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Applications of Computational Methods in Structural Engineering
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Applications of Computational Methods in Structural Engineering

A special issue of Buildings (ISSN 2075-5309). This special issue belongs to the section "Building Structures".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 May 2026 | Viewed by 15601

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Denise-Penelope N. Kontoni

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Civil Engineering, School of Engineering, University of the Peloponnese, 263 34 Patras, Greece
Interests: structural dynamics; earthquake engineering; seismic isolation; structural vibration control; soil–structure interaction; finite element method; boundary element method; computer-aided structural analysis; elastodynamics; elastoplasticity; artificial intelligence
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

I am pleased to invite you to submit cutting-edge original research articles and high-quality review papers for this Special Issue on “Applications of Computational Methods in Structural Engineering”.

The objective of this Special Issue is to bring together the most recent research trends and advances in Computational Methods in Structural Engineering to support the needs of professionals and researchers engaged in civil structures under a variety of external actions such as earthquakes, winds, vibrations, extreme loads, and fires.

This Special Issue can serve as a source of high-impact publications for the global community of researchers in the traditional, as well as emerging, subdisciplines of structural engineering.

Contributions to the following topics are welcome (but are not limited to this list):

  • Civil engineering structures (buildings, bridges, offshore platforms, etc.)
  • Effects of dynamic loads on structures (earthquakes, winds, vibrations, blasts, extreme loads, etc.)
  • Fire effects on structures
  • Reinforced concrete structures
  • Steel structures
  • Composite structures
  • Masonry structures
  • High-rise structures
  • Computer-aided static and dynamic analysis of structures
  • Computational methods in structural analysis (FEM, BEM, etc.)
  • Finite element analysis
  • Boundary element analysis
  • Structural optimization
  • Structural dynamics and earthquake engineering
  • Seismic response of structures
  • Performance-based structural engineering
  • Soil–structure interaction (SSI)
  • Seismic isolation of structures
  • Structural vibration control
  • Special dampers
  • Assessment, repair and strengthening of structures
  • Structural health and seismic structural monitoring
  • Smart materials and structures
  • Artificial intelligence in structural engineering
  • Soft computing techniques in structural engineering

Dr. Denise-Penelope N. Kontoni
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Buildings is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • civil engineering structures (R.C., steel, composite, masonry)
  • structures under loads (earthquakes, winds, fires, blasts, etc.)
  • computational methods in structural analysis (FEM, BEM, etc.)
  • soil–structure interaction (SSI)
  • seismic isolation of structures
  • structural vibration control
  • special dampers
  • smart materials and structures
  • artificial intelligence in structural engineering
  • soft computing techniques in structural engineering

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  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

