Recent Advances in Civil Engineering

An alternative configuration test was performed with the help of fibre-reinforced concrete made from steel and polypropylene fibres, for the ACI (American Concrete Institute) 544-2R. Repeated Ball Drop Weight Impact (RBDWI) test. Two types of samples, one being PAFC (Pre-Packed Aggregate Fibrous Concrete) and SIFCON (Slurry Infiltrated Concrete), were employed instead of conventional concrete. The notched specimen contributed to the crack control and hindered the generation of random cracks. The line and cross specimen led to a failure with less blows of a concrete specimen. Thus, by adopting line notched specimens, we may minimize the number of specimens needed for testing.

Urban regeneration projects encompass a wide variety of interventions to improve the conditions and intensify the use of an existing urban area, which has degraded with continuous use, overuse, changing social context, land values, and markets. The dilapidation of building structures and aging infrastructure systems add to the degraded condition. Identification of the need for intervention with an in-depth study of the existing situation is the first step that leads to the framing of the strategic goals of the Urban Regeneration project. A SWOT analysis evaluates the internal strengths and weaknesses and the external threats and opportunities of the context in consideration. The internal analysis is used to identify characteristics inherent to the context and the external analysis is used to identify opportunities and threats that can be effectively utilized for enhancing the quality of the urban environment. Hence, SWOT analysis as a tool is employed to assess the capacity of the urban area to execute a plan or achieve its goals. The limitations have been identified, and modifications proposed to remodel the traditional tool with the mapping on the SPACE matrix in the context of Urban Regeneration. The result of the analysis determined the operational strategy to be adopted for the Urban Regeneration intervention. This research paper aims to (1) examine the efficiency of the SWOT tool concerning its applicability to Urban Regeneration Intervention (2) Identify the limitations of the existing practices as applicable to Urban Regeneration Projects (3) Propose a spatial SWOT Analysis mapped on a SPACE matrix with proposed strategies for the Urban Regeneration Intervention for the city of Hassan. The limitation of the work was that the area specific dynamic factors had not been considered.

Concrete is one of the major and widely used construction materials which is used to construct earthquake-resistant structures, high-rise buildings, flyovers and bridges, dams, etc. Workability is a property of concrete that determines the flowing ability or the working ability of concrete. So, it becomes an important property to be determined for construction and research purposes. There are various laboratory methods to assess the workability of the concrete for industrial and research purposes. The present work focuses on the development of a single apparatus called Conical Funnel which can assess all the workability criteria for normal compacting concrete and self-compacting concrete (SCC). This research paper also focuses on the feasibility studies of various trial studies on normal and self-compacted concrete and also uses regression analysis to find out the correlation between the output of conventional apparatus and Conical Funnel apparatus.

Conventional municipal wastewater leads to sludge generation leading to additional treatment costs. In addition, the secondary treatment is not efficient in removing nutrients, which calls for additional treatment costs associated with the tertiary treatment. Incorporating the tertiary treatment will affect the overall economics of the municipalities. Thus, the present study was performed to study the impact of phycoremediation on treating raw domestic wastewater. Different microalgal concentrations were operated at 11 h contact period. C. vulgaris was used as a microalgal species for the study. Various physicochemical parameters were analyzed to assess the working of the microalgal system. Among the different microalgal concentrations studied, 30% concentration had the best reduction, with >90% reductions for NH3-N and PO4-P and >85% reductions for COD and BOD. The study revealed the benefits of the phycoremediation technique, which can be an eco-friendly and practical solution to the challenges of the conventional treatment system.

Classification of remote sensing (RS) imagery has been a primary source for mapping applications. Many classification algorithms have been developed in the past four decades to aid this purpose. Most of these classifiers are designed to operate on a single source of data and therefore, fail to operate on multi-source information. An expert system classifier, on the other hand, is solely designed to take advantage of the multi-source data and thereby brings a new dimension to the classification approach. Unlike most other classifiers, the expert system classifier is constructed and operated solely based on the domain knowledge of the expert himself/herself. In this paper, we illustrate the construction of an expert system classifier using multi-source RS imagery for the classification perspective. From the results obtained, we note that expert system classifiers can produce excellent results on par with many traditional classifiers.

Estimating groundwater recharge is critical for water resource appraisal and management. In the present study WetSpass model and GIS tools were used to determine water balance components’ temporal and spatial changes (surface runoff, actual evapotranspiration, and groundwater recharge) in the Sana watershed Kembata Tembaro Zone, Southern Ethiopia. In the current study, biophysical and hydro-meteorological parameters such as land use/cover, soil texture, elevation, and slope were included in the model. The data mentioned above sets were calibrated per the Wetspass model requirements. The spatial–temporal variation of the mean annual rainfall of 1358.6 mm was segmented into 20.6% (280 mm) of surface runoff (Qo), 59.76%(811.6 mm) of actual evapotranspiration, and 19.65% (267 mm) of water that annually recharges the groundwater system, according to the model results. The model's results show that the area's hydro-meteorological and biophysical variance controls the temporal and geographical variability of the catchment's water balance components. The current study provides policymakers and water resource experts with critical information on groundwater availability for sustainable development in the present study area.

PM2.5, a principal constituent of particulate matter, is the most deadly form of air pollution attributing to significant number of health problems. For a country like India with a vast topographical distribution, the existing number of ground-based stations for monitoring of pollutant concentration is inadequate. With the advent of technology, remote sensing-based monitors have been able to capture the pollutant concentrations of any region. Using a combined Dark Target and Deep Blue (DTB) Terra and Aqua Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Level 3 aerosol optical depth (AOD) product and surface PM2.5 measurements from Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) monitors, we provide a decade (2010–2020) of assessment of AOD–PM2.5 relationships all over India by graphical analysis and simple linear regression analysis. This study analyse the factors which can affect the relationship observed between the two datasets over various regions and at different times. Region-wise, state-wise and season-wise analyses for correlation were carried out. In addition, analyses were also carried out based on pollutant concentration levels and for 2020 lockdown period. Regardless of the classification, the two datasets were found to have a high correlation to one another. In general, Northern regions tend to show higher correlations, however the relation was found to be independent of concentration of pollutants. Post-monsoon and winter season showed comparatively higher correlation. The regression analysis for a general equation all over India yielded a linear equation with R2 = 0.92 and a root mean square error of 26.84 µg/m3. Overall, our evaluation shows that MODIS Level 3 data estimates of PM2.5 on an annual time scale using simple linear models are reliable.

In general, expansive soils are subjected to high volume changes as a consequence of variations in water content. In the dry season, these soils undergo shrinkage, which causes deep cracks in the soil. Thus, these soils are extremely troublesome for geotechnical engineers, so it is essential to implement the ground improvement techniques. The single-column behavior in expansive soil with and without encasement was discussed in this laboratory model study. The load tests were conducted in a steel tank measuring 50 cm × 50 cm × 50 cm. For the whole study, the column measures 30 mm in diameter and 300 mm in depth and is made of stone chips. The addition of a column increases ultimate strength by 225%. To enhance the strength and rigidity of the column, an encasement using non-woven geotextile was adopted. According to the load tests, a partially encased column improves ultimate strength by 275% and a fully encased column improves ultimate strength by 340%. A conventional column is associated with a lower load limit ratio, whereas a fully encased column is associated with a higher ratio. However, partially encased columns have a minor improvement. The behavior of a column in black cotton soil is influenced by climatic fluctuations, particularly at the 1D to 3D depths. Therefore, the encasement is adopted and lime was injected into the soil bed up to 150 mm deep to reduce the shrinking and swelling characteristics of the soil around the column.

The present study aimed to map the potential groundwater zones in the Iyenda river catchment, Konso area, Rift Valley, Ethiopia. The potential groundwater zones were defined in this study using a frequency ratio (FR) model. The following nine thematic layers were considered in the present study, such as lithology, lineament density, slope, drainage density, land use/land cover (LULC), topographic wetness index (TWI), normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), drainage density, rainfall, and soil types. The above-mentioned thematic layers were prepared using primary and satellite data in the ArcGIS software environment. During fieldwork, thirty-four water points, including deep bore wells, springs, and hand pump locations, were collected using GPS. In the FR model, 24 well points were used to calculate the success rate, and the rest ten well points were used to calculate the prediction rate. Groundwater prospect zones were further categorized into three groups: very good, moderate, and very low. Low groundwater prospective zones account for 39.23% of the current study, whereas medium and high potential groundwater zones account for 38.33 and 22.44%. The area under curve (AUC) technique was used to examine the accuracy of the potential groundwater zones. The AUC value for the success rate prediction rate is 0.735 and 0.732, respectively, and the same indicates the model produces excellent results in the current study. The findings of this study may aid in effective water resources management in the present study area, allowing planners and decision-makers to design suitable groundwater development plans for a sustainable environment.

