Vol.5,No.4,2025-Table of Contents
- OPEN ACCESS ARTICLE
- Compressive strength prediction of sustainable concrete incorporating non-potable water via advanced machine learning
- Sustainable Structures Vol.5,No.4,2025 DOI:10.54113/j.sust.2025.000092 Online published:2025-12-8
- Abstract Concrete production imposes substantial environmental burdens, primarily through high carbon emissions and significant freshwater usage. This study addresses these challenges by developing a machine learning-based model to predict the compressive strength of concrete incorporating non-potable water, supporting sustainable construction practices. A comprehensive dataset of 1,056 samples was compiled from existing literature, encompassing key mix parameters such as fine and coarse aggregates, water-to-cement ratio, pH, and various supplementary cementitious materials. Multiple regression models were evaluated to predict compressive strength. Among these, the best-performing model achieved an R² of 0.98 and an RMSE of 1.45, demonstrating excellent predictive accuracy. Feature importance analysis identified the water-to-cement ratio, fine aggregate, and pH as the most influential variables affecting strength development. The study also applied explainable AI techniques to improve model interpretability and support informed engineering decisions. Sensitivity analysis confirmed model robustness across variable pH conditions, reinforcing its applicability to real-world wastewater variability. The results underscore the value of integrating non-potable water into concrete design and demonstrate the potential of optimized ML models to enhance resource efficiency, reduce environmental impact, and guide the development of greener infrastructure solutions.… More
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- Mechanical properties of bamboo scrimber under bolted connections with steel splints
- Sustainable Structures Vol.5,No.4,2025 DOI:10.54113/j.sust.2025.000091 Online published:2025-12-8
- Abstract Taking the bolt edge distance and pitch of bolts as the influencing factors, the tensile test of 8 groups (5 repeated groups in each group) was designed by connecting the parallel-to-grain specimens of bamboo scrimber with steel splint bolts. Based on the 5%D offset method of the American code, the key mechanical properties such as yield load and ultimate load are obtained. The test results show that the change of the bolt edge distance has little effect on the mechanical properties of the tensile specimen under the design size of the specification. The change of pitch of bolts has a significant effect on the yield load of the specimen. With the increase of spacing, the yield load and ultimate load increase gradually, reaching the maximum at 6D, and then decreasing slightly. Four typical failure modes and typical load-displacement curves of all specimen groups were analyzed. The difference between the predicted value and the experimental value in different standard calculation methods was compared. Based on the failure mode IV of double shear connection in Johansen and the cable effect and group bolt effect, the calculation formula of shear bearing capacity of steel splint bolt connection suitable for bamboo scrimber was proposed.… More
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- Creating a new type of concrete by using waste electrical cable plastic and waste electrical cable rubber: as a sustainable approach
- Sustainable Structures Vol.5,No.4,2025 DOI:10.54113/j.sust.2025.000090 Online published:2025-12-8
- Abstract Solid waste is among the World's most critical environmental issues. One of the most significant shares of total solid waste is occupied by electronic waste. One way to reduce waste is to use it as an aggregate in Sustainable Concrete (SC). However, there is little research on using waste electrical cable rubber (WECR) or Waste Electrical Cable plastic (WECP) in concrete, unlike waste tire rubber and plastic in concrete, which have attracted much attention among researchers. Research was conducted by substituting waste electrical cable - plastic sand (WEC-PS) instead of natural sand, and Waste Electrical Cable -Rubber Filler (WEC-RF), as an addition in concrete, accounted for 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% respectively for both. Researched compressive strength, flexural strength, splitting strength, modulus of elasticity, and unit weight of concrete. Experimental studies revealed that replacing natural sands with WEC-PS increases strength by 18.10%. It seems obvious that replacing natural sands with WEC-PS up to 15% or adding WEC-RF up to 5% increases the mechanical properties of concrete. However, the situation changes when using in large ratios.… More
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- Advancing sustainable composite flooring: cold-formed steel and timber systems for residential and mid-rise applications
- Sustainable Structures Vol.5,No.4,2025 DOI:10.54113/j.sust.2025.000089 Online published:2025-12-8
- Abstract This paper introduces and verifies advanced three-dimensional finite element (FE) models for lightweight composite flooring systems composed of cold-formed steel (CFS) joists combined with structural plywood sheathing. The numerical models, developed in ANSYS, incorporate both material and geometric nonlinearities, simulate the load–slip response of mechanical fasteners, and include realistic contact definitions to capture the interaction between different components. The models were rigorously benchmarked against full-scale experimental tests, demonstrating strong agreement in terms of load–deflection behaviour, strain distribution along the section depth, and observed failure mechanisms. Building on this validation, extensive parametric analyses were performed to evaluate the impact of key design parameters, such as joist wall thickness, section depth, and the spacing of shear connectors. The findings confirm that increasing the thickness and depth of the steel joists enhances the flexural stiffness and load capacity of the flooring system, while closer fastener spacing improves composite action and overall structural efficiency. Finally, a simplified design example is provided to illustrate the proposed method for estimating bending resistance and serviceability deflection in such composite floors.… More
