In historical masonry buildings, the durability of materials used for the structural members can be impaired by climatic conditions and user interventions, and the building may lose its authenticity as a result of functional changes made over time. To restore structures to their original form, the historical changes that have been made over time are researched, and by identifying the original material characteristics it becomes possible to preserve the load-bearing members, thus prolonging their service life. This paper presents a detailed description of the restoration works, which were based on the original geometric and material properties, carried out on a historical masonry building that started out in life as a hospital building in the 1840s, but was later remodeled to become a military prison building and currently serves as the Faculty of Political Sciences of Istanbul University. The study is presented in three stages, namely: i. a research of the historical timeline of alterations of the examined building, ii. a field study, and iii. laboratory analyses. The historical research identifies the structural changes that the building has undergone since its construction, while the field study includes a three-dimensional laser scanning process and the taking of representative samples from different points of the building. In the laboratory stage, the gathered samples are subjected to chemical and mineralogical analyses. The mortar and plaster mixture ratios used in the construction were ascertained through physical and chemical tests to samples taken from the building, and subsequently, all non-original binder materials have been removed and the original mortar-plaster mixture ratios have applied. After a review of the data collected within the scope of this study, it was determined that the two reinforced concrete buildings to the north and south of the site, which were built later in the history of the investigated building, as well as the temporary partition walls to each story, should be removed. Furthermore, it is recommended that the modified facade and interior window forms, together with the blocked-off doorways, should be restored to their original state. The contribution this study makes to literature is based on its focus on a historical masonry building that has lost its original form over time, having been refunctioned for different purposes, that is to be restored back to its original form in terms of its geometric and material properties. The building itself is of particular interest, being the first on the historical peninsula of Istanbul to be constructed using industrial bricks during the Ottoman period. The proposed restoration project can be considered a novel, practical and appropriate approach to authentic restoration.

Time-cost optimization model proposal for construction projects with genetic algorithm and fuzzy logic approach

Construction sector, which is associated with approximately two hundred sub-sectors in terms of employment area, plays the role of locomotive sector in economic development of countries. This feature of the sector affects economy directly and indirectly. Despite this positive contribution of the sector, disputes are inevitable between parties –administration and contractor– in a bid, contract and implementation processes, which are parameters of the construction process. Formal judicial process applied for the purpose of resolving disputes encountered in construction projects that the public assumes the role of employer, takes a long time. Therefore, while contractor is exposed to financial losses, administration cannot conclude public investment. In the study; disputes in public construction projects are classified, and proposals preventing disputes are presented. In this scope, firstly, 174 of 10591 disputes submitted to Court of Cassation, and 84 of 102 disputes submitted to Directorate of High Technics Board are selected regarding public construction projects. In the second stage, parameters causing disputes are classified under six main items. Thirdly, reasons of the disputes for each classification are detailed, and then proposals are presented for prevention of the disputes based on FIDIC (International Federation of Consulting Engineers) contract forms. Finally, a resolution procedure is developed for the processes including bid, contract and implementation phases based on FIDIC. By the presented proposals for GCCW (General conditions of construction works) official resolution paths can be reduced to a minimum, and the processes result positively for administration and contractors. It is concluded that the developed procedure is suitable as a practical tool for resolution process of the disputes in the public construction projects.

The rapid growth of the global population and associated increases in resource consumption have accelerated environmental degradation, making sustainable design and construction processes increasingly essential. The construction sector holds significant potential for reducing environmental impacts, especially through sustainability-focused certification systems such as LEED. This study evaluates the projected energy efficiency and sustainability performance of the Surgical Sciences Building at Istanbul University’s Çapa Campus, which was designed with the goal of achieving LEED Gold certification. The assessment is based on design-phase data and conducted prior to construction. Energy performance analyses were carried out using DesignBuilder software, supported by the LEED Assessment Report and Energy Audit Report. According to simulation results, approximately 30% savings in energy consumption and water usage are expected. In addition, the process-oriented LEED approach is expected to result in a total CO₂ emission savings of approximately 570 tonnes, while renewable energy systems are expected to meet approximately 13% of the building’s primary energy demand and reduce CO₂ emissions by approximately 151 tonnes per year. Waste management strategies developed for both the construction and operational phases are aligned with LEED criteria and aim to achieve up to 80% recycling rates. The findings demonstrate that LEED certification, when employed as a process-oriented design and decision-making tool rather than a result-oriented label, can enable sustainable strategies to be integrated from the earliest stages of project development. Particularly for complex healthcare buildings, embedding LEED principles into the design process has strong potential to enhance environmental performance. Although based on a single case study, this research provides valuable insight into the broader applicability of LEED in diverse building types and geographic contexts.

Time-cost optimization using harmony search algorithm in construction projects

Construction work is one of the most dangerous business lines. As a result of occupational accidents in construction works, there are consequences that will affect human life such as injury and death, as well as serious financial losses. Especially in developing countries, despite the increase in precautions regarding occupational safety, occupational accidents continue to occur. Human behavior is an important factor in construction work accidents. In the sector where generally low-educated level workers work, analyzing the precautions and occupational safety training results are important to reduce construction work accidents. Eye-tracking technique, a technology that is spreading around the world, finds its place in different sectors. Especially with the use of mobile eye trackers instead of fixed eye trackers, this eye-tracking technology has also become usable in site implementations in the construction industry. In the construction sector, some studies are done especially on occupational safety issues using eye-tracking techniques in recent years. In this study, a site study was done with construction workers using a mobile eye-tracking approach by creating a track with different hazard sources in construction where a fatal occupational accident occurred. In this context, the attention levels of construction workers against different sources of danger and the risk of accidents created by these sources were measured with the mobile eye-tracking technique. The results obtained from the study were shared with the occupational safety experts on the site and the results are interpreted. All workers participating in the experimental study were workers that previously got occupational safety training. Therefore, according to the outcomes of this experiment, the effectiveness of the occupational safety training they received is measured and some suggestions are made.