Cracking is a common problem in concrete structures in real-life service conditions. In fact, crack-free concrete structures are very rare to find in real world. Concrete can undergo early-age cracking depending on the mix composition, exposure environment, hydration rate, and curing conditions. Understanding the causes and consequences of cracking thoroughly is essential for selecting proper measures to resolve the early-age cracking problem in concrete. This paper will help to identify the major causes and consequences of the early-age cracking in concrete. Also, this paper will be useful to adopt effective remedial measures for reducing or eliminating the early-age cracking problem in concrete. Different types of early-age crack, the factors affecting the initiation and growth of early-age cracks, the causes of early-age cracking, and the modeling of early-age cracking are discussed in this paper. A number of examples for various early-age cracking problems of concrete found in different structural elements are also shown. Above all, some recommendations are given for minimizing the early-age cracking in concrete. It is hoped that the information conveyed in this paper will be beneficial to improve the service life of concrete structures. Concrete researchers and practitioners may benefit from the contents of this paper.

Existing assessment tools have not been successfully used to evaluate the performance of the remedial treatment of concrete flat roofs by building users or building management personnel because they are complicated and difficult to be applied by non-experts. In this study, a semi-quantitative method has been developed to assess the quality of remedial treatment on concrete flat roofs of multiple buildings. A 10-point scale weighting was calculated based on the results of ranking, and then the score assessment scheme was developed. Results revealed that the repairing principles included protection against ingress (W = 7.25), physical resistance against ingress (W = 5.23), concrete restoration (W = 8.22), structural strengthening (W = 8.22), moisture control (W = 6.59), and chemical resistance (W = 4.57). The grouped principles included physical resistance (W = 6.24), structural stability (W = 8.22), and chemical resistance (W = 5.58). The scoring assessment scheme was applied to a remedial treatment on multilayer concrete flat roof which was treated with bituminous membrane. The assessment scheme was revised based on the surveyors’ comments and then verified by the experts. This assessment method secured and improved the quality of the remedial treatment, since the building management staff/owner successfully evaluated, controlled, and monitored the quality of remedial treatments.

The well-being of students is a topic of paramount importance in the field of education and psychology. In recent years, there has been a growing recognition of the need to focus not only on academic achievement but also on the emotional and psychological well-being of students (Leow et al., 2023; Lo et al., 2022). Over the course of the past decade, the impetus for preventive interventions to respond to mental health problems has been reinforced by epidemiological research that showed excessive levels of mental health conditions among children and youth (Samji et al., 2022). Positive psychology, a relatively new branch of psychology, offers a valuable framework for understanding and promoting the well-being of students. This chapter will summarize key findings and concepts, focusing on the following five areas: 1) the role of positive psychology, 2) theories in positive psychology, 3) understanding student's well-being, 4) two case studies on positive education at a British (UK) university in Malaysia, and 5) positive psychology intervention to promote student's well-being.