Strong Connection Research Articles

Do gestures have meaning? An empirical analysis on the gestures performed by Fidel Castro at the United Nations

In everyday conversations, there are said to be unconscious meanings that we convey through our body. For example, if a story is being told, our hands move according to the message, following a rhythm and forming shapes that we are unaware of. According to McNeill (1992), gestures are a form of language different from speech, but even though they have been regarded as individual entities, they are, in fact, parallel and work in synch with each other. This is the scope of the analysis of gestures. In the following paper, the objective was to test whether there is an association between gestures and meaning. Consequently, the gestures of former Cuban president, Fidel Castro, were extracted and analyzed from his intervention at the United Nations in 1979. The process of annotation was carried out on the program ELAN, based on a series of categories: the type of gesture and topic, the position and movement of both arms and hands as well as the orientation. Additionally, a series of quantitative and qualitative analysis were performed through the statistical program R. A Chi-squared test showed a significant relationship between the type of gestures and the topics which was further corroborated through a conditional inference tree and a multiple correspondence analysis, reaffirming the idea that these are form-meaning pairs. Moreover, there was a strong connection between the type of gesture and arm movement, suggesting that this is due to the intention of the message while the orientation of the hand was a clear indicator of arm movement.

Measuring Minds: How Scientists Study How People Understand Others

In this article, we explore the science of understanding others’ minds. Specifically, we discuss how scientists try to study the processes of understanding the thoughts and feelings of other people (known as mentalizing) and of sharing other people’s emotions (known as empathizing). Understanding others is important because it helps people to build strong social connections with their friends, family, and people in their community. However, when people struggle with understanding others it might negatively impact their mental health or cause difficulties in their daily lives. Scientists are working hard to measure how people understand others—in the laboratory and in the real world. They use questionnaires and tests, observe people, track behaviors with mobile phones, and even image the brain. We will describe these methods and discuss how researching the understanding of others might help improve the lives of young people like you.

Self-harming behaviours and social support among a sample of young men in Belfast, Northern Ireland

Abstract Background Psychiatric morbidity is substantially higher in Northern Ireland (NI) than in peer nations and men are disproportionately represented in suicide mortality data, particularly at early adulthood and middle age. To better scale interventions to reduce morbidity and mortality among young men, a mixed-methods study was conducted combining interviews and validated quantitative tools. Methods A non-random community sample of 30 working-class young men in Belfast aged 16-19 was recruited via organisations focused on job training, restorative justice, and youth work. Participants completed the Self-Harm Inventory and a semi-structured interview. Analyses were completed in NVivo and RStudio. Results The prevalence of self-harm was more than 8 times higher than for the general population of adolescents in NI, with 83.3% reporting ever engaging in self-harm. Only 2 of the 28 participants reported making a suicide attempt and most injuries were minor, suggesting nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) represented almost all injuries. Although the sample had a higher risk profile than the general population-with high levels of trauma, substance use, and socioeconomic deprivation-participants also endorsed strong social connections to friends, family, and community. While many expressed concerns about sharing their own emotional distress, almost all reported that disclosures are important to avert poor mental health and shared times when they or friends sought support. Conclusions Although there was a high prevalence of NSSI in the sample, the low prevalence of suicide attempts may be associated with the high levels of protective social connections reported by participants. Gender-based concerns regarding emotional support were common, but there was also strong endorsement for the importance of seeking support from trusted relationships. This suggests that there may be an appetite for male role models to provide education around the “bravery” of help-seeking. Key messages • Prevalence of nonsuicidal self-injury may be substantially more elevated in some populations of adolescent males. • Gender-based concerns continue to act as a barrier to young men sharing their emotional distress with trusted individuals.

