Sustainability, Agri, Food and Environmental Research-DISCONTINUED

Numerical analysis of 3d truss bridge using ANSYS

Basma Anwar — 2023-12-07

Trusses are typically lighter and more cost-effective than alternative structural support systems and are used in a variety of structures including vehicle frames, mechanical equipment, buildings, bridges, and towers. A truss structure takes advantage of the inherent geometric stability of the triangle to evenly distribute weight and to handle changing tension and compression. This project deals with the analysis of a 3D truss bridge which is proposed to be constructed connecting the two platforms of the Tripunithura railway station, with three different deck materials glass fibre reinforced concrete (GFRC), concrete and steel. Analysis and design of the proposed structure is carried out using ANSYS (Workbench) 2022 R2 software. ANSYS is an analysing software that is used for mechanical product designs and civil structure designs. It uses computer based numerical techniques to solve problems. This software helps to engineer and design complex, highly nonlinear and large models. It enables to design and manage 3D structures in steel, concrete and glass fibre reinforced concrete (GFRC). Structural performance of 3D truss bridges with three different deck material in terms of axial force, shear stress and deformation are compared in order to find which combination of materials will give better performances. Dynamic analysis is performed to examine the frequency and
modes of vibrations caused by the movement of trains.

Impact of orientation, aspect ratio, WWR on natural ventilation of non-high-rise residential building in a warm-humid climate

Krithigadevi V — 2023-12-07

Due to urbanization and population growth, cities are developing their infrastructure to accommodate everyone moving to metropolitan areas. As a result, the local government's planning and development regulations for buildings are increasingly emphasizing built-up areas, which raises building density. These building development rules have yet to consider the natural ventilation potential. External obstruction, especially surrounding buildings, will have a more significant impact on natural ventilation. This study investigates the effect of the factors such as orientation, canyon aspect ratio, and WWR of the building on the natural ventilation potential inside the building. The residential complex, constructed based on the Tamil Nadu Combined
Development and Building Rules, 2019 (TNCDBR), is selected to study natural ventilation. Parameters like air temperature,
relative humidity, and wind speed are measured on-site and analyzed. The aim is to Evaluate the natural ventilation in the
residential cluster compared with the comfort ventilation standards of NBC. Results indicated the impact of the building's orientation, WWR, and aspect ratio. The findings of this study intended to increase the understanding of natural ventilation potential in residential buildings and thus provide information for urban planning and building design.

Performance evaluation of Alccofine stabilised Marine clay as subgrade

Tania Rose Jelton — 2023-12-07

Soil stabilization is a remedial measure that reduces permeability and compressibility, increases bearing capacity and shear strength of soil mass, which helps in reducing the settlement of structures. Marine clay is one of the major regional soil deposits in India, widely found in offshore and coastal areas. This is a type of low strength soft clay which majorly causes failure in pavements and foundation structures due to high settlements and low strength characteristics. The scope of this project is to improve the strength of marine clay by stabilizing it with alccofine. The work includes determination of index properties of marine clay by Hydrometer method, Atterberg’s test, Specific Gravity test, Free Swell test. The engineering properties of both virgin soil and soil stabilized with 3%, 6%, and 9% of alccofine are determined by various tests such as Standard Proctor test, California Bearing Ratio test. On the basis of CBR test, the optimum percentage of alccofine in marine clay is found out to be 6%.

Assessment of acoustic comfort in a hostel building inside an educational campus

Pavithra Raj J S — 2023-12-07

In the contemporary built environment, noise has emerged as one of the most pervasive and pressing issues across all building typologies. However, in recent times, an enhanced cognizance of the adverse impacts of noise pollution on human health has taken root. Specifically, within educational campuses, hostels, as the primary abode for most students, have been identified as sites where the assurance of indoor acoustic comfort is critical to bolster productive endeavors. However, the assessment of indoor acoustic comfort remains a less researched facet of indoor environmental quality. As a response to this knowledge lacuna, our research puts forth an innovative methodology that facilitates the assessment of the acoustic comfort of hostel buildings while meticulously analyzing the factors that impact the occupants' acoustic comfort. A case study hostel at the NIT Trichy campus has been selected, and two rooms from the same hostel block have been identified for further examination. The outdoor sound level is gauged at 2 meters from the facade, while the indoor sound level is assessed at the center of each room.
Additionally, the reverberation time is measured in both rooms using the Bedrock SM 30 class -2 sound level meter. The collated data has been processed, and the results have been obtained. Furthermore, the methodology, as proposed by Project New TREND, has been employed to assign an acoustic class for each room. Room 1 has been categorized under class B, with a KPI of 4 points, while Room 2 has been allocated to class C, with a KPI of 3 points. This research posits a novel methodology that can enable designers to evaluate the acoustic class of hostels, which, in turn, can help them optimize facade elements to accentuate the indoor acoustic comfort.

