Research on Durability, Resilience and Stability of Building Structures

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2026 | Viewed by 8634

Special Issue Editors

School of Urban Planning and Municipal Engineering, Xi’an Polytechnic University, Xi'an 710048, China
Interests: seismic and control of building structures; engineering materials; geotechnical engineering; disaster prevention & mitigation

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Guest Editor
School of Resources and Civil Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, China
Interests: underground structure; tunnel engineering; pipe roofing method; soil structure interaction; structural health monitoring; pipelines and trenchless technology
School of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang 621010, China
Interests: tunnel engineering; durability of engineering structure; seismic performance; fatigue and fracture; progressive destruction; multifractal analysis; refined finite element modeling and analysis
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Guest Editor
Center of Steel Bridge, Zhejiang Institute of Communications, Hangzhou 311112, China
Interests: steel structures and composite structures bridges; high-strength bolt connections; welded connections; steel bridge construction and inspection

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Durability, resilience and stability are essential attributes that civil engineering structures possess to ensure their long-term performance. For structures such as marine facilities, bridge tunnel systems, buildings, supporting structures, and underground facilities, durability is not only affected by complex environmental factors (including atmospheric conditions, groundwater, and soil properties) but also by human factors such as construction quality and material characteristics. Therefore, in the design and construction stages, we must fully consider various factors related to durability, toughness, and stability. Throughout the engineering process, low-carbon, eco-friendly, and intelligent materials and construction technologies with excellent durability should be selected to strengthen structural protection and maintenance and ultimately extend the service life of the structure. In addition, by optimizing structural design and construction practices through the improvement of the durability, toughness, and stability of structures, the functional recovery of engineering structures after disasters could be accelerated, thereby mitigating the impact of such events on existing infrastructure. Thus, to advance this field, we launched the project "Durability, Resilience and Stability of Building Structures" in the context of low carbon materials, environmental protection, and intelligent technology. This initiative aims to bring together the expertise of industry leaders, academics, and practitioners in order to drive overall improvements in the performance of building structures. 

Dr. Yang Liu
Dr. Bo Lu
Dr. Songbo Ren
Prof. Dr. Wei Zhao
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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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

  • structural engineering
  • sustainable design
  • low-carbon, eco-friendly, and intelligent materials
  • durability
  • resilience
  • stability
  • structural protection

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Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

