Enhancing the Mechanical Properties of Sulfur-Modified Fly Ash/Metakaolin Geopolymers with Polypropylene Fibers.

High demand for sustainable solutions in the construction industry determines the significant relevance of developing new eco-friendly composites with a reduced carbon impact on the environment. The main aim of this study is to investigate the possibility and efficiency of using technical sulfur (TS) as a modifying additive for geopolymer composites and to select the optimal content of polypropylene fiber (PF). To assess the potential of TS, experimental samples of geopolymer solutions based on metakaolin and fly ash were prepared.

Optimization of concrete with human hair using experimental study and artificial neural network via response surface methodology and ANOVA.

The increasing demand for sustainable construction materials has prompted the investigation of non-biodegradable waste, such as human hair (HH), for concrete reinforcement. This study seeks to evaluate the impact of HH fiber on the fresh, physical, and mechanical characteristics of concrete. HH was incorporated in varying proportions (1-5% by weight of cement), along with modifications in cement content, to ascertain optimal performance conditions.

Experimental, theoretical and digital image correlation methods to assess bending performance of RC beams with recycled glass powder replacing cement.

This study investigates the use of Waste Glass Powder (WGP) as a proportional replacement for cement in sustainable concrete production. In addition, changes in the bending capacity of the Reinforced Concrete (RC) Beams were examined by adding WGP at different rates (0%, 10%, 20%, 30%) to RC Beams with different steel reinforcement ratios (ρ = 0.0077 i.

Corrigendum to "Experimental investigation and analytical verification of buckling of functionally graded carbon nanotube-reinforced sandwich beams" [Heliyon Volume 10, Issue 8, April 2024, Article e28388].

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.

Developing Computer Vision Models for Classifying Grain Shapes of Crushed Stone.

In the construction industry, along with traditional approaches for the visual and instrumental assessment of building materials, methods based on intelligent algorithms are increasingly appearing; in particular, machine learning and neural network technologies. The utilization of modern technologies enables us to enhance building processes to a new quality level, decreasing the construction pace without precision losses compared to traditional methods. This research introduces a novel method for characterizing crushed stone grain morphology using the application of specially designed three-dimensional computer vision neural networks to point data clouds.

Utilizing recycled glass powder in reinforced concrete beams: comparison of shear performance.

In this research, the effect of using waste glass powder (WGP) as a partial replacement for cement on the flexural behavior of reinforced-concrete-beams (R-C-Bs) was investigated. For this aim, a total of 9 specimens were produced, and investigational experimentations were conducted to evaluate the flexural performances of R-C-Bs. Subsequently, the cement was partially replaced with WGP with weight percentages of 0%, 10%, 20% and 30%.

Shear Performance in Reinforced Concrete Beams with Partial Aggregate Substitution Using Waste Glass: A Comparative Analysis via Digital Imaging Processing and a Theoretical Approach.

The usage of waste glass aggregate (WGA) associated with the replacement of fine aggregate (FA) and coarse aggregate (CA) is observed to reduce the number of raw materials for sustainable concrete. For this aim, a total of 15 beams were produced, and then investigational experiments were implemented to observe the shear performances. The stirrup spacing and WGA proportion were chosen as the main parameters.

Analysis of the Current State of Research on Bio-Healing Concrete (Bioconcrete).

The relatively small tensile strength of concrete makes this material particularly vulnerable to cracking. However, the reality is that it is not always possible and practically useful to conduct studies on high-quality sealing cracks due to their inaccessibility or small opening width. Despite the fact that currently there are many technologies for creating self-healing cement composites, one of the most popular is the technology for creating a biologically active self-healing mechanism for concrete.

The Influence of Three-Dimensionally Printed Polymer Materials as Trusses and Shell Structures on the Mechanical Properties and Load-Bearing Capacity of Reinforced Concrete.

Three-dimensional printing technology (3D printing) is becoming a more and more popular technology for aerospace, biology, medicine, mechanics, civil and other engineering fields. In civil engineering, researchers and engineers attempt to print construction materials such as concrete using 3D-printing technology. This study aims to investigate the reinforcement of concrete beams with 3D printing.

Computer Vision Method for Automatic Detection of Microstructure Defects of Concrete.