The experiment was conducted at the Instructional Farm of Faculty of Agricultural Engineering, BCKV, Mohanpur, Nadia, West Bengal, during the year 2018 to study the variation of leaf temperature at different stages of growth of brinjal crops. The leaf and air temperatures were taken by handheld infrared thermometer at 12.00 and 4.00 p.m., and the corresponding soil moisture at 15 cm depth of crop field was measured by the gravimetric method during the study period. The data were processed for leaf temperature (at 12.00 and 4.00 p.m.), air temperature (at 12.00 and 4.00 p.m.) and the difference between leaf and air temperatures (at 12.00 and 4.00 p.m.) corresponding to soil moisture. The leaf temperature at 12.00 and 4 p.m. was used to develop the relation with corresponding soil moisture. The standard deviations of these two sets of data were found as 1.042 and 0.27, respectively. The standard deviation between the observed and estimated values was found as 7.21 and 9.67 at 12.00 p.m. and 4.00 p.m., respectively; while comparing the level of adequacy in estimating the soil moisture by using the leaf and the difference between leaf and air temperatures, the later one was found much better, though both of the practices are acceptable within the desired level of accuracy. The statistical analysis of soil moisture content versus the difference between leaf and air temperatures explained the estimated values of soil moisture for noon and evening times by an average of 91.61% and 96.86%, respectively.

In this research, mechanical and microstructural properties of Fly-ash-based self-compacting geopolymer concrete (SCGC) were investigated for shear strength and impact strength by substituting Fly Ash with Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBS) by 0, 30, 50 and 70% and by using alkali solutions such as sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate in the ratio 1:2.5 for different NaOH solution molarities like 8, 10 and 12 M. An iterative procedure was utilized to arrive at the SCGC design mix by completing workability tests like slump flow in compliance with European Federation of National Associations Representing for Concrete (EFNARC) criteria. After obtaining the requisite flow, the concrete was poured into the moulds and cured for 24 h at 70 °C in the oven, with ambient treatment occurring for the remainder of the test days. A constant binding content of 400 kg/m3 and a fluid to binder ratio of 0.47 by mass have been maintained for all molarities, while the superplasticizer dosage of 3% has remained constant. And by compromising on strength, the extra water content was adjusted to provide the desired flow. With increasing molarity and GGBS, the slump flow was reduced. As GGBS content and molarity increased, engineering properties such as shear and impact strength increased, and this was justified with microstructure analysis. As compared to the other replacement level, the replacement of 70% of the Fly Ash with GGBS at 12 M showed higher structural strength. Hence, fly ash and GGBS in a ratio of 50:50 could be a better CO2-reducing alternative to traditional OPC concrete in connection to cost and sustainability.

Self-Compacting Concrete (SCC) is a new type of concrete that wouldn’t require vibration for laying or compaction. Fine materials, such as silica fume and class F fly ash, are used to provide the desired properties of the concrete. The SCC increases constructability, lowers skilled workers' wages, provides a smooth and clear surface quality, and speeds up project timelines. One way to reduce the cost of self-compacting concrete is to include cementitious materials like Silica Fume (SF) and class Fly Ash (FA). It also minimizes the heat related to hydration. This work provides experiments on compressive strength (compression tests for double-blended and triple-blended), split tensile test, flexural strength of SCC containing various mineral admixtures, workability aspects such as slump flow, T500, and V-funnel flow time tests, and modulus elasticity tests. In particular, (OPC 53) and M35 concrete grades have been used in this research. The approach used is that mineral admixtures are substituted with silica fume 5% and 10% and fly ash 25%, 30%, and 35% by weight of Portland cement is inserted, and performance is evaluated and compared to normal Portland cement. Mineral admixtures were examined for their influence on self-compacting concrete workability, compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, flexural strength, and modulus of elasticity. Adopted water-cement ratio of 0.45 and manufactured sand are used as fine aggregates and coarse aggregates with a size of 12.5 mm and powder content of 520 kg/m3 (as per IS code 10262-2019) is selected as binder material (fine aggregate and cement). Poly-carboxylate ether is used them. As an outcome, the superplasticizer accelerated the pace of the concrete; there has been a general improvement in the flow and filling capabilities of self-compacting concrete. And SF10FA30 does have maximum strength for 28 days than other mixes, whereas SF5FA25 seems to have a higher modulus of elasticity than other mixes.

Engineered cementitious composites are a class of high-performance fiber-reinforced cementitious composites with strain hardening and multiple cracking properties. The specialty of engineered cementitious composite is its tensile strain carrying capacity to be 300–500 times that of conventional concrete. Analysis results suggest that engineered cementitious composite can greatly extend the service life of the structure due to its high fatigue and ductility performance. This has led to the wide acceptability of engineered cementitious composite and has the potential to be used as an overlay, interlayer, and even as a surface course in pavement construction. The present paper discusses the advantages and disadvantages of engineered cementitious composite in comparison to conventional concrete in terms of strength and durability characteristics, life cycle costs, and field applications. It has summarized the performance of engineered cementitious composite in different courses of the pavement. In this study, an empirical relation has been derived for a relation between flexural strength and compressive strength of the engineered cementitious composite.

Enhancement of strength and performance of building members is the need of hour for the existing structures. Every time the slab strengthening is the most challenging task, since very few techniques are available as on date and the productivity of those are under research stage (Hollaway in Constr Build Mater 24:2419–2445, 2010) [1]. In this scenario, fibre reinforced polymer composites promotes the research activity due to the various advantages of these materials over steel (Anakal et al., in Int J Adv Sci Eng Technol 6(1), 2018) [2]. The Fibre Reinforced Composites (FRP) such as CFRP (Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer) composite and GFRP (Glass Fibre Reinforced Polymer) composite materials used, seems to be not so economical in the present situation of technology and its application. However, Basalt fibres which are very much used in different engineering fields and their application are limited in Structural and construction industries. In this work, strengthening of RC slabs was done using wrapping technique using Basalt Fibre Reinforced Polymer (BFRP) composites by means of hand layup method and wet layup technique. Unidirectional knitted fibres were attached to the surface of the slab in different configurations (plus and square), in a way that the FRP and the RC slab performs as single structure when subjected to load. The effectiveness of the retrofitting method was measured by means of the deflection and crack width on working loads attained by the RC slabs. The deflection and crack width on working loads obtained from the experiment were compared with guidelines of ACI 440.2R-17 (ACI 440.2R-17, Guide for the design and construction of externally bonded FRP systems for strengthening concrete structures) [3], ISIS CANADA Design Manual No. 3 (ISIS CANADA Design Manual No. 3 2007, Reinforcing concrete structures with fibre reinforced polymers) [4], Fib Bulletin14 (Fib Bulletin14-2001, Externally bonded FRP reinforcement for RC structures) [5], CNR DT 200 R1/2013 (CNR DT 200 R1/2013, Guide for the design and construction of externally bonded FRP systems for strengthening existing structures) [6] /CNR-DT 200/2004 (CNR-DT 200/2004, Guide for the design and construction of externally bonded FRP systems for strengthening existing structures) [7] and TR55 (TR55, Design guidance for strengthening concrete structures using fibre reinforced composite materials) [8]. The observations made are presented along with a comparative statement of analytical and experimental results.

A zero energy building (ZEB) is a type of sustainable structure that can meet its energy needs by producing the required quantity by itself, that is, the energy demand of such a building is met through installation of renewable energy sources as a part of the building as well as by reducing the existing consumption through other passive strategies in order to ensure a high performance than conventional structures. Some of the advantages of moving towards zero energy buildings are decreased operation or maintenance costs, lower impact on the environment and more energy security, and a higher resilience in cases such as power outages and blackouts as well as natural disasters. The energy consumption of new buildings as well as pre-existing buildings can be decreased through retrofits for energy efficiency, energy conservation programs, reduction of plug loads, and integrated structural design. However, to proceed with retrofitting, there is a prerequisite of understanding the characteristics of the retrofits and careful planning as it is complex. Many methods of building retrofitting have been investigated previously to achieve near-zero energy or zero energy status. Therefore, the primary focus of this project lies in the review and proper assessment of available retrofitting technologies and how these can be applied to a pre-existing institutional structure in a university campus and their corresponding effect of the current energy consumption of the selected structure. Further investigation on the possibility of adopting these techniques requires thorough studies to be carried out through numerical simulations or experiments.

