The properties of concrete, a widely used building material across the globe, have changed due to technological breakthroughs. Cement, sand, coarse aggregate, and water are the four components used to build concrete. Technological improvements increase human comfort, yet the environment is also harmed. Therefore, recycling and reuse are vital to environmental engineers because they help reduce the amount of plastic bottle garbage disposed of as solid waste. In this study, water-cement ratios of 0.5, 0.55, and 0.6 are used in lieu of concrete in various percentages, including 0, 6, and 12% of coarse aggregate replaced by water bottle caps, to analyze the behavior of concrete's compressive strength experimentally. Based on experimental results, models based on artificial neural networks—Levenberg Marquardt and Response Surface Methodology—Central Composite Design models were developed to forecast the final compressive strength of concrete made in part from plastic water bottles. The results demonstrate that for accurately predicting the properties of concrete, the ANN-LM model yields the best result, R2=0.98, which is close to 1 and R2 = 0.85 for RSM-CCD, respectively.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused major disruptions in every sector of human activity around the world. The education sector is no exception. Due to physical restrictions in accessing campus infrastructures, students and instructors at academic institutions have forcibly adapted to the new norm of virtual learning with mixed expectations and outcomes. There have been several studies conducted by educational practitioners since the pandemic began, which mostly focused on how academic constituents quickly adapt to virtual learning in a general sense. The main objective of this study is to examine the effects of virtual learning infrastructure and environment on student learning, specific to the civil engineering program at Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University (PMU). A survey was distributed to civil engineering students at PMU at the end of the fall 2020 term to gather perceptions about virtual learning and check the adequacy of online learning tools and associated environments. Student performance during virtual learning in terms of grade achievement was also investigated and compared with a normal situation. In general, it was found that students are satisfied with the current technology used to facilitate virtual learning. The anticipated outcomes of this study, including online technology readiness, curriculum adjustment, and teaching styles or methods, are to be used for virtual learning improvement should the current pandemic restriction extend to the end of the 2020–21 academic year and possibly far beyond.

Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 initiative emphasizes sustainable development, including the construction sector's shift towards environmentally friendly practices. This comprehensive review focuses on the advancements and challenges of green sustainable concrete (GSC) in Saudi Arabia, aligning with Vision 2030's goals. The review examines the key components of GSC, such as recycled aggregates, supplementary cementitious materials, and alternative binders, highlighting their potential in reducing carbon emissions and enhancing durability. Additionally, the review discusses the implementation of sustainable practices in the production, transportation, and construction phases of GSC. Challenges such as limited local availability of sustainable materials and the need for updated regulations are also addressed. The review concludes with recommendations for future research and policy changes to further promote the adoption of GSC in Saudi Arabia's construction industry, supporting Vision 2030's vision for a sustainable future.