India's cement industry is the second largest in the world, generating 6.9% of the global cement ... more India's cement industry is the second largest in the world, generating 6.9% of the global cement output. Polycarbonate waste ash is a major problem in India and around the globe. Approximately 370,000 tons of scientific waste are generated annually from fitness care facilities in India. Polycarbonate waste helps reduce the environmental burden associated with disposal and decreases the need for new raw materials. The primary variable in this study is the quantity of polycarbonate waste ash (5, 10, 15, 20 and 25% of the weight of cement), partial replacement of cement, watercement ratio and aggregates. The mechanical properties, such as compressive strength, split tensile strength and flexural test results, of the mixtures with the polycarbonate waste ash were superior at 7, 14 and 28 days compared to those of the control mix. The water absorption rate is less than that of standard concrete. Compared with those of conventional concrete, polycarbonate waste concrete mixtures undergo minimal weight loss under acid curing conditions. Polycarbonate waste is utilized in the construction industry to reduce pollution and improve the economy. This study further simulated the strength characteristics of concrete made with waste polycarbonate ash using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression and decision trees. Cement, polycarbonate waste, slump, water absorption, and the ratio of water to cement were the main components that were considered input variables. The suggested decision tree model was successful with unparalleled predictive accuracy across important metrics. Its outstanding predictive ability for split tensile strength (R 2 = 0.879403), flexural strength (R 2 = 0.91197), and compressive strength (R 2 = 0.853683) confirmed that this method was the preferred choice for these strength predictions.
Structural buildings such as steel and reinforced concrete frames usually include doors and windo... more Structural buildings such as steel and reinforced concrete frames usually include doors and windows on the front or back facades, interior to the open areas. This; should be arranged to have an excellent correspondence for the location of shear walls, which are counted as essential elements for lateral stability. As a result, these architectural elements across the building assist in creating areas that are relatively less resistant to lateral loads. This review investigates the behavior of steel plate-framed shear walls with openings when subjected to lateral force exposure by thoroughly evaluating the composition of previous studies. To assess the impact of opening size, type, and layout effects on the overall performance of the lateral force-resisting system. There are studies explore on Steel Plate Shear Walls (SPSWs), both with and without openings. This study emphasizes the effect of openings on shear capacity. It investigates the effect of adding openings to steel plate shear walls on stiffness, ductility, damping ratio, and strength of the system. Key findings from the studies show that openings in SPSWs invariably reduce their lateral stiffness and strength. The amount of deduction in the strength of a structure depends on various factors such as the size, shape, and location of the opening. Additionally, the corners of the opening may experience stress concentrations which can cause tearing and reduced ductility. As a result, it disrupts the tension field action, which is the primary mechanism for SPSW energy dissipation. Most studies reviewed only the relatively thin infill plates and particular boundary conditions, which are highly important but have a gap in thick plates. Caution should be exercised when extrapolating due to thicker infill plates or different frame configurations. Considering a broader range of parameters, further research is necessary to establish comprehensive design guidelines for SPSWs with various opening configurations.
Self-compacting concrete (SCC) is the most flowable concrete type that exerts high pressure on fo... more Self-compacting concrete (SCC) is the most flowable concrete type that exerts high pressure on formwork. SCC is the most commonly used concrete globally for construction applications due to its cost-effectiveness. However, to make a formwork resist the exerted lateral pressure of SCC, it is required to have a suitable design for formwork. This paper presents a novel approach on how could create and prepare the Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) optics using as a sensor to measure lateral pressure and temperature of SCC. To ensure the FBG sensor works properly a validated methodology is conducted. In the first stage, FBG sensors are calibrated with temperature sensitivity and then are calibrated with water pressure. The latter calibration is used to verify lateral pressure with SCC. However, this is not the only sensor used to record the result, a genuine sensor such as a transducer sensor has been positioned close to the FBG sensor to validate the results of the FBG sensor. The created FBG sensor demonstrates highly promising results, effectively validating the outcomes of the transducer sensor, while also reducing costs and enhancing usability for construction applications.
Introduction: The construction industry uses a large quantity of natural materials in the product... more Introduction: The construction industry uses a large quantity of natural materials in the production of concrete. Although attempts to incorporate green materials in concrete began years ago, not every building uses such materials today, and roadways, particularly, still rely on unsustainable materials.Methods: Therefore, this study used alternative materials, including fly ash, manufactured sand aggregates, and different molarities of alkaline activators, to incorporate waste byproducts in a geopolymer concrete white-topping pavement layer. Recent developments have led to the emergence of geopolymers as distinct classes of materials. In the 1990s, fly ash-based geopolymers became more popular than other kinds, as they are more efficient compared to Portland cement concrete.Results: Aluminosilicate gel can be obtained by combining fly ash and alkaline solution. A comprehensive literature review of geopolymer concrete was performed in this study. It examines its critical design param...
Agricultural waste can be used in cement block production for a number of reasons, including its ... more Agricultural waste can be used in cement block production for a number of reasons, including its environmental, economic, and labor benefits. This study examines the mechanical, durability, and cost-effectiveness characteristics of cement blocks. A cement block made from agriculture waste promotes sustainable construction practices, since waste agriculture is often dumped in landfills and regarded as a waste material. Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions produced by the construction sector, either from the firing of clay bricks or from the production of cement, contribute significantly to global warming. In many developing countries, air pollution from agricultural activities is primarily accounted for the emissions from agricultural machinery and openly burning agro-waste. Farming is one of the leading causes of water and soil pollution. Hence, adopting agricultural waste into cement production would significantly reduce the environmental impact of concrete structures. The goal of this r...
