Pavlo Bekhta^1,2,*, Iryna Lytvyn¹

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.14, No.5, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2026.02026-0035 - 28 May 2026

Abstract The modification of melamine–urea–formaldehyde (MUF) adhesives with lignosulfonates (LS) represents a promising strategy for developing more sustainable wood-based panels. However, the influence of the counterion type remains poorly understood. In this study, the effect of lignosulfonate counterions on adhesives performance and properties of MUF-bonded particleboards was investigated, with a focus on sodium (NaLS) and magnesium (MgLS) lignosulfonates incorporated at 2.5%, 5.0%, and 7.5%. Adhesives performance was characterized by measuring dry solids content, dynamic viscosity, gelation time, and pH. The produced particleboards were evaluated in terms of density, bending strength, modulus of elasticity, internal bond strength… More > Graphic Abstract

Arslan Qayyum Khan¹, Muhammad Dawood Rasheed², Muhammad Huzaifa Naveed², Amorn Pimanmas^3,*

CMES-Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences, Vol.147, No.2, 2026, DOI:10.32604/cmes.2026.083654 - 27 May 2026

Abstract The construction industry’s substantial carbon footprint, primarily attributed to the production of Ordinary Portland Cement, necessitates a transition toward more sustainable alternatives. Geopolymer concrete (GPC), an innovative binder synthesized from industrial by-products like fly ash (FA), offers a promising low-carbon solution but is hindered by performance variability and a lack of standardized design protocols. This research addresses this critical barrier by developing robust predictive models for the compressive strength of FA-based GPC. Six machine learning algorithms, including Bagging, Categorical Boosting (CatBoost), K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN), LightGBM, Random Forest Regressor (RFR), and eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), were… More >

Quynh-Anh Thi Bui^1,*, Son Hoang Trinh¹, Maryam Sayadi², Reza Khanali³

CMES-Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences, Vol.147, No.2, 2026, DOI:10.32604/cmes.2026.081794 - 27 May 2026

Abstract Geopolymer concrete has attracted increasing attention as a lower-carbon alternative to ordinary Portland cement concrete because it can utilize aluminosilicate-rich industrial by-products while still achieving satisfactory mechanical performance. However, the 28-day compressive strength of steel fiber-reinforced geopolymer concrete (SFGPC) is governed by multiple interacting mixture variables, which makes reliable prediction difficult, especially for medium-sized experimental datasets. This study developed an interpretable deep-learning framework to predict the 28-day compressive strength (CS28) of SFGPC using an original experimental dataset of 189 mixtures produced under a consistent laboratory protocol in Vietnam. The dataset covered nine mixture variables, including… More >

Zixuan Zong¹, Tingting Long¹, Huaqing Dong^1,*, Guoqiang Huang¹, Xiao Meng¹, Mohammadamin Azimi²

Structural Durability & Health Monitoring, Vol.20, No.3, 2026, DOI:10.32604/sdhm.2026.077489 - 18 May 2026

Abstract This paper proposes a novel approach for predicting the residual strength of corroded pipelines by combining the Kernel Extreme Learning Machine (KELM) with Sparrow Search Algorithm (SSA) optimization. The proposed SSA-KELM model addresses the limitations of traditional evaluation methods and single machine learning models in residual strength prediction. A dataset comprising 80 samples from burst tests and finite element simulations was used to validate the model. Results demonstrate that the SSA-KELM model achieves superior prediction accuracy with a maximum relative error of 13.54% and minimum relative error of 0.20%. The model’s mean absolute error (MAE), More >

Mustapha Hatoum¹, Alessandro P. Fantilli^1,*, Bernardino Chiaia¹, Georgios Kalamaras²

Structural Durability & Health Monitoring, Vol.20, No.3, 2026, DOI:10.32604/sdhm.2026.076141 - 18 May 2026

Abstract This study investigates the contribution of fibers to the durability of reinforced concrete tunnel linings. Two cast-in-situ tunnels are herein analyzed after twenty years of service. Tunnel #1, made with plain concrete and steel rebar, has shown significant spalling at joints between two consecutive tunnel panels, caused by poor workmanship and construction details. Conversely, in Tunnel #2, close to Tunnel #1 on the same motorway, fiber-reinforced concrete (FRC) was used in combination with steel rebar. During the service life, the amount of FRC spalled from the cold joints of this lining has been significantly lower than More >

