Mineral wool made from basalt fibers is frequently used as an insulating material in construction systems. In this study, both unused mineral wool and wool obtained from the softened roofing area were comprehensively analyzed in a laboratory using different characterization techniques. Firstly, the initial water content and compressive strength at 10% deformation were determined. Secondly, microstructure and surface chemical composition were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). To study heterogeneities near the fiber surface and to examine cross-sectional composition, a scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) was used. Finally, to verify possible reasons for resin degradation, thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning colometry (TGA-DSC) were simultaneously carried out. The results show that natural aging under high humidity and thermal fluctuations greatly affected the surface morphology and chemical composition of the fibrous composite. Phenol-formaldehyde and other hydrophobic compounds that protect fibers against moisture and give compressive resistance were found to be degraded.

Colloidal gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were prepared from two different liquid precursors (gold (III) acetate and gold (III) chloride), using the Ultrasonic Spray Pyrolysis (USP) process. The STEM characterisation showed that the AuNPs from gold chloride are spherical, with average diameters of 57.2 and 69.4 nm, while the AuNPs from gold acetate are ellipsoidal, with average diameters of 84.2 and 134.3 nm, according to Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) measurements. UV/VIS spectroscopy revealed the maximum absorbance band of AuNPs between 532 and 560 nm, which indicates a stable state. Colloidal AuNPs were used as starting material and were mixed together with acrylic acid (AA) and acrylamide (Am) for the free radical polymerization of polyacrylate-AuNPs’ composites, with the purpose of using them for temporary cavity fillings in the dental industry. SEM characterisation of polyacrylate-AuNPs’ composites revealed a uniform distribution of AuNPs through the polymer matrix, revealing that the AuNPs remained stable during the polymerization process. The density measurements revealed that colloidal AuNPs increase the densities of the prepared polyacrylate-AuNPs’ composites; the densities were increased up to 40% in comparison with the densities of the control samples. A compressive test showed that polyacrylate-AuNPs’ composites exhibited lower compressive strength compared to the control samples, while their toughness increased. At 50% compression deformation some of the samples fracture, suggesting that incorporation of colloidal AuNPs do not improve their compressive strength, but increase their toughness significantly. This increased toughness is the measured property which makes prepared polyacrylate-AuNPs potentially useful in dentistry.

Efforts were made to predict and evaluate blast-induced ground vibrations and frequencies using an adaptive network-based fuzzy inference system (ANFIS), which has a fast-learning capability and the ability to capture the non-linear response during the blasting process. For this purpose, the ground vibrations generated by the blast in a tunnel tube were monitored at a residential building located directly above the tunnel tube. To investigate the usefulness of this approach, the prediction by the ANFIS was also compared to those by three of the most commonly used vibration predictors. The efficiency criteria chosen for the comparison between the predicted and actual data were the sum of squares due to error (SSE), the root mean squared error (RMSE), and the goodness of fit (R-squared and adjusted R-squared). The results show that the ANFIS prediction model performs better than the commonly used predictors.

This study explores the potential of using basalt reinforced UHPC by incorporating simultaneously self-cleaning and self-luminescent features, paving the way for sustainable advancements in civil engineering. New green formulations of UHPC were developed by integrating supplementary cementitious materials and optimizing water to the binder ratio, followed by using basalt fibers to enhance strength and ductility. The fabricated samples with high particle-packing density exhibit sufficient workability and compressive strength up to 136 MPa, and, when incorporating basalt fibers, a notable reduction in brittleness. The inner microstructure of basalt fibers was observed to be smooth, homogeneously distributed, and well adhered to the UHPC matrix. To ensure the desired long-lasting visual appearance of decorative UHPC and reduce future maintenance costs, a time-effective strategy for creating a light-emitting biomimetic surface design was introduced. The samples exhibit high surface roughness, characterized by micro to nano-scale voids, displaying superhydrophobicity with contact angles reaching up to 155.45°. This is accompanied by roll-off angles decreasing to 7.1°, highlighting their self-cleaning features. The self-luminescence feature showcased intense initial light emission, offering a potential energy-efficient nighttime lighting solution.