Activity based trip generation model for Mulanthuruthy Grama Panchayat

Aadil A Salim — 2023-12-07

Systematic approaches to traffic problems could easily lead to efficient transport systems. In the case of the panchayat of Mulanthuruthy situated in south-eastern suburb of the city of Kochi in Kerala, the demand for travel gradually increases each year. In the coming years, current traffic systems may not be able to fully cover this growing mandate. Trip Generation is the first step in the Sequential Demand Modelling arrangement which is also called as the Four Step Transportation Planning Process (FSTP). The goal of trip generation modelling is to predict the number of trips, by purpose, that are generated in a study area. This paper focuses on factors influencing trip generation and to create a trip generation model for Mulanthuruthy Grama Panchayat. From the questionnaire household survey was conducted, correlation between variables and number of trip generated and cross tabulation of purpose and mode of transport is done

Analysis of air temperature variation with atmospheric pollutants and meteorological parameters using SPSS

Gopika Jayachandran — 2023-12-07

Temperature variation in the atmosphere is closely related to climatic change, environmental pollution and human health. It has become the prime concern of most countries due to the anthropogenic activities and adverse meteorological situations. This temperature variation depends on various factors like the meteorological parameters as well as the air pollutants. The analysis of temperature variation with these factors are done using Geographically Weighted Regression Modelling (GWR) in Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). This idea is used to study the chronographic change of relationship between a dependent attribute and one or more independent attribute from the output obtained from GWR equation from SPSS Software. In this study the variation of air temperature is analyzed with pollutants and meteorological parameters. The study areas chosen are Vytila, MG Road, Eloor, Methanam, Kalamasserry. The concentration of NO2, SO2, Respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM) and the meteorological parameters like Relative Humidity (RH), precipitation and atmospheric temperature over 2010-2020 were collected. A numerical model is developed using the above data to study the variation of temperature in the selected areas.

Numerical analysis of GFRP rebar embedded concrete beam

Sajith S — 2023-12-07

The use of glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) in construction has several sustainability benefits that make it an attractive alternative to traditional reinforcement materials. One of the main sustainability problems faced by steel is its carbon footprint, 1.89 tonnes of CO2 is being released into the atmosphere for every tonne of steel produced. Another wellknown problem faced by steel in construction is corrosion which is the leading cause of failure of a building. the use of GFRP in construction offers several sustainability benefits that make it an attractive alternative for use in a variety of applications. The combination of improved performance, reduced waste, and lower carbon footprint make GFRP a sustainable choice for the construction industry. This paper presents a numerical analysis of a concrete beam reinforced with glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) rebar. The study aims to investigate the mechanical behaviours and performance of concrete beams embedded with GFRP rebar under 2-point loading conditions. Ansys 2023 software was utilised for the modelling and analysis of the developed model. Two models were created in the Ansys workbench, one with GFRP rebar as reinforcement and other with steel rebar reinforcement. The numerical results were then analysed to determine the load-carrying capacity and deformation behaviours of the GFRP-reinforced concrete beams compared to that of regular steel reinforced beam.

Effect of curing strength in lime – coffee husk ash mixture on clay

Sreedevi S — 2023-12-07

Coffee husk is a fibrous material obtained from coffee beans. It is a waste from coffee industries. In order to reduce the disposal problem, utilization of waste in civil engineering works is very important. This study has been carried out to explore the utilization of coffee husk ash for improving properties of Kumarakom clay. Kumarakom clay is known to be very problematic in construction field. It is considered neither suitable for building houses nor for construction of roads. Coffee husk is a by-product of coffee roasting process. After removal of coffee beans, a huge amount of coffee husk is generated later, the ash obtained after burning of coffee husk i.e; Coffee Husk Ash (CHA) is used in this study. The Kumarakom clay can be stabilized with different percentages (5, 10, 15, 20, 25) of coffee husk ash and variation in strength can be determined by
Unconfined Compression Strength (UCS) test and proctor compaction test. The optimum percentage is obtained at 20% of CHA addition. Finally, the curing strength test is conducted for varying percentages of CHA – clay mix and optimum percentage of CHA – lime mix for about 7, 14, and 28 days.

Treatment of greywater using banana peel, corn cob and orange peel as major filter media- a review

Athul Krishna — 2023-12-07

Water isthe most important element required for the existence of all living beings on earth. As the population increases, water demand also increases. About 75-80% of water through distribution pipe reaches the sewer as waste water. So it is a need of mankind to recycle and reuse waste water. The domestic water (Grey Water from TIST campus) from household can be treated and can be used for irrigation rather than disposing into river. This paper focus on grey water filtration using Banana Peel, Orange Peel and Corn cob as a filter media. All are good natural absorbent which can remove excess nutrients suspended solids and can even remove pollutants and sediments from wastewater. Orange peel is a great biosorbent. The orange peels
biosorbent is one of the best biosorbent for removal of ammonia and nitrate present in water. Banana peels are capable of adsorbing various metals and other pollutants present in industrial waste waters, provided the peels are pre-treated with proper surface-activeagents. Corn cobs have the efficiency to adsorb contaminants from grey water. The purpose of this paper is Treatment of Greywater using Banana Peel, Orange Peel and Corn cob as major filter media.

Experimental investigation on the utilization of plastic waste and construction demolition waste in brick manufacturing.

