Adaptation to the Future Climate: A Low Carbon Building Design Challenge

In this paper an attempt has been made to assess the performance of an office building located in London (one of the case study buildings in CIBSE TM36: 2005) in relation to energy consumption, carbon emissions and potential for adaptability to the 2050s climate. Overheating is a particular issue in office buildings due to internal heat gains from computers and other electrical equipment. In addition, buildings in London are affected by the urban heat island, which is likely to intensify with warmer summer temperatures, reducing the capacity for night-time cooling of buildings. This paper proposes various passive design strategies which aim to address both mitigation (by reducing carbon emissions) and adaptation (by improving human comfort and reducing energy consumption)

Strength and Microstructure of Geopolymer Based on Fly Ash and Metakaolin

The production of Portland cement is widely regarded as a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. This contributes to 6–7% of total CO₂ emissions, according to the International Energy Agency. As a result, several efforts have been made in recent decades to limit or eliminate the usage of Portland cement in concrete. Geopolymer has garnered a lot of attention among the numerous alternatives due to its early compressive strength, low permeability, high chemical resistance, and great fire-resistant behaviour. This study looks at the strength and microstructure of geopolymer based on fly ash and a combination of metakaolin and fly ash. Compressive strengths were measured at 7, 14, and 28 days, and microstructure was examined using SEM and XRD

Molecular dynamics simulation in concrete research: A systematic review of techniques, models and future directions

This paper presents a comprehensive review of the application of molecular dynamics simulation in concrete research. The study addresses the background and significance of the topic, providing an overview of the principles, applications, and types of molecular dynamics simulation, with a particular focus on its role in enhancing the understanding of concrete properties. Moreover, it critically examines existing research studies that employ molecular dynamics simulation in concrete research, highlighting the associated benefits and limitations. The paper further investigates various simulation techniques and models employed in concrete research, offering a comparative analysis of their effectiveness. Additionally, the study explores future directions and identifies research needs in the field of molecular dynamics simulation in concrete, while also discussing the potential impact of this approach on the sustainability of the construction industry. By providing a comprehensive overview and critical analysis, this review serves as a valuable resource for researchers and practitioners interested in leveraging molecular dynamics simulation for advancing concrete science and engineering

Artificial Intelligence in Concrete Mix Design: Advances, Applications and Challenges

This review paper explores the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in concrete mix design and its impact on the concrete industry. The traditional approaches to concrete mix design are first discussed, highlighting their limitations. Subsequently, various applications of AI in concrete mix design are presented, including optimal proportioning of concrete mixes, prediction of concrete properties, quality control and assurance, concrete strength prediction and optimisation and durability assessment and enhancement. The benefits and impact of AI in the concrete industry are then examined, emphasising the advantages and benefits of using AI in concrete mix design. However, challenges and limitations related to data availability and quality, interpretability of AI models and integration with existing design practices are also addressed. Finally, the paper concludes with a summary of key findings and recommendations for future research in this field

Government Engineering Colleges in Assam: Current Status and Steps for Improvement

The State Government has well understood the demand of technical education in the state and attention is focused on rapid development in this field, with global professional standards and international accreditation being recognised as the benchmarks for quality assurance. In this regard, it is important to understand an accord called “The Washington Accord”. This is an international agreement to ensure consistent quality of undergraduate engineering program across the World. Programs recognised by accrediting authorities in countries that are signatories are considered to be equivalent in terms of quality and the graduate attributes. In 2014, the National Board of Accreditation (NBA) India joined as a signatory for programs accredited by NBA offered by education providers accepted by NBA as Tier 1 institutions. In February 2015, the Government of Assam appointed an expert team from the Faculty of Science and Engineering at Curtin University Australia to conduct an audit of technical education in the public sector. The purpose of the audit was to find the gaps that may exist in governance, curriculum, policies, guidelines and community engagement in relation to those to be required and found in a Washington Accord approved programme. This paper summarises some of the gaps. This is followed by recommendations to improve the technical education sector in Assam. The findings in the gap analysis are the first in a series of steps toward the long-awaited restructuring of the technical higher education sector in the state of Assam. It is now up to the Government of Assam to take the necessary steps in addressing the issues to re-energise the technical higher education sector and bring the public technical colleges to the forefront of quality Indian institutions offering international standard engineering education and infrastructure