The emission of carbon dioxide gas from the cement manufacturing industry has raised concerns abo... more The emission of carbon dioxide gas from the cement manufacturing industry has raised concerns about global warming. Geopolymer concrete (GC) is gaining attention as a sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional cement concrete. The current study focused on using local clay to synthesize and characterize metakaolin-based GC with varying percentages of nanosilica (NS) (1.5%, 3.0%, 4.5%, 6.0%, and 7.5% by weight of MK content) using NaOH/sodium silicate. The geopolymer specimens were cured at room temperature for 28 days, and their workability, compressive, tensile, and flexural strengths were measured to evaluate the influence of NS on the concrete’s mechanical properties. The study found that the compressive, tensile, and flexural strengths of the GC increased gradually up to 6.0% NS, but any further increase in its ratio resulted in a reduction in mechanical characteristics. The study concludes that the addition of 6.0% NS in metakaolin (MK)-based GC produces...
Agricultural waste can be used in cement block production for a number of reasons, including its ... more Agricultural waste can be used in cement block production for a number of reasons, including its environmental, economic, and labor benefits. This study examines the mechanical, durability, and cost-effectiveness characteristics of cement blocks. A cement block made from agriculture waste promotes sustainable construction practices, since waste agriculture is often dumped in landfills and regarded as a waste material. Carbon dioxide (CO 2) emissions produced by the construction sector, either from the firing of clay bricks or from the production of cement, contribute significantly to global warming. In many developing countries, air pollution from agricultural activities is primarily accounted for the emissions from agricultural machinery and openly burning agro-waste. Farming is one of the leading causes of water and soil pollution. Hence, adopting agricultural waste into cement production would significantly reduce the environmental impact of concrete structures. The goal of this research is to determine whether agricultural waste products, such as vermiculite, pistachio shells, sugarcane bagasse, and coconut husks, can be used to substitute sand in concrete blocks. The water absorption capacity of waste materials, density, flexural strength, fire resistance, and compressive strength of waste materials as admixtures in concrete were evaluated using experimental tests. In most cases, the concrete blocks made from agricultural waste were strong enough to satisfy ASTM standards. The specimens containing coconut husks and pistachio shells, among others, were found to be fairly strong and durable, even when isolating them from water.
Agricultural waste can be used in cement block production for a number of reasons, including its ... more Agricultural waste can be used in cement block production for a number of reasons, including its environmental, economic, and labor benefits. This study examines the mechanical, durability, and cost-effectiveness characteristics of cement blocks. A cement block made from agriculture waste promotes sustainable construction practices, since waste agriculture is often dumped in landfills and regarded as a waste material. Carbon dioxide (CO 2) emissions produced by the construction sector, either from the firing of clay bricks or from the production of cement, contribute significantly to global warming. In many developing countries, air pollution from agricultural activities is primarily accounted for the emissions from agricultural machinery and openly burning agro-waste. Farming is one of the leading causes of water and soil pollution. Hence, adopting agricultural waste into cement production would significantly reduce the environmental impact of concrete structures. The goal of this research is to determine whether agricultural waste products, such as vermiculite, pistachio shells, sugarcane bagasse, and coconut husks, can be used to substitute sand in concrete blocks. The water absorption capacity of waste materials, density, flexural strength, fire resistance, and compressive strength of waste materials as admixtures in concrete were evaluated using experimental tests. In most cases, the concrete blocks made from agricultural waste were strong enough to satisfy ASTM standards. The specimens containing coconut husks and pistachio shells, among others, were found to be fairly strong and durable, even when isolating them from water.
Reusing waste is one of the most recent topics and one of the main contributors to sustainability... more Reusing waste is one of the most recent topics and one of the main contributors to sustainability. It is known that concrete is one of the most common materials to produce different types of construction members around the world. That is due to mainly its low cost, availability, long period of durability, and ability to withstand harsh environments. On the other hand, due to the rapid changes that have happened in the last few decades in the production of decorative materials, some material types of cladding are used for decoration purposes, such as Styrofoam (EPS) (trade name “Astropol”), which is developed from disposal materials. Discovering and implementing a method of reusing these wastes in concrete is beneficial for the environment to reduce waste around the globe. In the current study, Styrofoam (Astropol) waste was used as a replacement for fine aggregate since concrete structures contain this material in their composition. It is important to test these materials for fire r...
Introduction: The construction industry uses a large quantity of natural materials in the product... more Introduction: The construction industry uses a large quantity of natural materials in the production of concrete. Although attempts to incorporate green materials in concrete began years ago, not every building uses such materials today, and roadways, particularly, still rely on unsustainable materials. Methods: Therefore, this study used alternative materials, including fly ash, manufactured sand aggregates, and different molarities of alkaline activators, to incorporate waste byproducts in a geopolymer concrete white-topping pavement layer. Recent developments have led to the emergence of geopolymers as distinct classes of materials. In the 1990s, fly ash-based geopolymers became more popular than other kinds, as they are more efficient compared to Portland cement concrete. Results: Aluminosilicate gel can be obtained by combining fly ash and alkaline solution. A comprehensive literature review of geopolymer concrete was performed in this study. It examines its critical design parameters, including alkaline solutions, curing temperatures, curing methods, workability, and compressive strength under various environmental conditions. This review provides a unique opportunity for researchers to understand how geopolymer concrete performs. Discussion: A range of conditions were investigated to determine how to enhance and use this material in a variety of ways. The fresh characteristics of different mixes were studied using slump and Vee-Bee tests, and the characteristics of the cured concrete mixes were determined using flexural, compressive, and flexural fatigue tests. The results indicated that the use of manufactured sand and fly ash with high-molarity alkaline activators results in a geopolymer concrete with an excellent maximum resistance of 5.1 N/mm2 workability, strength, and fatigue properties, making it suitable for use in roadway pavement.
Reusing waste is one of the most recent topics and one of the main contributors to sustainability... more Reusing waste is one of the most recent topics and one of the main contributors to sustainability. It is known that concrete is one of the most common materials to produce different types of construction members around the world. That is due to mainly its low cost, availability, long period of durability, and ability to withstand harsh environments. On the other hand, due to the rapid changes that have happened in the last few decades in the production of decorative materials, some material types of cladding are used for decoration purposes, such as Styrofoam (EPS) (trade name“Astropol”), which is developed from disposal materials. Discovering and implementing a method of reusing these wastes in concrete is beneficial for the environment to reduce waste around the globe. In the current study, Styrofoam (Astropol) waste was used as a replacement for fine aggregate since concrete structures contain this material in their composition. It is important to test these materials for fire resistance and expose them to an elevated temperature in order to discover the post-fire mechanical properties of the composite material. The experimental result showed that the post-fire compressive strength of concrete containing different ratios of EPS (Astropol) increases compared to conventional concrete. The compressive strengths were 19.94 MPa, 19.295 MPa, 16.806 MPa, and 17.66 MPa for 0%, 15%, 25%, and 50%, respectively, while the post-fire indirect tensile strength for all specimens containing EPS reduced as the fire duration and temperature increased.
