The construction industry is exploring alternatives to traditional steel reinforcement in concrete due to steel’s corrosion vulnerability. Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) and Basalt Fiber Reinforced Polymer (BFRP), known for their high tensile strength and corrosion resistance, are viable options. This study evaluates the flexural performance of concrete beams reinforced with GFRP, BFRP, and hybrid systems combining these materials with steel, following ACI 440.1R-15 guidelines. Twelve beams were assessed under three-point bending to compare their flexural strength, ductility, and failure modes against steel reinforcement. The results indicate that GFRP and BFRP beams achieve 8% and 12% higher ultimate load capacities but 38% and 58% lower deflections at failure than steel, respectively. Hybrid reinforcements enhance both load capacity and deflection performance (7% to 17% higher load with 11% to 58% lower deflection). However, GFRP and BFRP beams show reduced energy absorption, suggesting that hybrid systems could better support critical applications like seismic and impact-prone structures by improving ductility and load handling. In addition, BFRP beams predominantly failed due to debonding and concrete crushing, while GFRP beams failed due to bar rupture, reflecting key differences in their flexural failure mechanisms.

The construction industry is exploring alternatives to traditional steel reinforcement in concrete due to steel's corrosion vulnerability. Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) and Basalt Fiber Reinforced Polymer (BFRP), known for their high tensile strength and corrosion resistance, are viable options. This study evaluates the flexural performance of concrete beams reinforced with GFRP, BFRP, and hybrid systems combining these materials with steel, following ACI 440.1R-15 guidelines. Twelve beams were assessed under three-point bending to compare their flexural strength, ductility, and failure modes against steel reinforcement. Results indicate that GFRP and BFRP beams achieve higher ultimate load capacities but lower deflections at failure than steel. Hybrid reinforcements enhance both load capacity and deflection performance. However, GFRP and BFRP beams show reduced energy absorption, suggesting that hybrid systems could better support critical applications like seismic and impact-prone structures by improving ductility and load handling.

Oscillation monitoring commonly requires complex setups integrating various types of sensors associated with intensive computations to achieve an adequate rate of observations and accuracy. This research presents a simple, cost-effective approach that allows two-dimensional oscillation monitoring by terrestrial photogrammetry using non-metric cameras. Tedious camera calibration procedures are eliminated by using a grid target that allows geometric correction to be performed to the frame’s region of interest at which oscillations are monitored. Region-based convolutional neural networks (Faster R-CNN) techniques are adopted to minimize the light exposure limitations, commonly constraining applications of terrestrial photogrammetry. The proposed monitoring procedure is tested at outdoor conditions to check its reliability and accuracy and examining the effect of using Faster R-CNN on monitoring results. The proposed artificial intelligence (AI) aided oscillation monitoring allowed sub-millimeter accuracy monitoring with observation rates up to 60 frames per second and gained the benefit of high optical zoom offered by market available bridge cameras to monitor oscillation of targets 100 m apart with high accuracy.

Due to the importance of formwork systems in the construction industry, some revolutionary inventions were necessary to fit the different construction purposes and circumstances. However, these inventions focused on increasing the capacity of the commercially available systems instead of introducing new structural concepts. This paper discusses the strengthening of a new false work system that utilizes the concept of the funicular arch in the falsework/formwork industry. The new system consists of two trusses that follow the funicular arch concept and connected by a bracing system. The new system is structurally tested and proved that the structural concept is sound and can be used in the construction industry. The points of weakness of the system were identified and different strengthening options were examined and one bracing system has been identified to be added to the new system to strengthen it and avoid failure due to buckling. The choice of that new bracing members depended on several factors such as the light weight, constructability in terms of erection time and cost.

Historic structures and monuments are of paramount value for human civilizations. Much of this heritage needs immediate restoration due to weathering, misuse and various forms of attacks. This paper tackles rehabilitation of a historic building in Egypt that lies near by the famous Giza Pyramids: Royal Rest House of King Farouk built in 1946. The two-storey building was designed as a wall-bearing structure with a neo-Pharaonic style. The building superstructure was endangered by various cracks that threaten its stability. This damage and its cause have been quantitatively and qualitatively analyzed and assessed in this investigation. The building cracks deemed to be initiated by partial differential settlement resulting from soil slope failure which produced rotational and translational movements of the building. Causes behind the slope failure were analyzed and verified in this study. Reverse engineering analysis was adopted to identify the soil properties due to the difficulty of obtaining actual data via bore holes in such a historic area. Slope stability analysis using geometric information obtained via Google Earth Pro was performed using Geo5 and nu-merical modelling using Midas GTS. Cracking of the superstructure was visually assessed with cracks width and depth being measured to categorize and map the building damage. The superstructure was also numeri-cally modelled using SAP after building a BIM using Revit to visualize the rest house in its desired final state. The superstructure numerical model was used to simulate the damaged state of the building and the stresses generated at the locations of grouting materials. Based on the results of the current investigation, rehabilitation and preservation techniques are proposed in form of reinforcing the substructure using stone columns and grouting the superstructure cracks to enhance the building stability and its load carrying capacity. The restoration proposal is verified using Midas GTS for the slop stability and by conducting a limited experimental investigation in order to verify the effectiveness and compatibility of the material chosen for cracks grouting.

The construction industry is a major contributor to global carbon emissions, primarily due to its reliance on cement-based materials. Simultaneously, plastic bottle waste presents a significant environmental challenge. This study aims to address both issues by exploring the integration of plastic bottle waste into cob–earth materials as a sustainable alternative to traditional concrete modules. The research involves testing various mixes with plastic bottles arranged in different patterns to assess their load-bearing capacity and distribution. The cob mix with bottles arranged in a modified pattern demonstrated the highest load resistance, bearing over 47.1 kN, making it suitable for prototype development. The study also investigates the potential of using cob as an exterior finishing layer, reducing the need for cement. The results show that using local earth materials significantly lowers embodied carbon, offering a more sustainable construction solution. This approach helps mitigate plastic waste and supports climate resilience by promoting low-carbon, locally sourced materials, aligning with Egypt’s national sustainability commitments.