Approach Towards the Development of Digital Twin for Structural Health Monitoring of Civil Infrastructure: A Comprehensive Review.

Civil infrastructure assets' contribution to countries' economic growth is significantly increasing due to the rapid population growth and demands for public services. These civil infrastructures, including roads, bridges, railways, tunnels, dams, residential complexes, and commercial buildings, experience significant deterioration from the surrounding harsh environment. Traditional methods of visual inspection and non-destructive tests are generally undertaken to monitor and evaluate the structural health of the infrastructure.

Health-Promoting and Functional Properties of Fermented Milk Beverages with Probiotic Bacteria in the Prevention of Civilization Diseases.

Background/objectives: There is scattered information in the scientific literature regarding the characterization of probiotic bacteria found in fermented milk beverages and the beneficial effects of probiotic bacteria on human health. Our objective was to gather the available information on the use of probiotic bacteria in the prevention of civilization diseases, with a special focus on the prevention of obesity, diabetes, and cancer.

Methods: We carried out a literature review including the following keywords, either individually or collectively: lactic acid bacteria; probiotic bacteria; obesity; lactose intolerance; diabetes; cancer protection; civilization diseases; intestinal microbiota; intestinal pathogens.

Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor-Associated Cutaneous Adverse Events: Mechanisms of Occurrence.

Immunotherapy, particularly that based on blocking checkpoint proteins in many tumors, including melanoma, Merkel cell carcinoma, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), triple-negative breast (TNB cancer), renal cancer, and gastrointestinal and endometrial neoplasms, is a therapeutic alternative to chemotherapy. Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-based therapies have the potential to target different pathways leading to the destruction of cancer cells. Although ICIs are an effective treatment strategy for patients with highly immune-infiltrated cancers, the development of different adverse effects including cutaneous adverse effects during and after the treatment with ICIs is common.

Sustainable Materials and Structures Used in Pavement Engineering.

Sustainable materials and structures have become widely used in asphalt pavements to mitigate the resource crisis and achieve carbon neutrality [...

Modification and Aging Mechanism of Crumb Rubber Modified Asphalt Based on Molecular Dynamics Simulation.

Asphalt modified with treated waste tires has good environmental protection and application value. However, the nano-modification mechanism of crumb rubber (CR) with asphalt is still unclear. This research investigates the mechanism, aging, and interfacial interaction with the aggregate of CR modification asphalt (CRMA).

Study on Fire Temperature Field in Small-Section Steel-Shell Concrete Immersed Tube Tunnel Structure Based on CFD-FEM Method.

Small-section steel-shell concrete immersed tube tunnels are intended for minibuses and have a low fire heat release rate. Standard fire rise curves do not apply to such tunnels. In this study, a coupled method of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and the finite element method (FEM) was used to simulate the structural temperature distribution in tunnels.

Macro-Micro Properties of Remodeled Waste Slurry Under Freeze-Thaw Cycles.

Waste slurry, a major by-product of urban construction, is produced in rapidly increasing volumes each year. Dehydrated waste slurry has potential as a roadbed material; however, its performance in freeze-thaw environments, which can induce frost heave and thaw settlement, and the mechanism of the influence of freeze-thaw cycles on its macro and micro properties are still unclear and need thorough investigation. This study explores the macroscopic and microscopic properties of waste slurry subjected to freeze-thaw cycles.

A Method for Determining the Fracture Toughness of Shotcrete Materials Subjected to Freeze-Thaw Cycles.

Defects can be introduced into shotcrete materials after a few freeze-thaw cycles, which has a significant influence on the fracture performance of shotcrete. In this study, a series of shotcrete specimens with varying sizes, geometries, and initial crack lengths were prepared to investigate the fracture properties of notched shotcrete under freeze-thaw conditions. Considering the effects of specimen boundaries and material microstructure, a linear closed-form solution was proposed to determine the fracture toughness of frost-damaged shotcrete.

Influence of NaSO Produced from Phosphogypsum Conversions on the Basic Properties of Building Gypsum.

This study comprises two distinct but interrelated parts. The first part involves optimizing the conditions for the conversion of phosphogypsum to a Ca(OH) and NaSO solution. The second part focuses on enhancing the mechanical properties of gypsum through the use of a sodium sulphate additive derived from the conversion of phosphogypsum.