Automation in the construction industry has become more appealing in recent years. Although the i... more Automation in the construction industry has become more appealing in recent years. Although the industry fosters material mixing and structural application, automating quality control is not investigated broadly. The industry relies on manual inspection, leading to inaccuracy and lower productivity. This research focuses on the quality check of bolted steel members using automating ESP32 camera to detect missing bolts. Earlier studies focused on improving the quality of tightening the bolts. However, the major problem of missing bolts has not been extensively addressed. Inadequate bolting of steel members causes a considerable reduction in mechanical strength, and it may cause a structure to fail. Hence, this paper aims to detect missing bolts in assembling steel structures. The study was conducted by developing a system that utilizes an ESP32 camera module to capture the steel members in real-time. Captured video is processed in Visual Studio (C++ language), another approach carried out in the study is using a faster region-based convolutional neural network (Faster R-CNN) where it extracts the area of interest, the bolts, and holes in the steel members with the assistance of an image dataset and training. The trained model can be used to detect bolts and holes. The results showed that the developed system is reliable and can alter the user to any missing bolts, having TensorFlow object detection with the Faster R-CNN algorithm successfully provided desired results with 95% precision. This technique increases the efficiency of quality monitoring. Consequently, the steel manufacturing industry can rely on smart cameras to monitor the quality control of steel frames, leading to productive output. This also saves the workers time from performing the tedious task of inspecting every steel member and assists in maintaining the quality of the assembled steel structures.
Automation in the construction industry has become more appealing in recent years. Although the i... more Automation in the construction industry has become more appealing in recent years. Although the industry fosters material mixing and structural application, automating quality control is not investigated broadly. The industry relies on manual inspection, leading to inaccuracy and lower productivity. This research focuses on the quality check of bolted steel members using automating ESP32 camera to detect missing bolts. Earlier studies focused on improving the quality of tightening the bolts. However, the major problem of missing bolts has not been extensively addressed. Inadequate bolting of steel members causes a considerable reduction in mechanical strength, and it may cause a structure to fail. Hence, this paper aims to detect missing bolts in assembling steel structures. The study was conducted by developing a system that utilizes an ESP32 camera module to capture the steel members in real-time. Captured video is processed in Visual Studio (C++ language), another approach carried out in the study is using a faster region-based convolutional neural network (Faster R-CNN) where it extracts the area of interest, the bolts, and holes in the steel members with the assistance of an image dataset and training. The trained model can be used to detect bolts and holes. The results showed that the developed system is reliable and can alter the user to any missing bolts, having TensorFlow object detection with the Faster R-CNN algorithm successfully provided desired results with 95% precision. This technique increases the efficiency of quality monitoring. Consequently, the steel manufacturing industry can rely on smart cameras to monitor the quality control of steel frames, leading to productive output. This also saves the workers time from performing the tedious task of inspecting every steel member and assists in maintaining the quality of the assembled steel structures.
Additive manufacturing technologies are becoming more popular in various industries, including th... more Additive manufacturing technologies are becoming more popular in various industries, including the construction industry. Currently, construction 3D printing is sufficiently well studied from an academic point of view, leading towards the transition from experimental to mass large-scale construction. Most questions arise about the applicability of construction 3D printers for printing entire buildings and structures. This paper provides an overview of the different types of construction 3D printing technologies currently in use, and their fundamental differences, as well as some significant data on the advantages of using these advanced technologies in construction. A description of the requirements for composite printing is also provided, with possible issues that may arise when switching from lab-scale construction printing to mass large-scale printing. All printers using additive manufacturing technologies for construction are divided into three types: robotic arm printers, porta...
India's cement industry is the second largest in the world, generating 6.9% of the global cement ... more India's cement industry is the second largest in the world, generating 6.9% of the global cement output. Polycarbonate waste ash is a major problem in India and around the globe. Approximately 370,000 tons of scientific waste are generated annually from fitness care facilities in India. Polycarbonate waste helps reduce the environmental burden associated with disposal and decreases the need for new raw materials. The primary variable in this study is the quantity of polycarbonate waste ash (5, 10, 15, 20 and 25% of the weight of cement), partial replacement of cement, watercement ratio and aggregates. The mechanical properties, such as compressive strength, split tensile strength and flexural test results, of the mixtures with the polycarbonate waste ash were superior at 7, 14 and 28 days compared to those of the control mix. The water absorption rate is less than that of standard concrete. Compared with those of conventional concrete, polycarbonate waste concrete mixtures undergo minimal weight loss under acid curing conditions. Polycarbonate waste is utilized in the construction industry to reduce pollution and improve the economy. This study further simulated the strength characteristics of concrete made with waste polycarbonate ash using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression and decision trees. Cement, polycarbonate waste, slump, water absorption, and the ratio of water to cement were the main components that were considered input variables. The suggested decision tree model was successful with unparalleled predictive accuracy across important metrics. Its outstanding predictive ability for split tensile strength (R 2 = 0.879403), flexural strength (R 2 = 0.91197), and compressive strength (R 2 = 0.853683) confirmed that this method was the preferred choice for these strength predictions.
