The effect of curing condition and use of additives on compressive strength of lime/pozzolana mortar
November 2023
Previous studies have shown that the obsidian pozzolana of the Sabaloka area processes a high pozzolana index. Therefore, it was chosen to study the effect of its curing condition and use of additives on the compressive strength of lime pozzolana mortar. The investigation revealed that the strength of pozzolana mortar is affected positively or increases with the curing condition (humidity, time, and temperature); also...
Potential use and benefits of automation for traffic control in roadway construction
June 2021
This paper addresses the impact of using automated flagging devices in road construction instead of using construction workers. To examine the efficacy of automating this construction activity, a group of drivers with diverse characteristics/demographics was involved in the study. The diverse characteristics included gender, age, years of driving experience, and level of formal education (e.g., high school, college, and...
Evaluation and selection of the quality of internal doors for buildings using building information modeling building information modeling (BIM)
January 2021
The selection of building materials from various available alternatives is a critical process affected by many complicated factors. Every single element in a building has a specific function to perform. This necessitates a proper selection of material from the various available alternatives, which generally differ in their quality, performance, and cost. To make the most practical choice, the owner wants the...
Study of physico-mechanical properties of concretes based on palm kernel shells originating from the locality of Haut Nkam in Cameroon
May 2020
This study is based on the use of palm kernel shells as aggregate in the manufacture of concrete. Several (0, 25, 50, 75 and 100%) substitutions were used in the volume fraction of the aggregates. In order to evaluate the effect of this substitution, the mechanical properties at 7 and 28 days for compression was determine, 28 days for bending and then the physical properties of fresh and hardened concrete are carried...
Evaluating mixed reality technology for architectural design and construction layout
April 2020
Mixed reality (MR) technology has attracted increasing interest in the architecture and construction industry since the commercial availability of head-mounted MR devices in 2016. With its ability of overlaying digital building models in real construction sites, building owners, architects, engineers, and contractors have quickly recognized the value of MR technology in on-site architectural visualization, construction...
Reliability assessment of progressive failure of a low rise framed building on weak soil-foundation interaction
December 2019
A 4-storey reinforced concrete framed buildings was modelled in 3-dimensional analysis with the same sections and loadings for both rigid and weak foundations respectively using ETABS and FORM5 Softwares in accordance with Euro code provisions. The weak foundation was initially analysed and designed as a fixed column-foundation joint and later re-analysed and redesigned as a hinged column-foundation joint. The ETABS...
Variability of visible and near-infrared (vis-NIR) diffuse spectral reflectance of cement-based solidified/ stabilized pre-treated oil-based drill cuttings
December 2019
This study investigated the effects of solidification/stabilization (S/S) variables on visible and near-infrared (vis-NIR) spectral reflectance of solidified/stabilized low-temperature thermally desorbed (pre-treated) oil-based drill cuttings. Partial least squares (PLS) regression models were also developed to rapidly estimate the levels of total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH), Cu, and Ba present in the...
Enhancing the strength of sandcrete blocks using coarse aggregates
October 2019
This current article explores the possibility of adding aggregate (10 mm size) to sandcrete mixes in order to enhance the strength of the sandcrete blocks. Four different kinds of mixes were made; the first one was used as a reference without the addition of course aggregate, and in the remaining three, course aggregates were added in percentages of 5, 10 and 15% by volume of the reference mix. Laboratory experimental...
Recent advances in non- destructive testing of concretes and structures: An outlook
August 2019
Non Destructive Testing (NDT) of materials and structures is one of the most common forms of quality control. The Nigerian infrastructure systems continue to deteriorate due to lack of integrity checks on some identified projects in both public and private sector. Analysis of various sectors in Nigeria revealed that there are abandon projects in building and constructions industry while major oil and gas facilities...
Modeling of compressive strength of concrete using pulse velocity values from a non-destructive testing of concrete
June 2019
In this research, ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) and crushing strength tests were carried out. Major factors which affect the strength of concrete such as concrete mix, aggregate size, and water-cement ratio were considered such that the model obtained could be used for the determination of strength of concrete elements made under different conditions. Three proposed models were calibrated using some of the data...