Muhammed Abid R — 2023-12-07

Bricks have been a significant construction and building material for a long time bricks are made of clay burnt under high and are widely use around the world. Traditional masonry temperatures, resulting in high energy consumption, environmental contaminations and decreased natural raw materials. So in order to limit nature risks, waste materials such as plastic waste
and construction demolished waste can be used to produce bricks. It is estimated that the construction industry generates about 10-12 million tons of construction waste and nearly 300 million tons of plastic wastes annually, which cause a threat to the environment. So the introduction of new technologies to recycle and convert waste into useful materials is crucial for environmental protection and sustainable development. The study deals with an experimental investigation on the use
of plastic waste and construction demolition (CDW) waste in brick manufacturing. This work aims at establishing the optimum
percentage of plastic waste in construction demolition waste by adding various percentages of plastic (20%, 25%, 30%) in construction demolition waste based on compressive strength. From tests it is observed that brick incorporating plastic waste and CDWs with 30% of plastic waste gives the highest compressive strength of 7.84 N/mm2 which meets the strength requirement for second class bricks. Hence the bricks incorporating the plastics and CDW can be successfully
manufactured and can be used for various applications.

Interlocking concrete block pavement as an alternative to flexible and rigid pavement in medium traffic condition: comparative assessment based on sustainability

Jacob C. Babu — 2023-12-07

Highway pavements are one of the most energy and resource intensive infrastructure in the world. Hence, studies related to sustainability of pavements are gaining much importance. Interlocking Concrete Block Pavement (ICBP) is a widely accepted technology used extensively for constructing parking lots, walkways and roads. Compared to other conventional pavement methods, ICBP has many advantages such as less maintenance cost, high dimensional accuracy and will not be affected by thermal expansion and contraction. At present, the researches dealing with ICBP are focused mainly on the structural aspects only. However, it is necessary to study a pavement system in terms of its structural, environmental and economic aspects. Through this work, an attempt is made to study all these three aspects of ICBP which is meant to carry medium traffic. The design of ICBP was carried out based on IRC SP63: 2018. Both rigid and flexible pavement systems for the same traffic conditions were designed following IRC58: 2015 and IRC37: 2018 respectively. Comparison of these three pavement systems were carried out in terms of their material, construction as well as environmental aspects. Cradle to gate Life Cycle Assessment
(LCA) of three pavement systems were studied using OpenLCA software. The economic aspect was evaluated by preparing material quantity estimates assuming single lane road for a 10m stretch. The results indicate that ICBP is a competitive option to rigid and flexible pavements in medium traffic conditions.

Post occupancy evaluation of IEQ parameters in residential buildings

Mohamed Shamil M M — 2023-12-07

The post-occupancy evaluation (POE) is a performance assessment of buildings in use that can help property owners and managers better understand how well a facility is working, how its performance compares to similar structures or set benchmarks, and how a building might be improved. A solid grasp of how a building works can explicitly link its actual performance to either new or existing building innovations or remedial measures. While there is a lot of information on POE in
commercial buildings, there's not much in the residential sector. In this mini project, it is focussed to assess the satisfaction levels of the occupants and to quantify the IEQ parameters in a residential building. Sample sizes are determined, based on which a detailed questionnaire survey is conducted for the research. The city of Kochi, is the primary location considered due to its vivid factors both geographically and climatically.The project focuses on to identify the resident satisfaction level , quantify the IEQ parameters in a residential building and to suggest remedies if required. The findings and the results are analysed based on different factors. The findings will be useful for the prioritisation of the performance criteria of the buildings.

Flood mapping in Ernakulam using QGIS

Anusha Cherian — 2023-12-07

Urban flooding is a challenge faced by many expanding cities and towns of developing countries. Ernakulam city has been facing flood during heavy rainfall. In this project, we have identified various factors causing flood in the city. The project aims to depict the flood prone areas and create flood risk map for Ernakulam city using QGIS. Remote sensing and GIS are effective tools that help for flood risk management. Boundary, elevation, canal network, land use -land cover and flood maps are generated using QGIS software.

An experimental study of concrete with expanded clay replacement

Akshaya Varghese — 2023-12-07

This paper describes the mechanical characteristics of concrete that has expanded clay in partial replacement of coarse aggregates. Its properties are compared to conventional concrete in terms of compressive strength. The compressive strength of various mixes with replacement ratios of 20%, 30%, and 40% of coarse aggregate by expanded clay was investigated. These aggregates have a lower specific gravity and a higher water absorption rate. The prepared specimens were tested after 3, 7, and 28 days. When compared to regular concrete, there was a slight reduction in the mechanical properties. There is a decline in the strength as the percentage increases. The optimum ratio was found to be 20%, providing 72% of the strength of conventional concrete. Expansive Clay aggregate concretes have characteristics that suggest they could be one of the materials used to create structural concrete in the future. This leads to the conclusion that expanded clay aggregates can be substituted to create
concrete more cost effectively.

