Concrete Research Articles (Page 1)

Preparation of Novel Concrete Material by Sewage Sludge Ash Incorporation for Slab Preparation

Given the increasing human exposure to electromagnetic radiation of various frequen-cies, mostly in the microwave range, awareness of potential health problems caused by this radiation has begun to grow. New building materials are being developed and tested to prevent or limit the penetration of microwave radiation, especially those frequencies that are used in mobile telephony. In contrast with the majority of the available literature on the investigation of concrete (cement) materials, in this paper, clay composite materials with the addition of nanoparticles of antimony(III)–tin(IV) oxide, zinc ferrite, iron(III) oxide, and two crystal modifications of titanium dioxide (rutile and anatase) were prepared in order to examine their effect on the absorption of electro-magnetic radiation. Nanomaterials are characterized by different physical and chemical methods. Specific surface area (B.E.T.), thermal properties (TGA/DSC), phase composition (PXRD), morphology (SEM), and chemical and mineralogical composition (EDX, and ED–XRF,) were determined. Thermal conductivity of clay composites was tested, and these materials showed a positive effect on the thermal conductivity (λ) of the composite: a reduction of 10–33%. The reflection and transmission coefficients of microwave radiation in the frequency range used in mobile telephony (1.5–4.0 GHz) were determined. From these data, the absolute value of radiation absorption in the materials was calculated. The results showed that the addition of the tested nanomaterials in a mass fraction of 3 to 5 wt.% significantly increases the absorption (reduces the penetration) of microwave radiation. Two nanomaterials, Sb2O3·SnO2 and TiO2 (rutile), have proven to be particularly effective: the reduction in transmission is 30–50%. The results of the test were correlated with the crystal structures of the examined nanomaterials. The inclusion of titanium dioxide and antimony-doped tin oxide into the clay led to a significant enhancement in microwave electromagnetic radiation absorption, which can be attributed to their interaction with the dielectric and conductive phases present in clay-based building materials.

This study explores the mechanical behavior of concrete reinforced with recycled carbon fiber (RCF) and incorporating modified basic oxygen furnace slag (MBOF) as a sustainable aggregate. The RCF was recovered from waste carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) bicycle rims via microwave-assisted pyrolysis (MAP), while MBOF was produced by water-based treatment of hot BOF slag. The experimental program included compressive, splitting tensile, and flexural strength tests, as well as impact resistance and stress-reversal Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SRSHPB) tests. The effects of RCF length (6 mm and 12 mm) on the mechanical performance of MBOF-based concrete were systematically examined. The results demonstrated that incorporating MBOF as aggregate, combined with the addition of RCF, significantly enhanced both static strength and dynamic impact resistance. Compared with fiber-free MBOF concrete, the incorporation of 6 mm and 12 mm RCF increased compressive strength by 3.03% and 13.77%, flexural strength by 14.50% and 19.74%, and splitting tensile strength by 2.60% and 25.84%, respectively. Similarly, the impact number increased by approximately 6.81 and 12.67 times for the 6 mm and 12 mm RCF specimens, respectively, relative to the fiber-free specimen. Furthermore, the SRSHPB test results indicated that MBOF concrete reinforced with 12 mm RCF exhibited greater dynamic compressive strength than that reinforced with 6 mm RCF. Overall, MBOF concrete incorporating 12 mm RCF demonstrated superior performance to its 6 mm counterpart across all evaluated strength parameters. These findings highlight the potential of utilizing metallurgical and composite waste to develop high-performance, sustainable concrete materials.

The rapid expansion of island and reef infrastructure has intensified the demand for sustainable concrete materials, yet the scarcity of conventional aggregates and freshwater severely constrains their supply. More critically, the fundamental bonding mechanism between steel reinforcement and coral aggregate concrete (CAC) remains poorly understood due to the highly porous, ion-rich nature of coral aggregates and the complex interfacial reactions at the steel–cement–coral interface. Moreover, the synergistic effect of polyoxymethylene (POM) fibers in modifying this interfacial behavior has not yet been systematically quantified. To fill this research gap, this study develops a C40-grade POM-fiber-reinforced CAC and investigates the composition–property relationship governing its bond performance with steel bars. A comprehensive series of pull-out tests was conducted to examine the effects of POM fiber dosage (0, 0.2%, 0.4%, 0.6%, 0.8%, and 1.0%), protective layer thickness (32, 48, and 67 mm), bar type, and anchorage length (2 d, 3 d, 5 d, and 6 d) on the interfacial bond behavior. Results reveal that a 0.6% POM fiber addition optimally enhanced the peak bond stress and restrained radial cracking, indicating a strong fiber-bridging contribution at the micro-interface. A constitutive bond–slip model incorporating the effects of fiber content and c/d ratio was established and experimentally validated. The findings elucidate the multiscale coupling mechanism among coral aggregate, POM fiber, and steel reinforcement, providing theoretical and practical guidance for the design of durable, low-carbon marine concrete structures.

