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Buildings
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Buildings and Infrastructures under Natural Hazards
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Buildings and Infrastructures under Natural Hazards

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 October 2025 | Viewed by 4598

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Florin Pavel

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Reinforced Concrete Structures, Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest, 020396 Bucharest, Romania
Interests: risk and fragility analysis; earthquake; seismology; seismics; earthquake seismology; earthquake engineering; civil engineering; seismotectonics; engineering seismology; earthquake prediction; tectonics; applied geophysics; active tectonics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. George-Bogdan Nica

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Civil Engineering, Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest, 020396 Bucharest, Romania
Interests: dynamics of structures; structural control; earthquake engineering; progressive collapse
Dr. Ehsan Noroozinejad

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Urban Transformations Research Centre (UTRC), Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
Interests: smart structures; digital twins; immersive technologies; robotic construction; resilience; reliability; structural health monitoring
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Investigating building vulnerability and risk is crucial in order to evaluate the impact of natural hazards on exposed assets within a country or region. This assessment can be performed using both numerical methods, as well as information collected via the thorough monitoring of buildings and infrastructures or thorough testing. In addition, within the topic of this Special Issue, the impact of climate change on design codes is another topic which will considerably influence the construction industry in the future.

We welcome papers on the following and related topics, including (but not limited to) the following:

  • The evaluation of seismic and wind vulnerability and the risk of buildings;
  • The monitoring of buildings and infrastructures;
  • Simulation and modelling;
  • Structural testing;
  • Databases of natural hazards;
  • The impact of climate change on design codes;
  • The collapse analysis of buildings.

Dr. Florin Pavel
Dr. George-Bogdan Nica
Dr. Ehsan Noroozinejad
Guest Editors

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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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

  • numerical modelling
  • structural health monitoring
  • structural testing
  • seismic vulnerability
  • wind tunnel testing
  • collapse analysis
  • structural testing