Implementation of real-time construction worker posture analysis during flooring in construction

Aleena Josey — 2023-12-07

Construction industry is one of the highly risky industries with more number of accident and injuries. The increasing number of injuries caused by repetitive motion, excessive force and awkward postures, ergonomics has become a critical factor in workplace safety. The postures related to the corresponding works are finding out by taking their live images during their work using the Software POSTUREZONE. For more accuracy the same worker’s posture from different sides are find out and
after that angles obtained is collected for assessing risk using REBA worksheet. In this project risk is analyzed using work sampling observation area made on workers involved in the task. The hazards are then evaluated using flooring. REBA Score is then developed to describe the posture, repetition of work and the level of risk. In this method ergonomic risk factors are identified based on checklist or score. It can provide comprehensive results in determining a good work position and it can minimize the risk of work accidents for operators when working.

Experimental investigation on effect of copper slag in alccofine based self compacting concrete

Arjun S — 2023-12-07

Self-compacting concrete (SCC) is widely used in the development of infrastructure due to various benefits such as high-speed construction, less man power, better surface finish and effortless placing. Aggregates perform significant character in enhancing the strength and workability of concrete. The global consumption of an enormous number of aggregates will cause exhaustion of instinctive resources. For suitable alternative materials, either by-product generated from industries or artificial source of aggregates can be utilized in the production of concrete. Copper slag is an industrial by-product. The Management and disposal of copper slag poses a major challenge for the environment. Because of the physical and chemical nature of copper slag, it can be efficiently used in manufacturing of concrete. For the generation of greener concrete, the content of cement in concrete need to be reduced. This can be done by using supplementary cementitious materials. The main aim of the project work is to investigate the properties of alccofine based self-compacting concrete with partial replacement fine aggregate by copper slag. The Alccofine replacement was carried out at different percentages of 5%, 10%, and 15%, and the optimal replacement percentage was determined. Once the optimal Alccofine replacement was established, the replacement of fine aggregate by copper slag was done at varying percentages ranging from 0% to 60% to determine the ideal combination. The compression and split tensile strength test were conducted to find the mechanical properties and slump flow test and J ring were conducted to find the fresh properties. According to the findings, the incorporation of copper slag as a partial replacement for fine aggregate in selfcompacting concrete resulted in improved workability and strength properties.

Analysis of factors affecting quality performance of construction equipment.

Alden Christopher Rodrigues — 2023-12-07

Quality performance is a numerical measurement of the performance of an organization or process assessed through the measurement of physical products and statistical sampling of the output of processes. Construction equipment’s are heavy-duty vehicles specifically created for carrying out construction activities, most usually including earthwork operations. Excavators, Backhoe loaders are the most common equipment’s used for excavation in the construction industry. Defects or lapses in the quality performance of such equipment can lead to increased costs and delays in project completion. This project involves the identification of the factors that affect the quality performance of construction equipment used for excavation in construction sites through a literature review. After the identification of these factors, a questionnaire is prepared from the factors identified and site visits are conducted to various construction sites across Ernakulam district and interviews were conducted with construction practitioners including project managers, site engineers, equipment contractors and the response data is collected. After the collection of data analysis is done using Statistical Package for Social Science software (SPSS) and the
major factors that affect the quality performance were ranked. The factors with RII value of 0.841 affects majorly the performance of excavation equipment and the factor with RII value of 0.588 affects the performance of excavation equipment’s the least.

Ferrock: carbon negative substitute for cement: a review

Vidya Jose — 2023-12-07

Cement is considered as one of the prominent building materials used for construction. It is considered as the second most used entity next to water in the world today. Though it has many significant advantages, it has a major disadvantage of CO2 emission. For every ton of cement generated more or less eight ton of CO2 is released to the atmosphere. Hence it is high time to find a substitute for cement. Ferrock is such a substitute which utilizes a variety of waste products to produce a versatile building material. It is a binder that is a blend of iron oxide powder, fly ash, lime powder, metakaolin and oxalic acid. This review mainly focuses on characteristics, advantages and application of ferrock in building construction.

Experimental study of stabilization of soil using nano silica.

R. Vinodhkumar — 2023-12-07

The behavior of structures depends on the properties of the soil on which they are constructed. Some problems like settlement and bearing capacity are critical for structures over the expansive soil, the soil sample has been characterized as expansive soil based on swelling test. Stabilization techniques are adopted to enhance the expansive soil behavior and performance of foundation overlying weak soil. This paper focuses on studying the effect of nanomaterials (Nano MgO and Nano Al2O3) with different proportions viz. 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5% and 2.0% on the properties of expansive soil. The results indicate that swelling potential is reduced with the addition of these nanomaterials and thus making the soil suitable for construction purposes.

Finite element analysis of laminated composite stiffened hyperbolic paraboloid hypershell subjected to impact loading

Asheequl Irshad — 2023-12-07

Laminated composite has produced a solution in the weight sensitive branches of engineering due to its low specific weight, high specific strength and weathering resistance. It is its low transverse shear capacity under impact load has become a great concern for the researchers for its successful implementation in different industrial sectors. Impact which is likely to occur in cyclone prone zones and aircraft bases where wind borne debris causes the same. The sudden strike may cause delamination, crack in the epoxy medium or tearing of fibers which remains suppressed under the lamina and eventually causes collapse. This study is an effort to analyze the laminated composite hyparshell under impact load with simply-supported boundary conditions. Installation of stiffeners in various positions become unavoidable in certain cases and which is optimized and the best possible combination is concluded. A detailed comparative study of deformation, stress and strain is done with respect to various impactor velocities. The analysis is done by finite element software Ansys 2022 R1.

