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Research Article
Modified Pervious Concrete Pavement with Lime Mortar and Recycled Plastic Fibers for Urban Infrastructure in Bangladesh
Issue:
Volume 13, Issue 4, August 2025
Pages:
185-196
Received:
8 June 2025
Accepted:
23 June 2025
Published:
16 July 2025
Abstract: This study evaluates the mechanical and permeability performance of a Modified Pervious Concrete Pavement (MPCP) developed for urban infrastructure in Bangladesh. The MPCP incorporates lime mortar, selected for its binding properties, and recycled plastic bottle fibers, introduced to enhance tensile strength, crack resistance, and durability. A series of mix designs were developed and tested to assess the effects of varying proportions of lime mortar and plastic fibers on the structural and hydraulic characteristics of the pavement. Among the tested configurations, the A5 mix (cement: lime mortar: aggregate = 1:0.25:3) demonstrated an effective balance between strength and porosity. It achieved a 28-day compressive strength of 18.445 MPa and a porosity of 17.01%, meeting functional criteria for pervious pavement applications. Additionally, the A5 mix exhibited a high infiltration rate of 483.362 mm/hour, supporting its suitability for stormwater management in flood-prone areas. The experimental findings indicate that the integration of lime mortar and recycled plastic fibers can improve both mechanical and permeability characteristics of pervious concrete without compromising its fundamental design properties. The use of locally sourced and waste-derived materials further supports resource-efficient construction practices. This study provides a framework for the development of structurally sound and hydraulically functional pervious pavement systems tailored to the environmental and infrastructural context of Bangladesh.
Abstract: This study evaluates the mechanical and permeability performance of a Modified Pervious Concrete Pavement (MPCP) developed for urban infrastructure in Bangladesh. The MPCP incorporates lime mortar, selected for its binding properties, and recycled plastic bottle fibers, introduced to enhance tensile strength, crack resistance, and durability. A ser...
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Research Article
Automated Multi-Class Concrete Crack Detection and Severity Classification Using CNN-Based Deep Learning
Wisam Bukaita
,
Kalyan Naik Vankudothu*,
Junaid Khan
Issue:
Volume 13, Issue 4, August 2025
Pages:
197-210
Received:
17 June 2025
Accepted:
1 July 2025
Published:
22 July 2025
Abstract: Structural integrity is essential to sustainable infrastructure development, particularly in concrete structures. These are prone to deterioration from environmental exposure, mechanical stress, and corrosion. Conventional inspection techniques such as manual surveys and non-destructive testing (NDT)—are labor-intensive, time-consuming, and often limited by human accuracy, making them unsuitable for large-scale deployment. This research proposes an automated system using a custom Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) architecture tailored for concrete defect detection and severity classification. The model was built with four convolutional blocks (32–256 filters), max-pooling layers, batch normalization, and a final dense layer, totaling approximately 129,000 parameters. It was trained on a custom-labeled dataset of 21,000 images (20,000 crack images and 1,000 corrosion images), collected from publicly available repositories and manually classified into seven categories: No Cracks, Hairline Cracks, Small Cracks, Moderate Cracks, Large Cracks, Very Large Cracks, and Cracks Due to Corrosion. Data augmentation techniques were used to address class imbalance and improve generalization. Experimental results showed 94.7% classification accuracy, 93.5% precision, 92.8% recall, and a 93.1% F1 score. The system processes ~25 images/sec on an NVIDIA RTX 3060 GPU, making it suitable for real-time applications. This system represents a scalable, high-performance approach to infrastructure health monitoring, contributing to safer and more effective structural maintenance.
Abstract: Structural integrity is essential to sustainable infrastructure development, particularly in concrete structures. These are prone to deterioration from environmental exposure, mechanical stress, and corrosion. Conventional inspection techniques such as manual surveys and non-destructive testing (NDT)—are labor-intensive, time-consuming, and often l...