Tall and off shore structures are often subjected to uplift forces due to the action of wind, water waves, and seismic loads. In such cases pile foundations are used for the effective transfer of load to the underlying soil. The ultimate shaft resistance of a single model pile in two different types of soils has been evaluated and compared in the present study. The experimental studies are carried out in a prefabricated model tank having a height of 600 mm and diameter of 290 mm. Steel solid piles of varying diameter and surface characteristics are driven in model tank and have been subjected to tensile load. The tests are carried out on piles for length to diameter ratios of 12, 20 and 30 inside the model tank. The test results stipulate the significant role of characteristics such as length to diameter ratio, moisture content, and interfacial friction in altering the shaft resistance of the piles. Comparative studies are also performed to assess the variation of pile soil interaction in two different types of soil used in the present study.

As in today’s construction industry, concrete is the key component of construction material used worldwide. But the problem of overconsumption of natural resources, heavy emission of CO2, and high consumption of energy while manufacturing are the challenging obstacles in production. Therefore, various studies are performed to get a sustainable and economical construction material that replaces conventional Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) from industrial wastes like Fly Ash (FA) and Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBS), also using Recycled Concrete Aggregate (RCA) of demolished structures in place of natural coarse and fine aggregate. Hence, the final outcome has resulted in a sustainable construction material that is formed by the alkali activation of source materials like GGBS and FA with a combination of metal hydroxide and silicate known as Geopolymer Concrete (GPC); that is eco-friendly for the environment through suppressing the issues of waste disposal and global warming. This paper presents a literature review on the mechanical properties of FA and GGBS-based GPC. The mechanical properties that have been reviewed include compressive strength, flexural strength, split tensile strength, and modulus of elasticity. The optimum proportion of RCA, aluminosilicate, activating solution, molar concentration, water to binder ratio (w/b), rest period and curing temperature, etc. are reported to generate an efficient mix. Also, various existing gaps and future scope are discussed as per the comprehensive literature survey.

Plates like structural elements are commonly found in many structural applications and may undergo injury or damages during its service life. Identification, characterization, and detection of damages at the early stages in a plate structure avoid the further growth of damages and prevent the structural failure. In this paper, the strain energy and flexibility matrix-based damage detection procedure is adopted to detect single as well multiple damages in a plate structure. Toward this, a 4-noded plate element is utilized to discretize the rectangular plate with 6° of freedom (dof) at every node. The flexibility matrix is calculated using the natural frequency and mode shape. This method detects the damage in the plate by an increase in flexibility matrix of the damaged one. The damage indicator is then computed by evaluating the changes in strain energy of a structural plate using the coefficients of the flexibility matrices. The modal parameters were extracted from the FE analysis software Abaqus. Nine illustrative examples with damages at various locations are induced by decreasing the modulus of elasticity at the specified elements in plate structure, in order to determine the effectiveness of the method. The numerical result shows that the adopted damage detection procedure can be able to locate the structural damages in plates with lower modes, and the magnitude of the evaluated damage index depends on the severity of the damage.

In many geotechnical and hydrological studies, there is a significant increase in the field investigation of hydraulic properties in unsaturated zone. Hydraulic conductivity is one such parameter that is used as an input in many physically based models. As hydraulic conductivity is a highly spatially variable property, estimating the representative values are required for any modeling processes. The present study aimed at determining the saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) at two different land covers by Guelph permeameter in the field, permeability tests in the lab, and the Rawls–Brakensiek regression equation as a function of textural properties of the soil. Also, the study involves the comparison of the Ks values measured from field, lab, and Rawls regression equation. The results of this study indicate that, although there is slight variability in the results of hydraulic conductivity measurement methods, the graphical plots show a good correlation between the field, lab, and estimated values by Rawls equation.

Glass façade construction is increasing at a rapid rate with more attention to aesthetics, energy efficiency, green concept, etc. but the fire safety factor has completely been neglected. A high-rise façade is a very crucial element in case of a fire incident, poses a greater fire hazard. However, they can easily allow the fire to transfer from lower floor to upper floors of the building through the gap present in between the slab edge and glass façade. This study promotes fire safety in the façade structures. The study is based on cellulosic fire and mainly concentrates on the chimney effect, which is very common in residential, commercial, and institutional buildings, etc. Following fire safety, passive fire protection is considered for the study. The study says in the buildings with glass façade, proper compartmentation must be adopted by ensuring proper fire stopping done at spandrel sections in compliance with test conditions. This can be implemented with proper installation of fire stop in all necessary areas such as unsealed openings and joints to prevent fire spread. A real spandrel of a building has been analyzed and re-drawn in AutoCAD software as per fire safety norms of ASTM E2307 and further engineering judgements have been made for the same as per International Firestop Council guidelines which are also reflected in IS 12458-2019. The study also includes basic analysis on cause of some major fire incidents in India, key points on building fire safety provision of passive fire protection. NBC-2016 is also referred to get an insight about the important clauses which promotes the façade fire safety.

Blasts and accidental explosions are being reported more frequently than before with grievous injuries and loss of lives and damage to the structure, increasing the concern of disaster management authority officials. Structural engineers apprehend that such events may trigger progressive structural collapse leading to huge loss of property and its consequences and therefore the blast performance of important load-carrying members such as columns becomes the topic of interest. Blast performance and blast-resistant design are being given importance for the structure likely to be the target of insurgents by various researchers and engineers. In a framed structure system, the safety of columns being the principal element against blast loading is extremely important for the stability of the structure. The present study focuses on how best can we enhance the blast performance of the reinforced concrete (RC) columns of an existing building. One 3000 mm long, 300 mm × 300 mm RC column carrying an axial load of 950 kN subjected to the 82 kg TNT equivalent blast loading tested experimentally has been first analyzed using the ABAQUS/CAE software. The concrete damage plasticity (CDP) model including the strain rate effect is used to model the concrete material behavior to blast loading. To enhance the performance of the column, (1) CFRP wrappings over the (i) seismic confining regions, (ii) seismic and mid-height regions, and (iii) entire length, and (2) jacketing with steel angles at the corners throughout the column length and connected with battens on the wrappings are considered. Results in terms of displacement, damage, and stresses are compared and discussed. Considered provisions lead to a novel technique of retrofitting the RCC columns with CFRP wrappings with steel angle and batten jacketing over the seismic confining regions and mid-height against blast loading.

The heavy vehicle’s interactivity with the remaining classes of vehicles in the traffic stream is constantly rising and their impact becoming pronounced day by day. Unlike other vehicle categories, the heavy vehicle’s operational characteristics vary widely and their impact on the traffic flow is high. The impact of heavy vehicles (HVs) on the traffic flow is high due to their larger dimensions and different operational capability compared to other classes of vehicles. The lane-changing and overtaking behavior of the rear vehicles to the HVs are more frequent, which raises safety concerns. Various studies are undertaken continuously to study their influence on the mixed traffic flow condition. Our study is aimed at analyzing the heavy vehicle’s influence on traffic flow speed and capacity of a highway section using simulation analysis with VISSIM software. The traffic flow data of National Highway 83 was collected using the Transportable Infra-Red Traffic Logger (TIRTL) for a period of 24 h. A base model was created using VISSIM to replicate the field conditions. Four classes of heavy vehicles were taken for the study purpose. Macroscopic fundamental diagrams (MFDs) were used to analyze the before and after flow at the arrival of HVs. Statistical analyses were done to validate the model and arrive at the results. The field and simulation results were compared. Significant impacts were observed in the after characteristics compared to before characteristics of the traffic stream at the arrival of HVs. Few strategies were recommended to regulate and control the operations of HVs.

This research article explains the prediction of parameters that mostly affect the water quality index by using correlation and regression analysis. This research work was carried out in January 2018 in 17 temple ponds of the holiest city Kanchipuram. The pond water samples were tested for 11 parameters: pH, dissolved oxygen, total hardness, calcium, magnesium, total dissolved solids, chloride, sulfate, total nitrogen, total phosphate, and iron. The calculated water quality index that varies from 202 to 387 indicates that the water is unfit for drinking purposes. This greater value is due to the total phosphate exceeding the limit. Correlation analysis indicates that WQI has a good correlation with total phosphate, total nitrate, and chloride (r = 0.956, 0.908, and 0.803). In regression analysis, WQI with total phosphate shows a greater R2 value (0.914). The evaluation of experimental and expected values of the dissimilar water quality parameters reveals that the correlation and regression analysis are very useful for finding the parameter mostly affecting the water quality index.

