25 - Construction adhesives: Qualification, specification, quality control, and risk mitigation

Authors

The digitalisation determines a high level of increased productivity in any domain that was applied before. Digital transformations in Civil Engineering are thriving today on gaining precedent to traditionally dedicated computation to construction design. The need for the remote control of the construction process to meet quality exigencies, budget constraints, and duration, for balancing risk evaluation and risk mitigation, for new accuracy levels in predicting soil-structure interaction in every unique environment, for sustainability and circular economy viable in the construction sector require a multiverse approach in our Conference-Computational Civil Engineering CCE2021.This year more than ever, we become open to all issues addressing the future of our profession as civil engineers, architects, structural engineers, MEP engineers a.s.o. Specialization in knowledge by following the separation of interests is falling apart in the world where connectivity is available for everyone. The subjects of interest for this conference may look singular items on the list, still they belong to each construction and the key ingredient is team work and the shared value is cooperation.The pandemic, climatic and economic crises are converging to trigger a massive competition to find answers and fierce determination to share knowledge and forge alliances between all stakeholders in the construction sector. We invite architects, engineers with interests in material, constructions, chemical, computer, energy, building services, management, and economy domains to join this conference with their scientific contributions and competence on 27th-29th May 2021, in Iasi – Romania.List of Editors, Organizers, Co-Organizers, Partners, The Committees of CCE 2021 Conference, Honorary Committee, Scientific committee are available in this pdf.

Hydrogeological risk is a relevant issue in Italy, given its yearly and elevated socio-economic impacts in the country, including loss of lives in case of serious hazards. In the consistent case history of measures for hydrogeological risk mitigation ISPRA has developed the National Repository of hydrogeological risk mitigation measures (ReNDiS http://www.rendis.isprambiente.it/) which is a platform for monitoring measures funded by the Italian Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (MASE) from 1999 onwards which also aims to managing the evaluation of funding requests coming from Regions.The ReNDiS project aims at implementing a database, collecting updated information about mitigation measures such as engineering works as well as non- structural measures. Inside the ReNDiS DB, information is organized by single “mitigation works” meaning that for every measure each stage from the financing action to design, work and accounting data are collected and stored. In order to manage heterogeneous data collected for each intervention, the choice of essential information has been restricted to: governmental funding measure, funding amount, local beneficiary authority, affected municipality, title of intervention and location. Other important information regards: geological and hydraulic characterization of the phenomenon, risk mitigation measures adopted, economic accounting for design, works and management, as well as up to date information on the actual progress stage of the intervention.Among this information, the typology of the works and of the natural hazard to be mitigated are indicated too. From the beginning of the monitoring, in 1999, around 12 thousand measures have been already recorded in the database, amounting to over EUR 29 billion of funds. Among these entries, the 60.8% are related to landslide risk mitigation and the 36.8% to hydraulic risk mitigation, while the remaining ones are related to other risks (Figure 1).Considering each class of natural hazard, it was observed that measures implementing nature-based solutions are the 17%, the 11.8% and the 28.8% of the total number, within the landslide, hydraulic and other risks mitigation, respectively (Figure 2).Within the measures on landslide risk mitigation, the NBS works adopted are represented in Figure 3. The highest number of these works mainly involve vegetation cutting, selective deforestation and planting, and structures made by biodegradable materials such as wood (edging, palisades, gutters), bio-mats, bio-nets and bio-felt. Among the measures on hydraulic risk mitigation (Figure 4), the most-used NBS implemented vegetation and the use of timber and stones in structures for water regulation measures. In both cases, a good variability of measure typologies was observed.The analysis showed that measures implementing NBSs are a conspicuous number, compared to the total, also considering their use often as a complement to more 'traditional' engineering works. Within the hydraulic risk mitigation measures, the use of greened weirs and stone and timber materials was preferred. In this case, the erosive forces involved and the frequent need for water regulation implied the choice of more structural materials and measures.