Jump to: Review

26 pages, 24257 KB  
Article
Selection of Optimal Vector-Valued Intensity Measures for Seismic Fragility Analysis in Shield Tunnels Based on LSTM Neural Networks
by Jinghan Zhang, Meng Zhang, Tao Du and Yang Wang
Buildings 2026, 16(5), 1085; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16051085 - 9 Mar 2026
Viewed by 270
Abstract
This research introduces a novel approach for seismic fragility assessment by employing a long short-term memory (LSTM) neural network to identify the most effective scalar and vector intensity measures (IMs). This approach enables the rapid and accurate plotting of vector fragility surfaces for [...] Read more.
This research introduces a novel approach for seismic fragility assessment by employing a long short-term memory (LSTM) neural network to identify the most effective scalar and vector intensity measures (IMs). This approach enables the rapid and accurate plotting of vector fragility surfaces for shield tunnels embedded in layered soils and subjected to seismic actions. First, an extensive suite of two-dimensional, fully nonlinear soil–structure interaction analyses was executed to generate ground–motion–structure response pairs. These records were subsequently leveraged to train the LSTM network, which received free-field acceleration time histories and directly output critical engineering demand parameters along the tunnel lining. The developed framework significantly mitigates computational expenses while maintaining an acceptable level of fidelity relative to the reference finite element results. Consequently, it serves as an alternative to traditional time history evaluation techniques. Second, we conducted an IM screening process using the results of the LSTM predictions. On the basis of criteria such as relevance, efficiency, practicality, and professionalism, we benchmarked 17 scalar IM and 3 vector IM candidate schemes. The findings indicate that the peak ground velocity (PGV) serves as the most effective scalar IM, whereas the combination of peak ground acceleration (PGA) and PGV forms the optimal vector IM. Finally, probabilistic demand and capacity models are integrated within a fully analytical fragility formulation to derive both scalar and vector fragility estimates. Comparative evaluation reveals that vector IM based fragility surfaces markedly reduce epistemic uncertainty and furnish refined probabilistic descriptions of damage states (DSs) across the seismic demand space. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Computational Methods in Structural Engineering)
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26 pages, 9337 KB  
Article
Optimization of Corrugated Steel Plate Shear Wall Under Hysteretic Loading Using Response Surface Model
by Fatemeh Moghadari and Majid Pouraminian
Buildings 2026, 16(4), 841; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16040841 - 19 Feb 2026
Viewed by 338
Abstract
The use of a corrugated steel plate shear wall (CSPSW) lateral load-bearing system in a steel moment frame (SMF) significantly increases the system’s energy absorption and stiffness. However, the design of CSPSWs involves many parameters and details that greatly increase the complexity of [...] Read more.
The use of a corrugated steel plate shear wall (CSPSW) lateral load-bearing system in a steel moment frame (SMF) significantly increases the system’s energy absorption and stiffness. However, the design of CSPSWs involves many parameters and details that greatly increase the complexity of the structure’s response. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the geometric parameters of this system using modern optimization algorithms and an alternative mathematical technique, Response Surface Methodology (RSM). Five geometric parameters, namely crest width (a), diagonal section width (b), corrugation depth (c), sheet thickness (t), and aspect ratio of plate dimension (d), were analyzed to improve the performance of CSPSWs. Design of experiments (DOE) was performed using Design-Expert software, and the required response surface methodology models were designed based on the dimensions of the five variables. Structure weight per meter reduction was set as the optimization goal of the problem. The problem constraints were also defined based on an increase in load-bearing capacity and a reduction in the equivalent plastic strain (PEEQ) percentage in three safety levels 80%, 85% and 90%. Subsequently, the alternative equations developed by RSM to define the objective function and nonlinear constraints were also optimized using modern algorithms in MATLAB 2015. Results revealed a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.9995 between the experimental and numerical findings and a 1% error between the values obtained from the optimization and reanalysis of the finite elements. Also, they showed an increase in the frame’s lateral load-bearing capacity with the CSPSW, along with a reduction in weight. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Computational Methods in Structural Engineering)
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28 pages, 5461 KB  
Article
Free Vibration and Static Behavior of Bio-Inspired Helicoidal Composite Spherical Caps on Elastic Foundations Applying a 3D Finite Element Method
by Amin Kalhori, Mohammad Javad Bayat, Masoud Babaei and Kamran Asemi
Buildings 2026, 16(2), 273; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16020273 - 8 Jan 2026
Viewed by 625
Abstract
Spherical caps exploit their intrinsic curvature to achieve efficient stress distribution, delivering exceptional strength-to-weight ratios. This advantage renders them indispensable for aerospace systems, pressurized containers, architectural domes, and structures operating in extreme environments, such as deep-sea or nuclear containment. Their superior load-bearing capacity [...] Read more.
Spherical caps exploit their intrinsic curvature to achieve efficient stress distribution, delivering exceptional strength-to-weight ratios. This advantage renders them indispensable for aerospace systems, pressurized containers, architectural domes, and structures operating in extreme environments, such as deep-sea or nuclear containment. Their superior load-bearing capacity enables diverse applications, including satellite casings and high-pressure vessels. Meticulous optimization of geometric parameters and material selection ensures robustness in demanding scenarios. Given their significance, this study examines the natural frequency and static response of bio-inspired helicoidally laminated carbon fiber–reinforced polymer matrix composite spherical panels surrounded by Winkler elastic foundation support. Utilizing a 3D elasticity approach and the finite element method (FEM), the governing equations of motion are derived via Hamilton’s Principle. The study compares five helicoidal stacking configurations—recursive, exponential, linear, semicircular, and Fibonacci—with traditional laminate designs, including cross-ply, quasi-isotropic, and unidirectional arrangements. Parametric analyses explore the influence of lamination patterns, number of plies, panel thickness, support rigidity, polar angles, and edge constraints on natural frequencies, static deflections, and stress distributions. The analysis reveals that the quasi-isotropic (QI) laminate configuration yields optimal vibrational performance, attaining the highest fundamental frequency. In contrast, the cross-ply (CP) laminate demonstrates marginally best static performance, exhibiting minimal deflection. The unidirectional (UD) laminate consistently shows the poorest performance across both static and dynamic metrics. These investigations reveal stress transfer mechanisms across layers and elucidate vibration and bending behaviors in laminated spherical shells. Crucially, the results underscore the ability of helicoidal arrangements in augmenting mechanical and structural performance in engineering applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Computational Methods in Structural Engineering)
