Safwan Al-sayed¹, Xi Wang¹, Yijiang Peng^1,*, Esraa Hyarat², Ahmad Ali AlZubi³

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.86, No.3, 2026, DOI:10.32604/cmc.2025.074068 - 12 January 2026

Abstract In modern construction, Lightweight Aggregate Concrete (LWAC) has been recognized as a vital material of concern because of its unique properties, such as reduced density and improved thermal insulation. Despite the extensive knowledge regarding its macroscopic properties, there is a wide knowledge gap in understanding the influence of microscale parameters like aggregate porosity and volume ratio on the mechanical response of LWAC. This study aims to bridge this knowledge gap, spurred by the need to enhance the predictability and applicability of LWAC in various construction environments. With the help of advanced numerical methods, including the… More >

Wu Feng^1,2,*, Tengku Anita Raja Hussin¹, Xu Yang³

Structural Durability & Health Monitoring, Vol.20, No.1, 2026, DOI:10.32604/sdhm.2025.071664 - 08 January 2026

Abstract This study investigates the thermo–mechanical behavior of C40 concrete and reinforced concrete subjected to elevated temperatures up to 700°C by integrating experimental testing and advanced numerical modeling. A temperature-indexed Concrete Damage Plasticity (CDP) framework incorporating bond–slip effects was developed in Abaqus to capture both global stress–strain responses and localized damage evolution. Uniaxial compression tests on thermally exposed cylinders provided residual strength data and failure observations for model calibration and validation. Results demonstrated a distinct two-stage degradation regime: moderate stiffness and strength reduction up to ~400°C, followed by sharp deterioration beyond 500°C–600°C, with residual capacity at… More >

Pengwei Guo¹, Xiao Tan^2,3,*, Yiming Liu⁴

Structural Durability & Health Monitoring, Vol.20, No.1, 2026, DOI:10.32604/sdhm.2025.071317 - 08 January 2026

Abstract Crack detection accuracy in computer vision is often constrained by limited annotated datasets. Although Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) have been applied for data augmentation, they frequently introduce blurs and artifacts. To address this challenge, this study leverages Denoising Diffusion Probabilistic Models (DDPMs) to generate high-quality synthetic crack images, enriching the training set with diverse and structurally consistent samples that enhance the crack segmentation. The proposed framework involves a two-stage pipeline: first, DDPMs are used to synthesize high-fidelity crack images that capture fine structural details. Second, these generated samples are combined with real data to train… More >

Hüseyin Bilgin^*, Bredli Plaku

Structural Durability & Health Monitoring, Vol.20, No.1, 2026, DOI:10.32604/sdhm.2025.071007 - 08 January 2026

Abstract Nonlinear static procedures are widely adopted in structural engineering practice for seismic performance assessment due to their simplicity and computational efficiency. However, their reliability depends heavily on how the nonlinear behaviour of structural components is represented. The recent earthquakes in Albania (2019) and Türkiye (2023) have underscored the need for accurate assessment techniques, particularly for older reinforced concrete buildings with poor detailing. This study quantifies the discrepancies between default and user-defined component modelling in pushover analysis of pre-modern reinforced concrete structures, analysing two representative low- and mid-rise reinforced concrete frame buildings. The lumped plasticity approach… More > Graphic Abstract

Mahmoud Alhashash¹, Abdullah Alariyan², Ameen Mokhles Youns³, Favzi Ghreivati⁴, Ahed Habib^5,*, Maan Habib⁶

Structural Durability & Health Monitoring, Vol.20, No.1, 2026, DOI:10.32604/sdhm.2025.070194 - 08 January 2026

Abstract Concrete production often relies on natural aggregates, which can lead to resource depletion and environmental harm. In addition, improper disposal of thermoplastic waste exacerbates ecological problems. Although significant attention has recently been given to recycling various waste materials into concrete, studies specifically addressing thermoplastic recycled aggregates are still trending. This underscores the need to comprehensively review existing literature, identify research trends, and recognize gaps in understanding the mechanical performance of thermoplastic-based recycled aggregate concrete. Accordingly, this review summarizes recent investigations focused on the mechanical properties of thermoplastic-based recycled aggregate concrete, emphasizing aspects such as compressive… More >