Assessment of building construction defect causes in North Shoa zone, Ethiopia
May 2019
Ethiopia is one of the developing countries; and many projects are being carried out with some of the firms acting unprofessionally, leading to lots of defects in buildings. This study was focused on identifying the types of defects and assessing the causes of defects occurring in residential and office buildings located in North Shoa zone, Ethiopia. To identify the types and causes of defect, questionnaires surveys...
A comparative study of sustainable end-of-life management in automobile and construction industry: A case of Kano City, Nigeria
July 2018
It was argued that either the construction industry to continue to be conservative and inefficient on the premise that it was distinctive or it should have opened-up to learn lessons from the best practices models in other sectors like manufacturing. This paper is a comparative study of the sustainable end-of-life management practices in the automobile and the Nigerian building sector with the aim of examining the...
Towards enhancing sustainable reuse of pre-treated drill cuttings for construction purposes by near-infrared analysis: A review
May 2018
Sustainable reuse of pre-treated drill cuttings (a hazardous waste) as part substitute for fine aggregate in concrete for construction purposes is becoming increasingly attractive; however, issues remain. With recent studies focusing on the use of near-infrared spectroscopic technique for non-invasive determination of chloride concentration in concrete structures, this review examines the applicability of this new...
Investigation of the properties of self-compacting concrete with palm kernel shell ash as mineral additive
April 2018
This study investigates workability and the compressive strength properties of self-compacting concrete with palm kernel shell ash (PKSA) as mineral additive for partial cement replacement. The iterative method mix design was used, where water and super plasticizer contents were fixed while solid constituents were adjusted for optimum performance. The mixes were to achieve EFNARC’s 650 and 800 mm slump-flow...
Effect of aggregates minerology on the strength of concrete: Case study of three selected quarry products in Ghana
March 2018
Concrete is the most popular construction material worldwide. More than 50% of construction worldwide use concrete materials, mainly because of its versatility and economy compared to steel in relation to total height of building. The final output of the concrete material is, however, affected by factors including the rock type and its attendant physio-mechanical properties. This paper seeks to investigate the effect of...
Reliability assessment of reinforced concrete columns designed by Egyptian code
December 2017
In this research, the reliability level of reinforced concrete short column designed according to Egyptian code was investigated. The ultimate limit-state design method considering material strength-reduction factors and partial factors for load combinations given in the Egyptian code was used to obtain the characteristic values of short column capacity. Component reliability program, COMREL V8.1, was used to obtain the...
Estimation of the compressive strength of high performance concrete with artificial neural networks
August 2017
High performance concrete is one of the most commonly used materials in non-standard building structures. Aside from the basic components used for its manufacture (water, cement, fine and coarse aggregates), other components such as fly ash, blast furnace slag and superplasticizers are incorporated. In the present study, two types of additives and two types of microsilica have been used. The proportions of all the...
Study of brick mortar using sawdust as partial replacement for sand
July 2017
The paper reports results of study on standard masonry mortar containing sand and sawdust as aggregates in a mix proportion of 1:3 and water-cement ratio of 0.55. A modified mortar of same design mix proportion (1:3) but varying water/cement ratio and constant slump of 74.3 mm to achieve higher workability was also evaluated. Six different percentages (5, 10, 15, 20, 30 and 50%) of sand replacement were investigated....
Strength performance of silicate limestone compressed Bricks
July 2017
This research work investigates and evaluates the effects of varying lime composition on the compressive and flexural strength of compressed silicate limestone bricks and compares the results to the local blocks and bricks used in the Kenya market. The mix ratio used to make limestone bricks was binder (cement replaced with hydrated lime powder), sand and water cement in ratio of 1:5:0.4. The results showed that an...
Exploring concrete materials batching behaviour of artisans in Ghana’s informal construction sector
June 2017
This paper investigated construction materials-batching behaviour of artisans in the informal construction sector in Ghana. The research was conducted in three major towns across three regions namely the Volta, Greater Accra and Eastern regions of Ghana. A quantitative data collection approach was adopted as the primary methodology for gathering the data from the target population using cluster-sampling technique to...