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Research Article
Comprehensive Evaluation of PCA-based Engineering Sweet Spot Logging in Tight Sandstone Reservoirs -- Example of Y96 Well in Long 7 Section of Tiezhuzi Block in Ordos Basin
Song Wenying*,
Chen Junbin,
Gong Diguang,
Wang Xiaoming,
Shi Ruidong,
Zhang Chengming
Issue:
Volume 13, Issue 4, August 2025
Pages:
211-221
Received:
3 June 2025
Accepted:
8 July 2025
Published:
23 July 2025
Abstract: Under the geological conditions of sandstone reservoirs in the long 7 sections of Tiezhuizi block, with the increase in the depth of burial and the complexity of geological structure, it leads to the status quo of generally low production capacity of horizontal wells. In the face of this challenge, the optimisation of fracturing engineering desserts is particularly difficult. To cope with this challenge, this study is dedicated to finding a high-precision method for quantitative evaluation of reservoir engineering sweet spots. In this study, principal component analysis was adopted to comprehensively and meticulously analyse nine key engineering sweet spot factors, including core density, elastic modulus, Poisson's ratio, and perimeter pressure. The screening criteria of eigenvalue > 1 accurately identified 2 factors that mainly affect the engineering sweet spot. The cumulative explained variance of these two principal components reaches 91.199 %, which almost covers most of the information. By analysing the positive and negative correlations between the factor loading coefficients of these 2 principal components affecting the engineering sweet spot, these two principal components were identified as the damage resistance factor and the external confining stress factor, respectively. By analysing the rock number composite scores of the principal components, the specific locations of the dominant reservoirs were precisely located, and the dominant reservoirs were located at 2085-2095m, 2035-2045m, 1955-1965m, 1975-1985m and 2005-2015m. This result is more conducive to the realisation of the project, with high accuracy.
Abstract: Under the geological conditions of sandstone reservoirs in the long 7 sections of Tiezhuizi block, with the increase in the depth of burial and the complexity of geological structure, it leads to the status quo of generally low production capacity of horizontal wells. In the face of this challenge, the optimisation of fracturing engineering dessert...
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Research Article
Research on Calculation Method of Characteristic Torque of Prestressed UHPC-RC I-Shaped Composite Beam
Zhang Hanhao*,
Sun Xiangdong,
Xu Dongjin
Issue:
Volume 13, Issue 4, August 2025
Pages:
222-234
Received:
27 June 2025
Accepted:
17 July 2025
Published:
5 August 2025
Abstract: The prestressed UHPC-RC I-shaped composite beam is a common new type of beam structure at present, and there is relatively little research on the torsional calculation method for this type of structure. This article first defines the mechanical concept of characteristic torque based on the structural characteristics and different stage stress states of prestressed UHPC-RC I-shaped composite beams. Considering the initial pre stress, UHPC tensile strength, and concrete tensile and compressive stress states, theoretical formulas for initial cracking torque, cracking torque, and ultimate torque are derived based on elastic theory, plastic theory, and variable angle spatial truss theory, respectively; Subsequently, taking a 25m prestressed UHPC-RC I-shaped composite beam as an example, the accuracy of the theoretical formula in this paper was verified through finite element calculation results, where the theoretical value of the ultimate torque differed only 2.3% from the finite element calculation value. Finally, a parametric analysis of the characteristic torque of the beam was conducted, and the results of this study showed that the initial cracking torque value of the section was not affected by the initial pre stress and UHPC tensile strength, provided that the main tensile stress of the bottom concrete did not exceed the limit; Increasing the initial prestressing stress of the section or enhancing the tensile strength of UHPC can enhance the cracking torque and ultimate torque of the section. Considering the initial prestressing stress and UHPC tensile strength, the ultimate torque of the section can be increased by 57.9% and 94.1%, respectively. If the influence of the tensile and compressive stress states of concrete is neglected in the calculation, the values of the initial cracking torque and cracking torque of the section will be overestimated by 8.6% and 13.3%, respectively.
Abstract: The prestressed UHPC-RC I-shaped composite beam is a common new type of beam structure at present, and there is relatively little research on the torsional calculation method for this type of structure. This article first defines the mechanical concept of characteristic torque based on the structural characteristics and different stage stress state...
