Infrastructure Engineering - Research Publications

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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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    Influence of Graphene oxide on abrasion resistance and strength of concrete
    Fonseka, I ; Mohotti, D ; Wijesooriya, K ; Lee, CK ; Mendis, P (Elsevier BV, 2023-11-10)
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    A hybrid precast concrete stiffened wall substructure for residential construction on expansive soils
    Teodosio, B ; Al-Hussein, M ; Yu, H ; Baduge, KSK ; Mendis, P (ELSEVIER, 2022-06-01)
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    Aggregate interlock in fractured concrete mesoscale models: a novel finite element modelling approach
    Jayasinghe, T ; Gunawardena, T ; Mendis, P (SPRINGERNATURE, 2022-07-17)
    Abstract Aggregate interlock is a stress transfer mechanism in cracked concrete. After concrete cracks under tensile loading, crack interfaces can experience significant slip deformation due to the applied crack kinematics. Upon rising slip along crack interfaces, aggregate interlock stresses are generated which transfer shear stress and normal stress. Many experimental programmes and analytical expressions have been developed for several decades. However, a finite element model considering realistic crack surfaces was still not developed. The complexity of developing a FE model lies due to the mesoscopic nature of the problem. In this study, concrete mesoscale models were employed to generate realistic cracked concrete surfaces. Uniaxial tensile fracture propagation in concrete mesoscale models were achieved using Zero-thickness cohesive elements approach. Once cracked concrete FE models are developed, validation of the proposed FE models was conducted against two experimental campaigns. The study comprises the evaluation of the surface roughness index of the cracked concrete surfaces. The FE model predicts secondary cracking under low initial crack widths and mixed mode angles. FE predictions were further compared with Walraven’s simplified formulae, Bažant’s rough crack model, Cavagnis’s aggregate interlock formulae and contact density model and consistence agreement was observed. Finally, strengths and weaknesses of the proposed FE modelling approach for aggregate interlock was discussed and further implementations were also highlighted.
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    Upcycling opportunities and potential markets for aluminium composite panels with polyethylene core (ACP-PE) cladding materials in Australia: A review
    Pilipenets, O ; Gunawardena, T ; Hui, FKP ; Nguyen, K ; Mendis, P ; Aye, L (ELSEVIER SCI LTD, 2022-11-28)
    Many buildings worldwide have high fire-risk materials as part of their cladding. As governments in Australia strive to make buildings safer, it is expected that a large volume of end-of-life dangerous cladding will be replaced with safer materials. This high volume of hazardous materials might be upcycled into value-added products. This article presents a systematic market analysis and literature review in identifying current and potential uses for the raw materials used in hazardous ACP-PE cladding. The most promising areas were identified to be non-food-contact packaging (US$228 M p.a.), non-pressure pipes (US$30 M p.a.), footwear (US$5.29 M p.a.) and 3D printer filament (US$2.73 M p.a.)
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    Multi-Criteria Analysis of a Developed Prefabricated Footing System on Reactive Soil Foundation
    Teodosio, B ; Bonacci, F ; Seo, S ; Baduge, KSK ; Mendis, P (MDPI, 2021-11)
    The need for advancements in residential construction and the hazard induced by the shrink–swell reactive soil movement prompted the development of the prefabricated footing system of this study, which was assessed and compared to a conventional waffle raft using a multi-criteria analysis. The assessment evaluates the structural performance, cost efficiency, and sustainability using finite element modelling, life cycle cost analysis, and life cycle assessment, respectively. The structural performance of the developed prefabricated system was found to have reduced the deformation and cracking by approximately 40%. However, the cost, GHG emission, and embodied energy were higher in the prefabricated footing system due to the greater required amount of concrete and steel than that of the waffle raft. The cost difference between the two systems can be reduced to as low as 6% when prefabricated systems were installed in a highly reactive sites with large floor areas. The life cycle assessment further observed that the prefabricated footing systems consume up to 21% more energy and up to 18% more GHG emissions. These can significantly be compensated by reusing the developed prefabricated footing system, decreasing the GHG emission and energy consumption by 75–77% and 55–59% with respect to that of the waffle raft.
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    Design of prefabricated footing connection using a coupled hydro-mechanical finite element model
    Teodosio, B ; Baduge, KSK ; Mendis, P (ERNST & SOHN, 2022-10)
    Abstract The use of prefabricated systems can alleviate the inadequate housing and skilled workers in most developed countries by expediting required construction time, reducing material wastage, decreasing the effect of weather impacts, minimizing unexpected costs, skilled labor dependence, and construction hazards. The full potential of prefabricated construction is yet to be realized in part due to most advancements being focused on its superstructure. The development of prefabricated substructures for lightweight buildings needs to consider the susceptibility to damage induced by the shrink‐swell movement of expansive soils causing significant global financial losses. Prefabricated substructures should have robust connections in discontinued regions to transfer forces and moments. Due to these issues, the aim of this study is to develop a connection for prefabricated raft substructures of single‐detached dwellings on expansive soils using a combined soil‐structure contact analysis and strut‐and‐tie model approach. The developed substructure system was validated using experiments and further investigated through numerical simulations. The developed prefabricated connection was observed to have satisfactory performance, potentially overcoming most construction limitations of conventional monolithic cast‐in‐place raft substructures, such as faster, safer, and more sustainable construction, while providing comparable strength and serviceability.
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    Microstructural Investigation of High-Volume Fly Ash Composites Containing Nano-Calcium Silicate Hydrate Crystals
    Zhou, Z ; Sofi, M ; Sabri, Y ; Liu, J ; Kang, S ; Mendis, P (ASCE-AMER SOC CIVIL ENGINEERS, 2021-12-01)
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    New normal remote communication for collaboration (presentation)
    Vaz-Serra, P ; Hui, KP ; Aye, L ( 2021-12-19)
    Presented at the 12th International Conference on Structural Engineering and construction Management (ICSECM) 2021, Kandy, Sri Lanka (17-19 December)