Bridging the Skills Gap Through Education Supply Chain to Meet Industry Requirements

In Bangladesh, a persistent mismatch exists between the skills fresh graduates possess and the competencies demanded by employers. This gap affects graduate employability and hampers economic growth. This article explores how key components— Program Curriculum Development (PCD), Instructor Portfolio Management (IPM), University Culture and Networking Platform (UCN), and University Facilities (UF)—can collectively address this issue. By integrating these elements into the educational supply chain, universities can produce skilled graduates who are better equipped to meet industry needs. The proposed framework offers a comprehensive approach to align academic outputs with labor market demands. The study highlights the importance of adapting curricula, engaging industry professionals in teaching, fostering strong university-industry connections, and investing in modern facilities to close the skills gap. This holistic approach ensures that graduates are employable, contributing to national development and societal betterment. The article concludes by emphasizing the need for further research on technological advancements and policy reforms to enhance higher education in Bangladesh.

Individual happiness and well-being as a strategy to increase productivity

This research aims to examine the role of happiness and well-being as key factors in enhancing individual productivity. With the growing body of research on mental health and well-being, a new understanding has emerged regarding the strong connection between emotional well-being and productive performance. Through a literature review, this study identifies and analyzes various empirical studies that explore the impact of happiness and well-being on productivity in different contexts, both in the workplace and in everyday life. The review process employed a systematic literature review method, with inclusion criteria encompassing studies published within the last four years and written in English or Indonesian. The findings indicate that happiness and well-being not only contribute to improved performance but also play a pivotal role in fostering an environment that supports sustainable productivity growth.

Exploring the Impact of Values Education on Sustainable Environmental Awareness and Behavior Among Eighth-Grade Students

Education plays a crucial role in fostering numerous established and sustainable behaviors in individuals. Among these behaviors, environmental awareness is particularly important because of its significant sociological impact. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of values education on environmental awareness and pro-environmental behavior. This study employs a mixed-method approach, combining both quantitative and qualitative research methods. The quantitative part of this research consists of 225 eighth-grade students and the qualitative part consists of six Turkish teachers. As a result of the quantitative analysis, it was found that the environmental attitude levels of the middle school students participating in this study were at a high level. In the qualitative analysis, it was found that the teachers participating in this study established a strong connection between mother tongue education, values education, and environmental education. The outcomes from the qualitative and quantitative analysis were discussed in depth and compared with the results previously presented in the literature. Additionally, the findings of this study indicated opportunities for future research as presented in the Discussion Section.

Experimental study on recycling rubber to increase the impact resistance of cement mortar

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a surge in medical waste generation, posing hazards to both the environment and global health. The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic’s medical waste hazard may persist long after the pandemic itself subsides. Improper disposal of medical waste can contaminate environment, posing risks to ecosystems and public health. Discarded medical rubber gloves, for example, can become a source of infection, improper disposal of these gloves can escalate the spread of infectious diseases and increase the risk of transmission of the virus to the general public. This study proposes an innovative and sustainable method to reinforce cement mortar by adding recycled glove rubber as an additive to cement mortar to increase its resistance to impact loads. This study conducted uniaxial compression tests, separating hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) experiments and SEM observations to evaluate the quasi-static compressive strength and dynamic stress of recycled rubber fiber mortar (RRFM) with varying recycled rubber fiber (RRF) contents (0, 1%, 2%, 3%). Strain curves, dynamic increase factor (DIF), energy absorption rules, failure modes, and microstructure of RRFM mixtures. The experimental results demonstrate that with the addition of RRF, the dynamic stress-strain curve flattens and the peak strain gradually increases. The RRFM sample shows stronger toughness. In comparison to regular cement mortar (NM), RRFM has a higher DIF and specific absorbed energy, a faster increase in dynamic compressive strength, and the ability to absorb more energy per unit volume. Under the same impact load, RRFM has fewer and smaller cracks than NM. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) testing also observed that RRF formed a strong connection pattern with the cement mortar matrix.