Damage to the structure and loss of life due to increasing unintentional and terrorist explosions are grabbing the attention of engineers, planners, and policymakers. The damage to certain key elements of the structure, such as column, is fatal and irreparable and may lead to the collapse of the structure. Following the validation of experimentally tested square RC column with seismic lateral reinforcement carrying axial load subjected to an explosive charge of 100 kg ANFO (82 kg-TNT equivalent) at a scaled distance of 1.00 m/kg1/3 with 10 mm mesh size using ABAQUS/CAE software equipped with concrete damage plasticity model with strain rate effect, equivalent circular columns to the experimentally tested one having seismic circular transverse reinforcement carrying the same axial load under the blast are considered. With the aim of dissecting the impact of blast on the RC columns, a high-fidelity physics-based numerical model has been developed subjected to equal peak pressure of 8.71 MPa in close-in and contact blasts. To improve the response of the column, different types of retrofitting techniques, including UHPC and UHPFRP coating, and CFRP wrapping are considered. Blast performance in terms of maximum displacement, damage dissipation energy, and compressive stress in concrete are compared and discussed. The results indicated that the strengthening with UHPFRC is comparable to CFRP wrapping in the case of the close-in blast; however, CFRP wrapping is found to make the column give excellent performance in both close-in and contact explosion loadings.

The construction industry alone in India produces 10–15 million tonnes of waste annually. In new construction, usage of recycled concrete aggregate provides major benefits like reduction in environmental pollution and conservation of nature. In the present study, the different percentages of recycled concrete aggregate (0, 50, and 100%) are used as a replacement to natural coarse aggregate in concrete. The concretes are tested for workability and strength properties for the water to cement ratios: 0.40, 0.45, and 0.50. The experiment was designed using Minitab software. Taguchi method with L9 orthogonal array was selected for the variables: w/c, RCA content, mixing time, and curing period. The strengths were measured at 7, 28, and 56 days. F-value and P-value of ANOVA test were analyzed to understand the influence of variables on the concrete. Statistical analysis proved the negative impact of recycled concrete aggregate on workability. The strength test results indicated reduced strength for more than 50% replacement of recycled concrete aggregate.

The Time Headway (TH) between vehicles is one of the vital microscopic parameters in traffic engineering. It is influenced by the prevailing traffic flow characteristics of the highway segments. An accurate measure of TH is essential to deal effectively with any given traffic system. The selection of the suitable probability distribution function for a specific condition of traffic remained an open question. This research aims to evaluate the best-fitted TH probability distribution function for different traffic flow levels in multilane-divided rural highways under heterogeneous traffic conditions. The traffic-related data was obtained using a state-of-the-art, non-intrusive Infra-Red (IR) traffic detector system. The IR sensor system was used to collect the traffic data like vehicle class, traffic speed, traffic flow, and TH from the Chennai–Nagapattinam National Highways in India. To interpret and distinguish the driver behavior in maintaining different TH distributions at different traffic flow conditions, the Kolmogorov–Smirnov (K–S) test was used. The descriptive statistical results reveal that the mean TH values under different traffic flow conditions differ from each other, implying that the traffic flow conditions influence the TH distributions. Consequently, the research findings show significant variations in the TH following characteristics for the highway segment under various traffic flow conditions. The estimated TH distributions can be used to build the microscopic traffic simulation models.

One of the most important things that every human being on the planet must be aware of is sustainability. The term ‘sustainability’ refers to all aspects of the environment, including numerous characteristics such as the long-term viability of water bodies. Water pollution has been rapidly increasing over the last two decades for a variety of reasons. The significant development of industries is beneficial to the country's economy. Even though the wastes generated by these various industries and disposed of without proper treatment and practises have caused and continue to pollute the water bodies. Nitrates are one of the pollutants that can be found in most polluted river bodies. Nitrates can be found in river bodies from agricultural waste water due to pollutants released primarily from fertilizers used in excess amounts for agricultural practises. Adsorption proved to be the best solution for controlling the nitrate content in water. In this study, nitrates and nitrites are removed from adsorbent fish scales. The removal of fish scales as an adsorbent has been thoroughly researched. These studies involve different isotherm studies, kinetic studies as well as thermodynamic studies. Following the completion of the analysis, the results revealed that nitrates and nitrates can be effectively removed with fish scales, with the maximum percent biosorption found to be 97.96 and 99.72% at contact times of 140 min and 100 min, respectively, the pH is kept at 6, the temperature is kept at 303 degrees Celsius, and the adsorbent dosage is kept at 0.4 g for maximum adsorption. Thermodynamic studies has been also conducted where the results showed that the reaction is endothermic and spontaneous in nature based on the values of ΔS, ΔH and ΔG. In addition to the above analysis, isothermal and kinetic studies were performed, with the Langmuir isotherm studies fitting perfectly and the affinity between the pollutants and adsorbent indicating that second-order kinetic studies are best suited.

Road construction and other infrastructure works have an ever-increasing demand for good quality construction materials. The availability of natural aggregates for such requirements are now becoming scarce due to the prevailing environmental constraints and the related need for socio-economic sustainability. As a result, recycling of used or waste materials has been gaining a dynamic momentum. One of such material is Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) material obtained from the surface course of flexible (bituminous) pavements once the design life of pavement has exhausted. Though RAP material has got usage as partial replacement to the fresh bituminous mix, their performance as a fill material for the base layer of pavement is presented in this paper. To enhance the performance of RAP-filled base layers, it has been reinforced with different geosynthetic materials (geogrid, geocell) and their combination (geogrid plus geocell). For the need of clear distinction among the performance of different reinforcement cases, RAP-filled base layer was essentially prepared upon weak subgrade having low CBR value (black cotton soil). All studies were performed on laboratory-scale pavement model constructed inside an indigenously developed equipment named “Repeated Load Applicator for Pavement Performance”. The RAP-filled base layer when reinforced with geocell and geogrid in single combination was found to perform better than the geocell confinement followed by the geogrid reinforcement. The performance of different reinforcement cases in comparison to the unreinforced case were evaluated in terms of Traffic Benefit Ratio (TBR) and Rut Depth Reduction factors (RDRF).

It is crucial to monitor the dynamics of any fragile coastal stretch on a regular basis. Shorelines on both sides of Muthalapozhi tidal inlet, which is located along Kerala coast in India, were modified after the construction of breakwaters for a fishing harbour. The fishing harbour work was initiated in 2002. Severe erosion at the immediate North of the breakwater and choking of harbour mouth due to spit formation was observed. The construction of modified breakwaters began in 2013, after resolving the deficiencies in the first phase. Coastal morphology needs to be further analysed to check the adequacy of the breakwaters. An attempt to study the dynamicity of coastal morphology of Muthalapozhi Harbour using geospatial approach is reported in this paper. In response to the breakwater construction, End Point Rate (EPR) and Linear Regression Rate (LRR) are calculated using Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) in ArcGIS software. The results indicate that high accretion with a maximum rate of 209 m/year in the year 2019 is observed on the immediate southern side of the south breakwater.

Optimization studies enhanced the effectiveness of two Carica Papaya Stem Activated Carbons (CPSAC) in removing chosen harmful metals from mining wastewater and the associated problem of multivariate parameters in the process. Adsorbent dosage, stirring speed, contact time, particle size, pH, and temperature were used as independent variables in the experimental design. Batch adsorption experiments were carried out using the experimental design result, after which the collected experimental data was optimized with the Design-Expert program and the results were validated. CPSAC–NaOH had an adsorption optimization solution of 0.204 g adsorbent dosage, 149.887 rpm stirring speed, 52.79 min contact time, 1.999 mm particle size, pH 7, and 29.599 °C temperature, while CPSAC–H3PO4 had an adsorption optimization solution of 0.584 g adsorbent dosage, 147.426 rpm stirring speed, 53.303 min contact time, 2 mm particle size, pH 7, and 30 °C temperature, which results in 100% removal efficiencies for all selected toxic metals with a standard error of no more than 2.518%. Consequently, in adsorption investigations, the optimization method is a very valuable tool. It is strongly suggested for the biosorption of hazardous metals from mine wastewater with the adsorbent manufactured from the Carica papaya stem because it is cost-effective, energy-efficient, and time-saving.

Globally, the role of lightweight concrete in reducing the self-weight of concrete structures is under research. The coconut shell could be used to replace the natural coarse aggregate to achieve lightweight concrete. The demerit of reduction in strength characteristics could be addressed to effectively utilize the waste coconut shell. The present study concentrated on the density and strength characteristics of Alccofine (ultrafine GGBFS)-based coconut shell lightweight concrete (30CS 6A, 30CS 8A, 30CS 10A, 30CS 12A) to arrive at an optimum mix. 30CS 8A (replacing 30% of natural aggregate with coconut shell aggregate and 8% of cement with Alccofine) has arrived as optimum. Beam specimens (100 × 150 × 1200 mm) were cast using control mix (CC_B) and optimum mix (30CS 8A_B) to analyse for the flexural characteristics. Parametric analysis was carried to compare the crack pattern, ultimate load, ultimate moment, stiffness, flexural toughness and ductility ratio. The comparison shows that the mix 30CS 8A could be effectively used to cast flexural components to achieve reduced self-weight, without compromising the flexural characteristics.