Enhancement of Air-Entrained Grout-Enriched Vibrated Cemented Sand, Gravel and Rock (GECSGR) for Improving Frost and Thawing Resistance in CSGR Dams.

Cemented Sand, Gravel, and Rock (CSGR) dams have traditionally used either Conventional Vibrated Concrete (CVC) or Grout-Enriched Roller Compacted Concrete (GERCC) for protective and seepage control layers in low- to medium-height dams. However, these methods are complex, prone to interference, and uneconomical due to significant differences in the expansion coefficient, elastic modulus, and hydration heat parameters among CSGR, CVC, and GERCC. This complexity complicates quality control during construction, leading to the development of Grout-Enriched Vibrated Cemented Sand, Gravel, and Rock (GECSGR) as an alternative.

A Deep Learning-Based Watershed Feature Fusion Approach for Tunnel Crack Segmentation in Complex Backgrounds.

As highway tunnel operations continue over time, structural defects, particularly cracks, have been observed to increase annually. Coupled with the rapid expansion of tunnel networks, traditional manual inspection methods have proven inadequate to meet current demands. In recent years, machine vision and deep learning technologies have gained significant attention in civil engineering for the detection and analysis of structural defects.

Prediction of Compressive Strength of Fly Ash-Recycled Mortar Based on Grey Wolf Optimizer-Backpropagation Neural Network.

The evaluation of the mechanical performance of fly ash-recycled mortar (FARM) is a necessary condition to ensure the efficient utilization of recycled fine aggregates. This article describes the design of nine mix proportions of FARMs with a low water/cement ratio and screens six mix proportions with reasonable flowability. The compressive strengths of FARMs were tested, and the influence of the water/cement ratio (/) and age on the compressive strength was analyzed.

Effect of Strengthening Mechanism of Alkali Curing on Mechanical Properties of Fly Ash Lightweight Aggregates and Its Concrete.

The low hydration degree of fly ash in Fly Ash Unburned Lightweight Aggregate (FULA) is not conducive to the development of the mechanical properties of lightweight aggregates and their concrete. In this paper, FULA was immersed in an alkaline solution with the purpose of improving the mechanical properties of FULA and its concrete. Firstly, FULA was prepared using fly ash as the main raw material.

Development and Optimization of a Recyclable Non-Embedded Support System for Thermal Pipeline Trenches in Urban Environments.

Existing support systems for thermal pipeline trenches often fail to meet the specific needs of narrow strips, tight timelines, and short construction periods in urban environments. This study introduces a novel recyclable, non-embedded support system composed of corrugated steel plates, retractable horizontal braces, angle steel, and high-strength bolts designed to address these challenges. The system's effectiveness was validated through prototype testing and optimized using Abaqus finite element simulations.

Experimental Study on Seismic Performance of Dovetail Profiled Steel Concrete Composite Shear Walls with Self-Tapping Screw Connections.

To achieve the assembled connection between dovetail profiled steel sheets and the boundary members in dovetail profiled steel concrete composite shear walls (DPSCWs), self-tapping screws were employed. Three DPSCW specimens connected with self-tapping screws were tested under combined axial and cyclic lateral loads to evaluate their hysteretic response, focusing on the influence of the number of self-tapping screws and the axial compression ratio. The self-tapping screw-connected DPSCWs exhibited a mixed failure mode, characterized by shear failure of the profiled steel sheets and compression-bending failure of multiple wall limbs divided by ribs on the web concrete.

Variational Method for Vibration Analysis of Elliptic Cylinders Reinforced with Functionally Graded Carbon Nanotubes.

This study introduces a novel analytical framework for investigating the vibration characteristics of functionally graded carbon nanotube-reinforced composite (FG-CNTRC) elliptical cylindrical shells under arbitrary boundary conditions. Unlike previous studies that focused on simplified geometries or specific boundary conditions, this work combines the least-squares weighted residual method (LSWRM) with an adapted variational principle, addressing high-order vibration errors and ensuring continuity across structural segments. The material properties are modeled using an extended rule of mixtures, capturing the effects of carbon nanotube volume fractions and distribution types on structural dynamics.

