Amid the global push for sustainable construction, bamboo has been widely studied as a rapidly renewable, high-performance building material. This paper reviews the published literature on bamboo’s journey from plant to structural component. The review first examines the fundamental botanical characteristics of bamboo, explaining the relationship between its hierarchical structure—from molecular to cellular levels—and its mechanical properties. It then transitions to an analysis of sustainable forestry, harvesting practices, the structural uses of round bamboo, and the manufacturing processes for engineered bamboo products, such as glued laminated bamboo and bamboo scrimber. Critical performance challenges are addressed by evaluating modern treatment methods that enhance durability, dimensional stability, and fire resistance. Structural applications are explored in detail, covering traditional building typologies, innovative connection systems, and the emerging potential for bamboo in mid- and high-rise as well as long-span structures. The life cycle perspective is completed by examining end-of-life scenarios, including reuse, recycling, and energy recovery. Ultimately, the review situates bamboo within the global context by examining resource distribution, trade, and the policy frameworks required to promote its widespread adoption. By consolidating research across multiple disciplines, this paper highlights the significant potential of bamboo to contribute to a low-carbon built environment. It concludes that a holistic, science-based approach is essential for overcoming remaining challenges and fully integrating this versatile material into modern construction practices.
This umbrella review aimed to assess the effectiveness of lower extremity robotic devices in clinical settings by analyzing motor and non-motor rehabilitation outcomes across different neurological conditions, including stroke, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson’s disease. A systematic search of literature published in English over the past twelve years was conducted using four major databases (PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science). The search focused on reviews addressing the use of lower-limb robotic devices in patients with neurological diseases. Only reviews that followed standardized protocols and reported quantitative motor and/or non-motor rehabilitation outcomes were included. Extracted information included demographic characteristics, experimental procedures, and numerical outcomes related to motor and non-motor functions (e.g., walking test scores, clinical scale ratings). A total of 33 reviews met the inclusion criteria. Stroke was the most frequently studied condition, whereas Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis were rarely addressed. Findings related to stroke suggested that robotic rehabilitation may provide benefits over conventional therapy, with statistically significant improvements in some cases. In contrast, evidence for spinal cord injury, Parkinson’s disease, and multiple sclerosis was limited and inconsistent. Overall, lower-limb robotic devices show promise in neurorehabilitation, particularly for post-stroke recovery. However, further research is required to standardize intervention protocols, assess cost-effectiveness, and better understand patient and therapist experiences to support broader clinical adoption.
This study presents a comprehensive finite element (FE) investigation of Textile-Reinforced Mortar (TRM) composites subjected to uniaxial tensile loading at temperatures of 20, 200, and 400 °C. A detailed micro-modeling approach with cohesive zone models was implemented to characterize the complex interface mechanics between textile reinforcement and mortar matrix. The numerical models were rigorously validated against experimental data from tensile tests and Digital Image Correlation (DIC) measurements, demonstrating excellent agreement with deviations below 7
This study presents a sustainable approach for large-scale biodiesel production through the valorization of leather tanning waste (LTW) using supercritical methanol, simulated via Aspen Plus®. Building on experimentally derived kinetic parameters, the process integrates mass and heat exchange networks (MEN/HEN) to minimize methanol consumption by 94.25
This theoretical modeling and simulation paper presents design and projected performance of broadband and resonant non-volatile Variable Optical Attenuators (VOAs), based upon the LNOI-SiN photonic platform and operating at 1550 nm. These compact devices facilitate the integration of on-chip Microwave Photonic links in the LNOI-SiN platform, by controlling the optical carrier-sideband ratio. The proposed VOAs consist of a programmable multilevel directional coupler (broadband) and microring resonator (resonant). The devices are based on SiN-strip-loaded LNOI waveguides with a thin layer of phase-change material (PCM), specifically GSST, as the programmable region of the waveguided structure. The electrically induced phase change of the PCM, applied by means of segmented graphene-based microheaters, allows the realization of the phase matching and the phase mismatching between two coupled waveguides when the material phase of GSST is changed between amorphous and crystalline. By controlling the number of the activated graphene-based microheaters, we demonstrate that a digitally controlled non-volatile power attenuation at the output of the device can be induced. In the manuscript, optical and thermal simulations of the devices are shown to demonstrate the feasibility of the devices, revealing an insertion loss lower than − 2 dB and dynamic range larger than 15 dB. The proposed VOAs represent useful devices to ensure the stability and performance of complex optical networks, where miniaturization, low-power and digital control are required.