The comparative electrocoagulation treatment was studied for the degradation and mineralization of ametryn in water using copper (CE) and German silver (GE) electrodes both in batch and continuous modes of operation. The operating variables such as the number of electrodes (2, 4), voltage (6, 12 V), current density (4–15 A/m2), initial concentration of ametryn (15, 20, 25 ppm), reaction time (0–120 min) and flow rate (0.5, 1, 1.5 Lph) were varied without changing the actual pH of the aqueous solution. The maximum removal of 80–85% of ametryn was achieved with a combination of 2 electrodes, 6 V, 1 Lph of flow rate and 80 min of reaction time. The copper electrode shows better performance than German silver electrodes, with less power consumption. The removal efficiency was decreased with increasing the initial concentration of ametryn and pH was gradually increased from 7–9.5. As the reaction proceeds, the pH was slowly increased in GE electrodes (7–9.6), which is more than in CE electrodes (7.8.6). The overall results revealed that CE and GE electrodes proved to be an alternative for other electrodes such as aluminum, iron and platinum.

The study of cable behavior is vital in cable-stayed bridges as they are known to carry load from the deck/girder to the pylon. However, the cables are exposed to atmospheric corrosion (humidity, etc.) and metal corrosion which causes them grave damage. Further, it is observed that fatigue failure due to variation in load causes microfractures in the stay cables. Due to the above facts, maintenance of cables is imperative and mandatory monitoring should be observed. A simple model of cable-stayed bridge is designed and analyzed using MIDAS Civil. Unknown Load Factor method, which is the optimization method, is used to determine the cable forces. A cable-stayed bridge is modeled and analyzed using MIDAS Civil. Seven different cases of cable loss are considered for the study undergoing static forces only (dead load cases), and for each case, the results for cable forces, beam stresses, beam moments, support reactions and deformed shapes are carefully studied. The results obtained reveal the effect of cable loss on the structure. It was observed that the loss of outermost cable/s affects the most. This study can be highly useful as a reference, to different cable-stayed bridge models, and further, the behavior of the structures can be examined.

In the present study, an attempt was made to analyze the concrete pavement developed using alkali activated concrete (AAC) mixes. Finite element method (FEM)-based software package called KENSLAB (constituent of KENPAVE software) has been used for this study. In the study, the pavements were modeled for single wheel load applications and standard wheel load applications, obtained as per the IRC standards. The combined wheel load and temperature flexural stresses at interior, edge, and corner region were analyzed and the obtained results were compared with the models of various trial thicknesses ranging from 150 to 400 mm. The results indicate that for all the loading positions, as the thickness of the concrete increases, the combined temperature and wheel load flexural stress decreases. The values are in the range of 1.0–4.75 MPa for the wheel load application; and the range of 0.795–7.05 MPa for standard axle load applications. Most of the values are less than the 28 day flexural strength of the reference and optimum AAC mixes, making it suitable for pavement applications.

In earlier works, the successful fabrication of clay bricks using geopolymeric constitutes was done. In the present study, considering the increasing demand for sustainable and environmentally friendly construction materials, the red mud-based geopolymeric clay bricks were cast by utilizing the red mud as fresh caustic, since red mud has bound caustic which participates in the reaction and is used in bulk quantity. The objective of the present study is to utilize Bayer’s processed red mud from the alumina manufacturing process in clay bricks using geopolymeric approach. The production of geopolymeric bricks is considered to be one of the solutions to the ever-increasing red mud disposal problems. The geopolymeric bricks with alkali liquid to binder ratio 0.4 and sodium silicate to sodium hydroxide ratio 2.5 were studied. These bricks were optimized by varying the molarity of NaOH, along with the replacement of clay in clay bricks with varying percentages of fly ash, red mud, and curing conditions. The casted bricks were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The compressive strengths and water absorption of optimized red mud-based geopolymeric bricks were compared with conventional brunt clay bricks. The compressive strength of casted bricks was comparable to conventional clay bricks were as water absorption was less than 1.70%.

This study focuses on the mechanical performance of non-encapsulated self-healing concrete using bacteria by direct application. The influence of Bacillus subtilus bacteria on crack healing, compressive strength regains, sorptivity, water absorption, impact strength, and concrete microstructures was examined in this study. M30 grade concrete with a water-cement ratio of 0.45 was used for control specimens. For bacteria incorporated specimens, water content was fully replaced with three different percentage of healing agent. The healing agent comprises of 10, 20, 30% bacterial solution (BS) and 90, 80, 70% nutrient solution (NS) was directly mixed with concrete mixtures with bacillus subtilis bacterial concentration of 105 cells/ml and the mixtures were designated as BC 1, BC 2, and BC 3. The concrete specimens were subsequently cured by two methods; wet-dry cycle and full-wet and the results were compared with the control. The cast specimens were immersed in water for 24 h, then held at room temperature for another 24 h in the wet-dry cycle, which was repeated for 28 days. Specimens were immersed in water for 28 days during full-wet curing. However, the curing water was changed every 24 h to ensure that the bacteria had enough oxygen to precipitate calcium carbonate. Results show that the addition of bacteria enhances the mechanical properties compared with control concrete. SEM and XRD results show the micro-structural morphology and the calcium carbonate precipitation.

Remote sensing data has found its use in a variety of social applications such as change detection, mapping, vegetation analysis, and land cover detection. The classification outcomes vary depending on the algorithms employed, the type of the classifier, and the data complexity. In this paper, we use an artificial neural network (ANN) classifier for mapping two Landsat-8 images of different complexity. The data are analyzed for LULC class separation in spatial space using Jeffries-Matusita and transformed divergence metrics. Further, we analyze the performance of ANN by studying the impact of three network generalization parameters; the number of hidden layers, number of training iterations, and training rate on the classification outputs. Accuracy assessment is carried out to verify the correctness of the output thematic maps using 1000 ground truth points. The study presents a detailed analysis of the classification performance by considering Anderson’s level 1 and level 2 classes. Lastly, we compare the classification performance of ANN with other well-known classifiers commonly employed in remote sensing.

Groundwater (GW) quality in Ilkal Taluk of Bagalkot district, Karnataka, India needs special attention as it is a significant alternate source of potable water, domestic needs and industrial applications for the people residing in this area. From the geological features of the area, it is evident that the region is comprised of granite and gneiss metasediments whose significant composition is the fluorite mineral. In this study, Spatial Distribution Maps (SDM) were prepared for the water quality parameters analyzed for the GW samples from 32 different locations of Ilkal taluk using Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) technique of Arc GIS. From the SDM of Ilkal taluk it is observed that concentration of fluoride in all the samples was more than the BIS maximum allowable value of 1.5 mg/l, pH in all the samples was found well within the range, total dissolved solids exceeded the acceptable value in an area covering 638.09 km2 and permissible value in an area of 2.34 km2 and hardness exceeded the permissible value in an area covering 473.87 km2, Nitrate exceeded the acceptable value in an area of 78.89 km2 and Total alkalinity exceeded the acceptable value of 200 mg/l in an area of 649.53 km2. GW quality assessment was done using Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment Water Quality Index (CCME WQI) which resulted in poor ranking. Hence, continuous monitoring and appropriate treatment of the GW to make it fit for drinking and to protect the health of the people residing in this area is a prime necessity.

An effort that adds non-value (ENV) could be saved if the project had been better planned, conducted, monitored, and regulated. To recognize and reduce ENV in micro-level analysis such as sampling of works and balance charts explaining the balance of the asset is used broadly. These methods are particularly successful when analyzing operations with modest performance variance in each cycle and can discover redundant stages in highly repetitive building activity. Data is gathered through literature reviews and site visits. The main aim of this study is to construct a dynamic tool that can detect and enumerate ENV, and changes can be done in the design. This proposed model was then used in two case studies, it was discovered that errors and changes caused 18.61% ENV and if the project is delayed, there will be a delay of 128 days in the case of project I and 72 days in case project II. Furthermore, productivity loss and Interruption (RFIR) form the major part of ENV, causing delays in both the case studies. Based on the findings, this research stated that this proposed tool could be used as a device to improve ENV comprehension in projects, resulting in a more significant reduction in ENV.