Concrete is the second most consumed material after water, with cement as its primary binder. However, cement production accounts for nearly 7% of global CO2 emissions, posing a major sustainability challenge. This review critically evaluates 35 agricultural biomass ashes (ABAs) as potential supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) for partial cement replacement, focusing on their effects on concrete strength and durability and highlighting performance gaps. Using a systematic methodology, rice husk ash (RHA), sugarcane bagasse ash (SCBA), and wheat straw ash (WSA) were identified as the most promising ABAs, enhancing strength and durability—including resistance to chloride ingress, sulfate attack, acid exposure, alkali–silica reaction, and drying shrinkage—while maintaining acceptable workability. Optimal replacement levels are recommended at 30% for RHA and 20% for SCBA and WSA, balancing performance and sustainability. These findings indicate that ABAs are viable, scalable SCMs for low-carbon concrete, promoting greener construction and contributing to global climate mitigation.

Objectives . This paper investigates the Theoretical Model of Concreteness Fading in the context of teaching children aged 9 to 10 about computer network structure and routing. Three between-groups, pre-test/post-test experiments were conducted to test the following hypotheses: 1) The Concreteness Fading group will have higher learning gains than the Abstract, Concrete, and Concreteness Introduction groups; 2) The Physical Concrete group will have higher learning gains than the Virtual Concrete group; 3) The Three-Step group will have higher learning gains than the Two-Step group; 4) The Five-Step group will have higher learning gains than the Three-Step group. Participants . Participants for all three experiments were pupils aged 9 to 10 at a primary school in the South of England, with 166 participants overall. Study Method . Three experiments were conducted, each with a between-groups, pre-test/post-test design using random, or blocked-random, assignment. In Experiment One (n = 59), four variations of physical and/or paper-based representational progressions were compared. In Experiment Two (n = 48), the physical and paper-based Concreteness Fading progression from Experiment One was compared against a tablet-based augmented reality (AR) learning environment and paper-based equivalent. In Experiment Three (n = 59), the AR learning environment from Experiment Two was extended to compare three distinct approaches to linking the concrete and abstract representations. Outcomes were measured as learning gains using two (pre/post) versions of an immediate near-transfer test in abstract, but contextualised, form. All data were collected in a primary school; pre-tests were completed in the classroom as a group, and post-tests were completed individually in a shared corridor workspace. Findings . In Experiment One, an ANCOVA test showed that differences between groups were not significant (F(3, 54) = 2.413, p = 0.077, partial η2 = 0.118), but the Concreteness Fading group achieved significantly higher learning gains than the Concrete group (Mdiff = 1.00, 95% CI [0.26, 1.75], p = 0.010). Hypothesis 1 was not supported. In Experiment Two, a Welch t-test showed that the difference in learning gains between the Physical and Virtual Concrete groups was not significant (Mdiff = 0.47, 95% CI [-0.47, 1.41], t(41.725) = 1.015, p = 0.316). Hypothesis 2 was not supported. In Experiment Three, an ANOVA test showed significant differences between groups (F(2,56) = 3.670, p = 0.032, η2 = 0.116). The Three-Step group achieved significantly higher learning gains than the Two-Step group (Mdiff = 0.99, 95% CI [0.61, 0.99] p = 0.037). Hypothesis 3 was accepted. The Five-Step group did not achieve significantly higher learning gains than the Three-Step group (Mdiff = 0.16, 95% CI [-0.78, 1.09], p = 0.738). Hypothesis 4 was not supported. Conclusions . These findings demonstrate that Concreteness Fading can be an effective method for teaching computing concepts to children and provide significant benefits over using concrete materials only. It should not be assumed that a physical manipulative is required during the initial stage of learning. Virtual manipulatives may be equally effective, enabling an increase in flexibility of design and distribution. One crucial design factor is the level of support provided to learners when translating between representations. Including at least one intermediate stage, designed explicitly to help identify and link mutual referents between concrete and abstract representations, can increase learning outcomes, particularly for those with lower prior test scores.

