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Mechanical Properties of Advanced Metal Structures in Civil Infrastructure
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Mechanical Properties of Advanced Metal Structures in Civil Infrastructure

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 August 2025 | Viewed by 4242

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Xiaowei Liao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Civil Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310023, China
Interests: fatigue performance and rehabilitation; structural integrity assessment; numerical simulation; bimetallic steel materials; steel bridge
Prof. Dr. Haohui Xin

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Civil Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
Interests: fracture and fatigue; steel and composite bridges; 3D-printed structures
Dr. Fangxin Hu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Civil Engineering and Transportation, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China
Interests: high-strength steel; seismic performance; steel connection; steel frame; constitutive model
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Zhe Xing

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210024, China
Interests: high-performance steel; structural stability; fire design; laboratory testing; numerical modelling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Nanting Yu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Civil Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310023, China
Interests: cold-formed steel; buckling behavior; ultimate failure load; numerical simulation; design method
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

A variety of advanced metal materials, involving high-strength steel, stainless steel, aluminium alloy, and bimetallic steel, have been applied to enhance the safety and durability of the building and bridge structures under the action of earthquake, fire, moving loading, impact, corrosion, etc. Unlike low-alloy mild steel, these metal materials exhibit different mechanical properties, probably leading to different mechanical behavior and responses for the components and structures. In order to boost the application of these advanced metal materials into civil structures, this Special Issue, entitled “Mechanical Properties of Advanced Metal Structures in Civil Infrastructure”, aims to reveal the basic mechanical characteristics of these metal materials and to develop advanced numerical simulation techniques, analysis methods, and design theories for the corresponding joints, members, and structures. Both original research articles and reviews are welcome. Topics of interest will cover, but are not limited to, the following aspects:

(1) Monotonic and cyclic constitutive models;

(2) Buckling behavior;

(3) Seismic resilience;

(4) Fire resistance;

(5) Fatigue cracking mechanism and strength;

(6) Machine-learning-based evaluation and design method.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Xiaowei Liao
Prof. Dr. Haohui Xin
Dr. Fangxin Hu
Dr. Zhe Xing
Dr. Nanting Yu
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

  • high-performance steel materials
  • aluminium alloy
  • additive manufacturing
  • seismic resilience
  • buckling
  • fire
  • fatigue
  • welding stress
  • numerical analysis