The goal of this investigation is to find the significance of the alccofine and basalt fiber in fly ash-based high strength concrete. Usage of supplemental cementitious materials in concrete manufacture is thought to provide economical, technical, and environmental benefits Alccofine is a new generation of ultrafine ground matter that is utilized to make high-strength concrete and has a substantial impact on workability and strength. Alccofine 1203 was used as a partial replacement (0, 4, 8, 12 and 14% by weight) as substitute to cement with varying volume fractions of chopped basalt fiber (0, 0.2, 0.3, and 0.4% by total mix volume). Fly ash is used at the constant percentage of 25% by weight as substitute to cement. The combined impact of the 12 mm long basalt fiber and the alccofine 1203 on the mechanical characteristics of fresh and hardened concrete was studied. The outcomes showed noteworthy improvement in HSC mechanical characteristics.

Infrastructure developments and increased employment opportunities in an area lead to increase in travel demand consequently causing traffic and transportation problems. This can be overcome by proper transportation planning, which includes identifying the travel demand and implementing plans accordingly, thereby maintaining a balanced urban transportation system. Therefore, it is highly warranted to study the trip generation pattern of an area. The present paper attempts to identify the factors that influence the trip attraction potential of the core area of Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala, India. The attraction characteristics of various establishment types, purposes, and zones are determined followed by the development of trip attraction models. The significant variables identified for the trip attraction were the number of employees, floor area, seating capacity, and available parking space.

The unending human needs have given rise to the development of innovative methods in the field of construction. There is the parallel raise in the population and demand and here supply fails to meet the needs. This creates an imbalance. The possibility of using tire aggregates as replacement was ensured based on the scanning electron microscope (SEM) images obtained. The amount of waste shredded rubber tire aggregate (WSRT) which can be implemented in concrete for satisfactory gain in strength is studied here. W/C ratio was kept constant and 2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10% of sand was replaced to check the efficiency of WSRT by conducting study on microstructure and it was found that 5% replacement provided better result.

Numerous domestic and municipal wastewater treatment systems have been developed to improve effluent water quality, but most of them require consideration of economic aspects. This study was carried out to investigate the applications of Areca husk filtration as an efficient method to economically remove BOD, COD, chlorides, sulphates and nitrates by the principle of trickling filter. Biofiltration was carried out to study the performance and treatment efficiency of Areca husk as filter media in treating domestic wastewater at different contact periods (48, 72 and 96 h). Due to higher specific surface area, fibrous materials are often considered as a better choice for increased microbial support and treatment efficiency. When Areca husk was used as a filter bed, considerable reduction in BOD, COD and nutrients such as chlorides, sulphates and nitrates were observed. BOD was reduced by 53.9% and COD by 55.7% after four days treatment, respectively. The pH was found to be almost constant throughout the contact period of 96 h. The treated wastewater can be used for various domestic purposes like cleaning, washing and gardening and the spent fibres will have a high fertilizer value and can be used for agricultural purpose.

The prediction of equilibrium scour depth is carried out by tweaking the power of the vortex that crops up in front of non-uniform piers. This modification is based on replacing the width of uniform pier with equivalent width for a non-uniform pier. The ratio of the projected area of the components of pier to the depth, Ymin constitutes equivalent width. Minimum scour depth occurs for type-I piers and to a depth Ymax at which maximum scour depth occurs for type-II piers. The vortex power concept is based on equivalent width and is tested using author’s experimental data relative to data available in literature. It is found that the prediction accuracy in both cases is substantially accurate.

An extensive survey of past research work reflects that the static behavior of damaged composite conoidal shells has received very limited attention. Hence in the present work, static characteristics of composite conoidal shells with central delamination has been examined. Point loaded conoidal shells with simply supported and clamped boundary conditions are taken up. A finite element computer code using eight noded isoparametric elements has been developed and results are compared with those available from previous research. Further, more works have been done taking variation in boundary condition, aspect ratio, stacking sequences. Final conclusions have been drawn with help of extracted results and its meticulous investigation.

This research looks into an investigation on the innovative optimum design of single degree of freedom system with and without viscous fluid damper. This kind of damper dissipates the mechanical energy of the building into heat energy. The majority of structures are susceptible to varying loads throughout time, resulting in vibration. This vibration in structural system may result from a wide variety of sources such as wind and seismic waves. The effect of vibration on a Single Degree of Freedom System (SDOF) is investigated in this study using simulation software in accordance with codal provisions.

The global buckling behaviour of cold-formed steel complex angle sections subjected to axial compression is investigated. The length of the columns is considered to be 1 m upon preliminary analysis using CUFSM such that global buckling governs. Linear and non-linear finite element buckling analyses are carried out using commercial finite element software ABAQUS. Fixed boundary condition is assumed throughout the study. The column strengths and post-buckling capacities of the considered sections are presented. Influence of stiffener type on axial load capacity of the angle sections is discussed. The obtained numerical column strengths are compared with the Direct Strength Method (DSM) design strength equations of global buckling mode available in AISI-S100 and literature. On comparison, it is observed that the design equations in the available literature either underestimate or overpredict the capacity of complex-shaped angle members subjected to global buckling under axial compression.

In present times, the utilization of cold formed steel (CFS) members in building industry is rapidly growing on account of its higher strength-to-weight ratio and the significant flexibility of shapes and size accessible to the structural steel engineer. Beside these advantages, it has also some desirable properties which create more challenges during its use in construction. As the thickness is very small it can easily get affected by different types of buckling, torsional failure, web crippling, and have low resistance to fire. The key focus of this study is to represent the CFS members by reviewing its properties, classification, buckling modes, etc. The paper discusses the codes and guidelines available for cold-formed steel sections and different analysis methods carried out by many researchers. At present time, the application of modernized finite element method in CFS will permit the development of creative and structured building products. The selection of the best section is a great challenge and also expensive, the use of artificial neural network will predict the strength of the sections. In this review paper CFS sections design, analysis, and use of artificial neural network are discussed.

Environmental restrictions imposed on mining natural aggregates, for use in construction activities, necessitated the use of industrial byproducts as a substitute. In the present study, the Waste Recycled Product (WRP) slag has been characterized primarily for its usage in different geotechnical engineering applications such as embankment construction, reinforced earth construction, and filling of low-lying areas. California Bearing Ratio (CBR) and angle of shearing resistance (φ’) of WRP slag compacted under varying relative compactions (RC) have been determined. Correlations have been developed between California Bearing Ratio (CBR), angle of shearing resistance (φ’), and relative compactions (RC). It was concluded that WRP slag being a cohesionless material, with low compressibility, high CBR value, high φ’, is amenable to utilization in various geotechnical applications such as embankment and road construction. Stability analysis of Dykes constructed using WRP slag has been carried out using limit equilibrium method using GEO5 software to demonstrate the efficacy of the obtained properties and similarly, a pavement composition has been designed using IRC 37–2018 and its analysis has been carried out using linear elastic layered theory using IITPAVE software.

Breakwaters are offshore structures constructed to protect the coastal and port structures from uncertain and extreme wave conditions. It creates tranquility in and around the harbor side for smooth transactions of ships. Depending upon the availability of rocks, depth of water, geotechnical nature of the sea bed, and its functional requirement, breakwaters are classified as rubble mound breakwaters, caisson type, and composite breakwaters. Rubble mound is a flexible, heterogeneous, trapezoidal structure consisting of quarried rocks in the core and artificial armor as a protection cover. Armor units at the outer layer absorb most of the energy and under-layers prevent transmission of the wave energy. The main advantage of the rubble mound is its failure is not immediate and can be repaired by adding the stones in the flushed-out part. More than 50% of breakwaters constructed around the world are of rubble mounds. Looking at its importance for coastal structures, this paper gives an overview of the basic aspects of rubble mound breakwaters, design considerations, and its failure conditions. The design of rubble mound breakwaters include hydraulic stability of it against wave actions, structural components design, and geotechnical considerations. The common modes of rubble mound failure are hydraulic damage, erosion of subsoil, slope failures, toe erosion, overtopping, liquefaction of subsoil, crest erosion, and leeside damage. The failure of rubble mound breakwater at Ergil fishery port, Turkey due to Kocaeli earthquake of 1999 has been explained to support this part.

Retaining wall is a necessity in today’s infrastructure development projects. The construction works at hill sites or when there is difference in elevation of soil exists, earth retaining structures like cantilever retaining walls are required which often has limitation on height retained due to increase in soil pressure on the wall. For reducing the earth pressure on stem relieving shelves are provided. There are many research studies reported in literature for optimal location and designing shelves. Most of such analytical studies reported in literature have utilized FEM analysis using 2D elements. Also, there are reports of failures of retaining walls with shelves. Investigating causes of such failure needs proper forensic analysis and study simulating actual site condition in 3D domain. There is a need for analysis of Retaining wall considering the soil behaviour effect in all three dimensions. In the present study, the finite element analysis for cantilever retaining wall of 10 m high with relieving shelves, is performed by using 3D elements by varying number of shelves for different soil parameters. It was observed that the top displacement and the soil pressure acting on stem reduced with increase in number of shelves. A parametric study is performed using Midas GTS NX software using 3D elements which reveals the effect of number of shelves, on variation of unit weight and friction angle on deflection and earth pressure acting on the stem.