Natural sand scarcity and environmental concerns have encouraged the adoption of industrial waste materials in sustainable concrete. Foundry sand (FS) and coal bottom ash (CBA), both industrial waste materials, offer potential as partial replacements for natural sand. However, predicting the compressive strength (CS) of such mixes is complex due to nonlinear interactions among their components. This study proposes a novel, machine learning-based framework for predicting the CS of concrete incorporating FS and CBA. A dataset of 172 mix designs was compiled from published literature. Nine machine learning models were evaluated, including traditional regressors and ensemble methods. The Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) model achieved the highest accuracy, with R2 = 0.983, RMSE = 1.54 MPa, and MAPE = 3.47%. The key innovation of this work is the application of ensemble machine learning models for strength prediction in dual-waste concrete, which has been minimally explored in prior research. Feature importance analysis identified curing duration, superplasticizer dosage, cement content, and water-to-cement ratio as dominant predictors. This research demonstrates the effectiveness of artificial intelligence driven approaches in sustainable concrete mix design. By minimizing the need for trial and error experiments, the proposed method accelerates decision-making, reduces costs, and supports the circular economy by encouraging the use of industrial byproducts in construction.

The basis of the construction industry is building materials with high-quality indicators in terms of physical, mechanical, and thermophysical characteristics, however, there are a number of issues affecting the quality of manufactured products. The development of the construction industry provides new opportunities for designing efficient construction facilities. To obtain enhanced design capabilities, it is very important to relieve the load on the structure, and this can be achieved by reducing the mass of materials without losing strength. This study investigates the enhancement of foam concrete through the combined incorporation of mineral fibers recycled from basalt insulation waste and complex polymer modifiers. The aim was to improve the material’s mechanical performance, durability, and pore structure stability while promoting sustainable use of industrial by-products. The experimental program included tests on density, compressive strength, water absorption, and thermal conductivity for mixtures of different densities (400–1100 kg/m3). Results demonstrated that the inclusion of mineral fibers and polymer modifiers significantly enhanced structural uniformity and pore wall integrity. Compressive strength increased by up to 35%, water absorption decreased by 25%, and thermal conductivity was reduced by 18% compared with the control mixture.

Development of carbon-negative recycled concrete fine bricks via synergy of sticky rice liquid and biochar

Expanded polystyrene (EPS) concrete has broad application potential in energy-efficient buildings due to its low density and excellent thermal insulation performance. However, a significant nonlinear trade-off exists between its compressive strength and thermal conductivity. Existing studies are mainly based on empirical mix design or single-objective optimization, and the employed modeling methods generally lack interpretability. To address this challenge, this study proposes a multi-objective optimization model (MOPIA-RA) based on physics-informed constraints and an intelligent evolutionary algorithm, aiming to solve the nonlinear contradiction among compressive strength, thermal conductivity, and production cost encountered in practical engineering. A comprehensive dataset covering different cementitious materials, EPS contents, and particle sizes was established based on experimental data, and a surrogate model (PIA-RA) was developed using this dataset. Finally, the Shapley additive explanation (SHAP) method was used to quantitatively evaluate the effects of key materials on compressive strength and thermal conductivity. The results show that the proposed PIA-RA model achieved coefficients of determination (R2) of 0.95 and 0.98 for predicting compressive strength and thermal conductivity, respectively; EPS particle size was the main factor affecting performance, with a contribution rate of 69%, while EPS content also played an important regulatory role, with a contribution rate of 29%. Based on the constructed MOPIA-RA model, it is possible to effectively resolve the multi-objective trade-offs among strength, thermal performance, and cost in EPS concrete and achieve precise mix design. The proposed MOPIA-RA model not only realizes multi-objective optimization among compressive strength, thermal performance, and cost, but also establishes a physics-informed and interpretable methodology for concrete material design. This model provides a scientific basis for the mix-design optimization of EPS concrete.