Structural buildings such as steel and reinforced concrete frames usually include doors and windo... more Structural buildings such as steel and reinforced concrete frames usually include doors and windows on the front or back facades, interior to the open areas. This; should be arranged to have an excellent correspondence for the location of shear walls, which are counted as essential elements for lateral stability. As a result, these architectural elements across the building assist in creating areas that are relatively less resistant to lateral loads. This review investigates the behavior of steel plate-framed shear walls with openings when subjected to lateral force exposure by thoroughly evaluating the composition of previous studies. To assess the impact of opening size, type, and layout effects on the overall performance of the lateral force-resisting system. There are studies explore on Steel Plate Shear Walls (SPSWs), both with and without openings. This study emphasizes the effect of openings on shear capacity. It investigates the effect of adding openings to steel plate shear walls on stiffness, ductility, damping ratio, and strength of the system. Key findings from the studies show that openings in SPSWs invariably reduce their lateral stiffness and strength. The amount of deduction in the strength of a structure depends on various factors such as the size, shape, and location of the opening. Additionally, the corners of the opening may experience stress concentrations which can cause tearing and reduced ductility. As a result, it disrupts the tension field action, which is the primary mechanism for SPSW energy dissipation. Most studies reviewed only the relatively thin infill plates and particular boundary conditions, which are highly important but have a gap in thick plates. Caution should be exercised when extrapolating due to thicker infill plates or different frame configurations. Considering a broader range of parameters, further research is necessary to establish comprehensive design guidelines for SPSWs with various opening configurations.
Self-compacting concrete (SCC) is the most flowable concrete type that exerts high pressure on fo... more Self-compacting concrete (SCC) is the most flowable concrete type that exerts high pressure on formwork. SCC is the most commonly used concrete globally for construction applications due to its cost-effectiveness. However, to make a formwork resist the exerted lateral pressure of SCC, it is required to have a suitable design for formwork. This paper presents a novel approach on how could create and prepare the Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) optics using as a sensor to measure lateral pressure and temperature of SCC. To ensure the FBG sensor works properly a validated methodology is conducted. In the first stage, FBG sensors are calibrated with temperature sensitivity and then are calibrated with water pressure. The latter calibration is used to verify lateral pressure with SCC. However, this is not the only sensor used to record the result, a genuine sensor such as a transducer sensor has been positioned close to the FBG sensor to validate the results of the FBG sensor. The created FBG sensor demonstrates highly promising results, effectively validating the outcomes of the transducer sensor, while also reducing costs and enhancing usability for construction applications.
Introduction: The construction industry uses a large quantity of natural materials in the product... more Introduction: The construction industry uses a large quantity of natural materials in the production of concrete. Although attempts to incorporate green materials in concrete began years ago, not every building uses such materials today, and roadways, particularly, still rely on unsustainable materials.Methods: Therefore, this study used alternative materials, including fly ash, manufactured sand aggregates, and different molarities of alkaline activators, to incorporate waste byproducts in a geopolymer concrete white-topping pavement layer. Recent developments have led to the emergence of geopolymers as distinct classes of materials. In the 1990s, fly ash-based geopolymers became more popular than other kinds, as they are more efficient compared to Portland cement concrete.Results: Aluminosilicate gel can be obtained by combining fly ash and alkaline solution. A comprehensive literature review of geopolymer concrete was performed in this study. It examines its critical design param...
Agricultural waste can be used in cement block production for a number of reasons, including its ... more Agricultural waste can be used in cement block production for a number of reasons, including its environmental, economic, and labor benefits. This study examines the mechanical, durability, and cost-effectiveness characteristics of cement blocks. A cement block made from agriculture waste promotes sustainable construction practices, since waste agriculture is often dumped in landfills and regarded as a waste material. Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions produced by the construction sector, either from the firing of clay bricks or from the production of cement, contribute significantly to global warming. In many developing countries, air pollution from agricultural activities is primarily accounted for the emissions from agricultural machinery and openly burning agro-waste. Farming is one of the leading causes of water and soil pollution. Hence, adopting agricultural waste into cement production would significantly reduce the environmental impact of concrete structures. The goal of this r...
The emission of carbon dioxide gas from the cement manufacturing industry has raised concerns abo... more The emission of carbon dioxide gas from the cement manufacturing industry has raised concerns about global warming. Geopolymer concrete (GC) is gaining attention as a sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional cement concrete. The current study focused on using local clay to synthesize and characterize metakaolin-based GC with varying percentages of nanosilica (NS) (1.5%, 3.0%, 4.5%, 6.0%, and 7.5% by weight of MK content) using NaOH/sodium silicate. The geopolymer specimens were cured at room temperature for 28 days, and their workability, compressive, tensile, and flexural strengths were measured to evaluate the influence of NS on the concrete’s mechanical properties. The study found that the compressive, tensile, and flexural strengths of the GC increased gradually up to 6.0% NS, but any further increase in its ratio resulted in a reduction in mechanical characteristics. The study concludes that the addition of 6.0% NS in metakaolin (MK)-based GC produces...
Agricultural waste can be used in cement block production for a number of reasons, including its ... more Agricultural waste can be used in cement block production for a number of reasons, including its environmental, economic, and labor benefits. This study examines the mechanical, durability, and cost-effectiveness characteristics of cement blocks. A cement block made from agriculture waste promotes sustainable construction practices, since waste agriculture is often dumped in landfills and regarded as a waste material. Carbon dioxide (CO 2) emissions produced by the construction sector, either from the firing of clay bricks or from the production of cement, contribute significantly to global warming. In many developing countries, air pollution from agricultural activities is primarily accounted for the emissions from agricultural machinery and openly burning agro-waste. Farming is one of the leading causes of water and soil pollution. Hence, adopting agricultural waste into cement production would significantly reduce the environmental impact of concrete structures. The goal of this research is to determine whether agricultural waste products, such as vermiculite, pistachio shells, sugarcane bagasse, and coconut husks, can be used to substitute sand in concrete blocks. The water absorption capacity of waste materials, density, flexural strength, fire resistance, and compressive strength of waste materials as admixtures in concrete were evaluated using experimental tests. In most cases, the concrete blocks made from agricultural waste were strong enough to satisfy ASTM standards. The specimens containing coconut husks and pistachio shells, among others, were found to be fairly strong and durable, even when isolating them from water.