As innovation in concrete technology advances and the environment weakens, it is currently evident that the boundless utilization of construction materials and its initial expense being the common determination model has become a routine with regard to the past. Since there is great interest for raw materials and natural resources are rare, it is expected to utilize a high volume of alternative materials in concrete that would be monetarily beneficial like crushed sand, blast furnace slag, etc. An experimental investigation was carried out to examine the behaviour of mortars incorporating partial volumes of secondary material to fine aggregates. Processed granulated blast furnace slag (PGBS), newly processed slag which had overcome the limitations of granulated blast furnace slag obtained as a by-product during the extraction of steel was tested for fine aggregate (FA) replacement. Several combinations of mortar mixes were prepared using Lignosulfonate (LS), Sulphonated Naphthalene Formaldehyde (SNF) and Polycarboxylate Ether (PCE)-based superplasticizers (SP) for 0 and 50% replacement levels of FA by PGBS to recognize the feasible optimum dosage of SP required to achieve desired flow characteristics of mortars. Based on the optimum dosage of SP and w/c obtained, mortar cubes were prepared and cured for 3, 7, and 28 days. These cubes were tested for compressive strength periodically, the results revealed that PCE-based SP exhibited better performance concerning flow behaviour and strength gain parameters along with the effective reduction in w/c for both 0 and 50% FA replaced mixes. PGBS exhibited higher strength when compared to 0% replaced mixes though there was a slight increase in water content required for the cohesive mix.

The present study concentrates on evaluating the mechanical and durability properties of Dry Lean Concrete (DLC) manufactured with Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) and Portland Pozzolana Cement (PPC) based on mix design and IRC: SP:49–2014 guidelines. In the present investigation, the OPC mixes are prepared for binder contents of 160, 173 and 186 kg/m3 and PPC mixes are prepared for 178, 197 and 215 kg/m3 binder contents to identify the optimal mixes for moisture contents. The prepared DLC mixes for both OPC and PPC were evaluated for the mechanical properties and durability properties. From the comparative evaluation of compressive strengths of the prepared mixes, it is evident that the OPC containing 186 kg/m3 and PPC mix having binder content of 215 kg/m3 yielded targeted strength. The suitable moisture content for DLC mixes observed irrespective of the type of the cement was in the range of 6.02–6.52%.

The Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry is amongst the oldest. Developments to transform the virtual models and visualize them in the real world are the ongoing innovations. The AEC industry often faces problems in communicating ideas, which may look vague or cannot come up with the words to describe them between the client and the work executers; errors during construction due to lack of imagination; improper planning and execution; and wastage of resources. To address the lack of imagination or visualization of elements in architecture, an effort has been made by creating virtual 3D models like chairs, tables, office cabins, and furnished house structures. The elements are exported to a game environment to create an application that can be used on the Android platform. This in turn helps the user to visualize the 3D model with details and proactively rectify the errors. The app development kit includes Unity 3D and Vuforia. This paper focuses on the development of an application for the visualization of virtual 3D models augmented on the Android mobile platform.

Alternative materials and methods for improving the ground have always been a subject of study. The viability of construction and demolition waste (CD waste) as slope infill is examined in this research. To investigate its suitability for construction of slopes, a three-layered slope infill is considered. Parameters studied in the present study include thickness of CD waste layer and slope angles. CD waste is used in the middle layer and its thickness is varied from 0 to 7 m in increments of 1 m. The bottom layer thickness is kept constant at 7 m, whereas the top layer depth is varied such that the total height of embankment is 17 m. The SLOPE/W module of GEOSTUDIO is used to perform a slope stability analysis, and the factor of safety is calculated for various embankment sections. Limit equilibrium analysis is carried out for three different slope angles; viz., 30°, 45° and 60°. From the analysis, it is observed that angle of friction of infill is critical as far as stability of slope is considered. According to study, 17–25% of the thickness of an embankment can be replaced with cohesionless CD waste without compromising on factor of safety.

The present study aims to demonstrate the capabilities of singular spectrum analysis (SSA) as a filter bank that could potentially be integrated into a modal identification framework using single-sensor output information. SSA reconstructs the original time series using principal components from the signal subspace—thereby eliminating noise components altogether—and yields a filtered signal that finds its use in modal identification. Using time-domain decomposition and least-squares technique, the modal response generated using SSA is fit with a free-decay signal from which the estimates of natural frequencies and damping ratios are carried out. The paper attempts to investigate a simple model of a dynamical system and analyzes it using the proposed approach to provide a comparison with traditional operational modal analysis techniques. The results demonstrate that SSA can be used as a powerful tool for the analysis of vibratory behavior for structures exhibiting well-separated spectral components. Inherent filtering embedded within its framework and its seamless integration into a modal identification framework hold strong promise for application inbuilt infrastructure systems.

Road users that are vulnerable to road crashes are primarily those who are unprotected by a protective outer shield, such as pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists of all ages and abilities, such as children, the elderly, and people who have disabilities (physically or mentally). The present paper aims at a review to provide an investigation of the crashes involving vulnerable road users reported in the state of Kerala from the year 2018 to 2020. It consists of crash data analysis concerning age group and collision type and vehicle type. It was found that the highest percentage of vulnerable road users involved in the crashes are from the two-wheeler category (59.11%), followed by pedestrians (20.35%). The highest percentage of crashes for pedestrians and cyclists are due to collisions with two-wheelers. The most susceptible groups for pedestrians and cyclists are those aged 41–60 years, while those aged 26–40 years are more vulnerable to two-wheeler crashes.

A 3D pipe geogrid is a geogrid that contains an extruded circular pipe around the aperture of the geogrid. This type of geogrid is newly invented to study its performance and the position it holds in terms of increasing the bearing pressure when compared to that of 2D reinforced and unreinforced sand beds. In this present research work, attempts are made to find out the influence of the 2D geogrid and 3D pipe geogrid on the bearing capacity of the square surface footing overlying sand beds, and a comparative study is made between them. The S/B ratios, i.e., the ratio of spacing of the reinforcements (S) to the width of the footing (B), The relative density of the sand beds, and the height of the pipe in 3D pipe geogrid are the variables set in this study to determine the optimum values of those parameters. A finite element analysis package Abaqus is used for modeling the problem. The soil hardening Drucker–Prager model is used as the constitutive modeling of the sand beds to simulate the sand behavior. A Hooke's model (linear-elastic) is used to simulate the 2D and 3D reinforcements. To validate the result of the finite element analysis the experimental program is set out for unreinforced, 2D reinforced, and 3D reinforced sand beds for one case and the results are validated.

Pavement is a structure, which is laid to support the wheel load and to spread the load stress to a wider area on the top of soil subgrade. The process of changing the physical, chemical, and biological property of a natural soil, in order to improve their tensile strength, bearing capacity and overall performance, by using controlled compaction, proportioning, in addition of suitable stabilizer and admixture, is known as stabilization of soil. The major application of soil stabilization is in the field of pavement set up over a weak subgrade soil. It is very much essential to improve its strength, bearing capacity, and performance to a level higher than the existing condition. By modifying the subgrade soil properties, economy can be achieved in pavement construction by having reduced upper crust thickness. The main objective of this work is to have an economical pavement design. In this study, the type of soil used is silty sand (SM), and for stabilization of soil, TerraZyme was used. After stabilizing the soil by using TerraZyme, there was a marked improvement in compaction property, California bearing ratio (CBR) value, unconfined compressive strength (UCS) value, cohesion value, and angle of intersection. The pavement thickness was designed by using IRC:37-2012, after stabilization of soil the thickness of the pavement was reduced.

Academic researchers, policymakers, and other professionals are paying increasing attention to climate change, which is one of the world’s greatest challenges. Global climate change has been attributed primarily to carbon dioxide emissions. In this context, carbon emission monitoring has been recognized through reference to carbon mitigation strategies and policies at different levels (product, organization, city, and national). Consequently, researchers have begun calculating global carbon emissions based on this increasing attention. It has been found that avoiding high amounts of CO2 emission from construction will probably reduce the overall CO2 emission. We have investigated the utilization of zeolite as a substitute for cement that will consequently absorb CO2. This will reduce the amount of CO2 in the environment without hampering the characteristic properties of concrete. In this study, the addition of zeolite-blended concrete has been applied to rigid pavement blocks to test the various properties for heavy traffic load.

