Land is a vital component of nature around the world and is essential for humans, terrestrial plants, and animals. However, urbanization is growing worldwide and the groundwater quality in urban areas is declining due to rapid development, industrialization, and pollution. Hence, it is important to determine the hydrogeochemistry and changes concerning land use and land cover (LULC). This study was conducted to investigate the hydrogeochemical mechanism of Sargodha, one of Pakistan’s fastest-growing cities, during 2015 and 2021 under two different LULC indices named normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and normalized difference built-up index (NDBI). Forty-eight groundwater samples were collected in 2015 and 2021 to assess groundwater quality for domestic use and irrigation. The Piper diagram revealed that (Ca²⁺+Mg²⁺–HCO₃⁻+CO₃²⁻) and (Na⁺+K⁺–SO₄²⁻+Cl⁻) were the main components of hydrogeochemistry in both years. The Gibbs plot and silicate weathering of groundwater samples indicated that rock dominance and silicate weathering played a major role in aquifers. Additionally, the results showed that 4% of the groundwater in 2015 and 21% of the groundwater samples in 2021 were unfit for human consumption. However, 37% and 40% of samples were considered not fit for irrigation in 2015 and 2021, respectively. The LULC, NDVI, and NDBI clearly revealed higher urban areas in 2021 compared to 2015. The relationship between groundwater parameters and land use land cover indices (NDVI and NDBI) explained that none had a major relationship. The non-carcinogenic risk showed health quotient HQ < 1, indicating no severe health risk due to nitrate (NO₃⁻) exposure in the city. The current study suggests conducting future investigations considering a larger scale to recommend efficient management strategies, urbanization planning, and ensuring safe irrigation and drinking water to prevent groundwater pollution.

The behaviors of the fresh and mechanical properties of self-compacting concrete (SCC) are different from those of normal concrete mix. Previous research has investigated the benefits of this concrete mix by incorporating different constituent materials. The current research aims to develop a steel fiber reinforcement (SFR)‒SCC mixture and to study the effectiveness of different cement replacement materials (CRMs) on the fresh and mechanical properties of the SFR‒SCC mixtures. CRMs have been used to replace cement content, and the use of different water/cement ratios may lower the cost of CRMs, which include microwave-incinerated rice husk ash, silica fume, and fly ash. Fresh behavior, such as flow and filling ability and capacity segregation, was examined by a special test in SCC on the basis of their specifications. Moreover, compressive and splitting tensile strength tests were determined to simulate the hardened behavior for the concrete specimens. Experimental findings showed that, the V-funnel and L-box were within the accepted range for SCC. Tensile and flexural strength increases upon the use of 10% silica fume were found when compared with other groups; the ideal percentage of steel fiber that should be combined in this hybrid was 2% of the total weight of the binder. Overall, steel fibers generated a heightened compressive and splitting tensile strength in the self-compacting concrete mixes.

The paper explores a comprehensive bibliometric assessment of the works on energy-storing concrete technology, which attributes the major trends and development patterns in this regard. Within the scope of this analysis, 182 documents covering the period between 1965 and 2024 were retrieved from the Scopus database and included articles, conference proceedings, reviews, and book chapters. The study centres its focus on the key research clusters, which include digital storage, heat storage, compressive strength, and carbon dioxide emissions, and at the same time, other important areas like thermal performance and structural design are addressed. The analysis shows the Callon centrality and density of these themes, revealing established areas, new themes, and existing knowledge gaps. This strategic perspective creates a vision for the future in terms of extending such research scope on energy-storing concrete and in underdeveloped areas to expand the knowledge. The results are anticipated to be innovations in sustainable construction materials, and there are wider implications for improvements in energy efficiency and minimizing negative effects on the environment. Given the growing interest in energy-storing concrete concerning climate change applications, this type of study will assist many progressive researchers as well as practitioners in seeking ways of implementing energy-efficient building technologies

The global construction industry is a predominant contributor to climate change and resource consumption; this is mainly because it uses a lot of carbon-heavy materials like concrete and steel. To systematically evaluate the true sustainability claims of alternatives, this study conducts a systematic review of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies to examine the environmental and health impacts of low-carbon construction materials like cross-laminated timber (CLT), hempcrete, geopolymers, and recycled aggregates. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, a literature search across major databases identified nine peer-reviewed publications (2010–2025) meeting strict inclusion criteria. The analysis consolidated evidence on carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction potential, health implications, and implementation challenges. Results indicate that low-carbon materials can significantly lower emissions. CLT emits approximately 9% less CO2 than conventional concrete, geopolymers reduce emissions by 9–60%, and bio-based materials like hempcrete enable carbon sequestration. Health co-benefits include improved indoor air quality (e.g., 30% fewer volatile organic compounds) and enhanced occupational safety. However, barriers such as cost, regulatory gaps, and industry resistance hinder widespread adoption. The findings affirm that low-carbon materials can reduce both a building's Global Warming Potential (GWP) and its health hazards. Key recommendations include policy improvements (e.g., carbon pricing and subsidies), standardization of LCA methods, and the integration of health metrics into green building certifications. Future research should focus on quantifying health co-benefits and developing scalable strategies adaptable to diverse economic context.