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- Examining earthen dwellings as opportunities for disaster resilience: furthering the potential for achieving UN-SDGs
- Sustainable Structures Vol.5,No.4,2025 DOI:10.54113/j.sust.2025.000088 Online published:2025-12-8
- Abstract Vernacular construction techniques like earthen practices have a greater role in post-disaster self-recovery and rehabilitation efforts that utilize indigenous knowledge, skills, and locally available resources. The present review aims to examine the positive and negative effects of various hazards on earthen structures in brief, and further investigate the opportunities and best practices of earthen construction techniques for disaster resilience. Through case studies, this study demonstrates that in some countries, various modifications and adaptations have led to a disaster-resistant earthen construction design. In contrast, in many other regions where such measures were not incorporated, the vulnerabilities of the earthen-built environments in rural settings increased. Further, this study investigates the relationship between earthen-building techniques and the aspiration to achieve relevant targets of various United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDGs) by utilizing a scoring matrix. As a study outcome, this paper presents a conceptual framework for disaster-resilient recovery planning with the vernacular housing approach highlighting “engineered for disaster resilience” as the key component for adopting vernacular techniques. This study also found that earthen materials and methods have a visible positive contribution for achieving the relevant targets of SDGs 01, 07, 09, 11, 12, and 13. Such studies on the interconnectedness between adopting indigenous knowledge and locally sourced building (earthen) materials, and SDGs can help inform and inspire policymakers, practitioners, and developers to formulate strategies for disaster reconstruction and resilience that is community-centric.… More
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- Impact of accurate reinforcement steel assessment on structure longevity and progressive collapse resistance
- Sustainable Structures Vol.5,No.4,2025 DOI:10.54113/j.sust.2025.000087 Online published:2025-12-8
- Abstract Current standards for reinforcement steel may not accurately reflect the actual properties of steel used in construction, leading to potentially underestimating the resistance and longevity of structures. The study discusses the discrepancy between minimum permissible steel properties required by current standards such as ASTM A615/A615M, BS 4449:2005, and ES 262-2/2015 and actual properties of steel frequently used in construction and its impact on the sustainability and progressive collapse resistance of reinforced concrete structures. This discrepancy may lead to false sense of how sustainable and reliable structures are against progressive collapse. The study employs two-dimensional fiber element models to simulate the behavior of structures under progressive collapse. The study quantifies the difference in mechanical properties between actual steel used in construction and the standards it should meet. Correlation relationships are developed to forecast the structure progressive collapse behavior and ductility using the structure known material mechanical properties. Tests of hypothesis and confidence intervals are employed to draw conclusions and demonstrate the impact of underestimating steel properties on the structure longevity and resistance to progressive collapse. This study addresses a crucial aspect of structure design by highlighting the importance of using accurately steel properties to ensure safety and longevity of structures.… More
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- Addressing the challenges of electric pole design and material selection: A review of current practices and future directions
- Sustainable Structures Vol.5,No.4,2025 DOI:10.54113/j.sust.2025.000086 Online published:2025-12-8
- Abstract Electricity is vital for everyday human activities yet meeting the escalating demand for reliable energy presents significant challenges. The government has undertaken efforts to extend electricity access to remote areas; however, the transmission process from generating stations to end-users faces obstacles related to design, material selection, and protection. This overview evaluates the advantages and limitations of concrete, steel, and timber poles commonly used in power distribution networks. Various factors impact the performance of these materials, including steel corrosion, concrete reinforcement, prestress loss, insect infestations, adverse weather conditions, seismic events, and construction methods. Despite efforts to reinforce poles and extend their service life, the mechanisms underlying pole failure remain inadequately understood. Strengthening measures are frequently employed to mitigate deterioration, yet the fatigue effects on existing poles have not been thoroughly investigated, exacerbating their susceptibility to environmental stressors. Consequently, it is imperative to consider the specific environmental and geographical factors influencing pole performance during the design phase to ensure the reliability and longevity of electricity distribution systems.… More
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