Agricultural waste can be used in cement block production for a number of reasons, including its ... more Agricultural waste can be used in cement block production for a number of reasons, including its environmental, economic, and labor benefits. This study examines the mechanical, durability, and cost-effectiveness characteristics of cement blocks. A cement block made from agriculture waste promotes sustainable construction practices, since waste agriculture is often dumped in landfills and regarded as a waste material. Carbon dioxide (CO 2) emissions produced by the construction sector, either from the firing of clay bricks or from the production of cement, contribute significantly to global warming. In many developing countries, air pollution from agricultural activities is primarily accounted for the emissions from agricultural machinery and openly burning agro-waste. Farming is one of the leading causes of water and soil pollution. Hence, adopting agricultural waste into cement production would significantly reduce the environmental impact of concrete structures. The goal of this research is to determine whether agricultural waste products, such as vermiculite, pistachio shells, sugarcane bagasse, and coconut husks, can be used to substitute sand in concrete blocks. The water absorption capacity of waste materials, density, flexural strength, fire resistance, and compressive strength of waste materials as admixtures in concrete were evaluated using experimental tests. In most cases, the concrete blocks made from agricultural waste were strong enough to satisfy ASTM standards. The specimens containing coconut husks and pistachio shells, among others, were found to be fairly strong and durable, even when isolating them from water.
Reusing waste is one of the most recent topics and one of the main contributors to sustainability... more Reusing waste is one of the most recent topics and one of the main contributors to sustainability. It is known that concrete is one of the most common materials to produce different types of construction members around the world. That is due to mainly its low cost, availability, long period of durability, and ability to withstand harsh environments. On the other hand, due to the rapid changes that have happened in the last few decades in the production of decorative materials, some material types of cladding are used for decoration purposes, such as Styrofoam (EPS) (trade name “Astropol”), which is developed from disposal materials. Discovering and implementing a method of reusing these wastes in concrete is beneficial for the environment to reduce waste around the globe. In the current study, Styrofoam (Astropol) waste was used as a replacement for fine aggregate since concrete structures contain this material in their composition. It is important to test these materials for fire r...
Introduction: The construction industry uses a large quantity of natural materials in the product... more Introduction: The construction industry uses a large quantity of natural materials in the production of concrete. Although attempts to incorporate green materials in concrete began years ago, not every building uses such materials today, and roadways, particularly, still rely on unsustainable materials. Methods: Therefore, this study used alternative materials, including fly ash, manufactured sand aggregates, and different molarities of alkaline activators, to incorporate waste byproducts in a geopolymer concrete white-topping pavement layer. Recent developments have led to the emergence of geopolymers as distinct classes of materials. In the 1990s, fly ash-based geopolymers became more popular than other kinds, as they are more efficient compared to Portland cement concrete. Results: Aluminosilicate gel can be obtained by combining fly ash and alkaline solution. A comprehensive literature review of geopolymer concrete was performed in this study. It examines its critical design parameters, including alkaline solutions, curing temperatures, curing methods, workability, and compressive strength under various environmental conditions. This review provides a unique opportunity for researchers to understand how geopolymer concrete performs. Discussion: A range of conditions were investigated to determine how to enhance and use this material in a variety of ways. The fresh characteristics of different mixes were studied using slump and Vee-Bee tests, and the characteristics of the cured concrete mixes were determined using flexural, compressive, and flexural fatigue tests. The results indicated that the use of manufactured sand and fly ash with high-molarity alkaline activators results in a geopolymer concrete with an excellent maximum resistance of 5.1 N/mm2 workability, strength, and fatigue properties, making it suitable for use in roadway pavement.
Reusing waste is one of the most recent topics and one of the main contributors to sustainability... more Reusing waste is one of the most recent topics and one of the main contributors to sustainability. It is known that concrete is one of the most common materials to produce different types of construction members around the world. That is due to mainly its low cost, availability, long period of durability, and ability to withstand harsh environments. On the other hand, due to the rapid changes that have happened in the last few decades in the production of decorative materials, some material types of cladding are used for decoration purposes, such as Styrofoam (EPS) (trade name“Astropol”), which is developed from disposal materials. Discovering and implementing a method of reusing these wastes in concrete is beneficial for the environment to reduce waste around the globe. In the current study, Styrofoam (Astropol) waste was used as a replacement for fine aggregate since concrete structures contain this material in their composition. It is important to test these materials for fire resistance and expose them to an elevated temperature in order to discover the post-fire mechanical properties of the composite material. The experimental result showed that the post-fire compressive strength of concrete containing different ratios of EPS (Astropol) increases compared to conventional concrete. The compressive strengths were 19.94 MPa, 19.295 MPa, 16.806 MPa, and 17.66 MPa for 0%, 15%, 25%, and 50%, respectively, while the post-fire indirect tensile strength for all specimens containing EPS reduced as the fire duration and temperature increased.
Automation in the construction industry has become more appealing in recent years. Although the i... more Automation in the construction industry has become more appealing in recent years. Although the industry fosters material mixing and structural application, automating quality control is not investigated broadly. The industry relies on manual inspection, leading to inaccuracy and lower productivity. This research focuses on the quality check of bolted steel members using automating ESP32 camera to detect missing bolts. Earlier studies focused on improving the quality of tightening the bolts. However, the major problem of missing bolts has not been extensively addressed. Inadequate bolting of steel members causes a considerable reduction in mechanical strength, and it may cause a structure to fail. Hence, this paper aims to detect missing bolts in assembling steel structures. The study was conducted by developing a system that utilizes an ESP32 camera module to capture the steel members in real-time. Captured video is processed in Visual Studio (C++ language), another approach carried out in the study is using a faster region-based convolutional neural network (Faster R-CNN) where it extracts the area of interest, the bolts, and holes in the steel members with the assistance of an image dataset and training. The trained model can be used to detect bolts and holes. The results showed that the developed system is reliable and can alter the user to any missing bolts, having TensorFlow object detection with the Faster R-CNN algorithm successfully provided desired results with 95% precision. This technique increases the efficiency of quality monitoring. Consequently, the steel manufacturing industry can rely on smart cameras to monitor the quality control of steel frames, leading to productive output. This also saves the workers time from performing the tedious task of inspecting every steel member and assists in maintaining the quality of the assembled steel structures.