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Research Article
Types of Failure in Flexible Pavements: A Case Study of the Ethiopian Federal Road Network
Yitagesu Desalegn Halala*,
Gurmel Singh Ghataora,
Michael Burrow,
Worku Asratie Wubet,
Belayneh Desta Andarge
Issue:
Volume 13, Issue 4, August 2025
Pages:
235-244
Received:
7 May 2025
Accepted:
28 May 2025
Published:
15 August 2025
Abstract: Pavement is the hard-wearing surface built over the natural (subgrade) soil to provide a strong, stable, and smooth riding surface. A typical section of flexible pavement comprises a surface course, base course, and sub-base and subgrade layers. These layers are structured based on their load-bearing capacity (strength), with the strongest and most expensive layer at the top, and the weakest and least expensive at the bottom. However, due to several reasons attributed to the environment, traffic volume and load, subgrade condition, pavement age, construction quality control and assurance, and composition and properties of the construction and maintenance materials, asphalt pavements do not perform as expected. Accordingly, identifying the failure types is critical in understanding the contributing factors and proposing appropriate remedies. In Ethiopia, although there have been some efforts to identify pavement failure types on individual projects, no comprehensive study has been conducted to assess asphalt pavement failure types at a national or regional level. Therefore, the objective of this study was to identify the predominant Flexible pavement failure types in Ethiopia's high-traffic roads with a focus on Trunk, Link, and Main Access Roads. Self-administered close-ended questionnaire was developed and distributed to eighteen Ethiopian Roads Administration Roads Network and Safety Management Branch Office Directors and Maintenance District Directors. The questionnaire responses were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software and the relative importance index (RII). The finding showed that the primary road failure types in the Trunk, Link, and Main Access Road networks are potholes, rutting, fatigue cracking, shoving, patch deterioration, and edge break.
Abstract: Pavement is the hard-wearing surface built over the natural (subgrade) soil to provide a strong, stable, and smooth riding surface. A typical section of flexible pavement comprises a surface course, base course, and sub-base and subgrade layers. These layers are structured based on their load-bearing capacity (strength), with the strongest and most...
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Research Article
Comparative Analysis of Structural Response of Multi-storey Reinforced Concrete Framed Building with Different Infill Wall Materials
Bimal Ojha,
Prabin Pokharel,
Sabin Khatri,
Padam Karki,
Binaya Jamarkattel,
Abhinesh Khatri,
Hari Ram Parajuli*
Issue:
Volume 13, Issue 4, August 2025
Pages:
245-256
Received:
2 June 2025
Accepted:
4 June 2025
Published:
15 August 2025
Abstract: This study evaluates the seismic performance of reinforced concrete (RC) frame structures with different infill materials using analytical modeling techniques. Five types of infill- common brunt clay bricks, AAC blocks, gypsum board, lime-based solid blocks, hollow concrete blocks -were considered to assess their impact on key seismic response parameters such as base shear, displacement, time period, and minimum beam-column sizes. Finite element modeling was performed using ETABS v20, with infills idealized as equivalent diagonal struts based on their material properties and stiffness characteristics. Response spectrum analysis were employed to simulate structural behavior under seismic loading. Results show that brick-infilled frames and concrete blocks exhibit higher stiffness but also higher seismic mass, resulting in increased base shear and structural member sizes. AAC blocks significantly reduce base shear and fundamental time period due to their light weight, though they lead to increased lateral displacement. Lime-based solid blocks demonstrated a balanced performance, offering reduced seismic demand, moderate stiffness, and controlled displacements while maintaining sustainable construction benefits. The overall analysis demonstrates that the lighter infill materials like AAC and gypsum reduce base shear, they may permit excessive lateral deformation. Conversely, denser materials improve lateral stiffness but increase seismic demand. Therefore, in earthquake-prone regions like Nepal, where both seismic safety and cost-efficiency are vital, the infill wall material must be selected based on a balance between displacement control and seismic force minimization. Further research is recommended in areas such as effects on asymmetrical buildings, experimental validation, non-linear interaction modeling, and the development of hybrid infill systems for optimized structural and environmental outcomes.
Abstract: This study evaluates the seismic performance of reinforced concrete (RC) frame structures with different infill materials using analytical modeling techniques. Five types of infill- common brunt clay bricks, AAC blocks, gypsum board, lime-based solid blocks, hollow concrete blocks -were considered to assess their impact on key seismic response para...
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