{"title":"Effect of prior in-plane damage on the out-of-plane behavior of adobe block walls","authors":"Daxing Chen, Kang Yuan, Yin Liu, Zihao Li","doi":"10.1617/s11527-024-02563-z","DOIUrl":"10.1617/s11527-024-02563-z","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Adobe block walls are prone to out-of-plane collapse under seismic actions. Current research on the in-plane seismic performance of adobe block walls is relatively comprehensive, while studies on out-of-plane seismic performance and the relationship between in-plane and out-of-plane seismic performance are lacking. This paper conducted in-plane cyclic loading tests and out-of-plane airbag monotonic loading tests on adobe block walls, obtaining the out-of-plane failure modes, load-bearing capacity, deformation characteristics, under different in-plane damage conditions. Based on this, theoretical analysis was used to derive a method for calculating the load-bearing capacity of adobe block walls in the out-of-plane direction and establish an empirical relationship between in-plane damage severity and out-of-plane load-bearing capacity. The research findings indicate that adobe block walls experience bending tensile failure along the bottom horizontal mortar joint when subjected to uniformly distributed out-of-plane loads. The difference between the cracking load and peak load is relatively small. The wall displaces linearly along the height direction, with the maximum out-of-plane displacement occurring at the top of the wall. There is a clear interaction between in-plane damage severity and out-of-plane strength of the wall. As the in-plane damage severity increases, the out-of-plane load-bearing capacity of the wall decreases by 6.25% to 34.87%.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":691,"journal":{"name":"Materials and Structures","volume":"58 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142941201","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Thermal, chemical, and rheological characterization of bio-asphalt prepared using sugarcane molasses","authors":"Dheeraj Mehta, Nikhil Saboo","doi":"10.1617/s11527-024-02549-x","DOIUrl":"10.1617/s11527-024-02549-x","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Asphalt binder replacement with bio-materials (bio-asphalt) has recently gained significant attention. Bio-asphalt serves as a sustainable avenue and is currently being researched for reducing the dependency on asphalt binder. This work is aimed towards understanding the thermal, morphological, chemical, and rheological behaviour of asphalt binder partially replaced with sugarcane molasses (SM). The optimum dosage for partial replacement was arrived as 30% (by weight of asphalt binder). Two base binders (VG 40 and VG 30) along with five SM sources were used to prepare the bio-asphalts. The thermal stability evaluated using thermogravimetric analysis revealed that bio-asphalts have acceptable thermal resistance withstanding temperature up to 200 °C. Fluorescence microscopy exhibited that SM particles were uniformly dispersed in the base binder, rendering a stable structure. Through chemical analysis (asphaltene–maltene ratio) it was found that the asphaltene percentage marginally increases after the addition of SM. Rheological characterization comprised of multiple stress creep recovery and linear amplitude sweep tests. Test results indicated that incorporation of SM resulted in lower non-recoverable creep compliance (<i>J</i><sub>nr</sub>), decreased permanent strain, and similar/slightly higher percent recovery (% R). The fatigue life of bio-asphalts improved due to the formulation of compounds capable of imparting elasticity to the bio-asphalts.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":691,"journal":{"name":"Materials and Structures","volume":"58 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1617/s11527-024-02549-x.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142941202","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Impact of loading protocol on the repair efficiency of heat-damaged concrete beams with SNSM CFRP ropes","authors":"Rami H. Haddad, Rawan S. Obeidat","doi":"10.1617/s11527-025-02569-1","DOIUrl":"10.1617/s11527-025-02569-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The influence of static-load distribution and symmetry on the flexural performance of reinforced concrete beams, strengthened/repaired using side near-surface-mounted (SNSM) carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) ropes with parabolic and straight profiles is investigated. For this, eighteen reinforced concrete beams (150 × 250 × 1600 mm) were fabricated using a ready-mix concrete of 35 MPa strength grade before cured in wet burlap for 28 days. Nine beams were exposed to an elevated temperature at 450 °C for three hours, while the remaining ones were left in laboratory air, as controls. Six specimens from each group were retrofitted using SNSM of straight and parabolic profiles then tested with references ones under four- and six-point symmetrical and six-point asymmetrical loadings with load response versus deflection and strain in SNSM ropes acquired. Furthermore, cracking initiation and propagation leading to failure was monitored and reported. Generally, the study revealed that the mechanical performance of the concrete beams was influenced by the loading regime as well as by the rope profile (straight, parabolic) as well as heat-damage. The performance factor (PF), computed based on strength and deformability performances, varied from 5.4 to 7.9 for strengthened compared to 10.9–16.3 for repaired and heat-damaged specimens. Furthermore, all strengthened/repaired beams failed by concrete-cover separation following the sudden rupture of the SNSM CFRP ropes except for that repaired with a straight profile of SNSM CFRP rope and subjected to asymmetrical loading.