As a top construction material worldwide, concrete has core weakness relating to low tensile resistance without reinforcement. It is the reason that a variety of innovative materials are being used on concrete to overcome its weaknesses and make it more reliable and sustainable. Further, the embodied carbon of concrete is high because of cement being used as the integral binder. Latest research trends indicate significant potential for carbon fiber as an innovative material for improving concrete mechanical strength. Although significant literature is available on the use of carbon fiber in concrete, a limited number of studies have focused on the utilization of carbon fiber for concrete mechanical strength improvement and the reduction of embodied carbon. Following the gap in research, this study aimed to investigate and optimize the use of carbon fiber for its mechanical characteristics and embodied carbon improvements. The use of carbon fiber in self-compacting concrete lowers sagging. The greatest quantity of carbon fiber is that it reduces the blockage ratio, forcing the concrete to solidify as clumps develop. With time, carbon fiber improves the durability of concrete. Self-compacting concrete with no carbon fiber has a poor tensile strength. Experiments were conducted by adding carbon fiber at 0.2%, 0.4%, 0.6%, 0.8%, and 1.0% by weight. Fresh concrete tests including slump test and L-box test, hardened concrete tests involving compressive strength and splitting tensile strength, and durability tests involving water absorption and acid attack test were conducted. Embodied carbon ratios were calculated for all of the mix ratios and decreasing impact, in the form of eco-strength efficiency, is observed with changes in the addition of carbon fiber in concrete. From the testing results, it is evident that 0.6% carbon fiber is the ideal proportion for increasing compressive strength and split tensile strength by 20.93% and 59%, respectively, over the control mix. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) is then applied to develop a model based on results of extensive experimentation. Optimization of the model is performed and final modelled equations are provided in terms of calculating the impact of addition of carbon fiber in concrete. Positive implications are devised for the development of concrete in the future involving carbon fiber.

Many reinforced-concrete structures collapsed or were seriously damaged in the 7.7 and 7.6 magnitude earthquakes that occurred in southern Türkiye on 6 February 2023. The recorded peak ground accelerations were quite high (2.2 g) and the recorded motions’ elastic acceleration response spectra were significantly greater than the elastic design spectra given by the most recent Turkish seismic design code. A total of 518,000 houses were heavily damaged or collapsed in the eleven cities affected by the earthquake. More than 53,000 people lost their lives and over 100,000 people were injured, the majority of these injurits caused by the collapse of reinforced concrete structures. Post-earthquake damage assessments are important in the context of applying sustainability principles to building design and construction. In this study, post-earthquake damage assesments and evaluations were made for the reinforced-concrete structures that were exposed to destruction or various structural damage in Hatay, Kahramanmaraş and Adıyaman, which where most affected after the Kahramanmaraş earthquakes. The RC building damage and failure mechanisms resulting from field observations were evaluated in detail from a broad performance-based structural and earthquake engineering perspective. Information about Kahramanmaraş earthquakes is given briefly. Design spectra and spectral accelerations were compared for the earthquake stations in these three provinces. Soft/weak story, short column, insufficiently reinforced-concrete, and poor workmanship are the primary causes of structural damage, which cause earthquake weaknesses in these buildings.

Given that a significant fraction of buildings and architectural heritage in Europe’s historical centers are masonry structures, the selection of proper diagnosis, technological surveys, non-destructive testing, and interpretations of crack and decay patterns is paramount for a risk assessment of possible damage. Identifying the possible crack patterns, discontinuities, and associated brittle failure mechanisms within unreinforced masonry under seismic and gravity actions allows for reliable retrofitting interventions. Traditional and modern materials and strengthening techniques create a wide range of compatible, removable, and sustainable conservation strategies. Steel/timber tie-rods are mainly used to support the horizontal thrust of arches, vaults, and roofs and are particularly suitable for better connecting structural elements, e.g., masonry walls and floors. Composite reinforcing systems using carbon, glass fibers, and thin mortar layers can improve tensile resistance, ultimate strength, and displacement capacity to avoid brittle shear failures. This study overviews masonry structural diagnostics and compares traditional and advanced strengthening techniques of masonry walls, arches, vaults, and columns. Several research results in automatic surface crack detection for unreinforced masonry (URM) walls are presented considering crack detection based on machine learning and deep learning algorithms. In addition, the kinematic and static principles of Limit Analysis within the rigid no-tension model framework are presented. The manuscript sets a practical perspective, providing an inclusive list of papers describing the essential latest research in this field; thus, this paper is useful for researchers and practitioners in masonry structures.

Concrete is a widely utilized construction material globally; however, it is characterized by a fundamental deficiency in its tensile strength when it is not reinforced. The incorporation of diverse novel materials into concrete is being pursued with the aim of mitigating its limitations while concurrently enhancing its reliability and sustainability. Furthermore, it is noteworthy that concrete embodies a significant quantity of carbon. The primary cause of this phenomenon can be attributed to the utilization of cement as the principal binding component in concrete. Recent advancements in research have indicated that jute fiber, commonly referred to as JF, exhibits considerable potential as a novel material for enhancing the mechanical robustness of concrete. Although there is a significant body of literature on the application of jute fiber in concrete, there has been a dearth of research on the capacity of jute fiber (JF) to improve the mechanical strength of concrete and mitigate its carbon emissions. This study aims to cover a gap in the existing literature by analyzing and enhancing the application of JF in relation to its mechanical properties and environmental impact. The study involved conducting experiments wherein JF was added at varying weight percentages, specifically at 0%, 0.10%, 0.25%, 0.50%, and 0.75%. The investigation encompassed a number of examinations of both the fresh and hardened states of concrete, in addition to assessments of its durability. The fresh concrete tests included the slump test, while the hardened concrete tests involved measuring compressive strength (CS), split tensile strength (STS), and flexural strength (FS). Additionally, the durability tests focused on water absorption (WA). The study involved the computation of embodied carbon (EC) ratios for various mix combinations. The findings suggest that incorporating JF into concrete results in a decrease in environmental impact relative to alternative fiber types, as demonstrated by a rise in eco-strength efficiency (ESE). Based on the findings of the conducted tests, an optimal proportion of 0.10% JF has been determined to be conducive to enhancing the CS, STS, and FS by 6.77%, 6.91%, and 9.63%, respectively. The aforementioned deduction can be inferred from the results of the examinations. Using data obtained from extensive experimentation, the RSM (Response Surface Methodology) was used to construct a model. The model was optimized, resulting in the establishment of definitive equations that can be used to evaluate the effects of incorporating JF into concrete. Potential benefits have been identified for the advancement of concrete in the future through the utilization of JF.