Religious savior-centered psychotherapy for depression: a focus on women’s well-being

ABSTRACT This study explores the effectiveness of Religious Savior-Centered Psychotherapy (RSCP) in treating depression in religious women. RSCP is a therapeutic approach that integrates Islamic teachings, particularly the concept of a Savior, with cognitive and behavioral strategies to address mental health challenges. Unlike traditional therapy models, RSCP emphasizes spiritual healing by fostering a strong connection to faith and a hopeful outlook for the future. The study aims to assess RSCP’s impact on depression in women by aligning with Islamic teachings and emphasizing positive future expectations. A pretest-posttest design with a two-month follow-up was employed to evaluate the effects of RSCP. The study included 70 women aged 18–60 from five counseling clinics in Tehran, all diagnosed with mild to moderate depression, and having expressed a belief in a Savior. MANCOVA was used to analyze the data, ensuring assumptions of normality and homogeneity of variances were met. MANCOVA results indicated a significant linear correlation between the treatment and depression levels (p < .05), with a large effect size (partial η2 = .61 for posttest and .54 for follow-up). Initial findings suggest RSCP’s potential benefit on mental well-being. RSCP has the potential to be integrated into existing mental health frameworks as a culturally sensitive option, particularly for Muslim women seeking faith-based approaches to mental health care. Future research with larger samples, randomized controlled trials, and longitudinal studies is needed to explore the effectiveness of this new positive psychotherapy approach.

Socio-Economic Determinants of Human Negligence in Wildfire Incidence: A Case Study from Pakistan’s Peri-Urban and Rural Areas

This study aims to examine the socio-economic determinants of human negligence in wildfire occurrences across Pakistan’s peri-urban and rural regions. Increasingly frequent and severe wildfires, driven by climate change, socio-economic conditions, and human negligence, have become a pressing issue. Rising global temperatures and changing precipitation patterns have created drier conditions, while unsafe human activities—such as improper disposal of flammable materials and unsafe agricultural burning—further escalate wildfire risks. These issues are particularly pronounced in Pakistan, where high poverty levels, limited resources, and low education contribute to dangerous behaviors. Weak governance and poor policy enforcement further exacerbate the problem. Data were collected using a cross-sectional survey from 500 participants across five regions. Multiple regression analysis revealed that higher poverty levels significantly increased negligence, whereas higher education and improved access to resources reduced it. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) highlighted the critical roles of local governance, policy enforcement, and community engagement in mitigating wildfires. Correlation analysis indicated an inverse relationship between wildfire risk awareness and negligent behavior. Chi-square tests demonstrated a strong connection between wildfires and migration patterns, underscoring the socio-economic instability caused by these events. Finally, linear regression showed that wildfires significantly impact regional climate indicators, emphasizing the need for integrated management strategies. This study offers valuable insights into the socio-economic factors driving wildfires in Pakistan and provides guidance for developing targeted mitigation strategies.

Public Sector Audit Reforms and Financial Management

Developing economies across the world face high public corruption and weak financial management, and the role of sound audit practices in shaping the narratives is still at the exploring stage in most countries in sub-Saharan Africa. This research explores the nexus between public audit reforms and public sector financial management using survey research design and Nigeria as a case study. Participants in the study were drawn from The Office of the Auditor General of the Federation (OAuGF) Headquarter in Abuja. Agency theory anchored this study and simple descriptive analytics was used in testing the seven hypotheses. The research established that: the recent audit reforms carried out in Nigeria are considered necessary for better public sector financial management; Nigeria’s audit system has a strong connection with public sector financial management; there is a need for the establishment of Federal Audit Service Commission (FASC) in Nigeria; the recent audit reforms will block treasury loot and leakages in Nigerian public funds management; Nigeria needs effective audit laws to wholesomely fight corruption through recent audit reforms; and the recent Nigerian audit reforms embrace integrity, transparency and accountability in the management of public funds. The study makes the following recommendations: there is a need for audit staff orientation and professional development in order to promote their overall productivity and efficiency; there is a need for the establishment of Federal Audit Service Commission (FASC) in order to promote the independence of Nigerian Audit system from executive interferences; Nigeria audit laws should be strengthened to curtail fund leakages, wastages of public property, and promotion of value-for-money expenditures; and the recent audit reforms carried out by the government of Nigeria should be sustained and given all necessary supports in order to achieve the desired results.