Automation in the construction industry has become more appealing in recent years. Although the i... more Automation in the construction industry has become more appealing in recent years. Although the industry fosters material mixing and structural application, automating quality control is not investigated broadly. The industry relies on manual inspection, leading to inaccuracy and lower productivity. This research focuses on the quality check of bolted steel members using automating ESP32 camera to detect missing bolts. Earlier studies focused on improving the quality of tightening the bolts. However, the major problem of missing bolts has not been extensively addressed. Inadequate bolting of steel members causes a considerable reduction in mechanical strength, and it may cause a structure to fail. Hence, this paper aims to detect missing bolts in assembling steel structures. The study was conducted by developing a system that utilizes an ESP32 camera module to capture the steel members in real-time. Captured video is processed in Visual Studio (C++ language), another approach carried out in the study is using a faster region-based convolutional neural network (Faster R-CNN) where it extracts the area of interest, the bolts, and holes in the steel members with the assistance of an image dataset and training. The trained model can be used to detect bolts and holes. The results showed that the developed system is reliable and can alter the user to any missing bolts, having TensorFlow object detection with the Faster R-CNN algorithm successfully provided desired results with 95% precision. This technique increases the efficiency of quality monitoring. Consequently, the steel manufacturing industry can rely on smart cameras to monitor the quality control of steel frames, leading to productive output. This also saves the workers time from performing the tedious task of inspecting every steel member and assists in maintaining the quality of the assembled steel structures.
Additive manufacturing technologies are becoming more popular in various industries, including th... more Additive manufacturing technologies are becoming more popular in various industries, including the construction industry. Currently, construction 3D printing is sufficiently well studied from an academic point of view, leading towards the transition from experimental to mass large-scale construction. Most questions arise about the applicability of construction 3D printers for printing entire buildings and structures. This paper provides an overview of the different types of construction 3D printing technologies currently in use, and their fundamental differences, as well as some significant data on the advantages of using these advanced technologies in construction. A description of the requirements for composite printing is also provided, with possible issues that may arise when switching from lab-scale construction printing to mass large-scale printing. All printers using additive manufacturing technologies for construction are divided into three types: robotic arm printers, porta...
The adoption of digital solutions in construction has been
proved to increase work safety, and it... more The adoption of digital solutions in construction has been proved to increase work safety, and it supports the circular economy by reducing material waste and simplifying resource recapture. Additive manufacturing processes have the great advantage of being able to achieve flexibility in the geometry of the outcome. This characteristic makes additive manufacturing particularly suitable for constructing efficient forms that are difficult to create with conventional manufacturing techniques and results in a significant reduction in the quantity of material used. Such forms could be achieved through the use of novel algorithm-aided design (AAD) tools, which are already commonly used in other industrial sectors, such as automotive and aerospace industries. The use of computational design to create new structural forms has been limited by the traditional building production process, which does not allow for freedom of design. Hence, the application of computational design tools to freeform design has often been limited to a few explorations in pioneering architectural applications. With the advent of additive manufacturing process in construction, the use of structural optimisation could potentially enable the realisation of a new generation of optimised structures. Current research efforts aim to combine additive manufacturing with optimisation tools to solve issues related to manufacturing processes (such as overhang) or exploit anisotropy in materials to find new optimal solutions. The application of both additive manufacturing solutions and computational design tools for steel structures has always been limited to a few pioneering cases. Recent developments in additive manufacturing processes in construction have seen the application of these techniques to realise a new generation of structures in concrete, polymers and metals. Concrete is both a low-energy and versatile construction material. One of its main advantages is that it can be casted on site. The casting techniques currently in use have evolved over the years, but there has been little change in over a century. Concrete structures are created using formwork, which bears the force exerted by the lateral pressure of the material before it achieves its initial strength. Once the formwork has been removed, concrete retains its shape, and its strength slowly continues to increase for 28 days. In the conventional method of forming, the formwork used in concrete construction is rectilinear, as dictated by the ease of assembly. This often limits the shapes of the structural elements to rectangular or other regular shapes. The limits imposed by the formwork often result in inefficient structural elements, in that they are heavier than they need to be and so use excessive quantities of material. This limitation has also translated into the way concrete structural elements are conceived and designed. More efficient structural shapes and forms, which provide the same level of structural performance in terms of strength and stiffness, can be achieved using less material. These shapes, however, cannot be produced using the conventional methods currently in use. Complex shapes provide the next level of structural performance and reduced material usage, but these require the use of form-free methods of production. A paradigm shift is therefore required in the way that structural elements are conceived. To deliver shapes that provide the required performance and reduce usage of material requires technology for forming the complex shapes. Emerging technologies such as additive manufacturing and 3D printing of concrete play a vital role in this endeavour; however, they require integration with new sustainable materials, with modi fied rheology to make them amenable for 3D printing. The primary bene fit of additive manufacturing technologies is the ability to manufacture parts directly from computer-aided design (CAD) data in a single step (Vaezi and Chua, 2011). Furthermore, by eliminating the need for formwork, 3D printing, for instance, might cut the cost of concrete buildings by 35 –60% (Lloret et al., 2015). Concerning production costs, construction enterprises encounter various and signi ficant difficulties. For example, casting concrete in situ generates a lot of waste material that must be removed later, especially if formwork is not reusable material. The use of reusable moulds does, however, cause less waste, making them more cost-effective, but a lengthy moulding process must be used in their production (Delgado Camacho et al., 2018). Another concern about the environmental impact of moulds is their life cycle, especially when taking greenhouse gas emissions into account. The new technologies enable better fabrication, more accurate element production and the printing of any shapes that are challenging to manufacture for conventional applications, such as façade components (Buswell et al., 2007; Shakor et al., 2019). In general, additive manufacturing using concrete has much more stringent requirements in terms of material control than ordinary concrete construction methods. In Chapter 1, Panda and Santhanam discuss the specific material challenges and development strategies for new sustainable materials, with controlled rheology, for use in extrusion-based concrete printing. One of the salient issues is how a material’s fresh properties affect both its stability during printing and its final performance. However, concrete is not the only material to be used in construction; 3D printing of steel is another possible technology, as explained in Chapter 4. Regarding applications for steel structures, the capabilities of the most developed metal additive manufacturing technology, powder bed fusion (PBF), have often limited the maximum dimension of the printed outcomes. Thus, it has been used to fabricate ad hoc connections, parametrically designed either for structural optimisation purposes or to create freeform gridshells. However, due to the intrinsic geometrical constraints of the printer environment (enclosed in a box with, typically, 250 mm sides), the application of PBF is limited to the fabrication of small-sized connections and structural details. More recently, directed-energy deposition (DED) techniques, such as wire and arc additive manufacturing (WAAM), have allowed the dimensions of the printed objects to be increased to several metres in span, thus increasing the potential use of digital fabrication in steel construction. The first application of this technique was MX3D’s Smart Bridge, the world’s first steel 3D-printed footbridge, located in Amsterdam’s city centre. The aim of this book is to present an overview of the 3D printing or additive manufacturing technologies most commonly applied in the construction sector, from the perspectives of both academia and industry. Each chapter is dedicated to a particular additive manufacturing process, including both concrete-based and metal-based techniques. Finally, the conclusions and remarks in the final chapter provide insights into the advantages and drawbacks related to digitalisation of the construction process.