The search for structural and microstructural defects using simple human vision is associated with significant errors in determining voids, large pores, and violations of the integrity and compactness of particle packing in the micro- and macrostructure of concrete. Computer vision methods, in particular convolutional neural networks, have proven to be reliable tools for the automatic detection of defects during visual inspection of building structures. The study's objective is to create and compare computer vision algorithms that use convolutional neural networks to identify and analyze damaged sections in concrete samples from different structures.

Influence of ceramic waste powder on shear performance of environmentally friendly reinforced concrete beams.

This investigation considered the usability of ceramic waste powder (CWP) in altered quantities in reinforced concrete beams (RCBs). In this way, it was aimed to reduce the environmental impacts of concrete by using CWP as a raw material in RCBs. 12 small-scale shear RCBs with the dimensions of 100 × 150 × 1000 mm were tested in this study.

Analytical Review of the Current State of Technology, Structure Formation, and Properties of Variatropic Centrifugally Compacted Concrete.

Current regulatory documents and the scientific literature lack a theoretical framework and practical guidance for calculating centrifugally compacted reinforced concrete structures, taking into account the variatropy of their structure and the material's characteristics across the section. A problem related to this research lies in the need to form a systematized, theoretical, and practical knowledge base about variatropic concretes, the importance of which has been proven by various scientists without, to date, the creation of a unified scientific methodological base. The importance of this study is linked to the need for the world's construction projects and processes to transition to the most economically, materially, and resource-efficient types of building structures, which, of course, include structures made of variable-type concrete.

Experimental investigation and analytical verification of buckling of functionally graded carbon nanotube-reinforced sandwich beams.

Carbon nanotube (CNT) reinforcement can lead to a new way to enhance the properties of composites by transforming the reinforcement phases into nanoscale fillers. In this study, the buckling response of functionally graded CNT-reinforced composite (FG-CNTRC) sandwich beams was investigated experimentally and analytically. The top and bottom plates of the sandwich beams were composed of carbon fiber laminated composite layers and hard core.

Influence of Polymer Fibers on the Structure and Properties of Modified Variatropic Vibrocentrifuged Concrete.

The application of polymer materials in concrete structures is widespread and effectively used. However, there is a lack of a systematic knowledge base about the structure formation and properties of variatropic vibrocentrifuged modified fiber-reinforced concrete. The purpose of this work is the investigation of the influence of polypropylene (PF) and basalt fiber (BF) and modification with microsilica (MS) on the properties of variatropic concretes obtained using the synthesized vibration centrifugation technology.

Eco-Friendly Sustainable Concrete and Mortar Using Coal Dust Waste.

Finding the solution to the problem of the accumulating waste from the mining and processing industries, as well as reducing their carbon footprint, is among the most important tasks today. Within the construction industry, in the field of the production of building materials such as concrete, these problems may be solved through the use of waste and by saving the binder component. The purpose of this study is to substantiate the feasibility of using waste coal dust (CD) in concrete and cement-sand mortars as a partial replacement for cement.

Detection and Dispersion Analysis of Water Globules in Oil Samples Using Artificial Intelligence Algorithms.

Fluid particle detection technology is of great importance in the oil and gas industry for improving oil-refining techniques and in evaluating the quality of refining equipment. The article discusses the process of creating a computer vision algorithm that allows the user to detect water globules in oil samples and analyze their sizes. The process of developing an algorithm based on the convolutional neural network (CNN) YOLOv4 is presented.

Alteration of Structure and Characteristics of Concrete with Coconut Shell as a Substitution of a Part of Coarse Aggregate.

One of the most promising ways to solve the problem of reducing the rate of depletion of natural non-renewable components of concrete is their complete or partial replacement with renewable plant counterparts that are industrial and agricultural waste. The research significance of this article lies in the determination at the micro- and macro-levels of the principles of the relationship between the composition, the process of structure formation and the formation of properties of concrete based on coconut shells (CSs), as well as the substantiation at the micro- and macro-levels of the effectiveness of such a solution from the point of view of fundamental and applied materials science. The aim of this study was to solve the problem of substantiating the feasibility of concrete consisting of a mineral cement-sand matrix and aggregate in the form of crushed CS, as well as finding a rational combination of components and studying the structure and characteristics of concrete.

Analytical Review of Geopolymer Concrete: Retrospective and Current Issues.