Teacher‐Student Rapport: An Essential Mediator in Creating a Learning Climate Conducive to Psychological Well‐Being of Chinese Students

ABSTRACTThe success of students is closely tied to their well‐being and those students with high degrees of well‐being are more likely to excel in academic environments. Accordingly, the internal and external factors that cause positive changes in students' mental states and lead them to higher levels of psychological well‐being (PWB) need to be divulged. In response to this necessity, many scholars have explored the internal and external predictors of students' PWB such as teacher–student rapport (TSR) and learning climate in different educational domains. To narrow these gaps, this research inspects the role of TSR as a mediator in creating a learning climate conducive to PWB of Chinese Students. To do so, three scales were given to 588 Chinese students, among them 560 were valid. Then, structural equation modelling (SEM) was performed to analyse participants' answers. The results disclosed strong and close connections between TSR, learning climate and students' PWB. The results also uncovered that TSR was a significant mediator between learning climate and PWB. The outcomes of this investigation might be illuminating for teachers, teacher trainers and educational managers.

Phenomenological study: Spiritual life of older adults

Purpose: As getting older, individuals may face various physical, mental, and social challenges that are a natural part of life. In recent times, an increasing number of individuals have been exploring the potential benefits of spirituality in enhancing the overall quality of life and well-being for older adults. Spirituality can take on many forms, including religious beliefs, the pursuit of purpose and significance, and the comprehension of faith, among other areas. This research aims to thoroughly examine and uncover the spiritual practices and beliefs of older adults residing in East Java, Indonesia. Method: This study involved qualitative research using a phenomenological methodology to gather data from ten older adults (60-90 years old) living at home in Malang Raya, Jawa Timur Provinces, Indonesia. Data was gathered through in-depth interviews and observations which were analyzed using Colaizzi's phenomenological methodology. A total of 10 questions were asked in the interviews. Result: After conducting research, it was discovered that the spiritual experiences of older adult Indonesians could be categorized into eight distinct areas, which could be further grouped into two major themes and three minor themes. The two major themes were the recognition of an invisible power during the aging process and the importance of building a strong connection with God. Conclusion: The spiritual life of senior citizens is a significant source of strength and fortitude, providing them with the necessary resilience to face the physical and mental challenges that come with transcendence. It is essential to recognize the transformative nature of a strong spiritual foundation, which can uplift and empower older adults to overcome the difficulties that may arise in the later stages of life.

The power of play: uncovering the hidden impact of sport events on communities

ABSTRACT Sport tourism, despite being recognized as an effective activity for facilitating recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, primarily emphasizes benefits related to economic aspects based on current research findings. However, the impacts of sports events extend beyond financial benefits, to various community benefits such as building community cohesion, fostering civic pride, and promoting progressive values. The perceptions of residents within hosting communities also significantly impact the success of these events, yet there are limited empirical studies. To address this research gap, this study aims to investigate the socio-psychological impacts of sports event hosting to address this gap. By introducing a theoretical framework and validating it empirically using 589 responses from a survey conducted among residents in the City of London, Canada, this study sheds light on the indirect relationship between psychic income and quality of life through an SEM analysis. Additionally, psychic income was found to have a significant influence on active support, indicating that residents who possess a strong emotional connection to the sports event are more likely to offer robust support. Ultimately, this study supports managers in the sport-hosting communities to obtain better resources and provide empirical measurements for the social impacts of the sport hosting, guiding hosts to engage fully with their communities.

Recent Advances in Tribology: A Review

In the last decade, there has been immense growth in research activities related to tribology. Tribology can have a big impact on the needs of industries to reduce losses and waste by developing new tribological components and materials. Hence, there is a strong connection between tribology and the fourth industrial revolution, i.e., industry 4.0. Tribology is a multidisciplinary field, and the results of research in the field of tribology are widely spread among various disciplines. This review paper briefs the recent advances in various research areas in tribology covering surface engineering, wear and lubrication. The main objective of this review is to summarize the new aspects in the field of tribology, like the numerical techniques of lubrication to model new lubrication schemes, solid superlubricity, superlubricity at the microscopic scale, superlubricity with coating and new 2D materials. The direction for future research in the field has been highlighted. The paper will be beneficial for researchers working in the field of tribology.