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17 pages, 1303 KB  
Article
Prediction of Skeleton Curves for Seismically Damaged RC Columns Based on a Data-Driven Machine-Learning Approach
by Pengyu Sun, Weiping Wen, Changhai Zhai and Yiran Li
Buildings 2025, 15(17), 3135; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15173135 - 1 Sep 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 844
Abstract
The skeleton curve plays a crucial role in evaluating the seismic capacity of damaged structures. The research explored the application of data-driven machine learning approaches to predict the skeleton curves of earthquake-damaged reinforced concrete (RC) columns. Various machine learning methods, including Lasso regression, [...] Read more.
The skeleton curve plays a crucial role in evaluating the seismic capacity of damaged structures. The research explored the application of data-driven machine learning approaches to predict the skeleton curves of earthquake-damaged reinforced concrete (RC) columns. Various machine learning methods, including Lasso regression, K-nearest neighbor (KNN), support vector machine (SVM), decision tree, and AdaBoost, were employed to develop a machine learning prediction model (MLPM) for seismic-damaged RC columns. A substantial dataset for the MLPM was derived from finite element (FE) analysis results. The input parameters for the machine learning models included the design specifications of the numerical column model and the damage index (DI), while the coordinates of key points on the skeleton curves served as the output parameters. The findings indicated that the K-nearest neighbor algorithm exhibited the best predictive performance, particularly for the yielding and peak points. The most influential input feature for predicting peak strength was the shear span-to-effective depth ratio, followed by the DI. The ML-based models demonstrated higher efficiency than numerical simulations and theoretical calculations in predicting the skeleton curves of damaged RC columns. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Computational Methods in Structural Engineering)
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28 pages, 7893 KB  
Article
Artificial Neural Network-Based Automated Finite Element Model Updating with an Integrated Graphical User Interface for Operational Modal Analysis of Structures
by Hamed Hasani and Francesco Freddi
Buildings 2024, 14(10), 3093; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14103093 - 26 Sep 2024
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3604
Abstract
This paper presents an artificial neural network-based graphical user interface, designed to automate finite element model updating using data from operational modal analysis. The approach aims to reduce the uncertainties inherent in both the experimental data and the computational model. A key feature [...] Read more.
This paper presents an artificial neural network-based graphical user interface, designed to automate finite element model updating using data from operational modal analysis. The approach aims to reduce the uncertainties inherent in both the experimental data and the computational model. A key feature of this method is the application of a discrete wavelet transform-based approach for denoising OMA data. The graphical interface streamlines the FEMU process by employing neural networks to automatically optimize FEM inputs, allowing for real-time adjustments and continuous structural health monitoring under varying environmental and operational conditions. This approach was validated with OMA results, demonstrating its effectiveness in enhancing model accuracy and reliability. Additionally, the adaptability of this method makes it suitable for a wide range of structural types, and its potential integration with emerging technologies such as the Internet of Things further amplifies its relevance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Computational Methods in Structural Engineering)
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18 pages, 8691 KB  
Article
Correlation of the Near-Fault Pulse-like Ground Motion Characteristics with the Vulnerability of Buildings
by Ali Majdi, Denise-Penelope N. Kontoni and Hamad Almujibah
Buildings 2024, 14(9), 2801; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14092801 - 6 Sep 2024
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2537
Abstract
Determining the impact of pulse-type earthquake characteristics on the vulnerability of base-isolated buildings under non-pounding conditions has yielded conflicting results in previous studies. Moreover, this issue has received less attention for pounding conditions, especially floor-to-floor pounding. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the [...] Read more.
Determining the impact of pulse-type earthquake characteristics on the vulnerability of base-isolated buildings under non-pounding conditions has yielded conflicting results in previous studies. Moreover, this issue has received less attention for pounding conditions, especially floor-to-floor pounding. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the correlation between pulse-type earthquake characteristics and the seismic response of buildings under both pounding and non-pounding conditions. In the first stage, three base-isolated buildings and one fixed-base building are analyzed separately under 40 pulse-type earthquakes using the nonlinear time history method. Three scenarios are then considered to account for pounding with adjacent buildings. In the first pounding scenario, a base-isolated building with an intermediate moment frame (IMF) is placed between two fixed-base buildings. The second scenario involves changing the base-isolated building’s superstructure system to a special moment frame (SMF). Finally, the third scenario increases the base isolation period (Tb) of the base-isolated building used in scenario two. The correlation between earthquake characteristics and the seismic response of buildings is assessed by linear regression and the Pearson correlation coefficient. The results demonstrate that peak ground acceleration (PGA) has a strong correlation with the seismic response of buildings under pounding conditions, while peak ground velocity (PGV) shows a stronger correlation under non-pounding conditions. However, predicting building vulnerability with a single pulse-type earthquake characteristic remains unreliable unless a large number of ground motions are considered. Otherwise, it is crucial to consider the correlation of all earthquake characteristics with seismic responses. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Computational Methods in Structural Engineering)
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Review