Radha Krishna Mallik¹, Gokarna Bahadur Motra¹, Krishna Shrestha^2,3,*

Structural Durability & Health Monitoring, Vol.20, No.3, 2026, DOI:10.32604/sdhm.2025.075535 - 18 May 2026

Abstract The study proposes a low-cost friction damper designed to enhance the seismic performance of buildings, particularly in regions where existing structures lack adequate seismic resistance and conventional friction dampers are cost-prohibitive or require specialized fabrication. Friction dampers are displacement-controlled devices that dissipate energy through constant slip-force action and relative displacement between attachment points, typically ensuring elastic structural behavior under Design Basis Earthquake (DBE) demands and controlled yielding under Maximum Considered Earthquake (MCE) conditions. To address limitations in current practice, the proposed device integrates the damping mechanism of vehicle leaf-spring suspension systems with rotational plate friction… More >

Xixi Chu¹, Run Guo¹, Yujin Wang^2,*, Zhong Li³

Journal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.2, pp. 153-159, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.072738 - 29 April 2026

Abstract Bootleg innovation serves as a vital supplement to routine innovation, yet strengths-based leadership mechanisms driving such informal behavior remain underexplored. This study examined the mediation mechanism of growth need strength, as well as the boundary condition set by work centrality, in the association between strengths-based leadership and bootleg innovation. We employed a time-lagged design across two waves to gather data from 375 employees within the technology sector (Wave 1, n = 583; Wave 2, n = 425). The final sample consisted of 47.5% males, with 67.7% aged between 30 and 40. Hierarchical regression results found More >

Mataanana Mulavu^1,*, Dana Seale², J. Paul Seale³, Sion K. Harris⁴, Tulani Francis L. Matenga¹, Mwitwa Mugode¹, Shimeo Sakanya¹, Jonathan M. Tirrell⁵, Phillip Chimponda⁶, Wilbroad Mutale⁷, Mutale Sampa⁸, Oliver Mweemba¹

Journal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.2, pp. 219-230, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.071580 - 29 April 2026

Abstract Unhealthy substance use is high among adolescents and young people in Zambia. Conceivably, a character strength approach could help reduce alcohol and other psychoactive substance use among young adults. We tested the efficacy of a positive psychology based group-based character strengths prevention and recovery program for alcohol risk reduction among Zambian young adults. The primary study participants included schoolchildren and community members. We conducted 8 focus group discussions (FGDs) with school students (aged 13 to 17) and community youth (ages 18–24), 12 FGDs with parents, teachers, family, friends, and group leaders. Moreover, we conducted 8… More >

Ros Syazmini Mohd Ghani^1,2,3,*, Mohamad Saiful Sulaiman^1,2,3, Sofiyah Mohd Razali^2,4, Madihan Yusof², Ellisha Iling^1,2,3

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.14, No.4, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2025.02025-0174 - 24 April 2026

Abstract The increasing demand for sustainable construction materials has driven research into non-wood biomass for engineered composites. This study reports the preliminary fabrication and evaluation of cross-laminated panels (CLPs) made from Nipah palm (Nypa fruticans) petioles bonded with a bio-epoxy resin adhesive. Panels were manufactured at three target densities (400, 600, and 800 kg/m³) and evaluated for their physical, mechanical, and microstructural properties. Physical tests included moisture content, water absorption, and thickness swelling, while mechanical tests measured compressive and flexural strength in accordance with JIS A 5908:2022 and ASTM D1037 standards. The results showed that higher panel density More > Graphic Abstract

Wei Kang^1,*, Juan Jin²

Chalcogenide Letters, Vol.23, No.3, 2026, DOI:10.32604/cl.2026.077859 - 03 April 2026

Abstract A sulfate–chloride electrolyte was used to deposit alloy layers on AISI 1018 coupons while co-introducing ZnS nanoparticles (5–20 g/L) to tune microstructure and durability under combined saline exposure and dry sliding. Cross-sectional SEM confirmed continuous deposits of ~24–26 μm, and XRD indicated γ-phase dominance with pronounced grain refinement: crystallite size decreased from 42 ± 3 nm (particle-free) to 28 ± 2 nm at 15 g/L. In 3.5 wt% NaCl, polarization data showed a progressive ennoblement of E_corr from −1.032 to −0.981 V (vs. SCE) together with a reduction of i_corr from 8.47 to 1.82 μA/cm² at 15… More >