The aim of this study is to explore the feasibility of coal gangue (CG) fine aggregate replacing natural sand, and realize the resource utilization of solid waste in concrete materials. The coal gangue concrete (CGC) is prepared with the CG replacement of 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 50% and 100%, the influence of CG replacement on the slump, bulk density, compressive strength and pore structure of concrete is analyzed, and the influence mechanism is revealed combining with the scanning electron microscope (SEM), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and X-ray diffractometer (XRD). The results shows that the optimal mechanical property is achieved with 10% CG replacement, which is 10.1% higher than that of the ordinary concrete. The influence mechanism is that it accelerates the hydration reaction of cement, improves the interfacial transition zone (ITZ), increases the harmless pores percentage and reduces the more harmful pores percentage. The research provides theoretical support for the high value utilization of solid waste in mining area.

This study presents a concise two-step protocol that combines the transient fine-wire heating method with the fine-wire comparison method to obtain reproducible thermal-conductivity values for thin porous concrete. Using an axisymmetric analytical solution, a semi-log regression window was defined to satisfy the semi-infinite assumption; for the standard specimen, 30∼100 s of regression yielded 2.13 ± 0.02 W/m⋅K (n = 3). Layered tests on thinly sliced specimens identified a departure point of approximately 100 s for a total thickness of approximately 15 mm, thereby supporting a 30∼80 s analysis window for thin specimens. For concrete with a design strength of 100 MPa, the maximum difference from prior 30 ℃ data for similar mixes was 0.17 W/m⋅K, which is reasonable considering curing and moisture differences. Parametric comparisons showed that conditioning at 57% relative humidity increased conductivity relative to oven drying, whereas the polypropylene fiber dosage did not generate a clear room-temperature effect. This protocol uses simple equipment and short test times, improves reproducibility via an explicitly defined semi-log window and departure point, and is practical for thin concrete and similar porous materials in laboratory and field settings.

This study investigates the optical, structural, and gamma radiation shielding properties of bismuth-doped lithium borosilicate glass composites. Glasses containing 0–20 mol% Bi₂O₃ were synthesized and analyzed using XRD, FTIR, density measurements, and UV–Vis spectroscopy. All samples exhibited an amorphous structure. The density increased markedly from 2.31 g/cm³ (0 mol% Bi₂O₃) to 4.59 g/cm³ (20 mol% Bi₂O₃), accompanied by a molar volume expansion from 27.33 to 31.02 cm³/mol. Optical studies revealed a progressive reduction in the band gap energy from 3.44 eV to 2.39 eV, while the Urbach energy increased from 0.216 eV to 0.488 eV, indicating enhanced structural disorder with Bi₂O₃ incorporation. Gamma attenuation analysis showed a significant improvement in shielding efficiency: at 0.662 MeV, the mass attenuation coefficient reached 9.83 × 10⁻² cm²/g with an effective atomic number up to 22.24, compared to only 7.76 × 10⁻² cm²/g for Portland concrete. Moreover, the half-value layer decreased with Bi₂O₃ loading, confirming improved attenuation performance. These results highlight that bismuth-doped lithium borosilicate glasses are promising lead-free materials for medical and nuclear radiation shielding applications.

Understanding the concept of the cube remains a challenge for elementary school students due to the lack of concrete and contextual learning materials. Abstract learning makes it difficult for students to understand the shape and nature of building spaces. This study aims to analyse the need for developing geometry learning media in the form of pop-up books based on Indonesian Realistic Mathematics Education (PMRI) using cube materials in grade 2 elementary school. The research method used is Design Research. Data collection was conducted through interviews with three mathematics teachers and twenty-four second-grade students of SDN 1 Air Balui in Musi Banyuasin Regency. The analysis of student needs employs closed interviews. In contrast, the analysis of teacher needs utilises semi-structured interviews to gather more in-depth information about the needs and expectations of geometry learning media among grade II students. Data were analysed using qualitative descriptive analysis, employing the Miles and Huberman analysis approach through three stages: data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion. The results show that teachers and students have a high need for visual, manipulative, and integrated learning media to explain the properties of cubes. The percentage analysis indicates very high scores in pedagogical (90–94%), technical (85%), aesthetic (92%), and evaluation aspects (88–90%), while cognitive aspects (77–79%) are categorised as high. These findings suggest that PMRI-based pop-up books have the potential to enhance students' Understanding of concepts by connecting abstract geometric concepts to concrete experiences. The results of this needs analysis are the basis for the development and validation stage of contextual, engaging, and practical geometry learning media for basic education.