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":691,"journal":{"name":"Materials and Structures","volume":"58 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142939075","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Enhancement in stability of air bubbles in mortar at fresh state with different SCMs","authors":"Qian Jiang, Cheng Yu, Qian Zhang","doi":"10.1617/s11527-024-02566-w","DOIUrl":"10.1617/s11527-024-02566-w","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The stability of air bubbles is a critical factor in determining the performance of concrete. This study investigated the influence of various supplementary cementing materials (SCMs), with a 20% replacement of cement by weight, on the stability of foam in solutions and air bubbles in fresh mortars. Air bubble size distributions were measured using an air void analyzer and X-ray computed tomography at two intervals: from 5 to 60 min and from 60 to 180 min after the mixture was prepared. The results demonstrated that the number of small bubbles decreased while the number of large bubbles increased over time, with the most significant changes occurring within the initial 60 min. The results of the wettability tests were combined with those from the X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis to identify a correlation between the stability of air bubbles and the wetting angle of the SCMs. It was observed that the contact angle of the SCMs approached 90° in cases where the air bubbles exhibited increased stability. The XRD patterns revealed significant differences in the mineral compositions between the bubble shells and the screened pastes from fresh mortar. The presence of a higher concentration of SCMs and hydration products on the bubble shells, compared to the paste, was identified as a potential reason for the observed differences in bubble stability. The utilization of specific SCMs has the potential to enhance bubble stability, in addition to the use of chemical admixtures.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":691,"journal":{"name":"Materials and Structures","volume":"58 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142939282","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Investigation of the seepage property of a concrete fracture in a marine environment","authors":"Yun Chen, Shuaishuai Miao, Mingfeng Xu, Guowei Ma","doi":"10.1617/s11527-025-02570-8","DOIUrl":"10.1617/s11527-025-02570-8","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Concrete fractures, commonly considered as dominant flow channels in a submarine immersed tunnel at the stage of damage, greatly influence the structural long-term service performance in a marine environment. This study investigates the coupled process of the chemical interaction and the fluid flow behavior in concrete fractures, based on seepage tests of specimens experiencing immersion processes in an artificial marine environment with a depth of 50 m below sea level. The salt ion ratio used in the immersion tests comes from the field data of the actual marine environment where locates the immersed tunnel of the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge immersed tunnel. Seventy cylindrical concrete specimens with dimensions of 25 mm × 50 mm are prepared, and each specimen is split to obtain a rough-walled fracture. The specimens are evenly divided into seven groups with different immersion periods, and the variation of the equivalent hydraulic apertures as well as the reaction products after the immersion tests of the concrete fractures are investigated. The surface morphology and composition analyses along the fracture surfaces indicate that the chemical reaction products during the immersion process are gypsum and ettringite. Furthermore, the variation results of the hydraulic properties indicate that the permeability of concrete fractures gradually reduces as the immersion period increases, and the equivalent hydraulic aperture varies less for the concrete fracture with relatively high roughness. An equivalent seepage model for a concrete fracture in a marine environment is then established to evaluate the equivalent hydraulic aperture considering the immersion environment and the fracture geometry, which provides a theoretical basis for analyzing seepage properties of concrete fractures in a marine environment and the long-term service performance of a submarine immersed tunnel.Kindly check and confirm whether the corresponding affiliation is correctly identified.The corrsponding affiliation is correcly identified.