Experimental investigation on properties of concrete with rice husk ash and water hyacinth ash

Nibin Varghese — 2023-12-07

The purpose of this experimental investigation is to study the properties of concrete with Ricehusk ash (RHA) and Water hyacintha ash (WHA) when used as a partial replacement for cement. Ricehusk ash is a by- product of thermally treating rice husks. It is highly pozzolanic and has been used as a partial replacement for cement in concrete production and Water hyacinth grows vigorously in ponds and doubles the quantity within two weeks. The studies have been done to evaluate water hyacinth ash in the replacement of cement. This study seeks to determine the effect of RHA and WHA on the strength and other properties of concrete. To conduct this investigation, a series of concrete mixtures were prepared with various percentages of RHA (5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%) for finding the optimum percentage. To the optimum concrete made with rice husk ash different percentage of cement is replaced with water hyacinth ash (5%,10%,15%,20%) and the optimum is obtained. The mix proportions were determined according to the standards. The mixtures were then tested to determine the compressive strength and flexural strength of the concrete. The results of the investigation showed that the replacement of cement by RHA enhanced the strength properties of concrete in 15% replacement of cement with RHA shows the maximum compressive strength value. The replacement of cement by WHA 10% with optimum RHA 15% enhanced the strength properties of concrete. Replacement of cement by 10% WHA with optimum RHA shows the maximum compressive and tensile value.

Analysis of properties of self-healing concrete using bacteria and self-healing concrete utilising crystalline admixture

Sreelakshmi S Kumar — 2023-12-07

One of the most popular and indispensable building materials is concrete. It often develops microscopic fissures that could eventually grow larger. Members start to deteriorate as a result of this. By including specific components, self-healing concrete can be utilised to repair cracks on its own. The two forms of self-healing concrete used in this study. Those prepared with cystalline admixture and those made with Bacillus subtilis bacteria. Properties of the two concrete are compared, and their potential for healing is assessed. 1% ,2% and 3% of crystalline admixture are added to the specimens whereas 5% , 10% and 20% crystalline admixtures are added to the specimen. Cracks are induced into each percentage for the analysis of healing of the casted concrete specimens.

Biochar amendment of landfill clay liner soil & leachate

Aparna P S — 2023-12-07

The biodegradable wastes from the households collected have to be properly applied to municipal solid waste landfills. Landfills usually have liner systems and other safeguards to prevent contamination of the surroundings and the groundwater. There are various types of bottom liner systems, the simplest type being usually compacted clay. The clay has some unique character of low permeability, which is the main reason to use clay as the liner. If the compacted clay liners kept for their function, are not properly executed, there can be chances of leachate movement through it, to percolate to underground water systems. In this work, the experimental study of the addition of biochar with proposed samples of clay liner system & synthesized leachate was studied. From literature review, it was found out that the minimum dosage of biochar was 3% and that the biochar was made by burning sunflower husks. Biochar treatment of leachate alters not only the turbidity but also the nitrogen, chloride, and phosphate content. Biochar is also used as a coagulant in many water treatment plants. The representative clay soil samples were collected from Manali river beds and laboratory permeability tests were conducted with a soil-biochar mixture for the varied dosages 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5 and 3. Similarly, municipal solid waste was laid with clay and thus synthesized leachate was
amended with similar dosages of biochar 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2 and 2.5. The percentage of biochar addition corresponding to which soil biochar mix yielded minimum permeability was noted at 2% & the leachatebiochar dispersion showed the minimum level of turbidity was investigated also at 2%. Therefore, the paper is the outcome of an attempt to determine the optimum dosage of biochar to clay liner soil to improve the properties concerning permeability and to find out the range of biochar addition with leachate to lessen the anticipated level of contamination to subsurface water.

Analysis of deployable bridge

Ayesha Tanha — 2023-12-07

The rapid development of infrastructure leads to a wide variety of structural designs, and one of the upcoming techniques is deployable structure. A deployable structure is a structure that can change shape to significantly change size. Deployable structures have many potential applications ranging from emergency shelters and facilities, through relocatable, semi–permanent structures, to space station components. Their main advantages are their small volume during storage and transportation and their fast, easy erection procedure. The motivation behind doing this project is because of its adaptability to
the environment and the easiest mode of construction. This project work is done using SOLIDWORKS Software, an application that can be used for structural analysis and designing of the pedestrian deployable bridge. The main aim of this project is to determine the strength of the deployable bridge and to reduce the loss of lives by providing safe transportation that is the designing of deployable evacuation bridge. The problems thus exist so far are that the structure is costly in parts and assembling, and friction in the joints determines the life of the structure.

