Rehabilitation of Hybrid RC-I Beams with Openings Using CFRP Sheets

This research presents an experimental investigation of the rehabilitation efficiency of the damaged hybrid reinforced concrete beams with openings in the shear region. The study investigates the difference in retrofitting ability of hybrid beams compared to traditional beams and the effect of two openings compared with one opening equalized to two holes in the area. Five RC beams classified into two groups, A and B, were primarily tested to full-failure under two-point loads. The first group (A) contained beams with normal weight concrete. The second group (hybrid) included beams with lightweight concrete for web and bottom flange, whereas the top flange was made from normal concrete. Two types of openings were considered in this study, rectangular, with dimensions of 100×200 mm, and two square openings with a side dimension of 100 mm. A full wrapping configuration system for the shear region (failure zone) was adopted in this research. Based on the test results, the repaired beams managed to recover their load carrying capacity, stiffness, and structural performance in different degrees. The normal concrete beam regains its total capacity for all types of openings, while the hybrid beams gain 84% of their strength. The strength of hybrid concrete members compared with normal concrete is 81 and 88% for beams of one opening and two openings, respectively. Doi: 10.28991/CEJ-2022-08-01-012 Full Text: PDF

Creation and Spatial Analysis of 3D City Modeling based on GIS Data

The 3D city model is one of the crucial topics that are still under analysis by many engineers and programmers because of the great advancements in data acquisition technologies and 3D computer graphics programming. It is one of the best visualization methods for representing reality. This paper presents different techniques for the creation and spatial analysis of 3D city modeling based on Geographical Information System (GIS) technology using free data sources. To achieve that goal, the Mansoura University campus, located in Mansoura city, Egypt, was chosen as a case study. The minimum data requirements to generate a 3D city model are the terrain, 2D spatial features such as buildings, landscape area and street networks. Moreover, building height is an important attribute in the 3D extrusion process. The main challenge during the creation process is the dearth of accurate free datasets, and the time-consuming editing. Therefore, different data sources are used in this study to evaluate their accuracy and find suitable applications which can use the generated 3D model. Meanwhile, an accurate data source obtained using the traditional survey methods is used for the validation purpose. First, the terrain was obtained from a digital elevation model (DEM) and compared with grid leveling measurements. Second, 2D data were obtained from: the manual digitization from (30 cm) high-resolution imagery, and deep learning structure algorithms to detect the 2D features automatically using an object instance segmentation model and compared the results with the total station survey observations. Different techniques are used to investigate and evaluate the accuracy of these data sources. The procedural modeling technique is applied to generate the 3D city model. TensorFlow & Keras frameworks (Python APIs) were used in this paper; moreover, global mapper, ArcGIS Pro, QGIS and CityEngine software were used. The precision metrics from the trained deep learning model were 0.78 for buildings, 0.62 for streets and 0.89 for landscape areas. Despite, the manual digitizing results are better than the results from deep learning, but the extracted features accuracy is accepted and can be used in the creation process in the cases not require a highly accurate 3D model. The flood impact scenario is simulated as an application of spatial analysis on the generated 3D city model. Doi: 10.28991/CEJ-2022-08-01-08 Full Text: PDF

Performance Study of Buried Pipelines under Static Loads

The possibility of servicing lifelines such as highways, railways, pipelines, and tunnels is of great social importance. The characteristic that separates the buried pipeline from other structures is that its dimensions are very long compared to its other dimensions. Ground vibrations caused by earthquakes, construction activities, traffic, explosions, and machinery can damage these structures. Lifeline integrity can be compromised in two ways: (1) direct damage due to excessive dynamic loading of the lifeline, and (2) indirect damage due to soil failures such as liquefaction, slope instability, and differential settlements. 3D printing (also known as additive manufacturing) is an advanced manufacturing process that can automatically produce complex geometric shapes from a 3D computer-aided design model without tools, molds, or fixtures. This automated manufacturing process has been applied in diverse industries today because it can revolutionize the construction industry with expected benefits. This research study on the performance of buried pipelines under static loads to the structure's safety against the possible development of progressive failure. This research study includes a numerical study, where it was studied many parameters to value the performance of the pipeline. The parameters are (a) the material of the pipeline (steel, traditional concrete, and 3D concrete printed), (b) the thickness of the pipeline (20, 30, and 40 mm), and (c) soil type (moist sandy soil, saturated sandy soil, moist cohesive soil, and saturated cohesive soil). Different results were obtained depending on the type of soil where all pipelines materials' behavior was similar in the case of moist soil. Doi: 10.28991/CEJ-2022-08-01-01 Full Text: PDF