Prelims

The role of, and need for, universities to create and promote a holistic approach to engineering is a key part of developing sustainability literacy among future engineers. This paper reports on three different, but linked, exercises that teach undergraduates the complexity of sustainability in civil engineering. In the first exercise, students prepared a written commentary on an exploration of their campus locale to identify typical civil engineering issues such as construction trends over time and set these against economic and social demands and impacts at a city scale. The second exercise asked students to rank the importance of components of sustainable communities as a civil engineer, and then rank them separately as a citizen. In the third exercise, ten groups of approximately ten students were led through a discussion around a holistic approach to engineering and the impact of civil engineering infrastructure development. These exercises provide students with an understanding of hard-to-measure boundary conditions, more informally ‘context’, which can surround the technical excellence at the heart of civil engineering systems. The paper reports student feedback and discusses implications for teaching sustainability. The exercises and experiences presented in this paper can be utilised by other civil engineering degree providers.

Civil engineering has fulfilled many different needs of human life. It has provided much ease, comfort, and pleasantness to daily life through such conveniences as the construction of homes, buildings, skyscrapers, railways, subways, roads, and tunnels. Each of these applications of civil engineering would not be possible without the use of natural crushed stone. In fact, natural crushed stone and aggregates are the building block of all of the aforementioned constructions. As a result, worldwide production and consumption of aggregates is steadily increasing. Due to a limited quantity of natural resources and the millions of years needed for their renewal, quality management of raw materials is key to sustainable development and continued success. Hand in hand, sustainable development policies are imperative to the optimal usage of the reserves. Quality control and quality assurance are the two main elements of quality management. Different methods and procedures have been proposed in order to maintain consistent quality of the aggregates, as the principal constituent of various forms of civil engineering constructions. Railroad construction and asphalt production are two key usages of aggregates. The quality of the aggregates in the aforementioned applications plays a significant role in life span of the product. High quality aggregate, while more costly at the beginning, increases the life cycle and life cycle value, decreases life cycle costs, and in turn leads to improved public service quality, a substantial parameter of sustainable policy. The disintegration and breakdown of aggregates over time has been the subject of many bodies of research throughout the years, resulting in the publication of various procedures and methods to be utilized in determining hard rock quality and durability. However, the proposed previous methods are time-consuming, non-reproducible, and non-representative. Therefore, they are not able to recognize the quality of aggregates in a correct manner. Use of aggregates with lack of sufficient quality results in their physical, chemical, and mechanical failure. The aggregate quality issue becomes more critical when it comes to the usage of aggregates for railway-ballast/asphalt production. In the first part of this study, two parameters were developed for the purpose of quality assurance and quality control of aggregate for railway ballast applications. Based on the results of thousands of field and laboratory experiments, these two parameters, loss on ignition (LOI) and magnetic susceptibility (MAG), can identify the quality of aggregate prior to its exploitation and production. LOI and MAG were implemented in three igneous hard rock quarries and have shown to provide accurate results in a more effective and efficient manner. The stripping of asphalt, which is a problem often confronted with the asphalt industry, is another important topic discussed in this thesis. Shortly after initial construction, many asphalt roads need to be re-asphalted, frequently due to a loss of adhesion between the aggregate surface and the bitumen layer. In order to eliminate this phenomenon, different mechanisms and theories have been presented over the past century, though the problem has never been truly clarified nor solved. The stripping of asphalt has its consequences: loss of stability and swelling of the asphalt. The second part of this study discusses the problem of asphalt affinity. More than 1300 asphalt samples were prepared and tested in order to identify and recognize the main problem and consequently develop appropriate preventative strategies to improve the quality of asphalt concrete for use in roads. With regard to this issue a new concept, the Water Discharge Theory, is presented. This theory explains that the loss in affinity between aggregate surface and bitumen layer is a function of aggregate´s inherent water content. With a basis in this theory, the impact of LOI and MAG values of asphalt aggregates on the quality of the asphalt were studied. According to our obtained results the direct effects of LOI and MAG (values of aggregates) on stripping and consequently on quality of asphalt were confirmed. Online recognition of aggregate quality for railway ballasts and asphalt applications was achieved through the development of the two new parameters, LOI and MAG. These parameters proved successful in three different quarries. Based on the application purposes, threshold values for each parameter were also determined.