Optimization of additives in cement mortar using Taguchi method

Kiran Devi — 2023-12-07

Recent emerging developments in construction works have introduced many enormous and wonderful construction materials. But till now, cement based construction materials are being used in various activities e.g., masonry, lining, grouting etc.
Cement, a key ingredient for various construction materials, needs to be replaced by another natural or artificial inert, due to its
perilous effects in ecology. The present study has been conducted to evaluate the compressive strength, electrical resistivity, cost analysis and environment assessment of cement mortar after replacing the cement with various proportions of Kota stone powder. Calcium nitrate and triethanolamine were also added to the mortar mixes to control the parametric behaviours of the mixes. The Taguchi technique has been used to curtail the number of mix proportions for effort saving practices. Taguchi technique produces a data set of lesser experimental runs than a full factorial approach. Therefore, Taguchi method could be used to optimize the number of combinations to make the project cost-effective. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the performance of cement mortar containing calcium nitrate, triethanolamine, and Kota stone powder in various proportions with respect to various attributes. An L9 (3^3) orthogonal array containing nine mortar blends was analyzed to optimize the process parameters on the basis of the laboratory responses. Results of the study positively affirmed that the efficacy of the incorporation of Kota stone powder in mortar has yielded as economic and ecological construction material over other additives.

Design of mutli-storied building with and without soft stories using STAAD Pro

Khetwal, P.S — 2023-12-07

Soft stories are one of those structures containing structural irregularities, especially vertical irregularities. Soft stories case is generally related to sudden and abrupt change or increase in the stiffness of the storey. This soft storey is soft target for dynamic displacing forces, especially in the horizontal direction, due to its more flexibility in nature and leads to collapse of structure which it supports and, thus ultimately whole structure collapse in shear. If not designed well, soft storey causes failure not only due to external forces but also to drifting of mass by external lateral forces, from its original position. In the present study, the analysis of the ten-storey building with or without soft storey was carried out to investigate the effect of soft storey under identical loading conditions as per Indian standards. The previous studies were carried out on the structures considering ground floor as soft storey. Structure has been modeled and analyzed using well established software Staad-Pro V8i. Results showed that drift of M5 type structure was increased by 1.6 times approximately M0 type structure. Base shear was reduced by due to reduced stiffness by 7.5% and time period in the orthogonal direction increased by 5%.

Cost Optimization and Estimation of Embodied Carbon in Reinforced Concrete Frame Structure

Dr Narasimha Murthy K N — 2023-12-07

Reinforced concrete (RC) structures are one of the most common building systems around the world. Measures are being taken to reduce the construction industry’s contribution to the greenhouse gas emissions. The contribution of embodied energy of structures is also considered for more efficient operation of buildings. This study investigates the embodied carbon content for the different grades of concrete used for the design and an optimization approach for an economic design. Analysis and design of RC frame structures are done using STAAD-PRO software and cost optimization is carried out using Genetic Algorithm (GA) in MATLAB software. The considered design constraints are geometric, strength and reinforcement areas confirming to Indian Standard codes. The optimized result is used to model the RC structure in Revit Software to determine its embodied carbon content. Candidate structures are then assessed for embodied energy to determine individual relationships. This study shows the possibility to reduce the embodied carbon content of RC frame structure and the proposed optimum design model can be
adopted to design commercial buildings as it yields reliable, economical, time-saving and practical designs whilst remaining
compliant to given design codes.

Experimental investigation on fresh and hardened properties of high strength fibre reinforced concrete using GGBFS and micro silica

Sanulal KH — 2023-12-07

The use of High Strength Concrete (HSC) has increased now a days. The concrete is one of the most useful construction materials, but the major defects of concretes are brittle in nature, low workability and low tensile strength. Experimental study is carried out to assess fresh and hardened properties of high strength fibre reinforced concrete (HSFRC) of grade M70. In
addition to normal materials, silica fume and GGBS are added to achieve higher strength and poly propylene fibres are added to improve its ductility. The content of silica fume and GGBS is 5% and 25% respectively by weight of cement. Water to cementitious material ratio is 0.31. Mixes with different percentages of poly propylene fibres such as 0.5%, 0.1%, and 1.5% by the weight of cementitious content are denoted as HSFRC 1, HSFRC 2, and HSFRC 3, respectively. To improve the workability characteristics of the low water-binder ratio HSC mix, the Poly Carboxylate Ethylene-based chemical admixtures are used. The fresh properties were investigated in terms of slump flow and mechanical performances of the HSFRC over HSC are evaluated in terms of compressive, flexural, split tensile strength.

A study on crane accidents: investigating the role of hand signals in construction site communication

Sruthy S — 2023-12-07

Construction industry is one of the largest industries in the global economy. In today's construction industry, where time and profit margins are crucial, modern construction equipments plays a crucial role. Hand signals are frequently used by construction workers on the job site to communicate, as they are easy and effective. However, there can be a risk of miscommunication or misinterpretation with hand signals, resulting in mistakes and potential hazards on the construction site. This paper presents a comprehensive study on crane accidents in construction sites, with a particular focus on the communication between crane operators and signal men through hand signals. The study begins with a literature review on the causes and effects of crane accidents, statistics and incidents on construction sites. The study then investigates the current practices of hand signals on construction sites and highlights the associated safety concerns. The study concludes that the misinterpretation of hand signals between the signal man and the crane operator is a significant contributor to crane accidents. To address this issue, the paper recommends the development of a real-time hand signal detection system for material handling using machine learning and computer vision. The proposed solution will reduce the strain on signal men and improve communication between the signal man and the crane operator, thereby enhancing safety in construction sites.

