ABSTRACT In the modern world, the demand for bunkers has grown significantly as a vital means of protection against blast loads. This study investigates the structural response of underground bunkers subjected to surface blast loads using finite element (FE) analysis in ABAQUS/Explicit. The model uses the Mohr-Coulomb model for soil, Concrete Damage Plasticity (CDP) for the bunker liner, and Johnson-Cook for steel and aluminum. Five dome curvatures (flat, D/8, D/4, 3D/8, and D/2) were analyzed under a 1000 kg TNT explosion. Results show higher stress, deformation, and tension damage with increasing curvature, especially for D/2. Organic sandy clay caused maximum stress and deformation. Two mitigation strategies were proposed: upgrading concrete from M40 to M50 and adding an aluminum 2024-T3 liner. M50 concrete reduced stress by 19.23%, deformation by 5.09%, and damage by 2.63%, while the aluminum liner provided greater protection, reducing stress by 83.12%, deformation by 58.03%, and damage by 67.07%.

ABSTRACT The paper presents the main components of a methodological approach to analysing the possibilities of supplying final types of energy to the consumer in the event of a critical facility failure in one of the energy systems. The approach takes account of the tight interconnection of various energy systems operating within the national energy sector in any country. The research is carried out for Russia as an example of a country having an extensive interconnected energy infrastructure. Failure of individual gas industry facilities is simulated for high demand for energy and fuel when cold snap occurs simultaneously in the territories of neighbouring regions. The findings demonstrate high vulnerability of the fuel and energy systems in certain regions when some gas facilities fail. This indicates the need to apply a balanced approach to determining the extent to which natural gas dominates the fuel and energy balance in the regions.

ABSTRACT Storm-resistant house design in hurricane-prone areas can combine structural integrity with energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Using parametric life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle cost (LCC) analyses, this study evaluated the environmental and economic impacts of single-family storm-resistant houses in Miami-Dade and Broward counties. Results reveal that improved energy efficiency reduces operational GHG emissions by up to 18% and replacement-stage emissions by 12%, compensating for a slight 0.11% increase in embodied emissions over an extended lifespan. While initial costs are about 6% higher, operational energy costs fall by 2.5%, leading to lower overall lifecycle costs and emissions. Sensitivity analysis indicates that window types, cooling system efficiency, and window-to-wall ratio significantly influence both GHG emissions and operational costs. These findings underscore the necessity of incorporating storm-resistance features early in the design process to enhance durability, energy efficiency, and cost savings, thus reducing the construction sector’s overall environmental footprint.

ABSTRACT Retrofit prioritization can be guided by various metrics (e.g., monetary, network performance). However, community resilience champions holistic community improvement by reducing post-disaster impacts relative to network and community social operation. Few prioritization approaches have been developed to accommodate both performance-based and social impact-based perspectives. This work introduces a network retrofit prioritization approach integrating an optimization-based approach driven by network performance and a social impact-based criticality. The proposed socially-aware retrofit prioritization approach is implemented for Seaside, Oregon’s electric power distribution network exposed to tsunami-earthquake hazards across budgetary levels. Prioritization variation is compared across scenarios and with both original optimization-based and social impact criticality-based prioritizations. The implementation demonstrates the socially-aware prioritization successfully integrates the two prioritizations and performs at an intermediate level relative to the two original approaches. The socially-aware retrofit prioritization approach marks a pivotal point for informed decision-making whereby multiple decision perspectives are combined to better support community resilience-based decision-making.

ABSTRACT Water utilities employ reactive (post-failure) or proactive (preemptive) approaches for pipeline rehabilitation. Proactive planning relies on accurate pipeline deterioration data, which is costly to collect directly. Statistical and machine learning models that predict failures with limited data are thus valuable for prioritizing rehabilitation. This study implemented two cost-sensitive binary classification models—logistic regression and support vector classification—to predict pipe failures and explored enhancing their performance by integrating K-means clustering. Two evaluation perspectives (temporal and non-temporal) were used to assess the models. Results showed that combining classification models with K-means clustering, using suitable hyperparameters, improved performance in both cases. Clustering prevented more failures by replacing fewer pipes, with a ~3% improvement in the precision-recall curve area and a 0.6-1.3% increase in F1-score. Larger training datasets also empirically enhanced model performance, aligning with expectations.