22 pages, 3594 KB  
Article
Seismic Dynamic Response of Adjacent Oil Well Casings: Effect of Inter-Well Spacing
by Minjing Chen, Wei Lu, Yanjun He, Keyu Duan, Zilong Li, Yang Liu and Zhan Qu
Buildings 2026, 16(2), 459; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16020459 - 22 Jan 2026
Viewed by 60
Abstract
With the intensive development of oil and gas fields, multi-well layouts with reduced inter-well spacing are increasingly adopted to improve production efficiency. Such configurations, however, may significantly enhance seismic interaction among adjacent wells. In this study, a nonlinear three-dimensional finite element model incorporating [...] Read more.
With the intensive development of oil and gas fields, multi-well layouts with reduced inter-well spacing are increasingly adopted to improve production efficiency. Such configurations, however, may significantly enhance seismic interaction among adjacent wells. In this study, a nonlinear three-dimensional finite element model incorporating soil–structure interaction is developed using GTS NX to investigate the seismic dynamic response of closely spaced oil well casings. A representative dual-well system is analyzed under horizontal earthquake ground motion. The influence of inter-well spacing on displacement response characteristics is systematically examined. Numerical simulations are conducted for three center-to-center spacing distances (5 m, 7.5 m, and 10 m). The spatial distribution of displacement responses in both the casings and the surrounding soil is analyzed at different depths and monitoring sections. The results indicate that reduced well spacing significantly amplifies dynamic coupling effects, leading to increased displacement responses in the casing–soil system. These findings provide quantitative insight into spacing-dependent seismic interaction mechanisms and offer theoretical support for seismic design and spatial optimization of multi-well systems. Full article
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22 pages, 7147 KB  
Article
Experimental Study on the Flexural Behavior of Steel–Concrete Composite Bridge Decks with Stud–PBL Shear Connectors
by Ruifeng Dou, Jun Zhao, Longhua Shi, Dongjie Weng, Ding Zhou and Wei Zhao
Buildings 2026, 16(1), 104; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16010104 - 25 Dec 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 297
Abstract
To investigate the flexural behavior of steel–concrete composite bridge decks with stud–perfobond leist (PBL) shear connectors, two specimens were designed with the stud spacing as the main variable, and static bending tests were conducted. Additionally, refined finite element models were constructed for evaluating [...] Read more.
To investigate the flexural behavior of steel–concrete composite bridge decks with stud–perfobond leist (PBL) shear connectors, two specimens were designed with the stud spacing as the main variable, and static bending tests were conducted. Additionally, refined finite element models were constructed for evaluating the influence of shear connector types, concrete strength, stud diameter, stud height, and PBL hole diameter on the performance and flexural capacity of the structure. The results show that, under bending loads, the failure of the composite bridge deck is mainly concrete crushing and steel plate yielding. When the spacing of the stud decreases, both the flexural behavior of the composite bridge decks and the shear resistance at the steel–concrete interface are enhanced. The steel–concrete composite bridge decks with stud–PBL shear connectors showed higher overall flexural stiffness and flexural capacity than the steel–concrete composite bridge decks with single-type shear connectors. Concrete strength had a pronounced influence on the flexural capacity of the deck system, while the effects of stud diameter and height were minor. As the PBL hole diameter increased, the flexural capacity of the specimens exhibited a decreasing tendency. Full article
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26 pages, 7455 KB  
Article
Dynamic Response of Large Wind Turbine Under Multidimensional Seismic Excitation Based on New 15-DOF Dimensionality Reduction Model
by Zhijun Li, Chen Xie, Wenyi Liu and Xuehua Li
Buildings 2026, 16(1), 9; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16010009 - 19 Dec 2025
Viewed by 193
Abstract
With the increase in size and flexibility of wind turbines, the safety of large wind turbines becomes a major issue. For this reason, a novel 15-degree-of-freedom (DOF) large wind turbine reduced-order model is proposed in this paper based on the Euler–Lagrange equation. Considering [...] Read more.