The concept of sustainable development provides for the search for environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional materials and technologies that would reduce the amount of CO emissions into the atmosphere, do not pollute the environment, and reduce energy costs and the cost of production processes. These technologies include the production of geopolymer concretes. The purpose of the study was a detailed in-depth analytical review of studies of the processes of structure formation and properties of geopolymer concretes in retrospect and the current state of the issue.

Combined Effect of Ceramic Waste Powder Additives and PVA on the Structure and Properties of Geopolymer Concrete Used for Finishing Facades of Buildings.

Currently, there is great interest in geopolymer composites as an alternative and environmentally friendly basis for compositions for restoring the facades of historical and modern buildings. Although the use of these compounds is much smaller than conventional concrete, replacing their main components with ecological geopolymer counterparts still has the potential to significantly reduce the carbon footprint and reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emitted into the atmosphere. The study aimed to obtain geopolymer concrete with improved physical, mechanical, and adhesive characteristics, designed to restore the finishing of building facades.

Effect of Walnut-Shell Additive on the Structure and Characteristics of Concrete.

The partial replacement of the mineral components of concrete with natural renewable analogues in full possession of the performance characteristics of the final material, allows not only the concrete-production process to be made more environmentally friendly and inexpensive, but also to solve an important task for the agricultural industry, which is that associated with waste disposal. The scientific novelty of the work is in the obtaining of new concrete compositions by the partial replacement of coarse aggregate with a natural analogue in the form of a walnut shell, which has the maximum ratio of the strength of the composite to its density, as well as in identifying new dependencies of strength and density and their ratio on the amount of replacement of mineral coarse-aggregate walnut shell. The main goal of this article was to analyze the effect of composition factors on characteristics of concrete with partial replacement of large aggregates with walnut shells and to search for the optimal compound that would make it possible to obtain concrete with a minimum decrease in strength characteristics with a maximum decrease in concrete density.

Composition, Technological, and Microstructural Aspects of Concrete Modified with Finely Ground Mussel Shell Powder.

Reducing the negative environmental impact of a widely spread building material such as concrete is possible by decreasing the amount of cement in this composite material, especially when specific waste is included as a substitution for the binder. Another important environmental issue is accumulated aquaculture waste. This work justifies the possibility of achieving modified concrete with improved properties based on sea mussel shell powder (MSP).

Insulation Foam Concrete Nanomodified with Microsilica and Reinforced with Polypropylene Fiber for the Improvement of Characteristics.

Some of the primary problems of construction are brittleness and low the mechanical properties of good thermal insulation materials. Heat-insulating foam concrete has a low thermal conductivity. However, it is practically impossible to transport it over long distances since corners are cracked during transportation, the structure is broken, and, in principle, the fragility of this material is a big problem for modern buildings.

Prediction of Mechanical Properties of Highly Functional Lightweight Fiber-Reinforced Concrete Based on Deep Neural Network and Ensemble Regression Trees Methods.

Currently, one of the topical areas of application of artificial intelligence methods in industrial production is neural networks, which allow for predicting the performance properties of products and structures that depend on the characteristics of the initial components and process parameters. The purpose of the study was to develop and train a neural network and an ensemble model to predict the mechanical properties of lightweight fiber-reinforced concrete using the accumulated empirical database and data from construction industry enterprises, and to improve production processes in the construction industry. The study applied deep learning and an ensemble of regression trees.

The Investigation of Compacting Cement Systems for Studying the Fundamental Process of Cement Gel Formation.

Fundamental knowledge of the processes of cement gel formation for new generation concretes is a scientific deficit. Studies aimed at the formation of a cement gel for standard vibrated concrete research, and especially for centrifugally compacted concrete, are of interest because the structure of this concrete differs significantly from the structure of standard vibrated concrete. This article aims to study the fundamental dependencies of the theoretical and practical values that occur during compaction using vibration, as well as the centrifugal force of new emerging concrete structures.

Numerical Simulation of the Bearing Capacity of Variotropic Short Concrete Beams Reinforced with Polymer Composite Reinforcing Bars.

One of the disadvantages of reinforced concrete is the large weight of structures due to the steel reinforcement. A way to overcome this issue and develop new types of reinforcing elements is by using polymer composite reinforcement, which can successfully compensate for the shortcomings of steel reinforcement. Additionally, a promising direction is the creation of variotropic (transversely isotropic) building elements.