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":691,"journal":{"name":"Materials and Structures","volume":"58 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142939281","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Evaluation of connectors' influence on the interface behaviour between concrete layers","authors":"Juozas Masėnas, Juozas Valivonis","doi":"10.1617/s11527-024-02553-1","DOIUrl":"10.1617/s11527-024-02553-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The behavior of concrete interfaces cast at different times is influenced by many variables, including material characteristics, interface surface preparation, interface geometry and many more. The performance of such interfaces is not yet fully understood and is particularly challenging to predict. This paper presents and discusses the results of 17 experimental push-off tests, which varied in interface types and connector arrangements. Three types of interface connector arrangements were tested and compared: one perpendicular to the interface and two lattice girder configurations. Interfaces with lattice girder connectors exhibited greater adhesion resistance. Among these, one specific lattice girder arrangement demonstrated the highest resistance to shear following adhesion failure. A second type of lattice girder arrangement was responsible for the lowest interface crack width. When the perpendicular interface connector arrangement was used, the widest interface crack was observed. The experimental specimens also featured different interface surface types: smooth and shear key interfaces. The shear key interface achieved the highest overall shear capacity. Additionally, a novel theoretical model was employed to predict interface behavior up to considerable slippage. The impact of differential shrinkage on the adhesion resistance of the interface was demonstrated using theoretical shrinkage and interface behavior results.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":691,"journal":{"name":"Materials and Structures","volume":"58 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1617/s11527-024-02553-1.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142939076","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jingchen Li, Weidong Cao, Ziqi Yan, Zunhao Zhan, Yingjian Li
{"title":"Cellulose nanofibrils in pervious concrete: improving mechanical properties and durability","authors":"Jingchen Li, Weidong Cao, Ziqi Yan, Zunhao Zhan, Yingjian Li","doi":"10.1617/s11527-024-02559-9","DOIUrl":"10.1617/s11527-024-02559-9","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Pervious concrete (PC), commonly used in urban pavement, is known for its high permeability, which contributes to mitigating the urban heat island effect. However, the low strength and durability of PC limit its use. The objective of this study is to improve mechanical properties and durability of PC by adding cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs). The results showed that CNFs significantly enhanced compressive strength, flexural strength, and salt frost resistance, with optimal performance at 0.15% CNF. At this concentration, compressive and flexural strengths increased by 26.5% and 25.8%, respectively, despite a slight reduction of 10.2% in permeability. CNFs also improved resistance to salt-induced freeze–thaw cycles, reducing spalling and maintaining a higher value of the dynamic modulus of elasticity, particularly at 0.1% and 0.15% dosages. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analyses revealed that CNFs create a denser, more uniform network of hydrated products, enhancing microstructure and interfacial bonding. This study confirms that CNFs can significantly enhance the mechanical properties and durability of PC.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":691,"journal":{"name":"Materials and Structures","volume":"58 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2024-12-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142889736","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Study on chloride penetration resistance of hybrid fiber-reinforced concrete in winter construction","authors":"Yi Li, Mudan Qi, Shengpeng Ji","doi":"10.1617/s11527-024-02552-2","DOIUrl":"10.1617/s11527-024-02552-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Chloride penetration resistance is an important indicator of durability, while the tortuosity of the pore structure affects the penetration path of chloride. However, the actual migration paths of chloride are complex and numerous, obtaining the actual migration path is a difficult process. This study proposed to quantify pore tortuosity using the shortest penetration path obtained from pore structure scans, investigated the mechanism of the effect of winter construction curing measures and fibers on the chloride penetration resistance based on the pore tortuosity. Three types of concrete were prepared: plain concrete (C), basalt-polypropylene fiber-reinforced concrete (BP) and steel-polypropylene fiber-reinforced concrete (SP), three curing conditions were set up in severe cold conditions: no winter construction curing measures (NWCM-1), adoption of winter construction curing measures (AWCM-2) and standard curing measures (SCM-3). Pore structure scans were performed and chloride migration coefficient were tested, the shortest penetration path and pore tortuosity were calculated. This study used the chloride migration coefficient as the basis for evaluating durability, experimental results showed that the highest durability was obtained by the adoption of winter construction curing measures. The pore tortuosity was calculated based on the shortest penetration path of chloride, was highly negatively correlated with the chloride migration coefficient, with a relevant coefficient of 0.902. Winter construction curing measures improved durability by reducing the porosity of the material and increasing the pore tortuosity. Adding fibers had the opposite effect.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":691,"journal":{"name":"Materials and Structures","volume":"58 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2024-12-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142889735","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ahmad Wadee, Pete Walker, Nick McCullen, Veronica Ferrandiz-Mas