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35 pages, 5185 KB  
Review
Analysis of Laminated Composite Plates: A Comprehensive Bibliometric Review
by Ali Odeh, Madyan A. Al-Shugaa, Husain J. Al-Gahtani and Faisal Mukhtar
Buildings 2024, 14(6), 1574; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14061574 - 29 May 2024
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 5234
Abstract
Laminated composite plates have become a crucial point of interest in the industry, with the need to ensure sustained and stable structures throughout the plates’ lifespan. This study conducted a bibliometric analysis using the Scopus database, gathering 8221 documents for further scrutiny based [...] Read more.
Laminated composite plates have become a crucial point of interest in the industry, with the need to ensure sustained and stable structures throughout the plates’ lifespan. This study conducted a bibliometric analysis using the Scopus database, gathering 8221 documents for further scrutiny based on the linked meta-data. Utilizing the VOS viewer software version 1.6.19, maps were generated from scientific publishing network data, illustrating connections between researchers’ nations and keywords. The investigation into co-occurring phrases associated with laminated composite plates employed author keywords. The results reveal a significant and close relationship among top authors, suggesting a strong research connection, with the United States and China leading the field. Top cited documents and keyword correlations are examined to gauge current research interests. These critical reviews serve as essential resources for scholars and practitioners in the field. Additionally, the review discusses the advancements in and practical applications of different theories for laminated composite plates, with a focus on a bibliometric study using the Scopus database. This paper categorizes models within the context of an equivalent single-layer laminate, analyzing variations in established theories and methodologies for modeling laminated composite plates to offer a nuanced understanding of approaches and assessments in this field. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Computational Methods in Structural Engineering)
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