The Public Interest in the Digital Age: Exploring the Emerging Roles and Governance Models of the AI as a Common Good

With the continuous development of artificial intelligence, we are living through the era of digital transformation, and the fourth Industrial Revolution is a paradigm change with unprecedented speed, scale, scope and complexity, and is fundamentally transforming production, consumption and society as a whole. As the basic unit of public management research, data has established a strong connection between the promotion of digital revolution and the change of public management research paradigm. The rise of AI technologies has enhanced AI governance and brought unprecedented help to policymakers. This study has used a cross-sectional quantitative design to capture perception and attitude towards AI as common good from a sample of 400 Chinese responders coming from diverse age, group and occupation categories. The key factors which measured were public awareness of AIGC, the extent of its utilization in government policy, public attitudes toward AIGC, and public participation in policy development. The findings indicated that public understanding and trust are paramount to successfully integrate Ai as common good in governance framework. Public enthusiasm and participations are highly affected by trust and public understanding. To deliver policies without much resistance, heightened awareness, participations and trust becomes essential.

Hopfian wreath products and the stable finiteness conjecture

We study the Hopf property for wreath products of finitely generated groups, focusing on the case of an abelian base group. Our main result establishes a strong connection between this problem and Kaplansky’s stable finiteness conjecture. Namely, the latter holds true if and only if for every finitely generated abelian group A and every finitely generated Hopfian group Γ\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\Gamma $$\\end{document} the wreath product A≀Γ\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$A \\wr \\Gamma $$\\end{document} is Hopfian. In fact, we characterize precisely when A≀Γ\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$A \\wr \\Gamma $$\\end{document} is Hopfian, in terms of the existence of one-sided units in certain matrix algebras over Fp[Γ]\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$${\\mathbb {F}}_p[\\Gamma ]$$\\end{document}, for every prime p occurring as the order of some element in A. A tool in our arguments is the fact that fields of positive characteristic locally embed into matrix algebras over Fp\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\mathbb {F}_p$$\\end{document} thus reducing the stable finiteness conjecture to the case of Fp\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\mathbb {F}_p$$\\end{document}. A further application of this result shows that the validity of Kaplansky’s stable finiteness conjecture is equivalent to a version of Gottschalk’s surjunctivity conjecture for additive cellular automata.

Investigating the Impact of Environmental Education on Improving the Environmental Awareness of Elementary School Students

Environmental education programs not only broaden children’s knowledge but also enhance their environmental awareness. This research aims to determine the extent to which environmental education improves the environmental awareness of elementary school students. In addition to reviewing existing studies, this research employs a questionnaire method to gather data. It also examines the effectiveness of using questionnaires to evaluate children’s environmental awareness. The findings indicate that the efforts of environmentalists and school environmental education instructors positively influence children. Students demonstrate a strong connection to nature, their local geography, and the environment. They also gain substantial, accurate information about the environment and its unique characteristics. However, assessing the level of environmental awareness among children solely based on school education programs is challenging. Comparing schools with and without environmental education programs could provide more meaningful insights. This study investigates the impact of environmental education on enhancing primary school students’ environmental awareness through the use of questionnaires. The results reveal that regular exposure to nature, combined with educational programs, positively affects children’s understanding of and commitment to nature conservation. DOI: https://doi.org/10.52783/pst.929

