Material properties largely depend on their structure, and are strongly dependent on the scale of observation. Under the influence of various processes, the structure of a material can undergo evolution, which leads to major changes in the mechanical parameters and morphology of the medium. To understand the behaviour of a given material exposed to the influence of various factors, e.g. loading and temperature treatment, and to be able to modify it appropriately, it is crucial to recognize its structure both in the scale of engineering applications and at the micro-scale. The article proposes a procedure for assessing changes in the structure of sandstone exposed to the temperature treatment. The presented procedure allows the morphology of the material to be evaluated and the influence of temperature treatment on mechanical parameters of rocks to be analysed, by combining use of different laboratory techniques. The changes in rock material have been characterized using three investigative techniques, i.e. a uniaxial compression test, nanoindentation and micro-computed tomography. The uniaxial compression tests were carried out for 11 different temperature values in the range of 23–1000 °C, which enabled the determination of the change in uniaxial compressive strength and Young’s modulus of the sandstone as a function of temperature. Micro-scale laboratory tests were utilised to identify changes in the mechanical and morphological parameters of the sandstone exposed to the temperature of 1000 °C. The results were referred to those obtained for the reference samples, i.e. not subjected to heating (T = 23 °C). Comparison of the results showed an evident relation between the microstructure changes and the mesoscopic properties.

The spinning of concrete is a process in which concrete mixture is moulded and compacted under the action of the centrifugal force arising during the fast rotational motion of the mould around its longitudinal axis. As a result of the spinning of the liquid concrete mixture, an element annular in cross section, characterised by an inhomogeneous layered wall structure, is produced. The heavier constituents tend towards the cross-section wall’s outer side, while the lighter components tend towards its inner side. The way in which the particular constituents are distributed in the element’s cross section is of key importance for the macro properties of the manufactured product. This paper presents procedures for investigating spun concrete and interpreting the results of such investigations, which make it possible to characterise the microstructure of the concrete. Three investigative methods were used to assess the distribution of the constituents in the cross section of the element: micro-computed tomography (µCT), 2D imaging (using an optical scanner) and nanoindentation. A procedure for interpreting and analysing the results is proposed. The procedure enables one to quantitatively characterise the following features of the microstructure of spun concrete: the mechanical parameters of the mortar, the aggregate content, the pore content, the cement paste content, the aggregate grading and the size (dimensions) of the pores. Special attention is devoted to the determination of the variation of the analysed quantities in the cross section of the element. The result of the application of the investigative procedures is presented for an exemplary spun concrete element. The proposed procedures constitute a valuable tool for evaluating the process of manufacturing spun concrete elements.

The paper concerns shape optimization of a tunnel excavation cross-section. The study incorporates optimization procedure of the simulated annealing (SA). The form of a cost function derives from the energetic optimality condition, formulated in the authors’ previous papers. The utilized algorithm takes advantage of the optimization procedure already published by the authors. Unlike other approaches presented in literature, the one introduced in this paper takes into consideration a practical requirement of preserving fixed clearance gauge. Itasca Flac software is utilized in numerical examples. The optimal excavation shapes are determined for five different in situ stress ratios. This factor significantly affects the optimal topology of excavation. The resulting shapes are elongated in the direction of a principal stress greater value. Moreover, the obtained optimal shapes have smooth contours circumscribing the gauge.

The methodology of multi-scale structural assessment of the different cellulose fibre cement boards subjected to high temperature treatment was proposed. Two specimens were investigated: Board A (air-dry reference specimen) and Board B (exposed to a temperature of 230 °C for 3 h). At macroscale all considered samples were subjected to the three-point bending test. Next, two methodologically different microscopic techniques were used to identify evolution (caused by temperature treatment) of geometrical and mechanical morphology of boards. For that purpose, SEM imaging with EDS analysis and nanoindentation tests were utilized. High temperature was found to have a degrading effect on the fibres contained in the boards. Most of the fibres in the board were burnt-out, or melted into the matrix, leaving cavities and grooves which were visible in all of the tested boards. Nanoindentation tests revealed significant changes of mechanical properties caused by high temperature treatment: “global” decrease of the stiffness (characterized by nanoindentation modulus) and “local” decrease of hardness. The results observed at microscale are in a very good agreement with macroscale behaviour of considered composite. It was shown that it is not sufficient to determine the degree of degradation of fibre-cement boards solely on the basis of bending strength; advanced, microscale laboratory techniques can reveal intrinsic structural changes.

Ensuring the stability of tunnels excavated in weak rock masses poses significant engineering challenges, particularly in controlling deformations of the excavated rock-mass. This research represents a conceptual analysis aimed at exploring the effectiveness of pipe umbrella support systems across various configurations, without being tied to a specific tunnel project. The study also investigates the possibility of using simplified Finite Element Method (FEM) modelling for such purpose. Specifically, analysis focuses on findin the correlation between selected design parameters and support system performance. A numerical model incorporating the Hoek-Brown failure criterion, was employed to simulate the interaction between the pipe umbrella and surrounding rock mass. Key parameters analyzed include the length of the pipe umbrella segments, overlap between segments, and the stiffness of the pipe umbrella material. The results demonstrate the potential in reducing both radial and axial displacements as the segment length of the pipe umbrella and overlap increase, with diminishing returns observed for higher umbrella’s stiffness values. This study despite being based on theoretical case scenario also highlights the practical advantages of a simplified axisymmetric FEM model for conducting parametric analyses, significantly reducing computational complexity while maintaining sufficient accuracy.

Celem badania była analiza lokalnej zmienności fliszu karpackiego za pomocą mikrotomografii komputerowej i nanoindentacji. Wykazano duże różnice we właściwościach mechanicznych i fizycznych badanego materiału, co potwierdza potrzebę oceny mikrostruktury materiału skalnego do prawidłowego oszacowania panujących warunków geologicznych. Przedstawione podejście do badań umożliwia poprawę bezpieczeństwa i efektywności prowadzenia prac podczas drążenia tunelu.