Self-sensing cementitious composites (SSCs) have evolved into multifunctional construction materials that simultaneously serve as load-bearing elements and intrinsic sensors for structural health monitoring. Unlike conventional monitoring systems that rely on surface-mounted or externally embedded sensors, SSCs develop conductive networks within the cement matrix, enabling real-time detection of strain, stress, cracking, and temperature variations via measurable piezoresistive changes in electrical resistance. This review critically examines the historical development and recent advances in SSCs, tracing the field’s progress from its initial demonstration to contemporary advances in conductive fillers, fabrication strategies, sensing mechanisms, mechanical performance, durability, and structural applications. The novelty of this review lies in systematically correlating filler morphology, dosage, dispersion quality, and processing methods with both electromechanical sensing performance and structural properties. Durability studies indicate that nanocarbon fillers can enhance resistance to acid and sulphate attack through microstructural densification, while excessive filler content may increase porosity and susceptibility to degradation. Overall, the review synthesises the evolution of SSCs and identifies the key relationships governing their multifunctional performance, while highlighting critical challenges and research needs for the development of reliable, durable, scalable, and structurally integrated self-sensing materials.
Understanding and predicting land use and land cover (LULC) dynamics is vital for sustainable land management, particularly in river basins undergoing rapid environmental and socio-economic transitions. This study aims to analyse the spatiotemporal dynamics of LULC in the Upper Mahanadi Basin, Chhattisgarh, India, during 2003–2018 and predict future LULC patterns for 2030 and 2050 using remote sensing, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and the Cellular Automata-Markov (CA-Markov) model. Multi-temporal Landsat imagery at 30 m spatial resolution was classified using a supervised maximum likelihood approach into six LULC classes: waterbodies, forest, built-up area, cropland, barren land, and river sand. The classified maps achieved overall accuracies ranging from 83 to 87
Retrofitting strategies for Glass Fibre Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) structural systems have gained increasing attention owing to the material’s brittle response under extreme loading and the challenges associated with repairing damaged 3D GFRP frames in seismic-prone environments. This study examines the structural performance of GFRP composite frames incorporating concrete infill and evaluates the post-damage rehabilitation efficiency of externally bonded GFRP sheet strengthening. Two three-dimensional frame models were fabricated using pultruded GFRP square sections for beams and columns, integrated with a composite slab comprising a trapezoidal GFRP deck sheet, GFRP bar-reinforced concrete topping, and GFRP ‘T’ shear connectors. One frame consisted of hollow sections; the other incorporated concrete infill. A sustainable M20 concrete mix with 60
In Egypt, a National Social Housing Program (NSHP) was initiated in 2014. The main objective of NSHP is to provide proper and affordable one million residential units for low-to-moderate-income citizens. These buildings are constructed across various seismic zones in Egypt. Evaluating the seismic resilience of these structures is crucial to ensure the safety of such a large-scale housing program. The current study aims to investigate the seismic performance of the 6-story buildings, which constitute the predominant structures associated with NSHP. Thus, an analytical survey of the structural drawings and the associated construction specifications for these buildings is conducted within this study framework to compare their structural designs across different seismic regions. The survey results indicated that minor structural detail deviations are observed in the superstructure of all examined buildings. Then, the study employs the pushover analysis as a tool of the performance-based analysis approach to provide valuable suggestions for improving the seismic design and construction practices of the NSHP buildings to ensure the long-term safety and resilience of these critical structures in Egyptian high seismic zones. The seismic performance is investigated in terms of capacity curves, performance points, global displacement, inter-story drift ratios, shear capacities, and plastic hinge formation. The results demonstrate poor seismic performance in areas with high seismic hazards. Consequently, the research explores alternative cost-effective structural configurations for enhancing the seismic performance of both existing and newly constructed NSHP buildings.
The practical implementation of slag-based geopolymer concrete (GPC) can be constrained by the use of externally applied heat curing, particularly when ambient-temperature production is desired. This study investigates the feasibility of reducing the dependence on heat curing through the combined incorporation of Alccofine (AF) and silica fume (SF) in slag-based GPC. Three control mixtures comprising 100