Life Cycle Assessment of construction materials: Methodologies, applications and future directions for sustainable decision-making

This review paper presents a comprehensive analysis of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodologies applied to construction materials. It begins with an introduction highlighting the significance of LCA in the construction industry, followed by an overview of LCA principles, phases and key parameters specific to construction materials. The methodological approaches utilised in LCA, including inventory analysis, impact assessment, normalisation, allocation methods and uncertainty analysis, are discussed in detail. The paper then provides a thorough review of LCA studies on various construction materials, such as cement, concrete, steel and wood, examining their life cycle stages and environmental considerations. The review also explores recent advances in LCA for construction materials, including circular economy principles, renewable alternatives, technological innovations and policy implications. The challenges and future directions in LCA implementation for construction materials are discussed, emphasising the need for data quality, standardisation, social aspects integration and industry-research collaboration. The provides valuable insights for researchers, policymakers and industry professionals to enhance sustainability in the construction sector through informed decision-making based on LCA

Water-soluble polymers in cementitious materials: A comprehensive review of roles, mechanisms and applications

This review paper provides an extensive assessment of the diverse roles played by water-soluble polymers in cementitious materials. It commences with an introduction that provides a thorough overview of the background, objectives and limitations of the review. Subsequently, the various types of water-soluble polymers, encompassing natural, semi-synthetic and synthetic variants, are examined in detail, alongside an exploration of their working mechanisms within cementitious materials. Mechanisms discussed include entanglement and association, adsorption and complexation, as well as bridging. Furthermore, this review delves into the influence of watersoluble polymers on the microstructure, fresh properties, mechanical properties and durability of cementitious materials. A comprehensive analysis of the challenges and opportunities associated with the implementation of water-soluble polymers in cementitious materials is also presented, followed by a summary of the key findings and recommendations for both practical applications and future research endeavors. Overall, this review provides invaluable insights for researchers and practitioners, shedding light on the multifaceted functions of water-soluble polymers in cementitious materials

Energy Conversion in Plasmas out of Local Thermodynamic Equilibrium: A Kinetic Theory Perspective

The study of energy conversion in collisionless plasmas that are not in local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) is at the leading edge of plasma physics research. Plasma constituents in such systems can exhibit highly structured phase space densities that deviate significantly from that of a Maxwellian. A standard approach has emerged in recent years for investigating energy conversion between bulk flow and thermal energy in collisionless plasmas using the non-LTE generalization of the first law of thermodynamics. The primary focus is placed on pressure-strain interaction (PS) term, with a particular emphasis on its non-LTE piece called Pi − D. Recent studies have found that Pi − D can be negative, which makes its identification as collisionless viscous heating counterintuitive. A kinetic understanding of Pi − D has been limited. We argue that the non-LTE generalization of the first law of thermodynamics and subsequent attempts to extend thermodynamics overlooks the kinetic aspects associated with phase space densities having arbitrary shapes that can deviate significantly from a Maxwellian. Only changes in work due to compression that changes the zeroth moment of the phase space density, i.e., the number density, and Pi − D and heat flux which change the second moment, i.e., effective temperature are considered by the non-LTE generalization of the first law of thermodynamics. However, it remains agnostic to energy conversion associated with changes to any higher moment of the phase space density. We address these limitations by first developing a kinetic understanding of Pi − D and introducing an alternative decomposition of the PS term in Cartesian coordinates which separates the physics of converging/ diverging flows from shear deformation. We further find that in magnetic field-aligned coordinates, the PS term can be decomposed into eight groups of terms, each corresponding to a different physical mechanism. Lastly, we develop a first-principles theory of the energy conversion associated with all higher moments of the phase space density. Using particle-in-cell simulations of a well understood non-LTE system, i.e., two-dimensional antiparallel magnetic reconnection, we first examine the decompositions of PS term in both Cartesian and magnetic field-aligned coordinates. This enables us to identify the predominant mechanisms contributing to positive and negative PS terms during reconnection, thereby facilitating the interpretation of numerical and observational data. Additionally, simulation results reveal that energy conversion associated with higher-order moments can be locally significant by being a substantial fraction of the internal energy and even surpassing it in regions characterized by strongly non-LTE phase space densities. These results may be useful in numerous plasma settings, such as heliospheric, planetary, and astrophysical plasmas, and for other non-LTE phenomenon such as turbulence, shocks and wave-particle interactions