Obsolescence is a widespread “hazard” to the built environment, which often leads to the demolition of buildings that still have years of remaining service life. This paper identifies eleven design-based “enablers” (strategies) for creating adaptable buildings that are resistant to obsolescence. The perceived effectiveness of the enablers was studied through a survey of design professionals. Statistical analyses of the survey results were conducted to compare responses between different groups of design professionals. While the results are considered preliminary, they do suggest that some of the enablers are viewed as being significantly more effective than the others. Further work in quantitative modeling of building adaptability is to follow, as we hope to promote sustainability by empowering designers with tools that can best enable the adaptive reuse of buildings

The majority of works in the field of chloride-indued corrosion of steel in concrete are focused on the cracks formed by the corrosion products. However, the number of studies on the influence of cracks (pre-cracked concrete) on corrosion is limited. Cracks create preferential/free paths for the penetration of chlorides, water, and oxygen into concrete; thus, the presence of cracks in concrete can intensify chloride-induced corrosion of steel reinforcement. This paper presents a review of the effects of cracking on the corrosion of steel in concrete. It was widely reported in the reviewed papers that cracks have a negative impact on concrete durability. They influence the chloride penetration and the chloride-induced corrosion of reinforcement in terms of the initiation and propagation stages. This influence is a complex function of many factors, including mix design, exposure conditions, crack frequency, crack orientation, crack width, and cover depth. Although there is a general agreement on the effects of cracks on the initiation of corrosion, the role of cracks and their widths on the propagation of corrosion in the long term is still under debate.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present a review of existing models and tools for evaluating the adaptability of buildings. A baseline of the current state of the art in adaptability evaluation and adaptation decision support is established; from this baseline, gaps for future research are recommended. Design/methodology/approach: A literature review was conducted to identify papers describing adaptability models and tools. The identified models were characterized based on their focus (new buildings, existing buildings, building life cycle), considered variables (physical and/or context features) and degree/type of validation. Findings: Models can be grouped as those focusing on: evaluating adaptation decisions for existing buildings; the design of new buildings for future adaptation; and understanding adaptation throughout a building life cycle. Models focusing on existing building evaluation are further in development and validation than the other model types; as such, they are more suitable for use by practitioners. Another finding is that modeling of adaptability in buildings is still in its nascent stage and that data-driven quantitative modeling is a prime area for future research. Originality/value: This paper is the first comprehensive review of models and tools for evaluating adaptability. Other works have evaluated the topic of adaptability more broadly, but this is the first paper to systematically characterize existing models and tools. Based on the review future, research topics are recommended.

Forum papers are thought-provoking opinion pieces or essays founded in fact, sometimes containing speculation, on a civil engi-neering topic of general interest and relevance to the readership of the journal. The views expressed in this Forum article do not nec-essarily reflect the views of ASCE or the Editorial Board of the journal. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)ST.1943-541X.0001216 Introduction: Biomimicry in Practice Biomimicry is a design concept that draws sustainability and resil-iency ideas from nature’s time-tested patterns and solutions. The use of biomimetic designs has been successfully applied to engi

In dry-stacked concrete masonry construction, units are laid without mortar, increasing the speed and reducing the cost of masonry installation. Despite these benefits, mortarless construction has not gained widespread acceptance as a viable alternative to traditional bonded masonry. This is largely attributed to the fact that the effect of surface roughness characteristics on the mechanical behavior of dry-stack masonry is not yet fully understood. To address this knowledge gap, the authors develop experimentally validated, predictive models that explicitly take the bed surface topography into account while representing the localized, nonlinear behavior at dry joints. With these validated models, a parametric analysis is completed to derive relationships between unit variables (e.g., material properties, surface roughness, and grout strength) and the performance of mortarless prisms under axial compressive loads. The derived relationships contribute to the knowledge base in terms of the behavior of dry-stacked masonry construction.