This book provides a complete and clear introduction to the use of adhesives to form load-bearing joints in bridges, civil engineering and building structures. Recent advances in adhesive technology have led to a rapid growth in the use of adhesives and in many cases, the use of adhesives can prove more convenient, less expensive, stronger, and more durable than traditional methods of joining. The first part of this book addresses the crucial factors involved in the formation of a successful adhesive joint, including adhesive selection, surface preparation, joint design, fabrication and protection from the environment. The second part of the book describes the growing uses of adhesives to repair and strengthen existing structures, in addition to describing their use in new constructions and applications which are now being developed for the future. The connections between the two parts of the book are brought out wherever possible so that the links between theory and practice are emphasized. The book gives the reader all the information required to fully exploit the economic and technical advantages of adhesives over conventional methods. Professional civil and structural engineers in higher education and industry will find this book invaluable as will graduate students of construction.

The rapid technological modernization in civil engineering is diligentlyconnected to the inte: rdependenceamongst mathematics and civil engineering. This demands civil professionals be more competent and trustworthy in their mathematical and engineering abilities. This paper reviews the tendencies of engineering complications that involvemathematical-oriented fundamentals. Introductions to the civil engineers at the place of workproposeunderstandings of the nature of complications in the actualbackground and an examination of the mathematical-oriented fundamentals in cracking these difficulties. The findings recommendthat the mathematicalinformative endeavours assimilatetrustworthy problem-solving understandings for civil engineering scholars. Functioning research is one of the modernsubdivisions of practical mathematics. Due to the extensive applicability and substantialusefulness, its expansion became significant, the business revolution and the spectacular growth of the calculationprocedure had animportant role. The operative research deals with the resilience of afinestconclusion as a symbol of the defrayal of deterministic and stochastic depictionsorganized for the learning of monetary andorganizationalspectacles. From a rationalmethodology, the development of the elaboration of a conclusion is edged by numerous decisional prototypes, as well as the eminence quodictating the settlement commissioning a result is measured by the volume, erection and excellence of the existingdata. Subsequently, the supervisors may use mathematical prototypes of optimization which are supportive for captivating a conclusion under the conditions of reliability, which means all importantessentials are known, as following: Decisional imitation; Decisional board; thepractice of global utility. In most of the subjectsacknowledged, it is assetobserving that the use of mathematics is extensively applied in civil and structural engineering complications. The uncontaminated mathematical connotations seem to be subliminallysecreted and entrenched behind the ‘civil and structural’ of the complications, but it remains appropriate to know whereverdiagnostic results originated from. Therefore, it can beaccomplished that the mathematics-oriented acutethoughtfulfundamentals are suggestivelyrequired to crackseveral civil engineering places of work problems.

This comprehensive study delves into the multifaceted impacts of Building Information Modeling (BIM) across different phases of infrastructure projects, encompassing project planning and design, construction, as well as operations and maintenance. By offering a granular analysis of BIM's contributions to design efficiency, enhanced collaboration, sustainability considerations, improved project management, risk mitigation, quality control, asset management, lifecycle analysis, and space management and utilization, the paper presents quantifiable evidence of BIM's transformative potential. The findings underscore the substantial benefits of BIM in reducing project timeframes, minimizing material costs, enhancing operational efficiency, and contributing to sustainability goals. Through detailed quantitative analysis, this article illustrates how BIM technology facilitates a more integrated, efficient, and sustainable approach to infrastructure development, challenging traditional practices and fostering a new paradigm in construction and facility management.