Additive Manufacturing for Construction reveals additive manufacturing technologies for building ... more Additive Manufacturing for Construction reveals additive manufacturing technologies for building and construction applications. It introduces digital and multiuse technologies for civil applications and informs the reader of their design properties and uses. The book explores on-site and off-site construction techniques, and features design strategies in additive manufacturing which will eliminate production difficulties and minimise assembly costs, both from the academic and industrial perspectives. The unique capabilities of additive manufacturing technologies for large-scale applications combined with 'design for manufacturing' strategies are shown, allowing the reader to understand efficient structural shapes and forms which can provide appropriate level of structural performance with reduced use of materials and resources.
This book gathers knowledge of multidisciplinary investigations into one book to answer challenges and difficulties faced by the construction industry and includes:
extrusion-based concrete additive manufacturing particle bed additive manufacturing shotcrete additive manufacturing wire-and-arc metal additive manufacturing simulation modelling of concrete 3D printing Additive Manufacturing for Construction is of interest to those in academia and industry including architects, civil engineers, material engineers, manufacturing and industrial engineers, mechatronic engineers and construction experts with an interest/professional requirement to know about large-scale additive manufacturing technologies."
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Methods: Therefore, this study used alternative materials, including fly ash, manufactured sand aggregates, and different molarities of alkaline activators, to incorporate waste byproducts in a geopolymer concrete white-topping pavement layer. Recent developments have led to the emergence of geopolymers as distinct classes of materials. In the 1990s, fly ash-based geopolymers became more popular than other kinds, as they are more efficient compared to Portland cement concrete.
Results: Aluminosilicate gel can be obtained by combining fly ash and alkaline solution. A comprehensive literature review of geopolymer concrete was performed in this study. It examines its critical design parameters, including alkaline solutions, curing temperatures, curing methods, workability, and compressive strength under various environmental conditions. This review provides a unique opportunity for researchers to understand how geopolymer concrete performs.
Discussion: A range of conditions were investigated to determine how to enhance and use this material in a variety of ways. The fresh characteristics of different mixes were studied using slump and Vee-Bee tests, and the characteristics of the cured concrete mixes were determined using flexural, compressive, and flexural fatigue tests. The results indicated that the use of manufactured sand and fly ash with high-molarity alkaline activators results in a geopolymer concrete with an excellent maximum resistance of 5.1 N/mm2 workability, strength, and fatigue properties, making it suitable for use in roadway pavement.
for fire resistance and expose them to an elevated temperature in order to discover the post-fire mechanical properties of the composite material. The experimental result showed that the post-fire compressive strength of concrete containing different ratios of EPS (Astropol) increases compared
to conventional concrete. The compressive strengths were 19.94 MPa, 19.295 MPa, 16.806 MPa, and 17.66 MPa for 0%, 15%, 25%, and 50%, respectively, while the post-fire indirect tensile strength for all specimens containing EPS reduced as the fire duration and temperature increased.
Methods: Therefore, this study used alternative materials, including fly ash, manufactured sand aggregates, and different molarities of alkaline activators, to incorporate waste byproducts in a geopolymer concrete white-topping pavement layer. Recent developments have led to the emergence of geopolymers as distinct classes of materials. In the 1990s, fly ash-based geopolymers became more popular than other kinds, as they are more efficient compared to Portland cement concrete.
Results: Aluminosilicate gel can be obtained by combining fly ash and alkaline solution. A comprehensive literature review of geopolymer concrete was performed in this study. It examines its critical design parameters, including alkaline solutions, curing temperatures, curing methods, workability, and compressive strength under various environmental conditions. This review provides a unique opportunity for researchers to understand how geopolymer concrete performs.
Discussion: A range of conditions were investigated to determine how to enhance and use this material in a variety of ways. The fresh characteristics of different mixes were studied using slump and Vee-Bee tests, and the characteristics of the cured concrete mixes were determined using flexural, compressive, and flexural fatigue tests. The results indicated that the use of manufactured sand and fly ash with high-molarity alkaline activators results in a geopolymer concrete with an excellent maximum resistance of 5.1 N/mm2 workability, strength, and fatigue properties, making it suitable for use in roadway pavement.
for fire resistance and expose them to an elevated temperature in order to discover the post-fire mechanical properties of the composite material. The experimental result showed that the post-fire compressive strength of concrete containing different ratios of EPS (Astropol) increases compared
to conventional concrete. The compressive strengths were 19.94 MPa, 19.295 MPa, 16.806 MPa, and 17.66 MPa for 0%, 15%, 25%, and 50%, respectively, while the post-fire indirect tensile strength for all specimens containing EPS reduced as the fire duration and temperature increased.
proved to increase work safety, and it supports the circular
economy by reducing material waste and simplifying
resource recapture. Additive manufacturing processes have
the great advantage of being able to achieve flexibility in
the geometry of the outcome. This characteristic makes
additive manufacturing particularly suitable for constructing
efficient forms that are difficult to create with conventional
manufacturing techniques and results in a significant
reduction in the quantity of material used. Such forms could
be achieved through the use of novel algorithm-aided design
(AAD) tools, which are already commonly used in other
industrial sectors, such as automotive and aerospace
industries.