With the increase in size and flexibility of wind turbines, the safety of large wind turbines becomes a major issue. For this reason, a novel 15-degree-of-freedom (DOF) large wind turbine reduced-order model is proposed in this paper based on the Euler–Lagrange equation. Considering rated speed and parking operating conditions, the dynamic response of the large wind turbine under multidimensional seismic excitation is studied. The 5 MW fixed-bottom wind turbine developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is used to testify to the effectiveness of the proposed model. The simulation results indicate that the modal frequencies of the new 15-DOF dimensionality reduction model have a relative error of 0.128–7.820% compared with FAST results, the maximum displacement in the flapwise direction of the blade is 64.93% greater than that in the edgewise direction, and the maximum acceleration is 91.47%. Considering the vertical seismic excitation, the maximum displacement of the edgewise direction is increased by 48.45%, the maximum acceleration of the edgewise direction is increased by 161.17%, the maximum vertical displacement at the top of the tower is within 0.07–0.50% of the horizontal displacement, and the maximum vertical acceleration at the top of the tower is within 5.01–14.42% of the horizontal acceleration. The rated speed state is the worst operating condition in the edgewise direction of the blade, and the maximum blade edgewise acceleration is increased by 180.36% compared with the parking state. The parking state is the worst operating condition in the flapwise direction of the blade, and the maximum blade flapwise acceleration is increased by 365.51% compared with the rated speed state. Full article
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18 pages, 6206 KB  
Article
Study on Possibility of Shield Machine Cutting Through Steel-Reinforced Concrete Diaphragm Wall of Existing Structure
by Shejiang Wang, Yingyin Shen, Lin Gui, Tao Zhang and Daogang Wang
Buildings 2025, 15(23), 4365; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15234365 - 2 Dec 2025
Viewed by 284
Abstract
With the rapid expansion of urban transportation networks, new metro tunnels frequently cut through existing structures’ diaphragm walls by using the shield machine. Such intrusions induce dynamic disturbances that pose significant risks to adjacent structures. This study employs Suzhou Metro Line 8 as [...] Read more.
With the rapid expansion of urban transportation networks, new metro tunnels frequently cut through existing structures’ diaphragm walls by using the shield machine. Such intrusions induce dynamic disturbances that pose significant risks to adjacent structures. This study employs Suzhou Metro Line 8 as a case study to evaluate the safety of existing metro stations during shield tunneling, specifically examining deformation characteristics induced by varying tunneling parameters. A three-dimensional numerical model is developed to assess structural responses, with simulation accuracy rigorously validated against field measurements. Results reveal that the transverse influence zone of the base slab extends approximately 2.5 times the tunnel diameter. Diaphragm wall exhibits horizontal deformation opposite the tunneling direction, while the maximum lateral deformation of adjacent station walls reaches 2.49 mm. Concurrently, a slight uplift manifests at the base slab center with a peak value of 2.54 mm. All obtained structural deformations remain well below the permission value of 5 mm, with observed maxima constituting only 50% of this safety threshold. This substantial deformation margin significantly mitigates construction hazards, promoting the sustainable development of underground space. Full article
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27 pages, 3008 KB  
Article
Quantitative Assessment and Prediction for Tower Crane Construction Safety Resilience Based on Historical Database
by Mingze Xu and Hongbo Zhou
Buildings 2025, 15(23), 4280; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15234280 - 26 Nov 2025
Viewed by 463
Abstract
This study proposes an equipment-level framework for quantifying and grading tower-crane construction safety resilience that addresses three persistent gaps in construction safety research: subjective weighting, static scoring, and weak uncertainty treatment. The Entropy Weight Method (EWM) with Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS) is integrated [...] Read more.
This study proposes an equipment-level framework for quantifying and grading tower-crane construction safety resilience that addresses three persistent gaps in construction safety research: subjective weighting, static scoring, and weak uncertainty treatment. The Entropy Weight Method (EWM) with Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS) is integrated to convert five objective indicators (fatalities, serious injuries, economic losses, accident-severity factor, and accident frequency) into (i) data-driven weights and (ii) interval-valued resilience estimates (mean and 95% CI). A quintile scheme yields an interpretable five-tier scale from Very Weak to Very Strong. On a multi-source dataset of 696 accidents, casualties and severity dominate the entropy weights and effectively separate resilience tiers. The MCS intervals are stable and decision-oriented. Using the obtained tiers as labels, a Random-Forest classifier achieves superior Accuracy and Macro-F1, demonstrating that the grading is predictable and thus operational for early warning. Two lightweight proxies were further introduced, the Management Behavior Index (MBI) and the Recovery Difficulty Index (RDI), to incorporate management/behavioral signals and recovery burden; both couple with the EWM-MCS score at small weights, smooth zero-event cases, and highlight priority risks. Sensitivity checks on binning rules, simulation budgets, perturbation magnitudes, and coupling coefficients confirm robustness. The proposed framework generates interconnected output metrics, including the mean value, confidence interval, risk tier, and result interpretability. Furthermore, it exhibits high portability and can be readily adapted to other types of critical construction equipment as well as online assessment workflows. Full article