Keywords: Safety Study, Crane Accidents, Construction Sites, Human Error, Hand Signals, Material Handling, Construction Safety, Signal Man

Strength improvement of clay using waste soda lime glass powder and sodium alginate

Sreelakshmi S — 2023-12-07

Clayey soil is generally weak in nature. When constructions are carried out on clayey soil, especially highways, railways, buildings and embankment face many difficulties. Therefore, the improvement of such type of soil is crucial. Soil stabilization can be done by different methods, which includes stabilization using lime, cement and waste materials from various industries
etc. Soda lime glass powder is a waste material from glass industries. Clay is a type of soil that can be categorized as problematic due to its weak properties like volumetric expansion, low strength etc. In this soil, the shear strength of the soil is less due to its very high initial moisture content and plasticity. Construction is difficult in such type of weak clay. The main aim is to identify the properties of clay. And, to study the effect of waste soda lime glass powder (WSLGP) and sodium alginate (SA) on
clay. Standard proctor compaction test and Unconfined strength test is carried out using varying (3%, 6%, 9%, 12%, 15%) percentages of WSLGP and optimum WSLGP content is determined. The sodium alginate in varying (0.25%, 0.5%, 0.75%, 1%, 1.25%) percentages is added to clay with optimum soda lime glass powder. Standard proctor compaction test and Unconfined
compressive strength test were carried out. The maximum strength is obtained at optimum 12% WSLGP and 1% SA content.

Use of recycled concrete aggregates in stabilization of black cotton soil

Harinarayan Dewanda — 2023-12-07

The long-term performance of a pavement structure depends on its structural integrity and the stability of its underlying soils. The properties of black cotton (BC) soils are known to adversely affect the performance of pavement. BC soil is creating a lot of problems in constructing the pavements on it because of its low California bearing ratio (CBR) and high swelling potential behavior. Black cotton soil possesses poor strength, high swelling and shrinkage behavior on exposure to moisture. Pavements on BC soil require stabilization. Soil stabilization is a process utilized for improving the properties of undesirable weak soil. Stabilization of subgrade soil by chemical, thermal or mechanical techniques is very common practice and too expensive. Therefore, in this study, an attempt has been made to stabilize the BC soil subgrade by recycled concrete aggregate (RCA). The RCA are the waste aggregates obtained from demolition of concrete structure buildings, road, and bridges. The main aim of this study is to know the suitability of RCA waste as a stabilizer for BC soil in the construction of flexible pavements. In this investigation, properties of RCA and BC soil are evaluated, RCA is mixed in different proportions with the BC soil, and their influence on the CBR value and compaction curve are studied. Seven mixes (100% BC soil, 90% BC soil + 10% RCA, 80% BC soil + 20% RCA, 70% BC soil + 30% RCA, 60% BC soil + 40% RCA, 50% BC soil + 50% RCA, 40% BC soil + 60% RCA) are tested for CBR value in order to find the proportion which gives maximum CBR value. Based on the results, it is observed that for the BC soil used in this study, mix containing 60% BC soil and 40% RCA is the suitable mix proportion for the stabilization. For this proportion of mix, the CBR value increased from 3.53% to 11.2%. This accounts to 3.2 times increase in the CBR value, whereas the optimum moisture content (OMC) decreased from 27% to 22% and maximum dry density (MDD) increased from 1.22 gm/cm3 to 1.45 gm/cm3. Hence 60% BC soil and 40% RCA can be used to stabilize the given soil.

Different methods for estimation of dynamic passenger car units – A review

Ameena M — 2023-12-07

In India, heterogeneous traffic conditions are prevailing due to a variety of vehicles with different static and dynamic characteristics. It is necessary to convert mixed traffic into homogeneous traffic by using Passenger Car Unit (PCU) values. Roadway and traffic conditions on urban roads vary considerably across the cities which generally affects the PCU values of different vehicles and the capacity of the roadway. This shows the dynamic nature of PCU values. PCU values are widely used in traffic capacity analysis, determination of Level Of Service (LOS), saturation flow rate, signal design and coordination, and
development of traffic flow models. Because of these wide applications, the accuracy of dynamic PCU values is very important. Many researches have been carried out on the estimation of dynamic PCU values. This paper presents different methods for estimating dynamic PCU appropriate for heterogeneous traffic conditions on Indian roads. The challenges in estimating PCU values and future directions for improving the PCU estimation methods are also presented in this paper.