Experimental Determination of the Equivalent Moment of Inertia and Stresses of Aluminium Profiles with Thermal Breaks.

This paper presents the results of experimental tests and computer simulations on the stiffness of composite aluminium mullions used in unitised façades. The elements analysed were subjected to bending in order to simulate the actual operating conditions of aluminium façades subjected to significant wind pressure or suction loads. The basic mechanical and physical properties of the materials from which the analysed type of aluminium façade is made (Aluminium EN AW-6060 in the T66 temper and polyamide PA66 25GF), the test method, and the results obtained are described.

Discussion on the Gradation and Interface Effects on the Dynamic Mechanical Behaviors of Hydraulic Concrete Based on Meso-Mechanical Simulation.

Hydraulic concrete is quite different from normal concrete in the terms of aggregate gradation and construction-induced interfaces. To explore their influences on the dynamic mechanical behaviors of hydraulic concrete, several mesoscale numerical models with different aggregate gradations and interfaces were established and subjected to dynamic compressive or tensile loadings. The results show that aggregate gradation significantly affected hydraulic concrete failure patterns under dynamic loads, but interface effects were less obvious, and stressing uniformity improved with an increasing loading rate.

Strengthening Reinforced Concrete Members Using FRP-Evaluating Fire Performance, Challenges, and Future Research Directions: A State-of-the-Art Review.

Fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites are increasingly used in civil engineering for strengthening and repairing existing reinforced concrete (RC) members using externally bonded reinforcement (EBR) and near-surface mounted (NSM) methods. However, the fire performance of FRP-strengthened RC members has been an important issue that should be properly considered in the fire safety design process since FRP composites exhibit significant performance degradation at elevated temperatures. This paper aims to review studies on the fire performance of FRP-strengthened RC members based on the existing research results presented in the literature to provide a comprehensive understanding of key factors influencing the structural behavior of FRP-strengthened RC members under fire conditions.

Field Investigation of Wave Attenuation in a Mangrove Forest Dominated by (Forsk.) Viern.

Based on field observation at the north coast of the Zhanjiang Bay in southern China, the characteristics of wave attenuation due to the drag force of one mangrove species, (Forsk.) Viern., were quantitatively analyzed.

Characterizing Droughts During the Rice Growth Period in Northeast China Based on Daily SPEI Under Climate Change.

In agricultural production, droughts occurring during the crucial growth periods of crops hinder crop development, while the daily-scale standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index () can be applied to accurately identify the drought characteristics. In this study, we used the statistical downscaling method to obtain the daily precipitation (), maximum air temperature () and minimum air temperature () during the rice growing season in Heilongjiang Province from 2015 to 2100 under the SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.

Effectiveness of Different Organic Solvent Additions to Water Samples for Reducing the Adsorption Effects of Organic Pesticides Using Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry.

This study systematically investigated the effect of organic solvent addition on the detection signal intensity of 15 organic pesticides in water using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS). The analysis of chromatographic peak area ratios in ultrapure water (UPW) versus 30% methanol (MeOH)-UPW showed that the adsorption effects (AEs, mainly from injection vials with weaker polarity) were the main factor influencing the detection intensity of the organic pesticides. The AEs varied with pesticide type and concentration, especially for those with high logK values and longer retention times, such as malathion, triadimefon, prometryn, S-metolachlor, diazinon, and profenofos.

Modeling Mastitis Risk Management Effects on Dairy Milk Yield and Global Warming Potential.

Mastitis represents a significant challenge for dairy farming, resulting in economic losses and environmental impacts. This study assesses a model for the evaluation of the impact of mastitis on dairy productivity and Global Warming Potential (GWP) under diverse management scenarios. The model considers a range of factors, including bedding materials, milking systems, health surveillance, and overcrowding.

Assessing cropping system dynamics over three decades: remote sensing and GIS insights in Murshidabad-Jiaganj Block.

Agriculture is a significant contributor to the country's economic development. We used multiple Landsat images from 1990 to 2021 in the Murshidabad-Jiaganj Block to assess changes in the agricultural system and their underlying causes. The Rabi season saw a 10.