Stability analysis of a reinforced sand beam
April 2017
A reinforced sand beam was tested at the laboratory, in order to understand the behaviour of the sand during the failure mechanism. A series of structural tests on the sand and on the reinforcement material were conducted first, and then a reinforced sand beam was constructed in the laboratory. The results were checked theoretically and numerical simulations were also carried out, to examine the moment stiffness of the...
Performance of self-compacting concrete made with hydraulic lime as filler
March 2017
Concrete is a very popular artificial material on earth and it is one of the most used construction material in building technology. Self-Compacting Concrete (SCC) is a highly workable concrete designed such that it is able to be placed in any formwork without external compaction or vibration. It consolidates and fills voids by the help of its self-weight even in the presence of very dense reinforcement. This paper...
Use of waste rubber tyres as aggregate in concrete
February 2017
Recycling can be a viable option in the waste management of many materials. Noting the increasing volumes and difficulty in the disposal of wastes from rubber tyres, this paper discusses test results of use of recycled tyres in concrete for possible application in the construction industry. In 2008, around one billion end-of-life tyres (ELTs) were being produced globally each year. As a possible means of disposing the...
Qualitative analysis of fatigue crack behavior in welded connection using acoustic emission technique
January 2017
The study of fatigue crack behavior in welded structures using AE technique during crack initiation and propagation is discussed in this paper. This was achieved both theoretically and experimentally using four point bending testing. A new averaging index known as AE intensity was used to analyze the fatigue crack initiation conditions in the specimen. A theoretical model based on acoustic emission energy rate was...
Strengthening of existing security buildings against vehicle bomb using fluid viscous dampers, in Egypt
October 2016
This paper presents nonlinear numerical simulation of air blast loading with an over pressure level (500 kg TNT) with a different standoff distance of 10, 20, and 50 m to evaluate the effectiveness of Fluid Viscous Dampers (FVD) as new strengthening techniques to reduce blast loading responses on the existing reinforcement concrete buildings. Taking into consideration, most of the security buildings in Middle East,...
Sustainable travel behaviour in Saudi Arabia and gender differences: An investigation of car sharing feasibility
July 2016
In order to increase efficiency and sustainability, it is of crucial importance to have an in depth understanding and investigation of travellers’ behaviour, preferences, attitudes and choices. In this context, this paper investigates car-sharing as a mode for travel for work trips in Tabuk city for both male and female travellers. Tabuk is one of the regional capitals situated in north-western Saudi Arabia, which...
Effects of Cissus populnea gum and rubber latex on physico-mechanical properties of cement-bonded rattan composites
April 2016
In this study, the effects of partial replacement of ordinary Portland cement with natural polymers on selected physical and mechanical properties of cement-bonded rattan composites was investigated. Fibrous particles of Laccosperma secundiflorum rattan cane species were mixed with cement mortar at two levels, that is, 2.5 and 5.0%. For experimentation, Portland cement was partially replaced at four levels, first with...
Shear behaviour of palm kernel shell reinforced concrete beams without shear Reinforcement: Influence of beam depth and tension steel
March 2016
This study investigated the influence of beam depth with varying longitudinal reinforcement without shear reinforcement. Size effect, which is described here in as the decrease in shear strength with the increase in the depth of members, is not evaluated sufficiently enough. To this end, fifteen palm kernel shell (PKS) reinforced concrete beams varying from 150 to 300 mm were tested to investigate their size effects on...
Analysis of occupational accidents induced human injuries: A case study in construction industries and sites
January 2016
There are many human injuries induced by occupational accidents in construction industries. Determination and analysis of construction accidents' contributing factors is a good way to accidents' prevention and reduction. Therefore, this study was done in view of identification and analyzing factors related to frequency and severity of construction accidents and injuries in the big construction industries. This...
