Infrastructure Engineering - Research Publications

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    Optimized Bridge Maintenance Strategies: A System Reliability-Based Approach to Enhancing Road Network Performance
    Chen, S ; Chen, D ; Li, L ; Miramini, S ; Zhang, L (ASCE-AMER SOC CIVIL ENGINEERS, 2024-03-01)
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    Deterministic failure prediction of toughened glass when impacted by ice
    Cui, Y ; Lam, N ; Shi, S ; Lu, G ; Gad, E ; Zhang, L (PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD, 2024-03)
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    Life-cycle performance of aluminium cladding panels in resisting hailstorms
    Shi, S ; Lam, N ; Cui, Y ; Lu, G ; Gad, E ; Zhang, L (Elsevier, 2024-05)
    This paper delves into cumulative damage on aluminium cladding panels attributed to hailstorms throughout the lifespan of the installations. 40 gas gun tests subjecting the cladding panel to repeated impact were undertaken for the purpose of studying cumulative damage behaviour. Insights from these tests were integrated into a hail size distribution model to characterise the probabilistic distribution of permanent indentation resulted from multiple hailstorm events. A life-cycle analysis framework was subsequently introduced, incorporating the natural variability of hailstone sizes and dynamic response of claddings to repeated ice impact. Intervention criterion can be established based on knowledge of the accumulation of permanent indentation into the cladding panels. Proactive actions are recommended should the indentations become visible to prevent worsening damage. Randomness of hailstorm occurrences was considered using hazard function which can be inferred from historical observations. Practical application of the proposed model is illustrated through case studies of two Australian states, coupled with comparative analyses highlighting key factors influencing cladding performance. The ability to account for stochasticity distinguishes the presented framework from existing deterministic approaches.
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    How to improve the effects of knowledge governance on individual learning across projects: From the perspective of relational capital
    Zhang, X ; Shen, W ; Tang, W ; Duffield, CF ; Hui, FKP ; Zhang, L ; Lou, C (Elsevier BV, 2024-01)
    Supportive knowledge management and good relationships are both important aspects for enhancing individual learning across projects, however little research has presented a systematic theory on the cause-effect relationships between the above themes. With support of data collected from the industry survey, this study has established and validated a conceptual model that maps individual learning outcomes on knowledge governance, learning intention and relational capital from a holistic view. The results reveal that a supportive knowledge governance system could significantly promote individual learning across projects, and this effect is mainly achieved by inspiring individuals’ learning intention. This study also demonstrates that the relational capital can enhance the relationship between knowledge governance and individual's learning intention. The outcomes advance the theory of knowledge management by presenting the conceptual model that helps answer the question: "How can knowledge governance and relational capital improve individual learning across projects?" The results can also guide participants to have superior project performance with assistance of experience and knowledge from different projects in practice.
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    The impact of osteoporosis and diabetes on fracture healing under different loading conditions
    Zhang, E ; Miramini, S ; Zhang, L (ELSEVIER IRELAND LTD, 2024-02)
    BACKGROUND: Osteoporosis and diabetes are two prevalent conditions among the elderly population. Each of these conditions can profoundly influence the fracture healing process by disturbing the associated inflammatory process. However, the combined effects of osteoporosis and diabetes on fracture healing remain unclear. Therefore, the purpose of the present study is to investigate the role of osteoporosis and diabetes in fracture healing and the underlying mechanisms by developing numerical models. METHOD: This study introduces a numerical model that consists of a three-dimensional model of a tibia fracture stabilized by a Locking Compression Plate (LCP), coupled with a two-dimensional axisymmetric model which illustrates the transport and reactions of cells and cytokines throughout the inflammatory phase in early fracture healing. First, the model parameters were calibrated using available experimental data. The model was then implemented to predict the healing outcomes of fractures under five varied conditions, consisting of both osteoporotic and non-osteoporotic bones, each subjected to different physiological loads. RESULTS: The instability of the fracture callus can significantly escalate in osteoporotic fractures (e.g., when a 150 N physiological load is applied, the unstable region of the osteoporotic fracture callus can reach 26 %, in contrast to 12 % in non-osteoporotic fractures). Additionally, the mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) proliferation and differentiation can be disrupted in osteoporotic fracture compared to non-osteoporotic fractures (e.g., on the 10th day post-fracture, the decrease in the concentration of MSCs, osteoblasts, and chondrocytes in osteoporotic fractures is nearly double that in non-osteoporotic fractures under a 150 N). Finally, the healing process of fractures can suffer significant impairment when osteoporosis coexists with diabetes (e.g., the concentration of MSCs can be drastically reduced by nearly 37 % in osteoporotic fractures under diabetic conditions when subjected to a load of 200 N) CONCLUSIONS: Fracture calluses destabilized by osteoporosis can negatively affect the fracture healing process by disrupting the proliferation and differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Moreover, when osteoporosis coexists with diabetes, the fracture healing process can severely impair the fracture healing outcomes.