Ensuring food safety and quality is a major challenge in the agri-food industry, requiring innovative solutions for transparency, efficiency, and risk mitigation. Agritrack leverages AI-driven Blockchain technology to enhance traceability, quality control, and food integrity throughout the supply chain, focusing on perishable foods like fish, dairy, and meat. Using IoT sensors, AI-powered analytics, and Process Analytical Technology (PAT), Agritrack automates data collection, detects contaminants, and optimizes food value chains in real-time. This modular platform strengthens consumer trust, reduces food losses, and provides cost-effective traceability for SMEs, revolutionizing food safety management from farm to fork.

Proton therapy is an effective treatment for ocular melanoma, and other tumors of the eye. The fixed horizontal beamline dedicated to ocular treatments at Massachusetts General Hospital was originally commissioned in 2002, with much of the equipment, safety features, and practices dating back to an earlier implementation at Harvard Cyclotron in the 1970s. To describe the experience of reevaluation and enhancement of the safety environment for one of the longest continuously operating proton therapy programs. Several enhancements in quality control had been introduced throughout the years of operation, as described in this manuscript, to better align the practice with the evolving standards of proton therapy and the demands of a modern hospital. We spotlight the design and results of the failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA), and subsequent actions introduced to mitigate the modes associated with elevated risk. The findings of the FMEA informed the specifications for the new software application, which facilitated the improved management of the treatment workflow and the image-guidance aspects of ocular treatments. Eleven failure modes identified as having the highest risk are described. Six of these were mitigated with the clinical roll-out of a new application for image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT). Others were addressed through task automation, the broader introduction of checklists, and enhancements in pre-treatment staff-led time-out. Throughout the task of modernizing the safety system of our dedicated ocular beamline, FMEA proved to be an effective instrument in soliciting inputs from the staff about safety and workflow concerns, helping to identify steps associated with elevated failure risks. Risks were reduced with the clinical introduction of a new IGRT application, which integrates quality management tools widely recognized for their role in risk mitigation: automation of the data transfer and workflow steps, and with the introduction of checklists and redundancy cross-checks.

Getechnical monitoring by digital precise photogrammetry

The field of Nondestructive Evaluation (NDE) is a very broad, interdisciplinary field that plays a critical role in civil engineering for controlling new structures (quality control) as well as for assessing the internal grout condition of prestressed pipes in post-tensioned concrete structures. Because it allows voids in grouted tendon ducts to be inspected and measured without damaging them, impact-echo based NDE provides an excellent balance between quality control and cost-effectiveness. This paper focuses on the nondestructive evaluation of internal injection quality in post-tensioned bridge ducts, and the developments in civil engineering NDE in China are also introduced.

We are excited to announce the launch of the 2024 edition of the Disasters in Civil Engineering and Architecture journal. In this first volume, the issue focuses on the impact of natural and man-made disasters on civil infrastructure and the methods employed to rehabilitate and restore damaged systems. Civil engineers play a critical role in disaster management, from risk assessment and mitigation strategies to post-disaster recovery.

Due to the advancements in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in university education, e-learning has become an essential part of Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) education programs. Building Information Modeling (BIM) is an ICT that can be used as a powerful didactic method approach to improve e-learning outcomes. A collaborative BIM tool was implemented in a project design class in a civil engineering course. This study aims to analyze the way BIM technology supported resource sharing within and across project groups, reinforced the forms of group collaboration, and improved e-learning outcomes. This study was developed under the framework of the new educational model Tec 21 in the Tecnologico de Monterrey university system in Mexico. This study was evaluated using both qualitative (e.g., pyramid discussion) and quantitative methods (e.g., survey). The results showed that BIM helped to improve communication in the group, group sharing of resources, and supported different kinds of group collaboration. The collaborative BIM tool provided a location-independent central virtual workspace, whereas the BIM software provided enough individual capability and resources for accurate building modeling. The paper discusses the importance of embedding supportive ICTs, such as BIM, to improve e-learning in civil engineering courses, as well as the limitations and needs in this field.