This study proposes an alternative verification procedure for assessing the pullout resistance of wrap-around geotextiles in flood embankments. The research does not aim to determine the design pullout resistance for practical engineering applications directly, but rather, to evaluate the geotextile pullout force within small-scale physical models intended for conceptual-level analysis. The approach addresses the limitations of standard numerical models in capturing the actual slope failure mechanism. It also accounts for the stabilising effect of geotextile wrapping, which is often insufficiently represented in conventional analyses. The proposed approach integrates physical experiments with analytical and numerical modelling. Small-scale embankment models subjected to seepage-induced hydraulic and slope stability failure were reinforced with wrap-around geotextiles of varying anchorage lengths and wrap-around heights along the downstream toe. The observed stability or failure of the physical models was used to evaluate the analytical formulation. The analytical model is based on a comparative calculation of hydrodynamic force and geotextile pullout force. The analytically derived pullout force was implemented in GeoStudio: SLOPE/W to assess the embankment stability. A comparative assessment of the physical, analytical, and numerical results showed good agreement, confirming the reliability of the proposed verification approach. The developed analytical model, validated through numerical simulations and experimental observations, represents a useful tool for the conceptual evaluation of embankment stability mechanisms.
In the northern areas of Pakistan, the fabric mostly used for wearing purposes is polyester (polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Due to its versatile quality, concrete is the most demanding construction material. In this study, durability & mechanical properties of polyester concrete (PC) are investigated by including raw polyester fibre (PF) with varying percentages (0,0; 0,5; 1,0; 1,5; and 2,0 %). Additionally, 1% sodium carbonate is used as a cement replacement. The results reveal that the addition of 1 % polyester (PET) fibre by weight produces 25,0 and 20,6 % increases in tensile and compressive strengths, respectively. The increased percentage of fibre also significantly reduces chloride permeability, indicating improved crack resistance in concrete. However, fibre additions of 1,5 or 2,0 % may result in reduced compressive strength and increased permeability. Therefore, 1 % polyester fibre is recommended for the application of concrete tension members and mortar in external walls. Moreover, this research focuses on the sustainable use of raw polyester as a constructive approach towards addressing environmental challenges associated with conserving resources, waste disposal, and mitigating environmental pollution.
The management of large and complex construction projects, particularly the optimization of project completion time, cost, quality, and coordinated resource allocation, remains a critical challenge. This challenge becomes increasingly pronounced in projects characterized by numerous activities, strong temporal dependencies, and limited resources. The growing number of concurrent projects has intensified implementation delays, leading to increased construction costs, reduced quality, and, in extreme cases, economic infeasibility. This study proposes an efficient hybrid framework to investigate the factors influencing delay time, project cost, and quality. The results of reliability analysis showed a Cronbach’s alpha value of 0,80 for the design and engineering phase (10 factors), 0,76 for the procurement phase (15 factors), and 0,59 for the construction phase (23 factors), confirming acceptable data reliability. A comparative analysis between the quantitative index method and a metaheuristic approach, namely an enhanced harmony search (HS) algorithm, was then conducted. The results demonstrate that the HS algorithm effectively balances the time-cost-quality trade-off, achieving notable reductions in project duration and total cost while maintaining the desired quality level. The proposed framework exhibits higher convergence stability and adaptability than conventional methods, highlighting its potential as a practical decision-support tool for data-driven and sustainable management of large-scale construction projects.
The growing global emphasis on sustainable, low-carbon energy has intensified interest in biomass as a renewable substitute for fossil fuels, with torrefaction emerging as an effective thermal pretreatment for enhancing fuel properties, particularly for co-firing in coal-based power plants. This study examines the oxidative torrefaction of three widely available lignocellulosic residues sugarcane bagasse, sawdust, and rice husk processed at 200, 250, and 300 °C for 30 min under ambient air conditions to simulate oxidative environments. Fuel quality improvements and physicochemical transformations were assessed using proximate analysis, calorific value measurements, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. The results indicate that oxidative torrefaction significantly enhances biomass characteristics by increasing fixed carbon content, reducing moisture and volatile matter, and improving calorific value. Among the materials studied, sawdust exhibited the most pronounced enhancement, attaining a calorific value of 5941,53 kcal/kg and the highest carbon concentration, followed by sugarcane bagasse, while rice husk showed moderate improvement due to its higher ash and silica content. Overall, the findings demonstrate the suitability of torrefied biomass for integration into existing coal-fired systems, supporting emission reduction, cleaner energy generation, and alignment with India’s energy transition and carbon mitigation objectives.
Construction components are in greater demand as a result of the rapid growth of the building sector. This study investigated the feasibility of using expanded polystyrene (EPS) beads in combination with silica fume to produce lightweight construction materials. The strength and weight properties were determined using different types of mixed samples consisting of bricks and concrete of the same grade. The results were compared with the standard samples and cast with EPS. EPS was used as a volumetric replacement of 0; 10; and 20 % of coarse and fine aggregate along with silica fume to increase the strength of concrete and bricks for the experiment. The results revealed that when using 10% and 20 % EPS, the unit weight of the concrete samples decreased by 9 and 16 %, whereas the compressive strength decreased by 25 and 43 %, respectively. For the bricks, the weight decreased by 10 and 19 %, whereas the strength decreased by 26 and 49 %, respectively. Cement was replaced with 7,5 and 12,5 % silica fume in various combinations with these EPS substitutes to mitigate the loss of strength. The results showed an increase in the strength of the EPS-mixed concrete increased by 9 % when pozzolanic material was used, and the strength of the brick increased by 6,5 % compared with normal samples. In the combined effectiveness analysis, the EPS used in bricks was more effective than in concrete samples. Therefore, based on the effectiveness analysis, EPS can be easily used in a moderate range of building materials.