Increased pollution levels in both indoor and outdoor areas have resulted from the rise of industry and many other undesirable human activities. These contaminants are harmful to both humans and the environment. The constant release of numerous chemical pollutants into the environment, such as NOx, NH3, C2H5OH, CO and fluorocarbons, from industry emissions, automobile exhaust, and home trash, causes a slew of issues. This review study focuses primarily on the numerous methodologies and fabrication technologies utilised in the production of environmental sensors, as well as key sensor performance characteristics. This paper describes the current status of different materials which are used in the development of resistive based sensor devices to detect major gases such as Carbon monoxide, Ammonia etc. and their status of sensitivity, selectivity, response time, recovery time etc. we also reviewed different methods of growth techniques of Two dimensional thin films and also the sensing mechanism of resistive based environmental sensors.

The open burning of solid wastes has been frequently observed in developing countries like India that emits harmful gases into the environment which causes air pollution. Open waste burning leads to poor air quality, thus resulting in significant health problems. Therefore, frequent supervision of burning events must be imposed by the government authorities. This may be readily accomplished by using an Arduino-based detection system to monitor the required location. This paper presents monitoring of open waste burning and its detection using a set of sensors that is Arduino based. It comprises of a sensor node that is low-cost and easy to be installed in any required place. The sensor node consists of various sensors, which detect open waste burning by detecting the fire and smoke being emitted due to burning. It also gives the air quality with respect to carbon monoxide (CO) concentration of the particular area. The sensor node is able to transfer the sensor data to the host wherein the data is being processed for detection of open waste burning. The prototype of the detection system was put to test in order to check if it could detect the burning and give the level of CO concentration in PPM. It was tested for different cases of burning, such as burning of candle, incense stick, paper waste, cloth waste, plastic waste, and also outdoor burning of wastes.

This study explores the sustainable indigenous and local construction systems and practices of the North Gujarat region of Kutch, which have emerged post-earthquake as a result of collaborative participatory processes between local communities, master artisans, and community-centric developmental organizations. It engages with diverse geographical settings and the critical regional architectural and construction systems which have evolved with the local materials resulting in minimal ecological impact. This entails detailed analytical narratives of Pakkha dwellings, Bhungas, and Gujarati Stone house. It reflects upon the construction systems at multiple scales from building elements to the details as evolved by the communities. There is a high degree of emphasis on the reuse and recycling of the construction materials making it an exemplary model for ecological sensitivity of the highest order in an ontological manner. This would also narrate the unique ‘ways of living’, world-views, and the synthesis of form as a deep culturally embedded and rooted process in a continuous dialogue with the geographical context. At the functional scale, this study describes unique construction elements like shallow domes as a roofing system, debris block as walling system for the informal marginalized settlements, mud rolls, and fly ash lime rolls as a roof insulation system. This study would conclude with the manner in which sustainable living systems, local construction technology, and building materials support the ecosystem of a place and result in diverse contextual morphological responses.

The primary goal of this study is to examine the structures built on sloping terrain, which are especially sensitive to earthquakes owing to their irregular design and elevation. Soil–structure interaction (SSI) is often overlooked while studying structures under seismic loads. A summary of the research on the seismic behavior of buildings resting on the sloping ground has been presented. The seismic behavior of structures on sloping terrain is observed to be different from that of other buildings. The influence of slope angle variations for buildings erected on hilly terrain has been investigated in this study, in which both fixed and flexible structure bases (SSI) are taken into account. The findings from this work suggest the criticality related to increasing slope angle, both with and without considering SSI. The significance of taking SSI into account when performing seismic analysis has also been justified.

India has a large number of copper production plants. All of its by-products, copper slag, are deposited in open places at random, causing serious several environmental hazards. The purpose of this research is to investigate the efficacy of utilizing copper slag (a combination of fine aggregate and mineral filler) in enhancing the engineering features, particularly the fatigue life of bituminous concrete grading 2 mixtures (BC-2) prepared with copper slag. The investigation began with an examination of the copper slag’s morphology (SEM—Scanning Electron Microscope) and chemical characteristics (EDXA—Energy Dispersive X-ray Analyzer). Then, five different copper-slag-containing mixtures were investigated. The copper slag’s efficacy was determined by the improvement in Marshall stability, split tensile strength ratio (TSR), modulus of resilience, and fatigue life of bituminous concrete grading-2 Marshall cylindrical specimens. It was observed that the bituminous concrete grading-2 mixture with CSFAMF (Copper Slag as Fine Aggregate and Mineral Filler) showed higher efficiency to repeated load than the mixture with traditional materials.

A growing population country like India needs a sufficient amount of resources. Nowadays, most of our rural areas are not having a sufficient quantity of potable drinking water facilities, so the main objective of this study is to provide an efficient and optimal water distribution network design using LOOP and WaterGEMS software by satisfying CPHEEO norms and Jal Jeevan Mission guidelines. The project is carried on Awaradi village in Gokak taluk, Belagavi district. This project is carried out the designing rural drinking water with 55 LPCD. The population is forecasted for a design period of 30 years (2051) from 2021. The survey is carried out in the proposed village to collect ground data and area topographical profile. Then further hydraulic calculations are made with the use of LOOP 5.0 software and WaterGEMS Software. The velocity and head losses are high in the LOOP software design as compared with the WaterGEMS software. The pressure values are slightly more in the WaterGEMS software, but both the software results are meeting the CPHEEO norms as well as Jal Jeevan Mission guidelines with a pressure head of 7 m.

Fire hazards of RCC bridges and their failures in recent years have warned to check the effect of fire on the structural members, which is very often overlooked in popular design codes. Bridge fire occurring below the superstructure can severely hamper its strength, durability, and further stability. Hence, it is very essential to study the fire resistance of the RCC structural members of bridge-like lifeline structures. This present study aims to develop a thermomechanical model of a simply supported RCC T-beam representing real-life bridge girders. The model is based on a transient heat-transfer analysis and a coupled temperature–displacement analysis. The cross-sectional temperature of the RCC T-beam is determined following the heat transfer analysis. Higher temperature changes inside structures demonstrate stress redistribution; leading to a rapid deterioration in strength, stiffness, and service life. The second part of this paper aims to analyze the variations in stress on the material fibers due to fire exposure. The changing nonlinear cross-sectional temperature distribution of a bridge girder during the fire exposure may cause it to experience distress in form of thermal cracks. This study also includes the effects of repetitive loading on the T-beam subjected to concrete damage adopting the Concrete Damaged Plasticity (CDP) model for illustration of flexural damage pattern. The entire Finite Element Analysis (FEA) has been carried out using the commercial FEA package ABAQUS. The present study assumes importance as one of the first attempts made to assess the fire resistance of RCC bridge girders.

Collection and transportation of municipal solid waste (MSW) is a critical factor that governs the overall cost of the MSW management system. With the help of various technological interventions, optimal usage of available resources could bring about a considerable amount of savings. In this study, an attempt has been made to optimize the MSW collection vehicle route path to reduce the fuel, distance, and overall workload in local municipalities by adopting dynamic graph modeling. The optimization problem is addressed from three different perspectives, namely, (a) analyzing the dynamic nature of the user requests, (b) the influence of the number of waste collection vehicles available in a given area, and (c) determining the optimum number of vehicles for which the overall cost is minimized. Relevant simulation studies are carried out to validate the proposed approach.

Heavy metals concentration in groundwater, even at low concentrations affects human health severely. The objective of this study is to assess the seasonal variations of groundwater quality and to determine the concentration of heavy metal pollution in the Peenya industrial area, Bengaluru. The heavy metal concentrations in pre-monsoon were found in the order: Cr > Cr+6 > Pb > Ni > Fe > Cu > Cd, whereas for post-monsoon the order was Cr > Cr+6 > Fe > Cu > Ni > Pb > Cd. Powerful tools like MI (metal index) and HPI (heavy metal pollution index), which emphasize quality were used for the system of ranking. As per HPI and MI analysis, about 83% and 73% of groundwater samples, respectively, in pre-monsoon, about 57% and 50% in post-monsoon were not suitable for domestic usage. The mean HPI concentration for pre- and post-monsoon are 846 and 336.7, respectively, which is considered to be very high (critical value >100). The mean concentration of MI for pre and post-monsoon are 27.2 and 12.62, respectively, is also high (critical value >6) and is categorized as seriously affected. The overall status of water in the Peenya Industrial Area is highly polluted and not suitable for any domestic and industrial usage.