Earthquake analysis for steel moment resisting frames with displacement and velocity damping control
November 2015
This paper presents comparative study of design procedure for steel moment resisting frames with supplemental damping using performance-based design constraints under earthquake ground motions. The first design example is based on a 4-story steel moment frame building with velocity dependent dampers; the second design example is based on the same building with displacement dependent dampers. The primary...
Mass diffusivity measurements of two cement based materials
October 2015
The main purpose of a building is to ensure thermal comfort to its occupants. The present work is a contribution to the improvement of the comfort and relates to the characterization of local materials used in Benin. The authors determined the mass diffusivity of the wood composite material and cement-stabilized laterite, as a function of its water content. The experimental device is designed around a magnetic...
Evaluation of raw water quality of Bosso Lake in North-Central Nigeria
June 2015
This study focuses on the quality of water at Bosso Lake during the rainy season months of August to October. Water samples collected each month were examined for their physiochemical and bacteriological attributes. All the samples were obtained during the peak of the rainy season while traits such as nitrate concentration, pH values, total dissolved solids (TDS), total hardness, iron concentration, suspended solids,...
Economic sustainability of green building practices in least developed countries
June 2015
Green Building Practices (GBPs) are gradually receiving worldwide recognition and uptake. It is argued that facilities built according to the GBPs, called green buildings are not only environmentally friendly, but also, economically more productive than other comparable ordinary ones. In the latter regard thus, green buildings’ periodical rental premiums, finished property values and energy efficiencies, amongst...
Code compliant behaviour of palm kernel shell reinforced concrete (RC) beams in shear
May 2015
This paper evaluates the shear strength of simply supported palm kernel shell (PKS) concrete and normal weight concrete (NWC) beams subjected to four-point loading. The primary variable of the investigation was evaluation of shear capacity of reinforced PKS concrete and NWC beams with and without shear reinforcement. Four pairs of reinforced concrete (RC) beams with similar geometrical properties were designed and...
Utilization of natural and industrial mineral admixtures as cement substitutes for concrete production in Jordan
May 2015
Several materials such as tuff and Tripoli which is naturally occurring and industrial by-products wastes as high calcium ash and slag were investigated as cement substitutes in this paper. Compressive strength of various standard mortar samples have been tested at 7 and 28 days. The obtained results show that these materials have improved the properties Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) concrete. It was found that an...
Fatigue evaluation of Iraqi asphalt binders based on the dissipated energy and viscoelastic continuum damage (VECD) approaches
April 2015
Bituminous materials in roads are subjected to short-term loading each time a vehicle passes. If sufficiently high, the loading results in a loss of rigidity of the material and can, by accumulation in the long term, lead to failure. The resulting fatigue deterioration is of great importance in pavement construction and must be correctly understood in order to ensure adequate structural design. The binder property plays...
Predicting complex shear modulus using artificial neural networks
April 2015
Developing a predictive model for complex shear modulus of the asphalt binder is a complex technique due to several factors that affect the model’s estimating capability, such as rheological properties and test conditions. Several models were developed in this regard; some of these are linear regression models and relate to rheological properties of asphalt binder. A computational model based on artificial neural...
Analytical model for predicting the full range true stress-true strain curve of high yield steel produced in Nigeria: Part 2
March 2015
Tensile test which was conducted in Part 1 establishes the engineering stress-strain relationship, which is used in basic engineering problems. However, finite element (FE) techniques used for analysis of large displacement and deformation problems use the true stress-true strain of materials in its structural characterisation. The aim of the current research work is to develop a mathematical model for predicting full...
A study on arsenic and copper extraction capacity of Spirodela polyrhiza from water
January 2015
Heavy metals such as arsenic (As), copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), Hg, lead (Pb) and cobalt (Co) cause adverse effects on living organisms by their toxic nature. To remove heavy metals, a variety of conventional treatment technologies have been tested which are not economical and user friendly. So, natural remediation method such as phytoremediation is becoming more popular where plants are used. Phytoremediation is a cost...
Investigation of pounding based on finite element analyses of two adjacent buildings, considering new equation of motion to measure impact
December 2014
Building pounding philosophy is the collision of adjacent buildings when earthquake take place and buildings show lateral movement. Providing suitable separation distance, impact force precludes and reduces the failure of construction elements. In this paper, building pounding between two reinforced concrete buildings with insufficient gap size is numerically investigated in order to study the impact force during...