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16 pages, 3631 KB  
Article
Experimental Study on the Flexural Performance of Grooved-Connected Truss-Reinforced Concrete Composite Slabs
by Ting Liu, Qingjun Guo, Ruixuan Wang, Jin Lu and Guanqi Lan
Buildings 2025, 15(22), 4189; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15224189 - 19 Nov 2025
Viewed by 453
Abstract
To address the conflicts between traditional composite slab reinforcement layouts and supports—which adversely affect construction quality and efficiency—and to fill the theoretical gap regarding end connections without projecting bars in terms of interface shear transfer, staged flexural behavior, and anchorage reliability, a grooved [...] Read more.
To address the conflicts between traditional composite slab reinforcement layouts and supports—which adversely affect construction quality and efficiency—and to fill the theoretical gap regarding end connections without projecting bars in terms of interface shear transfer, staged flexural behavior, and anchorage reliability, a grooved end-connection configuration for composite slabs is proposed. In this configuration, the longitudinal bars of the precast slab do not extend beyond the slab end. The precast slab end is formed with a recessed–protruding profile; the longitudinal bars are exposed within the groove, where additional reinforcement is pre-embedded (with a diameter not less than the area-equivalent of the longitudinal bars that would otherwise extend into the support). After erection, the additional bars are extended using straight-thread sleeves; short longitudinal bars within the groove are tied to the bottom longitudinal bars. Both the extended additional bars and the short longitudinal bars are anchored into the support by at least 5d and pass the support centerline. To evaluate the global flexural behavior of slabs with grooved end-connections, a two-span, full-scale specimen was tested under static loading. Failure characteristics, crack initiation and propagation, ultimate capacity, deflection, and ductility were investigated. The results indicate that, in the full-scale two-span test, the service load was 11.35 kN/m2 (approximately 13.5% higher than the design value of 10.0 kN/m2); the midspan deflection was about L/110 (smaller than the L/50 limit); the first cracking and the pronounced nonlinearity inflection point occurred at approximately 4.25 kN/m2 and ≥9.35 kN/m2, respectively; and the maximum crack width was 1.66 mm. The test was terminated prior to reaching the durability and deformation limits, after which the load was increased to 22.20 kN/m2. The specimen exhibited a ductile flexural failure governed by tensile reinforcement yielding; the top concrete did not crush, no shear failure was observed at the ends, and no delamination occurred at the composite interface, demonstrating favorable global flexural performance. Full article
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18 pages, 4971 KB  
Article
Effect of Metakaolin Content on the Deterioration Resistance of Concrete Made with Recycled Fiber-Reinforced Tailings Aggregate Under Freeze–Thaw Cycles and Sulfate Freeze–Thaw Cycles
by Fan Xu, Zhijun Li, Honghao Ying and Bin Du
Buildings 2025, 15(18), 3428; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15183428 - 22 Sep 2025
Viewed by 845
Abstract
To improve the mechanical properties and durability of concrete made with recycled fiber-reinforced tailings aggregate, the influence of metakaolin (MK) content on its properties was studied. Freeze–thaw cycle tests and sulfate freeze–thaw cycle tests were performed. Moreover, the service life of concrete under [...] Read more.
To improve the mechanical properties and durability of concrete made with recycled fiber-reinforced tailings aggregate, the influence of metakaolin (MK) content on its properties was studied. Freeze–thaw cycle tests and sulfate freeze–thaw cycle tests were performed. Moreover, the service life of concrete under freeze–thaw cycles was predicted using the grey system theory. The findings showed that even a small quantity of MK can significantly enhance the compressive strength of concrete, with the highest strength observed at 10% MK content. Concrete’s ability to withstand freeze–thaw and sulfate freeze–thaw conditions was improved by MK, with effectiveness increasing alongside MK content. The grey system theory effectively predicts the relative compressive strength of concrete in freeze–thaw environments. The prediction results demonstrated that MK significantly extends the service life of concrete. This research investigates the properties of concrete made from MK and industrial waste and provides a theoretical basis for engineering applications in cold climates, saline soils, and marine areas in Northwest China. The findings provide a reference for promoting a circular economy and environmental protection. Full article
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20 pages, 10954 KB  
Article
Settlement Characteristics and Control Parameters for the Integrated Construction of Large-Section Underground Structures and Airport Terminals: A Case Study
by Rongzhen Zhang, Wei Liu, Zekun Wei, Jianyong Han, Guangbiao Shao and Shenao Li
Buildings 2025, 15(17), 3139; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15173139 - 1 Sep 2025
Viewed by 1391
Abstract