Analysis of the Schedule Risk of Prefabricated Buildings Based on ISM and Research of Transfer Path

Project schedule management is an important part of prefabricated construction project management. General contracting is an effective way to promote the development of prefabricated construction. However, at present, from the perspective of general contracting, the risk factors affecting the project progress of prefabricated buildings are not clear, and the relationship between risks is not known. The purpose of this study is to study the composition, hierarchical structure and transmission path of schedule risk factors of prefabricated construction in general contracting mode, so as to help the general contractor formulate effective schedule risk avoidance measures. This study uses grounded theory to obtain 22 risk factors that affect the progress of assembly building projects, and the data are from expert interviews. Using Delphi method and interpretative structural modeling (ISM), these factors are divided into seven levels, and the ISM model of schedule risk factors is constructed. The research shows that there are 60 progress risk transmission paths, and four progress risk transfer chains are obtained. This paper also further analyzes and puts forward suggestions to avoid risks for each level. Doi: 10.28991/CEJ-2022-08-01-010 Full Text: PDF

Engineering Properties of Concrete Made with Coal Bottom Ash as Sustainable Construction Materials

Concrete is considered one of the construction materials that contribute the most significant carbon dioxide in the world. Meanwhile, according to various studies, concrete production will continue to rise through 2050, especially in developing countries. According to several reports, cement manufacture is one of the largest sources of carbon dioxide in the concrete sector. In addition, overexploitation of aggregates due to concrete production also causes unavoidable natural damage. Bottom ash waste was used as a replacement for cement and fine aggregate as sustainable construction materials. It is envisaged that this research would allow industrial waste to be utilized to its full potential, resulting in a concrete that is more environmentally friendly and minimizes carbon dioxide emissions during the manufacturing process. This study is divided into bottom ash as a cement substitute and bottom ash as a fine aggregate substitute. The engineering properties of the concrete were checked during the experiments in this study when it was fresh and hardened states. The slump test is used to determine the workability of fresh concrete. While for the hardened properties tests consist of compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, flexural strength, and mass density. The usage of bottom ash as a cement replacement demonstrates that as the composition of bottom ash increases, the performance of the hardened properties of concrete decreases. While using bottom ash as a fine aggregate replacement reveals that the performance of hardened properties has improved as the proportion of bottom ash utilized has increased. Doi: 10.28991/CEJ-2022-08-01-014 Full Text: PDF

High Strength Concrete Beams Reinforced with Hooked Steel Fibers under Pure Torsion

A study of the behavior of fibers in high-strength reinforced concrete beams is presented in this paper. Twelve reinforced concrete beams were tested under a pure torsion load. Different compressive strengths (45.2, 64.7, and 84.8 MPa) and fiber volume fractions (0, 0.25, 0.5, and 0.75) with variable spacing between transverse reinforcements have been used. It was discovered that the maximum torque of a high-strength concrete beam is increased by about 20.3, 25.6, and 27.1% when the fractional volume of fiber is increased from 0 to 0.25, 0.5 and 0.75 respectively (when the compressive strength is 45.2 MPa and the transverse reinforcement spacing is 100 mm). The test results show that the ultimate torsional strength becomes higher when the concrete compressive strength increases, and this percentage increase becomes higher with increasing steel fiber volume fraction. When the spacing between transverse reinforcements decreases from 150 to 100 mm, the ultimate torque increases by 19.9%. When the spacing between transverse reinforcements decreases from 100 to 60 mm, the ultimate torque increases by 17.0%. In these beams, the fibers’ compressive strength and volume fraction were kept constant at 45.2 MPa and 0.75, respectively. Doi: 10.28991/CEJ-2022-08-01-07 Full Text: PDF

Exact Three-Dimensional Stability Analysis of Plate Using an Direct Variational Energy Method