Abstract This study experimentally investigates the mechanical behavior of concrete, reinforcing steel, and carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) under low temperature exposure, covering a temperature range from −60 °C to 20 °C. Concrete specimens with various mix proportions and curing conditions were cast to evaluate the effects of temperature on compressive strength, elastic modulus, and compressive strain. Reinforcing steel and CFRP specimens were also tested to assess changes in tensile performance under low-temperature conditions. The results showed that both concrete and reinforcing steel exhibited increases in strength and stiffness as the temperature decreased. In the case of concrete, the rate of increase varied depending on the curing method and mix proportions, while for reinforcing steel, the strength increase remained generally consistent regardless of the nominal bar diameter. In contrast, CFRP demonstrated a reduction in both tensile strength and rupture strain with decreasing temperature. Furthermore, the applicability of existing concrete material models, Popovics and Hognestad models, was evaluated under low-temperature conditions. While both models provided reasonable predictions at room temperature, Popovics model more accurately reflected the mechanical behavior of concrete subjected to cold environments. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the material behavior under cold conditions and provide fundamental insights for future structural design and strengthening strategies considering low temperature exposure.

Directing at the concrete material, a set of freeze–thaw (FT) cycle tests with a temperature range of − 20 °C to 20 °C and FT cycles from 0 to 50 times were carried out in this paper, series of uniaxial and triaxial impact compression tests with high strain rate (about 101 s−1–103 s−1) were completed on the Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB) system, and the dynamic compression strength, failure mode and the influencing rules were analyzed. According to the test results, the rate-dependent expression of concrete strength parameter cohesion was derived based on the unified strength theory and the rate-dependent physical mechanism of concrete strength thermal activation and cohesive coexisting and competing. Through developing the classical static unified strength criterion into a dynamic unified strength criterion, the dynamic triaxial unified strength criterion of concrete under different FT cycles was established, and its correctness and applicability were proved from both the necessity analysis and the experimental verification. On this basis, the influence characteristics of intermediate principal stress effect and strength criterion on the calculation of concrete dynamic compression strength were discussed.

Abstract The use of lightweight concrete is gaining prominence in civil engineering because of its effectiveness in minimizing dead loads. However, the increased reliance on concrete has accelerated the depletion of natural resources, raising environmental concerns. This challenge has led to a growing interest in finding sustainable alternatives within the field of civil engineering. This study focuses on the enhancement of bottom ash (BA) to develop a well-graded version (BAW). It examines the impact of replacing fine aggregates with BAW on the mechanical and thermal characteristics of lightweight concrete. The research experimented with different BAW incorporation levels, ranging from 5 % to 35 % by volume. The results showed a consistent decrease in concrete density with increasing BAW replacement, as well as varying changes in mechanical and thermal performance across the tested range of 0–35 % by volume. Mechanical and thermal properties peaked at 15 % before falling. Compressive strength peaked at 36.7 MPa at 15 % and dropped to 26.9 MPa at 35 %. Flexural strength increased to 2.85 MPa at 15 % and 2.57 MPa at 35 %. Split tensile strength increased to 0.76 MPa at 15 % and decreased to 0.63 MPa at 35 %. Ultrasonic pulse velocity reached a maximum speed of 3.86 km/s at 15 % and 3.18 km/s at 35 %. Thermal conductivity increased to 1.67 W/m·K at 15 % and dropped to 1.06 W/m·K at 35 %. The 15 % BAW level optimizes performance, whereas higher replacement rates increase porosity. These findings indicate that well-graded BA enhances the properties of concrete, offering reliable and sustainable material for use in modern construction.

The flexibility and longevity of reinforced concrete structures are essential issues in civil engineering, especially in regions where there is a tendency for microcracking, carbonation, and the accumulation of pollutants (such as industrial,|oil, coastal and other facilities). This paper describes a new self-healing concrete with embedded microbial photocatalytic capsules to independently and in situ repair cracks, improve mechanical properties, and sequester atmospheric CO2and oxidatively degrade noxious surface contaminants. The capsules proposed are a hybrid bio-photocatalytic composite consisting of Bacillus subtilis spores encapsulated in a silica-based shell that has been modified with nano-titania (TiO2 ) photocatalysts designed to remain stable in high-alkaline cementitious matrices. Once the cracks form, the moisture permeation accelerates the microbial activation process as it rushes into the cracks, precipitating calcium carbonate and plugging them. In contrast, the photocatalytic effect under natural sunlight reduces both the mineralisation of the CO2 and the decay of nitrogen oxides (NO⁎) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) on the bare concrete floor. Based on M40 grade concrete specimens incorporating 5%, 10%, and 15% volume-based capsules, experimental assessments were conducted to evaluate both accelerated crack formation and environmental protection. Mechanical strength gain indicated that the compressive strengths increased by up to 24.5 per cent compared to control samples, and many of the healing efficiencies showed more than 91 per cent in the first 21 days. The CO2 capturing activity was 0.42 g/m2/day with 37.6 per cent pollutant degradation efficiency, averaging under normal daylight exposure. The microstructural studies through SEM and XRD showed that the cracks were all bridged and product deposited in crystalline form as CaCO3 with a photocatalytic surface of TiO2. Microbial photocatalytic capsules in concrete achieve multifunctionality, attempting to extend their service life, minimise maintenance outlays, and satisfy carbon-neutral infrastructure requirements. The study provides a framework for the wide-scale application of self-sustaining concrete materials suited to the environment, thereby meeting global sustainability and climate resilience targets, which may overhaul concrete building construction towards high-performance and low-maintenance civil infrastructure.

