Topic Review
Historic-Building Information Modeling and Artificial Intelligence
Heritage- or Historic-Building Information Modeling (H-BIM) reconstruction from laser scanning or photogrammetric surveys is a manual, time-consuming, overly subjective process, but the emergence of AI techniques, applied to the realm of existing architectural heritage, is offering new ways to interpret, process and elaborate raw digital surveying data, as point clouds. The proposed methodological approach for higher-level automation in Scan-to-BIM reconstruction is threaded as follows: (i) semantic segmentation via Random Forest and import of annotated data in 3D modeling environment, broken down class by class; (ii) reconstruction of template geometries of classes of architectural elements; (iii) propagation of template reconstructed geometries to all elements belonging to a typological class. Visual Programming Languages (VPLs) and reference to architectural treatises are leveraged for the Scan-to-BIM reconstruction. 
  • 15
  • 27 Mar 2024
Topic Review
Built Environment for People with Sensory Disabilities
People with sensory disabilities constitute a significant portion of society whose accessibility needs must be prioritized in the design of the built environment. Sensory disabilities cause a gap in the environmental information received, most commonly visual and/or auditory cues, that requires consideration to create equal opportunities and experiences for all. 
  • 43
  • 27 Mar 2024
Topic Review
Friction Dissipative Beam-to-Column Connections for MRFs
The use of friction-based beam-to-column connections (BCCs) for earthquake-resistant moment-resistant frames (MRFs), aimed at eliminating damage to beam end sections due to the development of plastic hinges, has been prevalent since the early 1980s. Different technical solutions have been proposed for steel structures, and some have been designed for timber structures, while a few recent studies concern friction joints employed in reinforced concrete structures. Research aimed at characterizing the behavior of joints has focused on the evaluation of the tribological properties of the friction materials, coefficient of friction, shape and stability of the hysteresis cycles, influence of the temperature, speed of load application, effects of the application method, stability of preload, the influence of seismic excitation characteristics on the structural response, statistical characterization of amplitude, and frequency of the slip excursion during seismic excitation. Studies aimed at identifying the design parameters capable of optimizing performance have focused attention mainly on the slip threshold, device stiffness, and deformation capacity. 
  • 25
  • 27 Mar 2024
Topic Review
Sustainability of Earthquake Resilient Near Zero Energy Buildings
The climate crisis, the need for a circular economy, and the large financial losses after earthquakes have promoted the concept of the sustainable and resilient design of societies, and more specifically, of lifelines and building environments. Focused on building facilities, it is imperative to prescribe, within the aforementioned framework, the components that characterize earthquake resilient near zero energy buildings (ERnZEBs). This fact introduces an additional factor recognizing that not all projects have the same technical and financial values; the difference in budget, the type of owner, and the investment (private or public, company or private person) play important roles in creating an ERnZE building.
  • 35
  • 25 Mar 2024
Topic Review
Causes of Asphalt Pavement Blistering
No theoretical model effectively explains the blistering process, which provokes functional distress in asphalt pavements worldwide. Over the years, it has been possible to observe blistering on many asphalt pavements, collect information related to the specific contexts of its occurrence, and formulate hypotheses on the potential causes.
  • 40
  • 13 Mar 2024
Topic Review
Damage Detection in FRP-Reinforced Concrete Elements
Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (FRP) composites have emerged as a promising alternative to conventional steel reinforcements in concrete structures owing to their benefits of corrosion resistance, higher strength-to-weight ratio, reduced maintenance cost, extended service life, and superior durability. 
  • 31
  • 12 Mar 2024
Topic Review
Sustainable Water Infrastructure in Sub-Saharan Africa
Developing a sustainable water infrastructure entails the planning and management of water systems to ensure the availability, access, quality, and affordability of water resources in the face of social, environmental, and economic challenges. Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is currently in an era where it must make significant changes to improve the sustainability of its water infrastructure.
  • 44
  • 11 Mar 2024
Topic Review
Steel Fibers on Tensile Properties of Ultra-High-Performance Concrete
Ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) is an advanced cement-based material with excellent mechanical properties and durability. However, with the improvement of UHPC’s compressive properties, its insufficient tensile properties have gradually attracted attention.
  • 116
  • 11 Mar 2024
Topic Review
Ultra-High-Performance Concrete (UHPC) Piles and Splicing Options
Conventional driven piles are made from steel, concrete, timber, or composite materials. These piling options have limitations with respect to corrosion, durability, driveablity, and performance. Ultra-High-Performance Concrete (UHPC) pile is a new alternative that has already been adopted by various state Departments of Transportation in the United States for addressing the limitations that exist with conventional piles. UHPC piles are made of a cementitious composite material mixture that possesses exceptional properties such as higher strength, low capillary porosity, and high resistance to corrosion, making them a suitable option for use as a deep foundation. For several reasons, it is necessary to cast piles with a shorter length and splice them at the site to reach the desired lengths.
  • 48
  • 07 Mar 2024
Topic Review
Hydrological Droughts
Hydrological droughts may be referred to as sustained and regionally extensive water shortages as reflected in streamflows that are noticeable and gauged worldwide. The analysis of hydrological droughts is largely conducted using the truncation level approach to represent the desired demand level of water equivalent to the median, mean, or any other flow quantile of an annual, monthly, or weekly flow sequence.
  • 45
  • 07 Mar 2024
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