Lei Zheng^1,*, Hong Pan^2,3, Yuelei Ruan^2,4, Guoxin Zhang¹, Lei Zhang^1,*, Jianda Xin¹, Zhenyang Zhu¹, Jianyao Zhang^2,5, Wei Liu¹

CMES-Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences, Vol.145, No.3, pp. 3217-3241, 2025, DOI:10.32604/cmes.2025.074651 - 23 December 2025

Abstract As a critical material in construction engineering, concrete requires accurate prediction of its outlet temperature to ensure structural quality and enhance construction efficiency. This study proposes a novel hybrid prediction method that integrates a heat conduction physical model with a multilayer perceptron (MLP) neural network, dynamically fused via a weighted strategy to achieve high-precision temperature estimation. Experimental results on an independent test set demonstrated the superior performance of the fused model, with a root mean square error (RMSE) of 1.59°C and a mean absolute error (MAE) of 1.23°C, representing a 25.3% RMSE reduction compared to More >

Yassir M. Abbas^1,*, Ammar Babiker², Fouad Ismail Ismail³

CMES-Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences, Vol.145, No.3, pp. 3279-3307, 2025, DOI:10.32604/cmes.2025.074069 - 23 December 2025

Abstract Accurately predicting the compressive strength of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) incorporating supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) remains a critical challenge due to the heterogeneous nature of recycled aggregates (RA) and the complex interactions among multiple binder constituents. This study advances the field by developing the most extensive and rigorously preprocessed database to date, which comprises 1243 RAC mixtures containing silica fume, fly ash, and ground-granulated blast-furnace slag. A hybrid, domain-informed machine-learning framework was then proposed, coupling optimized Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) with civil engineering expertise to capture the complex chemical and microstructural mechanisms that govern RAC… More >

Siwei Zhang, Xiaozhou Xia^*, Xin Gu, Meilin Zong, Qing Zhang^*

CMES-Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences, Vol.145, No.3, pp. 3243-3278, 2025, DOI:10.32604/cmes.2025.073841 - 23 December 2025

Abstract This study presents a coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical-fatigue (THM-F) model, developed based on variational phase-field fatigue theory, to simulate the freeze-thaw (F-T) damage process in concrete. The fracture phase-field model incorporates the F-T fatigue mechanism driven by energy dissipation during the free energy growth stage. Using microscopic inclusion theory, we derive an evolution model of pore size distribution (PSD) for concrete under F-T cycles by treating pore water as columnar inclusions. Drawing upon pore ice crystal theory, calculation models that account for concrete PSD characteristics are established to determine ice saturation, permeability coefficient, and pore pressure. To… More >

Fatemeh Mobasheri¹, Masoud Hosseinpoor^1,*, Ammar Yahia^1,2, Farhad Pourkamali-Anaraki³

CMES-Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences, Vol.145, No.3, pp. 3309-3347, 2025, DOI:10.32604/cmes.2025.072271 - 23 December 2025

Abstract Self-consolidating concrete (SCC) is an important innovation in concrete technology due to its superior properties. However, predicting its compressive strength remains challenging due to variability in its composition and uncertainties in prediction outcomes. This study combines machine learning (ML) models with conformal prediction (CP) to address these issues, offering prediction intervals that quantify uncertainty and reliability. A dataset of over 3000 samples with 17 input variables was used to train four ensemble methods, including Random Forest (RF), Gradient Boosting Regressor (GBR), Extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), and light gradient boosting machine (LGBM), along with CP techniques, More >

Shuoting Xiao^1,*, Nikita Igorevich Fomin¹, Kirill Anatolyevich Khvostunkov², Chong Liu¹

CMES-Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences, Vol.145, No.3, pp. 2821-2847, 2025, DOI:10.32604/cmes.2025.071961 - 23 December 2025

Abstract Precast concrete structures have gained popularity due to their advantages. However, the seismic performance of their connection joints remains an area of ongoing research and improvement. Grouted Sleeve Connection (GSC) offers a solution for connecting reinforcements in precast components, but their vulnerability to internal defects, such as construction errors and material variability, can significantly impact performance. This article presents a finite element analysis (FEA) to evaluate the impact of internal grouting defects in GSC on the structural performance of precast reinforced concrete columns. Four finite element models representing GSC with varying degrees of defects were… More > Graphic Abstract