{"title":"The effect of thermal cycling on the thermal and chemical stability of paraffin phase change materials (PCMs) composites","authors":"Ahmad Wadee, Pete Walker, Nick McCullen, Veronica Ferrandiz-Mas","doi":"10.1617/s11527-024-02556-y","DOIUrl":"10.1617/s11527-024-02556-y","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This paper is the first study to present the long-term performance of a gypsum and cement plasters which can be used to retrofit existing buildings and reduce their energy consumption. It is comprised of high energy storage loaded granules, known as composite PCMs or form-stable PCMs (FSPCMs), containing three types of organic phase change materials (PCM), with phase change transitions between 18 °C and 25 °C. PCMs are effective thermal energy storage systems as they improve thermal comfort of occupants in buildings by reducing temperature fluctuations. As PCMs will undergo many phase transitions throughout their normal life cycle, the effects of thermal cycling on their long-term stability and performance are important considerations in their selection. The limited understanding on the long-term stability and potential for degradation of PCMs has restricted wider use of these materials in the construction sector. In this research, cement mortar and gypsum plaster specimens were subjected to 700 thermal cycles using an environmental chamber. After cycling, experimental results revealed a reduction of latent heat in the solidification process by up to 23% for the pure PCMs and up to 57% for the PCM loaded granules. However, once the PCMs had been incorporated into either the gypsum plaster or cement mortars, there was no significant reduction in the thermal conductivity or the specific heat capacity of these materials. Thermal cycling did not decrease the effectiveness of PCM composites, and so increasing their potential for wider acceptance of these products and use by the construction industry. This will aid the retrofitting of existing low energy efficient buildings to achieve Net-Zero targets.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":691,"journal":{"name":"Materials and Structures","volume":"58 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2024-12-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1617/s11527-024-02556-y.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142880533","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yuquan Yao, Jiangang Yang, Jie Gao, Jing Xu, Yang Zhang, Shukai Yu
{"title":"Effect of design parameters on low-temperature cracking resistance of recycled hot-mix asphalt mixtures","authors":"Yuquan Yao, Jiangang Yang, Jie Gao, Jing Xu, Yang Zhang, Shukai Yu","doi":"10.1617/s11527-024-02554-0","DOIUrl":"10.1617/s11527-024-02554-0","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study aims to investigate the effects of different design parameters on the low-temperature crack resistance of recycled asphalt mixtures and to provide design guidance for recycled asphalt mixtures. Three material composition factors (reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) content, gradation type, and asphalt content) and four mixing process factors (RAP preheating temperature, mixing duration, mixing temperature, and mixing sequence) were considered. Using a single-factor controlled variable method, AC-20 recycled asphalt mixture was designed to study low-temperature crack resistance through a semi-circular bending (SCB) test, the significance of the effects of different factors was analyzed using the orthogonal test, and the fracture surface morphology was observed. Results show that both material composition and mixing processes impact the low-temperature crack resistance of recycled asphalt mixtures. Specifically, lower RAP content, higher asphalt content, higher mixing temperature, longer mixing duration, and mixing sequence I favor improved low-temperature crack resistance. Gradation type and RAP preheating temperature showed non-linear effects, peaking before declining. Material composition, especially asphalt content, has a more significant effect on the low-temperature crack resistance than mixing process factors. To achieve optimal low-temperature crack resistance, it is recommended to optimize the material composition of recycled asphalt mixture and control the RAP preheating temperature to 110 °C, maintain laboratory mixing duration of at least 150s, set the mixing temperature to at least 160 °C, and follow mixing sequence I.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":691,"journal":{"name":"Materials and Structures","volume":"58 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2024-12-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142870399","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}