Optimization of coconut shell ash on the improvement of strength of clayey soil

Afthab Omar P N — 2023-12-07

Due to rapid urbanization and industrialization, there has been gradual increase in the use of land for various constructional activities. This has resulted in the scarcity of the suitable land (soil) for construction. Now a days the structures are frequently build on the problematic soils. In this study, an attempt has been made to explore the possibilities of using Coconut Shell Ash
to improve the favourable properties of soil. The experiment is conducted on clayey soil. coconut shell ash is used as a stabilizing agent, in this study. Alternatively, engineers try to utilize these easily available materials in the civil engineering construction based on its feasibility/suitability on their performance. Different tests were conducted on soil with varying
percentage of coconut shell ash from 5% to 20%. Stabilizing the soil by adding coconut shell ash improves the soil strength and reduces swell and shrink. Extensive experimental investigations, including compaction, unconfined compression test, are to be conducted on different mix proportions of Coconut shell ash.

Analyzing the barrier factors in implementing on-site construction waste management: a structural equation modeling approach

Neetha Mathew — 2023-12-07

Waste Management Plans must be implemented on all construction sites regardless of site size. With an effective site waste management plans (SWMPs), the amount of waste generated can be controlled, minimized and partially prevented, and
financial losses can be monitored and quantified. There is non-compliance with construction SWMP as well as recycling at construction sites. The goal of this study is to conduct ranking of the barrier factors in implementing effective SWMP and in addition to that a structural equation modeling (SEM) of factors to find correlations between them. Data collected through
a questionnaire survey are checked for reliability using Cronbach's alpha test using IBM SPSS 22 software and analyzed and evaluated using the Relative Importance Index (RII) method. The barriers overcome with the highest RII value were unavailable
waste management procedures and technological support within the organization and insufficient environmental training of construction workers in waste management. Structural equation modeling (SEM) of barriers, correlation, and hypothesized
significance of the relationship between these factors was performed using smartPLS 3 software. The final SEM results showed that the construction-related factor had the highest path coefficient, indicating that the technical factor significantly affects legal aspects. The higher the beta coefficient, the stronger the effect of the exogenous latent construct on the endogenous
latent construct. All hypotheses found to be significant have since been accepted. This is mainly useful in policy making in waste management Plans.

Experimental investigation on properties of concrete incorporating TiO2

Rineesha P — 2023-12-07

One of the main issuesin recent years has been the deteriorating air quality. Because of the metropolises, rapid urbanization, the problem of airborne pollution is increased. Heavy traffic contributes to air pollutants which leads to environmental deterioration and public health problems. Titanium dioxide has the ability to self clean, depollute, and even degrade organic material on surfaces since photocatalyst is used. It is an ecofriendly and sustainable material which has broader application
in construction sector. The work consists of 0%, 1%, 2%, 3%, 4% and 5% Titanium dioxide replacement by the weight of cement. The control mix used in the studyis M40 grade. The compressive strength and split tensile strength at 28 days are obtained as 59.33 N/mm2 and 4.43 N/mm²respectively. The strength was found to be more at 3% of replacement of TiO₂.

Effectiveness of using sugarcane molasses and coal bottom ash on soil

Anjana V Raj — 2023-12-07

The presence of fertilizers in groundwater and soils can pose a significant threat to human health and ecological systems. The soil’s geotechnical characters are greatly influenced by interaction with the wastes discharged from industries, is a cause for serious concern to the geotechnical engineers. The study is conducted to determine the effect of sugarcane molasses in removing urea content from soil sample. Sugarcane molasses (SM) is a viscous, dark and sugar-rich by-product of sugar extraction from the sugarcane. The soil which is used has been procured from Mulanthuruthy block panchayat, Ernakulam, Kerala. The percentages of molasses used are 20%, 40%, 60%, 80% and 100% in terms of dry weight of the soil. The analysis of
properties of urea contaminated soil is studied. The various soil properties are determined by conducting tests like Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCS) tests, Standard Proctor tests. Coal Bottom Ash (CBA) which is collected from the Thermal power plants in varying percentages (10%, 20%, 30% and 40%) is added to soil with 100% sugarcane molasses. Standard Proctor Test and Unconfined compressive strength test were conducted. UCS value increased with the addition of CBA. The maximum
increment in UCS is obtained at 30% addition of CBA.

Stabilization of Kuttanad clay using marble dust and sisal fiber

Jaseela N M — 2023-12-07

Construction of engineering structures on clayey soil is highly risky because such soil is susceptible to differential settlements, poor shear strength and high compressibility. So, it needs proper stabilization. Kuttanad clay are soft deposits of fine-grained soil found in the Kuttanad region of Alappuzha district, Kerala. Here construction is very difficult as the soil is poor in drainage and strength properties. The main aim of this work is to identify the various properties of lower Kuttanad clay and stabilizing the soil using marble dust powder. Marble dust is a waste product collected from marble industry. The major constituent of marble dust is Calcium Carbonate and its powder has high percentage of lime content so it can be used as an effective material for the stabilization of clayey soil. Varying percentages of marble dust are added to soil. Optimum moisture content, Maximum dry density and Unconfined compressive strength (UCS) were determined by laboratory testing and Optimum marble dust content for stabilizing the soil is determined. Sisal fiber of length 1cm in varying percentages (0.25%,0.5%,0.75%,1%) is added to clay with optimum marble dust content. Standard proctor compaction test and unconfined compressive strength test were carried out. UCS value increased with increment in fiber from 0.25 to 0.75%. The maximum strength is obtained at optimum 9% MD and 0.75% SF content.