Integrative transport and modal interchanges: A social sustainable approach towards urban migration
November 2014
Transport is argued to be one of the most important human activities worldwide and an indispensable component of the economy. Transport provides an integral function in the forming of spatial relations between locations. Integrative transport systems are relatively unknown concept and therefore, only implemented to a certain extent. Integrating transport with the surrounding land use is however essential in order to...
Fire resistance of reinforced concrete rigid beams
August 2014
The effect of burning by fire flame on the behavior and load carrying capacity of rectangular reinforced concrete (RC) rigid beams is addressed in this paper. Reduced scale beam models (which are believed to resemble as much as possible field conditions) were suggested. Five end restrained beam specimens of casting and testing. The specimens were subjected to fire flame temperatures ranging from (25-750°C) at age of...
Effect of stiffness modulus and dynamic loading on pavement subgrade
July 2014
An optimum pavement structure design requires characterization of materials under traffic loading. Investigation of stress-strain relationship of materials, under traffic loading is advised to determine the appropriate stiffness modulus. Since stiffness modulus is extensively dependent to loading dynamics, the loading parameters in the laboratory testing condition should simulate the field condition as close as...
Methodology for optimizing seismic rehabilitation of pre-code reinforced concrete buildings
June 2014
This work deals with optimization of seismic rehabilitation for regular pre-code reinforced concrete buildings. Evaluation of vulnerability is performed through conventional non-linear static pushover computations, using specialized finite element software. Three limitations were considered. These include: a prescribed code seismic design load of roof displacement of the total building, the maximum inter story drift and...
Experimental research and theoretical study on bending capacity of tube-gusset K-joint connection
May 2014
This study investigates bending behavior of tube-gusset K-joint using static experimental research and finite element analysis (FEA). Firstly, five groups of full scale tube-gusset K-joint models with different parameters which mainly refer to diameter and thickness of main tube were carried out to study the response and bearing condition of nodes in loading process. Then, finite element model of the joint was...
Effects of bridge length and span variations in curved integral abutment bridges
April 2014
This paper presents the results of a parametric study that focused on the effects of bridge length and span variations on the maximum stress intensity (stress concentration) in the piles of horizontally-curved steel I-girder integral abutment bridges. Over 1,700 three-dimensional nonlinear finite element models with bridge lengths up to 365 m (1200 ft) were analyzed as part of this study. The results indicate that the...
Application of Scheffe’s model in optimization of compressive strength of lateritic concrete
December 2013
In this research work, the use of Scheffe’s simplex theory for the optimization of the compressive strength of lateritic concrete was investigated. The objective of the study is to develop a model that can predict the mix ratio when the desired compressive strength is known or vice-versa. A total of sixty (60) concrete cubes were cast. For each of the twenty mix ratios, three cubes were cast and the average...
Strength properties of groundnut shell ash (GSA) blended concrete
December 2013
This research work detailed the report of an experimental study into the strength of modified concrete produced from mixes containing partial replacements of Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) with groundnut shell ash (GSA). The experiments were designed to include two main mixes (with variations in the water/cement ratios) with different percentages by weight of OPC to GSA in the order of 100:0, 95:5, 90:10, 85:15 and...
Computer simulation for structural analysis
August 2013
A computer simulation is a computer program that attempts to simulate an abstract model of a particular system. Computer simulations have become a useful part of mathematical modeling of many natural systems in structural analysis. The main aim of this paper is to provide a new efficient method to all aspects of analysis of structures by computer simulation. The use of a new method is necessary to accuracy...
Modeling roof blown-off
August 2013
Experimental survey of roof blown-off was undertaken to determine the main causes of roof blown-off. Data obtained from the survey and experimentation was evaluated and interpreted using statistical correlation and graphical presentation. These data were then incorporated to the model formulation, then a FOTRAN program was developed to make predictions of roof blown-off possible. From the model, it was...
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