In this paper, direct variational calculus was put into practical use to analyses the three dimensional (3D) stability of rectangular thick plate which was simply supported at all the four edges (SSSS) under uniformly distributed compressive load. In the analysis, both trigonometric and polynomial displacement functions were used. This was done by formulating the equation of total potential energy for a thick plate using the 3D constitutive relations, from then on, the equation of compatibility was obtained to determine the relationship between the rotations and deflection. In the same way, governing equation was obtained through minimization of the total potential energy functional with respect to deflection. The solution of the governing equation is the function for deflection. Functions for rotations were obtained from deflection function using the solution of compatibility equations. These functions, deflection and rotations were substituted back into the energy functional, from where, through minimizations with respect to displacement coefficients, formulas for analysis were obtained. In the result, the critical buckling loads from the present study are higher than those of refined plate theories with 7.70%, signifying the coarseness of the refined plate theories. This amount of difference cannot be overlooked. However, it is shown that, all the recorded average percentage differences between trigonometric and polynomial approaches used in this work and those of 3D exact elasticity theory is lower than 1.0%, confirming the exactness of the present theory. Thus, the exact 3D plate theory obtained, provides a good solution for the stability analysis of plate and, can be recommended for analysis of any type of rectangular plates under the same loading and boundary condition. Doi: 10.28991/CEJ-2022-08-01-05 Full Text: PDF

Identifying and Measuring Biophilic Planning Indicators in Riverside Neighborhoods

Biophilic planning is one of the important trends in achieving sustainability and nature conservation, especially in areas that contain natural elements. Since in the case of climate change and urban encroachment on natural habitats, taking care of nature and investing its components properly is a necessity, not a choice. As well as the agreement among many researchers about the social, economic and environmental benefits provided by biophilic planning, which is based mainly on the idea of connecting people with nature. This study aims to provide a guide to planners, urban designers, and decision-makers, including how to deal with residential neighborhoods that contain natural elements such as rivers by depending on a specific methodology based on previous literature and deriving effective indicators in this type of neighborhood. The results of the theoretical framework showed that there are eleven effective indicators, some of which are measured by descriptive methods and some by quantitative methods. These indicators have been applied in one of the neighborhoods of the Iraqi Kufa City overlooking the Euphrates River. The results showed that the study area lacks standards and indicators of biophilic planning. Doi: 10.28991/CEJ-2022-08-01-03 Full Text: PDF

Out-of-Plane Strengthening of Unreinforced Masonry Walls by Glass Fiber-Reinforced Polyurea

Fiber-reinforced polymer reinforcement or polyurea reinforcement techniques are applied to strengthen unreinforced masonry walls (UMWs). The purpose of this experimental study is to verify the out-of-plane reinforcing effect of sprayed glass fiber-reinforced polyurea (GFRPU), which is a composite elastomer made of polyurea and milled glass fibers on UMW. The out-of-plane strengths and ductile behaviors based on various coating shapes are compared in this study. An empirical formula to describe the degree of reinforcement on the out-of-plane strength of the UMW is derived based on the experimental results. It is observed that the peak load-carrying capacity, ductility, and energy absorption capacity gradually improve with an increase in the strengthening degree or area. Compared with the existing masonry wall reinforcement method, the GFRPU technique is a construction method that can help improve the safety performance along with ease of construction and economic efficiency. Doi: 10.28991/CEJ-2022-08-01-011 Full Text: PDF

Maritime Climate in the Canary Islands and its Implications for the Construction of Coastal Infrastructures

Islands are isolated systems that depend on maritime trade for their subsistence. Efficient, durable and structurally reliable port infrastructures are essential for the economic and social development of islands. However, not all port infrastructures are designed in the same way. They can vary, depending on whether they are built on continental land, built on non-volcanic islands or built on volcanic oceanic islands (such as the Canary Islands, Spain). The latter islands are the subject of this study due to their specific features, construction difficulties and the importance of sound maritime infrastructures. The maritime climate of an area consists of the wave and storm regimes that affect it and, from these, the coastal dynamics and coastal formations of that area can be studied. For this reason, historical data were collated on significant directional wave heights from 1958 to 2015 from several WANA-SIMAR points in the virtual buoy network of State Ports of Spain located near the Canary Islands. These data have been studied to obtain the maximum directional wave heights (Hs) at each point. With this analysis, we have obtained useful summary tables to calculate wave height by a graphic method that transforms the distribution function into a line drawn on probabilistic paper, using reduced variables. This enables adjustments to be made by linear regression and minimum square methods to facilitate planning and design of maritime infrastructures in a reliable way. Doi: 10.28991/CEJ-2022-08-01-02 Full Text: PDF