The use of computational design to create new structural forms
has been limited by the traditional building production process,
which does not allow for freedom of design. Hence, the
application of computational design tools to freeform design
has often been limited to a few explorations in pioneering
architectural applications. With the advent of additive
manufacturing process in construction, the use of structural
optimisation could potentially enable the realisation of a new
generation of optimised structures. Current research efforts aim
to combine additive manufacturing with optimisation tools to
solve issues related to manufacturing processes (such as
overhang) or exploit anisotropy in materials to find new
optimal solutions.
The application of both additive manufacturing solutions and
computational design tools for steel structures has always
been limited to a few pioneering cases. Recent developments
in additive manufacturing processes in construction have
seen the application of these techniques to realise a new
generation of structures in concrete, polymers and metals.
Concrete is both a low-energy and versatile construction
material. One of its main advantages is that it can be casted
on site. The casting techniques currently in use have evolved
over the years, but there has been little change in over a
century. Concrete structures are created using formwork,
which bears the force exerted by the lateral pressure of the material before it achieves its initial strength. Once the
formwork has been removed, concrete retains its shape, and
its strength slowly continues to increase for 28 days. In the
conventional method of forming, the formwork used in concrete
construction is rectilinear, as dictated by the ease of assembly.
This often limits the shapes of the structural elements to
rectangular or other regular shapes. The limits imposed by the
formwork often result in inefficient structural elements, in that
they are heavier than they need to be and so use excessive
quantities of material. This limitation has also translated into the
way concrete structural elements are conceived and designed.
More efficient structural shapes and forms, which provide the
same level of structural performance in terms of strength and
stiffness, can be achieved using less material. These shapes,
however, cannot be produced using the conventional methods
currently in use. Complex shapes provide the next level of
structural performance and reduced material usage, but these
require the use of form-free methods of production.
A paradigm shift is therefore required in the way that
structural elements are conceived. To deliver shapes that
provide the required performance and reduce usage of
material requires technology for forming the complex
shapes. Emerging technologies such as additive
manufacturing and 3D printing of concrete play a vital role
in this endeavour; however, they require integration with
new sustainable materials, with modi
fied rheology to make
them amenable for 3D printing. The primary bene
fit of
additive manufacturing technologies is the ability to
manufacture parts directly from computer-aided design
(CAD) data in a single step (Vaezi and Chua, 2011).
Furthermore, by eliminating the need for formwork, 3D
printing, for instance, might cut the cost of concrete
buildings by 35
–60% (Lloret et al., 2015).
Concerning production costs, construction enterprises
encounter various and signi
ficant difficulties. For example,
casting concrete in situ generates a lot of waste material that
must be removed later, especially if formwork is not reusable
material. The use of reusable moulds does, however, cause
less waste, making them more cost-effective, but a lengthy
moulding process must be used in their production
(Delgado Camacho et al., 2018). Another concern about the
environmental impact of moulds is their life cycle, especially
when taking greenhouse gas emissions into account. The new technologies enable better fabrication, more accurate element
production and the printing of any shapes that are challenging
to manufacture for conventional applications, such as façade
components (Buswell et al., 2007; Shakor et al., 2019).
In general, additive manufacturing using concrete has much
more stringent requirements in terms of material control than
ordinary concrete construction methods. In Chapter 1, Panda
and Santhanam discuss the specific material challenges and
development strategies for new sustainable materials, with
controlled rheology, for use in extrusion-based concrete
printing. One of the salient issues is how a material’s fresh
properties affect both its stability during printing and its final
performance. However, concrete is not the only material to
be used in construction; 3D printing of steel is another
possible technology, as explained in Chapter 4.
Regarding applications for steel structures, the capabilities
of the most developed metal additive manufacturing
technology, powder bed fusion (PBF), have often limited the
maximum dimension of the printed outcomes. Thus, it has
been used to fabricate ad hoc connections, parametrically
designed either for structural optimisation purposes or to
create freeform gridshells. However, due to the intrinsic
geometrical constraints of the printer environment (enclosed
in a box with, typically, 250 mm sides), the application of
PBF is limited to the fabrication of small-sized connections
and structural details. More recently, directed-energy
deposition (DED) techniques, such as wire and arc additive
manufacturing (WAAM), have allowed the dimensions of
the printed objects to be increased to several metres in span,
thus increasing the potential use of digital fabrication in steel
construction. The first application of this technique was
MX3D’s Smart Bridge, the world’s first steel 3D-printed
footbridge, located in Amsterdam’s city centre.
The aim of this book is to present an overview of the 3D
printing or additive manufacturing technologies most
commonly applied in the construction sector, from the
perspectives of both academia and industry. Each chapter is
dedicated to a particular additive manufacturing process,
including both concrete-based and metal-based techniques.
Finally, the conclusions and remarks in the final chapter
provide insights into the advantages and drawbacks related
to digitalisation of the construction process.
This book gathers knowledge of multidisciplinary investigations into one book to answer challenges and difficulties faced by the construction industry and includes:
extrusion-based concrete additive manufacturing
particle bed additive manufacturing
shotcrete additive manufacturing
wire-and-arc metal additive manufacturing
simulation modelling of concrete 3D printing
Additive Manufacturing for Construction is of interest to those in academia and industry including architects, civil engineers, material engineers, manufacturing and industrial engineers, mechatronic engineers and construction experts with an interest/professional requirement to know about large-scale additive manufacturing technologies."