Social network size and endorsement of political violence in the US

BackgroundIn recent years, the United States (US) has witnessed a rise in political violence. Prior research has found that an individual’s social network is associated with their likelihood of engaging in various forms of violence, but research on social networks and political violence in the US context is limited. This study examined associations between social network size and endorsement of political violence in a recent nationally representative survey and explored how the relationship varied by use of social media as a major news source, perceptions of the government as an enemy, and membership in a marginalized or privileged racial or ethnic group.MethodsThis was a nationally representative cross-sectional survey study of adults aged 18 and older in the US, administered from May 13-June 2, 2022. The exposure was social network size, defined by the number of strong social connections. We examined three violence-related outcomes: support for non-political violence, support for political violence, and personal willingness to engage in political violence. We estimated prevalence ratios for associations using survey-weighted Poisson regression with robust standard errors, adjusting for hypothesized confounders and including interaction terms to examine effect measure modification.ResultsThe sample included 8,620 respondents. Median age was 48.4 years (95% CI = 47.9–48.8), 51.5% were female (95% CI = 50.4–52.7%), and 62.7% self-identified as non-Hispanic White (95% CI = 61.4–65.9%). In adjusted models, those with zero strong connections were more likely than those with 1–4 strong social connections to consider political violence usually/always justified in general (PR = 2.43, 95% CI = 1.47–4.01). Those with 50 + strong connections were more likely than those with 1–4 strong social connections to consider political violence usually/always justified in at least one situation (PR = 1.19, 95% CI = 1.03–1.37) and were more likely to report being willing to personally use political violence (PR = 1.52, 95% CI = 1.13–2.04). Associations varied somewhat by social media use, perceptions of the government as an enemy, and racialized identity.ConclusionsIndividuals who reported very few and very many strong social connections were more likely than others to support political violence or be personally willing to engage in it in one form or another. Findings point toward potential intervention and prevention opportunities.

Depth-dependent study of time-reversal symmetry-breaking in the kagome superconductor AV3Sb5

The breaking of time-reversal symmetry (TRS) in the normal state of kagome superconductors AV3Sb5 stands out as a significant feature, but its tunability is unexplored. Using low-energy muon spin rotation and local field numerical analysis, we study TRS breaking as a function of depth in single crystals of RbV3Sb5 (with charge order) and Cs(V0.86Ta0.14)3Sb5 (without charge order). In the bulk of RbV3Sb5 (>33 nm from the surface), we observed an increase in the internal magnetic field width in the charge-ordered state. Near the surface (<33 nm), the muon spin relaxation rate is significantly enhanced and this effect commences at temperatures significantly higher than the onset of charge order. In contrast, no similar field width enhancement was detected in Cs(V0.86Ta0.14)3Sb5, either in the bulk or near the surface. These observations indicate a strong connection between charge order and TRS breaking and suggest that TRS breaking can occur prior to long-range charge order.

Numerical analysis of FRP retrofitting in RC beam-column exterior joints at high temperatures and predictive modeling using artificial neural networks

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to perform a numerical analysis of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) retrofitting in reinforced concrete (RC) joints at high temperatures and predict models using artificial neural networks (ANN). The aim was to gain insights into their structural behavior across a range of loading conditions from room temperature to 800°C. Additionally, the research assessed the efficiency of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP), glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) and aramid fiber reinforced polymer (AFRP) strengthening in enhancing the structural performance of the critical sections.Design/methodology/approachThe linear numerical simulations were conducted to evaluate the performance of RC beam-column joints using finite element modelling (FEM) analysis. The ANN model demonstrated exceptional effectiveness in predicting the stiffness of frames with openings, establishing itself as the premier machine learning algorithm for frame stiffness estimation. In the conventional model, 300°C was proven to be an effective temperature approach. Subsequently, maintaining a constant temperature of 300°C, an in-depth analysis of nearly 30 models of three retrofitting techniques was conducted under thermomechanical loading.FindingsThe CFRP retrofits yielded 15% less deflection and 30% more stress than the remaining FRPs, and the ANN models predicted the deflection, main stresses, bending moment and shear force. The ANN model results were compared with those of other frequently used models. The R thresholds (R = 0.954, 0.981, 0.986, 0.968, 0.978 and 0.936) for training, testing and validation indicated that the ANN model achieved data variability. The findings indicate that the ANN model is more accurate because of the strong connection between the numerical model and the prediction.Originality/valueTo identify the pinpoint of critical segments within the rehabilitation section and determine the most effective wrapping method among the three laminates.