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    A Reliability-Based Framework for Damage Accumulation Due to Multiple Earthquakes: A Case Study on Bridges
    Herath, N ; Zhang, L ; Mendis, P ; Navaratnam, S ; Lokuge, W ; Setunge, S (MDPI, 2023-06)
    Damage accumulation due to multiple seismic impacts over time has a significant effect on the residual service life of the bridge. A reliability-based framework was developed to make decisions in bridge maintenance activities. The feature of the framework enables quantifying the time-dependent probability of failure of bridges due to the impact of multiple earthquakes and progressive deterioration. To estimate the reliability of the bridge systems, the probability of failure of the bridge was used. Two case studies were utilised to demonstrate how the method can be applied to the real world. Results show that the accumulated damage caused by multiple earthquakes and progressive deterioration significantly impact the remaining useful life of the bridge. Furthermore, the soil conditions predominantly influence the progressive deterioration and reduce the service life of the bridge. Overall, the proposed framework enables the sustainable decision-making process for bridge maintenance activities. The results reveal the necessity of including the combined impact in the bridge maintenance system and that there is a more than 40% increase in the probability of failure, due to the combined effect of progressive deterioration and earthquake impacts, compared to the impact only due to seismic loads for the considered case study bridge.
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    Linking Mesoscopic and Macroscopic Aspects of Inclined Self-Weight Sandwich Beams with Functionally Graded Porous Cores Under Moving Loads
    Chen, D ; Rezaei, S ; Yang, J ; Kitipornchai, S ; Zhang, L ; Rosendahl, PL (WORLD SCIENTIFIC PUBL CO PTE LTD, 2023-11)
    The surging interest in porous lightweight structures has been witnessed in recent years to pursue material innovations in broad engineering disciplines for sustainable developments and multifunctional proposes. Functionally graded (FG) porous composites represent a novel way to adjust mechanical characteristics by controlling the porosity distributions. However, the further advance in this field is challenged by the scale gap between mesoscopic and macroscopic aspects of porous structural analysis, i.e. how the local cellular morphologies impact the overall behaviors. The purpose of this paper is to bridge this gap by conducting a theoretical investigation on the performance of inclined self-weight sandwich beams with FG porous cores, where Young’s modulus is obtained with representative volume elements (RVEs) in a multiscale modeling study and depends on the cellular morphologies: average cell size and cell wall thickness. The material properties of closed-cell steel foams are adopted in a two-step assessment on target beams, including a static calculation to examine their bending deformations under gravitational loading which are then imported into a forced vibration analysis considering constant and harmonic moving forces. Timoshenko beam theory is used to establish the displacement field, while Ritz and Newmark methods are employed to solve the governing equations in terms of bending, free vibration, and forced vibration. The inclined beams are assumed to rest on a Pasternak foundation, and the corresponding structural responses can be determined based on the specific cell size and cell wall thickness, of which the effects are quantitatively revealed: the stiffness degradation induced from cellular morphologies increases the dynamic deflections, while the corresponding self-weight static deformations are reduced and the fundamental natural frequencies are raised. The influence from geometrical, boundary, and foundation conditions is also discussed to provide a comprehensive overview. This will be valuable for engineers to develop devisable foam-based load-carrying components with enhanced properties.
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    Functionally graded porous structures: Analyses, performances, and applications – A Review
    Chen, D ; Gao, K ; Yang, J ; Zhang, L (Elsevier, 2023-10-01)
    Structural innovation incorporating bio-inspired composites poses a fresh angle to develop novel lightweight forms with strengthened mechanical properties, among which a must-discuss topic is porous structures. The introduction of internal pores mimics the natural bones or timbers, makes the density a designable parameter, and opens a new world for researchers and engineers who have been obsessed in a variety of porous structural forms with desired aspects. One of the important trends is the development of functionally graded (FG) porous structures, where internal porosity gradations present significant potential to further enhance the already superior performances. This paper is aimed to review the recent research advances in this field by centring on the adopted mechanical analysis approaches, the obtained findings, and the application opportunities. We first elaborate on the general concepts of FG porous composites as well as the corresponding structural forms. The widely employed theoretical analysis method is subsequently looked at, touching on the nanofiller reinforcement and followed by the details and examples for numerical modelling and mechanical tests. The related artificial intelligence (AI) assisted calculations are also discussed. The fabrication techniques of FG porous specimens, e.g. additive manufacturing (AM), and the foam, lattice, and honeycomb based studies are strategically categorised. The later performance overview highlights the advantages originated from non-uniform cellular morphologies in the overall buckling, bending, vibration, and compressive energy absorption. Finally, the application perspectives in various sectors and future research directions are given. This synopsis enables the readers to grab the big picture of FG porous structures and possibly enlightens the path for future outlook in this scope.
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    Flexural strains in a toughened glass panel generated by impact of an ice sphere
    Cui, Y ; Lam, N ; Shi, S ; Lu, G ; Gad, E ; Zhang, L (PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD, 2023-10-01)
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