Purpose The objective of this study was to establish a technical reliability framework for supplementing concrete with nanoparticles to enhance strength and self-cleaning concrete. The enhancing strength is predicted using the machine learning method of support vector regression (SVR) for self-cleaning concrete. The process was intended to analyze how nanoparticles not only improve the mechanical properties of concretes. The effects of nanoparticles on the ultimate load capacities for two applicable concrete beams applied in building and bridge structures are evaluated by the reliability analysis given by Mont Carlo simulation (MCS). The research mainly aimed at quantifying the effects of nanoparticles on enhancing the safety conditions of beams. Ultimately, the objective is to establish whether nanoparticles can serve high-performance concrete beam structures in terms of enhancing their ultimate conditions. Design/methodology/approach The Mori–Tanaka model was utilized for evaluating the mechanical properties of reinforced concrete, which are applied in the design of beams using ultimate conditions. By using the data provided based on the nanoparticle inputs as physical and mechanical characteristics, including nanoparticle distributions and their interaction effects, the concrete compressive strength is estimated using SVR due to the reduced computational burden of reliability analysis and its accuracy compared to Kriging and response surface models (RSM). The nonlinear performance function extracted by SVR results and theoretical results are extracted for two types of applications of concrete beams. The failure domains of beams are evaluated using the MCS for extracting the reliability index. Findings First, the research evaluated elastic modulus and compressive strength for concrete enhanced by nanoparticles; the nanoparticle levels enhanced the compressive performance of concrete materials. Consequently, it has increased the load capacity of the beam by increasing the nanoparticle value fraction. The concrete comparative strength is accurately simulated using SVR compared to Kriging and RSM. The hybrid reliability analysis showed a capable application in the concrete beam structures enhanced by nanoparticles, increasing initial prices of nanoparticles. Nanoparticles proved beneficial performance-enhancing ultimate load capacity for beams by improving the concrete materials as the elasticity modulus increased about 85%, which provided a significant improvement in performance for enhancing reliability levels. The nanoparticles with 0.01%–0.05 in the bridge beam and 0.01–0.1 in the building beam showed the effective enhancement. The depth of beams is the effective variable to increase the safety levels. The area of bars in compression positions is insensitive factor for bridge beams with simply supported conditions while it significantly improves the reliability index in building beams with clumped supports. Originality/value This study applies the Mori–Tanaka model to considering the nanoparticles reinforced concrete. Using the Mori–Tanaka model, an evidence-based link between the distribution of nanoparticles and performance improvements in the mechanical properties of nanocomposite concrete are established using the SVR model. The ultimate load capacity of reinforcing beams is approximated by a hybrid analytical-artificial intelligence model which is followed by the experimental results. The safety levels of self-cleaning concrete structures enhanced by the nanoparticles are discussed using a hybrid method. The nanoparticles’ effects are investigated using the reliability index of two applicable concrete beams applied in buildings and bridges with self-cleaning properties given by nanoparticles.

The investigation of the moisture behaviour in concrete is crucial for assessing the corrosion risk of reinforcements. In the CRUFI and NAVE projects, literature review on corrosion in concrete was evaluated and various concrete specimens with different chloride contents were investigated and their hygrothermal properties and corrosion behaviour were analysed. Furthermore, a three-stage evaluation procedure for determining corrosion risk in concrete was created. Additionally, material-dependent corrosion maps were created to assess the long-term corrosion behaviour of steel.