a technology solution employing blockchain and IoT sensors for trustworthy data reporting and effective water distribution to promote sustainable urban water management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soft cohesive formations are extensively distributed across the earth's land mass. They mainly comprise medium to high plastic clays deposited by thousands of years of geological activity. In Pakistan, the upper and lower plains of the Indus Valley have several square kilometers of cohesive ground. The cohesive soils are vulnerable to moisture variations and lack friction. Hence, they are not considered an ideal ground for foundation support. The raft foundation and traditional reinforced concrete piles are effective solutions, but are uneconomical. Sand piles can replace these expansive foundations for moderately loaded structures; however, their effectiveness is required to be supported by field and research investigations. This study presents FEM-based numerical investigations on the performance of a single sand pile on soft cohesive ground. The pile is loaded with the 100 kPa pressure, representing a moderately loaded structure. The stress--strain behaviors and overall pile settlement results are graphically presented. The sand pile, the stiffer material, could hold most of the stresses while maintaining volumetric strains up to 10%, thus allowing better load transfer to the naturally soft ground. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, the utilization of industrial energy, as well as construction waste, is of high concern. The current paper describes a study of the mechanical properties of cement concrete mixes utilizing Rice Husk Ash (RHA) as a cement substitute. The use of such industrial and agricultural by-products has been the focus of waste reduction for economic, environmental, and technical reasons. In this research, the compressive and split tensile strength of concrete was studied through a 15% substitution of cement with RHA with 0.40, 0.45, and 0.50 waterbinder ratios. It has been found that the addition of RHA significantly improves the mechanical properties of concrete for the used water-binder ratios. The ultimate strength in both compressive and tensile strength was observed at a water-binder ratio of 0.50. It has also been observed that as the water to cement ratio increased, higher gains in concrete's compressive and tensile strength were obtained for all curing periods [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents various case studies of examined and calculated live loads on reinforced concrete structures. These case studies accumulated information and data of existing structures about their design live loads and acquired detailed drawings showing the reinforcement in their floor slab sections. The actual occupancy loads that act on the floor slabs were assessed, and the ultimate loads that an individual slab section should be able to support were calculated using the methods recommended by ACI, CP-114, CP-110, and the yield line theory. A reinforced concrete slab panel was also tested to check the validity of the theoretically predicted ultimate loads. The results were compared to find a safety margin and, if necessary, recommend lower live load outlines for cost reduction. The case studies showed that there is sufficient margin to reduce design live loads on the floor slabs of residential buildings, especially in multistory apartment blocks. Moreover, it was found that the live loads, especially on residential buildings, could be decreased to two-thirds of the code values without risking floor overloading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper addresses philosophical concepts on the seismic design criteria of moment resisting steel frames. The ductility approach that is based on the capacity design rules adopted by the modern seismic codes is illustrated. The effectiveness of seismic provisions for the design of moment resisting steel frames as given in the codes is assessed. Emphasis is made on the response modification factor, overstrength factor, strong column weak beam philosophy, cross section limitation, second order effects and interstorey drift limitations. The applicability and the effects of such rules on the overall performance of rigid steel frames are presented. Furthermore, the pros and cons of the use of steel moment resisting frames are also given. The paper also presents information about the design criteria of steel frames. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides an overview on the design philosophy of moment resisting frames (MRF) according to the seismic provisions of Eurocode 8 and American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC). A synopsis of the main recommendations of the two codes is briefly described. Then in order to examine the structural efficiency of the design principles of MRF according to the aforementioned codes, a case study is developed in which spatial and perimeter moment resisting frames of 12, 6 and 3 storeys residential building are considered. In the case of EC8, Ductility Class Medium (DCM) with behaviour factor of 4 and Ductility Class High (DCH) with behaviour factor of 6.5 for 6-storey frames are used, while only DCH is employed in the design of 12 and 3 storey frames. When dealing with AISC/American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) code, special moment resisting frame (SMF) with response modification factor of 8 is employed in the design. The outcomes from the design are illustrated in terms of frame performance, section profiles, strength-demand to capacity ratios, driftdemand to capacity ratios and structural weight, thus allowing the understanding of pros and cons of the design criteria and the capacity design rules of the two codes. The main purpose of the current paper is to compare the seismic design rules of the two codes with a parametric analysis developed by a case study in order to let the technician knows about the importance and influence of some important parameters which are given in the capacity design rules of the two codes. This study will be a benchmark for further analysis on the two codes for seismic design of steel structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]