ABSTRACT The post-earthquake damage evaluation is usually conducted by visual inspection, which is unsafe and subject to human error. In this paper, a rapid non-destructive methodology is developed that uses crack images to assess damage in rectangular reinforced concrete shear walls. This computer vision-oriented method is based on a databank of surface crack maps collected by the authors from quasi-static experiments. Succolarity, Lacunarity, and fractal dimensions of the specimens are used to measure the complexity of crack patterns. Fifteen closed-form equations are proposed that use the structural characteristics and crack map indices obtained from damaged wall images to estimate the peak drift ratio that the shear walls experience during an earthquake. Results reveal that the predictive equations which are the nonlinear combination of the fractal geometry have the highest accuracy among the equations. The accuracy of the equation is slightly increased when concrete compressive strength is added to the input variables.

ABSTRACT Interdisciplinary teams skilled in Aristotle’s three knowledge forms, phronesis, episteme, techne, are essential for dealing with complex challenges in future. As sectors transition to new concepts, risks exist for unhinged paradoxes, i.e., unforeseen consequences. This is particularly relevant for industries with complex infrastructures, such as data centers (DCs). This paper presents a conceptual roadmap consisting of four interconnected phases for integrating energy efficiency concepts in DCs, with a focus on avoiding unhinged paradoxes. The knowledge creation process during the roadmapping process underscores the importance from (1) the acknowledgement of an external threat, (2) inclusion of an interdisciplinary team, and (3) regular project meetings to facilitate a collaborative and interdisciplinary environment. Additionally, the insights gained from this research extend to sectors beyond DCs and can be applied to other industries working towards increased energy efficiency.

ABSTRACT This study evaluates the water use efficiency (WUE) implementing under two approaches: i) reduction of water losses and the installation of low-consumption plumbing fixtures, and ii) Water savings analysis including , network Additional capacity, Reduction in per capita water consumption and the Investment (WARI). Hydraulic modeling was performed in the water distribution network of the campus of Universidad de Ibagué using EPANETv2.2, which supplies 5,172 people through 3,499.7 m of pipes during an analysis period of 48 months. The selection process for water-saving plumbing fixtures was carried out using the Analytical Hierarchy Process approach. The results indicate that WUE contributes to reducing water consumption by up to 47.8% and achieving a hydraulic capacity extension of the network of up to 67.0%, which is equivalent to extending pipes life cycle by up to 20 more years. WARI analysis is useful for water resource planners in decision-making processes within an economic and environmental sustainability framework.

ABSTRACT Public markets have long been the heart of cities, promoting community life and economic exchange. Yet, their resilience and role in social sustainability remain understudied. This research examines how Al Ain City’s public market in the UAE adapted during COVID-19, using a comprehensive framework integrating three physical (Legibility) and four non-physical (Imageability) factors across 16 indicators. An exploratory sequential mixed-methods approach was applied, combining qualitative tools (observation, land use mapping, aerial imagery, interviews) and quantitative tools (surveys, spatial analysis). Findings show that four of the seven developed factors significantly enhance social sustainability, highlighting the market’s adaptability and role in promoting social connections. These results underscore the market’s contribution to urban resilience during and after the pandemic, emphasizing the market’s flexibility and its role as a social anchor. This study offers micro-level insights into social sustainability, providing design guidelines to enhance public market spaces and strengthen urban resilience.

ABSTRACT Despite the growing recognition of social infrastructure’s pivotal role in fostering trust and cooperation, a precise definition remains elusive across various academic disciplines. This study addresses this lacuna by conducting a systematic review of approximately 150 articles published between 1960 and the present. The analysis, encompassing peer-reviewed journals, trade publications, corporate reports, and newspaper articles from diverse geographical contexts, reveals that references to social infrastructure primarily coalesce around five key domains: education, healthcare, housing, transportation, and, increasingly, networking spaces (both physical and virtual). A discernible shift in focus towards networking spaces underscores the escalating significance of infrastructure that facilitates trust-building and connection-enhancing processes. Employing these networking space approaches, we define social infrastructure as the virtual and real-world spaces that involve high stewardship and coproduction, cultivating trust, enhancing cooperation, and deepening social cohesion and social capital. This standardized definition of social infrastructure will bolster research endeavors and advance our understanding of how these facilities contribute to societal cohesion.