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

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 11567 KiB  
Article
Micromechanical Fracture Model of High-Strength Welded Steel Under Cyclic Loading
by Xiyue Liu, Yuanqing Wang, Xingyu Zhen, Yilin Yue, Manchao He and Yicong Ye
Buildings 2025, 15(8), 1218; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15081218 - 8 Apr 2025
Viewed by 269
Abstract
To investigate the micromechanical fracture behavior of high-strength steel, an integrated experimental and numerical study was conducted on Q460C steel and its welded joints, with specimens extracted from the base metal, weld metal, and the heat-affected zone (HAZ). Eighteen smooth round bars were [...] Read more.
To investigate the micromechanical fracture behavior of high-strength steel, an integrated experimental and numerical study was conducted on Q460C steel and its welded joints, with specimens extracted from the base metal, weld metal, and the heat-affected zone (HAZ). Eighteen smooth round bars were tested under monotonic and cyclic loading to analyze mechanical performance and stress–strain curves. A constitutive model was developed based on the experimental results and numerical simulations. Additionally, eighteen notched round bars with three different notch sizes and three different zones were tested under monotonic loading, and thirty-six notched round bars with three different notch sizes, three different zones, and two loading protocols were tested under cyclic loading. The stress-modified critical strain model (SMCS) and void growth model (VGM) were calibrated and validated using the test results. The study reveals that the HAZ is more susceptible to cracking under cyclic loading. A positive correlation between toughness parameters and plasticity was discovered. The validated VGM and SMCS provide a reliable tool for predicting ductile fracture in Q460C steel and its welds, offering significant insights for the design and safety assessment of high-strength steel structures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanical Properties of Advanced Metal Structures in Civil Infrastructure)
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21 pages, 19468 KiB  
Article
Computer Vision-Based Monitoring of Bridge Structural Vibration During Incremental Launching Construction
by Hong Shi, Min Zhang, Tao Jin, Xiufeng Shi, Jian Zhang, Yixiang Xu, Xinyi Guo, Xiaoye Cai and Weibing Peng
Buildings 2025, 15(7), 1139; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15071139 - 31 Mar 2025
Viewed by 485
Abstract
Conducting vibration monitoring during bridge construction is of significance for ensuring the safety of personnel and property and achieving safety risk management and controlling. However, current bridge vibration monitoring faces numerous challenges, including a large number of measurement points, significant frequency differences, vast [...] Read more.
Conducting vibration monitoring during bridge construction is of significance for ensuring the safety of personnel and property and achieving safety risk management and controlling. However, current bridge vibration monitoring faces numerous challenges, including a large number of measurement points, significant frequency differences, vast structural scales, lack of fixed reference points, and difficulties in temporary deployment. This paper proposes a method for bridge structural vibration monitoring based on computer vision. The method utilizes high-definition cameras to capture dynamic images of bridges and incorporates advanced image processing algorithms to automatically identify and track the vibration characteristics of bridge structures, achieving low energy consumption, low cost, and high efficiency in monitoring. For developing this method, experiments were first conducted in an indoor environment using preset templates, where the amplitude error was within 0.5% and the frequency error was within 0.2%, verifying the feasibility and accuracy of the method. Subsequently, the size of the templates was altered, and the experimental results for five different template sizes were compared. The frequency errors were all within 0.2%, and the amplitude errors were all within 0.5%, with minimal differences, demonstrating the adaptability of the method. Subsequently, under the same indoor conditions, monitoring is conducted using the feature-based template matching method and cross-correlation-based method, respectively. The largest amplitude errors measured by the two methods were 5.59% and 14.39%, respectively, while the frequency errors were 1.82% and 1.02%, respectively. Finally, the method was applied to monitor the displacement of the piers during the jacking construction process of the Yongning Bridge. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanical Properties of Advanced Metal Structures in Civil Infrastructure)
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19 pages, 11904 KiB  
Article
Dynamic Mechanical Properties and Deformation Mechanisms of Lightweight High-Strength TWIP Steel
by Jia Yang, Xiyue Liu, Yu Tang, Shuxin Bai, Yicong Ye, Manchao He and Min Xia
Buildings 2025, 15(6), 897; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15060897 - 13 Mar 2025
Viewed by 605
Abstract
This study developed a twinning-induced plasticity (TWIP) steel characterized by lightweight, high strength, and high toughness. Tensile tests were conducted at strain rates ranging from 10−4 to 6500 s−1 using a universal testing machine and a Hopkinson bar to evaluate the [...] Read more.
This study developed a twinning-induced plasticity (TWIP) steel characterized by lightweight, high strength, and high toughness. Tensile tests were conducted at strain rates ranging from 10−4 to 6500 s−1 using a universal testing machine and a Hopkinson bar to evaluate the material’s mechanical properties. A Johnson–Cook (J-C) constitutive model was developed based on the mechanical performance data for high-strain behavior. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) were employed to analyze the microstructural evolution and fracture mechanisms of tensile specimens. The results show that the TWIP steel exhibits positive strain rate sensitivity (PSRS) under both quasi-static and dynamic strain rates. At high strain rates, the yield strength increased from 1133.0 MPa to 1430.6 MPa, and the tensile strength rose from 1494.3 MPa to 1640.34 MPa. The J-C model fits well at strain rates of 1000 s−1 and 3000 s−1, but fitting errors increase at higher strain rates due to the competition between thermal softening and strain hardening. XRD results reveal no significant phase transformation occurred during deformation, with twinning being the dominant mechanism. As the strain rate increased, deformation twins appeared in the material’s microstructure, inducing plastic deformation during tensile testing. The twin volume fraction increases progressively with the strain rate. At high strain rates, secondary twins emerge and intersect with primary twins, refining the grains through mutual interaction. The TWIP effect enhances the material’s mechanical performance by improving its strength and ductility while maintaining its lightweight nature. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanical Properties of Advanced Metal Structures in Civil Infrastructure)