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

27 pages, 13355 KiB  
Article
Advanced Investigation into Active Control Force Requirements for Seismic Damage Mitigation of Inelastic Structures
by Ruben Iacob Munteanu, Vasile Calofir, Karol-Cristian Lemnaru and Cătălin Ponta
Buildings 2025, 15(9), 1402; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15091402 - 22 Apr 2025
Viewed by 207
Abstract
This study investigates the effectiveness of active structural control in mitigating seismic damage of inelastic structures. A fuzzy control algorithm is integrated into a custom-developed finite element routine to examine the relationship between maximum control force requirements and the resulting structural damage state. [...] Read more.
This study investigates the effectiveness of active structural control in mitigating seismic damage of inelastic structures. A fuzzy control algorithm is integrated into a custom-developed finite element routine to examine the relationship between maximum control force requirements and the resulting structural damage state. Consequently, a series of nonlinear dynamic simulations was conducted on 3D inelastic numerical models representing five building typologies—three residential, one office, and one school using seismic inputs from two historical earthquakes. Structural damage was quantified using the Park–Ang damage index. Key findings show that active control can reduce structural damage of inelastic structures, but its effectiveness depends on seismic input and the complexity structural layout. Lower forces are adequate for low-rise or simple buildings, while taller or complex structures require substantially higher forces, which may be challenging to apply in real applications. Moreover, the results emphasize how local seismic conditions and variations in building dynamic characteristics impact the demands in control forces. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Buildings and Infrastructures under Natural Hazards)
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36 pages, 16024 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of the Buttress System of a Great Ottoman Mosque Against Gravity Loads and Horizontal Seismic Forces: The Case of the Istanbul Süleymaniye Mosque
by Rabia İzol, Muhammet Arif Gürel, Çağrı Mollamahmutoğlu and Fatih Avcil
Buildings 2025, 15(8), 1360; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15081360 - 19 Apr 2025
Viewed by 186
Abstract
Historical mosques are some of the most valuable structures in Islamic societies. It is of primary importance to protect these structures and ensure their safe transmission to future generations. This study investigates the adequacy of the buttress system of the Süleymaniye Mosque in [...] Read more.
Historical mosques are some of the most valuable structures in Islamic societies. It is of primary importance to protect these structures and ensure their safe transmission to future generations. This study investigates the adequacy of the buttress system of the Süleymaniye Mosque in Istanbul, regarded as the ‘symbol structure of Ottoman Architecture’, against gravity and horizontal earthquake loads. Although several structural studies have been conducted on this unique building, the absence of any research on the buttress system, which clearly plays a significant role in its survival through many earthquakes, served as the main motivation for this study. After presenting the material properties, a finite element model of the structure was created. Finite element models were also developed for two hypothetical scenarios in which the outer depths of the buttresses were reduced by fifty percent or eliminated. The models and all analyses were performed using ABAQUS software. Gravity load analyses indicated that the mosque does not face any issues related to stresses or displacements. Nonlinear static analyses revealed that, with the current buttress dimensions, the structure can resist horizontal loads up to about 70% of self-weight along the Qibla axis and about 90% along the axis perpendicular to the Qibla. These findings are some of the most significant results obtained thus far in studies investigating the horizontal earthquake resistance of the mosque. Through performance analyses, it was determined that the structure can meet the limited damage performance criterion only with the current buttress depths; however, it cannot satisfy this performance level with reduced buttress dimensions. In conclusion, the study demonstrated that the buttress system of the Süleymaniye Mosque is highly effective against gravity loads and transverse seismic forces and that it was designed not only with practical experience but also with a solid understanding of structural behavior. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Buildings and Infrastructures under Natural Hazards)
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15 pages, 10525 KiB  
Article
Waveform Complexity and Positioning Analysis of Acoustic Emission Events during the Compression Failure Process of a Rock Burst Prone Sample
by Wenlong Zhang, Jiajia Yu, Xiufeng Xu, Jianju Ren, Kaide Liu and Huifang Shi
Buildings 2024, 14(5), 1331; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14051331 - 8 May 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1302
Abstract
The localization results of acoustic emission (AE) events can reflect the location and pattern of burst-prone rock failures. However, event localization heavily depends on the quality of the original waveform of the sensor. Therefore, this study analyzed the AE waveform of a rock [...] Read more.
The localization results of acoustic emission (AE) events can reflect the location and pattern of burst-prone rock failures. However, event localization heavily depends on the quality of the original waveform of the sensor. Therefore, this study analyzed the AE waveform of a rock sample under compression to evaluate its failure localization and quality. From the research results, it could be seen that the initial failure was relatively calm, with clear take-off points, which can be better used for accurate AE event positioning. However, the later failure was severe, causing the take-off points of most sensors to be very unclear, and positioning methods that rely on take-off points cannot be used for positioning, let alone simply using the positioning results of the built-in software. This research result reminds researchers who use AE signals for event localization to first examine the quality and status of the original waveform, providing a basis for obtaining accurate localization results, in order to further accurately study the subsequent failure patterns. The above facts indicate that the initial failure is small and scattered, while the later failure is large and concentrated, with certain fractal characteristics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Buildings and Infrastructures under Natural Hazards)
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24 pages, 20752 KiB  
Article
An Updated Perspective of the Impact of the 1940 Vrancea Earthquake on Design and Construction Practices in Romania
by Florin Pavel
Buildings 2024, 14(4), 1152; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14041152 - 19 Apr 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2115
Abstract
This study presents an updated view of the effects of the 1940 Vrancea earthquake. Recently compiled studies in the literature from the time of the event, as well as other studies, present the opportunity to gain additional and relevant information regarding this large-magnitude [...] Read more.
This study presents an updated view of the effects of the 1940 Vrancea earthquake. Recently compiled studies in the literature from the time of the event, as well as other studies, present the opportunity to gain additional and relevant information regarding this large-magnitude event. The effects of this earthquake on various locations in Romania are compared to those observed after the subsequent large Vrancea earthquake of 1977. An assessment of the economic losses caused by the seismic event is also attempted. The seismic vulnerability of some building typologies commonly used before 1940 is assessed by employing the earthquake damage data and the well-known macroseismic method. The impact of this event on the design and construction practices in Romania is evaluated using the collected information as well. Finally, the policy of repair and strengthening of buildings applied after the event is also discussed, and case studies are presented. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Buildings and Infrastructures under Natural Hazards)
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