Manufacturing and Performance of an Economical 1-D Shake Table

The researchers and engineers encountered many problems to precisely replicate earthquake waves. Earthquakes are one of the nature's worst catastrophes and are still unpredictable. Statistical research has shown that the earthquakes have increased in frequency in recent years and have become a major concern for the world especially for those countries which are located on the fault lines such as Japan, Bangladesh and Pakistan. So, it was imperative to device a mechanism to check earthquake response and apply some necessary mitigations for the safety of humanity. After many years of research an indispensable testing apparatus was designed named as Shake Table. This apparatus is extensively used in earthquake research centers globally because it is the best available apparatus to replicate the earthquakes imposed dynamic effects on structures. A uni-axial shaking table was designed, manufactured and installed in University of Engineering & Technology Taxila, Pakistan which is operated on 3 HP servo motor coupled with encoder, motion controller and supported on HSB mechanical linear drive. The system was assembled in a simple way with care to endure sufficient replication of given (recorded) motion by shake table system. This paper focuses on the designing, manufacturing and performance of an economical analytical model of 1-D shake table incorporating conjunction of structural dynamics and linear control theory

Trends and developments in green cement “A sustainable approach”

It is evident from the history of cement that it’s a vital construction material but its hazardous effects on environment cannot be ignored. Cement production causes serious environmental damages from its production to disposal which includes carbon dioxide emissions, noise/vibration pollution and damage to natural rocks (during extraction of raw materials from quarries). Cement is considered to be the third largest (man-made) source of greenhouse gas due to emission of carbon dioxide in atmosphere. The harmful effects of cement are encouraging the construction industry to use new cementitious materials without compromising cost and quality. Efforts are being made to develop supplementary cementitious materials using domestic, agricultural and industrial wastes and also recycled materials. This review study presents a concise review of current efforts for undermining production and use of cement. This paper will also highlight some important green alternatives for cement which include energy effective, low carbon production, no carbon cements and inorganic materials. Keywords:  Cement, Carbon, Hazardous Effects, Energy, Cementitious Material

Assessment of Mineralogical Characteristics of Clays and the Effect of Waste Materials on Their Index Properties for the Production of Bricks

Significant research investigations on the characteristics of unexplored clay deposits are being conducted in light of the growing need for clay in the ceramic industry and the variable chemistry of clays. Parallel to this, the generation of waste materials like fly ash, ferrochrome slag, and silica fume is also increasing, responsible for environmental degradation. This paper aims to study the mineralogical properties of pure clays (one specimen from Siberia and five specimens from different locations in Turkey), and the effect of mentioned waste materials on the index properties of clays obtained. This study is divided into two phases, wherein in the first phase, the pure clay specimens are analyzed against mineralogical properties (i.e., chemical composition, thermal analysis, and particle size distribution). While in the second phase, index properties of pure clay specimens and clay specimens modified with 0–50% fly ash, ferrochrome slag, and silica fume are analyzed. The results reveal that the clay specimens from Turkey (USCS classification: CL) are fit for the ceramic industry and bricks production, and incorporation of waste materials can further improve their index properties. It is also observed that incorporation of 10–30% fly ash and ferrochrome slag have higher efficiency in reducing the plasticity index of clays studied as compared to the addition of silica fume

Assessment of Mineralogical Characteristics of Clays and the Effect of Waste Materials on Their Index Properties for the Production of Bricks

Significant research investigations on the characteristics of unexplored clay deposits are being conducted in light of the growing need for clay in the ceramic industry and the variable chemistry of clays. Parallel to this, the generation of waste materials like fly ash, ferrochrome slag, and silica fume is also increasing, responsible for environmental degradation. This paper aims to study the mineralogical properties of pure clays (one specimen from Siberia and five specimens from different locations in Turkey), and the effect of mentioned waste materials on the index properties of clays obtained. This study is divided into two phases, wherein in the first phase, the pure clay specimens are analyzed against mineralogical properties (i.e., chemical composition, thermal analysis, and particle size distribution). While in the second phase, index properties of pure clay specimens and clay specimens modified with 0–50% fly ash, ferrochrome slag, and silica fume are analyzed. The results reveal that the clay specimens from Turkey (USCS classification: CL) are fit for the ceramic industry and bricks production, and incorporation of waste materials can further improve their index properties. It is also observed that incorporation of 10–30% fly ash and ferrochrome slag have higher efficiency in reducing the plasticity index of clays studied as compared to the addition of silica fume

An In-Depth Survey Demystifying the Internet of Things (IoT) in the Construction Industry: Unfolding New Dimensions

In this digital era, many industries have widely adopted the Internet of Things (IoT), yet its implementation in the construction industry is relatively limited. Integration of Construction 4.0 drivers, such as business information modeling (BIM), procurement, construction safety, and structural health monitoring (SHM), with IoT devices, provides an effective framework for applications to enhance construction and operational efficiencies. IoT and Construction 4.0 driver integration research, however, is still in its infancy. It is necessary to understand the present state of IoT adoption in the Construction 4.0 context. This paper presented a comprehensive review to identify the IoT adoption status in the Construction 4.0 areas. Furthermore, this work highlighted the potential roadblocks to IoT’s seamless adoption that are unique to the areas of Construction 4.0 in developing countries. Altogether, 257 research articles were reviewed to present the current state of IoT adoption in developed and developing countries, as well as the topmost barriers encountered in integrating IoT with the key Construction 4.0 drivers. This study aimed to provide a reference for construction managers to observe challenges, professionals to explore the hybridization possibilities of IoT in the context of Construction 4.0, and laymen to understand the high-level scientific research that underpins IoT in the construction industry

Effect of cenospheres on the engineering properties of lightweight cementitious composites: a comprehensive review

The increased demand for cementitious materials due to rapid industrialization and urbanization has raised several environmental concerns. To construct environmentally sustainable infrastructure, the possibility of using industrial waste (like cenospheres) as construction materials is highly desirable with various economical and practical advantages. Recent studies revealed the practicality of using cenospheres as lightweight material to prepare structural lightweight cementitious materials. Therefore, this article discusses the properties of cenospheres related to the construction sector. Moreover, the effect of cenospheres on the engineering properties (i.e., physical,rheological, mechanical, durability properties), and sustainable benefits of cenosphere modified cementitious materials are comprehensively documented. The article concludes that cenosphere-incorporated cementitious materials can attain significant improvement in the domain of lower density, rheological properties, thermal conductivity, acoustic insulation, and sustainability development, etc. It can also be concluded that cenosphere can replace approximately 10% and 30% of cement and fine aggregates, respectively without causing any significant detrimental impact on the engineering properties of cementitious composites

Influence of Bentonite on Mechanical and Durability Properties of High-Calcium Fly Ash Geopolymer Concrete with Natural and Recycled Aggregates

In this study, bentonite (a naturally occurring pozzolana) was incorporated as a partial replacement (up to 20%) for high-calcium fly ash (HCFA)-based geopolymeric natural aggregate concrete (GNAC) and geopolymeric recycled aggregate concrete (GRAC). The mechanical (compressive strength and splitting tensile strength), durability (chloride migration coefficient, water absorption, and acid attack resistance), and rheological properties (slump test, fresh density, and workability) were investigated. The results revealed that incorporation of bentonite (10 wt % with ordinary Portland cement) showed appreciable improvement in the strength and durability of both the GNAC and GRAC, though its effect is more significant for GRAC than the GNAC