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15 pages, 4977 KiB  
Article
Experimental Study and Numerical Analysis of Hydration Heat Effect on Precast Prestressed Concrete Box Girder
by Tianyu Wang, Jinbiao Cai, Qian Feng, Weizhong Jia and Yongchao He
Buildings 2025, 15(6), 859; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15060859 - 10 Mar 2025
Viewed by 467
Abstract
Large-span precast prestressed concrete box girders have been widely used in bridge construction near or across the sea. However, this would easily lead to a hydration heat problem, including large initial tensile stress and concrete cracks during the stage of concrete pouring. A [...] Read more.
Large-span precast prestressed concrete box girders have been widely used in bridge construction near or across the sea. However, this would easily lead to a hydration heat problem, including large initial tensile stress and concrete cracks during the stage of concrete pouring. A 5 m long segment of the prestressed concrete box girder for the Hangzhou Bay Cross-Sea Railway Bridge was continuously monitored to investigate the hydration heat effect on the long-span concrete box girder during the pouring stage of construction. The initial temperature variation and stress distribution of the concrete in the segment were analyzed through finite element analysis based on the experimental data and temperature monitoring results. A suitable concrete pouring and maintenance plan for the box girder was proposed after the comparison of several construction schemes. The results indicate that the primary cause of initial tensile stress is the temperature difference between the inner and outer surfaces of the long-span precast concrete box girder. By adding some ventilation inside the box girder with suitable maintenance measures, the initial tensile stress in the concrete can be effectively reduced, thus mitigating the risk of early cracking. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanical Properties of Advanced Metal Structures in Civil Infrastructure)
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14 pages, 4777 KiB  
Article
Experimental Investigation on Toughness of SFRC and Bond Behavior with Reinforcing Bars
by Hongmei Zhang, Zizhao Tang, Jinguang Li, Zheming Hu and Qian Feng
Buildings 2025, 15(2), 274; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15020274 - 18 Jan 2025
Viewed by 752
Abstract
Steel-fiber reinforced concrete (SFRC) has the advantages of high strength, durability, and crack prevention ability. Studies on the compressive strength, tensile strength and flexural behavior of SFRC have been carried out by many researchers. In this paper, the toughness of SFRC along with [...] Read more.
Steel-fiber reinforced concrete (SFRC) has the advantages of high strength, durability, and crack prevention ability. Studies on the compressive strength, tensile strength and flexural behavior of SFRC have been carried out by many researchers. In this paper, the toughness of SFRC along with the bond behavior between SFRC and reinforcement were investigated. Hooked-end and straight steel fibers were chosen in the toughness tests of SFRC. The test results show that the SFRC mixtures with hooked-end steel fibers exhibit higher toughness. In addition, hooked-end steel fibers were chosen to be mixed in the SFRC to demonstrate the bond behavior between SFRC and reinforcing bars. Different embedment lengths were considered in the tests to show the influence of the anchorage area on the bond–slip responses in the pull-out tests. The failure modes for different specimens were exhibited. The results show that the embedment length more than 5 times the bar diameter causes tensile failure of the reinforcement, while the embedment length of 3 times the bar diameter causes pull-out failure of the reinforcement. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanical Properties of Advanced Metal Structures in Civil Infrastructure)
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17 pages, 8607 KiB  
Article
Numerical Study on Welding Residual Stress and Microstructure in Gas Metal Arc Welding Square Tube–Plate Y-Shaped Joints
by Zhaoru Yan and Jinsan Ju
Buildings 2024, 14(11), 3686; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14113686 - 19 Nov 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 949
Abstract
Welding residual stresses significantly influence the mechanical behavior of hollow section joints, especially in the pivotal connection zones of steel structures employed in construction. The research object of this study is the Q355 steel square tube–plate Y-joint welded using Gas Metal Arc Welding [...] Read more.
Welding residual stresses significantly influence the mechanical behavior of hollow section joints, especially in the pivotal connection zones of steel structures employed in construction. The research object of this study is the Q355 steel square tube–plate Y-joint welded using Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) with CO2 Shielding. The thermodynamic sequence coupling method was employed to simulate the temperature field, microstructure distribution, and welding residual stresses in square tube–plate Y-joints. Based on the monitored temperature field data and the cross-sectional dimensions of the weld pool, this study calibrated the finite element model. Subsequently, the calibrated finite element model was employed to analyze the influence of microstructural phase transformations and welding sequences on the welding residual stresses in square tube–plate Y-joints. The research findings indicate that the peak transverse welding residual stresses in the branch pipes of the four joint zones were lower when considering the phase transformation effect than when not accounting for it in the calculations. There was no significant difference in the transverse and longitudinal welding residual stresses on the surface of branch pipes under the three welding sequences. However, there were certain differences in the microstructural content of the weld zones under the three welding sequences, with the martensite content in the third welding sequence being significantly lower than that in the other two sequences. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanical Properties of Advanced Metal Structures in Civil Infrastructure)
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