Settlement control for tunnel–terminal co-construction projects remains undefined, despite the growing trend of integrating multiple transportation modes within large-scale transport hubs. This study investigates a large underground structure passing beneath an airport terminal, combining field investigations, statistical analyses, and finite element simulations to [...] Read more.
Settlement control for tunnel–terminal co-construction projects remains undefined, despite the growing trend of integrating multiple transportation modes within large-scale transport hubs. This study investigates a large underground structure passing beneath an airport terminal, combining field investigations, statistical analyses, and finite element simulations to examine differential settlement behavior under non-uniform loading conditions. The key contribution of this work is the proposal of a differential settlement control standard, defined by the tangent of the rotation angle between adjacent column foundations, with a recommended value of 1/625. Case analysis at cross-section E–E shows that the measured maximum tangent rotation angle was 1/839, corresponding to base slab settlements of 40.5 mm and 33.1 mm for the high-speed railway and metro structures, respectively. Application of the proposed 1/625 criterion yields allowable maximum base slab settlements of 55.28 mm for the high-speed railway and 44.83 mm for the metro, with differential settlement limits of 7.5 mm and 3.13 mm. Numerical simulations confirm the validity of this standard, ensuring the structural integrity of co-constructed systems and providing practical guidance for future airport terminal–tunnel integration projects. Full article
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25 pages, 4965 KB  
Article
Towards Selecting an Optimal Bonding Test Method for Rebar–Concrete: Comparison Between Pull-Out Test and Full-Beam Test
by Sisi Chao, Chenghua Li, Jiahong Dong and Ziliang Lu
Buildings 2025, 15(13), 2375; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15132375 - 7 Jul 2025
Viewed by 2312
Abstract
There are many methods for evaluating the bond behavior between rebar and concrete. For certain experimental purposes, selecting the ideal method for testing the rebar–concrete bonding properties is often a controversial problem. The most representative single-end pull-out test method and the full-beam test [...] Read more.
There are many methods for evaluating the bond behavior between rebar and concrete. For certain experimental purposes, selecting the ideal method for testing the rebar–concrete bonding properties is often a controversial problem. The most representative single-end pull-out test method and the full-beam test method were applied in this work to conduct bonding tests between rebar and concrete. Considering the influence of the concrete strength, bonding length, stirrup, and rebar slotting, these two testing strategies are compared and analyzed in terms of the specimen failure mode, bonding strength, bond–slip curve, and rebar stress distribution. Suggestions are offered regarding the selection of an appropriate method for evaluating the bond behavior between rebar and concrete based on an comparative analysis of the two tested approaches. The results presented herein provide a basis for the preparation of relevant test method standards. Full article
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20 pages, 3597 KB  
Article
Prediction of Shear Capacity of Fiber-Reinforced Polymer-Reinforced Concrete Beams Based on Machine Learning
by Jitao Zhao, Miaomiao Zhu, Lidan Xu, Ming Chen and Mingfang Shi
Buildings 2025, 15(11), 1908; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15111908 - 1 Jun 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1165
Abstract
To address the existing challenges of lacking a unified and reliable shear capacity prediction model for fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP)-strengthened reinforced concrete beams (FRP-SRCB) and the excessive experimental workload, this study establishes a shear capacity prediction model for FRP-SRCB based on machine learning (ML). [...] Read more.
To address the existing challenges of lacking a unified and reliable shear capacity prediction model for fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP)-strengthened reinforced concrete beams (FRP-SRCB) and the excessive experimental workload, this study establishes a shear capacity prediction model for FRP-SRCB based on machine learning (ML). First, the correlation between input and output parameters was analyzed by the Pearson correlation coefficient method. Then, representative single model (ANN) and integrated model (XGBoost) algorithms were selected to predict the dataset, and their performance was evaluated based on three commonly used regression evaluation metrics. Finally, the prediction accuracy of the ML model was further verified by comparing it with the domestic and foreign design codes. The results manifest that the shear capacity exhibits a strong positive correlation with the beam width and effective height. Compared to the ANN model, the XGBoost-based prediction model achieves determination coefficients (R2) of 0.999 and 0.879 for the training and test sets, respectively, indicating superior predictive accuracy. Furthermore, the shear capacity calculations from design codes show significant variability, demonstrating the superior predictive capability of ML algorithms. These findings offer a guideline for the design and implementation of FRP reinforcement in actual bridge engineering. Full article
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